Alive Not Dead & The Black Swan

I woke up 5 months ago and suffered a serious case of writer's block which was beyond the capability of any prescription. While the blog took a break, my stomach never relented during the 5 months... The passion for eating never ceases. With the festive feasting came the mood to write again. I hope this bout of inspiration will last a while. 

The Black Swan would be apt to mark the occurrence of this post. It's not as if the Art Deco style of the place was not enough to impress me, I had the Black Swan burger  which was one of the best that I've eaten so far. The patty was well seasoned and so soft that it melts in the mouth with the cheddar cheese and runny egg. Even the lightly buttered toasted buns which were crisped on one side and pillowy on the other were heaven on their own. I would have gobbled the burger as a whole if not for my petite mouth. The candied bacon was well caramelized and crispy. Everything was perfect at the Black Swan, from the food to the service. 

Gastrosmiths

Gastrosmiths stated on its website that it serves globally inspired comfort food. I believe that is equivalent to fusion. Fusion means caution for me as it can either turn out superb or absurd. 

Luckily for Gastrosmiths, it's fusion without confusion. 

The menu is made of European comfort fare with Asian influences. Some out of the box creations include an Atlantic cod fried mee sua, a Shio koji seafood linguine. 

Truffled chopped eggs ($12++, above) were delightfully topped with smoked caviar. The truffle oil was overpowering. The crispy toasted bread topped with  eggs complemented each other well. Overall a decent dish.

We also got another eggs dish - the Sea-ly eggs ($9.50++, above) which includes two 63 degree eggs and toast, garnished with scottish smoked salmon, marinated nori and chili oil. This was slurpy good and sweet and it went well with the nice toast. 

Be brave for the ultimate dish - the Shio Koji Seafood Marinara ($22.50, above). If you can only eat one dish, this is it. Shio Koji is a Japanese seasoning that brings out the umami taste. It is made with rice koji (a mixture of rice with strains of Aspergillus Oryzae, a beneficial mold), salt and water. When matched with the sweet tomato based linguine with the fresh seafood, it was like having both essences of Italian and Japanese cooking. A must try. 

Service was very warm and attentive. The place is really small but it comes across as cozy and sincere restaurant that has its own charm. Easily my favourite of the year. 

P.S: They have some 40% discount Groupon deals but those get sold out quickly. 

Address: 103 Beach Road, Tan Quee Lan Street, Singapore 189704

Tel: 6336 3680

Teppei Omakase

Getting a reservation for Teppei's omakase dinner used to be equivalent to waiting for a blue moon. The reservation list is a few months wait. And they only open their hotline for reservation every quarter. You might as well try buying 4D too if you are the lucky one that gets through their literally hot-line.

That's until one fine day, they finally changed the reservation system which allows first-timers (with super fast broadband) to have a comparative advantage.

So the drill is I need to get into their webpage to register my name and mobile number. After which, they will scan the mobile numbers for first-timers and call me back. And the drill starts at 8am. On a Saturday.

After utilizing five alarm clocks to wake me up on a Saturday morning at 8am, I finally got the reservation. Though I struggle to understand why 8am Teppei??

And you thought I would glam up the occasion by taking leave, scrub myself up, and arrive like 1 hour earlier on the day. The reality was I was late by 15 minutes. Rushed there after work on Friday.

Which is still fine because they started the omakase only when I arrived.

Seriously I can't recall how many courses were served. They only served the $80 course on weekends including Friday. 

Foie Gras, not Teppei san's liver 

Edamame or Wasabi - Depends on your luck

Peanut - Teppei san joked it is from NTUC 

A chef who loves his job

Till death do us part

Yuzu / Matcha icecream

The million $80 question: Was it worth it?

Honestly, for the amount of courses we got, it was totally worth it. I can't recall a bad course. I enjoyed the uni (see urchin), foie gras, and the beef most. As for the sushi, I had better ones at Tsukiji Market. But I guess nothing can't beat that because I ate at 6am in Tsukiji (see post here) which the fish was like just caught.

