Dearborn Supper Club @ Chai Chee Street - Private Dining Focusing On Greens, Grains And Seafood

Our private dining adventure brought us to Dearborn Supper Club in the East which has like 5 months of waiting list. We are quite lucky to score a session at the start of the year in January if not we will have to wait until June. Dearborn Supper Club is hosted by Chef Christopher Kong who has worked at Waku Chin and Guy Savoy, offering fine-modern American cuisine in a casual setting that focus on grains, greens and seafood at his cosy five room flat.

A selections of Gin and Tonic welcome us before we proceeded to our dinner. It is definitely a warm reception from the host.

Chickpeas with Lemon 4/5 and Carrot Tartare 4.2/5

Local Snapper Riclette 4/5

Edamame Hummus 4.2/5

With started with some bite-size amuse bouche. We have the Chickpea with Lemon, Carrot Tartare, Local Snapper Riclette and Edamame Hummus. I like the zest with the chickpea which is kind of a surprise combination to elevate the flavour. The edamame hummus is also a unique take of combining middle east and Japanese flavours that is well received by the dining group.

Hokkaido Scallops 4/5

Our first course is the Hokkaido Scallops that is paired with green apple, horse radish, celery and apple vinaigrette. The refreshing pairings allows the sweetness of the scallop to stand out in the dish. A clean and pleasing dish to kick start the dinner.

Agnolotti Pasta 4.2/5

Chef Christopher's dad used to run an Italian restaurant in Washington. Hence the Agnolotti Pasta is like remembering his root. The vegetarian pasta consists of elements like sunflower seeds, pea and pecorino cheese. These parcels of delight probably just got me converted to be a vegetarian. Well maybe just for the night.

Eggplant 3.8/5

The Eggplant is char-grilled and topped with tomato relish, jalapeno relish, quinoa and dressed in a chicken mayo jus. Eggplant can be quite one dimensional in taste but dearborn has smartly created firework in the dish with the pairings.

Squid Ink Fried Rice 4.5/5

The Squid Ink Fried Rice is done paella style, giving the short brown organic rice a crispy texture at the edges. One can find seafood such as squid and prawns in the fried rice, as well as anchovy for that lift in flavour. A very delicious and comforting dish that has more Asian and Spanish influences.

Sourdough 4.5/5

For the next course, we are called upon the kitchen table where Chef Christopher brought out 2 loaves of Sourdough. A weird flow of serving as bread is usually served at the beginning of dinner but once Chef Christopher cut into the sourdough, everyone just could not stop spreading the homemade butter onto their slices of bread. The time also allows us to have more interaction with the chef who has been busy cooking all night, which I really appreciate to complete the whole private dining experience.

Grilled Cauliflower Steak 4.5/5

For our main course, we have the Grilled Cauliflower Steak topped with pickled cauliflower and olives. Noteworthy is the eggyolk and sherry sauce that complements the cauliflower steak excellently. Even though there was no meat through out the dinner, at this point I was already feeling full. Some of us could not even finish the dish.

Seaweed Madeleine 5/5

The beautiful aroma of the Seaweed Madeleine was already making me drool when it is being baked in the oven. Served fresh and hot, these moist and fluffy seaweed madeleine had us asking for more but there is only one piece per person. I was told that Chef Christopher has made yuzu madeleine and pepper madeleine. We actually challenged him to make uni madeleine.

Coconut Ice Cream 4/5

Our dessert is all about coconut. The Coconut Ice Cream has a coconut meringue roof with edible white pandan flowers. On the base of plate is coconut crumbles for texture. There is also a bit of lime zest to balance the sweetness. A refreshing dessert that is not overly sweet, well balanced and of course coconuty.

Fortune Cookies 3.5/5

Last but not least, instead of the petite fours to go along with our coffee or tea, we are offered homemade Fortune Cookies in Chinese noodle takeaway box. We even get to take home a bottle of homemade granola. The private dining dinner cost us $128 per pax for 6-course but actually we have more than 6 courses. Also I noted that the have increased the price to $138 now. Private dinner is really getting more and more expensive.


Dearborn Supper Club
Blk 51 Chai Chee Street
Singapore 460051
Website
Nearest MRT: Kembangan (EW Line), Bedok (EW Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Bedok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 84009). Take bus number 26. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Bedok MRT Station (Stop ID 84039). Take bus number 222. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Kembangan MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Kembangan MRT station (Stop ID 83062). Take bus number 26. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar @ Amoy Street - From Mediterranean To Modern European Flair & Finesse

Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar celebrates its third anniversary with a new chef on board, revamped menus and refreshed interiors. Chef Seumas Smith is actually not new. He is the former head chef at Moosehead, sister restaurant of Maggie Joan's. Taken the role of Group Executive Chef, he now fronts the kitchen at Maggie Joan's.

