Brotzeit @ Westgate - Everyday's A Fest This Oktoberfest At Brotzeit

For this Oktoberfest, Brotzeit outlets at Raffles City, VivoCity, Westgate and Katong have put together a collection of scrumptious festival dishes and specially imported limited-edition Erdinger Oktoberfest beer from Germany to celebrate the annual event from 31 August to 24 October 2022.

Brotzeit has also organised Party Days across its outlets, held over brunch and evening sessions.
Brotzeit Katong: Sunday, 9 October, 11am - 3pm
Brotzeit Westgate: Sunday, 23 October, 11am - 3pm (Closing Party)
Brotzeit Vivocity: Sunday, 23 October, 6pm - 12midnight (Closing Party)

Munchner Weisswurst 4.8/5

Not to be missed is the Munchenr Weisswurst ($15), better known as the white sausage. The traditional Bavarian sausage is made from minced veal and pork, flavoured with parsley, lemon, onion, ginger and spices. By the way, unlike other sausages, weisswurst is never consumed with its skin on. The most popular way to enjoy this sausage is by cutting it lengthwise, folding it open in the middle and "rolling" the meat out to the side with a knife.

Pretzel 4.5/5

Traditionally, weisswurst is eaten with pretzels and sweet mustard. Hence, how not to order some Pretzels ($17) to go along with the weisswurst.

Brotzeit Oktoberfestplatte 4.2/5

Great for sharing is the new Brotzeit Oktoberfestplatte ($145). The festive platter is filled with goodies and great for four to six persons who can tuck into the Signature Pork Knuckle, Nürnberger Stadtwurst, Thüringer Sausages, Fried Chicken and Meatloaf. Complete and enjoy the platter with a 3L Erdinger Oktoberfest beer in a barrel for $228++, only available for dine-in.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Brotzeit
Westgate
3 Gateway Drive
#01-04
Singapore 608532
Tel: +65 64659874
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Website
Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Blu Kouzina @ Siglap - Greek-style Breakfast In An Idyllic Setting

Blu Kouzina at Dempsey has been known for its authentic Greek cuisine for the past decade. Its latest outlet at Siglap now even includes a breakfast menu, allowing customers to enjoy a full-fledged Greek dining experience any time of the day. It opens as early as 730am on the weekend!

It is such a great place to be before the day begins with its idyllic island-inspired setting. I was lucky to visit on a weekday morning, where I got to enjoy its serenity before it got disturbed by the buzz of chatter from the afternoon crowd.

Greek Breakfast 4.5/5

The biggest drawn of its Breakfast Menu is its Greek Selection. We had the Greek Breakfast ($22) that comes with a choice of coffee or tea, alongside a Spinach Pie ($9.50) and Lamb Sausage Roll ($11.50). The Greek Breakfast was wholesome with a slab of feta cheese, two perfectly done hardboiled eggs with a slight oozy yolk, tomatoes, fried bread, olives, a generous portion of yoghurt, a handful of walnuts and a serving of honey.

I amped up my Greek Breakfast with a few Add ons - Crispy Kale ($2), Roasted Potatoes ($3), and Spinach ($2). The Roasted Potatoes is not your usual kind but are marinated with lemon before roasting to give it a touch of tanginess.

Spinach Pie 4.2/5

Rarely you will get a good Spinach Pie loaded with spinach and feta cheese filling. The pie is incredibly yummy with a thin, buttery and flaky crust made with phyllo pastry.

Lamb Sausage Roll 3.8/5

The highly recommended Lamb Sausage Roll ($11.50) comes with homemade sausage. The lamb sausage was tender and juicy, and the rich tomato sauce complemented it excellently.

Homemade Granola 4/5

Every place has its recipe for homemade granola. You will probably crave its Homemade Granola ($8) if it is your kind of breakfast. The granola wasn't too sweet, and the generous portion of yoghurt and honey dolloped over the granola was pleasingly satiable.

Lemon Verbena Tea

Greek Coffee

The regular coffees are great but do try the specialities such as the Greek Coffee and a range of tea imported from Greece.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Blu Kouzina Siglap
907 East Coast Road
#01-01
Singapore 459107
Tel: +65 91010681/ 91010682
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Website
Nearest MRT: Bedok (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Wed - Mon: 830am - 10pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Bedok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 84009). Take bus number 16. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

Frieda Restaurant @ The Capitol Kempinski - New Bavarian Weekend Brunch

Frieda Restaurant at The Capitol Kempinski has recently launched Früehschoppen, a weekend Bavarian Brunch experience similar to the concept of brunch, where men gather over the weekend in the late morning in pubs, inns or taverns over drinks and light bites before lunch.

