For full review: www.dairycream.blogspot.sg
Similar to cupcakes, I would seldom buy pies because they can be made at home easily without any sophisticated equipment like the airgun or blowtorch. But words about this Singapore pie shop which opened in 2011 came into my ears and it seemed that many people found their pies very good. So how good were they? Banana Cognac Almond Brittle ($7)
My favourite is this Banana Cognac Almond Brittle ($7) even though I tend to avoid banana desserts. Though caramel juices at the base, the shortcrust pastry remained flaky and the bittersweet balls of almond brittle added extra crunchiness. Perhaps they could consider selling packs of almond brittle besides pies.The Grasshopper ($7) ,
a new item, is a mint chocolate mousse on top of a flourless chocolate cake topped with salty cookie crumbles. Well, the crumbs aren't that salty but the mint flavour is a refreshing treat and reminds me of the classic Andes Mint but I wonder if anyone can try mixing mint with something else other than chocolate......Sam Willows ($7.50)
Another of my favourite is the Sam Willows ($7.50), as the light fruity pear chantily cream nicely contrasted with the peanut butter mousse base. The guilt of eating this might be lesser if compared to a chocolate + peanut butter combination.Lemon Strawberry Pie($7)
The classic lemon meringue tart was given a beauty makeover into Lemon Strawberry Pie. Tube-shaped strawberry compote lined the pie base topped with luscious lemon custard. Though I find the meringue too sweet, the excellent lemon curd makes it one of the best lemon pies/tart in Singapore.
We also ordered some pourover coffee and the young servers were friendly too. I find that the team is very enthusiastic about their pie business and it is encouraging to have such amazing pie places in Singapore. Though they do have some latest additions of savoury bites, I believe I will still be attracted to their sweet items, especially if they have any new creations. Strangely, the decor reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood but I liked it a lot.

For full review: www.dairycream.blogspot.sg

As the place was not very big, we decided to takeaway some of their pastries but they were all oh so good. How good was it especially when they try to challenge the classic French recipes such as Opera, Sacher and Koufig Annan? Read on to find out!Sacher $9
Dense almond sponge cake sandwiched with seasonal French apricot jam and coated with a chocolate ganache.

How can I give this classic Austrian cake a miss when it finally appeared in Singapore. It is a very filling cake given it's dense texture. But luckily it is not too dry and the cake contains generous amount of cocoa nibs or chocolate shavings, which makes the cake crunchy. Sacher $9 cross sectionThe ganache just simply melts in you mouth along with the cake. And it is not just ganache, but the top is covered with a crispy chocolate round. I do not usually go for butter or pound cakes or similar pastries but this was really not oily or too sweet. Not to mention that this contain the aftertaste of mixed spices...
Indeed....I think Pave has reinvented a classic successfully...it was really "moist and with a lingering chocolate flavour". The homemade apricot jam really fused with the cake and the whole thing tasted as one, not as separate components.Opera $9
Chocolate mousse and sponge
coated with a ganache and dusted heavily with cocoa powder

Unlike the usual classic kind that is ganache, coffee buttercream and sponge. This one is just mousse and sponge. However, it is so good that you can forgive them for leaving out the buttercream. This one uses very good choc and does not taste too heavy on the palate. Some choc cakes are just too rich and takes a long time to finish one. But this...gone in a minute or so...Heavenly.Kouign Amman #3
Famous Brittany buttery pastry

This is a baked pastry that is made by overfolding butter and sugar btw layers of puff pastry and baked until the whole thing is caramelized brown. However, I'm not too sure if berries marmalade were supposed to be added so much. I like the sides of the pastry as it is really crunchy but the centre of the puff pastry was slightly underbaked. As the jam in the centre was very sweet so I would prefer the buttery pastry part.Chocolate Orange $8.50
Did not expect to try this as it was not featured in their blog. The dome of mousse taste like milk chocolate but the centre was another pleasant surprise- the orange marmalade that was luckily not as thick as jam.The entire thing sits on a soft and not dry sponge.The chocolate and orange pairing seems like a new experiment after pairing chocolate and apricot. I'm not a great fan of chocolate with tangy or citrusy fruits but I would like it if both manages to blend well together. This one....yes. Highly recommended.

In short, the service here is very friendly as they will take time to answer your questions regarding the knowledge of each cake, signs that the staff know at least what they are selling. These are slightly better and more affordable than TWG for similar quality. Do try their canele too if you have not yet tried one before. It gives out a subtle aftertaste of rum so if alcohol desserts lover would like this.

I suddenly feel like flying to Paris.

For full review : http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2013/01/lai-huat-seafood-must-try-sambal-fish.html

Lai Huat Seafood is a local zi char which started in Tyrwhitt Road in 1990 had moved from to Horne Road. It seems that there is another one at Rangoon Rd which claimed to have opened since 1963 . How they are related is not the main question but the food.

