Ebisboshi: Many-in-one!

New malls are sprouting up everywhere! Tampines One.. Iluma.. And the recent soft opening of Orchard Central and the soon-to-come Orchard Ion! That simply means more eateries to try out!



I go to Iluma rather frequently, because of its close location to my girlfriend's place and also because I like the spacious feel of the mall. And after taking that never-ending escalator up to Level 4, you will be in a dilemma on what to eat!



This particualr japanese restaurant has 7 brands under its flag, each specialising in certain japanese dishes such as sushi, ramen and teppanyaki etc. Their ordering system is rather unique which you use an audio pan to scan barcodes on the menu, reading out loud your orders (can be irritating after some time) and therefore confirming it wirelessly.


Salmon Yukke Gunkan ($4.00)

My girlfriend is a sucker for egg yorks, especially gleaming watery ones. So when she saw this gunkan topped with raw salmon and quail egg york, there was almost no hestitation in ordering it! I don't really like raw-like yorks so I gave it a pass, and she could only described the combo as tasty and satisfying!


Pork Loin Katsu Curry Rice ($10.80)

I gotta ask, how different is pork loin from pork fillet? I heard that one had more fats than the other but I couldn't remember which is which. Anyway, the breaded coating was rather good, remaining crunchy till the last bite. However, I was a tad disappointed that the meat was lukewarm when served. Also, the pork was too lean and tough for my liking.

The japanese curry on the other hand was pretty good, sweet tasting and thick in texture. I was also surprised that they actually used beef stock for the curry when it wasn't even stated in the menu. Not very good for buddhists.


Gyoza with Spring Onion Mayonnaise ($9.00 for 10 pieces)

The base wasn't burnt enough, but still nice with a firm skin and minced pork and vegetables (cabbage I guessed?) filling. Drizzled in mayonnaises and bits of spring onions, it tasted even better when dipped in the vinegar provided.

Total bill was $28 after taxes. Hits and misses aside, I think the concept was rather good, able to try a variety of specialised restaurants under one roof. A unique dining experience, I will be back to try out its selection of okonomiyaka!

Swensen's Breakfast: Good Morning!

I'm not really a breakfast person. Most of the time I rather sleep right past it. But just sometimes when you feel like having something different to start off the day, a great breakfast is the perfect way to do it!



Actually there are plenty of breakfast or brunch places I want to visit. But unfortunately, most of the locations are pretty "ulu pandan" that I'm just too lazy to travel. Luckily for me, Swensen's joints were promoting their breakfast sets, so I popped by their suntec outlet on one saturday morning!



All of their sets came with a choice of juices (apple/orange) and Gloria Jeans coffee/tea. Pretty worth it if you ask me, where most places allowed you to choose only one drink.



All American Set ($10.90), Pancakes Set ($8.90)

The ASS had thick toasts, choice of eggs, ham slices, bratwurst sausage, grilled tomato, hash brown and creamy mushrooms. There were so many items that I was rather lost on what to start first! The toast was a familiar sight from Hong Kong cafes, eaten with honey and butter, while I particularly liked the smooth buttery taste of chopped mushrooms.

My girlfriend chose cheese for her pancake and was expecting creamy cheese fillings in the pancake. Alas, she was already halfway through and found nothing, only to realise they added a single slice of cheese at the bottom to be pan-fried with the pancake. Not very good as the cheese had already hardened and was slightly burnt. That aside, the pancake itsef was rather nice with a soft and fluffy texture.

Bill for two was $23.30 after taxes. More upmarket than your usual kopi/teh with half-boiled eggs and frankly, the quality wasn't outstanding. What did matter was that the overall package felt rather good with a laid-back environment, generous portions and perking up your day on a pleasent note!

Saizeriya: Affordable Italian!

I was at Boat Quay with my girlfriend on a Saturday evening, having spent hours in Minds Cafe. We decided to walk to the nearby Liang Court for dinner, newly renovated and occupied with interesting restaurants, one of them being Saizeriya.



Having walked past several times, I was attracted by their menu of Japanese styled Italian cuisine (kind of like Ma Maison). There was already a long queue at about 7 and we were lucky to get seats quickly as big groups were in front of us. The atmosphere was more casual bistro than classy Italian, staffed by very busy and yet still friendly waitresses.



Focaccia ($1.88), Baked Escargots ($5.58)

The homemade bread was soft and piping hot, pleasant enough to be eaten on its own. Not everyone is a fan of eating snails but I’m rather fond of it. Served in a buttery garlic sauce, it was a perfect soak for the foccacia!


