[CLOSED] Kelo Food – Joy of Healthy Gourmet Eating [MEDIA INVITE]

Welcome to Kelo Food, co-founded and helmed by Chef Charlie, to provide delicious and affordable healthier non-repetitive keto and low-carb substitutes in fulfilling your ketogenic diet. Chef Charlie creates amazing recipes that would allow people to build more wholesome relationships with food, without compromising on their cravings.

Kelo Food

The seeds for Kelo Food were initially planted by NuCarbs, which provides keto and low-carb meal plan subscriptions for those on this food journey. NuCarbs then evolve to Kelo Food this year, a 60-seater restaurant for all to experience a wider menu and pet-friendly alfresco area. Kelo’s food is not only 100% preservatives-free, sugar-free and MSG-free but also 100% original as the recipes and sauces are made from scratch in-house.

Part of Indoor Dining Area

Kelo Food’s menu will feature Asian fusion main dishes by day, and tapas & skewers by night. LD and I attended our tasting in the evening.

Dinner Menu

Side Dish

We started with Fresh Japanese Oysters ($17 for 6 pcs, $32 for 12 pcs). We ordered half a dozen with different flavours. 2 pcs Standard Raw, 2 pcs Roasted Garlic Butter Red Misso (+$1) and 2 pcs Green Herb Yoghurt Sauce (+$1).

Fresh Japanese Oysters

Fresh Japanese Oysters

For the standard raw, we just squeeze a dash of lemon to enjoy the fresh, plump and juicy Japanese oysters. The green herb yoghurt sauce is creamy and pack with herbs; However, it is light enough, so we can still taste the natural flavour of the oysters.

Standard Raw Oysters

Green Herb Yoghurt Sauce Oysters

The roasted garlic butter red miso is the strongest sauce of them all. It is sweet, thick and earthy. This red miso sauce is delicious; however, it blanketed the natural flavour of the oysters.

Roasted Garlic Butter Red Miso Oysters

Next up are the sticks / bbq skewers. We ordered Chicken Leg Cube ($3.5) with Yuzu Teriyaki sauce. Shiitake Mushroom ($2) with Red Garlic Butter Red Miso; and Tiger Prawn ($4.50) Tangy Thai.

Sticks: Tiger Prawns, Shiitake Mushroom & Chicken Leg Cube

The Tiger Prawn paired with Tangy Thai sauce is a flavour that we are familiar with. Inspired by Green Chilli sauce that is normally accompanied with Thai seafood dishes. Spicy and appetizing. The prawns are grilled to perfection, I deshell it effortlessly.

Tiger Prawn - Tangy Thai

The shiitake mushroom is crunchy, moist and packed with umami flavour thanks to the red miso sauce. The chicken leg cube has a familiar taste from the sweetness of teriyaki sauce; however, the yuzu elevated the flavours further by giving it a refreshing twist to the familiar sauce.

Shiitake Mushroom with Red Garlic Butter Miso &
Chicken Leg Cube with Yuzu Teriyaki

Roast Adobo Pork Tomahawk with Adobo Gata (Coconut, $26) plus Cauliflower Fried Rice. I like the rustic presentation. On my first bite, I got the fatty part of the pork, which is filled with a lovely charred aroma and the fats just melts in my mouth. While we find the middle part of the meat a bit dry, the flesh closer to the bone was juicy and super tasty. Not sure why the meat is very inconsistent, hopefully, they can solve this puzzle and this dish will be amazing.

Roast Adobo Pork Tomahawk with Adobo Gata

Roast Adobo Pork Tomahawk with Adobo Gata

The Middle Part

Our pork tomahawk is accompanied by Cauliflower Fried Rice. The fried rice is just superb, with a combination of fragrant aromas from the fried egg and garlic. The cauliflower is juicy and bursting with flavour. A total flavour bomb!! A must-order at Kelo.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Pan Seared Beef Cube with Garlic Confit & Green Herb Sauce ($18). The beef cubes have a nice crust on the exterior, however, we find the interior is cooked beyond the medium-rare point. Instead of juicy and succulent beef, we get juicy and chewy meat. The garlic confit is sweet and the yoghurt green herb sauce paired nicely with the beef. The combination of the drippings from the beef cubes and yoghurt sauce made a nice dressing for the salad below.

Pan Seared Beef Cube with Garlic Confit & Green Herb Sauce 

To accompany our meal, we enjoy the low-carb mocktails made with monkfruit sweetener. I have the Creamy Limonada ($8), a mix of lime, heavy cream, monkfruit sweetener and Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar. It is creamy and uplifting. LD ordered the Sparkling ACV Lemon Lime ($8), a mix of lime, monkfruit sweetener, Bragg ACV, lemon water and mint leaf. Her mocktail tangy and will wake you up.

