Gelatissimo - Nice Variety of Yummy Gelatos

Attracted by the sheer variety of interesting gelatos at Gelatissimo when I happen to pass by one of her stores at Shaw Centre, I decide to queue to try out the cool confectionery here.

I got Strawberry and Very Berry Cheesecake, and both are creamily good. Strawbeery is smooth and full of the tang and aroma of real strawberries. Very Berry Cheesecake's highlight is the laces of savoury nutty flavour of cheese that goes so well with the fruity taste of berry. But texture wise, Strawberry wins for its smoothness.

Thoughts: Great for a nice quick treat!

Ginkyo by Kinki - Unique Modern Japanese Cuisine that Tantalises

ONE Holland Village is a hot new shopping mall in this atas residential area. But well, I'm not really into new shopping malls, I'm more into the hot new restaurants these malls have within them. And my focus lands squarely on an interesting new Japanese fusion dining concept, Ginkyo by Kinki housed in ONE. This restaurant caught my attention due to the unique food items and the cool, stylish dining concept.

The food here is delicious, really pleasing the palates. I also like it that the dishes are unique: Japanese cuisine being infused with elements from other cultures, making for an exciting food adventure.

I love the layout of ONE Holland Village in general since it is of open area concept with lots of plants lining the corridors and ledges. It is like shopping at a modern upmarket resort area. And the journey to Ginkyo by Kinki really accentuates this highlight of the mall since this restaurant is located at a corner surrounded by lush greenery planted on all the ledges at this area. The pretty willows beside the main entrance adds to that "love for greenery" feel and Japanese influence to it.

The interior is like another world: cool, stylish, with hints of poshness from the curved golden backings of the plush chairs. The soft yellow globes of lamps above introduces a sense of cosiness and modern sensibility to the place. I got a very good comfy soft beside the window to get a nice view of eclectic mix of commercial developments, private residences and HDBs.

Service is very good, being friendly, helpful and professional. This is really a great place to chill and enjoy some good, unique food.

As a bon vivant, of course I go all out to order the luxurious speciality: Uni, Caviar, Ikura Crispies plus a nice dollop of negitoro doled out onto each crispy rice puff. To fully enjoy all the flavours: sweetness of uni, creaminess of negitoro, intense briny taste of caviar and starchiness of rice, I suggest eating the cucumber first, followed by a bite off the side of the crispy rice puff that has negitoro only, and lastly, pop the entirety of the rest of the puff with all the goodies into mouth. The puff does stick to the teeth though, so take note.

Looks can be deceiving, which is in the case of Dragon Chaser, made up of seared foie gras, unagi, breaded prawn, cream cheese, cucumber and chives. it looks kind of messy but it tastes awesome. The specialty roll combines the starchy goodness of sushi rice, nutty creaminess of cream cheese, nuanced sweetness of prawn, the earthy umami of foie gras and the briny umami of unagi to yield a full-bodied taste that hits all the sweet spots in taste and texture.

I also love Colossal Tiger Prawns, peppered with cajun southern spice and saikyo miso, and finished with brussels sprouts. The slight spiciness and umami makes the briny sweetness of the prawn even more exciting and accentuates the light creaminess of the prawn. 

Actually, I do not expect much from the good ole panna cotta, but Atsuki Panna Cotta here surprises me with how good and different it is. The red bean jelly, mochi add an element of earthy goodness with extra textures, yielding a smooth milky custard with dimension in taste and texture. I'm impressed.

KYOTO SOUR is a lovely cocktail made up of Kinki Private Label Sake, nori, pickled ginger, sugar syrup and fresh lemon juice. I love this light refreshing drink with the sweet alcoholic sake that makes things more exciting. Highly recommend.

Thoughts: Unique, Cool and Exciting

7 Holland Vlg Way

#03-01-04 One

Nearest MRT: Holland Village

Humpback - Awesome Seafood Feast

I decide to revisit Humpback after an excellent experience here few years ago. This place is also special in a way since this is where I started to realize Outram Park and Tanjong Pagar is a foodie’s paradise. After that, it is an awesome journey of food adventures at this favourite area of mine.

There is a menu and interior revamp since I had dined at this restaurant and I’m actually really excited about the change since there are more choices of dishes now. Oh, and the Happy Hour Oysters promo is still around. 🎉 Just like last time, I’m still impressed with the food here. And I love how the ingredients are sourced from around the globe and this place’s creative rendition of the familiar ingredients into something unique and delicious. The fusion elements are also nicely done, where Asian influences are infused into European cuisine.

White-washed walls, aquamarine plush chairs, hanging globes of lamp with soft white lights, posh bar counter and hints of quaintness, this place is modern, stylish, hip and surprisingly cosy. And the awesome service here makes it feel even cosy. Thanks to Arnell and team for the wonderful experience.

By the way, this place is one of the more family restaurants in the vicinity. It is great for dates too.

Hokkaido Sea Scallops here have the nuanced briny sweetness I always love, and this taste gets even better when paired with the strawberries to accentuate that sweetness. Yes, simple yet magical. XO sauce, which is of Chinese origin, adds light splashes of spiciness and umami to the dish, making it exciting.

$4 fresh, sweet oysters with varying degree of intensity and creaminess are impossible to resist! They are must-try again. In fact, one can come here often simply for the oysters.

Hailed from Sabah, Malaysia are Tiger prawns with citrus butter and lime caviar. The firm, creamy, briny sweet prawns, perked up with the excitement from the tang of the citrus butter and lime caviar, are such joys to savour. I love this dish so much too.

Hidden beneath the tozazu jelly and pomelo sacs is a generous amount of chopped Red Prawn tartare from Patagonian Sea at Argentina. This is such a refreshing dish that awakes and teases the palates. I also love the iota of crunch in the jelly that juxtaposes so well with the springy raw prawn.

King Crab Donabe has the char of traditional Chinese claypot rice, starchy goodness of the Japanese rice, which is infused with the sweet briny flavours of king crab. There is so much plump juicy king crab legs (completely deshelled, yes!) added. The chickpeas also add a nice, crunchy texture. I love this Chinese meets Japanese dish. It is meant for sharing, but I managed to finish it all by myself because it is so good.

Toasted Castella Cake with creme fraiche ice cream and soy caramel wins my thumbs up with the element of saltiness added for dimension in taste. The ice-cream does well to introduce coldness and  moisture to the castella cake for that lovely richness.

Thoughts: Lovely Restaurant with Unique, Delicious Fusion Cuisine

18-20 Bukit Pasoh Road

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

Putien - Good Old 家乡Dishes with Creativity to Pleasantly Surprise

Putien is a well-known restaurant chain, also known for the Michelin Star. But do note that the Michelin Star is for the Kitchener Road branch only. Though it is still a good idea to go to other branches instead to get the feel on what the food at Putien is all about. And that’s exactly I do since I will not go to Kitchener Road branch due to the possible insane waiting list and also my preference to suss out restaurants without the stars or before the stars.

I decide to dine at Putien due to impulse to savour the Herbal Prawn again. Yes, I had dined at Putien at Kitchener Road before the Star, and I still remember Herbal Prawn after all these years.

The food, ambience and service are all good. Kind of like that nice mid-range Chinese restaurant. I must add that the Bamboo Drunken Prawn is excellent.

Herbal Prawn is a must try here. Prawn dunked in a Bamboo cup filled with herbs and wine is just so tempting. The prawn is so fresh, having firm, smooth flesh packed with briny sweetness. And what I love about this restaurant is that disposable gloves are provided for deshelling of the prawn.

The herbal Chinese wine soup is so tasty and full of herbal goodness that I feel so nourished after drinking this,

Another highlight of the restaurant is, of course, Steamed Prawns with Minced Garlic! Fresh prawns steamed properly will be packed with the briny sweetness and remain firm in texture. And the prawns here are exactly that. The garlic makes it even more exciting.

After deliberation on my choice of carbo, I ordered Mazu Mee Sua instead of the signature Red Mushroom Seafood Lor Mee. My reason is simply I also prefer the thin Mee Sua, reminiscent of Angel Hair Pasta, over the thicker noodles. And yes, I’m so happy with my choice! The thin strands of wheat noodles trap lots of the umami rich sauce within them, yielding super tasty carbo with goodies such as prawns, beaten egg, meat strips and cute fried tofu cubes.

