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Pappasan – Chic Restaurant Selling Local Delights at Extravagant Prices

admin — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:00:59 +0000

Don’t get me wrong. I am all for upping the status of Singapore street side food, making it more ‘atas’ and upmarket. While many are willing to pay bigger bucks for easier-to-prepare food, such as burgers and pastas, the same cannot be said local food such as satays and Hokkien mee – which can be quite labour intensive.

We love our chicken rice, whether it is from the hawker centre at Tian Tian or a restaurant at Chatterbox.

Newly opened Pappasan Restaurant at Dorsett Hotel (not to be confused with PappaRich) brings our favourite local food to another level. Make that two levels.

For the ‘cheaper’ range, you get your ala carte offerings of Chicken Rice ($16.50), Ipoh Hor Fun Soup ($13.50), Signature Fried Koay Teow ($18.50) and Vegetarian Fried Rice ($12.00). You must be thinking if that is ‘cheap’, then what does it mean by ‘expensive.

Be ready for the next dimension of Singapore local delights – Richman Fried Rice ($38.00, that is with Maine lobster), Richman Teochew Chicken Porridge ($38.00, it better comes with abalone and yes it does), and Richman Birthday MeeSua ($38.00, with Maine lobster and prawns).

Just to make it a little more obvious, they named this series “Richman”. (I suggest if there is a dessert section, call it “Richtaitai”.)

Objectively speaking (ignoring the price), the Pappasan Chicken Rice which uses poached 90 days farm chicken is quite tasty, though not the Chatterbox level yet. My favourite part was ironically not the chicken meat, but the fragrant rice – not the fluffy kind, drier but still flavourful. The specially homemade chilli sauce and dark soya sauce are winners as well.

The Signature Fried Koay Teow ($18.50) was decent, but lacks the wok-hei and intensity of aromas that would match up to the usual hawker centre standards. The ingredients of fresh prawns and scallops from Queensland were generous though, and that is about it? Adding

I had to send the chicken wings ($8) back because it was slightly bloody. And what is with the ordinary chilli sauce that feels it is off a bottle? Give me authentic sambal or use the chicken rice chilli at least.

So I spent 60 over bucks eating 3 dishes of hawker food with 2 drinks. The relaxing ambience and chic décor earns it some points though. But Pappasan has to move beyond just attracting the occasional tourist and corporate clients. They have to do up a wider spectrum of local delights, and do them really well.

Pappasan Restaurant
Dorsett Hotel 01-01, 333 New Bridge Road Singapore 088765 (Outram Park MRT), Tel: +65 6820 1316

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KHA – This Is It. This Is The Taste Of Thailand.

admin — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:00:07 +0000

KHA has a new chef. And all the difference it makes.

Seriously, my main lament against Thai food in Singapore is not because it is not delicious, but that it is all watered and muted down – losing that main spirit of Thai cuisine. Thai food loves to be intense, perhaps the only type of cuisine in the world which can be so intensely sour, intensely spicy, sweet, and salty all at the same time.

When I had my first bite of KHA’s Nahm Dtok Nuer ($22), a spicy grilled Wagyu beef salad with shallots, coriander, mint, lime, fish sauce and toasted rice dressing, I told myself “This is it. This is Thailand.” The starter was unapologetic at being immensely sour and spicy, certainly not with weak tummies.

I told the new young Executive Chef Adam Cliff that the food and décor reminds me of Nahm. Nahm is considered Thailand’s top restaurant, 3rd in Asia and No. 32 in the world. In my mind, I actually thought some dishes tasted even better than Nahm’s.

There was a quick moment of awkward silence. It was when Chef Adam Cliff told me that he used to under Thai food guru David Thompson, and has worked at Nahm London and Bangkok, Bo.lan Bangkok, and Sailors Thai in Sydney – some of the most renowned Thai restaurants around. No wonder the taste feels a little… familiar.

Rather than the typical dishes that we get in central Thailand, the new chef introduces some ‘Isaan’ influences to the menu. Some of the best known Issan dishes – Som Dtum Malakor ($16, green papaya salad with a side of candied pork), Pla Phao Glua ($30, salt-crusted whole seabass stuffed with lemongrass) and different types of grills.

