An Evening of East meets West ... CAST IRON

 

Cast Iron, just a month old, is a Japanese inspired restaurant with influences from the west. Still in soft launch since October 2017 with official launch scheduled for January 2018. Think the likes of omakase, fire grilled meats. Located in a very new building, Duo Galleria, a very convenient locale which is accessible by bus and MRT (Bugis).

 

 

Alfresco area

 

 

 

 

 

The men in black. Head Chef Anson(middle)

From left to right : Chef Luke, Chef Nigel, Chef Ming, Chef June 

 

Below, cute chopsticks stands

 

 

 

Commencement of Dinner

 

Fried tofu. ($7)

This dish is plain. If only there was a dip to go with it.

 

 

Grilled Stingray Fin ($13)

 

 

 

What a starter! A chewy texture with a semi salty flavour. One piece is not enough. You find yourself reaching for more. It is really addictive and goes so well with beer.

 

 

Dried Overnight Sea Eel ($10)

 

 

Superbly good to eat. Seasoned in mirin. Smoky mouthfeel. None of that fishy smell.

 

 

Grilled Iberian Pork Platter ($72)

  

Thinly sliced and grilled. 5 cuts of pork, namely, belly, jowl, galbi, collar and loin. Belly was marinated in miso so the taste is slightly saltier. Jowl topped with leek, for its natural sweetness to tone down the richness. Galbi was sprinkled with salt and pepper. Garnished with apple chutney for a tinge of tanginess. Collar was grilled and served as is.

 

 

Chef"s Selection of Sashimi ($380 for 6 pax)

 

 

A platter of Aji (horse mackerel), Kanpachi (blackthroat sea pearch), Otoro (greater amberjack), Akamutsu (seabass), Tai (seabream), fatty bluefin tuna, Iwashi (sardine) and Uni (sea urchin). A fresh selection when eaten felt like it just came out from the sea. My favourite was the Bluefin tuna, fatty and naturally sweet. Clearly a favourite of most, Uni with a mix of sweet and salty, its melty and creamy texture, that made my dinner kakis go oooh and ahhh. This platter is customed made according to your request and how big your group is. 

 

 

 

 

USDA Prime Beef Tomahawak Ribeye Bobne-in Double Cut ($130)

 

Fire fire, my steak is on fire. Chef Ming firing up a humongous cut of ribeye.

 

 

Grilled to medium with pinkness. Tender and juicy. Done two ways; grilled and charred on the exterior that was served straight up. The other half was served with chimichurri sauce comprising of parsley, garlic, oregano, veg oil and white vinegar ... all blended to form a smooth twangy paste and draped over the meats. It was moist, a little salty and juicy with wonderful aromatics aftertone. Bone marrow butter provided by the side was a perfect dip for the meat.

If you are a beef lover, I recommend you try this.

  

 

 

Grilled Vegetables ($18)

 Now, we should have our greens. I love this simple plate of vegetables that were grilled till a little charred. Eggplants, sweet potatoes, corn, zucchini, broccoli, shitake mushroom, yellow squash and watermelon radish. A tad sprinkling of feta cheese. A most delish way of eating your greens. Just droolworthy.

 

 

 

Sweet Endings

Matcha and Yuzu Sorbet

The Yuzu was my love as it was refreshing, tangy and provided a welcome relief from the richness of the mains. Matcha was alittle weak in terms of the green tea flavour.

The End
 A most wonderful dinner tasting I have had. Every course was just so well done. It might be a little pricey for the Omakase , but this is well worth the $$$$. Service was excellent and attentive.

Thank you, Jee Foong for the invite and CastIron for hosting us to an amazing dining experience.

Restaurant Name : Cast Iron
Address : 7 Fraser Street #01-32 Duo Galleria

Opening hours :
Mon-Fri 1145hrs to 1430hrs; 1730 to 2230hrs
Sat 1730 to 2230hrs
Closed on Sundays

Nearest MRT : Bugis (walkable from MRT  through the underground walkway)

http://www.facebook.com/castironsg

 

 

 

 

Hokkaido Harvests Return Debut at Triple Tree

 

Hokkaido's delicacies set to tantalise your tastebuds from 17 to 29 October. 

Kicking off the night of Japanese inspired buffet, a gianomous fresh bluefin tuna being prepped for cutting.

Salad station

Seafood on ice

Think the likes of fresh tiger prawns, snow crabs, scallops and fresh oysters being shucked before your very eyes.

Meat

Beef roasted with a nice charred facade but yet pinky in the middle. Juicy, moist and tender. If one is not a beef lover, grilled pork rice bowl are available.

Grills

Scallops and oysters grilled with its shell. Mackerel and shisamo on skewers filled the air with a bit of a wokhei {smoky} aroma. The taste? A wonderful crisp skin and the flesh so tender with a natural sweetness.

 

 

Ramen

Steer away for a brief moment from the proteins and head for a comforting steaming hot bowl of ramen. Two broth base available: shoyu and miso. Custom make your own and toppings galore for you to choose.

 

Sushi

Of course, always a welcome sight for those who cannot do without rice.










