The East is best when it comes to food. There was a dearth of cafes in the past but that has quickly changed with big boys like Brawn & Brains, Dutch Colony and Forty Hands moving into the Siglap/Katong area. The latest hottest is The Brewing Ground, which has amazingly popped up steps from my place at The Yards, a transformed school compound at Telok Kurau. 

Experience the bright and breezy Eastie vibe with the glasshouse-inspired interior, or park your bike/pet out on the alfresco deck breezy alfresco deck. I've been lucky enough to walk in without a wait at lunch time but now that the secret is out of the bag, please make your reservations. I hear weekdays breakfast can pack a queue!

This is not quite the place for early risers, that is if you are looking to bite into their much raved about Breakfast Burger ($20), which is only served from 11am. They ought to call it a Brunch Burger actually. It is just as well because i doubt anyone can stomach this massive beast too early in the morning! Toasted brioche buns sandwiches a juicy rosemary pork sausage patty and creamy scrambled eggs, flavored even more with a lovely caramelized onion relish and a sweet ketchup mayonnaise. There was too much of the latter and i had to scrape some off for balance. A perfectly crispy hash brown completes the blockbuster. I was thankful for the side of mesclun salad which helped to to cut through the richness of the bun with its refreshing acidity. 

I first got a taste of Chef Jérémy Gillon and his Alpine-herb-forward French cuisine five years ago at now defunct Audace. It was certainly the most refreshing French dining i've experienced then. Fast forward to 2021 and Chef has already earned his star with his fine dining Restaurant JAG. Stepping into Restaurant Jag for the first time, we were pleased to see that Chef has remained true to his brand of serving seasonal cuisine inspired by the wild-foraged herbs from Savoie. 

It was yet another refreshing and educational meal with unpredictable flavors using herbs that we have never heard of or were able to pronounce. We went with the well-priced 4 course Executive Set Lunch ($98), which was a delightful experience. Do allow yourself at least 2.5 hours for this. I ended up rescheduling my appointment after because lunch took longer than expected but it was worth it though! If you have even more time to spare, there's also the 6-course Degustation Measured Indulgence Menu ($175). 

We started with a Salsify and Sariette biscuit with the crunch of a potato chip. 

Then a green Kohlrabi juice with Hyssop oil and balsamic. This had notes of apple and celery in it. 

A steamy dark rye was served with a duo of Normandy and herb butter. While we loved the fluffy insides, the dark burnt crust a tad too much to handle after a few bites. Lovely miso notes if you don't mind the char though. 

Vegans and Vegetarians rejoice! Homegrown restaurant Violet Oon has launched an extended menu of plant-based and gluten-free specialties at its Clarke Quay outlet Violet Oon Singapore Satay Bar & Grill, where you can enjoy smoke-kissed dishes alongside your meat loving friends. 

Expect big flavors with the use of regional spices, rempahs, house-made sauces, and the smoky sear of the grill. 

For starters, the Eggplant Goreng Dip with Emping Crackers ($17) was irresistible with the light bitterness of the belinjau nut crackers, balanced with the savoury coriander-infused eggplant purée. We got hold of some green chili sambal and boy it was a killer combination. 

The Grilled Cauliflower Sambal Tumis ($19) packs a smoky punch but I must warn that moreish sambal sauce requires a refreshing cocktail to extinguish the heat. Thankfully the cocktails at Violet Oon are perfect for that. Go for the Assam cocktail, it's my favorite of the lot.

Meatless Meatball Rendang ($18) was a soft mix of walnut, cheese and Impossible meat dumpling, braised in a spiced creamy coconut cream sauce. Honestly no one would have known that this was meat free. Certainly one of my favorite dishes on the menu. 

On to mushrooms, a crowd favorite is the Kunyit Lemak King Oyster Mushroom ($24), which sees a full-bodied grilled meat oyster mushrooms coated in an earthy turmeric-infused coconut sauce. 

Start your own Chinese New Year tradition at InterContinental Singapore Man Fu Yuan (MFY). Now this is one highlight that i look forward to every lunar new year. This year, Executive Chinese Chef Aaron Tan and his team at MFY will be offering a selection of delicacies and prosperity prix-fixe menus until 26 February 2021 and it caters to couples and also intimate gatherings with family.

