My Spirits and Wine Collection

After gathering a collection of spirits and some wines, I realise that for myself, wine is excellent as accompaniment to food and yes, I always order wine when fine dining. But when it comes to drinking the beverage by itself, spirit is my choice instead.

I simply prefer the rich, intense, sweet taste of spirit while wine has varying degrees of tannins that I absolutely appreciate when pairing with food, but not so much on its own. And since spirit is more intoxicating and carries no sugars, it is perfect for drinking late at night to relax.

And I also realise I do not get hangover from quality spirits, quality wines and quality sakes. Otherwise, it’s real bad for me.

My collection of liquor. The best part of liquor is that I don’t need to store them in fridge and I can keep them for as long as I want. There is no hurry to finish an opened bottle within days.

Yasen barrel 40% tastes savoury sweet with intense taste profile of brown sugar and dried fruits.

Kanosuke Single malt Japanese Whisky features the aroma of wood and it totally changes my perspective that whisky is heavy and has strong medicinal aroma. Yes, after this, I start to appreciate whisky. At first, it tastes smooth and bitter, now it tastes smooth and sweet. Amazing.

Nardini reminds of woods and fruits. I fall in love with it at first sip.

Hampten is my favourite. Yes, I’m officially a fan of rum! This is full of the funk of dried fruits. So intense and so sweet.

Yasen Gold speaks of the sweetness of vanilla ❤️

Graoma Red that has the mild aroma of oak but not overwhelming. I love it. Goes perfectly with Iberico ham.

Best dessert wine comes in the form of Gramona Vi de Glass. It is do smooth, not too sweet, and goes amazingly well with any desserts. My favourite dessert wine of all.

Dill - Amazingly Magical Scandinavian Cuisine

Scandinavian Cuisine is quite a rarity in Singapore and is a needed addition here to our melting pot of different cultures manifested through food. So when I found out about Dill, a Norwegian restaurant helmed by Michelin Star Daniel Hasvold Jung-Eldøy, I knew I must come here to get a taste of what Norwegian Fine Dining is like.

And after an awesome, one-of-a-kind dinner here, I can say that Norwegian cuisine is one of my favourites!

Update: And of course, I'm back here again!

The food here is full of harmonised, well-balanced, distinctive flavours, perked up by hints of zest. The taste is light yet complex at the same time. It is so different and distinct from other cuisines that I definitely feel like I’m dining in a faraway land full of seafood caught from the cold waters, fresh and specially fermented vegetables.

With Chef’s impressive resume, my first assumption will be that the restaurant tends towards formal dining style. So I’m pleasantly surprised by how cosy, homely and intimate the space is. Decked in light beige wooden panels and partitions, populated with pale wooden furniture and decorated with dainty light-coloured florals, this stylish minimalist place is like that quaint little Nordic restaurant packed with the owners’ passion.

The service is excellent, being so friendly, especially with the awesome host, who ensures patrons feel welcomed, enhancing that homely feel.

This is a must-visit for the foodies, the curious and the adventurous.

The first appetiser of Löyrom, which is Nordic roe, Cheese and Chives, all of which have very distinctive strong flavour, is surprisingly well-balanced in taste. The mildly briny sweetness matches so well with nutty pungency of cheese, especially with the chives adding a layer of soft vegetal freshness. And the Onion Cream is the magic that elevates the dish, evoking that "wow"moment. It adds complexity to the taste and its pungency highlights the natural sweetness of the roe and cheese. The pastry shell's texture is buttery and crumbly, blending seamlessly with the smoothness of the cheese. An awesome start to the meal. 

Fluffy Sourdough Bread with crispy shell is a delightful snack to enjoy on its own or with the Norwegian butter. First time I'm trying Norwegian butter and I'm impressed. As compared to the famous French butters, this butter is lighter on the palates while being sweeter at the same time. It fits with the whole theme of the meal, which is light and full of flavours. 

The Scallops here, interestingly served cold, are the most refreshing scallops, in a good way, of course. The soft briny sweetness of the scallops is rendered complex and oh-so-good by the vegetal sweetness of peas, the zest of the sauce, the pungency of herbs and yes, the lovely char aroma of grilled seafood. I love this so much that I finish every single drop of the sauce.

Next up is the warm dish of Cod, which is so different from any other cod dishes. I'm not exactly a fish person, but I totally love the cod here. Because the cod is perfectly cooked, being juicy with that iota of firmness, and featuring a thin layer of browned surface, and the pungency and zest of fennel and fermented celeriac cut through the oilness and brininess of the fish to retain the milky sweetness.

