Oscar's @ Conrad Centennial

A fortnight ago, a team of four participated in their company's Amazing Race Challenge. For all their sweat and toil, they managed to arrive first runner-ups and scored themselves a $200 dining voucher at Conrad Centennial. Lo and behold, guess who was on that team? -I ain't gonna wipe that smug of my face- Haha!

Last week, my colleagues and I headed over to Oscar's at Conrad Centennial to savour the fruits buffet of our labour. After sorely missing out on a photography chance at Fullerton, I made it a point to arrive at Oscar's five minutes earlier to survey the scene in proper due diligence. You wouldn't believe how tremendously relieved I was when the manager half-heartedly allowed me to snap some pictures of the food.



Ta-dah! I thought I had taken many pictures but on hindsight, the buffet was still appears underrepresented. Anyway, I’ll just let the pictures do most of the talking.


Cold Seafood Bar

How do you like being “stood up by a shellfish”? I was bemused the standing poison of the cold seafood as they looked like they were about to leap into a jazz medley anytime soon.


Sushi and Sashimi

A regular feature at most buffets, the sushi and sashimi spread is an effective gauge of how good the buffet is. While I liked the selection, having a housefly buzz about enthusiastically wasn’t my idea of ‘the more, the merrier’


Asian Selection

I was put in a difficult position because for the first time, for the hot food actually looked as good as the dessert spread. It was only sensible to make a mandatory round around the steamers before zooming in on the dessert. Asia was well represented in the International Buffet. United in “deep-fried cracker” spirit, the papadums and keropoks aptly chaperoned the rendangs and curries and for milder tastebuds, the stir-fried beef kway teow and garlic fried rice in seafood broth (also known as ‘Mui Fun’) were unexpectedly traditional and pleasing.

There was a noodle bar outside where they prepared laksa, prawn mee, bak kut teh but an absolute must-try was the deep-fried old-school-style wantons!


Grilled Vegetables, which were supposed to accompany the Roast Chicken (not pictures)




(L-R, Clockwise from top) Stir-fried beef kway teow; Mui Fun; Pork Leg in lentil stew and Duck Confit in Candied Orange Sauce

There were too many grilled, roasted, stewed dishes to recall specifically, but the duck confit and salmon on potato patties were notable.

I had a feeling you would probably scroll straight down to the dessert section.


(L-R, Clockwise from top) Mango Cheesecake, Pecan Brownie, Lemon Meringue Shots, Madelines

Reminiscent of New York Fashion Week, the dessert spread was adorned with frou-frou trimmings and frills, pastels, icing sugar dust and varying hues of chocolate brown.

"Sweet dreams are made of these.."

Apart from these featured, there were shotglass tiramisus, pick-your-ice cream with pick-your-toppings, plateful of various nonya kuehs.

Dessert brings out the best in me. When faced with a dazzling array of sugar, caramel and chocolate, I become a conciliatory, gentle pacifist. Great mango cheesecake, by the way! I also loved the shot glass portions...


Waffles, banana, strawberries and custard.

P.s. Crepes are served too.

Why wHY wHy do I sound and act like Charlie Bucket when in reality, I’m Augustus Gloop with a capital ‘G’?


Second round of dessert, I had a gorgeous fruit-topped sponge cake, encased in almond silvers and icing sugar, a berry-ordinary berry crumble.

Check out that huge puff pastry cane!


A rack of cookies

Something unique to Oscar's was their chestful of cookies, cookies and chocolate pralines.

I tried my darnest not to overeat, but with a bite of this, a scoop of that.. I almost wished I had the tow services on speed dial.

We had a lovely spot by the verandah, where I could just declare myself useless, incapable of anything that might require me to get off the linen sheets. You, YES YOU humble servant can fetch me more dessert.. I can't help but feel shortchanged by the amount of time we spent at Oscar's. Two hours is WAYYY TOO FREAKIN' SHORT.. No, I don't wanna leave... Don't wanna return to the office.


Warning: A sweep through of Oscar’s dessert spread could induce sugar over rush and result in some cruise-to-shame couch-thumping action.



I always think no self-respecting food blogger /writer should enjoy buffet. It goes against theory of "savouring each bite and every moment", after all, where’s the fun in stuffing your face? Well, here.. there.. ok, I’m bordering on masochism here. I am so totally hide-under-the-table-napkin embarrassed about loving snooty hotel buffets.

