Headed down to Fat Boy’s for my first ever hands-on burger making session with Openrice on Sunday, with the company of several other bloggers!
Continue reading
Korean cuisine… it’s either you love it, or you haven’t encountered any place that serves noteworthy Korean food that instantly makes you fall in love with.
I’ve never had an extreme liking for Korean food in my last 24 years of living. In fact, I used to blithely assume Korean food is all about fermented vegetables, which were somewhat revolting to me.
Korean BBQ is becoming increasingly popular in Singapore. Now, the focus is on the meats.
Banchan
Kimchi does play a key role in completing a Korean dining experience, but there’s so much more to Korean cuisine than just pickled cabbage. I am growing to appreciate kimchi more each day, but Korean BBQ is still what entices me the most. A liking for Korean food is emerging; irresistible establishments like BORNGA make this possible.
BORNGA is Korea’s leading chain of BBQ restaurants, established in 2002, with an empire of 33 branches in Korea and 13 outlets worldwide at present. It is the brainchild of Jong Won Paik, one of Korea’s most successful and renowned celebrity chefs. The opening of BORNGA at The Star Vista in November 2012 marks the chain’s first appearance in Singapore.
Continue reading
Park Palace, lauded for fine Cantonese gastronomy, promises a flourish of Lunar New Year feastings this season with an innovative twist.
Continue reading
Raise your beer jugs and toast to a prosperous Year of the Snake!
This year, Carlsberg is giving away $1 million worth of prizes, with the grand prize being 2 kg of gold (2 winners, 1 kg each). Other attractive prizes include instant cash rewards (win $888 and $8888 in cash) and giveaways (such as the limited edition Carlsberg Twin Speaker Boxes and Carlsberg Magnetic Wealth Bracelet).
To stand a chance in winning, simply purchase Carlsberg or its sister labels Carlsberg Gold and Carlsberg Special Brew from any supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, as well as selected coffee shops and hawker centres.
Hypermarts and supermarkets: Spend $15 on Carlsberg Green Label, Special Brew or Gold for a chance to win.
Coffeeshops and hawker centres: Submit three “Thank You” crown liners (Carlsberg Green Label quart 644ml) or crown liners with ‘Bracelet’ icon (Carlsberg Special Brew or Gold quart 639ml) for a chance to win.
Entry deadline is 27 February 2013 and the grand lucky draw will happen on 28 February 2013.
Continue reading
What’s your preference for reunion dinners on the eve of Lunar New Year? Do you prefer dining in, or out?
This is one special day where I get to spend quality time with the family –an extremely rare occasion, once a year, where we would sit down for a meal together. Hence, I would rather spend it in the comforts of our home, as opposed to the bustling dining scenes at Chinese restaurants, where waitstaffs are generally paid twice (or thrice) their regular pay to spend the eve of Lunar New Year without the company of their loved ones, but still putting a smile on their faces no matter, till the dinner service concludes.
If you would like to enjoy a reunion dinner at home without having to spend the entire day in the kitchen prepping, the takeaway options at Crystal Jade will bring boundless delight.
If you like the hustle and bustle, you have the option of dining in. Prices stated in this post are for takeaway; 10% service charge applies for dining in. Do remember to make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment!
Reunion Yu Sheng (Small $39.80/Big $69.80)
‘Lo Hei’ is almost a mandatory practice in the Chinese tradition during Lunar New Year. What sets Crystal Jade’s Yu Sheng apart from the typical Yu Shengs is the finely shredded yam that is deep-fried to a crisp. They remain crispy even after the mixing and tossing.
My favourite part of Yu Sheng is usually the crispy golden crackers, but now with the crispy strips of yam, there’s one more component on the plate that I equally adore.
Are you ready to ‘Lo Hei’?
Continue reading
Christmas is over, but the season of giving is so not over! Sending hampers and gift baskets – to friends, relatives or business associates – are a great way to welcome a prosperous Lunar New Year. It is almost customary in our culture to send regards and thanks accompanied by auspicious gifts, in the spirit of giving and sharing.
To save your time and hassle, Humming Flowers & Gifts presents an extensive range of gifts ideas in an online catalogue, where you can place your orders conveniently while on your Smartphone, or sitting comfortably at your desk.
Gone are the days when orders are taken over the phone. Order chits that risk getting misplaced, or smudged by spilled coffee, have now moved on to the digital era.
