Dining Out - Sumiya Charcoal Grill Izakaya

HC got free tickets to the movie, Good Kill, and she invited me (her backup friend) after her cousin refused to accompany her.

After the show, we went for a late dinner at Sumiya, located at the highest floor of Orchard Central.

Sashimi Platter

We had ordered the 3 Kinds of Sashimi Platter, but what was served to us was 2 pieces each of 6 different kinds. Apparently the restaurant always serves 6 types of sashimi to give customers a pleasant surprise. Though a touch gimmicky, I must admit we were excited when the platter was first brought to us. The fresh sashimi was artfully arranged on a bed of ice and served with freshly grated wasabi.

Foil-grilled Sweet Potato with Butter

HC picked out this dish from the menu and it was also her favourite out of everything we ordered. Japanese purple sweet potato are cut into inch-long pieces, seasoned with butter, wrapped in aluminium foil and grilled. The mildly salted butter brought out the natural sweetness of the satsuma-imo.

Grilled Yellowtail Collar

I thought this was meh. The crispy grilled skin was not too bad, but the flesh itself was a tad dry.

Can Can Mushi (10 Prawns)

This was my favourite! 10 fresh prawns are steamed in a delightful Japanese sake and dashi broth. HC was kind enough to split the good stuff 60-40, which meant I got to eat more of what I love.

Grilled Butter Mochi

We ended the meal with Grilled Butter Mochi as dessert and this was also yummy. It was served to us fresh off the grill, all warm and chewy. I could have easily ate a few more of these.

I would love to return again to try out more items on the extensive menu. The prices on the dinner menu are slightly steep, but I was told that the place does amazing lunch sets at affordable prices.

Sumiya Charcoal Grill Izakaya

Address: #12-02 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road Singapore 238896

Phone: 6509 9618

Cafe Hopping - 23 Jumpin

Picked the kids from school and drove to 23 Jumpin, a cafe in the Tai Seng area.

To share, we ordered Honey Paprika Wings, Mushroom Pizza Waffle and Bacon & Honey Baked Ham Pasta in Neapolitan Sauce. I also got a Thai Iced Milk Tea to sip on.

Thai Iced Milk Tea

The milk tea was fragrant and reminded me of those I had in good Thai establishments. I enjoyed it even more after the ice melted slightly to dilute the sweetness of the drink.

Honey Paprika Wings

This was a great appetizer. Mid-wings are halved and coated in a crispy batter, which increases the batter to meat ratio. Honey and paprika powder are drizzled atop the wings for flavour and this dish was very moreish.

Mushroom Pizza Waffle

This is a signature dish of the cafe, since they pioneered the Pizza Waffle. The elder monster loved it since it combined 2 of her favourite types of food - pizza and waffle. The waffle was light and fluffy and was thus a good base for the melted cheese and mushroom topping.

Bacon & Honey Baked Ham in Neapolitan Sauce

The spaghetti was tossed in a tomato based sauce with chopped onions, ham and bacon, and topped with fresh cherry tomatoes and grated Parmesan cheese. This was not bad, but I would preferred if the pasta was cooked more al dente. But the younger imp enjoyed this, which I suppose was because the softer texture of the pasta meant it had a home-cooked feel to it.

To end the meal, we got the Volcano Waffle and our usual cappuccinos.

Cappuccino

Another day at a cafe, another beautifully-pulled coffee.

Volcano Waffle

The Volcano Waffle had a chocolate molten lava cake atop the black charcoal waffle, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce and garnished with toasted marshmallows and chocolate wafer rolls. The kids attacked the waffle with gusto once I took the photo above. This is a very rich and chocolatey dish. I do think it tasted better because we shared it among the 4 of us. I would have enjoyed it more if the waffle was more crispy, but still it was a good end to our meal.

23 Jumpin

Address: #01-25, The Commerze, 1 Irving Place, Singapore 369546

Phone: 9137 5697

Cafe Hopping - Paddy Hills

After seeing rave reviews of Paddy Hills on my social media feed, the Mum, the Younger Sister and I made the drive west to try out the place.

