SHAO Tapas (烧) @ Holland Village - A New Modern Teochew Tapas-style Restaurant By SHAO (烧)

SHAO Restaurant, renowned for its Teochew cuisine at Frankel Avenue, has expanded with SHAO Tapas (烧), a new Teochew tapas-style restaurant located in the bustling district of Holland Village. The atmosphere at SHAO Tapas exudes contemporary style and vibrancy, offering diners a modern setting to savour bold and flavorful Teochew dishes. To elevate the dining experience, they also feature a well-crafted bar menu, serving creative cocktails that perfectly complement the diverse flavours of their cuisine.

Pan Seared Black Ink Cuttlefish Sausage 4.5/5

Pan Seared Black Ink Cuttlefish Sausage ($18) kicks off the meal, presenting an unusual but delicious creation. The use of squid ink elevates its savoury profile, while the texture is slightly crunchier than a typical sausage. The pan-searing process enhances the aroma, making this cuttlefish sausage highly addictive.

Raw Roe Crab Marinated with Shao Xsing Wine in Teochew Style (500g) 4.2/5

Raw Roe Crab Marinated with Shao Xsing Wine in Teochew Style ($78) is a must-try for those with adventurous palates. Unlike typical raw crab dishes, it's surprisingly devoid of any fishy taste. This dish is a palate-pleasing blend of aromatics that complements the crab's natural sweetness.

Baby Pomfret 3/5

Previously savoured at the Frankel outlet, the Baby Pomfret ($9 for 5pc, $16 for 10pc) is a cute dish deep-fried to a satisfying crispiness, allowing diners to enjoy the entire fish. However, the appreciation of this dish largely depends on personal preferences, as there is little beyond its crispy texture to make it a standout fish dish. So, diners should consider their expectations and preferences when ordering this dish.

Braised Combination Platter 4/5

An essential element of Teochew cuisine lies in its mastery of braised dishes. We opted for the Braised Combination Platter ($28), which included Pork Belly, Pig's Skin, Pig's Intestine, and Tofu. To enhance the dining experience, it was accompanied by a traditional Teochew white vinegar dip, which perfectly complemented the braised items. The only drawback is that the pork belly was excessively fatty for my taste. It might reflect a shift towards healthier eating choices as we age.

Grilled Pork Jowl 4/5

Although not a traditional Teochew dish, the Grilled Pork Jowl ($18) is well-executed, with a tender texture and a delightful sweet sauce.

Poached Crispy Rice in Seafood Stocks 4.8/5

The Poached Crispy Rice in Seafood Stocks ($34) was undoubtedly one of our favourite dishes, providing a hearty and comforting experience. This dish featured a rich seafood broth accompanied by grouper fillets, scallops, and prawns. What set it apart was the rice, which retained its grainy texture, offering that distinct Teochew preference for a delightful bite.

Yam Paste 4.2/5

To end on a sweet note, the Yam Paste ($10) includes a surprise addition of osmanthus to the creamy yam paste, enhancing its fragrance and sweetness.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


SHAO Tapas (烧)
Holland Village
44 Lorong Mambong
Singapore 277697
Tel: +65 6993 9333
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Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 430pm - 1130pm
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 1130pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk to Lorong Liput. Turn right onto Lorong Liput. Walk down Lorong Liput and turn right onto Lorong Mambong. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.[Map]

Gary’s Restaurant @ Rochester Park - Contemporary Italian Restaurant Set In A Heritage Bungalow

Gary's Restaurant, helmed by Taiwan-born Singaporean Chef Gary Wu, is located in a heritage bungalow surrounded by greenery. It's tucked in the quaint Rochester Park and offers both indoor and alfresco dining, as well as private dining spaces that are fit for various occasions.

Homemade Focaccia with Kombu Butter

We were served complimentary Homemade Focaccia with Kombu Butter before the start of the meal. I would highly recommend enjoying them immediately upon serving while they are still warm. The focaccia slices were lightly toasty yet fluffy, pairing perfectly with the homemade kombu butter.

Red Prawn Tartare 4.5/5

Appetiser was a flavourful start with the Red Prawn Tartare ($26), made with a combination of Botan Ebi and Gambero Rossi prawns. The drizzle of citrusy dressing and crunchy watercress bits complemented the intense sweetness and freshness of the prawn base, elevated with caviar and creamy uni.

