Porta x Ah Hua Kelong - Porta Goes Local With Six-Course Marine Treasures Menu Exclusive on 15 & 16 August 2018

In celebration of the upcoming nation's 53rd birthday, Porta teams up with top local fish farm, Ah Hua Kelong to bring a specially curated seafood dining experience with a 2-day only exclusive menu on 15 & 16 August 2018. Each dish will showcase a selection of seafood from succulent giant clams, seabass to grouper being freshly harvested from Singapore's waters, delicately paired with aromatic herbs and spices to enhance its natural sweetness, finished with PORTA's modern European flair.

Miso Cracker with Curry Mayonnaise 3.8/5

We started the course with a surprise Amuse-Bouche. Dip some crispy Miso Cracker into the creamy curry mayonnaise which gave a sharp lift to its flavours with a fragrant coconuty tinge of spice.

XL Lokan Clams 4.2/5

The XL Lokan Clams is served with Thai Basil, Green Chilli and Lime. While the Clams' meat is undoubtedly fresh and juicy, the addition of Thai Basil and Green Chlli added a sourish spice tinge to the natural sweetness of the seafood that instantly perks up the tastebuds.

Pearl Grouper 4.2/5

Reminiscent of the HK style steamed fish, the fresh Pearl Grouper is soft and tender with a thin crispy exterior, contributing dimensions to its textures in each bite. It is also paired with baby spinach, shimeji mushroom and kombu to give the dish a comforting cantonese cuisine feel.

Green Lip Mussels 4.5/5

Next, we had the Green Lip Mussels. While the mussels' meat are big, fleshy and juicy, the highlight would be the special broth it is soaked in. Mixed with red curry, coconut and lime to give it the right amount of spice and tanginess, remember to mop up all the savoury tangy sauce with the fried mantou on the side for the ultimate indulgent experience.

Seabass 4.5/5

The Seabass comes in a thick cut of pan-fried seabass served with aubergine, okra, spicy belachan shrimp paste. With a crispy and seasoned skin on the top, the fish is well-executed as well and goes perfectly with the flavoured-packed spicy belachan shrimp paste.

Lime Sorbet 3.8/5

We had the Lime Sorbet as pre-dessert to cleanse the palate as we wait in anticipation for the main desserts.

Raspberry Ice Cream with Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake 4/5

We rounded off the meal on a sweet note with the Raspberry Ice Cream with Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake. The desserts combines the bitter sweetness of the chocolate, saltiness from the salted caramel and sourness from the raspberry ice cream to present multiple flavours and textures on a dish. The two pieces of deep fried fins added a special touch to the dish with with an addictive crispy texture.

Petite Four 4/5

Lastly, the Petite Four is served as second round of desserts to complete the whole meal. The huge platter displays beautiful symphony of flavours such as the buttery biscuits, bitter sweet chocolate tarts, sweet macarons and sour lime tarts.

Ah Hua Kelong prides itself in traditional and sustainable farming practices which yield superior quality seafood, such as using live bait as feed and allowing fish to grow into size naturally without growth hormones or chemicals. Showcasing the best of such locally farmed seafood with these exquisite 6 courses offered in collaboration with PORTA, don't miss out this exclusive menu available on 15 & 16 August 2018.

Porta x Ah Hua Kelong
Date: 15 & 16 August 2018
Time: 630PM – 830PM | 830PM – 1030PM
Price: S$72++ per adult | S$36++ per child for 5-11 years old.
*Children below 5 years enjoy a complimentary Kid’s Dish of the Day

Photos and words 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.


Porta Fine Food & Import Company
Park Hotel Clarke Quay
1 Unity Street
Singapore 237983
Tel: +65 65938888
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight At Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Ave. Cross the road and turn left onto Clemenceau Ave. Walk down Clemenceau Ave. Turn right onto Unity Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to the end UE Square Shopping Mall. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Claypots Full Circle @ Amoy Street - Seafood Influenced By Mediterranean and Asian Flavours

With the opening of Claypots Full Circle at Amoy Street in Singapore, The Claypots Group in Australia has indeed come in full circle. This seafood restaurant and bar, at its core, serves up dishes influenced by Mediterranean and Asian flavours. Interestingly, you will be surprised to know that Singapore cuisine plays a huge part in it as well. Founded by self-taught Mediterranean chef Renan Goksin, it all began when Chef Renan travelled to the South East Asia region and was captivated by our sambal stingray and chilli crab. He is particularly intrigued by the use of claypots in our dishes, which is similar to the clay earthenware pots used in Mediterranean cooking that he was familiar with. Taking inspiration from it, Claypots Australia was then established to be known for its seafood dishes with bold flavours and served in claypots. Then two Singaporeans fell in love with its seafood dishes during their stint in Melbourne as university students, which eventually led to their collaboration and establishment of Claypots' first overseas outpost.

