Teppan Works - Exciting and Awesome Meal

After realising that having Teppanyaki can be an awesome experience due to the real-time preparation of food and how delicious the food can be, if prepared the perfect way, I go on a search for authentic Teppanyaki restaurants, and I found Teppan Works. And what a good find this is, where I get to enjoy good food, some with unique twists, at a good price and have a good time interacting with the Japanese chefs and staff. Another important thing: I still smell great after a meal here despite sitting right in front of the cooking area.

 

I decide to order omakase to get an idea of what the food here is all about. And the trio of seafood impressively served is of the more premium seafood: scallop, oyster and prawn.

Yes, I still remember that particular incident at a French restaurant under a prestigious group where I ordered a seafood dish with add-on price and only got salmon, salmon and more salmon plus a piece of octopus. Oh well ...

Okay, back to happy times at Teppan Works here. The scallop is briny and very creamy in taste. I can dab the seafood with a bit of ponzu sauce with grated radish or their special tartar sauce for extra kick in the taste. Talking about the special tartar sauce, it has nuanced flavours and vegetable bits in there for the extra bite, making this probably my favourite tartar sauce. The lightly grilled oyster is very creamy too, smooth, succulent and has light taste of iodine with umami. The prawn completes the lovely creamy dream by being creamy and sweet while being firm in texture for a good bite. The very light layer of char elevates the taste of the prawn to be oh-so-good and totally satisfying.

I get to choose one obanzai, aka starter dish, from an array of them nicely presented on a huge wooden tray. All looks so good! It's hard to choose. And they are not usually seen at other restaurants, so I want to try them all.

After much deliberation, I choose smoked duck, and I'm so happy with my choice after the first bite of this. Velvety smooth in texture, easy to bite, this gamey meat has a rich smokey flavour that tastes even better when eating it with the accompanying onion shreds for the pungent kick.

I opt for Dashimaki, the plain omelette, and what I get is a new gastronomic experience of savouring the silkiest, smoothest, paper-thin omelette, paired with the most unlikely sauce: Yuzu Chilli Sauce. The omelette is very good on its own, and when eaten with the refreshing, yet slightly spicy and tangy yuzu chilli sauce, it becomes amazingly good. This is a must-try when at this restaurant.

I add Pari Pari Avocado with Melty Cheese to my order due to curiosity. This is very flavourful, especially when Tasbasco sauce is added, at the recommendation of the chef. The soft avocado is served in one big chuck so that I can fully enjoy its veggie creaminess in big bites. I like it. And a shout-out to the thoughtfulness of the service staff who reduced the portion from original 2 pieces to 1 piece upon seeing that I'm solo dining. The price is of course halved 👍

The seemingly old-school chawamushi here also surprises me since it is served cold instead. When eaten with pops of the umami laden caviar, the flavours work beautifully together. The custard actually feels smoother when served cold, and the coldness preserves the taste and texture of the caviar. An awesome surprise.

The accompanying asparagus of the pork steak is crunchy and the tomato is juicy. The fried almond slices, my favourite yuzu chilli sauce and sea salt makes the pork a flavourful treat. The browned parts of the pork is very nice. Check out the video to see how the chef meticulously slices the pork. Though I have to say that I prefer thinly sliced pork over pork steak. This is more for steak lovers.

This is one of the best okonomiyaki I have. Lots of quality cabbages is packed within the thin layer of dough, which is exactly the ratio of cabbage to dough in a good okonomiyaki. What makes this even better is that the cabbage is very finely chopped, yet not mashed, to fully release the sweetness of the vegetable while retaining its crunchiness. I have no problem finishing this by myself despite its pretty big size.

The place looks like an izakaya with a unique brick wall on one side to give that rustic feel, making it a great place to just relax and enjoy some good food. The chef and service staff are super friendly and engaging. Lots of interactions ensured. I have a good time chatting with them while savouring the great food. It is so easy to feel at ease here. If you are up for a good chat, this is a good place (at the counter seats) to consider.

I definitely look forward to coming back here and recommend this place to my family and friends. And there are lots of other unique dishes that I like to try.

Thoughts: The perfect place to go for for good Teppanyaki with unique twists and just have fun.

42 Tras Street

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

Luna Cafe - Beautiful, Unique Cakes

After a lunch out at one of those quaint restaurants at heritage area, going to a nice cozy cafe to chill out seems like a great choice. And Luna Cafe is one of the ideal candidates due to the location, modern minimalist interior and the beautiful, yummy cakes.

