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

Tinto - Exciting, Awesome Spanish Cuisine

Whenever I think about Spanish food that tastes most Spanish, Tinto is one of the top names that come to mind. And this restaurant has been on my mind since my second visit for Gramona Wine Dinner. So when I saw the October special menu, the dishes sound so good that I know I must come here again before November.

It is pure indulgence to be dining in a rustic, stylish space filled with rattan ceiling lamps, walls of vibes, full panel windows showing the lush natural foliage outside, hemp rope lined walls, savouring delicious food that brings me to Spain, and sipping Spanish wine.

Gazpacho, a Tomato and Japanese Cucumber Soup, is so rich yet refreshing. Topped with Raspberry Vinegar for the extra oomph and Japanese Cherry Tomatoes for the extra texture, I love it that it is sweet with hint of savoury and tangy goodness. This is a soup of harmonious contrast that works brilliantly.

The complimentary bread is fluffy with crispy exterior. Good in its own, or with the olive oil, and awesome with the extra sweet balsamic vinegar. Need to press the bread down into sauce plate to absorb the sweet vinegar at the bottom.

The bread also tastes awesome when dipped with the Gazpacho.

Chipirones Renellos de Arroz Is packed with goodies, such as Baby Calamari stuffed with Paella, Squid Ink & Spanish Ham Sauce, Puffed Saffron Rice, Saffron Aioli and Chimichurri sauce. The sauce is full of robust flavours. The magic comes when savouring it with the baby squid with its mild milky briny sweetness. The result is a flavourful, complex, exciting, well-balanced dish. I also love it that the squid texture is so tender and silky smooth. The puffed saffron rice adds a nice crunchy texture to make it better.

Arroz Caldoso de Marisco is full of briny sweetness of the treasures of the sea, tempered with the mild sweet zest of tomato. This is a hearty, starchy spanish porridge with an iota of spiciness for excitement in taste. It’s so satisfying to tuck in to this dish.

Looking at the ingredients of Arroz con Leche: Blackcurrant Rice Pudding, Grape Compote, Chamomile Jelly, Grapes, I thought it will be refreshing and zesty. And this dessert surprises me in a very good way as it is rich with bursts of smooth refreshing taste. With sweetness as core and the zest that comes in subtle hints, it totally works. I also love the unique texture of rice pudding in which rice is soaked in blackcurrant milk.

A dinner at Tinto feels so perfect when paired with some Gramona wine. Pairing this Gramona Cava with the food here makes me silently go, “Yes, this is enjoyment of life!”

Thoughts: Fallen in love with Spanish Cuisine all Over again

10 Dempsey Road #01-21

Gramona Wine Dinner at Tinto - Fantastic Experience

Gramona Wine Dinner at Tinto organised by ewineasia.com immediately got my attention and I immediately jumped on it. Because I love the food at Tinto, it features that distinctive taste of authentic Español cuisine, defining it from other European cuisine. I really feel like I’m transported to Spain when dining here.

And this turns out to be one of the best experiences I have. Talking to the winemaker himself, Leon Gramona, really deepens my appreciation of the wines made. When paired with the amazing food, it’s “wow, wow, wow” moment. I also love how different types of wines (bubbles, signature, white, red, dessert) are brought into the picture to keep things varied and exciting. I can say Gramona wines are definitely my favourite now. And Gramona III Lustros is the best Bubbles. 

The food is my-oh-my delicious and unique. So robust, balanced and harmonised in flavours. Definitely evokes my love for Espanõl food again.

Gramona, Imperial Brut 2018 is lovely bubbles that refreshes the palates with a base note of creamy mousse.

Super fluffy bread with stretchy texture that goes perfectly with the olive oil.

Mini Cevichito Catalan, packed with lots of goodies such as Marinated Red Snapper, Romesco Tiger's Milk and Cherry Tomatoes, is refreshing, tangy and surprisingly creamy. The well-balanced multitude of flavours perk up and spellbind the palates. The Toasted Almonds add a good crunchy texture and earthy tone to this awesome starter.

The bubbles in III Lusteos, 2015, are so fine that they cannot be seen by naked eye. But I can feel them when drinking the wine. So smooth yet so exciting. This kimd of bubbles is formed through 15 years aging of the wine. The quality truly shows here. This is a must-try.

