Solace for a persistent cold

Unlike most people who would opt for a warm cuppa or a comforting stew…I go for a rather toxic combination of things to ease my cold. Remember Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie at Paragon? Here’s what I ordered from them that fateful day when I was stranded in Orchard Road with a persistent cold:

Earl Grey Ice-cream with Milk Chocolate Shards & Raspberries ($8.50) [*****] - A perfect infusion of earl grey tea and vanilla ice-cream, leaving a lingering finish of earl grey on the palate. The ice-cream had good ‘longevity’ in my opinion - it took its time to melt – allowing you to savour this delightful dessert. There’s a nice balance of flavours here with a mildly sour tinge of raspberries, sweet milk chocolate, and sufficient earl grey to satisfy tea-lovers.  A definite must-try for ice-cream fans.

A warm, hearty concoction from Canele, this Rustic Bacon & Pea Soup ($8.50) [****.] has pieces of bacon, baby corn, chicken, peas and mushrooms. The essence of each ingredient can be tasted with a mere spoonful of soup. It’s light, definitely no MSG and such, and made with fresh ingredients that makes it a tasty start to a meal. The soup is served with Canele’s bread on the side, so dip away…

Now this is what I’d call a cure to a cold. 

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8.5/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 7/10
Accessibility – 8/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Locations:
Paragon

B1-25 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road

Telephone : (65) 6733-8893
Opening Hours : 11am to 10pm daily

Website: http://www.canele.com.sg

Other branches: Raffles City Shopping Centre | Shaw Centre | Robertson Walk

The Golden Mile.

Fancy some healthy hawker food?

This plate of char kway teow (fried flat noodles) is probably THE healthiest in town (don’t be deceived by the oil) . Glistening oil aside, this stall at Golden Mile Food Centre on Beach Road doesn’t use pork or lard in their cooking. A majority of char kway teow stalls use pork or lard as a staple ingredient, (as some of us know) thus giving the dish a bad reputation for contributing to sky-high cholesterol levels.
However, stall 91 not only proudly proclaims their adherence to healthy cooking, they demonstrate it with a pile of blanched leafy greens and fried ikan bilis (anchovies) toppings. Each dish comes in $3/$4/$5 portions. Now this is what I’d call almost guilt-free indulgence. Give them a shot after 25 August (they’re closed from 11-25 August ‘08) and find out how char kway teow [****] can still be yummy without the pork or lard. Cockle (batu ham) lovers will be glad to know that stall 91 automatically includes it unless you specify your preference.

For those who need a durian fix, there’s a stall at Golden Mile that sells this:

Yes, it’s durian chee cheong fun (steamed rice roll) [***] you’re looking at. It’s topped with crushed peanuts and stuffed with a durian filling. Though I’m not a fan of durian, I could taste why durian lovers would like it. The cheong fun was permeated with the robust flavour of durian, and was a steal at $2 a plate (as pictured here). Other stalls to consider at Golden Mile would be the original Sweet Stone Parad’Ice outlet – where you can order authentic Belgian waffles fresh from the waffle-maker. I noticed a beef noodles stall that looked rather enticing…I’ll update this post when I’ve got the chance to try it.

In the meantime, try a healthier diet…you may just like it.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 7/10
Price – $
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 5/10
Accessibility – 6/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address:
505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583

Opening hours:
11.30 am onwards (daily)

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Lavender

Buses: 961, 145, 100…

The Orange Lantern

Today I craved Vietnamese food – a good bowl of beef pho in particular. That was how I ended up at The Orange Lantern at Killiney Road. I’ve seen their restaurant many times, but only decided to step into their warm, inviting interiors just now. They’ve been around since March 2005, and have other branches in Hougang Mall and Harborfront. Somehow, I’m attracted to the warm shophouse vibe that their original Killiney branch emits, so I opted for that location instead. Once I stepped inside, their extensive menu of Vietnamese delights kept my eyes busy for a bit. Their list of appetizers alone was pretty impressive. They had bacon wrapped in squid paste, spring rolls, vietnamese salads and so much more. After much debate, I settled on their Fresh Prawn Rolls ($6.50) [***] and Prawn Mango Salad ($7.90) [****] for appetisers.

The prawn rolls (pictured above) was accompanied by a light sauce that was mildly sweet and tangy. The vegetables were fresh, and the overall combination didn’t taste too raw. The skin wasn’t too dry and the taste of mint wasn’t overpowering. All in all a good appetiser to whet your tastebuds.

