dairy & cream - A Singapore + Japan Food Blog : Eat, Write & Relish

Metal shutters greeted us when we arrived but luckily, a Filipino waiter who was cleaning the tables outside the shop told us that they are opening at 5.30pm. Otherwise we would have thought that they were shut for good or closed for that day as the shop was supposedly to be opened all day.

Although the place offer numerous dishes all plastered to the wall, about 50% of the items have been labeled "STOP", which meant that they are unavailable, much to our disappointment. Nonetheless, having pictures for menu is always a bonus for people such as my folks who read in Chinese.

We had the signature Claypot Rice (Small $11/Large $20) that appeared on every table.
The medium-brown colored grains were not as intensely flavourful after first mixing by the waiter, but turned out better after we've added more dark soy sauce by ourselves.

They were fairly fragrant, with sweet lap cheong, chunky chicken and rare slices of large-sized salted fish that might shock some unprepared tastebuds for the saltiness. But it is precisely the "kiam" taste that makes the rice appetising.

The Sambal Eggplant $7, which leans towards the dry version, is tasty even without any visible dried shrimps. The bottom swam in the right amount of chilli oil but the inconsistent heat resulted in occasion tough pieces.

We thought Butter Oatmeal Cereal Tofu $6 sounded like a wonderful combination of oatmeal and tofu but we would skip this next time. The tofu is nothing exciting, plain without any extra seasoning. Fortunately, their special blend of sourish chilli sauce did help to tide through the dish.

The crunchy Chye Poh Omelette $6, another popular dish at many tables, was not too bad, though the sweetness of chye poh did not emerge as strong as Taiwan-style chye poh neng. Would prefer it to be fluffier.

For the desserts, the Tau Suan $2.50 was really good as it had been cooked with gula melaka. The beans also had the right texture and I like the fact that not too much tapioca flour had been added to thicken the gravy. Never mind the fact that we needed to pay for the you tiao, which we thought were included.

Meantime, the black fungus soup is simply black fungus in sugar syrup with some wolfberries. Nothing spectacular as it is something easily prepared at home.

Overall, for the price range of below $8 for the side dishes, I would think that the quality of the food is reasonable. But with many places in Singapore serving much better claypot rice and chye poh omelette, I will remember this place for its.....tau suan.

Le Chasseur
31 New Bridge Road
They are have moved to Blk 27, Eunos Road 2
Daily:
11.30am-3pm
5.30pm-11.30pm

To find anywhere serving a good afternoon tea even on weekdays in Singapore is in itself noteworthy. But to sit down in such a relaxed setting — with a glass of 1688 Grand Rose Champagne in hand overlooking the magnificent view of Marina Bay in a comfy banquette— is cause for outright celebration. So is Mandarin Oriental’s Luxury September Bubbly Afternoon Tea.

Photo Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental

This month for just $15 ++ per glass, guests can sip the exclusive 1688 Grand Rosé, an exquisite full-bodied champagne that contains zero alcohol content along with the afternoon tea that revolves around the pink champagne. Made from a premium blend of red and white grapes, the 1688 Grand Rosé contains 100% of natural ingredients with no added sugar.

Kick-start the 5-course (not 3) mid-day feast with a tall glass of Grand Rose champagne jelly. Followed up with the spread of savoury canapes and desserts created by Executive Pastry Chef Cassian Tan to accompany the sweet delicate bubbles.

The three-tiered set includes four kinds of special desserts that use champagne: champagne macaroons, a dainty champagne chocolate lollipop, chilled champagne and damas plum sabayon disguised as a fruit tart and a champagne cassis gateau snugged cosily in a purple chocolate wall.

Take a moment of break from sweets with the bottom-tier selection of savoury canapes that are at full blast with flavours and definitely not your average egg and ham sandwiches. Take for example the duck rillettes & foie gras canapé or the truffle-scented egg & chive petite sandwich. Both canapes take turn to perfume your palates with its strong aroma and balanced well with the red fruity notes of the Grand Rosé champagne.

Of course, there is no particular sequence between the 3-tier and one can jolly well hop back to the sweets which includes non-champagne selection like the Passion-Banana éclair. The Dulce De Leche Tart- a buttery shortcrust pastry with caramelized brown milk jam was so excellent that I would love to pack home a box of it.

You can’t get more British with the scones in two flavours: Lemon-thyme and Strawberry yoghurt, served in true style with authentic clotted cream, strawberry preserves and a grainy lemon curd. But just in case you might think that this is the end, there are two more courses to go.

The 4th course is a luxury platter which is a feast for the eyes. The ice cream cone is not a sweet biscuit but a savoury one, piped with Smoked salmon mousse. The Marinated lobster compression with Champagne aspic reminded me of the wacky creations by Heston Blumenthal while the Porcini mushroom tart with basalmic alioli lived up to its own name. It was bursting of umami flavour that left me curious about the amount of mushrooms used.

The last course is something hot from the oven—Duck Confit & Pistachio Puff and a Classic Chicken Pie.

With such a lavish spread, a cup of hot tea is certainly much desired. We had the Earl Grey French Blue—black tea with taste of malt and chocolate, and the Bouddha Bleu—green tea sprinkled with blue cornflowers. I am not a serious tea connoisseur but both are good, afterall they are from the old French gourmet tea company, Mariage Freres.

Photo courtesy of Mandarin Oriental

Photo Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental

Priced at $42++ per person and $80++ for two people, the Luxury September Bubbly Afternoon Tea is available at the Axis Bar and Lounge only for the month of September. The 1688 Grand Rosé will be available at $15++ per glass along with the Afternoon Tea.

You can also enjoy the champagne separately at $18++ per glass and $98++ per bottle at Axis Bar and Lounge, Dolce Vita and MELT ~ The World Café.

For those who are concern about alcohol, the Grand Rose is non-alcoholic. A very good healthy excuse to drink your time away, in this genteel and unhurried oasis.

Axis Bar and Lounge
5 Raffles Avenue, Mandarin Oriental, Singapore 03979
Tel: 6885 3500
10am to Midnight (Sun)
10am to 1am (Mon – Thu)
10am to 2am (Fri & Sat)

Special thanks to Ms Vernia and Ms Brockmann for the invite

This shop conveniently located near Tanjong Pagar MRT (and my office) has been supplying my cake cravings over the months. I witnessed how the business grew over time, with crowds even during non-peak hours.

The Strawberry Tofu Cheesecake $5.90 is the signature item as they have come up with 2 other flavours (peach/mango). Though it was not as tangy as I would like, the cheese layer was refreshingly light and the digestive crust base did not succumb to moisture. It's like a Jello cheesecake and no tofu used in case you are thinking that this is a healthier option.

Nutella Crumble $3.80 was not as crumbly as it sounds but had a decent biscuit base. I reheated it in the microwave as recommended but surprisingly it did not melt under heat. Better share this with others as it was very sweet, without the need for any ice cream.

I tend to shy away from stacked cream cakes as far as possible but I'm glad I tried the Hummingbird cake $5.90. A complicated cake layer made with pineapple, coconut, banana, sandwiched with decent amount of cream cheese. It was SO GOOD--very moist with a unique sticky texture (probably due to mashed bananas). Never mind that it leaked oil at the base of the box.

The Spiced Carrot Cake $5.90 (photo deleted by accident) must be the most orangey carrot cake I’ve seen. Despite the name, the cinnamon spice was not overpowering. Texture wise, this is similar to the Hummingbird cake. But flavour-wise, the birdie cake wins.

