Antoinette @ Penhas Road

Antoinette which is well known for its elegant and delicious pastry has innovated and created something out of the tradition for the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Queen Yu Sheng ($88++). The groundbreaking reinvention of the iconic Yu Sheng will probably set the preconceptions of the classic Yu Sheng forever.

Queen's Yu Sheng 3.5/5

The Queen's Yu Sheng was created out of love for Chef Pang's 2 beautiful daughters and the newborn. Chef Pang has always felt sorry for his children who could not join the Lo Hei because they were too young to eat stomach raw fish. Hence the thought struck him to make a Yu Sheng dessert and confectionery, to be eaten as a sweet ending to the Chinese New Year feast. That is how the Golden Egg is born, symbolizing birth and renewal.

Queen's Yu Sheng 3.5/5

Crack the large golden chocolate egg with a hammer which sits on a nest of auspicious sweets such as chocolate fish, ingots and coins; 5 spiced almonds and cashews; mandarin orange butter cake and meringue kisses; and yam and sweet potato chips. There are more surprises inside the egg when it is cracked out, revealing Asian fresh fruits such as pineapple, Thai green mango, red dragon fruit, pomelo. Finally, a mandarin orange, plum and gula melaka dressing is poured over the dessert yu sheng. The Queen Yu Sheng is available for takeaway too.

Not known to many, Antoinette also offers a variety of traditional Lunar New Year delicacies such as buttery Pineapple Tarts, made with house-made spiced pineapple jam, Honeycomb Crackers with sesame, crispy Arrowhead Chips and crunchy Almond Cookies, as well as original creations like crumbly Almond Goji Berry Cookies, sweet savoury Pork Floss Meringue, ad house made Sakura Shrimp and Seaweed Rice Cracker.

Chocolate Love Letters 4.5/5

Given a new twist to the tradition while staying to the to the root of tradition, is the Chocolate Love Letters which are enrobed in Valrhona caraibe 66% dark chocolate and dusted with gold prosperity dust to bring wishes of wealth and fortune.

Tres Blond 4/5

Inspired be the festive season, Tres Blond ($10.70 per slice) combines auspicious Lunar New Year traditions like vanilla confit pineapple to represent windfalls of luck, and mandarin orange marmalade that symbolizes peace and prosperity, merged with French touches of light passion fruit cream and almond sable, sesame peanut nougatine before coated in gold webs of Valrhona dulcey blond chocolate and topped with chocolate discs that resemble golden medallions for success. The Tres Blond may appear rich and intense but it actually on the light side and quite refreshing on the palate.

8 Treasure Cake 3.8/5

Another festive inspiration is the 8 Treasure Cake ($16.05 per loaf/ $64.20 for 24cm diameter). This is an interesting twist to the Christmas fruit cake with Chinese festive elements. The rich butter cake is infused with the flavours of red dates, roasted pine nuts, dried longan fruit, candied ginger, kaffir lime leaves, walnuts, goji berries, tangerine peel and spices, to create an exquisite treat. I shared this will my colleagues and they all like the refreshing and unique flavours. However I just find that the cake crumbles a bit too easy, it does not hold it's shape well.

Organier 4/5

Pavlova 4/5

In conjunction with Valentine's Day, Antoinette has created the Orangier and Pavlova exclusive for the month of February only. The Orangier is a flourless cake with flourless chocolate sponge, orange marmalade, orange caramel cremeux, almond orange nougatine and Valrhona Manjari dark chocolate mousse. A balanced of zest and sweetness, which chocolate lovers will adore. The Pavlova features a cascade of pastel rose petal Chantilly rosettes, gently piped atop a rose meringue and almond cake with raspberry marmalade, lychee, yuzu cream, finished with a touch of rose petals and raspberries.

I find the Queen Yu Sheng really special as a dessert lo hei at the end of the chines new year meal. It could be a new trend in the future. I am not surprise to see how restaurants coming out with dessert yu sheng next year. Chef Pang could be the trend setter with the Queen Yu Sheng creation.


