La Ventana by Chef Charles Gaig, is the first expansion to Asia by Michelin Star Chef Charles Gaig. Open in June 2015, La Ventana ('LV') set to resurrect traditional Catalan recipes, bringing a taste of home to Catalans overseas and also introducing to the multicultural population in Singapore an authentic and long standing taste of Catalan. LV Singapore concept will be tapas-centric restaurant featuring his famous take on classic Catalan market fare. The duo entrusted to maintain the stringent standard required by Chef Gaig are Chef Gaig's daughter Miss Nuria Gibert who is the LV's restaurant manager and Chef Eduard Castellarnau who has worked for Chef Gaig for more than 10 years at Restaurant Gaig in Barcelona. Set in the beautiful and lush greenery of Dempsey Hill, LV has indoor and outdoor seating arrangement. Up to 40 pax indoor, 60 pax outdoor and 10 pax at the bar. There is also an private section at the back where you can cater for small function.Our tasting menu is a combination of “GRAN ÀPAT” tasting menu with the signature dishes recommended by our host for the night. While waiting for the kitchen to prepare the meal, we nibble on baguette with olive oil. Oyster “Escabeche” (mild pickled Gillardeau oysters with baby vegetables and herbs) and Jamón Ibérico “de Bellota” (100% acorn fed Ibérico ham on Catalan crystal bread with tomato). The oyster is fresh, juicy and mild. The baby vegetables provided the contrasting texture to the dish, and a good teaser to for the next to come. Jamón Ibérico is one of my perennial favourite ham. The reddish colour of the ham was so inviting. Although it was cured for more than 36 months, the texture of the ham is still succulent and melts in your mouth. It has the right saltiness and nicely complemented with tomato and crispy chewy Catalan crystal bread. Lobster “Coca” (fresh lobster meat on fine puff pastry with eggplant purée and roasted capsicums). A nice presentation especially alternating between eggplant and sliced roasted capsicums. Unfortunately the taste of the lobster is cover by the accentuated roasted capsicums flavour. Roasted Octopus (slow roasted octopus with infused potatoes and Spanish smoked paprika). The octopus was slow-cooked and served in square form like Chinese version of pig jelly. The octopus is tender and succulent, however there is a subtle hint of fishiness in the octopus. “Canelón” since 1869 (traditional cannelloni stuffed with foie gras, beef, pork and truffle cream. This is a traditional dish that enjoyed during Christmas by family in Catalan region. The cannelloni stuffed with foie gras, pork and beef. It is smooth, creamy and the truffle cream is just superb in binding all the ingredients together. Following its name, this dish was perfected in Chef Gaig family since 1869, and for four generation they have been doing in the same way. Yum Yum!! Black Cod & “Samfaina” (slow cooked black cod with Catalan style vegetable ragout). The buttery black cod texture just melts in your mouth. The vegetables ragout provided the acidity to fattiness in the cod fish. Pigeon “Paella” (carnaroli rice with porcini mushroom and pigeon). Yes, Pigeon. You see it correctly. Combining the Pigeon from France with traditional Catalan dish. The rice with mushroom are boiled using pigeon broth. It is robust and smoky at the same time. Meanwhile, the delicate pigeon are cooked separately. The pinkish breast meat tasted like medium rare wagyu fillet mignon. Definitely a must try dish. This dish is part of ala-carte menu instead of tasting menu. Crispy Suckling Pig (boneless suckling pig with strawberry salad). A melts in your mouth pork, with crispy paper thin skin is simply delicious. Porkgasm!! I was hoping for a bigger serving,but to no avail. The balsamic coated strawberry provided a good palate cleanser for me. Available in Tapas tasting menu but not in Gran Àpat. However you can order this in ala-carte. The finale is Catalan “Crème Brûlée” (espuma, ice cream toffee). This dessert is just light and melts in your mouth. It has sweet, tangy and a nice toffee flavour. Like digging into whipped cream hunting for the custard below. Due to the shape of the glass, it will be better if they give a sundae spoon instead of dessert spoon. To accompany your dinner here, don't forget to try their Sangria or Catalan Wine. Overall, I truly enjoy the Catalan cuisine served in La Ventana. You can see the efforts and execution that the chefs put in each dishes using the best and freshest ingredients available. My picks for the meal is the Jamón Ibérico “de Bellota”, Crispy Suckling Pig and Pigeon “Paella”. What will be your pick? Aclamacions!! Cheers!! Thank you very much for La Ventana Team and H3 Cube Team for the tasting invitation.

