Monthly Archives: February 2017

Excellent 4pax Bakuteh Lunch @ Old Street Bak Kut Teh 老街坊肉骨茶 Upper Payar Lebar Road on 13Feb2017

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braised pig trotters 鲁猪脚

braised pig trotters 鲁猪脚

my RI organiser friend arranged a 4pax bakuteh lunch at lao jie fang 老街坊 @ upper payar lebar road today on 13.2.2017. ^^

 

lao jie fang 老街坊 upper payar lebar road

lao jie fang 老街坊 upper payar lebar road

my first time here.

nice neat & airy place with ipad menu electronic ordering at each seat.

RI friends 4pax bakuteh lunch

RI friends 4pax bakuteh lunch

most important the food was very good.

RI friends 4pax bakuteh lunch

RI friends 4pax bakuteh lunch

for me the ter kar – braised pig trotters was the best. see top photo!!!

“gar gar” ie gelatinous, fantastic texture & great taste. MIB=best of the best!

prime ribs 龙骨

prime ribs 龙骨

the bakuteh was very good.

this was as good if not even better than the very good bakuteh at Tuan Yuan 团缘 bakuteh restaurant.

prime ribs 龙骨

prime ribs 龙骨

4 of us shared 2 bowls so 1 rib each.

i can jolly well eat another rib. i think that’s what i will do next time. haha! ^^

pig liver

pig liver

pig liver was ok. competent, nothing great…

the poorest though among the other excellent dishes.

braised small intestines

braised small intestines

the braised small intestines were super!

braised small intestines

braised small intestines

really really good i must say. & something i seldom eat. most enjoyable ….

beejiamkueh

beejiamkueh

lunch came to about S$13.50 each, so S$54 all in. bakuteh these days quite expensive but i guess this price is ok. 🙂

after lunch we walked over to a coffeeshop & had coffee.

on the way back we passed by a beejiamkueh shop & stopped to try it. quite ok. very nice peanut & the kueh was good too.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Old Street Bak Kut Teh 老街坊肉骨茶

Address:
129 Upper Paya Lebar Rd, Singapore 534840
Contatct:
oldstreet.com.sg
6759 1082
Opening Hours:
daily:  10AM–10PM

Delicious Vongole (Littleneck Clams) in a Pot on 12Feb2017

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vongole pot

vongole pot 

when i was at sheng shiong this morning i decided to buy some littleneck clams.

i was doing 2 pastas this evening so not planning to do vongole pasta.

so i bought just about 500g, and thought of doing it in the way like a pot of mussels.

vongole pot

vongole pot 

it was really easy to do.

i had some garlic cloves browned in olive oil (can also used chopped garlic).

then i threw in (with some butter) sliced ginger, cut chilli padi, chopped yellow onions, chopped shallots, and some basil. then i added the stock & white wine, reduced, & then 4 tbsp heavy cream.

lastly i added in the clams, covered & waited few minutes for clams to open up ie cooked.

vongole pot

vongole pot 

& that’s all there is to it!

a really tasty treat.

for me, it’s important that the stock itself is tasty. the cream enhanced the taste, and the clams added in the taste of the sea.

a simple, very delicious dish.

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 500g littleneck clams
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 15g unsaltedbutter
  • 2 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1cm sliced ginger
  • 1 cut chilli padi
  • 1 chopped shallot
  • 1/2 small chopped onion
  • cut scallions (white part from one stalk)
  • thinly sliced orange peel (quarter orange)
  • 10 basil leaves

Directions:

  1. add chopped garlic, sliced ginger, cut chilli padi, cut scallions, chopped yellow onions, chopped shallots, sliced orange peel and basil to pot with 15g unsalted butter.
  2. add stock & white wine, reduce, & then add 4 tbsp heavy cream.
  3. add the clams, cover, wait few minutes for clams to open up.
  4. serve in a pot.

Prawn Fettuccine in Creamy White Wine Sauce on 12Feb2017

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#6 creamy white wine fettuccine

creamy white wine fettuccine 28.12.2016

prawn pasta in white wine sauce is a new dish i did couple times recently & served to my friends-

  1. everyone’s birthday 9pax dinner on 28.12.2016.
  2. 8pax dinner for wife’s close friends on 14.1.2017 (did not blog/take photos)
#6 creamy white wine fettuccine

creamy white wine fettuccine 28.12.2016

the one i did on 28.12.2016 looked & tasted great.

#6 creamy white wine fettuccine

creamy white wine fettuccine 28.12.2016

i felt the sauce was not reduced enough, and it could be more intense & flavourful.

prawn fettuccine in white wine sauce

prawn fettuccine in creamy white wine sauce 12.2.2017

so for today, i reduced the sauce a bit more.

i think texture & taste was ok.

only thing i used stock from prawn heads/shells as i did not have chicken stock, which was the stock i used for the dish on 28.12.2016 (the top 3 photos).

i guess it’s a taste preference. for my family & i, we prefer the chicken stock.

prawn in white wine sauce

prawn in creamy white wine sauce 12.2.2017

this a really simple recipe-

  1. season prawns with fish sauce & white pepper. set aside.
  2. brown one whole bulb of garlic cloves in olive oil.
  3. add cut chilli padi & basil & fry till fragrant.
  4. off fire. add 1 cup stock (i prefer chicken stock) & 1 cup white wine.
  5. reduce till sauce thickens.
  6. when serving, heat up, add prawns (seasoned with fish sauce & white pepper). add 4 tbsp heavy cream.
  7. off fire. toss pasta. add salt to taste. if necessary add some butter.
  8. then garnish with fresh basil & serve.
prawn in white wine sauce

prawn in white wine sauce 12.2.2017

i tasted the sauce before adding pasta. it was good.

prawn fettuccine in white wine sauce

prawn fettuccine in white wine sauce 12.2.2017

this a really tasty dish, and so very easy to make.

today though it was outshone by the duck leg ragout pasta which was simply fabulous.

otherwise this was a really great dish on its own.

