Posts by tammi

Nuffnang Blogger Meetup

Review 6 Comments

I went to the Nuffnang food blogger’s meetup on Saturday!! It was so exciting that I finally get to meet other food bloggers. Never have I had such a thoroughly enjoyable time listening to and taking in the atmosphere of food conversations all around me, punctuated by the sound of clinking cutlery and the roll of the lazy susan, the humid steam rising off steel trolleys permeating the air.

It was so interesting to see two full tables of people taking endless photos of the food as it arrived. I think the lazy susan went round a couple of times before the food was even touched. It was so cool!! Everyone had their turn to get their shot, and no one got impatient. I’m still bowled over by the understanding.

First came the dessert tray (remember, dessert spelled backwards is “stressed”), and we got some custard buns off it.

The custard was sweet, but not egg-y, and I really liked the crumbly topping that they put on the buns. It reminds me of this coffee bun that you can get in Singapore and Malaysia, that has a similar crumbly, buttery topping that absolutely melts in your mouth.

And speaking of melt in your mouth, the Cheong Fun is my must-order at any Yum Cha restaurant.

As loathe as I am to admit it, the glutton in me sometimes lies awake at night dreaming of those smooth, silky sheets of steamed rice noodles encasing plump sweet prawns, all basking in a pool of dark sweet-salty sauce. MUST. HAVE. MORE.

I didn’t have the Char Siew Buns, but they looked so pretty with their sweet glaze that I had to snap a photo of them.

And then the steam baskets arrive.

I love LOVE chicken feet. (Ok, that sounded a bit odd, but in my defense, in Mandarin it’s 凤爪, which means “Phoenix’s claw”.) The wrinkly skin slide off and taste of the rich, spiced broth that it’s been cooked in. Heavenly.

What I truly love about a good Har Gow (prawn dumpling, if literally translated) is the skin. The translucent encasement lovingly clings for a brief moment as you bite into it, before tearing off into a succulent mouthful with a good amount of bite. The filling has to be good too, of course, but to me, the art is in the skin. It can’t be mushy, but it can’t be too resistant to a hungry mouth either.

The mango pancake was creamy, with a good amount of juicy mango. I’m sorry I can’t say too much about them though, I haven’t yet had a mango pancake that completely blows my mind.

Now the 豆花 (Douhua) is truly lovely. Warm silky layers of toufu drizzled with a ginger laced sugar syrup. It looks so deceptively simple too!

On a side note, I just realised that I was so pre-occupied in taking photos of the food that I completely forgot to take some photos of the people. -.-

In all it was a really nice time meeting people of like mind. It’s lovely to see other foodies like Cate, Suze, Simon and many others!

Thanks to Nuffnang for organizing the meetup!!

We ate at:

The Regal Restaurant
Tel: 92618988
Levels 4 & 5,
683-689 George Street, Sydney

Marigold Citymark on Urbanspoon

Aging

Food For Thought 6 Comments
 

I caught a glimpse of Junior Masterchef the other day, and boy did it make me feel old. I remember when I was in primary school and tailing my mother in the kitchen, forever getting in her way, and always wanting to “help out” (although I think that I was more a bother than a help). At that age, I was helping to stir things, and whisk things, never going near a stove or knives.

But the kids on Masterchef? Chopping and whizzing away like there’s no tomorrow! What is this? How can it be that it took me 20 years to get truly comfortable in the kitchen and there are these 8 year olds doing amazing things. Where did all those years go?

It also makes me wonder, though, about my kids (if I have them). How early should they be introduced into the kitchen? How should they be exposed to food? I have this constant nightmare that a glutton like me is going to have a kid who just genuinely doesn’t like food. What then?

=(

This calls for some comfort munchies. Cheese platter ahoy!

Blogger meetup!

Food For Thought 1 Comment

Just a quick post to say


…I’M SO EXCITED!!!!!

