[Tasting] Fat Belly @ Serene Centre

Was invited to Fat Belly, a community steakhouse located in Serene Centre (Bukit Timah). They are known for offering delicious uncommon steak cuts. 

Thank you Hence for the invite and Fat Belly for hosting the tasting. We got the counter seats and was able to chat a bit with Head Chef Spencer Lau. 

have a sip while perusing the menu

menu

I've tried their onglet, flatiron and shortribs before and back then, onglet was the preferred cut due to its overall texture and price point.

Starters

Toasted Sourdough & Raclette Cheese

starters

Toasted Sourdough @$6 (served with salted butter)

Raclette Cheese @$18

The raclette cheese was served bubbling, so don't go touching the sides of the plate! Sourdough was crisp on its exterior and we used it to mop up the yummy cheese. 

delicious bites

Both the sourdough and raclette cheese combination could easily feed up to 3 to 4 pax as starters.

But of course, before that, friendly Shanice came by the counter to ask if we're ready to order our drinks. Hence got himself a Hugo mocktail while I chose the Malbec.

a glass for you?

Bodega Catena, Malbec 2021 (Argentina) @$23 per glass

The malbec tasted of ripe dark fruits with a hint of chocolate. Tasted good with the raclette cheese sprinkled with bits of salty crispy bacon.

left: Hugo (mocktail) @$14

Hugo's a refreshing drink with main ingredients from elderflower, grapefruit and soda. The cocktail version is gin-based and topped with prosecco.

Charcoal Grill

beautifully marbled meats; Picanha, Denver

Fat Belly takes pride in its sourcing and butchery of the meats and works closely with their network of producers for the uncommon cuts. These fine cuts are then expertly grilled over charcoal, rested and sliced into morsels of deliciousness for us, diners to enjoy.

Picanha

Picanha cut is from the rump above a fat cap while Denver cut is from the chuck located on the shoulder part.

steak dinner for two

Steak was done medium rare and it was quite a sight to behold when served. Minimalist plating yet visually impactful. A mouthwatering sight.

Picanha (American Wagyu MBS 6/7, America) @$55

The steak was served with garlic confit, salt and we tried the Mustard Royale sauce ($4). The meat was flavourful on its own or good with a tiny dab of salt. Tender and juicy mouthfeel yet not oily. As we are alternating between the Denver and Picanha between bites, the Mustard Royale with it a tinge of tangy-ness helped to refresh the tastebuds.

Denver 

Denver (Full Blood Wagyu MS 6/9, Australia) @$65

Full Blood Wagyu typically refers to the beef produced from Wagyu cattle that has no evidence of cross-breeding with other breeds and whose pedigree can be traced back to Japan providing 100% Full-Blood Wagyu beef.

As both Picanha and Denver cuts at Fat Belly are of high wagyu grading, the meat was tender, with good mouthfeel. Denver has a fuller/richer/creamier mouthfeel in comparison. I think it is best to share Denver with a partner/friend while I am confident that I can polish off the whole plate of Picanha on my own. Of course, sips of Malbec between bites of these premium meats complemented the overall enjoyment.

Sides

Pomme Puree

Pomme Puree @$10

Fried Brussels Sprouts

Fried Brussels Sprouts @$14

The sides portion are good for two. Pomme Puree was expectedly smooth and creamy. Was surprised by the fried brussels sprouts for its smokey aroma. There are savoury granola in it and the garum caramel added a touch of sweetness to this dish. 

Desserts

Signature Tiramisu

Signature Tiramisu @$14

Tiramisu portion was good for two pax and best to dig in as soon as it was served. Light as a cloud in all its creme chantilly glory! Strong coffee flavour in this one. 

All in all, Fat Belly is a cosy place, with friendly vibes to enjoy premium uncommon steak cuts in the Bukit Timah area.

Once again, thank you Fat Belly and team for your hospitality. Special thanks to Chef Spencer and also to Shanice for coming by to chat with us.

Fat Belly (FBG)

Address: 10 Jln Serene, #01-04 Serene Centre, Singapore 258748

Website: https://www.fatbellysg.com/

Contact: 6314 2247

Business Hours: 

Mon - Fri: 11 am–4 pm, 5–11 pm

Sat: 11 am–11 pm

Sun: 11 am–10 pm

[Tasting] Shinya Izakaya 深夜の居酒屋 @ 79 Boat Quay

Is it just me, or does Boat Quay look more vibrant nowadays? It feels that the area has rejuvenated by the steady stream of merry makers or just hungry people looking for good food, and reasonably priced drinks.

entrance to Shinya Izakaya

Was invited to the Shinya Izakaya and this new izakaya is helmed by Chef Kakiruma, Jack Wee and Vincent Lau. Shinya Izakaya specialises in fresh sashimi 刺身, kushiyaki 串焼き (skewers), Agemono 揚げ物 (deep-fried dishes), Yakimono 焼き物 (grilled dishes), Itamemono 炒め物 (stir-fried dishes) and Donburi 丼 (rice dishes). Location wise, it is just a few steps away from Georgetown Tze Char & Craft Beer. 

