food Archives - Page 3 of 19

Fremantle Seafood Market Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Whole Lobsters at 50% off

September 20, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

Here’s a place you can make yourself (or your taste buds) feel like dining in Perth seafood harbour without shrinking your wallet too much.
Fremantle Seafood Market celebrates its 10th anniversary this September with an irresistible promotion – live whole lobster at 50% off! From 10 Sep to 11 October 2020, you can enjoy it 2 ways – Whole Lobster Thermidor (U.P. $82) or the Whole Lobster Mornay (U.P. $82). Limited to one redemption per table.
Tried the Thermidor lobster and find the meat is fresh with mushroom creaminess and cheesiness. The 50% off is simply a steal!

Inspired by the vibrant dining scene of Perth’s port city, Fremantle, Fremantle Seafood Market restaurant brings a plethora of seafood dishes from mussels to barramundi, oysters to lobsters, with a waterfront dining to boot.
The feast begins with an Oyster Challenge ($26) – Canadian oysters served with 3 curated sauces – verde, pomelo and Bloody Mary. For me the pomelo and Bloody Mary really enhances the oceanic taste of the oyster with a lingering citrusy sweetness.

Next is the Classic White Wine Clams ($14). From the picture you can tell that the restaurant didn’t go budget with the clams. The yellowish soup is rich and flavourful too. Served with garlic bread as a tasty dip to soak off the creamy soup.

The Signature Fremantle Snow Crab Cakes ($16) is a dish I adore. Its crispy exterior contrasts with the soft and fluffy inner. The amount of whitish crab meat per patty is generous and satisfying to bite into. Served with mixed salad and cayenne aioli.

While fish & chips dish are dime a dozen in Singapore, this Barramundi Fish and Chips ($18) features fish fillet coated with Australia’s Two Birds Brewing sunset ale beer batter, deep-fried to golden perfection. What’s more interesting is the accompanying duck fat fries (+$8 to upgrade from normal French fries to duck fat fries), it gives a subtly nicer, more rounded aroma than normal fries.

The last dish is a show stopper, and a dish to summarize what Fremantle Seafood Market truly is. The Fremantle Hot Seafood Platter ($76) is a glorious medley of crispy soft-shell crab, grilled barramundi fillet, white wine mussels, Rockefeller baked oyster, grilled garlic butter king prawn and baked Chilean scallop.
It got everything that everyone fancies, and its good for 2 to 3 pax. If you want to treat your special guest or a date with loved ones, this might be it.

Fremantle Seafood Market
3E River Valley Road, #01-05, Singapore 179024
Operating hours: Mon-Sun, 12-3pm (last order: 2.45pm), 5-10pm (last order: 9.45pm)
Facebook: @FremantleSeafoodMarket
Instagram: @creativeeateries
Website: fremantleseafoodmarket.com.sg

Butter Bean – modern version of Toast Box, opens 2nd outlet in VivoCity

September 13, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

A creative concept by BreadTalk Group that serves contemporary Nanyang coffee-based drinks and opened-face toasts, Butter Beam unveils a 2nd outlet at VivoCity. It boasts a larger space than its Funan store with seating capacity of 70 (50 with current social distancing measure). This includes an alfresco patio that is perfect for a laid-back breezy afternoon.

The coffees are made from Arabica and Robusta beans, coated with a layer of caramelised sugar before roasting (Torrefacto method). They are ground in small batches when required, and brewed to the effect of Kopi-O Kosong Gao for that intense and full-bodied concentrate.
This forms the foundation of all coffee-based beverages at Butter Bean. Theyalso served specialty local and international beverages like hand-shaken teas and fruit drinks – all affordably priced at $3.50 and below.

Some examples are
GM Kopi BBliss (my favourite)
Lychee Orange Tea
BB Rose

The classic toasts are re-imagined at Butter Bean. From $2 onward per toast, each of the 8 options presents a different topping on an inch-thick Butter Bean signature butter loaf, which are baked fresh on the premises daily. The loaf is made with a proprietary recipe with pure New Zealand butter and Japanese flour. The toasts are further toasted on a flat iron grill to give a delightful crisp edge and soft and fluffy interior.

