Delicious Roast Duck & Best Char Siew @ Meng Meng Roast Duck 阿明帝皇鸭 Taman Sutera Utama on 24Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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roast duck 帝皇鸭 RM$66

not all the rooms at J Hotel were ready, but we got 2 rooms to put down our luggage.
then LKY, one organiser, led us to Meng Meng Roast Duck restaurant 阿明帝皇鸭  behind J Hotel for lunch
must say the roast duck 帝皇鸭 was excellent! and the char siew even more so… 👍 👍the other zi char dishes were ok, average….

char siew & siew yoke medium serving RM$33

char siew here was bestest!👍👍👍

we all love the slight chao tar (burnt) fatty char siew, so tasty & flavourful, we ordered a second helping…

meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭

they are famous for their roast duck 帝皇鸭.

some friends felt that ya wang 鸭王roast duck we had at jln sentosa was better (later i learnt that the stall at sentosa opposite shoon huat bakuteh was taken over by another, and the roast duck & food there are not good now)…

meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭

resturant was just behind our hotel, walked around the block, a few shops from ah hong coffee house.

meng meng famous for roast duck 帝皇鸭

the restaurant & roast duck are award winning.

meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭 menu

meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭 menu

in addition to one whole roast duck & 2 orders of char siew & siew yok, we ordered a few other zi char food.

roast duck 帝皇鸭

duck was a beauty, and very tasty. skin was crispy…

char siew & siew yoke

roast pork was competent, but char siew was the one that stood out…maybe i will try my hands again at char siew, after having such nice ones here…

lotus root soup

spinach soup

we ordered 6 bowls of soup – 3 spinach & 3 lotus roots..

the server had tried to make us to order 10, but 6 was quite enough..they were quite large servings…anyway we had no problems finishing too la…

steamed red snapper红鸡 fish head

we ordered the cai poh steamed red snapper head..

this a very small serving of 1/2 head, and quite mediocre..

my own nonya steamed fish head is better than this any time, and fresher fish head too…

steamed salted fish minced pork

the steamed salted fish minced pork 咸鱼饼 is such a simple standard dish, but they didn’t do it well here. minced pork was lean, dry, not smooth, not tasty..

this i can do better anytime la, and i will be serving this in a homecooked dinner with several JB dishes later…

sambal sotong

the sambal sotong was good.

sambal sotong

tasty, and appetizing. 🙂

a fairly standard zi char dish…

fried ikan selar

the fried ikan selar & chili were pretty good.

this a cheap fish though, and nothing special, quite easy to do at home, and is nice fried or steam, though some may find it a bit more fishy…

kang kong

chili kang kong was good.

chye sim

& the chye sim plain fired with garlic too..

tofu dish

the tofu dish was not too appealing…taste wise mediocre, a poor dish overall..

the bill = RM425 for 10pax

lunch for 10pax was RM$425=at RM$42.50pax actually not very cheap for the dishes we had in a makan place like this…

the roast duck though was impressive & the char siew was out of this world…other than those 2, the other zi char food was ok average, nothing too special..

overall, we all enjoyed the makan very much thanks to the 2 outstanding roasts.

c.h.e.f.andy

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

Meng Meng Roasted Duck 阿明帝皇鸭

Address: 
Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 

Open today · 10:30AM–10:30PM

Contact:
Phone: +60 7-558 9322

RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017

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my seafood house 珍阁 at blk 130 next to JCube 

my RI bros organised a 2day 1night trip to JB sutera mall near bukit indah for overnight makan, massage, karaoke trip 👍

there were 10 of us… 🙂

we met for breakfast at the coffeeshop at  blk 130 next to J cube. this where my seafood house zi char, the one we bought food for our recent birthday bash on 11.7.2017.

the guys took the fishball noodles. i did not take any as i am expecting a whole day eating in JB. haha!

from jurong east bus interchange, we took the causeway link bus CW3/4 to second link & CIQ singapore & johore side then CW4s to sutera mall. it was a breeze at the CIQ, and only a 10mins short wait for CW4s.

one friend ouldn’t join us but he came to blk 130 just to join us for breakfast..

2 other friends were traveling, one at siantan, pontianac on a mission, and another with his son in sydney.

another friend could not join the trip but since he was letting us use his condo parking, he came down to meet us to pass us the key card access & also to join the breakfast/coffee.

we arrived at sutera, just 45mins drive from malaysian side CIQ second link. we walked over to J Hotel where our organisers booked 5 rooms for 10pax..then we went for lunch..

c.h.e.f andy

 

Quick & Fast 4pax Homecooked Lunch on 4Aug2017

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3pax homecooked lunch 

sis & bil came for lunch on 4.8.2017. ^^

chilled fish 

didn’t have mullet 乌鱼or yellow croaker 小黄鱼in the freezer, only a fish that maybe a variant of rabbit fish知县鱼.

i steamed that & chilled it, the usual teochew chilled fish preparation. it went very nicely with the taujeon 豆酱.

another fish i had in the freezer is 鲈鱼, lots of tiny bones & need to be careful when eating, do not eat together with rice in a mouthful….

i did the usual HK steam, adding 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp olive oil & 2 tbsp mirin, & garnished with chopped spring onions, chili padi & a lot of minced ginger, like a ginger sauce preparation….it was pretty good though not my favourite fish..

steamed egg with minced pork & light soy sauce 

i steamed 2 eggs with minced pork & my top quality light soy sauce – about 150g minced pork, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 4 tbsp water, and osme white pepper.

it was very good, very tasty, a simple yet wonderful dish! 🙂

braised leek with taupok 

i only had leeks & leftover taupok, so i braised them like the usaul teochew muay stalls..very good too.

chye sim

spinach 

i didn’t have other vegetables in the fridge.

sis brought her own spinach & chye sim & she & bil fried the 2 vegetables….nice.

seemed like we had a lot of food, but still…no problems finishing it…haha! 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Nice 6pax Club Lunch @ Seletar Terrace, Seletar Country Club on 3Aug2017

