Jam at Siri House @ Dempsey Hill - Transports One To A Luxurious Home Dining Experience

A new kid on the block at Dempsey Hill is Jam at Siri House. The new restaurant is a partnership with luxury property developer, Sansiri. The space houses a Sales Gallery, Art Space, Retail as well as the restaurant Jam at Siri House which elevates home dining and drinking experience with exquisite food to share and cocktails to match.

Belinjo Crackers Crab Fat Crema 3/5

Before starting the lunch proper, we started with some bar bites. One of the specials for the week was the Belinjo Crackers Crab Fat Crema ($13). I thought it was quite a bold decision to use belinjo cracker as not many people like the bitter aftertaste. I have to say the kitchen smartly balanced it with the crab fat crema, giving it a touch of acidity. On a culinary angle, I applaud the team for turning simple ingredients and elevating them into a delicious dish. As a consumer, I may think twice about the price as I can buy a packet of belinjo crackers and enjoy them in the comfort of my sofa.

Chicken in a Biscuit 3.5/5

A fun dish to be eaten by hand is the Chicken in a Biscuit ($12). This is inspired by the popular children's snack, Chicken in a Biskit but given face lift using the chicken fat to make the cookies. Even the chicken skin is turned into golden crispy crumbs and placed on top the cream cheese for that extra texture crunch.

Beef Fat Popcorn 4.2/5

A very dangerous snack on the menu is the Beef Fat Popcorn. Coated and perfumed by the layer of beef fat, this is addictive dangerous. I could not stop going back for more.

Scallop 4.5/5

The Scallop ($30) which has been dressed with yuzu, extra virgin olive oil and black truffle is sweet, savoury and briny in taste. Something unique from similar scallop dishes is the addition of flash fried crispy kombu that gives it an enjoyable contrast in texture.

Spicy Potatoes 4.8/5

A must order at restaurant Jam is the Spicy Potatoes ($16). I have never know potato can taste so good until now. The Hasselback potatoes is baked and fried to a fluffy interior and crispy exterior. It is paired with mala mayonnaise that simply transformed it into a delicacy. Not only that, it is further fueled by the crispy beef lardons and parmesan with a drizzle of mala oil.

Broccolini 4/5

A simple and clean vegetable dish is the Broccolini ($25) that is adorned with fresh burrata, sumac and pickled onions. I enjoyed how the char gives the broccolini a layer of smokiness with a slight crisp exterior.

Cod 4.2/5

The Cod ($38) is beautiful cooked to a nice crisp on the skin while the flesh is firm and moist. It is paired with mushroom dashi and asari clams that have been smoked in the restaurant's charcoal oven. Lastly the cod is topped with ginger and coriander that have been fried in hot oil till golden and fragrant before pouring on top of it. Just like how the Chinese cooked their fish.

Pappardelle 4.5/5

Featuring homemade fresh egg pasta is the Pappardelle ($33) that has been tossed in a rich and concentrated bisque like sauce, extracted from the prawn and lobster heads that has been roasted with butter and cooked down with cream and mirepoix. It is accompanied with mussels smoked in the charcoal oven and pan roasted tiger prawns.

Apple and Ice Cream 4.2/5

The Apple and Ice Cream ($17) is the pastry chef's take of the apple crumble. Infused in rosemary caramel, the apples are browned in butter deglazed with calvados and the same caramel sauce they have been infusing in. They are then laid on a bed of crumb made from brown sugar, oats, butter and flour, paired with cinnamon and clove ice cream, and garnished with apple chips. What I also like about this dessert, is that it is not overly sweet.

S'mores 4/5

S'mores ($18) usually are very sweet so I was glad that the rendition here is not so. Sandwiched in between the graham cinnamon biscuits is raspberry ganache and marshmallow, sprinkled with sea salt. Pick it up with your hand and bite into the rich and intense filling with a hint of sourish from the raspberry to cut that sweetness.

