Shirokiya is basically an Izakaya style Japanese restaurant hailing from Japan, but the unique twist is that they focus on healthy dining. Japanese food is already comparatively healthier to begin with, but here the definition of healthy dining here extends to wellness too – they have dishes incorporating collagen, hyaluronic acid, capsaicin and lycopene powder for example, which will promote cellular renewal, increase metabolism, support cardiac health and neutralize free radicals in the body.
The other “healthy” aspect they add to their dishes is the the seasoning used – their special Shiokoji, which made from rice koji (rice malt), salt and water. This ingredient is said to be more than just a seasoning. It can make meat tender and draw out the natural sweetness found in raw ingredients. The rice malt is said to contain enzymes and vitamins which are beneficial for the body.
Hearing all these gets me really excited. But first, I got to make sure the food tastes good. It is easy to make healthy food which tastes like crap. What about healthy food that tastes good?Cold Tofu Sprinkled in Salted Rice Malt (Shiokoji) Dressing – $8.80++
Over the years I’ve acquired the taste for tofu (used to dislike it) and this one was simple but adequate as an appetizer. Avocado and Seafood Salad with Hyaluronic Acid Jelly – $20.80++
This has to be my favourite item for today. I love sashimi salad and this one was better with hyaluronic acid jelly. I believe in beauty supplements and I take it everyday to keep my skin hydrated. I like how there’s a variety of sashimi here, including ikura (salmon roe) and there’s avocado, for even more omega 3. The dressing provided wasn’t too heavy too and complemented well.Bonito Fish Cooked in Hay Straw Marinated with Ponzu Sauce – $14.00++
The katsuo here wasn’t too fishy and I’m not sure whether the credit goes to the cooking method with hay (like real hay from the farm), but whatever it is, I enjoyed this one. The fish is smoked so technically it isn’t raw. The ponzu sauce was on the saltier side, so you may like to go easy on it.Ultimate Fried Chicken Wings with Sweet Sauce – $18.80++
This sort of reminds me of Korean fried chicken because the skin was the crackling sort and there was sweet sauce coated. It was not bad in my opinion and I really wouldn’t mind having it again! The “secret ingredient” here is white pepper which they imported from Japan, and it is said to be different from regular white pepper. Well I am normally not a fan of pepper but it wasn’t overpowering at all, so still good for me.Kurobuta Shabu-Shabu Served in Collagen Soup – $38.80++ (for 2-3pax)
I was excited to know that there’s going to be collagen for this. I believe in collagen.The collagen will go into the chicken soup first, and then the leek. The kurobuta pork slices are to be cook laid flat, and flipped over for even cooking. It isn’t meant to be like the usual steamboat style were you dip it into the soup. The marbling of the pork was good because it’s kurobuta (black pig). The pork was very tender due to good meat quality and because of how thinly it was sliced. It paired well with the leek. It was towards the bland side because the soup was very light to begin with. If you are expecting a thick collagen broth then you may be disappointed. This one is more like normal broth with collagen supplement.Broiled Pressed Mackerel - $15.80++
This looks like Osaka style hako-zushi (box sushi) to me. The rice is not just plain rice, but seasoned with ginger inside. The fish was cooked somewhat like aburi style. Nothing went wrong with this one.

 

Warabi-Mochi / Bracken-starched Dumpling with Brown Sugar Syrup - $7.80++
For dessert it was mochi coated with kinako (soy bean power). The kinako is supplied by Mr Bean, which in Singapore is known for quality soy milk.Brown sugar syrup is used to sweeten the mochi and of course you adjust the sweetness to your level. The mochi was very chewy and I liked it.
My overall impression of this place is good so far. The prices are affordable for a restaurant in CHIJMES, which is known for more premium food. The food standard was overall not bad, better than benchmark Japanese cuisine in Singapore but the major attraction to me is the added health factor in the dishes. I would not say no to trying this restaurant again.

Red my detailed review on: http://hungrybird.sg/2016/01/07/fu-lin-men-dou-lao-invited-tasting/ 

The "Dou Lao" steamboat concept comes from Macau and is different from the usual Sichuan steamboat we know of due to
1. Emphasis on fresh seafood, and soup base being light, so as not to steal flavours from the seafood
2. Individual pots

This has much to do with the fact that Macau is near the coastal areas and seafood is abudant there (whereas for Sichuan it is landlocked, hence spicy soups are used to complement meat).

This is good news for seafood steamboat lovers.

The restaurant interior is designed to look like what you'll get in Macau/ China.They have 4 different soup bases to choose from. I selected the tofu soup which was very light.Premium ingredients such as these mushrooms amongst others was available should you want better ingredients.They also have some cooked dishes. The head chef was brought over from China and he created this dish with abalone. It was very flavourful.Beef marinated in beer. The beef itself was of very good quality but I prefer it without the beer.As the soup I chose was very light, I had heavy sauces to flavour my meat. Unlimited sauces and condiments comes at $2/pax.The prawns were really fresh.My favourite item was the assorted balls for sure. It's better than most other restaurant's. However, the squid with chocolate filling didn't quite work for me. The chocolate could have been of better quality.