It is no wonder that the walls are plastered with so many celebrity photos and newspaper report. the eatery is just next to the road and looking at the Sambal fish at every table, I know I am in for a good feast.Sambal Belanchan Pomfret ($28)
Buried under a pile of Sambal belachan, the deep fried pomfret was super crispy or to put it clearer, Crunchy to the bones.Nothing beats the Sambal version here and is totally different from Sambal BBQ stingray. It was choked full of savoury dry fried hae bee (虾米) that is fried till fragrant, with the chilli oil soaked through the skin. When it was first served, I thought why so little Sambal? compared to the sole fish version ($20). But it was actually more than sufficient.It is so spicy and salty that it needs to go with rice , unlike Sambal stingray which can go without it.Stir fry Kailan ($6)
This remained crunchy under the starchy gravy but could do with less salt. In fact, this applies to all the dishes we've had that day.black pepper crayfish ($18)
This stings your tongue but is not too fiery. The meat became slightly tough because this was deep fried rather than stir fry. Skip this if you want to reduce the risk of "heat" stroke (assuming that one has ordered the Sambal belachan fish) but one certainly won't regret having this as well.golden beancurd ($8)
For something lighter but not too much, the golden beancurd ($8) is not the average deep fried Chinese tofu or silky Japanese tofu. Mixed with some thing that resembles squid-like paste, the tofu is like a dense cotton that has a umami taste on it's own. It's good without the Thai sweet and sour dip but I prefer to coat some on it to cut through the greasiness.

In short, although Lai Huat's menu items might be limited, at least each is of decent quality that explains why people from all race, flocked there every now and then to satisfy their sambal crave. The boss lady, Lao ban niang, who we thought was just in charge of taking drink orders, was actually a very friendly auntie and wished us gong xi fa cai before we left. Might be just a simple gesture but it was sure a sincere one that customers would remember.

For full review: www.dairycream.blogspot.sg
I did not took notice of it until an article about this was featured in a Japanese magazine.
The menu has a wide selection of the classic Spanish food and also a vegetarian version of some of its items. Porto Rican Paella (serves 2 for $35)
This dish packs a whole full of flavour as they have added spicy sausages, salmon and chicken to this traditional rice. The short grained Porto Rican rice is moist and slightly sticky. It is very chewy and so tasty for it has soaked up all the juices from the various ingrediets.but it is the addition of saffron that makes this dish very fragrantCuban Chimichanga($18) Served with Mexican rice, salsa and sour cream
This one is like a huge spring roll stuffed with shredded chicken,mixed cheese, Japalenos, Tomatoes onions and bell peppers. It is wrapped in a tortilla and deep fried till crispy. It did not appear as tortilla to me but it is at least very crispy. In fact there were black beans inside too. There is a choice btw chicken and beef but I think chicken is better because it is still quite juicy. The sour cream leaves a deep impression as the texture is very thick and sour. Even sturdier than a firmly whipped cream.Dessert Platter: cheesecake, chilli chocolate cake and creme caramel($15)
This is good for sharing if you go in groups. The dessert platter is not impressive and rather average.
But if I were to choose from this plate, the cheesecake is the best amongst the rest but it can be softer and more velvety. The chilli chocolate cake sounds more exciting and looks better on the menu than its actual taste. The chilli taste was subtle but the cake was too dry, even when compared to the flourless cake.
The creme caramel was average baked egg custard but the caramel sauce was good as it was bitter.

In all, the savoury dishes still outshine the desserts. The Latin American cuisine here leans more towards the Mexican than the Spanish. Most of the portions can serve 1-2 and the ambience there is pretty comfortable. The service was really friendly and warm compared to other Mexican restaurants we've been to and I would recommend this for friends' or big group gathering just like what we did as they have a long communal table that is great for sharing not only food but also fun chatting.

For full review: www.dairycream.blogspot.com
Our failed quest for Okinawa food at Mimigar led us to this dark and rather nostalgic izakaya called Satsuma Shochu, which is of course known for its shochu ( a distilled alcoholic beverage made of sweet potato, rice, barley, etc). vegetables stick bowl with saikyo miso (sweet miso) $5
Once settled down, the vegetables stick bowl with saikyo miso (sweet miso) was served which would have been rejected if we had known each had a hefty price tag of $5.
But if we were to ignore this, all of the food here were exceptionally satisfying and it was not surprising that the place is yet another one with numerous good reviews and recommendations.The Tebasaki, grilled chicken wings, ($7 per order of 2 skewers) are smaller than those commonly seen here but were tender juicy with a tang of lemon.Okonomiyaki ($6 per 2 skewers)
What surprised us was this plate of big deep fried balls topped with mayonnaise. This is actually Okonomiyaki in dark golden batter that was by far one of the crunchiest fried food.the Beef and Kimchi hotpot ($18)
For more spicy food, the Beef and Kimchi hotpot was a hearty portion with raw egg yolk. The kimchi based soup, which was choked of mushrooms and other vegetables, tasted sweeter than it should. Do leave the raw pinkish beef slices in the pot to be cooked longer for better flavour.

In short, this place brands itself as the first and only shochu specialty restaurant in Singapore. The menu is a fuss free booklet with no pictures and the items are extensive for an izakaya. Ignoring the "free" vegetable sticks, I might return to try other delicious items. This place has a cosy ambience and its recommended for friends who like to chat over good japanese wine even though it is also suitable for families .