If you are looking for custom made women’s clothing in Singapore, now is the time!

Our regular readers will remember my experience at Cayen where I recently had some clothing custom made. Since moving to Asia, I have struggled for years to find clothing that actually fits. I am not big by American standards (size 10/12), but by Asian standards where the largest size is often an 8, I had pretty much given up shopping. Until I found Cayen. So I am excited to tell you about a special offer that Cayen is running now – the Cayen Carousel. For a limited time, some of their designs are available at a very special price.

Here’s how it works – every week Cayen will be announcing a special offer, the Carousel offer. The offer lasts for one week only and is for a specific design in selected fabrics and at a special price, only be available on the Carousel.

19th – 24th July – the stretch cotton sundress Carousel for S$199
This dress is usually S$330. I own one of these and wear it all the time. One because it is totally versatile for dressing up and dressing down and two, because I always get compliments when I wear it

26^th to 31^st July  – the cotton fit and flare dress S$250
This dress is usually S$380. I also own one of these and wear it both to work and parties. It’s an instant classic.

Honestly, can you ever have too many dresses? And at these prices for a custom tailored fit, it is really a no-brainer.

Cayen
carol@cayen.com.sg
54A Club Street
Singapore, 069431
Telephone: + 65 6227 6187

If you would like regular updates on the latest info and offers from Cayen, you can sign up as a follower at the Cayen Blog at http://cayendolcedivas.blogspot.com

South Asian meets European at this Rochester Park Hideaway

We’d kept hearing about Krish, the newest dining experience in Rochester Park. There had been a lot of buzz about the South Asian / Indian fusion cuisine. We didn’t actually know anyone who had tried it yet but after the 3^rd person asked for our opinion and if we had been yet, we decided it was high time to make the trek over to Rochester Park.

Krish is set in a cozy corner of verdant Rochester Park. Located in a restored classic Singapore black and white house, it’s both stylish and hip yet casual. The interior is filled with warm woods sharply contrasted with the crisp white linens, a dramatic chandelier and black and white photographs .Indian accents scattered about the place combined with the old world character of the house bring a slight colonial feel to the place. The menu is inventive in combining South Asian flavours with European cusinne…offering selections such from Spiced Carrot Ravioli and Tamarind Glazed Leg of Lamb to Papadum Crusted Snapper and Roasted Eggplant Samosas.

We were warmly greeted and served buttered, fried wedges of bread…which were tasty and highly addictive. My only suggestion would be that perhaps they consider serving them with a sauce or chutney for dipping to cut the heaviness.

Then we decided to start with a special, the Heirloom Tomato Salad – fresh and fully ripe red and yellow tomatoes garnished with fresh basil. Simple but perfect. Also we tried the Eggplant Samosas…solid, but probably not as special as the Heirloom Tomato Salad. And Paul was excited to start with Pork Belly appetizer. Spice crusted pork belly got Paul off to a solid start and he was excited to move on to the mains.

For the main, I opted to go vegetarian and had the Crusted Tofu atop Creamed Spinach and Mushrooms. I must confess I ordered this solely for the creamed spinach as I am addicted to this dish. Overall it was good, but a bit bland. I was surprised that they had not chosen to infuse the tofu with any sort of flavour (it seemed under-seasoned to me as well) and I was a bit disappointed with the creamed spinach as well.

Paul decided to go with the Lamb atop Sweet Potato Mash for his main. Also lured by the sweet potato side dish, Paul enjoyed his main but generally felt that after the first few interesting bites, it lacked the complexity and sophistication that would have made him savor the dish from start to finish.

Our friend Kristin decided to try the Papadum Crusted Snapper. She was a fan of the dish feeling like the peppery Padadum added an interesting texture and flavor to the delicate snapper.

Overall we really wanted to love Krish because of all the buzz we had heard. And the menu sounded amazing – after reading the articulate descriptions of the creative fusion dishes we couldn’t wait for the food to start arriving. While it managed to be fairly solid, most of the dishes were lacking the spark that sets a great dish apart from merely good dishes. We even went back for another meal on another evening to give it a second shot, but $26-45SGD for an entrée of this quality, we would have to tell you that we really didn’t see the value there.

That said, the appetizers were better than the entrees and with their weekly Quiz Nights, I could see myself going back for a cocktail and some canapes and friends. Whereas Paul says he might want to go back with more people and sample more dishes family style – turning the unique combinations of flavors into a modern Indian tapas meal.

Krish
9 Rochester Park
Singapore
Telephone: +65 6779 4644

A view of the cab's computer screen

We really liked out dinner at Spruce. So we were excited to see they offer brunch… and not just your normal “let’s try and do a brunch to drum up sales/get rid of old product” brunch. The menu at Spruce looked to be a proper, well-thought out brunch. All the favorites, with a slight twist… just like the great dinner entrees we’d already had. As soon as we could line up all the brunch crew, we were off to see if it lived up to our expectations.

Normally I slowly go through the meal and build up to the main point. This time, in case you get bored reading through all the various dishes and miss the finale, I’m going to start with a conclusion. The Spruce brunch does and does not live up to expectations.

The food, service, and general concept are all there. All good. Some great even. The popularity and booking procedure though keeps it from being a perfect brunch place for us. You see because they’re so popular, (deservedly so) they’re super busy. Families, groups, etc all pack it in from first serving to final serving. So if you make an early booking…. you’re eating on a time-line. For me at a brunch that’s a big no-no. Brunch is about unwinding with friends, relaxing and enjoying a lazy Sunday meal. No deadlines, no pressures. Catch up on the week, make some jokes, tell some stories. Maybe we stay as long as it takes to eat or maybe we order extra coffees and chat for hours… never know. I like having that option, not knowing that in 1 1/2 hours I’ll be needing to get up for the next group.

So that’s the only issue I have here. The food is excellent, and if you take a later booking I’m guessing this wouldn’t even be an issue… well apart from the general noise from so many happy diners, but that can’t really be avoided. In a sad twist of fate, the success that any restaurant needs to succeed is actually the thing that keeps us from enjoying this more. Others probably don’t share our leisurely Sunday plan and I would encourage those to enjoy Spruce, it deserves the attention more than some other “brunch hot spots”. Book in advance though, this brunch doesn’t seem to be losing momentum and seats are hard to get.

Back to the food. Everyone was satisfied. Pick your favorite, though it’ll be hard as you hungrily stare at the menu, and enjoy as there’s not a dud in the group.

Famous Spruce Burger for Breakfast

Spruce Breakfast Sandwich with roast potatoes

The Steak and Eggs Benny on Toasted Ciabatta with Black Pepper Hollandaise

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Basil Cured Salmon and Avruga Caviar

The Spruce Garden Brekkie

And you’ve got to try some of the breakfast pastries and cakes. The sea salt chocolate cake was incredibly rich, but incredibly tasty. Mmmmm….

Spruce
320 Tanglin Road
Singapore
247980
Telephone: +65 6836 5528

It’s safe to say there’s a bit of animosity in Texas towards the French. I have no idea why or how it started, but some folks, particularly Texas males, find the whole concept of France… too French. Thankfully I’ve left home and experienced the wonderful culinary traditions of France and no longer share in my hometown scorn. As a kid growing up, you hear about the snails, the exploded duck liver, the rich sauces. For some reason the simplest of French cuisine never found it’s way to our ears. If there’s one concept though that could unite these two varied peoples…. it’s Steak Frites. There’s nothing more Texan than a steakhouse, and add all you can eat fries to the mix and you have a winning combo in my book.

In Singapore we have Les Bouchons. And it’s lovely in it’s simplicity. Could easy make a francophile of the staunchest red-blooded hillbilly

Les Bouchons has two locations around Singapore. One on Ann Siang Hill and one near the Quay. I personally prefer the one in Ann Siang Hill… because it’s really close and because I kind of think steak frites places should be intimate and small. You do need to book ahead though at Ann Siang, sometimes a couple days in advance, as there are only 6 or so tables inside and a couple out front near the entrance.

The first time we visited we had actually made reservations at the other location, but decided not to travel down to the Quay in rush hour and tried our luck at the Club Street area location. They were full. But amazingly the hostess checked her seating and asked us if we were ready to immediately order. One of the bookings was coming in 45 minutes and we could squeeze in if we didn’t mind not lounging around. Perfect. A nice touch of personal service not commonly found around Singapore.

Took our seats and sized up the menu. Simple, no-frills menu. There’s a ribeye, a fish, a couple other things…. that’s it. There’s also a chef’s special Cote De Boeuf for two that sounded appealing but I like my steaks bloody and Joanna prefers more well done so we went our separate ways. I was hoping for some of the side items from their sister restaurant L’Angelous… sadly the creamed spinach and potatoes gratin have stayed a few doors down

We started with the snails. Gotta have them. Rich, buttery, with a heaping amount of herbs. Never a good dish for you, but these little univalves are always so pleasing.

I ordered the ribeye. Cooked perfectly mid-rare with a heaping dollop of flavored butter on top. The steak was seasoned right and not dry, so the butter wasn’t necessary… but it did push the whole thing to another level. Definitely worth eating.

Joanna got the salmon, which on paper sounded perfect. It came out a little less done than she’d like, but that’s to be expected. Most restaurants serve salmon a bit on the rarer side. Sadly the fish had a bit of too-fishy taste which cut down on her enjoyment.

The fries and house pour wine were also a bit average. I was ready to chow down on frites and knock back a few glasses of bold red, but thankfully for my ever growing gut I was tempted to take more than the first serving of each. They frites aren’t bad, they’re just not a destination menu item (which I kind of feel they should be at a steak frites place).

Come for the name sake and skip the rest. It’s a steak and fries place, not a fancy fish dish place (you want that head a few doors down). I think the true enjoyment of the place comes though in a larger group. A few people, a couple decent bottles of wine and steaks. A simple concept, but one that could bring the world together (except maybe India).

Oh and like L’Angelous and my personal favorite watering hole Bario Chino, the Veuve Clicquot is very reasonable by the bottle… perfect when celebrating with a group.

Les Bouchons
7 Ann Siang Road S (Club Street area)
Tel: 6423 0737

Les Bouchons Rive Gauche
41 Robertson Quay
#01-01 Singapore Tyler Print Institute

Tasty and cheap – Filipino Street Food in Singapore

Our Filipino friends, Monica and Lyan, are often part of our dining and brunch crew here in Singapore. We also lived in Bangkok together, have eaten countless meals together in Spore, traveled to Vietnam and so suffice it to say, we have similar tastes in food and travel and such. So when a passionate conversation about all things pork ensued one day over brunch, Lyan said that we must, must, must try some truly authentic Filipino pork in Singapore. It didn’t take much convincing…calendars were consulted and it was agreed that a few days later we would see what this Filipino pork was all about

Mang Kiko’s Lechon is located in Somerset Youth Park, very near to Orchard Road in Singapore. In a typical Singapore food court, Mang Kiko’s serves up some of the tastiest roast pork and chicken from a very unlikely place…an overgrown food stall serving sisig (a chopped pig’s head, snout and ears), roasted pork belly, chicken barbeque, pork knuckle and more. We actually wanted to try the sisig, but apparently this sells out early, so if you are so inclined I would recommend getting there before 8pm.

Instead we chose the roasted pork belly. This is slow roasted over an open coal fire and served with rice, lime and a sweet sauce for dipping. It was certainly among the best pork belly Paul and I have tasted – crispy and tender, juicy and flavourful and totally addictive. The serving was very generous and somehow I found myself still eating well past the point of being full And the value equation is undeniable at only S$6 / $4.30 USD. Some of our friends opted for the barbecued chicken and had exactly the same comments – moist, flavourful and crispy in all the right places. Topped off with a cool, refreshing Tiger beer and you have the makings of a seriously satisfying street food experience in Singapore.

Mang Kiko’s Lechon
Somerset Youth Park
121 Somerset Road (near Orchard Rd)
Singapore

I’m not yet ready to add my voice to the heated online debate being waged over Tippling Club here in Singapore. I’ll do a full-on food review soon, but for now I’d like to focus on the drinks… because one, I don’t think we have enough drink coverage on the site and I’d like to start changing that. And two, the drinks here are damn good.

I’m not huge on mixed drinks in general… if I’m out at a regular bar with friends I’m not getting anything wilder than a Hendricks and soda or bourbon and coke (if I even venture past beer). But when I do go for a mixed drink I prefer my mixologist to be more alchemist than bartender. I don’t want a Pina Colada, I want something strange and unique. I want a challenge. And I want the thing made well.

I’m still on the fence when it comes to molecular gastronomy in regards to food. I’ve seen it work well and I’ve seen it bomb hard. With drinks I find it much more appropriate. Decorations, flourishes, accents, and surprises work well in mixed drinks in my not so humble opinion.

The team at Tippling Club is able to masterfully walk the fine line of showy and tasty. The signature drinks are spectacles and worth a trip in and of themselves. And that’s saying a lot for me as I don’t generally like heading down to Dempsey and the drinks are a bit pricey, but to me there’s still value here. It’s not a regular drinks with friends after work kind of place, more of a “I’d like to put on something a bit nicer and head out for a nice treat” kind of place.

If you like whiskey (even if you don’t) do yourself a favor and make sure at least someone at the table orders the Smokey Old Bastard. A jar of whiskey, sweet tobacco, and orange smoke. If this were available nearby and maybe 5 dollars cheaper (it’s 25 SGD) I’d start every evening off with one. It’s tasty. The last time we visited the place it was raining and we were seated indoors and I found it to be the perfect drink to sip slowly as we talked and watched the rain slide down the windows. A fancy mixed drink that maintains a level of masculinity…. could actually see my friends back in Texas ordering this one

If you want even more of a show, get the appropriately named Velvet Fog. Tanqueray Gin, champagne, Creme de Violette, and floral violet fog are mixed together in a science lab beaker and poured out on the spot. I’d almost expect safety gloves and goggles for the server with the amount of smoke that pours forth.

The drink went really well with some provided champagne infused grapes.

Once you’ve sampled a couple of the signature drinks you can move back to the old favorites. The bar is fully stocked… and I mean fully, at the time I visited it was one of the only places in Singapore with Hendricks Gin!

So if you haven’t yet ventured out to Tippling Club for drinks, give it a shot. If you have and it’s been a while I’d say go back again, they’re always trying new things and pushing themselves forward, no telling what they’ll be making now

The Tippling Club
8D Dempsey Road
249672
6475 2217

Hey all,
As I get closer to writing up my full Singapore burger round up, I thought I’d do a quick post with some of my favorites to date. I’m still welcoming suggestions for out of the way / smaller / not in the city center burger locations to have the full guide be as comprehensive as possible. In the meantime I give you three places that really surprised me with their burger offerings.

Cedele
I’ll start with the most surprising to me. Cedele. Sure it’s a city-wide chain and the focus is on healthy food, but they have a surprisingly good burger. In fact it’s easily in my top-5 for Singapore. It’s not your regular Singa burger… and maybe that’s why I like it so much. No fancy wagyu, no crazy toppings… heck they don’t even use a real burger bun! It’s a real, handmade patty that crumbles as you bite into it. The meat is succulent and juicy. They coat whatever daily, freshly made bread you choose to encase the patty in with a bit of tomato relish that jazzes up the burger just enough.

Cedele Burger on regular daily bread

I had my first Cedele burger when I was apartment hunting in Singapore. It was a long day spent checking out all the foreigner favorite housing complexes, all of which I hated. The only thing that still stands out to me about this day is that burger. I’ve come back time and time again and brought friends to see if it was a fluke, but it never is. The burger is always juicy and great. As a bonus it doesn’t come with fries, but with a side of lettuce…. so maybe not the most filling burger in town, but one that doesn’t leave me feeling as guilty Then again, since I’m not also indulging in a plate of fries, I let myself be talked into their equally awesome Sea Salt Cheesecake!

Cedele burger in a pumpkin bread bun!

Epicurious
I’ve loved their breakfast for a long time. Epicurious has become one of my go-to spots for a lazy weekend morning. Sadly it wasn’t until they hosted our first wine event that I began to think about it for post-breakfast eating as well. I saw they listed a burger and in the name of due-dilligence decided to give it a try

It’s good. It’s simple, unpretentious and damn tasty. It is what it is… there’s no options or crazy inventions. I think, not quite sure here, it’s cheaper as a lunch burger and up over 20+ for a dinner burger. To me it’s a perfect lunch burger and a great value for lunch…. in fact I wish it was offered for brunch as well (hint hint Helen if you read this). Like the Cedele burger, it’s not served with fries, but with chips… a bit of a shame because I love their roast potatoes during breakfast, so I know they could make some nice fries.

Brewerkz
Ok, this one might seem out of place on this list. Most people know Brewerkz and their burgers, and this list is supposed to be about some of my surprise burgers. To be perfectly frank, since it’s such a big place with a prominent Quay-side location…. I really didn’t have high hopes they’d deliver. In general I find that restaurants with “location” or other draws besides just the meal tend to lack a bit in the food department. The burgers here did surprise me though. Sure they aren’t going to win any awards as a blow-your-mind burger, but this place doesn’t need that kind of burger. The have two sizes, smaller for when you’re wanting light and large for a fuller meal. There’s a few different options… one with a pineapple (one of my favorite burger toppings), a blue cheese, sauteed mushroom, and onion burger, and many others. And the wagyu burger here is actually pretty nice. When I have friends come to town or am just looking for a spot to have some beers with friends and grab a quick bite, a burger and beer here fits the bill perfectly.

So there you have it. A few burgers that surprised me. A few that I regularly go back to because

they’re convenient for me (shouldn’t a burger be a convenient item) location wise

they’re great value for their price,

and they deliver in taste

Where are you favorite burgers Singapore? Weigh in now before the full write up hits so your favorites are represented

Paul

Hey all,
The S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010 results are in and it’s good news for Singapore. My personal favorite, Iggy’s, climbs up 17 spots to number 28! The meal I had there was truly something special (so much so I’m now attending Iggy’s alma mater, SHATEC)… and while it’s not for everyone, I don’t think anyone can deny that what’s going on in that kitchen is moving the food world forward.

A new entry to the list for Singapore is Jaan Par Andre. I first heard of this restaurant and it’s young, Singaporean chef via Chubby Hubby. I’ve yet to visit, but it’s on my high-end shortlist. I’d try and get in quick though, because I’ve read the now hot chef is in talks to start a new restaurant. If this is true, I’d like to eat here before his attention is divided.

But wait, there’s two more Singapore spots on the list… not top 50, but at least top 100. Another of our favorites, Gunther’s, makes the list at 84. And the restaurant that seems to be the touchstone for Singapore fine dining, Les Amis comes in at 78. I don’t think you can read about any talented Singapore based chef and not see at least one Les Amis group restaurant on their resume.

So that’s a total of 4 restaurants in the top 100. Not too shabby, considering the size of the country… I mean that’s tied with massive Russia and one more than Japan. On a side rant, that’s my major gripe with this list… Having eaten in Japan, and not even at all the top places, I really don’t believe Japan is getting it’s due as even the not super top meals in Tokyo were on par with some on the list. There are more 3 Michelin-Star restaurants in Tokyo than Paris and so I really believe there are some great restaurants getting overlooked.

Congrats to Singapore though and Iggy’s in particular. I look forward to eating at Jaan Par Andre and Les Amis in the near future and hopefully working in one of these kitchens at the end of my year stint at SHATEC

Paul

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love a good joke. At the risk of alienating some readers, I’ll come clean and admit that engrish is one of my favorite types of jokes. Living in Asia I get to witness some pretty epic engrish firsthand, as one might imagine. So from time to time I’m going to throw up a picture or two from random things we see around Asia that make us laugh. Hopefully they’ll make you laugh too.

The first one of these posts is from a food court nearby my culinary school in Singapore. The menu is full of little things that make me laugh… but nothing as much as their fish and chips plating…. now that’s branding!

Being from Texas I particularly appreciate the “Cowboy Meet”. I loved grilling up some “meets” with my friends on a warm summer’s day. I haven’t ordered it yet, but it’s hard to pass up a 12.80 “air flown” ribeye steak. Don’t know if that means imported or if it’s like how “grass-fed” next to the steak means it lived eating grass instead of corn products. Maybe “air flown” means the cows flew around in planes?

The food isn’t “bad” for the money. It’s no match for the wonderful black pepper chicken being served up a couple stalls down, but somehow it does manage to fill my need for crappy western food… think mash up of food served at a sport’s stadium and college stoner food (chicken chop with generic mushroom sauce and covered in cheap Velveeta type cheese). And as I’m the only Ang Mo (white devil) at my school and this food court, I guess this restaurant is for me. Thanks Mr Western for reminding me just how bad our international food reputation really is

Paul

Any chef that can have me actually dreaming of eating crocodile again is a chef of note in my book. Hong Kong Chef Liu Ching Hai of Summer Palace in the Regent Hotel is that chef. You might remember our recent review of Summer Palace. We were treated to a special Sunday lunch of traditional Asian dishes and ones with a more modern twist… every dish as tasty as the next. After the meal we were gifted another treat – a chance to sit down and talk (via translator) to Chef Liu about his life & approach to food… and we even got a signature recipe!

Like many great chefs, Chef Liu was inspired by watching his grandmother cook as a young child. He soon caught the full time cooking bug and at 17 began his life in the kitchen, opting to learn through a traditional apprenticeship over formal training.

He soon made a name for himself and began cooking not only in the region’s top hotels, but also for western and Asian celebrities in Hong Kong… including Jackie Chan and Michael Jackson. He even catered Chow Yun Fat’s wedding (I’m a huge fan of his films and so was excited to hear this)! But the celebrity status hasn’t gone to Chef Liu’s head. When pumped for information about the assignments you realize he really treats every diner the same… not placing more importance on a celebrity meal than a regular hotel brunch crowd. I did keep asking him questions though and the most I was able to pry from him dirt-wise is that the Asian celebrities were a bit more down to earth than their western counterparts… taking time to come talk to the chef about their food and about life in general

Chef Liu specializes in seafood and we’re not just talking snapper here. He’s comfortable with anything that’s lived it’s life in water, and prefers simpler recipes that let the quality of the ingredient shine…. something he’s used to from his days in Hong Kong with daily deliveries of the freshest seafood.

The crocodile dish one more time

When not at work he’s cooking at home with his two sons. They’re only 8 and 10 but are already looking as if they’ll be following in their Dad’s footsteps. He says they’ll go to the market and the kids will tell him which part of the fish they want and then once home will stay in the kitchen with their father watching his every movement.

Chef Liu is actually a bit older than his looks, a rarity for chefs… particularly American chefs who look as though they’ve cooked themselves with their years over open flames. So I asked the chef if there was some traditional remedy responsible for his youthful appearance. He smiled and said it wasn’t bird’s nest soup as the translator had joked… it was eating simple and fresh food and trying to just be as happy as possible.

I asked the chef to provide our readers with a signature dish of sorts. Something reflective of his roots, but also something that had ingredients not so out of reach of the average home chef. So I am thrilled to give you:

Wok-Fried Prawns with Asparagus and Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients
Prawns 200g
Asparagus 100g
Black Bean Sauce 20g
Garlic 10g
Bell Pepper 20g
Oil 20g
Flour 10g
Sugar 10g
Chinese wine 5g

Instructions

• De-shell & de-vein the prawns
• Wash the asparagus
• Heat up the wok and add oil into heated wok
• Place prawns into wok, stir-fry till half-cooked, and drain prawns out
• Pour garlic, black bean sauce, bell pepper and asparagus into wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
• Add in half-cooked prawns
• Add flour, sugar and Chinese wine
• Stir-fry for 3 minutes.
• Ready to serve.