In December 2012, a plane missed it's designated landing strip in Changi Airport Singapore. It was reported the plane that was piloted by Chef E.C. Wong, had managed to land safely in Kampung Glam area and luckily no one was hurt. As the plane was carrying fresh seafood and ingredients from Japan, the pilot has no choice but to open up a sushi bar from that point onwards and continue to serve the freshest ingredients flew in four times a week from Japan. As according to its name, the restaurant is designed based on the 1930s aeroplane stereotype. The kitchen, tables and sushi bar are made of shiny metal that are found in the galley of aeroplane. The restaurant can probably only seat less then 40 person. So to make sure you get a seat, you might want to call to make reservations during the peak period. Airways Garden Salad ($15) which is fresh garden salad with wafu dressing. The salad is light, refreshing, yummyy and delicious. The dressing simply binds the ingredients which include avocado, tamago and tomato. A good way to open up your appetite. For mains, we recommend their Mango Roll ($30) first – avocado, mango and flying fish roe. Each ingredients are generously prepare and served. You will notice the freshness of the mango to balance the slightly fiery fish roe. The sushi rice are mixed with other fresh flavourful vegetables, to create a unique flavour to the mango roll. Uniquely fresh. Sushi airways version of California Roll ($15), is the inside out version, where the rice is on the outer part of the roll and covered generously with flying fish roe. Using just white sushi rice, it simple and nice. The chef just let the ingredients speak for itself. For people who like some fizz in their drink, try their Passion Fruit Soda Smoothies ($6). Not sure where the smoothies come from, it is more like a Passion Fruit Soda Fizz. It is more on the sweet side, I actually have to dilute it further with some ice water. To cleanse your palate after the meal, a complementary beancurd pudding will be served. Nice balance of texture and sweetness. We boarded the plane on one Saturday afternoon, after the lunch crowds and there are only 4 tables occupied. The service is good, but the food took quite a while to come to the table, especially their rolls. As only Chef Wong and his assistant are preparing the food for the whole plane, the captain seek your understanding.

Overall, Sushi Airways food represent a creative, unique and fresh. Each dish prepared individually by Chef Wong and his co pilot, so you can expect the high and consistent standard. The price is reasonable, if you compare the quality of the food that you received. I'm looking forward to my next visit to try out their other fresh air flown ingredients. Bon Voyage!!!

For the full review and photos, check out the link below:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/07/sushi-airways-sushi-plane-has-landed.html

I heard about this place from a friend in F&B business telling us how good was his Omasake dining experience in a Japanese restaurant. When he told us, it was in Jubilee, Ang Mo Kio, it was to my disbelief. So when the opportunity arises, I decided to give this place a try.

Located on the 2nd floor of Jubilee Square, we thought the place will be packed on a Friday night, to our surprise, it was the opposite. It seems the closure of the cinema on the upper floor, depleted the human traffic going to the building except to the Popular book store. We arrived at the restaurant on time for our reservations and was seated immediately. This time around we (group of 4) decided to order from the menu instead of Omasake.

Appetizer of Grilled Stingray Fin ($8.8), Tatami Iwashi (Tatami Style Slices of White Bait) and Ika Mentaiko Ae (Squid with spicy cod roe – $4.80). The squid is fresh and combined nicely with the spicy cod roe. The white bait is crispy and appetizing, can be considered as white bait crackers. While the grill stingray fin has a slightly chewy texture which was nice to bite on but not fishy. Similar taste to dried sotong, but without the fishy smell. It is actually a good dish to have when you are drinking sake or beer.Our sashimi adventure begin with half of Aji (House mackerel), 3 kinds of sashimi (salmon, swordfish and sweet prawns – $15.80), and Sake to Shiromi no Karupatcho (Salmon and white Fish carpaccio – 13.80). This is our first experience with Aji. As it come from a smaller fish, the cuts are smaller and it has a clean, firm and resilient texture. Unlike swordfish, where it is more firm and taste buttery. The salmon sashimi and swordfish cuts are thick and generous. The carpaccio combines the soft texture of the sashimi, with the crispiness of the vegetables and well balance sauce. Yummy.Moving to the maki, we had Sanshoku Dragon Roll (Fried King Prawn Rolled topped with Avocado, Mango and flying fish roe - $12.80) and Soft Shell Crab Roll (fried soft shell crab roll topped with flying fish roe – $7.80). The prawns and soft shell crab are well fried. However it was let down with the sushi rice which was slightly loose, a little under cooked and not well season with the rice vinegar.From the debacle of the maki, we proceed to the perfectly executed tepanyaki dishes. Kinoko Sarada (Assorted Mushroom salad – $5.80), Wakadori Teriyaki (Grilled chicken with teriyaki sauce), Gyu Tataki (Thinly sliced surfaced grilled beef – $12.80), Saba Shio Yaki (Grilled mackerel with salt) and Ebi Mentai Mayo Yaki (Grilled Prawn with cod roe mayonnaise). The mushroom salad are crunchy and refreshing. The chicken teriyaki has a slight crispiness texture on the outside, with well marinated, juicy, tender and succulent.The beef tataki is done medium rare, where you can see the pinkish side of the beef in the centre. Combine well with the tangy dipping sauce. The saba fish has firm but juicy meat on it. While the grilled prawn is immaculate with a well balance cod roe mayonnaise. It was flawless. To end the meal we had zaru soba and su udon (plain udon). The texture of both are al dente.