Okra tossed with Dried Shrimp 3/5

Cheese Saganaki 3.8/5

In Singapore, you get to enjoy exclusive items such as Okra tossed with Dried Shrimp ($7) as well as the Cheese Saganaki ($15). The in-house dried shrimp paste was robust but I find the dish rather ordinary. On the other hand, the Cheese Saganaki sent much joy down to my belly as I took in the sweet, piquant, savoury flavours of the dish. Oven baked and caramelized with sugar, the Haloumi cheese takes on a whole new profile with its sugary crust. I love the candied orange that gives a concentrated amount of zest to the cheese while at the same time brightening the dish visually.

Grilled Atlantic Sardines 3.8/5

Showcasing our South East Asian flavours is the Grilled Atlantic Sardines with Kaffir Lime Leaves ($10 ). Not your typical canned sardines but specially imported fresh sardines. The highlight of this small plate is the sweet, tingling spicy sambal paste served atop. It goes really well with the rich, dense meat and addictive along the way.

Garlic Prawn 3.5/5

Experience an extra large Garlic Prawn (Market Price), which is usually a Tiger, Banana or Indian White Prawn. What we had was the Tiger Prawn which came sizzling in its own juices with olive oil and garlic in a hot plate. There is a reason why Pide is served along with it, as you simply can't help but to use it and sop up the garlicky oil, flavoured with the goodness of the crustacean juice. And please don't mistaken the seared coriander as a garnish! It is be savoured alongside the prawn for a complete satisfaction.

Moroccan Claypot 3.5/5

Afterall all the rich, garlicky and spicy stimulation, Moroccan Claypot ($26) was extra comforting on my senses. The pot houses fish fillets, mussels and clams, prepared with an aromatic herb and spiced tomato based sauce, sweetened with vegetables such as roasted peppers, eggplants and zucchini that are well cooked down to release all their sweet juices. Stirring it up and you will find a bed of cous cous at the bottom, flavourful with all the mixture of herbs, spices, sauces and juices.

Full Circle Port Arlington Mussels 3/5

One of Claypots' signature sharing plate is this Full Circle Port Arlington Mussels ($25) in a garlic and herb mix. The mussels were elegant and delicate. The sauce is again, spicy and garlicky, like a diluted version of their homemade sambal paste. I would prefer the sauce to be simply wine and butter with garlic and herbs, as the spices start to get a little overwhelming after a few dishes.

'Fish of the Day' with Chermoula 3.5/5

Our 'Fish of the Day' (Market Price) was Red Snapper. Very lightly seasoned, a specially made Chermoula, a Tunisian sauce traditionally used to pair with seafood was served alongside to complement the fresh meat. Any more 'sambal' would have ruin the meat for sure.

St Kilda Shellfish Stir-fry 3.5/5

As a finale, we had their signature St Kilda Shellfish Stir-Fry (Market Price). It is a blackboard special that came in a visually astounding serving of seafood stacked together including flower crab, mussels, clams and prawns, tossed in coriander, lemongrass and spices in a wok. I love the rice, which were plumped with juices and its spicy house gravy from the ingredients. I also adores the coriander and ginger that comes along in the dish.

Like many, I thought Claypots Full Circle was a claypots dining concept initially. It is essentially a seafood dining bar but its identity may be more striking if there are more dishes served in claypots. That said, I appreciate how it celebrates our South East Asian flavours and dishes by serving up really solid housemade sambal. Do grab a cup of 'Coffee' when you are here, concocted with Bourbon, Frangelico liqueur, Expresso, milk and Maraschino cherry syrup. It goes really well with the punchy flavours of the dishes, and the bonus is that you can easily sneak a cup into your office cubicle!