The bread by itself tastes light and milky like those Hokkaido bread. At an additional $3, you can choose your choice of toast as a set that includes two eggs – traditional half-boiled or Hanjuku-style with molten center, and a regular cup of hot Nanyang-brewed Kopi or Tea.
For a satisfying and fuller meal, you can opt for sandwiches, which uses the same milky bread.

Some examples are
PB & J
Say Cheese (my favourite)
Sandwiches
BBF Battered Fried Fish
C.F.C Crispy Fried Chicken (my favourite)

Besides kopi and toasts, Butter Bean also curates four mains to whet your appetite. Top up $2.20 to enjoy the mains as a set, served with choice of iced Kopi or Teh.
Some examples are
Curry On Sunshine (my favourite)
Hey You Hae Mee

Promotions
From 14 – 17 September, receive free metal straw and brush set with purchase of any two specialty drinks. Set will be included with order upon collection of drinks. Limited to the first 50 redemption per day. Specialty drinks include BBrulee Kopi/ Teh Latte, G.M. Kopi/ Teh BBliss, BB Rose, Lychee Orange Tea and Lim Aiyu.

Butter Bean @ VivoCity
1 HarbourFront Walk
#01-207, Singapore 098585
8am to 9pm (Sun – Thu)
8am to 10pm (Fri, Sat and PH)
Facebook/ Instagram: @butterbeansg

Your Mooncakes Guide for Singapore 2020

August 29, 2020maybeline

If you need to know what my favourite Chinese festival is, it has got to be the Mid-Autumn because I have very fond memories of me playing with lanterns and candles with my siblings and kids at the playground. When we were young, we would wait for the clock to strike 6.30pm so that we start preparing our candles and whatsnot!

Did I also mention that as compared to the Chinese New Year (CNY), I love love love eating mooncakes more?! You can say that I am always looking forward to the next Mid-Autumn Festival after one ends!

Since I was gifted with quite a few boxes of mooncakes this year, I have decided to come out with a listicle on the best mooncakes received for 2020 in Singapore!

1. Mandarin Orchard

Delight in an exquisite ensemble of handcrafted mooncakes inspired by the flavours of autumn. From signature favourites such as the Mixed Nuts and Jamón Ibérico Baked Mooncake, to contemporary delicacies such as the Red Wine Cranberry with Japanese Yuzu and Lemongrass Snow Skin Mooncake—Mandarin Orchard Singapore’s mooncake collection makes a wonderful addition to your mid-autumn celebrations.

Available from 25 August to 1 October 2020.

Promotions:

Early Bird Discount – Enjoy 30% off selected mooncakes for DBS/POSB cards members. Simply key in the first 6 digits of your DBS/POSB credit /debit card number followed by DBS30 upon checkout to enjoy the discounts! Eg. XXXXXXDBS30

Valid for Pickup and Delivery!

To purchase Mandarin Orchard Mooncakes, click here.

2. Paradise Group

Celebrate this mid autumn festival by indulging in delectable mooncakes with an array of baked and snow skin favourites with your loved ones. Paradise Group mooncakes come in a beautiful box which you can reuse it for CNY!

The new collection set to include its newly created Fruity Liqueur Snow Skin Mooncakes (S$62 per box of 8 pieces)! All mooncakes are lovingly made by hand, baked fresh upon order, and they contain no preservatives. Each of these soft Fruity Liqueur Snow Skin Mooncakes is filled with silky smooth white lotus seed paste and a chocolate truffle core infused with different liqueurs. Encasing the soft centre is a thin layer of crunchy chocolate shell made using premium, natural chocolate from Valrhona’s Inspiration, the world – leading chocolate company’s first ever range of fruit and nut couvertures.

