Beets Modern Vegetarian

“Vegetarians rejoice!” Not.

Beets Modern Vegetarian, mediocre 3-course set lunch ($29.90++) not worth mentioning in detail, great service though. We lunch-ed in really late, and the staff kindly moved us to all-day dining sister restaurant Addictions Cafe next door while it closed for a short siesta. Sheltered from the heavy downpour, we loitered there till evening and even had double scoops of ice cream on the house, thank you!

For a solid satisfying vegetarian meal, LivinGreens and Original Sin still have my undying loyalty~

Leek & Potato Soup
poached egg, truffle “caviar”

Background: Mint Pea Soup
mint leaf, pita bread

Tofu Burger
homemade seaweed tofu patty, grilled pumpkin, truffle aioli, relish

Mango Chili Salsa Sundae
lime sorbet

Root Beer Baileys Ice Cream ($9++)
compliementary from Addictions Cafe

Beets Modern Vegetarian
22 Dempsey Road
6475 6869

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LINS Smoodees Bar & Showroom

Thanks to LINS Smoodees, it’s so easy to get your 5-a-day now. This new concept bar specializes in blending dairy-free smoothies made from organic leafy greens, fresh fruits and filtered alkaline water. Definitely no nasty sugar, preservatives or additives!

I was invited by founder Adeline for a tasting session and it turned out to be more of an insightful sharing session which I thoroughly enjoyed. Detoxification, excess weight loss, increase in energy and stamina, improved mental clarity — these are just some of the numerous benefits of drinking greens!

More importantly, they taste really good. I tried the three signature smoothies (Greenhorn, Popeye and Peter Pan) and love them all. Naturally sweet, not bitter in the least, and so incredibly fresh!

Image Credit: LINS Smoodees

Besides greens, there’s also a selection of pure delicious fruit smoothies and enzyme drinks. I’ve actually thought of making my own enzymes at home but the whole process is just too tedious (lazy me, I know). So you can imagine how happy I am that LINS Smoodees offers several different types of enzyme drinks, from pineapple and kiwi to dragonfruit and bell peppers. Awesome~

LINS Smoodees retails between an introductory price of $5.50/smoodee for those with 15 grams of greens and $7.50 for those with 45 grams of greens. Delivery packages start from as low as $8.50 per bottle for a minimum order duration of 2 weeks. To find out more, why not drop by LINS Smoodees today? I’m sure Adeline and her mother, Annie, will be more than happy to share the goodness of these homemade smoothies with you!

Image Credit: LINS Smoodees

My sincere thanks to Adeline and Annie for hosting the session! I hope this green revolution turns out to be a huge success in Singapore

LINS Smoodees Bar & Showroom
18 Cross Street
#B1-02 Marsh & Mclennan Center
9007 8233

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The Most Un-Quiche-Like Quiche

I like quiches. Especially those with a soft flaky crust and eggy center filled with vegetables and smoked salmon. But the problem with quiches is that they are sneakily unhealthy.  High in calories, high in fats, high in everything that’s not good for you. That’s why I love Livingreens’ quiche! Ok, so it’s not a quiche-quiche. It’s a pseudo-quiche. But it tastes good. The crust is made of chickpea flour and the filling is a tofu-like mixture with mushrooms and spices. Together with the pumpkin pie and lasagna, this is also my favourite at Livingreens! =)

LivinGreens
325 Beach Road
6396 5523

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Vegan Burg

I’m proud to say that I haven’t eaten any fast food for more than 5 years (and definitely still counting). McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, and even instant noodles, they hold no appeal to me. Nutritionally worthless, and I’d rather waste my calories on equally sinful cakes and ice cream, hee. Which is why I think Vegan Burg has a brilliant concept: a vegan burger fast food restaurant that defies my school of thought that fast food = junk food!

The menu is limited, only 5 types of burgers and I’ve already tried all except one. The burger set comes with a choice of juices (the diluted-by-too-many-ice-cubes wheatgrass spinach tasted anything but that) and crispy seaweed fries that’s (ironically) rather salty.

Besides burgers and fries, there’s some sides like vegan franks, soup and salad too. The potato spinach pops look good, right?

But I felt slightly cheated when they were served. Only 5 small balls (expensive at $3.80!) heavily bolstered by lots of lettuce (to give the impression that the portion is not so pathetic) and they were very ordinary, think crispy fried potato balls with minimal seasoning.

The buns are organic (I like the soft rye and wholemeal best) and all the patties contain no gluten, dairy, GMO, preservatives or transfats. That sounds so healthy! Speaking of which, I find that the texture of the patties are somewhat similar to one another. After trying so many, I can safely conclude that what differentiates the burgers from each other is the sauce.

So far, char-grilled satay (below, $6.85 for burger, $10.85 for set) is my favourite! A familiar taste that’s not too overpowering. For a limited period, there’s a Christmas burger (above) that’s pretty awesome too: cracked pepper patty with a tangy sweet cranberry sauce ($7.85 for burger, $11.85 for set)~ Nice, nice.