Creamy Limonada

Sparking ACV Lemon Lime

On top of the low-carb mocktails, Kelo’s gastrobar drink menu is also designed for fellow drinking kakis who are unable to give up on their love for alcohol. Kelo offers Keto Impossible Ale and Lo-Carb Blondie at JUST $7 per half pint and $11.50 per pint, specially brewed by LeVeL33 urban microbrewery. For those who like to go hard, they can opt for the Signature Cocktails, all concocted using monkfruit or allulose sweetener and ZERO carbs spirits like Gin, Whisky, Rum, Tequila and Vodka (yes these have no carbs). Even Sake which is made from rice, koji and water is suitable for the ketogenic diet.

Non-Alcoholic Drink Menu

There are two seating areas in Kelo. The indoor is very cosy, almost like a lounge & bar seating style. Meanwhile, the alfresco seating area is airconditioned, covered by glass windows and glass ceilings. A nice place to enjoy the scenery outside complete with natural lights and the benefit of air-conditioning.

Part of Indoor Dining Area

Part of Indoor Dining Area

The Bar

Alfresco Dining Area

Overall, we enjoy the food served at Kelo Food. From a non-ketogenic perspective, we find the food to be tasty, enjoyable, creative and big on flavour. We totally did not miss the carbs and sweets on the night. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Protegie and Kelo Food for the media invite.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Media Invite)

Ambiance: 7.75/10

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

Kelo Food

134 Jalan Besar

#01-00 K2 Guesthouse Central

Singapore 208852

T: +65 8920 2007

W: https://kelofood.sg/

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

IG: @kelocafegastrobar_sg

OH:

Wed & Thu: 16.00 – 23.00

Fri – Sun: 11.00 – 15.00; 16.30 - 23.00

*Open from Wed – Fri for takeaway during lunch till dinner

Closed on Mon – Tue

Halcyon & Crane – Creative Wholesome and Delicious [MEDIA INVITE]

Halcyon & Crane (H&C) is a concept by The Foreign Project Group, which includes Birds of A Feather and Sichuan Alley. Located in Paragon Shopping Centre, right in the centre of Orchard Road shopping district. H&C is not your average café, their concept is focused on creative, cosy, wholesome, plus some spicy twist in the menu.

Halcyon & Crane

We started our brunch with the latest addition to H&C menu. Dearborn Granola and Milk ($9). Inspired by “Eat Well Live Well” theme, H&C served this handcrafted popular boutique granola from Dearborn. The granola is roasted to crisp, delivering a crunchy, light and aromatic texture. The dried fruits and melon seeds deliver added a different texture to the granola. Perfect to go with fresh milk. There is also an option for oat milk or coconut milk.

Dearborn Granola and Milk 

Dearborn Granola and Milk

Crispy Squid ($18) – Green Chilli, Sichuan BBQ spices, Sticky Pepper Fish Sauce. Not your regular crispy squid. It is crispy, evenly coated with pepper and fish sauce. A dash of lime added a tangy spark to this dish.

Crispy Squid

Nutella & Banana French Toast ($23) – Crispy French Toast, Nutella and Banana Filling, Almond Flakes, Mascapone Cream, Ice Cream. Super duper yummy breakfast. The bread is coated with a light crispy batter, like “pisang goreng” (fried banana fritter) batter. The fillings in the middle are the irresistible Nutella and fresh banana. The ice cream and mascarpone cream lighten up the flavours on the plate, while the berries cut through the sweetness in this dish. A must-order dish at H&C. Yummy!!

Nutella & Banana French Toast

Nutella & Banana French Toast

Dan Dan Spaghetti ($26) – Pork Ragout, Peanut Sesame Butter, Onsen Egg, Kale. We choose the non-spicy version of this dish. It is an East Meet West dish. The spaghetti is al-dente, while the pork ragout is full of Sichuan-inspired spices together with peanut sesame butter. The onsen egg binds the dish nicely, while the bitter fresh kale provided the healthy ingredient in the dish.

Dan Dan Spaghetti

Grilled Tiger Prawn “Risotto” ($32) – Grilled Tiger Prawn, Oriental Corn Multi Grains and Pumpkin “Risotto”, Black Fungus, Toasted Sourdough. Not the traditional Arborio rice risotto. Instead, it is the blend of corn multi grain and pumpkin. I like the crunchiness and burst of flavours, while the tiger prawn is spices up with chilli powder. The sourdough is light and crispy, providing the base to accompany the "risotto".