Beer Flight

And of course, the beers. Früehschoppen Beer Specials are available to complete the experience. Beer Flight with four beers in tasting portion at $15nett and two pints of German Weissbier or Weissbier Dunkel at $19++. You may be happy to know that the beer flight is available on weekdays as well.

Bavarian Sausage Salad 3.8/5

We started off with Bavarian Sausage Salad, served with sourdough bread. It was hard at first to imagine having a salad with beer, but this was different. Consists of beer sausage, gruyere cheese and pickles, it was saltish, piquant and has a meaty bite.

Frieda Fruhchoppen Vesper Platter 3.8/5

From the Brunch menu, Frieda Fruhchoppen Vesper Platter ($19) truly reflects the vibe of Früehschoppen, where the table gathers around the platter, reaching out for the various German cold cuts and cheese, complemented with mixed pickles and pretzel.

Oktoberfest Meat Platter 4.2/5

Since Oktoberfest is approaching, Frieda Restaurant has also prepared something special to celebrate this greatest beer festival in the world. At $55 per person, you get to enjoy a welcome pint of beer and a free-flow butter of German grub. We tried the Oktoberfest Meat Platter, comprising Grilled Nuremberger Sausage, Meatloaf, Weisswurst with Mashed potato and Sauerkraut. One of the highlights of this platter is the Weisswurst, a traditional boiled white sausage, very lightly flavoured with some herbs and spices. Not so commonly offered elsewhere, this is a breakfast sausage, best eaten with sweet mustard and the soft pretzel dumplings.

Apple Bread Pudding 3.5/5

Ending the meal, we have something sweet to balance out all the savoury grub. The Apple Bread Pudding is served with vanilla ice cream. The vanilla ice cream was really good. It was light and almost refreshing to the palate. As for apple bread pudding, I wish there were more apple slices to lighten it up.

Topping up $50 will give you four hours of free-flowing beer. There's Early Bird Discount of 20% off for booking made before 30 September 2020.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Frieda
Arcade @ The Capitol Kempinski
13 Stamford Road
#01-87 and #01-K1, K2
Singapore 178905
Tel +6567156873
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 8pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A or D. Walk to traffic junction North Bridge Road and Stamford Road. Cross the road. Walk down Stamford Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Brotzeit @ Vivocity - Celebrating Oktoberfest In Singapore

While Oktoberfest has been cancelled in the hometown of Munich, and we can't travel to Germany to celebrate one of the largest folk festivals in the world, let Brotzeit brings the celebration to Singapore from 15 September to 25 October 2020.

What is Oktoberfest without beer, right? In Munich, only six breweries have the honour of serving Oktoberfest beer. For this year Oktoberfest, Brotzeit has specially imported the Oktoberfest brew from one of the six: Hofbrau, founded by William V, Duke of Bavaria in 1589 which is still a traditional Bavarian-run brewery today.

Crispy Pork Cracklings 4.2/5

Crispy Fried Pig Ears 3.5/5

We had some snack bites to go with the beer. We tried the Crispy Pork Cracklings ($6) and Crispy Fried Pig Ears ($12). I enjoyed the pork skin for its crispiness and seasoning. As for the pig ears, I felt the seasoning was a bit lacking. It would be more enjoyable if the batter is more heavily seasoned though it is accompanied with mustard chilli dip at the side.

Preserved and Smoked Spreads 4.2/5

The Preserved and Smoked Spreads is an interesting platter that is to be eaten like a Korean bbq. You take a piece of romaine lettuce, spread it with the choice of duck confit, chicken truffle or smoked trout, and finally add some salt pretzel, wrap and eat it. It is quite a new and interesting way to appreciate German cuisine in this way.

Cold Roast Pork 4.5/5

Moving on we have the Cold Roast Pork ($16) which comes with pork collar marinated overnight in Brotzeit's 12-spice pork knuckle mix, pickled beer radish, mustard chilli sauce and crispy pork skin. This is a dish that reminds Chef Lorenz of his grandma, who always prepared cold roast meats with apricots for him after school. It seems like a start dish but its really substantial. I enjoyed everything on the plate, which is very appetising.

Giant Pretzel with Farmer Sausage 4.5/5

I have eaten pretzel, but not a Giant Pretzel ($28) sandwiched with red cabbage, pickles, mustard and farmer sausage. This is good for 2-3 people. It is really hearty and comforting. I would highly recommend ordering this.