I also like the wonderfully smokey flavour of the (you guess it) smoky BBQ ($6.85 for burger, $10.85 for set) burger!

Though the classic Hawaiian pineapple burger ($6.85 for burger, $10.85 for set) is their signature, I didn’t quite take to the sweet plum sauce.. Burgers are supposed to be savoury, aren’t they?

Even if you are a hard-core carnivore, give Vegan Burg a try! While it may not turn you into a vegetarian overnight, you may be surprised at how yummy these meatless burgers can be =) 

Vegan Burg
44 Jalan Eunos
6844 6868

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Raw Food Cuisine at One-Ninety

I totally enjoyed my first “raw food experience” at Saf Restaurant in London earlier this year so I was rather excited when I read from the ST that Chef Matthew Kenney will be in town from 11 to 17 Oct to introduce his haute raw food cuisine at One-Ninety in the Four Seasons Hotel. I went there twice this week, once for dinner ($98++ for 5-course), the second time for the weekend lunch buffet ($48++).

Out of the 8 or so appetisers I tried, I’m partial towards the colourful kimchi dumplings..

.. and the black sesame and white coconut dumplings! I love the different textures in each and the seasonings make it so full-flavoured.

I didn’t quite take to the yellow corn chowder, mainly cuz it’s served cold (instead of piping hot, which is impossible in this case). That said, the consistency is light and smooth, just like any regular chowder.

Other appetisers: (clockwise from top left) Caribbean conch chowder, avocado tartare, basil wrap, eggplant tart, portobello sausage (this is nice too!) and my least favourite out of all — a pizza with a crust so rock-hard that it makes chewing a chore.

For mains, I like the gnocchi, which is surprising since I’ve never fancy those potato dumplings. This wasn’t starchy or doughy at all, so unlike the real McCoy!

Served with dehydrated mushrooms and guacamole, the white corn tamale is one interesting dish paired with a rich paste that tastes like dark chocolate. Imagine that! Chocolate sauce for a savoury course~

Dessert samplers at the buffet include strawberry tart, key lime pie, pumpkin pie and my favourite — a luscious chocolate tart that’s absolutely un-raw-like. The crust is rock-hard but that’s easily overlooked for the most fantastic combination of rich chocolate and spicy chilli in the mousse-like pie filling!

The creamy texture of the mint chocolate chip and cherry chip ice cream is a successful replication of regular dairy ice cream despite the fact that no dairy product is used in raw food cooking! Amazing~

Even as I’m writing this, the week-long raw food gastronomic event is drawing to an end. While the raw food movement is increasingly popular in the States, it has yet to take off in Singapore. Instead of stoves, food dehydrators are found in the kitchens of raw foodists since the food is “cooked” below 40°C to ensure nutrients are retained. Preparation methods and dehydrating techniques are complex and time-consuming for haute raw food cuisine; and most of the time, I didn’t know what exactly I was eating. I only know that it’s a mixture of nuts, seeds, vegetables, oil and spices etc. That said, it’s a perfect time to just let the senses take over and simply enjoy whatever is on the plate! I’m already looking forward to the next raw food event in Singapore~ Crossing my fingers that it’ll be sooner rather than later =)

 

One-Ninety
190 Orchard Boulevard
Four Seasons Hotel
6734 1110

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Food #03

A social enterprise that’s part of Post-Museum, Food #03 is a very laid-back and hippy place with no air-con (think natural breeze), cool naked walls stripped back to raw brickwork and framed by curlicued window grilles.

Yummy vegan raw nut milk ($4)~ With a funny brinjal on the table as decor.

I came specially for the signature Dugu Burger ($11) that’s the “most famous veggie burger on Rowell Road”. The tempeh patty was moist and soft, but tasted slightly bitter cuz some parts were badly burnt. And sadly, there’s no homemade bread here. Merely toasted Gardenia focaccia since the normal buns were unavailable.

Because everything is freshly made on request (no microwave in the kitchen!), the waiting time can test one’s patience. And the staff seemed rather clueless about what’s available. One minute there’s buns for the burger, the next minute there’s none. “No desserts today” was what we were told, and then when we asked another staff, “yes yes, we do” was the answer -__-

I really really wanted to like Food #03…

 

Food #03
109 Rowell Road
6396 7980

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Eden Sanctuary

Thanks to the kind folks from OpenRice and Chef Clement, I had one of the healthiest meal ever at Eden Sanctuary. I’ve been to the cafe before, twice when it was at Club Street, and was suitably impressed by the concept of floral cuisine.

This being a floral cafe, we started with 2 pots of different floral tea. I can’t remember the names, only know that they are supposed to aid in digestion. In short, healthy caffeine-free tea that’s good for you.