Having built a loyal customer base of both individuals and corporations over the past decade, you can count on them for good quality, creativity and great service.
I was delighted to receive a hamper from them! Here’s what I received:
Sakura Treats hamper $138
• Tsukasabotan Yama Yuzu Shibori Liquer 720ml
• DSH Japanese Flower Mushroom 150g
• Ferrero Rocher Chocolate 200g
• Skylight Premium Braised Shark’s Fin 420g
• Wang San Yang Tikuanyin Tea 75g
• Sanritsu Mini Youkan Mix 348g
• Ito Langley Vanilla Cream Sand 12pcs
• Bamboo House Red Bean Rice Cake 210g
• A Pair of Fortune Kitty
• Hand-painted Prosperity Musical Blossom activated by Motion Sensor
• Exclusive Japanese Gift Box
• Auspicious Festive Decoratives
Neatly assembled in an attractive Japanese-inspired gift box, accompanied by a pair of adorable fortune kitties, are a variety of traditional and Japanese goodies that families and friends can enjoy together.
Continue reading
Cake arrived. I could hear my own breathing, and ’s (my dog). The roaring sound of engine, the vehicle vrooming off –sounds that make up a silence. There came desperate eagerness to rip the packaging apart, to put my face into the cake. Time raced by at the speed of a turtle wading its way through masses of sand. My alter (gluttonous) ego reviles the diligent shutterbug character. “Are you done taking photos already?”
‘Shutterbug’ rebukes with a sharp glare. The glare that conveys “Do not touch the cake until I am done taking pictures.” She then proceeds to slicing a piece of cake, for another round of photo taking.
Who can resist?
Perhaps only those amongst the minority of the human race, with relentless willpower, can prolong the restraint.
Continue reading
Nestled along the thriving dining enclave of Tanjong Katong, Medan Town dishes out homely Medanese cuisine and street fare found in Medan. This absolute gem of a place also functions as a remedy for the homesick Medanese natives residing in Singapore.
Owners of Medan Town are Medanese natives, who used to frequent Singapore for both business and leisure. Missing food from home is always part of the travelling experience. During their long stays, cravings are often left insatiate due to the lack of Medanese cuisine in Singapore. Hence, they decided to bring a tasty piece of their home to our island, introducing the true flavour of Medan’s cuisine. Every dish is lovingly prepared by the expert husband-and-wife team.
Kietna ($2.20)
Quench your thirst with their homemade drink, Kietna. This sweet and slightly citrusy beverage is made from boiling a mixture of calamansi rind, water, sugar, dried sour plums and limejuice, to form a nectareous syrup that is chilled for several days to allow all the ingredients to fully integrate, and for the flavours to intensify.
My mum will totally disapprove of its sweetness level, but I totally dig it.
Bihun Bebek Dry ($5.80)
Bihun Bebek is an Indonesian-style rice noodle dish, served with duck herbal soup.
Continue reading
Thank you, every single one of you, who participated in the Dian Xiao Er ! As much as I would like everyone to win something, there can only be 3 winners. Scroll down for the results!
If you didn’t win the voucher in this giveaway, don’t fret, because you have another chance to win something, something even bigger!
Dian Xiao Er is giving away up to $3000 worth of prizes, with the top prize being $888 cash. CASH!!! $_$
Take part in the “Grand Reunion” campaign on Dian Xiao Er’s . (More details are available at the !)
Go to .
You can ‘host’ as many tables as you want, with 9 friends at each table. Each table can only accommodate up to 10 people including the host. Every filled table will qualify for the lucky draw, whereby the host stands to win the grand prize of $888 cash, while friends of that table stand to win $88 Dian Xiao Er dining vouchers.
This contest will run from 10 January 2013 till 9 February 2013 (11.59pm Singapore time).
Thanks to Dian Xiao Er’s generosity, let’s feast to a great year ahead!
(Now… time for the results)
Continue reading
There are a few kinds of restaurant owners –restaurateurs who outsource for potential chefs to helm the kitchen, and independent Chef-owners. These are two of which.
Chef-owners who safeguard their secret recipes needn’t be afraid of assistants and helpers leaving the squad –all they need to do is put up new ads to seek new employees –their business will not crumble just yet.
Restaurateurs who engage prestigious chefs will need to keep their pockets fat (with $$), or risk losing them someday to rivals. The consequences for losing the commander-in-chief (together with his secret recipes) overnight, over a small (or large) dispute, would be especially drastic if the restaurant has already garnered a long-standing reputation. It would take a while for the restaurant to get back on track, and to keep up with the same consistent quality.
