Singapore - Pave

Thanks to Foodie-Ah, we thought a visit to the newly opened patisserie on East Coast Road - Pave, was worth a visit.  The place is very prettily deco fitted and my camera couldn't do justice to the place.  But Foodie-Ah's shots more than capture the essence of the whole concept.

It was fairly late in the evening, so stocks had obviously depleted through the day.  So that pretty much did the choosing for us. 

Of the 3 cakes we left the shop with, I thought the Matcha was the one that lived up to the whole experience.  A combination which included sweet potato puree, and even purple yam, and soft sponge flavored by green tea which had been cultivated in the shade and therefore not as in-your-face as cheaper teas.  A light yet satisfying piece of art which I think is a sign of greater things to come from this lovely place.

The Black Box - or the chocolate banana dessert didn't go down so well with the panel.  The sprinkles of rock salt over the top were in our opinion, over the top.  Perhaps one sprinkle too many?  The saltiness was a tad overpowering.  The chocolate sponge was deceptive and came in a lot tougher and dryer in reality, which was disappointing.  If it tasted as good as it looked, the yummy mashed banana would be an awesome combination for the chocolate.  In short, there is potential with this one but needs work.

The passionfruit cheese cake was a little better but the fruit was overpoweringly tart and the lovely cheese cake was stopped dead in its tracks and couldn't do much to elevate itself, especially also having to battle the salt and honey oat base.

Overall, lovely ideas and we hope they continue to work at it.  It's too pretty a place to have to let go.  The passionate owners reveal that there is more to come and the peeps cannot wait to try.  But there is some way to go before they can justify the $8 price tag on each of the cakes.

93 East Coast Road
Singapore 428792
Tel: (+65) 6342 0677

I Heart Chestnuts

There is something about chestnuts I like.  The subtle sweetness, the almost creamy but not heavy texture and the myriad of combinations this fruit or nut goes with.  Or not!  On its own, it is as heavenly and calls to mind the late-in-the-year holiday spirit.  Nothing like standing near a street vendor roasting chestnuts in the middle of winter.  Hard work for him but such warmth for those passing by.

In the heat of summer, and boy, are we having one heck of a summer, confectionary is probably best.  And by chance, Sogo was carrying this great import from Japan centered around the chestnut, obviously.

And so, I take it home, all pretty and lovely.  And then excitedly take away the ribbon and wrapper...

Well, more work to do..  still pretty though.. really can't beat the Japanese when it comes to packaging.  So much for Green, carbon footprint, and all of those good things.

And then viola!  The prized inside of soft sponge, with Yuzu-infused mashed Azuki read beans, and generous strewn, neatly of course, along the centre of the cake, whole candied steamed chestnuts, so you don't have to hunt for the few.  They are there for the taking and satisfactorily too.

Definitely one of the better ones I've had.  And I've had it for breakfast and desserts.  Really works with the cuppa tea or coffee.

And no wonder, this one's been in existence for 350 years and have won a variety of prizes, gold no less.   Not a regular feature here, so enjoy while you can.  Literally, while stocks last.

Hong Kong - Cookies Quartet

What goes with coffee?

These yummy palmiers from Cookies Quartet.  Not the usual overly buttered ones, these are light, fragrant and not overly flaky...

Someone did tell me this is a healthy recipe.  Whatever it was, these were seriously addictive.

G/F , Shing Ping House
62 Shing Woo Road
Happy Valley
Tel: +852-2575 2282

Strawberry Season

It's strawberry season!  Ok, I'm not a huge fan of this lush and pretty fruit, but often that's because you can't really eat it all year round despite what the farmers and grocers tell you.  If it ain't season, it ain't tasty and who wants to bite into something pretty and end on a sour note - anti-climactic.

But it is season now and these slightly mutant-sized ones are imported from Japan from my trusted Happy Valley grocer that all the rich and famous head to for their supply of fruit and vegetables.  They were tastier than they looked - nature is fair!  Juicy, sweet and not too mushy since it still has a little bit of crunch but not so as to make it taste unripe.

Of course, there are a guhzillion other ways to treat your strawberries right if you don't like them neat.

