10 at Claymore @ Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel - Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta

For the month of April and May 2016, 10 at Claymore, Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel will be bringing to you the Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta. Executive Chef Andy Oh, a Penang boy himself will be serving an ensemble of dishes which the Malaysian town is famous for.

Besides the Penang feast, the restaurant has also put together some timeless favourite beverages such as the Milo XL, Bandung and Calamansi Juice at $6 nett each.

XO Popiah 3/5

The spread at the buffet line is quite extensive. I started with some light bite in the XO Popiah. An interesting twist to the normal roll but I thought the XO sauce was a bit heavy throwing the balance off.

Penang Rojak 4/5

The light and refreshing Penang Rojak tossed in a savoury prawn paste is a delightful starter to whet up the appetite.

Penang Prawn Noodle 4/5

Moving on to the noodle section, I tried the Penang Prawn Noodle. The broth is robust and packed with flavour. It also comes with an hint of spiciness.

Assam Laksa 4.5/5

One of the real deal at the Penang Fiesta is the Assam Laksa. All the components of a good bowl of assam laksa can be found in it. Definitely one of the best I have eaten for a long while. This is as close as we can get for the authentic flavour of Chef's hometown.

Bak Kut Teh 3/5

For those that like Malaysian style Bak Kut Teh, you can savour it at the Penang Fiesta too. The claypot comes with pork belly ribs, pork intestine, pig stomach, meatball, bean curd stick, dough fritter in a rich and intense flavoured broth. However it seems the kitchen was a bit heavy on the sodium chloride.

Cuttlefish Kangkong 3/5

Another dish that can be better is the Cuttlefish Kangkong. The most important component of the dish, the sauce was too sweet and lacked the prawny pungent taste. Sorry to say that but I thought it tasted more like the yong tau foo sweet sauce.

Chicken Lor Bak with Century Egg 2.8/5

Lor Bak is another staple of Penang cuisine. The version at the buffet is made using chicken instead of pork. If not for the saltiness, this would be a very enjoyable bite.

Penang Char Kway Teow 4.5/5

An all time favourite is the Penang Char Kway Teow. The smokey wok hei is an excellent showcase of the chef's control of the fire and wok. This is a dish not to be missed if you have the chance to dine at Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel.

Besides the spread of Penang fare, the buffet line also has many delectable cooked food that will satisfy your tummy as well as your wallet. The extensive choices make every dollar worthwhile. Among the spread, the other dishes I tried are Nonya Kerabu Fried Rice, Braised Pork Trotter with Black Rice Vinegar, Chicken Kapitan Perankan Style, Braised Duck with Preserved Salted Vegetables, Inchi Kabin Fried Chicken, Braised Lamb Shank, Slow Braised Beef Cheek, Baked Norweigian Salmon,

Banana Fritter and Gula Melaka Ice Cream 4/5

By the time for dessert, I was already too stuffed. Hence I just try only a few items from the dessert section. The Banana Fritter with its crispy exterior is worth trying. Furthermore, the sweet snack is seldom served in hotel buffet. To elevate the presentation and enjoyment, I told a scoop of the Gula Melaka Ice Cream and added some condiments.

Great to have my favourite shaved ice Chendol in the dessert section too. The sweetness of the dessert, coupled with the fragrant coconut milk and gula melaka, is the perfect ending to a delicious night of Penang fare.

Chendol 4.2/5

The Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta will be available from April to May 2016. During the same period, the lobby lounge will be offering a three-course menu featuring chicken lor bak as appetiser, a choice of assam laksa with barramundi fillet, live king prawn noodle broth or Penang char kway teow for main course, ending with the chendol for dessert.

Lobby Lounge - Penang Set Lunch
Mon-Fri
Time: 12pm - 3pm
Price: $16 nett, $19 nett (with a choice of Milo XL, Bandung and Calamansi)

Buffet Price Details
Mon-Fri Lunch: $42
Sat-Sun Lunch: $48
Mon-Sun Dinner: $68


10 at Claymore
Pan Pacific Orchard
10 Claymore Road
Singapore 229540
Tel: +65 67370811
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PanPacificOrchard
Website: http://www.panpacific.com/en/Orchard/Overview.html
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6am - 1030am (breakfast), 12pm - 230pm (lunch), 6pm -1030pm (dinner)
Sunday: 12pm - 3pm (brunch)

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheellock Place via ION. Exit Wheellock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Royal Thai Embassy. Walk to Palais Renaissance which is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Cut through Palais Renaissance to the other side of the building. Pan Pacific Orchard is opposite the building. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Shaw House via underpass. At the road level, walk along Orchard Road towards Royal Thai Embassy direction. Walk to Palais Renaissance which is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Cut through Palais Renaissance to the other side of the building. Pan Pacific Orchard is right opposite the building. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

D'Laksa @ KSL City [Johor Bahru]

Recently I went to Johor Bahru with a group of friends to hunt for the delicious food across the causeway. After visiting You Kee XO Restaurant at KSL City, we proceeded into the mall to check out an assam laksa stall called D'Laksa.