Vieiras Gratinada incites the “oh-my, this is unbelievablely good” reaction from me and wverat the table. Roasted Scallops on the shell, topped with Butter, Cava, Ibérico Ham Cinco Jotas and finished with Gratinated with Machego Cheese is so creamy, savoury and conplex. It’s nothing like I tasted before! It is so amazing in taste with so many distinctive taste notes yet all are harmonised. The mild briny sweetness of scallops actually comes through the myriad of flavours and nutty meatiness of ibérico to be even better.

This is the moment I’m so glad that I sign up for this Wine Dinner.

Taco De Pulpo features Grilled Spanish Octopus with Soft Corn Tortilla, Lemon Aioli, Pickled Spanish Onions and Coriander. So meaty, so flavourful, so exciting in taste. When topped at some of the specialty aromatic spicy sauce, it’s fiery and tantalising. I love this too.

Mas Escorpi is the white featured for the day. And it goes so well with the spicy Taco. It’s a very refreshing experience to feel that aromatic intense spiciness spreading in the mouth and then immediately cooling it down with this wine.

Paella Latina Con Chanchito is a a medley of Bomba Rice, Ají Panca Chiila, Ibérico Pork Jowl, Cured Chorizo, Pork Cracklings and Habanero Chilli Mayo. And it works brilliantly. The texture is awesome in that the fluffy, delicious, starchy rice juxtaposes so well with the crunchiness of the Pork Cracklings and chewiness of Pork Jowl and Cured Chorizo. The taste is robust, bursting with lots of flavours, yet very well-balanced at the sane time.

L'Enclos De Paralba Vi Fi De Masia Negre 2020 has that light aroma of oak that perks up the taste without overwhelming the palates. Yes, I got this too.

Suspiro De  is Traditional Passion Fruit Custard with Meringue and a touch of Cinnamon. This is tanginess, sweetness, creaminess and spiciness rolled into harmony to yield an exciting, lovely dessert.

Dessert wine, Gramona Vi De Glass 2023, is mellow and very balanced in sweetness, exactly how I like it. And yes, I got a bottle of this because it is so good.

Thoughts: One of the best Experiences!

10 Dempsey Road #01-21

Culina - Where the Freshest, Best Ingredients do their Magic

I'm definitely no stranger to Culina, a place of premium groceries and delicious wholesome food. My story with this lovely grocer started from big gatherings, then moved on to smaller gatherings. Now I’m so excited to come here again to try the food here of entirely my own choosing and just enjoy the atmosphere at entirely my own pace. I’m pretty confident that the experience will be a good one based on past experiences, and oh boy, it is better than good, it’s awesome!

As a premium grocer, the ingredients featured in the bistro are of choice quality. The natural sweetness, umami and aroma, excellent texture of the food speak for themselves. Simply coupled with some condiments, herbs and lemon juice, the food here tastes so wholesome and satisfying. It’s lots of moments of “wow” when I have my first bites of each dish here.

High ceiling, white-washed walls, giant modern geometric hanging lamps, stylish black n white rattan chairs, shelves of wines and groceries and full length windows showing the verdant greenery outside, this place feels like a lush family restaurant located beside a vineyard. It has this hint of elegant undertone that makes great for dates. But it is also one of the best places to have family gatherings. They even have a kids’ menu!

Service here is efficient, helpful and friendly, including the staff manning the fresh produce sections. Especially the staff at the seafood section, who gives good advice on the order of jumbo prawns.

This is definitely a place I recommend to enjoy wholesome food made with choice ingredients and just have a relaxing good time.

The first bite of the Scallops in Half Shell amazes me on how creamy and briny sweet it is. This got to be the creamiest scallops I ever have and I totally love it. The taste is further perked up with exciting flavours of garlic, pistachio, herbs and lemon. Best scallops? Yes!

Tender juicy squid squares coated with crispy, super thin batter tastes so good on its own already. It is even better with a dash of spicy espelette pepper, a splash of tangy lemon and a dip of creamy aioli. An absolutely delightful treat.

Fluffy, springy bread with crispy exterior is lovingly served warm and it tastes good!

The oysters here are so fresh and delicious. It tastes amazing with Culina’s specialty sauce and Tetsuya’s sauce.

Plump and succulent, the Jumbo Prawns features that lovely briny sweetness made exciting by the unique pungency of seared garlic cream and fermented chilli plus the tang of lemon.

Thoughts: It is such a joy to enjoy the dishes made with the best ingredients!

8 Dempsey Road

#01-13