Grilled Tiger Prawn Risotto

Grilled Tiger Prawn Risotto

Orange Yuzu Passionfruit Coffee Cubes Latte ($14) – Coffee Ice Cubes, Fresh Orange Juice, Yuzu, Passion Fruit. My drink to accompany the breakfast. I am getting used to having orange juice mixed with my coffee. Though it looks good and taste good, the coffee cube did not melt fast enough and the orange juice is cold. Once the orange juice is finished, I poured some water to make full use of the coffee cube.

Orange Yuzu Passionfruit Coffee Cubes Latte

The ambiance of the café is very comforting, blending the concept of East and West. The seats are very cosy and comfortable, inviting you to stay longer and chillax. Service here is friendly and efficient.

H&C Coffee & Bar

CBK verdict: A cosy and comfortable, serving creative, wholesome and delicious food with a spicy twist. A great place to meet up and a nice hideaway at Orchard Road. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.25/10

Value: 6.5/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Halcyon & Crane

290 Orchard Road

#03-09 Paragon Shipping Centre

Singapore 238859

T: +65 9727 511

W: https://linktr.ee/halcyonandcrane

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

IG: @halcyoncrane

OH: Daily 11.00 – 20.30

Jia Li Seafood Soup – Yummy Seafood Soup [MEDIA INVITE]

Jia Li Seafood Soup, formally known as Sin Kee Seafood Soup started off in Singapore’s North area. Armed with an established secret recipe that is passed down to the founder, Jia Li Seafood Soup (“Jia Li”) is known for its addictive and umami-rich seafood broth.

The secret of the signature seafood broth is the premium Japanese dried scallop. It is slow-cooked over several hours together with other ingredients such as chicken and pork ribs. To deliver that irresistible flavour in the MSG-free broth, the secret sauce is added to every order.

For this tasting, we went to their Upper Serangoon Road outlet.

Jia Li served three types of fish for their seafood soup: Dory Fish, Batang Fish and Red Grouper. They also served three types of seafood soup: regular Seafood Soup, Seafood Soup with Crayfish, and Seafood Soup with Crayfish and Prawns.

Seafood Soup with Crayfish and Prawns with Red Grouper

We started with their Seafood Soup with Crayfish and Prawns with Red Grouper ($23). The bowl of soup is packed to the brim, while the mountainous ingredients just whet your appetite. The broth is cloudy and a bit reddish from the prawns and crayfish. Once we sip the broth, it feels like we are inhaling the essence of the seafood, packed with umami, a touch of brininess and sweetness from the bone essence.

The Crayfish

The prawns are big and crunchy, while the crayfish are juicy and easily peeled off from the exoskeleton. The red grouper is fresh, but it seems that it was a bit overcooked as the flesh easily fall apart. The surprise flavour bomb here comes from the meatballs. Made fresh daily, it is packed with minced pork, mushroom and secret ingredients.

The Prawn

The Awesome Meatball

Red Grouper

The second soup that we choose is the Seafood Soup with Batang Fish ($11.50 for big). Our first impression, it looks almost the same as the crayfish version. However, once we sip it, we realise this version is sweeter and less briny compared to the one with the crayfish. Unlike the red grouper, the batang fish flesh is firmer, sweet, moist and silky. It was just delicious. Not forgetting the super yummy rustic-looking meatballs.

Seafood Soup with Batang Fish 

Seafood Soup with Batang Fish 

Overall, LD and I feel both of Seafood Soup are equally good, however, if we have to choose, we will go for the Batang Fish Seafood Soup. The broth is less briny, robust and loaded with umami flavour. If you like crayfish, the Seafood Soup with Crayfish and Prawns will be the perfect choice for you. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Protegie and Jia Li Seafood Soup for the media invite.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Media Invite)

Ambiance: Coffee Shop

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

Jia Li Seafood Soup @Upper Serangoon Road

941 Upper Serangoon Road

Singapore 534709

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

IG: @jialiseafoodsoup

OH:

Fri – Wed: 11.00 – 23.00

Thu: 11.00 – 22.00

Other Location:

21 Woodlands Close, #01-23/24 Prim Bizhub, Singapore 737854

3 Gateway Drive, #B1-28/29 Food Republic @ Westgate, Singapore 608532

33 Lor Liput, Singapore 277744

26 Upper Changi Road, New Gem Coffeehouse, Singapore 462026

(Operating hours differ for each branch).

