Set Menu Meals

If you go during lunchtime, you can pick the either the Naengmyeon or Rice plus “Soup of the day” as your carb for the BBQ Beef Lunch Set ($43++ per pax) which includes a decent spread of refillable Banchan, Prime Ribeye (the staff can help you with the grilling at a separate table if you ask) and dessert of ice-cream.

After drooling over the Netflix series “Korean Cold Noodle Rhapsody”, I developed a major craving for said dish. So when a friend recommended I get my fix at @changkoreanbbq, I headed over for lunch with my husband.
To my happy surprise, the restaurant offers a Set Lunch Menu. It didn’t take a second for me to pick the Marinated Prime Ribeye Set for us both ($43++ per pax) after clarifying that the Korean cold noodles was a carb option. There’s also a Baked Black Cod Set for $48++ for those who prefer fish or don’t want grilled meat.
Almost immediately after our orders were placed, the #banchan arrived. By the way, those multiple small bowls of kimchi, sesame oil-marinated beansprouts and other Korean small bites are refillable.
A large plate with two portions of the marinated ribeye came next. The staff didn’t hesitate to help with the grilling upon request. Although I wouldn’t describe the meat as super premium, it was very well marinated, tender and tasty. We were quick to merrily stuff our faces with the piping hot slices of beef after wrapping them in the perilla leaves and lettuce provided (also refillable).
The lunch set includes Pajeon, the Korean spring onion pancake with mixed seafood and meat. Theirs was extremely crispy - pretty much a fritter actually. It got our stamp of approval.
The dish which had drawn me to Chang’s Korean BBQ in the first place, the “Myul Naengmyun” (buckwheat noodles in cold beef broth), was bigger than expected for a half-portion. So much so that I struggled and failed to finish. But enjoy it immensely I did. The soup had a certain purity and delicacy about it. And after stirring in mustard and splashing on a little vinegar, was especially irresistible.
Since my husband preferred something hot, he decided to go for the rice plus soya bean paste soup instead of the Naengmyeon. He was satisfied with his hearty serving of bubbling soup chockfull in tofu, vegetables and beef.
For dessert, we each received a scoop of chocolate ice-cream and a cup of chilled pumpkin tea.

It boasted a large piece of fried firm-fleshed fish blanketed in a thick, sour-spicy rempah gravy that I found extremely appetising. Served with plain white rice, the set also included a chunky deepfried yam and chicken patty, fried long beans and another stir-fry of tempeh with hardboiled egg in sweetish sambal. On the side was a bowl of tasty “hae bee”-heavy, not-overly-lemak Sayur Lodeh.

Conclusion: I enjoyed this and the “Premium Nasi Lemak” equally, so it will come down to what I‘m in the mood for on my future visits.

T R E A T
The incredible flavours of Chef Damian D’Silva’s food can now be savoured in the comfort of your own home. Thanks to @lobeholdgroup’s @ameliayjt, my family and I had the privilege to try it this afternoon. One of the two available Heritage Meals ($138, serves 2 to 4 pax) was delivered to us and these are what it comprised of:

1. Ayam Lemak Chilli Padi - The wonderfully aromatic, rich dish packed a kick of spiciness. Chef Damian champions traditional cooking methods in his kitchen, so this chicken was most likely simmered for hours on end to achieve that state of tasty tenderness.

2. Ikan Selar with Chilli Garam - A life-long favourite of mine, the fried fish was slit and stuffed with a chilli paste. Simple but divine.

3. Sambal #BuahKeluak - I have always thought the Indonesian black nut’s naturally earthy flesh tastes perfectly fine naked. Trust Chef Damian to elevate it by blending the nut with spices, and by doing so, flung a door open to a different flavour dimension, one that deserves an enormous welcome mat.

4. Okra with Dried Prawn Sambal - I wouldn’t mind multiple helpings of this aromatic, bright and crisp vegetable item.

5. Aberjaw - A traditional Eurasian dish, the soulfully-satisfying stew was the outcome of pork ribs cooked with special spices and fermented bean paste.

6. Sunday’s Fried Chicken - Ignore the name. Those marinated mid-joint wings are worth munching on any day of the week.

7. Kueh Kosui and Kueh Bingka ($12 each) - From the Heritage Picks section of the menu, these are the to-die-for desserts that every KIN meal needs to end with.

The Takeaway Menu also lists Set Meals for the individual priced at $18 or $22 that would make lunch or a weeknight dinner so much more interesting.

To order, WhatsApp or Call:
97237028
at least 45 mins in advance.

T R E A T
Perhaps not quite as textbook photogenic but delivering tastiness in spades was the belly-warming Confit Duck Leg Cassoulet, the main course in the other Set Meal I received. Those who prefer blander flavours might find the duck meat a tad salty but I enjoyed every bit of it. The dessert in this case was a supremely elegant Valrhona Chocolate Tart. Bitter and dark, it exuded a sophisticated “adult” vibe which made it all the more desirable.

Visit the link in @pollenrestaurantsg’s Instagram bio if you wish to view their takeaway menu or to place an order. FYI - they have a promotion of a complimentary bottle of wine (worth $66) with a minimum spend of $128 that sounds like a fab deal.

T R E A T
A surprise delivery came my way last evening from Executive @chefwilsonsingapore and his team at Pollen Restaurant. Just in time for dinner too.
My curiousity about Chef Wilson’s food had been piqued back in February when I read about him joining Pollen. After all, he was instrumental in securing a Michelin Star for the last restaurant he headed - the PHÉNIX and The Puli Hotel and Spa in Shanghai. Although my plans to dine at Pollen has had to be put on hold, I am grateful for the opportunity to try a couple of the Set Meals in the new Takeaway menu Chef Wilson has developed.
Without a doubt, the dish that floored us all last night was the Beef Wellington. What a magnificent construct of buttery puff pastry, tender, juicy Australian tenderloin and mushroom duxelle. The accompanying Russet potato puree and pink peppercorn sauce only enhanced the deliciousness of the spectacular pie (by the way, detailed heating instructions are attached, so no worries if you plan on consuming the food later). Included in the Beef Wellington Set Meal ($108, serves 2 or even 3) was a large Lemon Meringue Tart (14cm in diameter). This zesty and luscious number sure hit the spot after that rich main.

My choice of main course was what’s possibly the tastiest cooked salmon I‘ve eaten in recent memory.
It starred the sustainable, high-end farmed Ōra King Salmon from New Zealand, known as the “Wagyu of the Sea” because of its markings which resembles the fat-laced beef.
Head Chef Sam prepared it flawlessly, delivering an unbelievably moist flesh under perfectly crisped skin. And served the big slab of fish with a creamy morel mushroom and clams sauce that was downright magnificent.
Highly recommended!

I met a friend for lunch on Monday this week and coincidentally, it was @vuesingapore’s Executive Set Lunch ($68++ for the 3-course menu) official launch. Having been awestruck by the spectacular views from the restaurant during my evening visits, I was curious to see what it would be like in bright daylight. The sky was hazy that afternoon unfortunately but I am sure it would be stunning otherwise.
We decided to share the food in order to try more things, and it started with the appetisers, both of which were surprisingly massive in portion. I must admit, as much as I enjoyed my Grilled Argentinean Red Shrimp Salad in saffron vinegar dressing, it was his Norwegian Red King Crab Toast (shown above) that hit a home run.
Recommended by General Manager Ben, we both found the open-faced sandwiches superb as the plentiful chilled crab meat was fresh and sweet, and came tossed in an ideal amount of yuzu mayo with finely-cut avocado, cucumber and shallots. It was worth the $8++ top-up for sure.

H O S T E D
24 floors is enough to make you forget you are in Singapore’a premium shopping district. That’s what I realised when I visited “il Cielo” (it means “the sky” in Italian) last week. This peaceful al fresco restaurant is hidden away on the rooftop of the Hilton Hotel and is a perfect spot for a date night or when you just want to have a quiet dinner with a friend. The recently renovated space which includes a private dining room, is situated right next to the pool that, thanks to clever lighting, is transformed into a glowing purplish-blue body of water that resembles installation art more than it does a recreational facility.
The kitchen is led by Japanese Chef de Cuisine Yohhei Sasaki who was born and raised in Tokyo. What differentiates him is his unique position of having made Italy his home for many years due to him working at a few Two and Three MICHELIN Starred restaurants over there (fun fact: he speaks Italian better than he does English). Little wonder he holiday-ed in Tuscany last year, and subsequently returned inspired to create special “Desgustazione Menus” (Tasting Menus) priced at $138++ per pax. However, partaking in his food is not limited to those because you can also choose from an a la carte menu or a Seasonal one (4 / 5 / 7-course: $138 / $158 / $188++).
When we dined there last week, the aim was to try a wider variety so we each got a different Tasting Menu to share. There’s one that uses Italian ingredients while the other focuses on ingredients from Japan. Here are my favourites from both menus:

1. Small bites: I adored the Bocconcini cheese with Parma ham and tomato puff, as well as the macaron with homemade foie gras terrine and 12 years balsamic vinegar.

