An Italian Feast fit for a King (or Queen)!

There's nothing like a good old Italian feast up, and so when I was invited by the folks at Da Paolo Ristorante in Holland Village for a lunchtime tasting, there was only going to be one answer and if I'm writing this I guess you know what that answer was.

Some of you may know the original Club Street premises but on this occasion, I was invited into the world of the laid back resort chic feel of it's Holland Village sister.  

This is a good place to come if you want to treat yourself to a fantastic Italian feast. The Russsian-Italian chef (yes you heard that combination right), Gleb Snegin was plucked from Italy having spent ten years working in restaurants in Milan, Lombardy and Tuscany. Fast forward to when we met him after our feasting, and he was a little uneasy sitting at the table.  That's because his place is truly in the kitchen to creating dishes to please the palate.      

So let us commence. With the antipasti....

Now I am a big fan of scallops, so when we had to chose there was no doubt in my mind that I would put my stick in the sand with the Capessante Arosttiti con Purea di Cavolfiori. Big, fresh, juicey and delicious and served on a bed of cauliflower puree and res sweet-sour onions.

The Caprese, with it's fantastic yet simple combination of mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, is always a favourite of mine, and this one did not disappoint. The mozzarella was super creamy yet firm - a perfect combination - served with basil leaves and sweet Belgian cherry tomatoes.

An all-time favourite is the Portabello a Sorpresa, Portobello Mushroom served in a burger style with my favourite Taleggio cheese (oh it's been a long time!), salad and a stack of fried potatoes. N.B best to view the fries as decoration if you want to continue feasting on other delights!

Next on to Primi Piatti - otherwise known as (homemade) pasta and risotto. I'm sure those of you who have dined in Italy will know that this course is usually the prelude to the main course, not THE main course like so many of us consume it as. But of course it's up to you to pick and choose. I was glad I was wearing something lose fitting as I geared up for the next epicurean stage.

Anything with lots of juicy crab meat and a dash of vodka combined together gets my vote, as did the Tagliatelle al Granchio.  Creamy and delicate with fresh egg tagliatelle this is my idea of perfect comfort food.

Now I am a HUGE fan of Risotto. It's hard to get right, and there are different styles but risotto is usually make or break for me. The chef here counts risottos among his most accomplished dishes, and it shows. The Risotto di Spinaci con Aragostine - a fantastic combination of baby spinach an slipper lobster is true testimony to that.

Losing up that belt it's time to move on the Secondi. I have a thing for Celeriac - it's not all that often you come across it in Singapore and so when I saw (and of course tasted) the seabass was teamed with celeriac cream and chips in the Branzino all Magnaia con Crema di Sedano it was a joyous occasion.

And for me no Italian feast would be complete without veal. Well it was a mystery that after all that had gone before that the lovely tender lamb shank that was the centerpiece of the Ossubuco all Milanese con Purea di Patate did not send me over the edge. But when it's good food at stake, the only thing to do is to....well....keep eating of course!

Now before we move on to Dolci, a word about wine. The restaurant employs a dedicated wine scout who scours Italy and it's 19 wine growing regions and thousands of vineyards to ferret out the best choices. The restaurant boasts over 76 labels of Italian wine and many are exclusively available only there. Many restaurants fall down on their "house pour", but not Da Paolo Ristorante. They take their house pours as seriously as the rest of it's collection.  Something I was very thankful for.

Right then, Dolci time!

I promise you that whatever you do it and when you eat here, you need to leave room for dessert. In any case there's always a little corner somewhere in your stomach which is holding out just for that sweet finish so it's be rude not to.

Now I have a strange relationship with Tiramisu. I always want to eat it, but then when I do I usually regret it. It's so often to creamy, or too sweet. Finally a Tiramisu I do not regret! The perfect balance of coffee, mascarpone, marsala and cacao.

Follow that with Crespelle Agli Agrui,  perfectly executed crepes, with the warm citron sauce colliding with the blood orange sorbet equals one thing. Taste sensation!

I have not turned into a pig by now, I promise but there's one final thing, and that's the Bonet Piemontese  e Gelato. If you are a secret amaretto and chocolate lover, like I am, then this could very well be the dessert to  lead you astray.

Da Paolo Ristorante (Holland Village) is at 44 Jalan Merah Saga, 01-56, tel: 6476 1332. Open daily from 11.30 to 14.30 for lunch and 18.30 to 22.30 for dinner. Prices range from $17 - 26 for Antipasti, $24-28 for Primi Piatti, $30 - 38 for Secondi and $8-14 for Dolci.

For more information see their website here

I had a camera malfunction so all images courtesy of Da Paolo Ristorante. 

Giddy Up! The Marmalade Pantry comes to the Stables.

Most of you will be familiar with The Marmalade Pantry as the favourite pit stop for brunch, lunch and of course cupcakes at ION Orchard when all that shopping has left you trying to keep hangry (a.k.a. hungry anger) at bay.

Well The Marmalade Pantry has shown that it is definitely not a one-trick pony (excuse the pun!) with its second outlet which recently opened up at The Stables, offering up all time favourites, as well as new signatures exclusive to this second establishment.

I was keen to take up the invitation to check out the new addition because a) The Stables is a fab little spot which hopefully most of you will have checked out at least once -  think a lush green enclave tucked away by Bukit Timah Saddle Club and b) Because it's taken oven the premises of a once favourite of mine - Mimolette.

It's hard not to feel relaxed surrounded by nature and relaxed you will feel whether you chose to wind down on the laid back alfresco terrace or chill out in the  breezy interior peppered with Alvar Aalto chairs.

And what better to further ease you into that relaxed mood than a cheeky cocktail. If you're feeling hot and bothered you can opt for the zingy T.M.P cocktail ($16) or otherwise, this little Frozen Raspberry Daiquiri ($16) is the bees knees and the perfect combination of fruity, sweet and tart - delicious!

Now on to the starters. One word. Haloumi! Now I'm a gal that usually loves my haloumi unadulterated and squeaky. However, the Pan Seared Haloumi Salad ($21) which had a lovely fusion of flavours thanks to the roma tomato and watercress herb salad and accompanying red wine dressing which gives the dish a nice kick meant I was more than happy to make an exception.

If you're not a haloumi fan, the Mexican Chicken Salad ($22) is a great alternative with its combination of creamy avocado and zesty spicy flavours which come through in the salsa. Oh and it's served on a crispy tortilla which gives the dish a nice bit of crunch.

For a bit of comfort food, the Roasted Pumpkin Soup (from the 3-course set dinner menu at $38++) with it's velvety smooth texture and hint of chili will do just the trick.

Now for the mains. I'm a bit of a steak addict, and the Steak & Eggs ($38) here does not disappoint. A clear brunch favourite and served on a skillet, the steak is juicy and flavoursome accompanied by a smidge of tangy smashed peas - apparently the secret to why these peas are just so delicious is that they are prepared with truffle oil.

For fish lovers and those wanting something a little bit lighter on the waste line, the Pan Roasted Red Snapper ($28) with parsley herb crust is served up with beautiful ratatouille, shaved fennel and Mediterranean flavour just like so...

Now the desserts here are so yummy, it's for sure worth making a trip up to the Stables just to indulge in them alone.  Despite being totally stuffed by this time, in the name of desserts that make you go "mmmmmmm" it was time to plough on.

If you can, come here in a group and order as many as you can because they are all delicious and you will not regret it. But if you are forced to only order one, make it the Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake ($8). Despite my tummy getting to dangerously full levels, this was one I just could not stop eating. The combination or the caramel, sea salt and creaminess is delicious to the point of swooning. Oh come here cheesecake and let me have my wicked way with you again..

Other deserts which definitely deserve some taste bud time are the Granny Smith and Stem Ginger Pudding ($13) which paired with salted caramel ice cream equals truly scrumptious...

and the Lemon Brulee Tart ($14) which just as the name suggests is a fabulous combination of flamed top crust sitting atop a base of a lemon tart - a wonderful combination of two very different textures.

Yes hold on in there because that's one more and that's the Chocolate Ganache Tarte (from the set dinner menu) and if you are a chocoholic I strongly advise you get friendly with this sumptuous sweet thing! 

No feasting is complete without a tea to round it all off and at The Marmalade Pantry is where I had my first Gryphon Tea experience.  Now why am I excited about these teas? Well let me explain. How many times have you rounded off a meal with a mint tea only to wonder why you are drinking some kind of vaguely perfumed water? Well I had the Marrakesh Mint Tea ($6.50) and was pleasantly surprised at how good and wonderfully aromatic and yes - tasty -  it was. The perfect end to a hearty meal. 