Assam Laksa 3.8/5

I don't remember seeing D'Laksa when I last visited KSL City. After checking online, I realized they are dated back to 2012 and recently re-located to a bigger space at KSL City in May 2015. In fact, I have heard about the assam laksa even before this trip. Hence I am quite looking forward to check it out.

Assam Laksa 3.8/5

The first thing I noticed about the Assam Laksa is the rather generous servicing of shredded cucumber, onions, pineapple and mints. Second is the type of noodle used. This is not the normal thick beehoon that is commonly used in Singapore. It uses the thick rice noodle known as Lai Fun which has a more chewy bite to it.

Assam Laksa 3.8/5

For a good Assam Laksa, the most important is the soup that holds all the components. The soup does packed a punch with its sourish and tanginess, further lifted with the cut red chilli. My only request is to have more of the shredded fish.

You may have noticed that my bowl of assam laksa is served in takeaway bowl. The concept of D'Laksa is operate like a takeaway kisok. There is actually seating area beside the kiosk, like a food court. If you plan to bring some back to Singapore, they can pack the soup and noodle separately too.


D'Laksa
KSL City
LG-64
33, Jalan Seladang, Taman Abad,
80250 Johor Bahru,
Johor, Malaysia
Facebook
[Map]

Montana Cafe @ POMO

Since my last visit to Montana Cafe in 2015, the cafe has expanded and move up to level two of Pomo. With the new movement, it also took over the two storey space that used to be The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC). Montana Cafe and Fabulous Dough are located at level two while South Bronx Burger is at level one.

Red Velvet Waffle 4/5

With the new expanded space on level two, Montana Cafe has also revamped its menu. Having introduced new items on the menu, it has also keep some of the classics. One of them is the Red Velvet Waffle Stack ($11) with vanilla ice cream and white chocolate rose sauce. I like the idea that the cafe allows customer to choose between crispy or fluffy waffle, since everyone has their own preference.

Black Velvet Waffle 4/5

The new dessert waffle on the menu is the Black Velvet Waffle ($14). The black sesame waffle comes with black miso caramel and black chocolate coated vanilla ice cream.I was thinking that the miso caramel will be very sweet and overpowering but it turned out otherwise. The whole creation is very balanced for a wholesome enjoyement.

Jalapeno Mac & Cheese Waffle 4.2/5

On the savoury menu, Montana Cafe has retained the Jalapeno Mac & Cheese Waffle ($12) topped with white truffle oil, and served with tomato relish and jalapeno cheese dip on the side. This is one of their earlier creation that I enjoyed a lot with the mac & cheese stuffed inside the waffle. A combination that still works beautifully until today.

Assam Crab Waffle 4.8/5

There is no one waffle recipe that can paired with all ingredients. In my opinion, Montana has always been my waffle specialist. They have put in many thoughts in each waffle creation that is put on the menu. Their latest creations, Assam Crab Waffle ($18) is inspired by the Kedah laksa. The unique creation comes with assam spiced waffle, seasoned crab meat and pineapple cucumber salsa. At many times, a lot of the savoury waffles felt like piecing two items together. But the assam crab waffle felt completed, with everyone components working harmoniously together as a dish. This is definitely a must try!

Bulgogi Beef Waffle 3.8/5

Another Korean inspired creation is the Bulgogi Beef Waffle ($16).  The Gochujang rice waffle comes with sous vide bulgogi beef, orange sesame coleslaw, sous vide poached egg and bonito flakes.The waffle is very different. It is more cakey and moist. I noticed that it is also served in a bowl with a spoon instead of the usual plate, fork and knife. It's like telling me to have it like a bowl of rice. My only wish is that the bulgogi beef can be sweeter and more flavourful.

Nitro Coconut Cold Brew 4.2/5

Montana is not only a waffle specialist, they are a coffee specialist  too. Introducing a new twist in appreciating coffee is the Nitro Coconut Cold Brew ($6.50). The cold brew is poured into coconut juice infused ice ball. As the ice ball dissolved and released the sweetness of the coconut juice, it gives a new experience in coffee appreciation. Usually cold brew can be quite acidic and the coconut sweetness also help to reduce it.