Putien Sweet and Sour Pork with Lychee is good and has everything done right. The pork is of the right texture for sweet and sour pork, having a good bite. The lychee gives an extra light hint of floral sweetness, making the dish more unique and better.

Deep-fried Duck with Yam is unique but doesn’t hit the sweet spots. A tad dry and bland, the gamey flavour of duck doesn’t mesh well with the earthy taste of yam without the help of other condiments. The textures of both ingredients also don’t go well together. If duck rillette is stuffed into the yam instead, it may become an awesome dish.

Actually, I ordered this dish thinking of duck rillette with yam. But alas, it is not. Then again, this is a traditional Chinese restaurant, so I guess it is not realistic to expect fusion style Chinese food here.

The specialty chilli sauce is a must-try. It has such robust, harmonised, clear taste of savouy goodness, tang, sweetness and spiciness.

All in all, this place is really good for gatherings where families and friends can enjoy some good old traditional Hokkien cuisine together.

Thoughts: Decent Chinese Restaurant with a feeling of Homeliness

Link to locations of all Pu Tien Restaurants

Mein Tagebuch Februar 24

1 Februar 24

Ich wollte immer Blumenfeldern gehen. Beispiele sind Tulpengarten in Keukenhof, Lavendelfelder in Provence, Nemophilas in Hitachi und Mohnfelder in Zamora. Das gefällt mir, wenn ich schöne Blumen fotografieren, während ich den Duft von Blumen riechen, die schönen Farben bewundere und das Wunder der Welt bestaune. Es ist ernüchternd, wenn ich keine Zeit zum Reisen habe. Ich gehe stattdessen zu Gardens by the Bay. Das ist für mich immer noch gut.

2 Februar 24

Heute esse ich im einem Fischrestaurant. Ich mag Meeresfrüchte essen, deshalb bestelle ich Austern, Jakobsmuscheln und Garnelen. Das Essen ist lecker.

3 Februar 24

Meine Traum ist es, mehr als genug Geld zu haben, um leckeres Essen zu essen, gute Getränken zu trinken, viel Spaß zu haben, bequem zu leben, viel Frieden und Glück zu haben, schöne Dinge zu kaufen, Deutsch zu lernen.

4 Februar 24

Vielleicht reise ich gern, wenn ich allein bin. Ich denke, dass ich mich eingeschränkt fühle, mit anderen zu reisen. Meine bisherigen Reiseerlebenisse waren immer mit jemandem zusammen. Deshalb weiß ich nie, den wie viele Spaß das Reisen wirklich macht.

5 Februar 24

Ich kann den ganzen Tag Yasmeen Ghauri beim Laufsteg zysehen. Sie war so stilvoll und anmutig. She war das beste Modell der 90er Jahre.

6 Februar 24

Ich trage ausschließlich Brille mit in Deutschland hergestellt Fassung, weil die Qualität am besten ist. Die in anderen Ländern hergestellten Fassungen gingen leicht kaputt.

7 Februar 24

Ich stelle mir vor, dass eine fiese Kampfmaschine bin, während ich Kickboxen macht.

8 Februar 24

Heute sehen alle glücklich aus. Ich vermute, es liegt am langen Wochenende oder am chinesischen Neujahr. Ich bin glücklich, weil ich früher zu Hause gehen kann.

9 Februar 24

Heute ist Vorabend des chinesischen Neujahrs. Wir veranstalten ein Wiedersehensessen.

10 Februar 24

Ich mache Deutschhausaufgaben zum chinesischen Neujahr.

11 Februar 24

Heute muss ich Verwandte besuchen. Ich bin stressig.

12 Februar 24

Ich bin noch stressig.

13 Februar 24

Ich besuche einen Online-Übungkurs. Ich fühle mich gerade besser.

14 Februar 24

Ich lerne einige Sätze über Liebe.

Ich liebe dich.

Ich bin in dich verknallt.

Wir waren füreinander bestimmt.

Du bedeutest mir sehr viel.

Sie sind so schön! - Ich werde diese Satz sagen, wenn ich in den Spiegel schaue.

15 Februar 24

Ich esse im Restaurant. Es gibt Südostasiatisches Gericht. Das Essen ist schmeckt gut! 

16 Februar 24

Ich habe mich in Chinatown verlaufen.

