Town Restaurant @ Fullerton Hotel Singapore

Town Restaurant at Fullerton Hotel Singapore welcomes guest Chef Frank Ho Chien Pin from Taiwan, as they collaborates for a week long culinary promotion from 10 April 2015 to 19 April 2015, adding an array of delicious Taiwanese specialties to the restaurant's dinner buffet.

Stir Fried Noodle with Three Juliennes 4/5

Chef Ho is currently an Associate Professor in the National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, Chinese Cuisine Faculty as well as restaurant consultant. Armed with more than 47 years of experience in the culinary field.

Stir Fried Pork with Scallion 3.5/5

Guest at Town Restaurant during this period can savour a wide selection of over 30 authentic Taiwanese dishes under one roof on top of the local spread such as Laksa, Satay and Bak Kut Teh.

Three Cup Chicken 4/5

During my visit, I managed to try some of the authentic cooked dishes from Taiwan such as the Yang Zhou Style Fried Rice with Shrimp and Char Siew, Stir Fried Noodle with Three Juliennes, Three Cup Chicken, Stir Fried Fresh Whole Chicken with Ginger and Sesame Oil, Stir Fried Pork with Scallion, Stir Fried Squid and Sauteed Oyster with Black Bean Sauce.

Yang Zhou Style Fried Rice with Shrimp and Char Siew 4.2/5

Among the cooked dishes I tried, the fragrant fried rice topped with diced char siew and shrimp was one of my favourite. Each grain of the rice is nicely coated and separated, not sticking to one another and most importantly not greasy. The added char siew and shrimp further boost the aromatic experience.

Stir Fried Squid 3/5

Stir Fried Fresh Whole Chicken with Ginger and Sesame Oil 4.2/5

The other dish that stood out for me is the Stir Fried Fresh Whole Chicken with Ginger and Sesame Oil. Perfumed by the aromatic sesame oil, ginger and spring onion, the chicken was cooked to a palatable tender bite.

Braised Pork with Steamed Bun and Pickled Mustard Green 4/5

Another interesting dish to try is the Braised Pork with Steamed Bun and Pickled Mustard Green. Similar to our local Kong Bak Pau, the additional of pickled mustard green and peanut provided extra layers of textures and flavours to the whole execution compare to the version we are more familiar.

Chef Ho demonstrated his skill handmaking us the La Mian. He told us that on average it takes about 2 years to master the skill. Look at how skillful he is, just by using his fingers to provide the long strand of noodles.

Steamed Rice Cake stuffed with Red Bean

Steamed Rice Cake stuffed with Pickled Mustard Green

The Taiwan dinner buffet also comes with a selection of sweet treats such as the Penghu Black Sugar Steamed Rice Cake stuffed with Red Bean, Steamed Rice Cake stuffed with Pickled Mustard Green, Peanut Mochi, Pineapple Cake and Sun Cake. Among the 6 delicious treats, my favourite has to be the green coloured Steamed Rice Cake stuffed with Pickled Mustard Green. I like the savoury stir fried filling that has crunchy shreds of vegetables fragrant by the mushrooms and dried shrimps.

Town Restaurant's Authentic Tastes of Taiwan Dinner Buffet
Date: 10 April to 19 April 2015
Time: 630pm to 1030pm

Sun-Tue: $55++ (adult), $28++ (child)
Wed-Sat: $69++ (adult with seafood selection),
                $89++ (adult free flow of draught beer and Singapore sling),
                $34++ (child)

Reservation
Tel: +65 68778128
Email: town@fullertonhotel.com



Town Restaurant
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
1 Fullerton Square
Singapore 049178
Tel: +65 68778188
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFullertonHotel
Website: http://www.fullertonhotel.com/dining/diningCategories_2-en.html
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT Station. Take Exit H. Turn right and walk towards the river. At the river, turn right again and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ginzawa Japanese Dining @ Palais Renaissance (Orchard Road)

The location of Ginzawa Japanese Dining at Palais Renaissance is lead by Chef Donny Tan, who has over 30 years of culinary experience under his belt. Ginzawa which means silver river, offers an unfussy traditional Japanese fare elevated with a modern twist.

Sake Kinuta Maki 3.5/5

Dinner at the new Ginzawa restaurant started with some like appetizers in the Sake Kinuta Maki ($12). The rings of daikon is stuffed with salmon and seaweed and interestingly dressed with a egg yolk sauce. The purple and green seaweeds not only provided colourings to the dish but an extra layer of crunchiness to the dish.

Sakura Ebi Salad 3.5/5

A light and refreshing dish is the Sakura Ebi Salad ($22) dressed in mirin, dashi and soy sauce. The addition of sakura ebi gives the mixed greens a boost in both flavours and textures.

