Sunday, 20 December 2020

COSMO PRIME Air Purifier [MEDIA DROP]

Cosmo Prime Air Purifier + 3-in-1 HEPA Filter

We are very fortunate that in Singapore enjoy better air quality compared to many cities in Asia. This is due to the intelligent city planning by our Singapore government. However, from time to time, there are external factors that affect our air quality, such as forest fire, smoke from our burning rituals and even second-hand smoke. Internally, we also experience unpleasant odour in our house as well. 

The Packaging
Although it is as simple as closing our windows and turning on our air conditioner or spraying some air freshener, it does not settle the air pollutants problem. With the rainy season upon us, it is also easy for our room to get unpleasant odour due to the wet towels. 

Cosmo Prime Air Purifier + 3-in-1 HEPA Filter
As I stayed in a low floor HDB, the external odour from the nearby rubbish chute and delivery trucks easily penetrate into our room. Thus we have a habit of using a scented candle to help remove any unpleasant odour in our bedroom. When I recently received my Cosmo Prime Air Purifier + 3-in-1 HEPA Filter, I decided to try it in my bedroom immediately. 

The Back Cover

3-in-1 HEPA Filter with Plastic Packaging
Setting up the machine is very simple. You open the back cover of the machine, take out the 3-in-1 HEPA Filter, remove the plastic and put the filter back and the back cover as well. Once you plug in the power cable, it is ready to go. 

Cosmo Prime Air Purifier + 3-in-1 HEPA Filter

3-in-1 HEPA Filter
Once you press the ON button, the machine started its pre-heating period for 30 seconds. During this time, the LED Air Quality indicator lights on top will change from Blue – Cyan – Green – Yellow – Orange – Red – Purple, as it detects the air quality in the room. After the pre-heating period it the LED Air Quality lights will indicate the air quality in the room. Our room falls on blue, so it represents good air quality. 


I leave my room and let Cosmo Prime Air Purifier + 3-in-1 HEPA Filter run for 10 minutes. When I return, the damp odour has disappeared and the air feels odourless. I find the machine helpful and it is quieter compare to the standing fan in my living room. The machine itself is very light, less than 5kg. It also comes with a top handle, so you can easily move it to another room when needed. 

Blue Light - Good Air Quality
Other than setting the Wind Speed function on the Air Purifier, you can also set the timer, light or even link it to WiFi for remote access. It also has a child lock to prevent our curious little one to change the settings of the machine. 

The Control Panel
What are the plus points of Cosmo Prime Air Purifier + 3-in-1 HEPA Filter: 
  1. It comes with Medical Grade 3-IN-1 H13 HEPA Filter (filters 99.97% of all air pollutants like pollen, dust, bacteria, tobacco smoke and more). It also comes with PM2.5 Counter. 
  2. It is designed to work almost in complete silence. At a record noise level of 20dB, it is even quieter than my fan. 
  3. Futuristic Design, with Aerodynamic 360° design for air purification in all directions. 
  4. High Coverage Area: Up to 80m². 
  5. It comes with 5 Year Warranty.
Cosmo Prime® Air Purifier + 3-in-1 HEPA filter is priced at $538.00 It currently on Final Year -End sale, you can get it at $399.00. You can purchase it here

CBK Verdict: If you are looking for Air Purifier, you must consider Cosmo Prime Air Purifier + 3-in-1 HEPA Filter. It is well designed, silent and also value for money. I am very happy with mine. Cheers!! 

Thank you very much Best in Singapore and Air Purifier for the Media Drop. 

Best in Singapore 

Air Purifier 

Showroom Address:
Mactech Building
2 Kallang Pudding Road
#02-04 Singapore 349307

Showroom OH:
Mon – Sun: 11.00 – 17.00
Closed on Public Holiday
T: +65 6977 9637

Payment at Air Purifier is brought to you by Liquid Gateway and if you are interested to find out more, you can read this article on Best 10 Online Payment Getways in Singapore for more information 

Friday, 18 December 2020

Food Capital – Festive International and Seafood BBQ Buffet [MEDIA INVITE]

Oven-Roasted Prime Rib with Rosemary, Garlic and Port Wine Jus & 
An aromatic Christmas Roast Turkey served with Chestnut Filling 
Cranberry Jam and Giblet Jus

The festive month of December is about togetherness, family time and festivities. What a better way to celebrate this challenging year with gathering and feast till your heart content during this Christmas and New Year Period. 