Even from afar, the shophouse housing the cafe exuded a hipster vibe, with kitschy colourful murals painted on the side wall.

Kitschy Murals

At the entrance to the cafe is a neon pink message, 'Rise and Grind', which I interpreted to mean that a cup of good coffee would help one get through the daily grind of life. But it is likely that I am reading too much into the message and these are just words thrown together at random, presented in a social-media friendly form.

Neon Greeting

The menu offered a myriad of interesting options and after perusing it for a while, I decided on The Maze, Mum got the Potato & Fish and the Sister got the Quesadillas. I also a cold pressed juice called Taste Like Purple.

Taste Like Purple

Taste Like Purple is made using cold pressed grapes, sweet basil and garnished with a dehydrated lemon slice and fresh blueberries. This was sweet, which I presume was due to the inherent sweetness of the dark grapes used. It tasted better once some of the ice melted and diluted the sweetness.

Quesadillas

Quesadillas featured pulled pork and homemade BBQ sauce between pressed tortillas. It came with a side of charred corn, roasted peppers, pickled shallot and cherries. I tried some and thought it tasted pretty decent.

The Maze

The Maze had lamb meatballs, cauliflower fritters, polenta chips, crumbled manchego and a sous vide egg laid atop a generous portion of creamy mash. This was a rich and hearty dish and I was stuffed by the time I was halfway through with it. This dish is more suitable for a strapping man with a hearty appetite than for a petite Asian lady like myself (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA).

Potato & Fish

Potato & Fish featured seared sea bass, fried egg, sauteed mushrooms and deconstructed bagna cauda atop pan-fried potato rosti in white cream sauce. Mum gave me a portion to try and I thought it was not too bad. The blurry photo of the dish is a result of Mum's superb photography skills.

To end the meal, we got a dessert called Lollies! to share and a cappuccino each.

Cappuccino

The cappuccinos were made from fresh-ground coffee and tasted great. 

Lollies!

Lollies! had a yuzu jello ice lolly and an earl grey lolly laid atop vanilla foam and drizzled with raspberry dust, crushed pistachios, sea salt caramel marcona almonds, fresh raspberries and edible yellow flower petals. The dish was visually stunning, but tasted so-so. The yuzu jello lolly had powdery sediments at the tip which I presume settled there during the freezing process and diluted icy crystals at the base. 

I would give an 'A' for the visual presentation of all the dishes and also for the warm and friendly service given. But taste-wise, nothing particularly wow-ed me even though the detailed descriptions on the menu promised much. If the owners/chefs worked on improving the taste of the dishes, this place can become a true gem in the local cafe scene.

Paddy Hills

Address: 38 South Buona Vista Road Singapore 118164
Phone: 6479 0800

Sweet Endings - Mad About Sucre

After dinner at Lollapalooza, we used the 8 Days App to search for a nearby place for dessert and decided on Mad About Sucre.

Mad About Sucre

The place is decorated like a charming French tea parlour and the pretty desserts on display looked appetizing. Most of the cakes were sold out and there were only 4 options left to choose from. We wanted to get a cake shaped like a chocolate sphere in the display case, but we were told that those few had been reserved.

In the end, we got the Coco Citron and Luna de Miel (Moon of the Honey) to share. The friendly and enthusiastic owners are passionate about their products and shared in detail on the premium ingredients used to craft each cake. They also suggested tea pairings that they have curated themselves that go well with each of the cake.

Luna de Miel (Moon of the Honey)

The Luna de Miel featured French Spring Blossom Honey, Blood Orange, Savore Sponge and Short Pastry. The different textures and flavours worked well together, with the citrus flavour making this a refreshing dessert option. This was quickly polished off and we found ourselves impatient for the next cake.

Coco Citron

The Coco Citron featured Coconut Mousse, Lemon Curd, Sable Tart and Sugar Crystal Pieces. This was also delicious. Since HC does not really care for coconut-flavoured items, XT and I polished this off between the both of us with glee.

The artisanal desserts here have been carefully crafted and are a delight to consume. I am already looking forward to my next visit here and hopefully I would be able to try the intriguing chocolate cake I saw.

