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bites Bites.pdf
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16/10/14
N o v e m b e r
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c o m . s g w w w. b i t e s .
MCI
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187/03/2014
ARe you ready for
T h e s c o o p o n
g o o d
e at s
#100 chef
confessions
?
ADVERTORIAL
Warming hearts
with all details taken care OF, Orange Clove Catering ensures THAT you ARE THE HERO OF a wholesome GET-together No more making a list and checking it twice when it comes to pampering your family’s palates this season. Turn to Orange Clove Catering for premium festive menus, catered to different gathering sizes. You'll definitely be in good hands—the corporate caterer has recently clinched two awards, Winner in Promising Brands Category at the Singapore Prestige Brand Award 2014 and Best Corporate Caterer in HRM Asia Reader's Choice Poll. For larger groups, the five-course Hearth & Home ($25/pax, min. 40 pax) includes a honey Christmas ham platter with Orange Clove's signature dip, and a herb-scented oven baked chicken with an uplifting orangeinfused BBQ glaze. For a traditional roast turkey stuffed with chestnut in pan jus and cranberry sauce, and sweet treat strawberry pannacotta, you’ll want to Make Merry ($35/pax, min. 40 pax).
For intimate gatherings, the Rejoice Party Pack ($299/8-10 pax) is perfectly sized with an appetising honey baked chicken ham paired with tangy pineapple sauce. For even more convenience, pick and choose your fave a la carte highlights separately, such as whole lamb leg bone-in ($88.80/2kg), roasted beef strip loin ($48.80/1.5kg) and chocolate fudge logcake ($45.80/1kg). More menus at www.orangeclove.com.sg Tel: 6515 0991 Email: sales@orangeclove.com.sg Orange Clove Catering orangeclovecatering BiTES special: First 50 readers to order from the Christmas menu with the quote 'lovebites' will receive free 40-piece Chipolata Sausage Platter (worth $38.80)!
WIN! A FROSTY RASPBERRY VANILLA LOGCAKE
What makes Christmas perfect? Show what Christmas means to you in a creative selfie and 10 lucky readers will walk away with a Frosty Raspberry Vanilla Log Cake (worth $52.80). Contest runs 1-30 November 2014. Full details on www.facebook.com/ OrangeCloveCatering Three simple steps: 1. Like Orange Clove Catering’s Facebook page 2. Post your photo to their page and hashtag #orangeclove on your post 3. Share Orange Clove's Christmas menu poster from their Facebook page Terms & Conditions: Please refer to contest site for full terms and conditions.
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ee r f s
bites R N O V E M BE
2 0 14
. s g t e s . c om w w w. b i
M CI
(P)
DEALS! 1-for-1 at
Wrap & Roll, Social Square, and more
T h e s c oop on
g oo d
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what you missed at
2014 187/03/
#39 Weirdest request:
cook for a private event with only an apron on
OISHII Japan 2014
inside Smart buys p.12
Side tables and warm lights to dress your home, all under $100!
Buffet bounty p.20
The best Chinese steamboats, 10 spreads for meat-lovers and our 'crispy' blogger on the hot seat
Destination dining p.26
Part II of Marina Centre and the three underground Links.
Last bites p.32
+ 9 drinking holes recommended by off-duty chefs
It's Movember! Put some hair on your lips (or chest) with the help of these old wives' tales
w e l c o m e
Where to find your BiTES? DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE at www.bites.com.sg PICK US UP! Free at over 100 venues it’s
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free
BITES E R N O V E M B
2 0 14
M . S G T E S .C O W W W. B I
MCI
(P)
DEALS! 1-for-1 at
Wrap & Roll, Social Square, and more
T H E S C O O P O N
G O O D
E AT S
what you missed at
2014 187/03/
#39 Weirdest request:
cook for a private event with only an apron on
#100 chef
confessions
OISHII JAPAN 2014
inside SMART BUYS P.12
Side tables and warm lights to dress your home, all under $100!
BUFFET BOUNTY P.20
The best Chinese steamboats, 10 spreads for meat-lovers and our 'crispy' blogger on the hot seat
DESTINATION DINING P.26
Part II of Marina Centre and the three underground Links.
LAST BITES P.32
plus 9 drinking holes recommended byoff-duty chefs 3 cover2.indd 1
It's Movember! Put some hair on your lips (or chest) with these old wives' tales
23/10/14 5:26 PM
Cover image Dreamstime
Cafes & restaurants &Sons • Alfresco Gusto • Bishamon • Bonta Italian Restaurant & Bar (District 10) • Brunetti • Brussel Sprouts - Big Splash • Brussel Sprouts Robertson Quay • Brussel Sprouts - Sentosa Cove • Daikokuya • Delifrance Cafe - Cold Storage Jelita • Delifrance Cafe - Gateway West • Delifrance Cafe Gleneagles Hospital • Delifrance Cafe - Harbourfront Centre • Delifrance Cafe - KK Women's and Children's Hospital • Delifrance Cafe - Lot One Shoppers' Mall • Delifrance Cafe - Mount Elizabeth Hospital • Delifrance Cafe Rendezvous Gallery • Delifrance Cafe - Singapore Post Centre • Delifrance Cafe - Thomson Medical Centre • Delifrance Cafe - UE Square • dr CAFE COFFEE (all outlets) • Eggs & Berries Changi City Point • Eggs & Berries Westgate • Emicakes @ Kovan • EN Grill and Bar • Joe & Dough (Kallang) • KOMMUNE • Medzs Millenia Walk • Medzs Orchard Central • Ootoya Japapnese Restaurant • Outback Steakhouse • Outpost Bar & Bistro • Oyster Bar & Grill Wharf • Ramen Champion • Picotin Express - East Coast • Picotin Express - Sentosa
Publisher Cecilia Goh
Web Developer Jun Evangelista
Editor June Lee Staff Writer Meredith Woo Editorial Intern Lim Si Hui Contributors Joel Lim, Kylie Ng
Accounts Manager Christina Tan Company Director Yen Wong
Designer Benjamin Soh Contributing Senior Designers Loh Wai Sum, Lynne Wong Designer Intern Tay Yuliang Regional Business Director Carlos Loh Business Directors Penny Ho, Ashad Shah Business Manager Cherin Ong Publishing Admin Manager (Admin & Circulation) Siti Haneymah Senior Digital Media Manager Eugene Koh
Group Publisher Ho Sum Kwong Group Managing Editor Adeline Wong Group Creative Director Thng Wee Nee Bites is published 12 times a year by Magazines Integrated Pte Ltd 85 Playfair Road, #04-02 Tong Yuan Building, Singapore 368000 Tel: +65 6848 6884 Fax: +65 6748 3453 Website: www.bites.com.sg Advertising enquiries: 6848 6882 bites.editorial@magsint.com bites.advertise@magsint.com bites.marketing@magsint.com Distributed by Region Periodicals Distributor. Printed by Times Printers Company Reg No: 200918015G MCI (P) 187/03/2014
Bring us with you! BiTE INTO US ONLINE www.bites.com.sg BitesSingapore
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Cove • Roti Mum • Selfish Gene Cafe • Spinelli (all outlets) • Starbucks (all outlets) • SQUE Rotisserie & Alehouse • tcc The Connoisseur Concerto (all boutiques) • Tsubohachi • Yantra • ZEN Japanese Cuisine Car showrooms Chevrolet • Citroen • Honda • Hyundai • Infiniti • Kia • Mazda • Mitsubishi • Nissan • Opel Singapore • Subaru • Toyota Singapore • Volkswagen Cooking Schools Cookyn Inc • My Private Pantry • The Eureka Cooking Lab Country & Private Clubs British Club • China Club • Ee Hoe Hean Millionaire Club • Hollandse Club • Jurong Country Club • Keppel Club • Laguna National Golf & Country Club • Orchid Country Club • Raffles Marina • Republic of Singapore Yacht Club • Seletar Country Club • Sentosa Golf Club • Serangoon Gardens Country Club • Singapore Chinese Swimming Club • Singapore Cricket Club • Singapore Island Country Club • Tanah Merah Country Club • The
American Club • The Swiss Club • Tower Club Hotels Albert Court Village Hotel • Amara Singapore • AMOY Hotel • Bay Hotel • Carlton City Hotel • Changi Village Hotel • Concorde Hotel Singapore • Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore • Furama City Centre • Furama RiverFront • Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel Singapore • Hilton Singapore • Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium • Hotel Miramar • Hotel Re! • ibis Hotel Singapore • Intercontinental Singapore • Link Hotel • Mandarin Orchard • Moon Hotel • Nostalgia Hotel • Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay • Orchard Hotel Singapore • Pan Pacific Orchard • ParkRoyal on Kitchener Road • Peninsula Excelsior Hotel • Ramada and Days Singapore at Zhongshan Park • Riverview Hotel Singapore • Studio M Hotel Singapore • The Club Hotel • The Elizabeth Hotel • The Quincy Hotel • The Scarlet Hotel • Traders Hotel • Village Hotel Bugis • Wangz • York Hotel MallS Far East Square • Katong V • Orchard Central • Parkway Parade (Pedestrian Crossing)
National Tourism Offices Australia Tourism • Japan National Tourism Organization • Korean Tourism Organization Petrol Kiosks Caltex • Shell • SPC Salon Jean Yip Hairdressing schools National University of Singapore •Temasek Polytechnic supermarkets Four Seasons Gourmet MarketMBLM • Four Seasons Organic Market-Great WorldCity • Four Seasons Organic MarketParkway Parade • Meidi-Ya Singapore • Rochester Market Also hand-distributed at: OUTSIDE MRT Stations Ang Mo Kio • Bedok • Bishan • Boon Lay • Bugis • City Hall • Clementi • Dhoby Ghaut • Eunos • HarbourFront • Holland Village • Jurong East • Lavender • Orchard Road • Pasir Ris • Raffles Place • Serangoon • Tampines • Telok Blangah • Tiong Bahru • Woodlands • Yishun
3
licious $30++ deals 30 days
Festive feasting starts early for American Express® Card Members
BOOK.HUNGRYGOWHERE.COM/30LICIOUS
American Express and HungryGoWhere invite you to start feasting early with S$30++ dining deals at participating restaurants across Singapore from 3 November to 2 December 2014. To enjoy these deals, simply visit book.hungrygowhere.com/30licious when pre-bookings open on 27 October 2014, reserve your restaurant of choice and pay with your American Express Card. A for Arbite
El Mero Mero
Rattana Thai Restaurant
28 Aliwal Street #01-01, Tel: 8321 2252
30 Victoria Street #01-20, Tel: 6337 1377
Tanjong Pagar Plaza #02-30, Tel: 9797 0230
Al Forno
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant
Ristorante Pepenero
400 East Coast Road, Tel: 6348 8781
Beaulieu House 117 Beaulieu Road, Tel: 6257 9234
Bedrock Bar & Grill Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard #01-05, Tel: 6238 0054
Bridge Café, Restaurant & Bar 31 Seah Street, Tel: 6333 4453
Brizo Restaurant & Bar at Park Hotel Clarke Quay 1 Unity Street, Tel: 6593 8855
Buyan Russian Restaurant & Caviar Bar 9 Duxton Hill, Tel: 6223 7008
Cali Café & Bar Park Avenue Rochester #01-01, Tel: 6684 9897
Cocobolo Poolside Bar & Grill at Park Hotel Clarke Quay
368 Alexandra Road, Tel: 6479 4001
Indulge at Park at Grand Park City Hall 10 Coleman Street Grand Park City Hall, Tel: 6432 5888
Kiku 21 Duxton Road, Tel: 6225 5567
Westgate #03-01/01A, Tel: 6369 9913
The Bank Bar + Bistro
14 Stanley Road, Tel: 6222 5808
One Shenton #01-01, Tel: 6636 2188
Sankai Japanese
The Beast Southern Kitchen & Bourbon Bar
1 Liang Seah Street #01-03, Tel: 6336 0384
17 Jalan Klapa, Tel: 6295 0017
Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill Stewords Riverboat Main Deck Berth 1 Marina South Pier, Tel: 6278 5775
Lawry’s The Prime Rib Mandarin Gallery #04-01/31, Tel: 6836 3333
Sawadee Thai Kitchen 9 Tan Quee Lan Street #01-01, Tel: 6238 6833
MARUKYU 116 Telok Ayer Street, Tel: 6636 5608
Nuvo Marina Square #02-100, Tel: 6822 2098
OSO Ristorante 46 Bukit Pasoh Road, Tel: 6327 8378
SYNC Korean Fusion Bistro
The Fat Cat 17D Lorong Liput, Tel: 6465 1107
The King Louis VivoCity #03-07A, Tel: 6276 0862
Seasons Bistro
The WEJS @ Medici Café & Bar
TripleOne Somerset #01-11/12, Tel: 6836 5841
44 Rochester Park, Tel: 9767 2232
Town Restaurant at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
Señor Taco Clarke Quay #01-12, Tel: 9118 4155
The Fullerton Hotel Lobby Level, Tel: 6877 8128
Siam Society Park Palace at Grand Park City Hall 10 Coleman Street, Tel: 6432 5543
15 Jalan Riang, Tel: 6286 8603
UJONG at Raffles Hotel 328 North Bridge Road #01-10, Tel: 6635 6502
Smokey’s BBQ UNA @ One Rochester
Place to R.E.A.D
1 Unity Street #02-00, Tel: 6593 8855
106 Clementi Street 12 #01-54/56, Tel: 6872 6857
46A Prinsep Street #01-01, Tel: 6333 0689
73 Joo Chiat Place, Tel: 6345 6914
1 Rochester Park, Tel: 6773 0070
Der Biergarten Restaurant and Bar
Procacci
Spruce
Wàn Hé Lóu
Customs House #01-04, Tel: 6532 9939
320 Tanglin Road, Tel: 6836 5528
65 Maude Road, Tel: 6294 8057
48 Prinsep Street #01-01, Tel: 6333 0689
hungrygowhere_primary_horizontal_logo_WEB
260 Upper Bukit Timah Road #01-01, Tel: 6466 5582
Make your bookings today, visit book.hungrygowhere.com/30licious
Terms & Conditions: Offers are available when payment is made with the American Express Card, including American Express Corporate Cards and American Express Cards issued in Singapore by DBS Bank Limited, United Overseas Bank Limited, Citibank Singapore Limited and EZ-Link Pte Ltd. Prices listed may be subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes where applicable. Offers cannot be exchanged for cash or used in conjunction with other promotional programmes, offers, hungrygowhere_secondary_vertical_logo_WEB discount cards, vouchers or VIP privileges, unless otherwise stated. Offers are not applicable on eve of Public Holidays, Public Holidays and special occasions unless otherwise stated. Merchants’ terms and conditions apply - please check with respective restaurants for complete details. American Express acts solely as a payment provider and is not responsible or liable in the event that such services, activities or benefits are not provided or fulfilled by the merchant. Card Members acknowledge that any disputes in relation to the above are to be directed solely to the merchant providing such services, activities or benefits. American Express International, Inc. is not responsible for the endorsement of any service or product featured. Merchants are solely responsible for the fulfilment of all offers. American Express International Inc. and the business establishments reserve the right to change the terms and conditions at any time without prior notice. All information is correct at the time of print. Visit book.hungrygowhere.com/30licious for more details. American Express International Inc., Incorporated with Limited Liability in the state of Delaware, U.S.A. with a place of business at 10 Marina Boulevard #15-00, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 2, Singapore 018983. ®Registered Trademark of American Express Company. Copyright © 2014 American Express Company. All rights reserved.
