Winter in Singapore

Winter in tropical Singapore spells a wet season – particularly this year. Somehow, I am feeling the skies somewhat fickle, unpredictable, and stubborn with its prolonged outbursts. But that shouldn’t hamper one from staying indoors come weekends. On the contrary, I think it’s the best time for hot & spicy soups, steamboats, and shabu shabu!

After the recent television broadcast of “2011 Mnet Asian Music Awards”, its spillover effects of K-pop fever left me with cravings of “Samgyetang” or Korean ginseng chicken soup, spicy tofu soup, and anything Korean inspired. And I am not alone. I inherited most of such genes from my mother.

And so it was decided. My mother was the instigator, and I the executor. Together, we managed to win over my husband and son in getting out on a wet cold Saturday and kick out the idea of ordering in lukewarm pizza with frail, soft crusts paired with cold beer.

Having made reservations at “Doong Ji” along East Coast Road, we arrived early and had no trouble locating our table for my mobile number was clearly written on their reserved tag. Quite a green idea, I mused.

Being a glut that I can be, I placed our orders the moment the menus arrived: Chicken ginseng soup, pork trotters, pork belly, spicy beef soup, oyster pancake, seafood pancake, and “Makgeolli” or Korean traditional rice wine. All for the family.

The pickles were the first to greet us, followed by the rice wine that was presented in a brown plastic bowl with similar matching ladle. As with most traditional Korean rice wines, this one appears thick and cloudy. On the nose, its aromas of rice wine prepares you for the palate; and upon the first sip – the liquid is chilled and smooth, rolling over the tongue, leaving traces of mildly sweet flavors lingering on the palate. It might taste light but it can be strong in alcohol to those who are not accustomed to drinking rice wines.

Next up was a small black pot filled with boiling, furious bubbles of all sizes; each bursting forth pockets of ginseng aromas. “Samgyetang” or chicken ginseng soup was served. With each scoop I ladled, I noticed the generosity of ingredients that made up this rich and aromatic stock: dates, sticky rice, chestnuts, and of course, ginseng roots. After this dish, our table was swarmed with our remaining orders, and I thought – we had over-ordered. Again.

But no laments here. The pork trotters and pork belly that my mom insisted we try were great choices; the fats in the trotters melted leaving chewy rinds and succulent tender meats that went well with each of three different garnishes served: spicy pickles, spicy bean paste, and radish steeped in vinegar. The pork belly was slightly tougher but would have its own audience of healthier-minded customers.

Of all the dishes tried, I’d return for their Samgyetang because of two reasons. First, the soup was served bubbling hot and we could request for refills. And second, the little bird came stuffed with sticky rice.

Thumbs up! to Doong Ji Korean Restaurant:

222 East Coast Road

Address: 222 East Coast Road, Singapore

Tel: +65 6345 4264

Opening Hours

Lunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm
Dinner: 6pm – 10pm

What makes a great meal?

October 15, 2011 Saturday

Under a concoction of antibiotics, medicines that list a long, heart-palpitating list of side effects, adverse drug reactions – I was feeling gloomy that the evening out with friends was gonna turn into a dreadful one. Not because of their presence but because of my earlier (over) indulgence in chocolate kahlua by Awfully Chocolate that led to this uncalled for state.

Anyway, the evening began:

After our Italian lesson, we decided on The Cliff @ Sentosa for drinks. We picked this place because our VIP friend had to keep his face out of the public and noisy crowd, for reasons that cannot be stated here. So while the other three ordered guiness and cocktails, yours truly had to settle for a Mocktail. My first ever.

A concoction of banana and milk, this smoothie-like drink felt soothing for my nasty throat that felt like it had been housing a few cacti. Topped with a cinnamon stick, and sprinkled with just a dash of cinnamon powder, this ain’t that bad after all! (though I secretly wished I had some bailey’s mixed in)

when alcohol is not in the dictionary

When time ticked 7.30pm, we got back on the roads to make our way to Singapore Art Museum where dinner will be had at Trattoria Lafiandra 8pm, with several others. It was packed by the time we arrived but we were glad to have made prior reservation! Here, I need to thank our friend, A; very detailed organizer and a thoughtful one, too.

Being one of the earliest to arrive, we decided that dinner would consist of shared salads and calamari fritti. The mains would depend on the individual’s palate. Fair.

