Relish @ Fraser Tower - Transformed Into Roketto Izakaya When Night Falls

For those that missed the food at Wild Rocket by Chef Willin Low when it closed last year, you will be rejoiced to know that Chef Willin has brought the Mod-Sin DNA of Wild Rocket to Relish at Fraser Tower. When night falls, Relish will be transformed into Roketto Izakaya offering a casual dining bar concept featuring modern Singapore small bites and sharing plates, in the evening of Tuesdays to Saturdays.

Fish Collagen Broth 4.5/5

Having not dined in Wild Rocket before, I am not sure what to expect at Roketto Izakaya. Our first dish is the Fish Collagen Broth ($5). The flavourful and milky broth is from the essence of slow cooking the fish bones. No milk is added. The centrepiece is the fish cake that is coated with deep-fried egg. There is even fat choy in the soup. Chef Willin has kept the characteristic of our local fried fish soup but elevated it in his interpretation.

Har Jeong Pork Keropok 3.5/5

The Har Jeong Pork Keropok ($8.50) is quite addictive on its own. The thinly sliced pork belly is deep-fried until bacon-like crispy with the pungent prawn paste flavour. However, I am mix about the kaffe lime mayo dip. I felt that the intensity of the kaffe lime, sort of overpowered the prawn paste flavour.

Tandoori Pappadum Nachos 4/5

The Tandoori Pappadum Nachos ($8.50) is not your typical nachos with cheese dip. Instead, the corn chips are replaced with pappadum and paired with tandoori minced meat and yoghurt. An interesting take giving it an Indian influence.

Aburaage Rojak Salad 4.8/5

The Aburaage Rojak Salad ($15) elevated the local dish with the use of the Japanese aburaage in place of the local tau pok. The 'hae kor" ice cream substitutes the prawn paste sauce for rojak, binding the dish together. This is a brilliant dish that transforms a three dollar hawker dish into a fifteen dollar restaurant dish.

Har Jeong Tin Gai 4.2/5

The Har Jeong Tin Gai ($12) looks like chicken drumstick at one glance. They are really tender and juicy with a light crispy batter.

Curry Chicken Shepherd Pie 4.5/5

I thought the Curry Chicken Shepherd Pie ($15.80) is a crazy idea but Chef Willin actually made that happen, and it tastes delicious. You have to try it for yourself to know how great the combination really works. The curry chicken recipe is super shiok.

Krapow Prata Pizza 4/5

Chef Willin's love of Thai flavours can be seen in the Krapow Prata Pizza ($15). Instead of pizza dough, a crispy prata takes its place. It is topped with spicy minced meat, Thai basil, chilli and cheese.

Nasi Lemak Chicken Wings 3.5/5

The Nasi Lemak Chicken Wings ($8.50) comes with liquid rice and ikan bilis. It is a unique take of the traditional dish. However, it didn't quite excite me. I didn't like the skinny, crispy chicken wings. I prefer those that are tender and juicy.

Rendang Beef Cheek 3/5

While everything has been spot on so far, the Rendang Beef Cheek ($20) pales from the rest. The beef cheek probably has been sous vide which lacks the fibrous bite. The rendang also fell short in flavours and depth.

Char Siew Rice 3.5/5

Unfortunately, I didn't like the Char Siew Rice ($20) too. While the char siew is tender, it didn't have the char and sweetness that made me fell in love with the roast. The brown rice was a bit too hard and dry for me also.

Wild Rocket Chendol 4.2/5

Bur Bur Hitam 4/5, Wild Rocket Strawberry Cheesecake $9.20

For desserts, we have Wild Rocket Chendol ($8.50), Bur Bur Hitam ($7.80) and Wild Rocket Strawberry Cheesecake ($9.20). I would recommend saving some space for these wonderful desserts. I only hope I have a second stomach.

Although I have not visited Wild Rocket, I am glad that I still can taste some of the signature wild rocket dishes, in a more casual form at Roketto Izakaya. Chef Willin's modern Singapore cuisine indeed has brought our local food into a whole new level.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Relish
Frasers Tower
182 Cecil Street
#02-12/13
Singapore 069547
Tel: +65 69045458
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 11am - 3pm
Tue-Sat:  11am - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.

