The Peranakan – High Tea set & Yee Sang Istimewa [MEDIA INVITE]

We are back at The Peranakan to experience The Peranakan High Tea Set ($28 / pax). This set combines the savoury and sweet dishes from the regular menu. In total there will be up to to 14 dishes in the high tea set with a choice of drink that include a pot of Malacca Tea, Coffee, Lemongrass Tea or Pandan Tea.

The Peranakan High Tea Set

The highlights of our high tea session are:

The signature Mee Siam is definitely a must try. Although I am not a mee siam fan, I can recognise the version here is very solid. It is filled with spices and has the right balance of spiciness and tanginess that will open up your appetite to go about the rest of the dishes. Best to consume it when it's hot.

High Tea Mee Siam

Nasi Ulam Istimewa was one of my favourite dish during our last visit and it remain the same. (Check out the full review from our last visit here). The Satay Babi Sum Chan got an upgrade here, where it is wrapped in buns. The portion of the meat and bun is perfect fit. The satay gravy is well-absorbed by the soft pillowy white bun, plus the pork belly just melts in your mouth.

Nasi Ulam Istimewa (Left), Satay Babi Sum Chan (Top)

Kueh Pie Ti was served earlier as snacks, but it is normally part of high tea. Crispy cup filled with well braised turnip and condiments. You have the option to add the chilli, but I give it a miss.

Kueh Pie Ti

For the sweet stuff, Pulot Inti Durian & Pulot Inti Kelapa remain my favourites. The combination of glutinous rice with the richness of coconut milk and fillings never fails to entice my appetite. The durian paste here is velvety and smooth, without being ridiculously pungent.

Pulot Inti Durian (Left), Satay Babi Sum Chan (Right)

The Toast and Durian paste also will give you another shot to fulfill your durian cravings.

Completing the offerings for high tea are Toast Hay Bee Hiam, Ngoh Hiang Pork, Pisang Goreng, Kuih Kosui (Kueh Ko Swee), Pineapple Tart and Love Letter. Please note that the menu on the high tea will be rotated daily.

In case you are wondering if the portion is definitely sufficient as we all struggle to finish all the food. Portion for 6 pax and there are six of us.

The Peranakan High Tea Set

Availability: Daily from 11.00 – 17.30

Price : $24++ Weekday; $28++ Weekend per pax (min of 2 pax required)

Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice – Enjoyable Braised Duck

Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice

One of the places to go for my quick meal is Serangoon Garden Market. Reasons being that parking is a breeze and the standards of the stalls here is just above average.

Recently, I keep returning to Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice ('Ah Seng'), the one near the Bakery for lunch. It is also one of the stall that always have a queue. A quick research before writing this review, divulge that Ah Seng has been around from more than 20 years. So some of the regulars have been eating the braised duck since their childhood (including my wife). Amazing.

The Braised Duck

So what is good here. Of course the braised duck (One person serving with rice from $3.50). Braised in superior soya sauce, the braising gravy has a water consistency instead of thick gooey version. In short, Ah Seng follow the Teochew style of braised duck. The duck is well braised as you can feel the soya sauce infused in the meat. It is also lean and meaty, almost absent of any fats. Those who like their duck plump and juicy, this might not be the version for you.

Serving for One plus Pig's Ear and Tongue

Normally, I will order the braised pork belly ($2/3/4) with my duck. Like the duck, the pork belly can be consider lean however it remain tender and succulent. For me, the braised pork belly is to offset the duck meat that is devoid of fats.

Serving for One plus Braised Pork Belly

Different Taste Cafe & Restaurant – Comforting Zhi Char Food [Media Invite]

Different Taste Cafe & Restaurant @ Frankel Ave

It come at a surprise to me when I received a tasting invitation for Different Taste Cafe and Restaurant ('DTCR'). I passed by Frankel Avenue often and even dine at the pizzeria nearby a few times, but I never noticed any Zi Char place there.

Apparently, the restaurant started from a cafe in a local bowling centre, and expanded to a full fledge restaurants with three outlets islandwide.

DTCR Recommended Dishes

We started the dinner with Penang Fried Kuey Teow ($5.50). One of the dishes that come highly recommended and it is a must try dish here. It has a solid Wok Hei (breath of the wok) and well fried as each strain of rice noodle are coated with eggs. The prawns are crunchy and the squid is springy yet tender. The heat from the chilli is sufficient for me, but if you need more, you can always add the sambal. Comparable to the Char Kway Teow in Penang indeed.

Penang Fried Kuey Teow

Curry Fish Head (S - $20, M - $26, L - $34). The signature dish of DTCR. A solid curry fish head, filled with delicious spices. Not much lemak as what you would expect from a peranakan version, but the tanginess really hits the spot. More like an Assam Fish Head instead of curry. Definitely best eaten with rice.

Curry Fish Head

Celebrate CNY 2017 with Boruto [MEDIA INVITE]

Boruto

Boruto is a new concept Japanese modern kitchen plus Japanese Sake Bar. It is a sister restaurant of Tamashii Robataya, one of the few Robatayaki restaurant in Singapore. Unlike its sister restaurant, Boruto served Asian fusion, predominately using Japanese ingredients to go with their extensive list of Sake.

Boruto Japanese Sake Bar

The unit at Golden Castle Building that is occupied by Boruto, used to be a bank. The first floor is the Tapas Bar, complete with the view of its open kitchen. The second floor is the sake bar, mostly focus on drinks, a bit of bar bites and extensive display of sake in fridge and as well as their cold room Vault. Yup, they keep their sake in a vault complete with a security device, the vault was left by the previous tenant, so for the fun of it, they have reused the vault for their expensive bottles of sakes.

