Rudimentary @ Footscray [Melbourne] - Container Cafe With Seasonal Menu Straight From Their Garden

Container concept is not new but seldom I see one that is as comfortable as Rudimentary, which is nested at Footscray,a suburb in Melbourne. This is one of my favourite suburb cafes in Melbourne which I visited during my trip. Huge breathing space with an impressive garden with greens, fruits and herbs which go into making our dishes. Do note that menu changes according to season, what we had was Autumn menu. Very simple interior and furnishing, the kind of everyday cafe, as seen from their basic 2 toasts with butter and homemade seasonal jam alongside with their cup of coffee.

Steak & Cheese Baguette

The Steak & Cheese Baguette (AUD$14) is a very basic sandwich but the taste of the steak went beyond your usual fast food kind of sandwich. It was quite juicy and tender with oozy cheese all over it. The baguette is closer to a ciabatta which I thought goes even better with the filling. Just look at the charred portion of the bread! That adds characters to an otherwise ordinary toast out from an oven.

Coconut & Lime Panna Cotta

Somehow or rather, the Coconut & Lime Panna Cotta (AUD$16) is a dish within the mains and not in the range of desserts, perhaps like your brunch waffles or pancakes. It was my very first experience having panna cotta as a main and theirs made it a memorable one too. The contrast of colours in a myriad of red and orange was sense awakening. Every bite comes with a nice coconut fragrant on top of the creamy texture without being overly cloying. The salad on the side which consists of tangy and citrusy fruits, tart berries and crispy dried fruits was perfect in creating complementing flavours and textural contrasts with the panna cotta.

Smoked Beef Ribs with Plum Puree, Cucumber Kimchi, Corn Bread

I rarely see a meat dish that is as neat as their Smoked Beef Ribs (AUD$19.50) with the different ingredients arranged side by side. Corn bread seems to be a common accompaniment for meats, as it appears a few times in other menus. The beef did look really smoked and almost to the degree of charred black but the inside was done right. The blood red plum puree was a sophisticated sauce to flavour the meat, along with an interesting spicy kick with the cucumber kimchi adding a crunchy touch. The portion of the ribs may seem much smaller than expected, not your regular american ribs with sauces all over the plates for sure, but I like the intimacy that a diner could have with this dish - savours every bite and appreciates every flavour that comes through.

I finally get to really appreciate what a seasonal menu is after seeing the garden, savouring the food using the ingredients straight from the garden etc.. Last but not least, the warm service and smile by the team. I wished I was really on a vacation and need not rush to my next destination. One day, I shall be back!

Written and photography 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.


Rudimentary
16-20 Leeds Street
Footscray, Melbourne
Victoria, Australia
[Map]
Tel: +61 497058173
Facebook
Website

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 730am - 330pm
Sat-Sun: 8am - 330pm

Beauty in The Pot @ The Centrepoint – New Outlet, New Soup Bases, More Selections of Ingredients, Larger Capacity and Longer Operating Hours.

After almost two years, the wait is finally over! Paradise Group has opened its second Beauty in The Pot outlet at The Centrepoint in Orchard Road. Given the overwhelming response at their popular flagship outlet at One-KM Shopping Mall, the opening of its second outlet at the heart of Orchard Road makes it easier for me to get a table now, and more importantly, I do not need to travel all the way from the West to the East just to satisfy my hotpot craving.

The central location of the new outlet at The Centrepoint sees a larger seating capacity that can sit up to about 250 guests. It is almost twice the capacity of its flagship outlet.

At the new outlet, there is even a Kids’ play area. It is perfect for families who have kids as they can bring their kids for some play time while waiting for the ingredients to be prepared and served.

In conjunction with the opening of the new outlet, Beauty in The Pot at The Centrepoint now offers 4 new soup bases – Vitamin C Tomato Sweet Corn, Herbal Drunken Chicken, Cooling Coconut and Longevity Wild Pine Mushroom. The new soup bases are only available at the new outlet. On top of that, it has also introduced the Quart Pot in the new outlet. It means you can try 4 different type of soup bases in one go. And you know what? That’s what I did. I tried all the 4 new soup bases!

There is even greater news for beauty pot lover as The Centrepoint outlet offers more selections of ingredients as compared to One-KM Shopping Mall outlet. I realised there are more choices of fresh seafood such as lobster, crab, mussel and scallop at its new outlet.

