Monday, July 20, 2015

Restaurant Ember @ Hotel 1929 Keong Saik Road

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Restaurant Ember is located at Hotel 1929, which is about some 10 minutes walk from the Chinatown MRT. First impression of Ember? Feels rather cosy, expensive looking but not as big a space as initially thought. Was greeted by the friendly staff as soon as I showed up at its door. Nice.

Was led to a more private corner of the restaurant which could accommodate up to six diners. The teal coloured chairs were indeed a splash of colour in a serious looking restaurant.

nice colour
you know it's fine dining when...
bread service
focaccia bread
The bread was pretty yummy tasting but had to refrain for the other dishes.

For the first appetiser, the Flan was served. Steamed egg custard with spanner crab, asparagus, tobiko and aonori. The smooth egg custard contrasted well with the "crunch" from the diced asparagus and tobiko. Pleasant and warmed the tummy.

Flan @$18++
egg custard, tobiko, asparagus, spanner crab, aonori seaweed
Next, was the Consomme. Concentrated mushroom stock of earthy flavour and dark coloured. It had a comforting flavour.

mushroom consomme, shimeji mushrooms, chicken & foie gras tortellini @$16++
pate-like fillings

For mains, we shared the Bouillabaisse, Duck, Lamb, Barramundi and Cod. First up, was the Bouillabaissse which traditionally uses fish as its main ingredient. The Bouillabaise soup was poured at the table and after which, we could start. This dish had a chockful of ingredients. Not sure if I had chanced upon any scampi but the scallops were utterly delicious. Had quite a few bites of fish too. Ingredients were enjoyably sweet and fresh but I just could not get used to the bouillabaise soup.

Bouillabaisse @$32++
scampi, clams, Hokkaido scallops, seabass and aioli

Next, was the simple looking but tasted utterly delicious plate of Cod with whipped potato and bell peppers. Not in the menu though.

Pan Seared Cod

Not to worry, as the Barramundi was equally as nice. Pan-roasted barramundi with firm flesh, vine ripped cherry tomato, fine beans, clams and topped with such a generous dollop of caviar. Was surprised by the milky taste in the jus but am liking it. Had an added natural sweetness and milkiness to it.

Barramundi @$28++

The pan-seared Welsh Lamb Rack was such a beauty to look at. The meat was cooked to a beautiful pink and was rightfully tender. Chef kept the flavours of the meat simple and natural. The ratatouille and cous cous underneath the lamb racks were rather strong in flavour though.

Welsh Lamb Rack @$45++
Last of the meats, was the Duo of Duck. Duck cooked two styles. One was a confit wrapped in filo while the other was simply pan-seared duck breast. Liked the confit in filo pastry as it was so tasty! The duck breast was firmer and milder in taste. The accompanying braised red cabbage, carrot puree and 5 spice jus were just brilliant. Major love for the carrot puree and 5 spice jus!

Duo of Duck @$32++
duck confit in filo


For desserts, we shared the Champagne, Figs, Chocolate, Pistachio and Mango. That was like everything in its desserts menu saved for the cheeses.

Figs - deconstructed fig cheesecake, crumble and tahiti vanilla ice-cream @$12++
Chocolate - Valrhona chocolate brownie, banana and peanut butter parfait @$18++
Pistachio - texture of pistachio, sponge, crumble, ice-cream and ginger milk foam @$15++
Mango - vanilla panna cotta, mango, coconut sorbet @$16++
Champagne - champagne jelly, macerated strawberries & yoghurt sorbet @$16++

The desserts were decent, and enjoyed the panna cotta more, though it was a bit too wobbly/soft. Tasted good and not too sweet. While the ginger foam was fun, am still not able to interpret on what is a texture of pistachio. It ought to be the green coloured sponge cake, but it still feels like I'm missing a point here...


Felt that Chef Sufian does bring with him a certain subtleness in his cooking. Enjoyed most of the dishes and having browsed through its set menus, I'd say that the Lunch Set looked rather attractive for one could get a three-course meal for $45++.

