Verandah @ Rael's @ The Star Vista - Opens A Second Outlet in the West

Verandah @ Rael's, having opened its doors at TripleOne Somerset, is thrilled to unveil its second outlet at The Star Vista. Boasting both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a private room, this new establishment offers the perfect space for gathering with family and friends to indulge in your favourite Peranakan and Indonesian comfort dishes.

Kueh Pie Tee 3.5/5

We kicked off our dinner with the Kueh Pie Tee, featuring bite-sized crispy tart shells accompanied by a sweet mixture of vegetables and shrimp. Diners can enjoy the interactive experience of assembling their own delectable bites, and for those seeking a spicy kick, a dollop of homemade chilli adds an extra dimension of flavour.

Verandah's Achar 3.5/5

A newcomer to the menu, Verandah's Achar, offers a mildly spiced and sourish condiment, providing the perfect accompaniment to the main dishes.

Nonya Ngoh Hiang 4.2/5

The Nonya Ngoh Hiang emerged as a crowd favourite. Its deep-fried rolls were filled with flavorful minced pork, prawns, and the sweetness of water chestnut encased in dried beancurd skin. It was so delightful that we found ourselves requesting a second serving.

Verandah's Specialty Sambal Brinjal 4/5

Sambal Long Beans 4/5

For our vegetable dishes, we savoured the Verandah's Specialty Sambal Brinjal, wok-fired and adorned with the restaurant's tangy house speciality sambal, as well as the new Sambal Long Beans, where crunchy beans are stir-fried in a fragrant and spicy sambal sauce.

Tau Yu Bak 3.8/5

Introducing another addition to the menu, the Tau Yu Bak featured pork braised in caramelized soy sauces with spices. This resulted in a savoury dish with a hint of sweetness, though some felt the pork could have been more tender.

Curry Chicken 4.5/5

A definite must-have was the Curry Chicken, where tender chicken pieces were bathed in a rich and fragrant curry gravy infused with ground herbs, spices, and a hint of lemongrass. The irresistible curry gravy left me reaching for more to drench our rice in.

Assam Fish 4/5

Finally, the Assam Fish, filleted for ease of consumption, was simmered in a mouthwatering Assam gravy that tantalized the taste buds with its spicy and tangy flavours.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Verandah @ Rael's
The Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green
#01-33/K2
Singapore 138617
Tel: +65 6380 2381
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Buona Vista (CC, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
Alight at Buona Vista MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Ebi Bar @ Cuppage Plaza - New Mod-Sin Noodle Bar

Ebi Bar at Cuppage serves up its modern take on Singaporean prawn noodles with its specially concocted prawn broth and handmade noodles. The menu includes some of our favourite side dishes, but with an added touch of fanciness to make it their own.

Signature “Chao Da” (Charred) Ebi Noodles 3.8/5

Ebi Bar's unique take on our local prawn noodles is this Signature “Chao Da” (Charred) Ebi Noodles ($14.90), served with a pair of charred prawns and slices of chicken roulade. As the main selling point of Ebi Bar, the broth didn't disappoint with its deep rich prawn flavour, and I love how savoury it tasted. The chicken roulade slices laced with charred skin were beautifully tender, and the noodles were springy with a nice bite. It was a pity that the prawns, however, were slightly overcooked and not appropriately deveined either.

Signature “Chao Da” (Charred) Ebi Pao Fan 3.8/5

There's a new item on the menu - Signature “Chao Da” (Charred) Ebi Pao Fan ($18.90), which I thought works even better with the flavourful prawn broth. The rice was plump with a bite, with added rice crisp for texture and crunch. The rice soaked up the broth well, and every mouthful of the rice and the broth was truly enjoyable.

Truffle Broth Booster, Mala Broth Booster, Miso Broth Booster

You can also amp up your dish with “Broth Boosters” - Mala ($1.90), Miso ($1.90) and Truffle ($2.50). The Mala Broth Booster adds a layer of peppery aroma to the broth. At the same time, the Miso Broth Booster enhanced the savouriness of the broth, akin to the ramen miso broth. I don't suggest going for the Truffle Broth Booster at all, which was too overpowering.

Crispy Fried Chicken in Salted Mackerel Marinate 4/5

There are a couple of interesting sides to complete your meal. Crispy Fried Chicken in Salted Mackerel Marinate ($6.90) is its take on Har Cheong Gai. Each morsel made from chicken thigh was pretty juicy, and the best bit was the crisped chicken skin.