Sounds like a scene from one of Mediacorp’s drama series, but I do know of a small business that has garnered rave reviews previously, who is now facing this situation.
Fortunately for Platters Bistro & Wine Bar, they need not fret about losing a resident chef and fluster at adverse consequences. Every four months, a new guest chef takes charge of the kitchen and menu.
There’s always something new to look forward to.
The guest chef programme is co-conceptualised and curated by FoodCult, an F&B think tank.
Guest chefs are invited to interpret, design and create what he/she believes is appropriate to be served as a sharing platter. This concept fosters creativity, and allows involved chefs to showcase dishes that would otherwise be irrelevant for restaurants they currently own or are working at. The only restriction is that the food should fit within the surface area of Platters’ signature wooden boards.
Dining at Platters is all about sharing and bonding.
The ever-changing-menu concept also applies to the extensive Euro-centric wine selection, which will likewise be revivified on a regular basis.
Organic Lemon Lime and Bitters ($7)
Non-alcohol drinkers can sip on organic beverages such as ginger beer, lemonade and cola.
Roll with it ($36/$68)
Platters introduced its third guest chef, Tan Yong Hua, in late November 2012. Born and bred in Singapore, Chef Tan is a well-known celebrity chef in the Chinese culinary world, with more than 23 years of culinary experience. His constant love for innovation makes him an ideal candidate as a guest chef for Platters.
Excellent food writers have a flair for transporting readers to various dining scenes; restaurant settings, atmosphere and surroundings are penned with clear and concise descriptions. Less competent writers who are still honing their writing skills have to produce brilliant pictures in order to be on par –or present a visual walkthrough of the restaurant, captured on video.
Thanks to the Sony Illuminate team, I’ve got an extra dining companion –the Sony NEX-VG20E Handycam.
Here are some things I like about this Interchangeable Lens Full HD camcorder:
- I can change the lens to cater to different events and needs, such as macro for food/nature, zoom lens for sports, wide angle for parties.
- The continuous auto-focus feature makes shooting effortless.
- Microphone’s clarity and sound quality –great for doing interviews!
- It functions as a camera as well, where you’re able to capture DSLR-like photos in RAW and JPEG on camera mode.
- It is lighter than my DSLR.
Check out my first post on Illuminate here: http://illuminate.sony.com.sg/index.php/2013/01/get-inspired-to-start-a-foodie-video-blog-with-the-nex-vg20e/
Here are some of the vlogs I did using this camcorder:
PSY performed for the first time in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands: https://melicacy.com/?p=4941
MooJaa Thai Hotpot and Barbecue Restaurant: https://melicacy.com/?p=4926
Taiwan trip on film: https://melicacy.com/?p=5020
I’m still very much a newbie at videography, so I’d gladly take in all the tips and advises I get along the way. Stay tuned for upcoming posts!
Visit Sony’s website for more information: http://www.sony.com.sg
Have you been following The Big Break religiously on the Asian Food Channel (AFC)? I look forward to watching it every week!
The Big Break is an original reality television series produced by the Asian Food CHannel (AFC), in partnership with Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), offering the chance of a lifetime to 12 underprivileged youths from six countries across Asia to fulfil their culinary dreams.
More information here: http://www.asianfoodchannel.com/thebigbreak/
I enjoy every episode so much I almost wish the series would not come to an end so soon, but on the other hand, contradictorily, I can’t wait to find out who triumphs in the grand finale!
In the upcoming 9th episode, contestants’ multi-tasking skills are put to the test in the Ultimate Italiano Challenge.
Making pizza from scratch can be relatively easy when you’re following a reliable recipe, step by step, with no time constraint. However, during this challenge, contestants must knead, assemble and bake their own pizzas within the stipulated time. With time proving a major obstacle, will all the pizzas make it to the judging table in time?
Find out tonight (9 January 2013) at 10pm!
The show is an inspiration to budding cooks. After this episode, if you have drawn motivation and have ideas floating endlessly in your head, here is a basic pizza recipe from the AFC Studio to get you started.
Continue reading
Dear Ebisboshi Shotengai, I have misspelled your name at least 5 times before I finally got it right, and I need to spell it at least 10 more times to be 99% confident I will get it right the n…ext time I attempt to spell it.
