With Fashionfoodie,Cactuskit, Jencooks, Wahcow, Toothfairy and BossConan
Now, this Teochew Kitchen was recommended by Fashionfoodie who, if you all remember, is one of our Teochew Ah Hias who really loves his Peh Dou Her. So when he started going on about the Braised Duck and Tua Terng (Large intestines) here, I could feel a strong Swatow wind blowing me towards Changi Village. Changi Village is one of those last few places in Singapore that still has that "outback" charm. When I was a kid, Changi used to be the end of the earth. A day out at Changi beach was a big thing and almost like going on a road trip to Malaysia. But then along came Changi Airport and suddenly a lot of the mystery of Changi was lost. But Changi Village itself has still got a bit of that "ulu" flavour and a great place to go for supper. And if you are hankering for some hot Teochew Porridge on a cold rainy evening, you'd be happy to know that a new Teochew Kitchen has just opened there to transport you to Swatow.
This place was opened by a couple of Teochew Ah Hias who wanted to bring the concept of Swatow dining to Singapore. So when you walk into the restaurant itself, you will see the food being displayed like what they are in Swatow (or China in general). They even went to the extent of hiring two chefs from Swatow to be in charge of the food there. The restaurant has two sections, an aircon area with private rooms and an Al Fresco area. The best thing is that you can actually come here and have a choice of whether you want to eat simple Teochew Porridge for a few bucks a head or go for a banquet of Teochew favourites like steamed shark's head and Orh Nee.
Salted Egg Roll $12 for 8
Our first dish was something new for me. The salted egg rolls are made from dried persimmons wrapped in a crispy dough made from salted egg yolks. Somehow they struck me as something very typically Teochew as we do like to mix sweet with salty flavours. Just take the Teochew Bak Chang for example, which characteristically has a ball of sweet bean paste in it. I don't think it is something for everyone which is why it is not a popular Bak Chang. But for this Teochew Ah Hia, I found it quite pleasing. 4/5
Cold Crabs $20 per Crab (small)
The cold crabs are served with a bit of vinegar here instead of sweet plum sauce. I find it as difficult to rave about cold crabs as I do about sashimi, since you don't really "cook" the dish so the comments are limited to how fresh the produce is. So okay, will it make a big difference if I said the crabs were fresh, very fresh or very very fresh? I mean, how much fresher can a crab get since they are all live crabs? For me cold crabs are simply crabs which are steamed and put in a fridge. Of course they have to be full of roe or sperm, but other than getting a good supplier, is there any other secret in the preparation of cold crabs? 4/5
Braised Platter $18
Everyone was quite pleased with the braised platter, especially Fashionfoodie who highly recomended this dish. The braising sauce is very nice and balanced and the duck was tender and flavourful. Those who like "Tua Terng" (large intestine) would be very pleased with the Tua Terng here as it doesn't have any smell and the texture was very good. 4.25/5
Pork Aspic $15
Fans of Pork Aspic will be happy to see the photo of this fast dissappearing dish! Though Mom never purposely made this dish at home, I remember digging the jelly out of a Tupperware of overnight Braised Pork as a kid. I guess that was where the idea for the dish originated from. I haven't tasted enough Pork Aspic to tell you if this one is a good one, but I would just say that I am not a fan yet. Much prefer to eat Mom's cold Lor Bak! 3.5/5
Shark Head $5 per kg
Steamed shark head is very much like Sea Cucumber in that it is essentially a tasteless gooey substance that has the ability to absorb the flavours of the sauce it is cooked in. Actually the texture of soft collagen is very similar to pork fat so it really is quite shiok when it slides down your throat. The sauce is made from Chai Poh and little cubes of Pork Lard, so you can just imagine how shiok it is! 4/5
Conclusion
I think a lot of people are looking for a place to go for a nice bowl of Teochew porridge and being in Changi Village, the "ulu" atmosphere does add to the whole experience. This is a good place to go with the family to enjoy a few typically Teochew dishes and decide if you would like to burn a hole in your pocket or keep your pants intact.