The service here is very attentive and caring. However, the food come out from the kitchen is in an irregular order. Such as maki – grill – sashimi – appetizer – grill, so it kind of become slightly confusing for the palate. For the décor, it is very Zen like, but more towards modern Japanese restaurant. Can't really comment much on the inside, as we are seated on the facing the escalator and can't see the activity in the sushi counter.

Overall, it is not very common you can find a good quality Japanese food in the heartland other than the bigger Japanese Restaurant operator. The best part of the restaurant is that they have different range of pricing in their menu to accommodate different range of customers. We hope they continue to thrive and we should be back for more. Cheers!!

For the full review and photos, open the link below on your browser:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/07/kinsa-sushi-good-japanese-food-in.html

Cafe Brio's is one of the main restaurants for Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. Located on the first floor of the hotel, it boasted a range of distinctive cuisine with International and Asian flair. This is actually the first visit by The Little Devil and Chubby Botak Koala to Cafe Brio's. Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel actually hold a special meaning to us, because this is the hotel where we had our wedding reception. Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming activities, alcohol during the reception and entertaining the guests, we did not manage to spend any valuable time here 8 years ago. (Darn, have we been married for so long???)

So enough of my rumblings and fumblings, let's get to the food. The first thing that you notice when you enter into Cafe Brio's is actually the spread of the desserts (international and local), followed by fresh shellfish, then sushi and sashimi. The shellfish here consist of oyster, prawns and mussels. The size of the shellfish are quite big and fresh. Next come to the sashimi section, with selection of salmon, tuna, yellow tail and cuttlefish. The sashimi are as fresh as they get, with a good portions of the cuts. The minus side are the selections are quite limited. During the night, the roast station churn out roast beef. It is tender and roasted to medium, where you can still see the pink meat in the centre. It is tender however the gravy is lack of flavour. The Indian food section is something that you can't miss, especially the briyani and beef rendang. The basmanti rice is full of flavour and the rendang is succulent to the point of melting in your mouth. To complete our selections of main dishes, we have finished it with their famous crayfish laksa. We personally find the laksa quite average. The gravy lack of presence and not as robust as it suppose to be. There is nothing pretty special about it, except it is serve with half potion of a crayfish. So finally come to the desserts, where the selection from hot to cold desserts are so extensive, they can actually just do a buffet for their desserts. I like their Pineapple upside down cake, where it is moist and light; Manggo Pudding, Rose Syrup Aloe Vera, Apple Jelly Panna Cotta shots are light and refreshing. For chocolate lovers like me, the Chocolate Pudding with custard sauce or ice cream is just heavenly if you like something heavy, while chocolate fondue with fruits is the alternative for something light. There are also some Peranakan desserts if it is to your liking.Service here is actually good. The service staff clean the plate regularly and top up your drinks. We actually went using the Deal.com promotion, so it is actually value for money for us. However, if you are paying a full price, it will be slightly overpriced.

Overall, Cafe Brio's presents an quality spread of buffet to the patrons. The food quality are of high standard, we do hope they can expand the buffet spread, especially on their sashimi and shellfish to the extend of their desserts range. Cheers!!!

For the complete review and photos, copy and paste the following link to your browser.
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/07/cafe-brios-buffet-at-waterfront.html

Nolboo Hangari Galbi is a brand part of Nolboo Co Ltd, a Korean Franchise Restaurant with more than 520 branches and 8 brands in Korea. The group of restaurants are popular because they manage to develop various dishes to suits the taste of modern Korean Society and delivery unchangeable taste throughout its franchises.

The Little Devil is actually is a fan of this Nolboo in Singapore because they always deliver consistency in their food. Although it is nice to grill our own food, we don't mind them doing the grilling for us on another table. At least we won't be walking out smelling like our food. So what's good here. Wine Sam-gyeop-sal (Pork Belly Marinated in Red Wine) – $25.90 (250g). The pork belly has a right thickness, tender, full of flavour and nicely grilled. They normally serve it with grilled mushroom and grilled onion. If you like your beef, try Kot-deung-sim (Fresh Beef Sirloin) – $42.90 (160g) and Premium Beef – $49.90. The service staff will show you the cut of the beef first before they grill it. If you check out the marble on the beef, you will be drooling now. Both beef are tender and almost melts in the mouth. I have to say, the Korean really know their beef. As I do not eat spicy soup, Little Devil help me order the Han-bang Gal-bi Tang (Beef Short Ribs Stew with Ginseng) – $19.90. Not sure what happen with the beef stock, the first bowl they served is very salty until I can feel my last few hairs falling off. We decided to ask the waiter to check with the chef, it this is the right taste. As we have good view of the kitchen, the chef actually cook a fresh batch. It was better but the soup still salty. The beef is tender and fall off the bone. The good thing is that they have some rice cake inside soup to helps with the saltiness. There is quite a number varieties of 'banchan' – Korean side dishes, one of LD's favorite is their summer kimchi (or water kimchi) is very light and refreshing. For the kimchi, it is always a personal preference, the kimchi served in Nolboo is not really LD's likings. They are very generous with their side dishes and raw vegetables that goes with the grilled dishes.Service is good as they deliver a consistent quality of the grill meat. The pricing is a little on the high side, however the price has a direct correlation with quality of the food. Overall, as promised by Nolboo, they deliver consistently good food in their franchises. Cheers!