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wadeh udang

my OPS bro bought 6pax lunch at seletar terrace, seletar country club on 3.8.2017. ^^

seletar terrace @ seletar country club

parking is free, great ambience, bright & airy & lots of greens, a cheerful place for makan…

& a great plus, food is pretty good too, and inexpensive…

swimming pool

after lunch, we walked past the butterfly gardens & swimming pool.

singapore has so many swimming pools in clubs & condos, wasting lots of water..can’t be help i guess..

honey wheatgrass drink

friend ordered honey wheatgrass drink, 4 starters & 4 mains for 6pax, too much food, quite good standard & good price about S$85, i think…

the wadeh udang (top photo) was good, crispy, appetizing..

rojak

of the 8 dishes, 2 dishes i thought less good was the rojak & chicken wings..

rojak though can’t be too bad, ingredients about same, so just the sauce a bit too thick for me. too much prawn paste, slightly wrong mix of sauce for me…

chicken wings

chicken wings were below par – dry, over-fried, not so tasty..

one of my friend here & i can easily do better..so is my home helper..

crispy trotters

the crispy trotters was good..this & the wadeh udang can order again next time…

penang char kuay teow

penang char kuay teow was good, 2 parge prawns, pretty flavourful, good enough for me, though some friend said not enough wok hae..had better char kuay teow in other clubs though..

nasi lemak

nasi lemak was competent, not the best…peanuts, ikan bilis, ikan kuning wer good. chili was a tad too sweet, some friends said not spicy enough, overall average, quite doable for me..

laksa

laksa i consider pretty good, better than what i had at (a) tangs market sungei road laksa & some katong laksa because this more savoury, not just lemak…not as good as (b) sungei road laksa at kelatan lane & (c) weiyi laksa (one friend here didn’t think weiyi laksa was very good…)

hokkien mee

hokkien mee i consider pretty good too…the stock is tasty, had lar pok, so probably had lard in the stock. overall a tasty dish. one friend preferred the penang char kuay teow more.

four seasons cendol

four seasons cendol

after lunch we drove to toa payoh lor 8 four seasons cendol.

this the 3rd day in a row i had this cendol. enjoyed it everytime haha! 🙂

this cendol though not good enough for one friend, who think the coconut milk was not enough, not thick enough, and the one he had at sutera mall better.

for myself, cocnut milk was thick & intense & so was the the gula melaka, unlike most hawker centres where they are diluted, sugary sweet but not flavourful gula melaka..

this was the best i had in singapore or anywhere else, so i am quite keen to try the one at sutera mall also..

c.h.e.f andy

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

Seletar Terrace @ Seletar Country Club 

Address:

101 Seletar Club Road, Singapore 798273

Contact:

6481 4812
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 7AM–9:30PM

 

Crayfish Angel Hair Pasta on 1Aug2017

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crayfish angel hair pasta

did a teochew crayfish dish for the excellent early birthday diner for my dentist friend on 14.7.2017.

still had 4 crayfish left in the freezer. having dinner alone & decided to cook crayfish pasta this evening.

crayfish angel hair pasta 

i used angel hair as it took the shortest time, 2mins to cook.

so i had it just below al dente.

i fried cut chili padi, thai basil in olive oil, added chopped garlic (usually i browned whole garlic to flavour the olive oil.. don’t have whole garlic today), then i fried the crayfish & set aside.

then i added sotong (squid) seasoned with fish sauce & white pepper to the pan & cooked a short time (not to overcook it). then i added the angel hair pasta and tossed, and added some butter & tossed.

added sea salt to taste.

crayfish angel hair pasta

then i plated some to eat & garnished with more thai basil.

crayfish angel hair pasta 

very tasty dish.

pasta just al dente.

crayfish was sweet & fresh, and sotong also succulent & tasty.

crayfish angel hair pasta 

a simple but quite excellent tasty pasta, though i did not have stock & did not add white wine.

c.h.e.f andy

Superb Chirashi Don @ Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka Japan Food Town Wisma Atria on 1 & 2Aug2017

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chirashi don 

went to takewaka at japan food town, level 4 wisma atria for chirashi don lunch over 2 days, with my OPS bro on 1.8.2017 & the next day with my RI bro on 2.8.2017. ^^

why?

super worth it leh!

one OPS friend first to send the jpassport promotion, so i duly downloaded & saved the coupons.

then we were at japan food town @ wisma at 11am on 1.8.2017, and we were told we could install the  apps & register free as members. with that we can enter at 11am as members instead 1.30am for public, and entitled to discounts w/o need of coupons. ^^

chirashi don 

there’s this promotion at takewaka 1 for 1 for the chirashi don regular price at S$25.10++. one year anniversary, whatever…

at regular price, it was quite ok actually, so at 1 for 1 quite a steal la..

there was toro, 2 amaebi, unagi, tako, salmon, maguro, tai, katsuo (bonito), 2 tamago, pickles, ginger etc…& the sushi rice was pretty ok..

chirashi don set 

also came in a set, which just means miso soup, chawanmushi & a slice of orange.

chawanmushi

chawanmushi 

& the chawanmushi was pretty good too..

soft, sweet, tasty…this not the super tasty crab chawanmushi of course but still pretty good standard..

long queue at takewaka @ japan food town 

there was a long queue as expected, at takewaka more than the other japn food town restaurants. i think here the best deal for this time.

takewaka @ japan food town

takewaka @ japan food town

& takewaka was pretty filled up…

chirashi don set

chirashi don set 

most important still the food, and it was good quality!

chirashi don 

what to say? S$29nett for 2pax.

for my second visit on 2.8.2017, the toro was much thicker, twice the thin slice on 1.8.2017..both times it was very sweet & tasty.

supreme satisfaction la..

c.h.e.f andy

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

Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka

Address:
435 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238877
Contact:
6262 3247
Opening Hours:
weekdays
  • 11:30AM–11PM
weekend
  • 11:30AM–10.30PM

2pax Lunch with Sister @ Mikuni on 31Jul2017

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teppanyaki set  

went with sis to mikuni on 31.7.2017. ^^

chilean 2014 reserve merlot

actually i had a secret agenda…my wine voucher expiring today 31.7.2017, so i wanted to claim a bottle of wine to bring home (as my sis & I both don’t drink)…haha….

i got a chilean 2014 reserve merlot to bring home…not too bad eh?

teppan & robatayaki menu 

restaurant was full. we sat at the robatayaki counter which i like as a lot of privacy.

i ordered the teppanyaki set for my sis & the robatayaki set for myself.

salad 

we had the usual prawn cracker starter.