Photos and words 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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Claypots Full Circle
103 Amoy Street
Singapore 069923
Tel: +65 62032203
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1030am - 12midnight
Sat: 5pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk down Telok Ayer Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Mei Qi Cuttlefish Kangkong.BBQ Seafood @ East Coast Lagoon Food Village - Shiok Sambal Chilli Sauce

Many times whenever my foreign friends come to Singapore, I would bring them to East Coast Lagoon Food Village to try the different local food. There are many stalls in the food centre and one of them is Mei Qi Cuttlefish Kangkong.BBQ Seafood where you can order a variety of cooked dishes.

Sambal Stingray 4.2/5

Many places sells the BBQ Sambal Stingray but what stood out is there sambal chilli which is very fragrant and shiok. The other bonus is the accompanying cincalok dipping sauce. The sharpness of the cincalok sauce brings out the freshness of the fish meat.

Sambal Kang Kong 4/5

The Sambal Kang Kong is a common dish which you can get in every restaurant. I have to say the stall's concoction of sambal chilli is really good and it seems to go well with anything. Love how the greens still retain a crunchy texture. not overcooking it.

Sambal Squid 4.2/5

The Sambal Squid is as good too with the sambal sauce. Coated with the fragrant sambal sauce, the perfectly cooked squid comes with a delightful bite.

Sambal Mussel 4/5

For those that finds the sambal chilli sauce too spicy to handle, the Sambal Mussel may be more manageable. The plump and juicy mussel is bath in a sweet chilli sauce similar to the chilli crab sauce.

Mei Qi Cuttlefish Kangkong.BBQ Seafood
East Coast Lagoon Food Village
Stall #01-22
1220 East Coast Parkway
Singapore 468960
Nearest MRT: Mountbatten (CC Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Mountbatten MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at block 2 along Mountbatten Road (Stop ID 80279). Take bus 401*. Alight 10 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 35 minutes. [Map]

* Note this bus service is only available on weekends and PH. The operating timing on Sat and Sun varies too. Please check SBS Transit website.

Wine & Chef @ Keong Saik Road - Pairing Italian Boutique Wines With Mod-Sin Cuisine

The newly opened Wine & Chef along Keong Saik Road is the brainchild of SG Wine Cellar in partnership with wine distributor Papawines from Italy. The new establishment offers a cosy destination for affordable Italian boutique wines paired with homestyle Mod-Sin cuisine. It is also a wine shop boasting over 250 exclusive Italian wines from boutique family-owned wineries, making them Singapore's largest collection of Italian wines.

Tofu & Century Egg 3/5

The kitchen is helmed by Executive Chef Wilson Ang who has worked at DB Bistro, Spruce and Fordham & Grand. Starting with the small bites, we tried the Tofu & Century Egg ($6). The dish is served cold. The soft and silky tofu is made from homemade organic soya milk. It is then garnished with creamy century egg yolk sauce, sesame dressing, extra virgin olive oil and pok chui crackers.

Steamed Black Mussels 4/5

Next, we had the Steamed Black Mussels ($18) which is one of their popular dishes. The Chilean mussels are steeped in chicken broth, Chinese rice wine, minced ginger and garlic. This is topped with chillies, shallots, cliantro, and finished with a spritz of lime juice.

Salmon Confit Risotto 4/5

I was told that the Salmon Confit Risotto ($18) is inspired from the local fish porridge, I have to admit it was a bit hard sell for me. However, this is really a yummy dish. Instead of rice, it is replaced with mascarpone barley. A while Norwegian salmon fillet is used instead of fish sices. It is finally crowned with ikura, tobiko and celery leaves, and dressed with lemon juice for a zesty finish.

Crab Meat Hokkien Mee 4.2/5

The Crab Meat Hokkien Mee ($26) is a upgraded version of the chef's mum recipe. The linguine pasta s tossed in a seafood broth and top quality dark soy sauce from a local producer, giving it a Hokkien touch. Seafood such as blue swimmer crab, tiger prawns, black mussels and squid are added with a generous lashings of pork lard, imbuing a richness to the dish.

Curry Pork Knuckle 4.2/5

An incidental creation when someone spilled leftover curry sauce onto the pork knuckle is the Curry Pork Knuckle ($20). For the portion and pricing, this is value for money and good for sharing among a group of friends. The pork knuckle is cured for 12 hours i a proprietary spice mix and then sous vide for 24 hours. It is deep fried and blanket with a homemade curry sauce before serving. I applauded the achar side that helps to cut through the richness of the dish.

