eevon.sg

“Oh you are such a pest! I’m not slacking on the diet! Stop laughing at me!” She said, impatiently. “Hurry and tuck into the Mini Wagyu ‘n’ Foie Burgers before I shove them all down my throat and you shall have none. ”

“Well darling, these mini burgers look magnificent don’t they?” He winks. “Explains alot why you are harbouring pesky thoughts to keep them all to yourself.”

Obviously the Mini Wagyu ‘n’ Foie Burgers $22 caught both her attention. He know how she likes mini and pretty items. Indulging in witless banters over a trio of bite size burgers before the mains arrived, she takes a tiny nibble at the carefully glazed bun before savouring the rich, buttery and delicate taste of the fatty liver.

“Mmm. I love this. The roughness of the Wagyu goes perfectly well with the tender Foie. Oh dear. I’m not really a fan of burgers but I can actually have a few more of this!” She exclaimed with a greedy twinkle in her eye.

He looked up. Distracted. As much as he loves her, it was really strange to him how this woman can effortlessly forgot everything she said just a minute ago.

“Baby, have I told the story of how the Roman emperor Elagabalus fed his dogs on foie gras during the four years of his chaotic reign? ”

That did the trick.

Not that the Mini Wagyu ‘n’ Foie Burgers were bad. He just thinks the Wagyu was not enough for his appetite and was secretly pleased that he ordered the Wagyu Beef Rump $36 to satisfy his carnivorous cravings. Nothing beats the Wagyu Beef Rump which comes with a trio of mushroom, braised oxtail, cherry tomato chutney, bacon krupuk, butter poached potatoes and beef jus. Succulent and tasty. Just the right dish for a tasty gentleman like him.

Keen to irritate her with imaginary stories that always end with her whimsical laughter, he gets into the mood once the Squash Risotto $23 was served.

“Darling, can you imagine that the Squash Risotto is a orange-haired babe who had a similar nature to the Wagyu Beef Rump, only she was haughty and stuck-up as well, and though Wagyu Beef Rump often asked her to come and play at his house, she always said no.”

“Oh dear. What kind of a story is this?” she chuckled.

He knew that she would get this dish. She has been texting him all day, dropping hints that she need comfort food after a meeting went haywire first thing in the morning. Squash Risotto served with gratinéed goat cheese, baked pine nuts and thyme. He stole a bite and was pleased with the blast of flavours. How much comfort could a woman ask for? Somehow, watching her carefully scooping spoonfuls of bright orange baby food made him happy too. He never noticed how shapely her lips were. But that’s a story for another day.

“Well I’m not done yet. So the Squash Risotto would say, Beef Rump! I can’t be left to cool now, otherwise I won’t taste nice. Won’t you understand that? Why don’t you go and visit the Raspberry? before she shrieked at him.” He’s a sly one. He knew that dessert was on its way.

“Hahaha darling stop this nonsensical story! It’s killing me!” She laughed and squeezed his hand before dessert distracts her short attention. “Oh raspberries! Dessert looks absolutely pretty tonight!” she cried, tapping lightly on a tea sphere. Now that her attention was on the ruby red raspberries, he dug his spoon into her alluring plate of the Squash Risotto again.

Oh yes. Raspberries $16. Perfect way to end the night.  She was so pleased with the aerated crème anglaise, honey comb and tea spheres. It was a winner on both taste and texture. New age food is something she mentioned that she’ll want to try. He gladly obliged. She deserves everything that he can provide. Food has always been a fanciful affair for them.

“How was dinner my love?”

“It was delightful! Thank you Mr.Engineer And I love you.”

Mission accomplished.

Garage
Riverside Point
30 Merchant Road #01-07
Tel: 6533 3188

Hey other than the food, everything else is fiction ok? Haha. But I must admit that I’m a really big fan of the Squash Risotto at Garage. I was there with the fun peeps from OpenRice. Thank you Lisa for having us. Yeap now you know what I’m up to every Wednesday! Yet another food adventure with OpenRice! :/ Oh shit, I really need to start exercising more often!

I was at Firestation Hillside Gastrobar just 2 days ago with a yummy bunch from Openrice before popping by again with The Fiance for dinner. He wanted to try the Braised Duck Pizza because I kept raving about it. Mr.Nice Guy also said that I deserve a slice of cheese cake because I wasn’t feeling quite well. OK. Just as well. Gastrobar offers both with style.