Blossom is so pretty in looks and is definitely a crowd pleaser taste wise. A soft floral concoction of strawberry yoghurt mousse laced with elderflower, rose sponge, strawberry curd and strawberry compote is so refreshing and sweet at the same time. The light tart taste of strawberry is so well-balanced here that the taste is exciting while still have sweetness as the main notes.

Refreshing, mild, mellow, musky and sweet, Melon Berry delights the palates with the unique taste due to the special combination of almond frangipani tart, blueberries, rock melon curd, blue pea Chantilly cream and edible flowers. And it works amazingly good.

But ultimately, Orh Nee Cake is my favourite of all. The milky goodness of coconut cream, the earthy flavour of yam and the cocoa butter aroma of white chocolate pearls make this a rich, flavourful treat. I love this!

The nutty, earthy taste of pistachio in the cream and tangy, fruity taste of raspberry in the compote is actually perfect match together. They work together excellently in this Pistachio Roulade to surprise the palates while making one goes, "Hmm, it's good!"

Classic Cheesecake is one of the best Cheesecake because it is so light and smooth while also being lush and creamy with the delicate taste of French cream cheese.

Lychee Rose looks so simple yet so beautiful and unique. It is hard to resist ordering this cute teardrop shape cake. Within this velvety exterior is complex layers of lychee cremeux, lychee bits, rose ganache, rose sponge and rose mousse. The mousse is pudding-like in texture, which is interesting. In fact, all the components of this cake are very different in texture to create a unique bite and are subtle in taste to create an unique taste when put together. A very nice cake.

ASMR at near the end of the video.

So many beautiful cakes, so I have to get some home to try.

Honey Yoghurt Walnut is another very unique cake in terms of taste and I like it. The pretty golden honeycomb is chocolate by the way. The real stars of this cake are the yoghurt mouse, lemon curd and walnut bits, that come together to create this refreshing treat full of zest.

Lime Lemongrass Cheesecake sure looks very cute. The tangy flavours of the lime mousse do very well to cut through creaminess of the baked cream cheese cake to create additional dimension to the overall taste. So refreshing yet creamy at the same time. I like this too.

Spot the blogger in this photo 😁

Soft lights and modern minimalist interior, this is a very cool to chill out after a meal at one of the quaint restaurants in the vicinity. This is why it is real hot with cafe-goers. I am here way before the crowd comes in on a weekday, thus having the chance to take some nice photos of the decor. 10 minutes later, the crowd starts streaming in, from Japanese tai tais, BFFs, couples, groups of friends to even families. Actually, this is more of a bakery with dine-in option than a cafe serving some other kinds of food along with bakes, so everything is almost self-service, with exception to the payment part. I say the service is pretty okay. I like this place for the cakes with multifaceted unique tastes, but go early to avoid queuing to get a seat there.

Thoughts: Beautiful, Yummy Cakes!

53 Amoy Street

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

My special preference for Restaurants and Cafes at Outram/Chinatown/Tanjong Pagar area

One obvious reason for the preference of quaint restaurants is that I love walking around Outram/Chinatown/Tanjong Pagar area. The place is so full of character and is filled with beautiful shophouses: things that one can't find in high rise buildings, shopping malls and heartlands. Even the decor outside the restaurants can be so distinctive, unique and eye-catching. Just think lots of potted plants, high tables, picnic tables. signboards protruding from the sides of the buildings. This is an experience in itself.

Lastly, I can feel the distinctive passion of the owners of the quaint restaurants, and it shows in the food and decor. And I love to immense in such atmosphere.

Quaint restaurants has this charm that inspires and warms the hearts.

Ito Noen Pure Japanese Mikan Juice

 

Made with 100% Japanese Mikan aka Mandarin Oranges, this is sweet and refreshing. I love this.

Country of Origin: Japan

Where to buy this: https://shopee.sg/product/138168262/16984799651?smtt=0.147269227-1671182880.9

Trattoria Nonna Lina - Hearty Meal at an Italian Home

Dining is an adventure that engages all senses. Part of the excitement is discovering new tastes and textures of food, and another part is like a mini travel to a new place and immersing oneself in it. And at Trattoria Nonna Lina, I get exactly what I'm looking for: enjoy a good unique meal at a place like no others in Singapore. Yes, the place feels like an Italian home, super cosy and full of personal touches.

