Back at the Burj

In the time my husband and I have been together, we have moved to eight countries in four continents and now, after almost four years in Singapore, we are moving once again.  This time, it's back to a place we lived for two years and a half in the early 2000s when our son was a few months old.

Dubai was already a bustling desert city then with the Burj Al Arab as its' iconic super structure.  Today, numerous skyscrapers dot the skyline with the world's tallest building (the Burj Khalifa at 828 m), the world's tallest hotel (the JW Marriott Marquis at 355m) and the world's tallest residential building (the Princess Tower at 413m) all located in Dubai.  After several despedidas (farewell parties) and tearful goodbyes, we left Singapore yesterday and are now in our new home in Dubai.

What better way to spend our first day back than to go back to the year-old Burj Al Arab Terrace - a 10,000 square meter structure painstakingly built in Finland and shipped to Dubai in its' entirety to create a stunning restaurant, pool, beach and cabaña space abutting the hotel with uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf.

We began with lunch at Scape with it's seafood-centric California fusion menu - a perfect on this sunny 39C day.  From the Crudo bar, we ordered two raw dishes: the Hamachi crudo with Ponzu, pistachio, olives and capers and the Corvina carpaccio with scallion, nori, ginger and truffle yuzu which we had with some salads; arugula, quinoa, pumpkin seed, Feta salad and the endive, grape, Gorgonzola, pecan as our starters.  We then shared the wild mushroom pizza with goat's cheese and the Baja style tacos.  After our light and mostly cold lunch, we headed out to some sun loungers on the beach and enjoyed the cool saltwater infinity pool where I finally took the chance to take it easy and just relax after the hectic months of packing and moving.  It was warm but not unbearable and armed with 50 SPF Sun Bum,  my new Armani sunnies (which I got online from Smart Buy Glasses), and a stack of magazines, I happily spent the afternoon sitting in the shade catching up on my reading and just taking in the view. And what a view it was!  Happy to be home at last.

_________________________________

The Terrace at the Burj Al Arab

Scape at the Burj Al Arab

YAKINIKU JUMBO

On our last evening in Tokyo, we ventured out to Shirokane in the southern end of Minato for an early dinner at Yakiniku Jumbo.  This yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurant only serves A5 Black Wagyu which is the highest quality of Japanese beef.  The place is simply decorated with wooden booths and tables with a built-in grill in the center.  Reservations are recommended as the place fills up quickly as soon as they open at 5:00 p.m. and tables are allocated every two hours so we were gently ushered out at 6:30 so they could reset for the next batch of diners.

Different cuts are available on the menu from traditional cuts like short-plate kalbi and the loin to higher-priced prime cuts like shoulder and rib-eye plus sirloin which is only served in extra thin sukiyaki slices and served with a raw egg dip.  There's also a large selection of offal: beef tongue, intestine and stomach as well as pork womb (not really sure what that is) along with the more usual pork cheek and pork loin.  Specialties include Korean-style beef tartare and raw beef heart sashimi.  A few salads, kimchi and some vegetables (pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, mushroom, onion, carrot and shishito pepper) to be cooked on the grill is all there is for vegetarians.  Aside from steamed rice in small (individual), to medium or large (family-size) portions, they have two special rice dishes cooked in hot stone bowl: the traditional bibimbap topped with vegetables and a raw egg or the unusual Wagyu garlic rice version which is topped with a mound hand-chopped raw Wagyu beef and raw garlic which is mixed into the hot rice and continues to cook in the super hot stone bowl sort of like an instant extra-delicious premium fried rice.  Desserts are limited to Hokkaido soft-serve milk flavored ice cream or sherbet.

We  ordered both beef and pork, a green salad of lettuce in a sesame soy dressing, assorted vegetables and both the bibimbap and the Wagyu garlic rice.  The meat was melt-in-the-mouth tender with the marbled fat making every mouthful a pleasure.  The kids enjoyed it as well as we did and we ended up ordering more meat as the first plates went by way quicker than we expected.  Our server was a friendly California-raised Japanese surfer dude, making it the only meal we had in Tokyo where we could communicate easily with the person assigned to our table.  After a fantastic meal, we skipped dessert and instead took a short walk along the pedestrian street of the quiet residential area of Shirokane before heading back to the hotel.  Out of all our meals in Japan, yakiniku was the one that appealed to the whole family even if they only served one type of food: meat on the grill.  My Argentine husband got his meat fix and the kids and I all enjoyed the simple dinner of quality grilled meat and rice.  Looks like they have a partner restaurant in Singapore Yakiniku Yazawa which we are now eager to try for our Sunday family dinner out.

_____________________________

Yakiniku Jumbo

Dai-ichi Azabu Bldg. 1F, 3-1-1 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-5795-4129

Open daily 5:00 p.m. to midnight (Closed 31 December to 2 January)

Flashback Friday: RONIN

"Walk down the alley to a row of nondescript buildings and watch out for the unmarked grey one with a wooden door".  Those were the instructions a friend gave me when she told me about Ronin a few months after they opened in 2013.  Finding Ronin is part of the fun, and the start of what would be an adventurous evening of fine (sea)food and drink. 