I love the Braised Duck Pizza $18! We shared this enormous serving of braised duck pizza that is seasoned with a luxurious truffle mayo. When the pizza arrived, it was a visual feast. Each mouthful was a delight! The thin crust with generous fillings and cheese makes perfect comfort food for a greedy couple like us.

We both ate with our fingers and exchanged amused glances because a hyperactive little angmoh kid was scurrying around the spacious timber decked al fresco area with a green brolly. Super adorable. Firestation Hillside Gastrobar is a really lovely venue for alfresco dining or an after dinner drink.

Back to the pizza, I liked how slight peppery flavour of the rocket leaves rounded up the flavours deftly but felt that the truffle mayo was not discerning enough. Speaking of truffles, I have a sudden craving for the extremely truffly taste of the Fettuccine alla Piedmontese pasta I had at Trattoria Milano. Chef Domenico Truglia used truffle oil as it is a more affordable alternative that offers an ultra strong truffle flavour. Oh yes I’ll write a review on Trattoria Milano soon!

By the way, he also ordered a Striploin Steak $26, but he thinks the beef he has at Garage was better. I’ll talk about that soon. Anyway the last time when I was here with OpenRice, the kitchen refused to serve us the Pork Belly $12 because they said that the pork that day wasn’t good enough. I like it when restaurants have such high level of quality check. So since Xavier the Manager said the pork belly was OK that evening, The Fiance and I had to order it. Here it is. The Pork Belly that looks and tasted like atas Roasted Pork/Siew Yoke.

Looks good right? The skin was super crispy and I really enjoyed how it crackles with each chew. Though the oozy fat and tender flesh did not outshine its golden, bubbled skin, all is well. Honestly, I have not tasted any Chinese roasted pork as good as this. Stole a few sips of his Erdinger because I know that it’ll pair perfectly with this delicious snack. My Margarita went better with the duck pizza.

Lastly, the Firestation Cheese Cake $8. What can be better than tiny nibbles of cheese cake amidst thick, luscious greenery? I ate almost all of this and by the time the last mouthful of cheese cake goes down my throat, I’ve totally forgotten about being stricken with flu and lightheadedness.

It was amazingly fluffy, light and easy on a stubborn tummy that still wants dessert even thought its at the verge of bursting. Crust was oat-ish. Perfect. Well if you are not a fan of cakes? Then go for the apple crumble. That’s another one of my fav dessert at Firestation Hillside Gastrobar.

If you are wondering whether to pop by Firestation Hillside Gastrobar or Raw Kitchen Bar next door, figure out your cravings for the night beforehand. If it’s salad or starter, Raw Kitchen Bar has some good quirky fusion dishes to satisfy your taste buds. As for mains and dessert, move over to Firestation Hillside Gastrobar.

Including his pint of Erdinger $12 and my Classic Margarita $16, dinner for two was about $110. Ambiance was great. Firestation Hillside Gastrobar is a place well worth seeking out. Noted that happy hours are 5 – 7pm and 10pm – 12 midnite daily! Yay I wish there were more of such perfect venues for chilling out in this area. Will definitely be back for the Braised Duck Pizza and am looking for westies to meet up for Sunday Brunch here! It’s quite affordable at $18/breakfast set.

Drop me a comment/email if you are interested for brunch between 10am – 230pm on a Sunday at Firestation Hillside Gastrobar!

Firestation Hillside Gastrobar
274 Upper Bukit Timah Road (S) 588213
Tel : +65 6465 0600
Remember to call for reservations

After a busy day at work, I just want to stone amidst lush greenary and enjoy a simple dinner. I’ve been visiting this place quite often these days. Ever been to a garden in a cafe somewhere in China Square Central? Gotta thank 24seven for the tasting session which brought me to Eden Sanctuary. You can find blog entries about our exclusive Rainbow Cuisine tasting over at Diana, Amanda, Calvin, Justin and Veron‘s blog. I gotta miss that entry because Chuck screwed up again. Oh Chuck. Why.

