Hungry Go There...Authentic Go Where?!

Tossing a few baby potatoes into tomato sauce peppered strongly in garlic does not patatas bravas make... Throwing a few apple and strawberries juliane into white wine, does not refreshing Sangria make...Sandwiching an egg omelette will a cocktail of vegetables does not a Spanish tortilla make... and the list goes on.

Browsing leisurely at the newly purported "Hungry-Go-Where" website-to-go for food recommendations in Singapore, we chanced upon Bungalow that has just recently opened at United Square along Thomson Road. Another Spanish concept restaurant which boasts a wide variety of Tapas and Spanish cuisine like Paella.

I can't decide if it is an unfortunate or fortunate business decision to bring Spanish Tapas to the local tables, catering to the Asian palette. For one thing, people who have gone to Spain and tasted the Real McCoy, will shy in disappointment from those served at this restaurant. And the whole idea of bringing in cuisines from around the world is to expose locals to foreign delights they were previously not privy to yah?!

I don't mean to sound overly pretentious, so, go see for yourselves, taste for yourselves, judge for yourselves. Readers who have been to Spain, restrain your antipathy:

I apologies for the blunt review to come. The first 2 words that came to mind when they served the patatas bravas were: lazy, zero effort. This dish firstly does not call for baby potatoes and the potatoes are typically pan fried. At least skin the potatoes! If done right, this is what it should authentically look like.

It honestly does not require a Michelin chef to do some basic research and execute this dish decently. Sadly, the bad first impression set the epitome of disappointment. The tortilla was served next. Albeit, an omelette is an omelette, in any language. But comparing the two images and any perceptive diner will note the difference. The key to the Spanish omelette is probably it's simplicity. Popularly paired either with potato or cheese, the tortilla is made chunky and gives this rustic homely feel. At Bungalow, though generous in their choice of ingredients I have to admit, just didn't qualify for an authentic Spanish omelette.


The rest of the tapas came in a frenzy and so did the surrendering of our critic. The sausages were alright, if not just a little salty. The lamb kebabs were probably the best dish of the night aside from the grilled foie gras which is anything but Spanish.

A relaxing dinner turned out to be a 'record-time' dinner. The wait staff, seeing as how fast our hand was raised for the bill, probably raised the alarm bells and asked if everything was to our liking. We shared our frank opinions and I must say he was fairly receptive of our criticisms.
He recommended we try the Paella the next time as that has been acclaimed by most of their diners as most authentic.

Seeing as how sincere he was in salvaging the dining experience and we never write off a place at the first try, I'll say, we will have to give the Paella a try before we come to a final conclusion about Bungalow. But I'll have to also say, that will be a while.

Bungalow Tapas Bar & Grill
101 Thomson Road
#01-14/15
United Square Singapore 307591
Tel: 6258 9442

Authentic Hainanese Curry Rice - Searched and FOUND

3 failed attempts to hunt down authentic Curry rice, left us motivated with a stubborn desire that, last Saturday morning, was finally rewarded. Our first attempt was for G's past favourite along Beo Crescent. We found the coffeeshop, but the stall, timing sadly misjudged, was closed.

Our second attempt was to locate the famous Tian Tian Hainanese pork chop rice. All the food reviews and blogs stated the address as Blk 116 Bukit Merah View. Thinking it was a no-brainer, we headed down, and to be safe, we also got the timings right this time. So wrong we were! When we got to the prominent coffeeshop at Blk 116, there was indeed a curry rice stall, but it appeared to be a different rice stall. Another hit and miss! Starving, we decided to settle for the Blk 115 hawker center. Unsatisfied by the Char Kway Teow and "Faux" Curry Rice sold, we were determined to find the stall and we headed back to Bukit Merah View on a separate occasion. This time, we made sure we scoured the entire Blk 116.

Turns out, we gave up too easily the last time as there was another coffee shop within Blk 116. In anticipation, we quickened our steps but our excitement turned to despair as it was becoming clearer with each step taken that the coffeshop was under...Renovations!!!

