I though Dolce Tokyo was a franchise of the same name shop in Shibuya Japan but it is not. Like its Italian-Japanese fusion name "Dolce Tokyo", this cafe is an intriguing mix of Japanese and Western sensibilities. For instance, Dolce Tokyo does different takes on the classic egg ben. But when it comes to smoked salmon vs unagi, it would be unagi anytime. I could not be any more excited to dig into this decadent Unagi Egg Benedict ($20). The teriyaki-style grilled unagi came in substantial portion to match the cheese, poached egg and tangy hollandaise sauce on toasted bread. If you are one who always go for the usual egg ben, why not give this a try? Seems to be only available here We settled for the Pork Belly Curry Toji Set ($17), which includes Fried Rice, Miso Soup and a choice of skewer. The Pork Belly Curry Toji came bubbling non-stop with rich cubes of soft, simmered pork belly, which are tasty and satisfying, if not as mouthwatering tender as they should be.

Besides the usual onions, carrots and potatoes, Dolce Tokyo upped the ante by using cherry tomatoes and wolfberries (goji) to sweeten the curry. But luckily, the light-brown roux did not wander off into the sweet track and went very well with the fried rice, which was cleverly elevated in taste by the use of Japanese short grains. Served in a bird cage, the signature Matcha Black Sesame Cake ($11.50) is a welcome change to the usual matcha-red bean duo. The matcha flavour does not hit one instantly, but creeps in gradually behind the sweet black sesame paste. When it comes to desserts/pastries, Japan produces excellent ones but it is unlikely that one can find a dessert bento there. So the dessert bento at Dolce Tokyo version is quite rare and fits the fickle-minded. Everything was not too sweet but the abekawa (rice mochi) was over-toasted and resembled asteroid rocks.

Desserts are front and center here, but there are plenty of other delicious options, much of which devoted to the Japanese "soul food" Personally, I thought the savoury dishes were more memorable than the sweets. Prices are not eminently affordable but no one will say “no” if you want to treat yourself to a dessert or two.

For full review and more photos, please visit http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2013/08/dolce-tokyo-more-than-just-sweets.html

Are you looking forward to the upcoming mooncake festival? My first mooncake this year is not the usual lotus paste mooncake but is the Tau Sar Piah Mooncake from Thye Moh Chan 泰茂栈, a 老字号 (classic icon) that has been making traditional Teochew flaky Tau Sar Piah since 1943.

Though this is the first time I am trying Thye Moh Guan's Tau Sar Piah since it became a part of Breadtalk Group, they are still as delicious and no wonder it has been so popular over the years =D There are a total of five flavours, in addition to the traditional teochew mooncake.The classic versions are of course their sweet and savoury piah. The mung bean filling which was made from scratch is so aromatic and smooth. I was surprised to find salted egg yolks in both flavours! Another interesting flavour is the Double Delight: red bean paste and a sticky winter melon filling with melon seeds & dried orange peel. The white sesame seeds added a nice crunch to this mild-savoury piah that reminded me of lao po bing (wife's biscuit).But my favourite was the Spicy Pork Floss (aka Yuan Yang 鸳鸯)! Paired together with the savoury mung bean and salted egg yolk, this novel invention is also highly suitable for those who can't take spicy food because the spice level has been balanced out by the tau sar.I am a Teochew but this is my first time having this Traditional Teochew Mooncake $18/large pc in a box. Made with white sesame, dried kumquat, five-spice powder, this has a light citrusy taste with quite firm, chewy texture due to the maltose. Not everyone may like this old school sweet so perhaps it's an acquired taste.Mooncakes are $24.80 for a box of four. Luckily the tau sar piah is available in regular size all-year round at their outlets and in various flavours such as cranberry, etc (the mooncakes are medium size) It's time for me to make a trip down again and stock up supplies at home!

Price List:
-Teochew mooncake
Sweet*/Salty*/Yuan Yang/Double Delight (Medium 4pcs/box) $24.80
-Durian Tau Sar Piah (Medium 4pcs/box) $35.20
-Sweet*/Salty*/Yuan Yang (Large 1 pc/box) $22.80
-Traditional Teochew Mooncake (Large 1pc/box) $18.00

*with single yolk

For full review and more photos, please visit http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2013/07/thye-moh-chan-traditional-teochew.html

After lunch at Pita Pan, I hopped over to DB Bistro, where I had visited three times previously, for their revamped menu. This place has always been one of my favourite dessert spots in Singapore and it still is

If you are thinking that the desserts here are over-priced or belong to the atas petite sized kinds that are gone in less than 3 big mouthfuls, then you might be interested to pop by here to have a look.Out from the menu is the old Apricot Vanilla Souffle. The new angmoh pastry chef Benjamin Siwek has gone local to come up with this "Royale" Durian Soufflé ($15). This is by far, a soufflé with the most character. The fluffy mixture seems insubstantial as one digs a spoon in but the flavour fills up the mouth just like HD surround sound system echoing in every space.

The queen fruit, mangosteen, was turned into a sorbet to accompany the durian but I was too busy with the soufflé.The peculiar thing is that the chocolate dessert here did not make a show. The Milk Chocolate Mousse with Peanut Brittle and Banana Ice Cream ($15) did not have multiple textures even though it sounds crunchy. The base sat a rather dry brownie-like cake layer which did not help to score points.Another Southeast Asian inspired dessert was the Jackfruit Verrine ($15) which caused everyone's face to cringe with an extremely sour Lime Sherbet. But once you mixed it with the Coconut Tapioca and Palm Sugar, it all went down sweetly.This was another satisfying experience and I am looking forward to the new items for the next season! And last but not least, I am grateful for the complimentary treat of db's (or aka da Bomb!!) Madeleines, which are still as light as those on my previous visit. They might be rustic bakes but once you try these, it will be difficult to find a better one!

