Category Archives: Buon Appetito!

RI Friends Monthly Dinner @ Ban Heng Harbourfront Centre on 24Nov2014

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#10 roast pork

#10 roast pork

we had our november RI friends dinner @ ban heng harbourfront centre on 24.11.2014. 🙂

this was the smallest turnout, with 7pax.

i had not been to this ban heng outlet before. the last time G20 had a 23pax dinner at ban heng at orchard central, food was quite average.

this outlet has 2 ala carte buffet menu – one pried at S$28.80++ here, and the other at S$21.80++. from what i can see the main difference is for the S$28.80 menu you get to pick 1 order of abalones, crabs, froglegs, live prawns, scallops.

we took the S$28.80++ menu.

#1 roast duck

#1 roast duck

#1 roast duck

#1 roast duck

#1 roast duck was passable. but c/w the beautiful roast duck at both canton paradise star vista & canton paradise J-cube or with the noodles restaurant at centrepoint, this would be a poor & distant cousin.

#2 drunken chicken

#2 drunken chicken

#2 drunken chicken

#2 drunken chicken

#2 drunken chicken was average, competent.

#3 garlic spinach

#3 garlic spinach

#4 sambal kang kong

#4 sambal kang kong

#4 sambal kang kong

#4 sambal kang kong

liked the vegetables, #3 garlic spinach & #4 sambal kang kong.

#5 deep-fried soon hock

#5 deep-fried soon hock

#5 deep-fried soon hock

#5 deep-fried soon hock

#5 deep-fried soon hock was a standard dish. it was done well. 🙂

#6 beef with bitter gourd black bean sauce

#6 beef with bitter gourd black bean sauce

#6 beef with bitter gourd black bean sauce was also done well. i personally would prefer fish head & meat with black bean bitter gourd, but this was as good as any good zi char, say kok sen at keong saik street or hong kong street chun kee at commonwealth crescent or ah orh at bukit merah.

#7 steamed prawns

#7 steamed prawns

#7 steamed prawns

#7 steamed prawns

#7 steamed prawns was good like any good seafood restaurant.

#8 sharks fin soup

#8 sharks fin soup

#8 sharks fin soup

#8 sharks fin soup

surprisingly the #8 sharks fin soup though gluey like any served at weddings in yesteryears, had very tasty stock. this was much better than ban heng orchard central.

#9 frog legs with ginger & spring onions

#9 frog legs with ginger & spring onions

#9 frog legs with ginger & spring onions

#9 frog legs with ginger & spring onions

#9 frog legs with ginger & spring onions was also a competent dish. not so different from what my family used to have often at ah yat turf city (now grandstand) long in the past.

#10 roast pork

#10 roast pork

#10 roast pork. all my friends liked this a lot. we had a second order. meat looked great, was tender & tasty & skin was crisp. i would say presentation & taste-wise still a tad below what i had recently at tunglok central.

#11 fried prawns with celery

#11 fried prawns with celery

#11 fried prawns with celery

#11 fried prawns with celery

#11 fried prawns with celery – passable, nothing interesting.

#12 char siew

#12 char siew

#12 char siew looked & tasted great. of the 2 dishes, my friends liked the roast pork better.

#13 abalones with mushrooms & spinach

#13 abalones with mushrooms & spinach

#13 abalones with mushrooms & spinach

#13 abalones with mushrooms & spinach

#13 abalones with mushrooms & spinach

#13 abalones with mushrooms & spinach

#13 abalones with mushrooms & spinach. this was quite good dish also. the braising sauce though was nothing like the really good brown sauce served in good cantonese restaurants say ah yat abalones forum restaurant for abalone dishes (also goose web & spiky sea cucumber dishes) or at chao yue xuan.

#14 deep-fried ilapia in thai sauce

#14 deep-fried tilapia in thai sauce

#14 deep-fried tilapia in thai sauce was an interesting dish. it had less meat so some friends preferred the soon hock dish to this.

#15 scallops in yam nest

#15 scallops in yam nest

#15 scallops in yam nest. scallops were average & overall this dish was poor, below par, not even comparable with a good yam basket say at ah orh w/o expensive scallops.

#16 chai poh with steamed bean curd

#16 chai poh minced pork with steamed bean curd

#16 chai poh minced pork with steamed bean curd, i think this was really poor.

#17 sweet & sour soup

#17 sweet & sour soup

#17 sweet & sour soup. this was a pretty good soup.

#18 pepper crab

#18 pepper crab

#18 pepper crab

#18 pepper crab

#18 pepper crab was quite the usual seafood restaurant standard, for sure better than spices cafe.

pulut hitam

pulut hitam

aloe vera & jelly

aloe vera & jelly

aloe vera & jelly

aloe vera & jelly

self service dessert were quite standard. aloe vera with jelly was quite refreshing & pulut hitam the usual.

overall, food here was better than ban heng orchard central but not as good as (service especially) peach gardens miramar (menu had wider spread though at ban heng harbour front). for S$28.80++ pax it was 2/3 the price of spices cafe w/o the lobster. i guess quite an ok deal.

c.h.e.f andy

Sumptuous Alluring Omakase @ Hachi on 22Nov2014

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#4 sashimi moriawase 1pax = botan ebi, sawala (spanish mackerel), chutoro, ika, kinmedai, tai, hamachi

#4 sashimi moriawase 1pax = botan ebi, sawala (spanish mackerel), chutoro, ika, kinmedai, tai, hamachi

my wife’s good friend couple bought us a wonderful super delicious omakase dinner at hachi on 22.11.2014. 🙂

my wife & i had been to hachi several times. we introduced the restaurant to them & said we would buy them dinner there, but they sprang this superb omakase on us & bought us instead.

in fact we had never take this S$188pax premium omakase here (restaurant said it’s a new menu started 2014). every time we just took the S$118pax (now increased to S$128 pax) omakase, which was also pretty good. well no complaints. ^^ 🙂

#1 japanese persimmon with persimmon leaf

#1 japanese persimmon

#1 japanese persimmon with persimmon leaf

#1 japanese persimmon

#1 first course was a japanese persimmon came shielded with persimmon leaf. dish was beautiful & exquisite, feeling of koyo (autumn colours). persimmon was very sweet but could not recall the other items. there was goma (sesame) sauce.

#2 ayu fish, tam ago, ginkgo nuts, chestnut, crispy sweet potato, seaweed

#2 ayu fish, tamago, ginkgo nuts, chestnut, crispy sweet potato, seaweed

#2 ayu fish, tam ago, ginkgo nuts, chestnut, crispy sweet potato, seaweed

#2 ayu fish, tamago, ginkgo nuts, chestnut, crispy sweet potato, seaweed

#2 second course was ayu fish, tamago, ginkgo nuts, chestnut, crispy sweet potato, dish of seaweed. such delicate & beautiful plating. 🙂

ayu is a tasty but flaky (falling apart) fish, not my favourite but ayu shioyaki (鮎塩焼) is a very popular dish (see photo of the open grill here). in small bites for this starter, it was quite nice.

#3 steamed tai (seabream) on braised tofu

#3 steamed tai (seabream) on braised tofu

#3 third course was a steamed tai (seabream) on braised tofu. sea bream was very sweet & tasty. tofu was excellent, very crispy outside & smooth consistency inside.