Sigh, the glutton search for true authentic Curry Rice was becoming more bleak with each failed mission. Then, one uneventful Saturday morning when we were both lazing and wondering where to head for brunch, we thought to give our fruitless Curry Rice Hunt another try. Armed with our Makansutra and Street Directory, we were determined not to fail this time. As we pulled up along the buzzling Tiong Bahru market, it felt like another miss. We passed a coffeeshop that looked deserted and it was mostly clothes shops around the location. Just as we were despondently making alternative plans to have char siew rice at the market, we spotted another coffeeshop at the corner of the block and the sight beheld, was welcoming:

The makansutra mark of excellence! A queue! We must had arrived! We have finally hunted and successfully found authentic Hainanese Curry Rice!

Unlike most dime-a-dozen curry rice stalls, the true authentic Hainanese Curry rice mixes at least 2 or 3 types of curry to drench over the fragrant plate of rice. The dishes are simple and very traditional. I left G to order while I tried to secure a table away from the warming late morning sun.

A good ten minutes later, our dishes were delivered. Pork Chop, Curry squid, Vegetable, Fried egg and Braised pork belly, and of course, not forgetting the rich curry gravy lavishly poured over our servings of rice - all the makings of a traditional authentic Hainanese Curry Rice meal.
The best part, everything came up to only $10.

Was it worth it? Abso-mostly. Ashamed to say this, but as a Hainanese, I would say this is probably the first time I have tried authentic curry rice. The curry is 100% better then any I have ever tasted. Rich, fragrant, tasty and soo comforting. The pork chop, the egg and the pork belly brought back memories of food from my childhood days. So much, I had the sudden pang of regret and missings of my Grandfather. How much he would have enjoyed a meal like this!

3rd time's the charm. We are rejuvenated, and probably re-inspired to face our challenge and continue on our quest for good Hainanese Curry Rice.
It feels good to reconnect with one's roots.
Loos Hainanese Curry Rice
Tai Kwang Huat Coffee Shop
Blk 57 Eng Hoot Street
Open: 8am to 2pm Daily, Closed Alternate Thurs

These Are a Few of My Favourite Things

I always look forward to and treasure those nice evenings I get to let my hair, and my guard down, release my inhibitions and emotional baggage to a trusted confidante. The feeling of being absolutely free with someone, no judgment, no condescension, just honesty, and the two of us. Only made perfect sense to pair that with my latest favourite Bonta , and chic Canele.

True to my "hate-change, love-routine" form, I zoomed in on my two favourites, the lobster angel hair pasta and foie gras ravioli. I know my dining companion would love the ravioli, and of course, described it aptly like my previous exclamations of heart-stopping sheer decadence.

Greediness always bites back with a vengeance. Leaving Bonta, we feeling rather sick, bloated and guilty. Insistent that its all nothing a little warm tea can't fix, we headed towards Canele. Actually we were really tempted by the newly unveiled Macaroon but sadly I only read the advise in Chubby Hubby, to go for a full meal rather then just head there for dessert, a little to late. I was truly looking forward to the opening of this concept restaurant, but I guess will have to leave it for another session.

My Moroccan mint tea was a soothing welcome to aid my indigestion and clogged arteries. But its hard to step into Canele and just order tea. To satisfy the sugar crave, we shared the Le Royal and Vanilla Meringue.

We didn't finish our cakes, and we were still bursting when we left that night. But nothing like such sweet shared moments to cement and affirm close friendships.

Cooking Experiments #2

After the last round of cooking , G and I hadn't had much of a motivation to try something like that again. Our pristine fancy plates sat on the shelves collecting dust and my flour and spices collected other unfriendly and unsightly guests until L suggested we cook for Dad's B-day.
A month after all the traveling itineraries and packed schedules were over and done with, we finally got down to planning a menu and organizing the dinner.

We didn't have time to pay the new bread shop at Takashimaya a visit, and more so, we didn't have time or expertise to bake our own breads, so G and I decided to serve up a cheese platter instead. For amateurs, the garlic cream cheese and Camembert were most definitely great choices. =)

For appetizers, we decided to try a new recipe from Greenwood Fish Market - Orange Basil Scallops. The combination of refreshing OJ, fresh basil and tangy mustard looked really interesting. Most importantly, the recipe from preparation to serving, took only all of 20 mins so less stress.






