[Sydney, Australia] Adriano Zumbo who? Zumbo, not Zumba the Latin exercise dance craze. He is an Australian whiz patissier whose nicknames include “Dark Lord of the Pastry Kitchen” and “Patissier of Pain”.

On a random visit to Coles, a friend screamed “Zumbo” and went on sweeping boxes of Salted Caramel and Raspberry White Choc Tim Tams off the shelf. Yes, the patissier extraordinaire Adriano Zumbo has teamed up with Arnott’s Tim Tam to create a limited edition range. Limited, but still enough to go round.

If you have watched MasterChef Australia, you may have watched Chef Adriano challenging contestants with his difficult-to-create desserts, also incorporating unusual ingredients such as black olive and beetroot to sweet treats.

To try his Zumbolicious treats, you can head down to locations in Balmain, Rozelle, Waverley, The Star Casino, QVB and Melbourne.

The concept store at The Star is supposed to feature a dessert train, though I was disappointed to find out it has ended its journey. Blah.

Nevertheless, if you are a dessert lover, you may need to make one of life’s most difficult decisions upon entering the shop – which cake to choose? They are all amazingly beautiful and intricate. I went trigger-happy of course.

I picked a Dirty Dani (AUD$9) because layers always work for me. My habit is to eat half all at once, and the other half layer by layer, imagining how it is stacked up.

My choice was D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S Description: Caramel creme chantilly, passionfruit creme, salted caramel mou, hazelnut dacquoise, caramel crunch and milk chocolate plaques in on single cake.

Remarkable textures of crumbly tart blending with slippery smooth creme, and seemingly clashing yet workable tastes, such as passionfruit crème with salted caramel. You marvel at the masterpiece, momentarily forget that it cost AUD$9. Worth every bit of the price.

But, I reached the point of diminishing marginal returns 3 quarters into eating. Too sweet. Too much caramel. Moral of the story: Have your cake and share it.

The Apple Maple Cheesecake (AUD$9) with apple mousse, cinnamon cheesecake, anzac biscuit, apple puree gel & yoghurt sponge, and Mylo Can ($9.50) – Milk chocolate mousse, mint and Milo cremeaux, cinnamon sablé, Milo crunch and raspberry jam were equally dessert-y elaborate and astonishing.

A friend had a regret this trip to Sydney, which is to only buy a box of Zumbarons (assorted 12 Pack AUD$30, 6 Pack AUD$150). I also say.

Chef Adriano was trained in Parisian institutions that included l’Ecole Lenôtre, Bellouet, Pierre Hermé and Damiani. Macarons are his thing!

Blueberry Pancake, Apple Pie, Salted Butter Caramel on Toast, Candy Cane, Passionfruit and Yoghurt all sounds good, and it was the Popcorn-flavoured ones who got everyone tingling in their toes. (Personally, it is still Pierre Herme for me, but I need to eat more to make a firmer decision.)

There are reviews proclaiming Adriano Zumbo’s cakes and macarons to be the Best in the World. Well… They are unquestionably technical masterpieces, while taste is subjective. I would say, definitely zumbalicious and worth a try again, and again.

Adriano Zumbo
The Star, Shop 1, Cafe Court, 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009, Sydney Australia
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon), 11am – 11pm (Tues – Thurs), 11am – 12am (Sat), 11am – 9pm (Sun)
Other branches: Balmain, Rozelle, Waverley, The Star Casino, QVB and Melbourne

Other Sydney Entries
Bangbang Espresso Bar & Café (Sydney)
Single Origin Roasters (Sydney)
Sydney Fish Market (Sydney)
Quay (Sydney)
Tetsuya’s (Sydney)

The post Adriano Zumbo – Some Say He Makes The Best Cakes & Macarons In The World appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Bangkok, Thailand] ChikaLicious is perhaps the closest thing you can get to ‘dessert fine-dining’ in Bangkok, and indeed brings sweet treats on a different level.

Three course dessert menu? Can be a dream come true to many. Essentially, desserts for amuse, desserts for main, and desserts for petit fours. Pardon for the mouthful. The course is 400 Baht (SGD$15.40, USD$12.45) for the 3-course, additional 250 with wine pairing.

This concept at Central Embassy is an direct import from New York’s ChikaLicious Dessert Bar, famed for their 3-course Prix Fixe menu which has been described as “American desserts, French presentation with Japanese tasting portions”.

This 30-seater has a contemporary yet intimate setting. I chose to sit at the open counter where you can see the chefs plate and explain the food right before you. It helps that Bangkok’s Executive Chef Sam Dhanasobhon is em, very pretty and eloquent.

ChikaLicious’ signature is the Fromage Blanc Island ‘Cheese Cake’, which is exactly the same as what the brand offer at NYC.

This is no New York cheese cake, it is like no other. The white uncooked cheesecake made of fromage blanc (French white cheese) is shaped like a ball, served on bowl of crushed ice (to keep it cold), and poured over with heavy cream.

As you scoop it with a spoon, you would realize the texture is softer than gelato and disintegrates in your mouth. Taste-wise? Not even sweet to behind with, maybe a tad, but well, light-cheesy. It’s strange looking. It’s weird tasting. But the texture will send you thrills down your spine.

Japanese owner-Chef Chika Tillman said in an interview she was inspired by a French dessert served in Japan, and that it “freaked her out”. Almost how I felt.

The other dessert, a safer choice, is the Warm Chocolate Tart with Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream and Red Wine Sauce. Small delicate crumbly tart, that flows with warm dark chocolate from within. Still mildly surprising.

While cronuts were in the rage last year, ChikaLicious offers their own version of Dough’Ssant (85 baht) – a mixture of doughnut and croissant.

I thought it would be another fad-tish item, but when I took my first bite of the crème brulee Dough’Ssant, crispy, flaky and light, filled with smooth custard, I finished the entire piece even though I was full. So awesome.

Pssssssst, you read this here first. ChikaLicious is coming to Singapore by end of the year. The question now is, WHERE?

ChikaLicious Dessert Bar
L5-01/1R Central Embassy 1031 Ploenchit road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Opening Hours:
Serving time for 3 course dessert prix fixe: 4pm-10pm (Mon-Fri), 10am-12am (Sat-Sun)
Serving time for pastries: 10am-4pm (Mon-Fri)
Directions: 5 min walk from Phloen Chit BTS station (or Chit Lom station, both with covered walkways)

Other Related Entries
Eathai (Central Embassy, Bangkok)
Nara Thai Cuisine (Central World, Bangkok)
Eat Me (Bangkok)
Petite Audrey (Siam Center, Bangkok)
After You Dessert Café (Bangkok)

The post ChikaLicious Dessert Bar – 3 Course Dessert Menu at Bangkok’s Central Embassy appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Hai Di Lao 海底捞火锅 opens another at Orchard area, this time at 313@Somerset replacing mega CD store HMV. This is indeed the passing of an era where hotpot is in, and CD is out. (Read: Hai Di Lao at Clarke Quay)

The queues are long, and the usual waiting applies. So tip of the day: Reserve before going down. (+65 68357227, +65 68357337)

Customers can still read magazines, have some fruits, nuts and drinks, play games or sign up for a manicure session while waiting for your turn. Any guys tried that? Maybe I should next time, just to see how they react.

After all, service is their number 1 priority. The service staff fusses over you – refills your drinks quite quickly, give you plastic covers to protect your mobile, and helps you with food recommendations. You ask, they give it to you.

As my ‘kan-tan’ friend struggles to speak to a waitress in half-past-six Mandarin, she said “Emm, I can speak English.” Fairy accurate, and non of the ‘LuLu’ accent. Don’t play play, don’t stereotype okay?

If you are a first timer to Hai Di Lao, here are some steps to navigate your way.

Step 1 – Choose soup bases: Soup bases which include Chicken Soup, Seafood, Tomato, Mushroom, Sichuan Spicy, and Laksa.

The chicken soup has very faint herbal nutritious taste, cooked with black chicken, wolfberry, and Chinese dates. I would recommend this because it is light enough to bring out the flavours of the ingredients such as the meats.

My table had the laksa too. While tasting ‘Prima-Delish’ at the start, the soup grows on you and becomes my favourite. Vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and quail eggs will work with this soup base.

Step 2 – Choose food ingredients: Specialty dishes include homemade tofu pudding (made with soybean mik), duck gizzards, crispy meat (streaky pork with egg and starch deep fried), beef tripe, tender chicken (uses thigh meat therefore more tender), and Hai Di Lao style beef (I wonder how much tenderizer is used because those slices stay tender after a long while.)

Step 3 – Pick the balls: Don’t leave Hai Di Lao without the specialty balls, especially the ‘Urinating Beef Balls’ that supposedly squirts out with juice in the middle. Cook them for 3- 5 minutes, not too long. The handmade cuttlefish cakes, and mashed shrimp are also delicious.

Step 4 – Take the sauces: Almost buffet style, there is a whole lot which includes sesame paste, specially made chili, seafood sauce, beef sauce, mushroom sauce, peanuts, hoisin, Korean paste… I say dump them in the same bowl and mix (it may look gross). If not, just take the special chili sauce and seafood paste.

Step 5 – Homemade noodles: Noodles made acrobatic style on the spot. There is only one guy going around this Clarke Quay branch, so you have to wait.

Comparatively, this 2nd branch of Hai Di Lao is more convenient to access, and has a different décor all together – more gold which makes it look more ‘China’.

We paid about $40 per person. Gladly pay for more because this is one of the few steamboat restaurants that don’t leave me with an MSG-thirst and headache.

If service at the Clarke Quay branch was an 8.8 out of 10, this is a 7.9. There, but not as impressive because they seemed short-handed in staff. Food quality remains, but I remember there was more ‘magic’ during my first visit.