& the salad – nice, refreshing.

robatayaki

robatayaki 

robatayaki is grilling over an open hearth. the counter is far from the chef so they serve the food in a huge oar at the traditional places.

here they do away with that.. anyway tasty food more important than ceremonial stuff for me…

cod fish & golden prawns 

the teppanyaki set is a real value for money set here.

the servings of golden prawns (like 10 large/king prawns) and cod were quite huge.

prawns & cod were excellent!

australian beef tenderloin

& just as large serving of australian beef tenderloin steak..

steak was i guess good as they went, but it’s a cheaper cut so no comparison with my kagoshima beef skewer la!

wagyu skewer 

the wagyu was superb! marbled & flavourful…

before the serving of wagyu skewer, i had a scallop grilled in butter, and also a saba & asparagus (but did not take photo)..the saba was quite ok, but of course no comparison with cod..

kurobuta skewer 

i had the kurobuta tsukune.

this one was mediocre, nothing to shout about…

nissin soba 

my last was a gohan dish, a nissin soba, with a cured mackerel…this also mediocre..

sis commented that my set not so good value as hers. i guess quite apart form the excellent wagyu, the rest were not as great as her set with cod, golden prawns & aussie tenderloin.

green tea ice cream 

we could only get 1.30pm booking as mikuni was full. & we finished quite late & so very late dessert offering – a green tea ice cream…nice but nothing great…

lunch for 2pax was S$68++=S$80nett, not bad for the food!

c.h.e.f andy

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

Mikuni @ Fairmont Level 3

Address:

80 Bras Basah Rd, Fairmont Hotel 3/L, Raffles City, Singapore 189560

Contact:

6431 6156

Opening Hours:

Mon-Saturday: 12-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm (closed sunday)

Delicious 7pax Homecooked Chicken Rice Dinner for OPS Bros on 28Jul2017

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made one of my best chicken rice this evening for my OPS bros on 28.7.2017. ^^

wife also joined dinner this evening so we had 7pax.

chicken was smooth, tender, sweet & moist…lagi best la! 🙂

chicken rice very flavourful 

& chicken rice was very flavourful.

both chicken & rice were much better than what i did at the 12pax dinner for JH family on 16.7.2017.…

i had 3cups rice for 7pax, fried in chicken fat & cut ginger & lots of garlic, added 1/2tsp salt & added 3 cups very intense chicken stock…& the rice was really flavourful & tasty…i finished all the remaining rice the next day by myself, without any meat, just rice & the sauces.

chicken rice chicken 白斩鸡 

i cooked the chicken just right – 12mins simmering, 25mins off fire poached, then ice bucket, and placed in fridge.

when i deboned the chicken, i could feel the smoothness & tenderness of the chicken.

beautiful to look at & very tasty with the sauces…

chicken rice chili 

i made the chicken rice chili – 6 red chilli, 1 chili padi, 5 tbsp chopped garlic, 3cm chopped ginger, 1tbsp flat sugar, 1/2 cup intense chicken stock 1/2 tsp salt..

really nice chili…as good as outside stalls…

chicken rice ginger sauce 

ginger sauce as well…i chopped the ginger as blending does not give the right texture, becomes ginger juice…

added 3 tbsp olive oil, a dash of salt…

i also made a nice sauce that was perfect with the chicken rice = itbsp flat sugar, 2tbsp dark sauce, 1tbsp light soy sauce, 3tbsp water…that’s it..super supernice…go try it! ^^

i had 1/2 duck in the freezer, so took out 2 days ago, marinated with the spice mix & sealed in container in chiller compartment.

took out this after & poached like the chicken – 15mins boiling, and 30mins off fire poached.

still not as good as my best in the photos here. 

duck was smaller – <2kg from giant soi reduced the salt (can be lesser next time). spice flavours were good…

even my best cannot compare with the quite excellent benson’s 盐水鸭  at toa payoh lor 1 of course, but still this was a pretty good rendition.

spiced duck 盐水鸭 

this time duck was just nice & not overdone…

when i deboned the duck, i knew…

just a small 1/2 duck, so all finished in fact..

tofu prawns 

tofu prawns quite a practiced delivery nowadays..

prawns for tofu prawns 

prawns were done just right, and set aside so not overcooked, succulent, sweet & bouncy.

fried tofu in gravy – tofu prawns 

tofu was fried earlier, set aside and added to the very tasty gravy with egg before serving. then garnished with coriander.

tofu prawns 

tifu were infused with the tasty gravy, so a very tasty prawn tofu dish.