B prepared some pasta with a seafood base. Almost as good as the pasta with seafood and crustacean oil we had at Le Papilon . We so should have this more yah!! *hint hint to B* =)
As for the lamb chops we grilled with a mix of at least 7 spices, that turned out well too, not too salty like that last time.



Stomachs stuffed, it was hard to contemplate dessert. But compliments from Mom, she made one of her specialities, home-made carrot cake chunky with raisins and walnuts and cream cheese frosting. Of course true to form, mom never just serves 1 dish "naked". She brought a punnet of the largest possibly strawberries I have ever seen! From the US, she was holding them by the stems and declaring how sweet and juicy they were. Together with some hazelnut ice cream, the sweet ending to the meal was warmly welcomed.

There's always something heart-warming about cooking for family. Amidst the chaotic preparation, the smoky-filled kitchen and the nightmarish washing up, the joy of watching people you love enjoy your cooking (especially when you can't really cook!) and the chatter and banter around the dining table... it's all like a drug, you crave for more.

These are one of life's precious moments and revelations.. worth-while to slow down and treasure each second of it.

My Little Greedy Girl



"I Want Please..."

How Do We Get There?

I was once alive too
I believed, I hoped and I clung
Naive, I bled, I cried out and finally...

Numb - I thought I lost the ability to feel
The pain still numbs
The world still spins and
The voices are still there

I was once a girl too
I Failed and I Defeated
The tumoil within rages and finally...

Numb - I think I have succumbed
The mind is more powerful then we believed
Disappointments shout louder then hope
Thoughts and Fears devotedly cling
Disillusioned, I bleed, I cry out and Finally.

Suburbia Italian

Kudos to my lovely foodie cuz, I can't imagine how they managed to stumble upon this rustic and homely Italian restaurant in the outskirts of Serangoon Gardens.

Located along Lichfield Road, this little secluded restaurant can sit 30 to 40 people comfortable in its spartan interior. Tables of solid wood and a simple bar and dessert counter occupy the long dining area that ends as the conventional wood-fire pizza oven and kitchen starts.

The homely feel is definitely brought on by Chef Salvatore Buono and Chef Peter. Chef Buono turns up the personality several notches as he shuttles from table to table, either making recommendations, hustling the wait staff to be attentive, seeking opinions of the food or just making enjoyable light conversation. Chef Peter, was in the kitchen for most of the dinner but came out to exchange friendlies and pleasantries.




There was a wide selection of antipasti, pastas (including Gnoochi!), pizzas and meats. Since we are greedy variety-loving quirks, we ordered the homemade seafood ravioli, the four cheese homemade gnoochi and lamb chops. Presentation was no-frills, but flavors were rich and creamy, portions were overly generous. The lamb was well-cooked. Interspersed with little jokes and conversations with Chef Salvatore, dinner was comfortable and homely.

With such a host, it was impossible to not stay for dessert. We ordered their blueberry lava cake and pineapple sorbet and this was definitely the piece de resistance of the night. Most Italian restaurants take pride in making the best Chocolate lava cake. Since G hates chocolate, desserts are normally passed. But Chef Peter's alternative - blueberry lava cake - was one solid piece of work. His next offering would be a white chocolate lava cake.. can't wait for that!

It's probably going to start getting crowded since most hidden restaurants in all parts of Singapore always seem to get found out in a flash. The prices are absolutely reasonable and the place simply oozes with charm and ambiance. I won't say they are in the leagues of Bonta, but any decent Italian restaurant within a heartland near me is always something to cheer for.

Buono

27 Lichfield Road

Tel: 6733-5646

What do they do when we are out?

(Pu Tien) Tong Qing

Pu Tien is one of those rare gems the culinary scene in Singapore occasionally throws up on the Chinese cooking. Seriously, apart from the discovered talented Chef Kang, and the two treasured paradises on earth (Taste at Mosque Street and Seafood at Defu Lane) there are hardly any serious Chinese cooking - don't count the Crabs/Seafood Joints of course - that I bother to dedicate a long posting to.

