Mothers’ Mouthwatering Musings

“I often make curries from scratch”

Shannon Herps is from Emu Plains, Western Sydney, and has been a resident in Singapore since May 2022. She lives with husband Aaron and their two children, Oliver, 14, and Eliza, 11.

Teaching visual arts in an international school, a love for cooking and playing mahjong with ANZA friends are this busy Mum’s main interests. “You’ll often find me making curries from scratch, homemade pizzas, sushi and more!” Shannon says. For special occasions, “High tea in the grand hall of Hydro Majestic at Medlow Bath, overlooking impressive Megalong Valley in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, is a real treat.” Shannon continues, “In Singapore, my mahjong friends and I enjoy heading to Mexican restaurant Peidra Negra, corner of Beach Road/Haji Lane, for delicious guacamole. They also do a great lunch special.”

“On non-soccer days, we ride to Toast Box”

Louie, 7, and Vivie, 4, are the children of Auckland-raised Jacqui Smith and her husband Kieran Nash from New Zealand who have called Singapore home (for the second time) since August 2022.

Between working at a corporate communications consultancy, and spending time with ANZA soccer activities on Saturday mornings, Jacqui and family look forward to the perfect treat of kaya toast at Toast Box, 8 Sixth Avenue. “On non-soccer days, we ride along the Green Corridor to Toast Box, #01-01 The Rail Mall, Upper Bukit Timah Road.” As for favourite food, Jacqui reveals, “In New Zealand it’s Marmite with sliced tomato on Vogel’s bread, in New York an everything bagel with spinach and cream cheese, in France baguette tartines. In Singapore, it’s the tropical equivalent – kaya toast.”

Singaporean Li Ling, husband Pathman Matialakan, daughter Naomi, 11, and son Liam Dev, 6, have been dedicated ANZA members since 2018, all enjoying sports.

Travel and shopping interest Ling, who lists Christchurch in New Zealand and Australia’s Melbourne as places she loves. When asked about food, braised lamb-shank is top of her list. Ling shares that one of her family’s favourite restaurants is Reunion BBQ (Dong Bei Ren), 298 Jalan Besar, #01-01 Allenby House, for tastes of her original hometown, Jilin, northeast China. She enthused, “There are three must-try dishes: big wok stew (pork ribs and duck), guo bao rou (sweet & sour pork) and yang rou chuan (mutton skewer).”

Give Mum even more love on Sunday 14 May, together with red carnations symbolising admiration.

Nestled in pretty Telok Ayer lies a blue-hued shophouse oozing sweet charm. Step inside and you’ll find a carnivore’s paradise - the first sign being a fridge filled with hanging meats strategically positioned to showcase what’s on offer (and possibly to warn vegetarians that they may leave hungry).

Boeuf is a modern restaurant based on a simple idea: to bring meat eaters the best in beef and wine. With a background in Economics, owner Sebastian Soh uses his skills to find the best meat and wine deals available, sourcing seasonal produce from farms around the world such as Australia, Wales, Scotland, Argentina. He then scouts out old and new world wines to bring together a dream pairing of flavours.

Chef Carlos oversees the curing of Boeuf’s prime ribs. You’ll find different breeds and cuts of beef and mouthwatering 21 - 60 days grass and grain fed prime ribs of varying marbling scores. Each choice cut is grilled on lava stones to render the fat before being oven-cooked for an immaculate finale.

PRIME & SUPERIOR CUTS

Our dining experience began with the Board Minnie which featured a selection of cheese and quality cured meats ($48). Starters included Bone Marrow served halved and fragranced with parsley, garlic and portobello mushrooms ($30); and a wagyu tartare of Australian MB5 Wagyu, grass-fed for 400+ days and served bite-sized with capers, shallots and gherkin ($28).

The main event was the Signature Dry Aged Prime Rib Bone-In Steak ($18/100g), charcoal grilled and served with sauces – Steak Butter, Pepper, Mushroom, and our table favourite, Gorgonzola Blue Cheese. Hand Cut Fries ($9) served with a housemade mayonnaise, Kenya Beans ($9) cooked with olive oil and shallots, and Potato Gratin ($12) baked with rosemary and garlic were all satisfying sidekicks.

