For full review - http://midas400.blogspot.sg/2014/08/sumire-yakitori-house-bugis-junction.html

We are back to having impromptu dinners again after a rather long break. The venue of choice, Sumire 笑 Yakitori House at Bugis Junction. This restaurant is the Tokyo brand's first oversea venture outside of its 15 outlets in Japan. Sumire is a casual Japanese style beer house serving grilled skewer items as its main specialty.Upon stepping into the restaurant, you'll be greeted with loud "Irashaimase!" from the entire crew in the restaurant, a usual practice in Japan that is trending in Jap eateries in SG. There is an open concept kitchen where the chefs prepare their customers orders under the scrutiny of the public eye.
We didn't notice this at first but realized later that the kitchen hood that they are using are very good at what it does, the entire restaurant and its patrons didn't reek of BBQ smell at all.The eatery adopts the new iPad ordering system like many modern restaurants in SG. The friendly staffs will explain the ordering process in detail for all new visitors.Once seated, a complimentary bowl of Cabbage Shiodare was served. Fresh raw cabbage leaves drizzled with Japanese salt dressing are a good way to cleanse the palates in between rich tasting dishes, as explained by the staffs. The salt dressing was really delish.Placing orders was a breeze after we got the hang of how the menu lists works. We ended up ordering 17 dishes in total...kinda ambitious for 4pax!
Yuzu Salmon & Avocado salad $3.90++, fresh salmon and avocado cubes served with yuzu ponzu dressing. Nice and refreshing.Choco Balls $2.90++, braised quail eggs in Jap soy sauce. The tiny eggs were nicely cooked with soft creamy center, but we all find the soy sauce a tad too salty for our liking.Sashimi Santen Mori $17.90++, 3 kinds of fresh seafood served with a slice of lemon. Its extremely fresh and juicy, we liked.Tsukune (chicken meatballs) for Ladies $4.90++ per stick, served with Teriyaki-Mayo sauce and Melted Cheese. The Ladies version are made up of 3 bite-sized morsels for easier consumption, whereas Man's version has got two larger balls (sotong ball sized) which have a more satisfying bite for the guys.The chicken meatball itself tastes pretty much like those sold at takeaway kiosk like ToriQ, quite ordinary but the generous topping of teriyaki sauce and creamy mayo makes up for the lack in taste, overall quite ok.
Grilled Tori Kawa (chicken skin) $2.20++, one of my fave chicken parts, a rare find in SG. This was very well executed, the slightly charred edges was crispy and non charred part was tender and springy, coupled with the savory teriyaki sauce...perfection!

 

Daikon Tower $7.90++, Sumire's rendition of the popular oden dish is very interesting, with chunky slices of daikon stacked into a tall tower and dashi broth with several slices of chikuwa and some konjac at the base, topped with bonito flakes. The broth was light yet flavorful, and ingredients were yummy too. Definitely recommended.Bakudan Korokke $7.90++, Sumire's signature dish, a huge croquette ball with a whole soft boiled egg wrapped in the center. Once sliced open, the creamy yolk oozes out from within.This dish looks special but taste so so, the potato was quite dry and bland, we were not very impressed. I wouldn't order this again.
Goma Tebaage (sesame chicken wings) $7.90++ and Crispy Gyoza w/ Yuzu dip $5.90++. We liked the chicken wings, very tasty and skin has a slight crisp, pretty addictive to eat. The gyoza on the other hand was forgettable.Yari Ika Teriyaki $8.90++, grilled sotong with teriyaki sauce. For the price tag, we got quite a big serving of grilled squid which was delicious too, great value for money!Ebi Mentai Mayo $4.90++ per piece. Prawns were fresh, not the best ebi mentai I've eaten but pretty darn good for its price tag. I would order this again.Tamago Oroshi Ponzu $6.90++, this dish was perhaps the only dish that we felt is not worth ordering. The egg was overcooked and didn't taste sweet which we feel is not right.We managed to wiped out all the 17 dishes we ordered. Food quality was mostly hits rather than misses, with pocket friendly prices to boot. For the amount of dishes we had, we each paid only $38 including ++. Service staffs are friendly, helpful and responsive. We love dining at this cozy eatery and will definitely return again for more value for money Japanese fare. Do make reservations in advance cos many people had already found out about this gem, the restaurant was running a roaring business serving a full house crowd even on a weekday evening!