Wagyu Tataki 4.5/5

The perfect dish for the night has to go to the lightly seared Wagyu Tataki ($30) with ponzu sauce. The flavour of the beautiful beef is further accentuated by the dipping ponzu sauce which literally melted in the mouth.

Tai Moto Yaki 4/5

The Tai Moto Yaki ($22) comes with a nice grilled coating of sweetness which is pretty pleasing to the palate. More interestingly that distracted us from the main, is the sliced egg or rather what looks like it. It is actually squid ring stuffed with shishamo roes. This is a popping good surprise for the dish.

Kurobuta Tsuke Soba 3.5/5

I actually have not really seen this combination been served on the menu elsewhere before. The Kurobuta Tsuke Soba ($20) felt like a set meal that comes with buckwheat noodles and sliced kurobuta with a yuzu perfumed dipping sauce.

Tempura Moriawase (Deluxe) 3/5

On the fried items, there is the Tempura Moriawase, Deluxe ($35) which consists of Anago Ippon Age, Amaebi Hotate Kakiage and Uni Tempura. I personally thought it is a waste of the uni as I could not really taste any trace of it in the seaweed pillow.

Wagyu Saikoro 4/5

The pan fried Wagyu Saikoro ($48) with garlic, mushroom and bean sprouts is quite straight forward it is execution allowing one to appreciate the quality of the tender and juicy beef.

Kurobuta Zaku Don 4/5

The Kurobuta Zaka Don ($35) is only available in the lunch set and comes with miso soup, chawanmushi and dessert.  The pork is braised for a good 8 hours to achieve that melted in the mouth texture. Together with the flavourful rice, customer will left the restaurant satisfied with the lunch.

Tokusen Hokkai Chirashi Don 4.8/5

Instead of offering affordable chirashi don for lunch, Ginzawa has gone premium with its Tokusen Hokkai Chirashi Don ($50) which is only available for lunch set that comes with miso soup, chawanmushi and dessert. Definitely the price justify for the freshness and quality of the sashimi. However I think it is too expensive for lunch. Customers may think twice before ordering it.


Ginzawa Japanese Dining
Palais Renaissance
390 Orchard Road
#01-06/07
Singapore 237781
Tel: +65 67360100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ginzawa
Website: http://www.ginzawa.com/
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm

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. Palais Renaissance is right after Royal Thai Embassy. 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. Palais Renaissance is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Tomo Izakaya @ Clarke Quay

TOMO, at Clark Quay, is an izakaya that seems to have withstood the test of time. It thrived, back when Clarke Quay was old and tired, and continues to do so in today’s highly competitive foodscape. That is why I always wanted to experience this place myself its allure. And finally! This evening is my chance to try out one of their specially curated Japanese-inspired Chinese New Year set menu, aiming to offer you and your loves a unique dining experience for the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Yu Sheng 3.8/5

Let's toss for a better year ahead! As we toast to each other with our Iwai Sake Tamano Hikari (720ml a btl), we began our CNY dinner. The Yu Sheng’s (ala carte $66 for 3-4pax, 128 for 6-8 pax) towering stature reminds me of 步步高升. Amaebi (shrimp sashimi) crowned the tower, supported by tobiko (flying fish roe), kanpachi ( Amberjack) and salmon. Mix it well with the sauce and you will get a nice balance of the crunchiness and chewiness from the array of ingredients. However, as the sashimi and greens are of similar portions, try to go easy with the sauces to prevent the Yu Sheng being too 'saucy'. I like the choice of sauces used. Even though ours was slightly wet but it wasn’t sticky or too sweet, which might happen to those using the sweet plum sauce. Premium add-ons such as Hokkaido hotate, chutoro and ikura are available in medium (add $20) and large (add $40) sizes.

Appertiser 3.8/5

For Appetiser, this menu offers Simmered Duck, Unagi with Cucumber, Edamame, Deep fried Baby River Prawn and Marinated Octopus. Pretty yummy. Given their savouriness and sizes, your mouth may get too busy to do any talking at this moment. (caution: you might be tempted to order more of their sakes!)

Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab with Salad 3/5

Deep Fried Whole Meat Fish 2.5/5

The menu includes 2 deep fried items. The Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab with Salad and Deep Fried Whole Meat Fish with Japanese thick sauce yuzu flavour. After the rather delightful opening, I felt that both items kind of lackluster, especially the fish. Even with the sauce, the meat was dry and plain.

Tenderly Braised Pork Soft Rib Bone with Japanese Rice Cake 4.8/5

Then came the Tenderly Braised Pork Soft Rib Bone with Japanese Rice Cake. This is definitely the hero of the night. I have always like the way Japanese does their pork, be it in ramen or in their gigantic braised pork bun (which I only get to eat it when in Japan). The meat was tender and flavourful without being too heavy in taste or texture. I really love how chewy the sticky rice cake was! I wish there were more of it. Combining both in my mouth was just unforgettable.

