Joo Heng Bak Chor Mee: Why is Bak Chor Mee so underated?

Bak Chor Mee is such an underrated Singapore dish. When we conducted our polls last year, Bak Chor Mee was the third most favourite Singaporean hawker dish after Hokkien Mee and Chicken Rice. But, if you have a friend from overseas coming to Singapore, how many of us would think about bringing him to eat Bak Chor Mee? No, it is either Chilli Crab or Chicken Rice but not Mee Pok Tar or Bak Chor Mee. In fact, I don't recall seeing Bak Chor Mee being featured in any of these foreign food documentaries whenever they feature Singapore food. Yet Bak Chor Mee remains very close to the hearts of many Singaporeans. The phrase "Bak Chor Mee (or Mee Pok Tah) mai Ter Kuah" (Minced Pork noodles, no liver please) is such a commonly used phrase that it can be ranked up there with "Relac one corner" and "Arh Boh Den?". Still remember that podcast by Mr Brown?



I was told by Damien and Cactuskit that this Bak Chor Mee is quite legendary and used to be in that food centre in AMK before it burned down. They have since shifted to the temporary market and are still drawing the crowds.

As a dish, Bak Chor Mee, in general, is still has good as it was in the past. What I am saying is, when you talk about Chicken Rice, poeple always say how good it was in the past. This is the same with Char Kway Teow and even Hokkien Mee. But when it comes to Bak Chor Mee, I haven't heard many people complain that Bak Chor Mee was so much better in the past.

Bak Chor Mee really is about the noodles more than any other noodle dishes that I know. The topping and sauces really just serve to accentuate the flavour of the noodles. So you really need to start with a good quality egg noodle and then make sure you eat it piping hot. With each mouthful, you get to enjoy the aroma of the egg noodles that is lightly flavoured with the lard with the vinegar just cutting through the oils and getting the salivary glands to start working.

This is a fine bowl of Bak Chor Mee. I felt that the flavours are nicely balanced and you get a whiff of the eggy aroma of the good quality egg noodle with that first mouthful. The texture of the noodles was nice and QQ. It is a good as the other great Mee Poks around, but not really one head above the rest. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Actually the fact is that as Mee Pok/Bak Chor Mee goes, it is hard to differentiate between all the good ones around as they have all reached a certain standard. The one that stands out for me is Seng Kee Bak Chor Mee because I can order Fish Maw soup and Nam Joo Fried Pork Strips to go with my Bak Chor Mee. But if you are looking for a standard bowl of expertly made Bak Chor Mee and you are in Ang Mo Kio, this is it.

Joo Heng Mushroom Minced Pork Mee
AMK Blk 628 Temporary Market
7am to 2pm daily

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Floating Pau? The secret is this very special Onion!

Shot with the Canon EOS 5D MkII with the EF 24-70mm L lens at 70mm
The image was resized and sharpened with slight adjustment to the brightness and contrast only

Remember our floating pau? Well, that was taken at a whim at the restaurant. When I got home I got a bit more time to refine the technique and so this is a much better photo of the same technique used with the floating pau.


Shot in HD with the Canon EOS 5D MK II with EF 24-70mm lens f2.8

This video will give you a big clue as to how it was done. This clip as not been altered except to to downsize it for uploading.

The concept is the same as some of the illusions performed by magicians.

So any new theories?

The technique will be revealed next week.

Read our readers' theories on the floating pau here.

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Arnold's Fried Chicken: Our very own KFC?

With ijeff, taukwa, holybro, holydrummer, Cactuskit, smart, sumosumo and PK


Do you remember the days when KFC was actually Kentucky Fried Chicken and that it was a sit down meal served on plates with proper knives and forks? Those were the days when KFC was first introduced to Singapore. In fact, KFC started in Malaysia first and for a time, Singaporean pride took a beating because we always felt that we are supposed to be ahead of our Northern neighbours when it came to adopting the latest western fads, be it food, movies or TV programs.