Considering majority of Singapore’s population do not speak fluent Japanese – although many of us can effortlessly utter a few simple lines like watashi wa (fill in your name) desu, kawaii ne, ohayo and arigato gazaimasu – a shorter and easier-to-remember name would be a virtue. Catchy names are always arresting.
Difficult-to-remember name aside, fortunately for this establishment the food draws the attention of patrons –even the ones who can’t pronounce its name.
What Ebisboshi Shotengai at Great World City has to offer, is a combination of 3 different Japanese dining establishments –housed under a single concrete roof, complete with their own respective menus.
Each establishment has its own distinctive trait and specialty, decked out in noticeably contrasting layouts and settings that are different from one another.
If you enjoy observing sushi chefs in action, head to Uomasa. This establishment has more than 15 years of history to its name.
For those who’re less proficient in Japanese, ‘Uo’ refers to a seafood village, while ‘Masa’ means good fortune and prosperity.
Salmon Shioyaki ($7.80)
Uomasa serves predominantly seafood, showcasing Sashimi, Sushi, Robatayaki and Izayaki (hence you have a wide selection of alcoholic libations to accompany).
Continue reading
Usher in the New Year with the classic Peanut Glutinous Rice Balls at Din Tai Fung. In the month of January, diners can either order a bowl of Peanut Glutinous Rice Balls a la carte, or enjoy it complimentary with a minimum spending of $90. Citibank cardmembers need to only spend $80 to enjoy this promotion.
Peanut Glutinous Rice Balls ($6.80)
I hate to admit, but the ‘tang yuans’ I’ve consumed over the past years are the ones that are ready-made and frozen, conveniently purchased from supermarkets. Hands up, those who can relate, whose family members are always tied up with busy work schedules, and are too busy to step into the kitchen to make ‘tang yuans’ from scratch.
This year, Din Tai Fung brings us the cosiest form of tang yuan –freshly handmade, using the freshest ingredients. Good for 2-3 to share, each serving comes with 6 balls of sticky, chewy, gritty goodness, steeped in a sweet soup chockfull of peanuts. Every kernel is boiled till it loses its crunch –I dislike the crunchy texture of peanuts, so this I totally approve.
To get a bowl free of charge, it is not difficult to exceed an expenditure of $80-90 when there’s so much temptation on the menu, calling out for you. ‘Choose me!’ ‘Choose me!’
Here are the items that I ordered last week during dinner with my parents. I hope it will be of some help in facilitating you in narrowing down your options from the wide range available.
Continue reading
Au Chocolat is a made-in-Singapore French-inspired playground for chocolates, confections and savoury treats, located at the prestigious Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
Why I call it a playground: It takes you on an enchanting romp; you swing by the candy shop (the confectionary) to gaze at dainty indulgences, almost feeling the need to tug on mum’s dress and beg her for one; ‘I scream for ice cream’, the ice cream booth dispenses a quintessential treat to appease the wailing kids; omnipresent at every theme park, the ‘toyshop’ is where the young and old can do some retail therapy or shop for souvenirs; and lastly, hop over to the whimsically decorated bistro dining area with your famished stomachs to nourish your bodies after a day of play.
At Au Chocolate Bistro, Head Chef Elvin Chew showcases his flair for incorporating chocolate into savoury dishes, succeeding without facing unwelcome backlash. He made kids’ dreams – of consuming chocolate during mealtime – possible, what conventional parents of Stone Age would not have approved of.
The Au Chocolat Bistro offers all day dining with a wide variety of flavours.
Au Chocolat Fudge Freeze ($12)
Rice and creamy chocolate fudge topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings
The Au Chocolat Fudge Freeze was pure bliss, and I was so reluctant to share. But, imagine how much more calories I’d be consuming if I didn’t!
Modern Nicoise ($20)
Fresh picked salad with French beans, roasted potato pieces, feta cheese and sundried tomatoes topped with seared tuna
The menu consists of soups, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, meats and more. But, if your palate dares step out of the box, sample what Au Chocolat focuses on –chocolate.
If you think the integration of chocolate and salad totally defeats the purpose of ‘consuming salad to maintain a slim waistline’, don’t be too quick to judge! The dark chocolate balsamic vinaigrette contains no more calories and fat than your usual salad dressing. Furthermore, cocoa has health benefits to boot, such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. As opposed to what I was envisaging, the dressing is deficit of sweetness; it is slightly tangy and subtly bitter.