[Singapore Restaurant] Experience New Birthday Dishes at TODAI !

 

 

Believe it or not, TODAI has turned 4!  Diners at the restaurant, specializing in international buffet, are in for a treat.  As part of TODAI's anniversary celebration, they have specially added 7 birthday dishes to the menu.



Shoutao, or steamed buns in the shape of peaches signifying longevity, is one dish commonly seen especially during birthday celebrations for the elders.  This Chinese tradition is still kept even in modern days Singapore.  The soft pink steamed buns are filled with sweet lotus paste.  These buns are best eaten when they are fresh out from the steamer.   Another Chinese dish which TODAI has added to the auspicious birthday menu is the stir-fried Yi Mein or the longevity noodles.  The noodles, a savory dish with prawns and mushrooms, didn't taste too strong and the noodle texture was quite "QQ", a local term describing the chewy texture of the noodles.  It tasted somewhat like handmade noodles.

Two Korean dishes added to the birthday menu were Japchae and Miyeokguk.  The key ingredient for Japchae is the sweet potato noodles which is different from the Chinese-style glass noodles because of it's chewy noodles texture.  The flavourful dish is stir-fried by mixing sesame oil, soy sauce with vegetables and meat.  This dish was first created in the 17th century during the Joseon Dynasty.  The dish soon became one of the signature dishes in the royal menu, especially during celebration parties, as the king liked it so much. 

In the Korean culture, one must have a bowl of Miyeokguk (or Korean-style seaweed soup) on their birthdays.  Due to its high iodine and calcium content in the seaweeds, it is common for Korean women to consume this soup after child-birth.  It then became a popular practice to have the seaweed soup on birthdays as a reminder of the food and nutrition from mothers.

A pretty exotic dish on the birthday menu is Oto, which originates from Ghana.  Oto is a traditional African birthday dish that uses hard-boiled eggs, mashed yam and palm oil as the key ingredients.  TODAI has creatively replaced the yam with potato and it has a similar taste as potato salad.  Eggs in the Ghanaian culture symbolizes purity and fruitfulness and therefore it is symbolize to consume eggs on birthdays.  This completes the second African dish, Jollof Rice, originating from Nigeria, which is slightly spicy and savoury.

And, birthdays wouldn't be complete without cakes.  Inspired from Russia's Honey Layered Cakes, the 4-layered delicious Rainbow Cake will be available during dinner and weekend buffets.  If you're a fan of butter-cream cakes, go for this!

Besides the birthday dishes, the international buffet selection includes Oriental, Western, Japanese, Korean, Italian dishes as well as fruits and salads.  If you prefer to go for lighter food options, TODAI offers pretty interesting salads.

 (Cherry Tomato Salad under the Italian Section)

(Mandarin Salad under the Salad Section)

(Garlic Bread under the Italian Section)

 



As part of TODAI's anniversary celebration, diners have a chance to enjoy unlimited buffet dining for 30 days.  A total of 5 passes will be given away for lucky dinners who spend a minimum of $200 at TODAI.  And for diners who are celebrating their birthdays in March, they get to enjoy a complimentary birthday cake as well as an instant photo taken to capture their memorable moments.

UOB and Maybank card holders, senior citizens and kids get to can enjoy dining discounts at TODAI as well.  Do check out the promotional details at www.todaisingapore.com.

TODAI Singapore

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

2 Bayfront Avenue

#B2-01

Singapore 018972

Tel: +65 6688 7771

Website: www.todaisingapore.com



Monday to Friday:
Lunch: 11.30am to 3pm; Dinner: 5.30pm to 10pm

Saturday:
Lunch: 11.30am to 3pm; Dinner: 5pm to 10.30pm

Sunday:
All Day Dining: 11.30pm to 10pm


Getting there: Take MRT to Bayfront Station.  Use Exit D.  Enter Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and walk through The Shoppes in MBS.  TODAI is located almost at the end of the building.

[Singapore Cafe] Vegetarian Chocolate Truffle Logcake from Metta Cafe

 

Thinking what to get for the year-end gathering?  Consider this.  I bought this for a recent gathering and most people couldn't believe that this vegetarian (eggless) chocolate truffle logcake tasted as good as any other chocolate logcakes.  Best of all, the price wouldn't burn a hole in your pocket.  500g at $30 and 1kg at $42.

 

Contact mettacafe@metta.org.sg to entire or drop by the café located at 32 Simei Street 1.

 

Have a great holiday!

[Australian Cafe] Pie Face in Singapore!

If chicken pie, mushroom pie, apple pie and perhaps yam pie are the types of pie that you've eaten all your life, does (spicy) Tandoori Vegetable pie or (sweet) Thai Green Curry Chicken pie or (savoury) Chicken + Peppercorn make you feel a little more excited about eating pies?