When I received the invitation to try out Do.Main at Tanjong Katong I was keen to try because it’s in my area and the concept is something fresh in Singapore! This place is basically a French bakery. A standalone one, not one from a big chain (eg. Paul or Delifrance).
This is the French chef Frederic Deshayes’ first shop but he has been in Singapore for 9 years. I do not eat bread on a daily basis but I love French bread based on my experience in Paris and in French restaurants. Freshly made artisanal bread is always special. It’s good to know that they used specially imported ingredients from France such as their flour to keep the quality as close as you get in France itself.

Other than French bread, they also make French pastries in house. The Apple Tart is something which holds special memories for the chef, but everything else is equally good according to him. I do not doubt this because taking a look at the variety, they are all French creations like choux pastry, Paris-Brest, éclairs, chouquettes etc and who can make them better than a real French man? Authentic French pastries are not easy to find in Singapore. They also sell whole cakes for those who want some quality French style cakes.
For this tasting meal, we were served some savoury food which is available all day. These items are a partnership with chefs from other renowned French restaurants like Baroque Grill (Amara Hotel) and they supply the savoury items. Even though it was brought over from somewhere else, at least it isn’t from a random source but was actually specially put together by another French chef. Hearing this alone makes me confident of the food I was going to try.Four Seasons Salad - $18.00
Featuring ingredients representative of 4 different seasons.

My experience in France is that they do a lot of cold dishes so a salad like this is not a surprising offering. The ingredients were fresh and it was appetizing and is good to share. You can have it with bread too since the bread here is fantastic.Charcuterie Platter with Sourdough bread - $20.00
duck and pistachio pate, pork rillette and kurobuta ham

3 items will always be included but it will change from time to time (perhaps rabbit or duck rillettes instead of pork etc). I particularly liked this one. It would be perfect with wine and a platter of (good) French cheeses!
I’m happy to know that this place offers this cold platter nonetheless. Months ago I was having dinner at Eng’s just across the street of Tanjong Katong Road and couldn’t find a place to chill out after dinner without shifting location. This place gives the option of having wine with rillettes to chill out instead of the typical ice cream (you know sometimes I just don’t want to have dessert..). It would be perfect if they serve cheese too! Like this shop I went to in Paris, Le Baron Rouge.

To Do.Main: PLEASE SERVE CHEESE!! 

 

Broken Eggs - $12.00 - $15.00
This dish comes in 3 flavours - sour cream and ham, tomato confit and plain.It’s a traditional French dish and to eat you need to mix it up using the mouillettes! The bread itself was so crispy I couldn’t stop eating. The eggs were the perfect runny texture.I would suggest getting the flavoured ones instead of plain because plain is well, just eggs. Above is the sour cream and ham version.The tomato confit version was my favourite.Tartiflette “Reblochon” with bacon and potato - $16.00

This is essentially baked cheese with bacon and potato below. The cheese taste is strong so do not order if you are not a cheese person. Otherwise, it’s a dish that many would love.Cassolette oven baked escargots with homemade garlic herb butter - $16.00
Everyone loves escargot. Of the 3 warm dishes I think this would be my favourite. The sauce goes perfect with the bread!

I really like how all these food options are really French styled (I do not like places which compromise and tweak their cuisine losing the identity) and most of these items goes well with bread I realise! If you would like to try their breads but can’t simply just eat bread alone, it may be a good option to order some of these savoury foods to go along.
There are also other savoury options like quiches and sandwiches.

Now on to the sweet stuff…Lemon Tart, Paris- Brest & Royal Chocolate Tart - $5.00 each
These are just a few of the pastries they offer.My favourite was the Paris-Brest. I knew it would be the moment I saw it on the cake display. I’ve been missing Paris-Brest since I came back from France last year having tried a version which people claim is the best in Paris. I didn’t expect to see this in Singapore and was so happy that this version was actually not bad! Of course it can’t rival the one I had in Paris but I’m satisfied. And I’m not exaggerating about this rave. Everyone else said they liked it best too! They made it into this oblong shape instead of the traditional wheel shape because it’s easier to eat like this. Otherwise it’s pretty authentic.

The Royal Chocolate Tart was my second favourite. In the first place I love chocolate so this is easy for me to like, what makes it different is that it’s gluten free using buckwheat flour. While I don’t suppose I have gluten intolerance, I’ve long read about the negative impact from gluten and I tend to eliminate it with my Paleo diet (which I try to keep when I’m not dining out). The ingredients used here are high quality like Valrhona Manjari in the chocolate mousse.Dark Plum Tart - $5.00/ big slice
I’m not a fan of such fruit tarts but it’s go
od to know this is dairy free – no custard here. It’s made with fresh fruit and semolina.Towards the end of the session we were given some Chouquettes to take home. These are addictive and so much better than other versions I’ve tried in Singapore!

Overall I really like this place because the food is authentically French and the quality is good. I will definitely choose to buy my bread here if the occasional calls for needing bread. While the savoury food option may not be best for a filling dinner, this place definitely makes a good after dinner hang out with the cold platter and wine for those who like a savoury after meal option or the pastries with tea or even beer for those who want something sweet. It’s great that they have both choices (done properly too) so it can cater to everyone.

My full review is here: https://hungryinsingapore.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/do-main-bakery-dinner-tasting/