Blackout cake $5.90 (photo deleted by accident)—Well, many places in Singapore serve this but the version here is not going to bomb you with layers of sponge and ganache. As I learnt from the baker-owner lady, oreo cookies have been crushed and mixed into the cake. One cannot taste any crunch but rich, fudgy US-style chocolate pudding (not tau hway ar!). So skip the Four/Six/Eight-Layer Blackout Cake and try this one here.

Instead of going for a red velvet slice, I opted for their cupcake version $3.80. Consumed at room temperature, it was moist and with hints of cocoa instead of the buttermilk tang. Finally, this is one of the best places in Singapore for red velvet cakes.

The concept of cakes here may be conventional home-bakes. But it works really well. I can’t pick an ace card from the pile, because there are two winners—the hummingbird and the red velvet.

Cake Spade

1 Tras Link, #01-06

Orchid Hotel, S'pore 078867

Mon - Thu: 12pm - 9pm

Fri - Sat: 12pm-10:30pm

Tel: +65 6444 3868

http://www.cakespade.com/index.html

Chocolates

Chocolates.

Who can resist it? If you can, you must be one in a million.
I eat chocolates daily without fail but I know I am not the only one. And naturally, I let myself succumb to the power of chocolate once again at Mezza9's Chocolate Promotion available only this September.

What is so lucrative about this deal is that one gets a tasty tour of chocolates AROUND THE WORLD in ~~eighty~~ ONE DAY. With Nine chocolate-based desserts using gourmet chocolate from Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland and the United States set on a double-tiered set, this can be billed as the ultimate chocolate indulgence.

It's Bubbling...It's Sizzling...It's Frothing. It's an old hat trick of serving desserts on dry ice but I can't help but be captivated by the stunning presentation. Made using 100% COCOA PASTE with NO MILK, this is cocoa sherbet at its most intense. Just make sure that the nibs of caramel tuile don't get stuck in your teeth.

Get a taste of history with these chocolate truffles made with 50% cocoa from the 102-year old Callebaut brand from Belgium. Precisely because it's freshly hand-rolled, there is no chalkiness like those factory-made pralines.

For artisan chocolatiers, Varlhona from France is a familiar name. But I am encountering Dulcey, a new Blond Chocolate in this Caramel Mille-feuile for the first time (scroll to top for pic). The explanatory notes boast "a delicately sweet taste that marries intense biscuit flavours with a pinch of salt, a creamy texture, hints of caramelized milk, and unique blond color"

And indeed, the combo of Pierre Herme-perfect crispy puff pastry and satisfyingly sweet filling got my guinea pigs oinking with glea.

The Ivory Chocolate Creme Brulee is big and bold with a velvety, enveloping texture. And there is a secret tangy raspberry sauce at the base to temper the flavour. Oops...now that's not a secret anymore.

With some stellar creations, there are also some not-so-shiny ones. The Brooklyn Blackout Brownies made with 91% Guittard had a slightly granulated texture, and I would prefer more cake than walnuts. The bitter taste could be more pronounced.

True to its German Origin, the Sacher Torte was made with chocolates from Austria. But I heaved a great sigh of relief when there was spiced jam had not been sandwiched in between the layers. Otherwise the sweetness alarm would be sounded.

The Piedmont Hazelnut Fondant tasted better than the first time I had it but it could be be served warmer. made with 75% Amedei from Italy. Nonetheless, it was spurring a lot more lava than many sold elsewhere, the way I liked it.

A very memorable creation would be this mound of Bitter Chocolate Cream with Sea Salt and Crispy Bread --something I would love to slowly savour. One reason is because the Millenium Olive Oil poured ala minute is extracted from olives that are plucked from 1000 year old tree. This created a never-before-experienced smooth texture and of course, the sea salt was sharp and addictive.

With too much caramel, vanilla or cocoa oozing on the tongue, the 70% hot chocolate comes in timely to dim the sugar and keep things manly.

This set is available during lunch and dinner, as a good way to end of your meal. Or simply as your main course (for chocoholics) All the components are available ala carte and special wines recommended by the sommelier for pairing with the chocolates can be served if you like to get a little tipsy over the sweets.

Give your tastebuds a sensuous treat now. Good stuff are hard to come by.

Special September Chocolate Promotion
Mezza9 at Grand Hyatt
10 Scotts Road
Mezzanine Level
Singapore228211

For Reservations, call: 6732 1234

More info, visit website here

Special thanks to Ms Sandee and Ms Indrani for the invite

One of the latest restaurants at the newly renovated section of Marina Square is this Japanese restaurant named Hamanoya. While it features robatayaki (charcoal grilled food) as its main call, it is more like a casual Japanese restaurant rather than a strict robatayaki place where chorus of yells assails your ears even before you are seated.

Ambience aside, one can't be wrong with the robatayaki seafood here. The Salmon Belly $9.99 is expertly done--crispy crust without sacrificing the fats on the pink moist fish. The accompanying side of grated radish and salmon roe helps to cleanse the palates for more items ahead.

The grilled ayu $14.99, which belongs to the same salmon family scientifically, tasted brilliant too. With just a sprinkle of salt, this river fish is revived and offers more meat to chow through than the mini-sized mackerel in nasi lemak.

But the same thing cannot be said of the King Crab $14.99. The meat was sorely super-glued to the shell, perhaps because they had been frozen for quite some time.

The highly-anticipated oyster ($14.99 each) from the South Pacific Ocean sat lazily in a shell. Fresh and meaty, it was a pity that some of its natural essence got lost in salty shoyu broth that it was soaking in.

Grilled corn $3.99 does not sound terribly exciting but these ones are truly sweet with a heady aroma of burnt honey. Meanwhile, those who are afraid of onions should try the Grilled Onions $3.99. Before you start worrying about onion breath, these ones here are slow roasted till tender, and what is left behind is pure caramelized sweetness.

Unlike most Japanese restaurants, the Eggplant $3.99 stays away from miso and is presented as a lightly vinegared, healthy dish topped with dancing bonito flakes. Would prefer if there is more of the chef's special sauce.

Besides the grilled robata and vegetables, there is also a Hi-mono section, which usually includes familiar dried fish such as Kinmedai or Mackerel. Instead of fish, we opted for the Shio-Kouji Chicken $9.99, which came surprisingly as the size of half a spring chicken. The most delectable part was the crispy, slightly charred skin with hardly any grease clinging on the surface. Below is the juicy meat that has been imparted a rich savory depth by the Shio Koji (fermented rice salt marinade).

From the Otsumami Section, items offered are side dishes or deep-fried snacks that one can have as appetiser or simply with a good bottle of sake. Under the canopy of shallots and onions, the Scallop Tataki $15.99 (lightly grilled semi-raw scallops) were spectacularly fresh. For an enhanced sweetness, try dipping it into the shoyu or salt.

The dessert choices are not many and so we swept two out of the three items on the list. The Matcha Trifle ($9) is a boat-shaped dish filled with volcanoes of bite-sized green tea-flavored and plain pancakes around a scoop vanilla ice cream and red bean paste. This resembled a deconstructed upsized dorayaki and highly recommended for sharing.

For a super rich indulgence, try the custard pudding $4.99, which is creamy yet dense with a substantial amount of dark brown caramel sauce that perches delicately between the sweet and bitter. The texture is definitely not like any creme caramel or panna cotta.

Just when you think this restaurant may break your bank, prices go with the casual attitude at no more than $20 (Except for crab). Visit any robatayaki at Roppongi and one is prepared to fork out more than hundred for a meal. Here, one get to enjoy not only fresh seafood from Japan but also a bewildering array of comfort dishes such as Tonkotsu pot, Unagi Toji and even Okonomiyaki!