This strawberry cake from Patisserie Yamakawa was light fluffy and fruity.  You forget about all the calories from the sugar and cream (it was fresh!) and focus on how something so yummy can actually be healthy (women get slightly delusional from desserts - it is how we are made).

Even the traditional have embraced the fruit and this mochi ball from City Super had the slightly tart and crunchy fruit, balanced by the smooth honeyed red bean paste, encased by a pink chewy glutinous home to deliver a burst of different textures and flavours.

Happy strawberry season y'all!  Enjoy!

PS.  Both Patisserie Yamakawa and the Mochi balls can be found at the City Super Times Square outlet down in Causeway Bay.

Hong Kong - Awfully Chocolate

After exposure to all the fancy patisseries and this decade's bakeries, Awfully Chocolate takes us back in time to old-fashioned cake as we know it.  And because the ingredients are so simple, you do need the best. 

Hailing from Singapore, Awfully Chocolate is not new to me.  And it was refreshing take to Lana Cakes - for those who still remember growing up with it and enjoying the labours of the aunties at Lana's at every kid's birthday party in the 80s.  But my main gripe with Awfully Chocolate in Singapore is that the ingredients were not necessarily the best.  

Given the run-up to Valentine's, it was hard to refuse the smiles from the sales person at the temporary booth they set up in Harbour City and pick up a heart-shaped one.

I decided to try the chocolate rum and cherry one on this dreadful weather day.  I was pleasantly surprised by the much better ingredients they seem to use in Hong Kong over Singapore - the chocolate was smooth and had none of the aftertaste that I didn't like so much in Singapore.  Cherries were well soaked although the rum was subtle - a little too subtle to have it in the name in my opinion.

Nevertheless, an appropriately sweet dessert to a lazy day.  Next up: the Chocolate Banana one..

And oh... the combination of chocolate and banana wins hands down!  The smooth choco sponge and the fragrant ripened bananas are supremo!  YUMMS!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And of course happy birthday to cousin M and Aunty M too!  Always nice to have a holiday on your birthday and a guhzillion people in a party mood celebrating with you!

For a blast from the past, I decided to buy the green (and mind you, it is a hideous green especially if you are not from these parts) cake from Bengawan Solo for Aunty M's birthday party.

Yes, the Pandan Kaya cake - fragrant pandanus leaves infused gelatinous cake with soft sponge in between.

My HK pals love the pandan chiffon and I never understood why Bengawan doesn't just open shop in HK.  Instead, the folks behind BreadTalk/Toast Box have beaten them to it, but alas, it is not quite the same standard...  so the Bengawan at Changi airport does a most brisk business just catering to them.  Simply amazing!

Here's to a fabulous 2010, Aunty M and I hope you had an enjoyable party!

Happy Birthday!

Although late, I want to thank C for hosting an excellent home-made dinner on a precious Saturday and taking time to send birthday greetings too!  Thank you for kickstarting the celebrations for me this year.  


The evening's menu:


Carrot and orange soup with crusty bread
Garden greens
Coq Au Vin with roast spuds


And dessert from Cova - the yummy strawberry cake with creme fraiche and fluffy sponge on the outside.  

I love birthdays..

Marrying the best of both worlds..

Kudos to the brilliant photographer commissioned by Lindt to take this photo.  For me, it captures the marrying of both of my passions, tennis and quality cuisine.  The appointment of Roger Federer as Lindt's first ambassador in its 160-year tradition speaks to the respect the Company has for his amazing accomplishments, in particular his 15 grand slams at aged 28.  The most that any male tennis player has ever accumulated in his career, and that's just the obvious.  His other accolades both on and off the court speak to his quest for perfection.  Just look all the chefs' adoring eyes focused on him...

Hong Kong - Jean Paul Hevin

Seriously, despite the perennial need for a woman to watch her waistline faithfully, no woman complains about receiving chocolates.  Well, especially if they are made by renowed chocolatiers using the freshest ingredients.  French but with stores outside of Paris also, in Tokyo and Hong Kong, his chocolates are aromatic and appropriately sweet.  And of course, very smooth. 

I do love his traditional chocolate-based macarons for that reason.  And so thank you E, for sharing your birthday treats.  I hope you savoured the rest slowly...  Happy Belated Birthday!