Hawaiian Pizza ($7.48)

The crust was the thick-doughy type, sprinkled with pineapples and bacon slices. I think it tasted better than a certain pizza chain, way cheaper and bigger too!


Grilled Chicken with Melted Cheese and Sunny-Side Up ($7.68)

The chicken thigh was reasonably alright but not fantastic. Served on a hotplate with wedges, broccoli and sweet corn, the cheese hardened soon after we began eating.


Shrimp Doria ($7.18)

I admitted I kind of over-ordered for two persons, but I was just too greedy to have a try of everything! The baked rice was the best among the 3 main courses, with bubbling cheese and crunchy prawns laid on the surface, drenching the rice in a rich creamy sauce. It tends to get overkilled if eaten on your own, so best is share it with someone else!

Total bill for 2 was $35.05 after taxes, reasonably cheap if you consider the amount I ordered (seriously stuffed) and in a restaurant setting. For an extra $3 or so, you can help yourself to their free flow drinks counter. Will be back for more Doria!

Astons Prime: Great Steak, Good Price!

Astons Specialities are sprouting everywhere, thanks to their affordable prices and tasty treats. Despite patronising many times myself, I had never tried before their upmarket branch Astons Prime, which sells quality cuts at a higher price. So it was one evening when four of my best friends gathered, I suggested dinner at the steakhouse!


House Red Wine ($43 per bottle)

Tucked at Joo Chiat Road near their first specialites outlet, the decor was about the same as the rest, but with better funishing and cutleries. The 5 of us had a semi-private partition to ourselves, delighted with the arrangement and started off the dinner with a bottle of their fruity smooth house pour.



Maryland Crab Cake ($16.50), Fried Oysters ($12.90)

The crab cake was fantastic! None of that cheapskate stuff with thick flour and potato, but bursting of succulent crabmeat! Great for lazy people!

The oysters weren't of too much surprise, but decently done with crispy coating and pipping hot juicy inside. Even a friend who's afraid of raw oysters liked this!



Long Fed Ribeye Extra Cut ($22.90)

The sheer size of the red meat with gleaming fats was enough to make us salivate. I had mine medium grilled, and it was just nice with a pink center. The bbq sauce was a good addition but trust me, you should savour the outstanding beefy flavour on its own! Came with a selection of sides such as house specials Mac N Cheese and sauteed buttered mushrooms.



King Salmon Steak ($23.90), Kurobuta Pork Rib ($29.90)

Salmon was fresh and delicate, thumbs up from my friend who preferred not to have red meat.

The black gem among pigs, US breed kurobuta pork was even more expensive than our steak! One bite and you would know why: Soft and tender, it was like nothing else you tried and just somehow don't feel or think its possible for grain-fed pork to reach this kind of level. Nice!


Kobe Beef Burger ($16.90)

And the greedy boys couldn't resist the temptation to share a burger. The minced kobe beef simply melted like butter in your mouth. Ahh.. Top-notch!


Aston's Mud Pie ($6.90), Mango Orange Sorbet ($5.90), Pineapple Sorbet ($5.90)

To conclude, we had their recommendations of mud pie and fruit sorbets, which was interestingly served in the fruit that they were made of. Intensively flavoured, we preferred the pineapple for its more memorable taste, not that the others were bad!

Total bill for 5 was $230.50, exempted from taxes! A very good place to go for quality grills at wallet-friendly price, while extra points go to warm services and the toasting, merry-making company I was with. Will be back for my steak craving!

A One Year Affair!

This weekend marked the very 1st birthday of my food blog!

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who visited this site! Regardless of strangers that happened to pop by, or friends whom I had consistently bugged to visit. I hope that the entries had been an interesting read and the photos literally made you drool and hungry. I would truly appreciate it if comments can be left in the tagboard or a simple "Reactions" click after every post!

Also, I would like to thank all the people, especially my girlfriend, who had patiently waited for me to take photos before every meal, even though stomachs were already rumbling hard and loud. They wouldn't have turned out as good if not for you all!

In the forthcoming year, I will be attending university studies at NTU, and I would try my best to update the site weekly, despite the fact that I will be stuck in hostel most of the time and handling the hectic schedule that will come. (or so I have heard)

Nonetheless, I had created a new banner for the site, with the Wagyu Beef Patty with Delhi Rice taken in Hong Kong, hope it gives a refreshing look to the site!