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http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2015/07/bottura-eat-drink-italiano.htmlWalking past the newly opened Bottura on second floor of Suntec City Mall, you will probably think, “Wow! What a huge Gelato desserts bar!” Well, you are not wrong. Bottura is a full fledge modern Italian Restaurant hailed from Bologna, Italy. Overseeing the first overseas expansion for Bottura is Luca Bottura, fifth generation of restaurateur who was a banker before his passion of food come calling. Unlike other authentic Italian restaurant in Singapore, Bottura aims to be your affordable day to day restaurant.Gone are those candles, dim lights, table clothes and padded chairs. Instead, in Bottura you will find modern and simplicity with a touch of industrial theme of the restaurant. There are even a high bench tables with tall stools and low lighting that nicknamed “Instagramer Tables”. While the outlook are modern, Bottura's dishes which includes pastas, mains, antipasti and desserts came directly from Bottura's family cookbook. All ingredients and equipments where possible are imported from Italy, mainly from Bologna. These include the wines, coffee bean, truffle oil and other products as well. Some of the products are available for sale as well. We started the tasting with Tagliere di affettati e formaggi misti con tigelle e marmellate ($22). The cold cuts platter, cheese and marmalade. The size is good for 2 to 3 person, as it consist Prosciutto de Parma, cooked ham and mortadella ham, with Pecorino, aged Pecorino and parmesan cheese. Each of the ham has different characteristic, while the Prosciutto de Parma remain my favourite. For cheese, aged Pecorino has the strongest aroma, so only those with the acquired taste should try it. Tigelle bread, rocket leaf, orange marmalade and olive oil complete the platter. Tigelle bread has similar texture as baguette, however it is more dense and crispy compare to baguette. What a good way to start. Please note that from the beginning we were informed, in Bottura, they only use Olive Oil. No Butter!!!

Piadina (flat bread) with Prosciutto di Parma, stracchino, rucola ($12) is next. The house-made stracchino cheese is a must try here. It is soft, almost cream like texture but with a hint of subtle buffalo mozzarella taste is just an absolute delight. Combine with my favourite ingredient Parma ham and rocket, I can have this everyday. I must confess that I had more than one slices. Yum Yum. Arancini al ragù ($8) Arancini with ragù and tomato sauce. Italian version of rice ball. This tasty risotto ball are packs of flavour. While it is mould in round ball shape each grain of rice retain its shape and not mushy and filled with ragù. The acidity in the tomato sauce provide a good balance to the robust Arancini. For those who like their risotto on the softer side of al-dente, you might need to get used to the harder texture of the rice here. Moving on the main staple of Italian cuisine, Pasta. Gnocchi di patate ai 4 formaggi e rucola ($14) Four cheese gnocchi with rocket pesto. A pasta dish created for the cheese lover. You can smell the aroma and taste the different type of cheese. Pungent or Fragrant, depends on your preference. The gnocci is soft, springy and absorbs the cheese sauce nicely. Foglie di polenta con ragù e besciamella ($18) Polenta lasagne with traditional ragù and béchamel sauce. My first experience with polenta was not a memorable one. Although it has mash potatoes texture, I find the grit was just to much for me. However this dish truly change my opinion on polenta. Cooked, chilled and cut in lasagne shape, each polenta layer absorbs the ragù nicely. Almost like eating mash potatoes with ragù. Ravioli panna prosciutto e funghi ($14) Ravioli with cream, ham and mushrooms. Creamy, cheesy and with a nice burst of flavour when you bit into the ravioli. Meanwhile Tagliolini zebrati con Gamberetti e zucchini ($16) are delightful to see. Two type of tagliolini, egg and squid ink each brings different texture and flavour to the dish. It looks contrasting, however the taste complement each other. I personally like the tomato base sauce. Spaghetti alla carbonara ($12). One of the best known spaghetti and the perennial favourite. Luca said this is the best selling pasta here. I just let the photo speak for itself. Once the pasta is cooked, the chef just slide the egg on top of the pasta. The egg got heated up slightly and resulting in this fine dining esque presentation. Smooth, creamy with al-dente spaghetti with a touch of salt from the bacon. What else can you ask for? From pasta we move on to Bottura 12” signature