c a l e n dA r :
N o v e m b e r sunday
monday
tuesday
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wednesday thursday friday Are you ready for Movember? Grow your moustache with our handy hairy guide in Last BiTES p32
saturday
1
HOOKED Magazine’s Fishing Competition D’Best Recreation Fishing Pond | 9am – 4.30pm
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The Future of Our Culinary Scene $20 | SMU Campus Green | 10-11am
What does the future hold for local dishes and chefs? Singapore Writers Festival presents a panel discussion between Daniel Ang, Bjorn Shen and Wong Ah Yoke. www.singaporewritersfestival.com
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Girls Night Out Every Wednesday, 6-9PM | The Bank Bar & Bistro
Ladies, it’s hump day! Time to kick up your heels and enjoy free flow of prosecco, Bellinis and Mimosas at $30 nett. www.thebankbar.com
9 Buru
Adult Playground
From $88 | Siloso Beach | 10am-7pm
After getting physical and grooving to local music at the world’s largest outdoor festival, fill your tummies with food from The Travelling C.O.W. and Kerbside Gourmet food trucks. www.adultplaygroundsg.com
14 13 Halal Inter- Singapore Art Book national Free | 13-16 Nov| Fair
8-9 Nov, 15-16 Nov | Life is Beautiful Kitchen & Bar | 11am-5pm
Singapore Expo Hall 5| 10am-10pm
15 Brew Your Own Café Pal | 1-3pm or 4-6pm
Learn to brew and taste beautiful tea at Pekoe Check out this exhibition & Imp’s last workshop over the weekend with of the year for $50 per different international Dress up your coffee table person—be sure to Halal cuisines and with beautiful new books make reservations via products. from independent presses. pekoeandimp@gmail.com www. www.singaporeartbookfair. megaxpress. com com
Spend a leisurely Sunday supporting local artists and their products. This trunk show features blue-themed fabric items including totes and aprons. www.facebook.com/ events/1475619749378189
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18 4XFOUR
13 Nov-7 Dec | The Temasek Suite @ F1 Pit Building
Singapore Night Hunt
$30 | 15 Nov 8pm-16 Nov 7am | DECK, 116 Prinsep Street
An overnight photo marathon with themes announced on the night itself. For a shot at the attractive prizes, register by 12pm on 14 Nov! www.sipf.sg
Join four internationally acclaimed chefs at this full-service pop-up restaurant, in its second year. Brunch from $168, dinner from $248. www.4xfour.sg
24 25 Asia Pacific Food Expo 2014 FREE | 21-25 Nov | Singapore Expo Hall 4
Sample food from across Asia and take part in contests and cooking demonstrations. www.asiapacificfoodexpo.org.sg
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Catch the action as 50 amateur anglers compete for the speediest catch in HOOKED’s inaugural luring event. The fresh fish can later be served at the compound’s restaurant. www.hooked-magazine.com/hlc2014
19 A Naiise Christmas
20 Affordable Art Fair
Naiise celebrates Christmas with a pop up store; swing by for giftmaking workshops and festive menus. www.naiise.com
Pick up your first piece of art while having a bite at Affordable Gastronomy, with gourmet food at affordable prices. affordableartfair.com
15 Nov-24 Dec | 72 Dunlop Street | 12-7pm
Rakuten Japan Food Festival
Free | Till 4 Dec | Jurong Point | 10am-10pm
Established in Japan in 2010, Rakuten Umaimono Taikai comes to Singapore for the first time, with an array of Japanese seafood, confectioneries and more. www.rakuten. com.sg
From $12 | 20-23 Nov | F1 Pit Building
13-16 Nov | Centre for Contemporary Art | Fri-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 10am-6pm
21 Korea Festival Singapore 2014
21-22 Nov | Marina Bay Sands convention hall c
After experiencing Korean traditional activities and pop culture, be sure to tuck into their national cuisine at food stalls. www.fb.com/ koreafestivalsg
Skechers Sundown Festival
$118 | F1 Pit Building | 4pm onwards
Munch on popular street food from 11 different countries while enjoying tunes from their artists, including our own Olivia Ong and ShiGGA Shay. www.sundownfestival.sg
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28 27 Thanksgiving It’s time for turkey, squash, and pumpkin desserts!
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coming up in december
Christmas (25 Dec)
d e a l s
o f
t h e
m o n t h
1-FOR-1 MAIN COURSE. MONDAYS TO FRIDAYS FROM 11.30AM TO 5.30PM (SAVINGS: 50%) MOF の MY IZAKAYA www.ministryoffood.com.sg Terms & Conditions
Valid: 1-30 November 2014. Valid for dine-in only. Offer is not valid with other promotions or card discounts. Not valid on eve and actual day of Public Holiday. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES
6-inch Honey Bourbon Chicken Sub at $5 (U.P. $6.90). Available daily Quiznos Sub
Available at all 7 outlets. Visit www.kitchenlanguage.com.sg/outlet-locator.html for the full list Terms & Conditions
Signature Rosu Katsu at $18 (U.P.$22.50). mondays to saturdays from 6pm to 10.30pm (SAVINGS: 20%) OMItonkatsu
#01-58 ICON Village, 12 Gopeng Street. Tel: 6225 8433 Terms & Conditions
Valid: 1 – 30 November 2014. Physical coupon to be presented for redemption. Valid for a la carte dinner and dine in only. One coupon per redemption. Not valid with other discounts, privileges and promotions. BITES
1-FOR-1 PASTA AND PIZZA. MONDAYS TO FRIDAYs FROM 11.30AM TO 5.30PM (SAVINGS: 50%) Social square
#03-26 Parkway Parade, 80 Marine Parade Road. Tel: 6348 7262 Terms & Conditions
Valid: 1 – 30 November 2014. Coupon to be presented for redemption. One coupon per redemption. Not valid with other discounts, privileges and promotions. BITES
Valid: 1-30 November 2014. Valid for dine-in only. Offer is not valid with other promotions or card discounts. Not valid on eve and actual day of Public Holiday. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES
1-for-1 Vietnamese Hotpot with Beef/Seafood/Mushrooms.Available daily
20% off Localicious Prix Fixe Menu. Available daily from 11.30am to 10.30pm
Wrap & Roll
Available at all 3 outlets. Visit www.wrap-roll.com.sg/location for the full list Terms and Conditions
Valid: 1 – 30 November 2014. Free Hotpot will be of equal value or lower value than the original dish. Not valid with other discounts, privileges and promotions. Limited to one redemption per coupon. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES
York Hotel – White Rose Café
York Hotel, 21 Mt Elizabeth Singapore 228516 Tel: 6830 1156
Terms & Conditions
Valid: 1 – 30 November 2014 . Not valid with other discounts, privileges and promotions. Dine in only. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES
Scan here to check out the deals online at www.bites.com.sg
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n e w s
b i t e s
1ICON(IC) VILLAGE
A stone’s throw away from Tanjong Pagar MRT station, Icon Village has a swanky new extension. New are The Quarters (#01-09, Enggor Street) with its heritage flavours such as buah keluak pasta; Two Men Bagel House (#01-12) for freshly baked handrolled bagels; and Jasper’s Pantry (#01-13) for tempting cupcakes and gourmet pies and quiches.
Whole&Hearty Meanwhile, two new shops in the existing village have gotten our attention. It’s not just about breaded pork cutlets at OMItonkatsu (#01-58, 12 Gopeng Street), which takes over from kaiseki concept KUMO. In addition to the obvious pork cutlet, choose from cod (firm and not too oily), prawn, and chicken. Look for value-for-money teishoku (set meals) with your choice of curry udon/rice or white/brown Japanese rice. Of mention: combination katsu (from $24.80), rosu katsu ($25.50), and umeshu jelly ($5). Mon-Sat 12pm-2.30pm, 5.30-10pm. Tel: 6225 8433 A good breakfast is the start to a good day, and nobody knows this better than Christina Yee, mother of two and founder of Whole&Hearty (#01-84). The open-concept bar offers takeaway bowls (from $4.50) of fresh, homemade yoghurt—including vegan and low-fat versions—to be filled up with a wide variety of toppings including cold and hot oats, nuts and seeds, and even locally-made granola and nut butters. For a healthy pick-me-up, try their natural-ferment, probiotic kefir concentrate. Mon-Fri 8am-9pm. Tel: 9855 4290
with an unusual touch in accompaniment of sweet corn—a memorable pairing. Sun-Thu 10am-11pm, FriSat 10am-1am. #01-17 Block E, 10 Winstedt Road. Tel: 6225 6690 Dôme has recently updated its menu, introducing dishes such as laksa pasta with seared scallop ($16.80), with a subtle spiciness and an Asian twist. The wagyu beef steak ($24.80), however, could have been more tender. The Espreski iced coffees ($7.50), made from blended espresso and fresh milk, have been refreshed as well: try Chocolate Divine and Tasteful Tiramisu. Daily 10am-10pm. #03-92 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road. Tel: 6884 3601 The Délifrance pizza baguette ($5.80 a la carte, $9.90 set meal) sees the addition of three more flavours: The familiar Hawaiian pineapple and chicken ham combo on a crusty base, and tuna, topped with tasty mushrooms and capsicum. For a bit of sizzle, try the spicy chicken. www.delifrance.com.sg
3DIVE INTO DESSERTS
Dean & DeLuca makes every tea time a celebration with its range of cakes by slice, most notably the Rainbow ($7.50) and Red Velvet ($9). The Rainbow has a delightful bubblegum fragrance with just the right amount of cream frosting, while the three-layer Red Velvet is moist and rich, with a smooth sheath of slightly salty and addictive cream cheese. Pair the sweet treats with some excellent coffee made from sister brand Oriole Coffee’s specialty roasted beans. #04-23/24 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6509 7709 DEAN & DELUCA
2HELLO, NEW MENUS
Skyve Wine Bistro has been busy reinventing their Modern European menu under executive chef Jachin Tan, who was inspired by his recent travels. The sous vide Caprese Momotaro ($20) with the sweet tomato infused with basil water is a must-have, while the DIY seared beef tartare ($22) is cleverly served in an interactive manner with condiments to your taste. For mains, silky ancho cod ($38) is accented by sweet and smoky characteristics, while sous vide grilled Duroc pork rack ($37) keeps fans of crackling pork skin happy,
SKYVE WINE NOODLE BISTRO PLACE RESTAURANT
6
New sweets on iBake’s menu include Danish pastries ($8.90) topped with vanilla ice cream and your choice of chocolate-banana or berries (we preferred the latter), chocolate raspberry tart ($5.80), tiramisu ($6.50) and carrot cake ($6.50/slice). Frankly, we’ll stick to staples which showcase flour millers Prima Group’s bread expertise: petite French stick with milk cream ($1.50), seafood chowder pot pie ($7.80), and their meaty teriyaki chicken sandwich ($9). #02-28 The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green. Tel: 6694 4718
4BAR WATCH
In the day, Atmosphere Bistro is a familyfriendly seaside bistro serving food for sharing such
NICKELDIME DRAFTHOUSE
as Flaming Pizza ($22.80) topped with prawn, salami and mushrooms, or triple-stacked Atmosphere Burger ($22.80), stuffed with pork, turkey and chicken patties. At night, it transforms into a beer lover’s hangout; try the signature Calpis Kirin frozen beer slushie ($13) alongside savoury teriyaki sauce-glazed grilled squid ($9.80) and sweet molten lava cake ($11.80) with vanilla ice cream. Mon-Thu 5pm-12am, Fri 5pm-1am, Sat 10am2am, Sun 10am-1am. #01-25/26/27 Parkland Green, 920 East Coast Parkway. Tel: 6440 9705 Everything exudes beer at Nickeldime Drafthouse—from the 15 (!) seasonal craft beers on tap, to the takeaway The Liquor Store with a screaming neon beer sign and beer-infused bites. We nursed our Buxton Brewing Jacob Ladder (2.7% alc, a great introductory drink); easily ploughed through our Beer Geek Platter ($42, a feast of stout meatballs with beer barbecue glaze, beer sriracha candied nuts, hot crab IPA three-cheese dip, and ale snapper fish and chips); and enjoyed our well-balanced Beer Crepe ($12). Tabao a growler (from $29.90, holds about two litres of tapped beer) when you’re there. Daily 11am-11pm. #01-06, 273 Thomson Road. Tel: 6256 0261 Things just got better at The Beast with its Southern Throwdown eat-all-you-can and drink-allyou-can brunch ($68) with reservations of six pax and above. The new menu is skillfully matched to the Beam Small Batch Collection of bourbons, each with a unique recipe and age. We couldn’t get enough of the classic chicken & waffles, served with Knob Creek, the longest aged bourbon in the collection—it is modelled after 1900-era style whiskey, with a toasty, woody caramel sweetness that gives some edge to the juicy fried chicken. The pulled pork hash has plenty of brawn, yet finds its match in Baker’s, a smooth vanilla-scented whiskey made with special jug yeast that is tawny and silky. Sun 10am-5pm. 17 Jalan Klapa. Tel: 6295 0017
THEBEAST
ALL ABOUT MEAT Get your protein fix at these places
Jack’s Place fans, rejoice! The steakhouse has launched its hearty U.S. Premium Selection menu of six new meat dishes, with prime cuts imported from America. Drizzled with caramelised onion sauce, the juicy grilled Kurobuta rack of pork ($32) is accompanied by garlic mashed potato and fresh mesclun salad. The JACK’S PLACE
CHOCTOBER FEST
chargrilled BBQ baby back ribs ($36) in pineapple BBQ sauce comes with buttered corn kernel and lattice fries, while the premium U.S.A. Brandt 365-day grain-fed beef ribeye cuts ($36.80) are well-marbled and tender. The U.S. Premium Selection is available exclusively at The Grandstand (daily 11am-10.30pm. #01-29/30, 200 Turf Club Road. Tel: 6466 7933) and Great World City (daily 11am-10.30pm. #03-16, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6738 5868). The cheekiest item at Cheeky Chicky is the beer can chicken ($49.90). The fowl is marinated for over 24 hours before having its bottom end stuffed with a can of Asahi Super Dry ($14/pint). It then sits upright upon the aluminum vessel for two hours, making for a moist (yes, even to its breast), lager-infused savoury poultry. We also liked the chawanmushi ($6.90), spicy cheeky wings ($18.90/dozen) and the collagen-rich Kirei Momoshu ($15.90). Mon-Thu & Sun 5pm-2am, Fri-Sat & eve of PH 5pm-4am. 774 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6635 3465 Head straight for the signature burger set ($21) at Fat Cow Palace, a Malaysian export (known as Fat Cow Burger there): a taller-than-your-mouth tower of double beef patties, cheese, bacon and crisp onions, which comes with wedges, salad, and a soft drink. The buns look deceptively normal, but flip each crusty half over and you'll see the hidden charcoal layer. Salads (from $18), meat skewers (from $18), pastas (from $19), and chicken burgers (from $15) also available. Daily 11am-10pm. 43 Temple Street. Tel: 6220 7783
CHEEKY CHICKY First, there was The PAPA Shop we introduced in October; now, The Mama Shop has been opened by none other than local artistes Felicia Chin and Sora Ma. With its retro decor, city fringe location and familiar sugar gem biscuits, the little cafe is a throwback to our childhood. The Messy Messy Nice Nice Mama Burger ($10.90) pops a New Zealand beef patty between grilled buns, while the Okaasan Waffle ($4.90) puts an Asian twist on brunch with takoyaki sauce and bonito flakes. Quench your thirst with the Penang-inspired sparkling ice limau ($3.50) or Peanut Prince ($4.50). Mon-Thu 12-10pm, Fri-Sat 12-11pm, Sun 12-10pm. Old Police Operation Headquarters, 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace.
