YUN NANS (云海肴) @ ION Orchard - New Outlet With Garden-Within-A-Restaurant Theme In The Heart Of Orchard Road

One of my favourite Chinese Restaurants, YUN NANS (云海肴), has opened its latest and fourth outlet at Ion Orchard, in the heart of Orchard Road. The new space seeks to transport diners into a garden landscape, designed as a scenic garden-within-a-restaurant.

Steam Pot Chicken Soup with Lily Bulb 4.2/5

With the new opening, the restaurant also introduced new dishes, such as the Signature Steam Pot Chicken Soup ($32.90) is given an elevation with the addition of Lanzhou Lily Bulb. The lily bulb gives the light and nourishing soup an extra lift in sweetness.

Pomelo Salad with Osmanthus Dressing 4/5

The Pomelo Salad with Osmanthus Dressing ($10.90) is a refreshing and invigorating salad tossed in house-made osmanthus honey sauce, giving it a sweet and fruity finishing. Fresh lily bulb is added for that extra crispiness.

Lychee Prawn Ball 4.2/5

Shaped and looking like lychee is the Lychee Prawn Ball ($20.80). It is freshness at its best. Fresh prawns are hand-beaten to a paste, shaped into bite-sized balls and deep-fried till crispy. While the exterior is crisp, the inside is crunchy, bursting with juicy tenderness from the prawns.

Hotplate Milky Tofu with Spicy Garlic Sauce 4.8/5

A delightful new dish that goes very well with a bowl of rice is the Hotplate Milky Tofu with Spicy Garlic Sauce ($16.80). The famed Yunnan milky tofu's pillowy soft texture is achieved using Shiping's unique spring water, drenched in an appetising specially concocted spicy garlic seafood sauce.

Sauteed Cabbage with Dried Chillies 4.5/5

Sometimes simple is the best, for example, the Sauteed Cabbage with Dried Chillies ($13.80). It is simply stir-fried with garlic, thin slices of pork and dried chillies, bringing out the natural sweetness of the cabbage.

Charcoal Grilled Chicken Skin and Gizzard 4.2/5

Marinated with an in-house mix of Yunnan's spices and grilled over a charcoal fire, the Charcoal Grilled Chicken Skin ($2.80 per skewer) and Gizzard ($2.80 per skewer) are packed with beautiful aroma from the spices. The skewers are deliciously good for a few glasses of beer.

Braised Fish Maw with Porcini Mushroom

The treasure pot of Braised Fish Maw with Porcini Mushroom ($42.80 / $52.80) comprises wild porcini mushrooms harvested from the highlands of Yunnan, fresh fish maw, Yunnan solo clove garlic, Chinese yam, and Yunnan Qiubei Chillies. The ingredients are braised over a slow flame, giving the fish maw a soft texture and retaining its collagen content.

Claypot Rice with Minced Beef and Crispy Red Bean $24.90

Lastly, wrapping up our dinner is the Claypot Rice with Minced Beef and Crispy Red Bean ($24.90). It is like the Chinese take on the donabe. The stewed rice is cooked in a special in-house sauce and served with crispy red beans, minced beef, ham, crisp-fried pork lard, spring onions and salted vegetables. Mix everything together to end the meal in a finale

Note: This is an invited tasting.


YUN NANS (云海肴)
ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
#B3-17
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 65130828
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Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 10pm
Sat-Sun, PH: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

White Marble @ Orchard Rendezvous Hotel - Chef Otto Weibei's Loving Tribute To The Mediterranean

The newly opened White Marble restaurant at Orchard Rendezvous Hotel is a Mediterranean grill concept by Chef Otto Weibel, Singapore's grand doyen of Western gastronomy. The restaurant brings together the timeless flavours of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. And in line with Chef Otto’s philosophy, dishes are prepared with fresh quality produce, using simple techniques that showcase the natural flavours at their vibrant best.

Roasted Butternut Squash 4.2/5

Our dinner started with the Roasted Butternut Squash ($12++). The sweetness of the butternut squash is paired with chilli yoghurt and coriander salsa. It comes with a hint of spiciness from the chilli oil drizzled over the dish, finished with toasted sunflower seeds and seasonal herbs.

