George Town – New Authentic Penang Creations and Drinks Line Up [MEDIA INVITE]

Claypot Mutton Stew with Beancurd and Radish

George Town Tze Char and Craft Beef have added NEW Authentic Penang Creations and exciting drinks line up to their menu. These new dishes inspired by signature Penang dishes and perfectly complement the current craft beers, wines, cocktails and also the new range of craft beers, soju and sake.

We started the feast with Crispy Chef's Homemade Chestnut Beancurd ($12). Made from scratch with soya milk, sotong paste, water chestnut and vegetables. It has a light crispy exterior followed by soft, velvety soya beancurd texture and crunchy water chestnut. You will hardly notice the sotong paste, however, it contributes a unique savoury flavour to the dish.

Crispy Chef's Homemade Chestnut Beancurd

Butter Prawns ($20). Huge tiger prawns, deep-fried and deliver a crispy and crunchy texture. The flavour bomb comes from the mini granules of the butterball, made from butter and coconut milk. Eat this together with curry leaves and chilli padi (if you like), it will be an explosion of flavour in your mouth. Best dish with their range of Hitachino Japanese Craft Beers, LD recommend their Red Rice Ale, as it paired well with the seafood as it gives a slight sweetness to the taste buds.

Butter Prawns

Salted Pepper Crispy Brinjal ($12). Probably the only way I will eat eggplant is when it is deep-fried as I don’t like the mushy texture. The crispy exterior, followed by a soft interior and seasoned with salt and pepper, does the trick for me. Pop a few pieces of the brinjal and I really enjoy it as well.

Salted Pepper Crispy Brinjal

Salted Pepper Crispy Brinjal

Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head ($28). From our previous visits, we know for sure that Charles (the owner) source one of the freshest fish head around. This dish delivers a nice balance of sour and spicy. It has a thick lemak gravy, haeko and topped with assorted vegetables that is signature to Penang cuisine. For those who like a spicier version, you might want to ask them to increase the heat during ordering. Definitely a rice thief! Cool the heat down with the Brewdog Craft beers from Scotland, LD loves their Hazy Jane.

Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head 

Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head

Claypot Mutton Stew with Beancurd and Radish ($25). Simply the best dish of the night. Most of us on the table just nods in agreement. The mutton ribs are stewed for more than 6 hours in special sauce producing juicy and succulent ribs. The long braising time also extracts the essence of the mutton into the sauce, absorbs by the radish and beancurd, creating another superb "rice thief" dish. Yummy.

Claypot Mutton Stew with Beancurd and Radish

Salted Egg Yolk Soft Shell Crab ($18). One of the easiest ways to enjoy crab without getting your hands dirty. The crispy batter filled with salted egg yolk, followed by juicy soft-shell crabs. A great dish to have with your drinks.

Salted Egg Yolk Soft Shell Crab

Penang Crispy Fish (Tilapia, $28). This dish brings back the memories of fried fish from a defunct Indonesian restaurant in Singapore. The fish is butterflied, then deep-fried until crispy to the bone. Topped with Haeko (Black Shrimp Paste) base sauce and refreshing garnish. It is delicious, enjoyable and finger-licking good. You can hear the crunch with each bite of the fish.

Penang Crispy Fish (Tilapia)

Golden Chicken ($20 for half chicken and $38 for whole chicken). A dish that requires great skill and painstaking preparation. The chicken needs to be deboned and meat removed. It is then blended with the sotong, stuffed back into the chicken and air-dried. Upon order, the chicken is deep-fried to produce that addictive crispy skin. The version here is has a bouncy flesh, infused with the chicken flavour as well. The taste itself is unique, different from what on offer in the market. A must-try dish here.

Golden Chicken

Golden Chicken

Golden Chicken - The Chicken and Sotong stuffing

To complete the dining experience here, you can freely pair your meal here with craft beer on tap from Brewlander, bottled craft beer Hitachino Nest (Japan) or Brewdog (UK), fine wines, award-winning sake, soju and gin (including Chendol Gin and Rojak Gin). The drinks are curated by Charles, the owner and also drink aficionados, PLUS they are reasonably priced, almost like Happy Hour all day long.

Hitachino Nest (Japan) 

Brewdog (UK)

Soju

You can check out the full review of the original dishes at George Town Tze Char and Craft Beer here.

Overall, it was indeed a pleasure to return to George Town to try out their new dishes. Our personal favourites this round is Claypot Mutton Stew with Beancurd and Radish, Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head, Penang Crispy Fish (Tilapia) and Golden Chicken. We’ll definitely come back for awesome claypot mutton stew and the rest of the dishes. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Jennifer Yeo Consultancy and George Town Tze Char & Craft Beer Team for hosting us.