Warning, Isaan cuisine is also known to be fiery hot, particularly sour, and may give that weird queasiness in your stomach. I think you know that feeling.

The favourite KHA’s dish of the day has to be Gai Yung Esaan ($15) – chicken thighs. marinated for 24 hours in garlic, pepper and coriander, grilled till crispy, served with jim jaew. With the outer layer slightly crisp, it was pulsating with flavours as you satisfyingly bite off chunks of tender meat like a savoury ice cream stick.

Grills are obviously their strength. The Goong Golae ($29) – whole tiger prawns smothered in dry red coconut curry, grilled over fire with fresh lime, puts all other grilled prawns I had to shame. Superiorly fresh with a tantalising bite of spice.

I am obviously very excited by the new chef and new offerings of KHA, hopefully reviving or exceeding some of its former glory. It is not even very pricey to begin with for its quality and ambience, comparable with some of the so-called Thai restaurants in Singapore.

My only wish is that they can continue to maintain that consistency and not give in to muting that authentic Thai taste. Because I can just imagine a lot who are not used to Thai food complaining that some of the dishes are too ‘powerful’ – too spicy, too sour, too much fish sauce.

But that is when you can taste the passion of Thai food.

KHA
Martin No. 38 38 Martin Road Singapore 239059, Tel: +65 6476 9000
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 3:00pm, 6:00pm – 11:00pm (Daily)

Other Thai Restaurant Entries
Sweet Salty Spicy (Rail Mall)
Moojaa (Keong Siak Street)
Thai Express (Plaza Singapura)
First Thai (Purvis Street)
Suan Thai Restaurant (Killiney Road)

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Gattopardo Italian Grill & Pizzabar – Sicilian Cuisine, Taste of Rustic Italy

admin — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:51:43 +0000

Sicilian cuisine has always been unfamiliar ground to me. My main knowledge it that while it is predominantly Italian, it also has Spanish, Greek and Arab influences because Sicily only became part of Italy in 1860.

Gattopardo Italian Restaurant & Pizzabar at Hotel Fort Canning is one place to appreciate authentic Sicilian cuisine to fuller aspects. After all, it is also named after a famous Sicilian novel by Giuseppe Tommasi di Lampedusa, helmed by Chef Lino Sauro who has more than 25 years of culinary experience.

While the restaurant looks like a higher-end diner where you can go enjoy a romantic dinner date, there is still a rustic aura with its usage charcoal grill and wood-fired oven for baking their gourmet pizzas. Yes, you can have Sicilian BBQ on the Almerita Terrace where the chef would be cooking live from your table.

I was there for a special 4-course Sicilian barbecue dinner ($158++ per person) organised by the Palate Club, where Chef Lino Sauro did an on-the-spot barbecue demonstration as though he was cooking for guests at home.

There were some takeaways which I learnt about Sicilian cuisine. In Sicily, you appreciate the food for what it is.

I was slightly surprised that the Fresh Scampi and Calamari was grilled only for a manner of seconds, where Chef Lino Sauro stressed that over-cooking would not allow you to relish its original goodness. After all in Sicily, its people eat fresh produces and seafood that is found within miles. Though it still felt a little ‘raw’ to me.

Yes, seafood is a necessary part of the Sicilian diet where they can be found in abundance. Many of Gattopardo’s signatures are seafood based, including Amberjack with Sea Urchin Vinaigrette, Angel Hair Pasta with Grey Mullet “Bottarga” Roe and Sea Urchin. I had a Risone Pasta with Braised Octopus and Bone Marrow which I really enjoyed for the slight hint of seafoody-saltiness.

Chef Lino always says you can’t hurry things in Sicilian cooking. And many of his dishes feel fresh and unprocessed. I had a Wagyu Beef with Pork Sausages. While sausages usually give the impression of being processed, his version felt like it was made right at home – very real, very simple.

I know this sounds strange, but I needed to tune my mind to appreciate that very down-to-earth and original taste. I could very well imagine people criticising the food for being not complicated, not flavourful enough, not full in taste. Fair enough.

The Sicilians probably believed a lot in celebration and feasting, as since at all the customers were having fun taking a watch at the barbecue while having Sicilian wine. Even though everyone was seated prim and proper in a dining setting, the mood was still jovial with lots of laughter. That is the Sicilian spirit.

