Cinder Steakhouse – A Steakhouse in Colonial Environment

Cinder Steakhouse (“Cinder”) is an extension of their brother brand – Wheeler’s Estate Cinder Steakhouse aims to serve amazing steaks, hearty dishes and extensive wine selections. The restaurant is located on the second floor in the Wheeler’s Estate premises, known for its lush greenery, rich historical black & white building and away from the noise of city life.

Cinder Steakhouse

Walkway to Cinder - 2nd Floor

From the front yard, you can see the Cinder Signboard clearly, leading you to the entrance. Once you reach the second floor, you will pass the walkway, decorated with natural plants. The dining area can be separated into a few sections. In the main dining area, Cinder has long bench seating options, against the window facing the front yard. The tables are square and around 1m in length and are easily moveable to accommodate the number of guests per section. There is also a seating area in front of the bar and along the corridor facing the backyard. While it combines modern furnishing, Cinder tries to retain the characteristic of the colonial dining room.

Main Dining Area

Dining Area - Corridor Facing Back Yard

The Bar

The Table Set Up

We started our meal with Pan Fried Foie Gras ($38). The two pieces of foie gras are accompanied by Berry Compote, Quince, Toasted Brioche, Fresh Berries, and Pistachio Nuts. The fattiness from the foie gras nicely balanced with the sweetness from the compote and acidity from the fruits. It was a party in our mouth.

Pan Fried Foie Gras

Pan Fried Foie Gras

Charcuterie Board ($48) - Dingley Dell Coppa, Parma Ham, Cooked Ham, Camembert, Grana Padano, Blue d’Auvergne, Berries, Sicilian Olives, Dried Apricot Cornichons, Sour Dough, Cream Crackers.

Charcuterie Board

A good combination of charcuterie board. The portion is very generous, but you should order this when you have a group of 4 or bigger. We like the camembert and the ham, especially when we eat it with toasted sourdough. A bit of recommendation, ask for the honey, to enhance the flavours of the cheese or cover the pungent taste of the blue cheese.

Charcuterie Board

For the main, we shared 600G 28-Days Dry Aged Bone-In Striploin ($110) - Grass Fed, Gippsland Victoria. The steak is cooked to medium rare and served on a thick and heavy plate. We like the charred exterior, while the interior is tender with a bit of chewiness in it. We tasted a bit of beefiness in the steak, as it was grass-fed.

600G 28-Days Dry Aged Bone-In Striploin

600G 28-Days Dry Aged Bone-In Striploin

The steak comes with these sauces Red Wine Sauce, Black Pepper Sauce, Bearnaise & Pommery Mustard. I like the red wine sauce and bearnaise.

Rock Salt, Red Wine Sauce, Bearnaise Sauce & Black Pepper Sauce
*Pommery Mustard is on the Steak Plate

The Steak with Sides

For the sides, we ordered Creamed Spinach ($18) - Crispy Onions & Cheese. The portion is very generous. The combination of the cream and cheese covers the usual bitterness in the spinach.

Creamed Spinach

Grilled Asparagus ($19) - Bearnaise Sauce, Crumbs. Nicely grilled, crunchy and juicy. The asparagus tasted good on its own. Since the steak already comes with bearnaise sauce, I think it is redundant to serve it with the grilled asparagus.

Grilled Asparagus

We end the meal with Sticky Date Pudding ($16) - Butterscotch Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream. Since we were there for my birthday, I got the nicely decorated plate. The sticky date pudding is moist and tasty. Once the vanilla ice cream starts to melt and combine with the butterscotch sauce, it turns out to be a fantastic combination. Yummy!!

Sticky Date Pudding - Birthday Version

The service is very good. They are a bunch of fun and friendly service crew, but you can tell they know the stuff on the menu very well.

Menu - 1

Menu - 2

Overall, Cinder Steakhouse is a great dining destination outside the city. Nice place, with great food and very good service. What else can you ask for? Cheers!!