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PHO STOP
Modern, fun Vietnamese eateries, from the faithfully authentic to the innovatively localised Mrs Pho, opened in May, is named for the warm, welcoming “auntie” of every family. Only authentic dishes abound, with Vietnam-sourced ingredients. Other than the ever-popular beef pho bo (from $7.90) and chicken pho ga ($7.90), made with healthy cellophane noodles, Mrs Pho offers monthly special dishes like October’s crab and prawn noodle soup. Entrees include so huyet sao toi ($6.50), cockles stirfried with garlic and pork lard, and eaten with a mint leaf and calamansi dip; and the nem nuong ($3), meatballs sprinkled with scallions and crushed peanuts. Drinkswise, the chanh muoi ($2), salty lemonade made with preserved Vietnamese lemons, is especially refreshing on warm sticky days. Sat, Mon, Tue 11am-10pm, WedFri 11am-10pm. 349 Beach Road. Tel: 6292 0018 Pho Stop recently reopened with the addition of a rooftop bar, complete with its signature colourful chopsticks. We found the beef brisket in the pho dac biet, beef feast combo pho ($9.40), to be quite tender. The vegetarian pho chay ($8) is made with traditional ingredients alongside an original broth while the bun ga nurong ($9.30), dry noodles with fish sauce, comes with gently grilled chicken chop and the subtle taste of mint. The iced Vietnamese coffee with yoghurt ($5), November.pdf 1 16/10/2014 10:47:51 AM
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MRS PHO
sour and thick, has an acquired but unique taste. MonTue 11.30am-10pm, Wed-Thu 11.30am-12am, Fri-Sat 11.30am-2am. 72 Tanjong Pagar Road. Tel: 6534 8178 Vietnamese broken rice grains star in Comnam Broken Rice’s bowls; try the one with sautéed pork slices ($9), and the rice soup with sweet Grey Featherback fish balls ($7.90). For sides, try the spicy tomato soup with crab and pork ($4.90) or the crunchy golden calamari ($5.50) with dill sauce. Our favourite drink: sweet and sour iced soda tamarind drink with
peanut and sesame seeds ($3.50). Comnam also offers lunch sets made up of a rice bowl or rice soup, with a side and a drink, for $9.90 nett. Daily 10am-9.30pm. #B1-46/47 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6334 7377 Wrap & Roll presents recipes from Hanoi, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh. We enjoyed the goi ngo sen ($8.90), a crunchy lotus shoot salad served on crackers, and banh uot cuon thit nuong ($6.90)—grilled pork steamed rice crepe rolls with mint and basil, topped with sweet soybean dip. The bo nhung giam ($16.90, part of the 1-for1 deal: see Deals p.5), is a beef hotpot where you cook the meat in a unique vinegar-based soup and make your own rolls with starfruit and rice noodles. Try the che dau xanh khoai mon ($4.90), sweet sticky mung bean and taro topped with coconut cream, or the fragrant Vietnamese drip coffee (from $5.10). Daily 10am-10pm. #B3-19 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn. Tel: 6509 1555
#HASHTAGS & APP-ENINGS
HEALTHY BiTES Soy you want to be fit?
We’re on Instagram (@bitessg). Are you? #gontrangoeslocal Gula melaka triumphed over peanuts, char siew and laksa to become the new starring flavour of Tiong Bahru Bakery after a social media vote. Celebrity baker Gontran Cherrier’s gula melaka and crushed peanuts kouign amann marries sweet with crunchy, and it’s available alongside the gula melaka with chocolate and grated coconut combinations ($4.50 each) until 30 November.
TIONG BAHRU BAKERY
#nissinrecipe Nissin’s launched their latest ramen flavor ($3.85/bundle): the springy, round Hokkaido Miso noodles come with wakame seaweed toppings and go well with a pat of butter and ajitama. Visit fb.com/nissinfoodssingapore to see how else you can transform your instant ramen, including the Kyushu Black and Tokyo Shoyu flavours. #WTF #sharinghappyness The Garden Slug makes seemingly opposite hashtags work: on Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays (hence W.T.F.) diners access a special lunch menu (11am-3pm) including mains like The Ultimate bangers and mash ($23.50) and fall-off-the-bone baby back pork ribs with hickory BBQ sauce ($25.90); both come with soup and garlic bread fingers. thegardenslug.com
Homegrown brand Lam Soon’s soy range has been extended to include HOMESOY Instant Soya Milk ($6.95)—just add water! Made from Halal-certified, non-GMO organic soya beans with essential amino acids and antioxidants, this instant drink is a source of both protein and calcium. The regular and oats variants are available at selected supermarkets. Fortune has a new ready-to-eat dessert—the Hong Kong Style Dou Hua (300g, price not available at press time), in original and almond flavours. Made from non-GMO soy beans, Halalcertified and suitable for vegetarians, the smooth silky pudding is proudly made in Singapore and retails at iEcon and other stores. Step back into the 70s with Ipoh-born and world-travelled Chef Gan at Marina South Curry House, where we would gladly recommend their signature milk-free yet creamy claypot fish head bee hoon (single portion $7.90). The secret: it’s stewed for six hours and served with thick slippery noodles. Also order sweet red curry ($6.90 for chicken, $8.90 for mutton) that leaves a kick in your mouth, best soaked up with a crusty baguette. #03-14, 100AM, 100 Tras Street. Tel: 6694 8108
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OISHII JAPAN 2014
Pink awase tofu, made from minced cod and red rice yeast, a soft and healthy side dish.
A healthy ginger vinegar drink in honey, apple and yuzu, which can be mixed with water, soda, vodka, or even yogurt! Sprinkle these Furikake toppings over your rolled sushi—they come in yuzukosho (spicy yuzu), salmon, and curry flavours.
Date: 16-18 Oct Location: Suntec City Convention Centre
It’s no surprise that food lovers crowded Oishii Japan, the largest Japanese food festival in ASEAN. In its third year, the exhibition featured 266 booths showcasing everything from udon noodles to the J-Sweets section of confectionery and chocolate. For two days, trade visitors surveyed goods from 32 prefectures, but on the last day the hall was open to the paying public who snapped up Japanese food items, took part in a lucky draw, and watched cooking demonstrations and talks held by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). In true Singaporean fashion, everyone queued up for delicious samples and purchases—with Huber’s Butchery grilling wagyu beef, Tamoya Udon handing out cups of noodles, and even the J-Tech retailers showing off their machines—which would explain why the Sanuki olive beef booth, like several others, was sold out by midday. You could say that the festival was truly Oishii! www.oishii-world.com
ROCHESTER MARKET APP LAUNCH Date: 27 Sep Location: Rochester Mall
We rushed through the brimming aisles of Rochester Market; the goal: to scour the shelves and our smartphones for the prices of products to win a prize. The launch party was a hit with shoppers and invited guests: free-flow finger foods courtesy of vendors such as Granny’s Secret 100% pure fruit juices, healthy snacks from Mekhala Living, homemade sandwiches and fruit tarts, goodie bags for all, and a lucky draw. Joe Tan, general manager of Ban Choon
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The kimono-wearing girls from Mikawa Japanese tea brightened our day with fragrant roasted sencha (green tea).
Not your ordinary okashi (sweets), we dig these DIY lollipop kits with two colours of soft candy and two animal moulds within. Pity they’re not yet available here.
Kudos to the students from Temasek Polytechnic for helping out at Oishii Japan 2014. They greeted visitors on all three days with free samples like Y’s Tea and other Japanese treats.
We loved these Nikkori pears from Tochigi Prefecture—soft, juicy and sweet with less acidity.
Marketing, unveiled Rochester Market’s new promotional video—which showed how shoppers can redeem exclusive discount coupons, earn loyalty points, and be in the know of the latest promotions and news— all while shopping from the comfort of their homes through the one-stop app. In fact, everyone who downloaded the app (RochesterMkt for iOS users, Android version soon to follow) that afternoon received 15 percent off their shopping—score! No guesses for what the BiTES team did right after the launch party. Find out more about Rochester Market’s app on www.rm.sg
Can’t miss the wagyu beef booth cluster and freshlysliced sashimi on display.
Lots of konjac, or konnyaku: the traditional block form for oden (like our yong tau foo), flavoured Halal jelly in squeeze packets, lowcalorie QQ noodles; and even transformed into a slim sorbet during chef Janice Wong’s masterclass.
THE HAIRY SEASON Our editor reports on an innovative hairy crab home delivery service
Chef friends have been raving about the hairy crab from Premium Seafood, or better known through their Facebook page as Hairy Crab At Home. I ordered a Silver Mixed Package ($108 with free delivery) of three females (125g) and three males (150g) and immediately started worrying. Are the crabs the real deal from Lake Taihu? Would they be fresh on arrival? Would I mess up the cooking?
PREMIUM SEAFOOD All anxieties vanished when Premium Seafood’s co-founder, Lee Yuan Rong, showed up. He personally delivers the stash in a cool box, and together we check that all the crabs are alive: alert darting eyes and wriggly
limbs. Lee further advises on how to store the crab if not eaten within the day, and hands over a detailed instruction sheet on cooking and eating the right way. Lee and his business partner Jason Xie are fresh graduates, who saw the gap in the market for affordable delicacies such as hairy crab for the home. The crabs (in three sizes) are at least half the price of what you pay in restaurants, and come with health certificates from the upper section of Lake Taihu in China. I also find out that their family is in the seafood business, so they are wellversed in handling fresh seafood. The proof is in the eating, and using the provided dried perilla leaves, this first-timer managed to perfectly steam the cache of crabs. The roe from the female is deep orange, firm and sweet, while the milt from the male is lighter orange and gooey, with bitter and sweet flavours. It was so good, I ordered another round. Hairy crab season lasts till approximately end of November. Tel: 8113 4232, www.facebook.com/hairycrabathome
ALL ABOUT ‘MEN
Not the human variety, it’s all about noodles Why GRUB's newest noodle bar stands out: it's open past midnight with two German craft beers on tap. Slurp up a bowl of comforting beef bone broth topped with egg noodles and your cut of choice: from pasture-fed beef brisket ($12) to a 150-day grainfed Angus ribeye
TAKUMEN
($19). The must-have chinchalok chilli is another table staple, along with beef balls and mushroom stew. Nonbeef dishes available. Tue-Sun 7pm-12.30am, closed last Tue of the month. 221 Rangoon Road. Tel: 6341 5631 Born as a delivery service for over 100 ramen shops in Japan, Takumen has set up its first and only brick and mortar restaurant in the world right here. Starting with six award-winning ramen including the Hajime ramen ($14.90++), made with a rich chicken broth, and the Chikabara ramen ($18.90++) with thick handmade noodles and grilled pork, Takumen promises a fulfilling ramen experience, with more flavours to come. #01-01, 66 Circular Road. Tel: 6536 4875
Authentic Homemade Japanese Food. All ingredients are handled with care at OOTOYA. Fresh vegetables are all hand-washed and peeled each day. For meat and fish, we have our own handling procedures to keep the freshness. Because of this thorough preparation and our policy to only start cooking dishes after we receive the order, we are able to guarantee the quality and freshness of each dish. We are always dedicated to create more mouth-watering foods to our valued customers. Facebook.com/OotoyaSG
Branches:
Orchard Central #08-012 Tel : 6884 8901 Clementi Mall #03-53 Tel : 6659 2644 Changi City Point #01-30/31 Tel : 6636 1228
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Lights and sides As the festive season approaches and celebrations abound, we’ve rounded up table lamps and side tables to warm up your home. By Benjamin Soh and Lim Si Hui
LINDVED SIDE TABLE A quaint addition to the house that fits in just as well in a modern living room as it does in a rose garden, this table was made for that perfect Instagram shot of your photogenic muesli-and-fruit breakfast. $39.90 from IKEA, 60 Tampines North Drive 2. Tel: 6786 6868
TRIPOD TABLE LAMP The futuristic look of the Sputnik shuttle meets natural, textured materials of pine and fabric, making for an unobtrusive source of light. $69.90 from www. nookandcranny. com.sg
PRISMATIC TABLE The last piece of furniture designed by Isamu Noguchi: a sleek aluminium origami-inspired table with carefully folded edges. This plastic reproduction, however, will cost you less than a tenth of the original to experience his geometric brilliance. $62 from Fred Lives Here, #02-14 Orchard Central Mall, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6634 3733
EDISON BULB LAMP It’s the beginning of a steampunk obsession with this bulb caged in a steel frame. In a modern update to the original carbon filament lightbulb, its brightness can be dimmed with the touch of a switch. $99.90 from When I Create, 65A Haji Lane. www.whenicreate.com.sg
SUN JAR For a garden party at night, leave the sun jar out to charge in the day. Powered by sunlight and happy thoughts, this waterproof mason jar lamp works just as well as a nightlight or as a table piece in the dining room. $40.95 from Totally Hot Stuff, #02-13 The Cathay, 2 Handy Road. Tel: 6733 9312
PI COLLAPSIBLE PLYWOOD STOOL Space savers to the rescue! Made specially for tiny homes and modern businesses, this stool and side table can be taken apart in five pieces and stored away safely till the next party. $85 from The Rocking Chair, #03-08 Kapo Factory, 80 Playfair Road. Tel: 6282 9978
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DOOB IDEA! LAMP A lightbulb just went off in my head—no, wait, it’s right here. Made of smooth frosted glass with a metal base, it’s a lamp to inspire and keep your creativity turned on for all the party planning ahead. $29 from www.fortytwo.sg
COPPER DESK LAMP For the student hard at work or the busy professional who likes a little style, this little lamp with its head bowed adds an industrial chic aesthetic to its surroundings. $80 from Mondays Off, 76 Haji Lane. www.mondays-off.com
AROMA DIFFUSER For a fragrant home without the risk of an open flame, try this ultrasonic dry mist diffuser with a lamp. Just pour water mixed with a few drops of essential oils into the diffuser, replace the cover, and turn it on. $89 from MUJI, #B4-16 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn. Tel: 6509 9321
STRALA LED DECORATION LIGHTING, FLOOR Snowy days, hot chocolate and mythical reindeer—that’s what this light reminds us of. Setting it up is as easy as twisting the pine tubes and plugging it in. $89 from IKEA, 60 Tampines North Drive 2. Tel: 6786 6868
SIDE TABLE WITH STEEL LEG Get two tables in one with this removable tray on a metal stand: use it as a simple side table for drinks and snacks, or turn it on its side for those days when you just want to lounge on the sofa while having a meal. $99 from MUJI, #B4-16 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn. Tel: 6509 9321
SONIA LAMP Shaped like the bustle of a Victorian era dress, this lamp sits pretty both by itself, or hung from the ceiling. We would place this handmade conversation starter in the kitchen or centred above the dining table. $99 from Galanga Living, #01-02, 211 Henderson Road. Tel: 6475 2633
IPPIN CAFE BAR Find Us on Facebook
TEL: 6733 4794 18 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-01 238967
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katong v and Greenwich v special
celebrate the season's best
Whether you're in the north or east of Singapore, Katong V and Greenwich V offer delights for any dining agenda; from cool desserts and healthy cuisine, to thirst-quenching favourites and speciality Thai and Japanese.
