The Nomads @ Telok Ayer Street - A Re-Imagination Of Central Asian Cuisine

The Nomads is a new contemporary Central Asian dining concept located along Telok Ayer Street. It features a chic dining area complete with a custom-built grill pit, a speakeasy-style private dining room and thoughtfully crafted menus that bring diners to a gastronomic trail along the Silk Road. Besides the a la carte menu, there are 3 tasting menus and an exclusive private dining room communal menu.

Smoked Herring 4.2/5

For my visit, I had The Odyssey of Fire Tasting Menus ($148) which comprises of 17 courses that highlight a wide range of signatures and seasonal items. The gastronomic journey started with the Smoked Herring. The smoked herring sits inside a delicate filo pastry filled with horseradish mash.

Caviar & Kaya 4/5

A playfully take of the kueh pie tee is the Caviar & Kaya. Housed inside the crispy shell is poached Argentinean prawns and housemade kaya, crowned with glistening beads of Kristal caviar. Pop it inside the mouth to get that perfect burst of sweet and salty flavours.

Lamb Samsa Cones 4.2/5

The Lamb Samsa Cones is a modern take of the lamb samsa, traditionally served in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as a baked pastry filled with meat. The cone coated with coffee sugar is filled with lamb tartare of fresh Mottainai lamb short loin. A thoughtful creation allowing the sweetness of the coffee sugar to complement the light and naturally sweet meat, plus a little playful touch.

Nomads Nan with Hunter-Gatherers Butter 4.5/5

The Nomads Nan is a traditional Kazakhstan-style bread made using a secret family recipe whereby flour is fermented overnight with yoghurt to intensifies the flavour. This is best enjoyed with the seaweed butter and foie gras butter.

Maitake Mushrooms 3.5/5

You can smell the smokiness of the Maitake Mushrooms from a distance, seasoned with earthy Khmeli Suneli spices and grilled with tahini and sesame seeds.

Carrots in Soil 3.5/5

Bite into the different coloured Carrots in Soil that is sweet and crunchy. The charred heirloom carrots are coated with coffee crumble for a bittersweet finishing.

Salat 4.5/5

The Salat is an adaptation of the grilled fruit salad from Kazakhstan. It is light, crispy and fresh that comprises of juicy pears glazed with cherry vinaigrette, seasonal greens and crystallised walnuts, served with anchovy sauce and frozen raspberries.

Scallops 4/5

An interesting combination of koji cured Japanese Scallops, spiced burnt corn and crispy lentil crackers, is the Scallops dish. It is unusual to put the three ingredients together, and they complemented one another excellently.

Squid Laghman 4/5

The Squid Laghman is a native noodle dish from Xinjiang Uyghur. The squid noodles are lightly charcoal kissed to tender. It is paired with capsicum and pine nuts in the hearty bone marrow and Sichuan peppercorn sauce. Hence it is a little bit spicy.

Sturgeon 4/5

The lean and meaty Sturgeon which tasted like chicken breast is grilled with soy butter emulsion and dill oil and served with crunchy grains.

Beshbarmak 4.2/5

The Beshbarmak, a national dish of Kazakhstan, is literally translated to "five fingers" because it typically can be eaten with the hands. The modern version at The Nomads finds pieces of tender wagyu cheek in spiced broth, pickled shallots and garlic. On top of that, it replaces the noodles with dehydrated potato sheets.

Beef Tongue 4/5

The Beef Tongue is braised for 48 hours in a master broth until tender with a slight crunch, served on The Nomads Nan with a decadent burnt whole grain mustard cream, spiced beef jus and shaved almonds.

Pomegranate 4/5

Freshen up your palate in the Pomegranate which serves as a palate cleanser.

Foie in Ash 4.2/5

It is like having foie gras skewer in the Foie in Ash. The chunky foie gras is coated with charred breadcrumbs with a side of cherry gastrique.

Hunter's Plov 4.2/5

A staple along the Silk Road is the plov, a rice dish that is whipped up with whatever ingredients on-hand. The Hunter's Plov at The Nomads is inspired by the Uzbekistan version. It comes in a bowl of A4 wagyu striploin, bone marrow, pickled heirloom carrots, tea quail eggs, brandied raisins and Carnaroli risotto.