Food & Drinks: 8.25/10

Value: 8.5/10

Service: N/A (Media Tasting)

Ambiance: 8.5/10

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

George Town Tze Char & Craft Beer

81 Boat Quay

Singapore 049869

T: +65 6535 6277 / 9682 3826

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

IG: @Georgetowntzechar

OH: Daily 12.00 – 23.00

25 Degrees – Cheesy Mac Attack and Hollywood A-List Burgers [MEDIA INVITE]

Cheesy Mac Attack Burger

25 Degrees is a Gourmet American burger joint, originated from Los Angeles. It has been endorsed by A-List celebrities as their go-to burger joint. 25 Degrees is brought to Singapore by R&B Lab, a dedicated restaurants and bar management company headed by Michelin-Starred Chef Sylvain Royer. The same company that operates Ginett Singapore (Full review of Ginett Singapore available here).

25 Degrees

Following the success of Cheesy Mac Attack last year, the 25 Degrees team decided to bring back this burger for a limited time only. Available until 31 August 2019, the Cheesy Mac Attack ($18) is made from with US Angus beef patty, paired with a traditional thousand island dressing, topped with smoked bacon, caramelized onions, fresh arugula, melted cheese and nacho cheese.

Cheesy Mac Attack Burger - The Burger

The signature of this burger is definitely the pair two superb mac ‘n’ cheese buns. The mac and cheese buns are crispy externally, filled with al-dente macaroni and loaded with nacho cheese. The patty is juicy and succulent, while the rest of the ingredients made this burger packs with creamy and cheese flavour.

Cheesy Mac Attack Burger

It is best eaten with a fork and knife, but if you like a finger-licking good experience, just dive right in. One of the most unique burgers that I ever tried. Yummy!!

Sides and Snacks 

While Cheesy Mac Attack is only available for a limited time. 25 Degrees regular burgers are endorsed by Hollywood A-List.

NUMBER ONE Burger ($14). This signature burger deserves the mantle as #1. In between the signature soft and fluffy buns are 200g USA Angus beef patty, creamy crescenza and gorgonzola cheese, strips of smoky bacon, caramelized onion, arugula and thousand island sauce.

NUMBER ONE Burger

The patty is juicy, succulent with solid MOO MOO flavour, while the cheese and thousand islands sauce add to the creaminess and umami flavour of the patties. The caramelized onion adds the delicate sweet flavour; while the bacon and arugula provided the salty and bitter taste that balances the burger nicely. Yummy!!

NUMBER ONE - The Burger

NUMBER THREE Burger ($14). For those who like their burger or food spicy with a bit of Tex-Mex flair. It uses the award-winning Monterey Jack cheese topped with jalapenos and spicy chipotle sauce. The mashed avocado did a little to dampen the fiery nature of the jalapenos as the spiciness just explodes between the bites.

NUMBER THREE - The Burger

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN BURGER ($14) – Chicken thigh, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, pickled daikon and spicy miso bbq. It looks like Japanese fusion burger, however, it simply taste like spicy boneless buffalo wings burger, without the crispiness of the fried chicken skin.

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN BURGER

For the Sides and Snacks, we sample a few items:

25 DEGREES WINGS ($8). Deep-fried wings, curly fries and tossed in sambal. Crispy, crunchy with a touch of local flavours. Addictive indeed.

25 DEGREES WINGS

FILTHY FRIES ($8). Double fried fries, caramelised onions, cheese and topped with bacon gravy.  The fries are crispy externally and moist internally, the cheese is rich while the caramelised onion adds to the sweetness to this dish. I don’t think the sweet and cheese works well together, I feel overwhelmed with this combination. I’ll stick to normal fries next time.

FILTHY FRIES

ONION RING ($5). LD has been having onion rings craving for the past few days. Luckily, the version at 25 degrees is superb. Crunchy externally, followed with a sweet and moist texture of the onion. Must order for onion rings lover.

ONION RING

The Hollywood burger experience will not be complete without the milkshakes. We tried CLASSIC MILKSHAKE CHOCOLATE ($10) and CHIPSTER SHAKE ($12). The chocolate classic milkshake has a solid chocolate flavour, without the overpowering richness. While the Chipster Shake tasted like salted caramel topped with crispy chips. You might want to finish the chips first before it gets soggy.

CLASSIC MILKSHAKE CHOCOLATE

CHIPSTER SHAKE

The décor is classic with Hollywood charm. The place is cosy, comfortable, yet chic and glamorous at the same time.

Hollywood charm - Part of Dining Area

Overall, 25 Degrees is an exciting burger destination. Cheesy Mac Attack is a great version of combination of a Mac ‘n’ Cheese with a burger. Meanwhile, the rest of Hollywood A-List endorsed menu come close to the Diners menu in America. Of course, 25 Degrees uses a higher quality ingredient. Don’t forget the Cheesy Mac Attack only available until 31 August 2019. Cheers!!

Craft Beers

Thank you very much to Ai Ling and 25 Degrees Team for hosting us.