#4 sashimi moriawase 1pax = botan ebi, sawala (spanish mackerel), chutoro, ika, kinmedai, tai, hamachi

#4 sashimi moriawase 1pax = botan ebi, sawala (spanish mackerel), chutoro, ika, kinmedai, tai, hamachi

#4 the next course sashimi moriawase for 1pax kinmedai 金目鯛 (japanese golden eye sea bream – see photo here), tai (sea bream), hamachi>> was a real treat. i have not taken sawala before & probably not kinmedai (as sashimi) too.

the kinmedai was really good. 🙂 and of course the chutoro, botan ebi etc etc. ^^

we had really good sashimi moriawase just last week at sumiya on 16.11.2014 which included uni, awabi & akami.

and of course mikuni’s chirashi don sashimi quality was top draw.

but to have this sashimi moriawase as part of an 11-course omakase was truly luxurious, sumptuous. 🙂

the sashimi moriawase for GOTO’s kaiseki was not too bad, but it was expensive & not as good value.

#5 crispy sweet potatoes on steamed sea bream on japaenese rice cake

#5 crispy sweet potatoes on steamed sea bream on japaenese rice cake

#5 crispy sweet potatoes on steamed sea bream on japaenese rice cake

#5 crispy sweet potatoes on steamed sea bream on japaenese rice cake

#5 fifth course was crispy sweet potatoes on steamed sea bream on japaenese rice cake in a very tasty starchy mountain yam soup. simply yummy. i drank the whole thing.

#6 very large (3in), firm & tasty oyster

#6 very large (3in), firm & tasty oyster

#6 very large (3in), firm & tasty oyster

#6 very large (3in), firm & tasty oyster

#6 sixth course was a large (3in), firm & tasty oyster. 1 of us found it sandy. it was ok for the rest. it was evidently good enough though as we finished the oysters before i thought of asking the restaurant to replace the oyster. i like this dish very much.

#7 excellent tempura - anago (conger eel), very good hotate, shiso 紫蘇 leaf (also called oba), and red pepper.

#7 excellent tempura – anago (conger eel), very good hotate, shiso 紫蘇 leaf (also called oba), and red pepper.

#7 excellent tempura - anago (conger eel), very good hotate, shiso 紫蘇 leaf (also called oba), and red pepper.

#7 excellent tempura – anago (conger eel), very good hotate, shiso 紫蘇 leaf (also called oba), and red pepper

#7 next course was an excellent tempura – anago (conger eel), very good hotate, shiso 紫蘇 leaf (also called oba), and red pepper.

the konbu (昆布) which japanese use for dashi (clear soup stock) is not edible.

#8 ohmi wagyu (近江牛) with xavier, jalapeño chilli, sweet potatoes

#8 ohmi wagyu (近江牛) with caviar, jalapeño chilli, sweet potatoes

#8 ohmi wagyu (近江牛) with xavier, jalapeño chilli, sweet potatoes

#8 ohmi wagyu (近江牛) with caviar, jalapeño chilli, sweet potatoes

#8 eighth course was ohmi wagyu (近江牛) – among the top 3 japanese wagyu – with caviar, jalapeño chilli, sweet potatoes.

taste was simply sublime, out of this world. ^^

#9 hokkaido momotaro tomatoes - a palate cleanser

#9 hokkaido momotaro tomatoes – a palate cleanser

#9 hokkaido momotaro tomatoes - a palate cleanser

#9 hokkaido momotaro tomatoes – a palate cleanser

#9 next was hokkaido momotaro tomatoes – a palate cleanser.

#10 my selection of sushi = kinmedai, hotate, uni (each diner can pick 3 types of sushi)

#10 my selection of sushi = kinmedai, hotate, uni (each diner can pick 3 types of sushi)

#10 my selection of sushi = kinmedai, hotate, uni (each diner can pick 3 types of sushi)

#10 my selection of sushi = kinmedai, hotate, uni (each diner can pick 3 types of sushi)

#10 the server brought us a tray of 10 to 12 sashimi. each diner can pick 3 types of sushi. my selection of sushi = kinmedai, hotate, uni. the hotate was really good, very huge, plump & sweet. the uni & kinmedai too of course. 🙂

wife had uni, negi toro & kinmedai. the 2 friends each had botan ebi, hotate & uni. 🙂

#11 dessert - yuzu ice cream, kiwi fruit, grapes, strawberries, blue berries, cheese cake slice

#11 dessert – yuzu ice cream, kiwi fruit, grapes, strawberries, blue berries, cheese cake slice

#11 dessert - yuzu ice cream, kiwi fruit, grapes, strawberries, blue berries, cheese cake slice

#11 dessert – yuzu ice cream, kiwi fruit, grapes, strawberries, blue berries, cheese cake slice

#11 i guess dessert was the least tantalising of the omakase – yuzu ice cream, kiwi fruit, grapes, strawberries, blue berries, cheese cake slice. it was a bit more quantity than quality, good standard & substantial, but not like say japanese melon.

overall this hachi premium omakase was much superior in quality of ingredients & taste c/w the kaiseki we had at GOTO on 23.10.2014, which cost a lot more.

c.h.e.f andy

Good but Expensive Dinner @ aPompei on 21Nov2014

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florentine steak - S$88

florentine steak – S$88

we were thinking of a place to go for 5pax family dinner on a friday w/o too much hassle on traffic & parking. decided to try the new restaurant aPompei at 6th avenue on 21.11.2014. 🙂

restaurant only started a week ago, according to chef mimo, who was from al borgo. we liked the florentine steak at al borgo by chef mim0. my wife recently had that at al borgo & she said it’s no longer good, so we were looking forward to having the good florentine steak here. 🙂

chef mimo was friendly & chatty, and we had always liked his food. so we decided to order his recommendations & let him organise the dinner. 🙂

food was good as we expected. price though was a bit expensive.

bread to start

bread to start

bread in most italian diners were mostly just baguette with olive oil/balsamic dip, nothing fancy like top restaurants.

antipasti - S$72

antipasti – S$72

antipasti - S$72

antipasti – S$72

the antipasti was a huge serving. it was good, with parma ham, good quality salami (my wife normally does not take salami but she was ok with this one), buffalo mozzarella, another cheese & olives.

we found out only later when we had the bill that the antipasti cost S$72 (since we left it in the hands of chef mimo). this was way too expensive for an antipasti for 2 guys & 3 ladies.

i am just guessing that maybe we were charged 3 portions=S$24×3. if we had ordered ourselves, we would have ordered just 1 portion. it was not about the price of the antipasti but whether we would spent S$72 for a very large portion or used the same money to order 2 more pastas etc.

focaccia

complimentary focaccia

we had a complimentary focaccia, topped with cherry tomatoes. in fact we thought it was better than the seafood pizza. we saw on the menu it cost S$13.

mussels - S$28

mussels – S$28

mussels - S$28

mussels – S$28

the mussels was very good. i felt it was expensive at S$28. i could do very good mussels myself, but i used the cheap mussels from sheng shiong. these mussels here were of course the better variety. 🙂

vongole - S$28

vongole – S$28

vongole

vongole – S$28

the vongole was very good also. the spaghetti were very al dente. somehow it cost more than S$24 on the menu? this is also a dish i do well, and sometimes i can get mango clams from sheng shiong which i think is better than la la (littleneck clams).

seafood pizza

seafood pizza

the seafood pizza was good, but we felt the cheaper focaccia (complimentary by chef mimo) was better. 🙂

florentine steak - S$88

florentine steak – S$88

& the 600g florentine steak. this was our favourite & it was as good as the one at al borgo of old (though my wife said it was no longer so). al borgo charged S$60 initially but raised to S$75 last year. it was S$88 here. i guess the price was not cheap but ok as long as the standard is kept. 🙂

complimentary dessert

complimentary dessert

chef mimo offered us 2 complimentary sponge cakes. the texture felt a bit like tiramisu (moist) but chef mimo said it was sponge cake. they were good but these tended to be quite sweet.