Harbour City
Shop 212, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Tel : +852-2735 3268


Times Square
Shop 309, Times Square, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Tel : +852-2111 9967

Hong Kong - Typhoon Tea

When typhoons visit on the weekend dumping any outdoor plans in the bin, what does one do? Ladies have High Tea. Loose-leaved Earl Grey, with lovely scones from Il Bel Paese, accompanied by clotted cream and rose petal preserve from the Mandarin Oriental. Simply a match made in heaven.

Other highlights were the Quiche Lorraine, Chocolate truffle cake and Hazelnut cake from the patisserie at Agnes B le pain grille.

What a decadent afternoon, tucked in air-conditioned indoors, drowning in sugar, caffeine and great conversation. Just perfect... even Jack the Sheltie agreed.

Melbourne - The Chokolait Hub

A chance find while walking along Little Collins. The Hub Arcade is a quaint little mall with little boutique shops but quiet. Walk through and it's a pleasant enough experience but you don't expect to find treasures but lo and behold - follow the signs and you end up at The Chokolait Hub.

Love chocolate, and you will love the Chokolait Hub. With a focus on Belgian chocolates, they have hot and cold drinks with chocolate as the focus. On a cold and cloudy Melbourne afternoon, nothing is more comforting than a hot chocolate. But who would have known that a non-descript shop with a very inviting interior would serve up such magic?

My Milk Belgian was luscious, smooth and rich but not cloying. How they achieved it was beyond me - that's just the quality of the produce isn't it? Priding themselves in importing direct from Belgium keeps the standards.

Alas, I had no room to try the other goodies on offer but given a chance again, I certainly would especially if my beautiful beverage was anything to go by..

Shop 8 Hub Arcade

318 Little Collins Street

Melbourne 3000

Australia
Tel: +61-3-96396188

Melbourne - Brother Baba Budan

Melbourne is known as the coffee capital of Australia, with every other shop a cafe, competition is keen and yes, they do take their coffee seriously. So on this short visit to the city, I wanted to get a sense of how good it really is.

First stop, Brother Baba Budan - an eclectic place on Little Bourke Street, where all the action is centred around the espresso machine, amidst spartan to no decor, just some stools along the wall and a bench where customers can just grab a quick seat, sip and go.

But as you sit and sip, remember to look upwards - although the sight of the guhzillion chairs might make you uneasy, since they look to be just precariously glued to the ceiling and may fall into your coffee any minute.

My choice of the flat white was mistaken since I couldn't really taste the coffee through all that milk.. I really should have gone for a black to get a better taste for the beans and their roasting skills. I will go back since it's close enough to the hotel. The pastries look dismal but don't be fooled, they were quite good, in particular the chocolate brioche. Soft, chocolatey and perfect with the cuppa, not overpowering it.

And if that isn't enough, Little Bourke is a great collection of little delis and smallish restaurants where you can find interesting eats for brunch/lunch.

359 Little Bourke Street

Melbourne 3000

Australia

Telephone: +61 3 9606 0449

Singapore - ET Artisan Sweets

Gong Hei Fatt Choy! May the Year of the Ox be abundant and healthy for one and all!

One of the rare finds that I had the privilege of trying and enjoying every morsel of were the French sweets from ET Artisan Sweets. When I first got the e-flyer, I must admit I was sceptical of yet another home-baker trying to make it good. But of course, the best marketing is the non-avaibility of product and so, I was even more determined to order a bunch of goodies even though the Christmas season was over. After all, who doesn't want to eat dessert??

Their passion for perfect quality is evident.

The use of pure Valrhona chocolate in the Jivara crunchy tart was sin in itself. Just open your mouth and let it all pour in! The advice was to eat it on the day it is baked - well, if you know what you're going to get, you would not wait till tomorrow.

And of course, those macarons! Perfectly shaped and with the right chewiness on the inside of a crisp almond shell, and every single flavour (Passion Jivara, Chocochip, Berry Chocolate and Blackforest) I sampled was good - too difficult to pick out a winner. They all are! And for the sugar conscious, they are not cloyingly sweet like many macarons are.