Though opened barely for a few months since July, all signs looked positive are clearly hitting all the right chords with the lunchtime crowd.

If you are looking for a slightly different Japanese cuisine, this is it.

Hamanoya

Marina Square The Dining Edition #02-106

Lunch 11.30am-3pm

Dinner 5pm-10pm

Special thanks to Wyncy, Fandy and Darren for the invite and hosting.

As the end of the year approaches when the cold rain hits, some would crave for food that is familiar and hot. Besides porridge, the first thing that comes to mind is claypot rice. Good news is that Si Chuan Dou Hua at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road will be serving up charcoal-cooked claypot rice, created by the culinary team led by Executive Chef Leung Wing Chung.

Speaking of claypot rice, the most irresistible flavour is none other than the Sliced Pork and Salted Fish version (咸鱼五花肉煲饭). With the increase in prices of salted fish, it was a delight to find generous-sized salted fish in the pot of fluffy rice.

Assorted Waxed Meat(东莞城腊味煲饭)

But this time the Chinese sausages and salted fish have gone separate ways as there is just a pot dedicated to this winter cured meat. Perhaps due to the traditional way of cooking the rice over traditional charcoal stove, the flavours are coaxed out with the aroma of rice, though the sausages could be more evenly sliced. I chanced upon quite a chunky end piece which was difficult to tear apart.

Meanwhile there is also the Claypot Rice with Chicken, Live Frog and Enoki Mushroom (松菇双滑鸡煲饭).一道菜讲求所谓的 “色、香、味”---Perhaps due to the cool and comfortable interiors, there was not much of the sizzling sounds or smoky scents of charred rice. Fortunately, I could gleefully scrape off an abundant amount of burnt rice at the base of each claypot and swirl in more dark soya sauce provided alongside. If you are ordering other dishes, each claypot rice can feed about 2-3 mouths.

The highlight of the day was the Barbequed Suckling pig $198, which was indeed a terrific dish. Prepared by Barbeque Chef Zheng Guang Liang, the pig from Hebei China is grilled excellently to produce a crisp, burmished crackling skin and ladies can forget about scraping the fats off the skin. Meanwhile the meat, which was sliced and re-served for easy consumption, was neither too dry nor too greasy—a culinary feat that deserves a round of applause for the chef.

Meat from the Barbequed Suckling Pig

Besides the new promotional dishes, regular items such as the Double-boiled Deer Tendon Soup with Deer Antler (上等鹿茸炖鲜鹿根汤) $18/person is definitely worth ordering. Made with good quality ingredients and herbs such as cordyceps flowers that warms your body, it is a nourishing brew that is brimming with collagen.

TheBraised Spare Ribs in “Wuxi” Style with Pan-fried Vegetable Bun (无锡排骨煲配生煎香菜包) $26 is a classic southern Jiangsu dish that has been adjusted to suit the palates of the health-conscious. One can go ahead and dip the pan-fried vegetable bun in the dark reddish gravy, which does not leave too much grease on your lips. The meat is sweet and comes off in smooth chunks.

However, I found the Stewed Fish with Bean Curd Skin 枝竹火腩鱼腩煲 $22 slightly too rich with the addition of Roasted Pork. But the fish that has been deep fried before being simmered was fragrant and so smooth that it slides down the throat easily.

With the restaurant’s specialty in bean curd (dou hua), what’s better way to end of the meal other than having a bowl of Homemade beancurd with wolfberries枸杞甜豆花. Only two batches of the beancurd are made daily without adding Gypsum powder (shi gao) and no wonder it is fresh and binds together firmer than the pudding-like tau hway commonly sold nowadays. This is one of the best places in Singapore for a bowl of humble bean curd.

What forged a deeper impression was the Deep-fried Yam coated with Soya Bean Crisps (豆莊皇沙酥) $18. The yam was soft, with a crunchy exterior that triggers your sweet receptors but not too much. And the fact that it is made with soya bean gives us a very good excuse to enjoy this indulgent snack!

The Claypot rice in assorted flavours are priced at $18 while the Barbequed Suckling Pig is available at $198. For now until 31 Dec 2013, UOB Cardmembers enjoy 50% off the second order of both items. Unless you are dining in huge groups, it would be unimaginable to have two suckling pigs at one go and thus the second order of roast suckling pig can be taken away or consumed on the next visit.

Unlike some Chinese restaurants, the food here does not overburden the stomach with grease and the seasonings are done in moderation. True enough, the food may be a little steep but it is the quality and ingredients that are worth going back for more.

Si Chuan Dou Hua at Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Road (Near Farrer Park MRT)
Singapore 208533
Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm
High Tea 2.30pm-6pm
Dinner 6.30pm-10.30pm
http://www.sichuandouhua.com

Special thanks to Pamela for the invite and together with Cleo for the hosting

Located opposite Zhen Zhou Dao Porridge, Eng Wanton Mee is another noodle shop which has won many accolades and is very very famous for their spicy chilli sauce.

Fuss-free menu:)

Together with with 4 flavorful dumplings, the amount of noodles is pretty filling at $4. While some stalls are better at certain ingredients, say the char siew or noodles, Eng's version pays details to everything.

No dark or light soy sauce like Kok Kee, the version here looks just as white as the one from Nam Seng. However, all is not lost. The pork lard that is tossed with the firm egg noodles not only prevent then from clumping and injects another dimension of fragrance. The charsiew have great caramelization with bits of fats.

And the super spicy chilli lives up to its name as it is spicy, but in a different way. Because it is purely blended chilli, it tastes bitter. I did not really enjoyed it because it was not appetizing enough like Sambal chilli nor will it make you blow your nose or cause watery eyes like chilli padi.

The noodles are simply good without the chilli sauce but no one would stop you from dousing it liberally into the noodles, turning the dish into a sea of orangey yellow (compare this and the top picture). The sauce is definitely bearable for chilli-takers, but I find that the bitterness (not spiciness) robs the original taste of wanton mee when squeezed in excess.

We ordered extra wantons to share even though they were the same as those in the noodles. The pinkish pork filling were chewy and meaty.

I am glad that this wanton mee legend has continued in this era. If you haven't try it yet, please do.

It is something worth traveling all the way for, over and over again. A taste to remember.

Eng's Noodle House
287 Tanjong Katong Road
Open 11am to 9pm; closed on alternate Mondays

Pierre Herme.
Sadaharu Aoki
Laduree
Jean Paul Hevin.
These are big names in the crazily competitive pastry scene in Japan. But there are many very talented pastry chefs that devote passion and love into their creation.

A recent one that I discovered isPatisserie Yu Sasage. Opened barely for a few months since May 2013 in the Setagaya Ward (世田谷区 --Southwest of Shibuya), Patisserie Yu Sasage has become a popular name among local sweet fans.

Photo Credit: Sweets Nifty

In Japan, the owner is usually the chef and for this shop, it is helmed by Chef Sasage Yuusuke (捧雄介シェフ), who was previously from Patisserie Plasir. And like many of the independent pastry chefs, it is amazing to know that he creates everything that is display on the shelf! Yes, one man! His style of cakes abides closely to traditional French pastries but injects a new light by playing adventurously with different ingredients.

エクレールオフランボワーズピスターシュエバジリック

Eclair Framboise Pistache Basilic ￥399 S$5.10

While Japanese cakes look pretty and delicious, the fact is that not all taste as good as they

look. But I strongly recommend his creations because he manages to take control of the flavours. Take for example this Pistachio Eclair.

