My Favourite Carbohydrates for Breakfast

After the trip to japan and having Japanese breakfast at Hanayogomi and from Convenience Stores, I realise that I enjoy the taste so much and this type of breakfast is best for my body. My stomach remains stable after such breakfast. So when back in Singapore, I immediately get all the groceries from Don Don Donki to use for my breakfast.

I got Miwa Somen because the colours are too pretty. It is pure enjoyment to enjoy smooth, cold somen dipped in cold somen sauce and topped with wasabi and seaweed strips.

There is actually instant rice available in Don Don Donki! Best for preparing a quick breakfast. The quality of the riec is better than lots of common varieties out there. This is so good when paired with natto or make into onigiri.

Country of Origin: Japan

Where to buy these: Don Don Donki

ランチパイ snack

I was just randomly buying some Japanese snacks from Don Don Donki to give as gifts. And this snack caught my eye as the savoury puff pastry snack looks pretty interesting. I end up buying 5 more boxes after trying the Clam Chowder snack because it is surprisingly good. Each thin layer of the puff pastry is so crispy that it feels very satisfying to bite into it to get to the savoury Clam Chowder core filled with creamy umami.

Pizza one has the sweetness of tomatoes and the Curry one has the light spiciness. My favourite is still the Clam Chowder type.

Country of Origin: Japan

Where to get this: Don Don Donki

鬼ひも川 Oni Himokawa Udon

This Japanese noodles is very unique in which it is flat and incredibly silky smooth. Due to the flat surface, I can feel the smoothness of noodles when slurping on it. This is like the smoothest noodle I ever have. The light meat sauce has hints of yuzu to make teh taste exciting. Highly recommended!

Country of Origin: Japan

Where to get this: Don Don Donki

Sukiyaki Yotaro - Awesome Sukiyaki

After trying Sukiyaki for the first time in Japan and absolutely loving the experience there where the thinly sliced beef tasted so sweet and creamy, I start to have a craving for it when back in Singapore. This is why I excitedly made a reservation at Sukiyaki Yotaro when I found the time to come here.

And yes, the food here totally satisfies that craving. There are three different ways to enjoy the meats. The thin marbled beef slices (I choose this out of the various options of beef and pork) are grilled by the chefs on the iron pot greased with beef fat to yield this creamy, meaty sweet, pliable beef that has me swooning in delight in the two ways of savouring: with dashi, and with egg. The third way has the beef cooked with the vegetables in simmering light soya sauce, which is real good too. The other dishes of the Sukiyaki Menu are oh-so-good too.

The place has Japanese Izayaka type of interior, having that nice rustic, chilled Japanese vibe. And many Japanese patronise this restaurant. I guess they also want to satisfy the craving for Sukiyaki. Another thing I like about this restaurant is that the meats are expertly cooked by the chefs to ensure the meats are cooked to the right doneness as patrons prefer. I so enjoy the dining experience here.

A sumptuous set of appetisers for a great start

The chawamushi, with a layer of starchy broth on top with an oyster floating inside, has a warm comforting taste is and full of umami. This is so good.

The next appetiser is Hijiki, a kind of wild sea Japanese vegetable, paired with Edamame, tuna and creamy sauce. This has such good texture due to the crunchiness of the edamame and the slight chewiness of the hijiki. This dish is so tasty, with a slight bit of refreshing taste.

Ginko is nutty and slightly bitter in taste, and thus is like a nice palate cleanser after the previous appetiser, which is stronger in taste.

Simmered deep-fried vegetables is surprisingly light in taste and carries a lovely clear sweetness of vegetables.

Mackerel Sashimi is super briny sweet. I love this actually.

A5 Marbled Beef for Sukiyaki

Beef cooked Sukiyaki style

Sukiyaki soaked in mackerel dashi, topped with spring onion, tastes of happiness. Because it is so meaty sweet with a savoury lightness. And the meaty sweetness gets sweeter with subsequent bites. I'm amazed.

Raw egg to be whipped and paired with sukiyaki meat

Sukiyaki Wagyu eaten with raw egg tastes so creamy and sweet. This is so good!

The crunchy vegetables are of good bite size, going very well with the wagyu.

Inaniwa udon is cooked in the sauce left after cooking the vegetables and wagyu. I like its thin, flat slightly al dente texture. The udon fully absorbs the essence of the sukiyaki to be very tasty. It is heavier on taste with subsequent bites though.

Shiso sherbet is so good! I'm so surprised. I love the unique pungency of shiso, making for refreshing dessert with vegetal goodness.

Thoughts: Absolutely enjoy savouring meat Sukiyaki style!

106 Tanjong Pagar Road

Ikkoten Omakase - Amazing Winter Menu with Magical Gastronomic Surprises at every Turn

I’m back at Ikkoten for, like the 14th time, and it’s amazing that Chef Brandon can still astound and delight my palates with new tastes, this time with the winter menu.  I absolutely love the Monkfish Liver, Lobster Bisque with Crab, Tuna Noodles, Bamboo wrapped Fish and Lobster Tempura because these dishes redefine my impression of the taste of such ingredients.

Winter Monk Fish Live with Ebi Senbei is best ankimo I ever have. There is totally no smell of organs on the liver but its umami and creaminess is all retained to a savoury delight. Lots of work is put into preparing the liver to make it the way it is here. This is perfect match with the intense briny sweetness of ebi, whose crispiness juxtaposes so well with the paste form of the liver. The ponzu jelly, with its zest, brightens up the taste. I love this so much!

Cold Chawamushi layered with Lobster Bisque and Snow Crab is so amazingly good. The pepper magically cuts through the lovely richness of the warm briny sweetness of the lobster for the surprisingly balanced taste and extra complexity. The crab adds that refreshing element while the silky smooth custard serves as good base to balance the myriad of awesome rich flavours.