Octopus 4/5

Following that, we have the Octopus ($36++). The charcoal-grilled Spanish octopus rests atop crispy potato and garlic cream. Pistachio crumbs are added for extra texture, while the chilli oil spiced up the taste profile.

Fattouche 3/5

Mezze Plate 3.5/5

The Mezze Plate ($34++) and Fattouche ($12++) are good for sharing. The platter comprises falafel, tabbouleh with quinoa, fattouche, eggplant moutabal, hummus, chicken skewers, and grilled pita. The platter draws inspiration from Chef Otto's trip to the Middle East, featuring dishes in the region such as Dubai, Lebaron and Egypt. A healthy take from the region is the Fattouche, a classic Levantine crunchy salad dressed in a refreshing lemon dressing.

Chicken Leg Bone-in Tagine 4.5/5

Great to go with a plate of rice is the Chicken Leg Bone-in Tagine ($60++). The whole chicken leg is marinated with shawarma spice for a day, grilled and cooked with red onions in a tagine. It is a classic Moroccan stew held together by a delicious tomato sauce brightened with dates and preserved lemon.

Prawn Bucatini Puttanesca $28++

My favourite dish for the night is the Prawn Bucatini Puttanesca ($28++). I love the pasta texture cooked in a classic Italian recipe with olive oil, mixed olives, tomatoes, capers and anchovies. It seems that many things were going on, but they came together harmoniously for a delicious finishing.

Seafood and Australian Lamb Skewer 4/5

Not to be missed at White Marble is the charcoal-grilled Seafood Skewer ($38++ per skewer) and Australian Lamb Skewer ($48++ per skewer). The seafood skewer consists of octopus, white fish, prawns, and assorted vegetables. I prefer the Australian lamb skewer marinated in chermoula. It was juicy and tender. Three different sauces - lemon garlic cream, harissa aioli, and salbitxada are served to enjoy the seafood and meat.

Crema Catalana 4.2/5

Unlike creme brulee, the difference is that Crema Catalana ($16++) is thickened with milk and cornstarch instead of cream. Freshly squeezed orange juice is added, zesting up the flavour profile. It is topped with torched orange segments, freeze-dried tangerines, candied orange peels and mint leaves.

Fig & Almond 4/5

Another classic Spanish dessert is the Fig & Almond ($16++), a cold-pressed olive oil cake baked with fresh figs. It is paired with almond crumble for crunch and yoghurt ice cream for a sweet ending.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


White Marble
Orchard Rendezvous Hotel
1 Tanglin Road
#01-09
Singapore 247905
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Website
Nearest: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Walk down Orchard Road to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Dallas Restaurant & Bar @ Boat Quay - Western Favourites With A Local Twist To Celebrate Chinese New Year

Moving away from the typical Chinese New Year delicacies at Chinese restaurants, dive into the western culinary delights with a touch of Asian flavours at Dallas Restaurant & Bar. The enticing festive set menu comes with a selection of starters, mains and desserts in a 2 course ($28++) or 3 course meal ($36++).

Nestled along Boat Quay, the restaurant offers beautiful views of the Singapore cityscape, especially the balcony seats on the third floor where diners can sip on cocktails while enjoying the view.

Lychee Martini 4/5

Their Cocktail Of The Month, Lychee Martini ($12++) is made using the award-winning and super premium Laplandia Vodka from Finland. It has a pleasant fruity sweet taste, with a slight tart finish.

Black Pepper Calamari 4/5

We remembered our fondness for their signature salt & pepper calamari and were no less impressed with their Black Pepper Calamari, served with black pepper and curry leaf dipping sauce on the side. Perfectly soft and chewy, with a slight layer crisp on the outside, the accompanying black pepper sauce adds a subtle savoury sweet flavour to the calamari, without being too peppery.

Wagyu Cheeseburger Spring Rolls 3.8/5

The Wagyu Cheeseburger Spring Roll is our typical spring roll but given an ingenious western twist with flavourful wagyu cheeseburger fillings within the crispy rolls. While I would still enjoy a proper cheeseburger, this inventive combination is an interesting dish worth trying, served with a side of tomato and mustard dipping sauce for a tangy flavour.