Special thanks to Chef Sufian and Restaurant Ember for hosting the tasting session. Thank you HGW for the invite. It was always a pleasure dining with friends; The Arctic Star, The Hungry Bunny and The Running Man.

Restaurant Ember @ Hotel 1029

Location: 50 Keong Saik Rd, Singapore 089158
Contact: 6347 1928
Website: http://restaurantember.com.sg
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/restaurantember
 




Saturday, July 18, 2015

Bottura @ Suntec City

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Bottura is a casual Italian dining place located at Suntec City Tower One Level 2. Majority of its ingredients are imported from Italy but yet, manages to keep the prices of its menu reasonable. What can diners in Singapore expect from Bottura? Hearty, homely Bologna dishes that follow closely to the Bottura family recipe. These were the foods that Luca Bottura grew up eating and now, we can have a taste of that too.

The restaurant is pretty big with its 140 seaters or so, and pretty much an open space concept.

balcony seats

First thing one would notice at its shopfront, is its gelato counter. Hard to miss, especially that blue smurf coloured gelato that is said to be of bubblegum flavour. Tried some of its flavours but liked the milk one best.

one can try the flavours before ordering
For those whom would like to buy Italian produce such as wines, dried porcini, olive oil or balsamic, just head on towards the retail area within the shop. This is a section near the coffee machine. Some are exclusive to the shop and in limited quantity.

retail shop
Red wine: Prezioso - Vini di Toscana
sparling sweet red wine
balsamic vinegar

Let's have a glass of pre-dinner wine. If you like bubbly, then have a glass of Prosecco Superiore Millesimato, or if you're into reds, then how about a Chianti. A glass of Italian wine for less than $10? Yes, please.

Am not into tannic wines, so the Chianti here with its seductive deep red hues that tasted of currants and berries, was just what I needed. For appetiser, we had the Tagliere di affettati e formaggi misti con tigelle e marmellate. Quite a mouthful, so that is basically the cold cuts and cheese platter with tigelle bread and marmalade. Wine food, yay! The cheeses that we had included a sampler of the fresh stracchino cheese (the soft white one in a small dish), and for hard cheeses there were the parmesan and cheddars. For the meats, liking the mortadella and parma ham. Crusty bread, spread some fresh cheese, a bit of sweetness from marmalade jam and a slice of salty parma ham all in one bite. With a sip of wine. Am contented.

Chianti Ravazzi @$8.50++
cold cuts and cheese platter @$22++

If you like wraps, then there is something similar to that in the menu and its called a Piadina. Had the Prosciutto di Parma, handmade fresh stracchino, and rucola version. Suitable for a light lunch.

Piadina - parma ham, stracchino cheese with ruccola @$12++
hello parma ham~
Since we are still on the appetisers, let's try the Arancini al Ragù which are basically risotto shaped into round balls, coated with breadcrumbs, deep fried and served with tomato based meat sauce.

Arancini with ragù and tomato sauce @$8++
crunchy risotto balls

For pasta, I had made a request. Must have gnocchi. Am always on the look-out for good gnocchi. Not sure why, but seems like this is one elusive pasta. The rest, am leaving it to the Chef's recommendation.

Lasagna, one could get rather easily. But what about polenta lasagna? Polenta is made from boiled cornmeal and then solidified, and commonly eaten baked, fried or grilled. It is said that polenta is Italian's comfort food. The Foglie di polenta con ragù e besciamella (polenta lasagna) tasted mild and light. Almost fluffy. Am not a fan of polenta though, but it was interesting to find something new in the menu.

Polenta lasagne with traditional ragù and béchamel sauce (tasting portion)

Next up, was my long awaited gnocchi but made without butter. *gasp* No butter? The nugget of information shared was that this doesn't mean that families in Northern Italy doesn't use butter. They still do, but prefers olive oil. Olive oil is considered as a more high-end ingredient.

Ok, so how does the four cheese gnocchi here fared? First impression? It looked rather smallish in size. But taste wise, it was good. Something that I had not tasted before. Unsophisticated, mild and light flavours yet evoked a sense of warmth. Homely indeed. Enjoyable.

