Salt & Palm @ Joo Chiat - Neighbourhood Resto-Bar Serving Modern Flavours Of East Indies

Having won over Sydney, Australia, Salt & Palm has now opened in the colourful neighbourhood of Joo Chiat, bringing its fun new take on the flavours of the East Indies to our shore. Helmed by Executive Chef Natasya Soetantyo, she seeks to change the perception and introduce the diversity of Indonesian cuisine as a whole archipelago through contemporary cooking techniques using traditional spices, recreating the complex flavours and dishes in a modern way.

Fresh Oyster 4/5

We kickstarted our meals with a couple of starters, beginning with the Fresh Oyster ($28 for 3 pc). The freshly shucked Amelie oysters from Marennes-Oleron, France, can be paired with either a choice of lime wedges or tomato tamarind and basil kemangi pandan oil.

Hokkaido Scallop 4/5

Next is the Hokkaido Scallop ($22), lightly torched and paired with tempe chips, fried garlic, chilli peanut lime, sweet soy and lemon basil herbs. The combination gives a glimpse of Chef Natasya's philosophy of incorporating her Indonesian heritage into her cooking.

Fish Cake 4/5

The Balinese-style Fish Cake ($12 for 2pc), made from minced fish and a blend of traditional spices, is topped with chilli lemongrass shallot salsa which enlivens the flavour. The accompanying chicken skin tuille provides that extra textural enjoyment.

Potato Cake 3.5/5

There are also several Vegan dishes on the menu, such as the Potato Cake ($12 for 2pc). The potato cake is topped with vegan mayo and vegan caviar to finish. The combination and flavour are straightforward, which didn't come with any significant surprises.

Prawn Bisque Pasta 4/5

Moving to the mains, we had the Prawn Bisque Pasta ($32), inspired by Palembang Mie Celor, a seafood noodle in coconut broth. The interpretation, which comes with king prawns, south sumatran prawn bisque, onsen egg, beansprouts, tobiko and chives, is bursting with the sweetness of the sea.

Beef Short Ribs 3.8/5

Australian grain-fed beef is used for the Beef Short Ribs ($52). I wish the texture could be more tender, but the rendang sauce is fragranced with kaffir lime leaf, cinnamon, chilli, and candlenut. The flavour is more savoury than sweet, leaning more towards the Indonesian style instead of the sweeter Malaysian style.

Porchetta 4.5/5

The Porchetta ($32) at Salt & Palm is its version of Balinese Babi Guling. The pork belly is marinated in a unique Balinese spice blend but cooked in Italian style. The result is succulent with crispy crackling, paired with chilli lemongrass salsa for a lifted enjoyment. This is one of my favourite dishes for the night.

Mushroom Rendang 4.5/5

Another beautiful dish on the menu is the Mushroom Rendang ($30). The medley of mushrooms and baby potatoes is simmered in a housemade rendang sauce over long hours and topped with toasted coconut flakes for texture contrast.

Pandan Coconut Creme Brulee 2.8/5

We wrapped up our dinner with the Pandan Coconut Creme Brulee ($15) and Pavlova ($18) for dessert. The Pandan Coconut Creme Brulee is egg and dairy free, topped with jackfruit and berries. There was even young coconut filling in the custard. However, I wouldn't say I liked the texture of the creme brulee. It lacked that smooth, creamy texture without the use of egg and dairy.

Pavlova 4.2/5

Compared to the creme brulee, I preferred the Pavlova ($18) for its brighter flavours. The plant-based meringue with plant-based mango and passionfruit cream is further embellished with fresh mango, blueberry, grilled peach and coconut flakes.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Salt & Palm
467 Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427678
Tel: +65 89399617
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Nearest MRT: Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Thu: 5pm - 11pm
Fri-Sun: 9am - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm

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 number 16. Alight 4 stops later. Walk down Joo Chiat Road to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Tien Court Restaurant @ Copthorne King's Hotel - A Roaring Lunar New Year Celebration

Head into the New Year with a roaring start at Tien Court. Master Chef Lui Wing Keung has put together a collection of Lunar New Year specials to usher in the Year of the Tiger. Diners can look forward to Lunar New Year Set Menus for dine-in from $68++ per pax. Value-for-money Auspicious Family Set is also available for takeaway at just $168 Nett.

Prosperity Teochew Yusheng 3.5/5

Unlike the usual Yu Sheng offers at most restaurants, Tien Court offers Prosperity Teochew Yusheng with octopus, salmon or abalone options. It is a classic Teochew style yu sheng with leafy greens tossed in addictively zesty passion fruit and plum sauce that bond everything together.

Kung Fu Pot 4/5

New this year is the Kung Fu Pot available both for dine-in ($268++) and takeaway ($268 Nett with claypot/ $218 Nett in vacuum-sealed pack only). Each bountiful claypot is a labour of love and limited to just 50 pots this year. It is brimming with handmade sotong balls, individually wrapped cabbage parcels stuffed with chunks of crabmeat, scallops and carrot, fish maw with prawn paste, deep-fried prawn roll and more. Unlike the usual pen cai, this version is lighter.