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 12 medium prawns
  • 150g fettuccine
  • 1 bulb garlic cloves
  • 20 basil leaves (10 to cook, 10 to garnish)
  • 1 cut chilli padi
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 4 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

  1. season prawns with fish sauce & white pepper. set aside.
  2. brown one whole bulb of garlic cloves in olive oil.
  3. add cut chilli padi & basil & fry till fragrant.
  4. off fire. add 1 cup stock (i prefer chicken stock) & 1 cup white wine.
  5. reduce till sauce thickens.
  6. when serving, heat up, add prawns. add 4 tbsp heavy cream.
  7. off fire. toss pasta. add salt to taste. if necessary add some butter.
  8. then garnish with fresh basil & serve.

Delicious Homecooked Pasta & Vongole Pot on 12Feb2017

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made 2 delicious pasta for 4pax family dinner this evening on 12.2.2017. ^^

this the first time i am making a duck leg ragout pasta.

this was inspired by the superb top class duck leg ragout pappardelle at labrezza recently on 7.2.2017.

i got everything right, made a wonderful ragout sauce. first time lucky… 🙂

i tried the the sauce, taste was really great, savoury, perfect texture & flavour for the duck, & great taste of tomatoes.

a really, really good duck leg ragout pasta. the best la!

prawn in white wine sauce

prawn in white wine sauce

the prawn pasta in creamy white wine sauce was also a new dish which i did couple times recently & served to my friends-

  1. everyone’s birthday 9pax dinner on 28.12.2016.
  2. 8pax dinner for wife’s close friends on 14.1.2017 (did not blog/take photos)
prawn in white wine sauce

prawn in white wine sauce

this time i did not have/prepare chicken stock so i used prawns stock from the prawn heads/shells.

then added white wine, reduced.

when serving, i added 4tbsp heavy cream & prawns (seasoned with fish sauce & white pepper). then toss the pasta.

a very tasty pasta. prawns were plump & sweet.

this an excellent pasta in it’s own right.

the duck ragout though was everyone’s favourite, over this.

also the last time i used chicken stock & while the taste was thicker & more intense this time, we all prefer chicken stock to prawn stock.

vongole pot

vongole pot

& i bought some littleneck clams at sheng shiong this morning when getting the fresh duck leg, about 540g.

vongole pot

vongole pot

no mussels (don’t see much fresh mussels in te supermarkets & chinatown these days).

so i do a vongole pot.

just brown garlic in olive oil. add butter, chopped onions, shallots, sliced ginger, cut chilli padi. then add stock, and heavy cream, salt to taste. lastly add the clams, cover, & clams ready when they opens up, just few minutes.

vongole pot

vongole pot

clams & soup were very tasty.

daughter said last time i did (maybe 2 years back), i had orange peel & that taste combination was even better.

a quite simple & most satisfying sunday home dinner for all. very shiok!

c.h.e.f andy

The Best Duck Leg Ragout on 12Feb2017

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duck ragout fettuccine

duck ragout fettuccine

did a fabulous duck leg ragout dish today on 12feb2017. ^^

this the first time i tried a duck leg ragout, or for that matter any ragout.

i was very impressed with the duck leag ragu pappardelle at labrezza recently on 7.2.2017.

so i decided i would try it myself. ^^

read up on a few internet recipe. basically got the method & came up with my own recipe.

duck ragout

duck leg  ragout sauce on 7,2,2017

went to sheng shiong in the morning. did not want to buy a whole duck & got a vacuum pack Jean Fresh fresh duck leg hind quarter. i think about S$4.85.

duck ragout

duck leg ragout sauce on 7,2,2017

& my own created recipe-

  1. rub duck leg quarter in salt & wash clean, and dry.
  2. brown a whole bulb of garlic cloves in olive oil
  3. set aside. leave a tbsp olive oil & place duck drumstick skin down on low fire. add duck fat (i did not have duck fat so added chicken fat). basically it is like making a duck confit (which i also have not made one before) which means cooking the duck leg in duck fat to give it great flavours.
  4. add aromatics (i added basil & coriander…usually they add fresh rosemary, thyme etc..i didn’t have those…from my understanding, duck & especially duck game quite gamey in flavours so quite important to have the herbs to balance it).
  5. let the fat render & cook the duck leg in fat for 20mins (turnover in 10mins)…anyway watch to make sure it is not burnt…
  6. off fire. add 1 cup white wine, and 1 cup chicken stock (i added prawn stock as i did not have chicken stock), 1 tbsp flat sugar. (i also added dry rosemary, didn’t have fresh ones). then low fire, cover & reduce.
  7. cook for 2 hrs. add water if required so it does not dry out.
  8. take out duck leg. remove & discard bones. shred it & return to pot.
  9. reduce till sauce thickens. use a tablespoon to remove some fat from the top.
  10. when serving, heat up, add 4 tbsp prego or papa alfredo traditional sauce. & toss pasta, then garnish with fresh basil & serve.
duck ragout fettuccine

duck leg ragout fettuccine on 12.2.2017

my first time doing this. and the dish was simply superb.

so very tasty & savoury. texture was perfect…very tender & soft & moist, not sinewy, dry, wiry.

& taste was wonderful. very mildly sweet, nicely herb flavoured, both balancing the gamey taste, so i didn’t feel it was gamey even with all the fat. just a very very tasty pasta.

at labrezza they used pappardelle.

i could not find pappardelle, so i used fettuccine the next best thing la..

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • one duck leg quarter
  • 150g fettuccine
  • 1 bulb garlic cloves
  • 20 basil leaves (10 to cook, 10 to garnish)
  • 1 twig coriander
  • 1 tsp dry rosemary
  • 1 tbsp flat sugar
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp prego or papa alfredo traditional sauce.