Opened by the same young restaurateurs that manage the always packed yakitori temple Yardbird and the more casual fried chicken and sandwich place Sunday's Grocery, Ronin is a sleek dining bar that focuses on modern Japanese cuisine served with a large selection of Japanese scotch, sake (rice wine), shochu (sake-based liqueur), umeshu (ume fruit based liqueur) and Japanese craft beers.

Ronin features a daily changing menu on a single sheet of paper where seafood is the star. T and I opted for the 12-course tasting menu to get a feel of their food.  The first half of the menu features raw seafood which we had with some cold sake.  We started off with a cold raw Shigoku oyster lightly seasoned with red shiso vinegar followed by the sashimi selection: shima aji, kintokidai red bigeye snapper, hotate scallop and ojisan goatfish, all simply served on a bowl of crushed ice.  The third course was delicious flower crabmeat chunks tossed with uni slivers and put back in the  shell.  The last of the raw seafood courses was a yuzu baby yellowtail sashimi sliced so thinly that you could see the black plate through the fish. The fifth raw course was skinless wedges of extra-sweet fruit tomato with just salt and pepper.

The second part of the menu were the cooked dishes starting off with grilled tilefish, daikon, white ponzu and crispy fish scales - crunchy, hot, creamy and salty in one bite.  The seventh was their signature KFC a.k.a. korean fried crab deep-fried soft shell crablets with chili sauce - just like crab popcorn and a fine dining version of their other uber-popular Yardbird KFC (Korean fried cauliflower).  Next up was the white ale battered hirame, yuzu mayo along with a small glass of very cold white ale.  The most interesting flavor combination of the evening was the ninth course of fried triggerfish in honey, Kyoto shichimi sauce and crispy chestnut slivers (which looked just like garlic) that they suggested we have with a Japanese Hakushu single malt scotch and soda water.  Not being a usual Scotch drinker, I was surprised at how the hot-crispy-sweet-salty fish paired so well with the refreshing highball.  The next two courses: wild tiger prawns, bamboo fennel, tomato confit served in a stone pot like a seafood stew and the deep fried quail, orange zest, sansho pepper were a blur and we just tasted  bit of each.  The final course:unagi, kinome, chirashi was another stunner and this one, we finished up to the last grain of rice.  We were pleasantly stuffed at this point, and all we had space for was a couple of sips each of the dessert-like digestifs cocoa nib shochu and coffee shochu.

Two and a half hours later as we stumbled up the stairs onto the street, we happily realized that evenings like the one we just had at Ronin are few and far between, and should be repeated more often. I'm already planning my next trip to Hong Kong.

________________________________________

Ronin

8 On Wo Lane, Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2547 5263

Reservations: seats@roninhk.com

No tables, only 12 bar seats that can be reserved two weeks in advance, Walk-ins welcome at the stand-up counter

Dinner only: 6 pm to midnight, Monday to Saturday

LOLLA

When I first arrived in Singapore in 2013, I had already heard about Lolla after reading a  rave review from the New York Times so it was always on my go-to list.  Since they don't take any evening bookings, I kept putting it off as I didn't want to risk arriving hungry on a busy Friday and not be able to eat.  Two years have gone by quickly and it was time to try Lolla so I got a group of ladies together for lunch the other day.  I arrived early and was told that our group of six would be seated at the communal table downstairs.  When I said there would only be five of us instead of six and requested if we could sit on the counter instead, the efficient and courteous manager asked some customers who were already seated if they wouldn't mind to move to the corner so she could free up five seats in a row on the counter and seat our group together.

I love sitting on a counter with a full view of the kitchen.  It's one of the best ways to enjoy a restaurant, especially solo, since it gives me an idea of what food they serve and the ingredients they use.  Lolla was no different - I entertained myself while waiting by watching the chefs prepare and plate several dishes and already making my choices for what we should order for lunch.  Lolla serves sharing plates, most of which are bigger than a starter and smaller than a main course.  There is a concise menu of meat, fish and vegetables and a few starters and desserts.  There are also half a dozen specials on the board and their list of cheeses.  The food at Lolla is about showcasing fresh ingredients by cooking them simply.  

We started out with toasted sourdough bread ($4) accompanied by Kombu butter ($7) and pureed San Marzano tomatoes ($9).  The butter was flecked with Kombu (kelp) which was umami in a single bite and the tomato puree was a take on the Spanish pan con tomato accompanied by sweet roasted garlic.  The rest of our shared lunch was served as soon as the chefs plated them, and not in any particular order.  We had their signature squid ink pudding topped with yellow-gold lobes of sea urchin (half portion $22 or full portion $42) which we passed around for a rich teaspoonful each.  Next came the chutoro (tuna belly) tartar ($42) - large chunks of melt-in-the-mouth tuna belly tossed in a vinaigrette which we ate accompanied with the sourdough toast.  Two blackboard specials came next - the roasted lamb belly with edamame and oven-roasted tomatoes ($28) and the candied foie gras ($36) plus the grilled Iberia pork collar ($26) from their regular menu, along with three sides: duck fat potatoes ($13), sautéed cavolo nero ($19) and a tomato salad ($15).  The foie gras was creamy, the lamb belly was tender, the Iberia pork was smoky sweet.  The duck fat potatoes were crisp, the kale-like cavolo nero was intensely bittersweet, the tomatoes were like fruit candy.  This is food that hasn't been played with, just food that's meant to be savored with the simple cooking used to highlight the freshness and enhance the flavors.  Lolla is all about back-to-basics cuisine.  It's about sitting down with friends over a meal with good wine and great food, yet not letting the food take over the conversation.  It's food that doesn't need a long-winded explanation or lengthy description.  It's the kind of food I went to cooking school to learn to make.  Lolla is my kind of place and I will definitely be back for more.

