Singapore - Pepenero

Pepenero is the newish Italian restaurant, in the also newish food enclave that is Telok Ayer, on Stanley Street to be precise.  Shophouses which used to be in the general trading business, dried goods or provision stores are now trendy restaurants, patiserries and bars, giving the CBD in Singapore yet another option for dining out. 

The setting within is modern yet an unusual choice of olive green walls gives it a slightly electic finish, but comtemporised by large black and whites.  High ceilings provide an airy feel although the place feels that much more spartan because there is so much room overhead and there is little between the tables and the wood lined ceiling. 

Service is professionally friendly and servers are more than able to make recomendations, which is perfect since there aren't asterisks on the menu to indicate what's good.  It's not a huge menu but there is something for everyone.  The map in the menu showcasing dishes off the menu as specialties from different regions in Italy was a nice touch.

Bread Basket with Olive and Sundried Tomato Tapanades

A tennis workout prior meant I wolfed down the bread and breadsticks pretty quickly.  Bread was a nice chewy texture although a tad too airy.  Bread sticks in contrast had pepenero and were dense.  The 2 tapenades made for great alternates.  Table olive oil was decent although the balsamic was thin and too tart for my liking.


Roast Octopus with mashed potatoes, olives and tomatoes

Quite the piece de resistance.  Octopus was grilled right, with a hint of smokiness but not overly done to be chewy.  And coupled with a milky mash, given acidity from the olives, then sweetness from the cherry tomatoes, quite perfect really.

Linguini with clams, sea urchin and Bottarga

What looked like anaemia on a dish came smelling and tasting like the sea, only sweeter.  The combination of clams and sea urchin seem to work, giving the broth a sea sweetness which was quite addictive.  I lost the last spoonful and a half to our server since I was distracted and am still thinking about what could have been.  Pasta was competently al dente but it was really all about the broth.

Milk-fed lamb chops Milanese style

This was a remix of the classic Veal Milanese.  Well breaded and well deep fried.  I still prefer veal but this was definitely a very close call, especially if you're a lamb fan.  The balsamic vinegar based sauce on the bottom added a nice balance of sweet and sour, and the fresh arugula/tomatoes of the true Italian variety were very good accompaniments.


Tiramisu

After a great meal, dessert wasn't as much of a wow.  It wasn't bad at all but it paled slightly in comparison to the rest of the meal.  Perhaps we should have ordered something else.  This version of tiramisu was the dense kind that I like, but had way too much cocoa powder and got in the way of inhaling/exhaling at the table, resulting in a cocoa dusted tablecloth.  Oh well.

Surprisingly good experience overall.  As an aside, we thought we'd figure it out, but I suppose we have to go back and ask the chef why his place is named after black pepper.  It certainly wasn't because the food needed a little pick-me-up as we went along. 

14 Stanley Street
Tel: +65-62225808

Kobe - Kyukyoryuchi Cafe 旧居留地珈啡庵

One of the many things I love about visiting Japan is the coffee.  For a nation of predominant tea drinkers, they take their coffee seriously.  And Kobe is no different.  In fact, its significance historically as an international port means that it has a very credible heritage with cafes, patisseries and could pass off as any cool European city, only much cleaner.  

We went in search of the alternative to Kobe's Nishimura since we like supporting the underdog from time to time.  From what little information we could find, Kyukyoryuchi has been around since 1971 roasting beans everyday.  Its motto of “being better, not bigger” certainly resonates with me, so off we went, in search of it, literally, since we were not well equipped with a good map and google maps was just not doing its thing.

The silver lining to getting lost is appreciating the city and its architecture, a thing that's easy to do when you're not trying to rush for a meeting.  

Stained glass inside a mall

An old temple right in the old settlement area

Old buildings in old European colors and style

Turns out that the building Kyukyoryuchi Cafe is in is a pretty new commercial building with swanky shops.  But tucked away in the basement, it manages to retain its old world charm with old wooden furniture, and very dim yellow lighting that French cafes from days gone by boast.

My Brazilian

I order a Brazilian at the recommendation of our smiley server and like any good Japanese cafe, it is served in fine porcelain (don't think this was bone china) with a little muglet of cream on the side.  A well balanced cuppa with just the right amount of acidity and has a smooth, almost sweet finish.

French Toast

But the biggest surprise was the French toast.  This is easily the best French toast I've ever had in my life.  The use of a Danish-like bread that was fluffy yet dense (almost scientifically at odds with each other) was a wonder in itself.  The egg coat was gorgeous with a light glaze and strawberries with icing was exactly what they were - icing on the cake (bread).  It's been 3 weeks and I still think of it and when I will get another chance to eat it.

Kobe city has a really good vibe to it and 6 hours just didn't cut it.  Will definitely have to make plans to visit and stay in the city next time.

