Thursday, December 13, 2012

Roast Chicken - How to Do a Great Roast Chicken This Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought this would be an ideal time to share some great tips on doing a beautiful roast chicken during this festive season.

I have always advocated about eating at home and the positives about doing so, and during Christmas, this aspect is even more important.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Liu He Taiwan Night Market Snacks - Deep Fried Goodness in Tampines

I am not a big fan of deep fried food, and these days, I consciously avoid places like KFC and the once popular Shilin outlets.

Speaking of Shilin, it is amazing how fast a trend can die down. There was a time when you could see such long queues waiting for their deep fried chicken chops sprinkled with MSG laden seasoning.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Hill Street Char Kway Teow

I have long held out that Outram Char Kway Teow at Hong Lim is the best char kway teow stall you can find in Singapore, but I was hoping to savor the legendary Hill Street stall before making a final judgement.

Well, I finally made it to this famous char kway teow, now situated in Bedok and I have to say, this is seriously, the best char kway teow anywhere in the world.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Amy's Laksa - More Than Just Laksa, But Delicious Prawn Mee and Mee Siam

Usually, when a stall tries to sell more than one type of food at a hawker center, it usually comes off as more of jack of all, and master of none. So, when you hear of a stall that has Laksa in the name, and also sells prawn mee and mee siam at the same time, you would think that the other 2 are basically supporting dishes.

Well, you would be very wrong, for at Amy's Laksa, the trilogy of hawker classics is as brilliant and brilliantly consistent as the Lord of the Rings movies combined.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Yong Lai Fa Ji Shu - A Beautiful Fish Head Soup

When it comes to fish head dishes, it is always a challenge to find fresh tasting fish heads in Singapore, even in high class restaurants.

And most of the time, we will probably be taking fish head with curry and the reason is simple, curry is a great way to mask the fishy odor that tend to permeate most fish heads here.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Carbonara Risotto

I first had this dish cooked for me by Chef Peter Neo at Pietro's, and it is now a staple on the menu. Up until then, I have never had risotto done in this way, and I have certainly had my fair share of carbonara pasta, including my own.

And thanks to Peter, who was kind enough to share with me how to make this beautiful tasting dish, I decided to try it at home, using the simplest of ingredients.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Indonesian Food House at Aljunied - Incredible Lontong

Being Chinese, I have always wanted to savor more of non-Chinese fare, especially as one gets older and one's palette gets more subtle, and malay food has been something that I been very keen to try.

And I was informed by my foodie veteran that the best Malay food comes from Indonesians who have migrated here, as they cook with real passion and skill.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Minced Pork Noodle - Excellent Bak Chor Mee in Tampines

I have never been a real fan of Bak Chor Mee, or minced pork noodles as it otherwise known here. Somehow, I have never found one that really tickled me pink and while I have heard of famous ones like Tai Hwa, I have never been there to savor it either.

Thankfully, in a corner of Tampines, tucked away in a rather large coffeeshop, is a inconspicuous looking food stall that actually serves up a very good Bak Chor Mee.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Chye Kee Chwee Kueh - Best Chwee Kueh in Singapore

One of my morning breakfast staples has always been chwee kueh, which is basically steamed rice cakes with preserved turnips, chai poh as it is known here.

And for years, we have always been told that Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh was the best around town. Well, thanks to my experienced foodie friend, I was brought to a very modest stall in Circuit Road that trumps all other chwee kueh stalls.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Twe Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice

Personally, I have always preferred the more subtle versions of our favorite Hainanese chicken rice, and not the overly powering variants served by Boon Tong Kee and Tian Tian.

That is why I have always enjoyed Sergeant Kiang's chicken rice when he was running it as Jiang Ji last year, and until he resurfaced recently at Kovan, I admit, I was having a bit of chicken rice cold turkey.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Lai Kee Pau at Bedok

Restaurant prices are really getting more and more ridiculous these days, and what is worse, the quality has taken a nosedive in most places.

Driven by marketing hype and foreign talent, Chinese restaurants, especially, has been giving our local food establishments a very bad name. With the exception of maybe Crystal Jade and Imperial Treasure, I tend to avoid most restaurants these days.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

SP Pratas and Curry at Seletar Hill Estate

Today, I thought I do a very quick post on a prata joint I recently discovered by chance in a very quiet place in Seletar Hill Estate.

Well, maybe not that quiet as the morning crowd was quite bustling and being the only coffeeshop around, in a place surrounded by private houses, it would definitely be the place to get your morning breakfast and such.

Friday, September 21, 2012

58 Prawn Noodle at Bedok Reservoir Road

A foodie friend of mine actually brought me to this incredible prawn mee stall last week, but it was already sold out by the time we were there after 2pm.