Gattopardo Italian Grill & Pizzabar
11 Canning Walk Hotel Fort Canning Singapore 178881 Tel: +65 63385498
Opening Hours: 12pm – 300pm, 630pm – 1130pm

Other Italian Restaurant Entries
il Cielo (Hilton Hotel Singapore)
Pete’s Place (Hyatt Hotel)
Garibaldi (Purvis Street)
Limoncello Restaurant (Robertson Quay)
Covelli Italian Bistro & Wine Bar (Orchard Central)

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EZOCA – Almost Perfect Japanese Meal at Quayside Isle. And It’s Very Expensive.

admin — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:24:04 +0000

What do you look for in a Japanese fine dining restaurant? Really nothing short of brilliant – Quality cuisine, freshness and skills, attention to details, premium service experience, and that unspeakable X-factor.

EZOCA at Quayside Isle has almost all of that, especially when it comes to authenticness. As what EZOCA’s owner Katsutaka Kobayashi says, “Many Japanese restaurants in Singapore only look traditional, but when you look into the details, you will soon realise it is not”.

The traditional sukiya style interior featuring imported red cedar is elegance and exemplified, simple yet bringing out a dignified zen Japanese feel. The restaurant was extremely beautfiful.

Even though I felt slightly ridiculous wearing a jacket to Quayside Isle (where so many people are in berms and slippers), EZOCA really stands out from all the rest of the casual dining and tapas restaurants in that row.

It is almost perfect. Almost.

The food was more expensive than I imagined, where the first item on the menu – one piece of broiled tuna belly was already at $20. A sushi platter of 7 kinds and 1 roll is $82. Lunch sets starts at $75. In which case, I ordered a 5-course kaiseki at $175 per person which was more ‘value for money’.

Otherwise the cuisine, prepared by Chef Shinji Morihara who used to helm Fairmont Singapore’s Inagiku, was outstandingly superb, with a few mind-blowing dishes. (On that note, I only went to Inagiku once because its food did not warrant its very high price then.)

The starter is a humble Deep Fried Japanese Taro with Shrimp and Beancurd Skin Sticky Sauce ($28 when ordered ala carte), a wonderful blend of textures with a taste I can still vaguely recall. It is that impressionable.

Mind you, the Grilled Japanese Unagi Bowl with Miso Soup with Pickles is $69 per bowl. It is freaking delicious, but it is still $69. The highlight is really the Japanese Koshihikari rice specially flown in from Ishikawa, and only Japanese mineral water is used to cook. It makes all that difference to the fluffiness, texture and taste. FYI, ordering the rice alone would have cost $16.

Service was pleasant and polite, but it wasn’t top-notch. If food and price is first-rate, I would have correspondingly expected service to be swift, confident, and extremely attentive – whereas it felt like somebody was afraid to break a bowl anytime. Perhaps they are new.

I can’t imagine its clientele though. Would Japanese businessmen and tai-tais go all way to the light-hearted Quayside Isle, brave some sweat, to indulge in a classy fine-dining meal? If you are up for a masterfully prepared Japanese cuisine, EZOCA could be your answer.

EZOCA Japanese Cuisine
#01-12 Quayside Isle, 31 Ocean Way (Sentosa Cove) Singapore 098375
Opening Hours: 11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm (Tue-Sun), Closed Mon

Other Japanese Restaurant Entries
Waku Ghin (Marina Bay Sands)
LP+Tetsu (Tanglin Mall)
IKYU (Tiong Bahru)
Ito Kacho (Mandarin Gallery)
Japanese Dining SUN (CHIJMES)

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Department of Caffeine – So Many New Cafés, This Stands Out

admin — Fri, 10 May 2013 01:53:33 +0000

Does Singapore need another coffee joint? The answer apparantly is YES. This new kid on a block is not exactly a stranger to the café scene as owner Andrew Lek is former barista from Strangers’ Reunion.

Department of Caffeine, otherwise known as D.O.C, took over the defunct Broadway Café at Duxton Hill and upped its coolness factor by a thousand times. (Broadway used to serve Nespresso.) I am here because fellow café hoppers keep raving and raving about this place. Must check it out.

