Ethiopian Food @ Awash, NYC

Hello everybody, as some of you  know I was on a long holiday in the US/Canada from June 25th, and not to mention a small trip to Paris from the 13th-21st of June; which is why I was unable to post for more than a month. But no worries, I have tasted a lot of food from these places I will try my best to blog about it! 

Our first stop in our American trip was in New York, where I spent about five days at, from June 25th-29th. During this time, we had decided to try out some Ethiopian food, which surprisingly is quite popular in New York. The restaurant's name is Awash and is a quite popular Ethiopian restaurant in New York. It is located in Manhattan, at the heart of New York City. Awash has locations both uptown and downtown, as well as one in Brooklyn. 

The restaurant has a nice, rustic interior, with warmly lit orange lighting giving a very cosy and pleasant dining experience.

Awash All-Meat Combo Platter

At Awash, we didn't want to try individual dishes as we thought it would be better to have two or three big platters to have a taste of everything. 

The Awash All-Meat Combo Platter (USD24.95) consisted of small portions of different meats and vegetables with curries, on top of Injera, a fermented Ethiopian bread. The layout and concept is very similar to a South Indian appam and curry, with the Injera bread being almost similar to an appam or dosa. It was pretty surprising to see how similar certain cuisines can be!

This combo consisted of three meats, three vegetables and three dals. The meats were Tibs Wat, Doro Wat and Yebeg Alicha, which are classic Ethiopian preparations of a beef stew, chicken stew and a lamb stew respectively. Although all three meats were good, my personal favourite was the Tibs Wat, or the beef stew (center of the plate) simply because of how soft and tender the beef cubes were, and the wonderful heat that was brought out by it. The Yebeg Alicha, or the lamb stew was also fantastic as the lamb was also tender however, along with the Doro Wat, or the chicken stew was rather bland. 

The dals were made out of both red and yellow lentils, with both being a wonderful side to the meat, as they blended the flavours of the meat wonderfully.Also, the dals at Awash had a very similar taste and preparation to the dals we make back home in India. However, I was not too pleased with the vegetables as I felt they were too bland and watery for my liking.

Another very interesting aspect of this platter was the bread, the Injera. This bread had an extremely similar taste to an appam and was very fluffy and moist. However, the Injera in my opinion was too sour for my liking due to its fermentation and  I felt that this bread sometimes overpowered the flavours of the curries in the platter. Although, after a while when all the curries soaked into the bread, the sourness of it seemed more bearable. 

Overall Rating- 8/10 

I thoroughly enjoyed having a taste of Ethiopian Food, in a place I'd have never imagined to try it! The food was fantastic and hopefully I get another chance to try Ethiopian food. I would certainly recommend Awash for people who haven't tried Ethiopian food before. 

Thank you for reading through this post and hopefully you enjoyed it, stay tuned! 

Awash (Uptown NYC)

947 Amsterdam Avenue

New York, NY

10025

Tel: 1-212-961-1416

Web: http://awashny.com/index.html 

Opening Hours: 12 pm- 11 pm 
Daily

Hot Tomato @ Plaza Singapura

Hot Tomato is a Western casual dining restaurant that was established in 2006; the era of the boom in Western cuisine in and around Singapore. I was quite excited to try out this place as I was shocked by the meter-long queues outside an outlet of Hot Tomato at Nex. This time, rather than going to Nex, we went a few stops down the line to Plaza Singapura at Dhoby Ghaut. The outlet at Plaza Sing was an express outlet but included everything in the main menu, however with limited seating and faster service.

Since 2006, Hot Tomato has rapidly expanded to feature seven outlets around the island as of now, with a few being at 313@Somerset, Nex, Bedok Mall etc. To avoid the possibility of a long queue, we stepped in on a Friday afternoon. Despite the timing, the place was close to full with people both from work, and people like us who wanted to give this place a try. Hot Tomato's philosophy was to give everybody a slice of the good life at friendly prices, and I was hoping I would have such an experience. 

Caesar Salad with Grilled Salmon

The Caesar Salad with Grilled Salmon ($6.50 + $4) was our first appetizer of the lunch. Although I'm not a big fan of salads I had decided to give it a go. However, this salad certainly didn't change my initial opinion of salads. Evidently, by the photograph, there is an overload of the caesar dressing causing an imbalance in the flavours. Due to this, the whole salad was acidic in taste. Also, the overload of the dressing caused the crutons to become bland and soggy in nature, which spoilt the classic contrast of the leafy from the salad leaves and the crunchiness from the crutons.

