For A Limited Time Only

@paulbakerysg is celebrating a decade here on the little red dot. To commemorate this milestone, they have come up with a selection of unique creations, such as this French choux stuffed with more than 90% D24 durians. It comes as a set of six for $49.90 nett and can be ordered from their online store.

This young man’s menu, even on the second day of service, was already a polished statement-maker with its Singaporean ingredients-inspired theme.
After Manager Jose did his introductory spiel, things got rolling promptly with a fascinating confluence of hot and cold where grilled sweet corn kernels met a quenelle of frozen corn and butter sabayon in a roasted buckwheat tea with masala chai spices.
Then, an appetisingly balanced cold appetiser of Sri Lankan mud crab with green tomato chutney, diced tomatoes and green apple in a pandan leaf oil-laced green apple juice sauce. While slices of pickled and cooked celtuce (chayote) added crunch, ginger flower and lime zest enhanced the aroma.
Chef Jonathan’s interpretation of laksa was the basis of the next course, another cold creation featuring Hokkaido scallops, kabu and lemon.
The silky-skin duck leg-stuffed dumplings in a duck broth perfumed by a touch of Szechuan spices were tasty but the accompanying bowl of rice managed to outshine it a little. Cooked with “hum choi” also known as “sian chye”, and finished with crispy duck skin, that carb was extremely fragrant and tasty.
I thought his take on 茶叶蛋 (“cha ye dan”) was brilliant! The black tea foam-covered egg sat with lily buds and sautéed Maitake mushrooms on a base of fermented mushroom purée and fermented mushroom juice. Everything about this course was spot-on.
Another winner in my book, the pan-cooked 4-day-aged Sawara (Spanish Mackerel) from Japan. It was just impeccable in done-ness and flavour. And so delightful when savoured with the green rempah purée, green onion fish stock sauce and smoky wok-fried Dragon Chives.
To me, the meat course was a clever East-meets-West dish as the 10-day-aged Irish duck was glazed in tamarind caramel and spice glaze which gave it an Asian taste profile. Yet because it came with citrus elements of kumquat chutney and a duck jus made from roasted duck bones and reduced orange juice, there was a decidedly French influence as well. Loved the black banana purée too.
The palate cleanser reminded me of a more sophisticated version of Solero / Jolly Lolly ice popsicles as it combined a lemongrass sorbet, kaffir lime, green tea and little chewy bits of attap chee. A surprise spicy heat made it all the more beguiling to me.
Coming full circle, Chef @jonathan_gan closed the meal with another hot meets cold creation. This dessert was a love letter to the Jerusalem artichoke as the tuber’s versatility was on full display. To complement the mochi balls, it took on different forms - as a veloute with coconut milk, and a crumble from its skin being fried and tossed in sugar and peanuts, as well as an ice-cream. Without a doubt, dinner ended on a high note.

I look forward very much to every festive delivery from TWG Tea as they are always a joy to receive. For Christmas 2021, the team has planned many wonderful treats, so gifting this season will be a cinch.
All the holiday feels are found in the enchanting Festive Music Box Tea Sets that chime merrily when open to reveal four mini tins of fine harvest teas and blends.
I was most bowled over by the Heritage Chocolate Gift Set which consists of 32 excellent tea-infused chocolate bonbons (I’d gobbled up 5 at this point of writing 😋😋). This would be a perfect gift for chocolate and tea lovers alike.
Gold-specked crimson is the colour of the Festive Macarons made with TWG’s Red Christmas Tea-infused chestnut purée, blood orange and chocolate ganache.
Gorgeous Log Cakes are also available in two flavours of Strawberry Pavlova and Chocolate Pear Log. I tried the former and enjoyed its finely-crafted, chantilly cream-bedecked scrumptiousness very much.

(Sponsored)
The beef world has big news. For the first time in history, Wagyu beef has passed the taste test of science. This is made possible due to the partnership between The University of Queensland and the Australian Agricultural Company (AACo) as they have developed a Flavour Wheel for Australia’s Wagyu, and it means that well-known Wagyu brands namely @westholme, can now use it to provide product descriptors, and differentiate cuts and marbling grades. In other words, it is a system similar to what the wine, seafood, coffee, beer and cocoa industries have been using to describe flavour and sensory properties for years.

To celebrate this milestone, @culinacomodempsey is launching a month-long Tri Wagyu campaign starting tomorrow. Thus, from 1st to 30th September 2021, the menu features three NEW dishes by Executive Chef @timmydare and Chef @chutipol_joke that highlight the unique characteristics of various @westholme Wagyu’s cuts.

