Koh Grill & Sushi Bar

I’m quite a serious foodie.

To the extent that I have a list in my phone, dining places that I want to try after researching them to death, haha. Those are classified under “new places”. Underneath that is another heading called “again places”. It’s not often that a “new place” becomes an “again place” but when that happens, I know I’ve found a new favourite!

Like the other day after dinner at Koh Grill & Sushi Bar, I immediately swopped Koh’s position from “new” to “again”. This shall be our new to-go when we’re in town and sushi craving hits and Itacho’s (yup, another one of my “again” too) queue is too ridiculously long~

Shiok maki, unagi wrapped with aburi salmon ($16.80+)

The signature maki here! I requested for no mayo (still scarred by Mad Nest’s version) and the chef told us that mayo-less made shiok maki really naked, haha. Still very shiok nevertheless!

Unagi and egg hotplate ($12+)

Too oily, skip.

Koh original maki with assorted seafood ($12+); soft shell crab maki ($8+)

Both I like!

Koh Grill & Sushi Bar
#04-21, Wisma Atria
435 Orchard Road
9180 3805

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Ladurée Glaces

Macarons from Ladurée, I’m not (and never will be) a fan.

But when it comes to their Ispahan (rose) and Paeva (violet) soft serve ice creams?

I approve!

1F, Shinjuku Lumine 2, Tokyo

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Mad Nest

I’m at a loss as to which category Mad Nest falls into.

Can’t merely pass it off as a Western restaurant since there’s sushi and sashimi. Not entirely Japanese either as Northern Indian naan and curries are featured too. Oh ya, not forgetting “Italian-Asian” dishes like seafood laksa and chilli crab pasta. Then there’s also a section on all-day brunch. Confusing much? Hmmm..

We only tried maybe 1% (or less?) of the offerings on the very extensive menu so a proper review is impossible. Totally didn’t like the oishii maki, a mayo-overdose disaster but other than that, the curries were pretty good, especially the kadai fish curry! Fish so soft it literally melted in the mouth, though more pieces of fish would be greatly appreciated. Still prefer Zaffron Kitchen down the road for generous authentic Indian cuisine!

Top left, clockwise: assorted naan basket ($9+); kadai fish cubes cooked in garlic and ginger paste ($13+); mango lassi and mint cumin lassi ($5+ each); dhal tadka, mixture of yellow lentils and cumin ($8+); oishii maki, grilled eel and roasted salmon with avocado and homemade mayo ($16+).

Mad Nest
378-380 East Coast Road
6348 6861

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Breadyard

If Breadyard ain’t so ulu and inaccessible, I believe it’d be one of our regular hangouts! Our smoked salmon and smoked chicken ($8.80 for a set with coffee and roasted potatoes) sandwiches may look like a couple of plain Jane and average Joe, but it’s definitely substance over style here.

I wanted a smoked salmon sandwich ($6) as usual but decided to play around with the ingredients, so much so that the lady manning the counter commented that my DIY sandwich was a first she’d ever seen, haha. The more exciting carrot walnut bread was sold out so wholemeal it was; wanted hummus but it wasn’t available that evening so I settled for caramelised onions; slices of cucumber completed my self-assembled toasties, yay!

Breadyard
20 Dover Drive
Singapore University of Technology And Design (SUTD)
6779 7986

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Swatow Seafood Restaurant

Omg, the black sesame buns from Swatow Seafood Restaurant are a revelation!! Killer buns they truly were.

Think thick fragrant sesame paste in the form of baos.

Think molten lava custard buns decked in sexy black.

Think deliciousness, period.

Har gow, siew mai, yam cake, chee cheong fun, phoenix claws, char siu baos, Cantonese-style congee, goreng pisang-like banana-red bean pastry, and various dumplings later, I declare Swatow to be 2nd in my list for dim sum now, right after Royal China~

Swatow Seafood Restaurant
#02-602, Blk 181 Toa Payoh Lorong 4
6363 1717

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Brownice Ice Cream

Whoever is still reading this blog, thank you YOU!! Haven’t been blogging much as I’ve been in the grip of wanderlust; a week in Hong Kong and San Francisco, then Taipei for a short 5 days trip with the BFF, and it’s London tomorrow morning, phew.