Venere Rice Pudding 4/5

For dessert, we had the Venere Rice Pudding ($8). Basically this is pulut hitam or black rice cooked with pistachio paste and a bit of gula melaka for sweetness. Topped with a vanilla bean ice cream and coconut crumble for a cold and crunchy finish.

For diners that enjoy having a drink or two to pair with their food, you will be delighted to know that their house pour is only $6 per glass. The extensive wine list offers over 250 wines from 42 different wineries spanning North to South Italy to complement the food menu.


Wine & Chef
7 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089115
Tel: +65 62219279
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line)

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

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk straight down New Bridge Road. Turn right onto Kreta Ayer Road. Turn right again onto Keong Saik Road. Walk down Keong Saik Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

The Bravery Cafe @ Horne Road - Now Opens For Dinner On Friday & Saturday

Recently I went back to The Bravery Cafe with Nobelle and Wilson to check out the newly introduced dinner menu. It actually has been more than 3 years since I last visited the cafe. With the white clothes laid over the wooden tables, it transformed the cafe into a different ambiance for dining in the night.

Garlic Crieam Mussel Stew 4/5

We started our dinner with the Garlic Cream Mussel Stew ($9.80). The New Zealand half shell mussels were fresh, plump and juicy, swimming in a garlic infused creamy soup which was really comforting. Glad that it is served with a slice of toasted bread to soak up the delightful soup.

Mini Crab Cakes 3/5

I heard from my friends that the bravery cafe serves awesome crab cakes for lunch so I was eager to try their Mini Crab Cakes ($7.5) made using real crab meat, shaped into a ball, deep fried and dressed in herbed hollandaise sauce. Unfortunately the seasoning of the crab meat was on the heavy side. It was too peppery, masking the flavour of the crab meat.

Maryland Chicken 3.5/5

Moving to the mains, we started with the Maryland Chicken ($16) which comes with a whole chicken leg with BBQ sauce. The chicken was perfectly cooked to a nice tender texture and the BBQ sauce was also good. My slight disappointment is that it felt the sauce was just brushed over the chicken leg, it did not manage to gel together with the chicken. On top of that it lacked that smokey BBQ aroma. While the plating is elegant, the few pieces of red radish, edamame, pomegranate and edible flowers over balsamic reduction is quite pathetic.

Pan Seared Seabass 3.8/5

The favourite dish among us is the Pan Seared Seabass ($18) which comes with pesto cream, citrus sauce and white asparagus. The execution was quite spot on, with a good peppery crust on top of the moist fillet complement by the fragrant peso sauce. A slight disappointment is the white asparagus which was overcooked and soaky.

Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb 3/5

Rounding up our dinner, we had the Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb ($26.50) which is served with grilled brussel sprout, carrot puree, roasted garlic confit and mint veal sauce. We felt that the meat was slight over cooked and tomatoes somehow very salty.

Sirloin Steak 200 grams 3.5/5

Next we tried the Sirloin Steak ($24.90) which is about 200 gram, served with potato puree, brown sauce, sauteed mushroom and balsamic reduction. The doneness and flavour of the steak was there however once again we felt that it lacked the char aroma for that smokey finish. We realized later the cooking is done in a open kitchen just behind the counter. Probably the grilling was not done over high heat to avoid smoking the whole cafe.

I think the new dinner menu is on the right direction however it needed more refinement, especially on the char part. It can also be more generous with the sides. I personally prefer the dishes to be less elegant but more generous in portion and present in a more casual way, since the focus is on grilled items. This probably will fit the cafe's style and ambiance more.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Bravery Cafe
66 Horne Road
Singapore 209073
Tel: +65 94524785
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Thu: 9am - 6pm
Fri: 9am - 10pm
Sat: 830am - 10pm
Sun: 830am - 7pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to V Hotel Lavender. Walk down Horne Road until you reach Jalan Besar stadium. The destination is just opposite Jalan Besar statium, along the row of shophouses. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Firebake @ East Coast Road - The Very First Full Scale Woodfire Bread Oven In Singapore

Something new but yet old has descended at East Coast Road, firing the community spirit of celebration through breadmaking, food and tradition. Firebake is a new woodfired bakehouse and restaurant at East Coast Road, using the European historical methods of sourdough breadmaking. It also features contemporary dishes cooked with traditional European techniques, which complement and showcase the range of woodfire baked sourdough bread.