Directions:

  1. rub duck leg quarter in salt & wash clean, and dry.
  2. brown a whole bulb of garlic cloves in olive oil
  3. set aside. leave a tbsp olive oil & place duck drumstick skin down on low fire. add duck fat. basically it is like making a duck confit which means cooking the duck leg in duck fat to give it great flavours.
  4. add aromatics (i added basil & coriander & dry rosemary…usually they add fresh rosemary, thyme etc..i didn’t have those…)
  5. let the fat render & cook the duck leg in fat for 20mins (turnover in 10mins)…anyway watch to make sure it is not burnt…
  6. off fire. add 1 cup white wine, and 1 cup chicken stock, 1 tbsp flat sugar.
  7. then low fire, cover & reduce. cook for 2 hrs. add water if required so it does not dry out.
  8. take out duck leg. remove & discard bones. shred it & return to pot.
  9. reduce till sauce thickens. use a tablespoon to remove some fat from the top.
  10. when serving, heat up, add 4 tbsp prego or papa alfredo traditional sauce. & toss pasta, then garnish with fresh basil & serve.

Good Chicken Rice @ Shatin Roast 沙田港式烧腊 on 10Feb2017

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S$4 chicken drum rice + S$1 roast pork

S$4 chicken drum rice + S$1 roast pork 

went to good good eating house at 6th avenue to eat the jln tua kong meepok tar. it was closed.

so i decided to just eat chicken rice at shatin roast 沙田港式烧腊 on 10Feb2017. ^^

shatin roast 沙田港式烧腊

shatin roast 沙田港式烧腊

shatin roast 沙田港式烧腊

shatin roast 沙田港式烧腊 

my daughter had eaten at this stall several times.

for me this is the first time.

S$4 chicken drum rice + S$1 roast pork

S$4 chicken drum rice + S$1 roast pork 

i ordered the chicken drumstick rice S$4.

& i asked to add S$1 roast pork.

S$4 chicken drum rice + S$1 roast pork

S$4 chicken drum rice + S$1 roast pork 

the chicken was good, tender, very moist, sweet, the skin is flavourful.

S$4 chicken drum rice + S$1 roast pork

S$4 chicken drum rice + S$1 roast pork 

roast pork was ok. comparing the 2, chicken was very good, roast pork was ok competent.

i think overall in taste & presentation, this shatin roast 沙田港式烧腊 chicken rice is better than the chicken rice at the other 6th ave coffeeshop.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++

shatin roast 沙田港式烧腊

Address:

Good Good Eating House

24 Sixth Ave, Singapore 276481

Breaded Fish Fritters – 28th Teban Gardens Community Breakfast on 10Feb2017

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107pax for teban garden community breakfast

107pax for teban garden community breakfast

my helper made a breaded fish fritters for teban gardens community breakfast this morning on 10.2.2017. ^^

so i didn’t have to do anything today, just the delivery man la… 🙂

today there was a huge crowd. i was told 107pax. 🙂

breaded dory fritters

breaded dory fritters 

this my 28th friday breakfast community meal at teban gardens community service centre. this time made by my filipino helper.

i first started doing a community meal dish for teban gardens CSC on 8.1.2016.

the centre was started in 2002 after much effort & challenge by our RI friend who is a pastor of pasir panjang hill brethren church (pphbc) which owns & runs the CSC.

breaded dory fritters

breaded dory fritters 

my helper cut & marinated the dory fillets overnight in the fridge.

this morning she got up early to fry the fritters.

this time i had a good sleep till 8.03am. usually i leave by 8.15am so deliver the dish about 8.35am – 8.40am at teban gardens.

breaded dory fritters

breaded dory fritters 

i did not try today, but all the helpers said it was excellent.

breaded dory fritters

breaded dory fritters

anyway we had it at home several times prepared by our helper so i was confident it would be good la….

107pax for teban garden community breakfast

107pax for teban garden community breakfast 

the crowd is getting bigger by the day.

& they all start early to queue for the food.

used to be starting at 9am now they start queueing at 8.40am.

one resident demonstrates making dumpling 饺子

one resident demonstrates making dumpling 饺子 

today the centre director, herself an excellent chef who also cooks on occasions for the community breakfast, arranged a dumpling 饺子 demo by a resident who had before owned a eating stall in china.

one resident demonstrates making dumpling 饺子

one resident demonstrates making dumpling 饺子 

here he is doing the demo.

the dough was freshly made.

one resident demonstrates making dumpling 饺子

one resident demonstrates making dumpling 饺子

he did the kneading & cutting the small doughs.

others trying their hands in making dumplings

others trying their hands in making dumplings 

the centre director had a trial run the day before so she was completely familiar & explaining the process to the group.

others trying their hands in making dumplings

others trying their hands in making dumplings 

and many were keen to try wrapping the dumpling 饺子 themselves.

others trying their hands in making dumplings

others trying their hands in making dumplings

there were 3 different types of fillings馅＝minced pork & chives, minced pork & chinese white cabbage, and chives with tiny cut tofu etc.

she told me the dumpling 饺子 were very good. i couldn’t stay to try.

it was an excellent morning. great community interaction & meaningful time for the centre staff & volunteers. & of course, many thanks to my helper also.

c.h.e.f andy

한국요리 Korean Cuisine = 족발 Jogbal 元蹄 – First Experiment on 8Feb2017

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족발jogbal 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

my first experiment on 족발jogbal 元蹄 today on 8.2.2017. ^^

족발jogbal 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

i had intense chicken stock leftover in the fridge from the wondeful chicken rice dinner 2 days back.

so i made it to good use.

족발jogbal 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

the same braised & steamed method, using the intense stock to braise & infuse flavours to the 족발jogbal 元蹄. and cover the wokpan to let steam cook the hock.

i googled & realised that actually trotters refers to 蹄 hoofs & hock refers to the lower leg 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

the hock was very tasty from the intense chicken stock. lagi best la! ^^

족발jogbal 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

i cooked it a bit longer = 1.5hrs.

taking from the experience of the chicken rice dinner where the pig skin was very tender when i served the dish at 6.45pm but quite tough when i took it around 7.45pm, and only on reheat the texture changed completely again to very tender. i attribute it to the pig skin drying out but it should not be really, so maybe it was not cooked long enough for texture to retain after airdrying.

족발jogbal 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

as this is the first time, and 2 family members eating, i served it with the sauce.

it was excellent excellent in taste very well infused with flavours, and texture was perfect too! very gelatinous, still good bite not overdone…

족발jogbal 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

a friend who was in jeju last year & enjoyed the 족발jogbal 元蹄 dish saw the photos & commented “but it does not look like 족발jogbal 元蹄 leh”.