S$15 duck master whole roast duck 

my OPS bro bought the S$15 duck master duck from chinatown.

i told him earlier that since i already had the 1/2盐水鸭 let’s not served the roast duck & just let someone bring it back…

but the duck was small, looked tasty, and ther papers were just talking about duck master & we would all want to just try it, so i deboned the duck & served.

anyhow the roast duck & the 1/2盐水鸭 were all finished.

nonya steamed red snapper 

my friend brought a 800g red snapper.

it would have been a very nice dish…was good every time…

unfortunately this time we were feasting?? and i forgot about the fish & left it in the steam oven until we like finished dinner & all the other food…

sauce was ok, but fish meat was overcooked & such a waste la!

cuttlefish kang kong 

cuttlefish kang kong with the excellent gimson nonya sauce was very good as usual, and all my friends liked it.

my dining aircon was not working. after dinner, we migrated to the aircon room & chatted about another OPS bro’s recently bought audi car, hong kong, next food tour & others..

my OPS bro who brought the duck & snapper also brought a very nice korean musk melon, bought S$5,99 from sheng shiong, very sweet melon.

another fun evening with very good OPS friends.

c.h.e.f andy

 

Great Ribeye Steaks @ Portico Prime Dempsey on 30Jul2017

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chilled truffle angel hair with sakura prawns & caviar=S$30 

went with wife to portico prime @ dempsey to have a good steak this evening on 30.7.2017. ^^

tunglok group had pulled out of amex lovedining so lesser dining options. we always like the steaks at prime…

this though the menu has changed & there were no menu page on steaks but instead all the burgers…is portico prime morphing to like the other portico or like relish & bistro type? don’t know.

anyhow we asked the server & she said there is only 1 cut, the USDA ribeye, 200g at S$46. it is NOT on the menu. i recalled from previous that it was USDA choice ribeye & anyway the aussie rump steak etc were not great, so this was the only cut previously (other than the japanese wagyu which has no discounts) that was the really good steak, so it suits us fine.

we ordered 2 ribeyes.

chilled truffle angel hair with sakura prawns & caviar=S$30 

& we ordered the truffle chilled pasta to share.

it was very good as expected. price was very steep at S$30, basically a fine dining degustation price, so with amex lovedining 50% discounts for 2pax still S$15++

USDA ribeye 200g medium rare = S$46 

the ribeye steak was very good, though somehow i thought previously it was better.

just looking at the photos for my dinner with son on 24.5.2017, somehow the ribeye looked bigger, maybe flatter & the colour & grilling looked better? maybe just psychological.

this steak was ok, but didn’t stand out…

USDA ribeye 200g medium rare = S$46 

wife was saying the steak we bbq ourselves during our recent trip to iceland on number of occasions were like the same or perhaps better.

certainly i can make this at home just panfry, and just as good…

reconstructed blackforest cake2-S$18 

the reconstructed blackforest very small helping & very ex at S$18.

the chocolate mousse was very good. but then i have no special affinity to this now.

reconstructed blackforest cake2-S$18

dinner came to $97 nett for 2 inclusive of a glass of red wine for wife at S$13, no discounts.

was really ok for this quality of steak but also not like compelling…

maybe i should go back to la brezzato try again, but they have also upped their prices there, the last time i went with son on 22.4.2017! 

c.h.e.f andy

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

Portico Prime @ Dempsey
Address:
10 Dempsey Road #01-20, 247700
Contact:
portico.sg
6474 7427
Opening Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday
  • 11:30AM–10:30PM

Braised Belly Pork (Kong Bak) with Taupok – 37th Teban Gardens Community Breakfast on 28Jul2017

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braised belly pork – kong bak 

i did a simple & fast braised belly pork (kong bak) and taupok for teban gardens community breakfast this morning on 28.7.2017. ^^

this my 37th 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.

crowd of residents at teban gardens friday community breakfast 

the residents joining breakfast grew to almost 130.

when i first came in jan2016, there were like about 80 attendees for the breakfast.

braised belly pork – kong bak & taupok 

i bought about 1.6kg+ of belly pork and decided to make a simple & quick braised belly pork (kong bak) and taupok.

Tai Hua chicken marinate (大华鲁鸡汁) 

i used tai hua braising sauce to save time & effort.

braised belly pork – kong bak & taupok 

fried 2 cinnamon bark, 4 star anise, 2 cloves, 1 whole bulb of peeled garlic cloves in oil till fragrant.

then added the belly pork and browned all sides a little.

added 1/2 cup braising sauce, then 1 cup of water, and boiled & covered the wok pan.

then just braised for 2hrs, adding water as required, and checking the texture. i like it to be tender but with some bite, and not overdone so the lean parts are not old…

braised belly pork – kong bak & taupok 

the kong bak came on nicely. i removed & set aside.

2 packets taupok 

then i added 2 packets of hara taupok.

these were 12 to a packet & i cut eahc into 4 strips so i had 2x12x4=96strips..

2 packets taupok

boiled the taupok in the sauce for 30mins or so, till the right texture.

braised belly pork – kong bak

as i have to leave the house by 8.15am to deliver the dish to teban gardens, it would be too late.

so for this breakfast dish i braised the kong bak the evening before & kept in a sealed holder in the fridge. & after taking it out the next morning from the fridge, i placed it int he steam oven & steamed for 15mins to give it the right moisture & texture before plating them in the aluminium carrier.

then i added the taupok on top & some braising sauce to keep warm & moist & covered with aluminium foil.

c.h.e.f  andy

 

Early Birthday Lunch for a Friend @ Paradise Dynasty on 26Jul2017

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xiaolongbao 小笼包 

had lunch with a friend at paradise dynasty westgate mall on 26.7.2017. ^^

i run with my RI buddy at ulu pandan joggin track at faber heights.

usually i stayed for 100plus and coffee chat at his place near there.

so it was quite convenient to go to paradise dynasty at westgate mall. 🙂

we were at this outlet previously on 25.7.2017 when we visited a friend’s mother who was hospitalised at ng teng fong hospital, and we walked over to westgate for lunch!

we ordered the normal xiaolongbao 小笼包. it was good, the standard of good dimsum restaurants. good soup inside, nice skin & tasty pork fillings. 🙂

chilled salad 凉拌 

the  凉拌 chilled salad was competent, nice tanhoon & spinach…

i don’t really need this appetiser though. for me the mala 麻辣夫妻肺片type or drunken chicken or pork trotter terrine type appetiser would be more compelling.

fish filet 

we ordered a fish fillet.

it was nicely done, steamed with ginger, carrots and cloud fungus…very good indeed!