Frittura di Calamari is served in very generous portion, perfect for sharing, but I have no problem finishing it by myself since deep fried squid rings are easy to bite. Tartar sauce is thick and creamy, more nuanced in flavours, going very well with the calamari.

But the real highlight is the arrabbiate sauce, yes, that red sauce. I seldom get arrabbiate sauce served with calamari at other Italian restaurants, so this is quite a new experience, and a good experience at that. With tomatoes as base, this sauce has the refreshing tangy taste that balances well with the seafood flavour of the squid. What makes this sauce special is spicy element from the garlic and red chilli peppers that really kicks things up a notch. 

I never knew just chopped tomatoes with herbs and spices on bread can be so good until I have them here at this restaurant. Definitely another unique experience and the spread being handmade really gives that homely feel. The toasted aroma of bread accentuated by the zest of the tomatoes and the pungent flavours of the herbs + spices. The refreshing juices of the tomatoes also goes very well with the crunchy, crispy texture of the toasted bread. This is so good. I also like the pretty tongs that come with the bread and also the calamari, giving that "Come help yourself to these treats" vibe.

Lots of Italian restaurants serve spaghetti but not many serve gnocchi. And this restaurant is one of the few that do. Actually I love gnocchi due to its slightly chewy texture of potato starch. So when I see Gnocchi Mare e Monti on the menu, I immediately order this. Again, this dish has that homely feel where the chef adds in lots of goodies such as large prawns, smoked pork jowl, porcini mushrooms and special secret spicy sauce, which is like wanting the family enjoying a yummy and nutritious meal. I also love this dish a lot. It is so full of flavours and the spicy flavour makes the taste exciting.

Panna Cotta comes in pretty generous portion. The milk pudding is full of milky goodness and is of perfect consistency, being soft and jiggly smooth. The alcohol within adds a kick and refreshing taste to the milk. A very nice dessert to complete the meal with.

The champagne actually tastes sweeter with the food. Awesome!

Checkered tablecloth, Italian memorabilia and collectibles, quirky quotes and Italian posters, this place is full of personal touches and really feels like a cosy, rustic, comfy Italian home. The service is very welcoming. The young service staff is very efficient, friendly, knowledgable and quick to response to requests. One special noteworthy gesture is that he straightaway pulls out a chair to place beside me to put my bags. That's so thoughtful! the Italian guy will serve the dishes with lots of gusto, livening up the atmosphere to make it feel like, well, a home gathering.

Dining here is an experience like no others. This place is definitely worth a trip for that unique experience and the good food, of course.

Thoughts: Loving the Heart-warming Homemade Food here!

61 Cantonment Road

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

Perks and 😑 of Dining Solo

Before my recent resurgence, I do dine by myself on scattered occasions since my dining companion at that time was too busy. Well, the history of dining by myself actually goes way before that, back to my JC days. In fact, it was a secret indulgence of mine during that time. I remember I liked the western food in my JC's canteen, so I always looked forward to enjoying it by myself, without bothering to cater to others' presence, you know, listening and replying accordingly to them. I would skip lunch and wait until the Chinese lessons to enjoy some Me and Food time. Why Chinese lessons? Because all my classmates had to attend them, I was exempted because I had passed Higher Chinese in secondary school.

I have to admit dining solo in a restaurant is a totally different experience from doing that in a canteen since there are service staffs around and I do feel I kind of stand out from the crowd by being the only lone wolf in the restaurant. Before the age of resurgence, I was of the mentality: I sure don't mind dining alone, I'm good with it, I just want to discover new tastes. Anyway, I was not exactly at a good place at that time, losing myself along the way. Writing about my dining experiences helped me to hold onto a small part of my true self. It is like my little haven, belonging to me, and me only. However, I was being reined back from fully indulging in this until now. 

Lots of things happen during Circuit Breaker, which are not due to Circuit Breaker, but due to incidents that happened to happen during this time. I decided to take a step out to make that change and so here I am, embarking on a truly solo dining journey that is made out of my choices instead of circumstances. I can proudly say that I now dine almost exclusively by myself! Now my thoughts are: I love dining by myself, I can order whatever I want to eat, I sure don't mind standing out from the crowd.

Of course the first few times I dine alone after the resurgence came with some awkwardness. But with practice comes perfection, now I'm totally comfortable with it and can catwalk into the restaurant before making myself comfortable at my seat. The great service does help too. And guess what, I saw on quite a number of occasions guys dining alone in the restaurants too–and one of them I saw recently is pretty cute 😉.