Almaty 4.2/5

Moving to the desserts, the Almaty comes in the form of a dainty tart of smoked apple ribbons with dollops of Gorgonzola cheese and cinnamon yoghurt and a scoop of celery sorbet.

Medovik 4/5

Last but not least, there was a second dessert to end the tasting menu on a sweet note. The soft and fluffy Honey Cake is paired with sour cream ganache, blood orange, rose crystals and refreshing yoghurt sorbet.

The 17-course tasting menu may sound a lot, but each serving is rather bit size portion. As for the gastronomic journey, the cuisine along the Silk Road is very foreign to me. While each individual dish is thoughtfully crafted, the diversity of the culinary influences may work either way. To some, it may be confusing without focus, for others, it may be an exploration adventure.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Nomads
70 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 048458
Tel: +65 69777057
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Firebake @ East Coast Road - Launches New Item And A Refreshed Lunch Menu

Firebake at East Coast Road has launched a refreshed lunch menu and new items. It has also adjusted its opening hours. It now opens from 9am on the weekend to accommodate breakfast and brunch crowd. As for weekdays, it has added more variety for its lunch menu, giving diners more choices.

It can't be any better to start your morning with fresh, warm woodfire bakes at Firebake. A modern take of our traditional breakfast is the Milk Buns with Traditional Kaya ($3.50). For the price, this is a steal to kick start the day. There are also the Firebake Morning Buns with almond, lemon and cinnamon ($3.50), savoury Cheesymite of cheddar cheese and vegemite ($3.50) and Firebake Croissant Rolls ($3, $3.50 with chocolate).

Firebake Tartine 4/5

The Firebake Tartine ($18 full portion) is an open-faced sandwich featuring a slice of Seedy, topped with mortadella with sundried tomato pesto draped over a pool of cheese fondue. The toppings will vary from time to time. The full portion is definitely good for sharing.

Seafood Risotto 4.2/5

The Seafood Risotto ($26) is now available for brunch, lunch and dinner. The Arborio rice is well fragrant by the seafood stock and white wine. It also comes with succulent cubes of scallop, sweet prawn tails and tender bits of mussels. That is not it. It even comes with stalks of grilled green asparagus and a whole grilled Mediterranean seabass fillet.

Firebake Wagyu Cheese Burger 4.5/5

The sight of the melted cheddar flowing down the Firebake Wagyu Cheese Burger ($18) already got me drooling before sinking my teeth into the juicy medium-done Australian wagyu patty. The patty is sandwiched between house-baked wood-fired sourdough potato buns. What brings the burger together is the thick tomato-based beef sauce, inspired by the traditional pastitsada stew.

Grilled Argentinian Striploin 4/5

For something more substantial, there is the Grilled Argentinian Striploin ($28). The 220g steak is grilled to medium over Firebake's traditional wood stove and served over a slice of rye bread, topped with a vibrant salsa verde. The steak though lean, it is packed with intense flavour with a delightful smokey char.

During weekday lunch, guests can now have a pick of an appetiser, main and desserts to add a little more variety for lunch. They can also choose between the 2-course menu (from $22) and a full 3-course menu (from $25).

Note: this is an invited tasting.


Firebake
237 East Coast Road
Level 1
Singapore 428930
Tel: +65 64401228
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 1130am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 10pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Take exit A. Walk to bus stop at Blk 99 Old Airport Road (Stop ID 81181). Take Bus 10 or 32. Alight 7 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 18 minutes. [Map]

Antoinette - Wealth Of Sweet Indulgences For The Lunar New Year

Once again, Chef Pang of Antoinette is at the top of his game for the Lunar New Year with a wealth of new creations as well as bringing back the signature classics to usher in the Year of the Pig.

Hong Bao

During the Lunar New Year, the act of giving Hong Bao (red packet) symbolises sharing of blessing. With this auspicious symbolisation, Chef Pang created the Hong Bao ($10 small / $25 big) for this Lunar New Year using a combination of French and Japanese bread making techniques. The bread is infused with red dragon fruit, hence the flavour and colour. Inside the bread, you can find layers of nian gao (made in-house with black sugar and fried shallots), candied yam and sweet potato, pork floss and salted egg.