2. Insalata alla Cacciatore: Constructed around a heart of a marinated butter lettuce are European organic chicken mousse, chicken jus sauce, dehydrated tomato powder, olive powder and mushroom mayo. This warm salad is the kind of creation that makes you stop and stare after your first bite because its deliciousness exceeds expectations.

3. Capellini Burro e Timo: Cooked in a rich buttery sauce with huge chunks of fresh lobster and finished with shaved truffle, it is an immensely enjoyable pasta. The fine al dente strands are made in classical Italian fashion on the premises.

4. Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mare: Another astounding pasta but done Japanese style. For this, Chef Sasaki uses a Ramen-making machine to produce the eggless strands (it seems this technique accentuates the semolina element). Served warm with Hokkaido uni, bottarga and yuzu, it has a lighter taste profile than the Capellini but is extremely satisfying in its own way.

5. Costina di Manzo “Miyazaki Wagyu A4”: One of the choices for the meat course in the Tasting Menu using Japanese ingredients, this boasts a piece of beautifully caramelised short rib that yields easily to a fork as it has been braised for 36 hours. The richness is cleverly combated by sautéed saffron risotto, lemon gel and an Italian parsley sauce.

6. La Sfera: A signature of Chef Sasaki, this dessert from the Japanese Tasting Menu is a refreshing Yuzu Sphere magically filled with ricotta cheese espuma, lemon sorbet and acacia honey gel. Tap firmly to break it and make sure to scoop a bit of everything for the ideal experience.

As you can tell from the above, both Tasting Menus include some really strong courses. I would say though that the pastas are the most outstanding of them, and are must-tries. Good thing is they are available a la carte as well.

I recommend doing the wine pairing (total cost of that with the Tasting Menu is $188++), or at least, having a glass with your food because “il Cielo” stocks some very lovely Italian Wines. Thanks to restaurant manager Sarah, I had the pleasure of sipping on a superb Chianti Riserva 2013.

As it is my choice of “1 Carb” for my lunch set, the Wanton Mee comes in a smaller portion but it is identical in every other way to the full-size serving.
There is the Primrose Farm pork jowl char siew, pork kimchi wonton, wonton noodles tossed in herbal soya sauce with the jalapeño chilli sauce and bowl of concentrated broth served on the side. Everything, except for the noodles which is produced according to their specifications by a supplier, is made from scratch in-house by Chef-owner Petrina, her Head Chef Fung and the team.

Totally worth the extra $20++ top-up as the A5 Toriyama Wagyu chuck roll melted in the mouth like butter on a hot pan. It’s a well-thought out dish with a Jerusalem artichoke torta, rose apple chutney, malabar spinach and a vegetable demi-glaze playing solid supporting roles.

H O S T E D
The view from the 70th floor of Swissotel pretty much speaks for itself but in my opinion, the food and beverage offering in the “Skai High Tea” is worthy of attention too.
A collaborative effort between Executive Chef Paul Hallett of @skai.sg and Swissotel’s Executive Pastry Chef Ming, every petite creation, be it savoury or sweet, felt and tasted very special. Clearly, a lot of thought and care went into their individual concept and execution.
The scones were my favourite of all that I have eaten this year. Whether plain or cranberry, the texture suited me perfectly as they didn’t get sticky upon being chewed. Plus the fact that they were served with proper clotted cream from England (so heavy, thick, beautiful!), as well as the best housemade strawberry jam and lemon curd ever, totally sealed the deal for me. Honestly, I would return just for these.
The savoury bites on the bottom tier of the pretty display stand were not simply sandwiches with different fillings but unique standalone creations. The two I loved most and would have easily gobbled up half a dozen of, were the Maitake Mushroom with Celeriac Wrap, and the Egg Truffle Brioche with Yolk Jelly. They were really, really good.
The desserts also have Japanese and Asian culinary touches incorporated delectably into them as well. I would vote the Candied Black Sesame, Mango Strawberry Gateau and Matcha Tea Mascarpone as the most delightful examples.
As part of the $60++ per head High Tea set menu, Skai serves premium teas from TWG. I picked the Royal Orchid while my niece went for the Chocolate Moroccan Mint. I enjoyed mine as I felt its delicate floral note complemented the dainty bites very nicely.
There is the option to have coffee from Suzuki or Taittinger champagne instead for those of you who don’t fancy tea.