In Place of Meii Sushi, it is rumored that there will be a take away shop…
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Nylon
This great little spot is situated in Everton Park HDB.
I had a chat with one of the owners who was very friendly and gave me a lot of information about their coffee.
It should open at 730 instead of 830 on weekdays to attract people on the way to work.
I only wish I had this place right below my block so I could have take away coffee every morning.
Website: http://www.facebook.com/nyloncoffeeroasters
Address: 4 Everton Park #01-40
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Hair Bliss Indulgence Spa continues...
I got a call from the owner today saying that they found a suitable buyer to continue this business that they believe will service customers well…
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Stuffed Squid with salad
I adapted a dish from Masterchef australia using couscous instead of breadcrumbs… Very yummy and not hard
Try it! http://tvnz.co.nz/masterchef-australia/char-grilled-stuffed-squid-green-bean-olive-and-tomato-salad-3044848
wine co-operative
I find good wines hard to find in Singapore and expensive at retail price as well.
I'm thinking of occasionally ordering some wines in from overseas in small quanitities (a box or two). They will mainly be wines that you can't get in Singapore.
I'm not doing this as a business but solely out of passion for food and wine, so wines will be at cost price + shipping.
If anyone is interested in this, do contact me at denise_chin2002@yahoo.com or just leave me a comment below so that I can get a feel if this is worthwhile for me to do.
I'm thinking of occasionally ordering some wines in from overseas in small quanitities (a box or two). They will mainly be wines that you can't get in Singapore.
I'm not doing this as a business but solely out of passion for food and wine, so wines will be at cost price + shipping.
If anyone is interested in this, do contact me at denise_chin2002@yahoo.com or just leave me a comment below so that I can get a feel if this is worthwhile for me to do.
Esquina
This newish tapas bar has Jason Atherton's name on it.
It's impossible to get into it for dinner as it is a small area sitting only about 19. Lunch and dinner prices are the same. But at least for lunch it isn't so crowded.
I think food here is good but a bit too pricey for the complexity. Wines are quite disappointing in my view but honestly wines in most restaurants in Singapore are very over priced and not very good.
This was really quite good. The saltiness of the iberico and the sweetness of the burger complimented one another. Plus, there was pulled pork in the burger giving it an extra texture.
I chose a botrytis chenin blanc (Loire valley) to go with this as I thought that the sweetness of it may lift the sweetness of the foie gras. When the staff first served me the wine, it was too warm. When I informed them of that, they kindly chilled it for me and then poured me another glass.
This went quite well with the dish except it masked some of the wonderful saltiness of the iberico. I think if there was a wine that was sweet but less sweet, it may have gone better with it.
The service staff there suggested a spanish cabernet sauvignon to go with the dish. I disagreed with them. The problem with the cabernet sauvignon is the tannins which are rough in texture and would clash with the dish. Also, there isn't sweetness to bring out the foie gras.
Upon consultation with my brother, he suggested a sweet rose. To understand more about wines, go to his blog http://www.wineandonly.info/
The stock was rich with salty flavor from bacon that complimented the prawns. According to the staff, prawn shells are ordered in to create the rich broth. I wish I could purchase prawn shells… The corn was crunchy and not overcooked giving the dish texture.
I really liked the sangria jam with the cake. It was sour sweet which lifted the cake. I would have liked it to be a wee bit sweeter as the pistachio cake was not sweet but had a good texture. The ice cream for me did not have an intense enough vanilla flavor.
I really liked the service staff… But I don't quite agree with their selection of wines.
I'm not sure about one of the chefs though. I asked about the food and he didn't seem very friendly. In fact, he seemed a bit put off by my question.
I liked the place but will I go back? I'm not too sure as I find it a bit costly.
Pricing: About $80 for 2 tapas mains, one dessert and wine.
Website: http://esquina.com.sg/
Location: 16 Jiak Chuan Rd
It's impossible to get into it for dinner as it is a small area sitting only about 19. Lunch and dinner prices are the same. But at least for lunch it isn't so crowded.
I think food here is good but a bit too pricey for the complexity. Wines are quite disappointing in my view but honestly wines in most restaurants in Singapore are very over priced and not very good.
Iberico ham and foie gras burger
I chose a botrytis chenin blanc (Loire valley) to go with this as I thought that the sweetness of it may lift the sweetness of the foie gras. When the staff first served me the wine, it was too warm. When I informed them of that, they kindly chilled it for me and then poured me another glass.
This went quite well with the dish except it masked some of the wonderful saltiness of the iberico. I think if there was a wine that was sweet but less sweet, it may have gone better with it.
The service staff there suggested a spanish cabernet sauvignon to go with the dish. I disagreed with them. The problem with the cabernet sauvignon is the tannins which are rough in texture and would clash with the dish. Also, there isn't sweetness to bring out the foie gras.
Upon consultation with my brother, he suggested a sweet rose. To understand more about wines, go to his blog http://www.wineandonly.info/
Gambas with sweet corn
Pistachio cake with vanilla ice cream and sangria jam
I really liked the sangria jam with the cake. It was sour sweet which lifted the cake. I would have liked it to be a wee bit sweeter as the pistachio cake was not sweet but had a good texture. The ice cream for me did not have an intense enough vanilla flavor.
I really liked the service staff… But I don't quite agree with their selection of wines.
I'm not sure about one of the chefs though. I asked about the food and he didn't seem very friendly. In fact, he seemed a bit put off by my question.
I liked the place but will I go back? I'm not too sure as I find it a bit costly.
Pricing: About $80 for 2 tapas mains, one dessert and wine.
Website: http://esquina.com.sg/
Location: 16 Jiak Chuan Rd
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Hair Bliss indulgence Spa is closing
I gotthe e-mail below
"Dear Friends of Hair Bliss,
"Dear Friends of Hair Bliss,
Thank you for your heartwarming support for Hair Bliss Herbal Hair Therapy over the past two and a half years, and it has been our pleasure to be of service to each and every one of you.
This business was borne out of passion and our belief in the therapy we have personally tried and benefitted. However, due to our mounting and challenging work schedule (yes, this is our little side business), we are unable to spend time to oversee the operations to our satisfaction and having put much consideration, regretfully we have to give up our passion.
Over the past months, the Hair Bliss team had been earnestly trying to identify a right buyer to take over the business, someone who shares the same passion and level of zest but unfortunately none met our criteria and it is with deepest regrets that we inform Hair Bliss Herbal Hair Therapy will cease business and our last day of operation will be on Saturday, 26th May 2012."
Friday, May 4, 2012
Crab pasta and a herby salad
This is a really healthy meal.
I got the basic crab pasta recipe from the book "under the Tuscan sun" and added some extra twists to it.
The herby salad which is far too healthy to eat on its own goes well with this dish. I felt so detoxed after it.
Ingredients: (I don't really have portions here.. I'll leave it to your preference)
Crab pasta
- Crab Meat. Being lazy, I got this in ready packs in Tiong Bahru market. It's ok but doesn't taste as good as if you extracted the crab meat yourself. But if you are busy and want the meal quickly, just buy this.
- Linguine
- Baby Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Lemon
Herb Salad
- Coriander
- Spring Onion
- Parsley
- Mint
- Basil
- Cucumber
- Avocado. I won't normally put this into the salad but I had to use the avocado as it was starting to blacken…
- Lemon
- Olive oil
- Garlic
Crab Pasta
1) Chop Garlic. Reserve some for the herb salad
2) Zest Lemon. Squeeze juice out. Part of it is for the herb salad.
3) Half baby tomatoes
4) Dice Shallots
5) Heat olive oil in pan under low fire. Put garlic and shallots in. Low fire is to slowly extract the flavor of the garlic and shallot out.
6) Once garlic and shallot start to soften increase to medium flame. Put baby tomatoes in non skin side down on pan. this is so that the baby tomatoes can cook faster and juices will flow out. Be careful not to have the flame too high as we want the tomato juice to be extracted. Season with salt and black pepper.
7) Boil Linguine in boiling salted water.
8) When tomatoes have soften, add crab meat in.
9) Add the pasta that has been cooked al dente into pan of tomatoes and crab meat. Transfer that pasta straight from the pot where the pasta is boiled into the pan. This is so that some of the water from the cooked pasta will go into the tomato sauce. This helps to thicken the sauce slightly.
10) Switch fire off. Add lemon zest and plenty of lemon juice to taste. This will make the dish fresh.
Herb Salad
1) Chop herbs.
2) Slice cucumber.
3) Scoop flesh of avocado out and dice it.
4) Mix the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil together to make a lemon vinaigrette. 3 portions oil to 1 portion lemon juice.
5) Mix vinaigrette with herbs, cucumber, avocado.
I would pile the greens on the pasta and eat the pasta with it.
This isn't complicated to make and very very healthy.
I got the basic crab pasta recipe from the book "under the Tuscan sun" and added some extra twists to it.
The herby salad which is far too healthy to eat on its own goes well with this dish. I felt so detoxed after it.
Ingredients: (I don't really have portions here.. I'll leave it to your preference)
Crab pasta
- Crab Meat. Being lazy, I got this in ready packs in Tiong Bahru market. It's ok but doesn't taste as good as if you extracted the crab meat yourself. But if you are busy and want the meal quickly, just buy this.
- Linguine
- Baby Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Lemon
Herb Salad
- Coriander
- Spring Onion
- Parsley
- Mint
- Basil
- Cucumber
- Avocado. I won't normally put this into the salad but I had to use the avocado as it was starting to blacken…
- Lemon
- Olive oil
- Garlic
Crab Pasta
2) Zest Lemon. Squeeze juice out. Part of it is for the herb salad.
3) Half baby tomatoes
4) Dice Shallots
5) Heat olive oil in pan under low fire. Put garlic and shallots in. Low fire is to slowly extract the flavor of the garlic and shallot out.
6) Once garlic and shallot start to soften increase to medium flame. Put baby tomatoes in non skin side down on pan. this is so that the baby tomatoes can cook faster and juices will flow out. Be careful not to have the flame too high as we want the tomato juice to be extracted. Season with salt and black pepper.
7) Boil Linguine in boiling salted water.
8) When tomatoes have soften, add crab meat in.
9) Add the pasta that has been cooked al dente into pan of tomatoes and crab meat. Transfer that pasta straight from the pot where the pasta is boiled into the pan. This is so that some of the water from the cooked pasta will go into the tomato sauce. This helps to thicken the sauce slightly.
10) Switch fire off. Add lemon zest and plenty of lemon juice to taste. This will make the dish fresh.
Herb Salad
2) Slice cucumber.
3) Scoop flesh of avocado out and dice it.
4) Mix the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil together to make a lemon vinaigrette. 3 portions oil to 1 portion lemon juice.
5) Mix vinaigrette with herbs, cucumber, avocado.
I would pile the greens on the pasta and eat the pasta with it.
This isn't complicated to make and very very healthy.
Roasted Prawns with tomatoes
I love this one pan meal. Little preparation work or washing.
Ingredients: This serves 4.
- Prawns (1kg)
- Baby Tomatoes (400g)
- Yellow capsicum (2)- I used red capsicum in the photo. Yellow looks nicer
- Garlic (8 pieces small pieces)
- Brown Onion (1)
- Lemon
- Thyme
- Coriander
- Bread (I used the baguette)
1) Take out seeds of each yellow capsicum and cut into 8 segments for each capsicum.
2) Pound each garlic piece once with the flat part of your knife. This will allow the garlic to cook faster.
3) Cut Onion into 8 segments.
4) Zest Lemon
5) Chop coriander
6) Put the prawns, baby tomatoes, capsicum, onion, garlic, thyme and lemon zest into a pan. If there is too much in one pan, you have to use 2 pans. As if there is too much in one pan, the items will steam rather than bake.
7) Pour olive oil generously on the items in the pan and season with salt and black pepper.