Chilled Tofu with Homemade Sauce 3.5/5

Ah Ma’s Achar Gone Fancy 3.5/5

I enjoyed the simple dishes on the menu, such as the Ah Ma's Achar Gone Fancy ($5.90) and Chilled Toufu with Homemade Sauce ($4.90). The achar with jellyfish is exceptionally crunchy, while the chilled tofu with cold sweet and savoury sauce is very appetising. Unfortunately, the portion was a tad too little.

Ebi & Vege Crispy Fritter 2.5/5

As for the Ebi & Vege-Crispy Fritter ($5.90), I reckon the batter requires a bit of work to be less greasy and stay crisp for a longer period.

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.


Ebi Bar
Cuppage Plaza
5 Koek Rd
#B1-21
Singapore 228796
Tel: +65 89221284
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 1030pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B, C or D. Walk to Orchard Road. Cross the road and walk to Cuppage Road. Walk down Cuppage Road. Walk to Cuppage Plaza. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Founder Bak Kut Teh @ Hotel Boss (Jalan Sultan) - Introduces New Mama's Home-cooked Dishes

Many of you will be familiar with Founder Bak Kut Teh, a well known local restaurant serving the fragrant and peppery pork ribs soup for the past 40 years. Even a lot of foreign celebrities visited the restaurant for their bak kut teh when they were in Singapore, judging from the numerous photos paste around the restaurant taken between these celebrities and founder Mr Chua.

Not to be missed of course is the signature Founder Bak Kut Teh ($8.90). The pork ribs are cooked to tender using the freshest meaty pork ribs, simmered in a specially formulated broth of herbs and spices. Diners can choose among options of ribs, short ribs, lean meats or offal to go with the peppery broth too.

Neighbour's "Ho Liao" 4.2/5

Besides the signature Bak Kut Teh, the restaurant has rolled out a number of new home-cooked dishes paying tribute to their late mother. If you are a fan of chicken feet, you will love their Neighbour's "Ho Liao" ($5/$10). It is cooked in a black bean sauce, just like how their late mum did it for the family.

Cheeky Secret 4/5

Spinach and mushroom are mixed into the tofu for the Cheeky Secret ($8/$14). Parents may want to learn a trick or two here if you're going to make your children consume vegetable.

Too Moody To Eat 3.8/5

Too Moody To Eat ($6.80/$10.80) is pork chop marinated with garlic and pan-fried. The interesting part is the accompanying achar which helps to cut the greasiness.

Grandma's Pork Belly 3.5/5

Braised and cooked to tender is the Grandma's Pork Belly ($12). While the texture is acceptable, I felt that the braising sauce is on the light side and lacks the depth I was looking for.

Best with Rice 4.5/5

One of the new dishes that we all given the thumb of approval is the Best with Rice ($6.80). It is not only a simple steamed egg dish but consists of trio eggs, including century egg and salted egg. On top of that, pork lard is added for that extra boost in flavour and texture.

Once Upon A Gathering 4.2/5

Once Upon A Gathering ($8/$12) is a special dish in the family which is only served during special celebratory occasions. A homely and hearty dish that consists of steamed chicken with Chinese sausages, mushrooms, and ginger.

"Ah Lau" Pan Fried Fish 4.2/5

For the fish lover, there is the "Ah Lau" Pan Fried Fish (Fish Steak $15, Fish Tail $28). The fish is simply pan-fried and served with marinated garlic atop, swimming in a complementing pool of soy sauce.

Year 1988 Assam Teochew Steamed Fish 3.5/5

Last but not least, making an impressive entry is the Year 1988 Assam Teochew Steamed Fish (Fish Steak $15, Fesh Head $25, Fish Tail $28). For the pricing and very value for money. However I find the assam is on the mild side, I think it can be heavier in taste to give it more zest.

Overall, I have enjoyed the meal at Founder Bak Kut Teh. I like the addition of the new dishes, giving diners a more complete meal experience.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Founder Bak Kut Teh
Hotel Boss
500 Jalan Sultan
#01-09
Singapore 199020
Tel: +65 6816 2582
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 5am

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Continue walking down Kallang Road towards Victoria Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Jiak (家) @ Joo Chiat Place - Grandma's Recipe Private Dining With Whiskey Pairing

One of the newest kid in the private dining scene is Jiak at Joo Chiat Place. The 3 month's old private dining place is helmed by Chef Anon Foo. Unlike most of the private dinings I have attended which the chefs have a colourful resumes of working in top restaurants, Anon followed and learned from his grandmother at her hawker stall since young. Hence at Jiak, one can look forward to home cooked dishes largely inspired by Anon's grandmother.

Achar 4/5

Before starting our dinner, each of us are given a small serving of homemade Achar.

Signature Foie Gras Ngor Hiang 3/5

Our meal started with the Signature Foie Gras Ngor Hiang. It is an interesting take of the traditional ngor hiang and it taste pretty good. However the foie gras did not stand out in the execution which is a slight disappointment. Some of us also find that it is on the salty side.

