Stinky Durian Dessert - Stinky Good Times

I absolutely love walking around those streets near Outram Park MRT, such as Neil Road, Teo Hong Road, Keong Saik Road, Bukit Pasoh and the likes. Immersing in the nostalgia brought forth by the quaint shophouses lining the streets while journeying to one of numerous awesome, unique restaurants, eateries or cafes hidden here is an experience to be savoured. I was actually making my way to Keong Saik Bakery when I passed by an interesting place hidden right at a corner. I wouldn’t think that it is possible to have a shop front at there, facing from the side of the building instead of the front. With the lush greenery and tranquility surrounding the shop front that has an arched panel door and striking mural painting, it caught my attention. And right at the door step, I caught whiffs of the beloved fruit by many, so curious me got in to check out this place.

Note: This photo is from Stinky’s official website

The moment I stepped into the quaint little place, I was greeted by an enthusiastic service staff who straightaway presented a slice of stinky roll to me. I was so impressed! Anyway, I decided to buy one whole roll instead for my loved ones to enjoy. Their verdict: amazingly, heavenly good. Thin cake sponge was wrapped around generous huge dollops of the famous Mao Shan Wang durian flesh. So good that it triumphs be over the durian desserts in hotels’ restaurants. The roll is well-wrapped to ensure none of the stinky aroma leaks out when bringing it home on public transport. Real thoughtful.

The place is great for a date (if both love durians), plus the “hidden in a quiet, tranquil spot” vibe makes the date feels exclusive and oh so special. Good for chill-out too due to its secluded location. You know, away from the buzz and such.

Thoughts: Stinky heaven for durian afficionados.

Nearest car park: Roadside parking at Bukit Pasoh, or HDB parking at the Duxton

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

1 Teo Hong Road

Mad About Sucre - Fallen in Love Again

After my first visit to Mad About Sucre, I have been wanting to come here again. But it is only until now I can squeeze out some time to satisfy my cravings for meticulously prepared, fine French confectionery. The idyllic, swish place is still immersed in that Parisian vibe, completed with light French music, and the service is still as warm and friendly though the new young chap has lots to learn from the owners.

What has changed is the line-up of cakes, just like how the best restaurants of the world change their menus seasonally, to continually surprise and tantalize our palates with new creations.

And the Castile I have tried pleasantly surprises me like what the cakes of previous line-up had done. This cake, taking on an angelic appearance, complete with a white chocolate feather on top, tastes like incredibly sweet bliss being condensed into a tangible and edible form. The light yoghurt mousse features a firmer texture than that of usual mousse, so as to complement those of the lychee jelly, honey sponge and compote. More importantly, it has a wonderfully intense, sweet milky flavour. It is light yet at the same time, is bursting with flavours. The compote of fresh strawberries and blueberries, amazingly, has just that soft touch of tart taste to add dimension to the overall taste while not overwhelming the delicate flavours. The texture of lychee jelly encased inside the mousse is akin to that of konnyaku, thus the very subtle flowery aroma of lychee is only released after the mousse, compote and sponge have melted in the mouth. This crystal-like block of jelly does very well to refresh the palates in preparation for the next bite of the cake. I love how subtlety can translate to intensity in this creation.

In addition to the delightful, delicate cakes, Western Provincial Dining is introduced into the menu. And this gives me more reasons to go here for an exceptional complete dining experience.

The Spring Tangy Tomato Soup is exactly as the name suggests: tangy, at just the right level where the palates are teased and the appetite is whetted, without overwhelming the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. Talking about tomatoes, along with the sun-dried tomatoes used to introduce the hint of the smoky flavour, 2 types of French tomatoes are utilized to make this soup, and one of them is the heirloom beefsteak. And these tomatoes yield incredibly sweet soup with a myriad of flavours due to the numerous aromatic compounds of the different types of tomatoes. This dish is not just about the soup—hidden beneath the soup is a stash of fresh Arctic Snow Crabs. Amazingly, the lovely, distinctive briny flavours of the crab is accentuated, instead of eclipsed, by the strong taste of the tomatoes. With that said, this is a great dish to start the meal with.

The salad totally wins me over to declare that it is a must to try to the dishes in Western Provincial Dining menu. It is no mere salad. Luxurious, sinful ingredients such as French foie gras, grilled prawns, and caviar are added to staples of egg and fresh, crisp greens. The foie gras is cooked until it is crispy on the surface while retaining the soft interior, which is full of oily goodness. Grilled prawns are so fresh, sweet and intense in flavour—the prawns are perfectly prepared to unlock the full extent of the aroma of grilled seafood, I have to say the grilled prawn here is one of the best prawns I have tried. Most probably the best, on par with the prawn I had in a Michelin Star restaurant. Caviar replaces salt in this dish for dashes of saltiness and sprinkles of umami. And I absolutely welcome this since savouring the relish of the sea encased within each black pearl of the caviar is pure indulgence. Amid the lush savours, the egg adds a nice earthy flavour to balance the flavours of the salad and give variations to the overall taste. It is not only the ingredients that shine, the combination of these ingredients works to create a dish that features flavours of a wide spectrum while ensuring these flavours complement each other. Oh yes, the sweet, slightly tangy French mustard sauce does great to make the greens a delight to tuck into while staying in the background to let the other ingredients take the central stage.