And the value of it was probably higher since sleep was sacrificed on a weekend to get the reservation. 

All in all, it's possibly the most affordable omakase in town. This is likely my only most expensive meal of the year. I think I chose well.

Address: 1 Tras Link, Orchid Hotel, Singapore 078867

The Weekend Eating Guide to Bugis

Bugis. A place that is eastern yet central, crowded yet lively, mainstream yet diverse.

It’s unlikely to make it to the list of most charming places in Singapore.  Yet I keep coming back. And before I could say, “there’s nothing to do”, I end up questioning myself “where did the time go?"

I guess it’s a one stop solution for a lot of things. I could be shopping in air-conditioned Bugis Junction, or sweating out for cheap buys at the Bugis Street market. I could be chilling out with a book at the National Library, or chilling out with a buddy in a café in Haji Lane.  And after that, get zen and pray at the Kuan Yin temple.

When it comes to food in Bugis, eggs benedict and its relatives rule. But if you ask me, the sky’s the limit when it comes to eating in Bugis. This is a place where you can find anything. And have seven meals a day. Like a Hobbit does. So keep your weighing scales at home. Live up to the mantra “Eat, Drink & Be Merry”.

Because I am nice, I have come up with a list of the best places that I’ve eaten in Bugis so as to keep your stomach full and happy round the clock.

 

Breakfast

Try starting the day with one of the “try”s – Artistry (full story) or Symmetry (full story). If you are at Artistry, go for the Peanut Butter Jelly that comes with ice-cream. Because sinful = Xin Fu (blessed in Chinese).  If you are at Symmetry, you would not want to miss possibly one of the best eggs benedict in Singapore.

If sitting in a hipster café feeling atas (expensive in Malay) on a Saturday morning is not the thing for you, try Dong Po Colonial Café (full story) which is a blast from the past with its 60s’ style cream cakes, kaya butter toasts, and kopi-o, complete with colonial shophouse nostalgia. Alternatively, Blanco Court Prawn Mee (full story) will wake those taste buds up with its punchy and umami-filled soup that’s like none other.

Lunch

For the hawker foodie, head to Albert Market and its vicinity. Guan Kee Carrot Cake serves carrot cake that’s so soft that even my Ah Gong can eat.  Located just a short sprint from Albert Market, Choo Chiang Roasted Delights will sure delight you with its barbeque Cantonese delights such as roast duck or sesame chicken noodle.

If you find yourself on the other side of Bugis (Liang Seah Street/Tan Quee Lan), you will just do good with the well-braised duck from Yu Kee Duck Rice. 

For the ultimate Singaporean lunch, try HarriAnn’s curry chicken that’s cooked in robust, thick grainy curry rempah and coconut milk. Or the laksa that has the same thick grainy rempah with coconut milk.

If you are craving for some ramen, get into a bowl of collagen-filled King Ramen at Keisuke Ramen Four Seasons (full story) which is ramen at its best.  Menya Musashi serves flavourful ramen that is coated in a thickened broth which I suspect contains fish stock.

For fried chicken lovers, Bugis is a heaven. The revolutionary Korean fried chicken is my favourite version. Either Bon Chon (full story) or Choo Choo Chicken (full story) would not disappoint with their glistening juicy double-fried chicken. However, I Love Tai Mei (full story) is not about to let them dominate the fried chicken industry in Bugis. Take note of its juicy tender Selina BBQ chicken and tofu fries.

After-lunch snack

Bite into a Japanese fish-shaped pancake Tai Parfait. You get to choose the topping (I recommend the vanilla icecream) and the custard filling in the chewy pancake (matcha is great).

Or meet the love of my life - chocolate ice-cream lava cake at Chocolate Origin (full love letter). Yes it's chocolate. But it's a small cup of chocolate.