______________________________________

Lolla

22 Ann Siang Road, 069702 Singapore
Telephone: +65 6423 1228

*Open Mondays to Saturdays from noon to 2:30 p.m. then from 6 to 11 pm.  Closed on Sundays and public holidays.  

*Walk-ins only for the counter, reservations can be made for the basement communal table.

TIPPLING CLUB

No better place to kickstart my blog than a meal at the Tippling Club - one of Singapore's best restaurants where Chef Ryan Clift has been impressing diners with his inventive cuisine since he opened his counter restaurant in Dempsey in 2009.  I had been once to Tippling Club in July 2011 and heard that since then, they had moved to a brand new location near Chinatown in late 2013.  Located in three adjacent shophouses in the bustling restaurant street of Tanjong Pagar, Tippling Club's new interiors are a unique mix of old and new - antique Peranakan floor tiles in the bar area and glossy green subway tiles in the large show kitchen, upcycled wooden planks for the ceiling, recycled timber for the floor, vintage lamps for the kitchen counter and a mix and match of lighting fixtures for the main dining area but keeping to the overall green color scheme.  The usual creative cocktails are still present along with a concise bar snacks menu of modern tapas, and there is now a monthly prix-fixe lunch menu (Two course at SGD$43++ or three courses SGD$58++) along with the usual dinner tasting menus (5-course Classic SGD$160++ or SGD$260++ with wine pairing, 10-course Gourmand SGD$265++ or SGD$420++ with wine pairing and an equivalent Classic and Gourmand vegetarian menu).  I went back recently for lunch and was impressed with the changes to the menu - less of the tiny plate molecular gastronomy stuff that used to be served to a more approachable version of modern cuisine - which made me decide to book a table for dinner two weeks later.

A and I arrived a bit early for our 8:30 p.m. reservation during the long weekend of jubilee celebrations for Singapore's 50th birthday and had time to look carefully through the menu while waiting for our friends to arrive.  We decided to order the chive croquettes from their bar menu which arrived soon after our friends were seated - five piping hot croquettes topped with roe and accompanied by a warm Parmesan foam dip.  We all opted for the five-course classic tasting menu and aside from one substitution for the appetizer, we were all ready for our degustation dinner which we were going to have with a bottle of Venta Las Vacas 2012 Ribera del Duero.

First up were the snacks, small plates of culinary inventions that has made Tippling Club famous.  We started with a dollop of warm tom yum flavored cream with basil tempura followed by the beef tendon cracker dusted with a tomato powder which was like airy pork crackling that tasted of a cheese-less pizza Margherita.  The third snack was their signature charred peppers and soy miso dip served on a slate with some large tweezers (I remember this one from 2011) and the final snack was their tomato lava lamp - a shot glass where oil and vinegar flavored tomato water is poured so that bubbles float up to the surface and make it look like a tiny lava lamp.  It was an entertaining and fun start to our meal which gave us a little taste of what they had in store.

The cold appetizer of eel, charred shallot, mustard ice cream seemed so straightforward after the molecular snacks but the flavors were very well-executed - jellied eel contrasted with the pickled pearl onions, crumbs, crisp shallot and mustard ice cream.  A opted for the foie gras instead of the eel and was presented with a dollop of hummus-like foie gras with cubes of apples, green grapes and an oven-dried apple chip.  A warm appetizer of scallops came next hidden underneath a black pasta sheet onto which creamy purple garlic soup was poured which almost dissolved the ravioli-like squid ink pasta and mixed in with the parsley root and almost raw paper-thin scallop layers.  Two main courses followed:  roast rockling fish on a bed of shaved beetroot topped with alternating thin slices of smoked ox tongue and fresh beet root, the tongue tasted like corned beef while the beets were sweet and went well with what would have a bland chunk of fish without the interesting ingredients added on; the meat course was a roast pigeon breast, confit of pigeon leg, cep puree, truffle macaroni and a truffle infused sauce Perigourdine.  There was an optional cheese course (for an extra SGD$20) which we would have ordered if we had more time but since A was leaving very late that evening for the Virtuoso Travel week in Las Vegas, we went straight to dessert - textured milk which was a dollop coconut milk tapioca, topped with frozen yoghurt and crunchy milk-flavored meringue - a light palate end to our decadent meal.  Last but not least was their tray of signature mignardises which accompanied the coffee.