Changi Teochew Kitchen Blk 5 Changi Village Road #01-2--1 S500005 65465482 Open for lunch, dinner and supper Recommended by Fashionfoodie
There is little doubt that Japanese food is still the current favourite foreign cuisine amongst Singaporeans and the trend doesn't look like it is going to wane anytime soon. You get a sense of this just by observing the number of new Japanese eateries that are appearing everywhere. But we also know this from the poll results that was done earlier this year. So judging from the trend, I think we are going to see more Japanese eateries appearing and they are going to move away from the general Japanese fare to more regional and specialty cuisine as the restaurants try to differentiate themselves from the established players. One of the new players in the scene is Tomo Izakaya. An Izakaya is basically the Japanese version of a Tapas Bar or Dim Sum restaurant, in the sense that they serve a variety of small dishes which you can order to accompany your drinks. Being situated in Clarke Quay, I think this concept would work well with the afterwork crowd looking for a place to unwind.
The food here is quite decent and there are several items which really caught my attention. The first was the Uni shot which is fresh Uni submerged in Sake with a wasabi and soy dressing. The Uni here is very fresh and the restaurant prides itself in having their seafood flown in from the famed Tsukiji Market in Tokyo twice a week. Certainly a very nice starter! 4.25/5
Tuna Bowl (Part of Tempura Udon Set) $16
Aside from the freshness of the seafood, another indicator of the quality of a Japanese eatery is the standard of the sushi rice and the wasabi. The rice is is very good and perfectly seasoned such that, like the Gardenia Bread slogan from long ago, it's "So good, you can even eat it on its own!". 4/5
Braised Pork $12
I highly recommend the Braised Pork dish. I think the photo speaks for itself. The braised pork was superbly done with that "melt in your mouth" texture and that elusive "Kong Bak" taste. I would be very happy to come here and just eat this! 4.5/5
Saikoro Steak Lunch Set $14 The lunch sets here are pretty good value which is an important consideration in our current economic climate. Most of them are priced in the teens and you get quality that you can taste in a very cosy setting.The Saikoro Steak Lunch was very good value as I got more cubed Australian Sirloin than I expected for the price. The meat was a good and was tender and flavoursome. I thought that the sauce could be a little sweeter to give it a bit more ooomph. 4.25/5
Sashimi Plate $58
Being an Izakaya, they strive to serve all your favourites here and that must include Sashimi. I am not a big fan of Sashimi but I can appreciate that the seafood here is very fresh. I especially liked the amaebi (sweet prawns) and the uni (sea urchin). Of course, you get what you pay for so don't come here expecting really cheap prices since all the seafood are flown in from Japan. 4/5 Beef Robatayaki
If you are going for drinks and nibblies, then I am sure you will end up with some Robatayaki dishes. I tried a few and in general they were good but not quite spectacular as it lacked that charred flavour that I was expecting. They don't serve Karubi beef or US Angus which I feel should be included in any joint that wants to label itself as a "Robatayaki" which has the connotation of a higher end form of Kushiyaki. I also couldn't find Butabara (Pork Belly) on the menu which was again something I would expect at a Robatayaki joint. I think this is one department that can be spruced up prior to their official opening. 3.5/5
Salmon Roe Shot
Conclusion
This would be wonderful place to hangout with a few friends after work for drinks and a few bites to eat as the location is great and it's got a really cozy laid back ambiance. The lunch sets are pretty good value and the Braised Pork is something I would highly recommend if you have a few calories to spend. I do hope to see them expand their Robatayaki menu to include good quality Karubi and Butabara.
Update: 23 Oct 2008
Sorry there was an error with regards to the Braised Pork Set. The Braised Pork is not part of the lunch set but can be ordered as a separate dish on its own.
Tomo Izakaya 3A River Valley Road (Clarke Quay) #01-04 (opp bridge) S179020 63330100 Open for Lunch and Dinner This was an invited review
With Big MOG and Power|MOG Single scoop Vanilla with Warm Chocolate Cake $7.80++
For Superman, it was Kryptonite. For Samson it was Delilah. Yes, every man has a weakness, something that would make him crumble to his knees. For the Big MOG, that happens to be ice cream. (His wife can also have the same effect sometimes, but that is not relevant to this story.)
It just so happened that when the Big MOG visited Singapore this time round, I also got contacted by Seventh Heaven to review their "Adults Only" ice cream. I thought that this was an opportunity too good to miss!