For full review - http://midas400.blogspot.sg/2014/08/late-lunch-at-charly-ts-i12-katong-mall.html

My friend Wendy got invited again to a food tasting session and I got to tag along to try out Charly T's new Weekend Free Flow Sliders & Beer promo at only $38+ (available on Sat/Sun 12-3pm). We will also be sampling Charly T's Original Recipe 'Best Chicken in the City', the well known signature dish served here.We arrived at around 1pm on a Saturday afternoon, and was quickly seated and placed order for their featured dishes. The modern bistro-style restaurant has an open concept kitchen showcasing chefs hard at work churning out western and asian fusion dishes for the diners.The family friendly restaurant also has a kids corner to keep them entertained while the adults dine.We both ordered fruit juices from their CT's Odyssey juices selection. I had the Green Flash $7+, a concoction of green apple, orange and pineapple juices, delightfully refreshing.My friend ordered the Red Tang $7+, this red color juice contains strawberry, cranberry and lychee, a sweet and charming drink.The food arrived pretty quickly, and the first dish served at our table was their signature 'Best Chicken in the City', a roasted chicken (half) served with two choices of sides (German Potato Salad, Macaroni & Cheese, Butter Garlic Rice and Steamed Fresh Vegetables). The 3 options available for this dish are:
- Quarter chicken with 2 sides at $14.50+
- Half chicken with 2 sides at $24.00+
- Whole chicken with 4 sides at $44.00+
Charly T’s Original Recipe, free-range chickens are marinated for over 13hrs before being slow-cooked rotisserie style to achieve its tender and juicy texture.We were very impressed with the roast chicken, the meat was succulent and really tender, even the breast meat was moist and not dry and tough like regular roast chicken sold elsewhere. The sauces served with the chicken were pretty yummy too. Definitely recommended!
The half chicken was served with two sides, German Potato Salad and Macaroni & Cheese. The potato was well cooked till soft and topped with smokey bacon bits, making the otherwise bland tasting dish very enjoyable, I liked.The Mac & Cheese on the other hand was not cheesy enough for us. While we understand that this dish uses a special recipe from the award-winning Chef Rozanne Gold, which is supposed to contain less cheese and includes fresh cauliflower as a healthier alternative, but the cauliflower taste was very faint and the dish tasted quite bland overall. This dish may appeal to those who are health conscious and appreciates lighter tasting wholesome food.We were served one round of beer and mini burger sliders next. For the new promotion at Charly T's, diners are able to order unlimited bottled Budweiser beer and Mini Beef and Chicken Burgers served with fries ($38+ per pax).We sampled one set of Beef & Chicken mini burgers first. The beef patty was well executed, juicy and tender and well marinated.
The chicken burger was more interesting, it contains 3 small slices of thin crispy Schnitzel-style Chicken. Schnitzel is German for a boneless meat, first thinned with a meat tenderizer, and then coated with flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs, and finally deep-fried till crispy. It is a popular dish served at many German restaurants. The 3 pieces of schnitzel chicken stacked together created a thick yet crisply layered mouthfeel for the burger, we liked it very much and ordered a second serving of chicken burger sliders.We were starting to feel quite full and decided to move on to desserts. After checking out the dessert menu, we picked out 3 desserts and requested the waiter to serve them in tasting portion (if possible) as we're not able to finish all 3 in full portion.
Molten Cake $10+, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cake is made of good quality dark chocolate which was very dense and flavorful and not too sweet, nice! Although the molten center wasn't very lava like, it still taste delicious with the creamy ice cream. I don't mind having this again.Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich $8+, vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between two giant cookies. The giant cookie was quite hard initially but soften a little after soaking in the melting ice cream and turned out to be quite yummy to eat, not bad.Kaiserchmarrn $16+, a traditional German dessert which is a light, caramelized pancake made from a sweet batter using flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and milk, and baked in butter. Raisins are traditionally added in the pancake mixture, and the dish is usually served hot, sprinkled with powdered sugar, together with apple or plum sauce or various fruit compotes. At Charly T's, this was served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.We were rather unsure when the waitress first recommended this dessert to us, but we're sold once we took our first bite. It was very tasty, the pancake was light and fluffy and not overly sweet but very filling. Luckily, they served us a reduced portion for this dish.
Out of the 3 desserts, only the Kaiserschmarrn pancakes are served in a smaller portion, we were filled to the brim at the end of the meal!
We had a very pleasant dining experience at Charly T's, both food and services exceeds our expectations. I would come back regularly if I stayed in the east. But for now, I highly recommend the easterners to go check it out!
Thank you Charly T's and FoodNews for the food tasting invite!