KATONG V
The heart of Katong beats at this mall cum hotel development. Inspired by the locale's Peranakan heritage, you'll find a good mix of F&B options, a supermarket, a slew of family activities and all-yearround deals at this vibrant hangout. 30 East Coast Road, Singapore 428751. www.katongv.com.sg
azzura GELATO BAR
Azzura Gelato Bar (#01-01/02) Who can resist the awardwinning gelato in sunny Singapore? Enjoy sorbet and ice cream from Australia atop crisp, freshly-made waffles and artisan coffee brewed from Rubra premium beans. The gelato bar also stocks festive takeaway tubs, accompanying crushes, toppings and sauces, and sustainable tea blends. Daily 10am-10pm
delhi6
Delhi6 (#01-12/13) Savour long-forgotten flavours of Undivided India's NorthWest Frontier Province at Delhi6. Expect rustic and robust fare from their clay tandoor: barrah kebab, ajwaini murg achari tikaa; lip-smacking curries like murg makhni (butter chicken), lamb rogan josh (famous Kashmiri dish) and laal mans (dish from Rajasthan); and round off your meal with a baked yogurt dessert. Daily 10am-10pm east manhattan
East Manhattan (#01-04) Breathe in the aroma of freshly baked bread at this friendly artisan bakery inspired by bustling Manhattan. Choice picks include their sourdough offerings, dark chocolate hazelnut tart, and popular
rainbow cheesecake. Daily 10am-10pm Christmas highlight: A bounty of carefully constructed logcakes, rum fruitcakes and festive pastries to delight your palate. (15 Nov-31 Dec 2014) tiferet tea room
The Wine Palate (#02-18/19) Here's where taste and elegance convene. Swirl your stemware and sip on wines from Old World and New World, complemented by a selection of cheeses and charcuterie. This wine grocer will help you hone your sommelier skills—without breaking the bank. Daily 10am-10pm Christmas highlight: Free dessert with wine purchases above $50. (Nov-Dec 2014) tomi sushi
Tiferet Tea Room (#02-17) Indulge in a pot of perfectly steeped tea made from the finest whole leaves at this East-meets-West contemporary Chinese tea sanctuary. Savour the scents of Gao Shan Tea, a speciality Oolong Tea produced in Taiwan which changes with the season, the floral bouquet of Peony Bulb Tea, and other fragrant brews. Daily 10am-10pm Christmas highlight: Receive a complimentary small pot of tea with three pots purchased. Enjoy 20% off tea boxes. (Nov-Dec 2014) the wine palate
Tomi Sushi (#02-14/15/16) The first Tomi Sushi was opened in 1954 in Niigata. Dedicated to serving the best of the season, enjoy mebaru (rock fish) in spring, kochi (flat head) in summer, nanban ebi (sweet shrimp) in autumn and kanburi (yellowtail) in winter. Go for the restaurant’s authentic nigirizushi, set meals and a wide variety of a la carte dishes. Daily 10am-10pm Christmas highlight: Enjoy their maguro promotion and 50% off otoro, chutoro and akami sushi. (5-21 Dec 2014)
GREENWICH V
Kick back and relax at the serene and charming Greenwich V mall which offers many al fresco dining options amid the lush greenery weaved into the village-like wooden architecture. 1 Seletar Road, Singapore 807011. www.greenwichv.com.sg
cedele
Cedele (#02-14) The counter service Cedele Bakery Kitchen offers a compact menu including whole day breakfasts, lunch and dinner dishes that are cooked to order in the kitchen. There is also an artisan bakery takeaway section for bread and cake lovers! Mon-Thu 10am-9.30pm, Fri & Eve of PH 10am-10pm, Sat 8am10pm, Sun & PH 8am-9.30pm Christmas highlight: Munch on Cedele's artisan handmade cookies and try the new sea-salt almond Florentines 20 pcs (dairy and gluten-free). $25/tin, 10% off for purchase of 5 and more tins. cold stone creamery
Cold Stone Creamery / Quiznos Sub (#02-13) Cold Stone Creamery’s the perfect venue to enjoy freshly churned premium ice cream. Feel free to break into song and dance with the happy service staff who'll combine a variety of mix-ins on a frozen granite stone. Try the Chocolate Devotion and Cheesecake Fantasy flavours. Then get your subs on at Quiznos, with its roots as a little shop in Denver, Colorado over three decades ago. The sandwich chain boasts premium quality meats, all-natural cheese, artisanbaked bread and chef-recipe sauces. Taste the goodness in Turkey Ranch & Swiss or Honey Bourbon Chicken sub, with soup, salad, snacks and a fountain drink. Daily 10am-10pm empire state
their signature Sizzling Boston Brownie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Daily 10am-10pm mai thai restaurant
the coffee bean and tea leaf
Mai Thai Restaurant (#02-03) Warm Thai hospitality and authentic flavours greet you at this five-year-old restaurant, where the menu runs the gamut of luxed-up street fare and premium items. Tease your palate with the intricate flavours of perennial favourites like tom yam goong, chicken green curry; and the lesserknown bean sheet salad, goon fu (prawn floss) and tom sap, a spicy and sour soup from Isaan in the north-east. Daily 11am-2.30pm (lunch), 6pm10.30pm (dinner) rAkuichi SUSHI
Empire State (#02-04) Scale the heights of your appetite and beat the thumping chest of your hunger. This New York-inspired bistro dishes out hearty burgers, piquant pizzas and pastas, and luscious desserts for any voracious craving. Don't miss the Empire State Burger that's a juicy delight, fall-off-the-bone Empire State BBQ Ribs, and
Rakuichi Sushi (#02-12) Derive joy from savouring fresh gems from the sea in Rakuichi's chef selection of sashimi. Ask for a recommended pairing of premium Japanese beer, sake or shochu, and order from the extensive menu: kushiyaki, yakimono, agemono, and aburi sushi. Look out also for seasonal gourmet items at this authentic Japanese restaurant. Daily 11.30am-2.30pm (lunch), 6pm-10pm (dinner)
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (#02-01) Share a Double Chocolate Peppermint Ice Blended with a loved one to get you in the festive mood, and tuck into their signature best selling cake, Chocolate of a Thousand Leaves. Daily 8am-11pm Christmas highlight: From 3 Nov-28 Dec 2014, enjoy festive cakes and brownies which include Apple & Chantilly Logcake 1.3kg ($50), Classic Logcake 1.3kg ($49)/ 600g ($35), and Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate Logcake 1.3kg ($50).
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#100ChefConfessions* Warning: juicy gossip, dripping sarcasm, raw observations, mouthwatering humour, chilling ghost stories and more scandalous tidbits ahead! By June Lee and Meredith Woo Why do we have a fascination with chefs? Whether on TV or in our F&B outlets, they stand for all the delicious things you can hope to eat. After all, as one chef in our survey puts it, “Cooking is, besides the obvious, the most intimate thing you can do for someone else.” BiTES celebrates the cult of the chef with our inaugural Chef Confessions—a collection of soundbites direct from the F&B pros, dishing on rookie mistakes and kitchen nightmares, to opinions on diners (yes, YOU), the industry and their hopes and dreams.
My worst rookie mistake: #1 Mistaking salt for sugar and vice versa. #2 Not shouting “behind” or “coming through” when walking around the kitchen. #3 Not following a recipe, or improvising too much.
#4 In chef school in Toronto, the recipe for tiramisu called for lady’s fingers. Coming from Singapore, I assumed lady’s fingers were okra. #5 Serving local clams without realising there was a lot of fine sand in it. #6 Buying the most expensive, badass knife. The best is a nice, sturdy knife and keep it sharp. #7 Over-promising and underdelivering. #8 Putting a metal tray in the microwave for five minutes. #9 To work in a kitchen without any interest or passion. #10 Telling your head chef “I know”.
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From funny to caustic, sad to thoughtful, 50 culinary champions let their opinions rip behind anonymous walls. Only we know who said what—but we'll never tell! The list of chefs spans rookie to veteran, hawker stalls to brand-name restaurants, and all nationalities. What unites them, and us, is the love for food—so next time, before you diss about your eggs that haven't been cooked to perfection, spare a thought for what goes on behind the scenes. Would you be able to spend even 100 hours in the shoes of a chef? Read on and weep.
The worst job in the kitchen: #11 Food runner gets the most abuse from everyone and trainees get all the s*** jobs. #12 Worst things to clean: the grease trap; the exhaust after five years of use; and fish with large scales that stick to your face, arms and hair. #13 Paperwork, managing employees and worrying about bringing in the customers. #14 All of our jobs are S%$ks! #15 Honestly, F&B is a very fun industry to work in and learn. Nothing is difficult—it all depends on one’s mindset. Most horrific kitchen crisis: #16 I once burnt my facial hair with foie gras oil. #17 Someone switched off my counter fridge on my day off. #18 It was our busiest day of the year; just me and one other cook. He accidentally cut off the tip of his middle finger. Instead of leaving me ‘in the weeds’, he sears the wound shut on the top of a hot plate stove top and continues working! #19 A flying bird. #20 A gas pipe exploded, throwing me across the kitchen. #21 A packed weekend
at a 300-seater with no stewarding, and a dead docket machine. A cook was pulled out to wash dishes. #22 The oil overheated and started burning. A colleague grabbed a fire extinguisher. When he sprayed it, the oil splattered and burnt his face. #23 Oven caught fire and the whole restaurant blacked-out. #24 A billowing kitchen fire caused the sprinkler to go off; diners were evacuated. Spookiest kitchen encounters: #25 A waitress rolling on the floor screaming—possessed, they said. I carried her to the walk-in freezer and 10 minutes later she was exorcised… and cold! #26 At midnight, doors would open and close, things would fall off shelves.
#28 I stayed overnight with my sous chef because we got too drunk. The restaurant was in a 120-year-old building in Canada. Around 4am, I heard the piano playing in the dining room and woke my chef who heard it too. #29 At a U.K. hotel, one of its wings dated to the 1800s, where a woman had hung herself from the rafters. The hotel didn’t cut down the noose due to superstition. One late shift, the night manager and I were having a cheeky beer and suddenly his beeper went off. It was the old number for the old phone that had all the wires taken out. We decided to check and saw a part of the ceiling missing, showing the swinging, hanging noose. #30 On Saturdays, there are plenty of ‘zombies’ in the kitchen recovering from their hangovers from Friday night.
#27 Once the chiller door opened by itself. It was after we did our 7th month prayers and we had the roasted suckling pig offering inside.
*Chef quotes may have been edited for length, grammar and brevity.
Weirdest customer requests:
#31 Eggplant without ‘egg’. #32 Ramen without noodles. #33 French onion soup without onion. #34 An eggless scramble. #35 ‘Cooking’ smoked salmon till it is ‘well-done’. #35 Thai papaya salad with no fish sauce or sugar. #36 Pureed pasta. #37 Cooking with only an apron on. For a private event. #38 A cigar between each course. 12 hours later… #39 A high roller in Las Vegas was down US$4 million. He wanted organic poppy seed muffins that took us three hours to go to Whole Foods, buy ingredients, bake and finally serve.
Dirtiest kitchen I ever worked in: #41 For an event in Jakarta, meat and fish were all over the floor which was wet because they used running water to defrost. I saw something moving in the dark and heard ‘Mickey’. #42 Plates piled up three feet had been sitting long enough to grow mold. The fridge door had what can only be described as s*** on it (no, it wasn’t chocolate). #43 There were cockroaches even in the freezers. #44 I brought in a pest control team to kill every roach—took two hours, followed by another four for the cooks to clean up. #45 The floor was wet with food debris all over. Every time we had leftover stock or water, we would just throw it on the floor. #46 Rotting fruit under the lowboys and grease at the exhaust dripping into the grill. #47 My idiot chef used the same chopping board for uncooked and cooked food. #48 Cooks smoking in the kitchen and throwing cigarette butts. #49 Well, in Singapore the NEA (National Environmental Agency) is pretty strict so there are no rats and cockroach infestations. Or maybe I am just lucky. Can female chefs take the heat? #50 If she is able to stand 10-14 hours a day, take a few cuts and bruises without whining, she‘ll be fine. #51 Women have to deal with a high level of testosterone. #52 Female chefs are tough as nails yet have a more delicate and precise touch. #53 In the late 90s, female workers did have a harder time, but times have changed. Now, the men show their weak side! #54 If they’re hot, women give their male counterparts a harder time in the kitchen. HAH. #55 Good looking females have an easier time. Period. Most embarrassing moment:
#56 I once dropped a steak knife on a gentleman’s groin area. It ripped through his pants, missing the important part.
#57 I dropped a paella dish which took 45 minutes to prepare. #58 I dropped a tray of razor clams during the busiest time of service. My furious chef started throwing things at me. #59 I was demonstrating a chicken dish on a TV program and the chicken was undercooked! #60 Overcooking hollandaise and turning it into a scramble. #61 A chef messed up the protein order for a big function. He dismissed himself to the fridge where he broke down and cried on the floor. #62 I suggested to a customer a dish that was Italian based (like him) with Japanese influence (like his wife). Except that this was his new wife who isn’t Japanese. #63 I wrongly scolded a worker. And I really gave him a good one. #64 When I saw a rat running across the restaurant during a famous food critic session. Things only people in the industry will understand: #65 My sifu told me once, to be a great chef, you have to be either fat, gay or stupid. #66 Drunken brainstorming session = the best ideas. #67 We don’t cook at home, we’re tired of the smell of oil. #68 The microwave. Some items are pretty impossible to heat up without one—otherwise I’d need another 10 burners. #69 I started out earning $1,200 a month. I’ve met career switchers who thought being a chef was glamorous and lucrative; shocked, they later returned to their previous jobs. #70 Most chefs work over 44 hours/week (regulated limit). Some even hit over 60 hours. #71 Colleagues who provide 'extra' services after work hours for additional income. #72 Women seem to like men in uniform. #73 Alcohol is an everyday thing for chefs, it helps slow down and cool the ‘engine’ after a hard day’s work. #74 The industry is composed of misfits; some with darker pasts than others. But it is also where you will meet the warmest, most sincere and hospitable people.
Is there ANY glamour in the job at all? #75 No: hot, noisy and smelly work conditions. Is that glamour to you? #76 Yes: when you see yourself in the media. But then everything goes back to normal. #77 When I meet my friends or family, all they want to do is talk about my job. It feels really great to have people interested in my work. On customers: #78 It's our job to ensure every customer leaves happy. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's just a fine balance between being knowledgeable and overlydemanding. #79 Good or bad, I cook for everyone as if I am cooking for my loved ones. #80 I feel very sad that the majority treat us like slaves (ie: waving the order sheet, snapping fingers, throwing their money/ credit card at the counter, not thanking us). #81 Few people seem to have a genuine opinion about food and what is good. They just follow trends blindly. #82 Thank you for letting me feed you. On writers and bloggers: #83 It's very easy to criticise, but many don't realise that blood, sweat and tears go into our dishes. Every bad review actually hurts. #84 Some are respectable but some really need to stop asking for free meals. #85 Some do not understand the seriousness and damage caused when they write a bad review, causing people to lose their jobs or business. Even worse, many blog for monetary gains. #86 Taste is highly personal so what they think is appealing may not necessarily be. #87 Please do some homework first? On celebrity chefs: #88 We’re all just people, some who just happen to have big egos and need it to be fed either on TV or in print. #89 They must have done something right and out in countless hours to be where they are at. I tip my hat to them.
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Final thoughts:
#91 I don’t cook Michelin stars, trying to pretend to make food look like an art piece or be a mad scientist. #92 Sorry to burst your bubble but more often than not, the head chef is NOT cooking your meal. The bigger the establishment, the less the head chef gets his hands dirty. #93 Make frequent visits and get to know the chef personally. Don’t scrimp on compliments for his dishes if you like them. Tip well and be polite and courteous to all the staff. #94 I’m obsessed enough about food to start teaching my eldest daughter how to cook when she was two! #95 Do not try to de-construct and reconstruct your own menu. Chefs spend many hours planning their menus. To have somebody come in to play pick and match is a huge insult. #96 The average time for a meal has almost doubled. Customers photograph everything, from menus to coasters, and each dish as it arrives. And it's not just one shot, more like five! #97 A good head chef should ensure that even his weakest link can cook well even if he’s not in. The passion and respect the staff have for the head chef will keep up consistency. #98 Many still don't see hospitality as a respectable career path. All we can do is try provide the right training ground and support network that encourages the younger generation to join us. It's not an easy industry, because while the highs might be high, the lows can be equally low. #99 If you are always calculating the hours you work to the money you earn, you will be discouraged and give up. However if you see it as learning points for future use, then you will see results. #100 It takes a lot of passion to be a chef, we don't do it for money or material gains. We sacrifice time with our family and friends so we can be in the kitchen for 10-14 hours a day to improve our skills, creating new dishes, trying our best to satisfy our customers.
#90 I personally don’t like the term ‘celebrity chef’. Why can’t we just call the person ‘chef’? We do not address Brad Pitt as a celebrity actor, do we?
w o k
&
t a l k
The skinny on Fatty’s
SIONS
S in this special edition, we ask chef Benjamin Fong of Seasons Bistro to bring CONFE F E H C #100 us to his favourite tze char haunt since childhood—Wing Seong Fatty’s.
Photography by Benjamin Soh
yu m my!
ringgr!in!!gg!!
you’ll find chef Benjamin here At least twice a month. He rents an apartment nearby— great for him to get his comfort food FIX!
Photos of Qantas planes line the restaurant’s walls as the Cantonese establishment is popular with the airline’s pilots—explains the tables of Australian tourists dining al fresco.
!!!
hello?
Meet “Skinny”, son of the late "Fatty" Wing.
The dishes arrive, piping hot, with off-themenu items only regulars like chef Benjamin wOULD be privy to.
The bill The total (4 pax): $72.80 (incl. 7% GST) ➔ Beef kway teow: $10 (medium) ➔ Homemade tofu: $11 (small) ➔ Salted egg prawns: $18 (small) ➔ Sweet and sour pork: $11 (small) ➔ Roasted/BBQ pork: $10 (medium) ➔ Fried vegetables with salted fish: $8 (small)
The score ➔ Food ➔ Ambience ➔ Value
THE VerdicT ➔ Homely Cantonese fare in airconditioned comfort, infused with history and memories. The staff speak English so it’s A great PLACE TO brinG overseas friends.
Have a favourite hawker hunt? Talk to us at [bites.editorial@magsint.com] *BiTES dined incognito and paid for our own meaL
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Off the menu #2: Ask for your char siew to be stir-fried with dark soy sauce and chilli padi for that extrafragrant Cantonese oomph.
Homemade beancurd topped with moreish mushroom gravy really reminds one of home cooking.
A must-have at every TZE char establishment, the sweet and sour pork (kolo yoke) here comprises solid meaty chunks in a well-balanced appetising gravy. No fillers, just enough fat.
WING SEONG FATTY’S (ALBERT) RESTAURANT, #01-31 Burlington Square, 175 Bencoolen Street. Tel: 6338 1087
Off the menu #1: Ask for dry beef hor fun with a raw egg on top (“moonlight” or "yue guang") for a smooth blend of wok hei noodles with tender meat.
Too busy to talk, hou sek! Till next time~
Fai diah! se k
t h e
d r i n k
t a n k
Chefs’
#100CHEFCONFESSIONS
drinking holes You’ve read their confessions; now unwind with them as they tell us where they “cool their engines” after a long day in the kitchen. By Meredith Woo
SMITH STREET TAPS #02-062, 335 Smith Street Chinatown Complex. Tel: 9430 2750 Opening hours: Tue-Sat 6.30pm-10.30pm Drink: “Beer of course and whatever is on rotating tap. I like IPAs.” What’s coming up: Stone IPA ($12/pint), Rogue Farms 7 Hop IPA ($13/pint), Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA ($12/pint). Bar BiTES: “Some carbs, rice or bread (from the stalls at Smith Street Chinatown Complex).” Frequency: “Mid-week with a friend. You’ll catch me there at about 6.30pm.”
ALIBABAR THE HAWKER BAR 125 East Coast Road. Tel: 6440 6147 Opening hours: Sun-Thu 6.30-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 6.30pm-1.30am Drink: Warsteiner Premium Pils Why: “Easy to drink and refreshing.” Bar BiTES: “A burger and pizza joint opens till late, but I don’t usually eat there.” Frequency: “I used to go three times a week, but after getting married I now spend more time at home.”
ORIHARA SHOTEN #01-02 Robertson Walk, 11 Unity Street. Tel: 6836 5710 Opening hours: MonWed 7pm-12am, Thu-Sat 7pm-1.30am, closed third Monday of the month Drink: “All the sake is amazing, but the yoghurt sake ($64/bot, plumflavoured) is always a winner.” Bar BiTES: Grilled stingray. Frequency: Often. “I normally try and go in just after they have opened.”
DISTRICT 10 #01-42/K3 The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green. Tel: 6694 2884 Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11.30am-11pm, Fri & Eve of PH 11.30am-12am, Sat-Sun & PH 11am-11pm Drink: “Beer!” Why: There's Asahi draught ($17.50/pint), Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc draught ($18.90/pint), Corona ($14), Kilkenny ($15), Erdinger ($16), and Heineken ($12). Tap onto their wide selection of single malt whisky, premium gin, martinis, mojitos and more. Bar BiTES: Pizza’s great. Frequency: Two to three times a week.
TIPPLING CLUB 38 Tanjong Pagar Road. Tel: 6475 2217 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-12am, Sat 6pm-12am Drink: Bohemian Mai Tai ($22) and Transatlanticism ($23) Why: The former has becherovka liqueur and tiki rum potion; while the latter brings together Amaro Montenegro and American whisky. Bar BiTES: “Everything!” Frequency: “Too much. Go early, it’s nice and quiet and you normally get the whole bar to yourself.”
ANTI:DOTE Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road. Tel: 6431 5315 Opening hours: Daily 5pm-2am. Drink: Signature cocktails Brown Derby (blanc vermouth, mango, bergamot, citrus, tequila) and Corpse Reviver (Lillet blanc, homemade orange liqueur, lemon, absinthe, gin), $23 each. Bartender: Head craftsman Tom Hogan. Frequency: “A LOT! Maybe too much.”
PORTICO SINGAPORE #01-10, 991B Alexandra Road. Tel: 6276 7337 Opening hours: Tue-Fri 11.30am-3pm, Tue-Sat 5.30pm-11pm, Sat-Sun 10.30am-3pm Drink: Angie’s Special ($18, happy hour $15) Why: The surprise cocktail is “really well-balanced and good.” Bar BiTES: Truffle fries and wings. Frequency: “Once a week with friends or colleagues.”
HOOD BAR AND CAFÉ #05-07 Bugis+, 201 Victoria Street. Tel: 6221 8846 Opening hours: Mon-Wed, Sun 5pm-1am, Thu-Sat 5pm-3am Drink: Guinness draft ($15/pint), AMF cocktail ($18) Why: “Guinness keeps me in a smooth mood; the AMF for birthdays—bottoms up before the song ends!” Bar BiTES: Hood signature wagyu secret juicy burger with bacon ($18), deep fried chicken skin OMG ($18). Frequency: “I go late on weeknights and meet my close buddy there to play darts.”
L’AIGLON 69 Neil Road. Mon-Sat 5pm-1am. Tel: 6220 0369 Opening hours: Mon-Sat, 5pm-1am Drink: Artisanal craft cocktails from the awardwinning bartenders Why: Asian Sensation ($90) is a punch bowl concoction with deep floral notes of chrysanthemum and St. Germain elderflower; while smoky and woody Village Chronicles ($25) is made of Single Village Mezcal, a clay-oven baked agave spirit. Frequency: “Weekdays are always good.”
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Wish you had a reliable buffet resource available to guide you to the best all-you-can-eat spots? Buffet Bounty is your go-to resource on buffets for all budgets, tastes and locations. This month, we suss out boiling steamboat buffets offering seafood specials and handmade meatballs, grill a tech savvy blogger over hotpot, sniff out 5 wine buffets under $50 and take a bite out of the meatiest buffets in town. Log on to www.bites.com.sg for these buffets and more!
Bites guide: Price guide (nett) $ wallet-friendly (below $50) $$ just can’t resist a splurge ($50-100) $$$ a special occasion ($100-150) $$$$ indulgence galore (above $150)
Certified halal Does not serve pork or lard Kid-friendly facilities
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chinese steamboat BUFFETS around singapore NORTH [$]
EAST [$] Fat Fish Steamboat #02-126 Ehub@Downtown East, 1 Pasir Ris Close. Tel: 6582 2922 This Thai-Indochinese steamboat buffet ($26.90++, Mon-Fri 12-10.30pm; $28.90++, Sat-Sun 12-10.30pm) restaurant is helmed by a Thai chef with over 30 years of experience. You get an authentic tom yam base alongside handmade meatballs, shrimp dumplings, and wantons. Discounted student prices start from $15++ on weekdays and $17++ on weekends. Paradise On Earth Tianfu Hong Kong Style Steamboat 214 Tanjong Katong Road. Tel: 6345 9272 This steamboat restaurant, founded in 2002 with Hong Kong origins and inspiration, offers both indoor and al fresco seating. The buffet ($20.80++, Mon-Fri 5pm-2am; $23.80++, Sat 11.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-2am), a largely dinner affair, serves up a wide variety of soup bases including pig’s stomach soup, scallop soup, bak ku teh,
Chuan Wang Fu Spicy Hot Pot 9 Teck Chye Terrace. Tel: 6284 5668 This steamboat buffet ($21.80++, daily 12pm-12am) is decorated in a traditional Chinese style. Soup bases include their popular mala and herbal chicken, preserved vegetables with fish soup, and wild mushroom soup. Dessert is included, but opening hours vary, so do call first. King’s Laksa Steamboat 17 Teck Chye Terrace. Tel: 6287 8010 Based in an air-conditioned, cosy shophouse, King’s prides itself on its eponymous signature laksa soup base steamboat—served alongside more traditional mala, chicken and seafood broths—and its a la carte buffet ($18.80+, Mon-Fri 11am-2.30pm, 5-11.30pm; $23.80+, Sat-Sun 11am-2.30pm, 5-11.30pm) which totals 60-70 food items, including cooked food. Visit for an efficient, no-frills experience.
Paradise On Earth Tianfu Hong Kong Style Steamboat
visit
bay front steamboat buffet
and a unique satay soup, as well as fresh ingredients such as imported U.S. beef, Australian snowflake beef, and live prawns.
SOUTH [$] Bay Front Steamboat Buffet 18 Marina Gardens Drive. Tel: 9030 4275 Enjoy the sea breeze and cheerful atmosphere near the Gardens by the Bay during the weekend ($25 nett, Fri-Sun 6pm-2am) when specialty seafood such as giant crabs and flower crabs are made available, and laksa and tom yam soup bases are added to the weekday ($20 nett, Mon-Thu 6pm-2am) broth selection of chicken and herbal soup. Crowd favourites here include their Korean marinated pork and barbecued beef— remember to place your last order by 11.40pm. Polaris Gourmet #B1-24 AXA Tower, 8 Shenton Way. Tel: 6220 6818 Named after the North Star, this clean, spacious a la carte steamboat buffet ($22++, Mon-Fri 6pm-10pm; Sat 11am-3pm, 6pm-10pm) has offal such as pig organs, ox stomach, and pig’s skin to go with its fish, chicken, and kimchi soup bases, alongside the usual steamboat fare like fried beancurd skin and mushrooms. If you fancy something cold and sweet after a warm dinner, ice cream comes with the buffet. Street 50 Bay Hotel Singapore, 50 Telok Blangah Road. Tel: 6818 6681 One of the few steamboat buffets located in a hotel, this weekend-only hotpot dinner buffet ($38++, Fri-Sun 6.30-10pm) provides a selection of seafood, meat, vegetables and noodles; their signature soup bases include Imperial Chicken and Siamese Luck Tom Yam, and they have added Asia-centric bases such as Sarawak laksa and bakso broth. Each guest enjoys a personal Chinoiserie pot instead of a shared steamboat pot.
In partnership with
of Rendezvous Hotel Singapore, the steamboat buffets here are big on seafood, with the lunch buffet ($18.80++, Mon-Fri 11.30am-3.30pm; $20.80+, Sat-Sun 11.30am-3.30pm) featuring salmon sashimi and tiger prawns; and the dinner buffet ($25.80+++, Mon-Thu 5.30-9.30pm; $27.80+, Fri-Sun 5.30-9.30pm) starring the ever-popular snow crab. Soup bases include chicken, tom yam, bak kut teh and Japanese bonito; and buffet prices include cooked food and desserts.
crystal jade la mian xiao long bao
[$$] The Buffet M Hotel, 81 Anson Road. Tel: 6500 6116 Look out for the soup base of the month here, displayed on their website—in October it was imperial fish head— complementing their usual laksa, tom yam and chicken soup bases. Other than the usual ingredients, fresh seafood is served here, including flower crabs. The restaurant specialty of herbal drunken prawns and the durian pengat dessert are part of the dinner steamboat buffet ($53++, Mon-Thu 6-11pm; $63++, Fri-Sun 5-10.30pm) as well. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with three paying adults for buffet lunch and dinner. Valid from Sunday to Thursday.
WEST [$] Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao Holland Village, 241 Holland Avenue. Tel: 6463 0968 Arguably one of the best-loved buffets, Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao draws a huge crowd every night for its free flow of the meat-filled soup dumplings. On the second storey, their steamboat xiao long bao buffet ($25.80++, Mon-Thu 5-10pm; $27.80++, Fri-Sun 5-10pm; $23.80++, Fri-Sun 10.15-11.45pm) will get you a yuan yang style pot with Sichuan mala and pork ribs soup for 1.5 hours, as well as dessert. Fatty Choo International Steamboat #02-25 West Coast Plaza, 154 West Coast Road. Tel: 6777 0126 Headed by Choo Kok Seng, former executive chef
Fu Qi Steamboat Eatery House [ ] #01-256 Block 428, Jurong West Ave 1. Tel: 9621 6196 As one of the few Halal-certified steamboats in Singapore, Fu Qi stands out even more with its soup bases such as soto ayam, which you can pair with chicken, herbal, or tom yam soup in their yuan yang pots. This affordable steamboat buffet ($20.80 nett, TueSun 4.30-10pm) includes finger food and cooked food like lontong, mee siam and mee rebus. Help yourself to the free flow homemade drinks and ice cream. Le Le Pot 58 Seng Poh Road. Tel: 6222 9442 Situated opposite Tiong Bahru Market, this popular air-conditioned steamboat buffet ($21.80++, Mon-Thu 11am-3pm, 5-11pm; $22.80++, Fri-Sun 11am-3pm, 5-11pm) is no-frills but comfortable, offering laksa and tom yam soup stocks as well as fresh cockles and beef. Various dipping sauces and condiments can be mixed to go with the steamboat, and cooked food (such as fried wings and mantou) and iced desserts are included. The Rajah Inn #02-13/14/15 Tiong Bahru Plaza, 302 Tiong Bahru Road. Tel: 6835 0080 This Indochinese steamboat buffet is available only during dinner ($19.90++, Mon-Fri 5-10pm; $24.90++, Sat-Sun 5-10pm) with last orders at 9pm. Chicken, tom yam, herbal and fish soup bases are provided, along with seafood balls and sliced meat. The Rajah Inn also provides its customers with iced tea, lime juice, and desserts. Xian La Dao #03-08/09 The Grandstand, 200 Turf Club Road. Tel: 6463 8878 Do you sometimes feel like having a manicure or pedicure while waiting for your turn to be seated at a steamboat buffet restaurant ($38++, daily 10.30am-3pm, 5pm-10.30pm)? Now you can! Newly opened in August, Xian La Dao offers fresh food such as handmade pork balls and shrimp glue, pork belly, mutton slices and short ribs, and seafood including shelled mussels and scallops, fish maw, and cuttlefish. With soup bases including mala and mushroom, and 19 types of sauces
to choose from, sit back and enjoy this traditional steamboat with a new service experience.
BUGIS [$] Chuan Yi Pin #01-01 Bugis Point, 530 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6884 4582 Unlike smaller restaurants, this no-frills steamboat buffet ($24.80++, Mon-Fri 11.30am-2am; $26.80++, Sat-Sun 11.30am-2am) occupies two units in Bugis and begins to fill up even before dinner time. After having the Sichuanstyle appetisers, customers can enjoy seafood such as cockles and mussels, and pork and beef sliced to order by staff. With an optional BBQ element to the buffet, be prepared to walk away smelling of the grill! Royal Kublai Khan Steamboat Buffet & Seafood Restaurant [ ] #01-56 Burlington Square, 175 Bencoolen Street. Tel: 6836 2389 A Halal steamboat with artificial flavouring-free traditional recipes and a name inspired by Genghis Khan, the Royal Kublai Khan serves up a hearty steamboat buffet ($25++, daily 11.30am-10pm), and offers a discounted student price of $20++. Other than seafood ingredients, dumplings and dipping sauces, they offer cooked food favourites such as cereal prawns and fried chicken in its buffet. Tasty Mini Pot 268 Middle Road. Tel: 9395 6808 If you love steamboat but dislike having to share, you’ll find the solution in the individual mini pots used here, where a weekday promotion applies for the buffet ($21.90++, Mon-Thu 11am-11pm; $23.90++, Fri-Sun 11am-11pm) until the end of the year. Tasty Mini Pot specialises in spicy soups such as mala, tom yam, laksa, and curry broths, with a focus on authentic Sichuan hot
the rajah inn
Sofitel So Singapore – Xperience Restaurant & Bar Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:
10% OFF
bookings for French Michelin-star Chef Nicolas Isnard.
Chef event is valid from 4 to 8 November. Offer is valid till 31 December 2014. For reservations, call 6701 6800 or email H8655@sofitel.com. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/ dining for more dining privileges.
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Blogger Hot Seat Keropokman a.k.a Philip Lim is a full-time systems analyst and accidental food blogger. We put the jovial geek to work at the steamboat buffet at M Hotel and discover his serious foodie inclinations.
fridge just for chocolate, ice cream and ice. It keeps them from being contaminated by food smells, and it saves electricity as I run the fridge at 8°C.” DON’T OFFER HIM: “Turtle. I just can’t eat it, I have no reason why.”
WHO: Keropokman (www.keropokman.com) BLOGGING SINCE: 2006. “I have a ‘hobby’ of buying domain names. I have over 20, which costs me about US$10-15 each annually. After buying www.keropok.com, I started signing off on online comments as ‘Keropok’ with the added ‘Man’. My wife is KopiKosongGirl on the blog.” ALMOST ANOTHER MAN: “I tried to buy www.rotiprata.com, but later I was informed someone got it 30 minutes before I did.” He owns www.bojio.sg and www.currypuff.sg as well, among others. ON THE ‘OTHER’ P.LIM: “I receive email for Phillip Lim, the designer: Parents request to have their daughters on the runway.” THE TECHY SPEAKS: “I’m a systems analyst doing coding in the same company for 15 years. I don’t have a blogging style, but I’m very interested in food—I buy dozens of magazines and love technical books with cooking in it. I guess you can call it cooking for geeks.” BLOGGING PET PEEVES: “Food bloggers need to read up before they go out. To describe something well, you have to understand it first; for instance the correct temperature to cook prawns. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have good grammar or writing skills, you should be able to give your readers clear, direct information. On that note, you have to dare to try all kinds of food. How can you write about it if you can’t describe it?” ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD: Good bitter chocolate, especially Pierre Herme. “I have a separate
THE BUFFET:
Steamboat buffet at The Buffet, M Hotel ($53++,
DINE FOR FREE WITH HSBC CARDS
Snap up these superb deals when you charge to your HSBC credit or debit card. Checkers Brasserie Hilton Singapore Lobby Level, 581 Orchard Road. Tel: 6730 3390 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every two adults for Friday Seafood Buffet Flavours At Zhongshan Park Ramada Singapore Level 1, 16 Ah Hood Road. Tel: 6808 6846 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every three adults for buffets from Friday to Sunday ◆ Visit www.flavoursatzhongshanpark. com for full buffet listings
Mon-Thu 6-11pm; $63++ Fri-Sun 5-11pm) TIME OF VISIT: 9 October, 7pm STRATEGY: “At buffets, I usually go for the meats (like wagyu) first, but here, I go for fish. Walk one round to eye the different stations first—there is the drunken prawn station with live prawns in a tank, a carousel with the raw ingredients, and two stations for dessert.” ON THE STEAMBOAT SPREAD: “The range is quite reasonable and offers fresh picks. You can tell the pomfret is very fresh—the eyes are clean and glossy.” STEAMBOAT SOUP PICK: “Teochew fish? Never had that, so let’s try it. And the tom yam, because the laksa sounds heavy and herbal chicken is normal.” DIDN’T EAT: Dessert. “Too full, and they didn’t have chocolate ice cream!” TOOK PHOTOS OF: The dip station with 12 condiments to mix and match. SECOND HELPINGS OF: Drunken prawn. “The prawns are so fresh, and the soup is strong and herbal, but a little diluted.” MOST MEMORABLE: “It’s good that this place has pomfret and especially the cockles—it’s a risk for buffets but it’s good to see it. They told us that customers really like to add cockles to the laksa broth.” HOW MANY BiTES? Taste: 4/5 Value for money: 4/5
visit
Ellenborough Market Café Swissôtel Merchant Court, Singapore Level 1, 20 Merchant Road. Tel: 6239 1848/1847 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every three adults for buffet and Hi-Tea The Terrace The Singapore Resort & Spa Sentosa G/F 2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa. Tel: 6371 1414 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every three paying adults for Sunday Brunch Plaza Brasserie PARKROYAL on Beach Road Level 1, 7500 Beach Road. Tel: 6505 5710 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every two paying adults for daily lunch ◆ One dines free with every three paying adults for daily dinner
In partnership with
pot. For customers willing to spend extra outside of the buffet, they serve other specialty dishes such as dry spicy hotpot chicken as well. The House of Steamboat 7 Tan Quee Lan Street. Tel: 6336 2875 Instead of the usual yuan yang metal steamboat pots, this steamboat buffet ($20 nett, daily 12pm-12am) uses a crystal steamboat pot for all their eight kinds of soups, including traditional ginseng chicken soup, fish bone soup, and sour and spicy soup. Other than the free flow fried food, free drinks and ice cream, a steamboat with BBQ buffet ($22 nett, daily 12pm-12am) is offered here. For the health-conscious, its soup bases are MSG-free. Thye Hong Casual Cafe 32 Liang Seah Street. Tel: 6338 4148 If Thye Hong sounds familiar, that’s because this outlet is part of the household name behind Singapore’s famous hokkien mee with over 40 years of history. The restaurant’s name is a little unusual for a steamboat buffet ($20++, Mon-Thu 12.30-11.30pm; $22++, Fri-Sat 12.30pm-12.30am; $22++, Sun 12.30-11.30pm), but you’ll find a well-organised self-serve buffet offering superior chicken, mala, tom yam, curry, and healthy herbal soup bases in a neat dining space. Ting Yuan Hot Pot 22 Liang Seah Street. Tel: 6338 4755 The service staff can make or break a restaurant, and in Ting Yuan’s case the friendly crew definitely make it. This steamboat buffet ($19.80++, daily 10am-2am) is small but welcoming, with a fresh and clean selection of ingredients to go with their mala soup (spiciness can be varied), sour vegetables soup, tomato pork ribs soup or sour duck soup, among others. Xian De Lai 18 Liang Seah Street. Tel: 6336 7505 Tucked away in an air-conditioned and comfortable space, this buffet ($19.80++, daily 10.30am-3am) boasts of its soup bases, including a duck soup supposedly brewed for six hours, pork ribs soup, and their signature spicy chicken, which serves as a side dish too. The buffet selection includes fresh shelled cockles, beef slices, meat balls and dumplings. Its JEM outlet offers an individual pot for each person as well.
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cheeses such as Kapiti herb and garlic triple cream cheese, Kapiti Kahakatea camembert and Whitestone chef’s brie. #01-23/24 China Court, 20 Cross Street. Tel: 6557 0312
wine Buffets under $50 NETT
Sunk by rising wine costs? Save money by drinking (responsibly!) at the best wine free-flows in town
Bar Canary Sorry guys—this one’s just for the ladies. Bright yellow couches against earth toned interiors are warm and inviting, right in the heart of Orchard Road. Wednesday is ladies night, where free flow champagne, housepour spirits, wines and a complimentary bar snack ($35 nett, Wed 7.30-9pm) are rolled out. The ladies get additional 50 percent off champagne, wines and standard house pours all the way till closing. 4/F Grand Park Orchard, 270 Orchard Road. Tel: 6603 8855
The Mad Poet Bottle of red, white, or rosé? Quench your thirst at The Mad Poet every Thursday when wines and cheeses flow freely ($33+, Thu 6-8pm). Indulge in their Pinot Grigio Montelvini and Merlot Montelvini. To go along with this unceasing trickle of tipple are the mad poet
wine mansion
The Wine Company Grab a group of your best friends and enjoy Sundays brunching at The Wine Company, which has been around almost 10 years with five outlets. At three of their branches including Dempsey and Evans, they offer a free flow of bubbly in the form of Welmoed Sparkling Brut ($19.90+, Sun 12pm-3pm), a dry and refreshing afternoon tipple. Sentosa Boardwalk, 6 Sentosa Gateway. Tel: 6376 9029
Wine BOS Any day is a great day for wine at Wine BOS at their free flow wine buffet ($20+, daily 8-10pm). As a wholesaler, they keep prices more than economical. Drink up from bottles such as Goldleaf Classic White, Sunrise Cabernet Sauvignon as well as some sparkling varieties at this cosy shophouse in the cultural Kampong Glam area. 787 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6538 7886
Wine Mansion Perch yourself at this central hangout with one of the longest free flows of wine. The deal ($35++, daily 5-9pm except Wed, Fri and PH eve) includes red, white and sparkling wine, as well as beer and a complimentary mini Wine Mansion platter. On Wednesdays, ladies pay just $25++ for the same. 20 Keong Saik Road. Tel: 6532 4338
Zhong Hua Steamboat Buffet #01-01, 95 Beach Road. Tel: 6337 1655 Step in front of this restaurant and the fragrant smell of soup immediately lures you in. Open well into the wee hours, this small but modern restaurant’s steamboat buffet ($22++, Mon-Thu 10am-5am; $23++, Fri-Sun 10am-5am) offers fried dumplings and free flow drinks
Swissôtel Merchant Court – Ellenborough Market Café Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:
1 dines free
with every three paying adult buffet diners for Lunch, High Tea and Dinner
Offer is valid till 30 December 2014. For reservations, call 6239 1848/1847. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more dining privileges.
b u f f e t
b o u n t y
➽ alongside a variety of fish balls, seafood balls and seafood items, as well as many sauces. That fragrant smell? Might have been their superior stock, Sichuan mala, laksa, tom yam, or satay broths.