It is piped with Basil Custard Cream and Raspberry Gelee. And what stunned me was how the two layers are stacked neatly within the choux pastry without it being sliced horizontally. Bite into one end and everything shoots out. Surprisingly, basil does not clash with pistachio as I thought it had a strong herby scent.

コンパレゾン "Comparaison" ￥463 ( S$5.92)

Another masterpiece was this "Comparaison" --the French term for "comparison". The zingness and slight acridity of jelly cube-like lemon confiture is meant to cut the sweetness of the milk chocolate, but yet it meets another sweet opponent--the honey cream. Meanwhile, a sable crust made with pecan nuts at the base gives a very enjoyable grittiness to the mouthful of velvety mousse. See below for cross section drawn by me.

ガトーラメール￥525 (S$6.71)

It was love at first sight when I tasted the buttercream made with Seaweed Butter sandwiched between the moist sponges. The French name of the Butter is Beurre De Baratte invented by Jean-Yves Bordier together with one of Robuchon's top chefs.

The layer specked with black and red flecks does not taste much of seaweed, but just a light mineral saltiness that saves me from the nauseatingly sweet lemon cream on top. As always, the crumbles on top are more than just decoration--they are delightfully crunchy.

Common baked goods such as cookies, butter cakes, financiers that nearly all patisseries in Japan would do the same. Good for gifts because of longer shelf life. Individual package available too.

Other beautiful creations include a Red Tea Tart with Framboise Jelly, Fig Mousse, Savarin, Mandarin Orange Gateaux etc..... Considering the price and the portion of the cakes, this patisserie is definitely one of the affordable yet delicious shop in town.
Perhaps the only thing that irks me is how he names his creations in a very ~~snobbish~~ Frenchmanner. And I can't help to be reminded of Laduree with the shop logo. Don't you think so?

Patisserie Yu Sasage
6-28-13, Sentagaya Ku, Tokyo, Japan 157-0062
(4min walk from West Exit of Chitose Karasuyama Station on Keio Line)
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PatisserieYuSasage
Hours: 10am-7pm
Close Every Tues and 2nd Wednesday

パティスリーユウササゲ
世田谷区南烏山 6-28-13
毎週火曜、第２水曜定休

These cakes were purchased at Ma Patisserie--a weekly rotating patisserie shop at Isetan Shinjuku

[Text and Photo by Guest Writer Kerri]

Craving for some authentic Thai food? It’s just meters away from the famous 328 Katong Laksa! With an experienced Thai chef and spices from North-eastern Thailand, Baan Khun NaiAuthentic Thai Restaurant definitely has its own signature dishes to boast.

Ordered a Thai iced tea to quench my thirst and I loved it. Anyway I am not a fan of lemongrass, and milk helps to alleviate the spiciness. We started off the meal with Mango Salad $7 which is a medley of classic ingredients such as green mango, onions, cherry, tomatoes tossed with peanuts and dried shrimps. I personally find it a tad too spicy. Still, a decent appetizer,tangy and spicy.

The Glass Noodle Salad $8 was yummy and filling with a generous portion of chicken, prawns, cuttlefish and dried shrimps in the tunghoon. Love the chili lime dressing, perfect for summer nights!

I wasn’t particularly wow-ed by the Tom Yum Soup (choice of chicken/ pork/ prawn/ seafood) $8 but the chef here is generous with the seafood as some places only have a few pieces of meat and a chunk of spices. Somehow the soup wasn’t that spicy as compared to the mango salad.

Perhaps the most healthiest dish of the day was the Steamed seabass $29. I have never tried seabass this way, but it was actually quite delish with the spicy lime sauce.

One of the signature dishes is the Non-spicy grilled pork served with the Chef's Special Thai sauce $11. The meat was juicy and tender, though the sauce would have tasted better with some zing by throwing in some pineapples.

Another noteworthy one was the Dry Curry Pork $8. As the name suggests, only a minimum amount of coconut curry clings onto the meat but the flavours are no less compromised as it went fantastically with the Olive Fried Rice $8. The rice is peppered with slices of raw onions, chilli padi and lovely toasted cashew nuts for a more exciting texture.

Nothing very exciting about the Green curry chicken$8 simmered with eggplant as the taste of the coconut curry wasn’t that strong and intense on palate as I had expected it to be.

My favorite dish was the Claypot Tunghoon-Prawn steamed with vermicelli and Thai Sauce $16, served piping hot! A definite must try, probably the best tunghoon I have ever had in my entire life! The chef probably stir-fried the tung hoon with her homemade thai sauce.

And yes, there’s always room for dessert. The Mango sticky rice $6 served on porcelain leaf dish, makes the dish so aesthetically appealing. The mango is sweet enough and pairs excellently with the warm sticky rice. Being a Thai food fanatic, I am thankful to have tried such a wide spread of authentic Thai dishes. Happy and full stomach~!

Baan Khun Nai Authentic Thai
11 East Coast Road, #01-22
The Odeon Katong, S(437844)
Nearest to Dakota Station
Tues-Sat: 11.30am-10pm
Sun: 10am-10pm
Click here to facebook page

Special thanks to OpenRice for the kind invitation and Baan Khun Nai Authentic Thai for the great hospitality!

I thought I was quite crazy to bring my Ah Ma to an all new Chinese fusion restaurant for dinner but I was attracted by the 30 per cent discount offer since the pricing of the dishes are quite high.

LÈ Restaurant & Bar is the latest concept under Paradise Group serving avant-garde Asian tapas and cocktails. Take for example a plate of cherries which are actually braised foie gras with red wine in cherry sauce ($26). A contemporary re-interpretation of Chinese dining is nothing novel but my concern was that the folks may not accept tapas style dishes which tend to not fill up the belly easily and taste unfamiliar to them.

But fortunately, the menu is still dominated by classic Chinese food that are similar to that of many fine-dining Chinese Restaurant. The menu is divided into Live Seafood/Fresh Seafood/Soup/Meat/Poultry/Tofu etc.......But we did order few item from "Small Eats and Salad" section--the Szechuan style poached chicken $12 四川口水鸡. The folks, who have been trying this dish whenever it is available, claimed it to be the best so far in Singapore. Unlike the version drenched in chlli oil and topped with crunchy peanuts at Paradise Dynasty, this one is crowded with flavours from the sweet-salty peanut sauce, some fiery blackish-red chilli and diced century eggs.

Meanwhile, we also gave unequivocal thumbs up to the Char Grilled Pork Collar with Lemongrass 炭烧猪颈肉 $22.

The pork was skilfully sliced to nearly the thickness of paper that we could barely distinguish between the fat and meat. Besides the accompanying Thai sweet chilli sauce, there was a slice of juicy caramelized pineapple which imbued this classic Thai grill dish with another dimension of sweetness.

It seems like the Crunchy Jellyfish with Thai Mango Salad $18 allows Chinese and Thai food fans to have the best of both world but the Thai Mango Salad was a bit of let down--sweet but lack the spice.

The Cream of Bak Kut Teh 特色肉骨茶 comes at an astonishing price of $12 per person. It is the Western counterpart of our Bak Kut Teh, and a huge relief that it does not taste much different from the usual hawker version. There are strong accents of herbs and cubes of vegetables. Part of the price tag definitely goes into the crispy slice of Italian Serrano Ham. I guessed this dish counts as rather gimmicky, but a successful one.

The tomatoes are boiled down into a sensationally gooey broth in this Lobster with purée of tomato soup $26 椰皇茄膏龙虾羹. It has a simple, clean flavor without much seasonings and you can invigorate your palates by digging on the sweet flesh of the young coconut.