Iconic Gary’s Garden Salad 4/5

The Iconic Gary's Garden Salad ($26) is a creation inspired by one of Singapore's iconic city skylines - Marina Bay Sands. It is assembled with mashed potato, charcoal powder and breadcrumbs as the 'soil' base, alongside seasonal greens such as heirloom carrots, US asparagus, mushrooms and more. It's then topped with truffle snow, pops of olive oil caviar and seasonal truffle shavings. It is a lighter starter than the Red Prawn Tartare, focusing on the freshness of the seasonal vegetables.

Signature Seafood Pasta 4.2/5

The Signature Seafood Pasta ($28) features homemade tagliolini in a seafood-rich stock made from slow-cooked lobsters and prawns. All the seafood in this pasta - clams, mussels, lobster and baby cuttlefish, were flambéed with brandy to bring out their flavours further. I appreciated how there wasn't too much of other additional seasoning added in, which allowed emphasis on the natural seafood sweetness.

Scottish Bamboo Clam 4.5/5

The dish that won unanimous praise from our table is the Scottish Bamboo Clam ($36). It is flambéed in white wine, and the crunchy slices of clams are then dressed in a light lemon dressing to pair with Italian squid-ink pasta in a garlicky base. The addition of bottarga powder elevated the overall seafood flavour with its light fishy notes.

Iberico Pork Jowl 3.5/5

The Iberico Pork Jowl ($38) features pork marinated with a blend of herbs and spices for 24 hours, accompanied by carrot purée and crushed pistachio. While the flavour was decent, it was a pity that the pork slices were too chewy for our liking.

Grass-fed Tenderloin

My dining companions enjoyed the Grass-fed Tenderloin ($42). The 150-day grass-fed Australian tenderloin is chargrilled and served with sides of potato cake, endives, roasted mushrooms, Dijon mustard and veal juice reduced with red wine.

Dessert Platter

If you're here for a celebration, the Dessert Platter is something you can look out for. End your meal with a fun sparkler candle that comes with a minimum order of 2 desserts. We got to try a trio for our platter here.

Gary’s Chocolate Lava Cake 3.5/5

Though the exterior of Gary’s Chocolate Lava Cake ($16) leaned more eggy tasting, it had an oozy dark chocolate centre which we enjoyed. We had ours with a scoop of nutty and sweet pistachio ice cream.

Gary’s Apple Tart 3/5

I prefer apple tarts with more tartness, while Gary's Apple Tart ($16) leans more bitter-sweet with the caramel sauce. Unfortunately, we found this a little too dry as a whole.

Tiramisu 3.8/5

Last but not least, the Tiramisu ($16). The highlight was its smooth and light mascarpone pairing with Kahlua coffee liqueur.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Gary's Restaurant
41 Rochester Drive
Singapore 138582
Tel: 65 89200200
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Nearest MRT: Buona Vista (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Buona Vista MRT station. Take Exit C. Take the sheltered walkway and walk towards Star Vista. Turn left onto Rochester Drive. Walk down Rochester Drive towards Rochester Mall. Take the staircase at the back of Rochester Mall. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

MOONBOW @ Dempsey Hill - A Dazzling New Addition That Specialises In Modern European Cuisine With An Asian Accent

The ever-changing dining scene at Dempsey Hill sees a dazzling new addition, MOONBOW. Chef Heman Tan and Dylan Soh opened the restaurant, which specialises in modern European cuisine with an Asian influence. The glass wall in the main dining hall separating the kitchen reminds me of Hell Kitchen's scene. Diners have a full view of the adrenaline rush in the kitchen.

Candy Floss 3.5/5

Our dinner begins with the complimentary Candy Floss. It is a playful starter to kick start the dinner.

Moonbow Oyster Bay 4/5

Next up is the Moonbow Oyster Bay ($10++/pc), serves with oyster leaves at the side. The purposes of the oyster leaves are to open up the palate. The briny Fine de Claire oyster is paired with yuzu gel, cucumber pearl and yuzu granita for a flavoured and refreshing finish.

Garden of Escargot 3.5/5

The Escargot ($23++) is plated like a garden as if the snails are roaming among the fields of edible flowers, fresh micro cress, truffle gelato, mashed edamame and mushroom soil. There are even lychee pearls representing raindrops.

Jerusalem Artichoke 4/5

The Jerusalem Artichoke ($25++) is a comforting and creamy soup that comes with a 64 °C Sous Vide Egg, Caviar and Sunchoke Chips to balance the earthiness of the artichoke.

Cauliflower Bloom 4/5

The Cauliflower Bloom ($25++) is a multi-textural enjoyment of the various forms of cauliflower. On the plate, you can find warm cauliflower floret, dehydrate cauliflower, cauliflower cous cous, cauliflower puree paired with nuts crumbs, garlic crumbs, cress and hollandaise.