Six months ago, I celebrated the birth of spring in Copenhagen by hopping downtown with Kiku, Birget and Justine. aRh, the memories I have of Copenhagen.

Aerin's-Finally, a becoming visit

Previously, I wrote about how a meal is “incomplete unless it ends on a sweet note”. Well, here's another penny for thought: A meal is SUBLIME if it STARTS on a sweet note.


Baked Apple & Rhubarb Pie

We had no qualms about our choice of dessert: BRING ON THE PIE! Due to the 15mins waiting time, we wasted no time with our dessert order, ordering it within two minutes of getting seated, even before we flipped open the menu.

“Served before or after the meal?” asked our waiter.

“Before, please”

That was how badly we wanted it.



Oh thank you thank you thank you!

A puff pastry cap roofs over the ramekin pot, which houses chunks of granny smiths’, rhubarb and raisins. This article of beauty was served with vanilla bean ice cream- not just any store-bought vanilla ice cream due to the fetching vanilla bean essence.

Thumbs-&-Big-Toes Up for the light easily-shredable puff pastry. Although the rhubarb is everyone's favourite crumble filling, it resembled and tasted like a celery with rouge on. I guess we won't be seeing more of each other... It's not you, it's me. Oh yes, a note first-timers: the size is a stunner, which may leave you mouth-gapping long enough to realize the ice cream is melting and sinking into the pie fast! What are you waiting for?



I am willing to bet the folks at Aerin’s have a certificate ready for lone rangers, undaunted by the calorie-fest.

Ink still warm from the printers:

“I survived Aerin’s Baked Apple and Rhubarb Pie!” -In BOLD. And in fine print: “H-E-L-P, I can’t get out of my seat”


Pumpkin Soup

We also tried the fresh butternut pumpkin puree, sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg. It was an irony for just opposite stood a Soup Spoon branch and to me, Soup Spoon’s caramelized pumpkin soup remains unrivaled.

Perhaps it was a good thing the soup was served before our dessert, as it lay largely forgotten soon after... evanescently also due to the direct air-conditioning, which left the soup reeling in chilling disadvantage.


Mezze Platter

The Mezze Platter: grilled olive-oil-drizzled pita and baguette, served with yoghurt cucumber tzatziki, chickpea hummus & sun-dried tomato cream cheese, sounded better than it looked. Taste-wise, it seesawed in favour of the dips and spreads but against the insipid baguette.

The sun-dried cream cheese didn’t come as a relavation. It tasted mostly exactly like plain cream cheese as the sun-dried tomatoes contributed just color and nothing else to the flavor.

Although just as asthetically-challenged, the chickpea hummus tilted the taste-scales in the dish’s favour. I like that it wasn’t ground-paste-smooth and the well-mantained graininess was enough to make me “smear it, it, dip it and stash it”. I vaguely remember an unopened pack of hummus lying in my fridge- looks like it’s not going to last till next week.

An unbearable lightness of yoghurt cucumber tzatziki descended upon us as I tucked into the light refreshing dip, imbued with shredded cucumber bits. I feel like I’m doing an advert for a new toothpaste range, “It’s cool, It’s refreshing.. It’s tzatziki! Introducing the new “yogurt cucumber” flavour.. Get yours today from major pharmacies!”


Steak Sandwich

For our main course, we chose the steak sandwich: grilled beef strips with mushrooms & onions in toasted pita bread, served with shoestring fries and Aerin’s piccadilly sauce.

Grilled beef strips were done the way we wanted- medium rare and there was minimal pre-marinate to mask the strong beef smell. Note to Aerin's: I didn’t know what Piccadilly sauce was and I still have no idea what Piccadilly sauce is.

Someone left the pita in the toaster for too long.

I’m not pointing finger at anyone but SOMEONE left the pita in the toaster, probably to prepare the steak, share a couple of laughs with his sous chef, toss the potato side in herb and garlic, before attending to the hence-charred pita.

To Jimmy, the charred marks must have resembled hieroglyphs warning us of a potential carcinogenic attack as he determinedly stayed away from them. Yes, he who thinks nothing having of Soup Kaming for supper, embraces 24hrs food delivery services like a father would to prodigal son AND considers a dozen satay sticks pre-dinner snack, afraid of unassuming black sketches?!