Abundantly 

A fun and dramatic new cake for the Lunar New Year is the Abundantly ($38). The chiffon cake is infused with rich purple sweet potato and topped with a thin circle of black sesame peanut feuilletine. To enjoy it, diners lift of the little partition for a windfalls of wealth and luck. It releases a flowing profusion of salty cheese cream that drapes over the cake, with a wealth of black and gold tapioca bubbles steeped in black sugar, candied sweet potato and yam cubes, gold-covered chocolate coin, ingot and koi fish. It is like have a creamy cheese bubble tea cake.

Purplelette 

For bite-sized pleasures, there is the Purplelette macarons ($3 per piece / $19 for 6 pieces). The macaron shell is made with purple sweet potato yam and sandwiched between a ring of sweet potato cream with a cheese centre filling. It is hard to stop at one.

Queen's Yusheng

For a different kind of Yusheng, the classic Queen's Yusheng ($88) makes a return for 2019's Chinese New Year. Cracking open the golden chocolate egg reveals freshly diced and shredded pineapple, Thai green mango, red dragon fruit and pomelo. Tossed to a year of prosperity and good luck, together with almonds, cashews, mandarin orange butter cake, meringue kisses, yam and sweet potato chips.

For those who is planning to share some happiness to their friends, families and colleagues, Antoinette has a number of gift options such as the gorgeously floral Saint Honore gift box ($75), Singapura Cookie Tin ($24), propitiously bright red Luxur gift box in three different sizes ($20/$26/$35), as well as the Bisou gift box in a graceful grey velvet in three different sizes.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Antoinette 
30 Penhas Road
Singapore 208188
Tel: +65 62933121
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thur: 11am - 10pm
Fri & Eve PH: 11am - 11pm
Sat: 10am - 11pm
Sun & PH: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to V Hotel Lavender. Walk down Horne Road and turn right onto Penhas Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

House of MU @ Mohammed Sultan Road - Combining Comfort European Dining & Burmese Teak Lifestyle

At a glance, House of MU at Mohammed Sultan Road may look like a furniture shop from the outside. It is not surprise as the new kid on the block combines food and collectible Burmese teak furniture, bringing a new homely comfort concept to the F&B stretch.

Soup of the Day - Cream of Mushroom 4.2/5

We started with the Cream of Mushroom ($9) for the soup of the day. The comforting and earthy soup uses button mushrooms that has been simmered for hours. The creamy consistency comes from the addition of cream, butter and milk. It is best to pair with some bread rolls and sticks from the Fresh Bread Basket ($8).

Pan Seared Scallops 4/5

Next we tried the Pan Serared Scallops ($18) which comes with a nice char on top of its sweetness. The French scallops are paired with the light and smooth cauliflower puree. I like the thoughtful addition of the fresh apple, lending a refreshing touch to the dish.

Truffle Cream Risotto with Crayfish 4/5

For variety, diners can create their own risotto or pasta at House of MU ($14). For carbo, diners can choice risotto, spaghetti or linguine. For the sauce, there are tomato, aglio olio, black ink (+$6), truffle cream (+$8). You can also have additional add-on such as chicken breast (+$5), veg lover (+$5), vongole (+$6), crayfish (+$6) and bacon (+$6) to make your meal more substantial. I had the Truffle Cream Risotto with Crayfish ($28). The rice is cool to an enjoyable al dente bite, absorbing the beautiful stock. It is further perfumed by the truffle scent.

MUnster Platter $138

As an advocate for communal dining to share their lives and ongoings over a good meal, you will notice item such as the Munster Platter ($138) which is good for up to 4 pax. The platter includes a medley of prime cuts of beef steak, grilled chicken, roast lamb, pork tenderloin and herb sausages, cooked over a combination of Japanese Bincho charcoal and apple wood logs for the smoky flavour.