Satay Chicken Skewers 4/5

A classic local fare. their Satay Chicken Skewers comes in larger portions, and the meat is much more tender and juicier than the usual satay.

Tom Yum Prawn Linguine 4.2/5

A surprisingly good combination where East meets West, I was blown away by how good the Tom Yum Prawn Linguine was. The linguine was cooked to a delectable consistency and doused in a spicy-sweet Tom Yum sauce. The result is a spicy, fiery and sweet dish that got us wiping the whole plate clean.

Steamed Barramundi with Ginger 3.8/5

The Steamed Barramundi with Ginger features a soft and fork-tender Barramundi over light and fluffy rice, and mixed Asian greens.

Prime Rib Steak 4.2/5

The restaurant's highlight is the Prime Rib Steak (250g), which is served with fries and salad. The thick slab of prime rib is slow-cooked to order and chargrilled, resulting in incredibly juicy and tender meat. You can choose to pair it with their Red Wine Jus, Black Pepper, Smokey BBQ and Wild Mushroom sauce.

Orange and Almond Cake 4/5

End your dining experience on a sweet note with the Orange and Almond Cake. Perfectly spongy and moist, the cake has a light zesty fragrance, great with double cream atop to balance the flavours.

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.


Dallas Restaurant and Bar
31 Boat Quay
Singapore 049820
Tel: +65 6532 2131
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk towards the river. Turn left and walk down the river bank. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Pratunam PLUS @ Bugis+ - Delicious & Crazy Affordable Thai Street Food From Just $6.90

Pratunam PLUS at Bugis+ is Soi Thai Soi Nice's new flagship outlet that boasts an exclusively more extensive menu, with items that will not be available at the existing outlets at ARC and Westgate. Dressed in a bright and bold colour palette, Pratunam Plus wants you to have a fun and exciting dining experience of tucking into its offerings of Thai street food tagged with pocket-friendly prices. Expect exclusive items such as Thai-style Grilled Skewers, coupled with Thai Milk Bubble Teas or even beers if you are in the mood.

Assorted Skewers 3.5/5

The offering of a wide range of skewers set Pratunam PLUS apart from other Thai eateries. Starting from $1.20 onwards, let the entire skewers menu tempts you with exotic items such as Thai street staples - Chicken Heart, Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, and even Small Intestines are all priced at $1.60 per stick. The less adventurous me chose Enoki Mushroom Pork Belly Slices from the Ham or Pork Belly Series ($1.80 per stick), which didn't disappoint with its nicely charred pork belly and juicy mushroom. I also tried the Pork Skewer and Basil Pork ($1.80 each) which were a tad too dry, whereas the non-meat skewers such as Lady's Fingers, Shitake Mushrooms and Oyster Mushrooms, were a lot more delectable.

Butterfly Pea Bubble Tea

Amp up the fun factor with its range of Bubble Teas!

Premium Tom Yum Mama 4/5

Under Noodles, fans of Tom Yum Mama will be delighted with its Premium Tom Yum Mama ($12.90). Served with gooey melted cheese slab and a glistening runny egg, this humble Thai instant noodles brimmed with flavours and hearty ingredients, such as squid, prawns and ham, including its signature handmade Thai Minced Pork Ball.

Runny Omelette Prawn Fried Rice 4.5/5

A must-try Rice dish is its Runny Omelette Prawn Fried Rice ($8.90). The luscious omelette blanket was amazingly soft and tender, draping over fried rice that was skillfully done with a hint of wok hei. The prawns were sweet and crunchy, which stood out even more against the velvety egg and savoury rice. The piquant and fiery green chilli sauce served at the side lent an extra kick of flavour.

Tom Yum Seafood Soup 4.5/5

I love the Tom Yum Seafood Soup too. The portion was generous with loads of mushrooms, prawns, fish and squid, and its flavours were balanced and on point. It was fiery and heady with herbs and spices, yet it wasn't too oily and rich compared to most of the red versions that I have tired.

