REBEL – More Than A Sandwich [MEDIA INVITE]

Vegan H.A.L.T.  Sandwich

REBEL is a new sandwich shop concept that first opened its door in TripleOne Somerset on 4^th May 2019. REBEL identify itself beyond a mere sandwich shop, instead, it is focused on a community and lifestyle.

REBEL Shop

REBEL is about being a culture that nurtures entrepreneurship, empowering employee as being part of the REBEL brand, taking ownership and its future. REBEL is Eco-Friendly and it works with like-minded partners such as QUORN – delicious meat-free leading brand producer; QOMUNE – passionate coffee partner; PACKADZ – environmentally friendly packaging; and ZAC MEAT – best halal meats supplier for the awesome sandwiches.

REBEL Gurl Logo

REBEL Sandwiches is inspired by the owner experience when he first bit into a Banh Mi in Vietnam. From then on, the seeds of REBEL were planted.

All Day Naked Sandwich

I tried two sandwiches at REBEL: All Day Naked ($6.90) and Vegan H.A.L.T. ($7.50). True to its name, All Day Naked consist of beef bacon, chicken ham and fried egg hold together with crispy REBEL bread. Unlike the Vietnamese baguette, the bread texture here is crisp externally, with a bit of density in the middle part of the bread. The bacon, ham and egg provided a solid meaty bite on the sandwich and will receive a nod of approval from meat lovers. Due to the texture of the bread, it does not leave a messy crumb after you finished your meal.

All Day Naked Sandwich

All Day Naked Sandwich  - The Fillings

Vegan H.A.L.T. is a different experience altogether. Filled with Quorn Spicy Patty, Avocado Salsa (A), Lettuce (L), Tomato (T) .... H.A.L.T! with Mayo, Tangy Asian Slaw & Fresh Coriander. I get a double crunchiness from the bread and Quorn spicy patty, followed with the moist and creamy texture from the avocado and mayo. The tomato and salsa add the freshness to the sandwich. I feel the sandwich is very tasty and I did not miss the meat protein at all. I enjoy the Vegan H.A.L.T more than the All Day Naked. Yum Yum.

Vegan H.A.L.T.  Sandwich

Vegan H.A.L.T.  Sandwich

Vegan H.A.L.T.  Sandwich - The Fillings

Other then the sandwiches, I tried REBEL soup of the day, Mushroom Soup and Garlic Bread. The soup is thick and loaded with chopped mushrooms. Tasted like a restaurant standard mushroom soup instead of the diluted version that come from the can. Meanwhile, the garlic bread is crispy and lightly seasoned with garlic.

Mushroom Soup and Garlic Bread

The Rebel Salad ($6) – SE Asian Style Salad. Lettuce, carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, fresh mint, Thai basil, coriander, spring onion and chicken cha lua (+$2). A refreshing take on Vietnamese salad. It is fresh, crunchy, healthy and yummy. Something for those who are very health conscious and watching their weight.

The REBEL Salad with Chicken Cha Lua

For a unique drink, try their Iced Cascara Tea (from $5). It comes with 3 option of flavours: Lychee, Peach and Yuzu. Cascara is the dried skins of coffee cherries, however, instead of the bitter coffee taste, it has a fruity sweet taste like in a fruity tea. The iced cascara teas are sweetened and both the lychee and yuzu are refreshing.

Iced Cascara Tea - Testing Cup

The décor of REBEL shop is bold and eye-catching. The REBEL Gurl logo is very prominent, together with other REBEL creative animation, it makes the shop looks like a fun place to hang out. Another plus point is for the “Wall Plug” generation that needs to juice up their mobile phone, some of the seats have cables to charge your devices.

Part of The Dining Area

Part of The Dining Area

Overall, I enjoy the overall dining experience at REBEL. The sandwich, the soup, garlic bread and cascara tea are things that I will order again when I visit REBEL. Cheers!!

Juice Up Your Gadget

Thank you very much to Dex, Genine, the team from The Linch Agency and REBEL for hosting me.

Please note that REBEL is in the process of getting their Halal Certification.