Four cheese gnocchi with rocket pesto (tasting portion)

Moving on to stronger flavours, have the Ravioli panna prosciutto e funghi. The earthy flavours of mushrooms, combined with ham and cream, it just works. Yums.

Ravioli with cream, ham and mushrooms (tasting portion)
Prosecco @$8++

Next up, was the spaghetti carbonara. A dish originating from Rome, and made out of egg, bacon/pancetta and Parmesan. Saw a programme once on how to cook this dish. The still hot pasta is combined with a mixture of raw eggs, cheese and olive oil. Seemed like a delicate task as the eggs must not curdle but should become creamy as it coats each strands of the noodle. Lucky for us, we have experienced chef to cook for us. Verdict? Tasted as good as it looked. Moreover, spaghetti carbonara is part of its lunch special so for just $14.50++, you'll get a pasta/pizza, dessert of the day and a soft drink.

spaghetti carbonara (tasting portion)
sooo creamy and pretty!

Next up, was one pasta dish that might just be the favourite of local diners. According to sources, this pasta ranked amongst the top 3 bestsellers thus far. Meet the Tagliolini Zebrati con Gamberetti e zucchini. Simple simple ingredients yet so tasty! Liking it lots.

Egg and squid ink tagliolini with shrimp and zucchini @$16++

toss well and enjoy~

Interestingly, if you'd like to try 6 different types of fresh pasta at one go, just opt for the La Degustazione (after 5pm, on weekends) for just $18++ and a glass of italian red or white wine. However, one can't choose the pasta but I understand that it will usually include gnocchi and carbonara as part of the six. Sometimes, the chef may throw in a surprise pasta that is not in the menu.

Sampled two types of 12-inch thin crust pizza and both are equally as interesting. Arrabiata was quite photogenic too. A most interesting taste that I thought was tabasco, but it was not. This spicy pizza has a sourish saltish piquant tang to it from the capers and pomodoro sauce and a fiery jolt in the form of chilies (chili padi?). If you like sweet salty ones, then the pizza with Melone, prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella would suit those taste buds.

Arrabiata (tomato, capers, garlic, chilli, mozzarella fior di latte and rocket) @$18++
rockmelon, Parma ham and mozzarella @ $18++
Last course, the desserts. As you may have guessed, tiramisu was one of it. Simple, classic Italian dessert and suitable for families as it is non-alcoholic.

Tiramisù @$8++

For alcoholic dessert, can try the interesting Pasticceria mignon fresca, small balls of wine marsala cream puff.  It is bite-sized so just pop the whole thing into the mouth. The cream made from sweet marsala wine would appeal to those that likes port/sherry.

Pasticceria mignon fresca @$2.50++ each

A scoop of gelato costs $5++, hence for more bang on the buck, I'd go for the “Spaghetti” gelato. Yummy and so nice to have it in our hot humid weather.


"spaghetti" gelato
gelato by the scoop (choose your flavour)

Thanks to Luca, whom not only brought his family's recipe to Singapore, but has made Bottura accessible to most of us.

Luca

Special thanks to Andrea and Mahdhir, you guys and Luca made us feel right at home. And of course, thank you Hence (@chubbybotakkoala), for asking me along to this session.

Note: The prices are correct at press time. Kindly refer to the restaurant's website/facebook for updates

 

Bottura

Location: #02-472/473/474, 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall, Singapore 038983. North Wing between Tower 1 & 2
Contact: +65 6238 7527
Website: http://bottura.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/botturasg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/botturasg

Friday, July 17, 2015

Brewerkz @ Riverside Point

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Was invited to Brewerkz at Riverside Point, Boat Quay recently. Last visit to this outlet was during my first food trail ever, way back in 2011. A quick link here. It is about time to get re-acquainted.

Along with its craft beers, Brewerkz serves up American-styled cuisine in a functional space that shouts of  testosterone and sporty feel. The screens were showing American football and NBA while we were there. Atmosphere was boisterous, as expected.