 

Leading micro-bakery café from Australia, also the world's largest pie chain, has just arrived in Singapore.  2 outlets were opened in Singapore in November and they are conveniently located at 313 Somerset and Bugis Village.

 

With the eye-catching signboard, you can easily spot Pie Face (Bugis) from BHG's entrance facing Victoria Street.



 

Pie Face doles out pies in a multitude of flavours.  The pies come in regular and mini sizes (from $4.90 and $3 respectively).  The pie flavours include:

- Tandoori Vegetable Pie  (Regular and Mini)
- Thai Chicken Curry Pie (Regular and Mini)
- Chicken + Mushroom (Regular and Mini)
- Chicken + Peppercorn (Regular and Mini)
- Chunky Steak (Regular and Mini)
- Creamy Vegetable (Mini)
- Steak + Peppercorn (Mini)
- Chilli Chicken + Corn (Mini)

My personal favourites are the Tandoori Vegetable (filled with delicious chopped carrots, capsicum and mixed beans) and Thai Chicken Curry (filled with carrots, onion, garlic, coconut milk and chicken) pies.  Like my friend ever commented, I seem to prefer "exotic" food, which I interpret to mean food with stronger or spicy flavour.

Different playful expressions are featured on the pastry crusts, making the pies fun to look at even before eating it.

Sad faces, happy faces....Are you able to guess what type of pie each facial expression stands for?

The reason for success for Pie Face is probably the delicious puff pastry.  It is said that the dough of the traditional French puff pastry takes 3 days to prepare.  The kitchen team is required to fold the special blend of butter to create 48 layers!

Encased within the flaky crust are fresh and chunky ingredients.  Pie Face serves the pies in 2 ways:
1. Either by itself in a cardboard sleeve; and
2. Top the pie with mash potato and gravy.

Besides the savoury pies selection, you get to enjoy sweet treats under the same roof.  The café serves 8 sweet pies, crumbly cookies and moist cakes too!  The cheese sticks (suitable for cheese lovers) and almond sticks are worth trying!

And if you are a sausage person, try the Chicken + Cheese Sausage roll (with some tomato ketchup)!

The sweet pies are really pretty.  Available in pecan, butterscotch, lemon, chocolate, raspberry, apple crumble, green tea + red bean and coffee!  I'm sure there's one flavour that whets your taste bud.

Finally, the banana bread (aka banana cake) is one of my favourites!

Need some coffee to end a good meal?  Pie Face serves freshly brews such as cappuccino, café latte, long black, mocha and macchiato ($4 onwards).

Pie Face Outlets
313 Orchard Road #B3-10 (313 Somerset)
Singapore 238895
Operating Hours: 10am to 10pm
Getting there: Directly connected to Somerset MRT station

249 Victoria Street (Bugis Village)
Singapore 188034
Operating Hours: 10am to 10pm
Getting there: Alight at Bugis MRT Station.  Turn right at the entrance and head towards BHG department store.  Take the escalator to Level 1 of BHG.  Exit BHG using the exit facing Victoria Street (near bags section) and cross the traffic light.  You should be able to see Pie Face while at the traffic light.

URL: http://pieface.com.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piefacesingapore
Instagram: @pieface_sg

[SG Buffet] Open House Restaurant at Grand Park Orchard Hotel

Options for weekday high-tea seems to be quite limited and we can easily understand why.  Simply because the weekend crowd is generally better.  Recently, a group of friends decided to meet up over high tea and we went to Open House Restaurant at Grand Park Orchard (former Crown Prince Hotel).

The selection are mostly local delights with some Asian selection.  The food spread is quite good with a few stations where the dishes are freshly cooked and served at your table.

The choice of dim sum included siew mai, har gow, char siew bao and black bean pork ribs.  The kar gow skin was a little too thick while the siew mai was alright.



The local cuisine section has usual snacks and dishes that we Singaporeans eat at any time of the day.  That includes roti prata (Indian pancake), fried carrot cake (oriental pan-fried steamed rice cake in black soy sauce), nasi lemak (Malay coconut rice with otah, salted fried peanut and fried anchovy), chwee kueh (oriental steamed rice cup-sized cake topped with preserved radish), fried chicken wings, curry puffs, samosa and peanut pancake.

There is another section where ala carte dishes can be ordered namely claypot rice (oriental style steamed rice cooked with black soy sauce and Chinese sausage in a claypot), fishhead curry (Indian style way of cooking head of fish with brinjals and spicy coconut milk)  and sayur lodeh (Indonesian style vegetable curry that is usually not spicy or mild spicy).  Teochew Porridge is also available at the buffet line with braised peanuts and preserved cai xin.  Nothing elaborate and fanciful but the key condiments are there.