I did not try the Mini "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" $88 per person 迷你佛跳墙 as it was a treat for my grandmother. But it must have been a good brew, for she commented that it was smooth and hearty.

The Dirty Duck--braised for at least 6 hours then fried--is the restaurant's signature dish. ($38 half/ $68 for whole) Like how a Beijing roasted duck would usually be served, the servers wraps them in pale green handmade scallion crepe with condiments in front of diners.

The prove of crispy, blistered skin is ascertained before we put the warm roll into our mouths as crackling sounds are heard when the servers sliced through the duck. This is one fantastic dish that one should not miss at this restaurant. Half a duck can make up till around 11 servings.

Besides the duck, my favourite dish of the day was this Braised Wa Wa Cabbage with Supreme Broth $26. Attention has been paid to the yellow stock, for it was rich and flavourful, unlike the diluted watered-down sauce which I chanced upon quite often in some Chinese restaurants or zi char places.

After having all the food, the Stir fried angel hair with Japanese dried ebi $28 樱花虾天使面 is more than substantial to feed 6 mouths. The taste was not as competent as the version from Saveur and could perhaps be intensified with hefty doses of garlic.

Desserts are not the restaurant's strongest suits--but would still be suitable for those inclined to close their meals with something sweet.

With the exception of the Homemade Almond Cream with Silken Egg White $9, the rest are served theatrically in billowing smokes of dry ice--Chilled Pumpkin puree in coconut milk ($8) Chilled Avocado purée with coffee ice cream(See Top Pic--$7).

The Sweet Temptation ($13) was a trio of dessert shooters which we had previously at Taste Paradise Ion. Sitting along with the familiar mango sago and avocado cream, the Yakult pudding in strips of black and white seems like an innovative creation but it was a let down because it had no traces of Yakult at all.

The custard lava bun which one usually get during dim sum hours at Paradise Group restaurants are deep fried and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream at $9. Nothing much out of the world so I would stick to the standard steam version for dim sum. Afterall, the latter is more value for money.

Step in this place and you feel that this is a chi-chi restaurant with a glowing Buddha Statue over watching the open kitchen (feng shui, maybe?) Service was caught up in a traffic when there was rarely a free seat during peak weekend dining hours but the waiters understood the meals they served. And surprisingly, one of the servers who attended to us was from Ukraine!

Overall, the food was not too far off the mark but the price is still a little too steep without the discount. Good for an occasion splurge for celebratory events or special gatherings. Otherwise, I believe one can still enjoy a equally satisfying meal at other Paradise restaurants.

The promotion of 30% discount is applicable for dim sum lunch/dinner till 30 Sept.

LÈ Restaurant & Bar
Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre,
#02-314 Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Tel: 63388775
Restaurant : 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm daily
Bar: 3pm to 11pm (Sun -Thu), 3pm to 12mn (Fri – Sat)

Soba or Ramen? It's soba anytime for me and thus my visit to Kanda Matsuya marks the start of soba journey once again.

If you are a soba fan, Kanda Matsuya is one of Tokyo's finest purveyor of handcut (te-uchi) soba noodles. Opened during Meiji Times and rebuilt after the earthquake, it has often been compared to Kanda Yabu--another historical sobaya which is now close until further notice due to a fire incident.

Slide open the wooden door and you will witness crowds of salaryman, old ladies, couples sitting elbow to elbow on rattan-covered stools. Nope, don't expect the privilege of occupying the whole table by yourself unless you are in groups of 3 or more.

It can be rather uncomfortable for first timers but once your soba is ferried from the kitchen by the obaasan or old lady waiteress, you just pluck your chopsticks apart and enter another world that consists of soba and yourself.

The Goma Soba (750yen/$7.55) is plain fare prepared with little subtlety, but one of the best way to savour the skill of noodle artisans besides having it in mori (cold with a dip) or zaru (same but with seaweed). The noodles are fresh with no signs of flaccidity and the sesame sauce is addictive. This standard portion is not too big so I recommend you to "O-Mori" (extra large portion) if you are famished.

For a hot soupy version, try the Tsukimi Soba (900yen/$9.06) a robust bowl of soba with a beautiful orange moon (egg yolk) for you to admire. It also contains slices of superbly bouncy kamaboko (fish paste cake) and seasonal vegetables. There are some condiments such as the Yuzu Shichimi Powder that you can add into the cold sesame dip or the hot soup for some numb spiciness.

Front Page of the 2-Page Menu

For a sobaya, the menu with more than 10 items is considered extensive. There is Yama-kake (soba with white sticky grated yam), Tennan-Ban (Hot Soba topped with Tempura prawns), Tempura Soba (Cold Soba served with Tempura on the side) and Kamo Seiro Soba (Cold Soba with a hot soup of duck meat) etc...... Surprisingly, a number of udon dishes and donburis (rice bowls) were also spotted.

However, there is NO English menu and it does not state whether the noodles is hot or cold. Nevertheless it should not be a huge problem because any soba dish which you point with your finger is likely to turn out remarkable.

Before you leave, pour the hot soba-yu (water used to boil soba) from this red ceramic pot into the dipping sauce or your soup to enjoy the fragrance of fresh soba flour.

At Matsuya, it is one intimate and unpretentious old-school soba house where time seems to halt momentarily in Meiji Era. And it is not hidden in some unknown alley where you take hours to navigate. It is the first shop you see from Exit A3 of Awajicho Subway Station after walking pass Resona Bank.

Chances are you will stop in front of the shop anyway because it's brilliant Taisho architecture is too conspicuous to go unnoticed.

Kanda Matsuya

1-13 Kanda-Sudacho, Chiyoda-ku

11am-8pm (Sat & holidays 11 am-7pm)
Closed on Sunday
Nearest Station: Awajicho (Marunouchi Line); Ogawamachi (Shinjuku Line)
http://kanda-matsuya.jp/p01.htm

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It's a bright full moon.

Today is a special day. I walked back to buy this cake from Mandarin Oriental Tokyo as it has been lingering on my mind since 2 weeks ago. Not sure if it's fate or my luck as this cake will end sales tomorrow on the 23rd Sept, which marks the Autumn Equinox or the start of Autumn in Japan. A great relief to catch this before it goes into extinction.

Named La Lune ラ　リュンヌ, this beautiful creation has a bright yellow moon within the chocolate sphere. The shell is coated with a sticky chocolate ganache that you have to lick clean before plucking the hemisphere aside to reveal the moon.

In fact, this cake plays a little with illusion because the moon is not a perfect sphere though it looks like one. There is a sweet custard within the tart passionfruit mousse. The "Southern Hemisphere" is a chocolate mousse studded with chocolate chips within a chocolate almond mantle (like the chocolate shell of magum ice cream).

Not the most sophisticated cake but the concept of a full moon is original and deserves recognition. The man behind this masterpiece is Pastry Chef Shuji Muto, who has won many awards before. At 750yen ($7.55), this price of this gateaux is very reasonable and the level of satisfaction is way higher than what I have forked out.

Besides this, there are many other attractive ones such as the Mooncake (far right)--a chocolate tart made with 70% Guanaja Chocolate 600 yen. While this gourmet shop carries a fine, elegant atmosphere, service is excellent as the staff is patient and gives you honest recommendations when you can't make a quick decision (this is not always the case for all shops in Japan even though it's reputed for good service)

Having finally gotten a taste of what Mandarin Oriental Tokyo offers, I am excited to see what will be out this Halloween and Christmas.
Mandarin Oriental Gourmet Shop
2-1-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku,
Tokyo 103-8328, Japan
Nearest Station: Mitsukoshimae Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line and Hanzomon Line)
11am-8pm
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/tokyo

I've never stepped into their main restaurant in Hong Kong. Neither have I patronized the outlet at Plaza Singapura.