Although the grilled salmon was perfectly cooked, the balance in flavours of this dish was not up to the mark in my opinion.

Rating- 2.5/5

Mushroom Soup

The Mushroom Soup (4.50) was the second of our three appetizers we ordered. This mushroom soup was actually extremely delicious as the flavours were balanced beautifully. The soup had this robust creaminess that really elevated the soup and added a wonderful consistency to the soup. The soup was rich and thick but not too filling as the mushroom flavours were light, yet delicious. The soup was also flavoured with onions and olive oil, therefore elevating its flavours, making this soup from a mundane mushroom soup to one I would come back to slurp. 

Rating- 4.5/5

Calamari with Fries

The Calamari with Fries ($6.90) was a side dish I was keen on ordering. This classic side didn't fail to impress me at all. The calamari was incredibly crispy therefore making it a joy to eat, and so were the fries; although they lacked some vital seasoning. The sauce you see in the small red container in the picture was a lemon tartare sauce. This sauce proved to be an amazing complement to the calamari and fries. The classic rich tartare sauce was elevated by the infusion of the lemon adding a citrus kick to the sauce that made this classic side dish delicious.

However, I was not too pleased with the doneness of the calamari as it was overcooked and rubbery, making it difficult to chew on. Overall though, this was a wonderful dish. 

Rating- 4.2/5

Lobster Linguine

The Lobster Linguine ($14.90) was the only entree we had ordered for our lunch. Picking out an entree took me quite a while as I had a conflict between several dishes on the menu, and this dish certainly didn't meet my expectations. From the photo itself, you can tell that the presentation was extremely clumsy, and so was the proportion of the pasta to its ingredients. Although the lobster was perfectly cooked, other ingredients such as the cherry tomatoes overfilled the plate; so much so that there were 15 cherry tomatoes on that small plate after counting! 

The pasta itself was rather bland and lacked basic seasoning. The flavours of chilli, olive oil and garlic were non-evident in this dish. Overall, I felt that this dish was clumsily made and could be greatly improved upon. 

Rating- 2.8/5

In general, the experience at Hot Tomato was not up to the mark as I felt some dishes didn't deliver in terms of flavour and presentation, and was made in a hurried manner. However I feel that this particular outlet being an 'express' outlet wouldn't serve food to the potential that the non-express outlets would serve, and therefore I would definitely come back to Hot Tomato probably at its outlet at Nex to taste the difference in quality between the two outlets. Also, with meter-long queues at the Nex outlet, the food should certainly live up to its potential.

Overall Rating- 7/10

Hot Tomato (Express)

68 Orchard Road

#B2-40, Plaza Singapura

Singapore- 238839

Opening Hours

11 am - 10 pm

Daily

Tel(Plaza Sing)- 6341 9162

Web: http://www.hottomato.com.sg/

Nearest MRT- Dhoby Ghaut (NS24, NE6, CC1) 

Mad Jack @ Nex

Mad Jack is a value-for-money Aussie and Fusion food cafe which had first started an outlet in Singapore in Bukit Timah in 2005, with now 3 outlets in Parkway Parade (Marine Parade), Clementi and Nex (Serangoon). The outlet I visited was in Nex @ Serangoon. The decor of this cafe was rather disappointing; the kind of decor I'd be expecting in a fast food restaurant. I'd been to nex quite a few times due to its convenience and after going to the same old restaurants there, we thought we'd go for a change, and give Mad Jack a try! 

The menu posed a wide variety of both aussie and Asian fusion food, giving us plenty of options to choose from, ranging from finger food to an Asian stir-fry. 

Broccoli Strawberry Salad

Seems like an ordinary salad isn't it? Well, it was anything but ordinary! The Broccoli Strawberry Salad ($6.90) was probably the strangest sald I've ever tasted. Apart from the rather strange combination of broccoli and strawberry, this salad had a secret ingredient- yogurt! This whole combination definitely didn't tingle my taste-buds as the whole balance had gone all wrong. The overpowering yogurt gave the salad an unbearably sweet taste that didn't balance out with the strawberries and broccoli, giving the salad a strange milky, creamy texture. Overall, a bad start to the promising dinnner.

Rating- 2/5 

Grilled Barramundi with Cajun Seasoning

The Grilled Barramundi ($19.90) was a dish I picked out and was excited to try out. Presentation-wise the dish looked pretty appealing, evidently from the photograph above. The Barramundi, which is a white fish commonly known as the Asian seabass is rather quintessential in Australian cuisine. This dish combined the classic Australian flavours with the cajun seasoning giving the fish some heat. The fish was perfectly cooked as it was incredibly moist and the cajun seasoning gave the fish a non-overwhelming heat, which elevated the flavours of the fish. 