Daniele’s Pizza – The Best Pizza in The East of Singapore

Daniele’s Pizza is a pizzeria founded by Pizza Chef Daniele Colaiacomo. Born in Rome, Italy, he honed his pizza-making skills in Rome, UK, USA and finally landed in Singapore. After a stint at a high-end pizzeria and a few years in the private club in Singapore, Pizza Chef Daniele settled down in Changi Business Park.

Daniele's Pizza

With more than 25 years of experience, Daniele has perfected his dough, which requires 36-48 hours of fermentation, creating a light pizza dough topped only with quality ingredients. This is Pizza Chef Daniele’s passion for delivering only the best pizza.

Owner & Pizza Chef Daniele Colaiacomo

Daniele’s Pizza serves Pizze Rosse (tomato sauce base pizza), Pizze Bianche (cheese base pizza), Pizzini (pizza sandwiches), Pastas and Antipasti (starters). The standard pizza size is 12 inches, but Daniele’s served 10 inches version during weekday lunchtime, Mondays to Fridays, 11.00 – 14.30.

Menu P1

Menu P2

Pizza Parma ($24) – Tomato Sauce. Mozzarella Cheese, Parma Ham, Rocket Salad and Parmesan. The pizza comes in two parts. The first part is the hand stretch dough, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese that went into the oven. Once it is out, the additional toppings of Parma Ham, Rocket Salad and Parmesan complete the pizza.

Pizza Parma

When I hold a slice of the pizza, I can feel the light and crispy crust, followed by a moist and heavy part of the pizza as it is filled with the toppings. Once I bit into the middle part, I can taste the overflowing tomato sauce and savour the rest of the delicious toppings. Yummy!!

Pizza Parma per Slice

Pizza Burrata ($24) – Tomato Sauce, Burrata Cheese and Cherry Tomatoes. We usually like to order Margherita Pizza; this is to test out the freshness of the ingredients. However, since Daniele’s have the Burrata pizza, we just directly order the burrata. The crust is just awesome, like the Pizza Parma. The toppings here is just a mixture of tomato sauce, creamy burrata cheese and the explosion of sweetness from the cherry tomatoes.

Pizza Burrata

Pizza Gustosa ($23) – Mozzarella Cheese, Gorgonzola Cheese, Spicy Salami (Pork) and Artichokes. This white pizza is cheesier compare to the pizza burrata and pizza parma due to the cheese base. The spicy pork salami is thinly sliced, once it’s cooked the salami turns out to be crisp and crunchy like bacon texture. The artichokes are soft and moist.

Pizza Gustosa

Pizza Burrata E Porchini ($25). A must order for mushroom lovers. The cheese base pizza enhances the flavour of the porcini mushrooms. Once you bit the mushroom portion, the flavour and the juice of the mushroom just burst in your mouth. Yumz!!

Pizza Burrata E Porchini

Pizza Burrata E Porchini - Slice

Fettucine Bolognese ($21). I find the fettucine was cooked over the point of al-dente. The Bolognese sauce was alright; however, it just did not wow me and was easily overshone by the pizza.

Fettucine Bolognese

Spaghetti Seafood ($24). At first, I was a bit worried about the flavour, as the dish looks a bit bland. However, I stand corrected. The spaghetti is cooked perfectly to the point of al-dente, infused with robust seafood essence. With each mouthful of pasta, the seafood flavour just gets stronger and stronger. Feels like I was eating the Italian version of Hokkien Mee. Amazing!

Spaghetti Seafood

The decor of the restaurant is simple, minimalist and modern. You won’t miss the striking red colour pizza oven, which is the centrepiece of the restaurant. To date, I only see Daniele handling the oven. Service friendly and efficient. You can place your order through the QR code on the table, or at the counter up front.

Daniele's Pizza - Front & Part of Dining Area

Daniele's Pizza - Dining Area Refreshed
Image Credit: Daniele's Pizza

In summary, LD and I agree that Daniele’s Pizza served the best pizza in the east of Singapore. The pizza is light, fluffy and crispy, while the ingredients are fresh and of the highest quality. We’ll definitely return for more of our pizza fix here. Saluti!! Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.75/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 7/10

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

Daniele’s Pizza

1 Changi Business Park Cres

#01-19 Plaza 8

Singapore 486025

W: https://www.danielespizza.com/

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

IG: @danielespizzasg

OH:

Mon – Sat: 11.00 – 14.30; 16.30 – 21.00

Closed on Sunday