The cakes and pastries section was a little disappointing.  They look quite ordinary and the taste was average.  The durian pengat tasted a little sourish.

The black horse, which truly surprised me was this Sichuan Noodles.  It was very very good, for someone who enjoys eating food that has vinegar.  Spiciness and sourness was just at the right level.  The noodles, though it was a little thick, blended well with the hot and sour soup.  

On the whole, it was a good place for weekday high-tea.  Affordable price with a rather good spread of food.  There may also be seasonal credit card promotions.  The café staff will be able to advise.

Open House Restaurant

Grand Park Orchard Hotel

270 Orchard Road Singapore 238857

Tel: 6603 8855

Website: http://www.parkhotelgroup.com/orchard/dining/open-house/

Nearest MRT: Orchard Station

Getting there: Walk along the basement of Wisma Atria which connects to Ngee Ann City.  Exit Ngee Ann City, cross over to Paragon and then to Grand Park Orchard.

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Related Posts:
- Todai Singapore (Click here)
- Korean Grill BBQ Buffet: Ssikkek (Click here)

SG Cafe Series: Japanese-themed Cafe : Kki Sweets [Closed]

Tucked in a quiet corner at the edge of Centre Business District, surrounded by the concrete jungle at one side and yet nestled in the vintage and tranquil surrounding at the other, Ann Siang Hill is a place where you get to experience the modern yet traditional part of Singapore.

(Photo Credit: CNN)

Kki Sweets, a Japanese-themed cake shop, is located within row of vintage shophouses that had been preserved even after the War World II period.  Most the these shophouses are now F&B outlets serving a variety of eastern, western and fusion food.  Kki Sweets sits quietly at a corner in a newly furbished building, whose entrance isn't that conspicuous.  Keep a lookout for the 3 round signages that stick out from the building pillar.

(Photo Credit: Garmin)

There aren't many cake variety to choose from, yet all that are on display are all-so-pretty that it is difficult to choose which to go for.  Because of this, it may be a good idea to go with 6 to 8 friends and you can order more cakes to try!  However, there are a few things that may be good to note.  Firstly, the number of seats are limited in the café because a section of the shop is owned by The Little Drom Store.  Outdoor seats are available on days where weather is good so that makes things a little better.  Secondly, the cakes are rather pricey, starting from $6 onwards.  And, afternoon tea wouldn't be complete without a cuppa or some tea.

There are some cakes for reference.  My friends and I couldn't decide which was our favourite because the cakes were ALL really nice and unique.  You can easily tell that the presentation and ingredients used are atypical from what you get from normal cafes.

Little Red Riding Hood

Dark Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Centre 

 Kinabaru

Coconut Mousse with passionfruit centre

Strawberry Shortcake

Fresh strawberries with French Fresh Cream



The Little Drom Store is a gallery shop (yes, the stuff looks like little exhibits) with knick knacks from toys, stationery, books, accessories, bags.  Some of these stuff are really vintage and perhaps those born from 1980s onwards might not know how to appreciate them!  Oops... I am revealing my age!

This is the prints on a fabric tote bag... for those in your 30s, there is a high chance that you had played this game while schooling (in Singapore), RIGHT?  For my overseas readers, this is a verse that we recite for the scissors, paper, rock game.   No idea, what this is about?  Read about the origin here.  Still unsure how the game goes, watch the demo here - English version,  Korean version.  Hope you get it now!

Kki Sweets [The café is now closed and will be moved to a location.  Stay tuned for updates.]
7 Ann Siang Hill, Singapore 069791
Opening Hours: Tue to Sat - 12pm to 7pm; Sun - 1pm to 7pm, Closed on Mondays
Tel: 6225 6650
Website: http://www.kki-sweets.com/

Getting there:  Take the MRT to Chinatown Station, although it is also possible to get to Ann Siang Hill via Tanjong Pagar, Outram Park or Raffles Place Stations too.  From Chinatown Station, use Exit A.  After exiting, walk straight until you reach the main road - South Bridge Road.  Cross the road and walk in the direction towards Maxwell Food Centre.  At a small lane before reaching Nanyang Old Coffee, turn left and walk up the hill all the way.  After a gentle left bend, you should see Kki Sweets at the corner of a white building.