Service throughout was courteous, friendly and unobtrusive and the added touch of having different chefs come out to explain each of the courses as they were served, made the meal more interesting.  Tippling Club obviously isn't a bargain but with the quality of the produce, the innovative cuisine and the good-sized portions, it's a dinner worth saving up for.  In any case, there's always the equally good set lunch menu if you'd like to give it a try (photos of my recent lunch below).

---

Tippling Club

38 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088461
Telephone: +65 6475 2217  or Email: enquiries@tipplingclub.com

Open Mondays to Fridays for lunch from noon to 3 p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m. till late; Saturdays for dinner from 6 p.m. till late

Bar is open Mondays to Fridays from noon to midnight and on Saturdays from 6 p.m. to midnight

Closed on Sundays

Public parking lot at nearby Duxton Hill or coupon street parking on Tanjong Pagar

---

SARSA

I'm in the middle of a one day juice fast of six juices from The Syndicate Juice Co. and after several hours of just drinking my meals, all I can think about is food, delicious food.  Since I can't eat anything, the second best thing is to write about my favorite Filipino restaurant in Manila - Sarsa Kitchen. 

Sarsa, named after the Filipino word for sauce, is a mainstay in the Filipino table.  Most meals are accompanied by an assortment of sauces: calamansi soy, chili vinegar, fish sauce, liver sauce, bagoong (a local fermented fish or shrimp paste) - the combinations are endless and Sarsa Kitchen is a contemporary take on classic Filipino food with some specialties from the south as the chef JP Anglo is from Negros.

The menu is a melange of classic Filipino dishes and several Negrense specialties.  All are well-executed - the grilled dishes are seared with the meat slightly blackened and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside - from inihaw na liempo (pork belly) to inasal (Southern-style grill) chicken parts (including intestines, tails, gizzard and liver). Bulalo, a Filipino version of pot au feu with beef, bone marrow and vegetables is done traditionally with soup and sizzling Kansi, served on a sizzling plate with gravy.  Vegetable dishes were also very good with the gising gising coconut milk prawn and beans to the roasted squash topped with crispy dilis (tiny fish).  We also enjoyed the pancit molo, a dumpling and noodle soup similar to wanton mee and Batchoy, a southern soup filled with misua, thin noodles and pork liver.  My mouth is watering from the memory of that meal - I can almost taste the starter of crispy dilis in the chili pineapple glaze.  I better stop writing or I'll give up this juice fast right now.

______________________________

Sarsa BGC
Forum South Global
7th Ave cor 25th Street, Bonifacio Global City
Tel. +63 2 866 0912 or +63 927 706 0773


A second branch recently opened:
Sarsa MOA
2F South Veranda
Entertainment Mall
Tel +63 915 307 1426

THE MARKET GRILL

After a year in Singapore, we now have a few favorites - Luke's, for when we're feeling flush and then there's the "cheap and cheerful" version of Luke's - The Market Grill  - part of the Unlisted Collection of seven boutique hotels and fourteen restaurants mostly in Singapore but also in London, Shanghai and Sydney.  In Singapore, they also manage other trendy restaurants Bincho, Esquina, Pollen and Cocotte and the funky Majestic Hotel in Chinatown.

Located on bustling Telok Ayer street, The Market Grill is in a converted shophouse.  A long narrow room lined by a few formica-topped tables with a long counter making best use of the space.  Behind the counter is the open kitchen and grill.  They also have a large chiller where the different cuts of meat are displayed just like at a butcher which is why they specialize in grilled steaks.

I first went for lunch in the middle of the week with some friends and we made it a point to arrive early so we could get a table as they don't take reservations.  Good thing we did, as the place was packed by the office crowd by 12:30.  We started off with the artery-clogging oven roasted bone marrow (S$25) which came with caramelized red onions, a parsley and shallot salad, sea salt and two large marrow bones which we slathered onto slices of crisp toasted sourdough.  We never fail to order this when we eat there, even our 12-year old son asks for it when we're there.  This was followed by two side dishes  - the crispy pig's ears (S$18) with a garlic and herb vinegar dip and the onion matchsticks (S$8).  The pig's ears were superb - not greasy at all and still crispy, like chewy chips (much better than the soggy battered version at Pizzeria Mozza).  The onion matchsticks were addicting - I could have eaten a whole bowl on my own.  The three of us shared the lobster roll (S$45) - a soft sweet buttered roll filled with mayonnaise tossed lobster chunks served with fries and a green salad and a medium-rare 200-day grain fed, 200 gram Wagyu rump (S$40) which was served plain with a dollop of caramelized red onions.  Too full for dessert, we walked off our lunch and had a post-lunch coffee nearby.

On another occasion, I lunched with another friend and we sat at the counter and had another enjoyable lunch - the usual bone marrow to start then I had the grilled Maine lobster (S$45) about 500 grams, served simply with butter, lemon, a green salad and mashed potatoes which they gladly substituted for french fries while my friend had a 400-day grain fed, 200 gram Black Angus bavette (S$40) with fries.  No dessert again.

We've been back again several times with the kids (for dinner and we always had to sit on the counter) and tried the 150 gram CW (Chef Colin West's initials) Burger Breakfast (S$23) which comes with a sunny side up egg, bacon and aged cheddar.  Their beef burgers are available in either 150 grams or 200 grams (from S$22 to S$33) and they also have a cod fish burger and a chicken burger for those who are avoiding red meat.  We also had the Terres Major and  Lobster - a 300 grams artisanal cut of beef with a 500 gram lobster, both grilled and served with a green salad, french fries and strangely enough, just red wine sauce for the meat, you'll have to order the butter sauce separately and pay extra for it.  The kids had to have dessert so we all shared a plate of churros which could have been perfect except for the non-traditional covering of cinnamon sugar (proper churros are served plain) and a tiny pot of melted chocolate.  Trust me, you'll have to ask for more chocolate to dip the churros in as there isn't enough for the three large churros.

The Market Grill is our go-to when we're hankering for a grilled steak or a lobster and with the usual prices for steak and lobster at other high-end Singapore restaurants, this place hits the spot and doesn't leave one with a hole in their pocket.  We'll definitely be coming back.

_______________________________

The Market Grill

208 Telok Ayer Street

Singapore 068642

Telephone: +65 6221 3323

*Open Monday to Saturday for lunch (11h30 a.m. to 2h30 p.m.)  and dinner (6 to 10 p.m.).

*No reservations, street parking only.

YOSHIMATSU

After a morning spent shopping for children's presents at Hakuhinkan Toy Park, Tokyo's version of Toys'R'Us, Rumi and I were escorted by the shop's owner to his favorite tempura restaurants a few blocks away.  Just off Ginza, in a back alley was an unmarked sliding door which led to my best lunch in Tokyo.  One of those memorable meals that magically combines a sense of place with delicious food and hilarious company.

Rumi and I entered the simple room with just a seven-seat counter in the center lined by blond wood walls - no decorations or music and no chef.  We were offered something to drink by the kimono-clad server - Rumi ordered a cold beer for us to share and this was served with a small plate of cold silken tofu.  While we waited to see what would happen, the unsmiling chef came in from the kitchen, nodded his head to us and quietly approached his large bubbling vat of oil carrying with him several bamboo baskets filled with all sorts of seafood and vegetables.  He gave us three tiny plates with grated radish, a bit of lemon juice and some fine salt then, the show began.

As this was a tempura restaurant, all the food that the chef prepared was first dipped in a light ice-cold batter then deep-fried.  First came a single block of soft tofu - hot and silky soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside.  As soon as we had gobbled this up, the chef would fry the next morsel: lotus root followed by sweet shrimp, asparagus then young corn and a small bundle of thin green beans.  Halfway through the meal, the chef could see the glazed look in our eyes and hear the oohing and aching after every bite and finally, a flicker of a smile finally appeared on his face.  Next up was a quail egg, a scallop, some white fish, shiso leaf, several more tiny sweet shrimp and finally a small plate of pickles and served with the traditional last course, a bowl of cooked short-grain rice in which the chef had poured some green tea and topped it with a delicate prawn fritter.  By this time, the chef was chatting with us and telling us about how he loves what he does and that although, Michelin wanted to list him, he asked them not to as he wanted to keep his restaurant small and as is and just keep cooking the food he loves to do.  Lunch lasted a couple of hours and ended with some lemon jelly and green tea.  We left the restaurant with a full belly, smiles on our faces and a hand-wrapped onigiri gift from the chef.  Tempura will never taste the same again.  That's what happens when one visits Japan, all the other previous Japanese meals start to pale in comparison.

___________________________
Yoshimatsu
*Open for lunch and dinner
*I promised the chef not to publish the location, so please email me at: gourmettraveller@gmail.com for the address

LUKE'S CHOPHOUSE and OYSTER BAR

I'm on a roll and yesterday and todays' post are my favorite Singapore restaurants so far (in the almost ten months we've been here).  Luke's has been around for some time with its' original location near hip and happening Club street well-loved by many for the food, the drinks, the ambience and the fact that the kitchen stays open till midnight.  The new one opened a few months ago in a strange spot inside the renovated Robinson's department store at The Heeren building.  Once you walk through the store and enter the doors of Luke's, you realize why the location was right all along.  The place is sleek with black leather banquettes and cozy mini-booths for two lining the upper level and a long bar on the lower level with a floor to ceiling window overlooking busy Orchard road.

The menu is simple and spread out over two pages - one with items from the oyster bar, table snacks to be shared, a caviar service and starters then the second  for chophouse classics, chops and side dishes and a listing of specialty beers and cocktails.  The wine list is extensive with eleven of them, from sparkling to fortified, served by the glass.  

As soon as the order is placed, a plate of warm mini-cornbread served with a dab of sweet butter is served.  From the winter 2014 menu, we shared the smoked trout dip with crackers, celery and radish - a smoky almost dry shredded trout which we spread onto the accompanying extra-thin brown crisp bread and the oysters "lukefeller" (instead of Rockefeller) - baked oysters with spinach, Pernod and parsley.