You see, Seventh Heaven is the latest player in the growing homemade ice cream market. But rather than going the "Homemade = Low Fat, Low Sugar = Good for You" route, they have gone directly opposite and are offering a "No holds barred, Sinfully Creamy, Don't tell me what the Doctor told you, just eat first and suffer the consequences later" type ice cream. So I was really excited to see whether this would literally send the Big MOG to Seventh Heaven. Chocolate Coffee Crunch Single Scoop $5.80++(brandied cherry in shotglass not shown)
The lady behind this ultra sinful dessert turned out to be quite an unlikely candidate. Rather than someone who looked like she really enjoys eating lots of pastries and desserts, she turned out to be a rather petite ex-English lecturer from NUS. And the place this cafe is situated is just as unlikely, being tucked away in "no-man's land" at the Marketing Institute of Singapore (former Gan Eng Seng School) where there is hardly any human traffic.
Big MOG in his moment of Epiphany
This ice cream really is for the true believers. There is no fancy sundaes here and you won't find them giving you a choice of toppings. The ice cream flavours are served as they are with just a wafer. Afterall, when so much effort has been put into each flavour of ice cream, it would be a waste to add anything else to it.
The one flavour that really stood out from the rest was the Chocolate Coffee Crunch which had hand pounded Arabica Coffee beans in chocolate ice cream made from Italian Amedei chocolate and Expresso. Big MOG was so ecstatic about it that he wanted to give it a 5/5 but but I had to moderate it a little. Having tasted the various homemade ice creams around town, I must say that this one is quite exceptional and coffee lovers will appreciate the pieces of crunchy coffee beans in the ice cream 4.5/5. Another one that I really enjoyed was the Chocolate and Scotch Whisky which is has a wonderous chocolate flavour and leaves that bit of Scotch Whisky aftertaste at the back of the palate. This one was my personal favourite. 4.5/5 If you like Kahlua, you should not miss out on that flavour as with all the ice cream here, they don't skimp on the amount of alcohol added, so the Kahlua taste really does hit home. 4.25/5
Lemon Granita
For those who like something a little lighter, you can try ordering the Lemon Granita which is essentially a hand crushed ice lemonade topped with their Vanilla ice cream which is made from a combination of four different Vanilla pods. When you visit, you should ask Dr Sein Chan, Phd herself why she went to so much effort to make a Vanilla ice cream. To me it was a good Vanilla Ice Cream but I don't think I could appreciate the difference that the four types of Vanilla pods made over other premium Vanilla Ice Creams. But eaten together with the zesty crushed lemon ice, it was quite addictive. 4.25/5
Conclusion
Quite a different class of homemade ice cream altogether. You are not going to find your usual Durian and Black Sesame here. Instead, they have the more "Grown up" flavours with a lot of them spiked with liquors and other stuff with fancy European names. Well worth a visit if you are an Ice Cream fan. It would be interesting to see if the "Ulu" (remote) location will play to their favour as the inaccessibility might add to their exclusivity.
Post Script:
I returned to Seventh Heaven with our regular Makan Kakis just before posting this to get their opinion on the Ice Cream. The majority ranked Chocolate and Whisky the highest (which was my personal perference as well) so I am upping its rating to 4.75/5. The other thing that we all agree was very very good was the warm chocolate cake ($7.80) which is probably the best value dish you can get there considering that a single scoop is already $5.80, that means that for an extra $2 you get a freshly baked warm chocolate cake with molten chocolate in the middle to go with your Ice Cream! We all gave that one a 4.75/5 as well.
Seventh Heaven 10 Raeburn Park, (Former Gan Eng Seng Sch) #01-24/25/26 Marketing Institute of Singapore Singapore 088702 Tel: 62277787 Mon - Thurs 11am to 8pm Fri 11am to 11pm Sat 1pm to 11pm Closed Sundays and PH
Disclaimer: Please do not overindulge in this if you are suffering from conditions such as diabetes or high cholesterol. This blog does not in any way advocate underage drinking or excessive alcohol consumption.
I finally found a stall in a hawker centre that sells Zhar Leong (Chee Cheong Fun with You Tiao)!
For those who haven't yet tried this Hong Kong Dim Sum dish, it is essentially deep fried flour wrapped in steamed flour and drenched in a slightly sweet and savoury soy sauce. A very simple dish which uses the most basic of ingredients but it really hits the spot and can be quite addictive.