Sauteed Prawn with Pineapple with Sweet and Sour Sauce 4.2/5

An interesting take of the sweet and sour pork dish is the Sauteed Prawn with Pineapple with Sweet and Sour Sauce. It is an auspicious dish that is common on every reunion dinner.

Fortune Spring Chicken 4.2/5

Another dish on the menu which I enjoyed was the Fortune Spring Chicken. It has an aromatic herbal flavour on top of the tender steamed chicken.

Braised Fish Cake with Napa Cabbage 4.2/5

Probably a signature at Tien Court is the handmade fish cake by Chef Lui. The Braised Fish Cake with Napa Cabbage is soft and pillowy, sitting on a bed of soft and sweet Napa Cabbage.

The adorable Tiger Buns are specially made for the year of the Tiger. It is limited to 20 pieces per day at $8,80 (2pc) with a secret dining code. You have to recite to the staff, 你家老虎太可爱 (The Tiger in your house is so cute). 

Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat 3.5/5

Like every Chinese dinner, it will end with a carb dish. We had the Steam Glutinous Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat. It is fluffy and sticky, flavoured by the delicious Chinese waxed meat.

Steamed Nian Gao 4/5

We have the Steamed Nian Gao coated in peanut and coconut for dessert. The extra coating elevates the fragrant and textural enjoyment.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tien Court Restaurant
Copthorne King's Hotel
403 Havelock Road
Level 2
Singapore 169631
Tel: +65 63183193/ 63183198
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Nearest MRT: Havelock (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Havelock MRT station. Take Exit 5. Walk straight down Havelock Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 mintues. [Map]

Dine At Home During Circuit Breaker - Soi Aroy

One of the better meals I had during the circuit breaker period is Thai food from Soi Aroy. I am glad that even during this pandemic, I am still able to discover new restaurants that I didn't get to visit before the whole world goes into various lock down measures to fight against the pandemic.

Premium Tom Yum Soup with Thai Mama 

In my opinion, the best way to tell whether a restaurant is serving legit Thai food is from their tom yum soup. When I took a sip of the Premium Tom Yum Soup, it blew me away with its depth and bold flavours. You can choose to go along with some rice or add noodles to it. Customers will have a choice of egg noodles, brown rice bee hoon, Thai rice noodle or Thai Mama. I have gone for the Thai Mama as I like my maggie mee. 

Thai Collagen Porridge

Another dish that caught my attention is the Thai Collagen Porridge. The rice and ingredients come packed separately from the 12hr collagen base soup without MSG. It is very hearty and comforting. You can also request additional ingredients such as egg, vegetables, meat patty and more. 

Grilled Pork Cheek

Lemongrass Chicken

For some grilled stuff, they have Grilled Pork Neck and Lemongrass Chicken. The grilled pork has a delightful crunchy bite on top of its smokiness. The lemongrass chicken was tender with refreshing lemongrass aroma.

Thai Fish Cakes

Another popular item on their menu is the Thai Fish Cakes which goes excellently with the Thai sweet spicy sauce. 

Thai Seafood Fried Rice

As I mentioned earlier that I have not visited Soi Aroy at Sim Lim Square so I went online and try to find out more about the restaurant. I realized it is actually quite a small place located on level 2 of the mall. It amazes me that with such a constraint space, the restaurant was able to wok up so many varieties on their menu. Besides the dishes I mentioned earlier, they have many more cooked dishes such as Thai Seafood Fried Rice, Thai Basil Pork, Sambal Kang Kong with Squid and Sambal LaLa.

Thai Basil Pork

Sambal Kang Kong with Squid

Thai Basil Pork and Sambal Kang Kong with Squid is probably two of my most ordered items whether I visited a Thai restaurant. With a plate of fragrant steamed rice, it basically completes a meal. 

Sambal LaLa

Worth mentioning is their Sambal LaLa. Not only was the LaLa fresh and juicy, it like the layer of aroma from the Thai basil which just elevated the whole spicy affair.

Mango Sticky Rice

Not to forget to wrap your meal with some sweetness too. This can also helps to cool the tongue after all the spicy food. Some of the desserts I tried are Mango Sticky Rice, Tapioca, Red Ruby and Mango Sago.

Tapioca, Red Ruby and Mango Sago

Currently the restaurant is having the following promotion. Free drink for every $15 spent and $5 off for orders above $50. Delivery fees ranged from $5 to $17 depend on the zone. You can refer to their facebook page for the delivery fee charges. To order WhatsApp the restaurant at 9641 8988.

Soi Aroy

Sim Lim Square

1 Rochor Canal Road

#02-08

Singapore 188504

Tel: +65 96418988

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Nearest MRT: Rochor (DT Line)

Opening Hours:

Mon-Sat: 11am - 8pm

Sun: 11am - 4pm

Direction: 

1) Alight at Rochor MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Tamashii @ North Canal Road - A New Concept Offering More Intimate Dining Experience Based On Kappo Cuisine

After 6 weeks of renovation, Tamashii at North Canal Road has reopened with a new look and concept. Gone is the robataya concept with fresh ingredients lining along the counter seats. The new restaurant features a more intimate counter dining experience based on Kappo cuisine.