Shown above is the Pot-Au-Feu de Westholme ($38+) - Designed to be shared, this comforting dish showcases the richness of the oxtail, short rib and tri-tip to the best effect. As these cuts are packed with richness, they lend themselves perfectly to the hearty French classic. Braised in the fragrant stock till fork-tender, the meats are also joined by brussel sprouts, carrots, potatoes to become a very well-balanced one-dish meal. A bowl of appetising persillade (a seasoning mixture of parsley, garlic, herbs, oil, and vinegar) is served on the side to provide a burst of acidic lift if desired.

(Media Gifting)
Fancy a Chinese banquet at home? The best deal I’ve come across lately is from @famoustreasure. If you call the restaurant directly at 9730 7548 / 6881 6668 to order their Takeaway Menu, and pick the food up yourself (address: 13 Stamford Road, #02-27/29 Capitol Singapore, 178905), you enjoy a crazy-value 50% discount!
Having dined there before, I knew what I wanted for our family dinner.
The Braised Rice Vermicelli with Local Lobster and Leek in Superior Broth 上汤蒜子本地龙虾焖米粉 was at the top of my list and so was the Deepfried Marble Goby with “Cinchalok” Sauce. I was right to guess that the former would travel well since the noodles and crustacean were packed separately from the soup, and the latter which featured their signature funky-savoury-tangy-spicy sauce I’d had twice and enjoyed a lot, was also given the same treatment which helped retain the crunchiness of the fish. My parents and I enjoyed both dishes very much. They were particularly fond of the lobster noodle broth as it’s fragrant and concentrated in seafood richness. Thumbs up too for the large and uber fresh lobster with its firmly succulent meat.
I couldn’t not order Famous Treasure’s Roasted Honey BBQ Pork either as it has quite a reputation. And deservingly so, given that the fat-striped pork was very tender and the sticky black sauce it’s prepared with, finger-licking good. Luckily the restaurant gave a little more of it on the side.
Another Chinese restaurant must-have for my family is the Crab Meat with Fish Maw Soup soup. At only $10 a bowl if you do the order-direct-collect-yourself method (usual price: $20 per bowl), there was no way I was going to skip getting it.
Really, this ongoing promotion is quite wonderful. It would be a shame to miss.

G I F T
If you enjoy #KoreanArmyStew, you ought to get your hands on this limited edition burger by @wildfireburgers.sg. It has their signature juicy USDA-certified Black Angus beef patty (having been grilled in the INKA charcoal oven, there’s a nice smokiness to it) stacked with a slab of Korean spam, housemade kimchi, gochujang butter, sliced Vienna sausages, American cheese, King Trumpet and Champignon mushrooms, baked beans and scallions between soft pillows of brioche buns.
Conceptually, I think the Korean Army Stew Burger ($15) is interesting, but more importantly, it delivers on taste with a good balance in the ratio of ingredients.
There’s also a tasty Kimchi Cheese Fries to go along with it (add-on: $5 / a la carte: $7).
Both items are available for dine-in, takeaway and delivery from now till end of May. You can order online via @wildfireburgers.sg’s link-in-bio.

Thanks again @joannetohh and Shaun for sending these over for me to try.

M E D I A T A S T I N G
@regentsingapore will launch “Chef’s Playground” on 21st April 2021. It’s a creative space for all their chefs (from the Italian chefs at Basilico to the pastry chef for Tea Lounge and Dolcetto), to get creative in the kitchen.
Coming up first will be a Gold-leafed Truffle Ricotta Burnt Cheesecake topped with shavings of Norcia black truffles. The cake itself is incredibly creamy as ricotta seirass, a fresh cow’s milk curd from Piedmont, is used along with cream cheese. Since Italians have a flair for the dramatic, a knob of fresh truffle and a jar of Basilico’s coveted truffle honey (this is insane - I love it!) are also included for further lavishing to your heart’s content.
At 9pm on 21st April 2021, 30 of this Gold-leafed Truffle Ricotta Burnt Cheesecake Sets will be available for purchase online via @regentsingapore’s link-in-bio. So do mark your calendars to standby for this indulgent deliciousness.
To get first dibs on Regent Singapore’s chefs’ upcoming off-the-menu creations, please follow the hotel’s account as that will be where each exclusive release will be announced.