The Vault at Boruto

Sake Fridge in the Vault

Sake Collection in the Vault

While waiting for all our group to arrive, we nibbled on Sake Kawa Senbei ($8.80). It is a crispy salmon skin tossed with sea salt & chili powder. Solid crispy salmon skin, delicately seasoned and a good bar food dish.

Sake Kawa Senbei

To celebrate the year of the Rooster, Boturo curated the Chinese New Year Japanese Truffle Infused Yu Sheng with Salmon & Yellowtail Sashimi ($68 for 3 to 5 pax). A beautifully plated Yu Sheng, drizzle with truffle infused oil plus golden pouch. The Yu Sheng is just delicate and refreshing, while the truffle infused oil accentuate the flavours of the salmon and yellow tail sashimi. A good start to our main meal.

Chinese New Year Japanese Truffle Infused Yu Sheng with Salmon & Yellowtail Sashimi

A bigger portion for 6 to 10 pax is available for $98. There is also Salmon Skin Yu Sheng ($48 for small, $68 for large) and Japanese abalone Yu Sheng ($98 for small, $168 for large).

Dolce Vita – New and Exquisite Italian Dining by Chef de Cuisine Marco Manocchio [MEDIA INVITE]

Dolce Vita @ Mandarin Oriental Singapore

Since December 2016, Dolce Vita has embarked on a New and Exquisite Italian gastronomic journey with their new Chef de Cuisine Marco Manocchio. Hailed from Rome, Chef Marco has curated the new menu in Dolce Vita to showcase modern and traditional Italian Cuisine using authentic Italian ingredients.

Dolce Vita Chef de Cuisine Marco Manocchio

First on the table is different selection of bread. My pick is the focaccia accompanied by different dip: Tomato pesto, basil cream and tomato cream. Of course, the conventional dip of olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette is available as well.

Bread Selections with Dips

Antipasto was Insalata di astice ($36), lightly smoked lobster salad, endive, citrus, miso consommé. It is like a combination between salad and soup. The lobster has a beautiful smokey flavour, followed with sweet brainy flavour when you bit into it. The miso add a slight earthly flavour to the dish which was balanced by the grapefruit. The combination of flavours really wakes up your palate. A good start to the meal.

Insalata di astice

Celebrate CNY 2017 with Joyden Concepts [MEDIA INVITE]

Joyden Concepts Festive Yu Sheng Platter with Abalone & Salmon Sashimi

For Chinese New Year 2017, Joyden Concepts presents to you its 'Prosperity Pomelo Feast'. One of the most sought after fruit during the Chinese New Year as it symbolise abundance and good fortune, and they will be presented in different ways.

During Chinese New Year, Pomelo flesh is most commonly used for Yu Sheng and desserts. This year Joyden Concepts took the extra step to use the Pomelo Pith as well. Pomelo Pith is the white colour cushion, between the skin and the meat of pomelo. To remove its bitterness and tartness, the pith must be soaked and washed over a few days repetitively. The result is a refreshing, tender and full-bodied that perfectly compliment any dish.

Lobster and Fish Maw with Pomelo Pith in Premium XO Sauce

Lobster and Fish Maw with Pomelo Pith in Premium XO Sauce (柚子皮XO 龙虾鱼鳔). The lobster is fresh and crunchy, nicely coated with the delicious XO Sauce. In this dish, the Pomelo Pith and Fish Maw soaks up the beautiful gravy from the lobster and the XO sauce like a sponge. The celery and carrots are there to add crunchiness to the dish. We personally feel that the pith absorbs the essence of this dish better compare to the fish maw and deliver that burst of flavours when you bit into it. Yum Yum, you might want to order a white rice to go with this.

Pomelo Pith in Premium XO Sauce

Braised Sea Cucumber with Pomelo Pith and Broccoli (海参柚子皮扒西兰花). A well braised smooth and crunchy sea cucumber paired with shiitake mushrooms. The gravy is robust, slightly gelatinous with good umami flavour. As the gravy is not overly heavy, you can actually taste a touch of bitterness in the Pomelo Pith, which is good to balance this rich dish. Usually bamboo pith is used for this dish, but I think Pomelo Pith made a perfect substitute.

Braised Sea Cucumber with Pomelo Pith and Broccoli

The Public Izakaya 2 – Authentic Izakaya in Singapore

The Public Izakaya 2

Izakaya is known as a Japanese drinking establishment that served casual and relative bar snack. While it is still popular as a watering hole, it seems that Izakaya in Singapore has churn up a higher grade / quality dishes to accompany the drinks. One of those Izakaya in Singapore that attracted our taste buds is The Public Izakaya 2.

The communal seating

After a few visits, we are confident to recommended some of the dishes here. For Starters: Reba Shoyuzuke ($8) is Chilled Chicken Liver Marinated in Sesame Oil. Has a close texture to the chicken livers in our chicken rice. But their version seems to be more smooth and velvety, almost to Foie gras standard.

Reba Shoyuzuke - Chilled Chicken Liver Marinated in Sesame Oil

The oyster is also worth to try. Nama Kaki / Oyster ($6 each) served with Momiji Oroshi & Ponzu. Fresh with a touch of acidity from the ponzu, helps to accentuate the flavour of the oyster. It is a good appetizer.

Nama Kaki / Oyster