Coffee Lounge @ Goodwood Park Hotel - Commemorates Singapore's Bicentennial With Local Hawker Fare Of Yesteryear

To commemorates Singapore's bicentennial, the Coffee Lounge at Goodwood Park Hotel pays tribute to the city's rich multi-ethnic food culture, with a curated menu of nostalgic local delights from the early days. The 5-Course Singapore Commemoration Local Degustation Menu costs $40++ per person is available from 29 January to 30 April 2019.

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce 4.2/5

The 5-Course Singapore Commemoration Local Degustation Menu starts with the Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce served with onions, cucumbers and ketupat. The satay is grilled to a beautiful char on top of its tender meat. My only disappointment is it left out the pineapple sauce in the peanut sauce dip, which they used to serve for the local degustation menu.

Freshly Tossed Singapore Rojak 3.5/5

A dish that beat represent our rich multi-ethnic food culture is the Freshly Tossed Singapore Rojak. Tossed in a tangy and piquant prawn paste, the tropical fruit and vegetable salad is influencd by the Malays, Chinese and Indonesians.

Hainanese Chicken Rice 4.2/5

An iconic Singapore dish is the Hainanese Chicken Rice that is created by the Chinese settlers from Hainan. To my surprise, the Hainanese Chicken Rice here is very well executed. The poached chicken is really tender with fragrant rice, accompanied by an addictive homemade garlic chilli sauce. My slight disappointment is the lack of texture from the short grain rice.

Laksa Singapura 3.8/5

A favourite local dish of mine is the Laksa. The version at the Coffee Lounge is more creamy and coconuty. It also comes brimming with rice noodles, prawns, bean sprouts, tau pok, fish cakes, shredded chicken and egg. I would prefer it to be more spicy though.

Bubur Pulut Hitam 3.5/5

For dessert, I was served the Bubur Pulut Hitam. It is a black glutinous rice porridge enriched with coconut milk.

Besides the 5-Course Singapore Commemoration Local Degustation Menu, Goodwood Park Hotel will launch the D24 Singapore Commemoration Cake ($88 nett) on 15 March 2019 in conjunction with the Hotel’s annual Durian Fiesta, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the British in Singapore. Featuring four flavours – gula melaka, coffee, pandan and durian mousse, the 1-kilogram cake is adorned with a mosaic of white chocolate squares imprinted with eight historical scenes of Singapore and Goodwood Park Hotel’s illustrious past. Limited to only 200 cakes, an advance order of five days is required, subject to availability.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Coffee Lounge
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: +65 67301746
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

The Ampang Kitchen Private Dining - Impresses with Its Peranakan Cuisine Influenced By The Region

The last chapter of our private dining adventure for 2018 ends at The Ampang Kitchen which is run by a father and son team, Uncle Raymond and David. David does the cooking nowadays while Uncle Raymond takes care of the guests at the front of the house, as well as explaining the dishes they have prepared for us.

Satay Bohong 4.8/5

Dinner started with the Satay Bohong.  Each stick consists of 50g of pork belly which is grilled to an aromatic char on top of its tender texture with layers of fats in between. Too bad each guest get only 2 sticks. I wish it can be served straight from the grill so it is hotter, instead of being left to cool down before serving.

Bakwan Kepiting 4.5/5

Bakwan Kepiting is a dish served in all the Perankan private dinings we have attended. The version at The Ampang Kitchen is not authentic type. Uncle Raymond has tweaked it in a good way. The soup came across rich and robust from the long hours of boiling prawn shells, chicken and pork bones to draw the flavours. The meatball is also soft, tender and airy packed with crab meat, prawn and bamboo shoot. If you have a sharp tongue, you will taste fermented beans in it. Uncle William has added them into his soup to elevate the flavour. Other unusual ingredients found in the soup are mushroom and tang oh, which is not usually served in bakwan kepiting.

Kueh Pie Tee 4/5

Although Uncle Raymond does not make his own shell for the Kueh Pie Tee, they are fresh and crispy with no porky smell. These are delightful parcels that whetted the appetite.

Rojak 4.8/5

The Rojak here is served chilled which I find it brilliant, giving it a refreshing touch. The version combines both the local and Penang style, which got the thumb of approval from the dining group. Some even commented that this is the best rojak they have ever eaten.

