Province by Law Jia-Jun - Amazing Medley of Southeast Asian flavours

Since my awesome outing at Province during Spring, the thought of coming back is always on my mind. So I’m here for the summer menu and get absolutely spellbound by unique, awesome, refined reinterpretations of Southeast Asian flavours.

First dish of Grignotages is Spiced Pork Spring Roll, which is served piping hot. I love its super crispy spring roll skin and the core is meaty, sweet yet surprisingly and amazingly refreshing due to the herbs added. The contrast between meaty warmness and vegetal coolness is amazing.

Saba and Smoked Salmon Roe is like the Taste of Summer by the Sea punctuated by the freshness of herbs. And there is an excellent mix of textures to make it better.

Kueh Cara with Maguro and Avocado is an amazing marriage of totally different components from the humble local kueh cake, the sea to the farms. Fluffy and sweet kueh Cara highlights both the taste and texture of the briny sweet maguro and creamy buttery avocado with a touch of tangy flavour. There is lots of flavours going on for a complex, satisfying, exciting gastronomic experience. 

Octopus is reinterpreted into exciting Thai style when paried with Ginger Flower, Petai, Green Mango, Fermented Chillia and Fish Garum Gel. The optopus is super tender. In fact, it is the most tender octopus, which surprsinglyly tastes refreshing with its milky brininess. There is lots of texture and sweetness at different layers.

Abalone and Cabbage Sweetness of roasted cabbage and its cool slight bitterness works with with mild briny sweetness of braised abalone exotic tasteulam raja gazpacho

Kani Chawamushi is packed with Asian exotic umami goodness full of textures. This dish has so many goodies such as Flower Crab, Tobiko, Pumpkin, Salted Egg Yolk, Century Egg Custard. This is like No Holds Barred Rich Flavours Fiesta. And the pops of excitement due to the tobiko is actually very pronounced when paired with the custard.

Sawara with Bouillabaise features interesting sweetness of Aged Sawara fish that goes even better with the peppers. Clams, rempah, shishito kosho and saffron are added to amp up the complexity of the taste.

Iberico with White Curry tastes so good with the fresh sweetness of eggplant. Nasu Pork Chop coated with unique Asian aromatic crumbs and soaked in Curry Oil is Asian Pork Chop at its best. So meaty sweet and so many flavours,

Mandarin and Sour Plum kamquat and crispy tangerine skin is Mandarin Orange goodness manifested in different forms. I love this very Asian in taste but western and modern in presentation dessert that is unique and refreshing, with a touch of sweetness.

Rockmelon and Kueh dessert is Warm Southeast Asian sticky cake invigorated by the refreshing flora sweetness of rockmelon lime ice-cream  Sago makes for the nice firm bouncy texture in the rice kueh to balance the creaminess of the housemade ice-cream. And the coconut sugar added completes the Southeast Asian Sweet Magic. 

Thoughts: Southeast Asian Flavours reinterpreted to be at its Finest

Oumi - Delightful Flavours in the Midst of Roof Top Gardens

After an outing at Oumi, I always know that I will be back again because I totally love the robust yet balanced flavours here, unique renditions of Japanese Kappo cuisine and the wonderful inclusion of homegrown herbs and flowers into the dishes for that beautiful dash of excitement. So here I am again, ready to be spellbound another time.

And yes, at here, I’m taken on a lovely exciting gastronomic trip again through the gardens, the farms and the seas. The dishes of the 6-course dinner all wow me over with their unique, robust, harmonious tastes. And I love it that herbs are added to introduce that hint of vegetal freshness that lifts up the whole taste.

The view through the full panel windows, overlooking the Marina Barrage, is breathtaking, especially at night. The interior is of modern classy style, peppered with Japanese influences, which kind of reflects what the cuisine here is about. The sky garden here is so beautiful, spanning over a huge area, perfect for a leisurely stroll before or after meal.

Service here is wonderful and professional. With all these elements in the right place, Oumi is definitely a must-visit. And I look forward to be back again!

The first dish of Japanese Tomato sandwiched with Miso Cheese, topped with fennel and submerged in wasabi sauce, is bursting with harmonised, perfectly balanced flavours. The refreshing tangy, sweet tomato juxtaposes so excellently with the creamy, savoury cheese, adding full bodiness and a touch of lux to the taste of tomato. The wasabi adds the hint of excitement and fennel adds the complexity to the overall taste. An excellent start.

Toro Tataki feasures flavours of the sea with a amazing creaminess at its core due to the creamy Bluefin Tuna Belly. This creaminess is what makes the taste so magical and exciting, enhanced by the lovely aroma of char of the lightly grilled surface of the tuna. This is wow at first bite. The crunchy Tosaka seaweed adds on a good texture to the melt-in-your-mouth tuna. Myoga and Roselle Hibiscus subtly brighten up the taste. One of the best Toro Tataki!

Foie Gras Monaka have the umami and intense creaminess of foie gras is beautifully cut through by the herbaceous pungency of Shiso to create a well-rounded taste that wows the palates. Pickled Daikon adds to the complexity and texture. One of the few Foie Gras dishes that is actually pretty light on the palates 👍

Kani Chawamushi is packed with Spanner Crab that showcases a lovely briny sweetness with a soft nice hint of bitterness. Japanese White Corn adds a nice crunchiness. The warm earthy goodness of Local-Grown Yanagi Matsutake Mushrooms elevates the taste of the silky smooth Egg Custard. So comforting in taste.

Buta Kashira is the most tender pork, It is so meaty sweet and perfectly grilled with a layer of char for well-balanced taste. The sweet pineapple glaze brushed on top is that lovely suprise. Grilled Maitake Mushrooms makes it even better with slight earthy bitterness for a multifaceted taste. House-Grown Fame Flower and Mountain Caviar introduce specks of excitement.

