Category Archives: Festive

(Mid-Autumn Festival 2014) Jiang-Nan Chun of Four Seasons Hotel Singapore

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Mid-Autumn Festival means differently to each of us. To some, it means spending quality time with loved ones, enjoying one another’s company while nibbling on mooncakes, sipping on tea, admiring the full moon and watching the kids parading the streets with colourful lanterns.

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore‘s Jiang-Nan Chun’s selection of mooncakes appeals to those who seek sophistication and finesse this Mid-Autumn Festival. Boasting a luxury appeal, the assortment of traditional baked and snowskin mooncakes involve a harmonious play on savoury and sweet notes. Continue reading →

(Mid-Autumn Festival 2014) Mandarin Orchard Singapore

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Mandarin Orchard Singapore introduces new exotic flavours this year, such as the Sichuan-inspired Baked Mooncake with 8-Treasure Mala and Jamon Iberico that imparts a balanced sweet, savoury and spicy kick. Also making big debut is the Baked Mooncake with Azuki Red Bean Paste and Pine Nuts.


Baked Mooncake with 8-Treasure Mala Szechuan spice and Jamon Iberico ($65 for 4 pieces)

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(Mid-Autumn Festival 2014) Peony Jade

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We continually get blown away by Peony Jade’s signature flaky Teochew ‘orh ni’ baked mooncake ever since its debut 5 years ago. (Read last year’s review here: https://melicacy.com/?p=6009) Attempting to steal the limelight from the award-winning signatures are novel creations that raise the bar each year. Expectations remain high. Continue reading →

Bar-Roque Grill counts down to Bastille Day with celebrations from 1 to 14 July 2014

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Bar-Roque Grill celebrates its first year anniversary with 13 days of classic French dishes from 1 July 2014, leading up to French’s National Day, Bastille Day, giving lovers of French cuisine more reason to indulge in a flamboyant feast revolving around the best of France in this cosy yet sophisticated enclave.


Charcuterie board ($38/$62) – pork rillette, foie gras, chicken & sunchoke terrine, pork knuckle terrine, white kurobuta smoked ham, duck prosciutto, salami, country duck pate and rabbit rillette

The celebratory menu features classic Northern and Southern French dishes not commonly found in Singapore, such as Escargot Fricassee, Provencal appetiser Pistou Soup, Veal Cordon Bleu, classic steak dish Tournedos Rossini, slow-cooked casserole Cassoulet, hearty Braised Lamb Shank Provencal and more. Throughout the celebrations, a variety of five to seven types of French cheeses will also be available, as well as Burgundy and Champagne wine promotions (from 1 to 6 July) and wines from the South of France (from 7 to 14 July).


Classic Tarte Flambee ($14/$22)

Dining at Bar-Roque Grill transports one to the dazzling Baroque period of 17th century Europe. Alsace-born Chef Stephane Istel who helms the kitchen draws deep from traditional roots, with dishes classic yet powerfully responsive to modern times.

The Classic Tarte Flambée carries familiar features one would associate with pizza –crust and toppings. Unlike pizza, the crust of this tart flambée is light, crispy and cracker-thin. Topped with bacon, onions and of course lovingly melted cheese to bind everything together.


Bouillabaisse ($42)

The Bouillabaisse arrives in three separate components: saffron broth, croutons with rouille, and of course the focal point, grilled seafood accented with fresh dill, perked up with grilled red peppers, and laced caramelised onion that elevates this dish to a whole new level. Continue reading →

(Dragon Boat Festival 2014) Toast Box’s limited edition ‘bamboo’ package with mini dumplings

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Limited Edition ‘Bamboo’ Package with 8 Mini Dumplings ($21.80/assorted flavours)

This Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Jie), Toast Box’s ‘bamboo’ inspired packaging stands out from the rest, unfortunately the rice dumplings are comparatively underwhelming. Continue reading →

(Dragon Boat Festival 2014) Rice Dumplings from Din Tai Fung

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Din Tai Fung successfully prevails as one of Singapore’s top dining establishments and household name since its introduction. The quality of food remains consistent, as outlets continue sprouting across the island. This Dragon Boat Festival, Din Tai Fung makes for a safe choice to turn to for high quality yet affordable rice dumplings that are bound to gratify.