Exclusively for Citi, Maybank and PGR Cardmembers:

Now till 31 Aug 2020 – 20% OFF Mooncakes (Public enjoys 10% off)
1 to 30 Sep 2020 – 15% OFF Mooncakes

To purchase Paradise Group Mooncakes, click here.

3. Mercure Singapore

Song Garden introduces four new snowskin flavours, alongside the well-loved bird’s nest snowskin mooncake.

The newest collection, Tea-rrific Snowskin, which consists of 4 new flavours – Green Apple with Osmanthus-Honey Tea, Lychee with Green Tea, Pu’er Tea with Orange-Yuzu and Osmanthus-Oolong Tea with Pink Grapefruit & Apricot. Each handcrafted gem consist of praline centre, enveloped in rich and silky lotus paste and a thin layer of soft snowskin. This novel creation is set to please your palate with heavenly aroma.

Promotions:

27 August to 24 September 2020: 20% off
Credit Card Promotion- Enjoy 20% off Song Garden mooncakes from now till 1 October 2020 for UOB and POSB/DBS cardmembers!

To purchase Mercure Singapore mooncakes, please click here.

4. Mdm Ling Bakery

Mdm Ling Bakery steps up the game this mid-autumn with a Snakes-and-Ladders-themed board game mooncake tin cover. Not resting on its laurels with a bonding-friendly “Snacks and Ladders” board game mooncake tin design, Mdm Ling Bakery raises the game further with a harmonious pairing of its signature cookie-inspired mooncakes and Teabrary’s immunity-boosting tea selections in two bundles.
Reputed for its bevy of well-loved cookies, Mdm Ling Bakery changes the game this mid-autumn by drawing upon the ‘DNA’ of a handful of its signature cookies. The result is a rendition of legit mooncakes that bears semblance in taste to their cookie counterparts.

MID-AUTUMN PROMOTIONAL DETAILS:

Mooncake Sale till 1 Oct 2020.
Delivery from 10 Sep to 1 Oct 2020. Free delivery with $45 purchase.
25% off all mooncakes except mooncake bundles.
Prices listed include GST.

Order Online www.mdmlingbakery.com

5. Polar Puffs & Cakes Mooncake

Polar Puffs & Cakes Mooncake 6 Pc Snow Skin Moon Cake Set ($21.67) is probably the most affordable mooncakes around.

Pure Lotus: For the purist who simply wants to indulge in the uncompromised taste of lotus and subtle flavours of the snowskin.
Durian: The distinctive fruit that is acquired taste, enjoyed by the region. A delightful balance of durian and lotus paste.
Double Chocolate: Dark chocolate snowskin with chocolate and lotus filling – what is there not to like here?
Cranberry Rose (NEW!): Flowers and fruits make for a pretty and good combination. Lovely rose infused snowskin, with a filling of lotus paste and cranberries.
Brown Sugar Milk Tea (NEW!): Just can’t get enough of brown sugar milk tea? Enjoy that same delicious flavour in this milk tea snow skin packed with brown sugar lotus.
Lychee (NEW!): Enjoy the refreshing taste of lychee encased in a sakura flower infused snowskin.

To purchase, please click here.

6. Golden Moments

Known for their durian goodies, Golden Moments is having a 1-for-1 promo from now till 6 September. Grab a box with 4 different flavors – Signature MSW, Docello Hazelnut MSW, Premium D24 and Premium Lychee Martini. While stocks last!

For every 2 boxes purchased, get a guaranteed FREE 5-star luxury spa pass to Spa Nes with ala-carte buffet!

To purchase, please click here.

Fresh Halal Ala Carte Buffet @ Window on the Park

August 6, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

Here’s an a la carte buffet with the prettiest presentation we’ve seen. Window on the Park @ Holiday Inn Orchard City Centre has recently introduced the Halal Weekend Dinner Ala-carte Buffet, perfect for date nights or double dates.
And of course, safe distancing and measures must be practised during dining (not more than 5 guests per table).
I like the fact that the dishes served are made to order, so the food is always fresh and in its optimal condition. You can also keep ordering till your stomach desires without needing to queue for the buffet spread.