Zhar Leong isn't quite considered a top dim sum dish in Singapore, but in Hong Kong it is found in every self respecting Dim Sum restaurant. I must say that it is my favourite form of Cheong Fun (Steamed Rice Rolls) and I would always ask for Zhar Leong first and settle with Char Siew Cheong Fun if it wasn't available. It isn't easy to find Zhar Leong even in a lot of fancy Dim Sim restaurants which is why I am quite excited to find this stall that sells it for $2.50 in Changi Village Food Centre.
I thought that it was very smart of Chef Tham to include this dish in his newly opened stall. It really does differentiate his stall from the others. It certainly caught my attention. Chef Tham used to be the head Dim Sum Chef of Goodwood Park Hotel, before he decided to venture out to start his own business, so he certainly has good credentials backing him up.
The Cheong Fun is made fresh when you order and was quite good though I expected it to be just that bit more soft and silky since it is handmade. Otherwise, for $2.50 it did satisfy my craving for Zhar Leong. 4/5
For those who like the Hong Kong style congee, you can also order a bowl of congee from the stall. For me, the Hong Kong style congee is less robust than the Hainanese style. The porridge here reminded me of congee that Crystal Jade serves. The pork balls are a little different from the usual local version where minced meat are rolled into balls. These are a little more bouncy and have a texture somewhere between the commercially available pork balls and the ones you make yourself at home. Great if you are looking for Hong Kong style porridge. 3.75/5
Conclusion
Not many places where you can just sit down and order a plate of Zhar Leong in Singapore so it is well worth a visit if you are after a tasty snack.
Update: 16 Sep 2008
My apologies, the Changi Village Food Centre is closed for renovations till 7 Oct 2008. Thanks to our readers who highlighted this to us.
Oh yes, we are seeing more of the good stuff hitting the coffeeshops!
My latest find is this coffeeshop stall which has started selling US Kobe Beef Ribs, US Kurobuta Pork Chops and Wagyu beef done mediterranean style. Now, there are many Western food stalls which are opening up in coffeeshops so I usually have to look out for signs that a particular stall is offering more than just your run-of-the-mill Dory fish and chips, NZ steaks, chicken chops etc.
Preparing the grill with beef fat
You know how a lot of times you just get a gut feel about things? In fact, a lot of decisions in life are made based on gut feel. When it comes to people, women tend to have that special ability to size a person up in just a blink of a second. It's the same thing when men look at a BMW and know that they are looking at quality. In fact, it only takes one glance to see quality but it takes time to try to describe what actually makes a BMW look more "solid" than a Geely. (Yeah the Geely has taken over from Hyundai as the budget car)
So it is with Big D's Grill. I had a good gut feel about the stall just within the first few seconds of looking at the place. Then I started listing out the visual cues. Big Eurasian Man wearing a biker T and jeans behind the grill - TICK. Array of different restaurant style pans hanging above the stove - TICK. Big sticker declaring "Angus Beef" - TICK. The words Kobe, Wagyu and Kurobuta, TICK, TICK and TICK. Big D (Damien) oiling the grill by rubbing a piece of beef fat on it, TICK times ten plus an A*! It is quite obvious that Big D is really serious about providing good food!
Another obvious cue is the standard of the side dishes. Coleslaw and French Fries are dead giveaways for the run-of-the-mill "Hawker" western food. Thankfully, Big D's provides a wonderful selection of sides with a heavy Mediterranean influence. The Pinto beans and Spiced Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Mash were excellent and really got my tastebuds tingling. And the Kurobuta Pork Chops did not dissappoint either. They were wonderfully tender and had that charred mediterranean spice taste. The pork was flavoursome without that "porky" smell that pork can sometimes have. Now, $36 might be a little pricey for a Pork Chop but it is cheap for "Kurobuta" which are usually more than $40 in restaurants. 4.5/5
Pasta with Anchovies $17
Big D's pastas are also well worth a try. His Pasta with Anchovies is a relatively simple dish but very well executed. The pasta was perfectly Al Dente and the freshly chopped herbs are again a pleasant departure from the usual "McCormick" dried italian herb mixes that most Western Food Stalls (and even some restaurants) would use. I am not a big fan of Anchovies, so I did not appreciate this dish as much as someone who is. But judging from the way it was presented, I would be coming back to try the other pastas that they are offering. 4/5
There is a good reason why Big D's is called Big D's. That's because owner and chef, Damian D'Silva looks like the kind of Cowboy you wouldn't want to mess around with. An Ex-Aeronautical Engineer, he flew off on a whim (at age 42) to spend 2 years working in kitchens around Southern Europe in order to pursue his interest in cooking before coming back to Singapore to work at several European restaurants before he opened the now defunct Soul Kitchen at Purvis St.