Chap Chye 4/5

Ampang Kitchen uses 8 different ingredients for its Chap Chye. Unlike the usual Peranakan style, red and white fermented beancurd as well as fermented beans are added which is more of a Cantonese style.

Beef Rendang 4.5/5

Uncle Raymond shared that his Beef Rendang consists of 17 ingredients. Of course I am not able to taste all the individual ingredients. What I tasted is the aromatic rempah that married with the tender beef excellently.

Ayam Buah Keluak 4.2/5

I have tried many versions of Ayam Buah Keluak and this is probably one of the better versions I have eaten. It is more saucy infused with the rich buah keluak flavour. I could not help drenching my steamed rice with the gravy to enjoy it to the last drop.

Assam Fish with Lady's Finger 4.5/5

Another well executed dish which I enjoyed a lot is the Assam Fish with Lady's Finger. The tang from the assam and tomatoes, plus the sweetness from the pineapple is so appetising. It just opens my appetite for more.

Banana Flower Kechai 4.5/5

The one dish that I have been looking forward is the Banana Flower Kechai. It is a dish not commonly served nowadays and it is my first time trying it. I didn't know what to expect. I can taste a lot of different textures and flavours from the prawn, pork, cucumber, mint leaves and banana flower all coming together harmoniously.

Chendol 4.8/5

Wrapping up the dinner we have Chendol for dessert. You can't get anywhere wrong when the chendol are freshly made, with fresh coconut milk and premium gula melaka.

Our dinner at The Ampang Kitchen is $120 per pax. We really enjoyed the food and was well fed. A lot of time and preparation is put into serving the delicious food to our table. I could not say The Ampang Kitchen serves authentic Perankan food because some of the recipes have been influenced by the region, Straits Cuisine maybe a more appropriate to label the cuisine served at The Ampang Kitchen. Besides private dining, it also caters for takeaways. Hence don't be despair if you can't get a booking, you can also order takeaway.


The Ampang Kitchen
39 Jalan Ampang
Singapore 268625
Tel: +65 96187107
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Sixth Avenue (DT Line)
[Map]

Labyrinth @ Esplanade Mall - New Expression Of Singapore Cuisie By 1 Michelin Starred Restaurant

I remembered my first visit to Labyrinth a couple of years back when the restaurant moved from Neil Road to its current location at Esplanade Mall. Back then Chef Han Li Guang is known for its replica of the hawker dishes, such a bak chor mee, chilli crab ice cream, chendol xiao long bao. Now Chef Han has embarked on a new chapter, elevating his culinary knowledge, skill and appreciation for the local ingredients. Labyrinth today is focused on how best to show off the bounty of our local farms, orchards and sea through its intrinsic flavours, and by way of flavour pairings.

L

Tea Egg with Oolong Tea 4/5

We had the Chef's Tasting Menu at $178 for 16 courses. You can add another $80 for wine pairing. We started with the Amuse Bouche which is Tea Egg with Oolong Tea. Quail egg is used in stead of the usual chicken egg that you get elsewhere. Using a mix of modern techniques and traditional ways of making the tea egg, the quail egg has a delightful tea aroma and smokiness while the yolk is still running.

Nasi Lemak Cheong Fun 4/5

Next is a few bite size dishes that showcases Chef Han's favourite street food. First is the Nasi Lemak Cheong Fun. The petite looking cheong fun is wrapped with sambal chilli and egg yolk gel. It is then topped with cucumber, chicken skin and ikan bilis. Once you pop it into your mouth, every components will come together, reminiscing the familiar local nasi lemak dish.

Braised Baby Abalone 3.5/5

What is impressive is the making of the black colored nest using dehydrated black moss. It is not an easy process in order not to break it. Sitting inside the black moss tart is the Braised Baby Abalone that is grilled over charcoal and dressed in a traditional house-made oyster sauce.

Heartland Waffle 4.5/5

I am not sure about you but my head will turn whenever I walk passed those heartland stalls selling waffle, the smell of the pandan aroma always makes me want to savour them. Over at Labyrinth, you get that fragrant pandan flavoured Heartland Waffle sandwiched with local duck liver pate and goji berry jam. The combination sounds weird but its heavenly.

Ah Hua Kelong Lala Clams 4.2/5

Ah Hua Kelong Lala Clams is probably the most exquisite clam dish I ever eaten. The lala clams are painstaking lined up neatly in a tart made of wonton skin for texture, with a bed of Chinese spinach as the base. It is then topped with dog fennel and served with XO sambal sauce.

