Relish by lawyer-turned-chef Willin Low @ Cluny Court

Charsiew burger. Slow cooked till the pork is fall-off-the-bone tender.

My favourite: the beef burger with peanut butter sauce, blue cheese and poached pear. A*STAR combination.

Kim Dae Mun, Orchard Road

Hidden find: Good value and delicious Korean food at the basement of the old Concorde Hotel 

Potato Pancake

Spicy chicken soup with potato starch noodles

The hotplate meats here are cooked using a special hot water technique that uses no oil at all. Guilt-free dining!

I love that savoury anchovy side dish sprinkled over my rice.

Ippudo, Mandarin Gallery

Baker and Cook, Holland Village

Sausage roll in Singapore!

Fosters English Rose Cafe, Holland Village

I had the joy of having a good conversation over scones and tea recently. 

We were dressed simply, we chatted interestedly, we ate heartily.

When she spoke, I listened;

When I spoke, she did the same.

The conversations that took place, 

transcended what was in the self's interest.

Such afternoons leave me amazed,

at the peace that can be the case.

But I leaned back deep into the armchair,

sipped my earl grey tea, 

and stayed unfazed,

determined to enjoy the gentle sun's rays.

It was a laidback afternoon, 

such days are rare, 

once in a blue moon.

The cream tea set at Fosters Cafe is probably one of the worst kept secrets in Singapore. At about $12 for a person's portion of cream tea (comprising 2 scones, 1 slice of cake, 2 finger sandwiches and a cup of tea), it's hard to see why. What made the cherry on top of the icing for me was how fresh the produce was. My scones were very evidently fresh out of the oven, and stayed warm throughout my leisurely afternoon tea. Extra points too for how quintessentially British the cream tea was. Forget the fancy three-tiered sets of pompous afternoon tea that seems to be the trend around here; afternoon tea in the UK is at its best when done in the most homely fashion possible. It is inviting; it is comforting. 

Fosters has done a great job in bringing a slice of the UK to Singapore. I sure hope someone can do the same with Sunday roasts as what Fosters has done with their cream tea. Fingers crossed.

Fosters English Rose Cafe/ Fosters Steakhouse

277 Holland Ave

Holland Village

Contact: 6466-8939

(cream tea available from 3pm to 6pm)

Necessary Provisions, Bukit Timah / Eng Kong

What attracted me to check out this cafe, was its relatively secluded location. Nestled amongst the private estates at the Eng Kong and Toh Tuck area of the West, I was hoping for a place where I could enjoy some quiet cafe time, take leisurely sips of my latte or flat white while engaging in some reading or writing. Alas, like most other cafes, Necessary Provisions gives no such provision. 

Coffee here is sold by the amount of milk you want to go in your cup with that shot of espresso (or two). I got a nice blend that didn't leave an acidic aftertaste. Pity though, the turnover rate was high, and it was made pretty clear to me that I couldn't stay for long. 

The food selection also left much to be desired. Breakfast options seem limited, and dealt with with a somewhat arbitrary approach - I saw homecooked bee hoon (rice vermicelli) being offered off the menu, and a scant display of baked items. The former seemed to me as a weak attempt to elevate our local breakfast, and the latter, a token effort to provide baked items.

Necessary Provisions

21 Eng Kong Terrace

Contact: 9231 7920

Opening hours:

Tues to Thurs: 10am to 10pm

Fri & Sat: 10am to Midnight

Sun: 10am to 6pm

Chums @ Bukit Timah [Closed]

Standing unabashedly for it knows it is good.

The beer chicken was out of this world. Roasted upon order, you have something like a 40-minute wait before you get your food, but the result is worth every minute of that wait. The fats under the skin is all rendered off by the high temperatures, and drizzles down to the roasting plate to be mixed with the chicken juices. The chicken is also moist and flavoured with just the slightest hint of alcohol.

The kitchen staff helped to carve the chicken, and laid it atop the fragrant roast vegetables. N

othing was to be left behind! Every bit of the juices left in the roasting tray was poured over the roast chicken and vegetables. 

A hearty dish that had me leaving the restaurant very, very content.

Royal Ville #01-06

833 Bukit Timah Road

(Mon/Tues: 9am-5pm; 

Wed-Sun: 9am-10pm)

Simply Bread @ Cluny Court

I am a fan of some of the buns that Simply Bread serves (eg Sticky bun), but this ham and cheese sandwich left much to be desired. I found it somewhat lacklustre, and a tad overpriced for what it was. The only saving grace was, perhaps, the generous serving of cheddar. 

Cluny Court

501 Bukit Timah Road

#02-07

Cheesecake Paradise @ Chezcake Bistro

A relaxing afternoon spent people-watching while eating cake is hard to come by these days.

Hence when such an opportunity arose I could not let it slip me by.

Mango Cheesecake from Chezcake Bistro

The bistro was not equipped with wireless internet, but there was beauty in that. I enjoyed every bite of the fruity-flavoured creamy cheescake, unperturbed by the usual throngs of people that frequent cafes these days. There was a wide variety of cheesecake flavours available too; I can't wait to be back to try them out!