족발jogbal 元蹄

족발jogbal 元蹄

indeed korean jogbal are mostly braised with dark sauce. i like both dark or white sauce & look so that i am ok.

& also most are served dry (like the poached & quenched chicken rice chicken method?? taut skin & hang up to air dry???)

i will serve my 족발jogbal 元蹄 dry next time. maybe will try both the braised & steamed method here, and also the poached & quenched method.

c.h.e.f andy

Jolly Good Fun Chicken Rice & Lohei with RI Buddies on 6Feb2017

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chicken rice dinner & other dishes

chicken rice dinner & other dishes

recently, a RI friend invited some of us to try out his legendary chicken rice.

that got me going again & i did a very good chicken rice 2.0. ^^

my RI friends saw the photos i posted & one friend organised a 10pax chicken rice dinner at my place this evening on 6.2.2017. ^^

lohei-2

lohei 珍姐best in town (chinatown)

this is CNY day10, so 3 friends went to get the best in town (chinatown haha!) lohei from 珍姐 at chinatown.

lohei-5

lohei 珍姐best in town (chinatown)

it’s among the loudest, most boisterous lohei i had. ^^

tai kor was reading out the auspicious phrases from his hand phone, & the rest of us shouting “huat ah”…

lohei 珍姐best in town (chinatown)

lohei 珍姐best in town (chinatown)

while i was putting out the dishes, the guys arranged the lohei.

lohei-salmon

lohei-salmon

lohei-abalones

lohei-abalones

they also got salmon & abalones.

lohei

lohei-sauces & toppings paraphernalia

& the paraphernalia of sauces & toppings.

lohei with salmon & abalone

lohei with salmon & abalone

it was a good lohei, refreshing not too sweet (we did not add all the sweet sauce & plum sauce).

poached chicken

poached chicken

for today i made 2 different preparations of chicken rice chicken 白斩鸡.

this was the poached method = 12 mins boiling water, 25mins off fire poaching, then quenched in cold water/ice. i cut chicken in two halves, if poaching whole chicken, about 15mins+30mins.

braised & steamed chicken

braised & steamed chicken

the other preparation is braised & steamed, recipe explained here.

very good homemade chilli (wiped clean)

very good homemade chilli (wiped clean)

& i made an excellent chilli.

i used 4 large red chilli, 2 chilli padi, 3cm ginger, 5 cloves garlic, 1/3cup (80ml) chicken stock, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp olive oil, and blend.

you could smell the chilli aroma when i lifted the cover. 🙂

this was totally cleaned out. my friends added some gravy from the veg & wiped clean every drop la…haha. 🙂

poached chicken + braised & steamed chicken

poached chicken + braised & steamed chicken

poached chicken + braised & steamed chicken

poached chicken + braised & steamed chicken

theory says the braised chicken should be sweeter.

& some friends thought so too.

poached chicken

poached chicken

poached chicken

poached chicken

but on balance, most including myself still preferred the poached chicken 滑鸡. texture did make a difference, enhancing the taste experience. 🙂

it is also easier to do, no need as much attention.

poached chicken + braised & steamed chicken

poached chicken + braised & steamed chicken

both chicken were tender, moist & sweet, & especially so with the chilli & chicken rice dark sauce.

i cooked 5 cups of rice for 10pax, it was quite enough. we did not take photo of the rice. it was quite fragrant & flavourful. again the best taste experience was with the chilli, and most of us except one took the dark sauce as well.

other-dishes

other dishes

i made a few other dishes.

black-white-braised-belly-pork

black & white braised belly pork

i braised the black belly pork with lor 鲁汁.

& the white belly pork with the chicken stock braise.

when it was first served, a friend tasted & it was excellent in flavours & texture. but the white belly pork dried out a bit (which i think means the timing was not good enough), the black nelly pork was still tender.

i didn’t notice as i only took it later when it’s almost finished.

pig stomach & pig skin

pig stomach & pig skin

so when i found the same with the pig skin (the pig stomach was ok), i returned it to the braise & heat up.

ig stomach & pig skin

pig skin

& then it was perfect. everyone was surprised with the difference in the texture.

this something i have not fully figure out yet. but i think if it dries out too quickly over the course of dinner, it means that the braise timing was not enough & should have been longer.

that’s a trial & error thingy.

stirfried kang kong & romaine lettuce

stirfried kang kong & romaine lettuce

i did the usual sit-fry veg.

stirfried romaine lettuce

stirfried romaine lettuce

stirfried kang kong

stirfried kang kong

bot vegetables were quite competent, pretty ok.

wiped clean 风扫落叶

wiped clean 风扫落叶

we finished every morsel of food! ^^

strawberries

strawberries

cherries

cherries

one friend brought really sweet cherries & strawberries.

strawberries, cherries orange & jackfruits - fruits all very sweet

strawberries, cherries orange & jackfruits – fruits all very sweet

orange & jackfruits

orange & jackfruits

another brought very sweet orange & also honey jackfruit, shiok la!

ritz apple strudel

ritz apple strudel

& a friend brought ritz apple strudel from royal ville 833 bukit timah shop.

very full so i share 1/2 a slice, pretty good & quite enjoyable, so actually i could have taken one whole slice.

my homemade kaya butter bread

my homemade kaya butter bread

i also made some fresh kaya.

so we had some white bread to enjoy kaya butter bread.

a friend brought some soda biscuits. we used to eat them when young. i had these with the kaya the next day & it went perfectly!

we had a great wonderful time together, making new memories la!

c.h.e.f andy

Simply Superb 2pax Early Birthday Dinner for my OPS Friend @ LAbrezza St Regis Hotel on 7Feb2017

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whole lobster tagliatelle

whole lobster tagli0lini – S$51

had a wonderful 2pax dinner with my OPS friend this evening at labreza @ sr regis this evening on 7.2.2017. ^^

his birthday next week. we decided to have an early birthday dinner for him.

labrezza @ st regis

labrezza @ st regis

this the second time i dined at labrezza.