Prime Rib Lotus Root Soup 4.2/5

Doubled boiled over charcoal is the Prime Rib Lotus Root Soup. The slow cooked over charcoal has drawn out the essences and sweetness of the ingredients without the used of salt. All of us had another helping as this is really good.

Kong Bak Pau 4/5

The surprise special of the day is the Kong Bak Pau. Sandwiched in between the soft and fluffy bun is the pork belly that has been well infused with the braising sauce.

Herbal Emperor Chicken 3.5/5

Didn't look too photogenic is the Herbal Emperor Chicken as I did not get a shoot before it was dissected at the back of the kitchen before serving. I appreciate the fact that the tender chicken didn't come across too strong in the herbal taste which was pleasing to the palate.

Steamed Cod Fish in Chicken Broth 3,8/5

Next up we are served a whole fillet of Steamed Cod Fish in Chicken Broth. Nothing complicate just allowing the soy sauce to bring out the buttery flavour of the cod fish.

Dry Laksa 4.2/5

For the mains, diner will have a choice of Dry Laksa or Homemade Fish Otah Nasi Lemak. The Dry Laksa comes with 2 huge prawns in a very coconuty sauce. Add a dollop of chilli to spice up the flavour. I only wish that I can get the usual bean sprouts, fish cakes, tao pok and even cockles in my laksa though.

Homemade Fish Otah Nasi Lemak 4.2/5

Personally I prefer the Homemade Fish Otah Nasi Lemak for the fact that it is more substantial. The otah is really good, so good that I have to reconfirm whether it is really homemade as it tastes very similar to a particular brand I like. The plate of fragrant rice even comes with ikan bilis, japanese-style lava egg and sambal chilli.

Green Bean Soup with Coconut 4.5/5

The Green Bean Soup with Coconut wrapped up our meal. Diner has a choice of either hot or cold. I would recommend going for the hot one to appreciate the full flavour as the ice tends to duplicate the richness.

Dining at Jiak is set at $70 nett per pax for 6 dishes plus a special of the day. Whisky pairing is available at $12 to $15 per dram to complement the meal, which has been put together by their in-house whisky connoisseur. If you plan to bring your own wine or whisky, corkage fee applies at $25 and $50 respectively.

Note: This is an invited tasting


Jiak (家)
184B Joo Chiat Place
Singapore 427896
Tel: +65 82842758
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Eunos (EW Line), Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
630pm till late

Direction:
1) Alight at Eunos MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Eunos Bus Interchange (Stop ID 82009). Take Bus 150. Alight 2 stops later. Walk down Still Road. At the junction of Still Road and Joo Chiat Place, cross the junction. Turn right onto Joo Chiat Place. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 mins [Map]

2) Alight at Eunos MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to Bus Stop at Sims Ave (Stop ID 82061). Take Bus 13 or 155. Alight 1 stops later. Walk down Still Road. At the junction of Still Road and Joo Chiat Place, cross the junction. Turn right onto Joo Chiat Place. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 mins [Map]

3) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Walk to bus stop at Blk 99 Old Airport Road (Stop ID 81181). Take bus 33. Alight 7 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 mins. [Map]

Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar @ Oliver Lane [Melbourne] - Skip The Long Queue At Chin Chin And Make A Detour For Some Pan Asian Flavours Sharing Plates

I frequent Melbourne at least 4 times a year but I seldom blog about the restaurants in Melbourne. As my trips were usually work related and I just want to grab something simple and go back to my hotel room to rest. During my latest visit to the city, since Maureen aka Miss Tam Chiak is in town, I decided to bring her to Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar at Oliver Lane. I have enjoyed the food there when my colleague brought me there for dinner once.

Kingfish Sashimi 4.5/5

The cuisine at Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar is inspired from Pan Asian flavours in the form of sharing plates. We started with the Kingfish Sashimi. The sashimi are topped with thai basil and toasted coconut. What makes the fish jump out of live is the green chilli sauce that is packed with depth and robust flavours. It hits the spot with the characteristic sweet, sour and spicy flavours in Thai cuisine.

Pan Fried Spinach & Water Chestnut Dumpling 3.8/5

Maureen and I have mixed opinion on the Pan Fried Spinach & Water Chestnut Dumpling. She likes the modern take with the Sichuan chilli oil which gives you a slight numbing mala kick. I like the interpretation bu I thought the dough was a bit too thick. A worthy note is that the dumplings are made freshly on order. We were seated at the bar counter and we can see the chef making batches after batches of dumplings right in our eyes.