It was hard to choose a main course from the selections offered but as I hardly get to eat steak tartar, its what I had even if it was listed as a starter.  This one came perfectly seasoned and chunky with capers along with toasted slices of rye bread.  A had a well-seared veal chop with anchovy marmite butter.  We shared several sides - the extra crispy Old bay seasoned french fries, green asparagus and the creamy lobster mac and cheese topped with ritz cracker crumbs.

For lunch one day with the ladies, I had a delicious caesar salad topped with fried oysters. There are also a few specials (like their famous hamburger) not available for dinner.  On another occasion, four of us dined on a couple of starters (tuna tartar and the smoked trout dip) followed by two orders of 400 gram USDA prime rib-eye "naked" (meaning just with salt and pepper) and a tableful of side dishes.  Desserts are few and the two we tried were ok but nothing to write home about - it's the only thing they could improve on.  Otherwise, the service, the atmosphere and the food are outstanding.  At Luke's, there is always something delicious to eat with no surprises or gimmicks, just real good food served simply.

_____________________________________________

Luke's Oyster Bar and Chophouse
03-02, The Heeren (inside Robinson's department store)
260 Orchard Road
Singapore 238855
Telephone: +65 6733 4813
*Open Mondays to Saturdays from noon to 10:30 p.m.

Another one at:
20 Gemmill Lane
Singapore 069256
Telephone: +65 6221 4468
*Open Mondays to Saturdays from noon to midnight

MA MAISON

My favorite tonkatsu restaurant in Singapore is Mandarin Gallery's Ma Maison.  A franchise from Nagoya, Japan, this restaurant only serves several versions of its' namesake tonkatsu (deep fried Panko breadcrumbed pork cutlet in 120gr., 180 gr. or 220 gr, portions) from the Japanese Kurobuta pork cutlet to the pork millefeuille (thin slices of park layered into a cutlet).  They even have Hungarian Mangalica pork or Iberico pork. There are also other deep-fried battered goodies - prawns, fish, oysters and chicken all served in a set with accompanying grated radish, soup, pickles, shredded cabbage and a choice of either white or brown rice.  On the table are the usual accompaniments - sweet or spicy sauce for the tonkatsu, sesame seeds to grate into the sauce, soy sauce and sesame dressings for the salad and radish.  The concept is simple - make your choice from the extra large menu with photos then wait for them to bring you your set menu tray.  I always go for either the Rosukatsu 120 gram (pork loin) with brown rice and a side order of ebi katsu (deep fried prawn) and kaki katsu (deep-fried oyster).  It's a popular place so get in line early especially for dinner on weekends.

Ma Maison
02-36 Mandarin Gallery
333A Orchard road
Singapore
Telephone: +65 6733 4541
*Open daily for lunch from 11 to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. No reservations but the queue moves quickly

CAFE PUSHKIN

Cafe Pushkin is housed in a newly-built mansion just off Pushkin square whichhas successfully recreates a Russian aristocrat's home from the 1800's from the wood panelling to the heavy furniture, the chandeliers and the candlelit tables, the plaster and moldings on the ceilings and even the waiters dressed in period outfits making it feel like we were having dinner during the time of Anna Karenina.

Opened in 1999, the restaurant is spread out on three floors with the cafe-like Drugstore hall on the ground floor serving more casual fare and the restaurant on the upper floors called the Library hall with a more extensive and pricier menu.

Our good friends Farina and Satesh invited us to dinner there since they really wanted me to experience Cafe Pushkin and see what Moscow became right after I left in 1997.    They went all out to welcome A and I and we did a classic Russian dinner starting out with Russky Standard vodka with beluga caviar and blinis.  The first bite of the salty black pearls popping in my mouth with the warm pillowy blinis and cold smetana (sour cream) brought me back to the Russia I fell in love with and the ice-cold shot of vodka that followed reminded me of when I was young and adventurous.  As a start to a Moscow meal, nothing beats that.

We shared a few hot appetizers - julienne, the classic white mushrooms baked in sour cream made more luxurious with the addition of chanterelles followed by piroshki, traditional meat pies.  Four our main courses - Farina and I shared large plate of pelmenis - meat and mushroom filled dumplings served with a bit of broth, sour cream and vinegar, Satesh had the roast chicken and A had the kotlety pozharski - a breaded veal cutlet stuffed with mushrooms served with fried potatoes which we enjoyed with a bottle of Carmenere.  Dinner was delicious and it was definitely the best Russian food we had in Moscow and the company of Farina and Satesh helped made the evening memorable.  Even the weather cooperated to give us a full Russian experience as the streets were covered in fresh white snow when we left the restaurant.