My fellow coffee addict friend Gavin who tried almost every single indie cafe in Singapore thought that their Five Sense coffee beans makes for a very well-rounded cuppa – not too acidic, not too strong, almost tea-like. And he liked it especialy if it was pulled by Andrew Lek himself, though he acknowledged D.O.C has a good team of trainee baristas who are not too bad themselves.

The semi-industrial woody ID, choice of music, display and magazines (somewhat reminding me of Maison Ikkoku’s tick all the right boxes – very clear about how they are targeting. The hip. (That’s you yah, I suppose.)

Food wise, other than a mouth-watering looking Pulled Pork Sandwich ($13) and D.O.C Meatball Sandwich ($13), their salad offerings are fairly varied such as Moroccan Carrot Salad with Cashews, Raisins & Coriander, French Beans, Mangetout with Hazelnuts & Orange, and Roasted Beetroot with Baby Spinach. There is always something new.

Their D.O.C Breakfast Platter ($18) of scrambled eggs, bacon wrapped meatloaf on toasted brioche served with tomato confit & cheese bocconcini is photogenic good stuff. Not mind-blowing yet, but one of the less common occasions where you felt every single item of the platter deserved to be there.

Comparatively, the Mushroom Medley ($14) sautéed in white wine & herbs on brioche toast topped with sunny side up egg was not as exciting a medley I wished would be, on the dry side and felt it needed some kind of sauce to level it up.

Department of Caffeine seems to be one of the fewer cafes who works hard for their food offering – the newcomer probably needs some time fine-tuning, but has a lot of potential.

With so many cafes sprouting out, Department of Caffeine is one which stands out from the rest for its coolness quotient. I can’t pinpoint what it is exactly, but you would feel at ease here without the sense of it (or the customers) being over-pretentious (for the time being). Its small, its cosy, almost reminding me of some of Melbourne’s cafés,

THIS is the next place to see and to be seen in. The rest can go to Ah Huat for all I care.

Department of Caffeine
15 Duxton Road Singapore 089481 Tel:+65 6223 3426
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 7.30pm (Mon to Fri), 9.30am – 7.30pm (Sat to Sun)

Other Cafe Entries
Maison Ikkoku (Kandahar Street)
7 KICKstart BREWiches (Armenian Place)
The Orange Thimble (Tiong Bahru)
Drips Bakery Café (Tiong Poh Road)
Pies & Coffee (Rochester Mall)

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IndoChili – Selamat Makan! Homely Indonesian Delights at Zion Road

admin — Tue, 07 May 2013 02:30:15 +0000

Name me 5 Best Indonesian restaurants. Perhaps that came with a little difficulty. While we are almost familiar with our neighbours’ cuisine such as Ayam Panggang, Sate, Tahu Telor and Nasi Kampung, Indonesian restaurants are always considered less hip and under the radar locally.

And how many can tell the difference between authentic Indonesian cuisine and our local Malay food?

For family-style Indonesian food, I have been to IndoChili for quite a few times. Its location at Zion Road is ‘risky’, beside the popular (but standard-dropping) Nasi Padang River Valley. And the previous F&B occupants do not stay long.

During my first visit, the food looked promising though service staff seemed bored at the lack of customers. But it generally got better each time I went.

The creator of the dishes is Mdm Wahyuningsih, owner of Java Kitchen Group (you see them around in food courts) who is inspired by her own grandmother and God to create Indonesian cuisine that uses a lot of herbs and spices. Many of her food are indeed distinctly stronger in flavours, generally richer and fuller than the usual street side taste.

My favourite dish here is definitely the Sate Ayam Madura ($7.80 for 5 pieces). Considered a heritage dish of Maduranese people, it consists of chicken skewer charcoal-grilled to bring out flavours and aroma.

While our Singapore style sauce is usually dryer and shorter, this Indonesian version is meaty and much sweeter, because it is first glazed in glazed in sweet soy sauce then dipped in peanut sauce. I like both versions – though I suspect some may find this version needing to get used to because it feels heavier.