What??? No mention of cupcakes?! Well quite frankly do you think I had any room for cupcakes by this point? Obviously the answer to that is no but fret not, there's an all day bakery meaning if you are hankering after a Red Velvet or Elvis cupcake, it's there for the taking. 

The Marmalade Pantry at The Stables,  55 Fairways Drive (get it up on Google Maps beforehand so you can show uncle taxi driver how to get there as he won't have a clue). 

Tel: +65 6467 9328. Opening hours: Tues - Fri 3pm - 11pm and Sat - Sun 10am - 11pm. For more information see their website here. 

The Best of British @ The Jackson Plan

There are times I really crave good old British comfort food. And for those times I've now found the perfect place to go - The Jackson Plan at Duxton Hill, Singapore's very own gastro pub.

What I love about this place is the attention to detail at conjuring up the best of British which starts at the menu but extends to details like the lino floor, tea towel napkins, vinegar dispensers, tea-house plates and The Fine Young Cannibals and Blur playing as you walk in through the door. I never thought I would look upon such things with fresh fondness!

A great effort for an establishment set up by an Italian restauranteur -  Beppe de Vito (a famous name in the food industry here who is the man behind the restaurants Il Lido and Forlino). And he cleverly hired a Scottish chef by the name of Christopher Dougan to ensure the food was authentic.

Knowing how filling British food usually is, we shared a starter of Smoked Haddock Rarebit with poached egg which was very tasty indeed...

And as I had been dreaming of Fisherman's Pie for the longest time there was only one thing on my mind when we got there. It was beautiful - crispy on top, creamy on the inside with the right mix of everything. Just lovely. I never thought I would polish the whole thing off (it was much bigger than it looks in this pic) but it was so yummy I did.

Mr C being a Northern boy went for the Lancashire Hotpot. I was amazed at how lovely and soft the lamb inside was. 

And of course we couldn't hold back on the sides of mushy peas and baked beans - the latter which was homemade! Mr C and I disagreed on this as he couldn't believe it was not Heinz but I thought he was being daft as what could be better than homemade baked beans?!

And of course we washed it all down with a spot of English tea and cucumber juice....

 

Obviously by this point we were absolutely full to the brim but as my eyes had popped out when I saw Sticky Toffee Pudding on the menu when we first arrived so we somehow found a corner in our tummys to share one. And we did not regret it. It was pudding heaven!  

Make sure you have a taxi booked so you can literally roll into it from having a belly full of very satisfying food  indeed!

The Jackson Plan
40 Duxton Hill
Singapore 08961
Tel: +65 6866 1988


For more information see their website here.

Tapas time

I love tapas and when not one but two tapas places opened their doors in Singapore within two months of each other, I was pretty excited while at the same time reminding myself that they could just fall into the mediocre pile.

But yippee they didn't! They both landed in the authentic pile, lucky for us. First up here's...

Sabio Tapas Bar

Of the two, this is my favourite. Though French-owned, when I spied the Jamon (ham) proudly presented on the counter with a dedicated Jamon cutter I realised then that we could be onto something good here - and that's coming from a non-ham eater.

Anyway I love the buzziness of this recent addition to Duxton Hill with it's cosy and cool interior complete with a traditional long tapas bar as the centrepiece.

As you do with tapas places, we ordered a whole host of things - all of which were really tasty, fresh and flavoursome. But my personal favourites were the big fat juicy scallops cooked in a a creamy wine sauce and then the prawns and squid below. I was so excited to finally have some good tapas I got carried away and only took the photo half way through - sorry about that!

Sabio Tapas Bar is at 5 Duxton Hill, Singapore 089591, Tel: + 65 6223 4645. Check out their Facebook page here

Now on to...

La Cicala 

This restaurant's interior gives it a more sophisticated feel and it's great to see the chefs at work up at the back...

What I loved about La Cicala is that there were some different takes on tapas on the menu which is always refreshing . Some of the dishes I loved here were the grilled vegetables stuffed with manchego cheese (yum all melted and gooey!) and the lamb skewers...

the grilled octopus...

and the beef stew - note the cute little serving dishes..