Hai Di Lao 313@Somerset
Level 4, 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Road (Somerset MRT)
Tel: +65 68357227, 68357337
Opening Hours: 10am – 4am

Other Related Entries
Hai Di Lao 海底捞火锅 (Clarke Quay)
Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant (TripleOne Somerset)
Hong Shi Yi (Millenia Walk)
Tsukada Nojo (Chinatown Point)
Danro Japanese Hotpot (NEX)

The post Hai Di Lao 海底捞火锅 – More Hotpot Goodness at 313@Somerset till 4am appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Putting a list of “Singapore’s Best Restaurant” is a contentious one, the word ‘best’ can already be so subjective. Surely, a humble old-school zhi char restaurant can be considered ‘best’ to some. And unless someone has tried ALL the restaurants in Singapore, who can claim they know which is ‘best’?

This post is put together by referencing both the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014 and and 2013 lists compiled by S.Pellegrino.

I have my own reservations on some restaurants appearing there, but for most, they are quite worthy and commendable for putting together an intricate menu with though, personable detailed service and comfortable ambience.

Since this is the ‘fine-dining edition’, I have included prices for indication of how much you need to cough out. Reservations are a definite-must, especially for restaurants with limited seatings (Andre, Shinji, Waku Ghin).

If you must ask, my personal Best 3 are Restaurant Andre, Waku Ghin and Jaan at this point of time.

The 10 Best Restaurants In Singapore, Fine Dining Edition

Restaurant Andre
41 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089855 (Outram Park MRT)
Tel: +65 6534 8880
reserve@restaurantandre.com
Opening Hours: 12:00 – 2:00pm, 7:00 – 11:00pm (Tues – Sun, Closed Mon, PH)

In a short span of 3 years, Chef Andre Chiang transformed this small little restaurant near Chinatown to Singapore’s best restaurant under S.Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and lauded by The New York Times as a “top 10 restaurant in the world worth a plane ride”. Chef Andre’s philosophical menu ($298++ per person sans wine) is based on an “Octaphilosophy” theme of eight dishes, representing Pure, Salt, Artisan, South, Texture, Unique, Memory and Terrior. Every single dish represented perfection with the blend of ingredients, the intricacies that go into creation, and the thought process of putting it together. Personally, my dining experience was subtle and dreamy (in a good way). I can believe this is Singapore’s best restaurant. (Read: Restaurant Andre Bt Pasoh Road)

Waku Ghin
The Shoppes Atrium 2, Marina Bay Sands #02-02 (via escalator opposite Artbox Level 2), 10 Bayfront Avenue Singapore.
Tel: +65 6688 8507
wakughinreservation@marinabaysands.com
Opening Hours: 6:00pm and 8:30pm (Two seatings)

Opened by Celebrity Chef Tetsuya Wakuda, ‘Waku’ is to ‘spring forth’ and ‘ghin’ means silver which happens to be his favourite colour. Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands 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. Be prepared to spend a bomb. The 10-course degustation menu has very hefty price tag of $400++ per person, noting that most of the ingredients used – trout, lobster, wagyu, caviar, are the experience luxurious types. You get the drift. Waku Ghin’s 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 at Marina Bay Sands)

Iggy’s
Level 3, The Hilton Hotel, 581 Orchard Road Singapore 238883 (Orchard MRT),
Tel: +65 6732 2234 or send text message to +65 8188 3200
Reserve at www.iggys.com.sg
Opening Hours: 12pm – 1:30pm (Mon-Fri Lunch), 7pm – 9:30pm (Mon-Sat Dinner), Closed Sun

Prior to Restaurant Andre, Iggy’s had been known to be Singapore’ Best Restaurant, named after respected restaurateur Ignatius Chan. It has been is in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants since 2009, the first restaurant in Singapore to be on the coveted list. It is tough to categorise Iggy’s food. Some call it European, fusion, or east-meets-west. More correctly said, Iggy’s create dishes based on its founder’s favourite food and combinations, incorporating inspirations from the Asian, European and Australian continents. For lunch, the tasting menu is at $150++, while its usual Dinner Menu is at $235++ and Gastronomic Menu a pricier $275++. Some dishes were impressive, though a good half was not as memorable or mind (taste)-blowing. (Read: Iggy’s at Hilton Hotel)

Les Amis
1 Scotts Road, #02-16 Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208 (Opposite HSBC Bank, Tanglin Branch)
Tel: +65 67332225
lesamis@lesamis.com.sg
Opening Hours: Lunch 12.00pm (Last seating at 2.00pm), Dinner 7.00pm (Last seating at 9.30pm), Closed Sundays

Les Amis filled the void of fine-dining French restaurants in Singapore during the 1990s, and quickly became one of the most recognisable names in the industry. However, the group seemed to have shifted focus to their mid-tier restaurants such as Aoki, La Strada and Bistro Du Vin and casual dining concepts of Canele, Nam Nam and Peperoni Pizza. , Les Amis’s Chef de Cuisine Sebastien Lepinoy, who is protégé of Joël Robuchon, joined the restaurant quite recently, planning a Dinner Degustation Menu ($280) which includes Oscietra Caviar from Kaviari with Cold Angel Hair and Sherry Vinegar, and Pan Seared Foie Gras and French River Eel accompanied by Cherry Fruits. A more affordable Epicurean menu ($120) is available for lunch.

JAAN
2 Stamford Road, Level 70, Equinox complex, Swissotel the Stamford, Singapore 178882 (City Hall MRT)
Tel: +65 9199 9008
reservations@equinoxcomplex.com
Opening Hours: 12pm – 2pm (Lunch Mon-Sat), 7pm – 10pm (Dinner Daily except PH)
Reserve now

The word ‘Jaan’ is derived from the ancient Sanskrit word for ‘bowl’. Born in a family of farmers, Chef Julian Royer was taught to appreciate and value the beauty of seasonal produce, and it was apparent in this dishes that there are significant Asian ingredients and influence included. The. 5 course degustation menu is at $198 (wine pairing $130), 7 course artisanal menu at $238 (wine pairing $180). Do not miss the signature 55’ Rosemary Smoked Organic Egg. The dining experience, aesthetics and taste of the cuisine can be briefly summarised in one word – beautiful. (Read: Jaan Swissotel the Stamford)

Tippling Club
38 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 08846
Tel: +65 6475 2217
Opening Hours: Lunch 12-3pm (Mon-Fri), Dinner 6pm-11pm (Mon-Sat), Bar 12pm-12am (Mon-Sat), Closed Sun
Reserve now

For those unfamiliar with Tippling Club’s 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. Tasting menus such as the Classic Menu (six courses for S$160++), Gourmand Menu (12 courses for S$265++), and 2 or 3 lunch sets are available at this new Tanjong Pagar location. I thoroughly enjoyed some of the creations, namely the Omelette with Smoked Eel and Caviar which has a perfect blend of the various ingredients. The Tippling Club is some parts dramatic, some parts exceptional, some parts leaving you wondering. Yah, the food can be weird. (Read: Tippling Club Tanjong Pagar)

Shinji by Kanesaka
Raffles Hotel #02-20 1 Beach Road (via Seah Street lobby) Singapore 189673. Branch at St Regis Singapore
Tel: +65 6338 6131
reservations@shinjibykanesaka.com
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm (Lunch), 6pm -10.30pm (Dinner), Closed Sundays

Watching the skilled Japanese chefs at work feels like an art, orchestra, and performance at the same time. Tucked away at the iconic Raffles Hotel, Shinji by Michelin-starred Chef Shinji Kanesaka is an Edo-style sushi restaurant, serving sashimi and sushi at the most superior quality at an intimate setting. Probably one of the best you can get outside Japan at this part of the world. The Omakase Wa ($300) includes appetiser, assorted sashimi, assorted cooked dishes, sushi, soup and Japanese fruit while the upper tier is at $450. I specially requested for Master Chef Koichiro Oshino, which is both serious at work, and humorous as he does his explanation in the most candid manner.

Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck
#05-42/45 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd. Singapore 238859 (Orchard MRT)
Tel: +65 6732 7838
paragon@imperialtreasure.com
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30am-2:45pm (Mon-Fri), 11am-2:45pm (Sat), 10:30am-2:45pm (Sun); Dinner 6-10:30pm Daily

Some jaws dropped when Alfred Leung’s Imperial Treasures made it to the list. After all, there are many other Chinese restaurants in Singapore worthy of mention. While it may not be commonly considered the very top of Singapore’s Chinese restaurant, most dishes stands out from the average. Imperial Treasure’s Peking Duck can be considered better than many other restaurants from the capital city. To be pre-ordered in advance, the chef will crave the duck ($68) skill-fully in front of your table, into thinly crispy pieces with little meat and fats, lightly scented by the lychee wood used in the oven. Special menu for 6 at $528++, and $88++ per person. (Read Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck Paragon)

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon,
Hotel Michael, Level 1, Resorts World Sentosa
Tel: +65 6577 6688, +65 6577 7888
robuchon@RWSentosa.com
Opening Hours: 5:30pm – 10:30pm (Thurs-Mon), Closed Tues, Wed

Joel Robuchon is known as the “Chef of the Century”, owning restaurants from Paris, Las Vegas, London to Tokyo, earning a total of 28 Michelin stars, the most of any chefs in the entire world. The L’Atelier counter is where you can watch the chefs in full action within an open kitchen concept – as though you are watching a cooking programme. The square counter seating is inspired by Tokyo sushi restaurants, with a sexy colour scheme of lush red and mysterious black. The Discovery Menu ($240) includes Duck foie gras custard with spicy black beans broth and Roasted cod with artichoke pickle tomatoes juice. Portions are small tapas-sized though. If not, try the Create-Your-Own Menu ($138) with amuse-bouche, 2 appetizers, 2 main course, and 1 dessert.

Osteria Mozza
Galleria Level 42-46, Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018972
Tel: +65 6688 8522
mozza-reservations@marinabaysands.com
Opening Hours: 5:00pm – 11:00pm (Mon-Sat), 12:00pm – 2:00pm, 5:00pm -11:00pm (Sun)

The food is Italian and the restaurant feels NYC with its uplifting atmosphere and buzz (so not the finest of fine dining). Service staff walk in and fro the mozzarella bar in the middle, with pastries, mozzarella, burrata , stracciatella and burricotta cheese displayed. Chef David Almany puts up a daily selection of his best Antipasti, Mozzarella, Primi & Secondi, coupled with Pastry Chef Ariana Flores’ impeccable desserts with a tasting menu of $128++ per person . The food is hearty, fresh and of good quality, with choice of unique ingredients well put together. (Osteria Mozza Marina Bay Sands)

Which fine dining restaurant in your opinion, is Singapore Best and why?