Next came the prawn mango salad. Unlike its Thai couterpart, this Vietnamese version of the mango salad wasn’t spicy, resulting in a rather zesty combination of flavours. Topped with fried onions, this salad wasn’t soggy with mango juices, and the mango was fresh. I’d say the same for the prawns too.

For my main course, I decided on Sliced Beef Pho in Chilli Soup ($7.90) [****]. This pho came with a spicy broth brimming with chilli flakes but it tasted oh-so-good…(no MSG added too). The sliced beef was tender and wasn’t overcooked, while the dish was peppered with floating onion slices and beansprouts. On the side, we’ve got a dish of raw beansprouts, chilli sauces, and fresh lime to go with the pho. I was very satisfied with my beef pho. Ever since Nick’s Kitchen on Thomson Road closed down years back, I’ve not had a decent bowl of beef pho. Kudos to The Orange Lantern for rekindling my love for Vietnamese pho. I guess my next stop for Vietnamese will be Va Va Voom over on 36 Seah Street.

/ prices stated above not inclusive of ++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 7/10
Accessibility – 7/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: +65 6732 8032

Address:
73 Killiney Rd

Opening hours:
11 am – 10 pm daily

Website:
http://www.orange-lantern.com/Home/main.htm

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Somerset

The Last Bryani.

photo cred: karen

Dearly beloved readers,

I will be hosting a group lunch this Mon & Tue to bid adieu to 1 of my favourite Nasi Bryani stalls…

Though they will close on 15 August (Fri) for good…I’ll keep you posted on their next foray into F&B as soon as I get the news.

Date(s): 11 & 12 Aug

Time: 12 pm – 2 pm

Venue: National Environmental Agency Food Court
40 Scotts Road, Environment Building #02-00, Singapore 228231

Nearest MRT: Newton

Buses: 143, 124, 700, 54, 171, 162, 190, 167…

RSVP by 10 August (Sun) to facilitate seating & food arrangements (Let me know which date you pick)

Do join us if you’ve got your Monday off (thanks to the nation) or if you’re in the vicinity…

Lunch will be less than $5 per person (depending on what you order)
They’ve got an array of fish, meats, vegetables, prata rolls and such to choose from (subject to availability)

If you’ve got an insatiable craving for a particular item, do let me know and I’ll try my best to get the stall owner to cater it.

Hope to see you there!

Cheers,
Char
E: charlinary@gmail.com

Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine

Kim Dae Mun is a Korean food stall that has resided in the Le Meridien Food Court since 2002 or so. With Korean cooks and assistants in the kitchen, this place serves up authentic Korean fare at affordable prices. I first stumbled upon this place in 2005, after a visit to the food court for some Thai beef noodles. One of the things I really like at Kim Dae Mun is their Potato Pancake ($3.50) [****] as pictured here. The thin, crisp pancake doesn’t taste starchy despite the use of potato flour, and goes very well with a tangy sauce dip. The addition of white sesame seeds is a must for every dish, and it’s something I noticed while queuing for my food.

Another dish I like is their Korean Glass Noodles ($4.50) [***] which isn’t overly oily, and comes chockful of ingredients like prawns, vegetables, and egg. It’s accompanied by a choice of 1 side. Usually I’ll pick either the anchovies (ikan bilis) or kimchi to go with the noodles. For me it’s always a toss up between the Thai Pad Thai and Korean Glass Noodles. Both of which have somewhat similar ingredients but still manage to taste different. The important thing that sets a good dish of glass noodles apart, is definitely fresh ingredients.

Fancy some Korean-style ramen? [**.] Try some of Kim Dae Mun’s. At $4.50 a bowl, their ramen comes with egg, vegetables, and chicken. The soup’s tasty enough, but it could be spicier I felt. If you’ve got the tastebuds for spicy stuff, do try their Hot Beancurd Soup with Rice ($6) [****]. The soup is served piping hot in a black pot, with sliced pork, straw mushrooms, and la la shells (a variation of clams). Meat lovers will be glad to know that they’ve also got hotplate meats such as spicy pork, beef, and chicken on the menu. Others include spicy squid and more soups. All in all a sizeable selection for a food court stall that has a constant stream of customers (some of them Koreans too) every weekend.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 7/10
Price – $
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 6/10
Accessibility – 8/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address:
100 Orchard Road, Level 1, Le Meridien Food Court

Opening hours:
10 am – 9 pm daily

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut