[CLOSED] Udon Kamon – Sanuki Udon at Suntec City

Sanuki Udon @ Udon Kamon

Eat at Seven is a cluster of top and specialised Japanese restaurants located in Suntec City. Udon Kamon joined Eat At Seven in January 2019, serving widest range of udon broths in Singapore, including shoyu-based dashi, tonkotsu, house speciality Japanese spicy magma and tom yum.

Udon Kamon

Helmed by Executive Chef Kamogi Noriyuki, Udon Kamon specialises in Sanuki Udon, the most popular type of udon in the Shikoku region. Made with Japanese wheat flour, salt and water, the noodles are thick, squarish and have flat edges. At Udon Kamon, the noodles are freshly made daily.

We visited Udon Kamon for a quick lunch. LD and I each have Sanuki Udon ($6.80). It is one of the basic forms of udon, however, this will showcase the actual quality of the ingredients.

Sanuki Udon @ Udon Kamon

The udon is thick, bouncy and chewy. It glides through your mouth easily when you slurp it. The shoyu-based dashi is on point. The umami flavours in the slightly salty broth seasoned the udon nicely, together with a slice of fishcake, chopped seaweed and spring onion it is a very comforting dish. Oishi!!

Sanuki Udon @ Udon Kamon

We also ordered Mentai Takana Rice Bowl ($4.80). A medium-size serving of rice bowl. Toppings on the rice include pickled leaf mustard, spiced cod roe, onsen egg, seaweed, spring onions and bamboo shoot. Mixed it well, it produced a firework in your mouth,

Mentai Takana Rice Bowl 

In each bite, you can taste the tangy and crunchy flavour from pickled leaf mustard and bamboo shoot, spicy and saltiness from the cod roe, creaminess of the onsen egg, the briny flavour from the seaweed and intense spark from the spring onion.

For additional $2, we have fried chicken to accompany our meal. It is crispy externally and juicy internally. I feel it can better if the chicken is saltier and the skin is crispier.

Fried Chicken

I also took a quick snap of a friend that is eating Prawn Tempura Udon ($10.80). It looks so very attractive; I will consider trying this next time here.

Ordering Sheet - Page 1

Ordering Sheet - Page 2

Service is friendly and the food comes very fast. The décor of the restaurant is simple and zen like. The normally wooden tables and chairs seating are good for a quick meal; however, I don’t recommend the sofa seating. It looks like you will be in an uncomfortable position if you are seated at the sofa.

Part of Dining Area

Overall, Udon Kamon provides a good place to enjoy the Sanuki Udon. The food tastes good and the price is pocket-friendly. I already anticipating my next visit to Udon Kamon. Kanpai!! Cheers!!

Food: 7.75/10

Value: 9/10

Service: 7.5/10

Ambiance: 7.25/10

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

Udon Kamon

3 Temasek Boulevard

#03-315, Eat at Seven

Suntec City Mall Tower 1

North Wing

Singapore 038983

T: +65 6266 5338

IG: @Udonkamonsg

OH: 11.30 – 15.00, 17.30 – 22.00 Daily

Famous Kitchen – Usher in The Year of The Rat [MEDIA INVITE]

Caramel Prawn @ Famous Kitchen

Celebrate this year Chinese New Year with Nanyang cuisine from the Famous Kitchen. The culinary team at Famous Kitchen has curated prosperous set and ala carte menus guaranteed to gratify your taste buds.  

The Prosperous Set Menus include Sapphire, Jade, Crystal and Diamond available until 10 February 2020. For this tasting session, we tried Famous Kitchen Sapphire Set A (S$488 ++ for 8 diners).

Prosperity Salmon ‘Yu Sheng’

The feast begins with Prosperity Salmon ‘Yu Sheng’ (七彩三文鱼捞生). Fresh, crunchy, well balanced and appetizing Yu Sheng. The sweetness of the plum sauce is just right, with a mild tartness allowing us to eat the Yu Sheng without feeling overwhelmed.

Prosperity Salmon ‘Yu Sheng’

Prosperity Salmon ‘Yu Sheng’

Braised Shark’s Fin Soup (海味鱼翅羹). Solid, robust, thick and packs with umami flavour broth paired nicely with crunchy shark fin. The gelatinous fish maw provided a delicious contrasting texture in this soup. I had mine without the black vinegar as the shark fins do not have any fishy taste in it.

Braised Shark’s Fin Soup

Braised Shark’s Fin Soup - The Shark Fin

Braised Shark’s Fin Soup - The Fish Maw

Braised Sea Cucumber with Beancurd and Mushroom (白玉菇豆包海参). Sea cucumber, one of my favourite ingredients in Chinese cuisine. The sea cucumber is crunchy yet bouncy at the same time. The gravy is robust, with intense flavour and clings on the broccoli. The mushrooms and carrots complement the texture and flavours nicely in this dish.

Braised Sea Cucumber with Beancurd and Mushroom 

Braised Sea Cucumber with Beancurd and Mushroom 

For the fish dish, the Sapphire Set A will be serving Steamed Marble Goby with Soya Sauce (名食煮顺壳). Meanwhile, for the tasting, we tried Steamed Fish with Preserved Vegetables on Hot Plate ( 招牌铁板酸菜蒸鱼 – available on normal ala carte menu, seasonal price).

Steamed Marble Goby with Soya Sauce

The Marble Goby fish is covered with salted vegetables, chilli padi, pork belly and delicious thick gravy. Though the salted vegetables are strong in flavours, it compliments the fish nicely instead of overpowering it.

Steamed Marble Goby with Soya Sauce

The Sapphire Set A will be serving Herbal Chicken (发财富贵鸡). For the tasting, we tried Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken (available on normal ala carte menu, $58++ for a whole chicken, advanced order required).

Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken

This chicken dish sure knows how to make a grand entrance to the table. Standing upright, the chicken is doused with hard liquor (whiskey, rum or rose wine) and set alight. It created a superb WOW factor, looks like a phoenix on fire and the fragrant aroma of the burning alcohol is very appetizing.

Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken

Once the show is over, it is brought back to the kitchen to be chopped. The skin is lightly crisp, while the flesh is juicy and succulent, especially the breast part. To accompany the chicken is ginger and spring onion paste, which complement the chicken nicely.

Caramel Prawn (雪花焦糖虾). The gigantic tiger prawns are fried to perfectly crisp and coated with caramel sauce. The skin is crispy and the prawn legs are nice to bite on. The flesh is crunchy and bouncy. The umami sweet and savoury sauce is irresistible, I can finish a bowl of rice with this dish alone. The best dish of the night.

Caramel Prawn

Caramel Prawn

Fried Rice with Waxed Meat Wrapped in Lotus Leaf (腊味荷叶饭). A subtle ending for the savoury dishes. The rice is aromatic filled topped with generous fillings of lap cheong and pork belly. The surprising part is that the lap cheong does not taste salty, but more like Taiwanese cocktail sausage for steamboat. After the bold flavour of the caramel prawn, this dish actually tastes a bit bland.

Fried Rice with Waxed Meat Wrapped in Lotus Leaf

Soya Bean Ginko Nuts with Snow Fungus (豆浆福果雪耳). Nice soya base dessert, accompanied with crunchy the texture of the snow fungus. The sweetness and subtle creaminess of the soya gave this feast a nice ending. Yummy.

Soya Bean Ginko Nuts with Snow Fungus

Overall, it was a delicious reunion dinner meal that LD and I enjoyed. Our personal picks are Braised Shark’s Fin Soup, Braised Sea Cucumber and Caramel Prawn. Cheers!!

Usher in the Year of the Rat with Famous Kitchen

When: 10 January to 10 February 2020.

Where: Famous Kitchen

For Reservations, order and inquiries:

Call +65 6636 8333 / +65 6257 1843

Email: famouskitchen@singnet.com.sg

Chinese New Year Set Menu and Ala Carte is listed below

Thank you very much Jennifer Yeo Consultancy and Famous Kitchen Team for hosting us.

Food: 8/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 & Above

The Famous Kitchen

54 Sembawang Road

#01-01 Hong Heng Mansions

Singapore 779085

T: +65 6636 8333 / 6257 1843

W: http://famouskitchen.sg

F: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Famous-Kitchen/230526703625455

IG: @Thefamouskitchen

OH: 11.30 – 14.30; 17.30 – 22.30 Daily.