Mad About Sucre

Address: 27 Teo Hong Road Singapore 088334

Phone: 6221 3969

Dining Out - Lollapalooza

To celebrate HC's birthday, XT & I made a reservation at Lollapalooza, the new sister restaurant to Lolla.

Lollapalooza

The restaurant was buzzing when we arrived and the open kitchen concept meant that diners had a good view of the chefs creating the meals.

Lollapalooza's Open Kitchen

There were many interesting options on the day's menu, but we came to a consensus on what to order. Apart from ordering a bottle of sweet dessert wine, we ordered these items to share:

• Black Figs Stuffed with Murguez and Wrapped in Bacon
• Roasted Australian Wild-Caught Scampi (Langoustine) with Seaweed Butter
• Hand-Torn Pasta with Tomato Concasse and Hand-Picked Sri Lankan Crab
• Roasted Quail Stuffed with Duck Foie Gras and Raisins
• Chargrilled Dingley Dell Pork Chop

Roasted Australian Wild-Caught Scampi (Langoustine) with Seaweed Butter

This dish was absolutely yummy. A fresh juicy scampi is delicately roasted, preserving its freshness and the seaweed butter added subtle flavour. I wished we had ordered one each, but the $18 price tag for each scampi held us back.

Hand-Torn Pasta with Tomato Concasse and Hand-Picked Sri Lankan Crab

The hand-torn pasta tasted like an Italian version of Mee Hoon Kuay. This dish shone because of the shreds of fresh crab meat used abundantly in the sauce. I am always a sucker for any dish that features fresh seafood, so it's no surprise I enjoyed this one. 

Black Figs Stuffed with Murguez and Wrapped in Bacon

This was another interesting pairing. The salty-spicy chopped murguez stuffing combined well with the sweet fresh figs. The roasted bacon-wrapped figs were presented atop tomato concasse and all the flavours worked well together, though I found it a touch too salty which I suppose was due to the use of bacon and murguez.

Roasted Quail Stuffed with Duck Foie Gras and Raisins

Out of the 5 dishes we ordered, we liked this the least.  The use of foie gras meant that the dish tasted rich and greasy. But the fresh spinach leaves that it was served atop helped to counter the richness of the stuffed quail. It was not bad, just that we enjoyed the other dishes more. This dish looked a lot more appetizing than it does in the terrible photo taken by HC.

Chargrilled Dingley Dell Pork Chop

HC picked this one because she was taken with the melodious sounding name. It cracked us up for some reason. But it turned out to be a decent choice. The tender pork chop was served with a wedge of grilled pineapple (always amazing!) and fresh tomato sauce topped with herbs.

The restaurant prints a new menu each day to showcase the best produce available and this concept is brilliant because it ensures that diners are presented with food made using the freshest ingredients. We enjoyed the dishes we ordered and I look forward to returning to try more of the chefs' creations.

Lollapalooza

Address: 1A Keong Saik Road Singapore 089109
Phone: 6221 3538

Dining Out - The Rabbit Hole

Met J for lunch before my interview in the afternoon. We decided to eat healthy and went to a new salad bar at One Raffles Place nearby called The Rabbit Hole.

The Rabbit Ho(le)

J took the photo above. Not sure if she intentionally left out the 'le'. 

You can customise your own salad starting from $10, but I chose one of their creations called the Summer Rabbit. It uses a premium salad base topped with chopped strawberries, orange wedges, sunflower seeds, strips of turkey pastrami and alfalfa sprouts. This is paired with tangy honey mustard served in a shot glass on the side.

Summer Rabbit

I found it thoughtful of them to serve the salad dressing on the side so one can customise the taste to their liking. This also helps calorie-conscious salad eaters since the dressing is usually one of the most calorific part of the salad.

The salad was also artfully arranged in a huge wooden salad bowl even when the queue got long, and I do think that the great visual presentation made the salad more appetizing.

Taste-wise, I thought that the ingredients used were fresh and the portions generous. I enjoyed the combination I picked and finished it feeling sated but not stuffed. J, on the other hand, had difficulty finishing her salad because she thought there was too much greens. But she was sufficiently filled up on the protein in her salad since she picked a combination called The Protein Punch that had sous vide chicken in it.