So I was very happy to be invited to their second outlet at Toa Payoh Central before I left this sunny island. Chef Mak Kwai Pui has added SIX NEW ITEMS which are exclusively available only at this outlet but none was particularly newfangled. Take for instance the 鲍汁焖凤爪Steam Chicken Feet with Abalone Sauce ($5). Just like another foodie friend Alexis, I don't take chicken feet but those who did, such as Derrick, commented that it was delicious.

One dish that I found interesting was the Ham Sui Gok 咸水角 or Deep Fried Dumpling with Salted Meat ($3.80). I've seen those with a thicker glutinous crust but the version here is thin and hollow. The more I chew, the more I appreciate the tinge of sweetness that trickles out from the fritter as it allows me to take a much desired sweet break from the savoury food. Not enough meat? Well, the amount works for me.

The 香煎萝卜糕Pan Fried Carrot Cake ($4.50) was mediocre and plain as it is, so don't bother looking out for any bits of chestnuts or dried shrimps. On the other hand, the 金银蛋瘦肉粥 Congee with Lean Pork and Century Egg ($4.20) surprised with some diced salted egg white (not salted egg yolk). I thought it was quite a clever and necessary move because the congee itself did not had much seasoning and hence these extremely salty bits completed the picture. No wonder its Chinese name contained gold (century egg?) and silver (salted egg white).

The Fried Noodle with BBQ pork and Soy Sauce 叉烧鼓油皇炒面 ($6.00) lacked the wok-hei aroma and was too greasy. The light brown gravy drenched on top of the大排檔猪肠粉 Vermicelli Roll ($4.20) tasted more like peanut butter than sesame sauce to me. The downside of this filling-less roll is that the rice sheets tend to dry out after sitting out in the air-conditioned dining area.

There were 3 shrimp dishes that night. The best and yet the least sophisticated one was the 晶莹鲜虾饺Prawn dumplings ($5.50) for the prawn was fresh and bouncy, wrapped tightly in a smooth, supple skin.

My instant reaction upon seeing the 鲜虾菠菜饺 Steamed Spinach Dumpling with Prawns ($3.80) was to dip them in vinegar, which I thought it was the right thing to do because it reminded me of Chives dumpling. The 青芥末明虾饺 Wasabi Salad Prawn Dumpling ($5) below was overly-cautious with the wasabi sauce. It needs more punch and I wish there was more sauce.

Of course, the most star-worthy dish was the 酥皮焗叉烧包 Baked Bun with BBQ Pork ($4.50 for a portion of 4).I can't tell how authentic this is but some said it is closer than the P.S. outlet version to the original bun in Hong Kong. Apparently, the recipe has been tweaked.

The crust was extremely thin and evenly wrapped around the bread, unlike typical HK Polo Bao that comes with a lumpy surface. And it was so fragile and flaky that it disintegrated as easily as sand castles on the beach. Both the char siew filling and bun was not too sweet and actions speak louder than words--I wolfed down 3 entire buns.

And I love the Steamed Egg Cake香滑马拉糕 $3.80, which resembled our Chinese huat kueh but this was way fluffier and not too sweet at all. The aroma of brown sugar that wafted into my face was so enticing that I happily cleared the entire block of sponge cake by myself (my partner was too full) plus some leftover from another table. This definitely marked another climax of that day after having the char siew bao.

杨枝甘露 Mango Pomelo Sago ($5) was decent but not being a fan of mango, I veered towards the 杞子桂花糕Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Cake ($3.50) . It ain't some tonic medicine that gives you strength but just simply wolf berries entrapped in Osmanthus-flavored jelly. A healthy and refreshing way to end a heavy dim sum meal.

New items will be released every few months so that diners won't be bored of the menu I guess. Queuing is still unavoidable unless you have some power to predict when the crowd will be the least.

And do let me know the time you've predicted, I promise I won't tell anyone.

Tim Ho Wan @ Toa Payoh
ERA Centre, #02-02
450 Toa Payoh Lorong 6
Singapore 319394
Daily 11am-10pm
Tel: 64832000
www.facebook.com/timhowan
www.timhowan.com

Special thanks to hungrygowhere for the invite

Many of you might know by now that Krispy Kreme has opened in the basement of Tangs, Singapore on 12th October. With the hype and marketing everywhere, it is likely that many people will be queuing up for the donuts. Over here in Tokyo, there is not so much tussle over donuts since the new craze is Pancakes. But Krispy Kreme is still very popular, together with Mister Donuts.

Halloween Lights?

Contrary to the celebratory opening mood in Singapore, there is a spooky atmosphere at Krispy Kreme Japan. All because Krispy Scremes have returned this Halloween!!! *screams*

Starting off with the Caramel Halloween Jack--A Caramel Custard-filled donut with pumpkin-flavored chocolate coating in "Jack Lantern" face (220 yen)

Next up is one that creepie creature that would crawl onto you. Orange Chocolate Spider--a "kosong" or original donut in white chocolate spider webs and bits of dried orange peel that gave a not-too-sharp citrusy flavour. Not sure if it is due to the dry environment but this donut is rather dry.

And so I prefer the Purple Potato Mont Blanc 200yen because its a double layer of sweet potato cream and milk cream. And the ramdomly scattered pumpkin dices pulls it back to the Halloween pumpkin theme.

The Hazelnuts Latte (200yen) is not a Halloween edition donut but a seasonal Autumn flavour. Piped with fragrant hazelnut cream, this oblong fried bun is coated with white chocolate and caramel chocolate stripes. The cream filling, though light and nutty, was limited only to the core. It would be my dream come true if only they could have filled at least 3/4 of the donut with cream...like a cream puff donut!

Last but not least, the ultimate Original Glazed donut, which I am having for the first time. I am not a donut fan but this has converted me into one now. That speaks how good it is. Fluffy texture without an overpowering greasy smell that I detest. The glaze was kept to a minimum, or should I say, just the right amount and it does not solidify into sugar flakes when cooled.

And it costs 160 Yen or 2 SGD, which is cheaper than the $2.60 one currently sold in Singapore =D Just one thing to note if you are having the Krispy Kreme Original Glazed anywhere in the world. Be patient and don't strike at it immediately.

Have it microwaved for at least 8 seconds. It truly makes a world of difference.

No points for guessing which one is next to go into my stomach. It's none other than the Old-Fashion Green Tea

Krispy Kreme Japan
Shinjuku Southern Terrace (besides Takashimaya Shinjuku)
Shinjuku-ku Yoyogi 2-2-2
8am-10.30pm Daily (62 Eat-in Seats Available)

Various Outlets:
Shibuya Shine Tower
Yurakucho Itocia
Tachikawa Lumine
Tamagawa Takashimaya
Kita Senjyu Lumine
Diver City Tokyo
Lalaport Toyosu
Visit : http://krispykreme.jp/index.html for details
https://www.facebook.com/KKDJapan

Krispy Scremes will return to the other world after 31st Oct

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I thought the shop was closed for that day when the shutters were halfway pulled down at around 4.30pm on a Sunday afternoon. But luckily the auntie selling Ghim Moh Chwee Kway told us that they are taking a break and opening at 5pm. What a relief!

