A Deluxe Lunch at Tatsuya, Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore

Sushi lunch set, $90

I was having a casual lunch at Tatsuya by the sushi counter almost two years ago when I saw a lady stroll into the restaurant in a t-shirt and sweat shorts. Juxtaposed with the row of dolled up, glamorous women seated at the sushi counter, she looked completely out of place but appeared unfazed. Then she sat down beside me, full of dignity and grace, whispered her order to the staff, and proceeded to enjoy an omakase by herself. Sushi after premium sushi landed on her plate from the chef's hands, which she savoured in a sort of quiet joy, unperturbed and completely at peace. Just watching her (mostly from the corner of my eye), I have to say, she changed my life.

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Bedrock Bar & Grill - No-Nonsense Steaks, Singapore

Bedrock Bar & Grill

Bedrock Bar & Grill is the kind of steakhouse that hits all the right notes. It's classy enough, achingly hip and serves up a damned good steak. The kind of steakhouse I could imagine in downtown Manhattan.

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HY California - Awesome Lunch Bentos!

Sleek interior of HY California

I'm a food nerd. I had a professor who once confessed that he enjoys trawling through IPO prospectuses and company annual reports in his free time. I thought he was crazy. The thing is, I'm not all that different, except the things I trawl through are online restaurant menus, food review sites, food section of lifestyle sites, food blogs... you get the drift. According to yelp, HY California is no great shakes, so I never thought to try it. That is, until Y and I were out of time and desperately looking for a lunch spot and I thought the place did look decent. This is, I suppose, a classic example of how reviews (including my own) are not gospel...

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Lunch @ Dinings, London - Remarkable Sushi

Dinings, London

Dinings, for a sashimi-phile like myself, is a god sent. There is an emphasis on quality ingredients and just the right mix of traditional and the more say, contemporary creations. It's a quaint, tiny set-up owned by ex-Nobu chef Tomonari Chiba, with a sushi counter on the ground level and a small, minimalist dining area in the basement. Since it was a breezy summer when I visited, dining at the sushi counter where we had a clear view of the chefs working their magic was a no-brainer. I didn't know then, but I was about to be blown away by some of the best sushi I've ever had.

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Lunch at Teppei/ Hana Hana, Singapore - It's the Bara Chirashi

Bara Chirashi, $17.60

It's the Bara Chirashi that keeps me coming. I've had the exact same thing five or six times, and I know I'm still going to come for more. Is it a perfect bowl of Chirashi? No. It's carelessly seasoned, too liberally so, every time. But still, the generous chunks of sashimi fish are sweet, fresh and no doubt the best I've been able to lay my hands on at this price point (sans the maguro... then again that's always tricky). Aoki's a fantastic place for chirashi and my favourite, but also twice the price.

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(Inaugural) Taste of Perth 2014

I've been caught up with a multitude of things - a business trip to London, a professional exam... life. But earlier in May, Y and I took time out for a trip to Perth and popped by the inaugural Taste of Perth festival. Such a beautiful event, really, with amazing food and gorgeous weather (autumn transiting into the beginnings of winter). There were no lack of happy faces and booths after booths of gourmet produce, chef creations, wine... you name it.

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The Tippling Club - A Medley of Surprises

The Tippling Club

Wow, lunch at the Tippling Club was a real treat. I never really thought about lunch here, mainly because $57 for 3 courses didn't sound like much. Boy, was I wrong. The entire experience, from the chic ambience down to the inventive dishes and string of surprise amuse bouches, was one serious feast for the sight and senses.

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Savour 2014! Here's the lowdown.

Savour 2014 at the Promontory

Savour is back! I was a little worried that things could be getting old, but the new venue at the promontory with breathtaking views of the bay really brought out the festival vibes, and of course the gourmet village, gourmet market and masterclasses continue to surprise and entice, with a good number of showstoppers. Here's what I loved this time round.

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My Awesome Café, Indeed - Telok Ayer, Singapore

My Awesome Café

My Awesome Café has the kind of laid-back charm that draws you in the minute you see it. All the diners are relaxed, casually people-watching and chowing on wholesome sandwiches - it's a picture perfect scene that I wanted to be a part of immediately. It's not everyday that a café plays up retro kitsch to such marvellous effect. Plus, the bread I was eyeing looked pretty amazing.

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Keyaki, Pan Pacific Hotel - Elegant Japanese Kaiseki

Elegant Japanese fine dining

Keyaki, from the ambience down to the food, has a wonderful, traditional elegance not commonly found these days. Walking through the garden to the restaurant, I felt just as though I'd escaped to a sanctuary safe from all the troubles of the day. The restaurant offers kaiseki (traditional multi-course sets) from upwards of $150, as well as special sets based on seasonal offerings. What's great about Keyaki is the lack of hard rules for at least two diners to order the same kaiseki set - I just love enlightened restaurants.