For the full review and photos, please visit
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/07/nolboo-hangari-galbi-authentic-korean.html

[MEDIA INVITE] For the complete review, click / copy the link below to your browser:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2017/08/provisions-asia.html
Drawing inspirations from the founders' childhood, Singapore's first skewers & claypot rice cocktail bar called itself Provisions. Executive Chef / Co-Owner Justin Foo is in charge of the cuisine which revolves around the comfort food that he enjoyed; while Head Bartender / Co-Owner KC Rahmat curated the bespoke cocktails and mocktails.

Provisions is set in a charming industrial-chic space of metal and wooden fixtures that brought back the nostalgic feel of the yesteryears. The experience is enhanced further with the availability of the old school snacks and toys for the patrons to enjoy while waiting for the food to come.

It is best to describe the food here as small bites/tapas. While you can definitely savour it individually, it just seems to taste better when you share it with someone else.
Pig Ear Fritters ($12). Deep fried sliced pig ears marinated with five spice, chilli and pepper. Can easily be mistaken for fried calamari, but the difference will be obvious when you bite into it. It has a crispy exterior followed with crunchy and gelatinous texture internally. The flavouring almost similar to the Taiwan jumbo fried chicken and it is a good nibble to go with any drinks.
KFC ($10), Korean Fried Cauliflower. Something for the herbivore. The deep fried Cauliflower almost like the stack of Korean Fried Chicken. It is then tossed with sweet sauce together with dried chilli and spring onion. A pleasant combination of sweet and spice in this dish.
The skewers are the Provisions version of Yakitori. They offer good selections between sweet and savoury. The beef sirloin ($10) is one of the closest flavour to yakitori. The meaty and succulent sirloin cubes are glazed with kecap manis, while the flavours of oolong and burnt leek intensify the smoky aroma of it. Served with fried shallots and spring onions, it is just YUM!!
Pork Liver ($5). I am a big fan of pork liver, and personally think that this ingredient is a test of the chef's skill. The result is crisp external liver and juicy internally. Don't expect those bloody version like in your Bak Chor Mee or Bak Kut Teh as it is grilled on charcoal. The glaze of ginger, scallion and hua tiao wine helps to remove any gaminess in the liver.

Chicken Heart ($4). One of those chicken parts that I like. Springy, crunchy and addictive. The simple seasoning of chilli, cumin and garlic, reminiscence the flavour of BBQ cumin lamb in China.
From the charcoal to the deep fryer. Sotong ($8). Deep fried calamari, topped with salted egg, five spice and chilli. Crispy with a bit of heat plus a jolt of familiar salty and creamy taste from the salted egg.
While the small bites are good, I will also prefer something fulfilling. In Provisions, it comes in Claypot Rice. I sample the Mixed Pork Rice ($15) and Oyster Omelette Rice ($18). Sticking to the traditional claypot rice recipe, the rice is cooked from the grain form. The rice is slightly crisp, with a good smokey aroma and some nice crust on the below.
For the mixed pork rice, the pork is tender and well seasoned and the intestines are springy. The liver is juicy, cooked just right. The fried garlic, fried shallots and cucumber added more sweet and aromatic flavour to this dish. Do not expect a burnt rice crust like the traditional claypot rice, instead expect a more refined version of it.
The oyster omelette claypot rice is a combination between claypot rice and Or Luah (Oyster Omelette). The rice taste is the same as the pork version, while the Or Luah feels distant in this dish. More like eating claypot rice with Or Luah as a side dish.
I always find that combination of hot and cold elements in a dessert is winning formula. Milo Pisang Dinosaur ($7) is Provision's fusion between Pisang Goreng (Banana Fritter) with Milo Dinosaur named. It has banana fritter, vanilla ice cream plus the toppings of solid dose of milo powder, crush peanuts and chocolate syrup. Who can say no to this.
For my drink, I give KC a taste profile similar to Lemon Lime and Bitters, but not too sweet and non-alcoholic. He curated a mocktail with blueberry and vanilla. It was light, fruity and refreshing. Two thumbs up for the effort!
Overall, it was definitely an exciting experience. I like the concept of skewers and claypot rice cocktail bar. It has all the ingredients for a place that you want to hang out and enjoy food and drinks. So if you are looking for a place to chill or looking for a good grub in Dempsey area, check out Provisions. Cheers!!

Thank you very much to Womcomm and Provisions team for the tasting invitation.