This time round, we made it a point to be there just before noon, and one of the things that stood out was this stall was in a coffeeshop humorously called See Beh Ho Eating House.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Beer Braised Pork Belly With Apples

Being Chinese, we are used to eating braised pork belly done by our mums and grandmums over the years, and it is indeed one of those classic family dishes that will evoke your earliest childhood food memories.

Yet, for all its tradition and history, I have never been entirely satisfied with the way it is made. And I was seeking how to improve this dish using some of the modern cooking techniques out there.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Singapore Fake Food - Plastic Food Models

Take a look at this picture, and it sure looks like a delectable bowl of local wanton mee, and you will be hard pressed to think it is fake.

But it is, for this entire bowl is made of pvc and plastic, and it is totally inedible. Yet, it looks incredibly realistic and utterly yummy. It is, in fact, a prime example of Singapore food models.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Hai Sheng Fried Carrot Cake at Bedok North

Here is the first of two posts on fried carrot cake. And for me, fried carrot cake is something I simply adore as an outside snack, and also something I don't do at home.

The combination of daikon, carrot, egg and spring onion has a simplicity that can always still impress any palate. Yet, good hawker stalls that service this dish is still a rarity here.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Classic Spaghetti Bolognese

It is unfortunately sad but true that most pasta places you find in Singapore serve pretty much mediocre pasta, and nothing gets worse than a plate of watery and sour Bolognese.

I will not name names, but the popular cafes here just do not take the effort to make a good sauce for this classic dish, and hence, make a mess out of it. It is amazing still, that most younger folks who patronize such outlets think they are eating real Spaghetti Bolognese.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Hougang 6 Miles Famous Muah Chee at Bedok

Muah Chee is one of those evergreen local desserts that seems to be increasingly fading away to obscurity. I remember I used to take it for granted when I was a young boy, but as the years passed, it became harder to find.

It is only now that I realise how much I miss this simple but tasty local treat. And when I was brought to this somewhat obscure location in Bedok by a friend, I was delighted to be reunited with an old "friend".

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Ratatouille - The Actual Dish From the Pixar Movie

Ratatouille remains one of all my all-time favorite films, and not just because it features food as a theme, but Brad Bird's film is simply perfect from start to finish.

It is also an animated feature that is equally meant for adults as it is for children. The final speech given my the food critic, Anton Ego is simply one of the best endings to a film ever.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Mao Shan Wang Mooncakes From Prima Deli

When it comes to mooncakes, in recent years, I have become somewhat jaded with what has been on offer. One one hand, you have the hotels who is bent on coming up with even more insane flavors and variations of this simple dessert.

On the other hand, you have 80 or 100 year old shops touting how mooncakes that are handmade are still the best, and to be perfectly honest, I have never subscribed to either faction. That is why, this year, I have decided to write about something in-between.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Butter Basil Rice With Salted Egg Yolk Prawns

Last weekend, I was asking Pauline what she would like to have that we have not cooked at home before, and the first thing she came up with was salted egg yolk pork ribs, a dish which she enjoyed at Mellben.

Well, I was fine with the salted egg yolk portion, but did not like the pork rib as much as I always felt it was not a great combination. She suggested prawns instead and I agreed without hesitation.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Silver Seabass - Basted Seabass With Cauliflower Puree and Sauvignon Apples and Prawn Oil

For the past few months, I have been experimenting and exploring various ways to cook a signature fish dish, and mixing different components and ingredients to attempt to achieve the perfect balance of flavors on a plate.

Well, I believe I have come to a point where I am reasonably satisfied to present my Silver Seabass dish. Reasonably, well, because I don't think I will ever be 100 percent happy as I will keep on trying new things on a plate.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

How To Make An Italian Pizza Video With Mauro And Peter

In a new series of cooking video which I have the fortune of having Chef Peter and Mauro from Giorgio Ferrari to host, I wanted to start on something that is a favorite of everyone.

By everyone, I mean it is something that locals and westerners adore, a comfort food that is universally enjoyed, and yet, very hard to get right. I am referring to the perennial pizza. So for this very first video, it is on how to make an authentic Italian pizza.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist at Hong Lim Food Centre

For me, I have always had a hard time finding great wanton noodle stalls here. And so far, Nam Seng has been my favorite simply because it gets most of the things right in a bowl of wanton mee.

But it is not perfect. And that is the problem with wanton noodles. You simply cannot find one perfect bowl where the noodles are perfect, the sauce is perfect, the wantons are perfect and the char siew is perfect.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Roasted Tomato Sauce

There is something about a classic Italian tomato sauce that just wows me, but ever since I had that first taste of authentic Italian pasta cooked right in the heart of Pisa, I have not been able to get that same beautiful taste here.