Overall I like and enjoyed the food at restaurant Jam, there is a lot of thoughts in elevating simple ingredients into a beautiful dish with plays of flavours and textures. However it may also be an issue as diners may feel overpaying for a dish, which can be a reality especially when the portion is rather small too.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Jam at Siri House
Dempsey Hill
8D Dempsey Road
#01-02
Singapore 249672
Tel: +65 96670533
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Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Holland Village (CC Line), Farrer Road (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop along Orchard Boulevard (Stop ID 09022). Take bus number 7, 77, 106, 123 or 174. Alight 7 stops later. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Journey time 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Block 12 (Stop ID 11401). Take bus 106. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to Dempsey Road. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Journey time 20 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Farrer Road MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Farrer Road MRT station (Stop ID 11119). Take bus number 174 or 564. Alight 5 stops later. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Walk to destination. Journey time 20 minutes. [Map]

Hello Kitty Orchid Garden @ Changi Airport Terminal 3 - World's First 24 Hour Hello Kitty Themed Cafe

The world's first 24 hour Hello Kitty themed cafe has opened at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3. Hello Kitty Orchid Garden is designed to emulate the country's garden city vibe. Around the cafe, Singapore's national flower, the orchid is incorporated into the interior design with a kawaii flair of the beloved character.

Coffee lovers will enjoy the the selection of hot and iced brews made from the specially sourced gourmet Ethiopan grade 1 beans. I had the Latte which comes with a cute hello kitty latte art. It also comes with cute shaped hello kitty biscuit.

Hola Nachos 3.5/5

A good starter for sharing is the Hola Nachos ($15.90). The fried tortilla chips is topped with parmasan, jalapenos, olives, onions and cherry tomato salsa. It comes with luscious cheddar cheese sauce that is the star that jazzed up the whole enjoyment.

Over the Rainbow Salad 3.5/5

I do wonder why the salad dish is called Over the Rainbow Salad ($15.90). I was expecting something more colourful or at least the components on the plate resembles the colours of a rainbow. Anyway the dish comes wth mesclun salad, portobello mushrooms, pineapple, jackfruit, feta cheese, pine nuts and dressed in a laksa mustard vinaigrette. I like the idea of using the jackfruit, giving the salad a fruity and refreshing finishing. The laksa mustard vinaigrette was rather light, giving it a slight lift in flavour.

Enchanted Forest 3/5

The Enchanted Forest ($17.90) is quesadillas sandwiched with prawn, avocado, caramelised onions, cheddar and wasabi sesame mayonnaise. The toasted tortilla shell together with the choice of ingredietns is a delectable combination.

Cowabunga Wagyu 3/5

Finally something really kitty on the plate with the Hello Kitty shaped rice. The Cowabunga Wagyu ($24) is one of the few Asian influenced dishes on the menu. The dish comes with Japanese rice, wagyu beef rendang, onions and pineapple. The beef can be more tender and I would prefer the spices mix to be more spicy. This is also the most expensive item on the menu.

Big Breakfast Surprise 3.8/5

Probably my favourite of all is the Big Breakfast Surprise ($18.50). The Hello Kitty waffles comes with cheddar cheese, scrambled eggs, shiitake mushrooms, smoked duck and honey lime maple syrup. I like how the subtle zest on top of the maple syrup sweetness enriched the whole experience.

Hide and Seek 3.5/5

Moving on to the dessert, we started with the Hide and Seek ($16.90) which comes with wobbly pandan panna cotta paired with vanilla gelato, gula melaka, passionfruit and strawberry marshmallow sauce. The other Asian influenced dish that the local palate will be familiar with.

The Cat in Paradise 3.5/5

The Cat in Paradise ($18.50) is another dessert we tried. The mango mousse cake comes with candied orange, hazelnut gelato, green apple and strawberry marshmallow sauce. The smooth and light mousse cake will be appropriate for those that does not like their dessert to be too sweet.

Pistachio Gelato 4/5

At any one time Hello Kitty Orchard Garden will have 8 different gelato flavours to choose from. I decided to have a scoop of the Pistachio Gelato, which is pretty good with the nutty flavour and creamy texture.

Camping Under the Stars 4/5

The Camping Under the Stars ($19.50) is probably the cutest and most photogenic dish in the whole menu. It comes with a scoop of chocolate gelato and hazelnut gelato. Graham crackers is stacked onto the gelato to make it looks like a hut. The green tea powder and toasted muesli is designed to look like the camp fire.

While the food at Hello Kitty Orchard Garden is quite decent, I felt that it lacked the in the face cutest in the dishes. Unless you are a die hard Hello Kitty fan, I doubt it is worth queuing for hours for the food.