Chinese New Year Menu 

Set Menu - Sapphire Set A 

Set Menu - Jade Set B

Set Menu - Crystal Set C

Set Menu - Diamond Set D

Ala Carte Menu - CNY 25 & 26 January 2020 P1

Ala Carte Menu - CNY 25 & 26 January 2020 P2

Kyoaji Dining – CNY 2020 [MEDIA INVITE]

Kyoaji Yu Sheng 

Celebrate this Chinese New Year with Kyoaji Dining. Kyoaji means “Taste of Kyoto”, Japan’s former capital city and the seat of the Imperial Court over a thousand years. Executive Chef John Phua and his team drew inspirations from the rich culinary tradition in Kyoto and fuse it with different cooking styles and ingredients from around the world.

Kyoaji Dining Entrance

Part of the Dining Area and Chef's Table

This year, Kyoaji Yu Sheng ($48++, U.P. $68++) is a reunion culinary creation that you can look forward to. Combining the usual shaved vegetables of carrot, radish and cucumbers with Kyoaji ingredients such as seaweed, bonito flakes, danmuji (yellow pickled radish), gari (pink pickled ginger), mushroom, pomelo, almond flakes, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

Kyoaji Yu Sheng 

The final topping is the salmon sashimi, dressed with oil and Kyoaji’s homemade plum sauce. It delivers a refreshing and delicate crunchy texture in the Yu Sheng. Best of all, the homemade plum sauce just continues to tease your palate to keep scooping this delicious Yu Sheng until finish.

Kyoaji Yu Sheng 

During this Chinese New Year period, Kyoaji will also be serving XO Sauce Chawan Mushi ($15). The smooth and silky steam egg served with the topping of fragrant and fiery XO sauce, scallops, prawn and crab stick.

XO Sauce Chawan Mushi

We also tried dishes from their regular menu. Toumorokoshi Kakiage (Corn Tempura, $15). Crispy exterior followed with sweet, juicy and bursting corn kernels. A quick dip in tempura sauce introduces a delicate savoury flavour that accentuates the sweetness of the kernels.

Toumorokoshi Kakiage (Corn Tempura)

Gyuniku Aburi Maki (Seared Beef Roll, $30). Nice mini bite-size of sushi. In between the sushi rice and seaweed is a sweet pickled radish, topped with nicely torched thick beef slices and mentaiko sauce.

Gyuniku Aburi Maki (Seared Beef Roll)

Gyuniku Aburi Maki (Seared Beef Roll)

Zuwai Kani Tama Mushi (Snow Crab Meat Steamed Egg, $16). Unlike the XO Sauce Chawan Mushi, the snow crab meat steamed egg is a delicate version of chawan mushi. The smooth and velvety egg, create a base for the natural sweetness of snow crab meat to shines and the earthy flavour from the mushroom. In between bites, it is good to scoop some of the tobiko for the salty burst of the sea.

Zuwai Kani Tama Mushi (Snow Crab Meat Steamed Egg)

Bento ($35), part of the lunch menu at Kyoaji. A complete set of meal consists of Salad, Chawan Mushi, Eel, Tempura, Sashimi, Pickles, Rice, Soup and Desserts. The sashimi is fresh, while the tempura is crunchy and juicy. I like the unagi here, as it is plump, juicy and the sauce is just right. Nicely complementing the rice.

Bento

Overall, Kyoaji Dining will provide you with an alternative place to celebrate this Chinese New Year. Meanwhile, their unique and delicious takeaway Yu Sheng will complement your gathering or reunion dinner nicely. Cheers!!

Our Meal

Note: Kyoaji Yu Sheng $48++ (U.P $68++) will be available from 16 January to 08 February 2020 for dine-in and takeaway. *t&c applies. 

Part of the Dining Area

Part of the Dining Area and Entrance to One of the Private Room

Private Room

Thank you Kristine and Kyoaji Team for the tasting invitation. 

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 9/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and Above

Kyoaji Dining

111 Somerset Road

#02-05/06 Triple One Somerset

Singapore 238164

T: +65 6694 4068 / 6694 3058

W: http://kyoaji.com.sg/

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

IG: @Kyoajisg

OH:

Mon – Fri: Lunch, 11.30 – 15.00 (LO 14.30)

Mon – Fri: Dinner, 17.30 – 22.30 (LO 22.00)

Sat, Sun & PH: 11.30 – 22.30 (LO 22.00)

Chaoniu HotPot – Teochew Beef Hotpot

Teochew Beef Hotpot

Teochew Beef Hotpot is one of the must-try dishes in Chaozhou and Shantou area. I tried it during my maiden trip to Shantou and I love it.

