The Peranakan – Straits Cuisine At Its Finest [MEDIA INVITE]

The Peranakan

The recent revamped of the shopping centre beside Orchard Hotel, now known as Claymore Connect has unveiled a new peranakan restaurant, named The Peranakan. The Owner / Chef behind this is Executive Chef Raymond Khoo, a peranakan and well experienced Chef whom for the first time open a restaurant true to his root.

Part of the Outdoor Seating

For him, The Peranakan is about cooking peranakan food according to Chef Khoo family recipe.

Mini Peranakan Shop

Peranakan Tea Set

Located in the 2^nd floor of Claymore Connect, the restaurant is easy to spot from far away. It is bright, glamorous and proudly displaying a true heritage of Peranakan culture. The furnitures, the batik table covers, wallpapers, cutleries and the overall presentation just showcase the Peranakan heritage. I actually think, The Peranakan looks more like a Peranakan Museum than a restaurant.

Part of Dining Area

Part of Dining Area

[CLOSED] Montana Singapore – A New Menu and Freak Cakes [MEDIA INVITE]

Montana Singapore

Montana Singapore is an innovative modern cafe located in PoMo Singapore. They are known for their signatures such as Red Velvet Stacked Waffles and Jalapeno Mac & Cheese Waffles. To keep up with the current market trend, Montana keep innovating new dishes to their menu.

Part of the Dining Area - At the back

One of the latest additions is their Freak Cakes. These mini artisanal 3 layer cakes is enough for 2 to 3 pax to share, on top of giving you the WOW factors and IG worthy picture. We also sampled the Coffee Kaya Coconut ($14.80). Made from Coffee Sponge, Kaya Buttercream, coconut white chocolate glaze, gula melaka crumbs.

Freak Cake - Coffee Kaya Coconut

Seng Kee Bak Kut Teh – Yummy Bak Kut Teh

Seng Kee Bak Kut Teh @ AMK

Having tasted most of the popular Bak Kut Teh('BKT') in Singapore, I will hardly have a Bak Kut Teh in a Hawker Centre or Food Centre. Reason being, I don't like to be disappointed with bland soup plus dry and chewy pork ribs. I like my BKT to be peppery, slightly cloudy white broth and robust with a sweetness derived from the pork. When eating BKT, LD and I will always try to order the prime ribs, so we can enjoy the perfect bite of ribs.

The Menu

Surprisingly, I always want to give Seng Kee Bak Kut Teh in Chong Boon Food Centre, Ang Mo Kio a try. On the weekend, this section of the food centre will be packed and about 20 plus table there will definitely order something from Seng Kee. Not sure what to have for breakfast, I decided to give it a try.

Spare Ribs ($6), Bean Curd Skin ($2) and Rice ($0.50). The broth is peppery, sweet and robust. The pepper is strong but just enough to warm your stomach not to offset. The sweetness come from the pork that is just appetizing. The spare ribs is just juicy and succulent. It has the right balance of meat and fats yum yum.

My Breakfast

The beancurd skin is stewed until it is soft, yet still retain the slight crunchiness to it. The dark sauce is slightly watery, however it is salty enough to flavour the beancurd skin and even producing a touch umami flavour.

Spare Ribs - Soup

Spare Ribs - Up Close

Like the traditional version of BKT, Seng Kee only served white rice with its BKT. Not youtiao here. They have two other signature dishes which are pig trotters and steamed fish. Unfortunately, I have not manage to try both this time around.

This stall is not a self service stall. So you just place your order, let them know your table number and your food will be delivered to you.

Overall, Seng Kee served a good Bak Kut Teh. In my personal opinion, their BKT is even comparable to some of the popular BKT store in Singapore. So if you are around Ang Mo Kio area give Seng Kee Bak Kut Teh a try. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 7.75/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: N/A (Food Centre)

Budget per Person: $0 - $10

Seng Kee Bak Kut Teh

Blk 453A Ang Mo Kio Ave 10

#01-06, Chong Boon Food Centre

Singapore 561453

OH:

Tue – Sun: 07.30 – 20.30

Closed on Mon

Wangdaebak Pocha – Korean 70's Street Food Dining Experience [MEDIA INVITE]

Wangdaebak Pocha

Wangdaebak Pocha ('WP') is the concept by Wangdaebak Korean BBQ inspired by street food wagon popular in Korea during 1970s and 1980s.