The post 10 Best Restaurants In Singapore – The Fine Dining Edition appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

There are some common misconceptions about food served in vegan restaurants – limited choices, plain and boring taste, or too many deep fried items and mock meat items, which is the other extreme. A visit to Loving Hut at Joo Chiat would change that impression.

I have heard so much about Loving Hut from many vegan friends, even from those overseas as the brand has over 200 stores worldwide. (For those unfamiliar, the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian is that vegans do not take animal products including dairy and eggs.)

Loving Hut in Joo Chiat has also joined the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) Healthier Dining Programme for both its restaurant and catering arm, aiming to encourage customers like us to consume food with lower calorie and go for healthier options when dining out.

For a restaurant that focuses on 100% plant-based ingredients, the menu is surprisingly extensive – from the local favourite of Nyonya Laksa (462 kcal), Saigon Noodle Soup (353 kcal), Taiwanese style Three Cup Chicken with Organic Brown Rice (471 kcal), Vegan Lasagne (417 kcal), Aglio Olio (448 kcal) to Portobello Burger (500 kcal).

The above mentioned are all 500 kcal or less! Here are some of my favourites from the vegan restaurant.

Nyonya Laksa Lemak – 462 kcal
Friends told me that I must must must try the Nyonya Laksa Lemak ($8.90) because “it is like the best thing over there”.

Never would I imagine laksa of decent portion of any kind to be below 500 kcal. Is it even possible? An average bowl of Nyonya Laksa is already 700 kcal.

462 kcal – that’s how much Loving Hut’s Nyonya Laksa is worth.

To be honest, I was expecting some watered-down, pretty tasteless broth without the creaminess. First sip and I knew I was wrong. The bowl contained a bed of thick bee hoon bathed in a rich and slightly spicy broth, topped with cool shredded cucumber with additional crunchy dou miao at the side.

The gravy is a tad tangy, somewhat closer to the Penang style of laksa, and I would assure you cannot help taking multiple mouthfuls off your spoon. Instead of 100% coconut milk, the chefs used 50% of organic soymilk and 50% of coconut milk for the gravy, ideal for those who are watching their weight yet craving for laksa. This is what I call having the best of both worlds.

Teochew Mee Pok – 270 kcal
My next favourite dish was the Teochew Mee Pok ($8.90), a vegan interpretation of the familiar bak chor mee.

The calories are about half of what you would expect. At 270 kcal per bowl of a relatively large size, contrast this with dry mushroom and minced pork noodles which is at 511 kcal.

The cut mushrooms were generous in portions, saucy in taste, best savoured when tossed with quite al dente mee pok.

Almond Crumb Fillet – 439 kcal
A fairly interesting dish which the staff from Loving Hut described to me as ‘vegan steak’, suitable for those who prefer a more Western yet still healthy meal.

Like a stacked up tower, the dish contains breaded almond crumb on chunk fillet ($14.90), creamy mashed potato and layered with angel dip, served with buttered vegetables.

The patty does not feel oily at all, yet can satisfy cravings if you want something ‘guilty-tasting’ – without the additional piled up calories.

Papa’s Portobello Burger – 500 kcal
Talking about ‘guilty’, a burger meal with fries and salad ($14.90) that is 500 kcal? Yes. Rather than mock meat patty, you would get grilled Portobello mushroom sandwiched in soft burger, juicy and flavourfully marinated with mixed herbs and olive oil.

Skewer Teriyaki Organic Brown Rice – 445 kcal
Available as part of the weekday lunch special, this skewer dish ($6.90) made with mushroom and fruits on stick, drizzled over with specially made brown teriyaki sauce, and served with colourful fresh teppanyaki vegetables is filling and lower in calories at 445 kcal. Plus very reasonably price.

Tip: If you drop by on a Friday noon, try the lunch special of Vegan Kway Chap, at 366 kcal.

For meat lovers out there, who like myself had some common misconceptions about vegan food, my suggestion is to try the vegan dishes and not compare them to meat dishes you are used to (No “this doesn’t taste like chicken”) but to appreciate them as they are.

You may find yourself loving Loving Hut (pun not intended) for its sincerity in service, variety in cuisine, and commitment to provide healthy yet tasting dishes. I was pleasantly surprised.

Loving Hut @ Joo Chiat
229 Joo Chiat Road #01-01 Singapore 427489 Tel: +65 6348 631
Opening Hours: 8am – 11am Breakfast, 11am – 3pm Lunch, 5.30pm – 9pm Dinner (Mon-Fri)
8am – 11am Breakfast, 11am – 9.30pm Lunch & Dinner, 4pm – 6pm Happy Hour (Sat-Sun)

Healthy Go Lucky Draw
When you come with a group to try any of the Healthier Choice Dishes, remember to get a Healthy Go Lucky card.

Once you have completed the card with 5 stamps (5 Healthier Choice Dishes), drop it in the lucky box available in-store and stand a chance to win over $300,000 worth of prizes such as travel vouchers worth $8,888, luxury cruise for 2 valued at $5,000, 3D2N Spa Staycation for 2 worth $2,000 and shopping & travel vouchers.

* This post is brought to you by the Health Promotion Board’s Healthier Dining Programme. For more information on The Healthier Dining Programme, check out eathealthy.sg

The post Loving Hut – Healthy Vegan Food Is Not At All Boring. Be Surprised! appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

There are so many new restaurant openings in Singapore, that few would even get us excited at all. Let alone another Italian-fusion-brunch place. I decided to give it a try anyway as Supply & Demand seems one of the more promising restaurants at Orchard Gateway.

Supply & Demand termed as a modern “Italian Southeast Asian” bistro has its first outfit at Esplanade, though it seemed off the radar. I was skeptical initially and wondered if it was another one of ‘those’ restaurants trying hard by selling everything under the sky.

Wait. before entering the actual restaurant, I was a little surprised – an extended outer seating area with blackboard and classroom settings. Hmm… promising. The inside looked even better, spacious enough with bookshelves, tall ceiling, fake trees, plus a view of the other side of Orchard.

Menu came in a report book. There were Italian and Asian inspired lunch sets available at $16.90. The Malaysian Sate Special, Pad Ga Prao Moo (Thai basil minced pork rice), and Stir Fried Sambal Pork Belly looked intriguing. If not, the Italian choices such as Aglio Olio with Shrimps, and Carbonara Cremoso are safe choices.

I had the Zi Char Style Curry Chicken. This came served with an elaborate starter set of Indonesian rempeyek cracker, achar, antipasti of Burmese tea leaves and a mini Asian bite (such as deep fried fish roll) in an wooden box.

Surprise again. Not the usual soup or light bites for a start, but one with variety and presentation that you would only expect in a mid-tier and above restaurant.

The curry chicken, cooked in a dry gravy, tasted fittingly well with pilaf rice with buttery fragrance and a sunny side up.

Supply & Demand’s pizzas are worth a try, freshly baked to order with thin crisp crust and generous toppings.

The Morning After ($18 for 9 inch, $22 for 13 inch) is said to be inspired by Chef Samdy Kan’s favourite breakfast ingredients – that’s mushroom, bacon and soft egg on a pizza.

Almost any pizza with egg would score with me. With that said, the crust is a front-runner, light and fluffy, making eating 2-3 slices even possible after a heavy meal.

If alcohol makes you go weak, then S&D Italian Style Tiramisu ($12) loaded with 2 kinds of liqueur may make you go drunk. Creamy, tasty and alcoholic – one of my favourites around.

A pity the Homemade Chocolate Cake ($11) served with salted caramel and chocolate crumble went too sweet on the palate.

There are some online reviews which complained about its slow service and reservation systems, which I fortunately did not experience possibly because I went on weekday noon.

Sometimes I walk around Orchard not knowing what to eat. Places can be expensive, crowded, and/or with unpardonable food. The slightly below radar Supply & Demand serves reasonably good fare at friendly prices, with a welcoming interior in Orchard. Worth a support, provided it does not get too crowded.

Supply & Demand
Orchard Gateway, 277 Orchard Road #02-13/14 Singapore 238858
Tel: +65 67026218
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm (Mon-Sun)
Other branch: Esplanade, Colours By The Bay, 8 Raffles Avenue #01-13 Singapore 039802

Other Related Entries
10 Places To Dine At Orchard Gateway
The Assembly Ground (Orchard)
Buttero (Tras Street)
Potato Head Folk (Keong Siak Street)
Dulce & Sucre (Orchard Gateway)

The post Supply & Demand – Italian Asian Bistro at Orchard Gateway Surprising Good appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Hong Kong] When asked for the best dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong, to clarify the atas high end category, most would drop the name of Lung King Heen 龍景軒. After all, it is the only 3 star Michelin Chinese restaurant in the world currently.

Considered as a closed competitor is Tin Lung Heen 天龍軒, if you can, and are willing to pay.

The view literally stole my breath away, the food did too. Located on Level 102 of the Ritz Carlton, the 2-star Michelin restaurant is dramatically elegant with a picturesque view.

It was one of those few restaurants that got my heart beating faster in anticipation as the lift goes higher and higher up. Entering the ravishing restaurant, you feel gold, glitter and glamour almost immediately. The view and interior – I would say modern contemporary meets lavish oriental, is breath-taking.

Service is top-notch gentlemanly. Waiters are all formally dressed in jackets, serving professionally, making sincere recommendations, all in gracious polite demeanour.

Chef Paul Lau Ping Lui is one of the top Cantonese chefs in Hong Kong, with over 34 years of experience, known to combine innovation with traditional cooking techniques.

The 6-course degustation tasting menu is at HK$1,688. Popular dim sum items include Steamed Golden Shrimp Dumplings with Bambo Shoots and Asparagus (HK$86), Baked Abalone Puffs with Roasted Goose (HK$116), Pan Fried Wagyu Beef Buns with Leek, Roasted Barbecued Pork Puffs, and Foie Gras Dumplings wrapped with Shredded Pastry (HK$78). Of course, price is on the very high side too.

