Island Creamery

Chendol, Reverso (the dark, chocolatey one), Nutella

Six different flavors for the six of us to share! That’s the good thing about eating out with a big group. You get to try more variety! This was my virgin Island Creamery experience, and I was very happy to see so many Singaporean flavors!

Pulot Hitam, Teh Tarik, Burnt Caramel

Evan, the sophisticated patissier, remained true to nature by picking the chic Burnt Caramel. Me? I picked the very heartlander Chendol!

Overall impression: Excellent ice cream that’s very smooth, creamy and not too sweet. Too bad they all tended to melt pretty quickly.

Of all the flavors, my favorite was the Teh Tarik. It was very milky with a robust taste of red tea. I’m surprised they replicated the teh tarik flavor so well! I wonder if they have teh halia ice cream?

The fragrant Pulot Hitam was great, too. But the Chendol wasn’t as good as I’d expected, as the chendol flavor didn’t stand out enough. The Reverso and Nutella were decent but ordinary, and I didn’t think much of the Burnt Caramel. Or maybe I couldn’t make out the burnt caramel because the tastebuds were already overwhelmed by the other flavors!

Other exotic flavors like Soursop or Banana.

I thought the pricing here is very reasonable. As we ordered two triple scoop cups, each scoop of ice cream averaged out to about S$2.00 each. All the ice cream is freshly made in-house. If you wish to buy some for your mother/father/uncle/auntie/siblings/friends, tubs are also available for take-away.

Proudly made in Singapore.

Island Creamery
#01-03, Serene Centre
10 Jalan Serene
Tel: 6468 8859

Open: 11am – 10pm

Crab buffet dinner @ Ellenborough Market Cafe, Swissotel Merchant Court

It’s time to go crab crazy! For just two weeks (25 June to 12 July 2009), Ellenborough Market Cafe is bringing back their highly successful crab buffet, first introduced last year.

Both media and food bloggers were invited for food tasting sessions prior to the launch. Besides being a preview, it was also a feedback session. Hence, some dishes may be fine-tuned; taste and presentation may differ slightly from what you see here.

Black pepper Sri Lankan crab

As it was a private tasting session, dishes were presented ala carte. Let’s start with an all-time Singaporean favorite: black pepper crab!

Actually, crab done black pepper-style has never been a favorite of mine. Most versions I’ve tried tend to go overboard on the black pepper. But Ellenborough Market Cafe’s version has won me over! The zingy black pepper packs a pleasant punch that doesn’t overpower the sweetness of the crabmeat, and you can taste other flavors in the seasonings as well.

Sri Lankan chilli crab

Another classic — chilli crab! Again, I was impressed with the chilli gravy. It’s not too spicy, but I like! Sweet, spicy, savoury — the different flavors harmonized to create a balanced and pleasing result. Very shiok!

Deep-fried mini mantou (Chinese bun)

Here’s the perfect sponge to mop up that thick, scrumptious chilli crab gravy! They used to serve full-sized mantou, but now, these mini ones are served instead because previous customers indicated their preference for smaller buns.

Nyonya curry crab

On to the Nyonya curry crab! For this dish, instead of Sri Lanka crabs, the sweet, delicate flower crab is used as it’s better suited to the spices of the curry gravy. Again, another winner!

Fragrant Thai sauce crab

Of the four, my personal favorite is the Thai sauce crab. There’s a certain allure about this aromatic sauce that I just can’t quite describe. Sweet, tangy, spicy, and redolent of herbs and spices…mmm, there’s a complexity about it that’s simply intriguing.

Salad of Hokkaido crabmeat with apple & walnut

Actually, we started our session with this refreshing salad. This was presented individually. We were told that the original plan is to serve this in a big bowl for diners to help themselves to at the buffet. But all the bloggers commented that perhaps a better alternative would be to portion the salad out into small portions, like in shooters or Chinese spoons.

Crab risotto

There was also crab risotto, but after the spicy crabs, I couldn’t make out the flavors in it! So here’s a useful tip. At the buffet, try the risotto first before attacking the spicy crabs!

On top of the crab items, there’s a spread of both local and international fare normally available at the Ellenborough Market Cafe buffet. But do note, the crab buffet is available only for dinner.

Bubur chacha

We also got to help ourselves to the dessert spread at the buffet. There’s chocolate fountain, cakes and pastries. But Ellenborough Market Cafe is renowned for its Straits Chinese, or Peranakan cuisine. That’s because the Peranakan section is helmed by the famous Nyonya chef Shirley Tay.

Kueh dadar

Just like a traditional Peranakan matriarch who doesn’t believe in shortcuts to cooking, Chef Shirley Tay insists that the kueh dadar has to be freshly made at a live station. In fact, you can see her personally making the kueh dadar, unless it’s her day off. That’s true Nyonya dedication for you!

This has got to be the softest kueh dadar I’ve ever tried. What a BIG difference from store-bought ones!

Durian cheesecake

This isn’t your usual New York cheesecake. It’s infused with durian! Don’t worry, the durian taste is actually very subtle. I didn’t expect cheese and durian to go together, but the light cheesecake with a faint durian scent turned out better than I expected.

Durian pengat

Saving the best for last, here’s Market Cafe’s legendary durian pengat! It’s creamy and rich, but light as air so that you can go for seconds. It’s mindblowingly divine!

Unlimited crab and durian pengat, this must be a Singaporean foodie’s fantasy come true! Just these two are enough to entice me to try out the buffet.

Many thanks to Sok Hoon and Yvonne for their invitation and gracious hospitality!

Ultimate Crab Buffet Dinner
25 June to 12 July 2009
Adult S$46++, Child S$23++
Enquiries: 6239 1848

Ellenborough Market Cafe
Swissotel Merchant Court
20 Merchant Road
Singapore 058281

Homemade Springroll @ Bedok Food Centre

Popiah, S$1.20 per roll.

“You want popiah?” Ricky pointed to the stall behind me. Turning around, I saw a small sign saying that they make their own popiah wrappers.

“Of course,” I replied. I’m a sucker for anything homemade. Do you realize how rare it is these days to find a hawker stall that doesn’t get its supplies from a factory?

Great popiah skin.

Aside from being on the sweet side, this was a pretty good popiah! The skin looked thick, but was sufficiently thin. We were also impressed by the cottony-soft but resilient skin.

The filling was simple. More crunchy beansprouts would have been refreshing, and the jicama filling could have been more umami.

But what I liked was the generous dose of crunchy toasted rice bits! Yes, there was crushed roasted peanuts as well, but not many stalls add toasted rice bits anymore. These stay very crunchy even with the juicy vegetable filling and sweet sauce. They made the popiah really more-ish!

They make their own popiah wrappers!

You can also buy popiah wrappers by the kilo for your home popiah party. If you have no time to make your own, popiah and kueh pie tee sets (with the filling and condiments) are available.

Apparently, they have a couple of branches. Camemberu has blogged about the Marine Parade branch, and just today, I spotted another outlet at Smith Street Food Centre in Chinatown. Anybody knows if they have other branches elsewhere?

Homemade Springroll 富城食品
Stall 22, Bedok Food Centre (also known as Bedok Corner Food Centre)
1 Bedok Road
Singapore 469572

Singapore Seafood…Slurp…Slurp…Slurp

Singapore Seafood is relatively affordable compared to other parts of the world like Europe and United States. And it can be very addictive. I could still vividly remember that dinner with my counterparts from London licking every drop of their sauced fingers and sucking on every part of that Chilli Crab in the Jumbo Seafood Restaurant (East Coast Seafood Centre).

They kept saying “fabulous food” as I looked at them with a laugh, although it took me a while to convince them to try out some of the signature Singapore seafood dishes such as the Chilli Crab and Curry Fish Head (must try for every tourist visiting Singapore).

The seafood dishes looked great to them but their initial reaction was that they were not sure of the best way to eat it. Well, I just told him the best way to enjoy the dish is to make yourself dirty – “Use your hands!” And Yes! There is no better way to enjoy the seafood meal.

Black Pepper Crab

If you are a person who is very gracious on the table manner, believe me, you meet your match while handling the Chilli Crab dish. Most people simply give up their table mannerism, let their hair loose and put their hands together to enjoy their seafood meal.

Chilli Crab, I would say it is the Singapore “national dish”. The dish itself has many “versions” but mostly it is packed with fresh ingredients which consist of ginger, turmeric, eggs, chilli oil, tomato and galangal. The entire ingredients mentioned are inputs which produce a strong sauce mixture that goes well with the crab. The end result – an irresistible Singapore Chilli Crab dish. There is one thing you better have – a tummy for Spicy and Hot food.

A nut cracker is also provided to handle those stubborn crab thick shells and together a few Chinese buns or French bread will be served. These breads go so well with the delicious sauce that you will want to ask for more to soak up every last drop of the sauce.

Fish Head Curry

Hmm…Chilli Crab…I was a humanities student and my friend was a science student back in our college days. But eating the Chilli Crab requires some techniques – a technical student certainly can do a better job!