We have the Chef Tasting Menu ($128 for 6 Course / $168 for 8 Course). First is a trio of small bites. We have Tuna coated Yuzu Sesame, Lady Finger with Wasabi Vinaigrette and King Crab with Honey Miso served in a cone.

Fresh Oyster 4/5

Next is Fresh Oyster from Japan Okayama that is topped with housemade balsamic vinegar pearl and sea grape. The bright taste from toppings help to balance the plump and creamy oyster.

Sashimi 4.2/5

Following that, we have a flight of sashimi. On the plate, we had Tuna Belly, Flounder, Saba and Sea Water Uni. I like the fact that the restaurant takes the effort to marinated the flounder with kombu and salt, while the saba with salted and vinegar to further elevate the flavours for a fuller enjoyment.

Foie Gras 3.8/5

The Foie Gras comes sandwiched in a biscuity shell, that is paired with pickled white radish and 15 years aged balsamic vinegar. The sour tang from the pickles and balsamic vinegar helps to provide the balance for the creamy foie gras.

Fish Cake 3.8/5

The Fish Cake is housemade using a mixture of white fish paste, prawn and squid. It has a delightful bouncy texture, which is very enjoyable. It even comes with seasonal clam, giving the fish cake more textures and flavours.

Beef Tongue 4/5

While the Beef Tongue may sound acquire for some diners, I enjoyed it for its crunchy texture. The beef tongue has been sous vide and then charcoal grilled for a nice hint of smokiness.

Carabinero Prawn 4/5

The Carabinero Prawn are coated with bread crumb and deep-fried, giving it a beautiful crispy exterior. To eat this, first, peel off the head and pour the prawn roe inside the shell onto the flesh for an umami appreciation of the crunchy prawn.

Abalone Rice 3.5/5

The last savoury dish for our tasting menu is the Abalone Rice with its liver sauce. The rice is cooked in a hot pot, which gives it a layer of crispy rice at the bottom, similar to the Chinese claypot rice. However, the crispy bits tended to stick to my teeth, which is quite uncomfortable. Putting that aside, this is one luxe pot of rice crowned with shaved truffle and abalone.

Melon 3.5/5

Wrapping up the tasting menu is a simple slice of Melon that is super sweet.

Tuna Collar 4/5

If you have a group of more than 4 pax, I would recommend trying the Blue Fin Tuna Char Kama Bincho-Grilled ($138). The huge slab of tuna collar is rarely served in restaurants, and this needs to be pre-order. This is my first time having this particular part of the blue fin, and I really enjoy the fattiness of the moist meat.

Oyako Don 4.2/5

Tamashii offers lunch set on their menu too. One of the new items is the Oyako Don. It comes with chunky pieces of tender chicken on top of the bowl rice that has been cooked with chicken stock. It even comes with an egg. I would recommend breaking it and mix it well, giving the rice and chicken a smooth coating.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tamashii
12 North Canal Road
#02-01
Singapore 048825
Tel: +65 62220316
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the junction of North Canal Road and South Bridge Road. Cross the junction and continue on North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses along North Canal Road. Look out for an alley and turn left into it. Look for the entrance to the building and take the lift to level 2. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk towards North Canal Road. Continue on North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses along North Canal Road. Look out for an alley and turn right into it. Look for the entrance to the building and take the lift to level 2. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Yon Yan (永焱) Fried Chicken Wings @ West Coast Market Square - The Fried Chicken Wing Stall That PM Lee Queued For 30 Minutes Is Back

Do you still remember the fried chicken wing stall at Redhill hawker centre which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long has queued for 30 minutes for it? If you have been back to the stall at Redhill hawker centre, you will probably noticed that the uncle selling the chicken wings is no longer there, and it has changed hand. Apparently the uncle is forced to quit due to illness, and after half a year of treatment and resting, it has decided to make a come back at West Coast Market Square, naming his new stall Yon Yan (永焱) .

Fried Chicken Wing 4.2/5

The Fried Chicken Wing ($1.40 each) here is definitely the hot seller and the stall uncle only fried a small batch one at a time. While that increases the queue time, it ensures that the chicken wings are hot and fresh. The batter that coats the chicken wings are flavourful and crispy too. While the chicken wing was juicy, i thought it didn't quite absorb the marination. The meat tasted a little bland compared to the skin.

Bee Hoon 3/5

A plate of Bee Hoon at Yon Yan is priced at only 60 cents. This has not change for more than 10 years. Taste wise, I find it rather bland and texture was a bit too soft and wet for my liking.

Besides the fried chicken wing and bee hoon, the stall also sells other items such as Luncheon Meat, Fish Cake, Ngoh Hiang and Taiwan Sausage to along with the plate of bee hoon.

The stall facing the main road constantly has a queue, at the moment the waiting time probably is about 10 to 20 minutes. As words get around, I suspect the waiting time will be even longer.


Yon Yan (永焱) Fried Chicken Wings 
West Coast Market Square
Blk 726 Clementi West Street 2
#01-191
Singapore 120726
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Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 830pm
(Closed on Sun & Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station. (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 201. Alight 2 stops later. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]