Afternoon Tea

Take a walk in Kampong Glam and everyone and his dog will try to sell you coffee. If form is more important than substance for you, try La Marelle (full story) which is cuter than a Korean girl band. But I suggest you order only the cakes. Shop Wonderland, which is usually unwittingly mistaken as a florist shop, is another pretty café to hang out and ponder if the flowers in the shop can also be eaten.   As café-hopping is a Singapore weekend hobby, there’s a chance that you might not even get through the doors of these cafes. Fret not as Elffin & Elffin along Haji Lane is a good backup plan with its minimalist approach to ambience.

For the non-hipsters, go to Blackball at Bugis+. Get the iced Signature which comes with the grass jelly that looks like it is smoother than Fann Wong’s face. For a really good Chinese dessert, Dessert Station (full story) at Albert Market is a good bet. It’s another stall that is always busy.  Go for the Cheng Teng which is full of yummy ingredients and has the perfect level of sweetness.

Dinner

Dinner choices are never lacking in Bugis. If you are going to splurge and is in an adventure-seeking mood, go to Nox Dine in the Dark (full story) which will guarantee an eye-opening experience.

For a high quality Thai cuisine, visit Sawadee Thai (full story). The duck curry, which is specially concocted with lychees and pineapples, is a must try. Its mango sticky rice and red ruby will make you feel like you are in Bangkok. 

Fish for high quality fish at Chong Qing grilled fish (full story). My personal preference is the black bean sauce fish. For those who can eat spicy food without a water hose on the standby, try their signature ma la fish, which literally translates to numbing and spicy fish. #DunSayBoWarn

Gastrosmiths is easily the most favourite, although the price is not the most favourite. It has one of the best seafood marinara I’ve ever had. So good that I am determined to learn to make one that is better than that.  

A for Arbite (full story), also the restaurant that makes me relearn my alphabet, has interesting dishes such as salted egg yolk fries. Remember to use The Entertainer app at this restaurant. #DunSayBoJio

Supper

Desserts First (full story). The durian snow ice or mango snow ice take the prize and other versions would need to apologise for their existence. 

For those whose habitually prefer to end up wondering how they got home the next morning, go to The Beast (full story). Try their range of bourbon flights. But don’t leave without eating the southern buttermilk fried chicken that is so good that you will rethink about eating KFC again. 

One of my other favourite hangout would be Kampong Glam cafe. The maggi goreng seafood and mee soto are two dishes that I order repeatedly.

Lastly, if you are in need of buffet (read: quantity over quality), go to Chuan Yi Pin Steamboat cum BBQ. The Entertainer app has great 1 for 1 offer which means around $13 per pax for a range of seafood , meats, cooked food, that is more varied than my English vocabulary.

So that’s that. Meanwhile in Bugis, my food adventure continues. Subject to viewership and quality of new casting, I will decide if there is a sequel to this series.  So all you talent scouts out there, leave a comment if there is a star that I have not discovered.

For those who are lost already, a nifty map below. Ciao.

Tokyo | Maisen Tonkatsu

I could still remember the last tonkatsu (fried breaded pork fillet) that I ate before Maisen. It was almost a year ago. At a restaurant in Clarke Quay. Hmmm the tonkatsu could make an advertising subject for dental floss. I haven't been eating tonkatsu since then. 

Until I was in Tokyo. Since I was I was there, I googled for the best tonkatsu in Tokyo. And Maisen consistently popped up in search results.

I got the black pork tonkatsu loin. It was a good choice as the loin was more fatty, juicy. It was amazingly soft and tender. No meat stuck between the teeth. The cabbage was free flow and they were crunchy and sweet. I discovered the omnivorous side of me when I kept asking the waiter to refill the cabbage. 

They have a main outlet set in a traditional bath house. If I'm there again, I go for the bath house outlet for a different experience. 

Address: 2 chrome-24-1, Shibuya station, 9th floor.