Back then, KFC was the rage and everyone wanted to copy its 11 secret herbs and spices. People started to sell Kentucky flour which you can used to coat your chicken so that you can do your own KFC style fried chicken at home. But alas, what we all lacked at home is the pressurized deep fryer which KFC uses. KFC's success meant that local players got into the game as well and thus was born Marry Brown in Malaysia. Singapore also had its share of restaurants competing for the tasty Fried Chicken market. Most of them were foreign. I still remembered Texas Fried Chicken (known as Churches in the US), which made their brief appearance at Terminal One at Changi Airport. It was followed by a list of other fried chicken franchises, but none could come close to the popularity of KFC.

I stopped eating KFC after I came back from Thailand. Compared to Thailand, KFC Singapore is dismal. The chicken here is usually tiny and instead of being crispy, it is often damp and soft, unless you go for the crispy and spicy which for me is no longer the original 11 herbs and spices. In Thailand, when you order the original and if you fortunate to get the thigh piece (not drumstick, but the part above it), it is just juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside and it's a real treat that makes you want to scream Shiok! (or since you are in Thailand, Aroy Mak!)



I didn't realise that we have our own fast food fried chicken restaurant until my friend, Boss Ming of Nuffnang told me about this restaurant in City Plaza. I didn't even realize City Plaza existed for that matter. Honestly, this is the first time I stepped into this shopping mall which is still stuck in the 70's. It was great!

Tucked in the corner on the 2nd floor is this Fried Chicken Restaurant which also looks like it's stuck in the 70's, in the era when having a meal at KFC was a special treat which you needed to score well in your exams to eat.

Now, I am going to put Boss Ming's neck on the chopping block by telling you that he convinced me to blog this place because, in his words, "This place sells the best freak'n Fried Chicken in the world!". He went on to spell out his credentials of having eaten Fried Chicken from all over the world, blah blah blah. Now I know Boss Ming is quite a foodie, so I decided to check it out.

They serve both chicken pieces and spring chicken here and the best thing about the chicken is that it is served piping hot and it is fresh. It's crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside and the pieces are not emaciated like KFC's. However, I felt that the seasoning still could not match up to the 11 herbs and spices and that KFC Thailand still serves a meaner fried chicken.

Notwithstanding, if you are after a good fried chicken in Singapore, this might be the place to go and at the same time you can take the opportunity to educate your children about what it was like growing up in the 70's. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, the fried chicken was well executed but the taste just lacks that ooomph to give it top marks. If they had the 11 herbs and spices, then it would have been a truly great fried chicken treat.

Arnold's Fried Chicken
City Plaza #02-99/101
810 Geylang Road
Singapore 409286
www.arnoldsfriedchicken.com
67462372

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The Newton Food Centre Incident: Your Say

Sunday Times Mar 22 Page 11

Well, I had my say but out of my 20 min interview they only took one minute out of it. There were a few more points which I thought were interesting to discuss.

Concerning the incident where the Americans had to fork out $239 for 8 tiger prawns, I can only say that as a Singaporean foodie, I felt really embarassed that this sort of thing should happen to our visitors. But if you are a traveller, you would realise that this happens in other countries as well. If you visit Thailand, the food you pay at the tourist hotspots are easily many times more what the locals pay. Furthermore, there is a local price and a tourist price for entry to places of interest. Is it fair? Sometimes it is understandable when you realise that the average local monthly wage is 3000 baht vs the average Singaporean wage of $3000. Then again we too practise this sort of pricing strategy at our very own Night Safari. The last time I went there, POSB card holders get a discount of 30%. I wonder how many foreign visitors hold POSB cards?

But I think it is not so much the asking price of the prawns but the fact that they cheat by charging 1.5kg for 1kg of seafood. This is downright dishonest but it is nothing new. Stallholders have cheated on scales for as long as scales existed. The phenomenon is global and it is really up to consumers to be vigilant. When it comes to prices, is there really a difference between a well known restaurant charging $8 per 100g for tiger prawns as opposed to a hawker? The free market economy allows for suppliers to charge whatever amount they want as long as consumers are willing to pay for it. I am certainly angry at the fact that they are charging $8 per 100g for tiger prawns which is why I never eat BBQ seafood there. The only reason that they are still around is because people (tourists mostly) are still paying for it. (Willing or unwillingly)

You know where the real problem lies? It lies in the fact that this sort of thing is so contrary to how Singapore is perceived in the eyes of foreigners. To them, this is the clean and green city where "low crime doesn't mean no crime". They get the idea that the food here is cheap and good and that people are honest which to a large extent is true. But then they run into some dishonest hawker at Newton or electronics dealer in Sim Lim and suddenly there is a story for the newspapers. People get cheated in other countries around us but they don't feel so bad because they sort of expect it. But not here in Singapore.