Kobe Chuo-ku Akashi-cho 31-1 
TESTA Kobe 
Kyukyoryuchi Building, B1F
Tel: +81-78-3311070

Kobe - Arima Onsen Hotel Kinzan 欽山

It was ominous the day we arrived.  The freak typhoon that would claim 4 lives in Japan this spring was upon us.  Ok, great.  No Mount Rokko, no sightseeing.  I was thinking - this was the divine intervention forcing me to relax.  Stuck in a ryokan, there is nothing to do except soak in the onsen, eat like an emperor, watch the rain pelt down on the bamboo garden. Very Zen....

Bento Lunch

All this internalizing while I eat my humble bento box lunch.  I was expecting a plastic boxed lunch to go.  I was happy to be wrong.  Promising start already.

Fresh brew of green tea and sweets of red bean jello and soda crackers

As we settle into our room, and discovering the unexpected joy of wi-fi in a ryokan (albeit an unsteady signal), tea is served.  This is the life.  Fresh cuppa with Japanese traditional sweets of a red bean jello and soda crackers (Tansan Senbei) made with water from the region that is high is carbon dioxide.  It's probably more accurate to refer to them as wafers given their texture.  Quite addictive, they now add a variety of flavor offerings, including ginger, sesame and seaweed.  It's also become more international with brands like Kobe's Fugetsudo offering chocolate, strawberry and vanilla also.  All this while the aroma of tea leaves seethe over the heat of tea lights, giving off a scent that's pleasantly soothing and not at all intrusive.

Source of the Carbonated Water

The Arima onsen town isn't big and you can just about cover the essentials in a matter of the better part of a day.  But like all onsen towns, and Arima is the oldest of them all, they are pretty in a traditional Japanese sort of way and it's great to soak in the relaxed atmosphere of old businesses still plying the trade in the same shop their families have been in for generations, from making soda wafers to making pickles or other foodie goodies.

Temple in Arima onsen town

Of course, if you like temples, every town has at least one significant one where you can clap your hands and say a prayer or catch a sip of holy water, all for good luck.

View of hotel's bamboo and koi garden

But mostly, we like the sanctuary of the ryokan and of course soaking in its onsen (hot spring) where clear and "rust" colored waters have their respective healing properties.  It's just relaxing to soak before a big meal.  Might be psychological or I'm just plain greedy but I swear that a 10 minute soak does wonders in opening up the appetite.

Dining in a ryokan is almost always Kaiseki style, a traditionally multi-course dinner in Japan, and designed to balance the body's various nutritional needs.  The Kaiseki way of dining is likely originally from Kyoto, since that is the old capital.  Kinzan's solitary Michelin star does not let it down and the food is impeccable and extremely low in oil and salt, allowing the natural flavors of the fresh local produce to come through.

Starters

And of course, presentation is plain pretty.

Agedashi bamboo in a shrimp and sea cucumber broth

And innovative combinations so simple yet so flavorful.  This dish of a lightly battered Agedashi bamboo (seasonal) in a shrimp and sea cucumber broth is naturally sweet that I could not help but lick the bowl clean.  Good thing we dine in the privacy of our own room.

Assorted Pickles with rice

Even the pickles are of the highest quality with a focus on preserving taste rather than just killing the vegetable with an overdose of salt.

Since we were staying 2 nights, we chose a different menu for the second night.  And since we were in the Kobe area, it would be wrong to leave without having the city's world renowned beef.

Sliced Kobe beef for Sukiyaki

So we were treated to a Kaiseki meal focusing on beef sukiyaki the second night.  And this has to be one of the best beef experiences my entire life.  So marbled, so soft, so tender, yet so full of beefy flavor.  The way beef was meant to be eaten.

The biggest difference between a resort and a ryokan is the latter's focus on meals and the set times at which meals must be served.  One cannot just show up and eat.  There is a preparation process which entails precise time keeping.  So there is a set time for tea, dinner and of course breakfast.

A full-on traditional Japanese breakfast

But if this is what you can get to tuck into every morning, the regimen isn't so bad.  So if you can endure disciplined relaxation with perfect Japanese hospitality, check into a ryokan and your tired body may be forever grateful.

1302-4 Arima-cho, Kita-ku, Kobe, 

Hyogo 651-1401

Japan

Tel: +81-78-904-0701

Hong Kong - Bridges Okinawa Robata Dining

Friday night and no reservations.  That’s a darn tough thing in Hong Kong, especially in Causeway Bay.  So we thought we hit the jackpot when we arrived at Bridges and were told there was availability after having been turned away at 2 other places already.  It was a bonus when we saw that they were part of the En group which boasts Rakuen, our favorite Okinawan place in Hong Kong.  