Their famed Iberico Pork BBQ Char Siu (HK$268) is sensational. While Hong Kong is famed for its roast pork all over, this, is a class of its own. I have read some reviews that this item is over-rated, but mine was lightly charred, with caramelised sweetish coat on the outside, pork so tender it literally melts in your mouth.

The siew mai is not quite like the ordinary, coming in a basket of two – Steamed Pork with prawn with coriander, and with scallop and tomato.

My friend didn’t like the dumpling because it was huge and tasted ‘porky’, but I liked it precisely it was huge and ‘porky’ in every sense of that word. They were gigantic, fresh and steaming hot, and I almost wanted to pop that entire juicy thing in my mouth.

Tin Lung Heen’s signature dish is the Steamed Crab Claw with Egg White (HK$158) in Hua Diao wine, though I thought the flavour was subtle, meat not fleshy enough, taste too plain to be truly impressionable.

While the bill turned out to be quite substantial (slightly more than a hundred Sing per person), the entire experience at Tin Lung Heen was worth its price. High in level, high in price, but high quality in taste.

Tin Lung Heen 天龍軒
102/F, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon MTR)
Tel: +852 2263 2270
restaurantreservation.hk@ritzcarlton.com
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 2:30pm, 6:00pm – 10:30pm (Mon to Fri), 11:30am – 3:00pm, 6:00pm – 10:30pm (Sat to Sun)
Dress Code: No beach sandals, open toe shoes, sleeveless shirts and shorts for gentlemen

Other Hong Kong Entries
10 Best Dim Sum Restaurants In Hong Kong
The Chairman Restaurant 大班樓 (Hong Kong)
Sun Tung Lok 新同樂 (Kowloon, Hong Kong)
Fook Lam Moon 福臨門 (Wanchai, Hong Kong)
Lung King Heen 龍景軒 (Central, Hong Kong)

The post Tin Lung Heen 天龍軒 – High Level, High Price, High Quality Food appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

How many can remember that PS Café started off as a café within Project Shop in Paragon way back in 1999? It has fast expanded to become a well-known brand, best known for their cakes and truffle fries, with additional concepts of P.S Café Petit and ChopSuey Café.

Both P.S Café Petit and ChopSuey have opened their second branches at Martin Road, taking over the space left vacant by Baker & Cook, Kha and Bomba.

(On a side note, I am careful about writing about ChopSuey.again. After writing a negative review, I get different responses criticising my post, by well, from ‘different’ people with the same email and IP address.)

This P.S Café Petit at Martin Road seems more promising than the first branch at Tiong Bahru, which is much smaller and offers mainly takeaway services.

With a seating capacity of about 60-70 both indoors and outdoors, the menu is more extensive with breakfast and lunch sets – the usual eggs brunches, baked goods like croissants, paninis, muffins and cakes apply.

Soups, salad bowls, pasta, burgers, and pizzas are available from 11am to 10:30pm.

As expected, price is considerably higher than most cafes, with Eggs Benedict at $19, Eggs Royale (the salmon version) at $21, Butter Croissant at $4, Roast Veggie Panini at $16, Mushroom Soup at $12, Pastas from $23-$25, and Burgers from $23-$28. An average bill should be about $35-$40.

Well, at least my Eggs Benedict ($19) was perfectly poached, with the proportion of ham and hollandaise sauce quite even, complimented with doughy-textured bread.

The scrambled eggs on the Asian Scrambled On Toast ($17) could be more creamy though, and I wished for more ‘Asian’ elements other than a sprinkling of tofu and fried shallots.

What kind of got on my nerves was the acoustics, decremented by the heavy use of metallic decorative items, parallel walls and hard-surfaces. All it took was a female customer who chatted at the top of her voice, and one crying child (plus the music), and the café became echoic noisy.

My recommendation: Sit outdoors. It is more child and pets friendly as well.

PS Café Petit at Martin Road
No 38 Martin Road, Singapore 239072, Tel: +65 81886191
(Pre-takeaway orders only available for residents of Martin 38)
Opening Hours: 8am-11am Breakfast, 11am-12am Daily, Last order for food 10:30pm

More Related Entries
New Cafes in Singapore – 25 More Cafe Hopping Spots!
Bread & Hearth (Keong Siak Street)
The Tastemaker Store (Havelock Road)
The Assembly Ground (Orchard)
The Lokal (Neil Road)

The post P.S Cafe Petit – A Bigger Petit at Martin Road appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

How many times have you entered a restaurant because it has good vibes? It just feels good.

And have you stopped in your tracks before going in because there was something wrong with the ambience?

Don’t you agree that the ‘feel’ of the restaurant – from the décor, lighting, music, furniture, even menu design – may matter as much as the food to many customers?

The environment or setting in which you eat can also add to the enjoyment. It does not need to feel high end or classy. For instance, the best zi char food has to be eaten in a coffee-shop atmosphere, however hot or crowded it is.

Strangely, the discomfort of piping hot food plus warm stuffy air can make a meal enjoyable and bring out the role of the drink, like an iced cold Coke, even better.

Here are 5 Restaurants in Singapore with that special atmosphere:

The Classroom – Supply & Demand

The new Supply & Demand at Orchard Gateway has a theme that spells ‘classroom’ – with tables and seats refurbished from actual school furniture, chalkboards, book shelves and menus in the form of report books.

Don’t worry. Dining here will not remind you of detention classes. Some of their Italian dishes have a Southeast Asian twist, such as Spicy Pork with Thai Basil Pasta and Sambal Marinara (somewhat spicy so you may need to reach out for a can of Coke). The vibe is vibrant, so you would wish you could stay in class a while longer.

The Childhood Land – Flee Away

Sometimes you wish to escape back to the 80s, where life was a lot more carefree. You may get that from Flee Away café at Dunlop Street, decorated with many childhood toys and memorabilia.

There is a big orange aeroplane that hangs from the ceiling, a 50s television near the cashier, shelves littered with old-school toys, toy soldiers and rubber duckies, comic books to browse, and old movies posters on the side wall.

The Japanese Home – Suju Japanese Restaurant

There are many Japanese restaurants in Singapore, but few would remind you of a Japanese home like Suju at Mandarin Gallery does.

Suju’s main feature is in offering authentic Japanese home-style food of rice, miso soup, traditional side dishes and simple mains. The interior also feels like you are dining at a Japanese friend’s place – wooden cupboards filled with clay crockeries, potted plants, and customary tea pots – a serene and intimate setting.

You can feel right at home taking sips of Coke while watching the world go by when you take a window seat overlooking Orchard Road.

The Chinese Inn – Dian Xiao Er

The first thing you would notice of this restaurant could be the service staff, all wearing olden Chinese waiter uniforms and headgear. The decor of this local Chinese restaurant famous for their ducks is styled after a Chinese inn for travellers, hence the stone-bricked walls, heavy wood round tables.

The branch at NEX is decorated with OTT ang-pao red ribbon lanterns to fit its wedding theme. Whereas the flagship store at Vivocity has customers sitting in an olden traditional tavern, enjoying a scenic view of the distant Sentosa island.

Olden Chinatown – Soup Restaurant

Soup Restaurant, other than having distinct old-school Chinese dishes such as Samsui Ginger Chicken, traditional steamed dishes and boiled herbal soups, has an atmosphere that is reminiscent of cultural heritage found in Chinatown.

Some Chinese restaurants may be too noisy and rowdy for family dinners and conversations, but Soup Restaurant presents a leisurely mood, where the traditional meets the modern, so you feel equally at home sipping from a refreshing can of Coke in between spoons of Chinese herbal soups.

*This post is brought to you by Coca-Cola®. Follow @cokesg on twitter to get more cool information on similar articles.

The post A for Atmosphere – 5 Restaurants In Singapore With That Special Atmosphere appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

When we hear “Outback Steakhouse”, we think about big portions of steak, ribs and lamb chops. It is what I call ‘Australian concept, American portions’. After all, it is the largest steakhouse chain in the world, with more than 1000 branches around the world.

Outback Steakhouse finally opened its second restaurant in Singapore at Orchard Gateway. What took it so long? (You can access it from either Gateway to Level 1, or a direct link from 313@Somerset.)

Let’s start with the steaks. They are after all the signature of the restaurant.

The 4 types available are the Outback Special (6oz $27.90, 8oz $29.90, 10oz $31.90), New York Strip ($36.90), Ribeye ($37.90) and Victoria’s Filler ($37.90).

All the steaks are actually first dry-aged for a minimum of 21 days, then delivered un-carved to the restaurant in loins, subsequently cut and cooked to order in the kitchen.

We had both the Outback Special, an Australian sirloin steak and New York Strip, a 10oz longish thick-cut Strip steak – both are seasoned with a secret blend of 17 spices. The vote went unanimously to the Australian cut, thicker in breath and lean, but still tender and juicy.

One thing to note, the portions are big and hearty. Getting friends to share can be a good idea.

The steak orders come with two sides, from an extensive list of nine that includes favourites such as Corn on the Cob, Mashed Potatoes, Baked Potato, Aussie Fries, Rice Pilaf, Sweet Potato Fries.

My recommendation? The new Sweet Baked Potato topped with honey butter and cinnamon sugar, which is refreshing sweet and salty at the same time.

There are onion rings, but this is The Onion Ring like no other. Our starter arrived with stacks of deep fried crispy rings stacked circularly up, surrounding a dish of signature creamy and zesty Bloom sauce in the middle.

Ah, the Typhoon Bloom ($14.00), looking like a cyclonic starter, and very addictive as you peel layers and layers off the sides. Surprisingly not too oily, and doesn’t leave stains on the fingers.

I actually liked all three appetizers served, including the Tortilla chips in Spinach Artichoke Dip ($13.90) and Kookabura Wings (half $9.90, full $19.90) with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

If you are not in the mood for beef, I would recommend the Tilpia with Pure Lump Crab Meat ($27.90), lighter in portion and still favourful. We liked that there are surprises within the fish, finding crab stuffing in zingy lemon butter Chablis sauce as we ‘dug’ further in.