pizza. Melone, prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella ($24). This is Luca's interpretation of favourite combination of parma ham with rock melon. Instead of making it as an appetizer, he did it in pizza form. Combining the sweet, salty and mozzarella is just fantastico. Did I mention the crust of the pizza is light and crispy as well. Meanwhile Arrabbiata (spicy sauce): pomodoro, capperi , aglio, peperoncino, mozzarella fior di latte, rucola ($18) is definitely for those who like their pizza spicy. Forget about Tabasco sauce, just go for this pizza. It has Tomato, capers, garlic, chilli, mozzarella and rocket. Although the texture is good, it was just too spicy for me. The chilli was like a landmine for me. Well, we finally reach the desserts. If you want to impress somebody during dinner, order this “SPAGHETTI” GELATO ($7). The vanilla gelato went through the presser resulting in spaghetti shaped like desserts. However, you better eat this fast, as the gelato slowly melts, the form turns into a big lump of ice cream again. Bottura also created its own version of Tiramisu ($8). Round in shape, light and fluffy in texture. It has a well balance taste of coffee, chocolate and cream. Unlike the traditional version where it can get to mushy due to prolong soaking by coffee. For something lighter to go with your coffee, I will recommend Pasticceria mignon fresca ($2.5 each) Fresh mignon pastries with Marsala zabaglione. In simple summary, Italian version of profiteroles. The filling is just light and smooth. Overall, Bottura is on the right track to achieve its objective to incorporate modern setting with traditional recipes. You can feel the food are made from the heart and is pocket friendly as well. So if you are near Suntec City Mall, give Bottura a try. Saluti! Cheers!Thank you very much to Bottura team and Pronounce team for the tasting invitation.

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http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2015/07/soi-60.htmlSoi 60 represent a fresh approach to traditional Thai Cuisine. Established by The Red Door Group, the same group behind Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse (See Bistecca review here), Soi 60 is a new destination for diners who search for something more hip compare to traditional and street food Thai cuisine. Helmed by Chef Nam Pongpanich, she combines her mastery in French Cuisine with Traditional Thai Recipe. Located in Robertson Quay, the set up of Soi 60 is modern and trendy. The music was lively creating a good vibe to dine and to chill out. The first thing I observe, this place has a strong Aussie customer base. Once seated, I feel like I was back in Melbourne where the table next to me talking about last week footy results.I started the dinner with dishes from the Small Plates section. Crab Betel Leaves (picked crab, coconut milk, peanuts) and Northern Thai Sausage (Sai Oua) in Rice roll. The crab betel leaf provide a refreshing start using the natural sweetness of crab meat. Meanwhile the dense and well spiced Northern Thai sausage in rice roll provide a bolder flavour of Thai. A good wake up call for the palate. Salmon Tartare, mini salmon cubes tossed with lime, herbs, chilli, not a traditional thai dish, however Chef Nam infused the Thai influence here. The salmon is fresh, while the lime, herbs and chilli provide the tangy Thai twist to the dish. Eat it with the prawn crackers to add crispy texture to the dish. Crispy Duck Pancake, looks like a jumbo version of spring roll. Although it took me a while before I bit into it, the skin is still crispy. The shredded duck meat fillings are generous, combines well with the sweetness of the lychee, freshness of thai herbs and tanginess of black vinegar reduction. What an explosion of flavours in your mouth! For Salads, I sampled Coconut Chicken Salad and Papaya Salad. The chicken salad combines refreshing vegetables such as pea sprouts and sliced cucumber with crispy texture of sunflower seeds and pomegranate. However, I personally don't like the coconut dressing. Although it is not spicy, I find the taste of coconut dressing is just too rich for the salad. Tasted like a non-spicy green curry salad. The same can be said about the papaya salad. Although this is the first time I ate non spicy papaya salad, I just can't get used to the taste. It feels a bit mushy which lack of the crunchiness, in need of something spicy to bind all the ingredients. Stir Fried Mixed Seafood Glass Noodle. A combination of scallops, prawns, squid with chilli and lime leaf with a dash of fish sauce. The seafood tasted fresh, while the glass noodle is just springy and soaks up the seafood juice. Can be a bit too generous with the fish