Tomahawk de Swine 4.2/5

Moving to the mains, we tried a couple of items from their menu. First is the gigantic Tomahawk de Swine ($68++). The restaurant uses untrimmed 4 days aged young pork tomahawk chop paired with roasted garlic, caramelized lime and pineapple compote. The pork chop glazed with BBQ marinade is grilled to a beautiful tender with a hint of smokiness and sweetness. My favourite way of appreciating the beautiful pork is to spread the roasted garlic on it.

Black Silkie Poulet 4.2/5

My first thought when I see the Black Silkie Poulet ($38++) is that the restaurant has taken a big risk. It is an ingredient that is usually used in Chinese cuisine but not in European cuisine. The sight of a black chicken may turn some diners off. I love black chicken, so I was worried but internally delight to have the dish on the menu. The black chicken's leg is chargrilled and paired with garlicky crumb, wolfberry mashed, black garlic puree, ugly heirloom tomatoes and chives. I have to call out the accompanying bearnaise sauce that brightens the tender chicken.

Chef Heman’s Black Berry 4 Grain Healthy Rice With Roasted Pork Jowl “Ton Toro” 4/5

One can opt for Chef Heman's Black Berry 4 Grain Healthy Rice With Roasted Pork Jowl "Ton Toro" ($38++) for a healthy eat. I enjoyed the different textures of the rice, and what brightens up the dish is the addition of Chinese lap cheong sausage.

Fermented Red Yeast Wine 4.5/5

Another favourite dish of mine is the Fermented Red Yeast Wine ($38++). I applaud the creativity of incorporating fermented red glutinous rice wine with the barramundi fillet. I am usually sceptical of this type of East meets West creations, but this dish has won me over.

Treasure Drawer 4/5

To wrap up the dinner on a sweet note, you can try the Treasure Drawer ($32++), which comes in two trays of dessert. Diners can enjoy a sweet treat of pistachio chocolate souffle, mango passion mousse, petite apple crumble tartlets, financier raspberry, orange granita, yuzu star anise pate fruit and truffle cheese macaron. It will be a good choice as you can have a bit of everything.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


[CLOSED]
MOONBOW
Block 10 Dempsey Road
#01-21
Singapore 247700
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Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Holland Village (CC Line), Farrer Road (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun: 10am -3pm, 6pm - 1030pm

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]

Yakiniku Like @ Paya Lebar Quarter - Enjoy Top Quality Meats At Unbeatable Prices

Yakiniku Like, a new speciality fast food yakiniku restaurant has opened at Paya Lebar Quarter on 03 February 2020. The brand has 30 branches in Asia, which offers a quick-service concept that serves orders within three minutes. Fast food doesn't mean lousy quality, on the contrary aficionados can savour top-quality meats such as wagyu beef, karubi, harami, prime karubi,, misuji at an unbeatable price.

A yakiniku set at Yakiniku starts from as cheap as $7.80, which includes the choice of meat, rice, soup and a choice of kimchi or salad. There are a total of eight different set menus which feature the different cuts of meat.

Value for Money - Karubi Set: beef short plate ($8.80/100g, $12.80/200g, $16.80/300g)
Singapore Exclusive - Trio Set: beef short plate, pork jowl, chicken thigh ($11.80/150g, $16.80/300g)
AAA Top Quality Choice - Prime Karubi and Misuji Set: boneless short rib, top blade ($15.80/100g, $19.80/200g)
Authentic Japanese Taste - Sukiyaki Karubi Set: sukiyaki beef short plate ($9.80/100g, $13.80/200g)
No. 1 Choice - LIKE Set: beef tongue, skirt steak, beef short plate ($15.80/150g, $19.80/250g)
Best Seller in Japan - Karubi and Harami Set: beef short plate, skirt steak ($12.80/100g, $17.80/200g)
Unbeatable Price - Pork and Chicken Set: pork belly, chicken thigh ($7.80/100g, $11.80/200g)
Ultimate Indulgence - Wagyu Steak Set: premium Australian wagyu beef steak ($19.80/120g, $29.80/200g)

Specially customised for the Singapore outlet is the electric smokeless grill, which sucks the smoke down. Hence diners will not smell of smoke and grease when they leave the restaurant. Yakiniku Like is also the first restaurant in Singapore to offer individual grill for the individual customer. I thought this is a great idea, allowing an individual to enjoy yakiniku while not feeling awkward.