The Japanese Tuna Sushi was an OK dish, perhaps the meat can be slightly more generous? Soup- Prawn Miso Soup was like a light broth, which I thought was good enough to clear my palate before the dessert.

Hokkaido Dessert Plate 4.5/5

For Dessert, we have Hokkaido Dessert Plate consisting 4 kind of sweet rice cake. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from the look of it, until I took my first bite. Gosh! It was heavenly. Especially the matcha. It almost sublimed in my mouth. One bite and it was gone. Before I had the time to reminisce it.

I believe dining in the common area would have been much more fun than that of a private room. And perhaps, that is what you should do if you are coming over to Tomo Izakaya for a CNY gathering. I feel that apart from the Yu Sheng, without the typical auspicious named dishes, you may even forgot that you are celebrating CNY while you immerse yourself in its izakaya atmosphere. But the spirit of a CNY meal is certainly there, to reunion with your loved ones, to chat and laugh together over an abundance of good food.

What I have tried is part of their $666 menu. The CNY Menu also comes with $333 (8 courses) or $888 (9 courses). Tomo Izakaya will be open on the first day of Chinese New Year.

Written and Photography by Si An. A lady who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. 


Tomo Izakaya
Clarke Quay
3A River Valley Road
#01-04
Singapore 179020
Tel: +65 6333 0100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomoizakaya
Website: http://www.tomoizakaya.com/
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1am
Fri-Sat, Eve of PH: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 3am

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C, F or G. Walk along the river toward Riverside Point direction. Cross the bridge to the other end of the river. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Good Chance Popiah (好彩薄饼) @ Silat Ave (Jalan Bukit Merah)

A classic and tradition Chinese eatery since 1977, Good Chance Popiah (好彩薄饼) Eating House was founded by Mr Hou Shen Hu. It is a well known brand if you want to eat the Hokkien Popiah. Mr Hou who is from Long Xi, Fu Jian Province learnt the culinary skills and recipes from his parents which is passed down generations after generations. Currently Good Chance Popiah (好彩薄饼) Eating House is helmed by the third generation, Mr Hou's grandson, Mr Boon Kaichun or more popularly known as Ah Boy.

Good Chance Popiah (好彩薄饼) Eating House, the name itself tells you what it serves. Many has traveled from far to try this tradition Hokkien Popiah. Different to many places, the Hokkien popiah is served unwrap. Patrons have to roll it yourself. It can be quite fun making your own popiah where you can put the ingredients and condiments that you like.

Hokkien Popiah 4/5

The shredded turnip is served in a claypot. The flavour is not very intense but rather subtle and rustic. I know of friends that did not like the old school taste. It also took me a while to appreciate it. Stewed in  a light broth, it allows the natural sweetness of the turnip to come through instead.

Fish Head and Yam Soup 4.5/5

I was a bit skeptical when the pot of Fish Head and Yam Soup was served. It sounds like a weird combination. A sip of the cloudy soup totally changed my perception of the dish. I am not sure whether this is an authentic Hokkien dish but it was packed with goodness. The sweetness of the yam and napa cabbage further adds dimensions to the whole dish.

Hokkien Mee 3.5/5

Fried Vermicelli 3/5

Many may not know that besides popiah, Good Chance does offer many cooked dishes on their menu too. If popiah itself does not fill you up, some of the recommended staple will be their Claypot Hokkien Mee and Fried Vermicelli. The claypot hokkien mee will appeal to many with its slurping good noodles.

Prawn Rolls 3/5

Prawn Paste Chicken Wings 3.5/5

Good Chance Popiah also offers many popular zi char dishes such as the Prawn Rolls and Prawn Paste Chicken Wings. The prawn rolls were decent but I had better ones elsewhere. The prawn paste chicken wings on the other was lacking that distinct prawn paste flavour. However I did like the well fried exterior crispiness. I can hear the sound of crispiness as I bite into it.

Salted Egg Crayfish 3/5

The Salted Egg Crayfish should be well received by the locals as Singaporean seems quite crazy with anything that is salted egg. I noticed curry leaves were used in the dish but I could not detect the aroma in the dish. Decent but not impressive. I think the salted egg sauce can be more richer and thicker.

Stewed Pork with Steamed Bun 4.5/5

I must try at Good Chance is the Stewed Pork with Steamed Bun or commonly known as Kong Bak Pau. The pork belly with its layers of fats and lean meat was well infused with the braise sauce. Sandwiched a piece of the pork belly and the well braised yam in between the soft fluffy bun for a bite of everything that literally melted in the mouth.