Nevertheless, it’s TGIF today, yay! Shall end Friday on a sweet note..

Healthy ice cream ain’t an oxymoron at Brownice.

Vegan, organic brown rice-based, free from artificial ingredients and dairy, check check check! Just looking at that sentence makes me think of healthy stuff, haha. Or rather, healthier desserts.

We had us the popular mudpie ($9.80), a sinful (no way can this be considered healthy imo) block of French chocolate and hazelnut chocolate ice cream, dark chocolate ganache, topped off with caramelized salted almonds; plus for good measure, we threw in two scoops ($3.80 per scoop) of green tea and pumpkin coconut ice cream as well <3

Brownice Ice Cream
#01-03 Sin Ming Centre
8 Sin Ming Road
6456 6431

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Crabby Itacho

Say hello to this baked stuffed crab ($6++), a new found love from Itacho Sushi!

Itacho Sushi
#B1-05, Bugis Junction
6337 8911

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Selfish Gene Cafe

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve been truly impressed by a cafe. Most that I went to, I like, but nothing so fantastic that I’ll want to go back again and again.

Until my weekend brunch date with the BFF at Selfish Gene Cafe last week.

This place I love! Service was excellent (owner Gene is real friendly), food was deliciously simple and good (especially the scrambled eggs, yums!), and the whole vibe spells C-H-I-L-L in caps. Thumbs and toes up!

Scrambled eggs & Brioche
scrambled eggs, thick toasted brioche, mesclun

B.O.B (weekends only)
slow poached eggs, norwegian smoked salmon, crème fraiche, mesclun, multigrain bread

P.S. B.O.B. = brother of Benedict! How clever.

Lemon tart (weekends only)
lemon curd tart, candied lemon zest, pate sucree shell

Selfish Gene Cafe
40 Craig Road
6423 1324

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Xin Cuisine’s Mooncakes

Another post on mooncakes today!

I think my mom is the happiest in the family whenever I bring mooncakes home, haha. This time, it’s a long classy embellished box of mini snowskin mooncakes from Xin Cuisine, paired with a bottle of Prosecco for a complete indulgence, all thanks to Eunice from InterContinental Hotels Group!

Pink: soursop & chocolate crunch
Green: black truffle, walnut & white lotus seed paste
White: champagne chocolate & pandan lotus paste
Purple: lavender chocolate & chempedak lotus paste
Brown: rum and raisin chocolate & chinese dates paste
Blue: durian paste

Wait.. Lavender, soursop, chempedak?

You didn’t read wrongly; those are the new additions this year! Interesting and rather unexpected flavours aye?

Kudos to the culinary team from Xin Cuisine, these mini mooncakes were really soft and delicate! We ran some errands after collecting them and by the time I reached home, a couple of them were out of shape, oops. Never mind the look, they were still very tasty despite being out in the open for so many hours! Quality stuff, nice. Now I’m hankering for a taste of their dim sum one day soon, haha.

Besides these mini snowskin mooncakes, there’s also the signature mini custard mooncakes and traditional Teochew yam paste mooncakes, all available till 30th September 2012.

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
4F Holiday Inn Atrium
317 Outram Road
6731 7173

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L’Etoile Cafe

L’etoile, a destination cafe.

Not so much for the food (expect simple and predictable stuff like all-day brekkie, sandwiches and pastas are on the menu), but for the quiet space, relaxed vibe and homey decor : )

Big breakfast ($14.90+)

scrambled eggs, toast, sautéed mushrooms, roasted potatoes, smoked salmon in lieu of sausage and bacon (additional $1.50+)

Eggs benedict ($12.90+)

poached eggs, smoked salmon replacing ham (additional $1.50+), multigrain bread

L’Etoile Cafe
160 Owen Road
6298 2872

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