Labyrinth Rojak 4.8/5

The Labyrinth Rojak is the most unassuming looking dish among the dishes in the menu but it is the most standout dish for me. Taking inspiration from the local rojak street food which reflects the colorful culture of Singapore cuisine, the interpretation here uses a variety of edible herbs, together with stingless bee honey (a species of bee without sting) and cempedak sorbet to create that familiar flavour but yet different.

Ang Mo Chicken Rice 3.5/5

The Ang Mo Chicken Rice comes in dumpling stuffed with diced chicken. The chicken dumpling is cooked in a chicken rice stock of pandan, spring onion, garlic, ginger and chicken bones to get the familiar Haianese chicken rice flavour. Unlike the usual chicken rice, it is served with a white sauce together with button mushrooms. Not forgetting the chilli sauce from Chef Han's grandma's recipe, an important component for a a plate of chicken rice.

Grandma's Fish Maw Soup 4.2/5

The Grandma's Fish Maw Soup comes with a rose petal of fish cake made using yellow tail snapper without the use of flour and egg white. Two types of fish maw are used in this dish, barramandi and catfish fish maw. The catfish fish maw is blended with the black chicken soup while the barramandi fish maw is layered within the 12 petals of fish cake. The leftover trimmings of the fish maws are dehydrated and deep fried into fish maw crackling for further appreciation of its texture.

Local Wild Caught Crab 4/5

Still from the sea, we have the Local Wild Caught Crab from Ah Hua Kelong. The deshelled flower crab meat known for its sweetness is paired with chilli crab ice cream and ribbons of egg white. I thought the egg white looks like strands of noodles. Last but not least, the dish is dressed in a emulsion of shaoxing and chicken fat binding the the dish together.

Nippon Koi Farm Silver Perch 3.8/5

The Silver Perch from Nippon Koi Farm is served in a herbal bak kut teh broth, that is paired with textures of black garlic, you char kway puff, ulam rajah flower and fish lard. Herbal soup usually goes with pork or chicken but this combination kind of surprises me. It did not masked the appreciation of the main ingredient while at the same time complementing it, giving it a comforting and nourishing finish.

Uncle William's Quail 4.5/5

The Quail dish is cooked in two ways. The legs are chargrilled while the breast meat is slow roasted. They are paired with house-made satay espuma. Diner is encourage to pick up the quail leg as like a skewer, dipping into the satay espuma. The nuttiness of the satay sauce goes really well with the quail meat. As like any satay stall, the dish also comes with house-made muah chee, burnt pearl onions, pickled cucumber which replaces the typical ketupat, onions and cucumber.

Lost Grain Fried Rice 4.8/5

You must be wondering why the rice dish is called Lost Grain Fried Rice. This is because Labyrinth uses the special Thai Hom Mali rice grain that has been lost for over 70 years and re-cultivated in recent times. The execution may seems simple, fried with eggs, crispy white bait and dried scallop but this is probably one of the best fried rice I have ever eaten.

Bean to Bar 4.5/5

For the pre-dessert, we have the Bean to Bar. Basically dark chocolate from the one of only two bean to bar chocolate-makers in Singapore. Interestingly the artisanal dark chocolate has dark soy sauce in it, giving it a nice saltiness like sea salt. This is finished off with cocoa nibbs, shaoxing wine gel and wood sorrel.

Clam Leaf Snow 4/5

The palate cleanser is the Clam Leaf Snow, which probably inspired from the kakigori or our local ice kachang. For those not familiar with clam leaf, it has a number of names, known as moses in the cradle plant, oyster plant or boat lily. It is a type of plant that Chinese like to use it to boil herbal tea. Underneath the snow, one can find diced pink dragon fruit and fresh pomegrante seeds. The white paper-like sheet thing on top of the snow ice is rosella meringue. A refreshing and health beneficial palate cleanser before moving on to the dessert.

Soy Bean Curd 4.2/5

The sight of the Soy Bean Curd may not look very appetising but this is surprisingly good. Putting aside the effort of making its own bean curd, the restaurant also make its own yoghurt by fermenting goat milk with keffir. Bird's nest cooked in rock sugar syrup and sago cooked with gula jawa syrup are also added into the bowl. Last but not least, brown sugar is sprinkled on top of the bean curd and torched to caramelise. A bit like having creme brulee with a layer of caramelised brown sugar on top.