CENTRAL [$] Chong Qing Liu Yi Shou Steamboat 76-78 Smith Street. Tel: 6835 7626 An overnight steamboat buffet ($21.80++, daily 11am3am) with yuan yang style pots that can be filled with mala, herbal chicken or fish head stock, Chong Qing Liu Yi Shou serves up cold appetisers as well as fresh crab and prawns and cooked food including chicken wings, dim sum, and fries. After your meal, have some ice cream or fresh fruit to cool down from the spicy steamboat. Crystal Jade Steamboat Kitchen #02-32 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road. Tel: 6336 2833 Crystal Jade may be famous for dim sum, but did you know they have an entire branch dedicated to steamboats? The 90-minute steamboat buffet ($20.90++, Mon-Fri 11am-9.45pm; $26.90++, Sat 11am9.45pm; $26.90++, Sun 10.30am-9.45pm) offers six soup bases, including tomato and miso flavours, and homemade minced pork and chicken pastes as well as cooked food such as deep-fried fish skin. For a good deal, try their 80-minute lunch steamboat buffet offer ($14.80++, daily 11am-2.30pm) with an additional $1.90 top-up for free flow drinks and ice cream.
Guo Fu Steamboat #01-31/33 China Court, China Square Central, 20 Cross Street. Tel: 6557 0906 Herbal and tonic soups are the “in” thing at this steamboat buffet ($21.90++, Mon-Thu 11.30am-3pm; $23.90++, Mon-Thu 3-10.30pm; $23.90++, Fri-Sun 11.30am-3pm; $25.90++, Fri-Sun 3-10.30pm), which offers cordyceps chicken soup as one of its steamboat bases. Seafood ingredients are prepared in-house, and cooked food (such as xiao long bao and shallot pancake) and desserts are included in the price of the buffet. Hotpot Culture #04-102A The Gallerie @ Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6338 7873 Spacious and suitable for families. Go for the usual steamboat buffet ($18.80++, Mon-Fri 11.30am-10pm; $20.80++, Sat-Sun 11.30am-10pm) of seafood, mushrooms, tofu, sliced meat and assorted balls—or you could top up a few dollars for the full a la carte buffet ($20.80++, Mon-Fri 11.30am-10pm; $25.80++, Sat-Sun 11.30am-10pm), which will get you additional access to the cooked food buffet and chocolate fondue. Tanyoto #01-25/25A Liang Court, 177 River Valley Road. Tel: 6836 6839 Originally established in Sichuan in 1996, Tanyoto has since opened 117 outlets across East Asia and continues to expand. Its only Singapore outlet operates a lunch buffet ($28++, Mon-Fri 11.30am-3pm; $30++, Sat-Sun 11.30am-3pm) and a late night supper buffet ($32++, Mon-Thu 9pm-12am, Fri 9pm-2am; $34++, Sat 9pm-2am, Sun 9pm-12am). The tomato soup base in particular is praiseworthy, and the restaurant offers a free fish head per table as well as free flow plum juice. The Magic of Chongqing #04-06/07 Tanglin Shopping Centre, 19 Tanglin Road. Tel: 6734 8135 Named after Chong Qing, birthplace of the Sichuan mala broth, this restaurant offers the soup (at varying levels of spiciness) for both lunch ($21.90++, MonFri 12-3pm; $23.90++, Sat-Sun 12-3pm) and dinner ($34.90++, Mon-Fri 6-10.30pm; $37.90++, Sat-Sun 6-10.30pm) buffets, along with special sauces to counter the flames in your mouth. On top of buffet offerings, a complimentary serving of handmade meatballs, fish nuggets, and savoury dim sum is included as well.
the magic of chongqing
guo fu steamboat
The answer: More than enough people to fill the seats in The Mushroom Pot. The steamboat buffet ($21.80++, Mon-Thu 11am-3pm; $29.80++, Mon-Thu 5-9pm; $29.80++, Fri-Sun 11am-3pm; $32.80++, Fri-Sun 5-9pm) focuses on more than 20 types of wild mushrooms, including a shiitake mushroom with meat paste, and its six soup stocks feature a wild mushroom soup. Ladies, go for the buffet dinner from Monday to Thursday to enjoy a 20 percent discount.
[$$] Coca Steamboat Restaurant #04-23 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road. Tel: 6734 7887 Known for its signature Coca sauce that goes with the steamboat buffet ($26++, daily 11.15am-3.45pm; $42++, daily 3.45-10.30pm), the restaurant chain has reopened with a revamp of its Takashimaya outlet. Fresh seafood as well as special items such as fish glue, sliced pork liver, shrimp balls and dumplings, amongst other tummyfilling ingredients, are provided in the buffet, which is available at their International Building and Resorts World Sentosa outlets as well. coca steamboat restaurant
The Mushroom Pot #04-00 Orchard Point, 160 Orchard Road. Tel: 6733 9910 Who goes to a steamboat buffet for the vegetables?
The Singapore Resort & Spa Sentosa - The Terrace Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:
1 dines free
with every three paying adult for Sunday Brunch
Offer is valid till 30 November 2014. For reservations, call 6371 1414 or email H9474-FB3@accor.com. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more dining privileges.
In partnership with
Top 10 Meat-Lovers Buffets
Whether Japanese, Brazillian, Korean or Thai, our picks of the best meaty buffets will satisfy all cravings
Azmaya Restaurant Opened by young duo Masui and Tshuchiya, the restaurant is home to Japanese expats come dinner time. Expect endless rounds of pork and A5 wagyu loin shabu shabu, coupled with rich, nourishing soup stock. The A5 wagyu beef with its detailed marbling is especially fresh and umami. Apart from the meat, there is a wide choice of vegetables and udon to complement the dinner buffet ($90++ for a two-hour sitting). #0112/13, 30 Robertson Quay. Tel: 6737 6863 barossa
a range of flavourful offals. Hit the chromatic salad bar for a fresh assortment of legumes and salads. Head there for a buffet celebration ($47++, 6-11pm) and you’ll find the cheery wait staff serenading the lucky individual with Portuguese birthday tunes. 16 Sixth Avenue. Tel: 6463 1923
Carnivore The restaurant is a whirl of charming waiters with rotisserie fare and a hearty crowd savouring succulent meats freshly sliced right onto their platters. The buffet ($34++, 12-3pm at selected outlets only, $49++, 6-11pm) includes garlic beef tenderloin with bacon, pork belly, honey ham, grilled fish fillet, and the irresistible honey pineapple. Complement the 14 meaty offerings with original garnishes such as farofa, a smoky sprinkle incorporating toasted semolina, and an array of hot and cold appetisers, including feijoada, the Brazilian national dish. At all outlets, including #01-80 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue. Tel: 6688 7429.
Chicken Up Certainly not for the faint-hearted, Chicken Up has a spread of all classic renditions of Korean fried chicken. Options for the buffet ($25++, 5.30-11pm) include Curry Up, Spicy Up, Mild Up, Yangnyum, Soya Chicken and Popcorn Chicken. Yangnyum chicken is a hot favourite, with moist cuts tossed in sweet and spicy sauce, and topped with a generous serving of sesame seeds. Fried chicken aside, the meal includes andong chicken stew, truffle fries and salad. 48 Tanjong Pagar Road. Tel: 6327 1203
Barossa
Don Quijote
Barossa’s beef buffet ($45.90++, Mon, Wed, Sun 6-10pm) is a pure bovine feast, with prime cuts ranging from wagyu ‘D’ rump to braised beef cheek. The meats are paired with sauces that are made in-house, with tasty selections like truffle béarnaise and blue cheese sauce. Enjoy 20 percent off a bottle of wine with every purchase of the buffet. At all their outlets including #0111 Esplanade Mall, 8 Raffles Avenue. Tel: 6534 5188
Feast like a triumphant conquistador at Don Quijote’s monthly barbecue buffet dinner ($128++, 6.30-11pm). The opulent affair centres around a live BBQ station, where chefs lord over the fiery grill and serve up Spanish roasts and tapas. The señora of the meal is the Segovian style suckling pig, crisp to the bite and unctuous on the inside. Other favourites include 400-day grain-fed bone-in Margaret River wagyu rib steak, Spanish secreto Iberico and farm-fresh hormone-free roast chicken. #01-02, 7 Dempsey Road. Tel: 6476 2811
Brazil Churrasco The original churrascaria haunt, Brazil Churrasco is a feast for all occasions. Picture an endless waltz of choice roasts and grills from the passadors (meat waiters)—fall-off-the-bone beef short ribs, smoked duck breast, succulent chicken thighs, moist beef topside and
carnivore
Mooja, Mookata Thai BBQ Steamboat What’s better than authentic charcoal-grilled meats? Tasty soups to complement the grills. The mookata restaurant
lives up to its Thai origins with its lard-cooked piquant proteins—inclusive of U.S. Angus beef and kurobuta pork—which are flavoursome to the bite. Drizzle the restaurant’s special chilli sauce over your plates to add some kick to the already scrumptious buffet ($40.70 nett, 5pm-6am). 25 Keong Saik Road. Tel: 6536 4780
Tajimaya Wake up to a dizzying plethora of wagyu, Angus cuts and Kurobuta pork at Tajimaya’s brunch buffet ($45.90++, Sat, Sun, PH 11.30am-4pm). Specialising in charcoal grill yakiniku, the selection includes wagyu short plate, Angus loin and Angus sirloin. Fans of Kurobuta grills can look forward to the unctuous and tasty belly, collar and loin dishes. #01-102/103 VivoCity, 1 Harbourfront Walk. Tel: 6377 0070
Tenkaichi Wagyu BBQ buffet, Keypoint Have a merry wagyu fest at this one-of-its-kind buffet ($98++, 6-10pm). The selection includes premium plates like wagyu sashimi, waygu tataki and quality portions such as beef rib finger, short ribs, beef belly and ox tongue. The star of the spread is wagyu yukke, raw beef mixed with a flavour-packed marinade and raw egg, which is appetising and has an almost melt-in-your-mouth consistency. #01-18/19, 371 Beach Road, City Gate (Keypoint). Tel: 6293 4498
The Ramen Stall There’s just something primitive yet rewarding about eating off a stick, especially so if these sticks are packed with delightful cuts. The kushiyaki high tea buffet ($28.80++, Sat, Sun 2-5pm) with over 35 types of barbecue items—think beef short rib, chicken yakitori, pork neck collar—and tantalising sides such as prawn tempura roll, pork shougayaki and Japanese smoked duck with stir-fried vegetables promises a satiating meal. 6 Short Street. Tel: 6499 5757
Klapsons The Boutique Hotel – The Sleeping Rhino Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:
Free flow of soft drinks
with every main course ordered during dinner
30% off total bill
and a complimentary Chef’s Dessert of the Day during cardholders birthday month*
Valid till 30 December 2014. *Please present your NRIC to enjoy this birthday offer. For reservations, call 6521 9030. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more dining privileges.
In October, we brought you through Suntec City and Millenia Walk. This month, stay connected as we literally tunnel through Marina Square (and the adjoining Marina Link) via Esplanade Xchange and CityLink Mall. These link malls get us from the MRT stations to the Esplanade too—and in air-conditioned, sheltered comfort. Eat, shop and run errands while staying cool, dry and haze-free. By Meredith Woo
Esplanade Xchange—catch your breath between mall-hopping here Overview This link mall might confound first-timers in Singapore. It doesn't lead to The Esplanade, but to CityLink Mall, Raffles City Shopping Centre, Marina Square, Suntec City, and of course, Esplanade MRT station. Claim to fame: it's the first Xchange in a Circle Line station (opened July 2010) and the third largest: lots of F&B options, a pharmacy, a clinic, tech stores, ATM machines and a 7-Eleven. iExperience (#B1-10 to 18) AKA Infocomm Experience Centre. Know what's a "dai gor dai" or want to see yourself on 3D TV? Learn about Next Gen services like fibre broadband and the future of networked Singapore at this IDA (Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore) initiative. Pop in for interactive exhibits, guided (45min; daily 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm) or self-discovery tours. Daily 10am-8pm. Tel: 6820 6880
contactless smartcard that lets you "tap in" to attractions here (like an EZ-Link card). It'll entitle you to three sightseeing tours and at least two must-visits, including Universal Studios Singapore. and the Singapore Zoo. Daily 10am-6pm. Tel: 6337 7391 Nom's Café (#B1-29 to 33) This “food court” comprises five stalls, a mix of local delights like fried carrot cake, chicken rice ($3.80, no pork no lard), Halal Korean and Japanese cuisine, nasi lemak and nasi padang stalls, and yong tau foo. It's a good respite from the mad mall-rush as you enjoy your saba fish set ($6) or slurp up spicy kimchi ramen ($5 chicken, $5.50 beef). A customer of the Korean and Japanese stall told us: “hen hao chi (delicious)”, even though Mandarin isn't his mother tongue.
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The Marina Centre triangle (part II)
ESPLANADE XCHANGE
esplana
Tourist Hub (#B1-08) Buy a Singapore City Pass ($68.90/day); it's a
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The Record 1981 This art installation in CityLink Mall is a series of cast bronze relief tablets by Cheung Yee. Count them: 120 rectangular plaques line the wall beside the escalator which leads to Marina Square; then admire them: each depicts different scenes and ancient auspicious Chinese symbols like longevity, harvest, dragon and phoenix. With a left-to-right vertical script, it's like a book that signifies the harmonious co-existence between man and the universe.
esplana –t de onh eatres th e bay
CITYLINK MALl (1 RAFFLES LINK)
Overview This 350-metre-long connection from City Hall MRT station used to be shoppers' only underground link to Marina Square, Suntec City and subsequently The Esplanade when it was opened 14 years ago. Did you know it's designed by a New York architect and boasts 60,000 sq ft of retail space? Packed with familiar F&B brands like BreadTalk (#B1-42) and SaladStop! (#B1-13), the mall is great for those who want grab a bite on the way to their next destination. Alternatives: Cookies for Sid (#B1-10), Fun Toast (#B1-04) and newcomers Duke Bakery (#B1-65) and Swissbake (#B1-03/05). MOSES (#B1-07A) Profits from sales here are given as allowances to the makers— people with psychiatric disabilities who otherwise might not have a job or income. Find innovative and lovingly handcrafted gifts such as bouquets (from $7.50), mini note pads ($3) and clips ($3.50/pair). www.moses.com.sg Meyvé Shakes (#B1-67A) Detox with shakes from this boutique juice bar (pronounced "Mey-vey") which opened in June. Choose from various concoctions of 100 percent fruit, non-fat milk and yogurt: try bestsellers Jolly Good Berries and Mango Glow ($5.80 each). Dairyfree and cold-pressed options available. They also sell fresh fruit and will do up yummy fruit bouquets (from $15.90) to freshen up any occasion. www.meyveshakes.com
ESPLANADE
(1 ESPLANADE DRIVE) Esplanade—also known as “the durian”
Singapore's first premier performing arts centre just turned 12 years old and its 2,000-seat theatre's automated fly system was upgraded in October. The Esplanade boasts myriad F&B options (from Singapore street food to live music watering holes), rooftop bar Orgo, a library, retail outlets and even a spa. Find out more about concerts, events and how you can book The Esplanade Walk tour at www.esplanade.com
RAFFLES link
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image courtesy of URban redevelopment authority
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Waterwheel Sculpture As you journey towards Marina Square from One Raffles Link, you'll encounter the iconic Water Cycle 2000, a mechanical bronze sculpture by Jonathan E. Minns of the British Engineerium Trust. Notice that water (wealth in fengshui principles) flows towards the mall. RA
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MARINA SQUARE
(6 RAFFLES BOULEVARD)
Marina Square—nothing square about bowling, movies and an arcade Overview Meet Marina Centre's first mall and Singapore's largest (circa 1985). It's part of a complex which houses hotels Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, Marina Mandarin Singapore and The Pan Pacific Singapore. From 2004 to mid-2006 it underwent a major transformation (remember the outdoor food court?), and now boasts 700,000 sq ft of retail space. A new shopping extension of 200,000 sq ft is coming up where Centre Stage used to be (below the food court).