Matcha Oshiruko has earthy sweet red bean ice-cream matching so well with the clear bitterness of Matcha Konnayaku. The zest of Yuzu Crumble perks things up. Another highight is the excellent varied texture of the different compnents of teh dessert.

Thoughts: Truly the Garden of Gastronomy!

88 Market Street #51-01

Madame Ooze - Cosy, Homely with a Flair

When I find myself at Chinatown, wondering where to have my lunch, I see a eye-catching shade with the words "Madame Ooze" printed on it, I decide to take a plunge and just pop into the place to have my lunch here.

Upon entering this quaint space, which is actually reception area for Alder Hostel, I am welcomed by the sight of a cosy place decked with florid drapes, hanged drawings of lush greenery, Peranakan antique furniture, ornate lamps, stacks of books and plush comfy sofa and chairs. There are hostel guests lounging around and patrons who are there for the food and drinks. The mood here is casual, relaxed and homely, Singapore style.

And the staff at the counter immediately greeted me with zest and offers me the menu for me to slowly decide on what I want. And he suggests some awesome recommendations, such as coconut ice-cream on panna cotta, which works like wonder.

Madame Ooze provides interesting dessert options, where I can choose the type of vessel, such as croissant, cake, cone, panna cotta, to put my choice of ice-cream on. For a filling meal, there are savoury items to fulfill that, thank goodness, since I come in here for lunch instead of tea break. And my choice of Mushroom Cheese Melt Croissant is really good.

A really lovely, unique place to chill and enjoy good food while soaking in the Peranakan vibe.

Lychee Oolong is so refreshing and light, made even better with the pronounced sweet floral aroma of lychee pefectly complementing the the mild astringent flavour of oolong. Perfect for summer weather of Singapore.

Mushroom Cheese Melt tastes so good and satisfying. The earthy flavour of the mushrooms is perfect match with the creamy savoury goodness of mozzarella cheese, with the pan-fried onion adding a subtle pungent kick to the taste. The croissant is so flaky and crispy, yielding that satisfying bite.

Coconut works wonderfully with panna cotta. The milky nutty flavour of coconut layers so well with the handmade sweet creamy vanilla ice-cream. The ice-cream adds a lightness to the heavy panna cotta thus balancing the taste and texture. Surprise of the day and a must-try.

Thoughts: Awesome choice to chill and enjoy good food and drinks

259 South Bridge Road

The Coffee Code - Lovely cafe with Unique, Awesome Food and Drink Choices

It is so fun to just walk around the heritage area of Outram Park and see which hidden gems I can uncover along the way by just popping into the cafe or restaurant based on gut instincts. This time, I found The Coffee Code, a quaint little cafe that offers a lot more than what I expected from a cafe!

The vibe of the the place is cosy and comfy, with a scattering of plush chairs and a touch of idyllic feel due to the plants that look like mini coconut trees, which is pretty standard cafe style: nice for gathering and relaxing.

It is the food and drinks that truly impresses me. The menu features a variety of unique artisan cheesecakes that cannot be found anywhere else, and they are delicious. The same goes for the drinks. And there are good and unique savoury food options to satisfy the my palates.

The service is very good, for a cafe. The staff always serves up a glass of plain water to each patron when we settle into our seats. They are friendly and polite. The best part is they actually allow us to stay slightly longer than the opening hours, which is sweet of them.

All in all, one of my top choices for lounging and enjoying good food and drinks when in Outram Area.

Pistachio Burnt Cheesecake is like THE CHEESECAKE. One of the best and most unique. The texture is so smooth and creamy. The best part is that it has a slightly molten core making for awesome, moist texture. The nutty, earthy, herbaceous aroma of pistachio is very pronounced, coupled with sweet taste of burnt baked goods, for that complexity in taste of the cheesecake.

Non-coffee drink of refreshing coconut water perked up with sweet aroma of osmanthus and made exciting by the savoury cheese foam is oh-so-good. It is so unique and so refreshingly awesome. This is worth a special trip here.

La La Udon is bursting with the sweetness of the sea due to the generous amount of la la added. And the texture of the udon is so good: smooth, thick, has good bite at its core. Paprika is added for a hint of spiciness to make teh taste even more bombastic.

Saltiness of caramel is perfect match with the aromatic slightly bitter Earl Grey in Salted Caramel Earl Grey cheesecake. The taste is also vey unique and delicious, inciting this "eye opening wide"  reaction at first bite. And it also features this molten core that makes the texture so perfect.

Another unique drink is Tea with Cheese Foam. The bitterness of tea contrasts so well with the savoury cheese.

Thoughts: Worth a special trip to here just for the unique drinks and food

37 Neil Road

Hortus - Relaxing and Dining in the Gardens

After a round of picture-snapping of the beautiful roses in Flower Dome, I decide that I just want to chill and relax a bit. And here is where Hortus comes in, since this cafe, flanked with lots greenery and blooms, is right within the dome.

The atmosphere is definitely awesome with botanical theme infused with Mediterranean vibes. Perfect for lounging and just enjoying some Greek snacks.

Fried School Prawns, Calamari, Smelt, Garlic Aioli features crispy batter with this lovely unique texture that is fine and has an iota of soufflé, completed with Mediterranean herbs. Super tasty, and the creamy pungent tanginess of the aioli makes it even better.

Refreshing Orange Juice

Thoughts: Nice Place to Chill in the Midst of the Garden

18 Marina Gardens Drive

#01-09 Level 2 Flower Dome