328 Joo Chiat Road

#01-05, Singapore 427585

(Open 1pm-10pm; 

Closed on Mondays)

Pontini - Italian dining @ Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

This was my second visit to Pontini. Both times I found the service to be wonderful, with staff being attentive, yet not overly intrusive. 

The crabmeat ravioli in the lobster consomme was generously stuffed with real crabmeat. However, the 'lobster' in the lobster consomme was slightly less outstanding and left me desiring for more. 

Crabmeat ravioli in lobster consomme

The saltiness of the parma ham was nicely balanced by the mushrooms and I found this to be a pleasant combination for a pizza.

stonebaked thin crust pizza with parma ham and mushrooms

The star of the night was this juicy piece of steak, char-grilled to perfection. There was a slight smoky flavour on the exterior, and the juices were well retained in the meat, resulting in a flavourful and beautiful dish.

Pontini often has set specials and credit card promotions going on, so do ask about it!

Level 2, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

392 Havelock Road

(12-2.30pm; 6.30-10.30pm)

Le Gramont, Paris / Poilane Bread

Visited in September 2012.

Chicken and Cheese-topped Poilane bread

Croque madame for the madame. :)

Parisians are serious about their breads and baguettes. While researching on their breads prior to my trip, I came across 'Poilane bread' one too many times that I just had to find out what it is. Pronounced pwa-lahn, it is the produce of a Lionel Poilane and is world-famous to say the least, being exported to the shores of Singapore and the USA (and costing a bomb, of course). 

The Poilane certainly lived up to its reputation. The sourdough I had was of a unique texture, well-aerated yet with the slightest hint of elasticity, and a touch of saltiness. Upon more research it turns out that sea salt is listed as one of the ingredients in the Poilane sourdough, along with other good quality ingredients. Best of all, the Poilane is produced in a wood-fired oven, thus explaining the rather solid (but crisp) crust with an earthy aftertaste.

I had my Poilane at the Le Gramont restaurant, which I found to serve excellent breakfasts alongside the mains that have been much-raved about. The topping on my Poilane was chicken, made deliciously creamy by the melted cheese on top of it. 

The croque madame is a French classic - a must try on any tourist's bucketlist definitely. A ham and cheese sandwich, grilled with more cheese on top and served with a sunny-side up. A breakfast I wouldn't mind having again and again!

Writing about this at midnight now is making me very hungry...

 Le Gramont
15 Boulevard Des Italiens,
75002 Paris, France
Tel: 01 42 97 58 50

The Little French Restaurant

I had planned The Little French Restaurant as the last stop of my Winter 2013 travels, and it was a pleasant end to my holidaying indeed.

In all honesty I came to this restaurant with subdued expectations. I had specifically searched online for a restaurant that was 1) in the Earl's Court area where the drop-off point of EasyBus (the airport bus transfer) was and 2) budget. I was not expecting that that combination of search criteria would produce stellar finds of any sort; I had merely desired for a dinner stop before continuing on yet another coach journey.

Hence my experience here proved to be a nice surprise. Lest you think that the positive review I give this place is just a result of the low expectations I came to this place with, I assure you that the quality of the food and the service standards of the restaurant will speak for itself.

Supreme de Volaille 'Farci Duxelloise'

Chicken breast stuffed with mushroom, served with mild Dijon mustard sauce

The chicken was done just right, firm yet still moist. The mushrooms in it were kept juicy as well, and the addition of the sweet mustard sauce was a nice balance to the savouriness of the dish. 

The cod fish was cooked to perfection. I really was expecting a thin cod fillet for its price but no, it was a generous, chunky cod fillet. More importantly, one could tell from the texture of the meat that it was a fresh catch.

Cod A'la Provencale

Pan fried cod fillet cooked with butter, garlic and served with fresh tarragon

Pure honest to goodness food, and might even leave you feeling in bliss after a long and tiring day, if I might add.

The food here is of good value; a starter, a main and a dessert set is priced at 9.95gbp. Although each diner is required to order a drink for that offer to be valid (it eventually worked out to about 13.50gbp per person in my case), this is still a place I find worth visiting. French/ Western fare in a cosy and casual environment. 

The Little French Restaurant

18 Hogarth Place, 

London 

SW5 0QY

Phone: 02073700366

Open 7 days a week, 12-3pm; 6-11.30pm.

Bone Daddies Ramen, London

Tonkotsu Ramen 

(Spring Onion, Chasu, Egg, Bamboo, Beansprouts in Pork bone broth)

The long queue at Bone Daddies might put some off, but the prospect of having proper ramen in the UK proved too attractive for me. I waited.

Bone Daddies attempts to replicate the ramen bar scene in Japan, where diners slurp up their noodles on counter tables shared with others. One difference that stood out starkly, however, was the empty seat that it left between each diner (except in the case of diners who came as a group of course). Perhaps this was to cater for a more comfortable dining experience... nevertheless, it certainly contributed to the long queue that had formed.