[Note: The shop at Ann Siang Hill is closed since after Christmas 2013.  The owner is in the midst on the new shop location]



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Related Posts:
- The Little Prince Café (click)
- Kith Café (click)
- Paris Baguette (click)

Like my post?  Follow me at Instagram (@joslovesfood), Facebook (Joslovesfood) and Twitter (@Joslovesfood)! ^^

SG Cafe Series: The Little Prince Cafe (Singapore)

(Photo from The Little Prince Café FB)

It is heartening to know that more cosy and quaint cafes are found in Singapore in the recent years.  Joining the cosy, yet not a cushy, business is the newly opened The Little Prince Café near City Sqaure, Singapore.  Like many others who harbour the dream of having their own cosy café, the owners have put in efforts to set up this café.  I admire their courage for taking the step forward, because manning a start-up is like running a never-ending marathon. 

You will be amazed that the deco and drawings were done up personally by the owners, hand-drawn using markers!  Being an avid fan of "Le Petite Prince", her entire personal book collections, in various languages, are now part of the deco in the café.  I am totally impressed. ^^

The latte is pretty aromatic, endorsing the barista's skills in coffee-making.  Coffees are served in the a glass cup and a metal plate, a nice and unique combination.  Tea was served in the pretty, dainty cup and saucer which gave an royalist feel, matching up to the cafe's prince theme.

A variety of sweet desserts can be found - cupcakes, cakes, scones etc.  The red velvet, with the glitzy butter cream cheese toppings in rose design, was really tasty.  Specially created recipe, mango and pomelo mousse cake, a combination which is found in Chinese dessert 杨枝甘露, is most unique and yummy.

Yangzhi Ganlu cake 

Red Velvet Cupcake

The savoury food served in the café includes quiches, sandwiches and even yakitori.  Great as snacks if you just want some munchies.  Other than coffee and tea, the café offers a variety of beer.  Guess what, I'm sure the yakitori, with tender and flavourful chicken, is a perfect match to go with beer.

Classic Lorraine quiche 

Yakitori

Overall, the café is a good place to hang out in the evenings, after sunset.  It can get a little warm when the sun gets into the café in the late afternoon.  The pricing is reasonable and unlikely to burn a big hole in your pocket.  Do check it out!

The Little Prince Café
62 Somme Road #01-03 Singapore 207877
Monday to Sunday, 11am to 10pm (Closed on Mondays)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LittlePrinceCafe

Getting there: Take MRT to Farrer Park MRT Station.  Exit H.  Walk through City Sq Mall and exit to City Square Residences.  Walk along the path along City Sq Residences and you will see a row of shop houses (Somme Road) perpendicular to City Sq Residences. 

Alternative route is also possible if you prefer to walk along the main roads.

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Related Posts:
- Kith Café (click)
- Kki Sweets (click)


Like my post?  Follow me at Instagram (@joslovesfood), Facebook (Joslovesfood) and Twitter (@Joslovesfood)! ^^

Chocolate Lava Cake from Chocolate Origin

Seriously, this lava cake in a cup ~ try it and you will love it.  The cake is almost perfect, at least to me, in terms of firmness, richness and sweetness.
 

It is an excellent idea to hold in a cup with the cold vanilla ice cream at the bottom with the warm and moist cake with the chocolate lava on top. Better still, there is no fuss, no mess and you can scrape the cup till the last bit of ice cream. At $5, this is an affordable indulgence when you need something to perk up your mood. ;)
 

 

Chocolate Origin

313@Somerset, #B3-10A, 313 Orchard Road

Opening Hours: Mon to Sun 10am to 9.30pm

Website: http://www.chocolate-origin.com/ 

 

 

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Taiwanese Confectionery - Sweet Musings at Star Vista

If you have been to Taiwan and tried the freshly made 太阳饼 (Sun Cake), the slightly moist flaky skin with a strong milky taste filled with malt is sure to linger in your mind for a while.  Other than the sun cake, another popular confectionery would be the 凤梨酥 (pineapple cake) which are typically in square or rectangular shape.

The sunshine has finally been brought into Singapore by Sweet Musings, a new brand name and shop in Singapore.  They are true to their commitment in bringing the Taiwanese flavour here. The owner, the chef and the ingredients are from Taiwan.  The owner had a shop in Taichung before she decided to bring it over here.

The cakes are freshly made and packed at the store.  Lots of samplings are  available for the fortune bell cake (福钟烧), sun cake, pineapple cake, earl grey egg roll, yam cake (芋泥酥), nougat except for the chilled mochi and panna cotta which comes in 4 flavours.

Prices range from $1 to $3.50. Not exactly cheap but still affordable and you don't have to travel to Taiwan even if you have some cravings for these Taiwanese sweets.

Sweet Musings
1 Vista Exchange Green (The shop at Buona Vista has moved out.  Call contact number to check on new location)
The Star Vista #02-05
Singapore138617
Tel:+65 63392885
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweetMusings
Operating Hours: Mon - Sun: 10.00 am to 10.00 pm

Getting there: The Star Vista is located right next to the Buona Vista Station.

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