I’m going to a food bloggers’ meet-up in Sydney tomorrow!!

So glad to be meeting other food bloggers. =) =)

Oh my Manu!

Review

Sean brought me to L’etoile for my birthday. So excited!! We spent the whole day trying to figure out what we were going to order, and upon arrival, we had no clue. We wanted to try everything!

Before the Entrées arrived, there was a bread basket. Now I’m not much of a fan of bread (but I do like a good sourdough on occasion) but this baguette was good.

…and that was it really. It was just really good, chewy, crusty bread, and I thought it was worth a mention.

So yes, on with the Entrées.

I had the terrine of rabbit rillettes and fois gras, with prune jam and toasted brioche. The terrine was incredibly creamy and light, and went well with the soft brioche. The prune jam was a dark seduction that added some bittersweet notes through each bite. At the risk of sounding incredibly plebeian though, the texture was incredibly reminiscent of tuna spread. I had no idea why, but I was reminded of it. Still good though, but not as good as the quail.

Sean had the pithiviers of quail on a bed of savoy cabbage and speck, drizzled with madiera and roasted chestnut jus. This was the god of everything you can call pies. The crust was a flaky dream, and the filling…oh the filling! Juicy pieces of quail, mingling with the sweet/salty jus…and cabbage had never tasted so good. This one is a must-try.

For his main, Sean had the butcher’s steak with a black peppercorn and cognac sauce, and a gratin dauphinois. The steak and a good amount of marbling and fat, and the creamy pepper sauce was divine. The gratin was well, a gratin. No biggie. But the steak…mmm. I love a good, fat piece of meat, and this was exactly that. Not for the dieter. 😉

I had the bouillabaisse, and it was served with croutons and rouille.

The bouillabaisse was hearty, with chunks of white, flaky fish and fragrant crayfish. Now I love me some crustacean, and you can really taste the base in this bouillabaisse. The scent made my insides tingle, in a good way! The only way crustaceans can get any better (IMO) is if they could also get up and sing and dance the way Sebastian from the Little Mermaid can. =)

The rouille seemed like a garlic and capsicum flavoured emulsion, and went really well with the aftertaste of the stew lingering in my mouth. Not crazy about the croutons though – I would’ve been much happier with more baguette.

Just after the main, we were served a watermelon granita with champagne as a little before dessert sweetener. It was alright, although I think someone ODed on the sugar syrup.

And finally, for dessert we had a rum raisin baba with a scoop of prune and armagnac ice cream. I really liked the prune and armagnac ice cream, and the whole thing just reminded me of a christmas pudding. The baba was alright, but the ice cream was the memorable bit of the dish. It was neither overpowering nor cloyingly sweet, and was light and delicate. The sugared blueberries on the side didn’t make much sense to me though, it didn’t seem to contribute very much to the dish.

Overall it was a nice experience, with the soft candlelight creating a cozy atmosphere. The staff were cordial and pleasant, and didn’t make us feel out of place at all. The food was good, but nothing I walked away really craving. Although I could do with more of that quail…

We ate at:

Manu at L’etoile
211 Glenmore Road, Paddington
+61 2 93321577

L'Etoile on Urbanspoon

Mug Shot

Recipe 2 Comments

I was going through my recipe book today and found this handy little thing! It’s midnight, and I’m really craving dessert. Given that this is Australia…well, let’s just say that it’s a little hard to find past midnight places in the suburbs (unless you’re craving kebabs).

Oh, and I also try not to keep ice cream at home – it’s just too convenient and we usually go through a tub really quickly. So what’s a girl to do? Answer: Chocolate Mug Cake!

Chocolate Mug Cake:

4 tbsp self raising flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp chocolate chips
A splash of vanilla essence

Add dry ingredients to a mug and mix. Add the egg, and mix well. Pour in milk and oil and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips and a splash of vanilla essence. Microwave on HIGH for 3 min (1000 watt).