We tossed our way into prosperity with visually stunning 60-inch Blossoms of Spring Prosperity Yu Sheng adorned with Hokkaido scallops, salmon, crispy fish skin, shaped in the form of the Chinese character ‘Chun’ (春). The golden yuzu and plum sauce with shallot oil provided refreshing and light sweetness to the yu sheng. It is also possible to arrange for individually portioned yu sheng for your own tossing! For a 牛 beginning, there's also a yusheng with with Japanese Omi A4 Wagyu beef with salmon and Hokkaido scallops.

Next up, a luxurious Superior crab meat and pumpkin bisque with generous amount of birds nest and crab meat and roe in pumpkin husk. Lovely savory sweetness in this one! A must order IMO. 

The Signature West Lake Longjing smoked duck with truffle sauce (from real truffles) make for a good appetizer with its thin crispy skin and juicy meat. 

Reimagine Sichuan flavors at Birds of a Feather with their first-ever tasting menu. I've been a fan of Chef Eugene See's contemporary and European take on Sichuan cuisine since Birds opened and now he has taken it to the next level with some really stunning and elegant dishes that knocked us off our feet. 

Leave your tongue numbing mala expectations at the door. The Reimagine Sichuan menu ($89) showcases the myriad of flavors- salty, aromatic, bitter on the individual plates that are even more refined than the usual communal menu at Birds. There is even a curated wine pairing menu which was an absolute delight, featuring a small batch Telmont Grand Reserve Champagne, Pouilly Fuissé Domaine Cordier Chardonnay, Château Mangot Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (our absolute fav), and a surprise cocktail to be paired with desserts, all for just $60. 

The seven-course gastronomic journey begins with the Homemade Pickled Vegetable Focaccia, served alongside a bright, salty Sichuan 碎米芽菜 pickled mustard green butter. The humble preserved vegetable is full of umami- very similar to kombu or preserved olive vegetables. We tried our hardest to persuade Chef Eugene to bottle this! The focaccia was also an amazing slice with an all rounded crisp and a fluffy center. 

Next, Chef Eugene presents a rotating Bird’s Snack which spotlights the Sichuan burnt chili. A thin chewy ravioli made from gyoza skin is filled with a mix of burnt chili eggplant and foie gras. The spice was very mild and slightly tingly, and further balanced with an earthy celeriac purée. 

Michelin star dining is quite pricey in Singapore unlike in US and Europe so i'm always happy to find a well-priced one- Lerouy is one of the few and they do not stinge on the experience. There's no stuffiness or snootiness at this modern French restaurant by Chef Christophe Lerouy. At Lerouy 2.0, their industrial-chic space was anything but cold as 2 loops of organically shaped counters wind round the open kitchen and diners get a full view of the precise preparation of each dish.

We were in for a surprise for our 7-course grand lunch ($78) with no inkling of what's to come, given the purposeful omission of a menu. The omakase style allows Lerouy to present a mysterious seasonal menu, which adds to the excitement of dining here. 

Four tapas appetisers and petits fours supplement the courses. A crunchy mille feuille style of Bibeleskaes potato with fresh cream and Alsace bacon was the opening act. Followed by a series of refreshing acidity in the lentils with smoked herring and horseradish on a cracker; a lightly spiced Carabinero ceviche with pickled mioga ginger and calamansi espuma, and ending with a Japanese style Asian Beef Tea made using a Japanese dashi base and a touch of keffir lime. 

Next, a generous baby sourdough loaf which was so darn good. Lovely crust with a fluffy interior, the bread came served with 4 butters- regular, beetroot, seaweed and charcoal. The beetroot was surprisingly our favorite with a touch of sweetness and light earthiness. 

The rootedness in French classical cooking continues to present itself in the meal, but the flavors are anything but traditional. The typical buttery richness is balanced with acid and herbs in most dishes. Actually i wouldn't be surprised if acid is the base of the meal. 

Japanese scallops with dashi jelly, Kaviari caviar, green shiso ice cream and a touch of yuzu kosho to brighten up the dish. I consider this quite a bold dish, given that the accompaniments could easily overpower the delicate flesh but somehow the components worked well together and a daring dish was born. 