Lunch Menu

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 6.5/10

Service: 8.5/10

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $81 and Above

Cinder Steakhouse @ Wheeler’s Estate

2 Park Ln

Level 2, Seletar Aerospace Drive

Singapore 798386

T: +65 8940 0885

W: https://www.cindersteakhouse.com/

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

IG: @Cinder_sg

OH:

Tue – Sun: 11.30 – 15.00; 18.00 – 22.00

Closed on Monday

TheFoodPan3 – Delicious Pies [MEDIA DROP]

My first taste of a meat pie was during high school in Melbourne, Australia. That beef minced meat and gravy fillings in between the shortcrust pastry and puff pastry on top was an eye-opener and it just hits my sweet spot. Meat pie is sold everywhere in Australia, they just put it in the brown bag, and you can eat it on the go. So, it was very easy to meet my cravings.

In Singapore, beef meat pie is not easy to find previously, however, it is getting more common nowadays. The most common meat pie you encounter here is chicken pie. The fillings consist of pieces of chicken, carrot, peas, cream and lots of pepper. For the crust, they usually use one type of pasty, which is filo pastry. Since filo pastry is soft and fluffy, it usually sits on aluminium foil tin pie pans and you can’t eat it with your hands.

Meat Pies from TheFoodPan3 - The Box

Recently, I received Pies Media Drop from TheFoodPan3. There were 2 Chicken Pies ($6.50 each) and 2 Red Wine Chunky Beef Pie ($8.50 each). Since I just returned from Australia, it was just perfect timing to try it. The pies were freshly baked in the morning and I received the delivery in the afternoon.

Meat Pies from TheFoodPan3

My first impression of the pies, WOW, they are huge. One of the pies will be enough to fill me for a meal.

The red wine chunky beef pies are the ones with dry chopped herbs on top. When I cut through the pies, the fillings did not flow out easily. It shows that they packed the fillings to the brim. The chunky beef cuts are lean, yet it is tender and well cooked. The gravy cooked with carrot and red wine, penetrated well into the inner part of the meat and at the same time extract the beef essence into the delicious gravy.

Red Wine Chunky Beef Pies

Red Wine Chunky Beef Pies - The Fillings

The pastry is crisp and fully on the top. However, the bottom part is soft as the gravy soaks into the pastry. However, it is one of the nicest meat pies that I ever tried in Singapore.

Red Wine Chunky Beef Pies - Top View

Chicken Pies - Top View

The chicken pie uses the same pastry as the beef pie. The fillings consist of chicken, potatoes, carrots, peas, cooked in cream and one-half of a hard-boiled egg added during the pie-making process. The cream binds all the ingredients together, yet it was not heavy and allows the natural flavour of the ingredient to stands out. When I cut through the pies, the fillings did not flow out, instead, it just sits on each half nicely. Definitely, one of the better chicken pies I ever tried in Singapore.

Chicken Pies

Chicken Pies - The Fillings

LaLa with Chicken Pies

Storage conditions: If you order the pies fresh, you can keep them refrigerated for 3 days. Or you can order the pies frozen, then you can keep them longer. Reheat instructions will be provided on the box as well.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

CBK Verdict: The Red Wine Chucky Beef Pies and The Chicken Pies from TheFoodPan3 are delicious and they are one of the nicest pies that I ever tried in Singapore. The size is big and one pie can easily fill my tummy for one meal. A Must Try!! Cheers!!

Meat Pies + Coke Zero = Awesome

TheFoodPan3

Home Base Business
Made to order Pies & Specialities
F: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084932408558
IG: @TheFoodPan3
E: thefoodpan3@gmail.com
WA: +65 9796 5460

Thank you very much, Kris and TheFoodPan3 for arranging the delivery.

Kafe Utu – Blending African Flavours with Modern Flair [MEDIA INVITE]

Caribbean Goat Curry

The hipster Keong Saik neighbourhood has welcome a new Café and Lounge, that brings with it the culture of Africa. Kurt Wagner, the owner of Kafe Utu grew up in Kenya and wanted to bring a piece of home to Singapore. Actually, Kurt brought more than a piece, he decorated almost the whole three stories of the building, even the doors, with items homemade and handmade in Kenya.

Welcome to Kafe Utu

For food, Kafe Utu is presenting a combination of east and west African dishes, together with modern café cuisine as well. A few of the recipes originated from Jon, Kurt’s brother whom together owned a few restaurants in Nairobi. Those dishes are Liberian Peanut Chicken Stew ($28), Swahili Fish Curry ($29), Caribbean Goat Curry ($28), and West African Spicy Greens ($28).