Desserts

After all the feasting, leave tummy space for the wide variety of Japan's most popular desserts.  Hokkaido milk ice cream, baked cheese tarts, azuki roll cakes, cream puffs, grilled mochi balls filled with red bean etc. Some are beautifully handcrafted that it just looks too good to devour.

Cocktails and Mocktails

 

The bartenders will attempt to further tantalise your palate with their special concoction of different types of cocktails and mocktails using Hokkaido ingredients.

 

Stand to win a pair of airtickets to Hokkaido while savouring over 12 different live stations of Hokkaido's best harvests. More details are available on Mandarin Orchard website.

 

The Hokkaido Harvest buffet is only available for dinner 6.30pm to 10.00 pm daily from 17 to 29 October.

Price : S$128++ (Adult) S$48++ Child 6 to 12 years)

 

Credit Card promotion :

DBS/POSB/UOB/MEIDI-YA cardholders enjoy 50% off every second adult diner.

 

For reservations and enquiries:

Online : http://www.meritushotels.com/mandarin-orchard-singapore/offers/hokkaido-harvests

 

Tel : 6831 6288

Email : dine.orchard@meritushotels.com

 



Keong Saik Bakery

Keong Saik Bakery is the new kid on the block. Opened by two friends, Yu Zhong and Soon.

A fusion of both old school and new. This bakes and cakes are made fresh onsite. Think the likes of banana cake, soft white bread, longan bread, matcha croissants, etc.

Sor Hei (signature.. $3.20)

 

 

A Danish pastry that is black and white. Black because of the charcoal powder used. Chocolate chips are imbedded inside. It is not overly sweet. Have it at the bakery. It is served warm. Crisp on the outside and soft inside, melted chocolate chips provided that little bit of gooeyness.

Matcha Croissant

Croissant shaped like a snail with oozy matcha in the belly. When cut open, the matcha cream oozes out. Because butter was added to the cream, it gave the cream a kinda glossy look. The croissant may be small, I personally felt that the matcha became a bit overpowering halfway through. But if you are a matcha person, this is worth a try.

Banana Cake ($4.10)

Always a favourite of mine. It was fresh out of the oven when I bought this to go. It had a nice dark brown façade. Looks a bit rough and slightly crisp but internally it was soft, fluffy and slightly moist. A strong hint of banana.

Beverages

Kopi O, kopi susu, teh o, teh susu, milo susu, kopi milo. The coffee here are actually the coffeeshop coffee. It is however, prepared, using the artisanal coffee machine. My favourite was the iced kopi milo ($3.80) without sugar and less condensed milk. A fine balance between the coffee powder and milo.

Currently, the bakery offers all day breakfast set at $5.00 which comprises of 1 teh o/kopi-o, 2 soft boiled eggs and 1 bun (sardine cheese, luncheon meat mayo, xo lup cheong or oyster mushroom).

Soon to be launched, the ever popular kaya butter toast. Toast is in-house baked multigrain bread. The kaya (jam) is also made in-house. This kaya is slightly different from other places which offers kaya toast. As for now, I am keeping mum on this ingredient which goes into making the kaya. It is pretty good. Launch date is not yet decided. Please follow my instagram @msginginly for the update.

Address : 41 Keong Saik Road
Opening Hours : 8am to 8 pm (closed on alternate Mondays starting from 10 July)

WannaCuppa New Menu

 

Wanna Cuppa has recently relaunched a new menu whilst maintaining some old favorites. I had the privilege of being invited back to try out these newly concocted items.

 

Zesty Seafood Salad $16.90

 



  

Once in a while I love to just eat salads. The zesty seafood salad looks pleasing to the eye. But it was the taste that pleased my palate. As the name suggested, the greens were tossed in a twangy seasoning with balsamic vinegar provided by the side. Topped with luscious prawn, squids and citrus fruits, it is a salad that will be a suitable starter as the tangy flavors whets your appetite for more. Drizzle just a little of balsamic vinegar for extra scintillating pleasure.

 

 Grilled Ebi Miso $17.90

 

 

Aldente spaghetti with every single long strand coated in a delectable miso seasoning. A tad salty but was toned down by the sweet tiger prawns. It had a somewhat hint of "wokhei"or smokiness finish. The brussel sprouts which is not a common sight in pastas provided a wonderful crunch. A lipsmacking dish.

Enoki Mushroom Fries $11.90

Enoki mushrooms were battered and deep fried. Crispy on the outside and tender inside. Dip it in the wasabi mayo sauce and the taste of the oiliness dissipates. Makes a good snack with a glass of cold cold beer. A very substantial portion. Best to share.

 

Grilled Pork Chop $23.90



 

Pork chops are one of the trickiest meats to grill. These however, were of the right thickness. Was not too thick or too thin for us to enjoy the meatiness. Well seasoned with a subtle hint of pepper for a bit of delish heat and splashed over with alittle oil for that tinge of moisture. Garnished with sweet potato fries (always my fave). But the tiny surprise came from their homemade salsa. Twangy green apples, mint, a dash of balsamic vinegar and bits of cut chillis was a heavenly marriage. An absolutely wonderful perk up palate cleanser after demolishing the pork chop. 6 of us actually loved loved this and was literally jostling for more.