the dinner for 5pax (2guys, 3 ladies) cost S$350nett including a S$62 bottle wine. wine was good & priced similar to what you get at a good restaurant. 🙂

i felt the dinner was overly expensive at about S$56nett excluding the wine. if the antipasti was 1 portion at S$24++, price would be S$45pax nett, which was still not cheap but i guess ok for the food.

anyway, we were overall happy with the food, even though price was on the expensive side & it had cost a lot more than if we had ordered from the menu, which is what we would do next time. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Great Dinner @ Canton Paradise at J-Cube on 26Nov2014

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1/2 roast duck

1/2 roast duck

quick update 6pax family dinner here 2 days later.

we had an early dinner at canton paradise @ J-cube on 26.11.2014. 🙂

wife bought a groupon voucher S$28.80 for S$50. we went at 4.3opm to skip the dinner crowd, traffic & parking.

canton paradise @ j-cube

canton paradise @ j-cube

the restaurant was quite empty at that time.

har gao（虾饺）

har gao（虾饺）

har gao（虾饺）

har gao（虾饺）

we ordered the har gao（虾饺). good as always. 🙂

1/2 roast duck

1/2 roast duck – S$25

and of course our favourite 1/2 roast duck. the roast duck at canton paradise is really good, and this one was no exception, so flavourful and the breast meat so tender. this, like the roast duck at star vista outlet, is truly hong kong standard. the only other place i had roast duck of this standard was at the noodles restaurant.

spicy dumplings (抄手)

spicy dumplings (抄手)

spicy dumplings (抄手)

spicy dumplings (抄手)

the spicy dumplings (抄手) was very good too.

porridge (minced prok balls, kidney, beef)

porridge (minced prok balls, kidney, beef)

porridge (minced prok balls, kidney, beef)

porridge (minced pork balls, kidney, beef) – S$9.20

and we always like the porridge (congee), very smooth & sweet. we had the selection of 3  (minced pork balls, kidney, beef). mmmm…really nice.

S$8.80 weekday afternoon promotion

S$8.80 weekday afternoon promotion

they had this weekday promotion, just S$8.80 for 1 porridge, 1 dim sum & drink, from 2.30pm to 5pm. it’s a really good deal but we could not take that as we had our groupon deal. i probably come back here with some friends. 🙂

the dinner for 2pax came to S$58nett including drink & water, towels etc, so we had to top up S$8, which added to a total of S$37 with the voucher, a very good price for the food we had. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Cycle Punggol Waterway + Wanton Mee @ KPT Coffeeshop 401 Hougang Ave 10 on 22Nov2014

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wanton mee @ KPT coffeeshop

wanton mee @ KPT coffeeshop

went cycling with friends (6 of us) at punggol waterway park connector on 22.11.2014. very enjoyable ride & morning. 🙂

we started from sengkang sports centre, then along sungei punggol, past serangoon (coney) island, crossed over to lor halus wetland park, then along sungei serangoon to KPT coffeeshop 401 hougang ave 10, S530401 for makan.

3 of us took the mee rebus there. those who took said it was good. another friend & i had the wanton mee.

wanton

wanton

wanton mee @ KPT coffeeshop

wanton mee @ KPT coffeeshop

wanton mee @ KPT coffeeshop

wanton mee @ KPT coffeeshop

i thought the wanton mee was very good. noodles were qq, char siew was tasty & soft, sauce was tasty & the wanton had soft skin that held together, and tasty fillings. 🙂

the sauce though was just a little bit sweet, so maybe not everyone would like this.

for me, kok kee wanton mee previously at lavendar food square (not sure where it moved too) was still the best. the other good stall which my daughter likes is red ring. i would say overall red ring wanton mee is still better than this.

we backtracked to Mywaterway promenade that leads back to sungei punggol side. and we spotted a family of otters when we arrived by at the riverside leading back to sengkang sports centre.

nice ride & great food. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Wife’s Belated Birthday by My Buddies @ Tunglok Central on 19Nov2014

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excellent roast pork (烧肉)

excellent roast pork (烧肉)

my buddies organised a belated birthday dinner for my wife on 19.11.2014. 🙂

the place was tunglok signature at central, the same place they did a birthday dinner to remember for me last year.

& i am very happy this year they again did a birthday dinner for me at chef chan & this dinner for my wife. such great friends! 🙂

friend's god sister arranged wine

friend’s god sister arranged wine

excellent roast pork (烧肉)

excellent roast pork (烧肉)

my friend’s god sister again pre-ordered the food. & she arranged the wine & cake too. 🙂

we had the roast pork (烧肉), which was really excellent. skin was very crispy & the texture & taste was marvellous, & not too fatty.

double boiled soup (炖汤) with sea whelk, black garlic & chicken

double boiled soup (炖汤) with sea whelk, black garlic & chicken

double boiled soup (炖汤) with sea whelk, black garlic & chicken

double boiled soup (炖汤) with sea whelk, black garlic & chicken

double boiled soup (炖汤) with sea whelk, black garlic & chicken

double boiled soup (炖汤) with sea whelk, black garlic & chicken

ingredients for the double boiled soup (炖汤)

ingredients for the double boiled soup (炖汤)

the double boiled soup (炖汤) with sea whelk, black garlic & chicken was super too. this 1 of few soups that could match & better the very good lie tong (例汤) here. very sweet & tasty. 🙂

spinach tofu (三层楼) with shimeji mushrooms & broccoli

spinach tofu (三层楼) with shimeji mushrooms & broccoli

spinach tofu (三层楼) with shimeji mushrooms & broccoli

spinach tofu (三层楼) with shimeji mushrooms & broccoli

we had the spinach tofu (三层楼) with shimeji mushrooms & broccoli, which is another signature dish here. it was very good. 🙂

salted egg cod fish fillet

salted egg cod fish fillet

salted egg cod fish fillet

salted egg cod fish fillet

next was a salted egg cod fish fillet. it was very well done. cod was very good. for me & also my wife though, the dish was deep-fried & even though it was done well & not very oily, it could not match the simple steamed cod with mui choy (梅菜)。

wasabi mayo prawns

wasabi mayo prawns

likewise wasabi mayo prawns was well done & nicely presented. it came with mangoes & salad.  presentation was superior to peach garden’s yuzu prawns. taste wise peach garden’s equally good. yuzu taste was great & dish better w/o the mayo.

salted egg custrad longevity bun (流沙寿桃)

salted egg custrad longevity bun (流沙寿桃)

star fruit juice

complimentary star fruit juice

complimentary salted egg longevity bun (流沙寿桃) & the 生日快乐十全美 verses

complimentary salted egg longevity bun (流沙寿桃) & the 生日快乐十全美 verses

there was a miscommunication with the server. we thought there were 7 dishes & waited for the noodles & dessert. but it turned out that friend’s god sister arranged 5 dishes & instructed the restaurant to take our orders for the carb & dessert.

anyway we were really full with the 5 dishes & there was also the birthday cake, so we decided to skip the carb & dessert. just as well! 🙂

tunglok provided a complimentary salted egg longevity bun (流沙寿桃) & after singing the birthday song, the servers recited the the 生日快乐十全美 verses. service was excellent! they also provided complimentary star fruit juice. 🙂

the cake was a nutty chocolate banana from swissbake. i liked the cake though could not taste the nutty part. 🙂

it was a very enjoyable, memorable evening.

c.h.e.f andy

Nissin Kyushu Black Instant Japanese Ramen with Seafood on 23Nov2014

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nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen

nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen

cooked an instant japanese ramen for my daughter’s lunch today on 23.11.2014.

nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen

nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen

i bought this nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen from sheng shiong last week, 5 packets for S$3.50.

nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen

nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen

nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen

nissin kyushu black instant japanese ramen

i added squid & prawns & also made the “6minute runny yoke egg”. & i garnished with spring onions & nori (seaweed).

this instant ramen has really nice light very flavourful ramen broth, and the noodle texture is much closer to ramen than the usual instant noodles. i really like it. 🙂

the runny yoke egg took 6mins. noodles 4mins. so the whole thing was done in <15mins.

no need much to have good tasting food. i almost never take ramen outside. too much carbs for me & i am just unwilling to pay like S$14++ to S$18++ for a ramen.

c.h.e.f andy

Mediocre Bakchormee @ Seng Kee (胜记) Serangoon Garden Food Centre on 19Nov2014

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Seng Kee (胜记) Bakchormee @ Serangoon Garden Food Centre

after cycling at east coast park, we went to serangoon gardens to use a groupon voucher at relish, but relish was closed for private function, so we wandered to serangoon gardens food centre on 19.11.2014. 🙂

i recalled some friends were talking on whatsapp about bakchormee here, the stall where the guy used to clank his wares (no longer since he moved here).

there were 3 bakchomee stalls, but i managed to confirm with my friends that it was seng kee (胜记) bakchormee. actually the many messages & feedback were quite negative, especially regards the S$9 fish maw soup, but since we had not tried before, we decided to go for bakchormee rather than other food. 🙂

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Seng Kee (胜记) Bakchormee @ Serangoon Garden Food Centre

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soup, Seng Kee (胜记) Bakchormee

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Seng Kee (胜记) Bakchormee @ Serangoon Garden Food Centre

there was no queue at 12pm on a wednesday & i was bale to pick up my 2 bowls of S$4 bakchormee immediately (i was not going to take the S$9 fish maw soup after those feedback). after me though there was a queue of about 4 to 5, and the only one of the 3 stalls to have a queue.

that should have been promising, however the results were very disappointing. i would say the bakchormee was totally mediocre, can probably get better from any coffeeshop or hawker centre.

for us, the main failure was the chilli. i went to ask for more chilli. chilli looked potent but it had no taste no kick. my wife’s mee kia (thin noodles) was still qq, my meepok was becoming soggy.

the ingredients were quite good, with teepor (dried flatfish/sole) & her kilo (fish dumplings), mushroom sauce, liver, lean meat etc.

the soup also looked promising, but the taste was again disappointing, whereas the soup at 6th avenue jalan tua kong meepok tar was so tasty.

anyway, the whole experience was just “no shiok”. no comparison with 6th avenue jalan tua kong meepok tar or for that matter sunny fishball noodles also at 6th avenue, jalan tua kong lau lim meepok tar in bedok, tai hwa bakchormee at crawford lane, ming fa upper thomson etc.

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ice kachang @ Serangoon Garden Food Centre

i had ice kachang & my wife took the soursop jelly. ice kachang was not to my taste (i like it sweet with more syrup & evaporated milk like at adam road food centre). the soup sop was good but the jelly was not the soft type.

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Seng Kee (胜记) Bakchormee @ Serangoon Gardens Food Centre

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Serangoon Gardens Food Centre

my friends told me on whatsapp later that the duck rice & 猪杂汤 is good here. will try them next time. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

 

Wonderful Birthday Dinner for Wife @ Sumiya on 16.11.2014

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sashimi moriawase - S$58

sashimi moriawase – S$58

had a really wonderful 6pax family dinner at sumiya, orchard central on 16.11.2014. it was a belated dinner for wife as she was away in london with son on her birthday. 🙂

just a note –

for lunch, i had one of the best chirashi don set here for just S$18.80++

the discounted items are indicated in sumiya website menu & you need a flyer to get the discounts or just convince the server to give it to you. 🙂

there was a 10% discounts using UOB card

sashimi moriawase - S$58

sashimi moriawase – S$58

we had 2 orders of sashimi moriawase. it had awabi (abalone), 2 akami (lean toro), 2 amaebi, 2 hotate, 2 hamachi, 2 salmon, 2 kajiki, & a good helping of uni. quality of the cut was very good, but we did not get otoro or chutoro. 🙂

can’t say it was better than mikuni’s chirashi don which had uni, botan ebi & 2 chutoro at S$45 (after 50% feed at raffles discounts), but it was very good anyway.

amaebi 12 pieces with shell - S$14.80

amaebi 12 pieces with shell – S$14.80

we ordered the 12 pieces amaebi with shell. amaebi was excellent, plump & sweet. shelling fee is S$5, so we shelled ourselves. 🙂

double prawn tempura maki (S$8.80)+softshell carb maki (S$8.80)

double prawn tempura maki (S$8.80)+softshell crab maki (S$8.80)

we tried their double prawn tempura maki (4pieces for S$8.80)+softshell crab maki (4 pieces for S$8.80). they were good & price was good too. such maki would range from S$15 to S$20 normally for 6 pieces.

kagoshima wagyu - S$53

kagoshima wagyu (150g) – S$53

we had 1 order of kagoshima wagyu (150g), this was excellent too. but for price vs quality, the kagoshima wagyu steak at arossa, 180g for S$44 after 50% palate discounts would top this. 🙂

izaki (japanese stripe bass) - S$45

izaki (japanese stripe bass) – S$45

we tried the izaki (japanese stripe bass). it was good, meat was tender but quite plain really, so not a must have for me.

yellowfin tuna cheek - S$28.80

yellowfin tuna cheek – S$28.80

the yellowfin tuna cheek was supposed to be rare in singapore so we tried it. meat was not as fine as izaki (since this is a huge fish) & stronger in flavours. somehow this manner of preparation was to me not as good as the one with sauce, like in hachi’s hamachi kama.

ikura salmon flake rice - S$12.80

ikura salmon flake rice – S$12.80

ikura unagi rice - S$14.80

ikura unagi rice – S$14.80

we had 2 orders of ikura unagi rice & 1 order of ikura salmon flake rice. both were very flavourful but my daughter was right, the salmon flake with ikura tasted better, very well mixed in the rice. for me, sun with moon wheelock’s kamameshi still tasted better than this 2. 🙂

the dinner including 4 beers (S$4.90 happy hour price order before 7pm) & 2 bamboo sake (S$8.80 each) was S$416, just below S$70pax nett. if i compare this with tatsu which cost S$66pax nett, then tatsu’s dinner was quite miserable, i.e. relatively speaking.

c.h.e.f andy

Hao Man Yi Xiaolongbao (好满意小笼包) @ Bukit Merah View Hawker Centre on 14Nov2014

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Hao Man Yee Xiaolongbao (好满意小笼包)

had early lunch with a friend at bukit merah view hawker centre on 14.11.2014.

i was taking my usual (S$6 mutton + tripe) from chai chuan tou chinese mutton soup 柴船头羊肉汤, so was not planning to blog & did not take photos.

it was about 1145am & i had to drive 1 round the parking lot but was lucky enough to chance on a taxi exiting a lot. 🙂

i was just as lucky as the queue was very short, just 3 persons ahead of me. my lucky day! 🙂

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Hao Man Yee Xiaolongbao (好满意小笼包)

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Hao Man Yee Xiaolongbao (好满意小笼包)

my friend took the chilli beef noodles (红油牛肉面) from another stall 好满意小笼包. he was exclaiming that the beef was so very tender, the best he had taken from a hawker stall!

we decided to order a S$4 xiaolongbao (小笼包). 6 dumplings, <1/2 the price of restaurants & it was good, very much restaurant standard, comparable even with crystal jade lamian xiaolongbao. i did not try the spicy dumpling (红油抄手), but i will go back & try soon. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

 

Very Good Chirashi Don Set @ Sumiya on 13Nov2014

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S$18.80 chirashi don set

S$18.80 chirashi don set

in search of good chirashi don. 🙂

today fundonate friends met to discuss some matters. decided to meet for lunch at sumiya, level 12 orchard central on 13.11.2014.

i thought it might be the previous kuirya penthouse location, & it was. anyway sumiya is owned by the same RE&S group, which owns kuriya dining & also ichiban boshi, kuishinbo etc.