Din Tai Fung completes the celebration with two flavours – the sweet Red Bean Rice Dumpling and the savoury Rice Dumpling with Flavoured Pork – that are both equally enticing. Continue reading →

(Dragon Boat Festival 2014) Rice Dumplings from Sheraton Towers Singapore Hotel’s Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant

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Sheraton Towers Singapore Hotel’s Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant pushes the boundaries further this Dragon Boat Festival, presenting the new and outlandish Steamed Beef Knee and Kidney Bean Rice Dumpling that will pique the interest of adventurous eaters. Continue reading →

(Dragon Boat Festival 2014) Royal Pavilion debuts its “Lao Gan Tie” Chilli Dumplings

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To be honest, I never knew what Dragon Boat Festival was about, except for the fact that it involves the consumption (and to my late grandma, the handcrafting) of rice dumplings. I am slowly but surely touching base with traditions, re-engaging what used to be trivial to me but significant to my grandparents and forefathers.

Dragon Boat Festival marks the day of commemorating the sacrifice of a legendary Chinese poet who drowned himself in Mi Lo River, millenniums ago, to protest against corrupted rulers. Out of respect, rice dumplings were thrown into the river to provide food for the fish and preventing them from feeding on the poet’s body. Since then, Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of very fifth lunar month of the Chinese calendar (which falls on 2nd June this year).

Today, rice dumplings have become a delicacy, available in a myriad of flavours –some of which are inventive and unorthodox creations never seen before, some of which remain true to traditions.

Royal Pavilion debuts its first-ever series of dumplings this Dragon Boat Festival –one of which you must not miss is the “Lao Gan Tie” Mushroom Dried Shrimp Dumpling ($9.80+) made with Royal Pavilion’s famed “Lao Gan Tie” sauce. Continue reading →

(Dragon Boat Festival 2014) Premium “Bak Chang” (Rice Dumplings) at Fairmont Singapore’s Szechuan Court Restaurant

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A requisite element during Dragon Boat Festival, rice dumplings at Fairmont Singapore’s Szechuan Court Restaurant come in unconventional massive proportions, crammed full of high quality ingredients.

The gargantuan bundles of bamboo leaf-wrapped parcels are available in four different flavours this year, inventively created by Dim Sum Chef Mandy Yeo. Here, timeless traditional classics are combined with contemporary touches. Continue reading →

(Mother’s Day Special) Fish & Co.’s Mom’s Platter

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Fish & Co. has been a huge part of my teenage years, and it was where fond memories with family and friends were built. During those days, Fish & Co. was one of the few establishments that serve up satisfactory fish & chips consistently, that’s why my family choose to return on many special occasions.


Mom’s Platter ($65)

I decided to bring my mum to Fish & Co. for an early Mother’s Day celebration upon receiving the media invite, and made use of the opportunity to bond since we hardly spend time together on regular days due to our (or rather, her) hectic schedules. Continue reading →

Happy Easter!

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Happy Easter!

I’d like to share a letter from my kind and loving sister to my family:

To my most beloved people in the whole wide world,

Just wanna wish you a merry holiday, and remind ourselves why we celebrate this precious day. For we were sinners who had been separated from God, who had no hope and no help, but we now can rejoice because we know God, who loves us, who saved us, who sacrificed His only Son who bore our sins and burdens. We now can be called eternal sons and daughters of God when we have received by faith the hope and promise from God!

Ephesians 2:1-10

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I know I’m a sinner and Christ is my need;
His death is my ransom, no merit I plead.
His work is sufficient, on Him I believe;
I have life eternal when Him I receive. —Anon.

Accepting Jesus’ death gives me life.

The apostle Paul was not mistaken when he said that the Ephesian believers were at one point dead—spiritually dead. They were dead in the sense that they were separated from God, enslaved to sin (Eph. 2:5), and condemned under the wrath of God. What a state of hopelessness!

Yet God in His goodness took action to reverse this condition for them and for us. The living God “who gives life to the dead” (Rom. 4:17) poured out His rich mercy and great love by sending His Son Jesus to this earth. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are made alive (Eph. 2:4-5).

When we believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we go from death to life. Now we live to rejoice in His goodness!

It is my prayer that God brings you joy and peace each day, healing and comfort. I pray that the love of God will touch you each day, and draw you to Him, that you may call Him Lord and Saviour, and realise that you have everything in Him, and that you will have no lack again!

I love you all very much!!!!!

:)

Love,
Grace

Easter has always been closely associated with food. The baking of hot cross buns, for instance, is one of the standard practices of Easter celebration. Spread the love and enjoy this very special weekend.

Special thanks to District 10 Bar & Restaurant for delivering this basket of freshly baked hot cross buns to my doorstep.

These Hot Cross Buns are available at District 10 Bar & Restaurant (UE Square) for dine-in or takeaways, from now till 30 April 2014, retailing at $6.80 for 4 pieces or $9.80 for 6 pieces.