Fragrant Fried Pork Belly 3.8/5

Vermicelli Salad 3/5

Mango Salad 3.8/5

For Sides, the options are aplenty but you won't go wrong with its Fragrant Fried Pork Belly ($6.90). You may want to balance these chunks of fatty goodness with some of the classic Thai salads - Mango Salad and Vermicelli Salad.

Pratunam PLUS delivers punchy food with flavours without being overly assertive, and the young and vibrant atmosphere may lure you back for more.

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. 


Pratunam PLUS
Bugis+
201 Victoria Street
#04-09
Singapore 188067
Tel: +65 65094790
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 1130am - 930pm
Fri-Sat: 1130am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Cross Victoria Street. Walk to Bugis+. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Kushikatsu Tanaka Singapore @ Clarke Quay - Japan's Number 1 Kushikatsu Chain Fires Up New Grand Menu

I first visit Kushikatsu Tanaka at Clarke Quay when it opened its door in January 2018. Back then, the menu is focused on its signature kushikatsu, the Osaka-style fried cutlet skewers. Recently it has expanded its menu, rolling out a fresh new line-up of authentic Japanese izakaya items as well as yakiniku.

Great for sharing over a couple of drinks is the izakaya dishes such as the Salmon Sashimi ($10), Pork Kakuni ($10), Chicken Skin & Aspara Amakara Itame ($10), Ika Butter Yaki ($8) and Tako Butsu ($10). My favourite is the stir-fried chicken skin and asparagus in a mildly spicy soy-based sauce, followed by the sliced salmon sashimi in yuzu mustard sauce. The other items are as good too. The pricing is also very attractive, ranging from eight to ten dollars.

Cheese Imo Mochi 3.5/5

Cheesy Fried Potato 3.5/5

The new menu has a Cheese Special section. If you love something more cheesy, you can have the Cheese Imo Mochi ($6) and Cheesy Fried Potato ($6). The potato mochi is pan-fried and then topped with sweet teriyaki sauce. As for the cheesy fried potato, it is drizzled with nacho cheese sauce.

Okonomi Yaki 3/5

Salmon Belly Teriyaki 3.5/5

It's not just about small plates at Kushikatsu Tanaka. Some items are more substantial and filling such as the Okonomi Yaki ($8) and Salmon Belly Teriyaki ($12). Besides vegetables, there is also pork in the okonomiyaki. Initially, I thought the salmon belly teriyaki looks like unagi, this is because it is drenched in a sweet teriyaki sauce. This literally melted in the mouth due to the use of the fatty cut.

Yakiniku 4/5

The highlight of the new menu has to be the Yakiniku. It comes in 3 different offerings. The Yakiniku Rib Eye ($17), Yakiniku Age Beef Tongue ($22) and Yakiniku Mori ($26). If you want variety, I would recommend the yakiniku mori which comes in a mix platter of rib eye and aged beef tongue.

Kushikatsu 4/5

A must-have here is definitely the Kushikatsu which has been deep-fried to golden brown that ranges from $1.20 to $2.80 per skewer. Some of the new golden skewers are Unagi Cheese ($2.80), Shitake Niku Tsume ($2.80) and Tomato Bacon ($1.80). Besides the new items, I also had some of the classic golden skewers such as the shrimp, bacon cheese and asparagus. It even has dessert skewer such as Cookie & Cream and Banana.

The revamped and expanded menu at Kushikatsu Tanaka means there is something for everyone. Besides its golden fried skewers, the menu also includes yakiniku and an array of Osaka-style street foods and sharing items.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Kushikatsu Tanaka
Merchants' Court Clarke Quay
Block A #01-01B
3A River Valley Road
Singapore 179020
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 230pm, 5pm - 12midnight
Fri & Eve of PH: 12pm - 230pm, 5pm - 2am
Sat: 11am - 2am
Sun & PH: 11am - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT Station. Take Exit A. Turn right and down River Valley Road. Turn right onto Tan Tye Place. Walk to the end of the road. Turn left onto Clark Quay. Walk to destination. Journey time bout 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C or G. Walk to the river front. Turn left and walk down the river. Cross the bridge. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.  [Map]