 

Clams Vongole $20.90



A simple pasta tossed and turned in white wine broth, chilli bits and fresh clams. A little oily but the taste was on point. Cannot remember when was the last time I enjoyed a clam vongole and this was just amazingly yummy.

Seafarer's Seafood Platter $27.90

 

Consisting of battered fish, clams in white wine, grilled prawns and squids. A somewhat encore of what we had earlier. Fish was not really crispy but it was juicy and moist. Clams were similar to clams vongole. Prawns, squids and salad was like the salad we had earlier. A platter which is suitable for sharing.

 

Overall, I did enjoy the meal. Reasons being that not all foods stated here were fried (the health conscious me talking). This revamped menu has the potential of being a crowd pleaser as it has greens, meats and seafood to cater to the discerning palate.

 

Thank you Jeanette @wannacuppasg for the invite and hosting us.

 

An invited media tasting attended by : ivantehrunningman, jellylovefats, llittletinysun rain498 and tiarastar.

 

Wanna Cuppa

Address : 15 New Bridge Road Singapore 059385

Tel : 65 68162494

 

Hours : Mon to Fri 8.30am to 10pm

Sat 11.30 am to 11.30pm

Sun 10am to 6pm

 

 

 

 



Fynn's

FYNN'S is owned by restaurant entrepreneur, Ms Liling Ong, whom I had the honor to have met, whose primary focus is establishing the Fynn's brand, through stellar food, service and ambience. Located conveniently just outside Esplanade MRT, Fynn's is a casual modern Australian restaurant. A gorgeous interior with custom made furniture, beautiful lamps and greenery that added a soft touch.

Alfresco area with custom made furniture which screams chill-lax rustic .      

         

 

The interior that made me go "wow" when I first walked in. A very rustic modern look but yet exudes a warm cozy mood.

THE PEOPLE 

Seated in the centre.. Head Chef and his team.

Good food brings customers flocking in. But good food do not just happen. It takes planning, research and development and not forgetting the most important element... the people. The crew that assembles every component together; every grain of salt, sugar, every drop of oil. The misen place, the cuisson and the final product nicely and beautifully plated for your enjoyment. I had the honor of photoshooting the crew; kitchen and front of house. A great bunch of dedicated folks who are passionate in creating delish foods coupled with wonderful customer service. I have always believed when people prepares food with a smile, the food will definitely taste good. 

THE FOOD

Wagyu beef patty burger in a homemade bun which was buttered and toasted with a slight crisp. Patty may look thick but it was moist and juicy. Added moisture oozed out from the sliced tomatoes. Firm but soft cheese that always married well with any burger. However, I prefer my cheese to be more melty and gooey.

     

Superfoods aptly named because it contains quinoa, mesclun mix, dried cranberries, pistachios, cashews, sesame seeds, tangierino, dressing Tuscan kale, crispy kale, fennel, red radish, granola, ricotta, garlic crouton, . Tossed in a flavorful pomegranate vinaigrette dressing. A bowl packed with antioxidants. So who says eating healthy is boring? This was like "da bomb".

The tagliatelle with spicy tiger prawns and asparagus was tossed gently with olive oil and light prawn sauce, the dressing had a sweet tangy finish which made it refreshing and addictive. Sprinkled heavily with garlic breadcrumbs. Each bite was scrumptious, next bite was mouthwatering, third bite and I cannot stop biting. The pasta was made inhouse. Cooked aldente. Smooth velvety with a sexy bite. A dish that I would eat again and again. That good!

Pumpkin brioche with roasted pumpkin, open faced brioche, stracciatella, rocket, truffle vinaigrette, mixed salad

On the menu which is only available for weekend brunch. Power berries with granola on greek yoghurt. I love love this for its antioxidant benefits, its sour creamy yoghurt , almond, mint and the crunchy granolas. Fruitilicious combi which made me hop skip and jump for joy after eating it. If you love coffee, beans are sourced from CMCR at 22 Martin. Depending on the calibration, sometimes it has alittle of an acidity finish. To have that chocolaty aftertone, go for the single shot espresso.

These are just a few of the wonderful dishes on the menu. But fret not, I will be slowly trying out those I have not yet savored and will post my review as I go along.

Fynn's bang its buck on made from scratch food and sussing out the freshest ingredients. Fresh foods, passionate crew and regularly reinventing to get the regulars coming back.. I am sure Fynn's will go far and wide. As for now, I can safely say I am already a "permanent resident" at Fynn's because it was love at first sight and at first bite.

Opening hours :
Tuesday to Friday : Lunch 11:00 to 3:00 pm  Dinner : 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Saturday : Brunch 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Dinner : 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Sunday : 10.30 am to 4:30 pm
Closed on Mondays

Address : 26 Beach Road #B1-21 South Beach Avenue Singapore 189768
Phone : 65-6384 1878

Reservations : eat@fynnsrestaurant.com