Cristal de chine Caviar 4.5/5

Last but not least the Cristal de chine Caviar. It is kaya ice cream sandwiched with toast from Sin Hon Loong, a old school bakery. Caviar is topped on the toast to replace the salted butter and its garnished with blue pea flower petals and hibiscus leaves. This is finger licking good, I didn't bother to use my knife and fork at all.

Having tried both Chef Han's old and new menu at Labyrinth, my takeaway is that the culinary philosophy has matured and elevated to the next level. Instead of trying to re-interpretation the local dishes in a more "atas" way, he is focusing in showcasing the ingredients using his culinary knowledge and techniques but keeping truth to the root of his heritage.

Note: This is an inviting tasting.


Labyrinth
Esplanade Mall
8 Raffles Avenue
#02-23
Singapore 039802
Tel: +65 62234098
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun: 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B or D. Walk to Raffles Avenue. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

J65 @ Hotel Jen Tanglin - Seafood Fiesta Throughout The Week

J65 at Hotel Jen Tanglin has launched daily themed nights highlighting different seafood along with local favourite dishes. If you simply into fish and nothing else, Thursday night will be the evening for you to explore the possibilities of fish-centric dishes, that could make you go "What The Fish"!

Seabass with Tobiko and Wasabi Cream

Thai Baked Snapper

Head down to the Baked Fish station and you will get what I mean. The sheer size of the fishes is just stunning. You get unusual large baked fish like Thai Baked Snapper, which is spicy and tangy with lime and chilli padi, and also Seabass with Tobiko and Wasabi Cream that is savoury and creamy with a bit of heat from the wasabi.

Mediterranean Baked Baramundi

My personal favourite is the Mediterranean Baked Baramundi - meaty, tender with a slight crisp exterior, and I love the accompanying grilled olives, cherry tomatoes and artichokes for their toothsome sweet and tangy flavours.

Baked Salmon, Salmon Bryani, Smoke Salmon Pasta

Salmon is a versatile seafood and it shows in these dishes. Once smoked, its increased depth of flavour makes it excellent with pasta. In particular, I find the Salmon Bryani a brilliant execution that has the spices, herbs and the fish play out in balance, even more so than using meat. The Raita served at the side makes this dish even more enjoyable. This should be up on the menu as an alternative to meat bryani!

In fact, most of the fish dishes from the Indian cuisine section are commendable. The Home Style Fish Head Curry Pot is highly recommended. The meat was so tender that it simply slid off from the bone upon a slight tug. Together with Fish Tikka and Sambal Grilled Sting Ray, you will reach out for bowls of rice for sure.

Fish Congee

If these dishes are too strong for you, you can always fall back on some comfort dishes such as Fish Congee. But for me, I would still go for less conventional dishes such as the hearty Trio of Fish with Cheddar & Mash Potato, one of the best fish pies ever!

Snow Crab Legs

DIY Kueh Pai Tee, Rojak

Other perks include Snow Crab Legs and local delights such as DIY Kueh Pai Tee and Rojak.

Durian Potong Ice Cream

For desserts, you can't go anymore local than the Potong Ice Cream!

I am actually quite impressed with the interesting dishes that have been crafted to highlight the varieties of seafood, Showcasing different seafood each day, so do head down and explore more on your own.

Price
Monday: International Seafood Buffet $85++
Tuesday: Asian Seafood Buffet $65++
Wednesday: Lobster Rock-n-Roll $85++
Thursday: What The Fish $65++
Friday to Sunday: Seafood Madness $75++

Words and photos 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.


J65
Hotel Jen Tanglin
1A Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249716
Tel: +65 68314373
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop along Orchard Boulevard, opposite Orchard Parksuites (Stop ID B09022). Take bus number 7, 77, 106, 111, 123 or 174. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the overhead bridge. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Continue onwards to Forum Shopping Mall. Walk further down to Orchard Parade Hotel. Turn left onto Tanglin Road. Continue walking down to the end of Tanglin Road to Tanglin Mall. Turn left on Tanglin Mall onto Grange Road and walk to destination. Journey time about 23 minutes. [Map]