Bridges’ advantage is space.  There is actually lots of it by Hong Kong standards.  Seats are comfortable and tables big enough.  There are also tatami lined rooms if you feel like doing the Japanese living room thing but I prefer to keep my shoes on when dining out, unless I’m in flip flops. You can also have a decent conversation without having to battle neighboring diners and the regular shouts of “irrashaimase”!  Unfortunately, space seemed to be the only thing which saved the day at Bridges.  

If the kitchen at Rakuen was a 10, Bridges was a 5.  Food wasn’t bad but it certainly was mediocre, at best.   Perhaps the 2 more competent dishes of the night:

Grilled Ox Tongue with Miso and Sichuan Pepper

The grilled ox tongue with Miso and Sichuan pepper was pretty good.  Tongue was tender and miso was the sweet kind and good with Sake.  Takes a little savouring before you can actually taste the Sichuan pepper though.

Clam, Sea Urchin and Jewel Leaf Tempura

This was decent although we wished they had used better produce though since they weren’t necessarily the freshest.

Okinawan classics were only passable.  

Okinawa Home Made Peanut Tofu

The peanut tofu wasn’t as fragrant as Rakuen's and a little too chewy.

Stir fried Bittergourd with Okinawa Pork

This was tasteless and disappointing especially if like me, you've been spoilt by Rakuen and Yakichi, also in the same En Group.

Stone grilled rolled Wagyu with spring onions

The biggest rip off of the evening was so-labeled grilled rolled Wagyu with spring onions on a hot stone.  Overly salted and not a good cut but priced for a cut that is meant to be 10 times better.  Never again.

Minced Toro Handroll

My minced Toro handroll was tasteless (if that’s even possible).  A real waste really.  

Baumkuchen with Black Sugar Ice cream

The supposedly house dessert of Baumkuchen (german for tree cake) tasted more like tree bark.  Our server insisted on taking a bite after we left it and insinuated we didn’t know what real Baumkuchen tasted like.  Oh well.. I’m gonna go to Kobe to be educated since my education at Ginza queuing a long time for the famous one is nothing to count for. 

Enough said.  

6/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay

Tel: +852-3428 2131

Singapore - Peperoni Pizzeria

The Les Amis group is really making its presence felt on the Singapore F&B scene.  I tried their family pizzeria concept on my last trip to Singapore and despite patchy service, it was otherwise quite enjoyable.  And mind you, they don't charge GST nor service charge so perhaps, the slightly abrupt service and ad hoc rearrangements of tables and chairs all night to accommodate different parties may be excusable.  Noise levels are a tad high as can be expected by the spartan interiors which boast wood fired ovens, mosaic floors and fire-engine red metal chairs, especially when they're being moved around.

The menu is simple in concept but has enough choices spread across pizzas, pastas, sides, salads and desserts.  The drinks menu is also comprehensive and includes what most bars worth their salt will offer up plus a long list of beers, especially Belgian offerings.  

Wittekerke Rose 

My choice of the Rose was surprisingly good, slightly sweet from the raspberries the wheat beer had been brewed with.  More like a soda than a beer that bloats, and was a welcome reprieve after an afternoon in the humid heat that is Singapore.

Prosciutto Crudo di Parma (Parma ham and rocket salad) 

It is a pizzeria after all, and the pizza base did not disappoint, especially for fans of the thin crust.  Perhaps my only complaint is that the Parma ham was not the best kind, and a little too salty and chewy to be bit off easily with the rocket and Parmesan.  Should have just gone with the pepperoni option.  Oh well, next time.

Carbonara (Pancetta in a light cream sauce)

The spaghetti carbonara was surprisingly good.  Perfect al dente pasta and the use of Pancetta provided a smoky, savory flavor which lifted the touch of cream.

Frangipane (Warm almond cake served with raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream)

Dessert was the least exciting although still competent.  Nothing to really write home about.  Down-to-earth kinda cake and ice cream.  Home-stuff.

I would go back for the pizzas and pastas if I fancy a casual night out with the girls or even just a quick dinner over simple fare.  It is a nice alternative to the cze char (hawker style family fry ups).

95 Frankel Avenue
Tel: +65-64455661

Hong Kong - Uno Duo Trio - Lana's Rustic Home Cooking

Tucked in a non-descript commercial building in the backstreets of Causeway Bay which actually boasts a few eateries, Uno Duo Trio seemed from reviews to fit the bill of decent food in a less expensive space type of deal.

It is a place which takes credit cards, unlike other "private kitchens" but it is still very much home style in terms of service and feel.  I didn't ask but assume the knowledgeable lady who explains the menu is Lana.  She enthusiastically explains the menu, what's good and what's just arrived from the shores of Italy.