Front Part of the Dining Area 

Stepping into WP, it just reminds me the Korean TV Series Reply 1988, starring the popular Park Bo Gum (Little Devil's current idol). The dimly lighted restaurant filled traditional wooden stools and tables; aged posters; aged family portraits, records and old signboard really set the atmosphere like the one in that TV series. Imagine you are transported back in time to the 70s and 80s. Totally love the settings and it will even be better when the furniture starts to have the wear and tear in the future.

Back Part of the Dining Area 

In typical Korean fashion side dishes will still be served with your street food. This include kimchi, corn kernels with cream, fish cake and instant noodle glaze with sweet sauce.

Side Dishes

Dolce Vita – Gusto Italiano 2016 [MEDIA INVITE]

Dolce Vita @ MO_Singapore

Gusto Italiano returns for its fourth edition in celebration of finest Italian Cuisine in Singapore. This week, Dolce Vita will host Michelin-Starred Chef Emanuele Mazzella to spice up the Gusto Italiano Festival.

The Bread

Today we sample the 4 course lunch menu, especially created for this festival. Amuse Bouche was Smoked Eggplant and Tomato. A subtle flavour foam couple with the tangy tomato open up your palate in anticipation for the dishes to come.

Amuse Bouche

[CLOSED] Your Italian Butler – Welcome to Chef Carmine's Home [MEDIA INVITE]

Vita Italiana has been rebranded to Your Italian Butler

Vita Italiana Restaurant

Vita Italiana, an intimate Italian restaurant located in Mosque Street, Chinatown Singapore. Yes, I did not type it wrongly. While most of us know Keong Saik area is populated with the trendy 'Around the World' restaurants, Mosque Street has always been filled with Chinese Restaurants and a few popular Korean Restaurants; Vita Italiana is here to break the stereotype.

The new management under Chef Carmine since May 2016, Vita Italiana took a no menu approach for its dining experience. Chef Carmine idea is for you to feel like dining at an Italian's home. Just inform him or Georgina (the manager) on what you don't eat, the chefs and the team will create their magic.

Part of the dining area

Lunch consist of 3 courses and 5 courses at S$28++ and $38++ respectively. While Dinner will offer 9 courses and 13 courses option including desserts at $68++ and $98++ respectively. Please note the dishes serve will change daily.

1st & 2nd Courses

Eight Treasures Vegetarian – Meatless Does Not Mean Tasteless

Eight Treasures Vegetarian Restaurant is one of the popular vegetarian restaurant located just beside the Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic temple in Chinatown. With the belief of promoting vegetarian food in Singapore, Eight Treasure believe that Meatless does not mean Tasteless.

Achar & Peanuts

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall ($25 for medium). My memory of the “real” Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is definitely different here. The vegetarian version here is closer to shark fin soup. Thick, gooey yet flavourful broth, filled with good stuff such as konnyaku shark's fin, abalone and sea cucumber. A touch heavy on the pepper but it was pretty good.

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (Individual Serving)

Borderless Brunch – New Dining Experience at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Part 2 [MEDIA INVITE]

Borderless Brunch 

Our dining experience journey at Grand Copthorne Waterfront ('GCW') continue with their Borderless Brunch. This brunch concept combine three distinct food concepts by GCW to offer one of the most anticipated Brunch experience. Every Sunday, Food Capital + Tempo + Grissini come together to present to you Grand Copthorne Waterfront Borderless Brunch.

Borderless Brunch Passport

Before you are seated, each of you will be given a Passport. Well it is basically just a mini map so you don't get lost in your quest for good food. The gastronomic delights will start from 12.30 PM and you basically have 3 hours to sample the best food on offer.

Your Personal Borderless Brunch Map

Seasonal Tastes – Crab-Tivating Dinners [MEDIA INVITE]

Seasonal Tastes

It's Crab-Tivating Dinners at Seasonal Tastes. Highlighting the favourite crustaceans of Singaporean, Seasonal Tastes paying the ultimate tribute by making it the highlight of the buffet every evening.

The crab dishes will include Crab Steamed in Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausages, Steamed Crab with Golden Garlic, Deep-fried Crab with Salted Egg Yolk, Yellow Curry Crab, Crab with Spicy Sour Plum Sauce, Singapore Chili Crab with Mantous and Wok-fried Crab with Coriander Seeds, Bell Pepper and Onions.

Ingredients for Crab Steamed in Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausages

The best crab dish for night for me was the Crab Steamed in Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausages. The mud crab was cooked just right, fresh, sweet flesh, with a solid white wine flavour and tasty spicy Italian sausage. Chef Aaron Foster did a live demo cooking for this dish, and it was worth trying as you will not normally find this in Singapore.

Crab Steamed in Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausages