-
SG’s Best Fried Rice @ Din Tai Fung
Author: Alexius Chua To celebrate for winning the coveted title of Singapore’s Best Fried Rice (Restaurant Category) – organised in conjunction with the debut of Channel 5’s Fried Rice Paradise – The Drama Series – the famed Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai Fung launches a limited-edition XO Fried Rice with Shrimps & Eggs ($15.80). I must say, this fried rice has indeed ‘rice’ to the occasion. Bursting with wok hei, the succulent prawns are served atop aromatic, moist pearl rice mixed with fried flat fish. A special blend of XO sauce and dried scallops gives it a XOXO umami-ness. Available from 1 – 31 October 2019 or while servings last, this…
-
Back to Roots 5-Course Dinner @ Porta
Author: Alexius Chua If you elevate all-vegan, meatless dishes and paired them with organic wines, you get this 5-Course Back to Roots affair at Porta. Available on 5 October only, from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, $69 per person with pairing or $52 per person without wine pairing. Seemingly unassuming, this is an veg fine-dining experience unlike any other I have experienced. Our evening starts with Lotus Root crisps and kombu-braised daikon. A dash of black vinegar, sesame oil and spiced Romesco puree whets the appetite for the next dish. The crisps are crunchy, with a whimsical play of the apparatus drip. Mild or Strong, the flavours are entirely up to you.…
-
Korean bistro Burger+ Launches New Limited Period Menu @ Wisma Atria
Author: Alexius Chua If you’re into everything Korean – be it food or kpop music – then Burger+ could just be your place to be. Started by a pair of burger aficionados with a team led by founder Daniel Koh and co-founder Ms Lee Mihyun, both burger enthusiasts with over 10 years of experience, it’s hard to believe that this music pumping burger bistro is just 3 months old. And 3 months is just the right time to launch a timed menu with items such as Cheesetos Chicken, Tteokgangjeong and Truffle Ice Cream, available for a limited time only from 1 September to 30 September. Look forward to a uniquely…
-
What? The Stars Cook Our Dinner @ Taste Singapore Star Charity Cook-Off
Author: Alexius Chua The stars were aligned together for a charitable cause last Wednesday evening at Taste Butchery & Seafood Factory Outlet. Taste Singapore Star Charity Cook-off saw two A-list yi ge celebrities Li Nanxing and Christopher Lee come together to cook four dishes, and the fresh ingredients were procured from the new gourmet supermarket factory outlet. Being also home to the first Taste Star Kitchen where the dishes made from family recipes of local celebrities can be pre-ordered, naturally it is the perfect destination where the cook-off happens, and I just happened right at the centre-stage to witness two stars fight each other out culinarily. After the cookout, a…
-
Let Loose with Wholesome Grub @ The Garden Club
Author: Alexius Chua The Garden Club opened last August with an agenda – to let diners party the night the health-conscious way. Served with the hook of visual appeal, the food was certainly healthy (no negative connotation whatsoever) and the cocktails memorable. Situated in a stunning rooftop setting with vivacious music, it’s certainly live up to its #NotYourOrdinaryFoodClub moniker. The dishes I had were visually stunning, and the ones I liked were flavourful and hearty yet in a health-conscious manner. Take for instance the Smoked Tofu Slab. The boldness of the flavours hooked me. The tofu is smoked with applewood flakes, caramelised fennel and veggie au jus raises the umami…
-
Tong Xin Ru Yi Traditional Hotpot – Not Your Typical Hotpot place
Author: Alexius Chua The serenity of this hotpot restaurant envelops you immediately when you enter the premise. Adorned with artistic trademarks of Chinese craftsmanship like calligraphy, porcelain and bamboo dividers, this 150-seater is much akin to an oriental art gallery than a bustling hotpot place. Once I settle down, I slowly appreciate what this beautifully curated space offers – a bustling hotpot eatery with fine-dining vibe, it’s a gap that existing hotpot joints apparently missed filling. It’s not your typical hotpot establishment indeed. For someone who seldom had steamboat, this place is a good introduction. The food, while prided itself for its quality ingredients, does not seem daunting and rather…
-
Elemen satisfies even more with its 1st Elemen Classic @ GWC
Author: Alexius Chua Despite being a hardcore carnivore, I must have eaten at all of the Elemen’s incarnations since 2017. This month, it opened its first ever Elemen Classic outlet at Great World City. While the food direction remains meatless dishes using natural and wholesome ingredients, this brand-new dining further elevates it with their own modern twist to it which I fancy. Their philosophy and dedication to sourcing nourishing ingredients that aims to improve the well-being of diners is admirable. Even the sea salt used is from South Africa, known for its distinct natural flavour and ability to boost the immune system. I thoroughly enjoy so many things that puts…
-
Mrs Pho Opens at VivoCity with 2 New Dishes from Founder’s Mother
Author: Alexius Chua This quaint pho restaurant owes much to the important women around its founder Hoang; his mother, grandmother and aunts who worked and cooked selflessly to feed the family. Of course, they must be excellent cooks that Hoang is confident to incorporate the family recipes for his culinary venture – ala Vietnamese style – as tribute to the female figures in his life. Backstory aside, the pho specialist Mrs Pho recent opening at VivoCity marks the restaurant’s first operation in a shopping mall. This joyous occasion also brings worth an exclusive creation by the original Mrs Pho (yes it’s a person), who is the founder mother to unveil…
-
Elevated Hawker Delights at PARKROYAL on Pickering’s Lime Restaurant
Author: Alexius Chua What’s better to pay homage of your country than to have a gastronomic treat of local food? This August, PARKROYAL on Pickering elevates the nation’s hawker culture with ‘Loco Local’ – a hawker themed buffet experience. For a limited time period from 5 August to 1 September 2019, you can expect a taste of home further enhanced with an abundance of crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, oysters) and quality ingredients. So let the four hour ‘Loco Local’ feasting began! To me, Singapore food isn’t about rules and logic, it’s about passion, adventure and experimentation, the coming together of different cultures, culminating in the fabulous melting pot that it is…
-
One Meal Around Thailand at Baan Ying
Author: Alexius Chua I had my first Baan Ying experience at Central World Bangkok five years ago, and it’s a good one. So I was reeked with anticipation for its latest thai set menu, the ‘One Meal Around Thailand’, which had the support of the Tourism Authority of Singapore, a mark of endorsement for its featuring of elevated Thai cuisines around the country region. The promotion will last till end September, with three set menus. The Superior ($58.80) is meant for two, the Deluxe is for four ($128.80), and if you have a party of eight, its Grand Tour menu is at $298.80. The set menu also comes with four…