To perk up the enjoyment of the barbecue meats, each table comes with a variety of dipping sauces. My favourite is the Garlic Soy Sauce and Spicy Miso Sauce. There are also Like Original BBQ Sauce and Sea Salt Sauce. On top of that, there are condiments such as the red chilli, garlic chilli sauce, rock salt and black pepper.

For diners that have a bigger appetite and you feel that the set menu is not enough for you, the selection of meats are available for a la carte order too. Hence you can add on more meats if you are feeling hungry.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Yakiniku Like
Paya Lebar Quarter
10 Paya Lebar Road
#B1-28
Singapore 409057
Tel: +65 69707397
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

NOKA by Open Farm Community @ Funan Mall - First Rooftop Urban Farm-To-Table Japanese Restaurant

NOKA, which means farmhouse in Japanese on the rooftop of Funan Mall, is the sister restaurant to Open Farm Community. It is the first of its kind restaurant, offering a farm-to-table concept with its own rooftop urban farm. The farm spans over 5,000 square feet in partnership with Edible Garden City.

Plum Blossom Cocktail 3.5/5

My dinner started with the Plum Blossom Cocktail, which is a very refreshing and appropriate drink for Singapore's humid weather.

Refreshing Tomato Salad 4.5/5

We also have some salads, to begin with. First up is the Refreshing Tomato Salad ($15) which uses ox heart organic tomatoes from Malaysia and garnished with rooftop herbs. The clever use of the yuzu pepper vinaigrette perks up the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Organic Mushroom Salad 4/5

A tribute to the beautiful produces from the rooftop farm is the Organic Mushroom Salad ($18) using golden mushroom and kale from harvested from the farm to table. Holding the plate of salad together is the delicious fresh wasabi dressing.

Kampong Yakitori 4.2/5

We moved on to the snack bite menu, starting with the Kampong Yakitori ($12). The tender charcoal-grilled chicken thigh is so good that I am screaming for a mug of beer to go with it.

Cod Popcorn 4.5/5

You can throw the popcorn chicken aside, the Cod Popcorn ($18) will wow you even more. Soft in the inside and crispy on the outside, it is coated with a layer of sweet chilli sauce. The combination of the textures and sweetness makes it a very addictive snack bite topped with rooftop herbs, spring onion and roasted sesame.

Charcoal Calamari 4.2/5

Next is the black gold which is actually Charcoal Calamari ($15). It is another well-received dish with the dining group. Not forgetting the Japanese garlic aioli dip at the side, which enhances the whole appreciation of the black tempura squid.

Tuna Taku 3.5/5

If you need your carbo intake, there is the sushi bar that offers a variety of sushi. We had the Tuna Taku ($25) which consists of fatty tuna, tuna tartare, takuwan pickle, rooftop herbs, spring onions and rice cracker. It is satisfying but not something that will make you jump from your chair.

Koji Ton-Toro 4.2/5

For the mains, the Koji Ton-Toro ($38) stood out with its lemon garlic pepper sauce that goes really well with the tender pork jowl that has been marinated in rice fermentation culture. It is paired with kale and roasted potato at the side.

Black Cod Saikyo-Yaki 4.2/5

Cod marinated in miso is a classic combination which NOKA executed excellently in their own interpretation. What's unique with the Black Cod Saikyo-Yaki ($38) is the pairing with pulut hitam furikake and sea grape, giving the dish the additional boost in flavours and textures.

Oden 4.5/5

My favourite dish for the night has to be the Oden ($20). It is hearty, comfortable and most importantly, delicious. In the bowl, there is wagyu beef, daikon radish, satsumaage, itokon, tomato and okura. I think I can have this every day. I would recommend adding a bit of the mustard into the soup, lifting the flavour.

Wafu Parfait 3.5/5

Lime in the Coconut 3/5

To end the meal, we tried a couple of desserts. We had the Wafu Parfait ($15), Lime in the Coconut ($15) and Yuzu Cheesecake ($15). The desserts do look very pretty in terms of presentation. However, the flavours to be more vibrant to match up with the presentation.

Yuzu Cheesecake 3/5

As you probably have noticed, NOKA uses traditional Japanese cooking techniques for the farm-to-table concept. Besides the a la carte dishes we tried, NOKA also offers three-course set lunch at $45++ and omakase at $150++ per diner.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


NOKA by Open Farm Community
Funan Mall
109 North Bridge Road
#07-38/39
Singapore 179097
Tel: +65 68774878
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left onto North Bridge Road. Walk down North Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 mins. [Map]