The place was rather busy on a weekday night. Seems like everyone needed a drink after a hard day at work. So drink up. Responsibly of course. Heard that its microbrewery is capable of producing lots more so no worries, our throats are never parched while we are here.

interior
yes, please
SG50 promo

Ever wanted to try all of Brewerkz signature and seasonal beers but worry about calories and all? Good news, just get the beer sampler @$14++ where you can have 4 glasses of 125ml beer.

beer sampler of 14 beers
On hindsight, don't get all 14 at one go unless its shared amongst say, 6 pax. It gets warm pretty fast in our climate.

The full sampler has this combination:
Front row: golden ale, hopback, wheat beer, jubilee lager, pilsner
Second row: single hop - lemondrop, steam beer, irish red, black raspberry,  brown ale
Last row: IPA, oatmeal stout, Xipa and black pig (with highest percentage of alcohol)
from light to dark. Front row (left to right): pilsner, golden jubilee, wheat beer and hopback

Common beer profile - its bitter aftertaste. Some lingers longer than the other. For example, steam beer appeared light and mild (almost can taste the water) but has a very strong lingering bitter aftertaste. Even its black raspberry which has a fruity raspberry flavour and perfume, has that strong bitter finish. Still a man's drink, masked with some genteelness. The most outstanding taste profile, was the oat meal stout. Which surprisingly, tasted more of like a good 'ol strong coffee made even stronger by alcohol.

Thou shall not drink with an empty stomach. So let's bring the food out~

For group gatherings, let's start with a huge-ass bowl of soba noodle salad. It was a pretty good bowl of tasty salad. Asian flavoured, with crispy strips for that texture contrast, fresh leaves and lots of good sized teriyaki chicken strips. Half-sized of this bowl can be a main course for me!

soba noodle salad @$23++
If salad is not your thing, how about meat skewers? Loved it! Maybe because this place is American-styled, the skewers felt like an upsize from normal asian satays/yakitori. Look at those firm meat, with good layers of fats that's been grilled to a sizzling drip. Flavourful on its own.

chipotle pork belly satay @$14++
Other appetisers included buffalo wings and mussels. The hot buffalo wings are not spicy actually.

mussels with in-house made bread
hot buffalo wings @$18++

If you are really, really into meat, then go all out for the 3 Big Pigs. A platter of baby back ribs, crispy crackling pork knuckle and kielbasa sausages. Served with sauerkraut and mashed potato.

3 Big Pigs @$90++
The knuckle required quite a bit of strength to cut through but it was worthed the effort. Moist meat yet firm and that crackling of a skin with a thin layer of fats underneath. Yummy. The sausages were easy to eat and none of those overpowering herbs. The ribs were fork tender and reminiscent of asian flavours.

Did someone ask for more beer? How about the Jubilee Lager, that is currently being paired with asian inspired satay seafood angel hair pasta for just $25++ during lunch hour.

Jubilee Lager
satay seafood angel hair pasta

For the cowboys in us, there is a matching Cowboy Burger. Oozing with masculinity (especially with that knife skewered right in the heart of the handmade minced patty. Bam!

Cowboy Burger @$24++
peek-a-boo! beef patty topped with bacon and melted cheddar cheese

Ah, I think we were supposed to put in the raw stuffs of lettuce, tomato and onion slices into the bun but who remembers that when the patty was calling out to us? No time, man! That side of sweet potato fries was distracting too. Can't stop eating that.

potato fries should go with ketchup, even if it is truffled. No?

To wind down from all the drinks and food frenzy, what did we do? We ate somemore! Desserts time.

chocolate fudge cake @$14++
oreo ice-cream cake @$14++
warm brownie @$14++

The ones that we got were all good. Thought we could eat no more, but the desserts were devoured in no time. My favourite desserts that night? Warm brownie stacked with ice-cream that didn't melt too fast and further topped with honeycomb. The sweetness levels were upped seemingly in its stacked order from low to high.

Many thanks to our host, Adora for introducing the many flavours of Brewerkz. The hardworking staff whom took care of our table, and HGW for the invite. The friends; Weighty Man, Running Man, The Arctic Star, that dined together that night, thank you too.

Brewerkz @ Riverside Point

Location: 30 Merchant Road, #01-05/06 Riverside Point, Singapore 058282
Contact: (65) 6438 7438
Website: http://www.brewerkz.com/
 
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