The goodies come packed in a pretty box too! Definitely something I wouldn't mind receiving everyday. And according to them, if that longing is fulfilled, wouldn't my soul be sweet. That's not so hard to do, is it?
Satisfy yourself at www.etasweets.com.

Hanoi - an afternoon around Hoan Kiem Lake

Happy New Year and greetings from Hanoi!

New Years' Day was spent traveling to Hanoi and as soon as we landed and checked into the hotel, we started our food exploration of the Hoan Kiem Lake area, near our hotel.

Of course, you can't start a trip to anywhere in Vietnam without the national food, Pho Bo or Beef Noodles Soup. So we head to Pho 24 just by the lake. It is not the best, but if you are not that adventurous, the cleanliness of the joint, and the many people that stream in and out, certainly gives the tourist a whole lot of comfort. For the McDonalds'-type set up, I was satisfied enough with it although my suggestion is to have the pho with beef brisket since the beef slices used tend to be too chewy given the ordinary cuts.

A short walk away, we found dessert. Or rather, curiosity got the better of us since we had never seen so many people squatting or leaning over the scooters along the sidewalk for ice cream. Yes, you heard right. Since 1958, Kem Trang Tien has been serving up ice creams on sticks and more recently, soft serve in a cone.

The soft serve is not served when you order but brought out from a "kitchen" every now and then in trays such as the above. Our choice of each of the coconut and milk ice creams on a stick were reminscent of childhood in Singapore where the ice cream from the traveling vendor is not too milky but has enough of ice in it to allow any kid to down more than one! If you like traditional tastes, try it although the pushing and shoving (there is no queue system) might get you down.


After ice cream, you gotta have coffee so we explore a little bit more and then chancing upon Aqua, which we realised was a full fledged restaurant after we stepped in. But in my opinion, probably has one of the best Vietnamese and French-pressed coffees I've had and the Creme Brulee is traditionally good with enough egg and cream for just the right texture, creamy but firm enough and most importantly, eggy enough! And with the crystallised top, very impressive.

A great start to a promising trip of more foodie adventures.. stay tuned!

Singapore - Christmas Goodies from Vis-a-Vis and Centre Ps

Christmas... a time of sharing, giving, receiving, and of course like the good Asian in us, FEASTING! In this spirit, the need to have goodies of quality, festively packaged is ever so important.

I relied heavily on two places worthy of mention... one old, one new, nothing borrowed, nothing blue.

Vis-a-vis, a long standing veteran in the French dining scene in Singapore, and known for its Christmas roasts. Of worthy mention, the boneless turkey stuffed with foie gras, is as decadent as it sounds, but with none of that greasy badness, and still a winner after all these years. The roast US Sirloin encrusted with black peppercorn, garlic and fresh herbs, did not pale in comparison either and despite cooked ahead of time for delivery, retained its juices well and remained pink and tender.

Centre Ps' fruit cake was a winner with various sizes for gifting and is actually a delight to savour. Dense and moist, with generous amounts of fruit, and not a tad too sweet, embodied the right amount of holiday cheer. If you like your chocolate, their log cake is also one of the best I've ever had.

Cheers!

Happy Holidays and may 2009 bring more cheer and success to all!

Confections of the Heart

Japanese love their pastries and even western style cakes are very much a part of the Japanese culture and have been since the late 70s. They love to make them, eat them, give them and receive them. Aside from being delicious, they are therefore packed into the prettiest boxes and wrappers.

From Gramercy New York Bakery where the strawberry shortcake is as good as where it originated from...


... to Nenrinya in Ginza where the only things on offer are their famous baumkuchens. Literally "tree cake" an originating from Germany, these cakes are painstakingly made layer by layer, traditionally roasting on a spit. The eggy fluffiness combined with icing is excellent with a siphon-brewed Blue Mountain. No wonder the queues outside its store are never-ending.

The use of seasonal offerings like chestnuts in November, in Konigs-Krone's green tea or chocolate cake is also heavenly. And if you cannot choose, they offer a half and half where you can get both flavours in one cake. And to top it off, no need to struggle with cutting. A whole cake comes ready cut in 8 glorious pieces.

So the next time you are in Japan, don't miss out on these heavenly creations!