Don't get me wrong, there are some wonderful Italian pasta places to go to here, including my favorite Pietro's, but restaurants here still tend to use canned tomato pastes and purees instead of making tomato paste from scratch.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Ikea Styled Beef Meatballs with Mini Potato Fondants

Sometimes, it is always good to go back to an old recipe and simply try to improve it, and that was the case with my original meatballs dish which I have now sought to get it better.

And not only that, Ikea themselves have recently done the same thing, improving their original recipe. While I am not sure if Ikea's new recipe has gone down well with the general public, I am personally more satisfied with this newer meatball dish of mine.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Tang HK Cafe at Neil Road - Superb Roast Duck

I met the owner of Tang HK Cafe, Benson Tong at a radio station and remembered him bringing us his roast duck for us to sample. We thought it would be just a regular roast duck, but was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.

And so it was, we eventually patronised his HK styled cafe at Neil Road a few weeks later to sample his full range of dishes and food. And it was a really delightful discovery.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Seabass With Beurre Blanc Sauce and Brussel Sprouts

There is something that is genuinely classic French when you pan roast fish with butter, and pair with a white butter sauce, and I set out to do a classic French dish last week.

It is actually a relatively simple dish to do, and making use of components that you can easily obtain from your nearest supermarket. And that is the point here, to make quality food using regular ingredients.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Ice Edge II - Upper Thomson Outlet

One of my favorite chill out places has always been Ice Edge Cafe at Simon Road near Novan, and when I heard that Damien, the owner, was opening a second outlet at Upper Thomson, I was absolutely ecstatic.

The main reason for my elation is that I stay in Bishan, and having an Ice Edge outlet in the heart of Thomson means I can patronize it very easily and it is also a stone's throw from Pauline's office, meaning she can lunch there very often and easily.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Pan Fried Salmon with Butter Cream Sauce - Cooking Demo at Woodlands

After my culinary demo with Chef Peter at Chong Pang Community Centre last February, I was again invited last week to do a cooking demo for a group of housewives at Woodlands.

The first thing that came to mind was this simple but tasty salmon dish and my regular tomato basil pasta which I posted on Terry aka Food Canon's blog recently. So, I thought it would be a good time to post this delicious recipe here.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Fatty Cheong - One of the Best Char Siew and Sio Bak

Ever since I have been to Foong Kee and savored what I consider to be the best char siew in Singapore, I have always been recommended to try Fatty Cheong's Cannot See Daylight Char Siew at Brickworks Food Market.

Well, I have finally made this culinary pilgrimage with my regular food kaki, Ken and I was certainly not disappointed. But is it as good or even better than Foong Kee? Read on to find out.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Teochew Bak Kut Teh Risotto with Tea Infused Apple Slices - A World's First

Bak Kut Teh and Risotto has always been two of my favorite dishes, and despite the fact that their origins are as far apart as they can be, I have always wanted to find some way to combine them together as one singular dish.

The difficulty is to cook either of these dishes will take a considerable effort, let alone both at the same time. On top of that, I also needed a component to simulate the fat cutting properties of drinking chinese tea that comes with eating Bak Kut Teh.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Salmon Tartare with Enoki Mushrooms - Guest Blog

Today, I have invited another prominent food blogger, Terry Wong who runs The Food Canon, to do my very first guest blog on The Silver Chef.

And the reason I have asked Terry is that like myself, he is an avid food lover and is utterly passionate about cooking, and he has some fantastic recipes up on his own blog. I do encourage you to check out his food blog.

Recently, I had a chance to help him cook for a fund raising event and it was a wonderful experience working with him. Soon after, we talked of doing guest blogs for one another hence, he has come up with a terrific salmon tartare dish which is presented below.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Simple Bacon and Onion Omelette Recipe

Gordon Ramsay once said that he likes to test a cook's skill by asking him or her to cook a simple egg dish for him. The reasoning is quite simple, and I tend to subscribe to it.

It is always easy to use expensive and premium ingredients to elevate a dish, but it is always quite hard to take something simple and make it special. And eggs are one of the most common ingredients out there.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Soon Heng Rojak at Toa Payoh HDB Hub

I never knew how handy the ieat hawker app was until recently, when I was at Toa Payoh HUB and thinking that there won't be any good food around, seeing there was only a basement food court.

And quite frankly, how many food courts in Singapore can boast of a fairly famous and popular hawker stall that will get queues the likes of Tian Tian Chicken Rice in Maxwell Market? Not many, I guess.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee

For quite some time now, I have thought that the char kway teow in Meng Kee in Beo Crescent was far and away the best and my own personal favorite for CKT.

This week, I was finally brought to the famous Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee stall, and boy, was it superb. So much so, that I probably will tie it for first place among the best CKT in Singapore

Monday, May 7, 2012

Butter Soba with Garlic Mushroom

I have always thought of replacing pasta with soba for one of my own recipes, and it is on one weekend afternoon when I decided to try this out.