The folks from Montana Singapore has definitely brought to Singapore an interesting 3-In-1 concept that house Montana Cafe, Fabulous Dough and South Bronx Burger under one roof. Montana Cafe has also up the game, setting a new standard in the waffle world with its new creation and menu. It has successfully retained my title of waffle specialist.


Montana Cafe
Pomo
1 Selegie Road
#02-25
Singapore 188306
Tel: +65 98331790
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), Dhoby Ghuat (CC Line, NE Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit D or E. Walk down Bras Basah Road to the junction of Bras Basah Road and Prinsep Street. Cross the road and turn right onto Prinsep Street. Walk down Prinsep Street and continue onto Selegie Road. Continue walking down Selegie Road until destination. Journey time about 12 mins. [Map]

2) Alight at Dhoby Ghuat MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Orchard Road to the junction of Orchard Road and Prinsep Street. Turn left onto Prinsep Street. Walk down Prinsep Street and continue onto Selegie Road. Continue walking down Selegie Road until destination. Journey time about 12 mins. [Map]

White Rose Cafe @ York Hotel

If you can run the same Penang Hawkers' Fare buffet for the past 30 years, that means something isn't it? Yes the ever popular Penang Hawkers' Fare buffet at York Hotel's White Rose Cafe is back again from 04 September to 20 September 2015. 11 chefs from Penang has came all the way from Penang bring you the best of Penang's authentic street food.

During my visit, white rose cafe was fully booked with walk in customers forming a queue at the entrance. The different live stations around the restaurant has diners eagerly waiting for their food while chefs and cooks tirelessly prepared bowl after bowl, plate after plate of Penang's street food. Let me give you a quick tour of the different dishes presented by the 11 stations at the Penang Hawkers' Fare.

Penang Rojak 4/5

A combination of refreshing ingredients tossed in a robust prawn paste sauce and topped with nutty peanuts, the Penang Rojak is so addictive with a party of flavours, whetting up the appetite.

Oyster Omelette 4.2/5

The dishes were served in small portion which I do not mind because it allows me to pace myself and try all the different offerings. Starting with the Oyster Omelette that is fried to an exterior crisp with fluffy innard, this is one of my favourite dishes for the night which I gone back for a few more servicing.

Penang Char Kway Teow 4.2/5

One of the longest queue among the different stations is the Penang Char Kway Teow. A nice balance of wok hei and savoury with lots of prawns and cockles completes the indulgence.

Kway Teow Soup 4.5/5

A must try is the Kway Teow Soup that comes with silky smooth kway teow, delectable fish cake and bouncy fish balls. Besides the soup version, dry version is also available.

Cuttlefish Kang Kong 4/5

The Cuttlefish Kang Kong topped with peanuts and prawn paste allows the enjoyment of the crunchy kang kong and cuttlefish to the fullest.

Nonya Chicken Kapitan 4/5

For a substantial plate, the Nonya Chicken Kapitan will be a good choice with the nonya dry version curry filled with aromatic herbs and spices.

Penang Laksa 4.2/5

The slurping good Penang Laksa with its complex sourish and spicy broth with pieces of fish meat is just too good to stop with one bowl.

Penang Prawn Mee 3.5/5

The Penang Prawn Mee on the other hand felt a bit short of my expectation. I though the broth is not robust enough. Nevertheless it is still a good bowl to add on to the spread of indulgence.

Lor Bak 3/5

I actually welcome the break from all the carbohydrates with a plate of Lor Bak with a platter of other deep fried ingredients such as tofu, yam prawn.

Ban Chang Kueh 4.5/5

A must try at the buffet spread is the Ban Chang Kueh that is made freshly on the spot. The paper thin crepe, pancake or shell is filled with fragrant, nutty peanuts. This is definitely one of the best I have eaten.

Chendol 4/5

How can we not have the staple Penang Chendol with such a feast? This is the perfect dessert to end the night. The dessert station also offers Ice Kachang and Ice Ball.

The Penang Hawkers' Fare is definitely worth the money with the delicious spread of Penang street food. It is also reasonable priced at $25.80++ per adult on weekdays and $28.80 ++ per adult on weekends. Children below 12 years old is priced at $18.80++ on weekdays and $20.80++ on weekends.


White Rose Cafe
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: +65 68301156
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
All day dining: 6am - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road towards Goodwood Park Hotel. At Goodwood Park, turn right and walk to the end of the carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Grub Noodle Bar @ Rangoon Road

Following the success of Grub at Bishan Park and Fix Cafe at HomeTeamNS, the folks from Cookyn Inc opens their third F&B concept, Grub Noodle Bar at Rangoon Road. They have renovated and converted their previous cooking studio into a supper bar servicing  beef noodles, assam laksa, delightful appetisers and craft beers.