Alongside the glistening fish was a creamy sauce that put out the subtle fire in my mouth from the fish. The whole orchestra of flavours was absolutely wonderful and therefore made this dish a oen I would come running back for.

Rating- 4.5/5

Cheesy Garlic Bread

The Cheesy Garlic Bread ($6.90) was a side dish chosen by my sister (she loves her cheese!) and something I would try in probably every Western-styled restaurant I would go. This dish was rather mediocre as there was an overwhelming explosion of cheese, giving the bread a rather heavy and dense texture. Due to this, the garlic (in the garlic bread) could not really be tasted, and the cheese gave the dish an uncomfortable saltiness making you grasp the nearest glass of water. Overall, an average dish but the balance of ingredients could be worked upon. 

Rating- 3/5

   Fruit of the Forest

 The Fruit of the Forest ($7.90) is a berry smoothies incorporating strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. (My love for berries is clearly evident now!) This drink had a wonderful blend of acidity ans sourness from the berries that was incorporated beautifully. However, I felt that this drink was too dilute with milk as it tasted more on the heavier side rather than the light, refreshing side. This drink therefore didn't really live up to its potential considering that it was a recommended drink on the menu. Overall, it could be improved upon. 

Rating- 3.5/5

My overall experience at Mad Jack was rather average as the food seemed to be wonderful, but in reality didn't seem to live up to its potential (expect for one or two dishes). Considering the huge variety of restaurants at nex, I feel Mad Jack need to make a significant improvement to stay in the game. Hopefully in the future I get the chance to go back to Mad Jack to try out different dishes. Overall, it was a mediocre experience.

Overall Rating- 7/10

Mad Jack 

23 Serangoon Central

#B1-27, Nex

Opening Hours

11:30 am- 10 pm 

Daily

Tel(Nex): 6634 7551/ 6846 8231

Web: www.madjackcafe.com

Nearest MRT- Serangoon (NE12, CC13)

The Great India Trip- A Parsi Treat @ Jimmy Boy (Mumbai)

As many of you may have known, I was out of town from 15th Dec to the 2nd of Jan, as I was spending my holidays in India. Well, this time it wasn't the traditional Kerala visit, but was more towards the Northern side of India. Therefore, we visited Mumbai, Bhilai and Hyderabad, and as with every trip to India, my tummy was treated to all sorts of tasty delights! Therefore, this post will be about one of my experiences with the food I got a chance to eat in India.  

When we arrived at Mumbai, we were told about the great Parsi population, and their culture, religion and most importantly, the Parsi food. With Parsi restaurant chains all over this buzzing city, and with recommendations from friends and family, we had to try out Parsi food, and in particular "Jimmy Boy" which was recommended by my aunt in Mumbai.

For those who do not know about who Parsis are; Parsis are a group of followers in India that follow the teachings Iranian prophet Zoroaster. The origin of Parsis are in the concentrated areas in and around Iran and with the majority of Parsis residing in Mumbai, a whole new culture was brought into this city. Although Parsis tend to be more private amongst themselves in their beliefs and faith, Parsi culture such as Parsi food is common in cities like Mumbai. 

Jimmy Boy is one of the many restaurants located in the touristy area of Colaba, South Mumbai, in the heart of the Colaba Causeway

Tarelli Fish (Pomfret)

The Tarelli Fish ($13*) is the name for a pomfret fish. This pomfret fish was not served the way you would expect in Western restaurants, but wonderfully wrapped in a banana leaf. This banana leaf serves a double purpose. One, to keep the fish wonderfully moist whilst the entire cooking process, and secondly, to add extra flavour to the fish. The rub, as you may see in the above photo is indeed a light and simple coriander rub. However, these simple ingredients didn't reflect badly on the flavour. In fact, the fish was extremely flavoursome, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The fish was incredibly moist, and the moment I unravelled this parcel, the most wonderful smell tingled my nose. The simple yet delicious coriander rub was wonderfully light, refreshing and gave a subtle citrus-y kick, an ever classic flavour that goes perfectly with any fish. After this dish I thought about how such simple ingredients can produce such wonders. This dish was definitely one to try and perhaps one of the best fish I have eaten till date.

Rating- 4.8/5 

Jardaloo Salli Boti

   
The Jardaloo Salli Boti ($6.80*) is a truly classic Parsi dish, blending both traditional Indian and Parsi flavours. It is basically a delicious mutton (or lamb; mutton in this case) curry with the mutton being served as small boneless chunks topped off with crispy shoestring potatoes known as the 'salli'. 

The curry itself holds a mouthwatering Indian-Parsi blend of spices and aromatics. The Parsi ingredients such as apricots, which is the jardaloo, the red wine vinegar and sugar blends wonderfully with the classic Indian spices of chilli powder, garam masala etc. This curry was brilliant as these rather strange combinations, which Indians wouldn't use in a traditional curry such as red wine vinegar and sugar seemed to work extremely well with the Indian spices. The apricots gave the curry a dry, sweet chewiness that was balanced with the acidity of the red wine, and the spices gave the curry a kick! However, I was not pleased with the mutton itself as it was rather dry and sometimes chewy. However, a classic blend of Parsi ingreidents with Indian spices, topped off by the crispy potatoes brought about an orchestra of textures in my taste buds, making this dish a one I would come back for.

Rating- 4/5 

Mutton Dhansak

  Yes, we were certainly not done with the Salli Boti! The Mutton Dhansak ($7.20*) is yet another Parsi classic dish and as simple as it may look, the amount of flavour in a dhansak is amazing. The rice as you would notice, is brown in colour, because the rice has been caramelized with wonderful aromatic spices after it was cooked. I quite enjoyed the rice has it has the roasty and robust flavours brought out due to its caramelization. As I mentioned earlier, Parsis enjoy using sugar, which is quite evident in the Salli Boti, and also in this dish. The mutton curry is basically stewed lentils and meat, flavoured in Indian spices caramelized in jaggery, or brown sugar, balancing out the flavours and giving the curry a tangy and mild taste. However, I was not too pleased with the curry as the seasoning was certainly too less, it definitely needed more salt, and the spices just couldn't be tasted and the dish lacked its kick, which could have been wonderfully brought out if executed well. 

Rating- 3.5/5  

*DISCLAIMER: Prices of the dishes denoted in the asterisk are in Indian Rupees and converted into SGD based on an approximation in the current exchange rate. The conversion rate is likely to change in the future, therefore these prices will also fluctuate.

So this brings me to the end of this post, and I hope I gave you guys a valuable insight into Parsi cuisine, and the methods and ingredients they use. Jimmy Boy was a great experience and an eye opener to both myself and my family into Parsi cuisine, and the whole story behind how Parsi's came to Mumbai and other parts of India, and how Parsi cuisine was influenced by Indian spices and herbs and the other way round as well. It's amazing when Parsi ingredients such as dried fruits, nuts and fenugreek blends with Indian spices to create unique dishes. Parsi cuisine is a truly unique and wonderful cuisine and I would highly recommend you to try it.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post after a long time, and I hope you guys still continue to support me and follow my blog. I will try to post as often as I can in my hectic schedule filled with exams and deadlines. Also, Gong Xi Fa Cai to all, and have a prosperous CNY! 

Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen- A Preview

As you all must have heard, Gordon Ramsay is opening a chain of his restaurant, Bread Street Kitchen here at The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. With all the excitement and anticipation, I decided that I would give you a preview as to what the restaurant would be, and all the action happening around this restaurant opening. 

For those of you who do not know who Gordon Ramsay is, Gordon Ramsay is a Scottish born chef, who is a famous restaurateur. He has a total of 14 Michelin Stars under his belt and has his own shows such as Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, The F Word etc. Gordon Ramsay is known worldwide for his fiery and quick approach to cooking. If you watch his shows, you would notice the excessive swearing and short-temper he presents. Apart from this, he is an excellent chef, owning world-class restaurants internationally such as Maze, Savoy Grill, The Boxwood Cafe etc. 

Bread Street Kitchen

Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen made its way into the culinary world on the 26th October, 2011. This restaurant was located near St Paul's Cathedral in central London. The restaurant cost approximately $4.7 million. Its London outlet is the original outlet, with its second outlet recently opened up in Hong Kong in September 2014, therefore making Hong Kong the first Asian country to welcome Bread Street Kitchen. The name 'Bread Street Kitchen' came from the address of the original restaurant, 10 Bread Street. 