The beef is packed with meaty sweetness and is so tender with a good amount of char to impart an extra sweetness. The grilled vegetables are da bomb: the grilled sweetness of Baby Gem is so amazingly good that it makes me go "wow". The whole dish is made exciting and refreshing by the herbal zest of ramson.

The dessert of Rhubarb, Strawberry and Cream is light and refreshing with different layers of flavours, from mild sweetness, tanginess to a touch of earthy herbal taste. The crumble at the bottom is the magic here, adding a satisfying crunchiness and a buttery sweetness to round up the flavours nicely. 

Lovely White Whine

Smooth Red Wine

Thoughts: Falling in Love with Nowegian Cuisine!

33 Duxton Road

Province by Law Jia-Jun - Amazing Southeast Asian Flavours never seen before

During a wonderful Wine Dinner with gourmets, the restaurant, Province, whihc is actually one of my favourites, actually came up in the conversation, with lots of us at the table talking about how awesome the experience here is. Then one lovely lady straightaway said, "It's a must to try the Spring Menu, it's so good." And so I quickly booked a reservation before Spring ends. She is so right on this. I have such an amazing time at Province.

The food explores the far extends of the taste spectrum delighting the palates, features the excellent juxtapose of textures while retaining core feel of Southeast Asian cuisine. It's moments of "familiar and warm yet unique and surprising at the same time". It is also an experience itself to watch Chef Jia-Jun and crew meticulously assemble the components of each dish at the open kitchen counter and then go in depths on the details of the ingredients. I enjoy myself so much.

I can't wait for Summer to come here again!

First snack of Grignotages is Peas and Ikura. Ikura with creamy egg, where the intense brininess tamed by the creaminess, definitely pleases the palates. But the pea is actually the magic. Its grilled vegetal sweetness opens up the light creaminess and intense briny sweetness to a taste that is so unique, complex and simply awesome. I also love the crunchiness of the peas. And the lime adds a dash of excitement to make it even better.

Next is Crayfish and traditional Chinese steamed rice cake, featuring such excellent texture where the springy bouncy flesh of crayfish juxtaposes perfectly with the fluffiness of steam cake. The mild briny sweetness of crayfish is highlighted by the mildly sweet starchy base of steam cake.

Caviar and Tartare is like the luxurious Southeast Asian treat. The distinctive taste of Southeast Asia is pronounced, while at the same time refined, complex and balanced, with hints of the flavours to evoke the feelings of familiarity without overwhelming the palates. The lovely combination of meaty sweetness and briny sweetness hits the exact sweet spot. The caviar, from a Southeast Asian farm, is so well balanced in taste.

Aka Ebi featuring prawn gel, fermented kohlrabi, calamansi is another dish with perfect texture, where gelatine texture of prawn gel and the crunchiness of the fermented turnip contrast so well with the juicy, bouncy raw prawn. Szechuan pepper, with all the distinctive aroma, but without numbing spiciness, highlight the mild sweetness of the ama ebi. A brilliant creation.

Beautiful Garden of Spring with aged Aji, spring greens, sesame & Szechuan peppercorn oil, yoghurt foam, showcases aji, a sweet fish with intense flavour, like never before. And I love it! It tastes so exciting, bright, with the briny sweetness of the fish highlighted by a myriad of flavours.

Snapper and Crustaceans Sweetness of the ocean chicken consommé comforting magic lies in the mosiac tiger prawns, zucchini lifts up the taste exciting

First Bite of Wagyu aged beef presents ribeye beef in different cuts and beef jus. The more cooked, tender cut is full of meaty goodness while the rare cut is creamy in taste. The unique freshness of asparagus cleanses the palate to make each bite so satisfying and enjoyable .

Smoked Rice and Squid uses the special Bue Ta Nae Rice that is dry and sweet. The charred squid has the light lovely char to complement the smooth briny sweetness of the squid. This dish is like sweetness on different layers, it feels so satisfying to savour this. The pickles perk things too.

Passionfruit and Rice Yoghurt marries Passionfruit sherbet, koji yoghurt, gooseberries and almonds together successfully. Refreshing and exciting, amazingly creamy.

I’m not a coffee person but Coffee and Roasted Banana here totally converts me to be a coffee enthusiast for the night. Roasted goodness of coffee, toasty goodness caramel and coffee crumble totally works together. The tang of roasted banana ice-cream brings a whole new level to the taste. The cashew sponge adds a good fluffy texture to the dessert. I’m surprised and pleased.

Lots of good wines to go with the course

Thoughts: Thoughtful, Unique, Refined Southeast Asian Delights!

