The Lokal is finally serving up dinner. We have for some time, heard rumours of this, but nothing has happened. Thankfully, all has been sorted and this popular Aussie inspired brunch cafe will start serving dinner from 11.11.2014. Although priced slightly higher than the average cafes during brunch, Lokal's dinner menu is more aligned to the normal restaurants around the area. Seeing how passionate Darren and his team go about preparing their dishes, as well as, adding that personal touch to get feedback from us ordinary customers, I decided that I would want to share with ya'll their new menu.

Well, we almost got all da dishes

The starters:

Parfait of chicken liver Seared Wagyu beef carpaccio Beetroot cured Norwegian salmon wait, where's the drinks? The Mains:

Wagyu beef goulash 1/2 Kampong chicken Slow Roasted lamb shoulder Lokal sausage platter overall review: Definitely worth the try. Starters should range from $17 to $20 while mains would range from $25 to $30. Drinks are a tad pricely but that is the price for having great food with a warm evening setting. Portions are huge though so be prepared to be fed.

Full reiew on my blogpost : http://shauneeie.blogspot.sg/2014/11/the-lokal-now-serving-aussie-inspired.html

Teppi has been taking Singapore by storm recently and after months of waiting (the queue i last heard was 4 months & also thanks to rachel for booking the place) finally got the chance to savor Japanese omakase at such an affordable price. Omakase dining simply means letting the chef decide your menu for the day, whipping up food which he feels like serving. The appetizers Salad greens, grilled peas and that very yummy fried salmon skin. 1 piece really ain't enough but that was what we got.

The StartersJapanese poporn on the stalk! Photo worthy and really crunchy too. The plate of fresh sashimi was as good as it gets. Great quality fishes - the tuna was not tiny bit tough as you might expect from elsewhere. You bite down and it melts in your mouth. As you can expect, the salmon was really good too. The only item which i felt wasn't to my liking was the yuzu clam soup. Still not a fan of yuzu.

Those cooked fishesIt was to my surprise that we had more fish dishes than I orginally thought. Those who know me well knows that I am not a fan of cooked fish - and I guess this is the part which I really didn't enjoy. However, the seared codfish was excellent. Tasted more like pork than fish to me where the distinct codfish odour was almost non existent. Can't really say much about the yuzu salmon soup, soy braised fish & tempura fishhh because they had that overwhelming fishy taste which I dislike. Nonetheless, all wasn't wasted as there were many peeps to eat them up for me.

Almost there! Yes, more food on the way. A maki roll with fresh choppped sashimi. That Japanese tomato which was sweet and juicy - unlike those sold in Singapore, was really awestuck by this seemingly unpretentious item. The grilled chest nut tasted meh but the foie gras, puffer fish skin, beef and salmon aburi were mouthwatering.

The Game. Mashed green peas and eggs served on a spoon. The catch - outta of 20 spoons, 10 were infused with lots of fresh WASABI. So, will you be the lucky or unlucky one. Thankfully, I was the lucky few to make it out from the challenge without tearing. However, greedy me decided to volunteer to have another go at the last spoon because there was short of one person that night. All i can say, i almost choked and teared uncontrollably for that one minute. Thank you for the experience Mr Teppei

Almost at the end - The Mains Yes, for mains, we could choose from a selection and out came kimchi fried rice and spoonfuls of aburi. In my honest opinion, go for the spoonfuls of aburis - from monkfish, salmon, raw prawn and some slimy part of the fish, these items will leave a mark on your palate instead of that ordinary looking kimchi fried rice.

Desserts Very average ice creams - seaseme, yuzu, calpis, but it was fine because we were so full from the other items.

overall review: read my full review @ http://shauneeie.blogspot.sg/2014/11/teppei-tanjong-pagar.html

Frozen by a thousand blessings, a yogurt shop from Melbourne has landed on our shores in Singapore. Located at Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, a block opposite from Creamier, and is fast getting its fair share of regulars. Frozen's yogurt is more creamy, a mix between Sogurt and Yammi. Coming in 6 different flavours : Green Tea, Mango & Soy, Coconut, Pomegrantate, Chocolate and OriginalThe yogurt here are self served. At $3.80 per 100g, you take a cup and dispense as much as you would like. You can mix and match, but i found that their pairing on the machines are the best. Yes, the price is a little steep, but for that quality of yogurt, it is worth it (nontheless, eating everyday though will burn a hole in your pants). After dispensing, walk over to sprinkle some toppings. With over 20 different types of varieties, you'd be spoilt for choice. However as always i stand my ground that these toppings shouldn't be put out in the open. The toppings will go LAO HONG (leak air). Lastly, add some sauce if you might - chocolate, hazelnut and original. As always, imma chocolate fan so chocolate works well for me. Overall Review: my full review @ http://shauneeie.blogspot.sg/2014/10/frozen-by-thousand-blessings-toa-payoh.html

So, Ricciotti's new menu delivers to diners authentic yet quite affordable Italian cuisine. I was fortunate enough to be invited by openrice for this tasting. Here's what we had for the evening:

Eggplant Parmigiana Easily one of the better appetizers of the night. Ain't an eggplant person, but this lasagna styled baked eggplant with tomato and cheese was excellently done. Good for sharing due to the richness of the melting cheese. Scoop up a portion, spread it on the focaccia bread, eat it.

Nizzarda SaladA mix of mesclun, green beans, cherry tomatoes, cumcumbers, anchovies and quail eggs. Freshly seasoned tuna slices were placed on top and drizzled with sherry dressing. The tuna was indeed fresh, but the highlight would be the quail egg. The quail eggs were done to perfection - well cooked yet having that eggy yolk (the eggs were wiped out within the minute).