tofu & mixed vegetables 

the mildly spicy tofu with vegetable dish was quite good too, quite matching the other food orders.

spicy dumplings 抄手 

we ordered the spicy dumplings 抄手 noodles.

spicy dumplings 抄手 

spicy dumplings 抄手 a dish i always liked.

this dish combined the nice spicy dumplings with the noodles…very good indeed. i enjoyed the noodles thoroughly.

after lunch we walked over to lady M cake shop and bought 2 slices – the natural & also the greentea millicrepe..

c.h.e.f andy

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

Paradise Dysnasty @ Westgate Mall
Address:
3 Gateway Drive, #02-13/14, Westgate, Westgate Mall, 608532
Contact:
paradisegp.com
6465 9271
Mon-Fri
  • 11AM–10PM
Sat-Sun
  • 11AM–10PM

6pax Early Family Birthday Day for Daughter @ Tapas Club on 23Jul2017

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meat & cheese charcuterie 

had 6pax early family birthday dinner for daughter at tapas club at level 2 orchard central this evening on 23.7.2017. ^^

we had done tapas at foc (good!) several times, and foc’s sister restaurant pimpam (of which i am unimpressed). we were game to try another new place ya..

the charcuterie was low quality, not good cuts of prosciutto, salami & chorizo & cheese was also cheap stuff.

tapas club @ orchard central level 2 

restaurant was quite well taken up so quite popular place for diners on a sunday night.

tapas club men

tapas club men 

the photo menu were quite helpful, easy to make orders.

ham croquette 

we had ham croquette, for me a far cry from the excellent intense flavourful ham & also mushroom croquettes at foc.

spanish omelette 

the spanish omelette or tortilla was excellent. daughter said better than my own..haha!

squid ink paella 

squid ink paella had not much squid ink flavours too dilute & indistinct…overall taste was ok, just not the flavourful squid ink.

there were cut pieces of squid. clams were ok.

fpr me a very mediocre paella. i think i do better squid ink sometimes, though not always.

seafood paella 

the seafood paella was quite good..

though for me foc’s paella & fiduea were just so much better.

iberico pork shoulder 

the pork shoulder were ok but not too great.

again, foc’s iberico pork ribs was so good this was like just an average passable do.

lamb ribs

lamb ribs were good.

my son & daughter liked this though. it was too strong gamey taste for wife. i knew when i tasted it. but it was good lamb. but foc’s lamb rack was for me, miles better.

beef steak 

beef steak was ok. it’s not expensive cut so just an average steak tagliata but done quite well.

crackling suckling pig 

the suckling pig had good crackling skin & overall good taste.

for these i think western suckling pig are double the price of chinese ones & not even 1/2 as good.

it was overall a good dinner for daughter & all of us, spending time together & enjoying a great meal that was not too costly.

if i not compaing with foc, this was ok for me. c/w foc this would not be my preferred dining location.

c.h.e.f andy

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

Tapas Club @ Orchard Central

Address:

181 Orchard Road, Orchard Central #02-13, Singapore 238896
Contact:
3163 7577
Opening Hours:
Sunday
  • 12–11PM
Monday
  • 12–3PM
  • 6–11PM
Tuesday
  • 12–3PM
  • 6–11PM
Wednesday
  • 12–3PM
  • 6–11PM
Thursday
  • 12–3PM
  • 6–11PM
Friday
  • 12–3PM
  • 6PM–12AM
Saturday
  • 12PM–12AM

Good Chirashi Not so Good Don @ En Sakaba on 22Jul2017

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chirashi don S$28 

this place was discovered by daughter. she shared the chirashi don photo in the family whatsapp.

wife & i decided to drop by en sakaba at orchard central mall for dinner on 22.7.2017.

en sakaba @ orchard central 

i reserved a table for 2pax at 7.30pm. the other tables were filled when we arrived.

en sakaba @ orchard central 

service was kind of haphazard.

we waited long time for the menu. nobody came to the table.

i picked up 2 menus myself, and had to signal like 4 times, even though each time it was acknowkedged, the 3 servers managed to find other things to do & took a while to come just to take orders.

beef tataki S$13

beef tataki S$13 

we ordered the beef tataki…it was good! 🙂

sweet & tasty, with a touch of ponzu sauce…very nice beef tataki..

kaki furai – deepfried oysters 

we tried the kaki furai – deepfried oysters…it was ok, competent i guess, nothing special, can skip this.

chirashi don S$28 

we ordered a chirashi don each. quite good for S$28.

of course it did not have toro or uni (just a real tiny, tiny piece)…

the anago (conger eel) was good. there was no hotate only the cooked ones, no comparison with hotate sashimi. unagi was good, the others like maguro, salmon, tai etc average..negi toro ok though wife said it could be just maguro…

there was no botan ebi, but the aka ebi was almost as good, couldn’t really tell much difference, certainly better than small amaebi at other places.

chirashi don S$28 

not sure about the crab claw, no much meaning la…

the pink rice was supposed to be a special thingy…but it was NOT good..the next time i would ask for normal sushi rice.

don’t mind this place.

c.h.e.f andy

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

En Sakaba @ Orchard Central
Address:
181 Orchard Rd, 01-16, Singapore 238896
Located in: Orchard Central
Contact:
6634 1018
Opening Hours:
Sunday
  • 12–11PM
Monday
  • 12–11PM
Tuesday
  • 12–11PM
Wednesday
  • 12–11PM
Thursday
  • 12–11PM
Friday
  • 12PM–12AM
Saturday
  • 12PM–12AM

Good Teochew Muay @ Yelaixiang 夜来香 Teochew Porridge Bukit Merah View on 22Jul2017

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yelaixiang 夜来香 teochew porridge 

went with sis & bil to yelaixiang 夜来香 teochew porridge for early lunch at kim san leng bukit merah view on 22.7.2017.

this was the spot vacated by the former 夜上海which had moved to lengkok bahru.

steamed red garoupa S$10 

i have never tried 夜来香. the display of food looked mighty similar to the former 夜上海.

we asked about the fish. garoupa was S$10 & mullet 乌鱼was S$12. my first reaction was expensive as 夜上海 used to sell at $8, and now S$9 at lengkok bahru.