the last time i dined with my wife here on 4.9.2016, i enjoyed the lobster pasta & the angus ribeye very much. ^^

so my plan was to order these 2 dishes la..

focaccia, baguette & breadstick

focaccia, baguette & breadstick

we had the bread platter of focaccia, baguette & breadstick.

i remembered the balsamic here was really good, & it was excellent, still! haha…

focaccia very good, baguette not that flavourful i had better but still ok. breadstick had good olive oil flavours not the texture of bread i prefer.

whole lobster tagliatelle

whole lobster tagliolini – S$51

the whole lobster tagliolini was a different interpretation from last time. no lobster shell.

they have a new chef de cuisine, armando aristarco, who is from napoli & hailed from a amalfi coast restaurant.

the server did say we could have the pasta with the lobster shell when i asked, but i told her we would have it as the chef would do it.

lobster was just as nice, not overcooked not rubbery, very fresh & tender & sweet. very good standard.

whole lobster tagliatelle

whole lobster tagliolini

the quantity of pasta was very much less than the last time, but was a good pasta serving size as any other top restaurants. (just that serving size was a lot more last time).

duck ragout pasta

duck ragout pasta – S$26

we thought we could have a 3rd dish to share.

chef armando came to our table & we had a good chat. we asked his recommendations between the duck ragout pasta & the signature veal & he recommended the duck ragout.

i think this really one the the very best pasta i had.

the toppest top draw!

foie gras was super, the smoked duck breast tender & flavourful, and the ragout with sweet pumpkin really made the most wonderful pasta!

duck ragout pasta

duck ragout pasta – S$26

i had asked for a main portion (S$35) to share, same as the lobster tagliolini. the chef said he would split for us.

so we each had the above portions ie 2 portions.

when the bill came, we were charged S$26 for the appetizer portion. i guess being friendly with the chef has its privileges la…

300g angus ribeye medium rare

300g angus ribeye medium rare – S$42

when the angus ribeye steak came, the chef split for us as well.

300g angus ribeye medium rare

300g angus ribeye medium rare – S$42

& the steak was excellent as before! very tender & sweet & nicely medium rare.

vegetables side

vegetables side

& the yellow peppers & mesclun salad were very too too.

300g angus ribeye medium rare

300g angus ribeye medium rare – S$42

so when the bill came, it was S$76.40 (after the usual 50% for 2pax amex lovedining discounts) for all these 3 excellent dishes & huge servings for 2pax.

i gave a good tip & rounded up to S$85. the server darmen pointed out to me on the bill that there was already a 10% service charge. i replied i knew but i want to give the tip.

i think that says everything about the service here. food came at a good pace, so we did not wait long. & darmen was very knowledgeable. the lady server was good too.

we had a really enjoyable dinner.

chef armando said he is creating a new menu & will launch the new menu end feb or starting mar. i am definitely coming back to try his new menu.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Labrezza @ St Regis
Address:
29 Tanglin Road, The St. Regis Singapore, Level 2, 247911
Contact:
labrezzarestaurant.com
6506 6884
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 12–3PM
  • 7-10PM

Most Satisfying 3pax Yakiniku Dinner @ Aburiya 烧屋 on 5Feb2017

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kurobuta platter & yakiniku grill stove

kurobuta platter (S$25) & yakiniku grill stove 

wife, daughter & i went back to aburiya for yakiniku dinner this evening on 5.2.2017. ^^

this our go to place for dinner when we couldn’t think of another place & didn’t want to try other food.

aburiya 烧屋

aburiya 烧屋

there is renovation outside & the place is boarded up, so aburiya & other affected eating places put up signs they are still in operation.

it was quite crowded this evening.

kurobuta platter & negu

kurobuta platter (S$25) & negi 

the kurobuta platter at S$25 is quite good value & now our regular orders.

hokkaido beef platter - S$40

hokkaido beef platter – S$40 

the last couple times we also ordered the hokkaido wagyu platter & found it quite good too.

so for this evening we had that as well.

yakiniku grill stove

yakiniku grill stove 

fire was strong.

the pork needed longer time to cook.

they were excellent, all the cuts were good.

yakiniku grill stove

yakiniku grill stove 

likewise the hokkaido beef.

like wife said, it is better than buying expensive wagyu from isetan & cooking ourselves at home.

bibimen

bibimen

bibimen is one of our regular orders too.

bibimen

bibimen 

truly excellent flavours & good ingredients.

i like this a lot now as wife prefers bibimen to bibimbab, so i ended up eating this all the time.

kimchi chigae

kimchi chigae 

the kimchi chigae here also very good, though this evening it was a bit salty.

kimchi chigae

kimchi chigae 

it has good ingredients, good serving of kimchi & a bit of belly pork. very nice soup.

we enjoyed dinner like always.

cost was S$127 for 3pax including a sake sampler S$18. not cheap but we enjoy everytime.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Aburiya 烧屋
Address:
60 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238252
Contact:
aburiya.com.sg
6735 4862
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 6–11:30PM

OPS52 Chinese New Year Get Together on CNY Day7 人日, 3Feb2017

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OPS chefs' potluck dishes

OPS chefs’ potluck dishes 

had a OPS primary school buddies gathering at friend’s house on CNY Day 7 人日 3.2.2017. ^^

food was amazing.

so many skillful chefs among my OPS buddies, CTHD=crouching tiger hidden dragon la.. 🙂

烤麸 - an excellent 面筋gluten dish i like

烤麸 – an excellent 面筋gluten dish i like 

one dish i like a lot was the 烤麸.

it’s an excellent 面筋gluten dish.

烤麸 - an excellent 面筋gluten dish i like

烤麸 – an excellent 面筋gluten dish i like 

my friend did it really well.

the 烤麸 texture was excellent, tender, not chewy, a sweet dish but not too sweet, quite perfect la…

i did lor arh 鲁鸭 this evening.

not quite my best rendition. anyhow the dish was mostly finished.

the host especially liked it, said the lor was very “pang” fragrant. she took the wings as well. didn’t know she lor arh 鲁鸭so much. she was telling me about the sims avenue stall she frequented.

it was really a very easy dish to make. all i did was use the off the shelf tai hua braising sauce.

i also did some experimental braised pork belly.

these ones quite good, can be improved but quite successful la…

the black belly pork i used the lor (braising sauce) from braising the duck, and basically used the same braised & steamed method described in this kong bak recipe here.

my experimental black & white braised pork belly

my experimental white & black braised kong bak – pork belly  

for the white kong bak, i used the intense chicken stock left from my braised & steamed chciken for teban gardens this morning.

