Paradise Pizza – 48-Hour Fermented Sourdough Pizza [MEDIA INVITE]

Paradise Pizza is excited to announce its official debut, under the same roof as Elixir Coffee and Wine. Paradise Pizza will feature its revamped lineup of pizzas, using 48-hours fermented sourdough crust made daily in-house plus the diverse flavours of comfort food from around the world.

Paradise Pizza

The tasting started with Deep Fried Burrata (V) [$24] – Pomodoro, Arugula, Balsamic. Paradise Pizza (‘PP’) uses high-quality burrata from Puglia, Italy. It is breaded, deep-fried to golden and served on the bed of pomodoro sauce, topped with seaweed balls pickled with balsamic vinegar and arugula. A lovely combination of crispy and creamy burrata, with sweet and tangy pomodoro sauce. The crunchy and bitter arugula salad compliments the fried burrata nicely and the balsamic vinegar seaweed balls balance the richness of the burrata. An awesome start to the meal.

Deep Fried Burrata

Mentaiko Lemon Butter [$22]. The first thing that captures my eyes is the uneven size of the mafaldine pasta. The pasta is al-dente and cooked with super zesty lemon butter. The mentaiko and tobiko provided different textures and umami flavours. Unfortunately, those umami flavours are overpowered by the zesty lemon.

Mentaiko Lemon Butter

Bismark Blanc Pizza [$26]. The 48-hours fermented sourdough base has a crispy exterior, followed by a lovely pillowy and chewy interior. The topping of the pizza includes white sauce, Fior di latte (cow’s milk mozzarella), crispy Parma ham and sous-vide egg. The overall pizza is rich and creamy, with a surprise heat coming from the cracked pepper. A Must Order here!

Bismark Blanc Pizza

Burrata Pomodoro [$24]. Impressed with the combination of burrata and pomodoro, we decided to order this pasta. The rigatoni is cooked to al-dente. It is chewy and crunchy, complementing the pomodoro sauce and burrata nicely. Simplicity at its best. Yummy.

Burrata Pomodoro

Darn Good Tiramisu [$14]. Well true to its name, it is DARN GOOD!!. Solid espresso, light, creamy and I easily finish the whole serving on my own, as LD is allergic to coffee.

Darn Good Tiramisu

To accompany the meal, I had the Yuzu Cooler [$6], while LD had Sparkling Piccini 1882 Vino Spumante [$14].

Yuzu Cooler

Sparkling Piccini 1882 Vino Spumante

Sharing the same space as Elixir Coffee and Wine, the décor of Paradise Pizza is modern, industrial and edgy. From the outside, the glasses are lightly tinted, giving the place a cool vibe. Most of the seating areas cater to smaller diners such as 2 to 4 pax, while there is a huge sharing table in the middle that can seat up to 10 pax.

Espresso Bar & Kitchen

Part of Dining Area

Overall, we enjoy the food at Paradise Pizza. The sourdough base pizza is very good, as demonstrated in the Bismark Blanc pizza and not forgetting anything with burrata or pomodoro sauce is a must-order as well. Cheers!!

Menu

Thank you very much Protegie Consultancy and Team Paradise Pizza for the invitation.

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Paradise Pizza

24 Holland Grove

#01-18, Parksuites

Singapore 278803

T: +65 6908 5547

W: https://www.paradisepizza.com.sg/

IG: @Paradisepizza_sg

OH: Wed – Sun (11.00 – 21.00)

Allo – Delicious French Food

Allo is a French bistro located in shophouses along Desker Road, Little India. I was attracted to Allo when I saw a posting on Allo’s dish on social media and added it to my list of places to try.

Allo

When you reach the front door of Allo, you will be welcomed by a nice al-fresco dining area, complete with rattan chairs and white round tables, just like those found in France. The indoor dining area is separated by white steel doors with glass windows. In the evening, the ambient of the indoor dining area is dimly lit. It is furnished, with square tables, rattan chairs and long banquette seats, for seats against the wall. Though not an open kitchen, through the pass, you can see the chefs at work in the kitchen.

Allo's Al-fresco dining area

We started the meal with Pan Seared Foie Gras [$26] - Pan-Seared Foie Gras, Figs Compote, Rice Crackers. A generous serving of foie gras, cooked to perfection. It has a lovely crisp externally, smooth and creamy internally. The figs compote is sweet and bodes well with foie gras and crispy rice crackers.