With all these being said, it is without a doubt that I am looking forward to go back.

My Thoughts: Amazing!

Nearest car park: URA's open air car park along Teo Hong Road and Bukit Pasoh. Prepare lots of coupons.

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

27 Teo Hong Road

Singapore

Contact No: 62213969

Mad About Sucre - Not only Mad about it, but also being Enthralled

The moment I stepped into this chic patisserie, I can feel the vibe of Paris. It has a black and white vertical stripes theme that is minimalistic and classy, and the decorations and cake couturier's works of beauty impart an European feel onto the place.

Things look further up when one of the bosses greeted me with zest. He went on to give a detailed introduction of the cakes. It is obvious that the cakes are made with dedicated ideals in mind, not compromising on quality in favour of profits. Such patisseries always get me excited about trying out their creations because there is potential of surprising me with their innovations and delighting me with the perfect harmonization of the best ingredients.

Moulin Rouge is the lightest in terms of taste, but it is no lightweight when it comes to getting the attention of dessert lovers. Despite the reduced sugar, plus the fact that raw sugar is not as sweet, this cake actually tastes blissfully sweet. I guess this is due to the quality and the combination of the ingredients bringing out the inherent sweetness. Like how the freshest seafood is so packed with flavours, in spite of not adding any seasoning. Well, you get the idea. Moving on back to Moulin Rouge, the initial bite invokes mental images of spring: flowers of different kinds blooming. Like the flowers that are pleasing to the eye and whose mild floral aroma filled the air, this cake embodies multiple subtle flavours, from the nutty taste of the walnut parfait to the nuanced charred flavour. The intensity gets cranked up when it is eaten with the almond flakes—they are not merely for decoration. I absolutely love this pairing since the almond adds an interesting crunchy quality to the bite and accentuates the flavour of the caramel, rendering this cake to be truely Moulin Rouge, like its namesake. The short pastry at the bottom, which is moist and crumbly, plus a millimetre thin sponge above it, add variation to the overall texture so that it is not about mousse only.

The Coco Citron may sounds heavy in terms of taste, given that it is consisted of lemon curb and coconut, the two components well-known to have strong flavours. So I was surprised to find out that it is light and refreshing—namely due to the airy coconut mousse. The two main ingredients are mild in taste and actually coexist in unison to create an unique and pretty exciting taste. The sugar crystals are delights to sink my teeth into because they are really crunchy and have the exact right level of sweetness: not overwhelmingly cloying.

The chocolate cake made with single origin cocoa from San Domingue, aptly named after the island, is very intense in taste. The smooth rum encased in the chocolate jewel box is potent and has a light sweetness, going perfectly with the fresh chocolate mousse. When someone says that dark chocolate is bitter, I always go, "Nope, that is not the case with premium chocolate." Like the best chocolates, San Domingue's ones only has a trace of bitterness to give the extra dimension to the overall taste, they are actually sweet, exceedingly smooth and full of the aroma of roasted chocolates. When I knew that there is no sugar added to the chocolate, I really wondered if I had heard it wrongly. The chocolate mousse tastes sweet, no doubt about it, so it is amazing that the cocoa itself has such inherent sweetness. I would have loved this cake to the bits if not for the banana in it. Since I have never like to eat banana in any form other than its original one. The acidity of the banana in San Domingue has been toned down a lot, which is all good, but it is not enough to switch me to the banana-in-desserts camp. Still, I will order this cake again because of the sublime combination of quality chocolate and rum.

Even the teas are made with fine, quality ingredients. I love the floral aroma of the rose from Paris, laced with traces of the sweet smell of vanilla from Magadascar.

Price wise, the cakes are not cheap though they are definitely worth it. Desserts in high-end restaurants are of the same price range anyway, and the quality is comparable. The service is just as good and friendlier than some well-known establishments.

I absolutely love to go back again.

Update: And I did! Check out my post on the savoury dishes of this restaurant, and Castile, a Spring 2017 cake.

My Thoughts: Amazing!

Nearest car park: URA's open air car park along Teo Hong Road and Bukit Pasoh. Prepare lots of coupons.

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

27 Teo Hong Road

Singapore

Contact No: 62213969