红糟鸡 fermented red rice yeast chicken

红糟鸡 fermented red rice yeast chicken 

another friend made the 红糟鸡 fermented red rice yeast chicken.

红糟鸡 fermented red rice yeast chicken

红糟鸡 fermented red rice yeast chicken 

it’s a dish we don’t get to eat often.

the red rice yeast aroma was quite excellent. & the chicken (i took a breast piece) was very tender.

curry chicken

curry chicken 

my friend’s curry chicken always my favourite.

i liked it best at our recent gathering at his condo. 🙂

char siew & siew yoke

char siew & siew yoke 

another friend delivered some siew yoke & char siew he bought as he had to go to another gathering. he stayed for some photos & left shortly.

好事发财 ＝ 蚝豉发菜 dried oyster dish

好事发财 ＝ 蚝豉发菜 dried oyster dish 

another friend supposedly made this 好事发财 ＝ 蚝豉发菜 dried oyster dish.

(the secret was out that actually the host’s helper made the dish…what are friends for right??? she working that day & quite tough to make the dish & transport it on time at 6.30pm)

it was quite good really, although couple friends mentioned the dried oyster was a bit salty. indeed it was but this dish meant to be taken with rice so quite ok, just that these days many of us take very little rice.

beehoon

beehoon 

the beehoon was made by the friend who made the 烤麸.

his dishes are always good. bee hoon was loose, not clumpy, simple & nice flavour.

this one also a surrogate dish, as another close friend had 3 engagements today (& came quite late to join) so wasn’t able to make this dish.

lohei & dessert

lohei & dessert 

we had quite a few “desserts”.

cake

cake 

our chinese teacher broguht a cake his wife made for us.

tau huay

tau huay 

another friend, our regular pastry chef, made tau huay.

i think this really excellent tau huay, as good if not better than most outside.

pineapple tarts

pineapple tarts 

the host helper made pineapple tarts. i quite like the cloves that go with it, not so common.

the friend who made the 烤麸 & bee hoon also brought his pineapple tarts & almond cookies.

for me his pineapple tarts the best i had so far, none of the hotel/restaurant ones & homemade ones i had are as good. & his almond cookies i like just as much. in fact, i finished a bottle each all by myself….hehehe!

lo hei with abalone & salmon

lo hei with abalone & salmon 

the host prepared a lo hei platter.it’s like for 40pax.

lo hei with abalone & salmon

lo hei with abalone & salmon 

lots of abalone (i think 2 cans) & salmon.

lo hei with abalone & salmon

lo hei with abalone & salmon 

very nice lo hei. we did our best to finish like 1/2. 🙂

really wonderful fun evening.

a friend said this his best gathering ever. another friend super high spirit this evening, everyone full of laughter. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Braised & Steamed Chicken with Stir-fry Leeks & Onions – 27th Teban Gardens Community Breakfast on 3Feb2017

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braised & steamed chicken with stir-fry leeks & onions

braised & steamed chicken with stir-fry leeks & onions

i did a braised & steamed chicken with stir-fry leeks & onions for teban gardens community breakfast this morning on 3.2.2017. ^^

today is the seventh day of lunar new year, 初七人日 & 立春 . didn’t realise this but there is a chinese legend 7 days of creation…

this my 27th friday breakfast community meal at teban gardens community service centre.

i first started doing a community meal dish for teban gardens CSC on 8.1.2016.

the centre was started in 2002 after much effort & challenge by our RI friend who is a pastor of pasir panjang hill brethren church (pphbc) which owns & runs the CSC.

i used my braised & steamed method using intense chicken stock to braise & infuse flavours to the chicken. 

i had to do this around midnight as there is no time to do in the morning. need to do cook each of the 2 chickens one at a time. 35mis then off fire & keep 1/2hr in the wokpan.

stir-fry leeks & onions

stir-fry leeks & onions

the next morning i cooked the onions & leeks.

stir-fry leeks & onions

stir-fry leeks & onions

fry onions with chilli padi, ginger & chopped garlic forst then add the leek. add some oyster sauce. cover & cook for 10mins. taste the dish to get the right texture for the leek, soft enough, tasty & not overly cooked.

transfer to aluminium tray for transportation to teban gardens.

braised & steamed chicken with stir-fry leeks & onions

braised & steamed chicken with stir-fry leeks & onions

then i deboned the 2 chickens, and topped the leeks & onions in the aluminium tray.

braised & steamed chicken with stir-fry leeks & onions

braised & steamed chicken with stir-fry leeks & onions

probably not my best chicken but still very tasty & tender & sweet vegetables.

a friend sent some photos of the teban garden folks afterwards. looks like they are quite enjoying the dish.

c.h.e.f andy

Another Fabulous Lunch Omakase @ Hachi on 2Feb2017

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#5 grilled A5 ohmi wagyu steak

#5 grilled A5 ohmi wagyu steak 

went with my OPS primary school buddies for 4pax lunch at hachi today on 2.2.2017, CNY Day 6. ^

this the best lunch omakase, or rather the best lunch PERIOD! for me la… 🙂

hachi

hachi 

today good lunch crowd, hachi quite full, all tables taken up & 3 sushi counter seats too. 🙂

we took the 8-course ohmi wagyu lunch omakase S$92pax++, normal price is S$88pax++, server does not know if the price will be increased or just for today.

i had this awesome omakase for a friend’s birthday lunch here most recently on 3.11.2016.

most of the omakase dishes are the usual.

#1 uni kakiage

#1 uni isobe age  

first dish was uni isobe age, a nori (seaweed) flavoured fritter of uni (sea urchin) on a bed of edamame puree.

uni was very sweet… for me of course, i am happy to have uni as sashimi, but this age was good too, as always.

