Mr Bucket Chocolaterie - Goodness of Cacao

Making cacao paste, trying tempering of chocolate, sampling a variety of artisan chocolates and enjoying dinner courses made with parts of cacao just sounds too tempting to resist. And so no hesitation in signing up for Mr.Bucket’s Bean to Table Experience to experience all of the above.

It is a feast for the senses where we get to know how cacao becomes the chocolate we love, what are the products of cacao (cacao wine, anyone?), seldom heard Southeast Asian premium cacaos, get our hands on trying sone of processes of making chocolate and simply savouring some good food and chocolates.

The food here is surprisingly delicious, with that unique twist from the use of cacao products (husk, nibs, paste, wine, butter). And the chocolates here each has unique taste profile, depending on the type of single-origin cacao used.

The host of the night is so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, making this a fun night.

Pepper Chocolate here is made from single-origin cacao, with the best pepper holding Protected Status: Kampot Pepper. The taste is surprisingly balanced, with notes of fruits, cacao and earthy smooth spiciness. Interesting and addictive in taste. No wonder this is an award winner.

Refreshing lemony drink made from cacao husk. Actually the lemony taste is from the husk.

Making cacao paste by crushing the fermented beans, followed by grinding the nibs with the stone pestle until it turns into paste.

Cacao Somen with Tomato Broth, Marinated Tomatoes, Pickled Shimeji has Cacao husk added for a unique tangy sauce, combined with fruity tangy taste of tomato, for a result that is so balanced in tangy flavours. I love the refreshing taste and smooth texture of the somen. Tastes healthy and packs with so many flavours at the same time. The crunchy green peas also adds a good texture contrast. I'm so impressed by this first dish already. 

Seared Salmon with Goma Crunch blows me away by how good a salmon can taste, considering I'm no fan of salmon. Smooth and fresh meat juxtaposes so perfectly with the crispy skin. The vegetal sweetness of Caramelised Fennel accentuates the creaminess of the fish meat. I love the extra smoothness and creaminess from the Calamansi Butter Sauce. Glazed Baby Potatoes are such hearty treats to go with the fish. 

Roasted Chicken is so succulent with light savoury meaty sweetness, completed with crispy skin. The meat is very flavourful and tastes rich and unique when paired with buttery, thick, slightly bitter cacao paste. Surprisingly, it works. The magic happens when paired with the Charred Corn and Pomegranate Seeds; the refreshing floral juices cut through the richness to yield an awesome complex taste that balances the meatiness of the dish. I never expect a chicken dish to be so good.

Roasted Oyster Mushroom, Mashed Potatoes and Caramelised Onion speaks of earthy goodness and showcases a good variation of textures. The cacao wine adds a hint of complexity to the taste.

The Chocolate Cake, layered with cake sponges, whipped cream and dusted with cacao powder, tastes amazingly light, full of balanced chocolatey goodness and different textures. I'm wowed by how balanced the taste of this chocolate dessert is.

Thoughts: Cacao Good Times!

13 Dempsey Hill

66 Chambers Red Room: On Air featuring Velox

When I found out about Velox, a DJ who mixes rock or metal with Techno, two if my favourite music genres, I, a metalhead, of course make it a point to attend his set at 66 Chambers Red Room: On Air. And I am treated hours of awesome blend of rock/metal classics, classic tunes and fist-pumping Techno. It is a riot!

I enjoy the rollercoaster ride of melodic classics, the ramping up and then adrenaline-charged drops saturated with relentless bass, drums and industrial sounds. Looking forward to attending his sets again!

Thoughts: Emo High Energy!

22A Tanjong Pagar Road

Ikkoten Omakase - Amazing Sweet Flavours of Autumn

It's time to enjoy the flavours of Autumn, and so I'm at Ikkoten Omakase for it, trusting Chef Brandon Low to cook up a fantastic meal representing the season. And yes, he did it again, completed with two curated rare sakes for me: the best sparkling sake, and an award winner. This time, he pairs the different kinds of natural sweetness of the ingredients of Autumn to yield unique complex earthy sweetness that says, "Amazing Sweet Flavours of Autumn." Every dish is like my favourite.