Food & Drink: 6.75/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $0 - $10, $11 - $25

REBEL

306 Lavender Street

Singapore 338813

W: https://rebelgurl.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/rebelgurl.co/

IG: @Rebelgurl.co

OH: 10.30 – 21.00 Daily

Previous Locations

111 Somerset Road

#01-08 TripleOne Somerset

Singapore 238164

The Menu 1

The Menu 2

The Menu 3

Kai Duck – Creative Cantonese Cuisine [MEDIA INVITE]

Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll

Kai Duck by Kai Garden is a new modern Cantonese casual dining outlet focused on Cantonese style of Peking Duck and Cantonese Cuisine. Group Executive Chef Fung Chi Keung curated the innovative menu at Kai Duck to cater to young millennial diners and smaller parties, allowing them to enjoy the exquisite Cantonese cuisine without the need to dine in a big group.

Kai Duck

What is the difference between Beijing Peking Duck and Cantonese style Peking Duck? Beijing Peking Duck went through the process of blowing and overnight air-drying, to separate the skin of the duck and the meat. When the duck is roasted the next day, the skin will become crispy and separate from the flesh. Meanwhile, Cantonese style of Peking Duck is roasted then finished off with hot oil bath for the extra crisp. Both styles are equally delicious and it just depends on your preference.

Entrance to Kai Duck

Enamel Plate, Bowl and Cup

Highlights of the creative dishes at Kai Duck:

Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers ($4.80 per Pc, Min 4 Pcs). A crispy duck skin served with fried handmade corn crackers and corn base sauce. The duck skin and crackers are crispy, crunchy, while the cucumber and tomato add a refreshing taste to this dish. Tasted like a crispy duck sandwich for me. Yum Yum.

Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers

Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers

Mini Burger with Peking Duck Salad ($4.80 per Pc, Min 4 Pcs). Duck meat with skin attached tossed with lettuce and seaweed and served with a housemade fried bun. Kai Duck version of Peking duck sliders. Soft and fluffy bun holds the fatty flesh nicely. The lettuce and seaweed, mixed with a slightly tangy sauce balance the “jelakness” of the fatty Peking Duck nicely.

Mini Burger with Peking Duck Salad 

Mini Burger with Peking Duck Salad 

Crispy Bun with Sliced Peking Duck ($9.80). Crispy Peking duck skin, full-bodied cream cheese and fried mantou. Never in my dreams, I ever make a connection between Peking duck with cream cheese. The result is delicious crunchy finger food. I find if they added some meat in between the skin and the cream cheese, it will give this dish more body.

Crispy Bun with Sliced Peking Duck 

Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll ($4.80 per Pc, Min 4 Pcs). Peking Duck served with cucumber, lettuce, sesame sauce and seaweed flakes, wrapped in crispy spring roll wrapper. Crispy, crunchy, fragrant, juicy and delicious. The combination of seaweed and crispy spring wrapper added extra flavour to the crispy skin. A super innovative dish that not to be missed. I can have this all day. Yummy!!

Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll

Do take note that Kai Duck also serves the traditional whole or half Peking Duck.

Meanwhile, we also tried some of their Cantonese dishes. We started our dinner with Chilled Mini Tomatoes topped with Japanese Sesame Sauce ($10) as appetizers. The Japanese cherry tomatoes are bursting with sweetness; it is marinated with plum sauce that is sweet and tangy and topped with sesame sauce for the creamy and earthy flavour. Make sure you taste the aiyu jelly at the bottom that soaks up the sauce and marinates.

Chilled Mini Tomatoes topped with Japanese Sesame Sauce

Pan-fried Carrot Cake ($13.80). A distinct shape of the carrot cake, it is round, like a mini pizza. The exterior is fried until it is crispy, while the interior remains moist and filled with cubes of radish evenly spread. It is topped with chilli sauce, however, it tasted more of sweet sauce instead of spicy.

Pan-fried Carrot Cake

Stir-fried Hong Kong Cai Xin with Pork and Preserved Vegetable ($15.80). A slight twist than the usual kai lan with oyster sauce dish. However, the signature Cantonese vegetable of sweet and crunchy remains in the cai xin. The twist of adding pork and mei cai as the topping of cai xin feels weird to me, but the toppings does taste good with a bowl of rice.