8) Put in oven at 180C. Roast it for 30 mins to 40 mins depending on prawn size.
9) When ready, put coriander leaves and squeeze lemon on top of the items. The lemon will lift the dish.
10) Toast the sliced bread
The juices of the prawns with the all the vegetables will create a wonderful sauce at the bottom of the pan. Mop up those juices with warm crusty bread.
This is a great for a very busy mum. Plus less washing for hubby.
Some variations I use
- Use crayfish instead of prawns
- Add green beans in the last 10 mins of baking
- If you like olives, you can put that into the dish. It will give another dimension of flavor- some tartness.
Ingredients: This serves 4.
- Prawns (1kg)
- Baby Tomatoes (400g)
- Yellow capsicum (2)- I used red capsicum in the photo. Yellow looks nicer
- Garlic (8 pieces small pieces)
- Brown Onion (1)
- Lemon
- Thyme
- Coriander
- Bread (I used the baguette)
1) Take out seeds of each yellow capsicum and cut into 8 segments for each capsicum.
2) Pound each garlic piece once with the flat part of your knife. This will allow the garlic to cook faster.
3) Cut Onion into 8 segments.
4) Zest Lemon
5) Chop coriander
6) Put the prawns, baby tomatoes, capsicum, onion, garlic, thyme and lemon zest into a pan. If there is too much in one pan, you have to use 2 pans. As if there is too much in one pan, the items will steam rather than bake.
7) Pour olive oil generously on the items in the pan and season with salt and black pepper.
8) Put in oven at 180C. Roast it for 30 mins to 40 mins depending on prawn size.
9) When ready, put coriander leaves and squeeze lemon on top of the items. The lemon will lift the dish.
10) Toast the sliced bread
The juices of the prawns with the all the vegetables will create a wonderful sauce at the bottom of the pan. Mop up those juices with warm crusty bread.
This is a great for a very busy mum. Plus less washing for hubby.
Some variations I use
- Use crayfish instead of prawns
- Add green beans in the last 10 mins of baking
- If you like olives, you can put that into the dish. It will give another dimension of flavor- some tartness.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Rose Citron
Elsa's childcare is closed for a couple of days. I find that when Elsa is with me, I tend to go out a lot more as she loves going out. Going out= better behaved Elsa.
I took a walk with her in our neighborhood and went into one of my favourite shops in the area.
This shop is an early entrant in this hip area being here for about 6 years.
They sell beautiful home ware, bags and children clothes. They also do upholstery with lovely fabric.
Do take a look at their website that also has an online shop.
Website: http://www.rosecitron.com.sg/
Address: 23 Keong Siak Rd
Opening Hours: Mon- Fri 10am - 6pm; Sat 11am- 6pm; Sun &PH 10am - 4pm
COntact Number: 63231368
Peter's Char Kway Teow
The best unhealthy Char Kway Teow I have eaten in recent years is from Penang. The thought of the noodles in shiny lard still excites me.
This place serves decent Char Kway Teow which is seriously hard to find in Singapore these days.
Address: Blk 5 Tanjong Pagar Plaza
This place serves decent Char Kway Teow which is seriously hard to find in Singapore these days.
Good Char Kway Teow is not soggy as it has been semi dried out from the right amount of heat from the hot wok.
Address: Blk 5 Tanjong Pagar Plaza
Cancale has opened
Cancale- French Seafood Restaurant on Duxton Hill has opened. Prices seem a wee bit pricey.
Strangers Reunion
New entrant into cafe scene on 37 Kampong Bahru Rd Shophouses… Coffee is soso. I think highland coffee on the same stretch has better coffee and chef icon has better hot chocolate.
But this place is a nice quiet chill out corner especially if you want to cuddle with a book or do some research on a laptop.
Website: http://www.facebook.com/StrangersReunion
Opening Hours: 9am - 10pm
Rong Xing Hakka Yong Tau Foo
This is the other Yong Tau Foo in Blk 5 Tanjong Pagar Plaza. A few stalls down from the other
Again, good but not spectacular…
Again, good but not spectacular…
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