We had tough choices to make from the menu for many screamed for attention to try them out! Okay, so words can tease –  and how many woould really live up to our expectations huh? Anyway, I settled for crabmeat tagliatelle, K settled for their home-made tortellini stuffed with cheese and gorgonzola sauce, P settled for their fish of the day; sea bass, a couple opted for risotto with porcini, another the grilled lamb, and the last – a pizza. We were all set.

Here are three shots to capture the dishes. I couldn’t go around snapping  shots of what the others had ordered… cos they had already dug into them! guess we had a famished bunch at 8.45pm.

Dessert offerings came in two menus: a standee which featured (chilled or frozen) desserts, and another from their regular menu. Here, the choice for me was clear, thanks to the edgy throat. Panna cotta – what safer bet than cooked cream, milk, and sugar!

Dinner for 9 persons was $485 (with 1 bottle of house wine @$52 because not everyone drank). I’d say our average check worked out to about $50-$65/pax. Not too bad huh 🙂

Service? well, we tried hard to capture attention with waving hands and won after several attempts. Perhaps it was just a crowded night for them.

And The best dish for me tonight? the ingredients that made up our friendship. Salute!

Crab meat pasta from Trattoria Lafiandra

Grilled sea bass

texture was firm, sweetness just right. If only presentation could appear less ‘messy’. Then again, I ain’t an artist – this could be their form of expression

August – a celebratory month for Singapore!

Despite the economic gloom and growing concerns spilling from the US market, celebrations will go on in Singapore.

All that buzz and excitement happening tomorrow 9th August! And guess what – here are a couple of interesting deals I stumbled upon at Binjai Park, and am happy to share them with you 🙂

Taberna Wine bar (cosy, tucked away from the bustling crowd):

Location: 17 Binjai Park.

What’s the cool deal: these Taberna folks actually reimburse $10 off your next bill when you opt to grab a cab home instead of fumbling behind the wheel (after a bottle of wine). What’s the catch for them? Advocates of responsible drinking + minimum purchase of a bottle of wine… do ask the team for more information, alright? 🙂

The next cool deal here is that these folks actually help you order foods from the neighborhood – at no extra charge! From Ivin’s (Peranakan cuisine) to Hup Choon Seafood (I love their crisp fried butter squid), to Pepperoni, and Capri! the latest Italian flag to join the greens of Binjai Park.

Because I was solo that evening at Taberna’s, I decided to try Capri’s Pasta Aragosta (lobster). And I was not disappointed.

The two-halved lobster and pasta which arrived in separate take-away containers were promptly served onto plates by the Taberna team. On my table, appeared hues of deep orange to speckled red (on the shell) to steaming scents, which really revs one’s appetite. And even if you’ve got a stuffy nose, fret not – these striking colors should excite your palate enough to get you started! you can even toss etiquette out of the door for now, too… 😉

To wrap up, here’s an animated Happy birthday to Singapore greeting by Twang Cards:

Cheers everyone 🙂

generous portion of whole lobster! $28

Foods galore in Singapore – Cibi Italiani

People in Singapore are spoilt for choices when it comes to dining, shopping and more round-the-clock eateries which we call,  “kopitiams” (local ‘coffee shops’ or food centres that cater to the noctural tummies).

But this is old news to the seasoned folk living here.

So why bother to blog then? Because the people behind the kitchen scenes continue to mushroom and I can’t help but share the great finds*.

This episode’s dedicated to “Donna Carmela”, an Italian ristorante located at two locations, Greenwood and Pasir Panjang. I find the restaurant worth blogging because of the food’s good quality, pricing levels, and ambience. The only gripe is the erratic service from particularly one outlet housed at Pasir Panjang (in reference to some of the service staff). Otherwise, this would get both thumbs up from me!

1. Ambience: warm, soft lights dressed in both outlets. A contemporary black & white interior housed @ Pasir Panjang while Greenwood’s decked in more wood finishing. Both fitted with a display of wine shelvings.

2. Foods tried (over several visits) : Starter of prosciutto salad.  Soups of porcini, prawn, and spinach. Pastas of spinach ravioli with truffles, lobster and crab ravioli in salmon sauce spotted with caviale. Brazil churrascaria (available only @ Greenwood). Dolci – one panna cotta.

Their pastas come in several varieties and shapes; you’ll only need to select the sauces to accompany them. And portion is a decent size especially when most sauces are rich (think there were about 10pcs of ravioli).

3. Service: generally positive and thoughtful (@ Greenwood). When I shared that I was already feeling full after having their platter of meats from the brazil churrascarian section, they took the initiative of suggesting that I half my portion of pasta, and take away the balance. Thoughtful.