I am telling you all this because it is not easy to find a chef-owner who is passionate about food that is willing to open a stall in a coffeeshop. And the best thing is that since he is in a coffeeshop, he can keep rental cost down and serve quality food at great prices. He is quite fussy about using only chilled meats and freshly chopped herbs and doing stuff from scratch, such as his steak fries which double fries himself. This is a man who really cooks rather than just another person hired to grill a piece of meat and serve it with re-heated veggies.
The only thing I am concerned about is whether he is able to churn out the food quick enough for a crowd and controlling escalating food costs since he is insistent of only using imported stuff like Spanish Anchovies. Apart from that, I think you can be assured of getting something quite special out of his kitchen.
Bonet $4
Don't miss out on Big D's homemade desserts. Bonet may be a simple homestyle Italian Chocolate Pudding with Caramel Sauce poured over it, but simple things executed well can be marvellous, just like a perfectly cooked omelette. For someone who isn't really that big on desserts, I actually enjoyed this very much. It's almost like a Chocolate version of Creme Caramel and is so smooth that it slides easily down the throat leaving a wonderful chocolate aftertaste at the back of the palate. 4.25/5
Conclusion
Big D's has that maverick Roadhouse Pub kinda of character and my first impression is that it could easily have been set up in an old shophouse somewhere in Siglap. We did not managed to try a lot of their other stuff like the Beer Battered Fish and Chips made from Snapper fillets ($8.90) or the US Kobe Cross Rib ($40 for 200gm) but judging from what I had, I'd say that Big D's Grill is well worth checking out if you are hungry for some excellent European Food cooked with character and passion without the +++.
Special Promo for ieatishootipost readers:
Mention ieatishootipost and get a free dessert (Bonet) for every $30 spent!
Big D's Grill Blk 18 Bedok South Road #01-87 11.30am to 9.30pm daily Thurs 5.30pm to 9.30pm Damian 96627040
I dare say that the legendary Swee Kee Chicken Rice served the "World Best" Chicken rice in their heyday. Actually, it is not that hard to be "World Best" since this style of Chicken Rice is typically Singaporean and if you are the best in Singapore, you would probably be the best in the world. But then, the rest of the world may not know how to appreciate it so there really is no point in calling it "World Best" in the first place. I guess it is just quite satisfying to say "World Best" just as it is quite shiok to say "Shiok"(It's so tasty) and "Wah lao eh!" (Oh my goodness!).
Anyway, a stall calling itself "Old Swee Kee" is bound to attract the attention of chicken rice lovers who are today still reminiscing the "Golden Age" of Chicken Rice when Swee Kee was still around. There was no competition back then. If a tourist was in town and you wanted to showcase the best that Singapore had to offer, you brought them to Swee Kee. Of course, if your guest is very high class and you had a company account, you would bring him to Mandarin's Chatterbox. But for the typical kiasu, every want cheap-and-good Singaporean, Swee Kee was the place to go.
So when Cactuskit SMSed me excitedly one day (don't ask me how I can tell he is excited from an SMS - one just knows) that Swee Kee is back, it did not take me too long to go down to see for myself if indeed the legend has been resurrected.
To cut a long story short rather than prolonging the agony like Ryan Seacrest in American Idol and risk getting "Pui Chao Nua"(spat at in disgust), let me tell you that Swee Kee is sort of back but perhaps not in the way that is going to create the same excitement as when our Table Tennis Team beat South Korea and eventually won the Silver medal. Well done, Team Singapore! Ah Roo, Ah Roo, Ah Rooooooo!
OK, back to my story. Remember there was a stall I blogged before called Rui Kee at North Bridge Road who also claimed to have some Swee Kee Roots? Well, Rui Kee closed the North Bridge Road stall and reopened here in Joo Chiat under the new brand name "Old Swee Kee". Ooooohhhhh......... I hear you say. But all is not bad. The fact is that the Lao Ban Niang's husband used to work in the original Swee Kee and is the cousin of the owner. And, the last remnant of the Swee Kee brand up till now is the restaurant near Senai Airport also called Swee Kee Chicken Rice. This stall is actually run by the husband while his wife runs this new stall in Joo Chiat. So yes, Swee Kee is back but it is not really a "Resurrection from the Dead" like that of Chin Chin.