It’s absolutely brilliant!! Really convenient when you feel like cake but can’t be bothered to bake a full on one. =)

Happy munching!

Basket Case

Review 1 Comment

Went to Din Tai Fung with mel and a couple of friends yesterday, and Din Tai Fung is famous for it’s steamed delights. As you enter the restaurant, the sight of towering steaming baskets greets you. It’s almost like you’re watching a food sauna from behind a glass window. They cleverly let you see what’s going on in the kitchen, and personally, I could stand there for days just watching them make everything.

For their famous Xiao Long Bao (trans: little dragon bun) they weight out every aspect of it – from the dough to the meat, ensuring a perfect result everytime.

Another group of chefs carefully wrap it, producing a minimum of 18 folds on each dainty dumpling.

After peeling it carefully off the steaming cloth, each delicate mound is dipped lightly in vinegar and popped into one’s mouth. Upon biting into it, savoury soup bursts forth from the paper thin skin and reveals a luscious heart of meat filling. Every bite is just perfect.

We also had Xian Rou Bao (trans: fresh meat bun) and it was alright. Nothing as ethereal or divine as the Xiao Long Bao, but still tasty nonetheless.

I also ordered the Dan Dan Mian (erm, Dan Dan noodles?) which had hand made noodles and a thick peanut-y sauce. The crunchy crushed peanuts and the smooth creamy sauce provided a mix of textures that I was really happy with.

Om nom nom indeed.

Chomp Chomp

Review

Chomp Chomp Hawker Centre is one of the places that I absolutely have to visit when I come back to Singapore. This bustling eatery is just bursting with all sorts of sinful pleasures. The moment I hit the pavement just outside the centre, it hooks it’s fragrant fingers around me and just draw me in like a moth to a flame.

The barbequed stingray (see above) is my favourite, with hot sambal and tangy chinchalok to accompany soft white flesh. If I had to give up all else, this is one thing that I would not be able (or willing to) let go.

At $1 each, these chicken wings are an absolute steal. They are first marinated, then slowly cooked over smoking charcoal. A squeeze of lime gives it a tangy exterior and the chilli packs such a punch that it hits you like a two tonne truck. Heaven.

The fried prawn noodles is another local favourite. A mixture of noodles is fried with a variety of seafood, and served with lime and chilli (not to be confused with the chilli that goes with other dishes). Soft noodles are so full of flavour, and everything just works together to give you an explosion in your mouth.

And satay. As it should be. The meat is marinated in a mixture of spices, including tumeric, and it is served with a peanut sauce on the side. And how to tell that it’s a good sauce? Pineapple pulp sitting smack in the centre, waiting to be stirred in with the peanut sauce. Skewers of chicken, pork or mutton sit merrily on the same plate, waiting to be devoured. Pork’s a personal favourite of mine, but if you’re lard conscious you might want to try the chicken instead.

I so need to get there again soon.

Of Cabbages and Kims!

Recipe

I went to a Kimchi making class! Courtesy of Mel, since she couldn’t make it and I got to go in her place!

Here is our lovely teacher teaching us about dealing with the cabbage. 

There’s such technique to making the kimchi, even after you have the sauce ready. Speaking of which, it has like, a million ingredients!

But you can do heaps with kimchi, including a really yummy kimchi soup!!!

I’ll put up a later post detailing a recipe for kimchi. =) But meanwhile, here’s my take-home from the class!

It looks scary, I know. But it’s so yummy!!!

I love pickling.

Happy munching!

Oh Sushi, my Sushi!

Review

I love me some Japanese food. I’ve always had a fascination with seafood since I was a kid, and am of the firm belief that everything from the sea should be eaten raw. Not that there’s anything wrong with cooked seafood, but there’s nothing that can really compare, IMO, with the sweetness of fresh seafood.

Mel and I went to Itacho over the weekend, and they’re still the best sushi place I’ve ever been to. My wonderful experience there was only tempered by the fact that the staff can be quite…blur, and the hefty price tag. But no biggie, good food like that is worth the price and bumbling staff.

My favourite – Salmon and Salmon Roe roll. Super fresh slices of salmon wrapped delicately around a pinch of rice (that is really just there for the structure) and topped with salmon roe (my little bubbles of absolute joy!). The thick, silky salmon leaves absolutely no aftertaste, and the salty roe is just the perfect match for it. The best things truly come from nature.

The sister dish of the above-mentioned roll, this Salmon mini bowl is basically the same thing, deconstructed. This one gives the eater the opportunity to just have mouthfuls of just the salmon roe, which sometimes is the needed thing.

This Tuna and Crispy beancurd is unfortunately more theatrical in its look than it’s flavour. The crispy texture was a welcome surprise, but the overall flavour was rather bland. It’s really did not do the beancurd anymore justice than other Chinese crispy beancurd dishes out there.

Another mildly disappointing piece is the Foie Gras sushi, as the foie gras did not have the creamy, buttery texture that I’ve come to expect from a piece of fatty goose liver treated right. It was slightly overdone, but not an absolute disaster.

This Crab Miso Gunkan was worth the try. It wasn’t a phenomenally pleasant surprise, but it was a nice surprise nontheless. The crab was soft and light, while the miso packed quite a flavour punch. Not bad.

This Baked Crab was absolutely delightful. Crab shell was filled with a rice and mushroom mixture, and then baked with cheese over the top. Steam immediately escaped upon breaking through the helmet of cheese, and the aromatic mushrooms made their presence felt. Fluffy chunks of crab were carefully woven throughout the dish, and every mouthful was heaven. A must-try.

And who can overlook those delectable slices of raw fish? The fatty salmon was melt-in-your-mouth, but it does happen to leave an oily after-feeling. The dorsal sushi had the same effect, except for a slightly more complex texture. It seemed to have a slight resistance to it before it yielded to the determined eater.

The Hotate was worth every bite, but sadly not the same can be said of the Green Tea Salt. It had a really odd flavour to it, and if anything, undermined the freshness of the scallop and made it seem old and…well, not fresh. Just have the scallop, it’s good enough as it is.

And who can forget the sashimi. As mentioned above, the standard of raw salmon at this joint is beyond reproach. It’s truly the best salmon sashimi I’ve had in my life. The swordfish lived up to the same standard, and melt-in-your mouth texture is the stuff of dreams. And the prawns. Oh my the prawns. The Fairy Prawns have a deep fried head and brings out all the flavour of prawn, and the sweet, succulent body is so delicate, so clean, so pure, that it almost makes me feel like I’m partaking in an act of debauchery by putting it in my mouth.

If you have cash to spare and a reason to celebrate, this is definitely a place that you should visit. Reservations can be made, but there’s a SG$50 per head minimum. Otherwise, there will be a queue for dinner.

Itacho Sushi
Ion Orchard
#B2-18
Singapore
(+65) 6509 8911

Operating Hours:
Sun-Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am – 11pm

Happy munching!

Grillz

Recipe

There has been many a debate on what makes a good grilled cheese sandwich, and it going me thinking: grilled sandwiches are awesome regardless, but what if I don’t have a sandwich press? Well, one way to deal with it is well, to use the grill in the oven. But my oven’s shot at the moment, so here’s how to do it with a frying pan!

First, lightly spray a frying pan with some olive oil. You could also just use a non-stick pan for this.

Use a medium high heat, and when the pan’s nice and hot, build your sandwich!

Mine’s got cheese, ham, tomatoes, and mustard. Next, top off your sandwich!

The trick is, to make sure that the sandwich gets all nice and toasty, use a large dinner plate to weigh it down. This will create the same effect as a sandwich press.

When you’re happy with the toastiness of your sandwich, just flip it over and repeat!!

Voila! A quick, healthy meal that takes just minutes!

Happy munching!