Stir-fried Hong Kong Cai Xin with Pork and Preserved Vegetable

Poached Patin Fish Soup with Chinese Wine ($38 for 4 diners). Kai Duck uses the patin fish from the wild and flown in regularly from Sarawak, Malaysia. The flesh of the fish is silky, smooth and accompanied by the cloudy milky broth. The Chinese cabbage infused natural sweetness to the fish broth. Like the Cantonese tradition, a bowl of this fish soup will help you warm up your stomach.

Poached Patin Fish Soup with Chinese Wine

The Fattiness of the Patin Fish

Crispy-fried Fish, Prawn and Crab with Black Truffle Sauce ($16, Min 4 Pcs). The fish, prawns and crab are chopped and mixed together hand mould on the crab leg. It is coated with cereal and fried for the crispy exterior, with springy and bouncy interior. You can dip it with the truffle sauce or eat on its own. I prefer the seafood ball on its own, as I can taste the natural seafood sweetness in the ball. The truffle sauce is just too strong for this mild seafood dish.

Crispy-fried Fish, Prawn and Crab with Black Truffle Sauce 

Signature Fried Rice with Black Truffle Mushroom and Beetroot ($16.80) - served in Hot Stone Pot. The first thing that catches our senses when this dish is served is the aroma of the truffle. Followed by the WOW factor, of the combination of crispy rice and purple colour rice infused with beetroot. Once you mixed it, you can taste the mingling texture crispy rice and al-dente rice, filled with mushroom flavours.

Signature Fried Rice with Black Truffle Mushroom and Beetroot

Signature Fried Rice with Black Truffle Mushroom and Beetroot

Located in Ngee Ann City, Kai duck is décor is reminiscent of the 60s cha chaan teng restaurants in Hong Kong. The restaurant in brightly lit, together with the black and white floor tiles, neon lights duck logo, rattan chairs and old school enamel plates, bowls and cups will amplify the 60s dining experience.  

Part of the Dining Area

Overall, kudos to Chef Fung in curating the creative dishes based on Peking Duck and elevating the traditional Cantonese Dishes. The portion here is suitable for small group dining and it can easily be extended to cover a bigger group. I recommend the Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers, Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll, Poached Patin Fish Soup with Chinese Wine and Signature Fried Rice with Black Truffle Mushroom and Beetroot. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Kristine for jiio-ing and Kai Duck team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8.25/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

Kai Duck

391 Orchard Road

#05 – 10/11 Ngee Ann City

Singapore 238872

T: +65 6235 5419

W: http://www.kaiduck.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/sgKaiDuck/

IG: @Kaigardensg

OH:

Mon – Fri: 11.30 – 16.30* (L.O 16.30)

Mon – Fri: 17.00 – 22.30 (L.O. 22.00)

Sat, Sun & PH: 10.00 – 16.30*

Sat, Sun & PH: 17.00 – 22.30

*Dim Sum available

Jubilicious – Euphoric Gourmet for The Soul [MEDIA INVITE]

Padang Pasta

Jubilicious is a Halal certified restaurant by Mr Teh Tarik Group. Recently, Jubilicious in collaboration with Kapowww by Chef Mel Dean has revolutionised its culinary creation. Chef Mel Dean is a celebrity chef and F&B entrepreneur renowned for his delicious creation ranging from Asian to Mediterranean, Western Classic and Fusion dishes. Jubilicious is a representation of Singaporean Cuisine in a modern context.

Jubilicious with Celebrity Chef Mel Dean

We started our tasting with Keropok ($8). Crispy Fish & Papads crackers freshly fried in the restaurant and served with fiery sambal & refreshing mint chutney. The fragrant sambal with a squeeze of lime paired nicely with the fish crackers; while the spicy mint chutney works well with the papadums.

Keropok

Nibblelicious Platter ($28, Signature Dish) consist of deep-fried chicken drumettes, tossed in 3 different types of sauce: chillimex (using ChilliMexPaste, personal invention by Chef Mel Dean), kimchi and satay flavours; regular fries and sweet potato fries; nachos; and pice de gallo (Mexican style fresh salsa).

Nibblelicious Platter

The drumettes are crispy and juicy, while the three different type of sauce gave each drumettes each their unique local and international flavours. The fries are crisp externally and moist internally. While the nacho has all the right ingredients, topped with sour cream and guacamole. A good variety platter to start the meal.