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NUVO (#02-100, Dining Edition) This pocket-friendly Italian-Japanese restaurant serves up group chef Mark Richards’ exciting contemporary dishes alongside ample cocktails at the lounge. Be wowed by smoked uni carbonara pasta ($38) and the kakuni-style Kurobuta pork belly ($32), or look to the value $15 weekday lunch and $35 4-course dinner sets. Daily 11.30am-3pm, 5-11pm. Tel: 6822 2098
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Marina Link was opened in July 2010—also an alternative route to City Hall MRT station. Fatboys The Burger Bar (#B1-03) Time for some burger construction at this eatery set up by brothers Kennie and Bernie Tay. Build-Your-Own-Burger via the iPad: choose from four types of buns and patties, over 25 toppings and 11 sauces (that’s 4,400 combinations!). Get some sides (Disco Fries, $4.50) too. Daily 11am9.30pm. Tel: 6635 6660 LOVEinBread (#B1-18) Totally vegan: from the creamy and rich best-seller raw chocolate avocado cake ($8.50/slice) packed with organic and dairy-free air-flown chocolate; to the breads (around $2 each), made with organic flour. Try also the mushroom sandwich ($7.80 with organic pear or apple juice) with vegan cheese (made entirely from plant foods; think Daiya) and coffee nanaimo cake (raw), a no-bake Canadian dessert. Opened by brothers Skye and Ray after two years of R&D. Sun-Fri 10am-9.30pm, Sat 10am-10pm. Tel: 6338 4173
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Bangkok Jam (#02-105B/C, Dining Edition) Try the flavourful northern Thai stewed pork curry ($12.90), grilled curried fish paste wrapped in banana leaves ($13.90), spaghetti with prawns in coconut sauce ($12.90), and spaghetti with roasted pork crackling ($13.90). For dessert, there's the durian panna cotta ($9.90) with sticky rice and the pineapple and jackfruit crumble ($8.90). MonFri 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-10pm; Sat-Sun 11.30am-10pm. Tel: 6338 6632 Avis (#01-226) Rent a car to zip around the city-state in style, pronto. Grab a mid-week offer (Tue-Thu, up to 20 percent off) and drive a car from Group C (Toyota Vios 1.5, from $140/day) to Group N (BMW 5 Series 520D SE 4dr, $416/day) then opt to drop it off at their Changi Airport counter. Other services: limousine with chauffeur and airport transfers. Daily 12pm-8pm, except PH. Tel: 6336 0866 Elements by Home-Fix (#02-248/249) The hardware shop-style Home-Fix is now an 8,000 sq ft lifestyle one-stop-shop. Just re-opened in September, it stocks new and exclusive brands like Ecoya soy wax melts candles in French Pear, Lotus Flower, and Sweet Pea & Jasmine ($40 each); a massive 14-litre 5-in-1 EuropAce Airfryer ($299); and a Roman electronic mini steamer ($69). Our fave is new Do-It-For-You (DIFY) department—friendly experts will be on hand to help you with any query, from lighting to electrical, bathroom fixtures and household security. They also offer supply, installation, repair and painting services. Daily 10am-10pm. Tel: 6883 2038 Indoor Playground Level 3 of the mall has a section designated for tots and mums-to-be with shops Kiddy Palace (#03-160), Maternity Exchange (#03-108) and more; as well as a newly upgraded carpeted playground complete with climbing house, slide, four-way see-saw and coin-operated rides. SuperBowl (#03-200) This bowling alley is affiliated with the Super Funworld arcade opposite, and both are household gaming names. Standard house rules apply: socks are a must (or purchase for $1.50), shoe rental at $1/pair and pay per game (from $3.40 for students). Bring your SAFRA card for discounts. Sun-Thu 10am-1am, Fri-Sat, eve of PH 10am-2am. Tel: 6334 1000 Teddy & Me Café (#02-207A) Remember Mr Bean? The hapless 90s telly character portrayed by Rowan Atkinson now has his own themed café. Watch reruns on the iPad, place orders (rainbow mille crepe $8.80), surf the web and charge your mobile phone after taking many selfies here. Daily 11am-10pm
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The complete nabe Literally translated as “cooking pot,” nabe refers to the humble Japanese hotpot. It’s the simplest dish to attempt at home—thanks to these supermarket shortcuts. From shelf to pot, here are four ideas for your next steamboat.
Vegetables
From root vegetables to leafy greens and mushrooms, these add fresh balance to a meaty hotpot.
By Joel Lim, Photography Benjamin Soh BiTES PAID FOR OUR OWN GROCERIES AT MEIDI-YA HOKKAIDO FUKANEGI
(leeks, $6.90)
DAIKON
(radish, $6.90)
ENOKITAKE MUSHROOMS
Protein
Add any meat you like, sliced thinly so they can cook quickly, as well as tofu and fish balls or other meat balls.
KANI KAMA
(crab sticks, $6.80)
FISh balls
Meidi-Ya InHouse SILKEN TOFU
($2.20)
CHINESE CABBAGE
(Japanese mustard spinach, $7.90)
KONJAC
(konnyaku, $2.95)
KATAROSU SUKIYAKI
($4.50/100g)
KITSUNE
(fried beancurd, $2.90)
Dipping sauces Staple
The broth becomes a potent distillation of everything that has gone in. Mop Up every last drop with the staple of your choice.
Soup bases
Varied, from traditional miso and shoyu bases to meatier tonkatsu, or healthy soy milk soups.
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KOMATSUNA
RICE
UDON
RAMEN
PONZU
A citrus based soy sauce that gives that extra tang.
RAW EGG
Not for everyone, but it gives your food an additional creamy texture.
GOMA
Creamy, fragrant sesame based sauce.
Mizkan Yosenabe soup base
KIMCHI/KIMUCHI
SAUSAGES
BEANS
SPAM
$6.80
CHEESE
Meidi-ya inhouse silken tofu ($2.20)
ANY OTHER REGULAR HOTPOT INGREDIENTS
Yudofu
A healthier version of the normal hotpot, consisting mostly of tofu and vegetables.
Kimuchi hotpot Korean budaejjigae (‘Korean army stew’): A “leftovers” kind of soup influenced by the U.S. (hence sausage, spam and cheese) together with the tang and spice of kimchi
PRE-PACKED ODEN SET (L, $13.90) KONjac (konnyaku, $2.95)
KITSUNE (fried beancurd, $2.95)
BOILED EGG
MIXED MUSHROOMS FROM JAPAN ($3.90/200g)
Oden
CHIKUZENNI (vegetables with konjac, $8.90)
The Japanese yong dao fu, a traditional winter dish that consists mainly of processed fish products, boiled eggs, daikon and konjac.
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Gulliver’s Kitchen
FUSION BRANDS Poach Pods If you’re craving eggs Benedict with a creamy helping of Hollandaise sauce, there’s no need to fumble with slotted spoons or cling wrap. Simply crack an egg into the oiled poach pod, float it in boiling water, remove when cooked and flip it over! Out pops the egg, poached and ready to be served over toast or with some smoked salmon. Mmm…
Who says bigger is better? With Singapore’s space crunch, it’s a good time to go after the small but handy items that make your kitchen life that much easier.
$14.95 from Howards Storage World, #B41/42 Parkway Parade, 80 Marine Parade Road. Tel: 6348 3933
By Meredith Woo and Lim Si Hui
VINTERKUL Rolling Pastry CutteR December is on its way, and that means building gingerbread houses and laying out freshly baked cookies with milk for Santa before the kids go to sleep. This isn’t a cookie-cutter pastry cutter: With four shapes in one and built like a little rolling pin, it’s easy to get the young ones involved with baking and decorating stars and Christmas trees.
$1.90 from IKEA Tampines, 60 Tampines North Drive 2. Tel: 6786 6868
MAGISSO Cake Server This cake server reduces the messy matter of knives, forks, and the precarious possibility of dropping your cake, to one nifty little utensil. To use, press it down through the cake and squeeze gently to lift a piece right out. Now you can have your cake and eat it too!
$19.90 from ToTT Store, #01-01A 896 Dunearn Road. Tel: 6219 7077
MAYER Mini Cupcake & Mini Donut Maker Honey, I shrunk the treats! Cute confections are not just for the kids—these tiny bites can vanish in a mouthful, great for parties or a quick after-dinner snack. And if you’re baking with children this weekend, the self-locking latch makes it safe and easy for small hands to get busy in the kitchen.
$79.90 from Live Kitchen by mayer, #02-25 Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6838 4079 LEKUE Citrus Spray When you think about it, citrus fruits are nature’s juice containers, with a thick and waxy exterior to protect against the elements and thirstquenching goodness within. Keeping the juice fresh and full of vitamins is as simple as screwing and securing the spray inside the fruit—a large version for lemons, oranges and grapefruits, and a smaller one for limes and tangerines—and propping it onto the provided dish, ready for use with salads or juices.
HAPPYCALL 4pcs Pan Layer Have you ever taken your pans out to whip up a fresh omelette or some bacon, only to find shiny scratches all over them? These made-in-Korea pan layers snuggle themselves comfortably between pans for stacking, and can be used as pan rests as well for times when you want to serve piping hot dishes straight onto the dinner table.
Set of two for $29.90 from Takashimaya, B1 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road. Tel: 6738 1111
$19.90 till end November (U.P. $30) from Heap Seng House, 36 Liang Seah Street. Tel: 6338 1343
AMCO Avocado Slicer & Pitter With all that scooping, scraping, and slicing, things can get a little messy when ripe, shiny avocados are involved. To get to the firm, fresh avocado flesh, first remove the pit with the loop, then scoop and slice simultaneously with the stainless steel slicer from the larger end of the fruit.
$23.60 from Bake King, #01-363/365, 10 Haig Road. Tel: 6742 8388
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INOMATA Mini Measuring Cup When a recipe calls for two tablespoons of this, or six teaspoons of that, it’s easy to lose count; especially when your pot of soup’s on the verge of boiling over. “naruhodo! benri goods” is exactly what it’s named in Japanese—a convenient 5-to-50ml cup that measures in spoons, with markings on the inside of the scoop for easy reference.
$2 from Japan Home, #B1-06B Liang Court, 177 River Valley Road. Tel: 6337 8849
Handy Sealer Press down and slide, seal and unseal. It's "the coolest way to reseal bags," claims the pink-and-white cardboard backing. Although the sharp pin on one end is tiny, and the gap too small for an adult finger, do keep it away from your little ones' curious hands. Top tip: seal horizontally across, leaving a gap, then diagonally seal the corner for easy opening or pouring later.
$15 from Meidi-Ya Supermarket, #B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre, 177 River Valley Road. Tel: 6339 1111
Harvest Of Tastes! It's time to enjoy a Harvest Of Tastes at Shin Minori, UE Square, a Japanese Ala-Carte buffet restaurant where you can enjoy a harvest of more than 160 items of sashimi, sushi, tempura, sumiyaki, teppanyaki, pizza etc. from just $34 onwards.
Dial 6733 2272 For Reservations!
Daily Opening Hours: Lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm Last order 2.15pm Lunch (MON to SUN) Adult S$34++ Child S$24++ Dinner 6pm to 10.30pm Last order 9.45pm Dinner (MON to THURS) (FRI, SAT, SUN, EVE OF PH & PH) * Adult S$37++ S$39++ Child S$25++ S$27++ *Except Christmas Eve, New Year Eve, CNY Eve & Special Occasions
Shin Minori Japanese Restaurant 81, Clemenceau Avenue, #03-15/16. UE Square (Shopping Mall), Singapore 239917 (Nearest MRT- Clarke Quay) Tel: 6733 2272 (Reservations Recommended) www.shinminori.com.sg Join us www.facebook.com/shinminori
Opened since 2006 @ The Quayside, Da Mario combines the feeling of home and the fine authentic taste of Italian cuisines for you, your family and friends. A comfortable & casual atmosphere by the Singapore River providing attentive service at affordable prices. Chef Mario hails from Abruzzo, Italy – with his familiarity and love for Italian dishes, he takes great care to create quality, delicious homemade Italian cuisine. All of his dishes are made from his original recipes and only the finest ingredients from around the world are used.
60 robertson quay, #01-05/06, the quayside SINGAPORE 238252 (Nearest MRT – Clarke Quay) www.damariopizzeria.com DIAL 6235 7623 FOR RESERVATION!
es THIS MOVEMBER, We uncover the good, the bad and the bogus ON HAIR-RAISING MYTHS. By Kylie Ng
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SEAWEED Myth: Kelp is a superfood for hair. Fact: Seaweed is indeed a fount of collagen and spirulina; its fatty acids, vitamins and minerals cast it as a protein boost for limp locks. BREA D C RU S Myth: Sn a ck T on crusts for oo brea d dle-a ble ha ir. Fa ct: T hough t crust-for-cu his rls be lief is 3 0 0 yea rs old un foun ded. A , it is n of overly pro overloa d cessed brea d ma y a c tu to ha ir loss. a lly lea d
OYSTER lica cy is Myth: A famed aphrodisia c, the de stles. idolised as a cure for spa rse bri tia l min era ls, Fa ct: Oysters con tain ma ny essen critical for is especially zin c an d selenium. Zinc tiful tresses a supple, hea lthy sca lp an d boun while selenium reduces da ndruff.
fuzzy twist RAMBUTAN Myth: Some say merely gazing at them will revitalise your roots. Fact: The fruit is a source of copper, which may help prevent hair loss, intensify hair colour, and prevent premature greying.
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SPINACH Myth: Not just for Popeye—it’s for the hairless as well. Fact: Spinach is an ideal source of iron, which is especially important for hair growth and regeneration.
EGG Myth: Bald as an egg? Fret not; have more of them instead. Fact: Eggs are an egg-cellent source of protein, and since hair is made of the latter, eating protein is crucial for healthy and strong locks.
Butter up Spreading olive oil, beer or mayonnaise on the scalp is believed to beget fuller mops. Sadly, greasy foods will cause locks to be oil-soaked, which can be harmful to the scalp.
Rub and roll Massaging Martell on one’s scalp or chest is thought to work wonders for hair growth. This is unfounded, and will only dry the remaining locks out with all that potent alcohol.
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