This year festive period Food Capital has prepared the spread of International and Seafood BBQ Buffet. LD and I have the opportunity to visit Food Capital and try out their offerings. The highlights of our visit are: 

Honey Glazed Ham with Pork Jus and Apple Purée & 
Sautéed Winter Seasonal Vegetables with Butter.

The Carving Station. Bedazzled by Oven-Roasted Prime Rib with Rosemary, Garlic and Port Wine Jus, an aromatic Christmas Roast Turkey served with Chestnut Filling, Cranberry Jam and Giblet Jus, Honey Glazed Ham with Pork Jus and Apple Purée as well as the Sautéed Winter Seasonal Vegetables with Butter. 

Honey Glazed Ham, Roasted Turkey and Oven-roasted Prime Rib
The Prime-Rib is roasted to perfection. A hint of crisp and charred on the sides followed with tender juicy pink flesh in the middle. It is cooked to the doneness between rare and medium rate, goes nicely with the port wine jus. 

Roast Turkey is a must-have for the festive period. I find the slices a bit inconsistent as some slices are succulent, while the other can be a bit dry. The honey glazed ham has a nice balance between sweet and savoury, plus the apple puree balanced the meatiness of the ham nicely. The meats are plated together with the lovely sautéed winter seasonal vegetables with butter. 
Seafood On Ice
Seafood on Ice – Chilean Scallops, Prawns, Cherry Clam, Black Mussels and Langoustine. Served chilled, the seafood is sweet and refreshing. 

Seafood On Ice

Seafood On Ice
Salad Bar – Waldorf Salad, Turkey Galatine with Redcurrant Sauce and Smoked Salmon Roulade. The turkey gelatine and smoked salmon are served in bite-size portions. I like the explosion of flavours of sweet and savoury plus the multi-texture on these appetizers. Meanwhile, the Waldrof salad is just creamy, crunchy and refreshing. 

Clockwise: Waldorf Salad, Hiyayakko Tofu,
Turkey Galatine with Redcurrant Sauce and Smoked Salmon Roulade.

Smoked Salmon Roulade
BBQ Grill Special – Grilled Lobster Tail with Garlic Butter (1 portion per pax), Live Prawn, Spicy Sotong, River Lobster, Chicken Drumstick, Pork Belly and Pork Sausages. The grilled lobster is a must-order. It is sweet and bouncy, though I wish the garlic can be a bit stronger. 

BBQ Platter

BBQ Lobster
The Spicy Sotong is not to be missed. Cooked to perfection, springy yet succulent. LD describe the sambal packs with the spicy “Shiokness”, making you feel like you want to order more. It is so good; LD orders a second serving of the spicy sotong. For extra “shiokness” paired the BBQ seafood with the Sambal Chilli Chicalok sauce. 

Spicy Sotong
The prawns and river lobster are sweet and juicy; however, it was slightly undercooked during our visit. Although the pork sausage is delicious, I wouldn’t recommend the pork belly, as the sauce leaves a bitter aftertaste on it. 

BBQ Pork Belly

Outdoor BBQ Area 
Herbal Live Prawn. The best version of the prawn dish here. The prawns are fresh, sweet, crunchy and absorb the herbs from broth. Meanwhile, the sweetness of the prawns also infused into the broth. Yum Yum. 

Herbal Live Prawn
Spice & Tandoors. From our past experiences, the Indian food at Food Capital is not to be missed. We decided on fresh garlic naan and mutton stew. The naan has a nice crisp exterior with a fluffy interior, while the mutton stew is tender and robust. The gravy is a bit salty, however, it accompanied the naan nicely. 