For the convenience of guests, there are new specially assorted platter such as the Assorted Paste Platter (Ebiko Prawn Paste, Pork Paste and Paste of the day), Specialty Meat Platter (Sliced Pork Belly, US Kurobuta Pork, US Marbled Beef Cube and Sliced US Beef) and Assorted Seafood Platter (Live Crabs 300-500g, Fresh White Sea Prawns, Scallops, Red Clams and Squid Rings).

For the late owls and supper lovers, there is even more joy as Beauty in The Pot is open daily until 6am and you get to enjoy 20% off food ingredients after 10:30pm. With its centralise location, that means you need not travel far for supper after your party in town.

There is even more good news for hotpot lovers as Beauty in The Pot is having an opening promotion for OCBC card-members at The Centrepoint outlet. Pay with your OCBC Card and enjoy up to 50% discount off the Soup Bases,
          - Dine with 2 ladies enjoy 30% off
          - Dine with 3 ladies enjoy 40% off
          - Dine with 4 ladies and above to enjoy 50% off

Do note that the promotion is only valid from 03 January 2017 to 20 January 2017 and it is only valid for dine-in at The Centrepoint outlet only.

Note: This post is brought to you by Paradise Group


Beauty in The Pot
The Centrepoint
176 Orchard Road
#05-15/16
Singapore 238843
Tel: +65 62353557
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 6am

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B and C. Walk to the main street. Cross the road. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Yan Restaurant (宴) Chinese New Year 2017 @ National Gallery Singapore

Chinese loves the auspicious number 8 because it sounds like '发' (Fa) in Chinese, which symbolizes wealth and fortune. For a year of abundance and prosperity, Yan Restaurant at National Gallery has introduced 8 Prosperous Set Menus to usher in the Year of the Rooster, ranging from $118++ to $268++ per person.

Signature Yellowtail Fish with Golden Flake in Shun De Style 4/5

Lo Hei is a tradition for all Lunar New Year nowadays. Apart from the more traditional Prosperity Salmon Lo Hei, bigger group can toss to a year of abundance with the Signature Yellowtail Fish Yu Sheng with Golden Flake in Shun De Style. Guests also have the option to add on cubes of crispy lobster fillet for an additional price. Instead of shredded vegetables, this is replaced with crispy fried vermicelli. It is then topped with slices of ginger, spring onion, crunchy capsicums, finely grounded peanut and drizzled in a homemade soya sauce and peanut oil.

Signature Roasted Suckling Pig

Crispy Skin 4/5

A signature at Yan Restaurant is their Signature Roasted Suckling Pig ($124 for half, $248 for whole) which comes with three ways of appreciation. First is to enjoy the tissue thin crispiness of the crackling skin with steamed pancake, cucumber and scallion.

Carved Shoulder 4.5/5 and Oven Baked Fillet with Lemongrass 4/5

The second way is the Carved Shoulder which comes with a layer of the crispy skin and another lay of the succulent meat. Lastly the pork is Oven Baked with Lemongrass which some what tastes like Japanese yakitori.

Braised 2 Head Abalone with Wild Mushroom 4.2/5

A delicacy on each set menu is the abalone. We tried the Braised 2 Head Abalone with Wild Mushroom. The bouncy texture of the abalone is well complimented by the flavoursome braising sauce. A delicacy indeed.

Dual Style Roasted & Szechuan 'Bon Bon' Chicken 4/5

A new item on the menu is the Dual Style Roasted & Szechuan 'Bon Bon' Chicken. This is a popular dish in China also known as Bang Bang Ji because of the pounding sound of the stick or hammer, hitting against the meat to tenderize it. The spring chicken is served in 2 ways. Half of it is shredded and coated with traditional homemade Si Chuan Ma La spice, while the other half is aromatically roasted.

Wok Fried Mee Sua with Shrimps, Honey Glazed Pork & Capsicum 4/5

In every Chinese's meal, there needs to be either a noodle or rice dish to ensure everyone on the table has a satisfying and full meal. A good change from the usual fried rice of Ee Fu Noodle is the Wok Fried Mee Sua with Shrimps, Honey Glazed Pork and Capsicum. I usually have mee sua in soup but I did not know wok frying it, gives it a different dimension and has a nice texture bite to it.

Pan Fried Sweet Rice Cake 4.8/5

The Pan Fried Sweet Rice Cake is a must try and not to be missed because it is only available for the festive season only. The contrast of crusty exterior and soft interior made this a delightful dessert. The softness of the rice cake felt like having mochi.