Go figure.

To me, it wasn’t THAT bad and he could hardly conceal the look of disbelief as I, stomach made of steel, munched through pita slices.

Although this time round, the main course didn't live up to our expections (which heightened by the mushroom tagliatalle and roasted lamb), I still enjoyed lunch tremendously, thanks to impeccable service and great company.

Aerin's
252 North Bridge Road (S) 179103
B1-11/12, Raffles City Shopping Centre
(S) 179103
Tel: 6337 2231
Open: 11 am - 10 pm daily

Cedele Bakery Depot

Breakfast at Cedele: Orange Cranberry Bun; Chelsea Bun; Raspberry Scone; White Chocolate & Raspberry muffin.

I finally got around to trying their raspberry & white chocolate muffin but it quite a letdown. Perhaps due to the white chocolate appendage, I had expected a hello-I’m-all-yours aftereffect; but in the end, I was disappointed its barely noticeable existence. Oh well, all is not lost and I shall make it a point to try out one of their crumble-topped muffins.

Lunch is unnecessarily stressful for me. I’m pretty odd. I have no problem lunching alone but at times, I do appreciate the presence of a pulsating heartbeat rather than words of wisdom from a know-it-all magazine.

Having said that, I am finicky when it comes to spending that precious one and half hours with. I know my problem. I get comfortable with one or two people and I shy away from making more friends. This article from New York Times is reflective of how I feel- basically, I enjoy a good conversation and I like finding out that once-strangers-now-friends and I share common interests; but otherwise, I find humans and emotional attachment exasperating.

A colleague of mine has what she calls ‘default lunch’- same default lunch partner at default (you-guessed-it) food court. I for one frankly don’t see myself lunching with the same person every single day- especially when you sit barely two cubicles away. As a consequence, you would inevitably end up talking about work and gossiping about your colleagues (due to a lack of better topics) and I LOATHE THAT. Memo to Rupert Murdoch: Office politics = Rave ratings on cable television but other than that, count me out.

Frankly, life’s too short to spend your lunch hour on battlefields, adorned with rows of food stalls and acrylic furniture. Crowds make me nervous but that’s not the end of it: lunch at food court requires a braincell-decimating strategy. Action Plan: Reach the food court 3.5 minutes earlier to beat the crowds; get to your (and everybody else’s) favourite minced pork store; finish up; and march back before the clock strikes one hour later.

Think about it:

Getting a seat versus getting seated.

Waiting around for a table that would fit four versus being shown to a reserved table for four.

Queuing up for your food versus getting your order taken down by a PDA

Getting up from your seat right after finishing before getting dirty looks arrowed in your direction versus enjoying the much-needed serenity.

You get the picture right? But help, I’m only an intern! Going forward, I’m in serious trouble in committing ‘kuidaore’.

I’m not saving the world but a peace of mind is what I need during lunchtime and that’s why I spend so much time at Cedele Bakery Depot. I used to visit the outlet at Raffles City but now due to a matter of practicality, I visit the outlet at Suntec City instead. Honestly Cedele, if you were a man, I would cut the chase, get down on bended knees and propose to you.



Usually soup (big fan of their grilled pepper) is no-brainer thanks to the free flow of bread… Actually it is more like free flow of bread with soup. Once, my colleague and I got lucky too as there were more varieties than the usual whole-wheat and white.



Once, I had their mushroom, tomato and cheese pizza. Erm yea, like what’s pizza doing in this supposed sin-free cafe? When served, the melted cheese spilling all over the ends and since it was delicious, I am pretty sure it is not what a nutritionist would recommend. Of course, hard-core pizza fans would dismiss this as melted cheese on bread (c’mon it’s not even a ‘slice’ for crying out loud) but considering the accessibility, I now know where to turn to when I need a “melted cheese” fix.



Although bread-stuffed from lunch, this slice of cake vital in contributing to my 5-servings of fruit and vegetables a day!