We all ‘complained’ that we need to go on diet, and visit the gym, and then went “Ohhhhhh…..” at the Alice Springs Chicken ($25.90). Ok, okay. Flame-grilled chicken breast? Topped with crispy bacon? Plus sautéed mushrooms? Both Monterey Jack cheese and Parmesan cheese? AND Aussie fries.

We were sold.

In actual fact, the very first thing I ordered in Outback was the dessert. “Chocolate Thunder please.” They knew.

Save some space for this. The Chocolate Thunder from Down Under ($14.90) has fresh-baked rich pecan brownie, topped with vanilla ice-cream, and poured over with warm chocolate sauce. Guaranteed an instagram-hit, and something that would send you on a sugar high.

Outback Steakhouse
#04-01 orchardgateway, 277 Orchard Road, Singapore 238858 (Somerset MRT), Tel: +65 6702 6842
http://outback-sea.com/
https://www.facebook.com/OutbackSG
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm (Daily)

Other branch:
Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Blvd, #01-114, Singapore 039596
Opening Hours: Daily: 11.30am – 10.30pm Daily

Outback Steakhouse Giveaway
DanielFoodDiary.com will be giving away 2 x $50 vouchers for you to dining at Outback Steakhouse! All you need to do is to
Step 1: LIKE Daniel’s Food Diary on Facebook
Step 2: LIKE and SHARE this entry
Step 3: COMMENT below on your favourite dish from Outback Steakhouse and why.
(Results will be announced 31 July.)

*This entry is brought to you by Outback Steakhouse *

The post Outback Steakhouse – More Steaks, Ribs and Desserts at Orchard Gateaway + Vouchers Giveaway appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Hong Kong Jin Tian Eating House 香港锦田, which some fans proclaim to serve the best roast meats in Singapore, has reopened at Zion Road!

This is ironically surprising on some levels.

Flashback some months earlier, scores of customers were lamenting the loss of our heritage food – Hong Kong Jin Tian Eating House at Tiong Bahu, and Nasi Padang River Valley at Zion Road announced their closures.

Both gave up their businesses on the premise of rental hikes.

Madam Yip from the popular roast meat shop revealed that rental increased to $12k (from $8k) per month over at the old corner space at Seng Poh Road; while the Nasi Padang River Valley said goodbye after a rental increase to $11k.

Somebody work out the Maths here.

It doesn’t make sense for Jin Tian to take over the present shop space (which I think has less traffic), unless the former landlord couldn’t find anyone and lowered the rent.

I was half expecting a bistro, mid-end restaurant or some ‘hipster’ café (by a chain) to open there, because only they can absorb such exorbitant rent. Until a drive across made us all in the car exclaimed “The char siew shop took over the Nasi Padang shop!”

River Valley folks, this is probably as cheap as it gets for food (other than Zion Road hawker centre). The Roasted Duck Rice, Noodles and Porridge are at $4, Char Siew Rice at $3.50, Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles at $3.50, and Soup at $3.50. Don’t forget about their ‘Duck Leg Wrap’ ($2.80) which is in limited quantities.

“How? So cheap! Nasi Padang close down, this can survive? What are they thinking?” Unfortunate thoughts running through our minds.

If I can divide the taste of the food into two parts, their meats are still of respectable quality – tender slightly charred char siew, soya sauce chicken with such well-marinated slipper fatty skin, roasted meats with good proportion of crisp top and lean inner layer. After all, the chef was from Hai Tien Lo.

My only main gripe is that meats can be chopped to larger pieces. I like to savour chunks.

The peripherals on the other hand, were due for improvements. Noodles were soggy, rice too wet and vegetables raw-ly blanched and almost tasteless.

Take note this is a self-service concept. One of the workers was rude, kept getting my order wrong, and gave a ‘tsk’ as if it was my fault. I told myself: patience, patience.

Anyway, Hong Kong Jin Tian Eating House, welcome back! I hope you stay.

Hong Kong Jin Tian Eating House 香港锦田
55 Zion Road (Opposite Great World City)
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm Daily (May change)

Other Related Entries
10 Favourite Stalls From Tiong Bahru Food Centre
Kay Lee Roast Meat Joint (Paya Lebar)
Por Kee (Tiong Bahru)
Kok Sen Restaurant (Keong Siak Street)
Pin Xiang Noodles (Toa Payoh)

The post Hong Kong Jin Tian Eating House – Roast Meat Shop Reopens At Zion Road appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

My first experience at Jack’s Place was after PSLE, at the nostalgic Bras Basah branch. It was a reward from my mum. I never had steak before.

The waiter asked if I wanted my steak “well done”. I didn’t know what it meant, and it seemed like the most appropriate choice then. Because when I asked what else was there, the waiter said “medium but would be bloody”.

Years down the road, I still remember Jack’s Place to be the first restaurant I had steak at, with many fond memories associated. Do you know it has been around since 1967 (known as Cola Restaurant and Bar then)? You are likely to still find those familiar green and white checked table-cloth still in use. If my mum wants to have ‘Hainanese-style’ Western food again, I am likely to bring her there.

When Jack’s Place is mentioned, you may think of the words ‘steak’, ‘family’, and ‘nostalgic’, now how about ‘healthy?

Other than a variety of sizzling meats, savoury pastas and Asian fusion food, some of Jack’s Place dishes are offering a healthier take – after it became a partner of Health Promotion’s Board’s (HPB) Healthier Dining Programme

Tenderloin with Capsicum
Typically, a steak dish would be at least 700 kcal or more. Jack’s Place Tenderloin with Capsicum ($28.00), prepared using New Zealand grass-fed beef, is about 500 kcal!

This steak is served on a bed of soft mashed potatoes, topped with fresh colourful capsicum, with an option of capsicum-infused brown sauce on the side.

I initially wondered about the portion size, but the dish turned out to be quite filling, especially since the slab came with mashed potatoes. This time I knew better and ordered a medium-rare, and they got the doneness just right, juicy and still flavourful.

Prawn and Chicken Spaghetti
Somehow pasta dishes are always seen as fattening and calorific, especially by my female friends. They usually only take half a portion, or avoid these carbs all together. After all, a usual pasta dish, say spaghetti with meat and tomato sauce would already be 613 kcal.

Perhaps it is about picking the right sauces to avoid the extra calories. Jack’s Place Prawn and Chicken Spaghetti ($15.80) comes with sautéed prawn and chicken chunks in pesto sauce. The aromatic sauce is mixed well in the pasta, without being too greasy or salty.

Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
This is an Asian dish my mum would most likely enjoy – Teriyaki Chicken with Rice ($14.80). Beneath the grilled succulent chicken pieces is a layer of vegetables – crunchy broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, served on steamed rice, topped with special teriyaki sauce.

(On a side-note, I wished more restaurants outside would add more vegetables and salads to rice dishes as well, other than the usual deep fried sides.)

Other than leaner proteins, less salt and fattening sauces, and more colourful veggies incorporated in the menu, you will soon find the group of restaurants switching from vegetable to olive oil. While the calorie is lower, taste is not compromised.

My mum would sometimes complain that “outside food is so salty and oily.” I now know where to bring my health-conscious family to enjoy sizzling steak, savoury pasta and Asian fusion food. And I can safely tell them it’s all about 500 calories.

Jack’s Place Steak House & Restaurant
Parkway Parade, 80 Marine Parade Road #01-30 Tel: +65 63485203
Opening Hours: 11am – 10:30pm Daily

Other branches: Ang Mo Kio Blk 730 Ave 6, Bras Basah Complex, Bukit Panjang Plaza, Century Square, Compass Point, Great World City, JEM, NEX, OrangeTee Building Toa Payoh, Safra Jurong Cub, The Grandstand, United Square, West Coast, Woodlands Civic Center.

* This post is brought to you by the Health Promotion Board’s Healthier Dining Programme. For more information on The Healthier Dining Programme, check out eathealthy.sg

The post Jack’s Place – Sizzling Steak, Savoury Pasta and Asian Fusion Food about 500 Calories! appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong, I love you. A very large reason is due to your amazing food choices, and the culinary scene just get more and more exciting.

Early morning I wake up, I crave for some scrambled eggs at Australian Dairy Company, perhaps yum cha at a dim sum restaurant, savour after char siu, chat with friends at a cha chaan teng, and end the night with seafood dinner and cold mango dessert.

You see, one of the reason why Hong Kong can be vastly different and still remain interesting is its unique cultural makeup, with east-meets-west influence. And Hong Kongers are bold to be different. Where else can you get satay instant noodles sold in cafes?

I get frequent requests for a “Hong Kong food guide“. These are some of my favourite food and haunts whenever I visit Hong Kong. The 10 must eat food in Hong Kong!

Dim Sum
Dim sum means ‘touch your heart’ and it is impossible to go Hong Kong without trying out one of their celebrated dim sum items, from steamed, baked, pan-fried to deep fried. When in doubt, order the classic ones – pork dumplings, BBQ pork buns, shrimp dumplings, rice rolls and egg tarts. (Read: 10 Best Dim Sum Restaurants In Hong Kong)

Fook Lam Moon 福臨門
Shop 3, G/F, Newman House 35-45 Johnston Road, Wanchai Hong Kong Tel: (+852) 2866 0663 (10 min walk from Wan Chai MTR)
53-59 Kimberley Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon Tsim Sha Tsui MTR, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2366 0286
Tel: +852 2866 0663
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30am-3pm (Mon-Sat), 11am-3pm (Sun). Dinner 6-11pm Daily

Tin Lung Heen 天龍軒
102/F, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon MTR)
Tel: +852 2263 2270
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 2:30pm, 6:00pm – 10:30pm (Mon to Fri), 11:30am – 3:00pm, 6:00pm – 10:30pm (Sat to Sun)

Lung King Heen 龍景軒
Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, Podium 4, 8 Finance Street, Central (Hong Kong MTR)
Tel: +852 3196 8888 (Reservations 1-2 months ahead required. www.fourseasons.com)
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 2:30 pm; 6pm – 10:30 pm

Wanton and Beef Brisket Noodles
Nobody makes wanton noodles, and can I add beef brisket noodles like the Hong Kongers? There are still shops that preserves the craft of handmade bamboo-pressed noodles. Most of the noodles are springy thin, with the soup bases cooked with powdered dried shrimp, flounder and pork bones that makes such a punch. Wanton with big fat prawns, and beef that melts in your mouth. Yes.