South East Asian cuisine is often thought of as cheap street eats but at Botanico and Bee's Knees, the talented young Head Chef Sujatha Asokan elevates comforting familiar flavors into finessed plates that explores history and heritage. The 2018 World Gourmet Summit Female Rising Chef of the Year isn’t afraid to feed diners the pungent fermented prawn paste (hae gor) or sneak in some beef tongue in the tacos but trust me, you’ll eat anything she puts on your plate. 

We started at the casual Bee's Knees at level one with some cocktails and bites. You'd regret not getting the Spicy Duck Loaded Fries ($17) with golden thick-cut fries generously loaded with handfuls of smoked duck chunks and liberally drizzled with mayonnaise, mozzarella and a zingy Sriracha cream. The messy rich, umami heat is best paired with an ice cold beer.

Chef Sue also put a SEA spin on her New York-style fiery Shrimp Pizza ($30). The pie is made in-house and stretched a la minute, and has a slightly chewy texture and crispy bottom. This wicked one is made with a squid ink garlic aioli base, topped with tiger prawns, mozzarella and Parmesan, then finished with a special spicy chili dressing made with palm sugar, chilli, garlic and lime juice, and coriander. Man it was addictive though I warn that the flavors are gonna stick around the whole night. 

Check out the Beef Tongue Tacos ($18), a Vietnamese version served on baby bok choy boats with jicama slaw and cashew cream. 

Now now, this Australian beef tongue is brined for 48h and sous vide for another 18 to give it that super soft texture. It's grilled in the Inka charcoal oven before served. I loved the tanginess of the jicama slaw which composed of pickled bokchoy, ginger flower and lemongrass, and toasted rice powder. Super fresh flavors in this one. 

Min Jiang at Goodwood Park Hotel marks another milestone in its decades-long history with a fresh contemporary look, together with refreshed menus and experiences for its patrons. Chef Chan Hwan Kee, who has been helming the kitchen for more than 10 years, continues to excite diners with his brand of signature Cantonese and Sichuan dishes. 

Min Jiang is one of the last few restaurants that are still serving their dim sum on push carts. I'm always terribly excited when the trolleys come around and it certainly encourages over-ordering, only because i can't help myself. 

A new range of hand-made dim sum has been introduced and you could order them off the menu. The creatively presented Min Jiang Land and Sea Quartet ($16.80/order) features a rabbit-shaped Steamed Prawn and Carrot Dumpling, accompanied by Deep-fried Pork ‘Char Siew’ and Pine Nuts in Glutinous Pastry fashioned like a carrot. Alongside are a Steamed Squid and Sea Cucumber Dumpling and Steamed Prawn and Chinese Stem Lettuce with Tobiko Dumpling formed like a sea cucumber and starfish respectively. This is perfect for the single diner who wants a variety of dimsum. 

Where to for tapas that transports you to Spain? Well you have to visit Esquina, who is OG thatbrought us the authentic Spanish and Catalan flavors. Back in 2011, you have to wait in line at 6pm to snag a seat at this popular joint. I haven't been back since the chefs changed hands but i'm happy to report that Barcelona-born Head Chef Carlos Montobbio is doing a great job still. 

For the first time also, i dined at level 2, which is a flight away from the chaos and squeeziness on the ground floor. I'm not sure if the torturous metal counter chairs have been replaced but it was also impossible to have a proper conversation downstairs with the wide spacing of the seats. If you're on a date, i'd suggest getting a table upstairs. 

We started with the gorgeous thyme & onion bread with smoked sweet paprika butter ($12). The flaky crust gave way to buttery layers within. The flavor of the bread was sufficient on its own but who can resist more umami butter on this one? 

The chorizo ibérico croquetas, piquillo pepper mayo (2pc/$8) were spectacular too. The breaded exterior broke away to reveal a rich creamy center flavored with the smoky meat bits. Certainly a lot more value for money than some other Catalan restaurant nearby. 