A meal’s incomplete unless it ends on a sweet note. The Orange Carrot Cake was supposed to be a heaven-sent stork-delivered baby of my two favorite cakes (carrot cake and orange pound cake) in the boulangerie world. We would be in trouble if the kid looked like you. But the taste wasn’t as challenging in the sense the orange aroma outshine shy whiff of carrot shreds. It is a safe choice but I rather try something ‘dangerous-sounding’ like the strawberry balsamic vinegar.

A round-up of reviews for Cedele:
Hey
Cedele.
What
Would
I Do
Without
You..

E-Sarn

Thai food used to be a favourite of mine... an emphasis on "used to be". This should not come as a surprise to many though as with the germination of heinous "expresses", mass-produced mediocrity has became a regular fixture in most restaurants. Consequently, Thai food soon became as desirable as last season's viral flu and this was further compounded by my culinary retreat in Chiang Mai, which taught me that delicious thai food wasn't that difficult to make.

But thanks to an inconspicuous restaurant along bukit timah sixth avenue, I managed to veer off the highway of mediocore Thai food. With a homely atmosphere and an obviously "regulars" client base, E-Sarn sits no more than 30 customers at any one time. Luckily apart from dining in, you could also call for delivery or in advance for takeway. Word has it, they are even planning to venture into the home catering business.


Green Papaya Salad Som Tum


Green Mango Salad Yum Ma Muang

We were in a Thai restaurant, so of course we had to order the salads! Once our salad orders were made, I immediately heard the knocking of the mortar, which added to the anticipation of our starters. I have got a small confession to make- I couldn't make out the difference between the green papaya and green mango due to almost-identical appearance, taste and crunchy texture. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the zesty perk-me-up lime dressing and pronounced aroma of dried shrimps and roasted peanuts.


Thai Vegetable Omelette Cha-Om Kai Tod

The amount of greens was a huge turn-off for me as I have never quite seen an edible vegetable that resembles nuances of what you would find under the bottom of the fish tank. Casting away my prejudice, I took a bite and gained a lesson on inner beauty HA! The cha-om (a unique vegetable imported from Thailand) left a barely-there bitter aftertaste, which was easily overwhelmed by the prawn paste blachan dipping sauce. Unlike most omelettes, this wasn't swabbed in oil.


Claypot Beef Nuea Mor Din

Equally engaging was the hearty claypot beef stew. As far as food quirks go, I am very much guilty of ladling gravy over my rice, thus I highly recommend the tender beef stew, especially if you have a weakness for “brown thickish gravy”.


Green Curry Chicken

However, not all our main courses enjoyed high ratings. When it came to the green curry chicken, my satisfaction was misplaced with the churlish milkier-than-usual curry and pedastrian chicken breast meat.


Olive Rice Khao Ob Nam Liap

I actually misread the name and was expecting fried olive rice, instead of steamed rice topped with minced pork & olive. The only glitch was the droughty minced pork and olive stir-fry but that was easily rectified by mixing it with steamed Jasmine rice. But somehow I think this was slightly amateurish, compared to Patara’s olive rice.


Sticky Rice with Mango Khao Niao Ma-Muang

Not leaving room for Khao Niao Ma-Muang would amount to serious injustice, as this was easily the best mango sticky rice I’ve had in a long time. The ripe mangoes were undeniably sweet and as the warm sticky rice spontaneously coalesced into my tongue, I wondered what I had been doing all along, wasting my time and calories with dry hard varieties.

Like a relationship, there are inevitably ups and downs in E-Sarn. You might visit E-sarn and be bewildered by the fuss I'm creating because when it really comes to the crux of their allure, there really isn't anything remotely mystifying about E-Sarn. All they did was to take simple fresh ingredients, utilize tried-and-tested cooking methods to whip dishes that made cooking at home seem redundant. But the real mystery is how so many eateries think they can get away with so-called Thai food, by throwing in a couple of kaffir lime leaves and some food colouring.

So, how doe it feel like to fall in love all over again?
-Simply wonderful.

Aerin's, Second Visit

A break? Oh, who am I kidding...

Aerin's and I resemble a pair of ill-fated lovers, bound by my appreciation for their well-prepared menu and their ability to whip up 'what initially looks and sounds rudimentary but always turns out to be extremely palatale'.

On both accounts, I was only a bystander, meaning that I already had dinner and was merely a seat-warmer, my presence perhaps no more significant than the prop candle which barely lit up the table.