Starting with the appetizer, with an assortment of sushi, 3 types of antipasti of the day and mixed greens to freshen and open up your palate. The Local Fare Appetizer Set holds a myriad of dim sum and kueh pie tee, and fruit rojak to munch through.

Then there’s the Seafood On Ice, which is a platter of succulent fresh seafood comprises Poached Tiger Prawn, Canadian Black Mussel and Lala Clam to warm the cockles of your heart. They are accompanied with Thai Mango Chili Sauce Cocktail Sauce and Hot Sauce Tabasco to further ampt up the flavour.

By this point we were already like half full but wait there’s more. The local fare highlights continue with the Assorted Satay (chicken, beef and mutton) which is delicious, the Tandoor Chicken Tikka and the signature Claypot Nyonya Laksa with Prawn.

Just look at that ginormous prawn which takes up like half the portion of the claypot. Noodles are al dente and smooth laksa broth not too spicy, it’s an ultra worthy dish at this value.

Next comes the all-time favourites – the Seafood in A Wok. It’s a one time table service with precious seafood gems such as flower crab, slipper lobster, prawn, mussel and clams with your choice of signature sauce (Black Pepper or Mushroom Cream Cheese). Full of wok-hei umami, for the seafood lovers it’s the perfect seafood bonanza.

If you love more seafood like we do, then at the Hawker Highlights section where you can order Singapore Chili Mud Crab with Golden Mantou, Wok Fried Prawn Char Kway Teow and Wrapped baked Fish with Banana Leaf. It’s unlimited servings of over 40 dishes all so you can your heart’s fill.

There’s still room for desserts right? Their tiered dessert which comprises of assorted nonya kueh, kueh lapis, red velvet cake, tiramisu cake, bread and butter pudding and more, with a selection of coffee or tea. One commendable item in the tier is the durian cake, so light yet so punchy and flavourful. If you don’t mention its dinner I would have thought it’s a high tea set.
There’s also a fruit platter and Chef’s Choice of Local Hot Dessert for those who want to digest their satisfied stomach.

1 for 1 Halal Weekend Dinner Ala-Carte Buffet @ Window on the Park
Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
Website and Booking: https://singaporeorchard.holidayinn.com/offer/alacarte-buffet
Instagram: @holidayinnsporeorchardcityctr
Every Friday to Sunday
1-for-1 Offer: S$96++ (for 2 persons, inclusive of table served Seafood in a Wok available in two flavours of mushroom cream & cheese or black pepper)

Home Parties Made Easy with PartyDiva.Co

July 30, 2020maybeline

Admit it. You miss hanging out with a group of friends outside. You miss the gatherings, the laughter, and the catch-ups. It is almost impossible to gather now unless you cap the number of people to 5 and below.

But parties are still possible when you are at home. Wait, home parties? Does it mean… catering vendors, drink vendors, snacks preparations and….. so on and so forth?

Well, home parties are made easy when you have PartyDiva.Co. PartyDiva.Co is an e-commerce marketplace that brings merchants, consumers and partners together in a seamless event planning experience. It is a one-stop solution to gifting, events and party planning – and not just for home parties! They have a comprehensive list of vendors for all your celebratory needs. From getting a host to photobooths, event props, PartyDiva.Co is truly your partner in celebrations, and they were there every step of the way for me as well!

Just last weekend, James and I hosted a house party with my in-laws and his cousin. It was a belated birthday celebratory dinner for his mom and an early National Day celebration for us.

I was very impressed as I could get all my food catering, cake, cocktails and party decoratives from PartyDiva.Co. I did not even have to source for them separately!