House-baked Sourdough with Smoked Beef Fat Butter 4/5

Dinner started with some warm House-baked Sourdough ($4). Besides the fluffy bread and delightful crust, what I adore is the smoked beef fat butter that goes so well with it.

Shiso Tempura 3/5

Light and crispy is the Shiso Tempura ($3 each). The fresh shiso leaf is coated with a light tempura batter and deep fried. The dollops of taramasalata is a blend of mentaiko, sourdough bread, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice, that adds colours (flavours) to the dish.

Burrata 3.5/5

This is probably the most beautiful plated Burrata ($21) I have eaten. It comes with garden peas, sugar snap peas, preserved lemon, olive oil, breadcrumbs, pea shoots and garlic flowers. The combination works for me, brightening the enjoyment of the burrata. However I find the burrata not as creamy as those I have eaten.

Hamachi Crudo 4/5

Swimming in a pool of almond sauce is the Hamachi Crudo ($17). It is topped with pickled wakame, edamame, mint leaves and trout roe. Unfortunately I felt it lacked something zesty to liven up the dish, for the fish to come alive.

Beetroot 3.5/5

The Beetroot ($17) is done two ways - barbecued in charcoal oven and pickled in a solution of red wine vinegar. wine and sugar. The burnt honey dressing helps to balance the earthy taste of the beetroot while I like how the candied walnut provides the needed boost in texture and flavours.

Barramundi 4/5

The Barramundi ($34) is pan seared until the skin is crispy and paired with a creamy parsley nage sauce. You can also find mussels swimming in the pool of cream sauce. What interests me is the sauteed cavelo nero in olive oil, I seldom gets to eat this variety of kale in my dishes.

Spiced Lamb 4.5/5

My favourite dish for the dinner goes to the Spiced Lamb ($44). The lamb loin is rubbed with a spice mix of toasted and ground sumac, cumin and dried coriander. This really perfumed the tender piece of lamb is beautifully melded with the aroma of the spices, making me drool even before it reached my mouth.

Roasted Carrots 4.2/5

This is probably the most delicious carrot I have eaten. The carrots have been confit in butter before being grilled in charcoal oven. This results in the Roasted Carrots ($10) having a delightful texture with a hint of smokiness, on top of its sweetness.

Duroc Pork Chop 4.5/5

Sourced from a boutique farm in Spain, the Duroc Pork Chop ($42) comes from pigs that are fed on olives. The meat is tender with good fat marbling. The chef even added pork crackling for that extra textural enjoyment.

Blackberries, Yogurt, Sorbet & Shiso 4/5

Coconut Panna Cotta 4/5

The sight of the dessert - Blackberries, Yogurt, Sorbet & Shiso ($12) did not appeal to me. I thought the dish looks messy. You really can't judge a book by its cover, the dessert turns up surprisingly good with the different components coming together, striking a balance for a sweet finish. The Coconut Panna Cotta ($12) on the other hand is a light and refreshing dessert to end the dinner.

Petit Fours 4.2/5

Diners at Maggie Joan's will get a complimentary Petit Fours at the end of the meal. Comes its a metal tin, diners will find Salted Caramel Chocolate Sable in it. This is really yummy.

While the new savoury dishes at Maggie Joan's has been rejuvenated with  a new chef on board what caught my attention is the dessert menu. Having dine here a few times, I noticed the vast improvement in the dessert. I was right when I checked with the restaurant, they have a new pastry chef on board.

Note: This is an invited tasting.



Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar
110 Amoy Street
#01-01
Singapore 069930
(Entrance from Gemmill Lane)
Tel: +65 62215564
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 11pm
Sat: 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Cross Street towards Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Take the side lane beside the shop house and walk to the back. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2)  Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Follow the covered walkway to the junction of Mccallum Street, Telok Ayer and Amoy Street. Turn left at the junction onto Amoy Street. Continue on Amoy Street to the end of the road. Take the side lane beside lane at the end of Amoy Street to the back. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

The Summerhouse Dining Room @ Seletar Airport - A New Afternoon Respite At The Summerhouse

The Summerhouse Dining Room has launched a new weekday lunch and weekend brunch menus. The new menus comprises of nature-inspired dishes of familiar flavours using unrivalled freshness of ingredients sourced from local farmers and producers.

Burrata Rocket Salad

A light starter for the lunch is the Burrata Rocket Salad ($20). Fresh burrata rested on a bed of rockets and dressed in house blended rocket peso sauce. I enjoyed the marinated dried tomatoes which lent the sweetness to the dish. The toasted sourdough completed the plate of freshness.