Ouch, that was a little harsh... after all, 'prop candles' don't get to pick off the dishes...



This time round, I tried Aerin’s Tagliatelle, which was tagged a 'must try'.

Boy, did it live up to its namesake.

The al-dente tagliatelle was tossed mushroom ragout and evenly-coated with light cream sauce, generously topped with smoked salmon and roe.


Aerin’s Tagliatelle

Among the mushroom ragout, no bore-me-to-tears button nuances were present. Instead, we recognized some exotic mushrooms such the Porcino, Chanterelle and Trompette. On hindsight, doesn't this sound like a dish assembled in the woods? I mean, the mushrooms sound like they are named after Tolkien's characters. Or could it be the other way round?

I FEE-ed. I FIE-ed. I FO-ed & FUM-ed.


Brown Onion Soup with Roasted Chestnut.

It is trying to seek tasty clear "western" soup as more than often not, you will find yourself suffering at the bowl handles of some disengaging minestrone. But the brown onion soup BEGGED TO DIFFER. Although the roasted chestnuts could have been cut out of the equation entirely, the sliced onions and flavoury taste were enough to warrant a spot in my heart.

But what truly impressed me tonight was the service. Since I've already had dinner, I decided to share the soup. When it was served, I noticed there were two resonably-sized bowls and I immediately reminded him that I had only order one bowl. Then the waiter, Vincent, informed me that he had separated the soups for he knew I had every intention of sharing.

Above and beyond his line of duty.

I just couldn't resist filling up the feedback form.

I must return to Aerin's at Raffles City Marketplace for a well-deserved proper meal SOON.

Aerin's
252 North Bridge Road (S) 179103
B1-11/12, Raffles City Shopping Centre
(S) 179103
Tel: 6337 2231
Open: 11 am - 10 pm daily

i have been pretty much caught up with work.
apart from the lack of updates, i'm so behind on blog-surfing. -ivan, i've only just seen your iggy's post!-
tIRED. 8 write-ups to go.
needs to take a breather.

Superdog @ Vivocity - Spandex Not Included

When the email invitation surfaced, I tossed away all thoughts of job hazards and jumped at the opportunity to visit Superdog at Vivocity for a food tasting session. A first for me, I was euphoric. I smsed my mum with such excitement and haste, one would have thought I scored myself a regular column on New York Times Dining & Wine.

MY FIRST FOOD TASTING SESSION!!!

Well, it’s about time all this blogging brought me some fame and recognition! Roll out the red carpet… Hold your heels, Ruth Reichl-wannabe. Drop the prima donna act before critics toss you off the face of the blogosphere.

I must admit I was tempted to go incognito as I was worried all that special treatment might ever-so-slightly impair my judgment. But it was “fast food” after all so I doubt the folk at Superdog would have a chance to exaggerate their presentation or taste. But let me know if you think I scored extra grilled onions or a couple of lettuces stuffed somewhere.

As soon as we settled down, we were given a choice of either hot chocolate or cappuccino to get things going. Hot chocolate and sausages? I think we could be onto something here…


Chocolate Densa

I was expecting some boring instant mix drink. But when I undid the lid and tilted the cup slightly, the perceptible inactive glob within made me beam. To cut the long story short, Chocolate Densa was Knock-Out-Woke-Up-In Barcelona-Quick!-Hand-Me-Some-Crisp-Churros molten thick. Towards the end, I even had to use my fork to scrap up the remnants! Finishing the entire cup was child’s play as it wasn’t tooth-achingly sweet.

The next time I visit Superdog, I am going to smuggle in a fresh baguette loaf. Thank god, empire-waist dresses are way hot right now.



Chili cheese fries were so good they should be awarded a badge of honour. Though nondescript shoestring fries were used, that was easily forgiven (and forgotten) for it was buried under a stirring 16-ingredients chili sauce (a disarming mix of ground beef, numerous spices and tomato sauce). Watching the shredded cheese meld seamlessly into the chili sauce was brainwashing; now repeat after me: GOOGEY GOOGEY CHEESE IS GOOD FOR ME.

Going through the burger descriptions provided for by the press kit, I noticed Superdog’s burgers carry two types of sauces most exclusive to them: Signature and Unique. Haha.. We had three burgers- Superburger, Bacon Lovers and Fresh Chicken burger.