Bread and Condiments

We order and get the obligatory bread and condiments, served on an artist's palette to start.  I liked the pesto and balsamic but breads were so-so, the polenta based one better than the focaccia.

Grilled Sardines

Sardines were well done.  Nicely grilled to a crisp but with skin still intact and the flesh plump and fluffy.  Touch of rocket and lemon and it didn't need more.

Gamberi Rossi de Sicilia al Mandilli de Saea

If you like prawns, this is your dish.  The sauce is almost exclusively prawn, given reprieve only by the shredded basil.  I liked that they used prawns from the Mediterranean.  Less bouncy than what Asians are used to but much sweeter.  The homemade ribbons of pasta did well to take up as much sauce as possible and were suitably al dente.

Baked pork loin

This was the least impressive dish of the night.  A tad salty and a tad tough.  Perhaps my Asian-ness in liking my meats laced with a little fat has marred by judgment for lean cuts but c'est la vie, life isn't good without a few guilty pleasures.

Cheesecake

There wasn't anything too Italian about the Cheesecake but it decent, and served in a cute little wooden box, similar to the box in which the bill comes.  Creamy, dense, cheesy - what cheesecakes are all about.

Overall, a decent experience.  Service is home-style, friendly but a little dis-organised and forgetful at times.  So don't expect a fine dining experience.  After all, it is rustic home cooking that's really on offer here. 

19/F, Bartlock Centre
3 Yiu Wa Street
Causeway Bay
Tel: +852-3489 3862

Hong Kong - Trattoria Doppio Zero

Following the real foodies has its advantages.  They help suss out the places worth visiting and leave out a lot of the non-value hard work of weeding out commercially driven reviews from the non.  Best of all, they support the ones who are really trying to do it right, bringing cuisine authenticity rather than compromising to suit local palates.  I know it's a delicate balancing act in trying to make a foreign concept work, but in a city like Hong Kong, the general populace is probably well-traveled enough to know.  (*hope)

My weekend experience at Doppio Zero was soundly authentic.  At least, I didn't come away feeling bastardized.  That I would be able to experience a very similar taste somewhere in the long and narrow strip that is Italy.  

Service was also knowledgeable and impeccable.  Polite without being intrusive, engaging without being overbearing.  Even a little dedication thrown in as the next table wanted a photo taken..  I rarely see a server willing to get down on his knees to get a perfect shot - what a pleasant surprise.  

Affettati - Prosciutto, speck, whipped lardo, grilled focaccia

The whipped lardo was really the star of the starters.  It's not something readily in restaurants here.  It really is just finely reground fat from a pig.  So simple, so sinful, so good, especially on a hot grilled piece of focaccia.  The cuts were alright (the prosciutto more enjoyable than the speck) and there to add a little complexity to the sodium they bring, but the lardo, yes the lardo, did it for me.

Grilled focaccia with the Affetatti

Chitarra - sea urchin, crab roe, tarragon

Since they tout possibly the freshest pastas in Hong Kong, and made no less with 00 grade flour from Italy, no justice is done unless you leave only after trying a pasta dish.  My choice of the chitarra did not disappoint for the quality of the artisanal pasta was very good.  Perfect bite and chew and able to soak in the flavors of the sea urchin, crab roe and tarragon.  I hazard a comment here because the pasta was good.  However, I would have preferred a different dimension to break the otherwise very heavy sea flavor of the dish.  I would return just to try the Bolognese and the Amatriciana..

Milk braised boneless suckling pig - roasted mushrooms, black truffle, toasted hazelnuts

This was just decadent comfort food.  You can't really see the pork but they are 2 rounds of very tender and baby fat coated pieces of meat richly coated in a heavy sauce, that is richly good.  Fans of bread can have a field day mopping up the sauce.  The mushrooms and hazelnuts added earthiness and 2 types of crunch.  This dish is best shared though since the decadence can get to you after a while.

Flowering baby cabbage - sausage, garlic, EVOO

I like that Doppio Zero has contorni or sides.  The flowering baby cabbage here is probably locally sourced Choi Sum, but given a twist with sausage and garlic.  But then again anything with sausage and garlic is yummers.  I did forget Italians like their vegetables a little more well cooked so Cantonese beware.  It is not overcooked.  Just different.

Chocolate Semi-freddo Sundae - salted caramel, brittle, amarena cherries

The dessert menu was a little small and the sundae was the only thing which attracted.  Quality was faultless although I think I prefer a full frozen ice cream.  But the accompanying salted caramel and brittle were brilliant.  And I do like well soaked cherries (in fact I'm having cherries soaked in coca cola while typing this... yes, a real cherry coke).

Thanks @e_ting and @g4gary for introducing the place.  Keep 'em coming!

G/F, The Pemberton
22 Bonham Strand
Sheung Wan
Tel: +852-2851 0682