Cafe Pushkin

Tverskoy Bulvar 26A

Moscow

Telephone: +7495 739 0033

*Open 24 hours daily

MOSCOW MUSTS

The Kremlin is the center of it all.  Recently, they implemented an online system for buying tickets and it's first weekend trial was when we there but we did it the old way - get in line and try and snag a ticket as the entries are limited and scheduled.  You can do full-priced ticket which includes the Armory museum, the three cathedrals (Annunciation, Assumption and Archangels), Ivan the great's bell tower, the Patriarch's Palace or opt for several cheaper ticket options which is just for the grounds and Cathedral square usually bought by Russians or locals who like to walk around the Kremlin drink the weekends.  The ticket for the diamond exhibit, which is also in the Armory, is sold separately inside the museum. Be patient as the ticket seller is a babushka who hardly speaks English and there are hardly any signs in English so use sign language and figure it out.  My rusty Russian helped a bit but not much.  Ticket booths open at 9:30 for the first entry at 10:00.  Once you have your ticket, get in the long line and wait until the Kremlin gates open - this took about 45 minutes to an hour.  Once inside, head straight to the armory which is filled with Russian state regalia, ceremonial vestments and crowns and all the precious metals from jeweled crowns to state silver service which should take about an hour.  After that, we walked out towards Cathedral square which gives one a 360 degree view of the three cathedrals and Ivan the great's bell tower.  After a short wander around, we exited towards Manezhnaya Ploshad (Manezh square) to the cobblestoned red square and walked towards the Kremlin clock tower and the iconic St. Basil's cathedral.

It was about time for lunch so after a short tour of red square, we escaped the cold (3C) and entered GUM - the State department store, now fully renovated and filled with high-end boutiques.  When I left in 1997, GUM was just starting to be renovated and was still a mix of Benetton (one of the first Western labels present in Russia) and Russian style shops.  Now, it's a bright, modern shopping mall housed in an architectural marvel from the 1890's filled with upwardly mobile Russians and a few tourists.  We went up to the second floor where we got in another line (remnants of Communist times) to have lunch at Stolovaya No.57 -  a retro Russian-style self-serve cafeteria complete with white lab coat uniformed counter staff dishing out potato salad and smoked fish, borscht and chicken Kiev, pierogi and black bread.  Even the drinks are authentic - from an ice-cold piva (beer) to a kitschy vending machine dispensing super fizzy Russian sparkling water by the glass.  I had the classic chicken Kiev with mashed potatoes while A had a slab of roast pork with cranberry sauce and a beet and smoked fish salad.

From there, we continued our walk around the center and headed towards Tversakaya street, known by its' former name as Gorky street.  Just like GUM, this busy street is now home to luxury hotels and shops but still retains something of the old Moscow.  We visited Yeliseyevsky Gastronom (Yeliseyevsky food store) which used to allow access only to Communist party elite.  This food hall was always a gastronomic mecca but more so today that the shelves are filled to the brim with everything from fresh raspberries to French lentils as well as a large glass case stacked with tins and tins of edible black pearls, caviar.

Another day should be devoted to the Pushkin museum - housed in three buildings - the main one on (Volkhonka street 12) in the center for ancient artifacts, sculpture and 18th century European art, the smaller one on the right (Volkhonka street 10) for private collections and the adjacent one on the left (Volkhonka street 14) for 19th and 20th century art.  We visited the main building on one day and I returned another day with N to visit the Impressionists which was a visual pleasure - rooms and rooms of Monets, Renoirs, Pissarros, Degas, Gaugins and Van Goghs.  

Just in front is the gigantic gold-domed Christ the Saviour cathedral, reconstructed in the late nineties then continue onwards to the pedestrian bridge to cross the Moscow river to the other embankment and walk around what used to be the Krasny Oktyabr (Red October) Chocolate Factory - converted into an urban center with cafes and restaurants, design offices and the Lumiere Brothers Photo gallery showcasing Soviet-era photographs with a cafe and an interesting gift shop, sorely lacking at the Pushkin museum and the Kremlin.

Last but not least the Bolshoi is essential, preferably to watch a ballet in the historical stage or an opera at the new stage or at the very least a tour.  After a six year renovation, the theater which opened in 1856 has retained the gold rococo interiors and red velvet seats but the sound system and acoustics have been updated.  We were able to get tickets for the premier of Alexandre Dumas'  La Dame aux Camellias - a ballet in three acts on the historical stage.   The experience of an evening at the Bolshoi should not be missed and was the best way to spend our last evening in Moscow.

WATERCRESS CAFE

I'm playing catch up as I've abandoned my blog for months now since we moved to Singapore and have just had several hours straight to sit down at my desk to blog.  Although we went back to Bali in January of this year for a long weekend (haven't been since we left in March 2012), I am only posting this recent find now.  Watercress Cafe is a charming cafe on Batu Belig street, an up and coming area right by Seminyak in neighboring Kerobokan which is on the twisty rice field flanked road towards the surfing beaches of Canggu.

A brick-walled light-filled interior serving breakfast all-day with a lots of other yummy, healthy dishes especially for vegetarians or those looking for gluten-free items.  I was so impressed with Watercress that I went twice while we were in Bali - once for breakfast and another time for a late lunch (recently, they have also started serving dinner).  Their bread is from Bali's French bakery Monsieur Spoon and coffee specialist Revolver Espresso.  Drinks are made up of fresh fruit smoothies, lassis and juices and a selection of iced teas.  The menu is simple but with so many good things, it's hard to make up one's mind with what to order.  Some menu items can also be ordered in half-size portions which is convenient and unusual for Bali.