Dessert Platter 4/5

Last but not least, end the meal on a finale with the Dessert Platter ($46). It comes with an assortment of macaron, creme brulee, bittersweet chocolate ice-cream, oreo cake with hazelnut cream, raspberry granita and frozen peanut butter popsicle. If you find the dessert platter some what familiar, you will be glad to know that pastry chef Song previously from Fat Lulu is now at House of MU.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


House of MU
11 Mohammed Sultan Road
Singapore 239010
Tel: +65 6732 1011
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu, Sun: 12pm - 1030pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down River Valley Road to Mohammed Sultan Road. Turn left onto Mohammed Sultan Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Chef’s Table @ Capella Singapore - Wellness Tea Time

If you are a wholly believer of a plant-based diet or about to step into the realm of raw food, veganism etc, but finds it really hard to give up your sweets, Capella Tea Experience – Wellness Tea Time may be able to ease that yearning, every Friday. At Chef’s Table, this special menu is put together with great effort by Sandra Lim of Live Fruitfully, a certified Raw Food Chef from The Matthew Kenney Culinary Institute and Chef David Senia, the Culinary Director of Capella Singapore. Presented in the form of a five-course menu, the Wellness Tea Time offers not just gluten-free and dairy-free savouries but also sweet creations!

Caffaine takes a back seat. Get in tune with yourself and choose from Ronnefeldt Ayurvedic teas instead, according to your mood – a cocoa-rich taste with light floral notes Stay in Balance; an invigorating herbal Light My Flame or the smooth green tea blend Let It Go.

Hummus is quite common in a vegan diet but I really love this Crispy Charcoal Tuile with Root Vegetables Hummus. Its exuberant colours, textures and most of all, the taste. The hummus is made with sweet potato, yet it has a savoury depth and a tangy note. It is designed to eat with your hands, hence spoon the hummus with the gluten-free Crispy Charcoal Tuile and sweet potato chips.

Tempeh Portobello Slider with Green Goddess Cream is a herbivore's slider that delivers a level of satisfaction no less than a regular slider. Not so much of the Goddess cream but that layer of sweet caramelised onions at the bottom and the pickled cucumber on top, that have successful trick my mind.

The preparation works for Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Shiitake ‘Bacon’ is painstaking but the final product is worth it. The curst is made with cauliflower and teff, a grain grown in Ethiopia and said to have huge health benefits. The sweet corn mash gives the pizza a sweet flavour and body, and if you think that the quintessential cheese is missing, just open up the pizza and you will find a slice of almond cheese in it.

The Sprouted Whole Grain Bread with Tomato Tapenade is made with 5 different grains such as brown rice, quinoa etc. It may comes across a bit dry but the tangy sweet tomato spread makes up for it. The bread is super crusty on the outside, with a slight chewiness to the body.

The Special House Scones are served with homemade raspberry jam and coconut cream. To give the jam a jammy texture, chia seeds are used as the 'gelatin'. I like the jam which is pulpy and not too sweet, the coconut cream also imparts a different flavour to the scones. However, the sweetness of the scones doesn't sit well with me at all, although technically, there isn't any 'real sugar' in it.

Finally the sweets. If the savouries are tough to make, the sweets are multiple times of that. Without cream or dairy, it might take 10 more ingredients just to achieve similar consistency and texture. For example, Chocolate Hazelnut Dome went through multiple trials for the layer of chocolate coating, which is made using aquafaba (chickpea water). The Quinoa and Zucchini Chocolate Tea Cake has a brownie-like texture and the Cacao Avocado Mousse delivers an expected creamy consistency. However, i would prefer more varieties as they start to get cloying after a while. Cultivated ‘Cheesecake’ with Blueberry and Beetroot Glaze offers a brighter taste.

Ending the lazy afternoon is a refreshing Tomato Consomme Jelly with Basil Granita and I really like it, simply because it tastes very natural, compared to the plate of sweet creations prior to it.

Knowing that you ain't consuming anything artificial is certainly assuring. It is intriguing to see how different ingredients are being orchestrated into our well-loved items using methods much less known. Wellness Tea Time is available on Friday from 3pm to 5pm, priced at $59 per person.

Photograph and written 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.