Another I-think-must-have dish is the Tahu Telor ($8.80), a simple deep-fried beancurd with omelette, served with savoury sweet peanut sauce garnished with refreshing cucumber, bean sprout, carrot and crispy prawn crackers.

Few actually do this dish well – too little sauce, unsatisfactory peanut sauce, soggy beancurd, ugly egg. Plenty of reasons to make mistakes. IndoChili’s Tahu Telor manages to balance the ingredient to sauce proportion, and got the egg’s texture all right – part-crispy, part-fluffy.

Some of the other better dishes: a tradition Javanese royal dish of Tumpeng Mini ($9.80) – made of yellow rice set meal served with ayam bumbu rukak, perkede, potato peanut and pickles; a hearty thick Sop Buntu r ($14.80) oxtail soup; and East Javanese Ayam Bumbu Rujak ($8.80), a chicken thigh dish with amazing addictive gravy to sweep clean with jasmine rice.

The restaurant however, is not packed all the time, perhaps due to a lack of awareness, and some inconsistency in food during the initial days. I think IndoChili deserves to be given a second or third chance, I am glad I did – and became a convert.

Selamat Makan!

IndoChili Giveaway!
IndoChili will be giving away 4 sets of $25 vouchers to blessed Daniel’s Food Diary readers!

All you need to do is to
Step 1: LIKES the FaceBook page of Daniel’s Food Diary
Step 2: SHARE this post on Facebook or RETWEET on twitter
Step 3: Leave a comment below, say name your favourite Indonesian dish and why
Remember to include your email. Results will be announced 10th May (Fri)

IndoChili
54 Zion Road, Singapore 247779 (Opp Great World City) Tel: +65 6445 1766 info@indochili.com
Opening hours: 11.30am-10pm (Sun-Thu), 11.30am-10.30pm (Fri-Sat), closed on Tue

Other Indonesian Restaurant Entries
RS Deli (Upper Thomson)
Seribu Sari (Rendezvous Grand Hotel)
The Moluccas Rooms (Marina Bay Sands)
Bayang (Clarke Quay)
Wong Solo (Far East Plaza)

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The Boxing Crabs – Showstopping Pumpkin Crabs at Sentosa

admin — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:45:45 +0000

At Sentosa, they love to put seafood restaurants near seafood themed attractions – there is Cat Cora’s Ocean Restaurant at S.E.A Aquarium and The Boxing Crab right behind Underwater World. Which really disturbs me for eating their kind after going gaga over the wonders of nature.

While getting here can be a hassle, I will do (almost) anything for crabs. Especially Boxing Crab’s Braised Claypot Crab with Superior Broth and Pumpkin. They are really one of a yummy kind.

The crabs are soused in a pumpkin-curry-salted egg yolk sauce, all umami thick, and orangey-yellow creamy, best dipped with a combination of deep fried mantou and fresh sweet flesh from the crab claws. Every mouthful turns out to be a little excitement – a touch of sweetness, a touch of mild curry spiciness.

But But But, don’t finish all the sauce by yourself if you are minding the cholesterol.

The Boxing Crab has also introduced a Mother’s Day Set Menu which I tried in advance. $328++ for 4 persons is pricey for me, though I think 5-6 can share with the huge portions given.

Some of the highlights are a show-stopping (looks wise) Deep Fried Spiny Lobster Salad with chunky fleshes of lobster, and Braised Treasure Chicken in Lotus Leaf. The latter is really my kind of dish, while not exactly a photogenic piece, has some of my favourite ingredients of chicken pieces, Chinese chestnuts, mushrooms and carrots cooked in a savoury sauce that goes very well with plain rice. There is also a faint fragrance of the lotus leaf with every bite.

The other dishes, the Homemade Water Chestnut Bean Curd with Spices Meat, and Stir Fried Sea Scallop and Prawn with Asparagus are just seafood restaurant standard satisfactory, while the Stir Vermicelli with Seafood is a let-down. So some hits and misses.

Two factors are working against The Boxing Crab – too far and a tad steep. The crabs are about $70 per kg. which is way beyond prices in the main island. The good news is, they are offering a 1 for 1 crab promotion for the month of May. Pass me both the pumpkin and the chilli crab.