Service was swift and I was soon greeted by my bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen. First impressions do matter and it was a pretty sight indeed. Ajitsuke tamago with a bright orange, perfectly soft-boiled centre, slices of chasu pork served the traditional way with the lining of a layer of fat, thinly cut shallots fried to a crisp, and... dashes of soy sauce over it all. I was slightly puzzled at the sight of soy sauce, but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt, since the dish did look aesthetically pleasing and the soy sauce played a part towards that.

My verdict? Soy sauce was a bad move. It did not work for me. It made the dish unnecessarily salty and masked the umami that I was expecting from the pork bone broth (which the restaurant claims to be the result of a 20-hour effort). I also half-wished that the fat lining the chasu pork could have been more melt-in-your-mouth, but perhaps that was too much to expect of a ramen experience some 5000 miles away from Japan made available at the very reasonable price of 11 quid.

All in all though, Bone Daddies is definitely worth a visit when you need your ramen fix in London town. The ramen noodles were springy and fresh - none of that instant ramen nonsense that some places in this part of the world do audaciously sell. The pork bone broth, too, came in a milky colour, and that to me, is potential. Perhaps ask to add the soy sauce yourself? 

Bone Daddies

31 Peter Street,

London W1F 0AR

12-3pm; 5.30-10pm

No reservations allowed, so go early to avoid the queue!

MasterChef: The Professionals (series 5) Finale

I had just watched the finale of MasterChef: The Professionals (Series 5) and I am completely blown away by the talent of the amazing finalists.

When Oli, Keri and Anton introduced the dishes they would be presenting as part of their final shot at the Champion title, I was thinking to myself that I have no choice but to sit on the fence in this one.

I love the detail of thought that had gone into each of their dishes, the boldness not just in stepping up to the game but also well above and beyond the expectations of them, the creativity in coming up with some of the most unimaginable combinations of foods and flavours and the beautiful, beautiful plating.

So pleased with the outcome and I do wish very much to be able to try their cooking. One day.

My Humble Home

Where East meets West...

Pork leg braised chinese style, atop rice cooked in chicken stock;

mixed greens tossed in wholegrain mustard and honey dressing, served with crackling

Restaurant Mariette, Paris

Restaurant Mariette is one of the many restaurants on tripadvisor that comes highly recommended.

At the price of about 45 euros/person, I came with expectations adjusted accordingly.

So I had my best escargot in Paris here. I loved the novelty of the concept - an escargot encased in a  ravioli. Served in spinach creme, this was escargots at its most natural... element. 

Just kidding. 

Jokes aside, it tasted pretty good. Ravioli shells were of a consistent thickness, spinach creme was tasty. Amazing how the thin ravioli shells did not break under the weight of one whole escargot.

However, I wasn't particularly impressed with the entree which was a pan-seared mullet served atop artichokes. The fish was not served de-boned and it was a real inconvenience to eat. Nothing about the taste was spectacular enough for me to put that fact aside either. My food companion's salmon fillet entree was a better shot at giving customers their money's worth.

Restaurant Mariette's take of a mille-feuille was interesting, with three choux-like puff pastry piled on top of each other, served with ice cream on the side. 

Unfortunately, I was less than impressed to find the ice cream served half-melted, forming a puddle on my plate which I found so unsightly that I could not bring myself to photograph it with the mille-feuille.

I appreciate that the chef came out of the kitchen to make conversation with his guests; the small size of the restaurant combined with the yellow lighting also created a cosy atmosphere. However, such points are secondary. As collaterals to the food, which should have been the main star of the experience, I find that they should not have been at the expense of attention to detail in the food served.

Restaurant Mariette
24 Rue Bosquet
75007 Paris

le Relais de I'Entrecote, Paris

I was served this. 

X 2

I wasn't expecting that my entree would be served in 2 portions - I had found that the first round filled me up quite nicely. Nonetheless, the surprise 2nd round was much welcomed, because the highly acclaimed special sauce did work its magic and had left me yearning for more.

le Relais de l'Entrecote 

Serving the entree in two portions also ensured that the food was kept warm and the steak, moist.

No effect whatsoever done to the picture above. 

Just look at how the meat glistens, and the layered-ness of its texture.

Imagine piercing your fork through it, and you using the knife for assistance in slicing through it but the meat separates ever so obediently at your desire. 

Bring it to your mouth and the explosion of flavours coming from the steak juices and the savoury gravy combined is just mmm..

mind-blowing.

le Relais de l'Entrecote 

20 rue Saint-Benoit

+33 145 49 1600

Cafe Pouchkine, Paris

Special mention goes to the mille-feuille, which layers of puff pastry had been made thin yet remained beautifully crisp. 

Skilful works of art.

Cafe Pouchkine

64 Boulevard Haussmann 

75008 Paris, France

Mannekenpis , Amsterdam

Pancakes! , Amsterdam