“sis ordered a teochew chilled mullet 冻乌鱼 (S$9) and 6 vegetable dishes + one porridge for S$14.60” – from our recent visit to 夜上海.

anyhow my sis ordered 2 cheaper fish – a selar & a kee fish plus like 6 or 7 veg dishes for S$14.20. so quite ok, though perhaps still more ex a bit than 夜上海. but ok la..

aftewards sis went to add a red garoupa S$10. very fresh & sweet, quite ok also as a 350g-400g red garoupa would cost like S$6-S$7 at chinatown wet market.

yelaixiang 夜来香 teochew porridge at kim san leng bukit merah view

yelaixiang 夜来香 teochew porridge at kim san leng bukit merah view 

we were ther at 11.20am on a saturday.

there was no queue, crowd had not arrived.

later at 12pm there was a longer queue but not like 夜上海 where it was here previously.

c.h.e.f andy

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

夜来香 YelaixiangTeochew Porridge (夜来香潮洲糜)

Address

#01-217, Boyang Coffee Shop, Blk 117 Bukit Merah View, 151116

 

2pax Dinner with Son @ Mikuni on 21Jul2017

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prawn crackers

went with son to mikuni for dinner this evening on 21.7.2017. ^^

mikuni chirashi don S$90

son ordered the usual chirashi don. this time he asked for aburi (flamed), which we have not taken before.

the server said it was the same. however, it came without the usual botanebi, not very satisfying.

the serving of uni was quite good though, 3 portions & more below. the other sashimi cuts quite the same, except also no hotate & kajiki which they usually serve.

the sushi rice has improved but still not as good as many other places.

kagoshima wagyu don S$48

i ordered the kagoshima wagyu don.

only 4 cuts of wagyu, but it was nice la…marbled & flavourful…

lobster uniyaki S$48

lobster uniyaki S$48

i ordered the lobster uniyaki to share.

it was good, mostly the case, though once it was like overcooked & not bouncy.

boned-in belly pork robatayaki S$40

i also ordered the boned-in belly pork robatayaki S$40.

son is more health conscious than me, like many young chappies, so i took a bit more of the the fatty meat…

we had some long chats & sharing, father & son. food & ambience were great & we had some treasured moments together this evening.

dinner was S$134 for 2pax…

c.h.e.f andy

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

Mikuni @ Fairmont Level 3

Address:

80 Bras Basah Rd, Fairmont Hotel 3/L, Raffles City, Singapore 189560

Contact:

6431 6156

Opening Hours:

Mon-Saturday: 12-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm (closed sunday)

Best Value 3-course Lunch @ Top Table Temasek Polytechnic on 20Jul2017

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salad with croutons & cherry tomatoes

my RI friend (& her hubby) organised a 5pax lunch at top table at temasek junior college on 20.7.2017. ^^

we did this a few times over the years. i counted maybe this the 3rd time at top table, once with CIA downstairs for asean cuisine in the classrooms & once at sugar loaf.

all these are by students of CIA-Temasek Poly Diploma in Culinary & Catering Management and CIA-SIT Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Food Business Management programs…

cream of cauliflower soup

the 3-course set lunch with coffee & cookies at S$13.80 is the best value meal anywhere i guess. ^^

there was a choice of salad or cream of cauliflower. i had the salad which was good, refreshing. did not try the cream of cauliflower but it looked pretty good, the right color & texture of a dish done right….

chicken with mushroom sauce, french beans & rice

the chicken looked like a chicken roulade pressed meat..my friend it was like the one i made quite a while back..a chicken ballotine..

chicken with mushroom sauce, french beans & rice

of course this one was beautiful served with the entire gamut of sauce & sides, so really quite a different proposition altogether.

ribeye roast of the day

they had limited servings of roast of the day.

we managed to get our order of ribeye roast, medium rare for me.

ribeye roast of the day

it was done excellently, basically like a prime rib, cut from an entire ribeye roast, hence the charring was on the rim & not on the flats like a grilled or pan-charred steak.

ribeye roast of the day

the steak itself was not the best cut, to be expected for a S$13.80 3-course set lunch. so there was some tendons & just a little bit tough for some parts, but basically a restaurant standard preparation, almost perfect! 🙂

pair of dessert

the pair of dessert was pretty good too, though not really my interest…

LS’s macadamia shortbread

LS the organiser made me some macadamia shortbread…very nice cookies…

LS’s macadamia shortbread

we had a wonderful lunch & great time catching up, and planning to come back for another lunch in a few weeks, during this period where the students are actively outting their their culinary & hospitality training to good practical use…

c.h.e.f andy

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

Top Table @ Temasek Polytechnic

Address:

31 Tampines Avenue 1, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore 529757
Contact:
6780 6369
Opening Hours (for a short period where the program is putting out actual lunches by students):
weekend
  • Closed
weekday
  • 11:30AM–1:45PM

Another Delicious 12pax Homecooked Dinner for JH’s Family on 16Jul2017

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daughter invited JH’s family over this evening on 16.7.2017. ^^

i cooked 10 dishes + tiramisu for 12pax dinner. 🙂

excellent dinner & great company, everyone enjoyed the good & the evening

i made-

#1 claypot chicken rice

#2 chicken rice, & 1 poached chicken 白斩鸡 + chilli & ginger sauce

#3 1/2 盐水鸭 spiced duck

#4 miso cod

#5 teriyaki salmon belly

#6 tofu prawns

#7 tanhoon prawns

#8 steamed minced pork with light soy sauce topped with egg

#9 nonya steamed golden snapper – ang kueh

#10 cuttlefish + 2 kang kong

#11 tiramisu

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

my first dish was claypot chicken rice. made this many times always good…

today’s was very good, very flavourful “pang” & chicken was sweet, moist & tender. JH’s family, everyone liked it.  still not my best, my family knew it…

i also made chicken rice, together with chili & ginger sauce.