Chilled Mango Cream Topped with Vanilla Ice Cream & Oats 4.5/5

Wrapping up our dinner is the Chilled Mango Cream. It is served in a coconut husk and topped with vanilla ice cream and oats for the extra crunch. The bonus is that you can even have the coconut flesh after cleaning up the chilled mango cream and ice cream.

Yàn’s Chinese New Year menus are available for both lunch and dinner from 9 January to 11 February 2017. 2 reservation slots for dinner at 5.30pm and 8.15pm are available on the eve of Chinese New Year on 27 January 2017. Guests can refer to www.yan.com.sg for the respective menus and make theirreservations at reserve@yan.com.sg.


Yan Restauant (宴)
National Gallery Singapore
1 St Andrew's Road
#05-02
Singapore 178957
Tel: +65 63845585
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit D. Turn left and walk down North Bridge Road. Turn left onto Coleman Street. Walk down Coleman Street. Walk to destination. Journey time around 5 minutes. [Map]

Yan Restauant (宴) @ National Gallery Singapore - Introduces Prosperity Soup Feast

Yan Restaurant at National Gallery Singapore is introducing the Prosperity Soup Feast for a limited period from 19 September 2016 to 31 October 2016. A total of 25 double boiled soups are prepared using time-honoured recipes. Every week the menu will feature 5 of the soups and rotating them weekly during the promotion period.

Double Boiled Frog with Conpoy and Winter Melon 4.5/5

If you have been under the weather and feeling heaty, the Doubled Boiled Frog with Conpoy and Winter Melon will be the perfect soup to clear the body heatiness. The light and refreshing was not only comforting, it comes with a homely flavour that felt like mother's cooking.

Doubled Boiled Hashima with Huang Qi and Dang Shen 3.8/5

For those ladies that want a nice complexion, the Doubled Boiled Hashima with Huang Qi and Dang Shen will help to improves the skin complexion for a radiant glow.

Doubled Boiled Sea Whelk and Black Garlic 4/5

With the outbreak of Zika in Singapore, you probably want to strengthen your immune system and Yan Restaurant has the right soup in the Doubled Boiled Sea Whelk and Black Garlic, using the medical properties of the black garlic and wolfberries.

Doubled Boiled Duck with Parsley and Dried Orange Peel 4.2/5

Having a cold? The Doubled Boiled Duck with Parsley and Dried Orange Peel is supposed to help prevent cold. Besides the medical benefit and robust soup, what I enjoyed most is tender roasted duck that comes with the soup.

Double Boiled Chinese Cabbage with Yunnan Ham 3.8/5

When I knew that the Double Boiled Chinese Cabbage with Yunnan Ham can help to nourishes the lungs and boosts energy, I thought this is the right soup me as I have asthma and Singapore is starting to experience the haze from the forest fire in Indonesia. I thought the bitterness of the Chinese cabbage threw the balance of the soup a little off or it will be an even better dish.

The soups are priced at $13.80 each, and they all comes with a bowl of rice. It is not a bowl of ordinary rice. The fragrant bowl of rice is cooked in an imperial stock and comes with crispy rice.  It has both flavour and texture.

Signature Roasted Crispy Suckling Pig Served 3 Ways

Not to be missed at Yan Restaurant is some of the mainstay dishes such as the Signature Roasted Crispy Suckling Pig ($124 for half, $248 for whole) served in 3 ways. First is to enjoy the crispiness of the crackling skin paired with the steamed pancake, cucumber and scallion.

Carved Shoulder 4.5/5

The second way of enjoying the suckling pig is the Carved Shoulder. If you have enjoyed the crispy skin, this is like 2 in 1. You get to have both the succulent meat as well as the crispy skin.

Oven Baked Fillet with Lemongrass 4/5

Last but not least, we have the Oven Baked Fillet with Lemongrass. I wasn't expecting that little fellow has so much meat. It felt like have Japanese yakitori.

Steamed Thousand Layer Beancurd 4.2/5

We were all so impressed with the knife skill when the Steamed Thousand Layer Beancurd with Dice Honey Glazed Pork, Conpoy, Mushroom and Ginko Nuts. The silky smooth beancurd was complemented by the beautiful sauce and I enjoyed the contrast of textures from the diced pork, conpoy, mushroom and ginko nuts.