Mak’s Noodle 麥奀記
G/F, 77 Wellington St, Central, Hong Kong.
Opening Hours: Mon to Sun 11am – 10pm

Tsim Chai Kee 沾仔记
98 Wellington St, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2850 6471
Opening Hours: 9am – 10pm

Kau Kee Restaurant 九記牛腩
21 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong Island (MTR Sheung Wan Exit E2, moving to Bonham Strand and walk uphill for about 5 min)
Opening Hours: 12:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon-Sat), Closed Sun

Roast Meats
Hong Kong’s Roasted Meats consist of four known mouth watering treasures – Char Siu (barbecued pork), roast goose, siu yuk (roast pork belly) and roasted goose. Char Siu is definitely my favourite, shiny glazed, beautifully charred, and sweet tender pieces that complete a bowl of fragrant rice or noodles. You can get them at high end Chinese restaurants, or Tai Hing, Maxim and Café de Coral chain stores found at most parts in the city.

Joy Hing Food Shop 再興燒臘飯店
Shop C 265-267 Hennessy Road Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island (MTR Wan Chai Station Exit A2 and walk along Hennesy Road, turn left to Stewart Road and walk for 5 min)
Tel: +852 25196639
Opening Hours: 10am-10pm

Sham Tseng Chan Kee Roasted Goose 深井陳記燒鵝
427-427A Reclamation Street, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2491 0722
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm

Yung Kee Restaurant 鏞記酒家
32-40 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong Island (MTR Central Exit D2, walk up D’Aguilar Street and turn right into Wellington Street)
Tel: +852 2522 1624
Opening Hours: 11am – 11:30pm

Hong Kong Cafes, Cha Chaan Teng
Hong Kong’s Cafes, better known as Cha Chaan Teng, are a class of their own not found in other parts of the world. Many sell almost everything under the roof, from toast, instant noodles, barbecued meat, congee, curry, steak to desserts. Order the sets if you are lost. Due to their colonial influence; food generally has an east-meets-west twist. Like curry spaghetti, or pork chop burgers. Some cafes open till very late. (Read: 5 Best Hong Kong Cafes)

Australian Dairy Company 澳洲牛奶公司
G/F, 47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong (MTR Jordan Exit C2) 佐敦白加士街47-49號地下
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 11:00pm (Closed Thursdays)

Capital Café 華星冰室
Shop B1, G/F, Kwong Sang Hong Building, 6 Heard Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (10 min walk from Wan Chai MTR) 灣仔克街6號廣生行大廈地下B1號舖 Tel:+852 2666 7766
Opening Hours: 7am – 11:00pm

美都餐室 Mido Café
G/F, 63 Temple Street (Yau Ma Tei MTR Exit B2) 油麻地廟街63號地下, Tel:+852 2384 6402
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 9:30pm

Hong Kong Milk Tea
Hong Kong Milk Tea is said to be made of a combination of tea leaves. Sometimes they are called “Stocking Milk Tea” because the filter bag reputed to make the tea smoother, gradually develops an intense brown colour which looks like a pantyhose. My criteria for a fulfilling cup of 香港奶茶 are the 5 ‘S’s – silky smooth, satisfying, sweet, and ‘siap’ (slight bitter aftertaste). At Tsui Wah‘s branch at the Hong Kong International Airport, you can even buy takeaway bottles back home.

Lan Fong Yuen 蘭芳園
2 Gage Street Central, Hong Kong (MTR Sheung Wan Exit E2 or Central) 中環結志街2號 Tel: +852 2544-3895/ 2854-0731
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 8:00pm (Mon-Sat)

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

Star Café 星座冰室
36 Basement Champagne Court Block A 16 Kimberley Road (Next to Mira Hotel)
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2724 4408 (MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui Exit B2)
Opening Hour: 8:00am-9:00pm

Congee
Most congees in Hong Kong are painstakingly cooked for many hours, resulting in a thick, creamy, smooth bowl that warms the tummy and the heart. The favours of the congee come from pork bones, and you can top it with ingredients such as meat slices, pork ball, fish belly or fresh prawns. Know not what ingredients to get, a ‘boat’ or ‘sampan’ congee will contain the vastest assortments.

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

Sang Kee Congee Shop 生記粥品專家
7-9 Burd Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island (MTR Sheung Wan Station Exit A2, turn right and walk about 5 min along Hillier Street)
Tel: +852 2541 1099
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 9pm (Mon-Sat), 6:30am – 6pm (PH) Closed Sun

Congee King 粥麵軒
7 Heard Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island (MTR Wan Chai Station Exit A4, turn right and walk down Hennessy Road and turn right onto Heard Street for about 10 min)
Tel: +852 2882 3268
Opening Hours: 11am – 10:45pm (Mon-Sat), 11am- 9:45pm (Sun)

Egg Tarts
There are many local snacks you must try in Hong Kong – pineapple buns, mini egg puffs, wife cake, white sugar cake and not forgetting the egg tarts. Oh, that smooth bright yellow egg custard, seated inside crumbly fragrant buttery crust. Get them freshly baked, eat them warm! You can easily find these decadent tarts at old-school confectioneries.

Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌餅家
G/F, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
Tel: +852 2544 3475
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 9pm (Mon-Sat), 8:30am-9pm (Sun, PH)

Honolulu Café 檀島咖啡餅
G/F & Mezz Floor, 176-178 Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai (Wan Chai MTR Exit A4)
Tel: +852 2575 1823
Opening Hours: 6:00am – 12:00am

Hoover Cake Shop 豪華餅店
136 Nga Tsin Wai Rd, Kowloon City
Tel: +852 2382 0383
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 11:30pm Daily

Swiss Chicken Wings
Due to its earlier colonial days, Western food with Chinese flavours added has become very common. Case in point, pork chop burger, macaroni in tomato soup and fried egg, instant noodles with sausages, French toast and Swiss Sauce chicken wings. You can’t find these wings in Switzerland. Word has it that a waiter called these sweetened soya sauce chicken wings “Swiss wings” instead of sweet, and that name remained.

Tai Ping Koon Restaurant 太平館餐廳
40 Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Exit B2, walk down Cameron Road, turn left onto Carnarvon Road and make a right on Granville Road)
Tel: +852 27213559
Opening Hours: 11am – 12am

Seafood
As one of the world’s biggest port cities, The variety can range from a zi char style restaurant (Gi Kee), seafood restaurant (Under Bridge) or Michelin starred ones (Ming Court). There are several off-the-town Cantonese style seafood places available such as Lei Yue Mun, Sai Kung, Lamma Island for very fresh items. For something more touristy and iconic, head to the Aberdeen area for Jumbo, one of the world’s largest floating restaurants.

Under Bridge Spicy Crab 橋底辣蟹
G/F-3/F, Ascot Mansion, 421-425 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai
Tel: +852 2834 6268
Opening Hours: 6pm – 6am Daily

Gi Kee Restaurant 銖記海鮮酒家
Shop 3, 2/F, Wong Nai Chung Complex, 2 Yuk Sau Street Happy Valley,
Tel: +852 2574 9937

Ming Court 明阁
Langham Place Hotel, 555 Shanghai Street, Mongkok (Mongkok MTR station Exit C3)
Tel: +852 3552 3300
Opening Hours: 11am – 11:30pm Daily

Hong Kong Desserts
Every late night outing would somehow land us in a Hong Kong dessert shop, which offers some of the most amazing varieties. Won’t be surprised if some shops can offer 50-100 different types of hot and cold ones. Some places to go to: Mango Sago by Hui Lau Shan (said to be introduced by them), Milk Pudding from Yee Shun Milk Company, and yes, Auntie Sweet’s Durian Tofu. Seriously.

Hui Lau Shan 許留山
58-60 Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mong Kok and other locations
Tel: +852 2781 1626

Yee Shun Milk Company 義順牛奶公司
G/F., 506 Lockhard Road, Causeway Bay
Tel: +852 2591 1837
Opening Hours: 12pm – 12am (Mon-Sun)

Auntie Sweet 甜姨姨私房甜品
G/F, 13 Tsing Fung Street, Tin Hau, Hong Kong Island (MTR Tin Hau Station, Exit A2)
Tel: +852 2508 6962
Opening Hours: 12pm-2am (Mon-Fri), 3pm-2am (Sat-Sun)

There are definitely a lot a lot more I have yet to include. If I left out any representative must-try foods and places, do leave a comment below. Time for me to go back to Hong Kong soon!

Other Related Entries
10 Best Dim Sum Restaurants In Hong Kong
5 Best Hong Kong Cafes
Bo Innovation (Wan Chai, Hong Kong)
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Central, Hong Kong)
Tim Ho Wan (Hong Kong)

The post 10 Must Eat Food In Hong Kong – Where To Eat in Hong Kong! appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

There are only that few local celebrity chefs from Singapore, many of whom greet us on our local Channel 8, threading villages with Kym Ng, or judging dishes cooked by artistes who try hard.

Many should be familiar with Chef Daniel (I like this name!), who has gathered many fans after appearances on television as a vocal kind-hearted judge.

His background is in classical French cuisine, but is more known for his innovation behind several modern Chinese dishes, leaving his mark at Chinois in Melbourne; Xin Cuisine, Imperium and Tung Lok Group in Singapore.

Therefore expectations are high.

I generally do not go for media tastings nowadays, and instead rather gather a few foodie friends to hunt for food. More freedom, less restrictions.

The restaurant moved and changed concept from the former location at Bugis+, the Chinatown Point venue seems befitting due to his Channel 8 fanbase.

With a celebrity chef backing, garden-like pleasant interior, and affordable menu prices, we thought this is due for a check-out.

There were some hits and more misses. The following are some comments from my foodie friends. I took a few bites too and concur. Did the kitchen have a busy day?

Beef Stew ($15.50) – Chunky beef cubes stewed in red wine with carrot and zucchini, served with mashed potato.