This is a good healthy option in the CBD and prices are reasonable for the quality and taste.

The Rabbit Hole

Address: 1 Raffles Place #04-30 Singapore 048616

Cafe Hopping - Fluffy White Cloud

J made a surprise visit today to my house after attending a church wedding in the afternoon. The princess then told me that she was craving for You Tiao paired with Soya Milk and asked that I indulge with her. So I drove us to Rocher Beancurd House in Thomson so the princess could satisfy her cravings.

Afterwards, we adjourned to a nearby cafe at Thomson V Two so I could grab a cup of coffee. I got a cappuccino while J got a pot of tea.

Cappuccino

The barista pulled a lovely pattern of a chain of hearts in my cappuccino. The coffee was robust, just the way I like it.

But the shop was really tiny, with the indoor bar table occupied by the barista using her laptop to while away the hours, so the only seats available were the ones outside the cafe. Good thing it was evening time so it was not unbearably hot.

Fluffy White Cloud

Address: #01-19, Thomson V Two, 11 Sin Ming Road

Phone: 8684 9497

Dining Out - Grub Noodle Bar

Brunch at Grub Noodle Bar with the Mum and the Sister after F texted us in the morning recommending the place.

Grub Noodle Bar

Mum got the Assam Laksa, I got the Beef Noodles (Soup) and the Sister got the Beef Noodles (Dry) with Pasture-Fed Chuck Eye Roll. We topped up $5 for the Lunch Set, which gets us an Appetizer and a scoop of ice cream each. For the appetizers, we picked Chicken Mid-Wings, Kang Kong Salad and Vermicelli Salad With Prawns to share.

Kang Kong Salad

Out of the 3 appetizers we tried, the Kang Kong Salad was my favourite. Blanched kang kong was tossed with nonya achar and house dressing, topped with crushed peanuts. This tasted like a healthy rojak - sweet, sour and savoury all at once. The kang kong was not overcooked so it still had crunch.

Vermicelli Salad With Prawns

The chilled Vermicelli Salad With Prawns featured glass noodles tossed in a chilli and sesame dressing, with halved de-shelled prawns and topped with crushed peanuts, cut chilli and coriander. This was also decent, though it would have been better if the sauce was spicier.

Chicken Mid-Wings

The fried Chicken Mid-Wings were so-so. I thought that the batter was not crispy enough, but I did like the curry leaves, garlic and sesame seeds scattered atop the wings as they added flavour. I could have done without the mayonnaise drizzle since I am generally not a fan of this white sauce. 

Beef Noodles (Soup)

The beef noodles featured fresh egg noodles and 100g of beef served in their beef broth and garnished with chopped chilli and coriander. This was not bad, but I have had tastier beef broth at other places. But it needs to be highlighted that this place does not use MSG in its soup, while I am pretty sure the yummier soups I have had at other places are spiked liberally with monosodium glutamate. The egg noodles were cooked just right and had a great texture.

The alcoholic sister wanted beer and since the place has an all-day 1-for-1 deal of their German craft beers (on tap), I agreed to drink with her. She got the Weihenstephan Original, which is a Lager and I went for the Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier, which is a wheat beer. I had only wanted to get the 330ml pint, but the greedy alcoholic insisted that the 500ml mug was a better deal.

(From left) Weihenstephan Original, Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier

Finishing the food and washing it all down with half a litre of beer made me really really full. 

When we were about to leave, the waitress reminded us we still each have a scoop of ice cream. I had asked for Green Tea flavour, which turned out to be a little too milky tasting for me. Since I was stuffed, I gladly left it to melt but Mum could not bear to see it go to waste and she finished it for me.

Grub Noodle Bar
Address: 221 Rangoon Road Singapore 218459
Phone: 6341 5631

Sweet Endings - Lickers

After our meal at Saturday House, we drove to Lickers, a new ice cream palour that opened up in the Hougang area, right next to Ciel Patisserie. I had learnt about the place from the 8 Day Eat App earlier in the week.