(Hosted Preview) Everyone who’s tasted this seasonal fruit will vouch for its extreme fragrance, sweetness, juiciness and superb firm-to-the-bite texture.
And in the hands of award-winning Pastry Chef Cheryl Koh (@tartebycherylkoh) and her team including Chef @kellycheah, it’s a win-win situation. They have unleashed their creativity in a fine display for the limited edition Afternoon Tea Set ($60 per pax) which sets the stage for the magnificence of the Jukhyang and MerryQueen, both Korean Strawberries so fabulous in their own way, to shine.
The set menu will be available daily at 3pm for one month, beginning on Monday, the 15th of March 2021. I would definitely recommend calling ahead to make a reservation because based on the number of people that slid into my DMs, many are very excited to try it.
To pair with the food, the team has concocted a selection of delicious drinks featuring Korean Strawberries as well. You do however, have the option of tea or coffee if that’s preferred.
What’s more, during this period, you can even purchase the fruit right there at the shop. How convenient for those who can’t get enough of the fruit and wish to continue indulging at home.

Thank you very much @brandfit for inviting us to the preview. And congratulations again Chef Cheryl on your new location. Love how gorgeous and comfortable the huge space is.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the “Laksa Lobster Burger”!
Available NOW, this limited edition, saucy seafood sensation is a collab between myself and the team at @meatsmith.xpress.sg. Shocking, I know since I don’t cook 😆 But after intense brainstorming, R&D-ing and taste-testing with Head Chef @kurt.sombero and his team (thank you guys for being so patient), we’ve come up with a burger that I hope you will enjoy. Allow me break it down for you:

1. Customised brioche buns by Head Baker @tart-tatin and the @burntends.bakery_sg team with a smear of chilli butter.
2. Laksa sauce made from scratch - There’s plenty of it.
3. Tandoor-roasted lobster tail - The smoky, springy and succulent chunks give a really satisfying mouthfeel.
4. Crispy cubes of pork fat because I love me a little lard.
5. Basket-grilled bean sprouts - Often found in a bowl of #laksa, the vegetable is prepared in an alternative way to complement the burger.
6. Laksa leaf and marinated cucumber - More laksa ingredients represent! And they add oomph and a refreshing crunch.

On the side is a heap of crunchy-fried rice noodles seasoned with laksa leaf and prawn powder, plus a belachan aioli dip to use as you please.

Get your hands on this limited edition burger today by tapping on the link-in-bio on Meatsmith Xpress’ or my Instagram account:

http://xpress.meatsmith.com.sg/

P.S. I am not making money out of this. It is purely my honour to be invited as a Guest Chef and besides, I knew it would be fun creating something really tasty with Chef Kurt and the Meatsmith LittleIndia / Xpress team 😄

This special Valentine’s Day Gift Set by @laderach_singapore is a real treat! Not only does the beautiful blonde wooden box contain a dozen large Swiss Miss Strawberries, but also a heap of large 56% dark chocolate buttons. Meant to be melted into a thick silky liquid for dipping the fruit in, these are essentially the same chocolate used in most of #Laderach’s hugely popular dark chocolate #frischschoggi variants. And just like wine, chocolate too possesses tasting notes. In this, you can expect to encounter hints of plums, berries and bananas on your palate as you bite into the juicy strawberry.

Pre-orders have begun. To place yours, just tap on @laderach_singapore’s link-in-bio on Instagram.

G I F T
I have been extremely impressed with everything @twgteaofficial has kindly gifted me over several occasions. Yes, their tea collection is world-famous but I also found their mooncakes creative and scrumptious (they were my favourite collection of 2020), and now, it is their Christmas goodies that have me wreathed in smiles.
Besides the Grand Christmas Tea Flavoured Chocolate Bonbons which my niece has pretty much hijacked the box of, and the Grand Christmas Tea-infused Pistachio Macarons with their perfect soft crunch, it is the Hazelnut Caramel Log Cake with its layers of hazelnut and white chocolate crumble that has bowled me over. Flavours are rich yet it’s not too sweet. And to top it off, this festive cake has the most luxurious mouthfeel.
Highly recommended.

G I F T
For someone who only recently learned to appreciate and enjoy lamb, I must say, I found this LIMITED EDITION Lamb Burger ($18) by @burntends_sg’s Executive Chef @patrick_leano, very good.
Top marks for how tender he got those double lamb patties. And whatever subtle gaminess my sensitive nose picked up, the luscious feta and mint aioli he loaded on, in and all over, did the trick of neutralising it. Needless to say, the soft #burger bun by Burnt Ends Bakery’s Head Baker @tart_tatin was the bronze gloriousness (barely) holding everything together.

Available only via online order, it is the first collab of the “Guest Chef Series” by @ms.xpress.sg (they are part of @meatsmith_sg). Tomorrow’s the last day you can get your hands on it, so hesitate and you’re too late.