S$18.80 chirashi don set

S$18.80 chirashi don set

ponzu salad

ponzu salad

chawan mushi

chawan mushi

S$18.80 chirashi don set

S$18.80 chirashi don set

the photos of the lunch set, in particular, the chirashi don looked exciting. & it was.

it came in a set with chawan mushi (not so good), a ponzu salad, pickles, miso soup & a mochi, quite similar to ginza kuroson. 🙂

the chirashi don was excellent. 3 fish (salmon, maguro & hamachi) cube-cut sashimi & heaps of ikura (salmon roe), tobiko (flying fish roe) & avocado. the sashimi were very fresh & sweet.  the cube cut made it looked like bara chirashi. this were quite big cubes though, really good sashimi. vinegared rice was very good too.

2 other friends ordered anago don & fish of the day (maybe amadai?). forgot to take photos.

12 pieces amaebi S$14.80

12 pieces amaebi S$14.80

12 pieces amaebi S$14.80

12 pieces amaebi S$14.80

they had this 12 pieces amaebi for S$14.80, so i had to order it. 🙂

there was a shelling fee of $5 if we wanted it shelled. we of course decided to D-I-Y! 🙂

i never knew amaebi looked kind of anaemic & unappetising with shell on. but they were good, very fresh & sweet when shelled & eaten, like any good amaebi. 🙂

overall i was very impressed & would certainly come back for more.

this S$18.80 chirashi don set was definitely superior to the S$25 barachirashi don set at flying squirrel (no comparison i think), better than the S$17.90 chirashi don lunch set at tonkichi (also no comparison).

i couldn’t decide if this was better than the S$20 chirashi don set at ginza kuroson! i think both were equally good, and though kuroson had better quality cuts, this one at sumiya was really very enjoyable.

with tatsu, though it was not quite like for like, but as an overall dining experience, i think this set was more enjoyable than the S$40 expensive chirashi don at tatsu.

compared with chikuwatei & momoya, this quantity was smaller, but hey the flavours & freshness were better even. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

 

 

Very Good Pork Shabu Shabu 3pax Dinner @ Azmaya on 10Nov2014

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pork shabus shabu set (S$6pax qoo10 coupon + service & GST)

pork shabus shabu set (S$6pax qoo10 coupon + service & GST)

went with sis & b-i-l to azmaya for dinner this evening on 10.11.2014. 🙂

i bought S$6pax pork shabu shabu voucher from qoo10. for 3pax its S$18, and we had to pay GST + service to the merchant i.e. azmaya. i had dinner at azmaya a few times before, and food & service were very good. i also read the customers’ review on qoo10 & they were mostly good.

pork shabus shabu set (S$6pax qoo10 coupon + service & GST)z

pork shabus shabu set (S$6pax qoo10 coupon + service & GST)

the single serving of shabu shabu pork had about 10 to 12 slices. i estimated about 100g maybe?

vege for pork shabus shabu set

vege for pork shabus shabu set

there was the usual vege to accompany the meat shabu shabu.

chicken stock for pork shabus shabu set

chicken stock for pork shabus shabu set

there was a choice of konbu (昆布) seaweed soup or chicken soup. i picked chicken soup. 🙂

pork shabus shabu set (S$6pax qoo10 coupon + service & GST)

pork shabus shabu set (S$6pax qoo10 coupon + service & GST)

the quality of pork here was really good, don’t know if it’s kurobuta but it was very flavourful. 🙂 the leek, mushrooms, japanese flat rice noodles (like tanhoon) etc were all good, & there was also udon (we picked udon but there was also a choice of rice).

the service was very good, very polite, and they would serve you when you asked, even though using a cheap voucher.

i think the pricing does not make any sense, but of course i am not complaining. there are fixed costs & there are perishables, so perhaps it’s better to packed it with customers. i am just pleasantly surprised that the restaurant maintained their service attitude so well, and so professional –  you actually get what was advertised & sold to you w/o any fuss.

can’t eat this all the time, but if there is promotion again later will surely come again.

c.h.e.f andy

Expensive & Very Average Chirashi Don @ Tatsu Asia Square 2 on 7Nov2014

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aji sashimi

aji sashimi – S$35

had a 5pax family dinner for a special occasion at tatsu asia square 2 on 7.11.2014. 🙂

daughter was keen to explore the different chirashi don. decided to try this place even though i was not impressed with the photo of the S$40 chirashi don on the website menu.

since we were there, might as well try some of their recommendations.

aji sashimi

aji sashimi – S$35

years ago (almost 20years coming to think of it), my wife & i used to enjoy mezzanine japanese food at the sushi counter with 50% hyatt card. the aji sashimi usually cost about S$45 for the whole fish before discount. & before that, even earlier we had great aji sashimi at unkai at nassim hill, can’t remember the hotel now but i think it was at the current site of ‘the nassim’ (condo).

i don’t know the current price of aji sashimi at sushi restaurants as seldom take now, but S$35 seemed reasonable (though at first the server say S$25 to S28 depending on size, but later became S$35).

the aji did not disappoint. it was very sweet. the presentation though was somewhat disappointing. i told the server they should serve the sashimi as a whole fish like most sushi bar & also in japan, but i get it that they might be offering what they thought was good service by serving up the flesh & having the bones deep-fried. usually sushi bars would serve the sliced sashimi with the fishbones whole, then when you finish the sashimi they would take it away to deep-fry. unkai even did it better by “pengkang” i.e. bbq which was not as convenient as deep-fried but tasted a lot better. 🙂

deep fried aji head & bones

deep fried aji head & bones

deep fried aji head & bones

deep fried aji head & bones

we ate up the deep-fried fish head & bones.

gyu tataki

gyu tataki – S$15

gyu tataki

gyu tataki – S$15

gyu tataki was a recommended dish, it was good & a dish i would order if i come again (not likely though!).

kaisen chirashi don

kaisen chirashi don – S$40

kaisen chirashi don

kaisen chirashi don – S$40

the menu showed kaizen (海鲜) chirashi don as S$40 & aburi (torched or flamed) don as S$50. i asked the server & she confirmed that both had exact same ingredients. i guess one needed to pay for the labour & torch. we decided to order 3 chirashi don.

i would say this was a huge disappointment (which was not unexpected i having seen the website photo). it was a good chirashi of course. the fish were fresh & sweet. they were very thin slices though & w/o any quality sashimi cuts.

compare this with the chirashi don at mikuni which has 2 pieces otoro, botan ebi, uni at S$45 (after 50% feed at raffles discounts). actually there was just nothing to compare! or the S$20 chirashi don set at ginza kuroson.  granted kuroson’s is only for lunch & the sashimi cuts were just as thin. or with the sashimi & unagi don set at sun with moon.

i have not yet tried the chirashi don at flying squirrel & sushi kou, but they are around S$25 & it looks to me the quality would be better than here at tatsu.

salmon skin temaki

salmon skin temaki

the salmon skin temaki was also a recommended dish. it was simple but nice & tasty.

crayfish teppanyaki

crayfish teppanyaki – S$28

crayfish teppanyaki

crayfish teppanyaki – S$28

seafood fried rice

seafood fried rice – S$13

our helper does not take raw fish. so we ordered a seafood fried rice plus a crayfish teppanyaki. these were good restaurant standard. though the japanese preparation with lots of mayo not my favourite.