Crispy Roasted Pork Shoulder 4.2/5

Value for money dish on the Oktoberfest menu is the Crispy Roasted Pork Shoulder ($45) which comes with Autumn vegetables and potato dumplings. The fork-tender pork shoulder comes with a layer of extremely crispy skin, that echoes a thundering crackle with every bite. The accompanying fluffy potato dumplings and vegetables provide a delightful textural and flavour contrast.

Roasted Pig Liver 4.8/5

An acquire dish on the menu is the Roasted Pig Liver ($26). Either you love it or hate it. I didn't know German cuisine has this dish on the menu. Though it is cooked using the Western technique with a blend of mustard and paired with poached apples, it tastes similar to the Asian way of cooking pig liver. I am really surprised and excited that pig liver can be prepared this way. If you are adventurous enough, you should really try it.

Battered Fried Apple Wheels 4/5

Wrapping up the meal is the Battered Fried Apple Wheels ($11). The Fiji apple is coated in a light beer batter and dusted with sugar and cinnamon. It has a delightful crunch complemented by a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream.

I really enjoyed the new Oktoberfest menu created by recently joined Group Executive Chef Lorenz Raich. He brings with him a wealth of culinary experience in highly lauded boutique venues, famous Michelin-starred restaurants as well as five-star hotels. For the new menu, he has brought a touch of finesse to the traditional dishes.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Brotzeit
Vivocity
1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-149/151
Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 62728815
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Website
Nearest MRT: Harbourfront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1030pm

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

SHAO @ Frankel Avenue - Discovery Of Some Unique Dishes Such Crispy Baby Pomfret, Sotong Sausage And More

After seeing some interesting food pictures on social media, I gathered my foodie friends to check out SHAO at Frankel Avenue on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. The restaurant is located at the very end of the row of shophouses along Frankel Avenue. Interestingly for a Chinese restaurant, there are only square tables. The 11 of us have to sit in 2 rows which is quite awkward for sharing Chinese communal dishes.

Crispy Baby Pomfret 3/5

An exciting dish on the menu is the Crispy Baby Pomfret ($16). Deep-fried until crispy, it can be eaten whole without the worry of fish bones. Of course, you can't expect a lot of meat from the tiny pomfret. This dish is simply executed to enjoy the crispiness.

Salted Egg Yolk Yam 4/5

The Salted Egg Yolk Yam ($12) is drenched in a delicious and addictive salted egg yolk sauce. The delightful bite has a slight crunch which I enjoyed, and I still can taste the yam flavour.

Sotong Sausage 4.5/5

Another unique dish that I don't get to see at Chinese restaurants is the Sotong Sausage ($22). Unlike the usual pork sausage, the sotong sausage has a more textural bite from its bouncy texture. It is almost like having a piece of fish cake.

Stir-Fried Luffa with Egg & Seafood 4/5

I am not sure you are a fan of luffa, but I like its softness that comes with a little crunch. The Stir-Fried Luffa with Egg & Seafood ($28) at Shao is well-executed absorbing the sweetness of the seafood. What I find it weird is the fried egg which seems out of place. I thought it would be more enjoyable if the egg is cooked with the stock into an eggy gravy.

Gai Choy with Roast Pork Belly Claypot 4.5/5

A dish that my dining friends have mix opinions is the Gai Choy with Roast Pork Belly Claypot ($38). Gai Choy is also known as Chinese mustard greens. It has a bitter taste or some called it mustardy that is not well received by many. However, I love this acquire taste which is a flavour I have grown up with. The pairing with roast pork belly further flavoured the mustardy greens.

Steamed Crab with Vermicelli 3.8/5

Another dish the dining group has mix opinions is the Steamed Crab with Vermicelli ($78). Due to the size of the crab used, there is very little crab meat. Hence some felt it is not worth the cost. Others thought that the sauce is too garlicky, overpowering the sweetness of the crustacean. I actually like the strong garlic flavour which gives the dish a beautiful aroma, with the vermicelli soaking up the richness.

Wok Fried Hor Fun 2.8/5

Among the dishes we tried, the Wok-Fried Hor Fun ($12) was probably the least favourite. It lacked the wok hei that gives life to the rice noodle.

Sliced Fish Claypot "Pao Fan" Porridge 3.8/5

Last but not least, we wrapped up our dinner with the Sliced Fish Claypot "Pao Fan" Porridge ($28/$48). The portion is good for 2-6 pax. The porridge consists of both fluffy and crispy rice bathing in a hot pipping, delicious chicken-based soup with fish slices. It is a comforting dish for a cold, raining day.