For full review - http://midas400.blogspot.sg/2014/08/dinner-at-poulet-bedok-mall.html

I've heard about Poulét's famous french roast chicken for a while now. I'm not the sort that likes to queue very long for good food, so I waited till there's an opportunity to eat at one of its outlets without queuing for a table. At about 6.15pm on a regular Friday evening, I decided to have my dinner at Poulét, Bedok Mall. No queue.The open concept eatery has an Eiffel tower theme decor like all other outlets. They have a couple of new dishes in their menu now. They also serve fish and pork dishes on top of chicken dishes. No main courses are priced above 31 bucks, pretty affordable.Since I'm here to try the french roast chicken, I picked the Poulét Roti half chicken with their newly introduced cranberry sauce. And added one side dish and a drink to complete my meal.
Poulét de Cranberry (half) $17.90++, served with tangy cranberry sauce and double Pommery & Dijon mustard. True to its reputation, the roasted spring chicken is uber tender and juicy...I love it! The cranberry sauce was nicely done which gave the chicken a refreshingly sweet and sour taste. The mustard is quite sour and I'm not a fan of wasabi so I don't know how to appreciate it, luckily there's only a small amount on the plate.Sauteed Wild Mushroom $7.90++, assorted wild mushrooms served with an expertly executed poached egg. Check out that runny golden yolk...another great dish that I liked very much.My drink Raspberry Lemonade $4.90++, it was a lemon soda with raspberry flavored syrup. It tasted quite nice too, no complains.Poulét gave me an amazing first impression, serving delicious and good quality french food at pocket friendly prices. Waiting staffs are warm and smiley and are quick to clear away empty dishes. I'm already thinking about what to eat on my next visit!

For full review - http://midas400.blogspot.sg/2014/07/espuma-lab-pomo-media-invite.html

My friend Wendy was invited by Mileage Comms for a Food tasting event at E'spuma Lab located at POMO (7-8mins walk from Dhoby Ghuat MRT). She brought along Pauline and myself for the tasting event.E'spuma Lab is located at the ground floor and is pretty near to the main entrance. The tiny store spots a clean and chic look with striking yellow color furnishing. Tiny but hard to miss.E'spuma Lab serves up affordable western fusion set meals cooked with either espuma or sous vide technique, usually found only at fine dining establishments.
Espuma is Spanish for foam or froth, is a culinary technique in which an espuma siphon is used to infuse air into food, extruding through a N2O canister. The introduction of air in food gives it a lighter and smoother texture without changing the physical composition or taste of a dish.
Sous vide is a method of cooking food sealed in airtight plastic bags in a water bath or in a temperature-controlled steam environment for longer than normal cooking times at an accurately regulated temperature much lower than normally used for cooking, typically around 55 °C (131 °F) to 60 °C (140 °F) for meats and higher for vegetables. The intention is to cook the food evenly, ensuring that the inside is properly cooked without overcooking the outside, and sealing in the moisture.
After a quick registration at the store entrance, we were given some reading materials describing the culinary concept of E'spuma Lab, and the current menu and price points for the dishes served here.The food tasting session kick started with a formal introduction to the team behind E'spuma Lab. Mr Andrew Koh, the Marketing & Communications Director at E'spuma Lab, gave us a low down on their unique culinary concept, followed by a short culinary demonstration from Chef Teo Yeow Siang showcasing the espuma cooking technique.The Chef also explained how the sous vide machine works, and the technology behind creating evenly cooked dishes. We also saw more siphons and used canisters on display at the shop front.We were then treated to a delicious meal comprising of several signature dishes from E'spuma Lab. First up, Sous Vide Eggs w/ Smoked Norwegian Salmon $3.80, served with crispy salmon skin and ginger soyu. This is a tasting portion, the normal serving has got two eggs and more toppings.E'spuma surprises us with a perfectly executed and evenly cooked poached egg that is smooth and creamy from inside out. The ginger soyu sauce and the salmon toppings were a flawless union with the egg. Thumbs up!
Curry Chicken w/ E'spuma Potato Foam $6.80, served with mini french baguettes. We were not given baguettes as we will be having more dishes later.The savory curry chicken cubes blends really well with the potato foam which was velvety, light and creamy, like a cream soup version of the mashed potato. Very yummy indeed.
Sauteed Mushrooms w/ E'spuma Potato Foam $6.80, a vegetarian version of the curry chicken dish. Mushroom was plump and juicy, and the tasty truffle crumbles topping added a nice bite to the dish.Our main courses, Fragrant Rice w/ Cajun Chicken Leg & E'spuma Curry Sauce, Fragrant Rice w/ Pan Seared Sous Vide Chicken Breast & E'spuma Pesto Sauce and Spaghetti w/ Swedish Meatballs & E'spuma Caramelized Onion Sauce, all priced at $6.80 each.Fragrant Rice w/ Cajun Chicken Leg & E'spuma Curry Sauce, comes with a whole chicken drumstick with thigh that is steam baked till crispy on the outside but retaining its tenderness inside. Best eaten with the lightly textured curry foam sauce. The fragrant rice looks like nasi biryani but tastes like chicken rice with sweet raisins, which is quite nice actually.Spaghetti w/ Swedish Meatballs & E'spuma Caramelized Onion Sauce, comes with crispy beef meatballs and aglio olio spaghetti, served with sweet onion foam sauce. The pasta is bland on its own but taste pretty good with the onion sauce. The meatballs were also kinda ordinary until eaten with the sauce. The portion featured here is a tasting portion size.Fragrant Rice w/ Pan Seared Sous Vide Chicken Breast & E'spuma Pesto Sauce, comes with a chunky sous vide chicken beast that is lightly pan seared to achieve a slightly crispy exterior, served with pesto foam sauce. The chicken breast was evenly cooked throughout and remains moist and tender inside.Lastly, we had a small serving of dessert/snack each. There is a choice of Spiced Calamari w/ Fries $5.80 or E'spuma Batter D24 Durian Fritters $3.80, in tasting portion.I had the Durian fritters, which has a light as air crispy coating with warm and creamy durian puree inside. Its a tad sweet for my liking though but a steal at $3.80 for 5pcs. Great for those who has a sweet tooth.My drink Ice Blended Mango Blaster $2.80, a nice cooling drink to wash down the yummy meal.We had a wonderful time learning new culinary jargon and tasting uniquely prepared food that is very kind to the wallets. Thank you E'spuma Lab and Mileage Comms for arranging this tasting session. Here are some official menu photos from E'spuma Lab to pique your interest.