Superbuger

Superburger "trademark": served with a definitive hand-grilled one-third pound premium beef patty, slices of streaky bacon, fresh greens, grilled onions and SIGNATURE sauce. The “trademark” symbol is deserving and I had to restrain myself from crying out in distress when the last piece was picked away. Must. Keep. Composure. Or thou shall never be invited to food tasting sessions again.

Bacon Lovers: served with grilled pork bacon, cheese, fresh greens and SIGNATURE sauce. The bacon was surprisingly tender and bountiful, unlike the tough twigs you get at Burger King.


Fresh Chicken Burger

Rumored to be the Ladies’s choice, the Fresh Chicken Burger: grilled chicken thigh (not minced chicken patty), fresh greens and UNIQUE sauce. I normally don’t order chicken, rendering it a fast track to Blah Land but this chicken burger offered hope that chicken items need not be boring.


Italian and Polish Sausages

Superdog’s sausages stand out with their griddle-crisp skins that burst open to reveal a chomping good time. We had the Polish, Italian and German around the same table and not a harsh word was spoken- rather definitive by history's standards, no? Without a hot dog bun, the sausages felt a little greasy but the meal wasn’t exactly runway-friendly to begin with.

Apart from the standard spices, Italian sausages also contain either fennel or anise, which lends a distinctive aroma- extremely telling even if you are blindfolded. Erm, I really wasn’t blindfolded... Just a figure of speech!


Bradwurst Hotdog

The most recognizable of German sausages, the bratwurst is usually accented with a variety of spices including ginger, nutmeg and caraway- all of which played a role in creating this flavorsome tube of processed meat. While just as juicy, the Polish sausage was (flavour speaking) EXTRA-ordinary. History repeats itself as the German soundly trounced the Polish in terms of taste.

Given these sausages, Takeru Kobayashi would have broken his record in half the time.


Bacon Chili Cheese Dog

Do give the bacon chili cheese dog a try if you wish to try their ooo la-la chili sauce and fries are not your thing (Humble Alien, Welcome to Earth!).

I had a great time at Superdog and left the joint wishing I had worn a buffet-friendly outfit. During my food tasting session, Superdog was barely half-filled but just an hour later, it was packed to the brim with people eager to satisfy their burger / hot dog craving and curious to see what Superdog offers. In my opinion, I feel Superdog isn’t just a fad. They pride themselves in quality, using only 100% chuck beef (none of that nasty frozen patties) and their offerings are well-differentiated. Keeping your expectations in check, you definitely wouldn't be disppointed.


The crowds speak for themselves.


Ala Carte Menu


Gourmet Beverages


Value Meals


My partners in crime

My meal at Superdog was really quite fantastic. It was reminiscent of my favourite day in summer when my dad took the family out to the baseball game, where we cheered and booed to the rhythm of hotdog chants and soda pops.

Wait a minute, whose life am I reminiscing about?

Burger King HA HA HA

Yes, this is a real food review.

When my collegue, MissCat fished out a crumpled moth-eaten Burger King voucher, I was bemused. To me, eating at fast food chains seemed like a rite of passage that I went through as a kid and young teenager. I remember when McDonalds established an outlet just five minutes walking distance from my school, the school authorities went into a flurry of "Healthy Eating" lip campaign.

Did it work? Hell no. The helluva hoo-ha would served to pique our interest and in any event, my dear old out-of-touch fussbudgets, too many students have been livin' the fast food life long before McDonald's made its way to Ang Mo Kio Street 13.

I used to have Burger King's Crossanwich (ham, please) Breakfast every Sunday morning before going off to ballet class and I would never forget to change my beverage from tea or coffee to orange juice. Of course, this routine would later spin off a journey through child chubs and calories counting but we will save that tearjerker for another occasion.

I was actually looking forward to lunch. I was feeling rather rebellious, for lack of a better word. Since I'm a firm believer that you have to experience the bad, in order to recognize the good, I also wanted to see how 'low' fast food chains would go.



MissCat and I had the gimmicky 'Buddies Meal': Turkey Bacon Cheeseburger, Mushroom Swissburger and three sides: Cheesesticks, Fries and Onion Rings for S$9.90.