Clockwise: Garlic Naan, Tandoori Chicken & Mutton Stew

Mutton Stew
Desserts. The best way to end the meal for the festive period is with something sweet. Traditional Chocolate Truffle Log Cake and Festive Orange Marmalade Log Cake are in line with the festive theme. However, my personal preference for dessert here is freshly made waffles with ice cream. The yam ice cream is unique, yet a nice combination with the crispy waffle. 

Dazzing Desserts

Freshly Made Waffle with Ice Cream
Overall, Festive International and Seafood BBQ Buffet provide a lot of choice for this festive dinner. As we do not have winter in Singapore, having a bbq is one of the best ways to celebrate this festive period. Do consider Food Capital for this year festive celebration. Cheers!! 

Desserts Station

Food Capital – Festive International and Seafood BBQ Buffet 

OPENING HOURS: Lunch: 12.00 – 14.30; Dinner: 18.00 – 22.00. 
Location: Lobby, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel 
Closed on Mondays 

4 to 30 December 2020 (excluding 24, 25 December 2020) 
Lunch (Available only from 15 December 2020) - $54.40 (U.P. $68) 
Dinner $70.40 (U.P. $88) 

24 December 2020 
Lunch $62.40 (U.P. $78) 
Dinner $78.40 (U.P. $98) 

25, 31 December 2020 & 1 January 2021 
Lunch & Dinner $78.40 (U.P. $98) 

Book from 1 till 20 December 2020 to enjoy 20% off 
Prices are subject to 10% service charge and 7% GST 

For reservations: 
Please call 8168 1539, email dining.gcw@millenniumhotels.com; or 

Merry Christmas!!

Thank you very much, Gilbert Ong and Food Capital Team for the tasting invitation. 

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10 
Value: 7.5/10 
Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation) 
Ambiance: 8/10 
Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 & Above 

Food Capital 
392 Havelock Road 
Lobby Level 
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel 
Singapore 169771 

T: +65 8168 1539 
IG: @GrandCopthorneWaterfront 
OH: 
Tue to Sun, Lunch: 12.00 – 14.30; Dinner: 18.00 – 22.00. 
Closed on Monday.

 

Thursday, 10 December 2020

[CLOSED] The Beast – Southern Comfort Food

Fried Catfish

The Beast, the name of the restaurant itself will catch your attention. In terms of the servings, you can expect huge servings. However, The Beast offers more than just a huge serving. It brought Southern (Southern United States) cuisine to our shore. Famous for its buttermilk chicken, sweet tea and bourbons, The Beast served all these delights and boasting one of the largest variety bourbons in Singapore. 

The Bar & Bourbon Collections
We brought our two teenage godsons and their mother to try out this place, hoping that the portion will be able to fill them up. We ordered D.I.Y Family Style Meal (4 pax - $150). For the mains, we choose Southern Fried Chicken, Pulled Pork and Fried Catfish. This meal also comes with 4 sides and we picked Truffle fries, Mashed potatoes, Cajun Fries and Cornbread. 

Cornbread
Southern Fried Chicken, the quintessential dish in the “Southern” is a must-try dish here. It has a crispy exterior from the seasoned flour. Come to the flesh, it is amazingly moist and succulent. I noted from the menu that the chicken is brined for 24 hours, however, the tenderness of the chicken is so unexpected, we can’t get enough of this. Till today, LD (not a big fan of fried chicken) still dreaming about this Southern fried chicken. Each portion of the fried chicken is one half of a chicken. Yum Yum. 

Southern Fried Chicken

The fried chicken is served with country gravy and southern slaw, which is very robust and filled with the goodness of the chicken. I even put the gravy on my mashed potatoes, cornbread and even the truffle fries. For the Southern Slaw, purple cabbage is used here. It is crunchy, evenly coated with mayonnaise and the purple cabbage have a touch of bitterness at the end. 

Southern Slaw
Pulled Pork, carnivore version. 10 hour slow cooked pulled pork served with bbq sauce. It is meaty, tender and succulent. Through it is meaty, the acidity in the bbq sauce helps to cut through the fats. The pulled pork also goes well with the baked cornbread. Served in a skillet with melted butter on top, deliver a crusty exterior and crumbly interior. 

Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork
Fried Catfish is indeed unique. Coated with crusted cornflake, it has a super crispy coating. Once you bit into it, you can taste the soft, moist and flaky flesh of the catfish. Surprisingly, there was no muddy taste that usually comes with the catfish. The original version, come as a fish and chips, this is definitely a unique version of fish and chips. 

Fried Catfish

Catfish flesh
The truffle fries are crisp externally and moist internally. It is then liberally sprinkled with parmesan cheese and truffle oil. I am certain truffle fries is not a Southern dish, however, since the fries are nice, I won’t complain about the origin. 

Truffle Fries
Mashed potatoes come in a guge portion, delivering a thick, smooth and buttery potato flavour. The cajun fries has a similar texture to the truffle fries, however, I find the paprika and garlic flavour is too strong, so I dip it in the country gravy instead. 

Mashed Potatoes

Cajun Fries
The boys are not full yet, so we added Farmboy Burger ($22) and Hot Buffalo Wings ($13). Since Godpa is full, I did not try the burger, but the boys say it was good and each one has half of the burger each. 

Farmboy Burger
For the wings, it is crispy, juicy and well coated with hot and sour sauce. Spiciness rating is about 8.5 of 10. 

Hot Buffalo Wings
The D.I.Y Family Style Meal comes with 4 slices Chocolate Cheese Pie. As we are full to the brim, we decided to only have 1 and take away the rest. The thick and solid chocolate sits nicely on the dense crumbs. Meanwhile, the soft pavlova on top helps to balance the thick chocolate flavour. 

Chocolate Cheese Pie
The atmosphere of The Beast is simply casual and rustic. The outdoor furniture is made from wood in traditional Southern style and good for communal dining. The indoor seating is less spacious, as it focuses more on the bar and showcasing its bourbon collections. Service is friendly and efficient. 

Indoor Seating Area
Overall, The Beast Southern Fried Chicken and Fried Cat Fish are their must-try. The menu is limited, however, most of the dishes are well executed and deliver in huge portions. Those who appreciate their drinks, this place has a lot to offer. A must visit place for Southern Comfort Food in Singapore. Cheers!! 

Food & Drinks: 8/10 
Value: 8.5/10 
Service: 7/10 
Ambiance: 7.25/10 
Budget per Person: $26 - $50 

The Beast Southern Kitchen + Bourbon Bar 
17 Jalan Klapa 
Singapore 199329 

T: +65 6295 0017 
IG: @Thebeast_sg 
OH: 
Tue – Sun, 11.30 – 22.00 
Closed on Monday


Friday, 4 December 2020

Bonding Kitchen - Modern Peranakan Cuisine [MEDIA INVITE]

Wagyu Beef Rendang 

Bonding Kitchen (“BK”) is the brainchild of Chef Danny Chew, hailed from Johor. He started his culinary journey as a kitchen helper when he was 17 years old, graduated from At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy in Singapore in 2011, followed with stints at several Asian restaurants and popular Chinese restaurant in Liverpool (UK). 

Bonding Kitchen - Open Kitchen for Private Dining Area
However, his Peranakan roots pull is too strong and he returned to JB to start private dining service for Peranakan Cuisine. After the success in the private dining scene in JB, Chef Danny is in Singapore to introduce his unique brand of Peranakan Cuisine. 

Part of the Dining Area
We started the tasting with Fish & Belinjau Keropok ($4). Freshly fried and served with signature sambal belacan. A combination of crispy and spicy, uniquely Peranakan starter. 

Fish & Belinjau Keropok with Sambal Belacan 

Fish & Belinjau Keropok with Sambal Belacan
Ngoh Hiang ($14). The Ngoh Hiang has a nicely fried crispy beancurd skin, followed with juicy pork and bouncy prawn fillings. Served with sweet sauce and spicy spread. Yum Yum. 