A tapas that i've never had before even in Spain was the slow-baked sweet potato with ají amarillo, smoked quail egg, and puffed quinoa ($16). The light sweetness of the sweet potato balanced the sharp Peruvian yellow chili pepper sauce which strangely reminded me of a spicy nacho cheese. The little quail egg on top helped to thicken the sauce further. It was surprisingly pleasurable.  

Any decent Spanish restaurant would be measured by the standard of their pork and Esquina did well. The Spanish pork jowl, chipotle, pickled pear ($16) had the makings of a glorious sio bak- very buttery fats with a thick layer of crispy meat, balanced by a tangy chipotle mayo. The slightly sweetened jelly-like packham pear also helped to cut through the richness of the meat. 

The Grilled Spanish Octopus ($28) is another must-order at Esquina. The texture was spot on with a tender firmness (I hate the overly chewy ones) and there's that slippery layer of jelly between the crispy skin and the meat. The smoked potato foam was an lighter and more airy version of the famed Joël Robuchon potato mash and the chorizo broth added on to the smokiness without the richness of the meat itself. 

I forgot to take a photo of the Pyrenees Milk-fed Lamb with cous cous, “mojo picón” (a garlic pepper sauce) and pickled shimeiji. I've not had lamb this tender and it wasn't too gamey by Jr's standard (he would not pick lamb if given a choice). 

For desserts, the bread, chocolate, olive oil and sea salt has been on the menu for a while and for good reason. A substitute for churros and chocolate befitting of the vibe of the restaurant. 

Our spirits were lifted and refreshed with the Spanish strawberries with sweet basil sorbet, burnt marshmallow, and black olive powder ($15). Love the contrasting grassiness of the basil with the sweet berries. 

Wonderful experience at Esquina, few years too late but i'm glad they're still around! Definitely not my last visit for sure. 

Esquina

16 Jiak Chuan Rd, Singapore 089267
+65 6222 1616

Tuesday to Saturday: 12 – 2.30pm, 6 - 10.30pm

I'm a fan of SIRI HOUSE if you don't know. Tucked away in the lush greenery of Dempsey Hill, it is an art space, Collective Market retail store, and restaurant rolled into one. The menu, is one that celebrates the vibrance of the Modern Asian family table. The latest edition is based on the favorite food memories of Head Chef Leo Pang (formerly from Le Benardin) culinary team, and you can expect nostalgic flavors presented in new and inventive ways. 

Start with the bites to go with the apertifis. The restaurant’s signature Chicken Fat Cookie ($12), delightful buttery cookie has been given a face lift. Enhanced by chicken fat, topped with a curry spiced cream with chicken skin bits which eats like curry Twisties and peppered with turmeric mushroom dust, each bite brings back fond memories of snacking in front of the TV. 

The Papadum ($10) eats like an Indian roti prata/nacho, with a dip of curry creama spiced up with bits of smoked fish chili. Chef Leo's favorite childhood dish is roti prata with fish curry and that inspired this snack. We loved the light tang from the sour cream, which is very similar to the acidity in Indian fish curry. 

Finally introduced Jr to The Spot! The Spot was one of my highly recommended restaurants of 2018 and i'm so glad that Chef Lee Boon Seng is still dishing up his creative European dishes using SEA ingredients! Trust me, you wouldn't regret making your way to Marina One for a meal. Plus there's a good selection of drinks with bottles with 1855 (i spend all my wine money there) and specials from the Macallen boutique. 

We were there for restaurant week and dinner featured mostly items from their main menu. To start, the cheese bread (a Pao de Queijo) with unsalted butter & paprika sea salt ($8) is the perfect savory bite that packs a punch. Lovely crust with a dense center, perfect with butter. 

Market garden greens with a pan seared, panko-like crusted foie gras that cuts like butter. sweetened with a wild stingless bee honey, a little blue cheese was snuck into this one as well to go with the greens.

The Char-grilled Octopus with preserved green papaya slaw, mint, peanut aka miso emulsion showcases Chef Boon Seng's clever take on modern Asian-European cuisine. The peanut aka miso is all too familiar, like our local rojak sauce and the association with Thai and Vietnamese cuisine is also strong with the use of the pickled fruit and herbs. Of course, the star is the smoky octopus. I always associate grilled octopus with Spanish cuisine, do you?