The Boxing Crab
80 Siloso Beach, Sentosa (behind Underwater World), Singapore 098 969, Tel: +6274 7760
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 11:00pm

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Straits Café – Annyeonghaseyo! International Buffet with a Taste of Seoul

admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 01:45:42 +0000

Annyeonghaseyo 안녕하세요! It is about time that hotel buffets include an element of Korea in their selection. After being bombarded constantly by Korean pop culture and PSY’s Gentlemen, I am all for having some ginseng Korean chicken and kimchi in a buffet.

Straits Café at Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore which is known for its award-winning favourites like Laksa and Popiah, has invited guest chef Kim Hyun Jung from Lotte World a “A Taste of Seoul” as part of their international buffet till 12 May 2013. (Read: Seribu Sari at Rendezvous Grand Hotel)

I was half envisaging some typical Korean favourites like Bibimbap, Bulgogi Beef, Tofu Stew, and Rice Cake – but got none of that. (So manage your expectations for that). Instead, there were some atypical but still authentically Korean dishes such as Korean Hot Spicy Chicken, Abalone Porridge, Korean Vermicelli Noodle and Beef Ribs.

This is it. The a-ju ma-si-sseo-sseo-yo delicious grilled Beef Rib has an almost perfect marinate which is slightly salty and sweet, thinly sliced with a narrow layer of fats, and so evenly grilled such that it is not overcooked. Seoul marbled, seoul delicious, it’s possible to savour a few pieces.

The Korean Ginseng Soup does not look like soup per-se as Japanese rice is added to cook, therefore the texture resembles porridge. After a spoonful, I was immediately brought back to my holiday in Jeju – this was exactly the taste I had. Not too flavourful, but yet plainer healthy-tasting with a twang of ginseng. Quick tip: add sea salt and spring onion if you prefer something more palatable to local taste.

Dessert wise, there is a selection of cinnamon, green tea or custard rice ball served with hot honey citron tea. The tea is good stuff, also feeling distinctly Korean.

My only reservation is the Korean selection could be much wider and varied, with more of the familiar favourites. If you are still hungry, just go for the local delights like the very lemak laksa – indeed one of the best around. I had two bowls.

Straits Café Buffet Time and Pricing
Buffet Lunch (12pm to 2.30pm) – Monday to Saturday: $39++ per adult
Brunch Sunday and Public Holidays (11.30am to 2.30pm) – $45++ per adult
Buffet Dinner Monday to Thursday (6.30pm to 10pm) – $47++ per adult
Friday to Sunday and eve of public holidays (6.30pm to 10pm) – $50++ per adult

Straits Café
9 Bras Basah Road Level 1 Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore (Bras Basah MRT), Tel: +65 6335 1771/7
Opening Hours: 7:00am to 10:30am (Breakfast), 12:00 noon to 2:30pm (Lunch), 6:30pm to 10:00pm (Dinner), 3:00pm to 5:30pm (High Tea on Sat, Sun & PH)

Other Hotel Buffet Entries
Plaza Brasserie Seafood (PARKROYAL on Beach Road)
10 at Claymore (Pan Pacific Orchard)
Silver Shell Café (Shangri La Rasa Sentosa)
Aquamarine (Marina Mandarin)
5 Ways to Avoid Overeating at The Buffet Restaurant

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Tamoya Udon – Finally, Some Decent Udon in Singapore

admin — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:59:54 +0000

Spotted a new udon shop Tamoya Udon at a corner of Liang Court and its very Japanese vibes called me out to try it. Nope, never an udon person. Never had a decent bowl in Singapore at least – most were just fat, filling and heavy-going. Of course in Japan it is a different story all together. (Read: Sugamo Konaya Udon at Tokyo)

Singaporeans love their ramen obviously, and their soba occasionally. But, udon? Maybe you should give Tamoya Udon a try.

Tamoya, opened by udon champion Tamotsu Kurokawa, is one of the best known udon chain in the home of udon – the “Sanuki (Kagawa)” prefecture in Japan. Having been around for more than 10 year, this outlet in Singapore is its first overseas branch.

I got a little confused at what to order at first, and because it is an assembly-line order-and-collect style, you better know what you want before you hold up the entire queue.