Tuna Noodles, which is tuna being meticulously cut into strips to resemble noodles, packs a lot of flavours from meaty sweetness, briny sweetness, creamy sweetness to umami sweetness. The strips of tuna, totally coated with yolk, yields that warm, creamy richness with every bite.

Tai Sashimi, carefully sliced thinly to features firm but easy to bite texture, tastes clean and sweet on its own. It tastes even sweeter with japanese yam. The housemade truffle foam adds an unique earthiness to the taste. One fish, three great ways to savour it.

Kamatsu, wrapped with bamboo, amazes me with its taste. Chef Brandon gets it right every single time when it comes to fishes. My already picky palates for fishes are getting even more picky due to how good his fish dishes are. The fish is succulent, toasty and briny sweet in taste. And the magic is in the special yuzu sauce that accentuates the sweetness of the fish and adds excitement to the flavours.

Pregnant Snow Crab with Japanese Lime and Shaved egg yolk pairs creaminess with the intense umami of crab and roe for a umami feast. The lime balances this combination of rich flavours perfectly.

Tempura Lobster Tempura with Housemade Tomato Compote blows my mind on how good lobster can taste in tempura form. I never expect that lobster can come in tempura form and to taste this awesome. The flesh of the lobster is of perfect texture: succulent, creamy with a good bite. The magic happens when paired with tomato compote sauce to develop this roasty flavour. Housemade yuzu oil makes teh taste even more exciting.

Specialty Handroll of the day with aburi hotate has creamy yet light briny sweetness enriched with roasted aroma. The puffed rice adds a good crunchy texture.

Kohada is strong in taste but is nicely cut through and balanced by the yuzu jelly.

Ebi sushi has the briny sweet taste of crunchy juicy raw prawn elevated by the truffle caviar. I love this!

Chutoro here is especially melty in texture that it tastes like otoro.

Hamachi sushi has a lovely smoky flavour due to the unique cold smoking method used to prepare the fish.

Special Sushi Monaka with Kingfish, sprayed with rice dust, hits all the sweet spots in terms of texture and taste. So rich and unique due to the additional nutty aroma of pine nuts,

Strawberry Sherbet is so milky and good.

Thoughts: Awesome, Magical Gastronomic Surprises of Winter

86 Telok Ayer Street

Quenino - Delightful Southeast Asian Cuisine

I'm back at Quenino again, after an amazing dinner and an awesome lunch at here. I'm all excited to try the new menu. This is one of the restaurants that I will visit again because of the unique and awesome experience of savouring dishes with robust flavours with Southeast Asian flair. And this time, the experience is just as wonderful with the distinctive, delicious dishes, stylish ambience with Southeast Asian influences and great, attentive service.

Seasonal Amuse Bouche for an exciting start

Green mango and shrimp has a balanced mix of sweetness and sourness to yield a refreshing taste that opens up the palates. A very good beginning!

Deep fried octopus topped with coriander and sesame showcases the mild milky briny sweetness of octopus tempered with earthy flavours, which makes it tastes better and more complex.

Pickled tomato is tangy and refreshing with hint of sweetness.

Yellowtail with Kingfish, Pickled Mustard Green, Green Chilli, Gooseberry, Jicama is like the best salad I ever have. Sprinkled with spiced snow, it is full of flavours and different textures. The spiciness, sweetness and tanginess are all robust in flavour to create a strong impression and in right measure for a good balance of flavours. With these flavours, the fish tastes extra sweet. The aroma of Szechuan pepper and green chilli also elevate the taste, Southeast Asian style.

Scallop surrounded by Dragon Chive Custard and Tamarid Chilli Oil, topped with grated Yacón and Caviar, has this exotic super sweetness tempered with spiciness and creaminess. The texture is amazing due to the contrast between smooth custard and crispy chips. This is so good.

The next dish, taste wise and visually, incites the "wow" from me. River Prawn is so huge, plump, juicy and bouncy. The Southeast Asian flavours are done perfectly. The umami sweetness and tangy exotic taste of Taramind work so well together. This dish is full of flavours elevated by the floral sweetness of Mango. Brussel Spouts add good crunchy texture.

Strawberry sorbet with shaoxing wine features sweet strawberry with hint of tangy taste and a dose of savoury goodness. This is one awesomely good palate cleanser.

14 Days Dry Aged Duck with Cumin, Sambal Ijo, Angelica Herb and Cous Cous is so delicious. The thigh meat of duck is mixed with spices, minced and stuffed into breast meat for a variation in taste and texture. This is so meaty and tender with a hint of sweetness. The herbal taste and the rice-like Cous Cous reminds me of duck rice. This is the best duck rice, like a local delight with complex, hearty, refined, elevated, balanced taste.

"Fried Rice" Mui Fan paired with XO sauce that is made from scallops and green chilli. This dish is packed with different flavours. There are various options to enjoy the porridge-like rice with, like Chinese Olive, Cucamelon, Ham Floss. Some of the pairing ingredients have this lovely exotic Southeast Asian pungency. It is so satisfying to savour.

Quenino's Cereal Bowl 70% Johor Chocolate, Horlicks, Kulim, Pugged Grain, Sunflower Seed, Sesame, Garlic has a surprisingly exotic taste and a touch of savoury taste makes it so good.

Petite Fours made with Ginger flower features four different cute cakes or candies, which are distinct and different in taste, peppered with spicy pungency of ginger flower.

The Financier cake, Peach gum and Bon Bon are all so good.

Thoughts: Delightful Southeast Asian Cuisine with such Distinctive, Varied Taste

9 Cuscaden Road, Level 4