Fortunately, Singapore Seafood has a less daunting seafood dish – Fish Head Curry. The dish is another of my favorite.

Like the name suggests, the Fish Head Curry is a spicy dish made using a fish’s head. The dish is best served with rice, while the ingredients are a mixture of vegetables cooked in curry gravy. Generally, we have two versions, the Indian (more spicy) and the Chinese version.

Unlike the Chilli Crab, Fish Head Curry is much easier to consume. For the inexperienced, you might wonder…where is the meat? After all, it is a fish head about twice the size of our hand. Well, you will be surprised! There is meat in it. The experienced will normally go for the fish eyes and the bones of the fish head.

Drunken Prawns

Normally I would recommend my friends to scoop the curry gravy into the rice. But if you are not into rice, you can always drink the curry gravy. However, Beware! Some of my friends have commented it can be quite spicy (even spicier than the Chilli Crab). You just need to be brave enough to take the first sip. Somehow, you will fall in love with the curry gravy. This is a dish you just want to try again and again despite the “tongue burning sensation”.

Oh yes! Before I forget, just remember to wear something dark while attempting Singapore Seafood dishes. The splattering of the sauce and gravy on your outfit will not look so obvious after the sumptuous meal. You can still walk away presentable and cool!

Just a note of added advice, Chilli Crab and Curry Fish head could be labeled as our national food. But there are also other seafood delicacies which are equally good and if possible, they should not be given a miss…

Jumbo Seafood Restaurant

Seafood dishes like Drunken Prawn, Butter Prawn, the close relative of Chilli Crab – Pepper Crab and Cold Crab should and if your tummy allow, be placed together on the table as well. I bet you will not regret the order. It is a whole new experience which will appeal to your taste sensory. And of course the list goes on …Baby Squid, Double Boil Lobster, Clam Shell andCockles; I doubt the list is ever going to be exhaustive!

My personal favorites for Singapore Seafood (Chili Crab and Pepper Crab):

Jumbo Seafood

• Blk 1206 East Coast Parkway #01-07/08, East Coast Seafood Centre
• 22 Kensington Park Road, Serangoon Gardens Country Club
• 30 Merchant Road #01-01/02, Riverside Point
• 20 Upper Circular Road #B1-48, The Riverwalk
• No. 2 Stadium Walk #01-05, Singapore Indoor Stadium
• 10 Changi Coast Walk, SAFRA Resort
• Blk 11 #01-16 Dempsey Road

Long Beach Seafood

• 1018 East Coast Parkway
• 25 Dempsey Road
• Jurong East St 21, Level 3, IMM Building
• 1202 East Coast Parkway, #01-04 East Coast Seafood Centre

No SignBoard Seafood

• 1 Harbourfront Walk #03-02 Vivo City
• Blk 1202 East Coast Parkway #01-02 East Coast Seafood Centre
• 8 Raffles Avenue #01-14/16 The Esplanade
• No. 414 Geylang

My personal favorites for Curry Fish Head:

Muthu’s Curry

• 138 Race Course Road #01-01
• 3 Temasek Boulevard #B1-056, Suntec City Mall

The Banana Leaf Apollo

• 56/58 Race Course Road

Go East for Good Fusion Greens

Flavours from NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST

Located in the heart of Marine Parade, NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST is one of the few fusion vegetarian cuisine restaurants located in the East. Though some dishes are unavailable (possibly for the time being), there is still quite a decent choice of dishes categorised under the sections of Rice, Noodles, Western and Side Dishes on the menu.

One highly commendable dish is the Herbal Mee Sua Soup. Served in a hot pot, the soup is flavourful and fragrant, thanks to the good quality herbs which they used to brew the soup. To top it off, the Mee Sua (vermicelli) is smooth and silky – you barely need to chew before it vanishes in your mouth!

Next up is the Fo Tiao Qiang (Buddha jumps over the wall). Personally, I’m not a fan of this creative dish that is well-known among Chinese Emperors in the past. But, to have it vegetarian-styled pretty much appeals to me, so I decided to order it and see what goes inside.

Ha and yes, all the types of seafood that are supposed to go into a non-vegetarian Fo Tiao Qiang, go into this one too. You can find mock abalone, sea cucumber and scallops in it. The soup is starchy and yummy. For those who are concerned with the amount of MSG (or ajinomoto) used in it, you can be rest assured. They believe in taking your health a step better, so MSG is off-limits.