But that does not mean that you are not getting a great chicken rice experience. I was there within a week of their opening and even though they are still ironing out some operational details, I was pleasantly surprised by the chicken rice there which had that touch of old world authenticity.
The chicken was prepared the traditional way, which means no soaking in ice water after cooking. Instead it is dunked quickly into a little salt water and left on the tray to make sure all that yummy chicken juices don't get drained out. The flesh was tender and tasty without being overly "chickeny". Of course the skin was not as perfect as the ice water dunked ones but I must say that I am beginning to appreciate this style of chicken more and more. 4.25/5
The rice was not as fragrant as I liked. But I found out later from the Lao Ban Niang that they are still working on the cooking equipment as they did not managed to get the fire hot enough to fry the oil. They told me that it would be fixed by next week. 4/5
For the chilli, they have 2 varieties. The standard one shown in the middle and the special reserve version (front) which regulars and those in the know (like you) can request for. The special version is made from chilli padi and packs an extra punch. The ginger sauce is very good. Roughly chopped so that you still get the nice fibre and has enough bite to it.
One last thing I have to say about Old Swee Kee. For those of you who always have problems with friends insisting on eating Kampung chicken, you would be pleased to know that Old Swee Kee sells both types of chicken, so that everyone will be satisfied. Just for the record, they sell three normal chickens for every kampung chicken. So most people still prefer the soft, tender, voluptuous chicken rather than the sinewy Kampung Chicken! But hey, you have your right to like Kampung Chicken and I defend your right to like it even though I don't.
Conclusion
It isn't really Swee Kee resurrected, but it is still a great place to eat chicken rice. So, if you are a self professed chicken rice lover, I am sure you will make a beeline to the restaurant very soon, won't you?
Old Swee Kee 131 Joo Chiat Road (Jn of Joo Chiat Place & Joo Chiat Road) 64409037 11am to 10pm daily Closed fortnightly on Mondays
Tetsu is one of the latest Japanese Restaurants in Singapore that is differentiating itself by offering Kushi-style Tempura and Tonkatsu that is prepared "Live" in front of diners. I wonder if the name "Tetsu" is sort of a combination of TEmpura and TonkatSU? Seems quite likely to me. Personally, I enjoy watching the food preparation process, which is why I decided to pay this place a visit.
When I was young, I was often assigned the task of running down to the coffeeshop to buy Hokkien Mee or Char Kway Teow for supper. Those were the days when the hawker stalls were position in front of the coffeeshop rather than at the back like nowadays. I always like to observe how they would prepare their dishes. I still like to do it now and am always attracted to restaurants with an open kitchens. You get to learn a few cooking techniques and at the same time get entertained by looking out for "Bloopers". Like there was this time I saw the chef cooking a Lobster tail and he accidentally dropped it on the floor while cutting it. It was fun to see him struggling on the one hand to try to save the precious produce while at the same time knowing that "Big Brother" is watching him.
Anyway, I thought I would take this opportunity to make use of my Creative Vado again to show our readers how to make Tempura. If you have ever tried to make Tempura at home with the premix that you get from the Supermarket, you will know that it never turns fluffy like what happens when you eat at the restaurants. The secret is that there is a special technique involved while they are frying it as the video will demonstrate.
Another thing you might be wondering if you ever tried to cook tempura prawns is how they manage to get the prawn so straight while deep frying? Some people actually taught me that you should stick a skewer into the prawn while deep frying to keep it straight. However, the trick is simpler than that as this clip shows:
Alright, hope you managed to get something out of the video. Truth be said, I wouldn't cook tempura like that at home as all that extra batter is not very healthy. The fact is that even in Japan, homecooked tempura is simply a very thin crispy batter without all the "Frills". I guess the "Frills" are a cheap and effective way of increasing the size of the prawns.
Rosu Katsu Set $24.50 (Rosu=Loin)
I must say I was quite impressed with the overall presentation of the Tonkatsu. They specially import Japanese Bread Crumbs which give that wonderful crisp, light and fluffy crust. The set comes with four different condiments. Aside from the classic Tonkatsu sauce (Japanese Worchestershire Sauce), they also provide mustard, miso based sauce as well as salted Japanese curry powder.
