I had our largest G20 gathering last evening at ah orh at jalan bukit merah on 20.2.2014.

we had 23pax on 3 tables, a meeting (or eating!) record!

ah orh had mixed reviews & mostly dated. most thought it was expensive for the food (it may still be probably but it often depends on food ordered). anyhow there was a deal.com offer & the organiser bought 3 vouchers of S$150 worth at S$97.50 each – 1 voucher was allowed for each table. :-)

some friends went early to order the dishes. we had in total 9 dishes & the cost came to S$23+ all-in (about S$180+ per table) after redeeming the vouchers, so it was in fact very good value-for-money even considering that we did not order the usual teochew pomfret, cold crab etc.

there was deep-fried fish skin as table starter. pretty good!

#1 the braised duck platter (top photo & above) was good – moist, flavourful. i would say as good as imperial treasure teochew & better than muliangzai liang kee & chui huay lim. :-) the lor bah (braised belly pork was good too.

#2 fishmaw soup was tasty, but maybe just average. the one beng thin we had recently was substantially better.

#3 the ter kar tan (pig trotter jelly) was very good – firm, flavourful. there was also good chilli & “seng ni cho” 蒜泥醋 dip. this was as good as chui huay lim, imperial treasure & crystal jade.

#4 the yam basket was i supposed really excellent for this dish – yam was tasty & very crisp outside yet “sang” inside & very good combination in texture & taste with the fillings. a very good dish though not yam basket not my favourite. :-)

#5 the kailan with ti poh was competent. vegetable was fresh & crunchy. the ti poh (a teochew favourite condiment not so often seen) added to the attraction but perhaps the wok hae was kind of lacking a bit.

#6 not sure about this teck kia fish (竹仔鱼) dish, certainly competent but the fish had more bones than meat. at kok sen, they used some fish head & added chunky fish meat which worked well to accompany the black bean sauce & was much better overall by comparison.

＃7 hae chor was quite ok, competent, nothing special.
nee

#8 orh luah was pretty good, large fleshy oysters.

#9 orh nee was better than expected, tasty, i liked it no pumpkin though. :-)

company & fellowship were the key in our get-togethers of course, but we did come to eat & overall the food was quite good & the price of $23pax very reasonable after the deal.com offer, not much different from say muliangzai liang kee, and food we had here were better. :-) w/o the offer, it would cost about $30pax which was still not a bad deal, about same as what we had at shin yeh at our last 20pax dinner.

See my full reviews & photos at = http://chefquak.com/2014/02/21/great-teochew-food-23pax-dinner-get-together-ah-orh-on-20feb2014/

I paid my visit to saveur during a weekend Sunday dinner. It's always crowded and long queue during lunch and dinner time. I was lucky to get seat because I was early for dinner around 5.30pm. They have a high tech reservation system with iPad setting. 

The place is quite small and the seating were quite narrow. But it's fine for me as long as the food are good.

The food offered are good and cheap. We tried their duck confit, angel pasta, and salmon which are all tasty.

The duck confit came with homemade mashed potato, sauteed shitake mushroom, orange segments & orange infused natural juice. It was perfectly done.

The Pan-seared sea bass came with saute potato with crabmeat, french beans & caper vinagrette. It was tasty too.

The angel pasta is a signature of Saveur's, pasta tossed with chilli oil, fine-chopped Japanese konbu
& sakura ebi with minced pork sauce. I love the taste.

Please refer to http://www.makeyourcaloriescount.com/2014/02/sg-tobys-estate-charmed-by-true-cafe.html for review complete with more pictures.

It is no trade secret that the cafe scene is extremely vibrant in Singapore but quite frankly, after trying quite a handful of popular places, we have yet to discover 'THE' cafe that is able to deliver a relaxing experience complete with calories-worthy coffee and food. What exactly does one look for when it comes to seeking a cafe experience?

Personally, we feel that the slightly better cafes in Singapore tend to be overcrowded and that kinda defeats the purpose of unwinding down after a hard week at work. Why would I want to face further pressure from waiting diners to free up my table when it was supposedly the place to go to chill? Apart from the crowd, I have always been sceptical about paying some good S$20 for a plate of all-day breakfast which you could pretty much cook it yourself at less than half the price. Does it really make sense?

Toby's Estate was named after the owner, Toby Smith. Driven by passion, Toby accumulated his knowledge and skills from his coffee trail around the world including working on farms in Brazil learning to nurture the coffee plant from seed to harvest, as well as the varying processing methods. Toby also worked with a coffee trading company which enabled him to hone his cupping and grading skills, not forgetting his work as a roaster and barista.