Forget Chuck. Since I’m fast becoming a regular here, it is more appropriate for me to share on some of the staple dishes here which you can find on the menu! Unlike other conventional cafes, stepping into Eden Sanctuary really really feels like home. Everyone is well taken of at Chef Clement’s cosy dining room.

(:

Dinner last night started with the Tomato Basil Tartlet ($7.90). Though it looked like a typical canapé, it actually tasted better than what I had at Restaurant Week. Love the crispy savoury crust filled with a tomato based sauce on the inside. Magic of this finger delight is the fresh basil leave hidden beneath the layer of cheese.

These savoury tartlets are such delicate sweethearts. Complementary flavours of tomato, cheese, fennel, herbs and especially the refreshing tones of a lucky basil leave perked me up for what’s coming up!

Creamless Homestyle Pumpkin Soup ($4.00)

I wish mom was here. She always complains about cooking pumpkins. Well, I’ve tried creamy pumpkin soups and it wasn’t spectacular. So I’m particularly pleased with Eden Sanctuary’s clear broth version with herbs. I enjoyed every spoonful of pumpkin bumps, shreds or chucks. The texture is so inconsistently attractive, I’m hating how I am polishing off the bowl in just 5 minutes. Argh. It’s hard to flirt with a bowl of soup. They don’t last very long.

Fan of Shakespeare? I am especially when it come to his timeless tales of love and human fallacy. Remember Sir Andrew in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night who tried desperate to flirt with a maiden by the name of Maria and failed terrible? It is he who said “I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit”. Well, he’s a meathead if he has never tried Balsamic Strawberry Beef ($9.90). Look at that chunk of wonderment.

Oops Sir Andrew, pardon me. Nay you wouldn’t enjoy this if you don’t fancy an unconventional twist to your meat. I had mine at medium with a slight tarty. sourish pinch on the tongue. It was lovely. Accompanied with a drizzle of savoury sauce, the strawberries set off a fruity refinement to an otherwise typical piece of meat.

I’m sorry sweethearts. When I get started on literature, I can’t stop. So in Twelfth Night, Shakespeare takes a amusing approach to expose the ways humans fall prey to pride, vanity and self-deception. So we are all fools of our own deception. I felt like a simpleton fool just like Sir Andrew more often than not. Fools that are easily pleased, easily contented, easily amused. So tell me. Is that good or bad?

Nevertheless, perhaps there’s really nothing to hide especially after savouring the next dish at Eden Sanctuary. I could smell it as Chef Clement was on his way to my table. Ginger Leek Peanut Butter Fish ($6.90). Odd combination isn’t it? But trust me. You should really try this. There’s just something graceful and clever about this down-to-earth dish that screams simplicity.

Each mouthful is a blast of flavours from the distinct taste of ginger, leek and peanut butter. Yet surprisingly with such powerful elements, I could still taste the flaky fishy fish tucked under the brownish garb! No wonder Chef Clement said that a fish should taste like a fish no matter how it is prepared. You get that? Say bye bye to tasteless meat!

By the way, it’s a must to get a pot of floral tea to accompany these delicate creations. It goes perfectly well with the food here. All in all, Eden Sanctuary offers simple, natural and light on the tummy meals. A week ago I was here for lunch and the Creamless Carbonara Pasta was awesome! Yup CREAMLESS! I could successfully finish a slice of cheese cake after that! Ah ah ah, nothing to be guilty about because Chef Clement made sure that it’s a balanced, healthy meal. I’m just a simply fool at Eden Sanctuary waiting for the next serving of his witty creation.

(:

Eden Sanctuary Floral Cafe
18 Cross Street #01-16
China Square Central
Tel : 6224 2298
Remember to call for reservations!

Tried hotpot on a conveyor belt yet?

I did just that over the hotpot bar at Kichi Kichi.

(:

Thank you Sixth Sense and Kichi Kichi for the invitation. I had fun sitting on a high chair, customising my individual hotpot! It was a fuss-free hotpot experience.

Unlike the conventional hotpot elsewhere where everyone shares one large pot, everyone gets an individually controllable stove at Kichi Kichi. But similar to those hotpot outlets at Bugis, Kichi Kichi offers the all-you-can-eat concept. Big difference is, you don’t have to walk at all! Perfect for lazy folks like me. No time was wasted. I just gotta grab a good seat and be on stand-by mode while the conveyer belt conveniently dishes out a constant stream of fresh ingredients.