Cold Matsutake Chawamushi, made with the rare King of Mushroom: Matsutake, is packed with earthy umami. Matsutake tastes so different from other mushrooms, featuring additional hints of nutty, woodsy, sweet taste and a soft spicy savoury goodness. The cold smooth chawamushi contrasts so well with meaty texture of the finely diced mushroom, made even better with pops of excitement from the flying fish roe.

Japanese Persimmon amazes me with its harmonious blend of earthy taste from Pine Nuts and milky taste from the Tofu Dressing, reminiscent of soft autumn, injected with refreshing floral juiciness of Persimmon and Shine Muscat. Autumn can taste refreshing? Yes, with this unique dish.

Buri Carpaccio with Mikan, Yuzu Citrus Oil, Ginger Flower and Sea Grapes is a perfect representation of different layers of unique sweetness. The intense floral sweetness of the juicy Mikan and light tangy taste balance and highlight the saline sweetness of the fish. I usually expect carpaccio to taste tangy to cut through the strong taste of the raw fish, but Chef Brandon Low surprises me with this dish that tastes like the balanced mild flavour of Autumn. And the taste is so amazing.

Itoyori Dai with Yuzu Foam, Bonito Vinegar jelly, Japanese Yam Stem and Deep Fried Fish Scales tastes super sweet, in a complex and amazing way. It is like a party of harmonised flavours and textures on the palates. I love this too.

Sanma with Burnt Egg Yolk sauce and Iwashi tatami taste so good when eaten on their own. The tatami is crispy and slightly briny sweet, making for an awesome snack. While chargrilled Sanma is intense in taste, and made even better with the aroma of char. The magic happens when savouring the two together, with the tatamin balancing the taste of Sanma for a harmonised unique earthy briny sweetness, with a light touch of creaminess from the sauce to gel together the two tastes. I'm totally won over by this dish.

Kabocha Ebi Shinjo wrapped with pumpkin, topped with Edamame Puree & Uni speaks of the freshness of Autumn. The Autumn vegetables are sweet, complementing the sweetness of plump prawns. A different sweetness develops from the warm sweetness of prawn, lifted up by the slightly refreshing vegetal sweetness of edamame, completed with the earthy sweetness of pumpkin. Awesome pairing of tastes and textures.

A5 Wagyu Beef Sumiyaki with Autumn Seasonal Vegetables is oh so good. Shishito Sauce mixed with pumpkin has this unique hint of pungency and spiciness cutting through and elevating the creamy meaty sweetness. I'm so amazed by how well it works. And the mushrooms make for crunchy good bites between bites of the creamy meat.

The briny sweetness of seabream goes perfectly with the earthy sweetness of chestnut, where I enjoy every bite of the mixture of starchy, fluffy rice pumped with collagen, shredded seabream and diced chestnut. So many flavours of Autumn and so satisfying.

Autumn Chestnut Mont Blanc is the best Mont Blanc I ever have. Chestnut puree is usually gritty in texture, but the chestnut puree in this dessert is surprisingly smooth, rendered even smoother when paired with the cold Hokkaido ice-cream. And the sweetness level hits the sweet spot not to overwhelm the palates.

I heard that even French patrons approved of this French inspired dessert.

Best sparkling sake with super fine bubbles that subtly excite the palates.

Award winning sake that is incredibly smooth, with hints of berry and melon.

Thoughts: Absolutely love the Sweet Tastes of Autumn here!

86 Telok Ayer Street

Medusa Osteria Romana - Hearty Roman Cuisine

I got to know about Medusa Osteria Romana via  newsletter of Fortuna, my favourite place for Italian hearty comfort food. With the curiosity on how Roman food tastes like, I find myself here, ready to tuck in to some Roman classics.

The dishes here are hearty in both taste and portion, full of flavours, making for a hearty good time.

The place, of Italian modernism, is so impressive. Neon lights at the entrance, bold red walls, edgy italian posters at the interior, and a ceiling mirror to make the restaurant look bigger than it actually is. Due to this unique layout, the place has the grandeur look and feels intimate actually due to the mirror across the ceiling. It feels like that cool, polished watering hole.

