tesss

1 Michelin star and possibly one of the hardest to book to date. No email addresses only phonecalls and the Hubba made countless calls to the line that never gets picked up. You can only call 2 months ahead of time so when the call was finally picked up and we secured a date, it was jubilation.  We were definitely looking forward to this meal. Only if...I did not screw my dates up. Panic is standing in the cramped restaurant searching for your reservation and they only have 2 seatings and 6 tables...all on a Saturday night. What are the odds of having an available table on a rainy Saturday evening? Zilch. Turns out, I forgot the date, was supposed to be 1 day later and I already made reservations at another restaurant and paid my deposit. Clearly in a fix but thankfully there was an available table over lunch 2 days later - thank goodness!  Appetisers of marinated black fungus and clams in vinegar were charged at NT$ 80 each and both so good!  Tender black fungus with copious amounts o...

~Invited Session~ SuperGreek is our island's first Greek casual food kiosk and with a limited menu of just eight items created around souvlaki. These bowls come straight off their grain bowl menu and promise nothing but satisfaction. Both were recommended flavours for first timers. Grilled Chicken Steak ($9.90) Quinoa, Spinach, Mixed Salad, Roasted Pumpkin, Grilled Capsicum, Avocado Sauce, Hummus, Cucumber, Coriander, Sesame Seeds, Greek Vinaigrette, Chicken Breast Avocado sauce and hummus made my bowl sing - creamy and tasty with the medley of ingredients. Not to mention, hearty chicken breast that makes this more than a gym bunny's food. Fresh Norwegian Salmon ($14.90) Quinoa, Spinach, Lettuce, Roasted Sweet Potato, Roasted Pumpkin, Mashed Potato, Beetroot Sauce, Onions, Cherry Tomato, Greek Vinaigrette, Dill, Sunflower Seeds, Salmon If chicken is not up your alley, there's also omega 3 packed salmon bowl. My grilled salmon is moist and well seasoned with dill (you either...

~Invited Session~ Crystal Jade has plenty to offer this Year of the Rat and all the more attractive because they have so many dining concepts and there is something for everyone. I was in for a treat with their concepts showcased in a meal. Prosperity Golden Lobster Yusheng ($168 for large, $98 for small) Available at all outlets, dine in and takeaway Lobster and ikura joins the other ingredients like pickled cherry tomatoes, lily bulbs and red dates for a tossing good time. I loved the crunch of the various ingredients and the team has ventured beyond julienned carrots, cucumbers and radishes. I love how thoughtful the team is, with every purchase of their loheis get you a placemat to contain the mess. Double boiled abalone with conpoy, sea cucumber and fish maw soup served in a teapot ($24.80 per person) Crystal Jade Jiang Nan Word has it Chef had these tiny tea pots customised and the main reason for using a clay teapot to contain the soup goes beyond aesthetics, mainly to keep the ...

~Invited Session~ Back at Cherry Garden to check out their CNY menu, they're known to luxe up and size up dishes just for this festive season. We began the meal on a different note this year - mocktails! Mocktails courtesy of MO Bar, this pairing ain't that bad! Refreshing and sweet, just what I need instead of chinese tea. Luxurious Pen Cai Whole head abalone, lobster, scallop, king prawn, sea cucumber, dried oyster roll, conpoy, dace fillet, black moss, chinese mushroom, tientsin cabbage, yam roasted pork belly, roasted duck, chicken and wolfberries Every year Cherry Garden wows with the sheer size of their pen cai course and this year is no different. The basins are usually large enough to feed 6 or even 10 comfortably. One gets a whole balanced meal and more, I got lost in the whole universe of sea creatures and actually relished the broccoli and cabbage towards the end, sometimes the most humble ingredients are the most comforting. Great with rice, and may I caution agains...

~Invited Session~ CNY is just round the corner and as we bid farewell to the Year of the Pig, it's the time of the year to book those tables early or reserve the takeaway sets and avoid disappointment. Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng (Dine-in and takeaway: $46.80/8pax ; Dine-in only: $66.80/12pax) Paradise Teochew's yusheng prices are really competitive and for really decent yusheng, I'd say have a toss! Auspicious Black Truffle Kampong Chicken Doubling up as a soup course, this is perfumed with black truffles and comes with a decent portion of tender chicken. Grandeur Treasure Pot ($258/5pax; $398/10pax for dine-in and takeaway) Grandeur would suit this pencai's name, we start with oysters, scallops and even abalones before the other layers of ingredients surface. I found this a tad too salty when eaten on its own, pairing with rice would be the next best alternative. Fortune Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice Have your lotus leaf rice and eat it, Paradise Group's version had m...