Lickers

The place is decked out in bright pops of colour, with cute hipster-chic framed posters on the walls. Stenciled on the concrete ground at the entrance of the cafe is the welcoming statement "Step in for licking good times".

Hipster Decor

There were interesting ice cream flavours on display, and the most interesting flavour had to be Yakult Oreo. I tried some of it and thought it was not too bad, but I did not get a full scoop of it. Instead, I picked Maple Latte (without trying), Mum got Mango Coconut and the little imp got Rockmelon Sorbet.

(From left) Maple Latte, Mango Coconut, Rockmelon Sorbet

I thought the consistency of the ice cream was smooth, but I found it to be a tad too sweet. For the Maple Latte, I would have preferred a stronger coffee flavour. Of the 3 flavours, I thought the Mango Coconut was the tastiest, with the sweet mango complemented by the fragrant coconut milk, much like a mango pudding. I am guessing the use of fresh Thai mangoes (which is in season now) is the reason why this is so tasty. The rockmelon sorbet is refreshing and also good, but again, I would have preferred it to be less sweet. A lighter hand with the sugar would have made this one even more palatable. 

The friendly owners handed us coupons which entitled us to 50cents off for our next visit (as pictured above). Considering a scoop of ice cream here costs $3.20, this is slightly more than 15% off your next scoop of icy treat.

I would be keen to return again to check out what other innovative flavours the owners introduce. Hopefully by my next visit, they would have tweaked their recipes and made their ice cream less sweet.

Lickers

Address: Blk 124 Hougang Avenue 1 #01-1446 Singapore 530124

Phone: 6284 7200

Dining Out - Saturday House

We picked up the younger one from school and went for lunch at Saturday House. The cheeky imp remarked that we should have visited tomorrow instead so we would be at the place on a Saturday. -_-

Saturday House

Us adults got the Chicken Chop with BBQ Sauce and the Sambal Fish to share, while the little imp got the kiddie Bolognese Pasta set, which came with a cup of apple juice and a scoop of ice cream.

Sambal Fish

The sambal fish was tasty, primarily because of the spicy and flavourful sambal chilli that was slathered generously on top of the fillet. The accompanying butter rice complemented the fish, but it was a tad dry and would have been tastier if it had been more moist and warm.

Chicken Chop With BBQ Sauce

You can choose 2 sides to go with the chicken chop from a list that includes salad, mashed potato, coleslaw, french fries and potato wedges. We picked wedges and fries for the benefit of the little one. The chicken chop was juicy and tender, served hot off the grill. As for the accompanying fries and wedges, they were crispy and warm, which is all one can ask for when it comes to these sort of sides.

I thought this statement decorating the wall of the restaurant aptly describes how I feel most of the time.

Saturday House

Address: 339 Upper Paya Lebar Road Singapore 534953

Phone: 6280 0338

Show Time - SINGAPORE STRIPPED! A Comedy Roast of The Lion City

This was a shitty show. For lack of a better word. Really terrible.

Singapore Stripped!

HC and I could not believe we paid $31 each for the tickets to the show. There were other patrons of the bar who sat further at the back, but were subjected to the same bad jokes for free. We were mentally kicking ourselves when we realised we could have done that and saved ourselves some money. But then again, this is not a show that I would have watched even if it was free.

The jokes are tired and cliched, and the topics are unoriginal. If you are a Singaporean, you probably would have encountered the same jokes many times already. Most of the jokes just relied on Hokkien vulgarities and mean attacks on other nationalities that are not even funny. The entire show felt low-class and dated. While they did try to update the show with material regarding recent events, some of the slideshow materials and jokes have probably been in use since the early 90s.

The sole saving grace is that the show is presented in a bar, so we could at least drink alcohol to try to remove the bad taste the show was leaving. But the show was so bad that even though we downed 2 pints of beer each, it did not make it any funnier or our night any more enjoyable.

I can honestly say this is one of the worst performances I have ever had the misfortune of enduring. I told HC I blame her for suggesting we watch this show. If you are reading this, know that you owe me an hour of my life I'll never get back.