Flat White | S$5/nettWith a classic latte art, this flat white was a stellar when it comes to taste. Developed by the Australians and New Zealanders in the 80s, flat white is prepared by pouring microfoam (steamed milk with small, fine bubbles) over a single/double shot espresso. It generally has a higher proportion of coffee to milk and typically offered in a smaller serving as compared to cappuccino or latte for instance.

This was perfectly done and easily one of the best we have tried among the various cafes tried! The foam had a consistent velvety texture which overlaid a balanced shot of espresso that had the right levels of acidity and roast.

Iced Mocha Chai | S$7/nettThe lady was in an adventurous mood and went for the iced mocha chai. The scent of the cardamom certainly titillated our senses and upon the first sip, the flavours beautifully imploded within. It was quite a bold drink and despite the various elements introduced to the drink, it was well-balanced. The flavours of the coffee and chai came across stronger than the chocolate though but overall, it was an enjoyable drink!

V60 coffee | S$6/nettElegantly served in a wine glass, this was one of the five special coffee on the 'Slowbar' section of the menu whereby each drink is manually prepared rather than via the espresso machine. Different brewing methods would bring out varying levels of intensity for the light roast coffee beans and being a caffeine addict, I naturally went for the highest intensity, which involved the V60 brew.

How does this ceramic dripper with a gaping hole in the bottom make good coffee? It is all about the right pouring technique which involves coaxing the extraction of solids from the grounds and this calls for a good steady pace of pouring and pattern.

I generally prefer a dark roast as I enjoy my coffee bold but the flavours of this light roast were intricately extracted in that glass. Depending on individual, this rendition would suit the palate of those who crave for a higher level of acidity. It was sharp but not excessive which made it enjoyable.

Toby's Breakfast | S$18.50/nettThe barn-laid eggs were offered in either scrambled or poached form and we went for the former. Served with espresso maple bacon, cherry tomatoes, sautéed mixed mushrooms and brioche toast, there was no denial that this brought a smile to everyone's faces!

The scrambled eggs were velvety and carried a subtle scent of buttery fragrance though we would have preferred a slightly more intense flavour of the eggs itself. The brioche was perfectly toasted with beautiful grill-lines that imprinted the soft and fluffy bread. The diced mushrooms had a slight truffle scent which was a pleasant surprise. While we appreciated the generous portion of crisp bacon slices, we struggled to find resemblance in flavours to its espresso maple label. There was an interesting twist of sweetness to the savoury bacon with the maple syrup after taste but the punch of espresso was barely evident.

Eggs Royale | S$16.50/nettThe eggs royale was a recommended dish and while we enjoyed the thick slabs of beautiful smoked salmon atop freshly toasted thick brioche, the poached eggs failed to impress. It was not a far cry from perfection but one of the two eggs served was slightly overcooked on the inside. With a wedge of lemon on the side, it allows diners to adjust the desired level of acidity and tang in that classic Hollandaise sauce. Topping off the dish was that aromatic fresh dill which enhanced the flavours of the smoked salmon.Offering both indoor and outdoor seating, Toby's Estate also provide complimentary Wi-Fi access to customers. It was common sight to spot expats working on their laptops and sipping their cup of fresh brew. All prices quoted on the menu were nett, inclusive of GST and no additional 10% service charge was levied either though tipping is encouraged! Upon settling at our table, we were immediately served two bottles of water which were complimentary as well and we weren't at any point in time pressured to place our orders.There was even a section on the side of the cafe that retails various merchandise such as brew apparatus and even a classic book written by the owner himself, complete with pictures and narration about his exploration journey in the name of coffee.I am by no means a fan of cafes for I find that in most cases, the prices are not appropriately matched by the quality of food, coffee and ambience. A visit to Toby's Estate surely changed my opinion as it was a relaxing experience where I basked in the glory of the Sun through the windows, sipped my coffee and browsed through lifestyle magazines (provided at the counter) catching up to the nearest trend in town.

Our first visit no doubt but surely not our last. Looking forward to my next visit already!

Following its resounding success on Purvis Street and Far East Plaza, Saveur had just launched their third outlet at The Cathay - Concetto by Saveur. With their minimalist sleek look and down-to-earth, sincere service, this newspangled Italian restaurant has won my heart right from the beginning.