Yellow 4.2/5

The Yellow ($14) consists of crispy sweet potato coated with mimolette cheese, fermented carrots and pickled pumpkin. Bring the different flavours together is the earl grey and passionfruit vinegrette. The harmony of the sweet roots and rejuvenating zest from the pickled sides works harmoniously on the palate.

Miso Shiitake Linguine 4/5

The Smmerhouse Dining room handmade their own linguine for the Miso Shiitake Linguine ($22). It is cooked in a miso cream together with braised shiitake mushroom, grilled sweet corn and spring onion. It is then topped with a sous-vide poached egg and fried sakura ebi. I could not really taste the miso in the pasta, hence the creaminess felt more like have a carbonara. However I did like the addition of fried sakura ebi which provided the extra crunch and flavous.

Pulled Pork Scrambled Egg Burger 4/5

The Pulled Pork Scrambled Egg Burger ($19) is probably the weirdest combination I have ever eaten for a burger. Sandwiched between the cream cheese bun, you can find pulled pork, scrambled egg, mimolette cheese, bacon, rocket and avocado with sambal belacan, mustard and barbecue sauce. It is like putting a big breakfast into a burger. I am not a fan of the sambal belacan in burger but my friend thought otherwise. The burger may seen outrageous but it actually tasted quite delicious.

Eggs Benedict Modernist 3.5/5

Egg benedict given a modern twist, that is exactly what the Eggs Benedict Modernist ($22) is. It comes with two fried breaded egg yolks, sous-vide egg, egg white bacon custard, black forest ham, chive hollandaise and toasted broiche. I am not too sure but I didn't feel quite satisfy with such a delicate plate for brunch. Don't get me wrong, I do applaud the effort and skill into the dish, and its delicious too. However I just want something comforting and hearty for brunch.

French Toast 4/5

I personally felt that I was having 2 desserts for 1 pricing in the French Toast ($14). The toast is soaked in egg with cinnamon and brown sugar is pan fried with butter. It was soft, fluffy and buttery. The caramelized banana and raspberry yuzu sorbet sitting on top of the french toast, reminds me of my childhood favourite banana split ice cream. That is why I mentioned that it felt like having 2 desserts.

Balinese Chocolate Ice Cream 4.5/5

Last but not least we had the Balinese Chocolate Ice Cream ($12) which consists of a freshly baked chocolate cookie at the base with vanilla custard and a scoop of chocolate ice cream made using Baliness cocoa. This is dusted with hazelnut praline powder. The dish may looks simple, it may also looks a little messy but it just works wonderfully together. I can have this anytime of the day.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Summerhouse Dining Room
Seletar Airport
3 Park Lane
Singapore 798387
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Punggol (NE Line), Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm
Fri-Sun, Eve of PH & PH: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Punggol MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Punggol Bus Interchange (Stop ID 65009). Take bus number 117. Alight 6 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to Yishun Bus Interchange (Stop ID 59009). Take bus number 103. Alight 16 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 45 minutes. [Map]

Antoinette @ Penhas Road - 23 Chocolate Creations To Satisfy Your Chocolate Fetish

Following the successful launch of the Fetish Matcha, Chef Pang introduces his second instalment - Chocolat Fetish. The latest instalment will be available from 01 September to 31 October 2016. A total of 23 creations, crafted from premium white and dark Valrhona chocolate. It is a chocolate heaven for the latest collection with both savoury and sweet items. While there are a total of 23 chocolate creations, only 4 of these are savoury items and they are not available Mandarin Gallery.

Roasted Carrot with Balsamic Dark Chocolate Dressing 4/5

From the savoury menu, we started with the Roasted Carrot with Balsamic Dark Chocolate Dressing ($18). Considering the richness of chocolate, this is actually a light starter with the dark chocolate balsamic sauce on the side to complement the oven roasted carrot and serrano ham.

Chocolate Ravioli 4/5

The Chocolate Ravioli ($22) is filled with wild mushroom ragout and cooked in a light sausage cream sauce. The texture of the chocolate pasta skin and the mushroom ragout works for me. It is a excellent dish on its own, minus the fact that it really need a trained tongue to detect the trace of chocolate.

Sous Vide Salmon with White Chocolate Hollandaise 4.8/5

The savoury dish that got everyone's acknowlegement is the Sous Vide Salmon with White Chocolate Hollandaise ($28). Besides the beautifully cooked salmon, it also comes with potato puree and caramelized fennel, onion and apple salad. The star has to be the white chocolate sauce that is made from a concoction of cream, vinegar white and sherry, milk, white chocolate and lemon juice. It complemented the moist salmon perfectly and it did not lose its chocolate characteristic.