tenderloin teppanyaki

tenderloin teppanyaki – S$28

aburi salmon maki

aburi salmon maki

my other daughter ordered a beef tenderloin and a aburi salmon maki. tenderloin was 200g size & quite tasty. & the maki was again good standard.

banoffee cake

banoffee cake

we got back home for the banoffee cake which i made for the occasion.

the cake was quite perfect this time, not so sweet with a bit more bananas, very well balanced cake.

c.h.e.f andy

Heng Kee (興记) Curry Chicken Noodles at Hong Lim Food Centre on 7Nov2014

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heng kee (興记) curry chicken noodles

heng kee (興记) curry chicken noodles

which is better? heng kee or ah heng curry chicken noodles, also at hong lim food centre?

i was in the area & decided to drop by for curry chicken noodles at 2pm on 7.11.2014. 🙂

ah heng at level 2 had a longer queue. i went to heng kee at level 1 there was about 7 in the queue. i was 8th in the queue & as it turned out, the stall owner had to close early, i was the last & all the others after me were turned away. the wait was about 12mins.

heng kee (興记) curry chicken noodles

heng kee (興记) curry chicken noodles

heng kee (興记) curry chicken noodles

heng kee (興记) curry chicken noodles

heng kee (興记) curry chicken noodles

heng kee (興记) curry chicken noodles

the chicken was very sweet & moist. the tau pok & curry were very tasty. i could not really tell the difference – this & ah heng curry chicken noodles.

overall my own preference is still ah heng curry chicken noodles. i think this heng kee version was less spicy & curry was a bit sweeter. on both counts i preferred ah heng. there was also the presentation. the chicken at ah heng, the colour & the presentation were all better. however heng kee was closing & i had the last bowl, so the curry was from the bottom of the barrel so to speak but in fact it tasted great. anyway i still like ah heng better, just like others will swear by heng kee. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Lobster, Crab & Average Buffet @ Spices Cafe on 31Oct2014

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cheese baked 1/2 lobster (1 order only)

cheese baked gratin 1/2 lobster (1 order only)

a friend organised the monthly RI schoolmates dinner at spices cafe, concord hotel yesterday on 31.10.2014. it was a really fun evening with a lot of interesting conversation. i am just quoting our great philosopher-

the analogy we cooked up to explain our senior moments. it was triggered by a friend’s reference to cloud storage as in the IT terminology eg Dropbox. our memory storage is in the cloud. it is just that we forget the password at times to unlock the specific memory storage. that’s why it helps to have shared storage in the cloud. if one forgets, another remembers. we need all the help we can get when our own neurons refuse to do the job.

see how fun our get-togethers are…with genius like this spewing jewels of wisdom…haha! 🙂

cheese baked 1/2 lobster (1 order only)

cheese baked gratin 1/2 lobster (1 order only)

the dinner buffet came with 1 order only of 1/2 cheese baked gratin lobster (or alternatively abalone). they said 200g though it looked bigger. the preparation though was so-so, the meat didn’t feel bouncy so either it was not a live lobster or maybe slight overdone.

the abalone was small c/w say the 2in size & more importantly excellent tasting abalone at ah yat abalone restaurant in a 5-course dinner groupon deal costing only S$28.80.

pepper crab

pepper crab

butter baked crab

butter baked crab

thai basil crab

thai basil crab

the buffet also included unlimited order of crabs prepared 5 ways – thai basil, pepper, chilli, salted egg & butter baked.

the preparations were ok. for me, thai basil & salted egg were best, pepper ok, butter baked so-so. i did not try chilli.

the crab were the indonesian mud crab type or maybe vietnamese, not the large sri lankan crab. meat was sweet, not the very firm standard, but not falling apart also. i think “boleh la” – ok & really i seldom eat crab as they are really expensive in seafood restaurants, so it may actually make sense if you want to “whack” the crabs to come & makan here! 🙂

we were too busy talking & having fun & did not even order a second round, but i made sure i tasted most of it, well except the chilli crab. 🙂

cold appetizers - oysters, mussels, scallops on shell, salmon, maguro & tai sashimi, prawns & some sushi

cold appetizers – oysters, mussels, scallops on shell, salmon, maguro & tai sashimi, prawns & some sushi

appetizers - smoked salmon, prawns, cold pasta, plus a marinated saba

appetizers – smoked salmon, prawns, cold pasta, plus a marinated saba

smoked salmon (so so), oysters (good), mussel (ok), salmon belly (good), marinated saba - horse mackerel (ok)

smoked salmon (so so), oysters (good), mussel (ok), salmon belly (good), marinated saba – horse mackerel (ok)

smoked salmon (so so), oysters (good), mussel (ok), salmon belly (good), marinated saba - horse mackerel (ok)

smoked salmon (so so), oysters (good), mussel (ok), salmon belly (good), marinated saba – horse mackerel (ok)

the cold appetiser section had oysters(good), mussels(ok), scallops on shell(i did not want to try, it looked like just taken out of deep freeze & thawed just as 1 blogger commented), salmon belly sashimi (good), maguro & tai sashimi, prawns & some sushi (the last 4 i likewise did not want to try. the sushi looked like the supermarket type).

i also took smoked salmon (so so, i should say poor actually), and a marinated saba (ok). did not try the prawns & cold pasta.

fortunately, salmon belly sashimi was really quite good, and the oyster too, so that was quite enough for me.

satay

satay

satay was good, and they actually had the pineapple sauce (not so common these days).

laksa was good - i asked for more hum (cockles) & i had a second helping

laksa was good – i asked for more hum (cockles) & i had a second helping

laksa was good - i asked for more hum (cockles) & i had a second helping

laksa was good – i asked for more hum (cockles) & i had a second helping

laksa was good, lemak. as good as any of the “katong laksa” around & the sungei road laksa. i had a second helping, maybe should have gone for a third.

i did not touch any of the cooked food. did not attract me, anyway, with lobster, crab, 2 helpings of oyster & sashimi & laksa, it was kind of enough, not too bad. 🙂

cheese & salad bar

cheese & salad bar

fruits & cheese

fruits & cheese

fruits & cheese

fruits & cheese

the cheese & salad bar was ok if limited. i took the brie & the blue. 🙂

the fruits were good. i had 2 helpings of pineapples & watermelon, and they had a lot of dried fruits like figs, apricots & prunes that i liked.

===============

overall, i find spices cafe buffet rather expensive, at S$54++pax for friday & weekend dinners. fortunately there was a 3paying 1 free promotion, so we paid about S$49pax nett for 13pax + 1pax vegetarian alacarte.

if you consider that a good 1/2lobster cost between S$20 and S$30, i guess then the buffet was not overly expensive.

buffet doesn’t attract me, and other than the lobster & crab (which were also so so for me), i would not normally do this buffet.

i would rate this as slightly above olive tree restaurant @ intercontinental hotel (S$34++ after 1 for 1 promotion) & the lunch buffet at edge @ pan pacific (S$43.50++ after 3paying 1 free) but not by much, and of course edge has far superior ambience & in a “higher class hotel” if that is even important haha.

anyway i would only go if i want the crab (i don’t need the lobster), & spices cafe has lunch buffet for senior citizen at S$23pax, so if i really want buffet i can go lunch w/o the lobster & crab. 🙂

for buffet, my favourite is still the semi buffet at equinox (after 50% feed at raffles discounts, that is), and even then i have not been there for the longest time! the view over marina bay skyline & F1 circuit is superb, and the main courses (which i avoid in other buffet) are ala carte orders & of fine dining standard.

the same goes for one ninety mezzo lunch at four seasons, another superior semi buffet. one ninety has better quality of buffet spread than equinox, & the main courses are also ala carte orders of fine dining standard. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Pumpkin Cheese Cake