So moving along, what constitutes a rare gem of a Chinese Restaurant? Well in my books per se,
they must have:

(a) A menu that extends beyond just seafood.
(b) Food intensely flavoured with the essential sweet, sour, bitter and salty
(c) Cheap and Turns over fast
(d) Gets Singaporeans talking about you in the East even though you are located in the 'Ulu' confines of seclusion.
(f) Have zero if not impossible parking

Located along Kitchener Road, Pu Tien, on all accounts, qualifies at the last point. Its right in front of a bus-lane, situated on a small busy two-way traffic and the only parking lots available are parallel, perpetually occupied and across the street. The good news is they provide free valet, but as all "free" services in Singapore, they are short-handed and getting your car parked, even on an uneventful weekday night can be quite a feat.

The menu is Hing Wa but some popular favourites have also found their way into the menu. Good thing about Chinese dinners, the more diners the better, sample more, divide more-ways, pay less. Our entire dinner came up to an estimated $30 a head. For what we ate, it's reasonable hot-wok nooch!


We started with their signature deep fried yam cubes. I was instantly hooked. So addictive, I couldn't pry my chopsticks away even though my head was screaming "No Carbs after 7pm!" The yam was soft and fragrant on the inside, but lightly flavoured with a honey crisp coating.

Dinner progressed with hit after hit - pig intestines appetizers, sea-hum with garlic and chili, razor clams in white wine, steamed pawns in bamboo, etc. What I really liked about the dishes, is that the chef pairs something common with a little something different. Take the sweet and sour pork, though a common feature at most of my dinners, the chef chose to include plump juicy lychees along side to make the dish a little different. Another interesting dish was the beef served with fried buns. Normally the buns are steamed, and served to sandwich braised pork belly. With a little ingenuity, the pork belly is substituted with lean shredded pieces of beef and the buns, fried. So small a twist but what a vast difference and reaction it created among our table. The fat-fearers were happy, the meat-lovers were happy because the beef provided was more then generous and the kids love it!


Apart from the rich and high cholesterol, we also sampled their humble dishes and even these were not disappointing. The beancurd is homemade, the fried Hing Wa beehoon and Lor Mee are fried with a wealth of ingredients such as mushroom, prawns, egg, taupok, and vegetables.

I am always happy to find good hearty Chinese food served up at affordable prices. Good to know not all basics have crawled their way to expensive price tags and fine dining. This is a must try.

PU TIEN RESTAURANT

127-129 Kitchener Road (S) 208515,

Tel: 6295-6358

DIY Saturday

My Lazy Saturday Hair-brain scheme...

The end results.

Mr G, my even hairstylist..

Dolce Vita - Indulgent? Yes. Sweet? Uhmmmm...

Oxford defines Dolce Vita (crudely pronounced as 'dohl-chey vee-tuh') as the sweet and good life perceived as one of physical pleasure and self-indulgence.
As for Dolce Vita, the ostentatious restaurant perched luxuriously pool-side at the Oriental Hotel, indulgent - oh yes indeed, sweet and physical pleasure - I unfortunately beg to differ.

I feel mean.. I try as much as possible to sans bad reviews from my blog's vocabulary. But as often as praise is due, very much so often, is criticism. Ok, maybe to be fair, we went at a bad time, they had just changed the menu and some of the reviewed favourites recommended were not available. So we went trial and error.

The ambiance is certainly romantic, clearly one of those places meant for "Impression-Forming-First-Dates". Dinner is served by candle-light, bread is served in a neat white jacket and prices are of course, rocketed.

The appetizers were simple but yet lavishing. We had the order of asparagus and a duck soup to share. Since lobster bisque has become a main stay on most Italian restaurants, I thought to challenge convention and try something new. Morale of the story, stick with the tried and tested, they are recommended for a reason. The duck soup was a clear soup which resembles and tastes very much like our Chinese variation. Nothing impressive save for the side accompaniment of foie gras.

In the menu for the first time, I noticed the chef has paired hearty home-made gnoochi with beef. They almost never come with any protein, the closest being cheese or bacon bits. I have always lamented the fact that I couldn't resist ordering gnoochi whenever I spotted it on the menu, but had to forego my meats. So the chef scored a big point with me on this one.

Needless to say, the dish was super heavy. There was a generous serving of tender and juicy beef slices. The gnoochi was the size of cocoons, were well cooked, fresh and very soft to the bite. We also ordered the Dory fish, but that was a sad disappointment. And at an extravagant price tag of $60, we were expecting much more.