RubbishEatRubbishGrow: “A smooth buttery mash that went well with the beef stew, which was light, and not quite thick. The beef could be softer, but as a whole, the dish was not bad.”

Dk7 Spice Dory Fillet ($13.50) – Pan-fried dory fillet flavored with DK7 spices, served with savoy cabbage and bacon.

GNineThree: “The Dory Fillet portion though generous and substantial for its price tag, and unfortunately none too satisfying and tasted somewhat flat.”

Foie Gras ($22.50) – Pan-fried Foie Gras with tiger prawn, asparagus and gratin potatoes.

PinkyPiggu: “Usually, I’ll get excited over Foie Gras. But the moment I had a bite of that overdone piece and tasted slight bitterness in my mouth, all excitement stopped.” (I agreed because the piece did taste somewhat ‘chao tar’.)

Smoked Duck Breast ($13.50) - Braised medallion smoked duck breast in wild rice corn ragoût with green peas and topped with an egg.

Ironsage: “Dish was visually pretty which is just about the only good thing about it. The duck breast was sliced too thinly and tasted like pan seared ham. The fried egg was standard school canteen food. The sprouts were added like as an after-thought. The mash at the bottom was okay and the pink peppercorns was a pleasant surprise and gave it that touch to different it was a celebrity chef’s dish. But it was too little too late.”

Lychee Pork ($13.50) – Pork belly stewed in lychee coulis with Shitake mushrooms, served with butter lettuce and Chinois coleslaw.

SgFoodonFoot: “The pork belly is the saving grace with its modern take of the traditional Kong Bak Bao.”

Cioppino ($15.50) – Penne in seafood stewed in roasted tomato sauce

This was what I ordered. The base sauce can actually be quite distinctive, tangy with some zest and sweetness, and has the potential to lift up the taste pasta. Unfortunately, its execution led to a rather watery and diluted sauce.

So Le Cuisine’s food didn’t turn out quite to be expected. I wondered why every main ordered had some pea shoots added on top. Every. With that said, some mentioned they had better experience the previous time. The prices are indeed wallet-friendly too.

Therefore, we concur the kitchen just needs more consistency.

Le Cuisine
Chinatown Point, B2-34/36, 133 New Bridge Road, Singapore 059413 (Chinatown MRT)
Tel: +65 65381963
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Daily)

Other Related Entries
Ujong (Raffles Hotel)
British Hainan (Carpmael Road)
Portico (Alexandra Road)
Segar Restaurant (Chinatown Point)
La Cuisson (Prinsep Street)

The post Le Cuisine – Celebrity Chef Daniel’s New Restaurant, Food Needs More Consistency appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Possibly the best chicken wings in Singapore. Let’s not compare these babies to the Korean ones, spicy buffalo wings or even IKEA, because they are of different category.

Talk about chicken wings and I am all excited again, having tried some of the known famous ones from Arnold’s, ’Prime Minister Lee’s’ Yan at Redhill, Eng Kee at Commonwealth, Toa Payoh Lor 5’s, to the usual fast-food selection Texas, Popeyes, and KFC. Some of which the standards have went from “delicious” to “not going to have them ever again”.

Two Wings is the hottest talk-of-the-town wings at the moment, possibly.

If you visit them during peak hours in the weekends, the queue can take up to an hour. (Especially after you queued that long, and the person in front of you ordered 50, you will ‘sian half’.)

My advice: Go during the weekdays, off meal times, or late at night for supper.

Their popularity is a combination of social media boosts, the coffeeshop they are in had a major revamp (check out Stew Kuche, Mian, Immanuel French Kitchen), and real good quality.

Owner Jeremy persuaded his granduncle for his well-kept secret recipe of 40 years, trained for six months under him, and gave it slight twists – such as using bigger wings and a spicier homemade chicken rice type chilli sauce.

This is what I think. Many people have “secret recipes” out there, but few can do a good job because they used lower quality ingredients, skipped steps, or simply have no heart in doing them well. To produce good hawker food, you need that heart.

Jeremy claims that every single wing is massaged early in the morning to “drain the blood off”, while “others simply soak them in water”. He uses larger wings from Brazil, a higher cost vegetable oil, and a particular brand of sesame oil.

The moment of truth. The goodies ($8.50 for 4 pieces, $12.50 for 6, $24 for 12) arrived on a laminated wooden board. You cannot help but notice the chicken are in a shade of appetizing golden hue (suggests clean oil, yet not over-marinated with sauces), resting neatly on an almost un-oily surface.

The first bite, there was a firm delightful crunch, followed by succulently moist and savoury meat, yet all without the usual greasiness you may have expected. Have it plain first, then dip into the specially made chilli sauce, which may bring you a brief whiff of nostalgia.

Some customers say the wings, when taken away, can still remain crisp for up to 3-4 hours. Unfortunately, Singapore’s merciless humid weather won’t do justice to them. My advice is: Eat them fresh and hot. In fact, don’t waste time posing with wings for instagram-purposes. Just eat lah.

Two Wings’ slogan is “One just isn’t enough!” It’s true. I wanted to stop at two. I went on to three, and that’s after dinner.

(On a side note, if you have any delicious wings to recommend, do comment below. Time for me to do a wings compilation.)

Two Wings
119 Bukit Merah Lane 1 Singapore 151119 (next to Alexandra Village Food Centre)
Tel: +65 9667 0368
Opening Hours: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm Daily

Other Wings Entries
5 Best Korean Fried Chicken in SingaporeYan Chicken Wings (Redhill Food Centre)
Choo Choo Chicken (Bali Lane)
Wing Zone (Century Square)
Burgers Vs Wings + Bar (Orchard Central)

The post Two Wings – Possibly The Best Chicken Wings In Singapore appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Many cafes are playing the nostalgia card; some get it, some are putting up an appearance.

Chye Seng Huat is the frontrunner, making almost everyone believing that it is a real name. Dispensary scores in décor, and that’s about it. Tian Kee & Co while lacking in the food component, makes up for it in soul.

Yes, soul. For a café, it’s really not just about coffee, food and service anymore, but marketing and soul – the feel of the place.

Sin Lee Foods is another café which joins the rank, converted from an old coffeeshop, located somewhere in Bt Ho Swee – an area more known for its Teochew restaurant and Hainanese curry rice. The only thing really nostalgic about it, is the estate and the former signboard it retained.

That’s fine. (But Sin Lee Foods, how come you don’t even have a FaceBook page? You need your marketing. Or are you doing a Whale & Cloud?)

Finding the café may be tough, at the bottom of Block 4 somewhere near the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board. I see an occasional couple coming in armed navigating with google maps, already broken out in sweat, climbing up a short flight of steps.

In Singapore where café hopping is like the IN-thing, there are almost no other cafes to hop to (ie walk to) after this. Unless you count The Tastemaker Store about a 10 to 15 minutes walk away.

Food wise, there is the usual assortment breakfast in the form of Big B ($18.90, scrambled eggs, bacon, mushroom ragout, sausage, russet potatoes, salad, toast), Croissant Benedict ($16.90) and a more interestingly looking Shashuka ($17.90, Moroccan baked eggs with spicy tomato sauce).

Coffee beans used are from Papa Palheta’s Throwback blend. My drink was not bad.

The Umami Brioche ($16.90) turned out to be unexpectedly delicious (had too much ‘blah’ café food of late, that’s why). The egg was runny, restfully positioned on top of creamy mushroom ragout, all on toasted brioche of paper-thin crust with fluffy texture. Bacon could be less burnt.

I did wish the food was a few dollars cheaper, if the café wanted to warrant frequent repeat visits.

Sin Lee called their Fried Chicken & Waffles ($21.90) “The One & Only”. Again, I blinked my eyes a moment, at $21.90.

To be fair, the iron waffle base was so much better than many other cafes which try too hard to push another waffle item on their menu, perhaps because one of the co-owners owns a crepe shop.

This is what I would call “delicious grub food”. The deep fried chicken leg meat laid on top, all tender and moist, could feed two hungry men. If only it was less salty. And fortunately, the house slaw at the side helped ease out the greasiness.

Service was prompt and chirpy, food and coffee above the average. I just wonder if Sin Lee Foods could do better if they had the right location, the right timing (a month or two earlier), the right marketing, or the right soul.

Sin Lee Foods
Blk 4 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee #01-164 Singapore 162004
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Tues-Sun), Closed Mon except PH

Other Related Entries
New Cafes in Singapore – 25 More Cafe Hopping Spots!
20 New Cafes In Singapore
The Tastemaker Store (Havelock Road)
Tian Kee & Co (Dakota Crescent)
Bread & Hearth (Keong Siak Street)

The post Sin Lee Foods – Cafe at Jalan Bukit Ho Swee Needs To Find An Edge appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

“Towkay” DJ Darren Wee of 987FM opens his second F&B outlet Babette, the first being Chillax Café at Serangoon Gardens. Radio presenters have met with varying degrees of success opening restaurants. But this is one guy who hosts food programmes and knows his industry.

The peculiar restaurant name “Babette” is likely to be named after Babette’s Feast, a 1987 Danish film which won the Best Foreign Language Film in the Academy Award.

I was told that Babette is a stone’s throw away from Chye Seng Huat, along the café hipster stretch of Tyrwhitt Road. While I was half-expecting some “urban industrial” bistro of sorts, it is in reality a restaurant bar located within a hotel – Parc Sovereign Hotel.

It took me a while to orientate to the menu, more the case of I-didn’t-know-what-to-order.

The tapas starters had a variety of intriguing selections from Charred Cauliflower with tangy yuzu velout ($8), Bacon Tempura with yuzu mayo ($10), to Roasted Avocado ($12).

As for the mains, there seem to be a Japanese-Asian-Western slant – Duck Confit Donburi ($28), Pork and Bacon Hamburg Donburi ($16), Tokyo Miso Pasta ($18), and Salmon Soba with tamagoyaki ($17).

I ended up with Truffle Fries ($11) since it was a signature over at Chillax, Crackling Pork Belly ($10) as I was in the mood of sio bak, and Steak & Foie Gras Donburi ($28). (Texted Darren “Hey, I happen to be at Babette now, what should I order?”, and that was his reply. Yah, usually I would just come anonymously.)