My in-laws were filled with praises for AMICI Catering. It was our first order from this East-meets-West fusion boutique caterer we chanced upon on PartyDiva.Co with 15 elegantly crafted dishes that we could select from.. We ordered the mini gourmet 5-course National Day buffet ($108+) and it was delivered (for free!) right to our door – hot, fresh, and nicely decorated with vegetables and cherry tomatoes.

To top off the feast, the mini buffet came with a complimentary six-inch Raspberry Lychee Rose cake that was both light and rich in flavour, with a fruity floral fragrance lingering after every bite – what a great way to end the meal on a sweet note.

I love my kuehs and so do the elderlies at home. They commented that the specially handmade Merlion Ang Ku Kuehs and Heart Kueh Lapis ($37.50) from Kueh Ho Jiak were very flavourful. We wiped out this celebratory platter of kuehs in 10 minutes even though there was only 5 of us. Lol.

The highlight for me was the limited-edition Nasi Lemak Cake ($132) from Nasi Lemak Indulgence. I love Nasi Lemak a lot so I was really looking forward to this.

I thought that it was only chicken + ikan billis + peanuts on top but wow, I was mind blown when I cut the cake open.

There were THICK layers of egg and muar otah!!! I swear this was SO DAMN GOOD. You would think that with such a modern twist, the traditional taste of the Nasi Lemak would be compromised but it was not nearly the case. Made with a sincerity and nostalgia for authenticities, the Nasi Lemak Cake was truly a sensory experience. I even saved half of it for my own parents and they couldn’t stop going “wow”, “this is good!”, “very nice!!”

James, on the other hand, was more interested in the drinks.

We had Pétale Tea’s limited-edition National Day gift set ($65) and summer exclusive cocktails, the Nana Sling ($90, set of 5x120ml bottles) from Three Wisemen. He finished a bottle of it even before our guests arrive. Lol. Nana Sling is specially concocted for Singapore’s 55th birthday by the way! It comprises of Brugal Rum infused with banana leaves. The tropical mix was also especially refreshing with its combinative blend of zesty Cointreau, freshly squeezed lemon juice and homemade orange blossom water. As for Petale Tea’s exclusive “My Fair Lady” tea ball, you can see the flowers bloom after you add hot water to the flower! Pretty Instagram-worthy!

If you are observant enough, you will realize that I have a few decorations topped on my food! These thematic cake and food toppers are from PartyDiva.Co! This National Day will feature their very own limited-edition party bundle ($100) comprising of food and cake toppers, a bunting and cupcake holder that features notable Singapore icons such as the Merlion and Gardens by the Bay, as well as local slangs such as “Relax Lah” and “Shiok Ah” to make this celebration a true Singaporean affair. The addition of these decoratives add to the visual experience of the celebration, making the party even more memorable!

They even offer customised stickers which you can use to decorate your photo frame before you snap and save that precious celebratory moment with your phone! Simply scan the QR code to https://partydiva.co/sg55 on your phone, click on the stickers set of your choice and allow the website to access your camera. This is a very good idea for wedding lunch/dinner actually! Plus it is so easy to use, even the elderlies at home had fun with it!

All in all, I’ll strongly recommend PartyDiva.Co to anyone who needs a fuss-free and seamless party planning experience. Whether it is an upcoming party, wedding or gathering, PartyDiva.Co is truly a partner in celebration.

Exquisite Traditional Indian Cuisine @ Tandoor, Holiday Inn Orchard City Centre

March 15, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

If you are in the mood for something fancy and Northern Indian, head to Tandoor, a restaurant synonymous with authentic traditional Indian cuisine at Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre. The premise is beautifully decorated with a contemporary vibe, right at the very end a floor-to-ceiling see-through kitchen window so you can see the chef prepare your food.

We had the non-vegetarian set menu, which is all beautifully presented and taste as appealing as it looks, worthy of the Singapore’s most awarded Indian restaurant namesake. This only gives me wonder how the vegetarian set menu looks like, only if I have two stomachs!