Izakaya in general, refers to a "stay-drink-place". I do like to visit izakaya (not the standing type though), as I could get a variety of snacks/appetisers (otsumami おつまみ) to go with the drinks.

Let's check out Shinya Izakaya! Being the new kid on the block, has its perks. Perks for customers! Spotted their 'Opening Special' promotion of the $1 sashimi or the $1 oysters, with terms and conditions applied. So, do check with the restaurant directly for any further query. 

good deal

cheers

If you're a teetotaler, then it might be a good idea to bring along a friend who does drink (alcoholic drinks to be specific) as the opening promotion requires the purchase of normal priced alcohol. Again, for friends who drink, please drink responsibly.

what are we drinking today?

The interior of the restaurant felt spacious. We were seated at one of the booths that could fit 5 to 6 pax. There are private rooms available as well, hence please check with the restaurant when you make the reservation.

booth seats

inner section of the restaurant

private room

For drinks menu, there are options for Premium Sake, Sake (in the form of 300 ml, 720 ml or 1800 ml bottle), Wine, Beer and non-alcoholic drinks such as soft drinks, green tea or juices. Iced water is complimentary. Selected per glass options for sake and wine are available.

We got ourselves a 720ml bottle of sake to try and to match with the food that we will be having today. Was recommended the Hokkaido Kanjyuku, an aged sake. Aged sake is also referred to as 'koshu'. This informal term refers to sake that's been aged at the brewery for some time before release. For Hokkaido Kanjyuku, it was aged for 3 years. The colour is light yellow, tasted sweet and mellow.

Hokkaido Kanjyuku (Junmai Daiginjo)

Alc                    : 16%

Polishing rate    : 65%

Brewery　　    : Kobayashi Shuzo (Hokkaido)

Not good to drink on an empty tummy, so we started with a platter of sashimi. It was beautifully plated. The default number of sashimi slices is 3 pieces for both the 5 and 7 Kinds of Assorted Sashimi.

5 Kinds Assorted Sashimi (akami, kanpachi, salmon, tai, hotate) @$48

 Ala-carte sashimi comes in 5 pieces per order. There's about 10 different types available on the menu, including premium items like otoro and chutoro sashimi. 

Ala-carte sashimi (clockwise): shima aji 縞鯵 (@$38), otoro 大トロ (@$48) and salmon belly 鮭の腹 (@$14)

close up view

looking otoro-ly delicious

What are the snacks/appetisers that you usually start with? Eihire or Grilled Dried Stingray Fin, is a typical Japanese drinking snack. However, the version here is more chewy as it seemed less charred than the versions that I had from other places.

Eihire (Grilled dried stingray fin) @$12

Gobo Stick Karaage @$6

I think this was my first time having deep fried burdock sticks and boy, I loved it! The flavour reminds me of pisang goreng (fried banana) but it's not. Hehe!

Moving on to the meatier parts, and I do mean it quite literally! We tried the Buta Kakuni, Chicken Teriyaki and Saikoro Steak.

Buta Kakuni (Stewed Pork Belly) @$12

The stewed pork belly was a whole lot thinner than I expected. Usually, we'd see thicker cuts of the meat for this dish. Tasted of savoury soy, sweet mirin and dashi. The fats was melty and dissolved almost immediately once it got into the mouth. Nice.

I was surprised by the Teriyaki Chicken dish, as it looked more like a deep fried item rather than a grilled one? No idea but it tasted good. 

Chicken Teriyaki (Grilled Teriyaki Chicken) @$12

Saikoro Steak (Pan-fried Diced Premium Beef) @$25

Am actually glad that the Pan-Fried Diced Premium Beef (Saikoro Steak) is more of cubes rather than too finely diced! Tender bites for all the two glorious pieces that I managed to steal. Light flavours for the meat.

Let's have a bowl of Tendon for something more substantial, although after having drunk the sake, a bowl of ramen would be ideal as well.

Tendon (Crisp Prawns with Vegetables on Rice) @$15

While the Tendon here does not have fluffy looking batter, nor was it superbly crispy since it was lightly drizzled with sauce, the taste kind of grew on me as I had more of the rice at the bottom. Only managed to try the root vegetables in the bowl and I liked both the pumpkin and sweet potato. Well cooked and tasted sweet. There's eggplant in there as well.

Usually, I'd look for chicken gizzard or heart but it's not available here. Instead, we tried the shishito, shitake, chicken meatballs, enoki bacon and tebasaki (chicken wing). The shio tebasaki was a tad dry but still flavourful. Loved the shishito (Japanese green peppers).