JH liked it a lot, so did his family…unlike claypot rice which was near my best, this chicken rice though was not quite my best chicken rice, in look, texture, smoothness and taste…still it was pretty good, ok la.. 🙂

they also found the 盐水鸭 spiced duck ok, and the 1/2 duck was all finished.

like the chicken, i erred on the cautious side & cooked both chicken & duck a little longer, so it was not quite the best texture & smoothness…viz a viz my usual 盐水鸭 spiced duck…

to mix things up a bit, i planned a couple of western/european/japanese dishes, nobu miso cod & teriyaki salmon belly.

the advantage being also that of the 10 dishes plus tiramisu i made on this day, only the steamed snapper fillet & the cuttlefish kang kong required cooking when guests arrived. the other dishes could be done & ready beforehand, or a few could be heated up & served.

so i was able to bring all the dishes to the serving table in 10, maybe 15mins of guests arrival. pretty good eh?

the nobu miso cod was quite excellent.

even though i have not done miso cod for a while, this was very nicely executed, as it has been always la —usually this good…

quite a few, including JH’s sis, liked the teriyaki salmon belly even better.

it was very, very good, the nice flavours of light soy sauce with miso, and the chopped garlic & ginger combined very well with the fatty/marbled salmon belly.

i enjoyed this very much myself too, so i indulged in a couple pieces myself.^^

i shallow fried the silken beancurd first. then prepared the gravy, and cooked the prawns nicely, about 5mins & 90% cooked, which imparted shellfish flavours to the stock…& set aside.

when serving, i just combined the items, heated up &  served…

an excellent dish – prawns were fresh, succulent & bouncy & gravy so tasty…^^

#7 tanhoon prawns

i also did tanhoon prawns. JH’s brother & sil especially liked this dish…again fresh, bounxy prawns & tasty stock, and nice peppery aroma…too peppery for wife though…

#8 steamed minced pork

i also had steamed minced pork 蒸肉饼 topped with an egg. quite a nice comfort food.

this a dish i picked up at HK’s daipaidong 大拍档，very easy to make & the flavours of the light soy sauce gave it an added dimension…

the steamed red snapper was an excellent dish as well.

so easy to prepare, just use the usual 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp mirin, & most importantly one huge dollop of gimson nonya sauce…

#10 cuttlefish kang kong

the cuttlefish kang kong was another wonderful dish.

the trick was also gimson nonya sauce. & of course doing the cuttlefish doneness & texture just right.

it was a very enjoyable get to know better you dinner chat for all of us…JH’s father said he would do a dinner as well at a later date. ^^

JH’s sis & family brought sake & wine, so we finished off a bottle of sake & 2 red wines during the course of dinner…wow! 🙂

to round off the dinner, i also had my usual tiramisu, a simple to make, delicious dessert that is everyone’s favourite! 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

The Best Homecooked Early Birthday Dinner for Very Close Friend on 14Jul2017

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#1 teochew fried crayfish egg onions

i cooked a 7pax early birthday dinner for a very close friend this evenin gon 14.7.2017. ^^

did 5 wonderful, delectable dishes.

5 dishes for homecooked birthday dinner

this one of the best dinner i made, every dish was par excellence –

#1 lobster yeemeen in superior stock 上汤焗

#2 teochew fried crayfish with egg onions

#3 sek bao sin tofu prawns

#4 wine chicken with taupok

#5 kang kong with cuttlefish in nonya sauce

i had red garoupa but decided not to do as a lot of food😜

5 dishes for homecooked birthday dinner

once all friends arrived, the food were ready on the table within 10mins. ^^

#1 teochew fried crayfish egg onions

the teochew fried crayfish egg onions was really “pang”, fragrant with good wok hae.

crayfish from chinatown market

wife said some crayfish weren’t the freshest. i got those from chinatown market, no choice from the stall which i thought was not honest, but no choice, only crayfish that day.

still quite ok la…

#1 teochew fried crayfish egg onions

i did the dish beforehand. fried with chili padi & chopped spring onions & garlic, softened the onions, then added 2 eggs, added some oyster sauce, fried fragrant & set aside.

then i fried the crayfish with cut chili padi, sliced ginger & chopped garlic, a little fish sauce, and set aside.

when serving, i heat up the egg onions, added the crayfish, stir-fried, the served.

#2 tofu prawns

the tofu prawns, i shallow fried the silken tofu earlier.

for the gravy, i fried cut chili padi, chopped spring onions & garlic, then added very tasty, intense chicken stock, one tbsp of cornflour to thicken. then i added one egg in the boiling gravy, waited a while & used chopstick to draw out the egg…

i seasoned the shelled prawns with fish sauce & white pepper, cooked the prawns like 90% in the gravy & removed. when about to serve, i heated up the gravy, added the tofu & the prawns, and voila!

#2 tofu prawns

gravy was very tasty & prawns were just right texture, succulent & bouncy, not overcooked. 🙂

#3 wine chicken

the wine chicken dish was very popular too. my friends took more rice to go with the chicken gravy. 🙂

i deboned 1/2 chicken, & seasoned with 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp shaoxing wine. i fried cut chili padi, chopped spring onions, garlic, then added the chicken, fried, & added the intense chicken stock. i cooked the chicken for about 5-6 mins, just tender not overcooked. then i removed the chicken & cooked cut taupok strips in the gravy.

#3 wine chicken

when my friends arrived, i just heat up the dish & served.

#4 lobster yeemeen in superior broth

the lobster yeemeen this evening was the best i had made, so very tasty, fantastic.

3 smallish frozen lobsters from phoon huat delicatesen

this were smallish frozen lobsters from phoon huat delicatesen, about 350g-375g, so i used 3 pieces, shelled the pincers & cut each lobster tail into 3 pieces.