Though I was the 2nd one in queue ( another guy was the 1st) at 5pm sharp, I was glad that I arrived early.One reason was because a long queue had snaked up secretly behind me. Second, I could see the uncle preparing everything from scratch.

No, he did not cook horfun right from the start. First, he whips up one batch of beef, leaving them in a thermal pot to keep warm. Then he ladles pre-boiled shrimps onto a large plate.

Then it was live hor fun cooking show over an extremely heated wok. When he lifts up the entire wok to transfer the hor fun into the plate, some bits of the wok base that had contacted the fire was still bright red. Meanwhile, the fish slices are boiling in hot water in another wok on the right.

Just like a car factory, the various parts are assembled together by the son (I think). Sauce from the slow cooker pot is ladled in at the last stage.

So this is Beef & Sliced Fish Hor Fun ($5), with bits of scorched-brown hor fun that clumped together. The meat is tender and not over-cooked. However, I thought the wok-hei aroma would be stronger but it was not. The gravy is not heavy handed on seasonings but some may find that this plate leans on the milder side compared to those in HDB zi char.

Every successful man lies a women. Here, I think it is his son. This place also sells mui fan in various combinations of beef, seafood, prawn or sliced fish.

~~Teck~~ Hin Fried Hor Fun
Ghim Moh Hawker Centre
Blk 20 #01-44 Ghim Moh Road
10am-3pm 5pm-8.30pm
Close on Monday
Hor Fun and Mui Fan $4.50/$5

Other good eats at Ghim Moh, read Vietnamese: Authentic Vietnamese

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No Salt? No Soy Sauce? No Miso? No Seasoning at all?

This kind of ramen is too good to be true as I find most ramen to be very salty and oily.

But yes, I have found Ramen Zero Plus, a place that serves ramen with ZERO seasoning. It has been opened at Omotesando Hills since couple of years ago and is perhaps one of the more comfortable ramen dining spots where you don't have to be compartmentalized into tiny cramped spaces.


But this place is not big either. Choose between the counter seats or table seats that are arranged closely to one another. Before you start, the staff will hand you a black apron for you to put on so as to prevent your clothes from being stained by any juices.
The signature or No.1 ranking ramen is Ramen Zero Plus. It which truly surprised my ramen-lover friend and I because the stock taste different from the usual ones and contains a subtle sweet aftertaste despite the lack of seasoning. Perhaps due to the long hours of extracting the natural flavours from clams, scallops, squid, kelp, chicken, dried fish, chicken, pork, vegetables and even...fruits!?!? , the soup takes on an opaque semi-beige cream color that is not diluted at all. It was so slurpy that my friend drank all the soup.

 The medium-wave curly noodles are chewier than average. For those who usually aimed for ramen that are below 1000 yen, this bowl may sound pricey at 1100 yen. But, the price tag is justified with the generous amount of ingredients; not only chashu but slices of tender chicken, at least 4 pieces of super-long menma (bamboo shoots) and the perfect ajitama (flavoured egg) with a semi-runny center, besides the delicious stock.


To celebrate Halloween, this shop broke their own rule to come up with this special Black "Kuroi" ramen (1200 yen) that is made with charcoal-blended miso and vegetable paste. The soup (or gravy?) so thick that it could coat the noodles like a plate of Italian creamy pasta.

 
Instead of chashu, there was a hunk of pork belly about the size of an adult-sized fist which had a very unique tanginess--an attractive taste that stood out from the sea of black even though the meat did not disintegrate as easily as dong po rou. Perhaps my only grudge is that the ramen did not look as good as the poster picture, because the Jack Lantern face (sliced cheese actually) was melting away and became disfigured.

On the "Osusume" (recommended) menu of Ramen Zero plus, there is Tsukemen, "Deluxe" ramen (probably an upsized one) and even a mixed rice bowl with ingredients that you can find in a typical ramen.

Who says a bowl of healthy zero-seasoning ramen is bland and boring?

Ramen Zero Plus ラーメンゼロ Plus

Omotesando Hills Level 3
Shibuya-ku Jinggumae 4-12-10

Mon-Sat 11am-11pm 
Sun 11am-10pm

Tel: 03-3470-3381
No fixed rest day

Nearest station:
Omotesando Hills Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Chiyoda Line, Hanzomon Line)
Meiji-jingu Mae Station (Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line)
Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote Line)

Counter 10 seats Table 12 seats

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If you are a regular viewer of Japanese variety show, especially those about cooking or food, you may find his face familiar. He is Chef Hironobu Tsujiguchi, who is by now a very successful celebrity chef-owner with many shops under his belt. Perhaps the easiest recognizable feature about him is his spiked golden hair and black spectacles. I have been following some news about his shops from many years ago and seems like he has been expanding his business quite fervently (managing 12 brands till date).

Photo Credit: Mont St Clair

Located in Jiyugaoka that is rated as one of the best districts to live in Tokyo, Mont St Clair was his maiden patisserie shop opened since 1998. Perhaps the reason why he shot to fame was due to his victory in the IRON CHEF show on Fuji TV. But more than just that, he won his first national western pastry award at the young age of 23 and subsequently clinched several medals year after year.

Mont St. Clair ¥420 モンサンクレール

Honestly, I did find the portion of his creation slightly small for the price, but I was truly blown away by the well-balanced combination of textures and flavours after having the cakes. Take for instance, the Mont St. Clair which shares the shop's name, is literally a coffee bomb. It's not too complicated, but very detailed.

A sticky biscuit jaconde is surrounded with intense coffee creme beurre (buttercream) then adorns with bitter yet so crunchy caramelized hazelnuts and almonds.

テヴェールショコラ ¥475

The Vert Chocolat is a rather dense creamy gateau that is made of a chocolate mousse gateaux, green tea ganache centre and a very delightful layer of chocolate crispy crunch stored in the core of this petit gateaux.

リュミエール Lumiere ¥475

I seldom pick citrusy cakes especially when the orange/lemon/yuzu is placed together with dark chocolate because both are quite dominant and sometimes get into a fight and one loses out. Fortunately, there was NO chocolate here and the entire creation was sparkling with a nice jelly sheen.

Imagine this to be our Earth and the axis is a wobbly grapefruit jelly filled with the red citrus flesh. Majority of the mass is taken up by the grapefruit mousse with a core of honey mousse. Honestly, the texture of the mousse is as soft as that of the legendary Hidemi Sugino. The base sits a crunchy sable biscuit that supports the overall very light and fruity flavours of this cake called Lumiere.

If you happen to be in the Jiyugaoka area, don't go to the Jiyugaoka's Sweet Forest which is commonly recommended on travel guidebooks.

Try this one.

Mont St. Clair モンサンクレール

Tokyo Meguro Ku Jiyugaoka 2-22-4

Tel 03-3718-5200

Shop 11am-7pm

Salon 11am-5.30pm

Close on Wed

For Details: www.ms-clair.co.jp

Access: 10min walk from Front Exit of Tokyu Tohoku Line Jiyugaoka Station

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The vintage setting with traditional chinese logo can trick one into thinking that this cafe has a long history. But it isn't. This less-than-a-year old cafe is opened by 4th generation baker Mr Kevin, who wished to carry on their family recipes. (visit here for full story)

However, entering this cafe when it ran out of kaya butter toasts and its signature bostock is just as disappointing as entering Ya Kun when their kaya toasts are sold out or even Breadtalk emptied of pork floss buns.

Understandably, it was a busy Sunday at 5pm but I still could not swallow my disappointment. Other items that have appeared in other reviews such as Cream Horn, Long Sponge Egg Cakes, Cookies, etc......were all gone.