Chaoniu Beef Hotpot

The first thing that I notice when having Teochew Beef Hotpot is clear broth soup base. Next is the freshness of the beef. In Shantou, they only use fresh beef they get daily from the abattoir, unlike the frozen stuff that we normally get. The master cutter in each restaurant will only slice the beef upon order. The freshness of the beef together with the knife skills deliver a #beefgasm experience not to be missed when you are in Chaozhou and Shantou.

To our surprise, a few days after we return to Singapore, we saw Chaoniu Hot Pot. We posted in on FB and “jio” a few “makan kakis” to check out this place. In total there was 5 of us.

The Menu - Part 1
Image Credit: Chaoniu Hot Pot

The Menu - Part 2
Image Credit: Chaoniu Hot Pot

We ordered Beef Feast Set ($168). This includes the neck, sirloin, tongue, topside, flank, blade, leg, beef ball, burdock, beef organ, tripe, tendon, vegetable platter and beancurd platter. For the soup base, we choose the ChaoShan Beef Broth ($15).

ChaoShan Beef Broth

While we are waiting for the order to come, we went to choose our sauce. Once the soup is boiled, you need to have a plain bowl of soup first topped with spring onion and coriander to warm up the tummy.

The Sauces

The Sauces

Each portion of the meat served comes with a coin. This coin will tell you the cuts of the beef and how long it should be cook to get the optimum flavours. The beef parts, tripe, beef ball, vegetable platter and beancurd patters did not come with the timing so you cook base on your liking.

The Cheek

It is best to cook one type of cut at a time. The process is that you put the meat in the big strainer and dip it base on the suggested time. While the meat is swimming on the hot broth, stir it with your chopsticks so it is evenly cooked. Once cooked, lift it and portion it with your makan kakis. Repeat the same process for the other cuts of beef.

How to Cook The Beef

The Leg

The neck and sirloin are our favourites cut due to the nice marbling and fattiness in the meat. We ordered extra plates of these. Flank has a nice fattiness, but the meat texture is a bit chewy.

 

The Neck

Sirloin

The blade provides us with a crunchy texture of the soft bone when you bit into the meat, while topside is the lean part of the cuts.

The Blade

We notice the beef is not the same as those we tasted in Shantou. In Chaoniu, the source of the beef are mainly from the US and it came frozen, before it is thawed for cutting and serving. Due to the conditions in Singapore, it is not possible to get fresh beef like in Shantou.

Topside

The meatballs are bouncy, crunchy with a slight chewiness. Tasted like tendon meatballs you commonly found in “Bakso” in Indonesia. The offcuts like tendon and liver are surprisingly good, though I find the tripe is chewier to my liking.

Tripe, Burdock, Beef Organs, Beef Balls and Tendon

Beef Balls

Beef Organs

Tripe

The beancurd platter and vegetable platter provided a great variety. We like seaweed and black fungus.

Beancurd Platter & Vegetables Platter

For the finale, you should order their glass noodle. It is served with their special homemade sauce and topped with pork lard. Yummy!!  I don’t recommend their knife sliced noodles as it is hard to cook and become lumpy.

Glass Noodle

Glass Noodle with Special Sauce and Pork Lard

At the end of the hotpot, the service staff will serve you desserts FOC. On that night it was white fungus with wolfberries.

Desserts

The décor is simple and function orientated. The dining area is spacious, but the sauce area is congested. You have to take turns to take get the sauce. Our service staff was friendly and very helpful and show us how to cook the beef and even help us cooked the glass noodle. Don’t expect HDL standard of service, but they are good enough.

Overall, it was nice to found Teochew Beef Hotpot in Singapore. For those who never been to Shantou, this will be a good experience. Beef lovers, this is place is a must-visit but leave your non-beef eater friends at home as they will only able to see you eat. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.25/10

Service: 7.75/10

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80

Chaoniu Hot Pot

195 East Coast Road

Singapore 428900

T: +65 6909 8783

W: https://chaoniu-hot-pot.business.site/

F: http://bit.ly/FB-Chaoniu

IG: @Chaoniu_hot_pot

OH: Daily 11.00 – Midnight