There are a few udon types available hot and/or cold: The most basic Kake in clear broth topped with thinly slice green onions($4.80); the chilled Zaru accompanied with a thick dipping sauce ($4.80), thick and stiffer Sanuki type with thick soya sauce taste; ($4.80) and hot only thicker and chewy Kama-age style ($5.30). The Kama-age may take 10-15 min to serve as it is freshly made.

After selecting the base udon type, you can top it with tempura, onigiri and deep-fried stick items, all very reasonably priced at $1-2.50.

If you are a first timer, why not go for the basic Kake ($4.80)? It looks very plain, but that is when you can taste its real quality with the extra frills.

The udon noodle, made from a proprietary flour mixture of 3 different flour, is very chewy with a lot of bite, and it does not make you feel overly bloated or full. The golden dashi broth is light yet very tasty. This really reminds me of what I had in Tokyo. Thumbs up.

Loved the Beef Bukkake Udon ($10.80) which had a flavorsome sweet-salty stock that you would want to finish till the last drop. The Kama-Curry Udon ($10.80) was too thick and chewy for my liking, and did not helped that I combined it with curry which was also quite gooey.

Tamoya’s tempura, which they claimed to be “extremely crunchy” could be crisp or cold and lackluster depending on your luck. Use your eyes to decide if they have been left out in the open for too long.

This is a fast-food style udon restaurant, yet packed with Japanese families and executives at most times of the day. If you want to know if a Japanese restaurant is authentic and good enough, just check if there are Japanese inside. Won’t go wrong.

Tamoya Udon たも屋うどん-シンガポール
#01-32, Liang Court 177 River Valley Road Singapore 179030 (Clarke Quay MRT), Tel: +65 6337 0301
Opening Hours: 11am – 9:30 pm

Other Japanese Restaurants at Liang Court
Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru (Liang Court)
Nirai Kanai Okinawan Restaurant (Liang Court)
Dulcet & Studio (Liang Court)
Saizeriya Ristorante (Liang Court)
Marutama Ra-Men (Liang Court)

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Loco Modern Tapas & Wine – Not Your Usual Tapas Bar

admin — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 02:24:23 +0000

Loco Modern Tapas and Wine Bar has undergone quite a few changes despite being relatively new, all to meet the waves of challenges that come with F&B business.

The addition of the word “Modern” to its name means it is not selling the traditional tapas dishes but moving towards small-sized plates like Nasi Lemak Sushi, Baked Escargots, Pork Cheeks and Angus Beef Tenderloin Cubes. And lunch sets. And main courses.

And the addition of live music station 10 feet up on the 2nd storey ($10 drinks). And live dart machines at Dartslive on its 3rd.

The location is lovely, right smack in the middle of Boat Quay. If you choose the al fresco dining area, you would be facing Express Place, The Parliament House and a faraway view of the Singapore Flyer. Pray that the weather is cool.

Loco Modern Tapas’ “round the world” menu may be a little too extensive, so you may not be entirely confident what to order that would make the trip all worthwhile.

Its Angus Beef Tenderloin Cubes ($15), though not on its chef recommendations, is worth a try. Evenly prepared and not too tough. The Chorizo Croquettas ($7 for 2 pieces) oozing out with melted cheese and chorizo fillings is well… okay-good, when eaten hot.

Some of the other tapas dishes, like the Deep-Fried Baby Squid ($10) is dry and not flavorsome enough. The Sauteed Tiger Prawns with harissa, butter and parsley ($15) has a nice crunch due to its freshness, but you wished there was a more exciting taste and juicy-moisture for you to suck it up.

For the food, chill-out vibes, and its reasonable price, Loco Modern Tapas and Wine is worth a try. Perhaps they were trying to do too many things at one go, and should focus on a few star tapas, and at least items that would appeal more to the after-office crowd.

My take is, if the name is “Loco” which means crazy, then they should go for it. Do some ‘crazy’ items, and do them really well.

Loco Modern Tapas and Wine
48 Boat Quay Singapore 049850 (Raffles Place MRT) Tel: +65 6535 2841
Opening Hours: 5pm-12am (Mon-Tues), 11:30am-12am (Wed-Thurs), 11:30-3am (Fri) 4:30p-2pm (Sat), Closed Sundays

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