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pumpkin cheese cake

pumpkin cheese cake

after my chocolate lava cake, tofu cheese cake, tiramisu, banoffee pie, i experimented on pumpkin cheese cake after watching the video recipe by joy of baking.

the other cakes (except lava cake) were all no bake cakes, so while i could taste the cake mix & be confident of the taste, i had no idea how the experiment would turn out, whether i could get the right texture, or even if the cake could stand or collapse, and whether it would be burnt or not enough done.

pumpkin cheese cake

pumpkin cheese cake

pumpkin cheese cake

pumpkin cheese cake

pumpkin cheese cake

pumpkin cheese cake

anyway, i experimented it. i had to make some adjustments-

  • i used 250g cream cheese instead of 1 lb (454g)
  • i used a lot less sugar, 4tbsp flat (about 60g) or 1/4cup

i made the usual biscuit base with 8 digestive biscuit (120g) crushed to sandy texture in a ziploc bag, then added 60g melted butter & pressed the “wet sand’ mixture in a 8” (20cm) spring-form cake tin line with parchment paper. then placed it in the fridge.

i dice cut & steamed 300g fresh pumpkin till soft. i added 250g cream cheese & 4 tbsp flat brown sugar, 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground ginger & whisked. then i added the softened pumpkin, and then 1 egg at a time, & whisked. i used a hand whisk at medium speed & managed to get a slight rough texture for the mix.

i whisked 250g sour cream & added 1 tsp brown sugar for the cream topping.

i emptied the cake mixture into the cake tin & baked in 180degC preheated oven for 30mins until cake is firm (when a toothpick inserted came out cleanly) while centre just a little jiggly. left it to cool. added the whipped sour cream & baked for a further 10mins. let it cool & then placed in the fridge overnight.

i put some roasted nuts (did not have walnut so used cashew & almonds instead). did not look that nice.

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 8 digestive biscuit (120g)
  • 60g melted butter
  • cream cheese -250g
  • fresh pumpkin about 300g – diced & steamed about 20mins till soft
  • 4 tbsp flat + 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1.5tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 250ml sour cream
  • 2 eggs

Directions:

  1. biscuit base – make the usual biscuit base with 8 digestive biscuit (120g) crushed to sandy texture in a ziploc bag, then add 60g melted butter & pressed the “wet sand’ mixture in a 8” (20cm) spring-form cake tin lined with parchment paper. then place it in the fridge.
  2. dice cut & steam 300g fresh pumpkin till soft. add 250g cream cheese & 4 tbsp flat brown sugar, 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground ginger & whisked. then add the softened pumpkin, and then 1 egg at a time, & whisk. i use a hand whisk at medium speed to get a slight rough texture for the mix. then whisk 250g sour cream & add 1 tsp brown sugar for the cream topping.
  3. bake the cake – pour the cake mixture into the cake tin & baked in 180degC preheated oven for 30mins until cake is firm (when a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly) while centre just a little jiggly. leave to cool. add the whipped sour cream & bake for a further 10mins. let it cool & then place in the fridge overnight.
  4. put some roasted walnut nuts on top to decorate the cake.

Recipe = Oven Grilled Miso Salmon Belly

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oven grilled miso salmon

oven grilled miso salmon

so far, my miso recipe included nobu miso cod & miso belly pork. in that recipe, the miso used was quite substantial to infuse the flavour into the meat. i feel the miso cod texture is a bit firmer than the normal texture, and for miso belly pork, it works well also  for thicker & whole piece of meat.

the cured salmon that we always had in bento in japan felt different. so i was thinking of other marinade recipe options.

anyway i created my own marinade recipe & it turned out really super! 🙂

my friends loved it when i cooked this for the first time for 11pax lunch on 15.10.2014. and it was the same for my family for the 6pax family dinner on 24.10.2014.

i have yet to try this on belly pork but i think it would work just as well on sliced belly pork then pan-fried. that’s something i am planning to try next:-)

oven grilled miso salmon

oven grilled miso salmon

oven grilled miso salmon

oven grilled miso salmon

miso salmon belly

miso salmon belly

miso salmon belly

miso salmon belly

oven grilled miso salmon

oven grilled miso salmon

for the marinade, i just mixed in a large bowl 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp chopped garlic, 2 tsp chopped ginger & 1 tsp miso.

then i added the salmon (belly) to the bowl & marinated really well, thoroughly. then i used cellophane to press down on the salmon in the bowl to press it against the marinade & sealed the meat from air. the i used another cellophane sheet to cover the entire bowl. i left it in the chiller for 3 days for the flavours to infuse the meat.

when cooking, i brought it to room temperature then placed on a rack over a lined oven tray in a pre-heated 250deC oven for 10minutes. the first time i just placed on the lined tray & there was too much oil. the second time i used the rack to drain the oil. it was nicely grilled but sticked to the rack. the next time i will try lining the rack then poking holes to allow oil to drain. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 500g salmon belly
  • 1tsp miso
  • 1tbsp mirin
  • 1tbsp sake
  • 1 tbsp flat light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp flat sugar
  • 2 tsp chopped garlic
  • 2 tsp minced/chopped ginger

Directions:

  1. prepare marinade – in a large bowl mix 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp chopped garlic, 2 tsp chopped ginger & 1 tsp miso.
  2. add salmon (belly) to the bowl & marinate really well, thoroughly. use cellophane to press down on the salmon in the bowl to press it against the marinade & seal the meat from air. use another cellophane sheet to cover the entire bowl. leave in the chiller for 3 days for the flavours to infuse the meat.
  3. cooking – take out from chiller for 1 hour to get to room temperature. line a grilling rack with aluminium foil & poke holes in the foil to drain excess oil. place over a lined oven tray in a pre-heated 250deC oven for 10minutes. serve.

Very Expensive Kaiseki & Way Below Expectations @ GOTO on 23Oct2014

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#1 sakizuki – a selection of small appetizers

#1 sakizuke – a selection of small appetizers

we had good recent experience of GOTO’s S$68 omakase lunch on 1.10.2014.

my wife wanted to buy me a good dinner & also to invite her close couple friends. since GOTO will start renovation very shortly & remodel to a casual non kaiseki restaurant, we decided to order the S$280pax omakase dinner on 23.10.2014.

food was good of course, but relative to the exorbitant price, it was really far below expectations, compared with keyaki, kuriya, hachi & of course mikuni. 😦

#1 sakizuki – a selection of small appetizers

#1 sakizuke – a selection of small appetizers

the #1 sakizuke – a selection of small appetizers 先附 was of very good standard, with a very nice pickled sanma (秋刀鱼) pacific dory which i liked, duck, a periwinkle?, prawn, cured squid, ikura, pickled shimeji mushrooms & spinach.

#2 dobinmushi

#2 dobinmushi

#2 dobinmushi

#2 dobinmushi

#2 dobinmushi was a very good soup, very clear, tasty soup, with pieces of fish fillet, mushrooms etc.

#2 sashimi moriawase

#3 sashimi moriawase

#2 sashimi moriawase

#3 sashimi moriawase

#2 sashimi moriawase

#3 sashimi moriawase

#3 sashimi moriawase

#3 sashimi moriawase

#3 uni - sashimi moriawase

#3 uni – sashimi moriawase

the #3 sashimi moriawase was a very large serving than the usual served in a kaiseki or course meal. there were 2 chutoro, 1 botan ebi, 2 hotate, several thick cut tako, 2 kampachi, hirame & tai, & uni. it was good standard but no better, in fact the toro was distinctly poorer c/w the S$45 chirashi don (after 50% feed at raffles discounts) at mikuni.