The pork was tender and juicy and the crust was perfect. However, the pork did not have that nutty floral aroma that you get from a really good quality pork. For a restaurant that wants to promote itself as the premier place for Tonkatsu, the word "Kurobuta" was noticeably absent. 4.25/5
Inaniwa Udon
Tetsu imports this very special udon which is smaller in calibre than the normal udon. (Shall we call it Udon-Kia like Mee Kia?). The texture is silky smooth and very very nice on the bite. One of the best Udons I have tasted. 4.25/5
Roast Pork with miso sauce (new dish)
We all liked the roast pork here. Very flavoursome, tender and juicy. This is one dish we could have more of. 4/5
Conclusion
Being one of the new players in fast growing Japanese food market, Tetsu's strategy of specialising in Tempura and Tonkatsu prepared "Live" before customers is very interesting and the place has a great ambience. I feel though that they should go further by providing quality produce like Wagyu, Kurobuta, Wild Salmon and Sea Prawns in order to give consumers that extra something to make itself stand out from the crowd.
Tetsu 163 Tanglin Road #03-18 Tanglin Mall 68363112 Lunch 11.30am to 3pm Dinner 6pm to 10pm Disclaimer: This was an invited review
There are some things that sound too good to be true. Now if you are an optimist, your response to such things is to quickly go and find out if it really is true but if you are a pessimist, then you would sit back and mull over the thought that there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
So would you consider yourself an optimist or pessimist if I were to tell you that you can get a Wagyu Shabu Shabu for $15? It's no bull (pun intended), this Wagyu Shabu Shabu is going for $15, but there is one catch --- you have to eat it in a coffee shop. "Phew, that's not too bad", I think I hear you say.
Now, for the readers who are really really skeptical, I post the picture on the right for you. Hope you are convinced.
When Jacky of Cilantro (Remember $15 Foie Gras?) said she was going to do modern Japanese food at her Marine Terrace branch, I was excited. Excited because, I know that she would go all out to give the customers something of quality but at rock bottom prices.
Good Japanese food depends on good produce and sadly a lot of places that sell Japanese food in hawker centres are not giving us good quality stuff. Now, I am not talking about the top grade Otoro, but simply a place that sell Mid-Ranged Japanese food at Hawker ranged prices. That would be a great idea for a family outing wouldn't it? Thankfully after a bit of gentle prodding, Jacky caught on the idea and decided to procure some Wagyu for the launch of her stall in Marine Terrace. Now it is up to the response from the general public to decide if we are going to see more Wagyu in coffeeshops!
For $15, you get around 5 slices of beef plus a pot of either shabu shabu or sukiyaki stock. They also serve Ponsu and Goma sauce to go with it which is quite unexpected of a $15 shabu shabu! There really is not need to tell you that the Wagyu is really melt in your mouth beefy goodness is there? 4.5/5
Wagyu Don $9.80
So what else would you do if you invested in an expensive meat slicer and you have a few kg of Wagyu Sirloin in your fridge? Why, you do a Wagyu Don, that's what. Now believe me, you don't have to Argue with Wagyu. The meat is just plain tasty no matter what you do with it. It's great whether it's dipped in soup, fried in teriyaki sauce or even eaten raw. So I'd say this could be the best bowl of Gyu Don I have tasted if only they had used better rice and the teriyaki sauce was tweaked a little. Jackie assured me that they will be changing the supply of rice to match the quality of the Wagyu. Whatever it may be, you'd be hard pressed to get something with the name "Wagyu" on it for less than $10 anywhere in Singapore. 4/5
Charshu Ramen $6
The Ramen here is very commendable. The soup is tasty enough, but I thought it could be just a little smoother (ie more fats from the marrow dissolved in the soup). Amagada on the other hand said the soup was surprisingly nice. The Chashu here is really good and quite addictive. Incidentally, don't you think Chashu is a bit of a misnomer? Should be called Lor Bak instead right? 4/5
Family Feast $18
The Family Feast is designed for families with kids (like mine). How often have you gone to a Japanese Restaurant and every time you order the tempura, it comes only in a small portion for $12? What we need is a family feast type platter where you get a variety of fried favourites like Pork Tonkatsu, Breaded Prawns, Chicken Karage, Potato Croquettes, Nuggets and Chicken Wings. As mother would say, "Jia Kau Song Song" (Eat till you are satisfied). Nothing out of the ordinary, but it's a dish the kids would love and gives the adults an excuse to indulge. 4/5
Teriyaki Chicken $6
I have to include this picture because I managed to catch the drop of lemon juice falling onto the Teriyaki chicken. Ahhhh, satisfaction.