#2 oyster with ponzu jelly

#2 oyster with ponzu jelly 

oyster with ponzu jelly is another regular fixture in this omakase.

#2 oyster with ponzu jelly

#2 oyster with ponzu jelly 

oyster very fresh, plump & sweet, & the ponzu jelly combined perfectly. 🙂

server said it was irish oyster.

#3 ohmi wagyu nimono

#3 ohmi wagyu nimono 近江和牛 with taro

the ohmi wagyu 近江和牛nimono (steamed dish) was incredible -nice tender, smooth braised wagyu with taro & edamame.

wagyu was so flavourful & melt-in-the-mouth, with a hint of yuzu. my friend said he wanted to make himself with the yuzu flavour.

#4 sashimi moriawase = akami, chutoro, buri, ika, hotate

#4 sashimi moriawase = akami, chutoro, buri, ika, hotate 

the sashimi moriawase was top draw = akami, chutoro, buri, ika, hotate.

usually you get akami (lean toro) or chutoro. today we had both. according to server buri supposed to be same family as kampachi (amberjack) and hamachi (yellow tail), only it is deep ocean & most expensive.

#5 grilled A5 ohmi wagyu steak

#5 grilled A5 ohmi wagyu steak 

the grilled A5 ohmi wagyu was fantastic, so flavourful, marbled, melt-in-your-mouth. ^^

#5 grilled A5 ohmi wagyu steak

#5 grilled A5 ohmi wagyu steak 

the best there ever is!

#5 grilled A5 ohmi wagyu steak

#5 grilled A5 ohmi wagyu steak 

there was some charcoal salt, sweet potato, ginkyo nuts, a brocoli like veg, momotaro tomatoes from hokkaido, and a cracker of tiny dried fishes.

#6 ohmi wagyu sushi

#6 ohmi wagyu sushi 

next, we had the ohmi wagyu sushi.

server said to start eating from the right.

#6 ohmi wagyu sushi

#6 ohmi wagyu sushi 

one with daikon, minced radish. the other topped with uni & caviar, and the last, with foie gras dust.

#6 ohmi wagyu sushi

#6 ohmi wagyu sushi 

all top quality stuff, excellent tender wagyu no tendon, no residue.

#7 ochazuke

#7 ochazuke お茶漬け

for the gohan set, we had ochazuke お茶漬け.

there were 2 pieces of tai – seabream sashimi, and excellent pickles, very tasty not salty.

ochazuke お茶漬け

#7 ochazuke お茶漬け 

so instead of ocha (tea) they used a very tasty dashi to add t0 the rice.

#8 kuromame - black beans, with yuzu jelly

#8 kuromame – black beans, with yuzu jelly 

for the dessert to round off the meal, we had kuromame, the japanese sweet black beans with yuzu jelly, and they always served the roasted tea. so no need to order tea la which is another S$4!

my friends dined here for the first time. they all enjoyed very much. one friend was invited to waku ghin dinner twice the last few months. the price around S$600pax to S$720pax each time. while there is no abalone, alaskan crab & lobster in this hachi omakase, the A5 ohmi wagyu are the best there is anywhere. so he was also well satisfied with this lunch omalase.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hachi

Address

#01-01, 6 Mohamed Sultan Road, 238956

Contact

+65 67349622

Opening Hours

Mon – Fri: 12:00 – 14:30

Tue – Fri: 18:00 – 23:00

Sat, Sun & PH: 18:00 – 23:00

No lunch of Sat, Sun & PH

Closed: Alt Sun

Most Delicious Teriyaki Salmon Belly

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been doing teriyaki salmon belly quite a few times lately. it’s consistently a favourite among my friends & family.

most recently on CNY day2 29.1.2017, i did that for my wife’s relatives, a 20pax dinner.

wonderful flavours, & my helper’s homegrown dill a perfect match.

i did that also for a 6pax dinner with my OPS friends on 16.11.2016.

it was excellent. very tasty,especially with the fatty salmon belly. well infused with miso & light soy sauce flavours, and also seasoned wth chopped garlic & ginger.

after that my friend’s wife asked the recipe & made for her son to bring to a gathering. 🙂

& likewise for the 9pax everyone’s birthday on 28.12.2016.

and despite burning the skin (not familiar with the new oven controls), it was still such a wonderful tasting dish. after wife’s salad, i think everyone loved this salmon belly.

i did the same for a 8pax dinner for my wife’s close friends on 14.1.2017 & they all loved it. did not take any food photos that evening, except for wife’s friend’s beautiful fruit platter..

teriyaki salmon belly

teriyaki salmon belly (trimmings)

i did my first oven grilled miso salmon belly on 28.10.2014, more than 2 years ago.

teriyaki salmon belly (more bones than belly, still very nice)

teriyaki salmon belly (more bones than belly, still very nice)

at the time, i mostly buy the salmon packets from sheng shiong & giant.

when i am lucky, i get more belly.

but often i get the trimmings, and sometimes not so lucky, then mostly bones (above photo).

grilled teriyaki slamon belly

grilled teriyaki salmon belly

more recently i bought from phoon huat delicatessen, but their supply is limited.

so the best i found is from song fish (i go to the starvista outlet).

here you can get good salmon belly at S$30/kg.

teriyaki salmon belly

teriyaki salmon belly

or salmon trimmings at a lot cheaper, and no need to bother about getting salmon bones. haha!

the preparation is the same, and i have both miso & teriyaki so it is teriyaki salmon for me but it is just as well miso salmon.

salmon belly or even trimmings are perfect for this dish. salmon fillet are too chunky, so using fatty salmon belly infused with miso & teriyaki offers up an amazingly delicious dish.

a very simple marinade for 500g salmon belly – 1 tbsp miso, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1tbsp sake, 2tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sugar, 3cm chopped ginger, 5 cloves chopped garlic.

then in a double ziploc bag in my 1degC chiller for 2 days for the flavours to be well infused.

after that leave out for 1 hr to bring to room temp, then grilled in 250degC oven for 15mins. voila!

it is that easy! ^^

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 500g salmon belly
  • 1.5 tbsp miso
  • 2tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp flat sugar
  • 5 cloves chopped garlic
  • 3cm chopped ginger

Directions:

  1. prepare marinade – in a large bowl mix 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp sugar, 5 cloves chopped garlic, 3cm  chopped ginger & 1.5 tbsp miso.
  2. add salmon (belly) to the bowl & marinate really well, thoroughly. put in a double ziploc bag, press out the air & seal. leave in the chiller for 2 days for the flavours to infuse.
  3. cooking – take out from chiller for 1 hour to get to room temperature. place on a roasting rack, line the bottom with aluminium foil. place in a pre-heated 250deC oven for 15minutes. watch to make sure skin charred but not burnt. serve.