#6 braised kinki (expensive japanese fish)

#4 braised kinki (expensive japanese fish)

#6 braised kinki (expensive japanese fish)

#4 braised kinki (expensive japanese fish)

the #4 braised kinki (expensive japanese fish) was a good tasty fish but to me it tasted like angkoli (red snapper), so i didn’t really understand why it was expensive. this was a nitsuke or simmered dish.

#5 minced prawn in lily bulb paste

#5 minced prawn in lily bulb + yan paste

the #5 minced prawn in lily bulb paste was an interesting, unique dish. the lily bulb + mountain yam paste had the slightly sticky yam texture, and the dish was very tasty overall. 🙂

#6 miso ebi tempura

#6 miso ebi tempura

#6 miso ebi tempura

#6 miso ebi tempura

as with the S$68 lunch, they served a dry miso tempura. it was very nice. 🙂

#8 kagoshima wagyu

#7 kagoshima wagyu

#8 kagoshima wagyu

#7 kagoshima wagyu

#7 kagoshima wagyu was very good, but the better marbled much tastier kagoshima wagyu ishiyaki at mikuni only cost S$37.50 alacarte after 50% discounts.

#9 gohan - chicken shimeji musroom rice

#8 gohan – chicken shimeji mushroom rice

#9 gohan - chicken shimeji musroom rice

#8 gohan – chicken shimeji mushroom rice

the #8 gohan – chicken shimeji mushroom rice had good mushroom flavours but otherwise no comparison with any kamameshi at sun with moon wheelock or a unagi chahan at zen japanese.

#10 dessert tray

#9 dessert tray

#10 dessert tray

#9 dessert tray

they offered very good dessert – very good japanese melon + grapes. yuzu ice cream, orange jelly & strawberry mousse.

macha - nice end to dinner

macha – nice end to dinner

& i always enjoyed macha.

the kaiseki dinner was very good standard, but for me price was far too exorbitant relative to other good kaiseki restaurants & it was not at all value-for-money.  one could get a very good omakase dinner at hachi for S$118pax. and at this price i would want to try kumo anytime.

c.h.e.f andy

Family Dinner to Remember @ Mikuni on 26Oct2014

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chirashi don - 2 toro, 2 hotate, 2 shake, 2 kajiki. 2 hirame, 2 kampachi, 2 tamago, uni, botan ebi, ikura

chirashi don – 2 toro, 2 hotate, 2 shake, 2 kajiki. 2 hirame, 2 kampachi, 2 tamago, uni, botan ebi, ikura

had 5pax family dinner at our favourite restaurant, mikuni, on 26oct2014. an occasion to remember for me. 🙂

we came mikuni quite a few times. the most recent which i blogged on was on 23.6.2014.

sous vide & deep-fried tako

sous vide & deep-fried tako

sous vide & deep-fried tako

sous vide & deep-fried tako

we ordered 4 chirashi don & 1 kagoshima wagyu don as main courses, and had few other dishes to share. 🙂

we had the superb sous vide & deep-fried tako to share. this still the best octopus dish i have tried, better than all the very nice grilled octopus dish at alle darsene lake como & miky at monterosso cinque terre.

chirashi don - 2 toro, 2 hotate, 2 shake, 2 kajiki. 2 hirame, 2 kampachi, 2 tamago, uni, botan ebi, ikura

chirashi don – 2 toro, 2 hotate, 2 shake, 2 kajiki. 2 hirame, 2 kampachi, 2 tamago, uni, botan ebi, ikura

& i think this the best chirashi don (2 toro, 2 hotate, 2 shake, 2 kajiki. 2 hirame, 2 kampachi, 2 tamago, uni, botan ebi, ikura) in singapore for quality & price. don’t think there is anything better. 🙂

kagoshima wagyu don

kagoshima wagyu don

we tried a new dish, kagoshima wagyu don. wagyu was very good. quite surprisingly to me, the rice was not great. hmmm, any of the  kamameshi (釜饭) at sun with moon wheelock or unagi chahan at zen japanese dining was tastier than this.

kagoshima wagyu ishiyaki

kagoshima wagyu ishiyaki

kagoshima wagyu ishiyaki

kagoshima wagyu ishiyaki

kagoshima wagyu ishiyaki

kagoshima wagyu ishiyaki

& another new dish – kagoshima wagyu ishiyaki. i estimated the 6 cuts to be about 80g or 100g. beef was excellent of course, very nicely marbled. JH said reminded him of hida beef 飛騨牛 on a hoba leaf 朴叶 or magnolia leaf he had at takayama. 🙂

kagoshima wagyu sukiyaki konabe

kagoshima wagyu sukiyaki konabe

& kagoshima wagyu sukiyaki konabe, our favourite. 🙂

drawer dessert tray - pick your own

drawer dessert tray – pick your own

drawer dessert tray - pick your own

drawer dessert tray – pick your own

they served complimentary dessert in drawer dessert tray – pick your own. 🙂

chocolate banana cake from ritz carlton

chocolate banana cake from ritz carlton

chocolate banana cake from ritz carlton

chocolate banana cake from ritz carlton

daughter collected a nice chocolate banana cake from ritz carlton. they do very nice cakes these days, not too sweet & very nice choc mousse. the cake not really my favourite though.

c.h.e.f andy

Simple Enjoyable Zi Char at Forture Restaurant on 25Oct2014

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thai fish head curry (S$25)

thai fish head curry (S$25)

had simple zi char dinner with wife & daughter last evening at forture restaurant at old holland road on 25.10.2014. 🙂

went there about 6.50pm. luckily i found a parking lot in front of restaurant. the place was 90% filled with many tables of western expat families.

it was very popular eating place. for me that’s a good thing really, that expats, western & others, were enjoying nice local zi char food. there would always be concern if some dishes would be adulterated, but it didn’t really affect the dishes we ordered much (maybe the cuttlefish kang kong sauce & the satay sauce).

we ordered our favourite, the thai curry fish head. used to be S$15 (guess that was eons ago..haha), now S$25. i ate this here more recently on 2.4.2014.

we were lucky we were served like in 5 mins. not always the case & place was quite packed.

the thai curry fish head was really good. it was tangy, sweet, very tasty, lot of vegetables. it was a large 1/2 angkoli (red snapper) fish head. the nonya song fish head at keng eng kee, also S$25, i had on 9.6.2014 came close. the sauce was thicker, same tangy sweet flavours but a red snapper head was always going to be better than song fish head for curries.

seafood hor fun (S$4)

seafood hor fun (S$4)

seafood hor fun (S$4)

seafood hor fun (S$4)

we like the hor fun here & occasionally “tapao” (did a take-out). usually wok hae (pan flavours) very good. this time it was ok average.

thai fish head curry (S$25)

thai fish head curry (S$25)

cuttlefish with kang kong

cuttlefish with kang kong (S$10)

cuttlefish with kang kong

cuttlefish with kang kong (S$10)

we ordered the “jill her eng chai”- cuttlefish with kang kong (S$10). the kang kong was very good. the cuttlefish was good, came with an unusual sweet sauce (looked & tasted just like yong tau fu very red colour sweet sauce). it was not the usual sambal. i didn’t mind it actually but i guessed the usual sambal should be better.

beef & chicken satay

beef & chicken satay

beef & chicken satay

beef & chicken satay

the satay were very good, very tasty & not dry or tough. the sauce was watery & a bit sweeter than most satay sauce (to cater for expat diners maybe?) but still nice. I thought this was a very good satay if only they served a usual better sauce.

the dinner for 3pax was S$45 exclude drinks. it was not cheap but not expensive also, just the going price i guess.

c.h.e.f andy