The service here is very friendly, with a kind of big-hearted vibe. And boisterous birthday celebration with Italian song ensured if celebrating birthday there. This is a good place to enjoy some hearty cuisine.

When the Polpette Al Sugo, aka Beef & Pork Meatballs with Crispy Guanciale, is served, the staff torched the surface of the cheese to release a lovely aroma of burnt melted cheese. The meatballs surprise me by how good they are. Light meaty sweetness with nutty undertone from the cheese for the richer mouthfeel, not gamey in taste, succulent and juicy, crumble in the mouth, this tastes so satisfying. And the specialty chilli adds an extra oomph. This dish is highly recommended.

Creamy briny sweetness of the goodies, such as scallops, chucks of juicy prawns and caviar comes through rich carbonara sauce, with the pepper cutting through the richness. Nice rich spaghetti dish to enjoy.

Super smooth and creamy Pistachio Tiramisu with nutty undertones.

Thoughts: Hearty Good Times

26 Beach Road

South Beach Avenue #B1-22

Province - Southeast Asian Delights with Unique Twists

Time to indulge in indulgent Southeast Asian delights at Province again, especially with the new menu!

The food and service are as wonderful and memorable as ever. Familiar Southeast Asian delights reimagined, refined and elevated, absolutely an awesome gastronomic experience.

First bite of the first appetiser immediately impresses me with its tangy top notes with a touch of spiciness from the laksa emulsion, and then thr sweetness of akami, chutoro and caviar comes through. The super crispy nonya cookie makes for exciting bite.

Humble cai pok given royal treatment with organic egg yolk, and egg foam to impart the creaminess for a smooth, luxurious feel. The cai pok was charcoal charred for additional sweetness. 

Crayfish, cashews and fermented onions yield a crunchy, tangy, exciting party within the mouth that makes me go, “Wow!” Then it finishes with a briny sweetness and an iota of spiciness. Excellent.

Prawn Toast is packed with all the goodness of the prawns and of such fantastic crispy and slightly sticky texture due to the sago bread.

The rojak here actually tastes fresh and refreshing due to the lovely combination of vegetables, such as amela tomatoes and rose apple, added to create a well-balanced taste. It tastes like the caramel sweetness of prawn paste wrapping around the fresh, juicy sweetness. The light briny sweetness of aji cured with citrus salt elevates the dish further.

Black garlic emulsion, herbal broth, and diced chargrilled abalone totally amaze my palates. The pungency and herbal goodness within makes this taste so nourishing and complex. There is also good texture contrast between abalone and chawamushi. I’m not a bak kut teh person due to general overly strong taste, but this “bak ku teh” works perfectly due to replacing the pork with abalone for a more balanced taste. Biggest and most pleasant surprise of the night.

The fish dishes in Province are getting better, as evident by charcoal chargrilled aged Indonesian Groupa with mussel curry and gula melaka. The mildly spicy umami highlights the sweetness and freshness of the fish, which is so succulent in texture. And the sweetness develops as I bite more into the fish.

Cold, savoury, tangy, sweet and spicy makes for an exciting palates cleanser.

Hua diao wine poached and aged duck has this meaty sweetness and firm yet tender texture, making it a joy to savour on it’s own. And the sweet pumpkin makes it even more awesome as its earthy sweetness is excellent in balancing the meaty taste of the duck. The slightly crispy skin has the aroma of char deepening the sweetness of the meat.

Duck Rice features lots of different texture and lots of unique meaty goodness of the duck. So satisfying to savour this. The soup feels so comforting to sip on.

Glutinous rice wine dessert is clear, light and refreshing in taste and full of textures, due to addition of cute glutinous rice balls and crispy paper.

Egg yolk jam layered on top of burnt sourdough ice-cream, which is stacked on top of pandan brioche, sprinkled with sea, tastes so warm and comforting. In fact, it feels like the taste of nanyang, with a touch of umami.

Unique delicious petit fours

Ingredients used for the course

Thoughts: Wonderful, Unique Taste of Southeast Asian in Refined and Luxurious Fashion

153 Joo Chiat Road