Chilled Mango Cream Topped with Vanilla Ice Cream and Oats 4.5/5

Wrapping up our dinner is the Chilled Mango Cream. It is served in a coconut husk and topped with vanilla ice cream and oats for the extra crunch. The bonus is that you can even have the coconut flesh after cleaning up the chilled mango cream and ice cream.

Kindly be reminder that the Prosperity Soup Feast is run on a rotational basis, with a minimum of 5 different soups available daily. If you want to try any specific soup out of the 25 soups, guests is welcome to pre-order at least a day in advance. Besides the limited period of the prosperity soup feast, Yan Restauant also offers a omakasa-style dining experience when Chef Chan and his team will design a customized menu using the best seasonal produce.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Yan Restauant (宴)
National Gallery Singapore
1 St Andrew's Road
#05-02
Singapore 178957
Tel: +65 63845585
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit D. Turn left and walk down North Bridge Road. Turn left onto Coleman Street. Walk down Coleman Street. Walk to destination. Journey time around 5 minutes. [Map]

Pyxiemoss @ North Canal Road - Inventive Small Plates In Adventurous Ways

Pyxiemoss is a new modern European cuisine restaurant spearheaded by Chef Tim Ross-Watson that has taken over the defunct D'Bell at North Canal Road. Pyxiemoss is derived from Pixie Moss, the only flowering moss over 12,000 species. It alludes the restaurant's aspiration to blossom and flourish in the competitive F&B industry. The cuisine here offers a flair of British with Asian influenced, using both traditional and modern cooking techniques to transform simple daily ingredients into novel dishes.

Pigaroon 3/5

The restaurant is kind enough to give a glimpse of the bar snacks offering which are only available after 10pm. We tried both the Pigaroon ($3) and Carrot Dog ($5/pc). The pigaroon is interestingly presented in a flower pot. What is on the plate is actually ethereal beetroot macaron swirl paired with pickledpig skin with cream cheese encased in pork belly and smoked bacon on a stick.

Carrot Dog 4/5

Carrot Dog sounds like a weird dish but the vegetarian interpretation of the hot dog actually works. The char grilled baby carrot is sandwiched between the soft and pillowy focaccia, and topped with achar and curry leaves. The whole combination of sweet and sour worked harmoniously for a delightful bite.

Seaviche 3.5/5

The Seaviche ($8) is an interesting twist substituting raw seafood with fresh sea coconut. Give the dish a good toss and have it together with the hickory-smoked corn chips. Even with the squeeze of the lime, I still find it lacked the punch that you get from the traditional ceviche, missing that strong tangy and spicy burst of flavours.

The Tribbiani 4.5/5

One of my favourite dish at the new Pyxiemoss is The Tribbiani ($15). The yellow dome shape thing on the plate is actually duck liver mousse. The silky and creamy duck liver mousse is paired with crunchy focaccia chips and pedro ximenez soaked medjool date jam. A luscious dish which is truly an indulgent.

Cofflee Lox 4.2/5

A light and refreshing dish on the menu is the Cofflee Lox ($18). The thinly sliced Norwegian salmon is cured using upcycled coffee grinds. This is perfectly matched with fresh chervil, cucumber, refreshing green apple sorbet and freeze dried grapefruit for acidity. A well thought and balanced dish.

Rad-ish 4/5

This may sounds simple but the Rad-ish ($8) is actually braised thrice before serving to the table. It is first braised in salt water, then miso water and lastly onion broth to expel its bitterness. A robust onion consomme is pour over the radish wheel at table which is topped with yuzu miso and pickled red radish. You can choose to have chopped wagyu beef for an additional $4.

Not Just The Tip 4.8/5

A dish that I never thought I would enjoy is Not Just The Tip ($14). A smart dish which makes use every part of the celery, not just the tip. A rift on the Waldorf salad, the dish uses the root, leaves, stem and the tip of the celery for different textural enjoyment of the whole celery. It is further paried with barley risotto, green apple, candied walnuts and stilton cheese to bring the dish together.

Mother's Lamb 4.2/5

The Mother's Lamb ($18) demonstrates Chef Tim's bold approach to food, upcycling usually-discarded parts of select produce. On the plate, is tandoor oven cooked lamb hearts and neck, with two sinful slabs of lamb bacon. The touch of having carbonated green and purple champagne grapes is very thoughtful, which helps to cut through the richness perfectly.