While Babette’s food may still require tweaks, they are by-and-large delectable. The Truffle Fries are likely to be a crowd pleaser with the robust distinctive truffle oil and truffle salt aroma, and shoestring remaining crisp and light after a long while, suitably drained of excess oil.

There were parts we liked about the 48-hour slow cooked pork belly – the outer layer delivered a definite crunch, but the whole mustard grain sauce tasted at odds.

Darren’s recommended Steak & Foie Gras Donburi did not disappoint. The marbled grass-fed sirloin steak was full-flavored and tender, complimented with creamy pan-seared foie gras, in fact of better quality than what some mid-end restaurants would serve. The bowl of Japanese short grain rice was also drizzled with a saltish homemade sauce which kind of worked.

Having Matcha Lava Cake ($12) completes the Japanese-Western direction. The green tea infused cake is one of the few cakes I had that both tasted and smelled ‘matcha’, almost brilliant, but perhaps overpowered by the over-sweet white chocolate fondant. I also wondered about the “premium azuki red beans” which went M.I.A.

Very promising new restaurant. My main recommendation is: add a little more French here, and a little more Japanese there. (Met the boss as I was leaving. Pardon for our un-photoshopped ‘cui‘ look. One didn’t shave, the other didn’t do his hair. But nevermind yah.)

Babette Restaurant & Bar
165 Tyrwhitt Road, #01-03, Parc Sovereign Hotel, Singapore 207569 (15 min walk from Lavender MRT, near Chye Seng Huat)
Tel: +65 63417 727
info@astronauts.com.sg
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm

Other Related Entries
Supply & Demand (Orchard Gateway)
Le Cuisine (Chinatown)
La Cuisson (Prinsep Street)
Fleur De Sel (Tras Street)
La Cantine (Asia Square)

The post Babette – DJ Opens French-Japanese Resto-Bar, Delectable Donburi & Matcha Lava Cake appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

My first experience with Teadot was at the former Bugis Iluma. At a time when coffee cafes were starting to gain momentum, the local start-up became one of the first modern tea cafés in Singapore.

For fans who wondered where they went to, the tea café have found home at the courtyard of Westgate, continuing to serve great-tasting tea drinks. Teadot now have an expanded menu which includes all-day brunch items, coffee, and cakes, some of which are tea-infused.

Flipping through the menu, I was pleasantly surprised at the affordability of the breakfast items – Smoked Duck with Cranberry ($13.95), Eggs Benedict ($14.95), Swiss Rosti with Salmon ($15.95), Bangers & Mash ($12.95), Scrambled Eggs Special ($14.95), and Chicken Delight ($15.05), all without additional service charge and GST.

Wait till you see the portions. The first thing I noticed in the All-Day Breakfast ($17.95) was the huge huge Portobello mushroom, but that did not hide the other goodies of scrambled eggs placed on soft brioche toast, German bratwurst, turkey bacon, accompanied with salad and cherry tomatoes.

My favourite items on the plate were unarguably the all-fatty-and-juicy-sausage, and deep yellow creamy eggs. Two can share this.

Office workers who do not want something too heavy for lunch can consider the healthier tasting Caesar Salad ($10.95) – fresh greens topped with topped with roast chicken, croutons and parmesan cheese, drizzled with house dressing made of olive oil, egg yolks, garlic, Dijon mustard and anchovies.

To let you have an indication of the generosity, I got a friend to hold up the bowl. My pet peeve with many salads around is the serving size. This should defray concerns and fill up a hungry executive.

Dessert wise, some of their cakes are tea-infused, such as the milky Earl Grey Latte Mousse Cake ($6.90) being a fan-favourite since its earlier days.

For other recommendations, I thought that the zesty Lemon Meringue Tart ($4.80) had a pleasing balance between being tangy and sweet, further enhanced with a thin layer of dark chocolate.

If not, the tall slice of vibrant coloured Dark Chocolate Rainbow Cake ($8.50) should be a hit on your instagram gallery.

Between the Royal Earl Grey Latte ($6.80) and Organic Matcha Latte ($6.80) that I had, the rich and creamy earl grey drink had a delicateness that makes it a fitting drink to wind down a busy afternoon. The later had more bitter than usual aftertaste that might need some getting used to.

For a cool drink to beat the clammy Singapore weather, the dreamy-looking tri-layered Lollipop Earl Grey ($6.50) added with butterscotch may do wonders.

What I sense about Teadot is in its sincerity. It may not have the marketing budget like bigger international brands, or the cool vibes like some indie cafes, but they take pride in items they serve in-store.

Teadot
3 Gateway Drive Westgate #01-08 Singapore 608532 (Jurong East MRT)
www.fb.com/TeaDotCafe
Opening hours: 10am-10pm (Mon-Fri), 9am-10pm (Sat, Sun, PH)

Teadot Giveaway
DanielFoodDiary.com will be giving away 3 x $30 vouchers for you to enjoy dining at Teadot Westgate! All you need to do is to:

Step 1: LIKE Daniel’s Food Diary on Facebook
Step 2: LIKE and SHARE this entry
Step 3: COMMENT below on your favourite item from Teadot and why.
(Results will be announced 7th Aug)

*This entry is brought to you by Teadot.

The post Teadot – Tea Room, Café and All Day Brunch at Westgate + Giveaways appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Singapore needs a hipster Thai joint. Yes, we have many casual Thai eateries to higher-end restaurants, but the cool modern Thai places are missing. So when Soi 60 opened at Robertson Quay, I wondered if this would be IT.

After all, Chef Martin Boetz who was from Sydney’s Longrain Restaurant & Bar came in as consultant for its menu.

(Even though I don’t show it obviously, I have an unspeakable love for Thai food and its culture, took up Thai language classes, and visited the country several times – most of which for its food.)

Soi 60 being at the corner of Robertson Quay had great vibes for late night chats and drinks, offering an extensive range of cocktails, and reasonably crowded during the weekends.

I suspect the rental may have helped pushed its prices up, most of the dishes cost more than what the average customers would be willing to pay, for its quality

Small plates of Spring Rolls, Betel Leaves, Chicken Wings, Tom Yum Soup and Octopus range from $12-$14.

The large plates may contain some mind-boggling figures, since portions seem meant for one – Young Vegetable Salad, Prawn Pad Thai, Masamam Curry, Stir Fried Basil Chicken, BBQ Pork Ribs, Panaeng Curry, with prices from $19-$36, excluding taxes.

While most of the dishes are of reasonable standard, I suspect that much of the distinct Thai favours have been muted down to suit the Robertson Quay customer base.

I don’t know about you, but I go for Thai cuisine for that extra ‘punch’, the way a seemingly simple dish can have such a myriad of complex flavours.

Some tuning is understandable. But both the Tom Yum Soup ($14) and Green Curry ($26) were not spicy enough (and a tad sweet), Pad Thai ($28) lacked flavours and ‘wok hei’ (heat), and accompanying Thai chilli for the wings appeared too watered-down.

With that said, if you are looking for ambience and ‘safe’ Level 101 Thai cuisine, Soi 60 may be it.

To note, for reservations above 8, a four-course tasting menu at $48++ per pax offering 8 dishes applies.

I wish the next modern Thai restaurant can stick to their guts, and perhaps take a cue from Thai restaurants in Sydney, which manages to strike that balance between authenticity and modern.

Soi 60
#01-04 The Quayside, 60 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238252.
Opening Hour: 5:30pm till late (Wed-Sun), 12pm-3pm (Sun for lunch)
Tel: +65 66356675
Reserve Online

Other Related Entries
Sawadee Thai Cuisine (Bugis)
Folks Collective (China Square)
Nara Thai Cuisine (Ion Orchard)
Spicy Thai – Thai Café (Aljunied
Moojaa (Keong Siak Street)

The post Soi 60 – Hipster Thai Restaurant Opens At Robertson Quay appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Down a few shops from Joo Chiat’s popular Vietnamese restaurant Long Phung is Pho Hanh Delights. The new restaurant was visibly empty, without much décor to speak out, but I wanted to give it a try.

Time to support the underdogs, even though half my heart says “Why not just go Long Phung?”

Pho Hanh Delights used to be Vietnam Food Hanh Delights at Telok Blangah Food Centre, forced to close due to high rentals.

Lady boss cum chef Nguyen Thi Hanh honed her cooking skills in her family’s restaurant in Vietnam, subsequently moved over after marrying a Singaporean husband.

The décor did look sad, with pale-looking food pictures (probably shot with a handphone) colour-photocopied and pasted along the walls. Menu was in a black plastic folder. Not the type of place to come if you are on a first date (or even subsequent dates). This may be a hang-out-with-buddies place.

With that said, the food actually fared much better than expected. Moral of story: Don’t judge a restaurant by its appearance.

The traditional Vietnamese Beef Combo Pho ($7.50) was such an uplifting take after trying so much commercial ones. (Some placed have completely butchered pho.)

Sure, the taste and presentation might not as polished as known restaurants outside. But the stock was light yet full-flavoured. Reasonably priced and included with generous portions of beef slices, brisket and balls. Having this on a rainy day may be your best alternative for comfort pho.

Again, while the stir-fried Kang Kong ($5.00) didn’t look too appealing when presented, the shoots were crunchy, seasoning particularly fragrant and tasty (may be salty for some).

What I noticed that when every dish came, there was a different accompanying sauce, which helped enhance the flavours. Chicken wings which came with a saucer of salt, pepper and pounded chilli padi brought me back to Ho Chi Minh.

Unexpectedly, the Vietnamese dishes at Pho Hanh Delights had a slant of home-cooked goodness and authenticity. You may want to give them a support when you are in the vicinity.

Pho Hanh Delights
189 Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427480
Tel: +65 9118 8752
Opening Hours: 12pm – 1am

Other Related Entries
Nam Nam Noodle Bar (Raffles City)
Saigon Lotus (Marina Square)
Trung Nguyen Coffee (Vietnam)

The post Pho Hanh Delights – More Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine at Joo Chiat appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.