Hello Kitty Orchid Garden
Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3
Arrival Hall Central
#01-22
65 Airport Boulevard
Singapore 819663
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Nearest: Changi Airport (EW Line)

Opening Hours
Daily: 24hr

Direction: 
1) Alight at Changi Airport MRT station. Take Exit B. Go to arrival hall. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant @ Purvis Street

The fame New York's Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant servicing traditional American breakfast and brunch has finally landed on the shore of Singapore with the opening of the flagship store at Purvis Street. Together with Charleen and Kimberley, we made our way down to their soft opening on 19 September 2015. The restaurant was full when we reached about an hour after their soft opening at 0905am. After waiting for around 20 minutes, we were ushered to our table.

Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich 3.5/5

We started with the Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich ($13.50) that comes with scrambled eggs, melted cheddar, house made tomato jam and hash brown. The highlight on the plate has to be the hash brown. The buttermilk biscuit was really good too. I like the tomato jam pairing more then the scrambled egg. The scrambled egg was on the dry side and together with the dry biscuit, the result was not very palatable.

Banana Walnut Pancakes 4.2/5

Next is the pancakes with warm maple butter that made Clint Street a household name in American. The pancakes come with three choices - blueberries, banana walnut or chocolate chunk. As Kimberley does not like berries and since Charleen has it in New York before, we decided to go for the Banana Walnut Pancakes ($18). The pancakes were fluffy and moist, what I enjoyed even more is the layers of banana in between, allowing the enjoyment to be consistently through. Drizzled the warm maple butter for a elevated appreciation of the traditional American taste.

Chicken & Waffles 4/5

Only available for lunch after 1130am is the Chicken & Waffles ($21).  The chicken comes with a honey-Tabasca sauce on top of  a crispy Belgian vanilla buttermilk waffle, served with the signature warm maple butter on the side. We can tell that there was some thought behind the crisp and doughy waffle, which is more incline to the savory side to complement the chicken. If the chicken could be more tender and juicier, it would be perfect.

Sugar Cured Bacon 4.2/5

Thanks to Charleen for recommending us to get the Sugar Cured Bacon ($7) for the side. I would high recommend it after trying it. It tasted some what similar to Bak Kwa but thinner and crispier. I personally enjoyed pairing it with the chicken and waffles, giving an additional dimension to the dish.

Not everyone has the luxury of flying all the way to New York to try the Clinton Street Baking Company's food. Servicing the same menu as New York, I am glad that Clinton Street has opened in Singapore, offering us the traditional American breakfast and brunch. Consider I visited the restaurant on its first day and leaving with a satisfied tummy, I am sure new heights can be achieved if it continues to strive in quality and consistency.


Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant
31 Purvis Street
Singapore 188608
Tel: +65 66844845
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours
Daily: 8am - 6pm

Direction: 
Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to North Bridge Road. Continue on North Bridge Road towards National Library. At the traffic junction of North Bridge Road and Middle Road, cross the road and continue on North Bridge Road. Turn left onto Purvis Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Biscuit King @ Casuarina Road

Stepping into Biscuit King is like walking back into history with a display of traditional biscuit tins on one side of the wall. On the other side is more modern packaging in plastic tubs. The shop itself is like a little museum where you can find a lot of traditional biscuits as well as childhood toys and candies.

There are almost a hundred types of biscuit varieties available at Biscuit Kings. I can't resist buying some of the childhood treats after browsing through all the different biscuits available at Biscuit King. I bought Chocolate Wafer, Ais Gem and Sesame Biscuit.

Chocolate Wafer

 

Ais Gem

Sesame Biscuit

Worry not if you don't have time to drop by the shop. You can go to Biscuit King website at http://www.biscuitking.com.sg to order online. You can also mix and match up to four flavours in one tin with no additional costs.


Biscuit King
130 Casuarina Road
Singapore 579518
Website: http://www.biscuitking.com.sg
Nearest MRT: Ang Mo Kio (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 11am - 12 Midnight
Sun: 12pm - 12 Midnight
(Closed on first Mon of the month)

Direction:
1) Alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT station. Walk to Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange. Take bus no. 169. Alight 8 bus stops later. Journey time about 10mins.