Kushiyaki (Skewers) - left to right: shishito @$2.50, shitake @$2, tsukune @$2.50, enoki bacon @$3, tebasaki @$3

 

My favourite dish for  the night, was the Grilled Yellowtail Collar. Looked a tad on the small side but tasted so good! Plump meat that felt buttery, and seasoned just right. Perfectly cooked.

Kama Shioyaki (Grilled Yellowtail Collar) @$20

Thank you Jennifer Yeo Consultancy for the invite and Shinya Izakaya for hosting the dinner.

Attended with Kris, Tracy, Hence and Ivan.

Shinya Izakaya

Address: 79 Boat Quay, Singapore 049867

Contact: 6327 9240

Reservation: 8112 8028

Business Hours:

Closed on Mon

Tus-Sun: 3pm to 4am

Po @ The Warehouse Hotel

 "A refined modern Singaporean concept" as stated on their website. Ivan recommended this place for our wine gathering and so we went.

I did some checking up on their food menu prior to the visit and instantly, "expensive local jiak" was ingrained in my mind. I don't think I'd ever be comfortable paying $20 for a plate of chee cheong fun (handmade rice roll), so no to that as of now.

inside Warehouse Hotel

Was ushered to our table because the few of us were early. Warm lights and cosy. Service crew were courteous, and made an effort to attend to our table.

a table in Po

how to enjoy popiah~

For starters, we had cocktails. Guess, which was mine.

Old Soul @$24++

Rose Chan @$26++

Lady Luck @$24++

B.B King @$26++

I could only tell you how mine tasted like. The 'Old Soul' was nothing of what I had expected. It has bourbon, laksa leaf, gula melaka and bitters. Hmmm, maybe am not a bourbon person after all, or this mixture is not my kind of thing. Needless to say, I didn't enjoy it. Moderate alcoholic strength for this drink.

Now, onto the food. Let's start with some 'keropok'. The belinjo crackers was nice. Served with small sides of kechap manis and sambal. The sambal packed a swift punch too!

Bar Snacks

Belinjo Crackers @$9++

I suppose we were expected to like, do tiny dips onto the sambal with our crackers since the amount was so little? Hahaa, not enough for us and we asked for more but it still came in trickling. Limited edition!

There's also the Indonesian Prawn Crackers but that tasted pretty run of the mill. Between the two, I'd recommend Belinjo.

Indonesian Prawn Crackers @$9++

Did we order chicken wing? At first glance, I thought we ordered fried chicken wings but alas, no.. it was the soft-shell crab. Pretty good to eat while it is hot. Didn't need any sauce, but you can have it with the lime mayo dip that came along with it.

Soft Shell Crab @$22++

yummy

Otah @$18++

Wow, the otah was delicious! Just the right balance of chunky, savoury, tangy and a rich coconut milk rempah taste. Lovely.

With just 3 skewers of satay, it better be good at $8 per stick. Well, it was good but not sure if I will order this again.

Charcoal Grilled Iberico Satay @$24++

We also had the Kurobuta Char Siew. Hmm, what's the difference between Kurobuta and Iberico? Well, Iberico is from Spain while Kurobuta is from Japan. Both meat are of a likeable texture.

I preferred the Kurobuta Char Siew at Po because one could taste more of the natural flavours of the meat and since it was sous vide, it has a more tender mouthfeel as well. 

Kurobuta Char Siew @$20++

Popiah

Popiah Classic (6 pax) @$48++

to sprinkle: crushed peanuts, crispy flatfish, crispy shallots, corriander sprigs, chili, garlic, eggs

Yes, one gets to DIY their popiah here. We got the classic ones and there were enough ingredients to  make 2 rolls per pax. I recommend some crushed belinjo inside this mix to make it extra crunchy!

classic popiah with satay

While the appetisers didn't do much to satisfy our hunger, the popiah filled us up pretty quickly. Or was it because we had 2 rolls instead of 1? Muahaha!

But that didn't deter us from trying more food. Time for main course.

Mains

Paper Spring Chicken @$68++

They did a table side carving of the chicken but I didn't get the pre-carve shot as I went to the ladies when the dish was served. Although I had initially balked at the idea of having spring chicken, this dish here was good. The chicken was of a good size (meaning not too small) and it was stuffed with glutinous rice. The star was the rice. So tasty from the conpoy, dried shrimps, mushrooms and chinese sausage. Legit yums.

Equatorial @$24++

Singapore Sazerac @$26++

We didn't have dessert to end the meal. Instead, we had a glammed up version of hokkien mee. 

Giant River Prawns Konbu Mee @$38++

It was impressive, in terms of its visuals. In terms of taste, it was good but I have my favourite elsewhere. Or, maybe I was simply too full.

We spent about $105 per pax. Thank you Hoong An, Ivan, Elle, Tracy and Hence for the company!

Po

Address: 320 Havelock Rd, Singapore 169628

Website: https://www.po.com.sg/

Business Hours:

Closed: Mon-Tues

Wed - Sun: 7–10:30am, 12–3pm, 6–10:30pm