And guess what, the air-conditioning at Kichi Kichi also works perfectly.

I shall not associate perspiration with hotpot anymore.
I shall not associate perspiration with hotpot anymore.
I shall not associate perspiration with hotpot anymore.

(: Hotpot is no longer a hot, stuffy affair.

Wanted something light, so I had the signature mushroom soup. It was delicious with all the interesting and fresh ingredients that I grabbed from the conveyor belt.

My favourite ingredient was the Sliced Wagyu Beef, $5 from the Premium Items section! Was greedy and took too many plate of beef. Thanks goodness Hungry Cow was there to help chow down his fellow mates. Nope this cow is not feeling even a tiny tinge of guilt for munching on his own kind. Thanks moo moo for your pleasant company!

Beef! Before! Look at the lean cut and marble fat. I think the whiteness of the fat which contrasts with the red meat and forms a marble-like pattern is so pretty. What you think? Is there anyone here who don’t love beef??

Beef! After! Swished and swirled this fine piece of meat over the hotpot and it was cooked in seconds! I took extra care to make sure I don’t overcook this baby! I love my beef medium. Ah look it’s so tender! MMm it went really well with the sightly nutty Kichi Kichi sesame sauce!

Speaking of sauces, it’s heartening that Kichi Kichi recognizes the importance of dipping sauces in the Asian culture! They have actually have a variety of eight sauces to suit all tastes:Kichi Kichi Chilli Sauce, Chilli Padi with Vinegar, Japanese Soya Sauce, Kichi Kichi Sesame Sauce, Vinegar and Ginger, Chilli Padi & Soya Sauce, Hoi Sin and Chilli Chin Chalok.

Me personal favourite would be the Kichi Kichi Sesame Sauce! It was savory But Hungry Cow thought that it’s too watered down! I think he’s a bigger fan of the Kichi Kichi Chili Sauce which was a perkier dip. Hehe.

Oops. Took a tiny dip into the sauce before I snapped this pic.

Well, homemade sauces are not the only special offerings at Kichi Kichi. A selection of a la carte items is also available at additional costs. They include premium dishes like Salmon Belly, Salmon Fillet, Fish Head, Oysters, Scallops, Cockles, Sliced Venison, Sliced Wagyu Beef, and tempting desserts like a Chocolate hotpot with assorted fruits, to a comprehensive list of non-alcoholic beverages, wine, sake and beer. I had a glass of white. Pretty smooth and it went perfectly with the Chocolate Hotpot with Cut Fruits ($5)!

To perk up the entire hotpot experience, there was a number of ‘Secret Recipes’ cruising the conveyor belt. Not bad. My girlfriend who can’t cook for nuts would find these recipes useful. Haha. Anyway ‘Secret Recipes’ definitely inject another level of fun while dining at Kichi Kichi. Totally appreciate how these simple instructions is so helpful in guiding me on the use of different ingredients in my pot to create a unique twist to some of familiar Asian dishes.

Food was decent. Service was good. Efficient staff cleared the empty plates regularly and were prompt to refill the soup. I really liked how I could customise my individual hotpot experience by selecting from a wide range of over 60 ingredients, 6 quality soup stocks and 8 homemade sauces!

Quality ingredients. Checked.
Efficient service. Checked.
Trendy ambience. Checked.
Comfort. Checked.

Omigosh. Steamboat will never be the same again! You won’t catch me fixing any steamboat cravings in those al-fresco bugis outlets anymore. Now I wish I have more time for lunch.

Weekday lunch at Kichi Kichi is pretty affordable. Between 11am to 5pm: Adults S$19.90++ | Students S$14.90++ | Kids 3-9 years: S$7.90++ | Kids below 3 years: Free.

Not bad, right? Ok rephrase. Now I wish I’m still a student.

By the way, I’m actually quite pleased that Kichi Kichi management is one of those that listens to feedbacks. I think they handled an unhappy diner tactfully after some constructive criticism were posted on Hungrygowhere.

Let’s see. Now we have hotpot and sushi on conveyor belts. Someone should start a dimsum conveyor belt restaurant! Yum yum.