So what is your say about the Newton Food Centre incident? Do you think it is fair for NEA to suspend the stall? And what is your suggestion on how the situation can be rectified?

The Sunday Times ran a poll among foreigners which showed that 143 out of 150 foodies still loved Newton Food Centre. Then they featured six local foodies who all shun Newton. So let's see how many of our readers here actually love Newton Food Centre.

The Polls are opened!

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Cugini Italian Restaurant: Lunch for Charity

Following the excitement over my last post on Cugini Italian restaurant, we wasted no time in organizing a menu tasting to see what else our two Italian guys can whip up in the kitchen. This time round, I am going to let our kakis do the review. So below is Sumosumo's review of the dishes.

The Cugini Menu Tasting Review - by Sumosumo

Starter: Carpaccio di pesce alla Sarda con Polvere di Bottarga + Gambero rosso Italiano con riduzione al campari (Sardinian style hand cured fish carpaccio dusted with mullet roe + Deep fried Italian red prawn with almond and bitter Campari sauce)

Generally forgettable i think, as most people didnt find it too exciting. The shrimp was a little dry after the frying, and the mullet roe failed to lift the dish. The cured fish was pretty ordinary.3.75/5

(Note from ieat: We started 40 mins late that day, so the prawns had lying in the warmer for a long time. I am sure they would have been much better fresh)

Soup: Zuppetta di pesce alla Siracusana (Sicilian style seafood soup)

Robust, hearty and rustic. The seafood bisque had a good strong crustacean, prawn taste without being too heavy as the tanginess of the tomatoes lent an appetising twist to the soup. One can imagine this being an everyday soup at home, as it had a very home cooked taste to it. For the asian palate, it was leaning on the salty side, but Gerardo said the olives and capers gave the soup its saltishness, and no salt was added - according to him, this is the way it's consumed in Sicily. Much effort was put into it, as its made from 20 different ingredients. 4.25/5.

Pasta: Spaghetti alla Sarda con aglio, olio, peperoncino, bottarga e gamberetti (Sardinia spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, chilly, mullet roe and mediterranean prawns)

Consistently good, the pasta was dense, perfectly al dente, and absorbed the simple flavors of the garlic and chili. Every ingredient was mixed in the right proportions and hence complemented each other perfectly. The pasta was so good in itself with just that nice bite and slight chewiness in its texture, so good that the prawns became almost like an afterthought. Damien, the resident carbo man who loves his noodles and pastas, found it superb. 4.5/5

Ravioli di agnello alla Siciliana con crema di carciofi e burro
(Freshly made Sicilian style lamb ravioli with artichoke cream and butter)

I found this dish excellently executed, and I am not a big fan of ravioli. The ravioli was filled with tender shredded lamb and the pasta had a rich flavor from the egg yolk which was used to make the ravioli skin. Because the ravioli is very filling on its own, having it as a sharing dish is recommended, as there are 5 raviolis served as a main dish, and one cannot eat more than 2 without feeling "jer lak". 4.25/5.

MIlanese di vitella su mostarda di Cremona
(Milanese style veal cutlet served with home made Creomna mustard sauce)

Most people did not comment on this dish, but i thought it was a very competent veal dish. The meat was tender and flavorful. Perhaps, the sauce could have been poured on separately as i would have liked the crust to retain its crispiness. 4/5.