 

20pax Home Dinner on Chinese New Year Day2 for Wife’s Relatives on 29Jan2017

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20pax dinner dishes

20pax dinner dishes

had a wonderful homecooked dinner for wife’s relatives on chinese new year day 2 on 29.1.2017. ^^

wife's quinoa salad - the best!

wife’s quinoa salad – the best!

we all chipped in with some dishes.

wife made her excellent quinoa salad…never get tried of this.

so wonderful to look at & refreshing, tasty to eat, and great texture with quinoa, mesclun, pomegranate, blueberries, strawberries, roasted almond flakes etc.

teriyaki salmon belly - everyone's favourite!

teriyaki salmon belly – everyone’s favourite!

today’s teriyaki salmon belly almost perfect.

wonderful flavours, & my helper’s homegrown dill a perfect match.

nobu miso cod

nobu miso cod

today’s nobu miso cod also quite excellent. my s-i-l hubby prefers the cod to salmon.

pan grilled iberico pork collar

pan grilled iberico pork collar

& they all liked the iberico pork collar. wiped clean la…

i had 8 pieces, just over 1kg, & pork requires longer cooking time so i covered the pan to speed up. & had to cook 4 times, 2 pieces each time.

deep-fried chicken wings

deep-fried chicken wings

my helper;s chicken wings always good.

deep-fried chicken wings

deep-fried chicken wings

i think better than most chicken wings outside.

wife's oven grilled prawns

wife’s oven grilled prawns

wife made oven grilled prawns. nice, fresh & quite easy to make.

& i made a very good braised oxtail.

this from 2 packets from phoon huat delicatessen, about 1.75kg.

there were some leftovers, which i enjoyed the next day.

helper's cheese sausage pasta

helper’s cheese sausage pasta

helper's chicken & prawns alio olio

helper’s chicken & prawns alio olio

my helper also contributed 2 pastas – a cheese sausage pasta & a chicken & prawn alio olio.

s-i-l rice & pork and duck liver sausage

wife’s sister brought rice & pork and duck liver sausage

wife’s sister brought pork & duck liver sausages with pickled leeks & some rice to match.

i love the duck liver sausage, very “pang”, flavourful…

other s-i-l almond jelly

wife’s s-i-l brought almond jelly

other s-i-l cheng chow

wife’s s-i-l brought cheng chow

& wife’s s-i-l brought 2 dessert – cheng chow & also almond jelly.

20pax dinner dishes

20pax dinner dishes

i made tiramisu also. the grand nephews loved it & it disappeared in no time.

a great family time together, lots of food & catching up.

today was the australian open grand slam finals between nadal & federer so we watched that as well. i saw a bit of the final set, and heard federer said if there could be a draw he would share it with nadal…

c.h.e.f andy

Delicious Seafood Pasta 2.0 in Pink Sauce

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made pink pasta a few times lately.

one, a nice, delicious pasta everyone liked for my OPS friends on 9.12.2016.

& more recently a 8pax dinner for my wife’s close friends on 14.1.2017. after dinner, one friend asked the recipe, and yesterday she sent us photo of her beautiful seafood pasta in pink sauce dish! 🙂

my best pink sauce pasta was a lobster capellini on 15.5.2014. ^^

simply delicious! taste & flavour were just sublime… 🙂

for my more recent creations, it was much simpler & easy to make, since i was not cooking lobster.

for seafood, i used prawns & either scallops (when i have) or squid.

i did for my RI friends.

& for another dinner in aug2015.

& my friends thought the prawn spaghetti in pink sauce was the best. and yes, it was very tasty & flavourful.

prawn linguine in pink sauce

prawn linguine in pink sauce

the recipe was quite strait forward-

  • brown 1 bulb of garlic cloves in olive oil. i also cut chilli padi & sweet thai basil, fry till fragrant.
  • let it cool, then add 1/2 bottle of prego sauce (680ml bottle) & 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes (14oz can)
  • add 1/2 cup white wine, 1 cup chicken stock & reduce liquids by 1/2
  • add 1/2 heavy cream, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

basically that does the pink sauce.

when serving add prawns, then scallops (or squid), made sure not to overcook them.

then add pasta, which were done pre-al dente, off fire & toss.

one key thing to note is that the sauce should be sufficiently reduced so it’s not too dilute & quite intense, tasty & creamy. & not too much pasta so it won’t dilute the taste of the sauce.

anyway for me it’s agaklogy, so maybe about 200-250g pasta to about 400ml sauce??

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 250g pasta (cook to pre = 1 min before al dente)
  • 1/2 bottle prego traditional sauce (680ml bottle)
  • 1x14oz can whole peeled tomatoes (can add fresh tomatoes too…)
  • 1 bulb garlic cloves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 20 basil leaves (10 to fry, 10 to garnish)
  • 1-2 cut chilli padi
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
  • 1 tbsp flat sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 15 pieces medium prawns
  • 1 large squid

Directions:

  1. brown 1 bulb of garlic cloves in olive oil. add cut chilli padi & sweet thai basil, fry till fragrant.
  2. let it cool, add 1/2 bottle of prego sauce (680ml bottle) & 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes (14oz can)
  3. add 1/2 cup white wine, 1 cup chicken stock & reduce liquids by 1/2
  4. add 1/2 heavy cream, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
  5. add prawns, then scallops (or squid), do not overcook
  6. add pasta, off fire & toss. add basil to garnish. shredded mozzarella if desired