The first dish is the Masala Crab Cake. Every bit of the spiced crab meat is a delight especially when you hit that duck foie grass and mango confit. This dish balanced the savoury and sweetness well with the pairing of pear, rhubarb chutney and warm toasted brioche.

Next up the soup dish. Makai Ka Shorba, which is sweet corn velouté served with masala potato gnocchi. As a sweet corn lover, I like that the inventive Chef Bobby Krishnan turned up the richness of the soup which at the same time cleanse the palate for the next course.

Our main course is the visually arresting Sea Perch Pakora. The deep-fried cumin flavoured Sea Perch fish, while looked deceptively dry, is so soft and full of flavour attributed much to its Ibeko caviar batter. Tagged along with prized ingredients such as Jerusalem artichokes, avocado and a dash of scallion dressing, this could very well be the most satisfying fish dish I had and a HPB approved one.

The fall-of-the-bone Australian Lamb Shank is so artfully tender and almost melt in the mouth. Coupled with a Cherry Vine Tomato resting on a bed of cassoulet on the other side of the braised sauce to balance the meatiness. Wish I had more of the lamb though but at this stage I am quite full already so I am not complaining.

For desserts, we had the Cardamom Ice Cream. The profiteroles is marshmallow soft and sweet with citrus centre, giving you a sweet ending of the entire satisfying course.
What Tandoor offers is a whole experience – a mesmerizing atmosphere with great food and impeccable service. You will probably not need more than that to have a good time.

Tandoor, Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
Opening Hours
Lunch from 12 noon to 2.30pm
Dinner from 7pm to 10:30pm
Telephone: +65 6733 8333
Website: http://www.tandoor.com.sg/

Indulge bountiful feasts at The Carvery @ Park Hotel Alexandra

January 18, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

If you want to pig out, you can consider doing so at The Carvery, Park Hotel Alexandra. This popular buffet restaurant celebrates the lunar new year with an abundant array of mouth-watering meats, seafood, sweets and treats that are worth every calorie. There’s also a chance to win a weekend stay at the hotel!

I like my yusheng to have bursts of citrusy sweetness – bonus if its healthy – instead of being blanketed in sugar. The Carvery Golden Eight Treasure Yusheng with Cured Trout and Abalone ($68+) suits my palate perfectly. The combination of shredded vegetables, candied walnuts, fruits and generous topping of cured trout and abalone, all brought together with a slightly tart white balsamic and peach dressing.

Following the tradition of abundant feasting, The Carvery has lined up auspicious marquee highlights of the signature roasts. From chicken, pork, lamb and beef – all these premium meat cuts are served at the carving station right smack in front of the entrance so you won’t missed it.
Using only top quality Australian prime rib further dry-aged with Himalayan salt to concentrate the flavour before slow roasting, the Angus Beef Prime Ribs (weekends only) is the piece de resistance at The Carvery. You just cannot go without trying it!

The signature ones for this CNY includes the Pork Porchetta with Mushroom and Chestnut Stuffing, which is the Chinese Roast Pork made from Prime Grade pork belly with satisfying crunchy crackling skin, and the Spit-Roasted Char Siew Chicken. The bird possesses that sweet, savoury richness which probably came from Chef Ian Hioe’s own seasoning mix of hoisin, superior cooking wine and other condiments.

Of course, you get to enjoy the all-time delectable like the salad and dessert spread, western and Chinese stations, with some given a festive twist. So if you came with a family everyone will surely will have their favourites!

Here’s a bonus for those who dined during the first 3 days of the lunar new year (24 to 27 Jan 2020), will receive a complimentary ‘Golden Prosperity’ Welcome cocktail, and a Lunar New Year Lucky Bag containing a pair of mandarin oranges and a pack of Park Hotel Group angpows. Also, they will be entered into the hotel’s Lunar New Year Grand Draw to win a 2D1N Weekend stay at Park Hotel Alexandra*.
For those born in the lucky year of the Rat (those born in 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 and 2008), The Carvery will also be giving away complimentary dining vouchers as well.