For full review - http://midas400.blogspot.sg/2014/07/weekend-brunch-at-symmetry-cafe.html

This is my 3rd visit to the Symmetry cafe, I've eaten lunch and dinner here during weekdays and we're back here again to try their hugely popular weekend brunch.Their brunch menu consists of quite a number of hearty breakfast dishes that has eggs and toast as the staple ingredients. We each ordered a main course, and shared a side and a dessert.
My Ham Hock & Pancetta Steak $23++, comes with smoked Italian bacon steak, shredded pork knuckle, scramble eggs, hash brown, crispy toast and some greens. The roast pork knuckle was very well marinated and cooked till extremely soft, I love eating this with the eggs on the toast. The savory pancetta steak was tender and juicy which was delish, and the crispy hash brown was yummy as well.The BIG Breakfast $24++, has 2 eggs of choice (scrambled, poached & sunny side up), maple glazed bacon, smoked salmon, chicken cheese sausage, sauteed mushrooms, hash brown, crispy toast and greens. My friend had her eggs poached, and they were served covered with melted cheese, she loved it! The giant cheesy sausage and the other ingredients makes up a really huge and filling dish, my friend had trouble finishing all of them.Steak & Eggs $29++, comes with grilled steak, sunny side ups, chunky bratwurst sausage, toast and greens, served with honey mustard & caramelized onion sauce. My friend was happy with her steak which was well done but still tender, the juicy German pork sausage and eggs were nicely executed too.For sides, we ordered the ever so addictive Prawn Popcorn w/ Wasabi Remoulade $17++. Still bouncy and succulent as expected...yums.The breakfast dishes were huge portioned so we're left with only small space to share one dessert dish. Our order was none other than the Waffles $16++! The crisp and fluffy waffles were served with berries compote, peanut butter, nutella, maple syrup, honeycomb ice cream and chantilly cream. One of the best waffles we've eaten...thumbs up!Our beverages, Grapefruit Citron $13++, Berries Smoothie $10++ and my Chocolate Crunch Milkshake $10++. My milkshake was uber thick and chocolaty...its almost as good as the one I had at Prive Cafe, almost.Another enjoyable meal session at Symmetry cafe. Their Brunch menu is the most value for money option, serving superb quality food at pocket friendly prices. We foresee many more visits in the future! Do remember to make advance reservations to avoid disappointment.