sauce, but I think it will goes well with some white rice. Beef Panaeng Curry is the signature curry dish here. The beef has been cooked over long period. The texture is so tender that melts in your mouth. The curry is thick, rich, filled with spices and creamy while the curry packs a subtle heat. As the cut of the beef is quite thick, I find the curry did not absorbs into the middle part of the meat. My suggestion is when this curry arrived on your table, cut the beef and let it soak in the curry for a few more minutes before you dig in. I am certain the taste will then be amazing. From the big plates, I sample Iberico Pork. This is the spiciest dish in Soi 60. The slow cooked Iberico pork are covered with Thai spiced crust. Although the meat is tender, I can't really tasted the pork as the pepper and spices are just to over powering. Unless, you like chilli, you might want to give this dish a miss. For the sweet ending, I have combination of three desserts, Black sticky rice with mango, Ginger Creme Brulee and Passion Fruit cream. Unlike the normal sticky rice that we find in Bangkok, black sticky rice with mango has a tougher grain. Soi 60 made this dessert taste like pulau hitam with mango. Ginger Creme Brulee is nicely executed. Thin sugar crust on top, with a smooth ginger infused crème in it. Once you swallow the crème, you can feel the subtle warmth in your throat. The Passion Fruit Creme is smooth and tangy. A delish way to end the meal. If you can only pick one dessert, I absolutely recommend the Ginger Creme Brulee. As I still can't consume alcohol, I tried their mocktail of Homemade Raspberry Ginger Beer. It is fruity with refreshing feel and packs lots of punch from the homemade ginger beer. Overall, I really enjoy my meal or should I say degustation menu. While there are some dishes that I can't get used to, most of the dishes here are nicely executed. As the dishes here is slightly different than the traditional Thai dishes, do come with an open mind when you dine here. Enjoy the food and enjoy the environment. Cheers!!
Thank you very much for the Soi 60 team for the tasting invitation. 

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http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2015/06/pastilla-cafe-moroccan-cuisine.htmlPastilla Café is an unique establishment that served traditional Moroccan cuisine and Mediterranean Cuisine as well. Owned by Chef Said Ibrahimi, a born Moroccan which previous stint includes Pasha at Sultan Hotel, thus there is no one else better to introduce Moroccan cuisine to us than him. As I never had Moroccan dishes before, this is going to be a unique experience. We started the dinner with Merguez ($9.50). Grilled homemade lamb sausage, which was tender but dense. The lamb sausage seasoning of paprika, cumin and coriander are pretty strong so it cover any gamy flavour from the lamb. Served with flat bread, we roll the flat bread with the sausage making it a sausage roll. The bell pepper sauce for dipping similar to our sambal. The bell pepper had went through the process of grilling, thus it tasted tangy with a smoky flavour but it is not spicy. It suited to my taste. Chicken Tajine ($14.90) are next. 1/2 small size chicken cooked in tajine with seasonal vegetables, olives and preserved lemons. Tajine is unique Morocco cookware made from clay which allow the dishes to be steam and simmer slowly. Resulting in tender and succulent chicken with unique lemon tangy flavour almost like in Greek cuisine. Served with a loaf of bread that have bigger pores, it become a sponge to absorb the delicious gravy from the dish. From two legged protein, we moved to the four legged lamb. Lamb Mechoul ($16.90). Moroccan style slow roast lamb shank, with lamb gravy. The meat on the lamb shank basically fall of the bone and melts in your mouth. One of the tastiest lamb dish I ever tried. The gravy was robust with a hint of paprika, it goes well with the basmati saffron rice and grilled vegetables. Yum Yum, two thumbs up!! Eggplant lovers will like this dish. Baked Classic Moussaka ($16.90). Layered eggplant, tomato, onion, potato and lamb topped with bechamel sauce and melted cheese. Both LD and I are not the eggplant people, however we did give this dish a try. Tasted like eggplant lasagna, with a beautiful lamb sauce.We rounded up our savoury dish with Seafood Paella Rice ($16.90). Baked saffron rice with sliced fish, mussels, prawns chicken and herbs. This is Chef Said version of Paella. Packs of seasoning, heat from dried chilli and pepper with beautiful seafood flavour. The rice is just so tasty, we finished up the whole plate. While we were almost filled to the brim, Chef Said served the desserts. Oum Ali ($6.50), Konafa ($6.50) with Pot of Moroccan Special House Blend Tea ($7.80). According to Chef Said, Oum Ali originated from Egypt, as Moroccan recognised desserts are biscuits to go with the tea. It has a texture of sticky date pudding, when served warm it just creamy and melts with your mouth. The sweetness level was just right for us. Two thumbs up for this dessert! Konafa (or Kunafa) originated from Turkey. Known as Middle Eastern version of cheese danish. A cheesy pastry with fragrant smell from orange blossom water rose water. It is slightly too sweet and cheesy for our liking. To accompany the desserts was Pot of Moroccan Special House Blend Tea. It was thick, fragrant but as per normal Middle Eastern tea, sugar was added. Maybe I would ask them not to add sugar next time. For other unique drink, you can try their Homemade Moroccan Lemonade ($4.50). For extra twang of freshness, mint leaf was added. Pastilla Café has a homely set-up and fully decorated with Moroccan / Middle Eastern style. There is Moroccan music to serenade you while you are having your meal here. Located in 334 Changi Road, it is directly opposite SPC, before Telok Kurau Road. There is no parking outside the shop, however you can park at Lorong Marican, a small road after SPC (Behind Zac Butchery) or the service lane after Telok Kurau road. Overall, we had a memorable dining experience in trying Moroccan cuisine. Not only we discover new flavours, we also discover the uniqueness of Moroccan cuisine. We will definitely return for more in the future. Saha wa'afiab !! Cheers!!

During this Ramadan Period, Pastilla Cafe have Ramadan Special Set Menu for Iftar. Please check their Facebook page for the details. Thank you very much to Chef Said Ibrahimi and Sara for the tasting invitation.

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http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2015/06/tasconis-pizza.htmlTasconi's Pizza ('Tasconi') is a franchised pizzeria originated from Brunei. Yup, your eyes did not deceived you. BRUNEI!!. This Halal certified pizzeria uses digital ovens imported from Italy, and developed its owned tried and tested recipes since 1994. Understanding the different taste in each countries, Tasconi allowed their franchisee to tweak and introduced additional flavours to suit the locals. First branch of Tasconi in Singapore has opened in East Village Simpang Bedok. The décor is simple, like any other takeaway pizza outlets with limited seats for dine in. In conjunction with upcoming Ramadhan period, Tasconi's Pizza Singapore is introducing two additional flavours for the festive season. Gourmet Pizza Satay and Gourmet Pizza Rendang. Tasconi served Pan Style Pizza, with crunchy crust, Tasconi recipe tomato base sauce and topped with generous toppings and well covered with the mozzarella.

When you bite into the Satay Pizza, you will first taste the combination of peanut sauce with melted mozzarella. Following that, the tender beef meat with the usual aromatic seasoning for satay such as turmeric, coriander and lemongrass. The ingredients on the pizza are so well spread so you get the meat in each bite. The Rendang Pizza has came with colourful red and green capsicum to differentiate the dish. The beef chunks are lean and tender, with strong flavours of spice that surrounds your mouth instant. LD & I find that it can be better if it has a bit of rendang gravy. Meanwhile, we also tried the time tested dishes in Tasconi's such as their Mexican Wings ($7.40 for 4 pcs) and Shepherd's Pie ($7.90). Tasconi uses fresh chicken wings instead of frozen resulting in a tender succulent chicken wings. While the skin of the wings are well seasoned, it does not really absorb into the meat. Maybe the seasoning time can be extended to ensure it absorb well into the meat. A combination of mash potatoes with cheese are just comfort food to me. Using beef instead of lamb, created the bolognaise sauce feel. The crispy cheese on top was just a bonus. A good alternative dish other than pizza. If you are dining in Tasconi, don't forget to try their homemade Iced Lemon Blueberry Tea. This refreshing drink are made in house everyday and only available for dine in customers only. The pricing for the pizza dishes are $18.80 for Regular (10”), $23.80 for Large (12”) and $28.80 for X-Large (14”). In summary, the entrance of Tasconi's Pizza to Singapore market provide an alternative option compare to the rest of big player in the market. I certainly enjoy the flavours that they introduce for this Ramadhan period and from what I tasted Tasconi has all the ingredients to be successful in Singapore. Cheers!!

Thank you very much to Tasconi's Pizza team for the food tasting invitation.