SO.

Was it a good experience? Absolutely. Based on service and ambiance, that is. The service staff is attentive and impeccably dedicated to your enjoyment.

Is it a place you have to go at least once in your life for those special occasions that just screams, "splurge!"? Possibly.

Will I ever go there back? Never.

My New Favourite - Bonta

I have finally come to terms with what makes me happy - when it comes to food, that is...
Hidden so well in my subconsiousness, turns out, I lluurrrvvveee Italian food! So now I have a favourite cuisine.

We found Bonta listed as a new place to try if you are bored of the authentic Italian fare available around the island. To be honest, it was not my first choice for the evening, but it's now tops on my list from all the Italian places I have tried. That's right, fickle me...Valentinos, Borgos, Garibaldi, Pontini, sorry, you were good, some decent.. but alas, I have a new love.

Located at UE square, it is not the best place to start a restaurant, considering it does get rather deserted after office hours. We practically had the entire restaurant to ourselves the entire evening. But with true Singaporean fashion, it could just be due to fact that they are fairly new. Before you know it, I'm pretty sure you would have to call one month in advance for a decent reservation like some 'black hole' I know.
I would describe the decor as alluring and charming. Allurement radiating from the pristine fine-dining interior, fully equipped with a floor to ceiling glass wine cellar and a mezzanine bar counter. Charm oozing from the romantic outdoor seating area that comes alive at night with twinkling candle light.

Like all Italian experiences, we started off with freshly baked bread compliments from the kitchen. Given my obsession with bread, I fell in love with the chef's own version. Served, in a cup, the bread was baked with walnuts and a soft feta cheese center. I am sure I embarrassed myself, but I just couldn't help digging my fingers greedily into the soft warm bread and savouring the unusual, but 'so-good!' mix of flavours.

The scallops with spinach in hollandise sauce was interesting. Used to having my scallops with either garlic or miso paste sauce, this combination was rather odd for me and the alfalfa was just strange. G liked it though. Perhaps it's all that vegetable.

Earlier reviews strongly recommended the Angel Hair Pasta and rightly so. So rare to find a whole lobster served in a pasta, let alone such a fresh and perfectly cooked one. The morsels were so juicy and sweet. And to make the experience even more enjoyable, there was a generous sprinkle of lobster pieces within the pasta itself to add to the already tasty basil, chili and tomato base.

The Foie Gras Ravioli was even more amazing. Swimming in an evidently rich pool of cream and cheese, the total of five home-made raviolis were stuffed pockets of fatty goodness that will go straight to your heart. Yes, I can almost see my readers raising their eyebrows because it was always thought that I don't touch that heart-stopping stuff. Well I'm still not a convert. But, this was just amazing. The earthly taste of truffle was distinct and it pairs so well with the oil-spurting filling and the thin pasta skin. Together with the rich cream and cheese sauce, I just couldn't stop! Suffice to know I suffered heavily for it after. Try to share this one. It seemed manageable even after my second ravioli but after fifteen minutes, I understood why they only gave us five pieces.

Our last dish was the grilled lamb chops. The cooking is excellent, no question about that. Order a medium rare and the meat served is char-grilled consistently on the outside but perfectly juicy red on the inside. But I guess order something a little less adventurous and hence, get something that also tastes that little less interesting.

The pastas seem to be their forte but I won't be too quick to write off their meats and appetisers. Even without room for dessert, I'm was already quite impressed with Bonta and anticipating my next trips back. Hope they took my suggestion to offer the Ravioli in Entree portions by then!

Bontá Italian Restaurant and Bar

207 River Valley Road

UE Square River Wing#01-61 (S) 238275

Tel: 6333 8875

Prague - My Photographic Stroll to Old Time Square

A church along Na Porici

Prague's prominent and Art Nouveau Building - The Municipal House Concert Hall & Exhibition Centre. An impressive building, even to a professed art and culture novice like yours truly with it's stain glass windows, detailed sculptures and bustling concert-going crowds.




The Powder Gate right next to the Municipal House is just as impressive, commanding it's own presence even next to the grand Concert Hall. The gate apparently acquired it's name as such because it was used to store gunpowder in the 17th Century.