Pina Colada 4.2/5

Ending the meal on a sweet note, we have the Pina Colada ($10) and Snickerz ($10). The Pina Colada is a deconstructed rendition of the popular cocoktail's key ingredients. In the bowl, the components consider of fermented young coconut cake, coconut granola, salted coconut cream, compressed pineapples in extra virgin olive and a creamy caramelised pineapple ice cream. A light and refreshing dessert that suit my palate.

Snickerz 3/5

The other dessert, Snickerz ($10) is a rich and heavy glutinous rice brownie which comes with pavlova-like salted gula melaka cream . It is both chocolatey and chewy. I did not quite like the texture of the brownie. However the nuggets of caramelised peanuts rolled in homemade Snickers-inspired powder got my attention.

Overall, I have enjoyed my dining experience at Pyxiemoss. I find Chef Tim has brought something fresh to the table. You never know, the pixie moss may actually blossom and flourish into one of the best new restaurants this year.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Pyxiemoss 
43 North Canal Road
Singapore 059299
Tel: +65 65322171
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 5pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the traffic junction of North Bridge Road and North Canal Road. Cross the road and turn right onto North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ninja Bowl @ Duxton Road - Hearty Meals at CBD Below $20

Take over the space at Department of Caffeine is Ninja Bowl. Ninja Bowl is opened by the same folks behind Chillax Cafe and Babette Restaurant & Bar. The restaurant offers diners an extensive menu filled with unique all day brunch options, sandwiches and hearty one bowl meals.

Coconut Lemon Mint 4/5

Recently the weather in Singapore has been really hot.  The Coconut Lemon Mint ($8) will be very refreshing and satisfying with its huge serving. It even comes with the coconut flesh. Furthermore coconut water supposes to have health benefit isn't it?

Yasai 4.2/5

Ninja Bowl offers 8 different types of bowls on the menu. Basically these bowls are carb free and comes with default ingredient combinations. However diners have a choice to add on the ninja rice, orzo pasta, garden greens and white quinoa for an additional cost of $2 to $3.

We started with the Yasai ($16) that comes with chunky salmon poke, mixed sultanas, tomatoes and onsen egg. We topped it with White Quinoa ($3) for a complete meal. A light and healthy Polynesian-inspired bowl.

Kabuki 4/5

The Kabuki ($14) comes with tender pieces of deboned chicken thigh marinated in miso, soy sauce, garlic and honey. It is rounded off with baby corn, pickled beetroot, snow peas, onsen egg and fried shallots. We chose to add on the Ninja Rice ($2), which is a blend of vinegared Japanese pearl rice and brown rice with seaweed flaks. A substantial Japanese style mixture vegetable rice, in my own layman description

Buta 3.8/5

If you are one that cannot resist a delicious piece of pork belly, then the Buta ($14) is for you. The bowl comes with Japanese aburi chashu, cherry tomatoes, onsen egg, roasted pumpkin, and ume-pickled apples. We added Orzo Pasta ($2), a rice shaped short cut pasta to round off the whole meal.

Ebisu 4.2/5

From the brunch menu, the Ebisu ($18) is a creamy stew that comes with pan seared hokkaido scallops, mussels and miso butter cream. It also comes with two slices of toast to soak up the delicious cream. I only wish there was more of the sauce.

Gyu & Tama 4.2/5

The Gyu & Tama ($17) comes with Ninja Bowl's signature 24 hour braised beef cheek that literally melted in the mouth. It is paried with a side of creamy scrambled eggs, mushrooms and toast. It is one of the better scrambled eggs I have eaten for a long while.

Fancy French 4.2/5

Worth waiting for 20 minutes is the Fancy French ($16). The French toast is stuffed with fig jam and then drizzled with honey that is infused with umeboshi (pickled plum) and topped with homemade hazelnut butter. The slices of figs, plums, green grapes and edible flowers not only make the dish pretty but also helps to balance the sweetness from the fig jam.

The menus at Ninja Bowl as per the name suggested or you would have guessed, is Japanese inspired. The delicious bowls come with quality ingredients, healthy and affordable priced below $20. What's more attractive is that they are all nett cost and the restaurant does not have service charge.


Ninja Bowl
15 Duxton Road
Singapore 089481
Tel: +65 62228055
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 930am - 730pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 6pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. At Orchid Hotel turn right onto Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road to the opposite side of Tanjong Pagar Road. Walk along Tanjong Pagar Road to Duxton Hill. Turn left onto Duxton Hill and then turn right on Duxton Road. Journey time about 15 mins. [Map]