December 31, 2014

PinkyPiggu's Best 10 Dining Experiences + Top 5 Favorite Treats Of 2014!



2014 ~ Another year of food, glorious food! I don't understand myself sometimes, why this self-torture of continuing to make personal lists to conclude the year. Haha it's so difficult to narrow down with such abundance of delicious meals! But I guess it serves as a remembrance to the calories that went to the waist but not wasted, the sincerity and soul that the chefs poured into the dishes served, and the wonderful company of my dining companions.

So here it is, PinkyPiggu's Best 10 Dining Experiences of 2014! Listed not in preference but in alphabetical order, and includes both established restaurants and new eateries which opened this year. I have to list down my Top 5 Favorite Treats of 2014 too, little indulgences which I would return again and again for :)

December 27, 2014

PinkyPiggu's Christmas Feast 2014! Recipes Included!



Christmas! We decided to stay at home and cooked up a sumptuous 5-course dinner! It's easy to cook a simple meal for ourselves, but when having guests over, admittedly it can get a bit stressful lol. So we decided to keep to some real easy recipes with minimum preparation time such as:-

  • Mesclun Salad
  • Avocado & Tomato Bruschetta
  • Pan-seared US Angus Ribeye & Kurobuta Pork Collar served with Sautéed Vegetables
  • Truffle Mushroom Fettucine
  • Yogurt Parfait

December 24, 2014

Japan's Asanoya Bakery Opens In Queen Street, Singapore



Yet another renowned Japanese brand ventured its way into Singapore recently ~ Asanoya Bakery! The collaboration with Tan Chong Motors (yes, you read it right, it's the same company which sells Nissan vehicles) marked the popular bakery-chain's first-ever outlet outside of Japan since its establishment in 1933.

While Henri Charpentier is the place to go for chi-chi afternoon tea sessions with lovely cakes and desserts, Asanoya Bakery is where you should be at for some serious gourmet breads and pastries.

December 20, 2014

The Naked Finn @ Gillman Barracks ~ Go Go Go For Their Lobster Roll & Prawn Noodles Soup!



If you ask me, "Where do I find the BEST Lobster Roll in Singapore?", it's a difficult question for me to answer because I do not profess to have eaten all the renditions available to give a fair verdict of any kind. But I will tell you without hesitation that The Naked Finn serves such an awesomerrific lobster roll, it was the most memorable I've ever eaten to date.

The Naked Finn is not as kinky than it sounds, so don't be disappointed worry, you wouldn't get your lobster roll served on a bared torso. It really represents the casual joint's minimalist approach to the preparation of their food, where less is more, where more is no good. The menu is kept concise, with a focus on quality seafood just lightly seasoned and grilled for a more unadulterated taste.

December 17, 2014

The Clan Restaurant @ Bukit Pasoh ~ Elegant Ambience, Delectable Food, Excellent Service!



"Let's go for dinner at The Clan", so I was brought to this cozy dining establishment one evening. Apparently, The Clan Restaurant was chosen because it's somewhere which I've not been to before, and my friend thought I would like the place. He couldn't be more right. Elegant ambience, delectable food, excellent service, our lovely dinner marked a very memorable start to another blissful season in life.

The Clan Restaurant is nestled in a hundred over years old building within the conservation area of Bukit Pasoh (Chinatown), with nearby The Lokal and Majestic Restaurant as its neighbours. I guess its name has got to do with the The Gan Clan Association that is also located in the same premises.

December 14, 2014

Harry's Bar @ Cuppage Terrace ~ Festive Celebration Meal 2014 + GIVEAWAY (worth $250)!



PinkyPiggu loves Decembers! Always a joyous month when we celebrate the greatest love that came down from heavens and the love around us, with our loved ones. So much love? Yes, yes, yes, lol!!! Add one more to that: Harry's Festive Celebration Meal for 4 at their newest outlet at Cuppage Terrace which is conveniently located in Orchard Road (next to Centrepoint).

Since it's the season of giving, Harry's Bar is giving PinkyPiggu's readers a chance to enjoy this feast (worth $250) for free! Read on for details on the Giveaway!

December 12, 2014

Pek Sin Choon 白新春茶庄 ~ One of The Oldest Tea Merchant In Singapore + YouTube Video



A typical Bak Kut Teh (pork ribs soup) meal would not seem complete without a good pot of tea by its side, in fact bak kut teh is literally translated into Mandarin as "meat, bone, tea", which just shows how important tea is to the overall bak kut teh eating experience. Admittedly, I just eat and drink, without thinking much into this pairing, nor the type of tea leaves used, until I met Kenry Peh over lunch at Goldleaf New Taiwan Porridge Restaurant.

Kenry came across as very soft spoken and humble, little did I realized that this is the man holding forth a family business established since 1925. He is the 4th generation owner of Pek Sin Choon, one of the oldest tea merchants in Singapore. Pek Sin Choon supplies tea leaves to 80% of the local bak kut teh restaurants and stalls! Now I know where those packets of "Unknown Fragrance 不知香" tea accompanying my bak kut teh meal comes from, and actually made an attempt at hand-packaging it!

December 10, 2014

Summer Palace @ Regent Hotel Singapore ~ The Crocodile Meat Claypot Rice Is A Must-Try!



I was full of anticipation as my footsteps hurried me towards Summer Palace, Regent Hotel Singapore's award-winning Cantonese restaurant, for their Claypot Indulgence which features a sumptuous selection of 6 claypot rice specials. It's available only for a limited period from 22 Nov 2014 to 31 Jan 2015, so must hurry!

The most unforgettable claypot rice experience I had was at a streetside eatery in Hong Kong, where we scoffed down piping hot rice served in a sizzling claypot at our al fresco table amid the pleasantly chilly year-end weather. My experience at Summer Palace was just as memorable, all thanks to the yummilicious Crocodile Meat Claypot Rice, an adventurous creation by their Executive Chinese Chef Liu Ching Hai, a Hong Kong native.

December 07, 2014

SELA Restaurant @ Seah Street ~ Great Ambience & Good Food!



Just by the name "SELA" alone did not gave me any inkling that the restaurant serve modern European cuisine, but once I got to its premises at Seah Street (right across Raffles Hotel), I saw why it is named so. "Sela" means "rock" in Hebrew, and lovely white-painted stone walls are a prominent feature in both the interior and exterior of this cosy dining establishment. Minimalist-furnished in soothing tones of white and grey, with wooden furniture for added warmth, the intimate space is so elegantly beautiful!

December 04, 2014

Backstage Café @ Kallang Way



Staying afloat is this competitive café scene is not easy considering the sheer number of newbies popping up every other day. The newbies all want a slice of the pie, and the oldies have to ensure they remain afresh in customers' mind and encourage return visits, while stepping up efforts to attract new patrons. One way is achieve this is to entice with regularly revamped menus, and re-enforcing their presence by tapping on the influence of social media, just like what Backstage Café is doing.