Turkey Bacon Cheeseburger


Mushroom Swiss Burger

Gone in three chomps, the burgers was small, just slightly bigger than my palm. The godknowswhatwentin patties were thin, albeit affixed with a smoky grilled aroma. Within my Turkey Bacon Cheeseburger, the bacon was limp and only slightly revived by the barbeque sauce. As for the Mushroom Swiss Burger, we found scattered sliced button mushrooms in nondescript cream sauce.

Am I supposed to comment?



There was nothing remarkable about the shoestring fries (well to be honest, anything remotely exceptional would have demanded column space on the Frank Bruni's column). A signature at Burger King, the onion rings looked unpardonably anemic and undercooked. How difficult is it to work a deep fryer with pre-set temperature and timing? The cheesesticks, while not lacking in taste, was discomforting upon closer inspection. I couldn't make out the constitution of its contents- it just looked like yellow mashed... something.

It is blatantly unhealthy but practically everything detrimental tastes oh-so-good anyway. Bottom line though the food was still edible- even if it did mean using up your sodium bicarbonate intake for the week. We are, after all, talking about bacon, fat and cheese here, so IT'S GOT TO BE TASTY. Just slap on some barbeque sauce & ketchup and what you get is a meal that has sand-grain contributed to the billion-dollar fast food and processed food industry.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride to in an ambulance today..."

Muthu's Curry

Written after dinner last thursday.

Situated at Suntec City's Fountain Terrace, Muthu's Curry is a magnet for corporate souls waiting to spice up their lunch hour without resorting to the fire escape stairs; on the other hand, if you are someone who can't stomach spice, you will probably wish you had a fire hose at arm's length.

Whenever I first walked past Muthu’s Curry during lunch hour, the first thing that caught my eye my attention iwas the contemporary new-age set up of an old prominent name. The folks at Muthu’s Curry are definitely "keeping up with times". The interior design channels black sleekness, keeping a few jasmine garlands for good measure. And the waiters? Wired up with earpieces and armed with hand-held PDAs, they look more like secret agents, who had blown their covers.

The second thing you realise is how packed it always is, mostly with men dressed in various hues of blue shirts. Hmm, really now, do men wear any other colour? Oh well, I guess it’s not wise to wear white when you are eating curry.

For someone who prefers a 'clean unfussy' taste, I definitely wouldn't consider curry (be it Indian, Chinese or Japanese) on a normal basis. But today wasn't normal for I already had Japanese at Ichiban Boshi and I was "merely accompanying" Jimmy for second dinner. I say "merely" because let's face it, you think one person could have finished everything we ordered PLUS two baskets of papadum himself?



At Muthu's Curry, differing palates compromise as the menu offers the best of both North and South Indian cuisine. From the South Indian pages, Jimmy readily picked out the Masala Chicken. Not quite Bourbon On the Rocks, but something tells me this guy has been harbouring a secret desire to get his Masala on the Leaf. You would be too once you get a taste of this insanely delectable Chicken Masala, which should come with its own fan club application form.



Malai Broccoli Kebab

Despite being a broccoli nut, it is my first encounter with Broccoli Kebab and I was half expecting it to be served skewered. When the oven-roasted version arrived complete with charred tips arrived, I was hooked. On first bite, it was a little smoky and peppery, then I realized I had forgotten all about the Malai, which was served separately.

According to Wikipedia.com, the preparation of ‘Malai’ involves a long repeated process of heating unpasteurized whole milk, cooling and skimming off the thick yellowish layer of fat and coagulated proteins, which forms on the surface.

I’m guessing you would never have guessed this innocent bowl of Malai would require such ardous preparation. Well, neither did I. But dribble it over the oven-roasted broccoli for an unusual but welcoming change.





Butter Naan was man-o-man pillowy soft and it had such great ‘tear away’ quality. Though it was heart-stoppingly good with the Masala gravy, I had no problem eating it on its own. If I didn’t have sushi before this, I would have definitely ordered a second (and a very probable third) piece.

Yet another gut-satisfying carb brought to you by Flour, Yeast and Butter Productions.

Papadums were great too.. twist gently and the papadums shatter effortlessly.

Although we didn't order their famous fish head curry, every other table did so Muthu's Curry must be doing something right. I would love to return with a bigger company so that we can order more dishes and indulge in this office romance of a different kind...