Also on the Premium and Superior List of beef cuts is the Japanese F1 Wagyu Iwate Sirloin 200g ($78); the Australian F1 Wafty Sirloin Picanha 200g ($34) grain-fed for 300+ days; and the USDA Prime Black Angus Sirloin 200g ($36) that’s grass and corn-fed for an impressive 300+ days.

We end on a sweet note with the Choco De Coco ($13) made with Weiss Li Chu dark chocolate and chestnut, and the caramalised classic Crème Brûlée ($13) infused with pure Madagascan Vanilla.

FREE-FLOW FOOD

For midday meat lovers, Boeuf’s $29.90++ set lunch is a total crowd-pleaser. To start is a light wedge salad served with crème fraîche, pomegranate and pine nut, followed by a choice of Wagyu Beef Burger, Bouef’s Signature Steak Tartare or a Black Angus Flank Steak (upgrade to a sirloin or ribeye for $15). Finish with tea or coffee and macarons, or add a dessert for an extra $8.

In addition, if you’re up for a weekend foodie challenge, don’t miss the bistro’s recently launched free-flow all-day ribeye promo, where you get two hours to devour all the Argentinian ribeye steak you can manage for S$48++. The record is seven servings of steak in one sitting - can you beat it?!

VERDICT: Boeuf is brilliant for high-calibre beef, wine, service, and ambience. With its cool aesthetic it’s ideal for date night, a special occasion, or just as a stop off when a meaty craving gets too much.

Salt & Palm is the creation of dynamic brother-sister duo, Chef Natasha Soetantyo and Mark Soetantyo. After winning over Sydney with its fresh interpretations of Indonesian cuisine, the inaugural Singapore outlet opened in March to take guests on a journey that navigates modernity and tradition. Chef Soetantyo’s passion and willingness to explore new combinations without straying far from her deep-rooted Indonesian traditions is evident throughout the menu.

With a Coconut Mojito by our side, we begin with a trio of exquisite appetisers that set the tone for our culinary adventure. First came freshly shucked Amélie oysters complemented with tomato tamarind and basil kemangi pandan oil ($28). Next was the Potato Cake ($12), a playful interpretation of Indonesian perkedel, crowned with vegan mayo and seaweed-based caviar that was indistinguishable from the real thing. These tiny bombs of flavour were incredibly addictive and the table wanted an encore. Then we enjoyed Balinese-style Fish Cakes

($12) accompanied by a chicken skin tuille and a chilli lemongrass shallot salsa.

Our mains kicked off with the Prawn Bisque Pasta ($32), inspired by a North Sulawesi dish called woku. These succulent prawns are served in a briny broth highlighted by the star ingredient of Kemangi leaf. Our meal continued with the Porchetta ($32), Salt & Palm’s take on the Balinese babi guling. The meat is first marinated with the traditional and unique basa genap spice blend before being cooked Italian-style, giving it a Western twist. The Porchetta was a favourite at our table and my personal winner.

No Indonesian meal would be complete without rendang, and we were lucky to sample two exceptional versions. The first was the Mushroom Rendang ($20), a yummy rendition made with mushrooms and baby potatoes mixed in a slow-cooked rendang sauce and topped with toasted coconut flakes. The second, the Beef Short Ribs ($52), featured melt-in-your-mouth Australian beef ribs, slow-cooked in a savoury Indonesian-style rendang sauce and elegantly topped with toasted coconut flakes and coconut foam - every bite was packed with flavour. Both rendangs delivered the wow-factor, but as a meat eater, the ribs version edged only slightly over the non-meat rendang.

Throughout the meal we tried organic and natural wines from a curated wine list that were a flawless match to our dishes. We wrapped up with two scrumptious desserts. The Pandan Coconut Crème Brûlée ($15) was egg and dairy-free, giving the French classic a modern Indonesian touch. The Pavlova ($18) is made with a plant-based meringue, crowned with plantbased mango and passionfruit cream, and embellished with mango, blueberry, grilled peach and coconut flakes.

VERDICT: Salt & Palm offers amazing food and friendly, knowledgeable staff, all wrapped in a “Bali-esque” atmosphere. It’s ideal for date night or dinner with friends or simply for cocktails and a bite. Be warned: the drinks and nibbles here can easily turn a casual outing into a full-blown, satisfying meal. If you’re in the Joo Chiat area, put Salt & Palm at the top of your hitlist.