One of the perks of dining alone is obviously I can choose to order whatever I like, I do not have to care about another's budget, opinions and preferences. The downside to dining alone is that I can't try lots of dishes by myself, but hey, I rather savour 3 dishes of my choice than to try 6 dishes not of my choice.

This is just my personal experience that I want to write about. I'm not advocating anything. You just do what you truly want when it comes to dining in groups, pairs or solo. I do like dining in groups at times, just that I will not write about it since my focus will be on people, not food.

Now I just need to change my mentality from "I sure don't mind standing out from the crowd" to "I love to stand out from the crowd". Okay ... that's quite a tall order for me, but got to try 👍.

Poisson Restaurant - Seafood Feast for Seafood Lovers

Closed

This place is like the ultimate gastronomical dream come true for seafood lovers, which includes me, of course. Before Poisson, Japanese omasake restaurants are the places I go to for seafood exclusive feasts. So when I found out about Poisson from TOP: The Ordinary Patrons, I immediately marked a date to visit this place because not only it is seafood exclusive, the preparation of food is of European style, which is something different from the Japanese restaurants I love. The Saturday Brunch is like a seafood feast where I get to try ten signature dishes.

Smoked Uno is very impressively presented as seen in the video. Shrouded in vapour, this beautiful creation is revealed when the bell jar is lifted up. Caviar perching on top of tongues of vibrant orange uni that is sitting on a bed of negitoro, which is minced tuna belly, adorned by the ikura that looks like orange crystal balls. And the taste is sublime, it is like the sweetness of ocean. The crispy cereal crunch adds a nice dimension in texture. This is so good that it is worth it to specially come to Poisson to try this.

The oysters are very fresh, mild and creamy in flavours, nicely perked up in taste by the vinaigrette and ikura. 

The whelk is perfectly prepared, being chewy yet easy to bite. The honey and soy sauce accentuate the briny taste of the whelk. I love this.

Grilled Squid is one of the main dishes of Poisson and i know why after trying this. Like the whelk, it is very well-prepared, having the chewy yet easy to bite texture. The smoky flavour of the char adds a layer of dimension to the overall taste. A very hearty treat. This is the first time I totally enjoy eating a squid, not counting in calamari.

Grey Shrimp Croquette is creamy and yummy with crispy exterior. The parsley coulis adds a hint of pungent herb flavour to spice things up.

Lobster Dumpling is one of those dishes that makes one feels warm and fuzzy when savouring it. The rich lobster broth is warm and full of light umami. The dumpling is filled with firm but still easy to bite lobster meat. A well-executed dish.

Catch of Day is what I feel unsure about, before I eat it, since I'm not really into cooked fish. But it turns out to be the surprise of day because I'm wowed by how good it is. Absolutely no fishy smell, the threadfin flesh is pliable and moist, unlike the fishes, especially threadfins, that I had elsewhere. In addition, the crispy skin of the fish has this delightful char. I love the rice here, it is starchy, smooth and has an iota of chewiness. Lastly, the spiciness of the sauce adds lots of excitement to this dish, and it works.

I have never see Yuzu Sake anywhere, so I'm glad to have tried it here. Sweet and alcoholic, it is also very refreshing due the zest from Yuzu. I like this so much. Recommended to give it a try if dining at here. Apple sorbet with Reviseur Cognac is very intense in taste, great to alternate with the sweet earthy flavour of the macarons. The chef is very generous with the Cognac.

A nice cup of lemongrass tea to sip while relaxing. I need this after a glass of champagne, a glass of yuzu sake and loads of Reviseur Cognac lol

The blue, turquoise, dreamy interior of the place makes one feel like dining in an underwater restaurant. And the long panel of glass across the open kitchen adds on to this underwater restaurant vibe by giving a feel of an aquarium. The service is outstanding, being observant, prompt to respond to requests and do their bests to make the guests feel comfortable. The guys there are really great conversationists who can connect with the patrons.

I love the Saturday Brunch here where I get to try so many different types of seafood in small bites. A prefect place to enjoy seafood, and a perfect place to chill out with friends over great food and lots of alcohol. I definitely want to be back here soon.

Thoughts: Lovely under-the-sea-like restaurant to have seafood feasts at.

This restaurant is no longer in operation.