Kafe Utu - Level 1

Liberian Peanut Chicken Stew – Sakura Chicken Thigh, Natural Peanut Butter, Smoked Fish and Habanero (served with coconut rice). Surprisingly, the taste feels familiar. To put it in a local context, tasted like a combination of creamy satay sauce with chilli padi and served with basmati nasi lemak. Instead of sweet, it tilts towards savoury version. Yum Yum.

Liberian Peanut Chicken Stew

Swahili Fish Curry – Red Snapper, tamarind, coconut milk, house curry paste & habanero (served with coconut rice). I like the firm texture of the fish fillet, cooked with tangy, assam curry fish-head like flavour, with extra richness from the coconut milk. It is best to eat the fish together with Kafe Utu version of tomato salsa.

Swahili Fish Curry

Caribbean Goat Curry – Fresh goat meat, house curry paste & habanero (served with coconut rice). You can expect a strong gamy flavour from the goat. The curry paste helps to minimise the strong gamy flavour, and the spiciness of this dish is definitely higher compared to the rest of the African dishes.

Caribbean Goat Curry

West African Spicy Greens – Mixed Greens (cassava leaf), chicken thigh, smoked fish & habanero (served with coconut rice). At first, I thought it was a vegetarian dish, however, under those greens come the surprise. It is packed with umami flavour, originated from the smoked fish and chicken thigh. It did well to nicely balance the greens and meat proteins.

West African Spicy Greens

Although the above dishes supposed to come with rice, we had ours with Homemade Chapati ($2 per serving). Aromatic, fragrant and crisp roti, works nicely to scoop the curries.

Homemade Chapati

Complementing the African cuisine are the modern brunch dishes that is comparable with modern café in Singapore and Australia. The spread includes Pulled Pork Breakfast ($24), Quinoa Chia Seed Pudding ($18), Curried Avocado with Raw Garlic and Toast ($16, add egg +$3), Mama’s fresh garden salad ($25), Utu Bowl ($20).

Kafe Utu - Level 2

Pulled Pork Breakfast - Fresh pork shoulder, house hickory smoked BBQ sauce, curried avocado, corn salsa, poached barn egg & potato hash. Amazing flavour on the plate. The pulled pork shoulder is super juicy, the poached egg is perfectly cooked, while the creaminess of the avocado and corn salsa really spiced up the dish. Not to be missed is the perfectly crispy hash brown. Oink Oink.

Pulled Pork Breakfast

Quinoa Chia Seed Pudding representing the healthy brunch cuisine. It has chia seed, quinoa, Greek yoghurt, seasonal fruits (grilled banana, grapefruit and blood orange) topped with roasted almonds and pure maple syrup are just delicious. Who says healthy food can’t taste delicious.

Quinoa Chia Seed Pudding

Curried Avocado with Raw Garlic and Toast with egg. Style like modern breakfast in Australian café, the fresh and creamy avocado on sourdough toast definitely get your tongue wagging. The twist here is red curry paste and raw garlic, which helps to overcome the richness of the avocado together with the bitterness from arugula leaves.

Curried Avocado with Raw Garlic and Toast with egg

Mama’s fresh garden salad. This salad has a nostalgic feel to Kurt, reminding him of the salad that his mum made. A generous dose of baby leaf, fruit tomato, cucumber, avocado, red radish, alfalfa. The earthy flavour definitely stands out here, but I like the twang from the apple cider vinegar dressing.

Mama's Fresh Garden Salad

Utu Bowl - Quinoa, Orange Zest pickled carrots, apple cider pickled cabbage, fresh kale, marinated goat’s cheese, sous vide egg, roasted pumpkin, fresh avocado & spiced pumpkin seeds. What an explosion of healthy flavours in your mouth. Simply put, delicious.

Utu Bowl

For starters, we had Beetroot Burratini ($18), Potato Wedges ($14), Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($15) and Padron Peppers ($14).

Kafe Utu - Level 3

Beetroot Burratini - Picked beetroot, white truffle oil, burratini & fresh basil leaf. I definitely like the combination of beetroot and burratini. However, the white truffle oil definitely does not belong in this dish. Instead, they should just replace the truffle oil with apple cider vinegar dressing or maybe balsamic vinegar.

