Play date on a yacht

The March school holidays came and went. While this year's vacation was more subdued, Russell's best friend's parents invited us onto their yacht, which made for a really interesting day out. We sailed out to Lazarus island and the boys even swim in the sea for the first time. Definitely a memorable time for us city land dwellers! 

Hype-worthy burgers at Shake Shack, Neil Road

Finally tried the burgers at Shake Shack and I have to say I'm suitably impressed. Expectations were met and our bellies happily stuffed. While I'm not a burger person (always preferred a hunk of steak), these burgers were satisfying and delicious, delivering a perfect punch in the fast food category. 

I love the Shroom Burger the most followed by the Smoke Shack, while purist KW preferred their Shack Burger. The boys had a burger each and filled their tummy with tons of fries. We didn't have any desserts this time round but no doubt they will be on our minds the next time we visit. 

Thoughtful dishing at Kausmo

A meal at Kausmo is like attending a ceremony on concientious living. The restaurant itself seats only 16 and it is the epitome of Japanese zen minimalism. Adorning the space are jars of produce that are fermenting, preserving or brining away, adding to the overall celebration of slow food.

The two ladies - Chef Lisa Tang and Kuah Chew Shian - behind this beautiful concept aim to promote thoughtful eating by challenging societal ideals on how our produce should look like and the glorification of perfect produce. Kausmo does not have a fixed menu but instead offers a 6-course Carte Blanche menu, based on the produce they source. Really interesting stuff they are creating, I'm rooting for them!

Home Sourdough | Mushroom Butter

Wild Pepper | Pork Rillette | Red Onion

Stew Beef Sesame Ball | Curry Leaf

Baby Carrot & Cauliflower | Kausmo BBQ

Local XL Mussels | Soubise | Salted Clamansi & XO

Duck Cherry | Mandarin Kosho

Fish Congee

Lapsang Souchong Limau Jelly

Spiced Zeppole | Apple Sherbet | Thyme Compote

Petit Four

Progressive sophistication at Cloudstreet

I love weekday lunch treats. They feel like small pockets of indulgence in the middle of the day. A break from the hustle of the morning and the later half of the day goes by a lot quicker too. One Friday, we decided to have a mini celebration at Cloudstreet for my other half. With two boys in tow, such lunches are a rare treat for us too.

Helmed by Chef Rishi Naleendra and Gareth Burnett, Cloudstreet is "an amalgamation of thoughtful, expressive food, artisanal, progressive wines and warm, immaculate service." Now that's quite a mouthful that I literally ripped from their website, but there is a lot of truth in that too. The dishes were interesting and unexpected, while service was ranged from personable to cheeky.

Beetroot, Smoked Goat’s Cheese, Puffed Quinoa

Pickled Mussels

I really enjoyed our "snacks" - goat's cheese and pickled mussels. One bite wonders that reeled you in for more. 

Singapore Stout and Licorice Bread

Dense, sweet and absolutely glorious slathered with butter - This was one loaf I wanted to pack up, take it home and savour over the week. 

Smoked Japanese Tomatoes, Burrata, Olive Oil 

The perfect balance of creaminess and tang.

New Zealand Venison, Pickled Cashew, Zucchini 

The tartare was gamey yet refreshing. Quite a feat, I must say.

Pork Loin in Nori, Pumpkin Curry, Baby Leek 

Barbecued Turbot, Brindle Berry, Saffron honey

KW chose the pork loin while I went for the turbot. Funny enough, we both preferred the other's main. The succulence of the pork was dreamy while KW liked the flavours of my turbot.

Yogurt, Parsnip, Pear

To be honest, desserts took a while to get used too. They reminded me of sour plums - not my favourite flavour profile. That said, I didn't mind the puckery nuttiness of the dish by the time I was done with the dish.

Petit Four - Vegemite Toast

Fun and mildly absurd - a suitable finish to our meal at Cloudstreet.