17 Februar 24

Nach vielen aufregenden Tagen, möchte ich einfach nur zu Hause faulenzen.

18 Februar 24

Das Aussetzen von Haustieren ist so abscheulich. Das bedeutet lediglich, dass man sein Problem auf eine andere Person überträgt. Haustier ist Familie. Man behandelt die Familie nicht so.

19 Februar 24

Ich trage keinen Pelz, weil ich auch ohne gut aussehen kann.

20 Februar 24

Ich habe einen Film gesehen. Ich werde eine Rezension auf Deutsch über diesen Film schreiben.

21 Februar 24

Ich habe Volka getrunken. Ich fühle mich jetz zu seltsan.

22 Februar 24

Ich muss positiv sein.

Du schaffst es!

Mach weiter so!

Gib nicht auf!

Glaube an dich selbst!

23 Februar 24

Fantasie ist das Schönste. Realität ist das Grausamte.

24 Februar 24

Ich lerne ein Wort. Es ist Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher!

25 Februar 24

Ich gehe ins japanisches Restaurant. Es heißt Suzuki Omakase. Das Essen ist dort sehr lecker! Das Innendesign ist wunderschön. Ich habe das Gefühl, als würde ich im Bambuswald speisen. Das ist eine schöne Erfahrung.

26 Februar 24

Ich mag Stoßluften nicht. Ich ärgerne mich über die Insekten und andere ekligen Kreaturen, die durch offene Fenster eindringen.

27 Februar 24

Ich mag meine langweilige Stadt, weil es Sicherheit, Gleichwertigkeit und viele gute Dinge des Lebens hat. Sicherheit und Gleichwertigkeit sind die wichtige Anforderungen der Stadt.

28 Februar 24

Ich habe alte Fotos gefunden. Jetzt sehe ich so anders aus! Ich sehe besser aus. Ich war zu müde und traurig. Jetzt bin ich fröhlich, weil ich machen kann, was ich will.

29 Februar 24

Ich möchte nicht zum Lau Pa Sat gehen. Es ist zu heiß und langweilig. Das Essen dort ist schlecht. Ich laufe lieber durch den Outram Park.

Araya - Deeply in Love with Chilean Fine Dining

I had said it before, and with the splendid experience here, I want to say it again: South America is really a treasure trove of gastronomy. This continent has lots of awesome produces and rich cultures, thus yielding cuisines that really tantalise the tastebuds.

So when I found out about Araya, a South American fine dining restaurant, I knew I have to come here because this is the only one in Singapore and I love to experience this beloved cuisine meticulously curated to highlight its uniqueness with touches of lux. And Chef Francisco Araya exceeds my expectations with dishes that showcase the robust flavours of South American unique spices in nuanced form, juxtaposes different textures and tastes, and incorporate Japanese ingredients for the best seafood experience. I’m so in love with all the dishes here.

Housed within Mondrian Singapore Duxton, the exterior of the restaurant is posh with themes of nature and woods incorporated within. The interior, with the high ceiling, illuminated bar counter, a wave of elegant hanging yellow lights and a strong of pearl-like white lamps, is grand, modern and stylish, with hints of rustic South American feel from bronze washed shelves.

The service here is exceptional, meticulous and professional. The service staffs know everything about the philosophy of the restaurant, the background of the chefs, the origin of the ingredients and the stories behind the wines. There is even introduction of some of the ingredients in its original form prior to serving the dishes. I feel so pampered dining here and am absolutely impressed with the service here. In fact, wine pairing is recommended because the wines go very well with the food and it feels like a trip around the vineyards and wineries around America as the sommelier delves into the terroirs and history of the wines.

This is one of the best restaurants and is definitely on par with the Michelin Star restaurants.

I always love Ceviche, and chef Francisco takes things up a notch here to add in Leche de tigre sorbet for the coldness and unique texture that perfectly highlights the fresh tender flesh of Hokkaido Scallop and Botan Ebi. The ginger jelly introduces the pungency that harmonises with the zest of sorbet to elevate the briny sweetness of the seafood. This is so amazingly good that I say this is the best ceviche.