Anyway, teriyaki chicken is a staple for any Japanese eatery and although it is easy to do, (who hasn't cooked teriyaki chicken at home?), it is very hard to get that special smoky charred taste. It is highly dependent on the quality of the soy sauce used. The one here is competent but I felt still had that "Chinese" taste to it. Kids will love it, but I still haven't found.... what I'm looking for. 3.75/5
Pan Seared Tuna $9.80
For the more adventurous, Cilantro offers a few more upmarket dishes like this Pan Seared Tuna in miso sauce. It is the kind of thing that you don't readily find in most of the Japanese Chain Restaurants in Singapore. Definitely worth a try if you are tired of the standard Japanese fare. 4/5
Banana Chocolate Mousse Cake $4.90
For dessert, you have to try their Banana Chocolate Mousse Cake which will satisfy most chocoholics except for the most fastidious ones. 4.5/5. The tiramisu is also very good. 4/5
Conclusion
We need to demystify the Wagyu and bring this wonderful tasting meat to the heartlanders. I hope to see more Wagyu appearing in food courts and mid ranged Japanese restaurants which will increase the awareness and demand for this product which will in turn mean that it will become standard fare for more Japanese eateries out there. When the Ah Gong and Ah Mah start to coin their Hokkien word for Wagyu, then we know we have reached our goal. In the meantime, if you want to continue to see Wagyu in the coffeeshop, then you have to do your part to go down and support them so that they will continue to sell it!
Now apart from the Wagyu (which is great even as sashimi), the rest of the fare is competent but don't go there expecting the same standards as your favourite Japanese restaurant. The main selling point it that it is a place where you can bring the kids to eat pretty decent Japanese food and not burn a hole in your pocket.
Cilantro Modern Asia Blk 59 Marine Terrace (Coffeeshop) Opens 10am to 10pm daily Disclaimer: I had an active role in planning the menu
Remember the Italian/Singaporean couple I blogged about last year who opened a little stall selling pizzas at HDB prices? Well, they have decided to move upmarket and have opened a cosy little restaurant in the beautiful countrysidish part of Singapore known as Wessex Estate.
Portsdown Road is one of those last places in Singapore where you can still enjoy that "countryside" atmosphere and daydream about our colonial past. In fact, the whole of the Portsdown and Dover area used to be home to the British who find the "rolling hills" around the area to be reminiscent of home. The church which I attend, St John's St Margaret's, which used to be known as St John's Garrison Church, was the Anglican Parish Church catering to the needs of the British forces. The original triangular building is still there and being used to conduct services although the main service is now conducted in our new sanctuary.
Personally, I find the colonial period to be very romantic. It was a time when much of the world was still being discovered and ceiling fans were still manually driven by coolies. Think Indiana Jones and you know what I mean. I could almost imagine myself in that period as I sat in the the nice little courtyard with sunlight streaming into the restaurant and the smell of freshly cut wood in the air. Ok, I think it is apparent to you by now that I like the atmosphere of this place very much, so on to the food.
The pizzas are better quality than their "HDB" pizzas at La Pizzaola but still quite reasonably priced. The crust is thin and chewy and the tomato based sauce is less tangy which was my main complaint the last time I ate at La Pizzaola. I would highly recommend the rucola with parma ham pizza which really did satisfy my pizza craving that day. 4.25/5
We were because the kids were clamoring for pizzas after church and the last thing I wanted to do was to end up at Pizza Hut.With so little calories to waste, a nice Italian Pizza is actually not much more expensive and definitely tastes better than the commercial variety. But in order to have a more balanced Italian meal, we ordered some pasta as well just to try try. The Spinach ravioli was alright but could have been more tantalizing if the sauce was a little more cheesy. 3.75/5
Chef Owner Loris
Conclusion
Good pizzas combined with the laid back atmosphere of Wessex Estate. This certainly looks like a place I can go back often to get fulfill my pizza cravings. At least it beats having to bring the kids to Pizza Hut!
PS: Just spoken to Jennifer and confirmed that they have closed La Pizzaiola already. You can read about their first eatery here.
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Changi Teochew Kitchen