153 Joo Chiat Road

Kleine Notizen Ein

 Ich werde kleine Notizen anstelle meines. Tagebuchs schreiben, weil ich vielleicht nicht jeden Tag die Inspiration habe, etwas zu schreiben.

Ich habe viele deutsche Worte vergessen! Ich hoffe, dass ich besser in Deutsch werde, wenn ich mehr kleine Notizen schreibe.

Unigoro Morita - Uni Dream comes True

I always love Uni and yes, there was a time where I felt that one uni sushi per omakase was not enough to satisfy my cravings. So when I found out about a Uni Omakase at my favourite restaurant, I jumped into it and absolutely loving it. Then Unigoro Morita comes into picture with a promise of uni feast, and based my good prior experience with uni omakase, of course, I did not hesitate to make a reservation and here I am!

My palates are definitely pampered with lots of creamy umami of the uni. And my senses are piqued by variety of ways uni is prepared, where the different flavours of uni are highlighted. Uni is the star in every dish and it never gets repetitive in terms of taste. Every dish is a lovely creamy umami surprise that delights the taste buds.

The ambience of the place is Japanese Zen furbished with cool stylish modern decor. The Japanese floral lattice behind the open kitchen counter, with soft yellow lights glowing behind the translucent screen as backdrop, stands out as the centerpiece of the place. Its Japanese element blends seamlessly with the stylish modern interior of dark walls, black granite counter top, dark wooden furniture. And with the friendly staff and kitchen crew, I'm definitely in the mood to enjoy some good uni.

First up is pure uni goodness with the duo of Uni tasting. Murasaki uni, the rarer variety is creamy umami with a lace of savoury goodness. Next is the famous Bafun uni, that is creamily pure sweet umami. Craving thoroughly satisfied!

Charcoal Grilled Scallop with Uni is da bomb of the night for me. Uni can taste so distinctive yet different at the same time when paired with the huge plump juicy grilled scallop that is seared on the top with the burning hot charcoal. The pronouced aroma and taste of the char adds a layer of excitement and complexity to the taste of uni. This pairing is so brilliant. And shiso perks up the taste to make it even better. 

New “Uniku” is Uni, A5 Black Wagyu Uchimoto (round top) and egg yolk savoured together. This dish features different layers of sweetness in the form of meaty sweetness and briny sweetness. Such an indulgent lovely sweet treat!

Uni-Infused Pudding with Caviar and Vichyssoise (a kind of potato sauce) feels different layers of briny sweetness teasing the palates. The creamy umami of uni is tempered with earthy flavour of potato sauce, briny intense flavour of caviar and smoothness of the custard for complexity and opulence.

Signature Uni Hot Pot is the best hot pot I ever have. This is prime example of how a premium hot pot, without the need for sauce, should be done. Yes, I had been to a certain famous hot pot restaurant peddling this concept, and I can say for sure that I prefer the hot pot here hundred times over.

The ingredients featured is a luxurious lineup of Uni, Ise Lobster, Giant Clam, Abalone, A5 Wagyu Beef Ribeye, Japanese Pork Belly and Small Dainty Vegetables from Japan. The broth, with uni stirred in by the chef, tastes so comforting, warming the heart and features different layers of savoury goodness.

All the ingredients, cooked in infront of the patrons by the chefs themselves, to ensure optimal cooking time, are all so juicy, tender, flavourful and succulent. I am so amazed by how tender the milky briny sweet abalone is. The beef tastes creamy and meaty when half-cooked shabu shabu style. The Japanese pork belly is of course stellar too, with smooth texture and fully absorbing the essence of the broth.

The Ise Lobster, roasted a bit with open flame, is the one that makes me silently go, "Wow, wow, wow!" I don't believe that lobster can be perfectly cooked hot pot style, but the Ise Lobster here, cooked in the broth by the chef, defies my assumption. It is so flavourful, so succulent, so tender. The texture is perfect: springy yet easy to chew. Every piece of lobster is nicely cut up into small bite size that I can luxuriate in its mild briny sweetness easily.

Even the cute little pieces of vegetables here impress me because again, their bite size makes it so easy for me to pop them into my mouth and just enjoy their vegetal fresh sweetness.

Full points for this hot pot!

Uni Risotto is starchy, featuring a good bite, is incredibly flavourful due to the uni hot pot broth. Lotus root adds a good crunchy texture. Perfection in taste in texture.

Homemade Granita of Watermelon is nice and refreshing.

Selection of pretty chopsticks holder to choose from

Thoughts: Amazing how Uni can be presented in so many different wonderful ways!

10 Stanley Street #01-01