If you do plan to visit and try the food at Good Chance Popiah Eating House. I would recommend trying your hand in making your own Hokkien popiah, the fishhead and yam soup as well as the stewed pork with steamed bun.


Good Chance Popiah  (好彩薄饼)
Blk 149 Silat Ave
#01-58
Singapore 160149
Tel: +65 62710698
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodchancepopiahsg
Website: http://goodchancepopiah.com/
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk to bus stop at Outram Park MRT station (Stop ID 05069). Take bus number 147. Alight 3 stops later. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Chotto Matte @ Blair Road

Hidden away from the main street, occupying the corner space of the white shophouse along Blair Street is Chotto Matte, a new Japanese restaurant offering quality yakitori specialties, sushi and sashimi. Chotto Matte, which means wait a moment in Japanese came about because the owners believe that good food is definitely worth a moment's wait.

Sashimi Platter 4.2/5

Starting on a light note is the Sashimi Platter ( 5 for $48, 7 for $68). The sushi bar features a fresh selection of seafood imported around the world. Portion may be small but they were all thickly cut to delight your sensitives. Chotto Matte also offers an omakase experience for just $100 per person with 10 courses of cooked and raw dishes.

Aburi Salmon Maki 3.8/5

Foagura Unagi Maki 3/5

Moving on we tried the Aburi Salmon Maki ($19) and Foagura Unagi Maki ($28). The flavours were rich and bold. However I did not quite enjoy the sushi rice, I thought it was way too wet. Maybe it was just my personal preference. I like the aburi salmon maki more than the foagura unagi maki. The aburi salmon maki was done two ways with raw salmon inside the roll while the exterior was torched. For the foagura unagi maki, the foie gras was missing in the whole execution among the sweetness which I find it hard to justify for the price point.

Shiro Maguro Carpaccio 3.8/5

I find the Shiro Maguro Carpaccio ($29) or marinated American white tuna very interesting. It tickles my taste buds with its marination and unique texture. If I am to have this under a blind taste,  I probably would pass it off as a meat rather than a fish.

Dobin Mushi 4/5

The Dobinmushi ($16) or seafood consomme served in a teapot is also a welcome offering on the menu. The rich but yet refreshing seafood broth not only cleanse the palate but help to wash down those greasiness.

Buta Kakuni 4/5

The Buta Kakuni ($29) is pan fried and then braised in mirin, ginger and leeks. The collagen rich skin fats literally melted my heart as I sunk my teeth into them. The pork belly was a bit tough but overall it is a good dish that will be well received by many who loves pork belly.

Salmon Yuzu Mayo Yaki 3/5

The Salmon Yuzu Mayo Yaki ($25) was quite pedestrian except for the yuzu mayonnaise which added some citrus fruitiness to the taste instead of the usual sauce.

Yakitori 4.2/5

Boasting a selection of 28 yakitori items on the menu, I tried the Tebasaki ($3), Wagyu and Kagoshima Toro Belly ($5). Perfectly grilled and salted, these generously cut servicing calls for a bottle of beer to go with it. The pork belly was my favourite among the three while the chicken was expertly split for easy consumption.

Chotto Matte 4/5

With a good collection of Japanese whiskey, Chotto Matte also conjured a compact list of 9 whiskey or sake based cocktails that pair impeccably with the yakitori. The Chotto Matte, a concoction of citrus flavoured sake Umenoyado Yuzu Shu, Yamazaki 12 and egg white may be a disgusted in its smooth sweetness taste but it is quite potent if you can't hold your liquor well.

Kagoshima Pork Belly Don 4.8/5

The star item at Chotto Matte has to be their Kagoshima Pork Belly Don ($35). The chargrilled Kagoshima thin sliced pork belly over garlic fried rice will blown you off your seat. The garlic fried rice is one of its kind. Most of the garlic fried rice out there comes in the form of deep fried garlic aroma, the version here still has that raw garlicy sweetness on top of that aroma. You just got to try it. I guarantee you can't stop eating it until the last grain unless you are not a garlic lover.

Kuro Goma Yam 3/5

We ended the night with the Kuro Goma Yam ($15), deep fried yam with black sesame ice cream.
While I enjoyed the light batter coat of the yam and the sesame ice cream, I did not find the two coming together as a dish.

If you are planning to check out Chotto Matte, I will recommend trying the Kagoshima Pork Belly Don and Yakitori.


Chotto Matte
54 Blair Road
#01-01
Singapore 089954
Tel: +65 62228846
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chottomattesg
Website: http://chottomatte.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit F. Cross the road. Walk down Eu Tong Sen street towards Kampong Bahru Road. Continue onwards on Kampong Bahru Road along the row of shophouses. Turn left onto Blair Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes.

2) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk to bus stop at Outram Park MRT station (Stop ID 05069). Take bus number 124, 143 or 147. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]