The first starter was a mushroom wrap and this became my favourite dish of the night~ Love the brilliant combi of crunchy walnut, sweet marigold, sautéed mushroom and tangy lemon, all wrapped up in a wild pepper leaf!  

I’ve always liked hummus and Chef gave a low fat twist to this Middle Eastern pita sandwich filling by omitting the tahini, which is a pity cuz I feel that tahini adds a smoothness and different dimension to the mashed chickpeas.

Any grilled portobello mushroom that’s so big and juicy is bound to taste good!

A very pretty and colourful floral salad that’s one of a kind. Apparently, there’s 7 kinds of flowers in it and each has its own unique flavour. Some are sweet, some are bitter… You get the idea.

This was the only dish I didn’t like: pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Too simple can be too boring sometimes.

The ‘pitza‘ is actually a pizza in disguise, just that pita bread is used as the base and instead of basic tomato sauce, a homemade roasted capsicium pesto is generously spread over it.

It’s awesome to watch the crème brulée being torched right in front of my eyes! I’ll gladly forgo the caramelized sugar top anytime cuz to me, it’s all about the rich custard base. Smooth? Check. Soft? Check. Real vanilla beans? Check!

Any idea what’s Modena in Italy famous for? Google and you’ll see that it’s balsamic vinegar! Well, ever try a dessert made with it? I did, and while the Modena mousse cake is interesting, I’m still not convinced I like vinegar in my sweets.

So, is it possible to have a flavoursome 7-course dinner that’s less than 1,000 calories? It’s been tried and tested: at Eden Sanctuary, you can =)

 

Eden Sanctuary
China Square Central
18 Cross Street #01-16
6224 2298

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Best Pumpkin Pie in Singapore

Nowhere in Singapore can you find a pumpkin pie ($8) that’s as healthy — and as delicious — as the one from LivinGreens. Far from the classic fat/sugar loaded pie, this is more Shepard’s Pie-like, and just 1000x more divine. Cubed pumpkin sautéed with mushrooms, onion etc, and then baked under a thin layer of mashed potato~

Almond sushi roll ($6): a colourful and crunchy mix of almond sauce, beetroot, carrot, alfalfa, sprouts, pea sprouts wrapped in a sheet of Nori-seaweed.

If the pumpkin pie is not available (which is more often than not), there’s always the trusty lasagna from the daily menu to fall back on =)

 

LivinGreens
325 Beach Road
6396 5523

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LivinGreens

Next to Original Sin, LivinGreens is my favourite vegetarian restaurant. I go to the former when there’s extra cash in the wallet, and to the latter when I just want to have a deliciously-healthy (ya, these 2 words are not mutually exclusive, contrary to popular belief) meal without breaking the piggy bank.

I’m already a regular here and I’ll always, always order the LivinGreens lasagna ($8.50), which is wheat-, gluten- and dairy-free. Every slice of the lasagna contains fresh tomatoes, green and red peppers, carrots, mushroom, and every slice is lip smackingly good with a well-balanced flavour and texture. This is the most sinless lasagna ever created!

The LivinGreens burger ($8) also appears on our table frequently. While the patty is tasty packed with lots of veggies, the homemade bun has a ”neither here nor there” texture. It’s not soft but neither was it dense. It’s just… Different. Either you like it or you don’t. It’s not exactly my favourite bread around so you know where I stand =)

And as usual, we ordered our must-have desserts: Avocado Pudding ($4) that combines so perfectly with a syrup of gula melaka and molasses and Black Sesame Pudding ($3.50) that’s incredibly fragrant and has such a smooth texture and clean flavour.

There’s daily specials everyday and if I happen to drop by on a Friday, the fabulous pumpkin pie takes precedence over my beloved trusty lasagna!

 

LivinGreens
325 Beach Road
6396 5523

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Fou de Fafa #2

Dinner at Fou de Fafa was an oasis of calmness, with none of that buzzing organised chaos that define lunchtime at said cafe.

Besides ingenious salads and sandwiches, the paper-thin pizza is also one of their signatures. Pizza Fou’d Flewed! ($20, below) is a huge round disc of cracker-crust topped with generous amounts of rocket leaves and shredded chicken, while Pizza Fou’d ($18, last pic) is the vegetarian cousin heaped with avocado, feta, cherry tomatoes and tons of rocket leaves.

Like Skinny Pizza, the crust goes crunch-crunch-crunch like crackers with every bite. But I found the base too oily in the centre so it turned somewhat soggy halfway through. Not attractive. And the flavours here are dull compared to Skinny Pizza (which rocks cuz of the flavourful toppings)!

I’ll definitely go for dinner the next time cuz it’s so much more relaxing and fun when I don’t have to raise my voice or share the table with white collar strangers. And definitely no more pizza here, just anything but, please.

 

Fou de FaFa
#01-05 Capital Tower
168 Robinson Road
6327 9418

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