Chef’s Table 
Capella Singapore
Sentosa Island
1 The Knolls
Singapore 098297
Tel: +65 65915045
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Harbourfront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Fri: 3pm - 5pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Harbour Front MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to pick up point at exit of Lobby F in Vivocity (near JPot and Nyonya & Baba Restaurants). Wait for the complimentary shuttle bus service. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Harbour Front MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to Vivocity Shopping Mall. Go to Sentosa Express Station at Level 3 of Vivocity. Take Sentosa Express Train to Imbiah station. Alight at Imbiah station. Proceed to Artillery Ave. Walk along Artillery Ave until you came to a road (slope) to Capella Hotel. Turn right onto the road and walk up the slope to destination. Journey time about 25 mins. [Map]

Lewin Terrace @ Fort Canning Hill - Introduces Luxurious Spring 2018 7-Course Dinner Menu

Nestled amidst the lush greenery of Fort Canning is Lewin Terrace, a Japanese-French fusion restaurant which is housed in a gorgeous colonial-style bungalow. Helmed by a talented team of culinary professionals which includes Director Mr. Kosuke Shima and Chef de Cuisine Hiroyuki Shinkai, Lewin Terrace rolls out a luxurious 7-course dinner menu with beautifully-crafted Japanese-French fusion dishes to present flavours of Japanese Spring. Amidst the tranquil environment of Lewin Terrace, the dining experience is further heightened with Jazz Nights at Lewin Terrace, bringing guests the best of both worlds.

Bread & Yuzu Butter 4/5

To kickstart the sumptuous dinner, some fluffy freshly-baked bread were served with generous lashings of creamy yuzu butter. WIth a fine balance of the subtle tangy yuzu and sweet flavour of the spread, the bread & butter served is a simple yet well-thought starter.

Seabream Carpaccio 4/5

The first course was an appetizer of Seabream Carpaccio that comes beautifully plated akin to a vibrant garden on a plate with sakura peel, dashi jelly, and "Amazu" marinated carrot. The latter ingredients lent a refreshing tangy flavour and a crunchy texture to the softer and more tender seabream, playing out a harmony of flavours and textures with a presentation that is also pleasing to the eyes.

Foie Gras Confit with Fig Chutney 3.8/5

The second course was an appetizer of Foie Gras Confit with Fig Chutney and Spice Bread at the side. The fig chutney helps to balance the rich and creamy foie gras confit, while the spice bread adds a stronger flavour with lingering edging notes of the sharp spice fragrance that just cuts through the dish.

Le Poisson 4.2/5

Le Poisson features lobster meat with mushrooms, risoni, topped with lobster white wine sauce and coconut foam. The lobster meat is buttery and succulent, while the white wine sauce adds a subtle sweetness to the savoury components of the dish with a coconut fragrance from the coconut foam.

Le Viande 4.5/5

The star highlight would be the Le Viande which features smoked Japanese wagyu with seasonal Japanese vegetables, pomegranate puree and red wine cream sauce. While the well-seasoned smoked wagyu meat boasts an extremely succulent texture, the red wine cream sauce elevates its taste with another dimension of flavour, as it adds a delicate sweetness to the meat. It is complemented by seasonal vegetable at the sides for a favourable crunch to the dish.

Matcha Parfait 4.2/5

For desserts, we had the Matcha Parfait which that comes in intricate strips of matcha ice cream, 'Warabi" Mochi, Chocolate crumble and drizzled with hot chocolate sauce. While the matcha ice cream has an authentic bitter sweetness, the chocolate sauce has a more bitter taste to it, which helps balance the overall flavour of the dish. Together with the chewy warabi mochi and crunchy chocolate crumble, all the elements simply come together to form a well-balanced sweet ending to a wonderful meal.

The mouthwatering dishes from the Spring Menu were executed brilliantly, with every aspects of the dishes in line with the theme of Spring and entwining flawlessly with one another, perfect to indulge in on a nights out. The ambience at Lewin Terrace is also fantastic for a date, celebration of special occasions and private events. With Jazz nights that happen fortnightly on certain days of the month, it is truly a dining experience like no other.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Lewin Terrace
21 Lewin Terrace
Singapore 179290
Tel: +65 63339905
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 630pm - 1100pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit B. Take left onto North Bridge. Walk to the traffic light junction of North Bridge Road and Coleman Street. Cross the road towards Peninsula Plaza and continue walking towards the junction of Coleman Street and Hill Street. Cross the road to the central fire station. Continue on Coleman Street until Singapore Philatelic Museum. Look out for the metal gate before the museum, turn left in and take the stairs to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]