Gordon Ramsay's newest Bread Street Kitchen outlet at Hong Kong

Bread Street Kitchen's original menu consists of a Breakfast menu, a regular A la Carte menu, a canape menu and a wine, desserts and drinks menu. As you can tell, the menus give customers a wide variety. His A La Carte menu consists of traditional British cafe food with options ranging from a Snow Crab California Roll to a Roasted Sea Trout. Similarly, his breakfast menus showcase traditional British classics such as Eggs' Benedict and even a simple Toast and Jam. The breakfast menu also consists of fresh fruit juices to 'kick start your day'. And of course, how could we forget the tea? The British certainly do love their tea, and at Bread Street Kitchen, teas ranging from peppermint to green tea, is showcased on the breakfast menu.

Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen certainly provides its customers with the classic British with its own twist of modern international flavours, mainly Ramsay's deep knowledge into French cuisine. 

The Seabass Carpaccio is one of Ramsay's many dishes at Bread Street Kitchen that combine modern flavours

As you may be able to make out from the picture, the decor and interior of the place is absolutely brilliant! The restaurant is nicely lit, and opens up to a beautiful bar, a trademark of fine dining restaurants. The decor and ambience at Bread Street Kitchen is another elements that helps in a wonderful customer experience.

Bread Street Kitchen Singapore

Bread Street Kitchen Singapore is said to open at The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands in April/May 2015. Clearly starting up here in Singapore is not going to be easy in the beginning, due to the great competition in fine dining restaurants at The Shoppes, with celebrity chefs such as Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Bould, Mario Batali etc. Due to the huge number of fine dining restaurants, The Shoppes is a mall high in demand for fine dining restaurants, which is why Ramsay chose to open Bread Street Kitchen there. 

This is not the first time Ramsay has been to Singapore; he visited in 2013 and participated in the Hawker Heroes Challenge and in fact won the award for the best Chilli Crab, a tantalizing local delight. Ramsay was impressed with the quality and standard of food presented by local hawkers, and was in awe of the entire atmosphere here, which was probably why he was inspired to start his own restaurant here.

Chef Gordon Ramsay at the Hawker Heroes Challenge in SIngapore (2013)

Ramsay had in fact stated that Bread Street Kitchen Singapore is going to be different from the original outlet in London, as Ramsay is said to add a "Singapore-Style Blend". This blend hopes to attract more locals to his restaurant. Gordon Ramsay also mentioned in a statement that although food may not be cheap (nor too expensive), it would good value for money.

Apart from that, Ramsay recently hired a local intern to work at his restaurant, by the name of Koh Han Jie, after an intense cook-off between several interns at Marina Bay Sands. The contestants had to cook a three dishes, with egg being the hero of the dish. Due to Gordon Ramsay being a perfectionist, these eggs needed to be perfectly cooked soft-boiled. These dishes were then judged by Ramsay and the CEO of Marina Bay Sands, George Tanasijevich and eventually selected Koh for this highly reputed position. Ramsay said that this challenge was purely to bring out local talents, to kick-start Bread Street Kitchen Singapore. Koh mentions that he is exciting to start his internship with Gordon Ramsay and to work in a "fast-paced" restaurant. 

Ramsay himself is an experienced mentor, which is seen through his series such as 'Hell's Kitchen' and 'MasterChef', and has been mentors of chefs that have evolved through the years and have reached a culinary standard matching up to Ramsay's.

Bread Street Kitchen's new Intern Koh Han Jie (Centre), along with Chef Ramsay, and the CEO of MBS, George Tanasijevich
 

 With prices still being worked out, Bread Street Kitchen is on its way to make its second foreign appearance. Whether this restaurant would be a hit amongst locals, only time would tell. Hopefully I get the chance to try out this place myself once it opens next year; probably my most in-demand future review. Hopefully you guys enjoyed this post, as I vowed to do something different. Please leave a comment, and continue to follow my blog. Have a wonderful Christmas season!

Disclaimer:

I haven't been to Bread Street Kitchen and therefore all information presented in this post is information extracted from various sources and not from my own personal experiences.

Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon- 22 Food Street Recipes #1

After some thinking, I had decided to do something different apart from my run-of-the-mill restaurant reviews. So therefore, I decided to share with all of you an incredibly simple recipe, that is absolutely delicious and easy to make. This is hopefully the first of the many recipes I want to do, and it shall be called 22 Food Street Recipes. Today's recipe is going to be a stunning Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon. 

Salmon is a beautiful and versatile fish that is packed with health benefits, including the healthy Omega 3 fatty acids and nutrients. Apart from its health benefits, this oily fish has a wonderful taste that is enjoyed by people worldwide and is ranked amongst the top fish in the culinary world. Salmon can be found easily in supermarkets, and here in Singapore, Salmon can be found in supermarkets such as Cold Storage, FairPrice etc.  So, let's jump straight into this mouthwatering recipe!