I was wowed then and i'm still impressed with the Grilled Hamachi ($38), which comes with a spring onion chimichurri, Ratte potato, white clams, in a coconut clam broth. The broth is a pseudo Thai Green curry and the sweet clams really shine in this dish. 

Jr and i are fans of Paradise Group. #notsponsored. We can always count on them for some hearty ramen from their casual LeNu (man i love their wantons and tonkotsu broths), or fatty char siew and delectable morsels of dim sum at Canton Paradise. Oh and Beauty in The Pot is my favorite hot pot place (except i wish it doesn't break the bank every time i visit)! 

From now till end of August, be greeted by some of your seasonal favorites at the Paradise Group. Do we hear a Shrimp Broth hot pot calling our name? Or a wicked but appetizing Nagano Pork Belly with Mala Tomato Soup Ramen? 

Now now our favorite rainbow xiao long bao place Paradise Dynasty has a special “Shanghai Night” lined up for us. And it has taken their signature soup dumplings and turned it into a Sheng Jian Bao. The thin-skinned dumping is given the hot oil treatment on its bottom and emerged all puffed up and crispy but juicy nonetheless. The Crispy Original Xiao Long Bao ($7.80/4pcs) is a keeper. Please don't take it away!!

What was your virgin meal post Circuit Breaker? Phase 2 coincided with our #fridate and i was craving for a good fresh burger and that led us across the island to Burger Labo, by Ken Loon of Naked Finn. The burger lab has been experimenting on burgers to produce one of the best burgers i've eaten, the Basic Burger, which is not at all basic #humblebrag LOL

The Basic Burger (120g single/ 240g double, $18/$25) has gone through so many iterations from 2015 and the current version features a patty made with a blend of Black Angus beef & Toriyama Umami Wagyu A4 patty, grilled on cast iron griddle. Damn this is one juicy beast. Go for the double btw, you wouldn't regret it. The condiments all contributed to the perfect bite- crunchy pickled and also jammy caramelised onions, sharp American cheese, house-made bone marrow ‘butter’ and house-made shio kombu mayo-based sauce. Holding it all together is a glistening glossy brioche bun that made the angels sing. The buns are from Brera Bakery, a favorite of mine.  

Wash it down with an alcoholic milkshake. Boy that chocolate bourbon one was wicked!

Now sadly, the Chicken Burger (150g, $20) was sold out by the time by the first seating. SOBS. The recipe is by Julien Royer of Odette and showcases a GG French Poulet boneless leg marinated in yoghurt & spices, grilled on cast iron griddle. I'd probably have to go back for this, and another Basic Burger again.

WHO: Jiggy & Pony Group's Humpback seafood restaurant. One of my long time favorites that i need to visit more once CB is over. Also one good thing that came out of the CB is that i'm reminded to support my fav F&B outlets.

WHAT: Humpback's Seafood Sharing Meal for 2 ($78)

Smoked Salmon Dip, served with Ritz Crackers- not overly salty which is great.

Barramundi, with charred corn, garlic mashed potatoes- Lightly seasoned to allow the natural flavors to come through. 

Ah Hua Kelong Lala, olives, yellow onion, saffron broth- slightly creamy broth with notes of pickled mustard leaves (probably from the olives). Would order this again. Am also going to place some orders from Ah Hua himself. Did you see his giant clams??! 

Cabbage (v), with herb cheese, crispy quinoa, chilli oil- simple delicious. The vegetable dishes at Humpback are my all-time favorites.

Flourless Chocolate Cake (gf), with jameson whiskey, sea salt- airy poofy goodness with a twang of citrus

WHO: One Michelin Star restaurant Basque Kitchen by Aitor. Also the best Michelin takeaways that i've had so far (yes better than Burnt Ends)

WHAT: Basque food (from Northern Spain) where they do pintxos and not tapas. 

Sharing Set for 2 ($98)- also the best 98 bucks i've spent on food this CB. 

Whole homemade sourdough bread with smoked French butter- da bomb! This made me soooooo happy. One freaking gorgeous loaf of sourdough that was still warm after a 30min travel home. Such fantastic thin crust with a chewy open crumb and THAT SMOKED BUTTER. We've not finished a loaf so fast (we had it for dinner, breakfast, and lunch) and i'm still rationing the smoked butter. 