Ama Ebi Tomato Meringue as starting snack really sets the tone on what’s to come. Sprinkled with dashes of South American grounded pepper, this macaron-like delicacy is packed with briny sweetness, creaminess, exotic flavours and hints of excitement. All the flavours are rounded nicely to work in harmony to tease the palates. The texture is simply awesome, with a good juxtapose of creaminess, crispness plus textures of soufflé and jelly. In fact, my eyes widened in surprise when I popped it into my mouth due to how unique and delicious it is.

Cod Milt, which is cod fish's sperm, known as custard of the sea, is an exotic ingredient that needs the right preparation and accompanying ingredients to taste good. The Corn Flan here gets it superbly right, yielding creamy, sweet, briny and surprisingly earthy treat with cod milt.

Chicha De Piña, a drink made from Fermented Pineapple Nectar, is refreshing and savoury. The crystal-like bouncy Elderflower sphere hidden within adds a dash of lovely flora aroma to add complexity. I love this too.

Unique spread of South American homemade breads available for choosing:

Chapalene, which is sourdough potato bread

Marraqueta Classic pan Chileno, a traditional Chilean bread

Chorizo, soft, fluffy soft bun

All are nicely served warm, with the steam raising up from the interior of the bread as one tears open the breads. Ahh, golden standard of bread serving met! The breads are so fresh and denser in consistency as compared to the usual varieties, which is unique.

 

Merken Butter, aka Smoked Chilli Butter, is the MVP here. The light spiciness and exotic aroma makes the breads taste so good. 

Oca & Caviar is prepared with Andean oca, a kind of tubers, which the friendly lady chef shows me in its original form.  aji amerillo, a type of South American chilli and of course, the luxurious chutoro and N25 Oscietra Caviar. The taste is amazing, with a good delicate balance of flavours from the sea and those of the earth. The texture is amazing too. I love this so much.

Moqueca Kinki features such silky texture that it is love and surprise at first bite. Aceite de aende and amaranth add the richness and exotic component to the dish, resulting in an excellent combination of the light briny goodness the sea peppered with a full-bodied taste of herbs and spices. Another winner.

Bresse Pigeon is so tender and smooth. The sauce made from 151 Days Aged Ecuadorian Cacao and purple corn takes it to greater heights with their earthy and rich flavours adding the extra sweetness and kick to the taste of the pigeon and toning down its gamey flavour at the same time.

Sunday Lunch is a lovely traditional Chilean dish, called empanada, where wagyu is packed into pastry and given hints of excitement with the taste by adding pebre, a lovely South American condiment made from onion, cilantro, garlic, chillies and more. So many flavours dancing in harmony on the palates. I can definitely say I totally love Chilean cuisine at this point.

Picaña is the best Wagyu I ever have. The meat is tender while still featuring a good bite and a nice thin char, which is how I like to eat the meat. The pungency, mild spiciness and tangy flavours of Latin Amercian sauce, chimichurri, is the magic here. It cut through the meaty flavours of the wagyu to create a different taste full of depth and meaty sweetness. I actually close my eyes when savouring this to try to fully capture the flavours and that blissful feeling into my memories.

The beautiful sphere of palate cleasner is perfect for cleansing the palates after rounds of meat. I love the texture of the crystal sugar shell encasing the goodies. It contrasts so well with flowy texture of the filling.

Desierto Florido, made with fresh chirimoya Alegre, orange cake with orange flan, edible orange jelly, scores on both taste and texture. Hints of tanginess and flora aroma from the orange, coupled with the sweetness and creaminess of chirimoya, known as custard apple or best fruit known to men, yields a rich and at the same time, light dessert that delights the taste buds.

And there is a cute gadget that comes along with the dessert for me to view the landscapes of South America through its lens. Nice extra touch.

Antarctica Goats milk ice cream with crispy milk cinnamon, Crème Anglasie (silker version of custard), Patagonia berries and dulce de leche is milky goodness in molecular gastronomy form. The varying temperature, texture and flavours create so much excitement on the taste buds.

I gasp in pleasant surprise when the cart of Carrito De Dulces is presented. So many choices of petit fours to choose from 💖 They are delicious treats.

Lovely wine paring for the night

This restaurant is the epitome of the best of South American cuisine and also one of the best of gastronomy. This is definitely a must-try for foodies and bon vivants.

Thoughts: Absolutely Amazed!

83 Neil Road #01-08

Mondrian Singapore Duxton

Nearest MRT: Outram Park