Cioppino Soup This is basically a seafood stew. Walter shares that back in south Italy, families would head home after a long day out a work/sea to have this warm tasty dish. The mussels and squids are freshly flown over from Italy. No wonder the group loved the stew alot. The tomatoish broth coupled with that fresh seafood taste; i will crave for this during rainy days here.

Carpaccio Di Polpo Freshly cut octopus with lemon and fennel dressing. Thinly sliced orange for that fruity flavour. The combination of the flavours were good but the octopus was somewhat alittle too chewy.

Risotto Ai Frutti di Mare The first of our main course - Seafood Risotto. It is rare to find good tasting risottos around in Singapore. I was initally skeptical if the dish would turn out well, but it did. The arborio rice was cooked perfectly - flavours of the seafood soaked within the grain of rice, where the grains can be pluck out individually. Possibly the best dish of the evening.

Orecchiette Broccoli Acciughe A simplistic dish - ear shaped pasta, anchovies, broccoli and cheery tomatoes. Tasted kind of average but the broccoli in it was cooked jut right - ain't overcooked nor undercooked. A bite of the broccoli brings out that veggie flavour, yet you don't taste the rawness of broccoli.

Grilled Seabass Probably the most non Italian looking dish of the evening. The seabass was tasty. That drizzle of the sauce gave the seabass a tint of flavour. Accompanied with baby potatoes and spinach, this southern Italian dish is worth a try.

Pollo Alla MilaneseAka breaded chicken, I personally felt that the meat and the crumbs tasted very separate. The seasonings did not blend and mix well with the chicken breast. At $22, it would probably not be a justifiable order. Nonetheless, the dish can be credited to be not oily at all. The crumbs were well seasoned and crisp.

Porcini E Scamorza Pizza I always say that pizzas are always best left to the italians. Am told that Porcini e Scamorza Pizza is one of those unpretentious italian food. Slices of Porcini mushrooms and cow cheese, baked in the oven over that bready tasting pizza crust.

Al Tartufo Pizza Black Truffles, Quail Eggs, Mushrooms. Three key ingredients to a pizza and what came out from the oven is a dish that serves to delight our taste buds. I dare say that it was one of the best dishes of the evening. Need i say more? Time to head back for a second visit!

Tiramisu A classic tiramisu - served in the bowl just like back in Italy. The use of mascarpone cream, espresso and a bottom layer of lady finger. Good but have certainly tasted better.

Nutella Sweet Pizza Rejoice nutella fans! HAHA yeah! Thin crusted pizza with a ton of nutella spread and a healthy portion of hazelnut. I felt that the dish would be perfect if there is sauteed bananas together. Sounds good right?

Panna Cotta And for the our last dish of the evening - the Panna Cotta. For the not so sweet dessert lovers, this Panna Cotta was made just right. Look at all the vanilla seeds in it. The taste of vanilla and cream. That seasonal fruit sauce complimented this silky comforting custard really well. Hands up anyone?

overall review:  There is no doubt that Ricciotti has the dishes to attract foodies in Singapore. With a wide range of offering on its menu, there would be that one Italian dish for everyone. I personally prefer their pizzas here - the doughy yet crispy crust when served. The reminiscent of the homemade seafood stew made by belly happy. Ricciotti setting - classy yet ready for a drink any evening by the river. 

Read my full reivew@ http://shauneeie.blogspot.sg/2014/11/ricciotti-pizzapastagrill-riverwalk.html

Yes probably one of the best cafes around the area - Sarnies.


1. The Churros 

So fortunate that we were the first few to taste this dish new on the menu. I guess trying to ride on the hype of item. Served with chocolate sauce (VERY GOOD), the churros are crispy on the outside and more doughy on the inside (like ban jiang kuey). Very different yes, but i liked it because it wasn't oily at all. 1. THE COFFEE 

Yes, the item which constantly draws me back to Sarnies is their mocha. At S6.50, the mocha served here is slightly charred yet having a sweet after taste, the blend of coffee mixing well with the chocolate. I can truly say it is one of the best around the area. 2. Sarnies Chocolate Brownie 

You gotta try it to believe. Rich, super chocolaty and moist. Every bite almost melts in your mouth and is complemented by a vanilla ice cream. It's best to share due to its richness. Nonetheless, the must order if i want a sugar rush3. Risotto 

When the cafe first started with a dinner menu, i was quite hesitant to try. Seldom do cafes serve good dinner items. It took me probably a few weeks later to finally succumb to temptation.

Yep. served only during dinner, this dish was the highlight. Their risotto is amazing. Its tough to even think of places in Singapore selling good risottos, but the chef made it look real easy. Just how it should be done - saucy in texture, flowing almost like a lava when tilted. Grains are soft yet different from hard enough to differentiate one grain from another. A must try!! I dont think its on the menu - mushroom risotto (i cheated and asked for bacons to be added as well).Chicken and homemade pesto with mixed greens 

served during lunch, Sarnies has a variety of salads and sandwiches. It may be alittle pricey, but the portions are large and very healthy. Good for sharing in my opinion.

 

Cajun spiced kampong chicken in a brown bag 

juicy and tender. the spice goes well with the chicken. the only downside - the portion was too small. Belgian mussels in sauvignon blanc the iced chocolate

 

Read my full review @ http://shauneeie.blogspot.sg/2014/08/around-cbd-and-looking-for-place-pass.html