One ingredient which I often see in the soup dishes served at NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST is Wolfberry, a traditional Chinese herb known for its nutritious values and antioxidant qualities. So ladies, trot down the restaurant for some tasty treats good for your complexion!

To take my vegetarian experience at NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST a bit further, I went on to try two side dishes: Crispy Mushroom and Thai-style Crispy Beancurd.

Dressed with mayonnaise, the Crispy Mushroom is served piping hot, and cute. You can expect bits of oil (which I’m sure is healthy too) splattering onto your tongue at the first bite. Take a look inside and it’s a button mushroom peeking out coyly at you. The taste is both heavy (comes from the fried outer layer) and light (comes from the boiled button mushroom).

After all the thumbs-up, it’s a bit disappointing that the Thai-style Crispy Beancurd isn’t a wow. But it’s interesting to find garlic chilli sauce that you commonly use for Chicken Rice generously spread over the beancurd. It’s fairly good but perhaps, not a must-have.

Behold, the sweets are on the line after the savoury! I tried Sweet Osmanthus Plum Tea and Eight Treasures Qing Tang. After a sip of the hot Osmanthus Plum Tea, I’m totally bowled over. It resembles any cup of black coffee, but this sweet and sour tea now proudly sits on my must-have drinks list whenever I need a quench!

The cooling Eight Treasures Qing Tang is great for those who are looking for a refreshing and sugary charge. It is not too heavy for dessert lovers who are worried about the extra inches on the waist. In fact, it is nutritious, with longans and other crunchy ingredients to munch.

The best news is, all in all, my meal costs only slightly over $25! The average price of each dish falls comfortably between S$4 and S$10, so feel free to get more dishes on your table.

NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST is located at Blk 89 Marine Parade Central, #01-750, Singapore 440089 (Near Parkway Parade).

Ice Cream

Ice Cream Chefs
520 East Coast Road
#01-06, Ocean Park
6446 6355

Is this the only place that serves 'Kaya Lotee' as an ice cream flavour? Probably not, but it's my 1st time trying such an exotic flavour. There's the unmistakable fragrance of pandan leaves but I suppose it can get exceedingly sweet after the 1st few mouthfuls so it's not for me.

We shared a pint ($9.50) which can have a maximum of 3 flavours. I though the Cappuccino was as good as the one from Tom's Palette which was strong and had a bitter aftertaste. The Kiwi Berry Fuz wasn't too sweet and had the added bonus of being low fat. Rum The Raisins was alright but not the best I've had.

There wasn't a lot of flavours to choose from as compared to Tom's Palette. Personally, I still prefer Island Creamery the most!

Chicken Wing

It just goes to show that you don't really need a lot of variety in order to be popular. All you really need is one item that everybody likes. In the case of Eng Kee, they just happen to chance upon a fried chicken wing recipe that people would line up even at 3pm in the afternoon to eat.

Now, when it comes to Chicken Wings, you can't really go wrong if you use fresh chicken and you eat it piping hot. The best thing about a piping hot fresh chicken wing is when you bite into it, all this chicken juices flow out which is just slightly sticky, carrying with it the flavour of all the seasoning. The contrast of the crispy hot skin with the juicy flesh and a nice chilli sauce is one of the most enjoyable things to eat and you can easily down a few at a go.

Well, Eng Kee's Chicken Wings are exactly like that. The seasoning is not very sophisticated, maybe just soy sauce, msg, salt and pepper. I certainly could not make out any strong spices in it, so aside from it being fresh and piping hot, I could not explain why there should be such a long queue for this except for the fact that they are the only ones which is freshly fried at this time of the day. 4.25/5



Actually, the style of fried chicken wings that I really enjoy are the ones the Malays have with their Nasi Lemak. Again, it is not overly seasoned, but I really do enjoy the tumeric in the seasoning. Eaten with their sweet sambal tumis, its one of the reasons I head all the way to Changi Village food centrefor.

Another style of fried chicken wings I really enjoy are Har Cheong Gai (Prawn Paste Chicken). Unfortunately, these are only found at Cze Char places like the one I blogged about recently at Siang Hee. The best Har Cheong Gai uses only the mid-wings of the chicken and the flavour is fantastic, especially when the juices come oozing out when you bite into it. I sometimes wish that someone would just set up a stall to sell Har Cheong Chicken Wings. That would be nice wouldn't it?

Conclusion

This stall simply sells bee hoon with fried chicken wings which goes to show that you just have to have one popular item in order to "make it". Sometimes it pays to be the master of one, rather than to be a jack of all trades.

Eng Kee
117 Commonwealth Drive
#01-711
Mon to Sat
12pm to 12am

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