It was also a plus when the Italian manager suggested we did either pastas or brazil churrascarian; for it’d be too heavy and we would only stuff ourselves if we ordered both [in my opinion, most businesses would be happy if we ordered both cos that’d increase the check!] but being a meat lover and having sensed my disappointment, he whipped up a sampler portion.

Having shared the pluses, herewith some minuses (e.g. some of the servers @ Pasir Panjang appeared somewhat grouchy that Saturday evening, in particular when they’ve to attend to your request. And after waiting for about 15 minutes for the bill, the cashier arrived after a 2nd reminder looking unhappy.

The action / sight which  I found unpleasant was when upon returning to her cashier’s counter, she threw the bill folder on the counter top before making a round behind it. Although the action was executed away from me, I think it prettier to be kept behind sight.

[Professionalism and good service help bring a restaurant to the next level and a long way, I’d say.]

4. Pricing & Wines: reasonable (average S$58/pax with a glass of house wine, soup, pasta, and an appetizer and dessert that were shared). House wines are around S$8/gls and an extensive display of Italian wines are also available. Corkage at S$30/bot.

My opinion:

I found the meats from the Brazil Churrascarian a tad dry and tough. But will  definitely stick with the soups and pastas – for each carried its own trail of flavors that somehow left a note of home, comfort food for me. Oddly so. Because I’m Perankan and do not know what home, Italian foods should taste. 🙂 The pastas were al dente; textures were perfect, temperatures just right, and soups served were warm to hot.

note: Pastas can be quite rich & a bit salty (for the crab & lobster ravioli with salmon sauce) but I’m not complaining because I enjoyed it so much that it was on my order the last time, too.

As for desserts (which I normally have a separate sac for), you’ll notice that I had but  one Panna Cotta.

Why? because I was always stuffed when I got to the finale. Anyhow, I told myself that I had to just try one to end my meal on a sweet note. And with that, the panna cotta lived up to being in the category of dolci (sweets) because it was uber sweet! despite my high tolerance and addiction to sugar.

In all, I give it 7.5 hearts out of 10 because the foods were simply delicioso and consistent. And the next visit, pizza.

*say, it’s subjective  🙂

Laduree macaroons in Singapore?

the best to date

Did you know that Macaroons should be soft on the inside?

Many places that serve Macaroons here in Singapore, tend to have a ‘crisp’ bite throughout. And this shouldn’t be the case. So don’t let them tell you (even if they make up 99.9%) that this crispy texture is how it should be.

If you’ve tried those from Laduree, you’d know what I mean; for they’re the original creator of the French macaroon. And if you’ve not tried them, fret not.

Singapore’s version of Laduree – has arrived.

Located on the 2nd level of Orchard Central, jewels artisan chocolate showcases an array of dazzling ‘gems’; chocolates all decked up.

At first glance, I had thought it to be a cosmetics counter because of its brightly lit, geometric glass shelves showcasing artful ‘jewelries’. But as eyes scanned towards their purplish banner signalling chocolates, the mind leapt quick to direct the feet over.

As lunch was late (around 4.45pm), I had to fight with what little space left in my stomach… and so, I settled for a hot chocolate with chocolate shavings (option of marshmallows, too).

If you think it boring, think again.

For it was a 70% Guanaja from Valrhona. Not some cocoa powder, but in a form of a paste mixed with steamed milk! and the temperature served was perfect – it didn’t scald the tongue.

Menu wise: under the drinks section (can’t recall much now because I’ll be back there soon anyway), there were teas (Earl Grey, Peppermint, Passion fruit…), slush, coffee… under the chocolates section – oh, words just don’t cut it. Injustice, I’d say… you’ll just have to head over.

Anyway, I’ve digressed from the macaroons. I got 2 boxes of 6 macaroons home; one for a friend. Flavors available: butterfly pea bloom, black palm island salt, green tea, passion fruit, and raspberry – all generously filled with almond cream, and at only S$2/pc.

Being stuffed still, I decided on only one tonight, and it had to be the salted egg.

Why? Because just the thought of concocting these 2 flavors seemed unthinkable and unimaginable! who’d ever have think up such stark, contrasting flavors?

My personal verdict: awesome. I loved the savory flavors enveloped by the sweetness from the almond cream. And they sure didn’t stinge on the cream for it oozed when I bit into it. Heavenly.

And tomorrow, I’ll savor the rest.

[Bet I could still have these, if ever dentures are required. For they’re soft and wouldn’t hurt the gums.] 😛