Live to Eat, cheers!
Daniel

Japanese Noodle Bowl: Oyishi!

My girlfriend just returned from a holiday trip to Tokyo/Osaka recently (Thank god she left before the flu outbreak), and I told her I don't really want souvenirs, but if possible, I want their cup noodles from convenience stores! I had been in Tokyo myself and was amazed by their instant noodles, tasted even better than some of the restaurant stuffs you find here!



The first one opened up to reveal 3 packets, basiaclly a powder satchet, dried condiments and a soup sauce, as well as a piece of air-blown noodles. Nothing fasicinating really, but if you have noticed, the condiments packet had a piece of air-dried meat that will later become a tasty slice of bacon! Why can't we have bak in our lor mee cup noodles?! Or maybe fish cake for instant laksa?!



After a few minutes in boiling water, its time to tuck in! The soup was not that special, with shoyu flavour which isn't too hard to achieve, while the bacon was an interesting addition. Its the noodles that was really special, flat and slightly yellow, it was springy and smooth in texture, none of the usual rubbery stuff you get!



This was another bowl eaten on a seperate occasion. The first thought that came to my thought was how come it weighs so much heavier? I opened and realised..



Instead of a dried wafer, the noodles is actually vaccumed sealed and in a moisturised form. And of course, the standard little packets that made up the rest of the bowl.



The end result was satisfying! Round yellowish noodles that were firm and chewy, it would be exaggerating to say its as good as a fresh bowl of ramen from specialised shops like Santouka, but really, you wouldn't feel that you are having a instant meal, more like the frozen packs you buy from Japanese supermarkets and using even less effort to cook! And I can't stop harping on the dried meat which tried to replicate an slice Char Siew. Not very convincing, but good try!

Again, I feel that it would be unfair to compare soups that had been simmered for hours to those in concentrated powder form, but the quality of noodles are simply good enough to be sold on the streets, a far cry from what our cup noodles could offer. If only our instant mee pok could really taste like one!

Equinox: Foie Gras Extravaganza!

Perched on level 70 of Swissotel the Stamford, Equinox is undisputedbly Singapore's best restaurant with a view. I was there recently with my parents for its semi-lunch buffet. At 58++, it definitely isn't cheap for a luncheon but once in a while, it would be really nice to indulge in gourmet food, excellent ambience and of course, good company.




The decor was contemporary chinese with pine (or is it peak?) wood funishing. Level 71 houses the hip NewAsia Bar and 72 is the modern french restaurant Jaan. The panoramic scenery of the island's skyline is captured within your sight and on a clear sunny day (which is about all the time), you can see the neighbouring islands of Indonesia and Malaysia. Simply fantastic.




Roasted Pork Belly with Five Spices, Duck Leg Confit, Poached Salmon with Barley Sauce

Since its a semi-buffet, we first selected our choice of main course, my dad was bent on trying the classic Cantonese pork belly and boy, it was wonderfully done with crackling skin and chewy meat.

I opted for the duck leg confit and wasn't disappointed. Crispy skin with a layer of melt-in-your-mouth fats beneath, followed by tender lean meat. Very good!

Frankly, the salmon wasn't bad but it was a little light for my mom's taste, and she didn't think highly of barley going along with salmon.





The selection of buffet wasn't very wide, but I could assure you they were going for quality instead of quantity. Appetisers included a fascinating cheese selection (my favourite was the flat round one which melts at room temperature!), buckets of fresh cold seafood and stylish tapas in spoons.

There were also japanese soba, sushi, soups and bread rolls, but I didn't really touch much of those. The dessert selection was delightful with creme brulee, bread puddding, many miniture tarts, chocolute fondues (dark, white and milk!) and movenpick ice cream.



Pan-seared Foie Gras with Apple Sauce and Mango Prulee

Now this was really the main attraction of the buffet: Unlimited servings of premium foie gras! Kudos to the poor chef who stood for a full 2.5hrs when people kept queueing and taking the little plates that he painstalking conjoured.

I simply closed my eyes when putting a slice into my mouth. The whobbly creamy texture dissolved on your tongue, follwed by an explosion of rich sinful flavour that could only be made possible by the liver of a fattened goose/duck. An uncontrollable smile widened and I opened my eyes again. My gullible mind was already urging me to go for a second, third, oh heck, many more rounds!

Alright alright, for the benefit of health, please eat foie gras in moderation as its cholestrol level is seriously a no joke. And better excerise plenty after that! But I'm oh-so-willing to run those milage just to get that gastronomic high again!