SHAO
117 Frankel Ave
Singapore 458232
Tel: +65 66109233
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Bedok (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am - 3pm, 5 - 11pm
Fri-Sat: 10am - 3pm, 5pm - 12midnight
Sun: 10am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bedok MRT. Take Exit B or C. Walk to Bedok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 84009). Take bus number 32. Alight 8 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 25 minutes later. [Map]

Porta @ Park Hotel Clarke Quay - Plant-based Green Monday Menu

Porta at Park Hotel Clarke Quay goes green with a plant-based Green Monday menu in partnership with Green Monday, as part of its initiatives to support and raise awareness on sustainable future through inspiring diners on the benefits of green diets. A social enterprise group established in Hong Kong in 2012, Green Monday promotes and enables green, healthy and sustainable living to raise awareness and inspire public on the benefits of green diets, nurturing the love towards our planet, and the pursuit of harmony in life. On the Green Monday menu are 10 dishes ranging from vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and nut-free, including plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, featuring plant-based produce from Beyond Meat, Heura, as well as plant-based cheese and dairy from Daiya Foods.

Burratina 4/5

Going green also means allowing simple flavours to shine, and their subtleties always leave you wanting for more. Burratina ($22) is one such dishes, where the delicate, pillowy burrata is enlivened with savoury, peppery and sharp basil pesto shio kombu, balanced with sweet Roma tomatoes.

Beyond Burger 3/5

Beyond Burger ($29) features both the plant-based alternatives Beyond patty and Daiya cheese, bind together with housemade ketchup and mayonnaise, caramelised onions in a brioche bun. The smokey, rich ketchup and that savoury-sweet caramelised onions are to die for. However, I personally find a messy burger more fulfilling, and Beyond Burger falls short of that factor.

Orecchiette Pasta 3.8/5

Orecchiette Pasta ($24), on the other hand, is an ultimate comforting dish that will win you over by its warm and creamy aroma effusing from the housemade cream sauce. The sauce is made using cream, milk, garlic, onion, bay leaf, infused with the earthiness of wild mushrooms. Sliced and tossed in the Beyond sausage, passed off easily as the real thing with their garlicky flavour and meaty texture.

Parma Ham 3/5

Porta's all-day dining menu sees new creations as well, starting with Parma Ham ($16). Dressed with tangy balsamic vinegar and creamy Thai lime aioli, both elements cut the richness of the meat, and the latter also helped to harmonise the contrasting flavours of the savoury meat and the sweet compressed watermelon cubes.

Venus Clams Capellini 3.5/5

For the main course, a crowd-pleaser will be the Venus Clams Capellini ($24). It showcases Indonesian clams prepared in clam stock with shio kombu, spiked with heat from chilli padi and an accentuated umaminess from a handful crisp sakura ebi.

Black Cod 4/5

Adopting an earthy green-brown palette, I love the execution of the Black Cod ($29). An emerald green spinach dashi purée backdropped its ivory white self, which is further contrasted with a blanket of crushed pistachio and puffed wild rice that textured its buttery flesh.

Gourmet Pork Sausage Roll 2.8/5

Gourmet Pork Sausage Roll ($21) is the latest brunch item, featuring a gourmet pork sausage roll with jalapeno salsa. The sausage was juicy, but the salsa lacked both the fiery and kick. Similarly to Beyond Burger, it was a brunch item that left me feeling a little empty.

Kopi "O" 4/5

Coffee lovers will appreciate the bitter-sweetness in the new dessert creation - Kopi "O" ($12), a 'parfait' in a traditional coffee cup made with housemade dark chocolate coffee sponge, coffee crumbles, coffee jelly, milk sauce, and espresso ice cream, completed with butter sugar toast on the side.

Meyer Lemon Trifle 4/5

If you are a fan of lemon tart, this Meyer Lemon Trifle will be right up on your alley with a tangy concoction of Victorian sponge and housemade lemon curd. I actually like it even better with the thyme-infused whipped cream, which is lighter and less cloying than meringue.

Words and photos by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Porta Fine Food & Import Company
Park Hotel Clarke Quay
1 Unity Street
Singapore 237983
Tel: +65 65938888
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight At Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Ave. Cross the road and turn left onto Clemenceau Ave. Walk down Clemenceau Ave. Turn right onto Unity Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to the end UE Square Shopping Mall. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]