Ingredients

The Ingredients in one picture: All set to go!

1 pound Salmon (Preferably a fillet)
1/4 cup Maple Syrup (less according to taste)
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce             
1-2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Whisk the maple syrup, soy sauce garlic powder, minced garlic, salt and pepper in a small glass bowl. This is the marinade for the fish.

2. Place the salmon is a baking dish, and pour the marinade evenly over the salmon. Cover it, and put it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, and after flipping the fish, for an additional 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F), beforehand. 

4. Put the baking dish in the oven after pre-heating and bake for around 20 minutes for a salmon fillet, and around 15 minutes for a tail, as I used. This is because the tail is thinner than the fillet. 

The coated salmon

All done!

The Verdict

This recipe is simple yet delicious, and requires only the basic ingredients in any household. The flavours of this dish are wonderfully brought out with the sweetness of the maple syrup and the saltiness of the soy sauce, contrasting wonderfully with each other. Just a note, if you are not a fan of sweetness, I suggest putting less maple syrup, as it can be quite overpowering. These flavours are executed only with the help of the smoky, salty garlic flavours in the marinade. 

This recipe is wonderful for friends, family or just when you want to enjoy it by yourself and also, useful when you are out of ingredients and too lazy to get to the supermarket and stock up. Hopefully this recipe is one of the many to come, and please comment on whether you would like more recipes. Also tell me how this recipe tasted and also how it could be better. Also, stay tuned to my blog and expect posts of more diversity, and as always, suggestions are always welcome.

Recipe Rating- 4/5

Mad For Garlic @ Suntec City

Mad For Garlic is a classic Italian restaurant with a Korean twist. Yes, a Korean twist! I was surprised when I heard about this place originated from Korea, and also voted as the best Italian restaurant concept, due to its garlic-themed dishes. With such kind of fusion, we couldn't stop ourselves from getting into this restaurant. As the name probably suggests, every dish has garlic. Well, would that be good or bad you ask? Well, it's an acquired taste. Every dish has its own garlic-y twos, which makes this restaurant stand out from the rest. Mad for Garlic has two outlets: one here in Suntec City, and one in the picturesque area of Clarke Quay.

Yuzu-Ade and Wine-Ade

The Yuzu-Ade and Wine-Ade were the two drinks we had ordered on that night. Yuzu is a citrus fruit found mainly in East Asia, and is becoming more popular among Western cultures, with this fruit even being used in some beers. The drink itself was wonderful, bringing out the citrus-y kick from the yuzu, complemented by the fizz in the drink. The Yuzu itself has a subdued sweetness compared to a lemon or an orange, and the natural sweetness of it elevated this drink beautifully. The Wine-Ade was no different. The bitter-sweet wine combined nicely with the sweetness of the drink, and probably made it more child-friendly, and more likeable. Don't worry, I had no more than a sip!

Rating- 4/5

Dracula Killer

The Dracula Killer ($15.80) is basically soft bread served with roasted garlic and anchovies in olive oil. As strange as it may sound, the whole combination was fabulous! The bread was soft therefore allowing the olive oil to be easily absorbed. The olive oil imbedded fruity flavours in the bread. People may think eating garlic solely is strange, but once you taste the roasted garlic in this dish, it is sure to change your mind. It gave out smoky flavours that contrasted well with the chewy, salty nature of the anchovies. However, I feel this dish is slightly overpriced. Overall, let me just say the Dracula killed me with its flavours!

Rating- 4.2/5 

Garlicholic Rice

   

The Garlicholic Rice ($17.90) is another dish in which garlic is incorporated (clearly made out by the name). This dish included pickled garlic, shrimps and anchovies alongside some chillies for the heat. The whole combination was decent, the pickled garlic and the chillies providing heat and spice, and on the contrary the shrimp and anchovies giving a salty flavour. However, I found the vegetables rather bland, and the rice slightly over-seasoned. This dish in my opinion, could be worked upon, making a boring, plain fried rice into something delicious and vibrant.