Scone Set (Kopi Siu Dai + Scone-2 choice of preserves)
Count myself lucky or unlucky, I managed to catch the scones which were fresh out of the oven. Neither the aroma nor texture stood out and it was slightly dry on the inside. At the very least, I did manage to try it with their homemade lemon curd and kaya.

The lemon curd was smooth and tart. But the kaya was not the brown version that we preferred and it was slightly too sweet.

For the other kopi/tea set with choice of 2 pastries, we picked the almond biscotti and coconut tart. Unlike many coconut tarts from neighborhood bakeries, it distinguishes itself from the average ones with its sharp toasted coconut fragrance and controlled sweetness.

The almond biscotti was even better-it looked deceptively sweet with the baked almond meringue top but it was nowhere at that level. Crunchy and buttery, this tough biscuit is really enjoyable by just using hands.

The moist and custardy bread and butter pudding ($2) was as good as those served at many restaurants. It tasted as if Creme Anglaise (vanilla cream sauce) had been mixed into the batter, and should be left on its own without the strawberry sauce.

The pastries here are cheap and good. But not fantastic enough to draw me back unless I am in the vicinity. Perhaps it would be good if they can focus their core on only a few pastries and their coffee.

I'm not very sure but was it common for kopi tiam to sell so many pastries back in the fifties or sixties?

Dong Po Colonial Cafe 东坡茶室

www.facebook.com/dongpocolonialcafe

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I have been dreaming about Gontran Cherrier for the past few weeks.

Of course, I do not refer to the French baker himself but his pastries. A year ago, the space opposite Shinjuku Station and besides Takashimaya Shinjuku and now it had become the third outlet since he opened his flagship store in Shibuya since last August. While some people may think that it is pointless to visit his shop since his recipes are used at Tiong Bahru Bakery (TBB), but trust me, the stuff here is 80% different from what we see in Singapore.

Perhaps some info about Gontran Cherrier:

Born in 1978 to a family of professional bread/pastries maker. Trained under many Michelin chefs in many different countries since he was 21 . Returned to Paris in 26. Published his recipe books, appeared on TV shows and became a celebrity chef. Opened his first shop in Paris 2010. 3 shops in Paris. 3 shops in Singapore and 3 shops in Tokyo.

What's good:
A MUST TRY bread which practically every Japanese customer places on his/her tray is the Croissant au Matcha et Citron 250 yen.

Wonderfully flaky and yet the inner dough retains the soft, stretchable texture. Has an earthy flavour with bits of citrus peels within. BUT haha...it's still NOT the BEST croissant in Tokyo.

The Viennoise au matcha et Yuzu confit 180 yen is another heaven match of two favorite ingredients. I found it boring at first for there is nothing inside. But the more you pluck the bread into your mouth, the more you can taste its subtle sweetness and catch the light aroma.

Muffin au cafe et Creme patisserie. 230 yen: I never order muffin if I can choose but my friend was a muffin lover. And so we had the staff warmed it up for us just like the earlier two pastries. Oh my, it's good. Not greasy, not too dense like a pound cake (which is unfortunately the case for most muffins). Strong roasted coffee flavour balanced by a moist semi-custardy filling in the centre.

Chou ala creme au potimarron aka Pumpkin Cream Puff 300 yen: Slightly sweet yet crunchy crust with smooth pumpkin filling, fresh cream and a surprise vanilla custard at the base. Not only larger in size, this one also offers more interesting components and better choux texture than his overpriced chocolate cream puff at TBB.

Mass Destruction Time!!

Kouig Annan 230yen: An all-time favourite pastry of mine and most people (I believe) because it's shiny caramelized surface just beckons at you to pick one to your tray. Slightly smaller than in TBB but less doughy and cloying to the touch. Each bite crackles with a pleasant sound, but this would be perfect with more salt. The sweetness is just right.

Moving on to "What's average and can be skipped"......
Strawberry Roll Cake 420 yen : Too safe and predictable. Quite sweet too. Can find similar quality in convenience stores

Chocolate Millefeuille 420 yen: The chocolate cream can grow to be sickeningly sweet after a while. Puff pastry is marginally crisp but not consistent.

Yuzu Fromage Tart 420 yen
This seems to be the signature gateaux since it is the only one that appeared on the official website. Rare cheese with a yuzu cream center was light and creamy but the biscuit base was a failure. In general, skip the cakes and go for the bread

Gontran Cherrier's signature and baguette wall paintings on the 2nd floor

What's disappointing:
The Yuzu Sable (120 yen) was strangely bitter. No taste of sugar but a bitter cookie with no sight of any Yuzu taste or fragrant. And this made me hesitant to try their other biscuit selections like the ones below.

Smoked Iwashi with Yuzu Pepper Quiche 360 yen
Did they dump the whole bag of salt into the egg mixture? Smoke Iwashi (sardine) was already very salty and it became worse when I reached the custard. Even the underbaked tart shell could not provide temporary relief to the saltiness. And so it was a great surprise to still be able to catch the sourishness of Yuzu.

Here are more of the bread selection:
A popular item is the chestnut cream filled croissant tower poked with a French Flag, besides the apple puff and signature plain croissant.

(From left to right clockwise) Jasmine Tea and Banana Tart, Pumpkin Brioche, Pumpkin Danish, White Chocolate and Green Tea Scone

(From left to right clockwise) Tart Flambe, Croissant with Ham & Cheese, Avocado & Bacon Foccacia, Olives and Anchovies Foccacia (the black one)

The price range is higher than most local Japanese bakeries but similar to other French bakeries like Joel Robuchon boutique. You can ask the staff to warm your bread BUT do not expect it to reach your ideal temperature because the service staff just put it in the oven (not microwave) for less than 30 seconds and dish it back to you, urging you to leave the counter after payment. Though it is understandable that they wish to ease the queue as fast as possible, the service level still has room for improvement.

Nonetheless, one can still find a seat easily in the dining area on the second level even during a crowded Sunday afternoon despite the fact that the seats are fewer than TBB at Raffles City Basement.

On my last visit, the Matcha Palmier and Matcha Croquant were stopped till further notice. Hopefully they will be back soon.

Gontran Cherrier Tokyo ゴントランシェリエ東京
Shinjuku Terrace
Shibuya-Ku Yoyogi 2-2-1
No fixed rest days
Daily: 7.30am-10pm (Most bread are only available after 11am)
http://gontran-cherrier.jp/

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The stall lights were off and the auntie was scrubbing the aluminium chwee kueh moulds. Perhaps guessing that we were wandering around her stall looking for other food options, the auntie asked, “You want some? Still got leh”

So we happily ordered the Ghim Moh Chwee Kway from the couple who has been running this chwee kueh stall since 1959. It is no wonder they have become a household name in Ghim Moh.The husband-and-wife team wake up in the wee hours to start making the chwee kueh by hands, not machines.

However, the main difference between this chwee kuey and Tiong Bahru or even Bedok ones is the chye poh (preserved radish). Ghim Moh’s ones ($2.40 for 8pcs) are super salty. No sesame seeds, no sugar. The preserved radish is stir-fried with pork lard and garlic, making it extra fragrant. They are undeniably oily, but I like.

I thought the auntie was stingy on the chye poh…as they are really very very little (teochew ah pa says that the uncle tends to give toppings more generously then the auntie). But I think auntie knows it best.

A little really goes a long way.

Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh

Ghim Moh Food Centre

Blk 20, Ghim Moh Road, #01-31

6.15am to 7pm daily

For other eats at Ghim Moh, hor fun and vietnam food

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