Nibblelicious Platter

Grilled Lemak Padi Tiger Prawns ($38, Signature Dish). Juicy and springy tiger prawns grilled to perfection. The charred aroma will be the first to catch attention, followed with the well-marinated flesh filled with spicy and turmeric sauce. Though it is an appetizer, I think it will also work well with a plate of white rice. Yummy.

Grilled Lemak Padi Tiger Prawns 

Moving to the main dishes. Asam Pedas Marina ($24.90). A delicious concoction of asam (sour) and pedas (spicy) with generous toppings of huge prawns, barramundi fish and calamari. The pizza dough is crisp, crusty, and the cheese binds the dough and toppings nicely. A perfect example of a modern fusion of Italian cuisine with a uniquely local Malay twist dish.

Asam Pedas Marina

Asam Pedas Marina - The Toppings

Mamak Tabla ($16.50). This Jubilicious unique creation of burger. Flame-grilled beef patty smothered with bone steak sauce, tomato, topped with sunny side egg. The beef patty has a nice charred externally, while it remains juicy internally. The signature bone steak sauce is sweet and savoury, almost like a bbq sauce with a local twist. A moist and delicious burger.

Mamak Tabla

Mamak Tabla

Padang Pasta ($23.90). The al-dente pasta is cooked with Padang sauce, which is aromatic, spicy, creamy and bold in flavour. The turmeric, chilli padi, galangal and tamarind paste together with natural sweetness from the seafood gave the dish the OMPH factor in it. The pasta is well infused with this delicious sauce, you will not stop twirling and scooping it into your mouth. Using Chef Mel Dean signature expression “KAPOWWW”!!

Padang Pasta 

Padang Pasta 

Charkwaytong ($14.90, Signature Dish). Jubilicious take on the Singapore fried carrot cake. The cube carrot cake is replaced with lontong (rice cake). The smooth and silky egg covered the lontong nicely together with signature chilli paste and kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). The seafood elevates this dish to be more “atas”. It is definitely unique but it is not to my taste.

Charkwaytong 

Nasi Goreng Sambal Sardine ($13.90, Signature Dish). One of Chef Mel Dean signature family recipe. Imagine Korean Kimchi fried rice, but replace the kimchi with sambal sardine. The rice is plump and soaks up the flavour of the sambal sardine sauce. The sardines are fried separately to showcase the texture and it is served with a fried egg, prawn crackers and tomato salsa. It is the first time we all tried this dish and we all agree that it is a definitely a comfort dish.

Nasi Goreng Sambal Sardine

With so much of the food, we manage to save some space for dessert. Liquid Gold ($18.90, Signature Dessert). Durian Royalty – Blended. Shaken. Stirred. Golden extracts of Mao Shan Wang; exquisite ice cream; crowned with 22 karat Gold Leaf. Think of it as high-end Durian milkshake, topped with MSW Durian Pengat. It is a must-try for durian lovers. #Durianporn

Liquid Gold

Liquid Gold

We also tried Chocolate Molten Lava Cake ($12.90). Lava cake with warm chocolate lava gooey served with premium ice cream. A solid lava cake filled with thick oozing chocolate lava. The strawberry ice cream complemented the chocolate cake nicely.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

Jubilicious is located on the 4^th floor of Hotel Boss, the same floor as the swimming pool and herb eco-garden. With such as scenery, dining in the fully air-conditioned restaurant will be therapeutic to the appetite, mind and soul.

Overall, the food in Jubilicious is nicely curated. While half of the dishes that we tried are fusion and presented in modern plating, the identity of local flavours remains strong. My picks are Grilled Lemak Padi Tiger Prawns, Padang Pasta, Asam Pedas Marina Pizza and Nasi Goreng Sardine. Of course, not to be missed is the luxurious Liquid Gold. Definitely, a restaurant to try for Lunch, High Tea and Dinner. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Chef Mel Dean, Nish and Jubilicious Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Jubilicious

500 Jalan Sultan

#04-01 Hotel Boss

Singapore 199020

T: +65 6291 3500

W: https://www.hotelboss.sg/shop-dine-jubilicious.html

F: https://www.facebook.com/JubiliciousSg/

IG: @Jubilicious_sg

OH:

Breakfast Buffet: 06.30 – 10.30

Lunch Ala Carte: 11.00 – 22.00