Singapore Stripped! A Comedy Roast of The Lion City
Event Date: Wed, 1 Apr - Sat, 25 July 2015, 8.30pm (Wed & Sat only)
Venue: Paulaner Clarke Quay

Snack Review - Meiji Matcha Azuki Choc

After dinner at Yayoiken, we went to browse at MEIDI-YA supermarket so I could check out what's new in the snacks scene. I found this small box of Meiji chocolates which contains sweet dried red beans enveloped by matcha-flavoured chocolate.

Meiji Matcha Azuki Chocolate

Matcha (Green Tea) & Azuki (Red Bean) has always been a brilliant pairing, so this box of chocolates did not disappoint. The matcha chocolate was not overly sweet and the dried red bean centre makes the snack feel somewhat healthy, so it was easy for me to pop the chocolates one after another into my greedy oral orifice. 

I finished the box in less than 10 minutes and it satisfied my sweet tooth sufficiently.

Dining Out - Yayoiken

Before going for the comedy show, HC and I went to Yayoiken at Liang Court for dinner. This Japanese restaurant chain is popular and well-reviewed because they serve tasty Japanese set meals at prices that do not break the bank.

I got the Saba Shio set which costs only $9.90, which is a steal compared to other Japanese restaurants. HC got the Nasu Miso & Hokke Teishouku ($15.90), which has a portion of grilled hokke fish and a stir-fry of egg plant, green peppers and thin pork slices in miso sauce.

Saba Shio Set

I enjoyed my Saba Shio set. The mackerel was cooked perfectly, with the skin crisp and the flesh juicy and tender. The accompanying miso soup was not too salty and easy to drink. I stole a few bites from HC's selection and found her choice to be tasty too.

This is a great place to grab a healthy Japanese meal without burning a hole in the wallet. I can predict I will become a regular patron of this chain of restaurants.

Yayoiken (Liang Court)

Address: #B1-50, Liang Court, 177 River Valley Road Singapore 179030

Phone: 6338 7170

Cafe Hopping - Stateland Cafe

After lunch at The Hangar, we went to nearby Stateland Cafe for dessert, which is popular because of its waffles.

To share, we got the Blackforest Waffle, which is topped with Belgian chocolate ice cream, cherry compote and chocolate flakes.

Blackforest Waffle

The waffle itself was decent and the Belgian chocolate ice cream was rich and decadent. You will enjoy this if you are a chocolate lover. Even though I only ate half, I found it to be a little too much. But to be fair, lunch was finished less than 30 minutes ago when we started on the waffle, so perhaps that was why I felt this way.

Coffee was not available when I was there, which is disappointing for a place that has the word Cafe in its name. There surly waitress did not explain the reason why, but I am guessing it was either the machine broke down or she had no idea how to operate it.

Stateland Cafe
Address: 30 Bali Lane Singapore 189866
Phone: 9296 4997

Cafe Hopping - The Hangar

After Mum's health screening appointment at Raffles Hospital, we decided to go to a nearby cafe for brunch. After seeing positive reviews for The Hangar on my food apps, I chose this cafe over the numerous other cafe options in the area.

From the Lunch menu, Mum picked the Kurobuta Ham Sandwich and I got the Lemongrass Steak Sandwich.

Kurobuta Ham Sandwich & Lemongrass Steak Sandwich

I didn't get to try Mum's sandwich but I did enjoy my own. Lemongrass grass fed steak, caramelised onions, shimeji mushrooms are sandwiched between two toasted slices of bread with homemade steak sauce. It was a tasty combination. I did not bother with the fork and knife given, but ate with my hands, biting into my sandwich with gusto.

I also ordered a special iced coffee concoction, a new invention by the cafe owners. It was their specialty drip coffee shaken with orange juice. The taste was...interesting. Not particularly tasty, but I would not say it was bad either. It was a good thirst quencher.

The friendly barista asked me for feedback on the orange coffee when I was paying and I could only offer a polite "interesting". The drinks menu also listed a couple of other unusual coffee inventions. Clearly the owners are passionate about experimenting with coffee.


The Hangar
Address: 25 Arab Street Singapore 199724
Phone: 6291 0127