Korean Fried Chicken Bun 4/5

Using the Chinese steamed bun, we tried both the Korean Fried Chicken Bun and Crispy Pork Bun. The korean fried chicken bun is sandwiched with tender chicken dressed in a spicy gochujang sauce while the crispy pork bun is paired with spicy kimchi & kewpie mayo. The bun is really soft and fluffy and it goes really well with the different fillings, elevated by the delicious sauces.

Crispy Pork Bun 3.5/5

If I am to pick a favourite I would probably go for the Korean Fried Chicken Bun over the Crispy Pork Bun. I find the crispy pork is too dry. It lacked that fatty texture underneath the crackling skin I was looking for.

Roasted Short Rib with Rendang Curry 4/5

For the big plate, we had the Roasted Short Rib with Rendang Curry. It comes with rice, achar and chilli sauce. The short rib is huge. It is cooked to a beautiful fork tender, which falls off the bone with ease.The rendang curry was creamy with a coconuty base. It is a well executed dish. However, I felt that the rempah lacks the fragrant that we get in Malaysia and Singapore. Maybe that is the acceptable standard in Melbourne.

Lucy Liu may ring a bell but the restaurant is not opened by the famous American actress that acted in Charle's Angle. If you are interested to know how the restaurant gets its name, you can find it on their website. If you are new to the restaurant, it offers set course menu as well as a la carte. Recommendation would be to go for about 3 to 4 small plates and a big plates to share.


Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar
23 Oliver Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
Tel: +613 96395777
Facebook
Website
[Map]

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Wine & Chef @ Keong Saik Road - Hearty Italian Fare With Largest Range Of Exclusive Italian Wines

I visited Wine & Chef at Keong Saik Road  back in May 2017 when it first opened its door. It is good to see that the restaurant continues to serve up Italian fare incorporating Asian ingredients to pair with their range of exclusive Italian boutique wine. My re-visit is to checkout their newly revamped menu put together by the new Chef Darence Wee, previously from Les Amis group.

Gorgonzola & Italian Ciabatta 3.5/5

Before starting with the mains, you may want to order some small bites to nibble on such as the Gorgonzola & Italian Ciabatta ($9). I am not a big fan of blue cheese as I find them too sharp for my liking. However the gorgonzola, known as one of Italy's oldest blue cheese, did not turn out that piquant. You can also pair with the honey on the side, the sweetness definitely make it more palatable and enjoyable for me.

Pan Seared Foie Gras 4/5

Pan Seared Foie Gras ($16) is quite a common dish on any restaurants' menu. What stood out is the homemade apple and thyme brandy compote that helps to cut through the richess of the fatty foie gras.

Scallop Capellini 4.5/5

Not to be missed is the Scallop Capellini ($28). The pasta tossed in truffle and soy sauce is served chilled so it is very refreshing. It comes with plump and sweet air-flown Hokkaido scallop crowned with ikura. What elevated the whole dish for is the fried shallots, shio kombu and furikake. They added fragrance, sweetness and crunch to complete the dish.

Nduja Pasta 4/5

One of the crowd favourite is the Nduja Pasta ($28) with crayfish. The specially imported Nduja salami from Calabria, South Italy is tossed in tomato sauce for that sweet robust flavour, coating the pasta for the slurping goodness.

Linguine al Granchio 4.2/5

If you prefer your pasta to be more creamy and has that seafood flavour, then go for the Linguine al Granchio ($38). It comes with painstakingly freshly hand-peeled Sri Lankan crabs. The Chef even added crab roe into it, for that extra indulgence.

Pork Roulade 4.5/5

My favourite dish goes to the Pork Roulade ($24). The pork roulade comes with a crispy layer of crackling skin, with tender and juicy meat. It is smartly paired with homemade achar to cut through that richness. Do call to make reservation for this as only limited portions are available each day.

Venere Rice Pudding 4/5

Same same but different is the Venere Rice Pudding ($10). This is the same dessert which I tried during my first visit. It is a modern twist to the traditional pulut hitam served with vanilla bean ice cream and coconut crumble for a cold and crunchy finish. The difference is the popping candies that is mixed into the desert, giving diners the popping reaction as it dissolved in the mouth.

As this is my re-visit, I did notice some changes. Although the food is still as good, the price has increased. It is not a surprise with increasing ingredients cost and inflation. Proud to be serving the lowest house pour at $7 a glass, it used to be $6. The wine collection has also shrunk from the previous 250 to around 140 exclusive Italian wines now.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Wine & Chef
7 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089115
Tel: +65 62219279
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat:12pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk straight down New Bridge Road. Turn right onto Kreta Ayer Road. Turn right again onto Keong Saik Road. Walk down Keong Saik Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]