#4 lobster yeemeen in superior broth

i fried cut chili padi, chopped spring onions & garlic, then added the remaining intense chicken stock. then i cooked the lobster head first, then added the pincers & lobster tail pieces, and removed them about 90% cooked.

when serving i boiled the stock, added the lobster and the yeemeen, off the fire & braised the noodles in the superior broth.

so nice! very shiok!

#5 cuttlefish kang kong

the last dish for the evening was cuttlefish kang kong.

this i cooked on the spot when friends arrived.

just fried the cut stems with chili padi & garlic, added oyster sauce, then added the cuttlefish & the jang kong leaves, & 1 heap tbsp gimson nonya sauce. and stir fried.

#5 cuttlefish kang kong

a really tasty dish, great cuttlefish texture & special flavours of the nonya sauce made the dish quite unique & different. excellent ending to the dinner.

of course dinner was overflowing with wine, jokes, laughter, sharing.

& my god-sis brought a cake for the birthday boy. my youngest daughter was having her birthday couple weeks later. she also joined this dinner so we sang happy birthday for both of them. ^^

c.h.e.f andy

RI Brotherhood Birthday Bash @ J Gateway Condo & Roof Garden on 11Jul2017

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seafood roll & dragon beard S$32 

we celebrated 2 birthdays this month at a RI friend’s condo & clubhouse on 11.7.2017. ^^

1 bro was travelling, the rest 13pax attended.

i went early with 4 others who played tennis.

the rest joined around 7pm & we went to the roof garden. 🙂

my seafood house 珍阁 at blk 130 next to JCube

the organisers ordered & picked up the food from my seafood house 珍阁 zi char at blk 130 next to JCube.

surprise, surprise, the food was really good! much owing to the good selection too by our organiser who also the games convenor.

herbal chicken soup $36 

the herbal chicken soup very competent. tasty & nice herb flavours.

seafood roll & dragon beard S$32 

seafood roll & dragon beard combo was quite standard. still, they were crispy & tasted good.

pork fritters & deepfried big intestines S$36 

the pork fritters were good.

the deepfried big intestines were pretty ok though one friend found it strong taste. quite ok for me.

calamari S$25 

the calamari was surprisingly quite good too. crispy & sotong not overdone, not rubbery..

salted egg pork ribs S$24 

salted egg pork ribs were ok, competent, not the most juicy rendition..

kailan S$15 

kailan was ok..

sambal kang kong S$12 

& sambal kang kong was good zi char standard…

bill = S$234.50 for 13pax

crispy trotters S$28 

the crispy trotters was quite excellent, especially the skin, but also tendons & gelatinous bits.

there was another dish of tofu, pretty ok forgot to take photos.

overall cost was quite good = S$234.50 for 13pax…we enjoyed the dinner very much.

it was fun too having makan at the open air roof garden.

after makan, we played several games, about 4 or 5 games.

it was a great evening with the boys…

c.h.e.f andy

 

Excellent 6+1pax North Indian Dinner @ Chat Masala on 10Jul2017

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very good starters platter – veg samosa, pakora, fish vadais, yogurt?

my RI friend organised a north indian cuisine dinner @ chat masala on 10.7.2017. ^^

we had 6pax. another friend who is vegetarian joined later at 9pm.

i hardly had north indian food as no kakis…except in london my family went to dishoom a few times…food at chat masala is better & the range of food many times more.

very good starters platter – veg samosa, pakora, fish vadais, yogurt?

my friend made excellent orders for this evening.

we thoroughly enjoyed the food. i shall be back! ^^

the starters were all very good – veg samosa, pakora, fish vadais, yogurt?

coriander cheese triangles – cheese naan with eggplant dip

& the coriander cheese triangles – cheese naan came with an excellent eggplant dip.

coriander cheese triangles – cheese naan with eggplant dip

really nice indeed!

tandoori roti, romali (hankerchief) roti & garlic naan

we ordered 2 tandoori roti, 2 romali (hankerchief) roti & 1 garlic naan…

tandoori roti, romali (hankerchief) roti & garlic naan

the romali (hankerchief) roti was the best! tandoori roti dry & the garlic naan also dry out a bit over the course of dinner.

butter chicken

butter chicken was very good. chicken was tender & gravy was excellent!

butter chicken

this a favourite dish when my children were young…we had home parties then & sometimes we ordered from delhi restaurant & went to pick up the food for small 10-15pax parties.

kerala fish curry

kerala fish curry was very good too. gravy was very tasty & fish had firm texture.

dhal makhni – black lentils

one friend like this dish – a must order for her.

dhal makhni – black lentils

this was black lentils, different from the usual yellow mung dhal…

palak paneer – cottage cheese in spinach gravy

we also had palak paneer – cottage cheese in spinach gravy…nice too…

palak paneer – cottage cheese in spinach gravy

cottage cheese in north indian cuisine tastes kind of like tofu…

mutton briyani

for me the best dish was the mutton briyani.

mutton briyani

briyani was loose, individual grains, just next texture, not oily, but the best was the mutton – so good! &large serving of mutton…

at this carb-less age, we finished the rice & there were still mutton pieces to enjoy.

gulab jamun, baileys kulfi, mango kulfi

i not into indian dessert…they usually overwhelmingly (sickeningly came to mind) sweet!

gulab jamun

these ones here were a tad better.

but gulab still far too sweet.

mango kulfi

the kulfi were better, both mango kulfi & also baileys kulfi..

baileys kulfi

very small helping though & prices quite ex…

dinner for 6pax +1 came to about S$175, really good price for the excellent food we had…

i would say this chat masala food is much better than the dishoom dishes we had in london.

c.h.e.f andy

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

Chat Masala

Address:

158 Upper East Coast Rd, Singapore 455254
Contact:
6876 0570
daily
  • 12–2:30PM
  • 6–10:30PM