Pan Seared Foie Gras 

Warm Oven Truffled Camembert with Figs Compote [$28] - Camembert Cheese, Truffle Paste, Figs compote. The camembert is sliced evenly like a muffin and generously slathered with truffle paste. It is then baked, to the point where the cheese is warm and gooey. Eaten together with crispy sourdough and figs compote, it is just delicious.

Warm Oven Truffled Camembert with Figs Compote 

Moving to mains Wagyu Sirloin Steak with Pomme Puree & Seasonal Vegetable [$38] - Sirloin, pomme puree, brandy sauce. The steak is cooked to medium-rare, as ordered. It is nicely seasoned, juicy and succulent. The pomme puree (French mashed potatoes) is creamy, velvety and ridiculously delicious complemented by the crunchy seasonal vegetables. Yummy!!

Wagyu Sirloin Steak with Pomme Puree & Seasonal Vegetable

Beef Tenderloin with Potato Dauphinoise & Seasonal Vegetable [$38] - Brandy Sauce. The thick beef tenderloin is meaty and succulent. Unlike the sirloin which has more fats, the tenderloin offers a nice meaty texture. The Potato Dauphinoise (Potato au Gratin) has a crisp exterior, followed by a creamy interior, which complements the beef tenderloin nicely. The seasonal vegetables are crunchy, while the brandy sauce binds all the ingredients nicely.

Beef Tenderloin with Potato Dauphinoise & Seasonal Vegetable 

The service is friendly but minimal. On that night, we only have 1 service staff covering 4 tables.

Overall, Allo served delicious French cuisine in a French café atmosphere. The food is fairly priced and we will surely return for more. Santé!! Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80

Allo French Restaurant

72 Desker Road

Singapore 209595

T: +65 8897 9230

W: https://allo.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/allo.com.sg

IG: @Allo.com.sg

OH:

Tue – Thu, Sun: 11.00 – 15.00, 18.00 – 22.30

Fri – Sat: 11.00 – 15.00; 18.00 – Midnight

Closed on Mondays

The Gyu Co – Seriously Awesome Gyudon [MEDIA INVITE]

Classic Gyudon plus Meal Set

The Gyu Co present to you their humble Gyudonya. Located at Vision Exchange, Jurong East, The Gyu Co focused on everything about Gyu (beef). Currently, The Gyu Co focused on churning out Gyudonya before adding new creations for their dinner service menu at a later stage.

The Gyu Co

Classic Gyudon ($9.90 for reg, $15.90 for double meat). I was scratching my head at first when I saw the price. I was not sure what to expect as most premium Gyudonya is usually priced from $16 and above.

Classic Gyudon plus Meal Set

The plating is neat, showcasing all the toppings blanketing the rice completely. You can see the sliced beef, onsen egg, the homemade sauce with its root vegetables, pickled ginger and spring onion.

Australian Wagyu Beef

The beef has a good marbling, it is juicy and succulent. The onsen egg is cooked to perfection, the yolk gently flows into the toppings when you poke it. Meanwhile, the homemade sauce is thick, sweet yet mellow perfectly bind all the ingredients together. You can also see the sliced burdock root spread all over the topping. It is comforting, very delicious gyudon and worth every cent.

Burdock Root

Truffle Foie Gras Gyudon ($17.90 for reg, $23.90 for double meat). While the basic ingredients are the same as the classic gyudon, the shaved truffle and pan-fried foie gras are added to this bowl. If you serve this bowl in a high-end Japanese restaurant, you are looking at a substantial dent in your pocket.

Truffle Foie Gras Gyudon

There is one thick cut of foie gras served on top, plus a few smaller pieces hidden below the toppings. LD and I notice that the truffle aroma is very delicate, unlike those stinkers from artificial truffle oils. The use of shave truffle enhances the overall flavour of the gyudon. After you mixed all the ingredients evenly, you can taste the foie gras in each scoop of the rice. Yummy!!

Truffle Foie Gras Gyudon

The hidden Foie Gras

You can complete each gyudon / don with Make it a set! Miso + Chawanmushi + Drink ($3.50). The chawanmushi is filled with extra ingredients, such as Japanese fish cake, bits of prawns and sliced mushrooms. The flavour of the chawanmushi is on the lighter side and the same can be expected with their miso soup. According to Wilson, the owner, this is to cater “health-conscious” lunch crowd from in the building.

Make it a Set! Drink

He also highlighted that most of the ingredients like the sauces and even slicing of the beef are made in house and from scratch. Therefore, their gyudon has its own unique flavour and tasted delicious.

Chicken Karaage

Chicken Karaage ($5). It is crisp externally, followed by juicy and succulent flesh. It is served with generous dollops of mayonnaise, furikake plus healthy cabbage and lettuce at the bottom. Missing from this side dish is a slice of lemon, which might further enhance the taste.

Chicken Karaage

The Chicken

The décor is simple. Due to the size of the shop, most of the seats will be located outside the shop. Service is limited but friendly. You grab a seat, place your order at the cashier, play with your handphone and wait till your food comes.

CBK Verdict: A very nice Gyudon and value for money. Definitely worth a visit. If I work nearby or stay in the West, I will have the gyudon regularly. Cheers!!

Menu 1

Menu 2

Thank you very much Protegie Consultancy and The Gyu Co team for hosting us.

Food & Drinks: 8/10

Value: 8.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 6/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25

The Gyu Co

2 Venture Dr

#02-35 Vision Exchange

Singapore 608526

T: +65 8233 9138

F: https://www.facebook.com/TheGyuCo

IG: @Thegyuco

OH:

Mon – Sat: 11.30 – 14.00; 17.00 - 21.00

*Limited to 100 portions per meal service

Dapur Penyet – Authentic Indonesian Comfort Food

Bebek Penyet @ Daput Penyet

We found Dapur Penyet when we were looking for a place to sit while waiting for my turn to collect my items from a collection point in Centrepoint. The set-up of the shop is almost like any fast-food chain, however, instead of the usual Western fare, you get Indonesian food.

Our first time there, we tried Siomay ($7.50) and Batagor ($7.50). Siomay is steam Indonesian fish dumplings served with steamed cabbage, beancurd, hard-boiled egg and peanut sauce dipping. It is one of LD’s favourite Indonesian dishes and the version here got her approval. The fish dumplings are bouncy, tasty, while the peanut sauce is aromatic and packs with flavour.

Siomay

Meanwhile, the Batagor is the fried version of the fish dumplings. The ingredients are the same with siomay, except the fish dumplings are deep-fried.

Bebek Penyet ($10.50). Smashed Fried Duck. The fried duck has a crispy exterior, followed by fork-tender and succulent flesh. The flesh also infused with spices derive from long hours boiling in spices filled broth, while the deep frying just intensifies the flavour. The crispy crumbs on top also add different texture to the dish. The bebek penyet is usually served with sambal terasi (Indonesian shrimp paste sambal), but I ask for no chilli. I feel that I like the duck version better than the ayam penyet, as it has more flesh and is more succulent.

Bebek Penyet

Ayam Ijo ($7.50). Smashed Fried Chicken with Padang Green Chilli Sauce. LD got the breast part of the chicken instead of the thigh part. Although the exterior is crispy, the breast meat is dry. The Padang Green Chilli is very spicy and LD describes it as SHIOK!!. (Next time I need to remember to write down Chicken Thigh).

Ayam Ijo

Ikan Joget ($12.50). Fried Sundanese Dancing Fish. A uniquely Indonesian dish. The flesh of the tilapia fish is sliced in such a way, making the fish stand up after it is deep-fried. It has a crisp exterior with juicy flesh. While it is delicious, this dish can be better if it is crispier, so you can enjoy the crispy fins and tail like keropok.

Ikan Joget

Ikan Joget

The fried chicken and fish are served with fried crispy tofu and boiled cabbage. The staple does not come with your protein order. So, remember to order it separately. Nasi Putih ($1) - White rice.

Nasi Putih

The décor of the place is a typical fast-food setup. It is simple and functional. The service staff is friendly; however, you need to place your order at the counter, collect your drink and wait for the beeper to page you to collect your food. Everything is self-service, except for cleaning your table afterwards.

Water, Lime Juice & Lime Juice with Sour Plum

Overall, Dapur Penyet serves Indonesian style of comfort food. It is delicious and it will satisfy your Indonesian food cravings. Cheers!

Menu 1

Menu 2

Food & Drinks: 7.25/10

Value: 7.75/10

Service: N/A (Fast food concept)

Ambiance: 6.5/10

Budget per Person: $0 - $10; $11 - $25

Dapur Penyet

176 Orchard Road

#01-59/62, The Centrepoint

Singapore 238843

T: +65 6734 2840

W: https://www.dapurpenyet.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/dapurpenyetsingapore

IG: @Dapurpenyetsingapore

OH: Daily 10.00 – 21.00 (LO 20.30)

Other Location

810 Geylang Road

#01-43, City Plaza

Singapore 409286

T: +65 6842 5034