Txaka- Sweet Jumbo crab meat with egg and mayonnaise. It's a great addition to the smoked butter on sourdough.

Croquetas de Bayonne ham, Espelette aioli- the thin crust of the balls erupted and released silky creamy center peppered with smoky bits of ham. The engine-red pepper aioli provided just that sufficient hint of spice 

Iberico Pork Ribs- the other highlight of the meal even. It may seem like a small portion but these sticky fork-tender fatty ribs satiated our appetite with its big flavors.

Catch of the day- flaky juicy fish battered with a savory mix. It's a good contrast to the rich ribs.

Classic mash potatoes- smooth and silky as expected.

Basque rice pudding, Japanese rice vanilla- it's lighter than you would think a rice dessert would be and reminded us of a Peruvian rice dessert that we had. Hints of spices and lemon in this. 

Guanaja" chocolate custard, dark chocolate & salted caramel pearls- i liked that the chocolate custard wasn't too sweet and the pops of salty caramel crunch broke the sweetness.

With a min order of $50 and if you pick up your food, you will get a free slice of their Signature Basque Cheesecake worth $16. The Idiazabal cheese provides a slightly more savory note and the cake wasn't that creamy. Jr preferred my version haha. 

HOW: Visit https://basquekitchenbyaitor.oddle.me/en_SG. Pre-order 1 hour in advance. Free Delivery for $100 and above. Surcharge of $3 will apply for eve of and on public holidays.

WHO: BoBo Fish Balls Singapore aka your trusty steamboat supplier. If you didn't know about their wide variety of steamboat products, well now you do. 

WHAT: A mad variety of seafood products (i portioned them for a 2 pax steamboat)

Cheese meatballs/ Salted egg chicken meatballs, Cheese tofu- my absolute favorites and must have in any steamboat. Let them boil and bob around till afloat and be extremely cautious when biting into these scalding hot balls. 

Fresh fish balls, Fuzhou fish balls with chicken filling- bouncy things. I love that they are savory and do not have any overly fishy flavors to them. The Fuzhou fish balls has a fragrant sesame-oil flavored center. 

Fish Dumplings- another must-have. Slipper morsels with salty meat fillings.  

Big Fried Tau Kee- a new steamboat favorite for me! Pop them into the toaster/air fryer to reheat and crisp further. Generous layers of fishcake and beancurd skin. SO DAMN GOOD. 

Lumo, or light in Esperanto (an artificial language), is a new addition to the expat clutter in Boat Quay. Thankfully, it sets itself apart some really good drinks by the bar team complemented by the approachable modern European dishes by Head Chef Martin Wong. Lumo aims to not only bring together diners, but also support the F&B community through collaborations with local brewers, coffee roasters and neighbors too (RVLT curates the natural wine list at Lumo). 

LUMO’s cocktail concept revolves around the essentials of life; so the launch cocktail menu focuses on Breakfast, the first and best meal of the day. The drinks are categorized into Brew, Milk, Fruit, ABC, Impossible™ Salad, Toast, Treat. If you're wondering how Impossible™ Salad would taste like in a drink, check out the Patty Royale, a cross between a Vesper and a Dirty Martini and is guaranteed to knock you out. An Impossible™ distillate is made with vodka and a fat wash using oil from the meat-free patty. The cocktail’s savoury profile is accentuated further with macerated fermented cherry tomatoes, buna shimeiji mushrooms, and shisho leaves soaked in vermouth, and a garnish of olives filled with vegan cheese. 

I started with an easy MILK cocktail, the Salt Honey Fizz, made with orange flower, fino sherry, sea salt, caramelized honey, plant milk, Tried and true vodka. On the nose, a familiar tang of sourdough, and on the palate, soothing cereal milk and a light citrus. It's way too easy to drink, and probably dangerous when you gulp this like you do out of a carton. 

The Brown Derby, is more my kind of thing. Rebel Yell Bourbon with zesty notes of shadow citrus and grapefruit bitters prove to be a great perk-me-up after a long dreadful day at work. Josiah made me another same-same-but-different cocktail which is stronger and my day was complete.