Taking centre stage is the twin woodfire oven that is hand built from 5000 bricks weighting 37 tonnes. The 4 different sourdough bread - Organic White Sourdough Loaf ($8), Organic Wholemeal Sourdough Loaf ($9), Organic Rye Sourdough Loaf ($11) and Organic Sourdough Fruit Loaf ($13) are all baked in house. Everything here is done on site from the milling of flour, mixing, fermentation, shaping, proofing and baking. Firebake is all about back to basics.

Firebake Bread Board With Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Butter 4/5

The best way to get a taste of the different sourdoughs from the oven is the Firebake Bread Board With Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Butter ($10). My favourite is the fruit sourdough but individually they have their own characteristic and fans. You can also ask for the kitchen to have the sourdoughs toasted for the extra crisp.

4-Spice Chicken Liver Pate 4/5

For sourdough lovers, there are many ways to enjoy the freshly baked bread. One of which is the 4-Spice Chicken Liver Pate ($12) which comes with in house cured pickles and onion.

Anchovy Dip, The Field 4.2/5

A favourite of mine is the Anchovy Dip, The Field ($8). The organic wholemeal sourdough is paired excellently with the savoury anchovy dip.

Heirloom Tomato 3.8/5

From the small plates menu, there are many delectable items such as the Heirloom Tomato ($17) which comes in a pretty bowl of pickled cucumber, feta and mountain oregano. The version at Firebake is rather interesting with a layer of smokiness from the charcoal oil holding the different flavours together. It is interesting but I thought the smoky flavour was too strong, masking the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Smoked Eggplant 4/5

I know not many people like eggplant and there is also very limited way of cooking the dish. What Firebake has done is to smoke the eggplant and stuffed it with spiced hummus. The Smoked Eggplant ($15) further topped with tomato manchego, cheese and crispy barley for the additional contrast of textures and flavouts.

Woodfired Pumpkin Burrata 4/5

Pairing Woodfired Pumpkin and Burrata ($16) is a rather new combination. I like how the sweetness of the grilled pumpkin is complemented by pistachio dukkah for a nutty finish. There are even orange blossom and molasses to further enhanced the enjoyment.

Roast Half Spring Chicken, Grilled Beans 4.2/5

The Roast Half Spring Chicken and Grilled Beans ($23) comes with both chicken leg and breast meat dressed in beef jus. It is brined, sou vide and roasted to perfection, giving the chicken a nice tender texture. It is something homely and comforting which I will go back for.

Norwegian Blue Mussel 4.5/5

The dish I heart most is the Norwegian Blue Mussel ($25) which is cooked with lager and chrizo. Besides the juicy mussel, the highlight has to be the sauce and it is best to soak them up with white sourdough.

Grilled Pork Belly 4.5/5

A popular dish among the group is the Grilled Pork Belly with Garden Vegetable Broth ($22). The broth is made from vegetables such as celery, fennel and pumpkin. The taste of pumpkin is quite prominent lending the sweetness to the light broth. The pork belly which was sou vide and pan fried, was fork tender, a bit like the Chinese sio bak.

Cured Norwegian Salmon 4/5

Braised Lamb Shoulder with Root Vegetables 4.2/5

As you can tell, Firebake is not just your bakehouse, it has quite an extensive menu. On top of what we have tried, the Cured Norwegian Salmon ($25) and Braised Lamb Shoulder with Root Vegetables ($26) are the other mains which you probably would not want to miss.

Rangers Valley Striploin 300gm 4.5/5

Good for sharing is the Rangers Valley Striploin 300gm ($38) which has cooked perfectly to the doneness I like, succulent and had a nice charred flavour. It was so good on its own, there isn't a need of any sauces. The other joy on the plate is the woodfired Jerusalem artichoke for its crunchy texture and smoky flavour.

Peach, Vanilla, Sourdough Ice Cream, Rye Chip 4/5

Moving to dessert, we tried the Peach with Sourdough Ice Cream and Rye Chip ($12). Maybe my taste buds are not as sensitive as others, I do not really know how sourdough ice cream should taste. All I can register is the vanilla base. Putting that aside, I enjoyed the combination of the poached peach and ice cream, sweetening the dinner experience.

Firebake Bread and Butter Pudding 4.2/5

This is probably one of the better Bread and Butter Pudding ($10) I have tried. The soft pudding is made using the woodfire baked fruit sourdough. The warm dessert definitely warmed my heart with its rich flavour.

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]