Ngoh Hiang
Assam Ko Prawn ($28 - $36). “Atas” version of Assam Prawn. BK uses a huge jumbo prawn, pan-fried in cast iron pan to create the crisp and smoky skin. It is cooked with thick tamarind sauce, that sips through to the juicy and bouncy prawn flesh. You can choose to eat it on its own or accompanied with their fragrant tice. 

Assam Ko Prawn 

Assam Ko Prawn 
Hei Bi Hiam Shimeiji Mushroom ($12). It looks simple yet packs with power. The key is in the Hei Bi Hiam that is spicy and filled with prawn and spices umami. A quick fried with shimeiji mushroom, you have a juicy and bouncy mushroom filled with spicy and fragrant drie shrimp sambal. 

Hei Bi Hiam Shimeiji Mushroom

Hei Bi Hiam Shimeiji Mushroom
Babi PongTeh ($22). One of the signature Peranakan cuisine. Cooked over a long period with spices and fermented soybeans, it slowly rendered the fats from the pork belly. The result is an awesome melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, packs with savoury gravy. Yum Yum. 

Babi PongTeh

Babi PongTeh
Hokkien Lor Ark ($22). Inspired by his family recipe, Chef Danny recreates this dish in his style. The marination process started the day before to tenderise the duck. On the next day, it is slowly cooked with local spices and soya sauce resulting in intensive soya and spices flavour with fork-tender duck meat. 

Hokkien Lor Ark

Hokkien Lor Ark
Wagyu Beef Rendang ($32). Stewed wagyu beef ribs with coconut milk and more than 15 local herb and spices. One of the best beef rendang I ever tried. The gravy caramelised beautifully, delivering an intensely sweet and savoury flavour, with a tender and delicious bite of the beef. Not forgetting the kerisik / fried coconut shavings on top of the rendang gave the crunchy texture and elevated the dish further.   

Wagyu Beef Rendang

Wagyu Beef Rendang
After we finished the rendang meat, there was a lot of gravy left. Not wanting to waste the gravy, I mixed it with rice. The result is just an absolutely delicious rendang rice ball plus I even eat it with the remaining belinjau keropok. 

Wagyu Beef Rendang

Wagyu Beef Rendang Rice Ball with Belinjau Keropok
Sotong Masak Hitam ($20) Chef Danny Chew version of Sotong Masak Hitam. Served as the finale of the main meal. The chewy yet tender sotong delivers creamy, acidic and refreshing punch / palate cleanser. Its flavours are so powerful, it made me goes WOW after savouring it. A perfect ending to our main meal. 

Sotong Masak Hitam

Sotong Masak Hitam
To end the meal in Peranakan style is none other than Chendol ($7). Rich and creamy chendol topped with a generous portion of coconut milk. However, the red bean outshines the chendol that is supposed to be the start of this dessert. 

Chendol

Chendol
Overall, dining at Bonding Kitchen is like a journey of flavours. Though I am familiar with Peranakan dishes, I was amazed by the version created by Chef Danny Chew. The cooking style and plating, bring a modern style to Peranakan Cuisine. The Wagyu Beef Rendang, Sotong Masak Hitam, Assam Ko Prawn and Hokkien Ar Lok are just amazing, making me wanting for more. Cheers!! 

Bonding Kitchen
Thank you very much Kristine for the invite, Chef Danny Chew and Bonding Kitchen Team for hosting us. 

Check out the Bonding Kitchen Set Lunch and Set Menu. 

Set Lunch Menu

Happy Hour deal 5.30pm - 9pm as below: 
House Red (Shiraz, South Australia) $32 / btl ; $8 / glass 
House White (Sauvignon Blanc, South Australia) $32 / btl ; $8 / glass 

Set Menu

Food & Drinks: 8.75/10 
Value: 8.75/10 
Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation) 
Ambiance: 8/10 
Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80 

Bonding Kitchen 
277 Orchard Road 
#02-18/ Orchard Gateway. 
Singapore 238858 

T: +65 8860 9087 
IG: @Bondingkitchen 
OH: 
Tue – Sun: 11.30 – 21.30 
Closed on Monday 
Menu available online 

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