Antoinette 
30 Penhas Road
Singapore 208188
Tel: +65 62933121
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Antoinette.sg
Website: http://antoinette.com.sg/index.html
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thur: 11am - 10pm
Fri & Eve PH: 11am - 11pm
Sat: 10am - 11pm
Sun & PH: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to V Hotel Lavender. Walk down Horne Road and turn right onto Penhas Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Tomo Izakaya @ Clarke Quay

TOMO, at Clark Quay, is an izakaya that seems to have withstood the test of time. It thrived, back when Clarke Quay was old and tired, and continues to do so in today’s highly competitive foodscape. That is why I always wanted to experience this place myself its allure. And finally! This evening is my chance to try out one of their specially curated Japanese-inspired Chinese New Year set menu, aiming to offer you and your loves a unique dining experience for the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Yu Sheng 3.8/5

Let's toss for a better year ahead! As we toast to each other with our Iwai Sake Tamano Hikari (720ml a btl), we began our CNY dinner. The Yu Sheng’s (ala carte $66 for 3-4pax, 128 for 6-8 pax) towering stature reminds me of 步步高升. Amaebi (shrimp sashimi) crowned the tower, supported by tobiko (flying fish roe), kanpachi ( Amberjack) and salmon. Mix it well with the sauce and you will get a nice balance of the crunchiness and chewiness from the array of ingredients. However, as the sashimi and greens are of similar portions, try to go easy with the sauces to prevent the Yu Sheng being too 'saucy'. I like the choice of sauces used. Even though ours was slightly wet but it wasn’t sticky or too sweet, which might happen to those using the sweet plum sauce. Premium add-ons such as Hokkaido hotate, chutoro and ikura are available in medium (add $20) and large (add $40) sizes.

Appertiser 3.8/5

For Appetiser, this menu offers Simmered Duck, Unagi with Cucumber, Edamame, Deep fried Baby River Prawn and Marinated Octopus. Pretty yummy. Given their savouriness and sizes, your mouth may get too busy to do any talking at this moment. (caution: you might be tempted to order more of their sakes!)

Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab with Salad 3/5

Deep Fried Whole Meat Fish 2.5/5

The menu includes 2 deep fried items. The Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab with Salad and Deep Fried Whole Meat Fish with Japanese thick sauce yuzu flavour. After the rather delightful opening, I felt that both items kind of lackluster, especially the fish. Even with the sauce, the meat was dry and plain.

Tenderly Braised Pork Soft Rib Bone with Japanese Rice Cake 4.8/5

Then came the Tenderly Braised Pork Soft Rib Bone with Japanese Rice Cake. This is definitely the hero of the night. I have always like the way Japanese does their pork, be it in ramen or in their gigantic braised pork bun (which I only get to eat it when in Japan). The meat was tender and flavourful without being too heavy in taste or texture. I really love how chewy the sticky rice cake was! I wish there were more of it. Combining both in my mouth was just unforgettable.

The Japanese Tuna Sushi was an OK dish, perhaps the meat can be slightly more generous? Soup- Prawn Miso Soup was like a light broth, which I thought was good enough to clear my palate before the dessert.

Hokkaido Dessert Plate 4.5/5

For Dessert, we have Hokkaido Dessert Plate consisting 4 kind of sweet rice cake. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from the look of it, until I took my first bite. Gosh! It was heavenly. Especially the matcha. It almost sublimed in my mouth. One bite and it was gone. Before I had the time to reminisce it.

I believe dining in the common area would have been much more fun than that of a private room. And perhaps, that is what you should do if you are coming over to Tomo Izakaya for a CNY gathering. I feel that apart from the Yu Sheng, without the typical auspicious named dishes, you may even forgot that you are celebrating CNY while you immerse yourself in its izakaya atmosphere. But the spirit of a CNY meal is certainly there, to reunion with your loved ones, to chat and laugh together over an abundance of good food.

What I have tried is part of their $666 menu. The CNY Menu also comes with $333 (8 courses) or $888 (9 courses). Tomo Izakaya will be open on the first day of Chinese New Year.

Written and Photography by Si An. A lady who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. 


Tomo Izakaya
Clarke Quay
3A River Valley Road
#01-04
Singapore 179020
Tel: +65 6333 0100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomoizakaya
Website: http://www.tomoizakaya.com/
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1am
Fri-Sat, Eve of PH: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 3am

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C, F or G. Walk along the river toward Riverside Point direction. Cross the bridge to the other end of the river. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]