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Fiorentina Extravaganza @ Oca Grassa, Singapore

Fiorentina

Hello, Bistecca alla Fiorentina (steak Florentine style). It's nice to finally meet you.

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Ronin @ Hong Kong Street - Dapper Haunt

Ronin

Happy 2014! I know I've been away for a bit - had the most magical time at Christmas and New Years' (mostly at house parties) with loved ones - I hope December has been absolutely wonderful for you too. Have you been to Ronin? The latest café by the guys behind the Plain is also the most dapper yet. Man, it's been a long time since I've felt such a strong urge to gush about a place to everyone I know.

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Maple & Market - Wonderful Cakes, Great Coffee

Maple & Market

I have a soft spot for places that are right smack in the middle of nowhere. Or perhaps, to be more accurate, the only café in a decidedly quiet neighbourhood is just that much more charming than a row of cafés. I guess it feels more like a secret, even if it isn't exactly one.

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Drury Lane Café, Duxton - Relaxed, Unpretentious Café

Just when I thought there couldn't possibly be space for another café at Duxton, I discovered Drury Lane. Great coffee, relaxed atmosphere, good prices - honestly, I'm not sure what more I could have asked for.

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[Giveaway] ToTT Launches Website and 'Best Brunch Ever' Cookbook

Chef Nicolas' Eggs 'a la coque'

Have you been to Tools of the Trade (ToTT) at Dunearn Road? It is basically what heaven looks like to anyone who loves to cook - a huge enclave of the most gorgeous equipment made for dinner parties of dreams. It is what heaven looks like to me, the kind of place I can spend hours, in the same way I adore supermarkets (Jasons is also right next door). And now, all this dreaming, and more, is available online - yikes (can you please believe that no one put a gun to my head to say all these?). As if that is not enough, they have also banded together chefs helming the coolest spots in town to put together a 'Best Brunch Ever' cookbook featuring 8 different cuisines! If you're itching for the giveaway, skip to the end!

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Omakase at Teppei, Orchid Hotel - a (Japanese) Whirlwind Ride

Teppei

Omakase is the next thing to go mass market, right? All of a sudden Japanese shops are all serving "omakase" meals (literally meaning "I'll leave it to you"), what was once offered only by the best restaurants in town. Perhaps the decadence and meaning in "omakase" is slipping somewhat, or perhaps decadence is now offered to more - I suppose it's how you see it. Now, not all omakase meals live up to expectations, especially at the more competitive price points (see, it's a lot easier to impress when you give the chef, say, $200 to please you, than say, $60) but Teppei manages to give a helluva ride at a price that seriously won't burn your pocket. Obviously everyone knows this already, or their dinner reservations won't be full till April next year, eh?

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Comman Man Coffee Roasters, Martin Road - Great Coffee, Delicious Food

Common Man Coffee Roasters

Not all places that serve great coffee serve equally inspiring food. Sometimes, not everything that sounds inspiring on the menu wind up tasting good. Common Man Coffee Roasters manages to avoid both pitfalls - clearly, having the word 'common' in your name doesn't necessarily make you such. Only problem is, you'll have difficulty getting a table. Don't ask me how I managed to squeeze myself in there on a Sunday morning. This place is packed.

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Omakase at Sushi Kuu, Palais Renaissance - A Sashimi Affair

Sushi Kuu

Ah, omakase. Where we simply let loose and see where the cards fall, where the roads lead, where the chef takes us. What could be more therapeutic? You don't even need to think, it's all been done for you. I spend a lot of my time thinking way too much, so omakase meals tend to be a huge relief. Besides, I never got the chance to try Sushi Kuu in Hong Kong, so I was really thrilled to finally check this place off. I wasn't disappointed - Sushi Kuu's ingredients were impeccably fresh, and the servings, generous. Easily one of the top dogs in town.

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[Tasting] Smiths, Singapore - Authentic British Fish and Chips!

Smiths Authentic British Fish and Chips

Last Thursday, I found out just how little I knew about fish and chips. Or rather, while it may seem pretty obvious that you can pretty much batter any kind of fish on earth, I had blithely assumed that humans stuck to two to three kinds. How wrong I was.

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The Sushi Bar, Singapore - Fantastic Chirashi!

The Sushi Bar

It's incredible, the "affordable" Japanese scene in Singapore has really burgeoned over the last year. Remember when people used to flock to Japanese buffets because they presented the most compelling value proposition at enough price points to satisfy both the masses and the discerning? Not anymore. I never dreamt that Japanese cuisine and 'affordability' would ever come together but it seems like the gap is fast narrowing. And The Sushi Bar is coming up tops in this category.

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