Rating- 3.8/5

Cheese-Baked Bolognese Pasta

  

The Cheese-Baked Bolognese Pasta ($23.50) is probably a dish everybody has heard of, and probably eaten it at least once. When I go to a restaurant, the main criteria I look for in this dish is whether the balance between the cheese and the tomato sauce is spot on. In Mad for Garlic, this balance was perfect. The salty, heavy and creamy baked cheese was balanced perfectly with the traditional tomato sauce that was sweet, vibrant and fresh. Another feature I observed is that there were no tomato bits in the tomato suace, which in my opinion, is wonderful, as I like my tomato sauce to be smooth and silky. On the negative side, the pasta (spaghetti) was overcooked, making them mush causing them to stick to each other. Overall, a good dish.

Rating- 4/5

Garlic Steak

  

The Garlic Steak ($37.80) was that one dish that Mad for Garlic had specialized on, and of course, like the rest of the night, few more cloves of garlic were to be digested down. However, I was quite disappointed with this dish. The picture says it all; there is so mnuch garlic that the steak is barely visible! The garlic in this dish was made into some sort of paste, that did not work well in delivering quality flavours with the meat. This paste was unbelievably overpowering, the meat itself, and was a pity as the meat was perfectly cooked medium-rare. This dish greatly needs to be redone and executed a whole lot better if they want to call this dish their signature dish. I wouldn't mind trying this dish again, hopefully to find an improvement.

Rating- 2.8/5

The service at Mad For Garlic was good, with servers giving us frequent recommendations and also with food coming out in good time. Apart from the minor mis-communications, service at Mad For Garlic was worthy enough of a fine dining restaurant.

Service- 4/5

Overall Rating- 7.8/10

Mad For Garlic

3 Temasek Boulevard, #02-300/301, Suntec City

Singapore- 038983

Opening Hours
Sun-Thu: 11:30 am- 10 pm
Fri-Sat: 11:30 am- 11 pm

Tel: +65 6238 1930
Web: www.madforgarlic.com.sg  

Nearest MRT- Promenade (CC4, DT15) 

Kinki @ Collyer Quay

Kinki is a traditional Japanese restaurant with a stunning modern twist located in the prime CBD District in Collyer Quay at Raffles Place. The restaurant itself is on the second floor of the Customs House at Collyer Quay. Its beautiful location and its elevation gives a stunning view of the iconic Marina Bay Sands at Bayfront across the bay. When we were there in the evening, fireworks put up a stunning show as we treated ourselves to a wonderful dinner. (I'm sorry I was unable to post for the past weeks as I had a heavy schedule consisting of my exams and projects. Hopefully I can post more often henceforth!)

This restaurant itself was dimly but nicely lit. As expected, there was a beautifully lighted sushi bar 'L' shaped in the restaurant. As I said earlier, this Japanese restaurant was serving traditional Japanese food but with a modern twist, and I was excited to try out their food. 

 Shirley Temple 

The Shirley Temple ($10) is a mocktail I always enjoy, and if given the choice I would take it over the rest. A Shirley Temple consists of sprite, lime/lemon juice and grenadine syrup. I absolutely enjoyed this drink as I thought that the proportion of the ingredients in the drink was absolutely spot on. The grenadine syrup gave it the wonderful sweetness and the lime juice gave it a citrus kick. It all blended perfectly in my opinion.

Rating- 4.8/5

Tai Carpaccio

The Tai Carpaccio ($32) is another mix and match of a traditional Japanese dish with a modern twist on it. This Tai Carpaccio is finely sliced fish known as a seabream, a well known Japanese fish used in sashimis and sushis. The modern twist was the way they served it like an Italian carpaccio and not as a sashimi. Carpaccio uses more western flavours compared to a sashimi, which combines Asian flavours, although both include a selection of raw meats/fish. The carpaccio was drizzled with truffle oil, which really elevated the dish, and also chives blended together. But what sealed the deal for me was the inclusion of the soy sauce, which gave it the wonderful saltiness which was much needed in the dish. This dish was fabulous, as it included the mix of modern and traditional, by combining a Japanese fish prepared like a carpaccio, and the blend of Asian and Western flavours with the truffle oil and soy sauce. Overall, a fantastic, light, refreshing appetizer. 

Rating- 4.5/5

Spiced Miso Edemame

When I go to a Japanese restaurant, it is customary that I try edamame. The Spiced Miso Edemame ($8) is edemame taken to a whole new level; apart from the plain edemame. Edemame is traditional steamed Japanese soy beans, normally served as an appetizer. This edemame tasted delicious, as the spiced miso and garlic just elevated the dish from a boring edemame, and the spiced part of the dish gave a nice contrast to our previous cold appetizer. However, I felt it lacked some basic seasoning such as salt and pepper, but overall a decent dish.