The Carvery at Park Hotel Alexandra
323 Alexandra Road, Singapore 159972
Telephone : +65 6828 8888
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParkHotelAlexandra/
Check out the CNY Festive Dining schedule and pricing here – https://www.parkhotelgroup.com/en/alexandra/promotions/cny-2020

Prosperity Buffet to Wow at Swissotel Merchant Court

December 26, 2019maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

To welcome the year of the rat – or metal rat to be more precise – Swissotel Merchant Court have prepared an array of festive dishes and takeaway treats to wow your family and loved ones.
Starting 10 January 2020, The Prosperity Buffet at Ellenborough Market Café will feature notable Chinese dishes such as Steamed Red Garoupa, Dried Oyster Fatt Choy, Fish Maw Soup and many more.
Known for its tantalising medley of Asian and International delights, with a view of the banks of Singapore delight and not forgetting durian pengat, I am piqued by how their CNY dishes would fare

The first dish is the Fruity Lobster Yu Sheng, which possessed a delightful mixed texture of crunchiness from the veg and ‘bird nest’ made of fried yam ring, and slight chewiness from the lobster with every bite.
For the second dish, the Roasted Honey-Glazed Char Siew or Crispy Golden Pork Belly Platter, the char siew tastes divine with good fat/lean meat ratio and its roasted to perfection.

Nobody would say no to the Braised Buddha’s Temptation Claypot. Brimming with exceptional sea treasure delicacies of abalone, sea cucumber, dried oyster and tiger prawns, every ingredient is artfully placed and tastes heavenly with that broth. The baby abalone is so tender and flavour, yum yum!

The rice in this Waxed Duck and Sausage Rice has that nice wok-hei flavour, and the smell floats down heavenly when the lid is lifted. I would definitely finish three bowls of this if not for the fact that my stomach space is almost to the brim at this stage already.

The flavours of this Steamed Red Garoupa is textbook good. Traditional, expected and the fish tender to the bones. Coupled with the waxed duck and sausage rice above, it makes a powerful combo of clearing bowls.

As mums usually say, you cannot be prosperous without eating Fatt Choy during Chinese New Year, and this Braised Dried Oyster Fatt Choy and Black Moss is so visually appetizing and easy to down there’s no need for mum’s nagging. I really appreciate the flavourful sauce which holds the individual elements really well.

Swissotel Merchant Court
20 Merchant Road, Singapore 058281, Singapore
Telephone : +65 6337 2288
Email: singapore-merchantcourt@swissotel.com
Instagram: @swissotelmerchantcourt #swissotelmerchantcourt

Prosperity Buffet at Ellenborough Market Café
10 – 31 January 2020
Lunch: $68 (adult), $34 (child)
Dinner: $88 (adult), $34 (child)
Weekend High-tea: $48 (adult), $24 (child)
*Items are available on a rotational basis.

Festive Feast @ The Square Restaurant, Novotel Clarke Quay

November 26, 2019maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

The sumptuous spread artfully presented at The Square Restaurant @ Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay would have made even King Henry VII envious. Packed in 1 room are 2 buffet spreads – Christmas and Chinese New Year themes – all equally enticing and with sinful desserts to boot.

It’s a merry little Christmas feast at The Square Restaurant from 1st to 31st December 2019. Starting the traditional xmas festive favourites with the proteins – 24-hour roasted brine turkey, roasted beef striploin and roasted lamb leg. There’s also A-la minute pasta with homemade salted egg sauce or Chef Kishen’s new creation – Mala sauce, which is not too spicy for me. Adding on the spread will be Seafood on Ice, Sushi and The Square Signature Laksa.

Here’s something to loosen up your belt for – the desserts. Their homemade Christmas Log Cake, Fruit Cake, The Square Signature Durian Pengat, Chocolate Fondue and Tiramisu are some that’s worth the extra calories for.

Coming in to the second festival which is just 2 months away, the Chinese New Year buffet would kickstarts from 8 January to 8 February 2020. Following the traditions, we have a toss of Yu Sheng to usher the new year with prosperity and start the year on the right foot. The Yu Sheng we had, of course is Novotel-style MEGA.

The spread features assorted Chinese BBQ platter, Roasted Chicken & Duck, Poached Broccoli with Dried Oysters & Black Moss and Dim Sum. The roast is always my favourite, and its perfectly moist and juicy meats perfectly cut by a master carver are worth more than gold.

For Lunar New Year’s eve, there’s the DIY Kong Bak Pau Station, Wok Fried Salted Egg Prawn, Wok Fried Sliced Beef with Fungus and Black pepper Sauce, and the not-to-be-missed traditional Hong Kong Style Steamed Pomfret. It’s freshest of the fish its not overpowered by the sauce, brilliantly executed.
Not to mention local infused pastries like Pandan Egg Tart, Taro Butter Cake, Bak Kwa Chicken Floss Swiss Roll and many other sensational desserts, to make your tummy and the year round and sweet, figuratively speaking.

The Square Restaurant @ Novotel Clarke Quay
177A River Valley Road, Singapore, 179031
Phone: +65 6338 3333
The Festive Buffet Lunch and Dinner are at S$48++ and S$68++ respectively for adults.
Check out http://www.novotelclarkequay.com/en/dining/the-square-restaurant.html for detailed pricing.
Facebook and Instagram: @novotelclarkequay

Nono’s First Fried Chicken Outlet @ JEM

September 29, 2019maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

Hailing from the land of vibrant street food culture, Taiwan’s famous fried chicken brand Monga is opening its first-ever outlet at Jurong East Mall in Singapore on 28th September. The brand has generated long snaking queues in the U.K, Canada and its home country, and attributes its popularity to its fresh, tender and juicy thick-cut chicken fillets unlike any other fried chicken brands out there. And funny Taiwanese celebrity Nono is here to blessed the opening. Together with Mingdao Liu, king of Taiwanese Fried Chicken, Monga is born.

#DidYouKnow that this Taiwanese fried chicken chain got its name from the Wanhua district of Taiwan, which is traditionally known as ‘Monga’. Its Taipei’s oldest district home to the bustling Snake Alley night market which the fried chicken fillet is famous for. So it’s a timely homage to the recent past and share the delicacy across beyond its home country.

I particularly love sinful oily fried food for its savoury bite. So its natural for me to gravitate towards Monga’s Nuggets (6pcs for $5.90, 9pcs for $7.90) and Fried Chicken Skin ($3.90). So easy to pop these into the mouth which makes them dangerously addictive.

Of course, who can miss Monga’s main offering – the big slab of fried chicken, every piece is made fresh and served piping hot. 3 flavours – The King ($6.90), which is dusted with original salt and pepper seasoning; Hot Chick ($6.90), dusted with chili paprika powder hand-made from Anaheim peppers; and The Taiker ($6.90), dusted with Japanese sauce and seaweed powder imported from Okinawa.
Among the 3 thick juicys I still adore the original one. The salt and pepper further enhanced the lovely fried taste of the chicken, and it’s just so satisfying mouthfeel to chomp into. Just to think about what I had munch makes me wanting for another bite again, just like a carnivorous caveman.

There’s also other yummies such as the Signature Fries ($2.90), Seaweed Fries $3.50, and the crowd favourite Sweet Potato Fries with Plum Powder ($3.50). While my hands dived into these finger foods I was humorously distracted by the whimsical fan and the comedic prowess of Nono during the event. For me who lived in Hougang, I must say its worth the trip to visit at least once!

Plus, to celebrate its grand opening, Monga will be giving away free limited-edition Monga merchandise to the first 40 customers daily, only from 28 September to 4 October.

Monga JEM
50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-K10, JEM, Singapore 608549
Opening Hours: 11am – 9.30pm
Facebook and Instagram: @mongasingapore
Hashtags: #mongasg