La Cicala is at 49 Club Street, Singapore, 069426, Tel: +65 6534 8812.

Mmmmm time for a tapas sensation? I think so!

Let's get Kinki!

The other day I was really excited to be invited to a tasting by the lovely people at Kinki Restaurant and Bar at Custom House, Collyer Quay. 

 

I'd been meaning to check it our for a while as it opened around the same time I arrived in Singapore just over a year ago but being a last-minute kind of gal, never seemed to manage to bag a table at the weekend as last minute just won't do it.

Now the reason I've decided I love Kinki is because they do 3 things I love very well. And that's great cocktails, super fresh sushi and sashimi, and black cod all in a very cool, contemporary, urban environment which strikes just the right balance of warmth and attitude with its sassy interior and proper service with a personality.

So let's start off with the cocktails. Yes it was 12.30pm and way too early for a cocktail but with such original cocktails it would be rude not to. And quite frankly once I tried the Japanese Pear Martini...

 

and Classic Peach Saketini I just didn't care what time of the day it was they were so good.

If you are a sushi and sashimi fan like me, you will love Kinki as they fly top quality seafood and produce direct from Japan about four times a week  and you get a bit more of an imaginative take on things here, for example....

Tai Carpaccio with truffle - this dish is so good you will want to finish off the whole thing yourself. The delicate texture of the Tai combined with the truffle is pretty much orgasmic and will leave you wanting more....and more. This was definitely my favourite and you can't come to Kinki without trying it.

Other must trys are the Foie Gras and Scallop Sushi...

as well as the Baked Scallop Maki, Negi Toro & Gobo Sushin (fatty blue fin tuna) and the Chiraishi Donburi (sashimi on top of rice) set lunch meal if value for money is the order of the day.

But it's not just the sushi and sashimi that's good here. I thought tomatoes might be a strange choice but honestly for a taste of how tomatoes should really taste - i.e. super sweet and tangy - then the Momataro Tomato dish wins hands down.

And even the black cod was no ordinary black black cod. Yes genius -  this combined my love with pomegranate AND miso. Delicious.

Well I don't know what the chef there's been drinking but whatever it is that's made him get kinki, I want some! Also if you're planning on heading down on a Friday or Saturday night, you can take it on to the rooftop bar with stunning views over the Marina Bay district accompanied by a little bit of R&B and hip hop. The perfect end to a perfect evening.

Kinki Restaurant and Bar is at 70 Collyer Quay, Custom House Level 2. For reservations T: 6533 3471, E: enquiry@kinki.com.sg or visit their website.

With thanks to foodnews.com.sg for the images.

The day dim sum stacked it

I am a definitely a massive dim sum fan, and probably a dim sum snob. Many a weekend is spent sniffing out good dim sum spots but I'm usually too busy stuffing my face and enjoying these little parcels of delight to take photos and blog about it.

But I had a bit of a harsh dim sum wake up call having come back from Hong Kong where we feasted on fantastic dim sum all for a small bill.

I'm always keen to support local establishments in my hood, so feeling in a lazy mood, thought we'd toddle off to the newly opened Stacked Dim Sum Bar at Robertson Quay for lunch.

Having had my fix of traditional dim sum over the last few days, I was keen to try some of the signature fusion dumplings on offer. This is probably all my fault for being a dim sum infidel. 

Anyway I don't usually blog about restaurants that I feel didn't make the grade, but I just felt so disappointed that Stacked seemed to be all about the concept with nice little touches like the below fan and sauce dispensers...

but not much about quality. Plus I was a bit grossed out that it turns out everything we ordered was either fried or deep fried and was truly surprised because when ordering Thai basil beef dumplings, shredded duck dumplings and scallop pesto dumplings I really expected these to be lovely little steamed things bursting with freshness and flavour. To have them any other way seemed to be a major trick missed and a bit of a cop out.

Interestingly I saw that when My Food Odyssey went they tried the traditional dim sum and seemed to find it just as average.

I agree with their sentiments in that this place is confused as to whether they are trying to be a bar or a dim sum restaurant.  If you're a dim sum lover this isn't the place to come for a meal - there are so many better - and better value places to get your dim sum fix.  But if you want a couple of snacks with a beer I guess it'd be fine.