Rating- 3.8/5

Hot Dynamite Maki

The Hot Dynamite Maki ($20) was a spiced up kick to a traditional Japanese Maki. This maki contained pan-seared salmon (something cooked!), yellowtail roll, scallions and cayenne pepper to give it the heat. This modern maki was delicious in my opinion, as the drizzled sauce, which was some sort of hot sauce, gave the dish the perfect amount of heat. It wasn't too overwhelming, but neither too bland. The scallions in the maki gave the dish a crunchy and crispy element, balanced well with the softness of the salmon. A wonderful blend of textures and flavours made this dish a one I would come back for. 

Rating- 4.5/5

Pork Belly with Spicy Goma Sauce

This dish was our first entrée in this urbanised Japanese place. The Pork Belly with Spicy Goma Sauce ($38) was another dish I was eager to try. This dish involved a Pan-Seared Kurobuta Pork Belly served with a spicy sesame (goma) sauce. I found the sauce in this dish rather bland, as I found no heat whatsoever in the dish. The pork itself was cooked perfectly, as it was soft and tender, but due to the sauce the whole dish seemed to lack in flavour and spice. The bed of veggies under the belly was wonderfully crispy and had a good texture to it. This dish in my opinion, could be improved on. 

Rating- 3.8/5

Crusted Spicy Salmon

The Crusted Spicy Salmon ($28) was the second of our entrées, and this time, a fish dish. Salmon is undoubtedly my favourite fish, and extremely healthy too! (Well, even if it wasn't, it would still be my favourite). This salmon was seaweed crusted and consisted of some roasted asparagus and crispy veggies. The salmon was wonderfully tender, and the seaweed crust gave it the crispy and breaded exterior, matching up with the soft, tender salmon flavours within the fish. The asparagus could have been cooked more, because as you can see in the picture it looks quite bland and boring. Overall, an appetizing dish. 

Rating- 4/5

Yuzu Sorbet topped with Toasted Soy Crumbs

Yes, yet another sorbet! The Yuzu Sorbet with Toasted Soy Crumbs ($8) was our first of our two desserts. The toppings of this sorbet can be chosen between toasted soy crumbs and candied red beans. Yuzu is another citrus fruit that was nicely implemented in this sorbet. This citrus flavour was wonderfully dominant in this dish and it gave a nice acidic, light and refreshing taste. However, I felt that the toppings of toasted soy crumbs didn't go well at all with the sorbet. As you ate the soy crumbs, it sticks to the roof of your mouth which was very unpleasant to taste, and I felt it spoiled the wonderful taste of the sorbet itself.

Rating- 3.8/5

Oreo Sesame Ice-Cream

   

The Oreo Sesame Ice-Cream ($12) was our final dessert, which again, combines the famous Oreo Cookies with a Black Sesame Ice-Cream giving it the Japanese twist. I found the black sesame Ice-Cream delicious, as I was expecting this really strange taste that wouldn't go as an Ice-Cream, but I found it quite wonderful in fact. The Oreo Cookies were evenly blended in with the cookies, and therefore, every mouthful you take, you get this nice, even proportion of Oreo Cookies to the Ice-Cream. The waffles added a crunchy kick to the dish, and therefore this dessert showcased a variety of textures tingling in your mouth. On another note, I found the dessert too heavy, and if you asked me, I would prefer a sorbet, as its lighter yet tasty compared to an Ice-Cream. On behalf of its taste, it was delicious.

Rating- 4/5

Kinki's service in my opinion, was not up to the mark of a fine dining restaurant. I felt that our servers didn't really understand what we were saying, and as a result some wrong dishes were served to us. Apart from that, there were no major problems at Kinki. Overall, I find this Japanese-Western restaurant wonderful, but more work on the execution of some of their dishes would make this restaurant better than ever!

Service- 3.8/5

Fun Fact: While everyone might mix up wasabi with soy sauce, doing so is incorrect according to the Japanese. The wasabi is used to season the sushi/sashimi to taste and the soy sauce is meant to be dipped with only the fish part of the sushi.

Overall Rating- 8/10

Kinki

70 Collyer Quay,

#02-02 Customs House,

Singapore- 049323

Opening Hours

Mondays-Friday: 12-2:30 pm (Lunch) & 6-10:30 pm (Dinner)

Saturday & PHs: 6-10:30 pm (Dinner only!)

Closed on Sundays

 

T: 6533 3471

F: 6533 3473

Web: www.kinki.com.sg

Nearest MRT- Raffles Place (EW14, NS26)- 500m