Beetroot Burratini

Potato Wedges. The wedges are good, crisp externally and moist internally. However, the three homemade dips here are extraordinary. They are mango chili marmalade (Fresh Mango, habanero, onion & coarse black pepper – Spiciness level LOW), Congo Bongo (Fresh Veggies, habanero, natural peanut butter & house spice blend – Spiciness level MEDIUM) and House Chili (Garlic, chili padi, habanero, citrus & butter – Spiciness level MINDBLOWING).

Potato Wedges with the homemade dips

Buttermilk Fried Chicken. This is Kafe Utu version of Popcorn chicken. Bitesize crispiness to be eaten with homemade dips.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken with the homemade dips

Pardon Peppers - Pimentos & Citron Sea Salt. For those who live on the edge. Definitely not for me, but a must try for those who like everything and anything spicy. Good Luck!

Pardon Peppers

The desserts line up included Ricotta Hotcakes ($23), Mandazi ($8), Tiramisu ($8) and Canele ($5).

Ricotta Hotcakes. This is definitely one kick-ass hotcakes. It is fluffy and creamy, topped with delicious ice cream, icing sugar and apple syrup. A must order for a pancake lover. Although it is listed as brunch, I think the ice cream made it suitable for brunch or desserts.

Ricotta Hotcakes

Mandazi - Swahili Coast Fried Bread with Coconut Flakes & Cardamom. Interesting flavours, however, the cardamom is too strong for my liking.

Mandazi

Canelé has a dense texture to the pasty due to over caramelisation. I find it needs a bit of liquid to smoothen up the pastry, like Utu soft serve ice cream. In Kafe Utu, it is likely that the soft serve cream is made using House Ubuntu Coffee.

Canele and Tiramisu

Tiramisu - House Ubuntu Espresso, layered with sponge fingers & mascarpone frosting. A signature dessert here that exploit your love for desserts and coffee. It is fully caffeinated and creamy, a perfect dessert to showcase the nutty and chocolaty roast profile from their signature coffee beans.

Not forgetting, the coffee here definitely suits my palate. I like the chocolate and nutty flavour from their coffee beans. I tried Bidi Bado (Abracadabra – Utu Style Mocha, $7). Mocha rimmed with natural peanut butter, pink peppercorns and toasted almond. Almost like the coffee mocktails, filled with a lot of nutty ingredients and sparks from pink peppercorn. Best of all, Kafe Utu uses Hokkaido Milk, known as one of the best milk in Asia for your coffee.

Bidi Bado - Abracadabra

If you are a coffee junkie, this information might interest you. Kafe Utu are using the LaMarzocco Leva coffee, it is also one of the first to be in the F&B market. Their coffee bean is their house blend, “Ubuntu” consisting of Uganda, Mexico and Brazil. Therefore, you can expect a rich buttery texture with hints of cashew nuts & brown sugar, subtle notes of red wine, caramelized apricot acidity and intense dark chocolate finish.

Ubuntu Coffee Bean

Cold Brew, Protein Balls and Hokkaido Milk in the background

I loved the décor of this place. Without a doubt, you will be exposed to culture and visual art of Africa sub-continent. During the day this place is to be known as Kafe Utu, as the sun set, it will turn into Utu Lounge.

Kafe Utu - Level 2

Overall, Kafe Utu has definitely introduced to me a taste of African food. The menu here is curated to present the best of modern brunch cuisine together and the best of African Flavours as well. Not forgetting, their House blend, Ubuntu coffee bean is just amazing. Definitely, a must visit place. Cheers!!

Outdoor Bar - for Utu Lounge

Thank you very much to Kris and Kafe Utu Team for the tasting invitation.

Food: 8/10

Value: 7.75/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 9/10

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

Kafe Utu

12 Jiak Chuan Road

Singapore 089265

T: +65 6996 3937

W: https://kafeutu.com/

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

IG: @kafeutu

OH:

Tue to Sun: 08.00 – 17.00

Closed on Monday

Utu Lounge

Tue – Thu: 18.00 – 23.00

Fri & Sat: 18.00 – 01.00

Sun: 11.30 – 17.00

Closed on Monday