Kang Kong Salad 4.2/5

The wife and me enjoyed the Kang Kong Salad ($7) very much. Tossed in a Nonya achar and house dressing, this interpretation of the achar was crunchy goodness that we can never have enough of it.

Baby Cuttlefish 3/5

What is a bar without bar snack or food right? The Baby Cuttlefish ($9) was deep fried to a delightful crisp with basil pesto mayo. While I enjoyed the crispiness and the hint of Indian spice, I thought the batter was a bit thick for the size of the cuttlefish.

Soft Shell Crab 3/5

The Soft Shell Crab ($13) is another delightful deep fried snack with mayo and house seasoning. I thought a little bit more of the mayo and seasoning would be better.

Chicken Drumlets 3.5/5

The other enjoyable deep fried food on the menu is the Chicken Drumlets ($9). It is coated with curry leaves, garlic and sesame seeds. The crunchy bites and the palatable seasoning made it finger licking good.

Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier Dunkel 4.2/5

With all the deep fried snacks, it is best to go with a bottle of beer. Grub Noodle Bar offers a selection of Belgium and German craft beers. I had the Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier Dunkel ($14) which was light, sweet and fruity. It is quite easy to drink and goes well with the deep fried snacks.

Hokkaido Scallop Tataki 4.5/5

Not to be missed at Grub Noodle Bar is the seafood appetisers. Their seafood are freshly supplied from the seafood supplier just a couple of door steps away. The Hokkaido Scallop Tataki ($15) was mind blowing with its well balanced execution to showcase the sweetness of the fresh scallop. The scallop was lightly torched with mustard glaze and mandarin orange segments.

Venus Clams 4.2/5

You can't really go wrong with fresh clams, the Venus Clams ($13) sauteed with beer, toasted ginger and lemongrass broth was plump and sweet. I could not really taste the lemongrass but the freshness of the clams were already as good as its own. Hence I am not complaining.

Live Tiger Prawns 4.5/5

How come you peeled the prawn so fast, asked one of the diners? This is because the Live Tiger Prawns ($15) was fresh and the shell simply comes off the flesh with ease. The tiger prawns were steamed in sake, garlic and ginger glaze. The execution once again highlighted the freshness of the seafood, allowing the nature sweetness to be the star.

Beef Noodles

The Beef Noodles ($12 to $19) is the signature item at Grub Noodle Bar. The noodle bar serves only the dry version that comes with fresh egg noodles in house sauce, 100% beef meatballs, minced beef, mushroom stew and a bowl of beef broth with a choice of beef slice. There are 4 types of beef slice choices namely Pasture-Fed Brisket, Pasture-Fed Rump, 100% Hormone and Antibiotic free 150-day Grainfed Angus Sirloin and 100% Hormone and Antibiotic free 150-day Grainfed Angus Ribeye.

There is also free flow serving of homemade Chinchalok. This is to die for. It was so good that I poured the whole thing into my bowl of noodle.

Beef Noodle 4.5/5

The Beef Noodle served at Grub Noodle Bar is not your typical or classic beef noodle that you get elsewhere. The egg noodle texture is quite similar to those Chinese ramen noodle with a delectable bite. What made this a good bowl of noodle is the slurping good in house sauce. I even added the chinchalok into the bowl of noodles to give it a more spicy kick and lift in flavour.

Beef Broth with Beef Slices 4.2/5

I felt that the beef noodle is quite value for money. Besides the bowl of noodles, it also comes with a huge bowl of beef broth with a choice of beef slices. Among the 4 choices of Pasture-Fed Brisket, Pasture-Fed Rump, 100% Hormone and Antibiotic free 150-day Grainfed Angus Sirloin and 100% Hormone and Antibiotic free 150-day Grainfed Angus Ribeye, my favourite is the ribeye which is really soft and tender. While I find the beef broth on the sweet side, I think it will be well received by the younger crowd.

Assam Laksa 4.2/5

Due to diet restriction, some of us may not take beef. In this case, I would recommend the Assam Laksa ($13) with prawns, fresh cucumber, pineapple chinks and fish gravy. This is surprisingly good. The broth was really robust that is packed with the flavours for a good bowl of assam laksa.

Grub Noodle Bar will be opened from 16 October 2014 from 7pm to 12 midnight. After trying out the menu, I am confident this will be the next supper hot place if they can continue with the quality and consistent.


[CLOSED]
Grub Noodle Bar
221 Rangoon Road
Singapore 218459
Tel: +65 63415341
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GRUBNoodleBar
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 7pm - 1230am

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk to traffic junction. Cross the road to Rangoon Road. Walk down to the end of Rangoon Road. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]