Italian? Instead of their usual specialty French cuisine, Concetto has an Italian twist to its dishes on the menu. Many attractive dishes on the menu without heavy price tags. Interestingly, they separated the different dishes into elements - Earth, Land, Seas, Light and Water. Tip: Order a few dishes to share with your fellow diners on the table so you can try a bit of each rather than have one on your own - as it might get a little overpowering in itself.Grilled Octopus
The grilled octopus was accompanied by anchovy dressing and fennel salad. A slight hint of tangy lemon and enticingly wasabi-like (minus the spicy), this appetizing dressing made the chewy octopus and salad pop into character. Lovely and recommended.Pumpkin Fagottini
Urban city has given a bad name to a this little bread parcel called fagottini. Drizzling a good dose of sweet sauce over creamy pumpkin, cheese and almond, this plate tasted more like a dessert than a main. A little confused, but nevertheless, it's a delightful try as pumpkin is once again, cooked to its best form. Rarely would I like pumpkin, but I give trust to the chefs here.Black Risotto
Risotto's got its black from squid ink. This is very thick, moist and gooey. A little on the salty side, I cannot imagine finishing this on my own - so share it for a good taste. The squids are very chewy and fresh, though slightly overpowered by the saltiness of the risotto itself.Tiramisu
A deconstructed tiramisu here, as Concetto/Saveur never fails to impress with their dessert presentation and flavours. The taste of rum is almost non-existent, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your preference. The sweet chocolate flakes make it look so grand. And the whole thing is edible, so dig in.Concetto also has their own herbs garden, and prides itself for being eco-friendly. A wonderful experience here. Situated at where Billy Bombers was, Concetto is easily spotted from the outside of The Cathay.

For more food adventures, follow me at http://spherepiece.blogspot.sg/

Full BWB (Burger VS Wings + Bar) review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2014/01/bwb-burger-vs-wings-bar.html

Operating under the Kitchen Language Group, the 3 week old BWB (Burger VS Wings + Bar) is a new concept restaurant where a constant food fight is taking place, in a metaphorical sense. The competition is between the chef specialising in burgers, and the chef specialising in chicken wings, but the true winner is the customer!

The ambience at BWB (Burger VS Wings + Bar) is designed to be a chill, relaxing place for groups. In tandem with its concept, BWB (Burger VS Wings + Bar) is designed to resemble a boxing ring, with boxing memorabilia such as punching bags, boxing gloves, and various championship fight posters. All this lends an element of fun to its casual atmosphere. I loved the sticky, creamy texture of peanut butter on the Tyson Peanut Butter Burger (SGD $21.90), which was evenly coated on the thick and juicy angus beef patty. The sunny side up egg, fresh arugula, smoky bacon and sharp melted cheddar rounded out the taste profile of this magnificanet burger. The burger bun itself was special, made from brioche and infused with a hint sun-dried tomatoes. I liked the fresh, large portion of breaded izumi fish fillet on the Pacific Izumi Fish Burger (SGD $15.80). Packed within the sun-dried tomato brioche burger buns along with a sunny side up egg, cucumber, arugula, bacon and tartar sauce, this is the perfect burger for the health conscious, or those looking for a lighter meal. I tried adding the honey mustard sauce from another dish, which I thought enhanced the overall taste. The BWB Classic Heavyweight Burger (SGD $19.90), with the classic burger ingredients of smoky bacon, fresh tomato and onions, a sunny side up egg, all packed with a tender, juicy angus beef patty, topped with savoury chili con carne and french mustard within a sesame brioche burger bun. Totally divine, I'm in burger heaven! Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the Wagyu Beef Black Burger (SGD $28) was served. This montrosity of a burger has an excellent, well grilled and juicy wagyu beef patty, slathered with barbecue sauce, which shines through the toppings of avocado, tomatoes, rocket leaves, melted cheddar cheese and bacon. They even managed to stuff beer battered onion rings inside! The burger bun is unique as well, featuring a bamboo charcoal infused brioche, quite fragrant! Not for the faint of heart, the spicy Hot Buffalo Wings (SGD $15.80) come coated in 3 levels of hot sauce; mild, medium, and suicide. We tried the medium level, and very nearly died from the spiciness of it... But it was so good! The chicken meat is juicy, tasty, and comes clean off the bone, a sign of excellent cooking. For the ultimate spicy challenge, try the Suicide Hot Buffalo Wings with house cocktail The Challenger.