(:

Kichi Kichi
180 Kitchener Road
#02-23/24 City Square Mall
Tel: +65 9170 1146
11am – 10pm

The verdict. With better chicken, better mashed potatoes, better biscuits and better sides, Popeye’s wins KFC hands down! Well yes, I did raved about KFC’s bigger, juicier and much more tender chicken pieces across the causeway previously. But to tell you the truth, if there were more Popeye’s outlets on the island, I won’t be caught in any KFC diner.

There you go. Popeye’s super amazing buttermilk biscuits and crispy chicken!

We ordered 2 sets of the Turf ‘N’ surf Couple Meal. That’s the promo going on now at $18.80 for 4 chicken, 2 buttermilk biscuits, 6 popcorn shrimp, 1 regular mashed potato, 1 regular corn and 2 regular sjora juice. You can have the choice of New Orleans Spicy or Louisiana Mild for the chicken flavors but the staff don’t really care. You should let them know and not wait for them to ask. Yes the service is awful. Will come to that shortly.

I was quite happy to know that they did not ran out of biscuit this time! Months ago when I visited the Changi T3 branch, they ran out of this soft, crumbly and buttery biscuit! Yeah it’s so weird that they can ran out of such signature stuff. Oh well. We were given raspberry jam to go with it but I think it is best eaten warm with some maple syrup! What you think? Ah and the chicken! I loooove Popeye’s chicken because it is so crispy yet not too dry. The skin is much better, fresher, and it seems like it used better spices than KFC’s!

Erm did you asked if there are any cons about Popeye’s chicken? Well unfortunately yes. The birdies were miserly pieces of lean chicken. 8 pieces of chicken and 4 biscuits were in that box! I do think that 8 pieces of KFC’s chicken would not have fitted into that box.

If you are not a fan of Popeyes light-weight crispy chicken, I shall assure that you’ll fall in love with the mashed potatoes. Popeyes mashed potatoes have the richest gravy with small chicken bits in it! The gravy is so full of punch and blended extremely well with the smooth mashed potatoes.

Stank said that 7-11 BBQ flavoured mashed potatoes’ (only available in certain outlets) could help satisfy cravings for Popeyes mashed potatoes because the gravy tasted somewhat similar. I shall verify that.

I shall briefly introduce the other side dishes we had that evening.

Hello, popcorn shrimp. You looked ravishing but we are sorry that we found nothing spectacular about you. In fact, you were a tad too dry and tasteless.

Hello, Cajun Fries. Though we loved you and anticipated your coming, we grieved at the first bite because the evil counter/kitchen staff served you cold.

Hello, Sjora juice. You were included in the couple set. I had one of your kind at Yoshinoya recently and frankly, I hated him. Your mango cousin was too thick. But surprisingly, your pineapple-ish and mango-peachy flavours were pretty ok this time round. Touted as a healthier and all-natural alternative to soda, I’m proud of you and thought that you did went well with biscuits. Alas, you do not mix well with the fried chicken.

I shall stick with Coke.

So now you know. Popeyes is just great for its chicken and mashed potatoes. The cajun fried would had been as good as Long John Silver’s if it was not served cold.

By the way, if you were to take MRT to City Hall and walked from there to Popeyes at Flyer, it’s really a hassle. The location is pretty out of the way. And honestly, I have no idea why the service at Popeye’s is freaking bad! We had the same crappy experience with the service staff at Flyer and Changi! I actually had to clean my own table because the cleaner was no where to be seen and there wasn’t any vacant table in sight so yeah. It’s either that they are horrendously understaffed which probably explains their unfriendly dead-pan face over the counter, or HR sucked at hiring/training.

Sigh. On account of the to-die-for chicken, mashed potatoes and biscuits, Popeyes shall remained one of my favorite fast food. But I really hope the management there could get their act together. Hello? Are you listening?

On the other hand, though KFC chicken sucks in comparison to Popeye’s, I gotta give the Colonel Harland Sanders credit for the commendable service staff, decent popcorn chicken, am porridge, egg tarts! and coleslaw. Actually, for the coleslaw, my compliment only applies to the JB KFCs. SG KFCs serve soggy, pathetic coleslaws! Bluek.

Ok I’m done complaining.

(:

Oh there’s this fried chicken place that is not a franchise outlet. Arnold’s Fried Chicken. Have yet to visit and try the fried birdies there. Will do so soon!