Braised Wagyu Brisket 3.5/5

The very instant the Braised Wagyu Brisket ($30) was served, I thought I detected vegemite It was actually the mustard and dark chocolate that there the brisket was cooked in. However I thought the buttered parpadelle stole the limelight from the dark chocolate.

Tarte Chocolat 4/5

Moving on to the cakes and macarons section, we started with the Tarte Chocolat ($10). The chocolate almond tart is filled with caramel fleur de sel with roasted nuts, dark chocolate ganache, chocolate Chantilly chocolate. A chocolately and nutty combination that will be well received by many.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake 4.5/5

Amount the numerous cakes on the shelf, my favourite is the strawberry shortcake because of its lightness. The chocolate interpretation of my favourite cake won not only my heart but my palate too. The Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake ($10) consists of chocolate genoise with chocolate Chantilly and fresh strawberry. I thought it would be too rich for my liking but it turned out otherwise. It was moist, light and well balanced.

Orangier 4/5

For those that adores the richness of chocolate, then the Orangier ($10) would be the one for you. The sexy slice of cake consists of creamy matcha ganache layered with a m4 layered chocolate cake with a light chocolate ganache, hazelnut feullitine and orange marmaladeilk chocolate yuzu ganache enrobed in milk chocolate.

Macaron Burger 3.5/5

What a stunning presentation in the Macaron Burger ($12). The details are so well thought of. There are many components making up the burger such as the chocolate macaron, chocolate ganache patty, apricot cheese, raspberry ketchup, salted caramel cream mustard and white chocolate lettuce. Give me a beer for my burger. Oh I mean give me a cup of tea.

Trufflette 4.2/5

On did I find a black truffle at Antoinette? I was disappointed when I cut into the truffle. I thought I have strike gold but its actually a cake. The Trufflette ($15) is made up of dark chocolate mousse, black truffle cremeux, chocolate genoise and hazelnut feullitine. The addition of the black truffle cremeux has accentuated the flavour to a new level that is new to me which I enjoyed.

Invader Inside 4.5/5

Comes in a can, there is some fun element in it. The Invader Inside ($15) has 10 different chocolate textures in it. I will keep in a mystery what you can find inside. It is for our to open that treasure can and discover the chocolate yourself.

Chocolate Pancake 4/5

Chef Pang has up the gear with the Chocolate Pancake ($18). The stack of chocolate flavoured pancakes is drenched in a warm chocolate sauce and topped with banana nut crunch and flambed caramelized banana. A sinful but delicious dessert on a plate.

Chocolate French Toast 4.8/5

The Chocolate French Toast ($18) which is made using the soft brioche. The soft bread is not only infused with chocolate but housed a luscious chocolate lava inside. The banana nut crunch cereal provided the extra contrast to the texture. This is the ultimate chocolate heaven for me. A not to be missed dish on the menu if you are a chocolate fan.

Flaming Chocolate Ice Cream 3.5/5

Encased in a chocolate sphere is the Flaming Chocolate Ice Cream ($22). Upon pouring the flaming Grand Marnier over the sphere, it revealed a creamy white matcha ganache with almond nougatine and matcha cake enrobed with milk dark chocolate ice cream, exotic fruit compote and almond crumble inside. I am not a fan of alcohol with chocolate so in my personal preference, this kind of throw the balance off, not allowing me to appreciate the sweetness and richness of the chocolate.

For sweet treats, you will be delighted by the selection that is available for the fetish chocolate creation. On the platter, we were given samples of the Chocolate Rice Crispies, Chocolate with Tea (lapsang souchong, earl grey, assam, jasmine), Crispy Bacon, Almond Butter Rusk, White Chocolate Matcha, Chocoron and Salted Egg Truffle. My favourite among all is the salted egg truffle. I like it so much that I got a box home.

Hot Chocolate Yuzu with Marshmallow Cloud 3/5

There are even 2 new chocolate beverage creation for the fetish chocolate campaign. There is the Hot Chocolate Yuzu ($29) which comes with a marshmallow cloud. It is another instagrammable creation that will probably draw the crowd to the restaurant. I did not like addition of yuzu in the beverage, it somehow distort the balance for me. I just want my hot chocolate with marshmallow.

Hot Chocolate Earl Grey with Croissant Croutons 4.5/5

Of the two beverage creations, I definitely prefer the Hot Chocolate Earl Grey with Croissant Croutons ($9) more. The earl grey has hard noticeable. All I got was just the rich creamy chocolate, the way I like it. What's more we have the croissant croutons to soak up that chocolatey sweetness.

Besides the array of chocolate creations that is a chocolate heaven for chocolate lovers. The fetish chocolate campaign also dispel the notion that chocolate has only a certain way of enjoying it. This is is an exploration as well as educational of all the senses, taking chocolate to a whole new level.

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]