For breakfast, I had the Two Crispy Sweet Corn Fritters - two poached eggs over corn fritters and a chunky avocado and tomato salsa.  I ordered it as part of the breakfast set which comes with a bowl of fresh tropical fruit topped with crushed peanuts and grated coconut and a creamy cappuccino.

At lunchtime, there are loads of salads, a few burgers (Mahi-Mahi, crispy Tempeh or chicken sate) and several open sandwiches served either on sourdough or gluten-free bread. I had the Bruschetta topped with vine-ripened tomatoes, Feta and arugula followed by a Roasted Pumpkin Salad -  a large bowl of caramelized pumpkin, watercress, arugula with a basil pesto dressing.  Watercress Malam (the dinner menu) is more substantial with small plates as starters, salads and grilled items with assorted side dishes.

It's been a long time since I've loved a restaurant from start to finish.  Watercress Cafe is going straight on my favorites list. If you're going to Bali, you should add it to yours too.

___________________________

Watercress Cafe

Jalan Batu Belig 21A

Kerobokan, Bali

tel: +62 361 780 8030

ASIA'S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS 2014

What better way to make my first blog post on Singapore about the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2014. Held at the Capella Singapore yesterday evening, the chef-studded event brought together food-lovers and restaurateurs from all over Asia to witness the announcement of this year's top 50 restaurants in Asia. 

1. NAHM, Bangkok
2. NARISAWA, Tokyo (San Pellegrino BEST RESTAURANT IN JAPAN)
3. GAGGAN, Bangkok
4. AMBER, Hong Kong (San Pellegrino BEST RESTAURANT IN CHINA)
5. NIHONRYORI RYUGIN, Tokyo
6. RESTAURANT ANDRE, Singapore (San Pellegrino BEST RESTAURANT IN SINGAPORE)
7. WAKU GHIN, Singapore
8. ULTRAVIOLET by Paul Pairet, Shanghai
9. LUNG KING HEEN, Hong Kong
10. 8 1/2 OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA, Hong Kong
11. MR. AND MRS. BUND, Shanghai
12. IGGY'S, Singapore
13. CAPRICE, Hong Kong
14. LES AMIS, Singapore
15. BO INNOVATION, Bangkok
16. ISHIKAWA, Tokyo
17. JAAN, Singapore
18. L'ATELIER DE JOEL ROBUCHON, Hong Kong
19. FOOK LAM MOON, Hong Kong (HIGHEST CLIMBER AWARD by Zacapa Rum from no.48 in 2013)
20. JUNGSIK, Seoul (San Pellegrino BEST RESTAURANT IN KOREA, Highest New Entry Award, first time for Korea)
21. SRA BUA BY KIIN KIIN, Bangkok
22. QUINTESSENCE, Tokyo
23. TIPPLING CLUB, Singapore (new entry)
24. LE MOUT, Taishung (Veuve Clicquot's ASIA'S BEST FEMALE CHEF, San Pellegrino BEST RESTAURANT IN TAIWAN, new entry, first time for Taiwan)
25. L'EFFERVESCENCE, Tokyo (new entry)
26. FU1015, Shanghai
27. BUKHARA, New Delhi
28. BO.LAN, Bangkok
29. INDIAN ACCENT, New Delhi
30. DUM PUKHT, New Delhi
31. ISSAYA SIAMESE CLUB, Bangkok
32. VARQ, New Delhi
33. 28 HUBIN ROAD, Hangzhou
34. TAKAZAWA, Tokyo
35. SHINJI BY KANEZAKA, Singapore
36. WASABI, Mumbai
37. EAT ME, Bangkok
38. SUKIYABASHI JIRO, Tokyo (new entry)
39. ROBUCHON AU DOME, Macau
40. IMPERIAL TREASURE SUPER PEKING DUCK, Singapore
41. SAWADA, Tokyo (new entry)
42. HAJIME, Osaka
43. SUSHI SAITO, Tokyo
44. NIHONBASHI, Colombo (San Pellegrino BEST RESTAURANT IN SRI LANKA)
45. YARDBIRD, Hong Kong
46. FAMIILY LI IMPERIAL CUISINE, Shanghai (Diner's Club LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD)
47. SARONG, Bali (San Pellegrino BEST RESTAURANT IN INDONESIA)
48. FRANCK BISTRO, Shanghai
49. KARAVALLI, Bangalore
50. TENKU RYUGIN, Hong Kong (ONE TO WATCH by Peroni Nastro Azzurro)

A special award was also given to Janice Wong of 2 am:dessert bar for ASIA'S BEST PASTRY CHEF giving Singapore a total of eight entries, making it the third highest in this year's list. China topped the list with 16 entries followed by Japan with 10.

The chefs from Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2014
(photo courtesy of Asia's Best Restaurants website)

Spnsors San Pellegrino, Acqua Panna, Veuve Clicquot and Chocolat Barry

Canapes and after-party food courtesy of the Capella Singapore