Food & Drinks: 8/10

Value: 8.5/10

Service: N/A (Media Tasting)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25, $26 - $50

25 Degrees

200 Middle Road

Hotel G Singapore

Singapore 188980

T: +65 6809 7990

W: https://www.randblab.com/25degrees-sg

F: https://www.facebook.com/25DegreesSG/

IG: @25degreesinsingapore

OH: Daily 07.00 – 03.00

Menu Available Online

MHR – M Brew and M Wines [MEDIA INVITE]

M Brew - Limited Edition Bottle

Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) has launched M Brew and M Wines at glitz and glamour showcase at Beast & Butterflies, M Social Hotel. M Brew and M Wines will be available exclusively at its six Singapore properties under MHR.

M Brew is brewed in Singapore by Archipelago Brewery, best known for their cheekily named beers inspired by Singapore. Infused with familiar local flavour pandan emulsion, M Brew is a balanced beer with coconut and caramel with vanilla liked pandan finishing taste. A Signature flavours of Singapore and Southeast Asia.

M Brew from the Tap

M Wines consist of two brand new house pours consist of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Both wines originated from Australia’s Borunga Hill Estate in New South Wales.

M Wines - Cabernet Sauvignon

M Wines - Sauvignon Blanc

We had fun pairing the delicious food curated for this event such as: Crispy Pork Knuckle from Beast & Butterflies at M Social; Crispy Roasted Duck by Hua Ting Orchard Hotel; Charcoal Grilled Wagyu Beef Burger from The Orchard Café at Orchard Hotel; Octopus from Grissini at Grand Copthorne Waterfront; Butternut Lobster Bisque with VSOP from Café 2000 at M Hotel.

Crispy Roast Duck from Hua Ting

Greenland Halibut with White Wine Butter Cream Sauce
With M Wines - Sauvignon Blanc

Since I cannot drink, LD is the tester for the M Brew and M Wine. LD feels that the Sauvignon Blanc is light and easy to drink, nicely paired with seafood and pasta. Meanwhile, the Cabernet Sauvignon has a more earthy woody flavour that is suitable for red meat and duck. For M Brew, you can have it with everything.

Charcoal Grilled Wagyu Beef Slider with M Brew

From 25 June to 31 July 2019, all six Singapore Millennium Hotel and Resort properties, including Orchard Hotel, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, M Hotel, Studio M Hotel, M Social and Copthorne King’s Hotel will offer special introductory prices for M Brew and M Wine.

Chubby Botak Koala - Cheers!!

M Brew and M Wine – Special Introductory Price

When: 25 June to 31 July 2019

Where: Orchard Hotel, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, M Hotel, Studio M Hotel, M Social and Copthorne King’s Hotel.

Price:

• M Brew (S$10 for 330ml and S$13 for 500ml)
• M Wine Cabernet Sauvignon (S$12 per glass and S$58 per bottle)
• M Wine Sauvignon Blanc (S$12 per glass and S$58 per bottle)

Thank you very much to Gilbert and Grand Copthorne Waterfront Marcom team for hosting us.

[CLOSED] Five Marbles – Craft Beer and Crafted Food [MEDIA INVITE]

Five Marbles

Five Marbles, a new restaurant set up with the idea of building a community of people who love great food and great beers. At any day, there are 12 craft beers on tap sourced from this little red dot, Japan, Australia, USA, UK and New Zealand. The craft beer list will be refresh from time to time, to allow the customer to savour the exciting offerings.

The Craft Beer Menu

Following the theme of the restaurant, the food here is also infused with their craft beers. Don't worry, you won't get drunk from the food, but you can definitely get high from the beers.

Beer Price

We started with Craft Beer Mushroom Soup ($9). Made with four type of mushrooms: shiitake, portobello, white button and oyster. The brownish dark colour soup is robust, creamy and filled with complex mushrooms flavour. Watch out for the hint of beer flavour at the end of each slurp of the soup.

Craft Beer Mushroom Soup

Portobello Chicken Cheese Baked Beer Rice ($16). A flavourful mushroom and chicken rice, topped with cheddar cheese. It is then oven-baked, to melt the cheese and create a crisp texture of the cheese. The rice is al-dente, and you can taste the chicken and mushroom in each bite. A solid baked rice dish.

Portobello Chicken Cheese Baked Beer Rice 

Portobello Chicken Cheese Baked Beer Rice 

[CLOSED] The RawR Kitchen – Comfort Food Paired with Craft Beef [MEDIA INVITE]

Welcome to RawR Kitchen

The RawR Kitchen is a Microbrewery cum bistro located in the new industrial area of Bukit Batok. This Micro Brewery is the home base for On Tap Fresh Brew Craft Beer, which is known for their English Bitter brew, a heavily hoppy incarnation of an under-appreciated beer style.

Brewing On Tap Craft Beer

Notice from these water taps, oopps, I mean beer taps, Currently, there are 11 different type of craft beer: Root Beer, Seasonal, Wheat Beer, Orange Cider, Cranberry Cider, Brown Ale, Pilsner, English Bitter, Dunkel, India Pale Ale (IPA) and Stout. Alas, it not due to my medication, I will definitely gulp some of those beers. Anyway, for the beer review, check out the review by Ai Ling here.

The Craft Beer Selections

Root Beer (Adult Version) - Ai Ling choice