Pauline has always been an advocate of healthy choices, and of late, she has been making a lot of soba for our meals, using the tried and tested way of having cold soba with Japanese soya sauce.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Sirloin Apple - My New Blog on All Things Apple, Mac, iPhone and iPad

For quite some time now, I have thought of doing a separate blog on my passion on Apple devices, and today, I have finally decided to initiate a new blog.

I call it Sirloin Apple, for the simple reason that I want it to be simple, and also sound delicious at the same time, in conjunction with this food blog.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Braised Oxtail

My dad used to love this dish when I was young during those younger times, it was also not easy to find a good place that can serve a credible oxtail dish.

I decided to try my hand at making this dish myself, and in a way, dedicate this to those who are celebrating Father's Day next month and maybe use this recipe to whip up something for their dads.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Pietro - MasterChef Peter Neo's New Italian Restaurant

Over the last year or so, I have had the good fortune and opportunity to know and work with Masterchef Peter Neo on a number of occasions, both tasting his great food, and conducting cooking lessons with him.

And it is without doubt that my cooking skills have improved immeasurably from watching him work and cook for his loyal fans and followers.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Zam Zam Murtabak

It's been awhile since I last blogged about a prata place, and while my all time favorite will still be Sin Ming Roti Prata, I am beginning to find other very good alternative prata houses.

This one happens to be opposite the Sultan Mosque towards Bugis Junction, and is reputed to be one of the most notable prata houses in town. I decided to give it a try one evening after work.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Dove Desserts - Chendol at its Best!

In the concluding part of my Toa Payoh Lorong 7 Food Centre trilogy, I want to focus on desserts. After all, I practically started with an omelette appetizer, followed by a beef noodle main.

What better way to end this trio of food delicacies than to talk about one of the best chendols you can find here in Singapore, and I am talking about Dove Desserts.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Hai Nan Xing Zhou Beef Noodles at Toa Payoh Lorong 7

In my second of 3 reviews at Toa Payoh Food Centre, I want to talk about this very well known beef noodle stall that a number of my friends have been raving about.

It used to hail from the famous Cuppage Centre hawker centre many eons ago, and it continues to ply its trade now at the crowded hawker centre here in Lorong 7 of Toa Payoh.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Ah Chuan Oyster Omelette at Toa Payoh Lorong 7

Pauline has a penchant for oyster omelette, and yet, ironically enough, she would always leave the oysters to me as she just wants the non-oyster portions of this dish.

For me, I do not always enjoy this delicacy as I find most stalls do not have the right balance of flavors, and mind you, this is not a dish that is easily mastered.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Sesame Ginger Chicken in Dark Soya Sauce with Black Fungus

Pauline's mum has always had a range of classic recipes that she would always enjoy, and food that she has grown up eating.

One of her very favorites is this delicious sesame ginger chicken in dark soy with black fungus that never fails to delight. With that in mind, I decided to replicate it with a bit of my own touch.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Nespresso at ION Orchard

Personally, I have never been an avid coffee drinker, and apart from the Starbucks and Coffee Bean craze in the mid to late 90s, I have rarely ventured into coffee territory.

Pauline, however, is almost coffee dependent, and needs a shot everyday to get her engine going. And every once in a while, she would brew a nice cup of Illy coffee, which is temptingly aromatic and I would steal a sip or two.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Shanghai Ren Jia 上海人家 - Best Shanghai Food and Xiao Long Bao in Singapore

I always hear that mainland China food does not suit our local Singaporean taste buds, and having been to Beijing and Shanghai, I tend to agree.

China cooks tend to be a bit heavy handed with salt and oil, and the food comes off as overly salty and greasy, and often, Singaporeans are turned off by eateries set up by Mainland Chinese.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Nam Seng Wanton Mee at Far East Square

Despite my fondness of wanton mee, it is really hard to get really excellent wanton mee these days, well, at least for me.

There is always this nagging issue that it is nearly impossible to get every element of a bowl of wanton mee just absolutely right. And add to that, it is sometimes misleading to see long queues at one particular stall, only to find out it is overhyped.

Friday, March 16, 2012

The Eternal Broth - The World's First Classical and Pop Music Album Created Entirely on the iPad and GarageBand

With all the excitement surrounding the release of the new iPad, it is easy to miss out some other significant updates to Apple's products, in particular, the latest update to the GarageBand app on iPad.

Apart from being able to do a live jam and recording session over 4 iPads simultaneously, the biggest addition for me was the new Smart Strings instruments.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Swee Guan Hokkien Mee at Geylang Lorong 29

Swee Guan Hokkien Mee has a over 30 years of history, and the current generation, Mr Swee, himself still does all the cooking and frying of the noodles.

It is found in a corner of Geylang where it is quietly tucked away in one corner of a coffeeshop. But let not this simple setting detract you from trying this immensely delicious hokkien mee.