For full review and more photos, please visit http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2013/07/db-bistro-moderne-back-for-desserts.html

Since late last year, Japanese dessert cafes have mushroomed in Singapore and one of which is Nana's Green Tea. Also known as the “Japanese Starbucks” and voted as the No.1 Japanese cafe brand among matcha lovers, Nana is extremely popular amongst the younger generation of tea drinkers.

As a matcha speciality shop, what could be better than a cup of Uji Premium Matcha ($7.50)? The quarter-filled bowl of frothy matcha is pricey but the bitter aftertaste qualifies the tag. After all, all the green tea used here are imported from Kyoto.For those whose tastebuds are attuned to the over-sweetened Starbucks latte or mass-produced green tea milk, the Matcha Latte ($7) would not be your cuppa of drink. But I liked this brew as it did not go crazy with sugar. It was slightly bitter and milky, with a dark green suspension of foam sitting above the liquid.From the chilled drinks selection, the Matcha Slushy Shiratama ($9-above pic) is a matcha slushy topped with matcha ice cream and mochi. It might be good to allow the ice crystals to thaw before enjoying the "slurry" texture or your taste buds may be too numbed to taste anything. Alternatively, go straight for the Matcha Shiratama Float ($9) which is similar but more of a milkshake than a frozen drink.Like any other cafe, Nana green tea also serves savoury food such as sushi rolls, rice bowls and udons. The Salmon Cream Sauce Udon ($14.80) came with firm chewy udon swimming in a pool of soupy cream. I always wished there were more sauce for carbonara-style pasta but not this time as the amount was more than sufficient. Had one-third left after pasta was done. The best dish of the day was none other than their specialty matcha desserts--Parfaits. Like many others, I am often guilty of comparing Japanese food in Singapore to those in Japan. But the huge parfaits here were pure decadence, and admittedly better than Kyo Hayashi.

Starting from a brownie-like green tea cake that looked like this cake from Japan, the red bean paste and delicate whipped cream, I conquered happily into matcha and vanilla ice cream, colliding occasionally with crunchy cornflakes. Stranded in sweetness, there was no end so to speak, until I reached the bottom of kanten jelly with matcha syrup. Every ingredient was fresh, especially the chewy kanten jelly that was unlike factory-made lego blocks.

I personally prefer the Houjicha Parfait $13.80 as the roasted nutty flavors intensified with every spoonful. Similar to the previous parfait but drenched in houjicha syrup and topped with houjicha chocolate gateaux, this dark brown dessert might be less eye-catching but equally stellar.

Overall, Nana's Green Tea excels in what it specializes; and that is green tea drinks and desserts. Their Uji Premium Matcha has an adult taste suitable for those who wish to sip an authentic pot of bitter brew. And for those who can't resist having sweets to end their meal, the giant Parfaits here cannot be missed.

For full review and more photos, please visit www.dairycream.blogspot.sg

Spizzico is a cosy Italian restaurant located at UE Square which has been established since 2000. I was quite surprised by its extensive selection of food and it even has an alfresco dining area for those who prefer outdoors. The menu stays close to a traditional Italian style, from soup, salad, cold appetizer, hot appetizers... to risottos, pastas, seafood, carne (meat) and of course, desserts. We could not wait and jumped right into the hot appetizer section. Nothing could go severely wrong when fresh squid is used to make this Golden Calamari Rings - $18 instead of rubbery frozen kinds. These lightly-battered sotongs are better off on its own instead of being dipped into the Diabolo sauce, which may overpower the original taste the meat.Not sure if the Saffron Flat Pasta - $26 was undercooked as it was rather tough and not anywhere near "char kway teow" nor "hor fun" like the owner humorously quipped. However, the saffron sauce with sundried tomato was not too cheesy along with some fresh, bouncy scallops & prawns.For my main course of seafood, I tend to avoid Cod Fish - $38 but this was not overwhelming rich with nicely browned edges. The Cream Wasabi Sauce was slightly too sweet and would prefer it to be sharper. From the Meat, the highly anticipated Beef Tenderloin - $42 was too thick and thus there was not much taste from the meat or the little sauce. At $42, the quality was not convincing and thus I would still recommend their thin crust pizzas.We were surprised when the Smoked Salmon Pizza - $20 looked like it had just traveled out from the forest with the lush canopy of wild rocket. It was not spicy as I expected, but the bright flavors of capers and onions complemented the smoked salmon very well.Not everyone might be fond of the wobbly Pannacotta - $12 but I do. It was not sweet at all and the dark golden brown caramel sauce was bitter, just the way it should be.On the hindsight, the Cassata - $12, a traditional Italian dessert of semifreddo, dried fruits and chocolate sponge was nothing very special. Think ice cream parfait with harder texture.After coming across many mediocre tiramisu at restaurants, Spizzico's version of Tiramisu - $12 was a pleasant surprise with moist sponges and traceable amounts of coffee liquor. A simple yet delightful end-of-meal desserts to have.

Overall, the food here is relatively sound and I would stick to the pizza, pastas and desserts instead of the seafood/meat course. But what is heartening to know is that the ingredients used at Spizzico are fresh and the sauces are made from scratch. While this place gives me a prim and proper feel with neatly ironed table sheets and heavy utensils, I can imagine it to be a suitable location for families and couples to enjoy quality fare away from the crowds.

For full review and more photos, please visit www.dairycream.blogspot.sg