Carre d'agnello arrostito al pepe verde con pure' di patate all'olio
(roasted lamb chops with green pepper, served with mashed potato)

I think everyone liked this dish, except for fashionfoodie's table who got theirs undercooked. The lamb had a salty marinade crust to it which brought out the flavor of the lamb well. I would have preferred a slightly sweeter type of sauce to accompany the lamb. 4.25/5

Guancette di manzo Wagyu brasate con salsa di carciofi e cacao amaro
(Braised wagyu beef cheek with artichoke sauce and bitter cocoa)

The beef in itself was as succulent as when i first tried it, to the point of melt in your mouth. (In my mind, butter made of meat). Some of the ieaters similarly found the texture to be superb, but others thought that, given wagyu with extra fat is naturally more tender, a little less braising time would have given it a texture with more bite. However, it was generally agreed that the accompany sauce was too bland and the beef itself could have done with a more intense seasoning. Tenderness: 4.9 (if you like your meat tender) 4/5 for the artichoke and cocoa sauce. Generally the feeling was that either a stronger sauce or stronger seasoning would have given the dish a bigger lift. Overall 4.25/5.

Dessert: (Tiramisu and Panna Cotta)

The tiramisu had not enough mascarpone cheese, too much cake and a little soggy. Very ordinary. 3.25/5

The white chocolate panna cotta, was light, not overly sweet and gelatanous. It was silky, smooth and light. Almost like tauhuay. 4.25/5.

Reviewed by Sumosumo
Photos by ieat

Conclusion

My thoughts mirror Sumosumo's so I think that we both have similar taste when it comes to Italian food. Do read our other kakis comments on their own experience.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Damien for organizing the session.
Big thanks to Gerri and Mauro who hosted us and donated a grand total of $1115 to charity.

Footnote:
We are sensitive to the fact that serving out 36 dishes at the same time may mean that quality might not be as great as if the chef only had to prepare the one dish. So this should be kept in mind when reading the review.

11 Unity Street,
Robertson Walk #01-27/28
68369541
www.cugini.com.sg
15% off for ieatishootipost readers till the end of the month

The link to my previous post on Cugini is here.

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One very special Pau!

Just playing around with my new Canon EOS 5D Mk II. This photo has not been "photoshopped".

Can you see why I say this Pau is very special?

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Food, Food, Food, Downunder

Advertorial

Snow and Egg Cavier - Tetsuya's

It is really too bad that I only starting blogging about food recently. I should have started back when I was living down under. OK, blogging wasn't around then and neither was the internet so I guess people in those days must have kept a food diary of sorts. Gosh, those where the days when you had to ring your friends to ask for recommendations about where to eat! And sometimes you couldn't reach them cos mobile phones weren't readily available too.

Australia used to be quite a one dimensional country when it comes to food. I am talking about the days before they started their immigration policy back in the 50s. It was then that the first wave of migrants come from Southern Europe, predominantly Italians and Greeks to escape the ravages of a war torn Europe. Now it is said that half of every Australian has some Italian blood in them and that Melbourne has the largest population of Greeks outside of Greece. Then there came the wave of Hong Kong migrants in the 80's and 90's who made their home in Australia due to uncertainty of what was going to happen after the territory is returned to China.


Seafood by the Sea without the humidity

What all this immigration means is that Australia is truly a foodie's paradise with authentic cuisines from all parts of the globe. These migrants congregate together and literally take over whole suburbs. So in Sydney for instance, Leichardt is the area where there is a lot of Italians and consequently, a lot of great Italian food. The best pasta dish I ever ate was right there in Leichardt in a restaurant called Portofinos. I remember it was a really simple Penne with Chicken in cream sauce but somehow, there was something in that dish that makes me think about it 15 years later.


Fresh Seafood from the Fishmarkets

The thing about Australia is the wonderful and fresh produce, be it seafood, meats or veggies and fruits. So when migrants from Hong Kong got there, they combined their wonderful culinary skills with the produce and cooked up dishes that rival or even surpass that of Hong Kong. How is this possible? Well, imagine what a Hong Kong Chef can do with a Tasmanian King Crab. This is definitely one of those things which you have to eat when you are in Australia. The crab is huge and can weigh up to 13 kg. That is a lot of succulent crab meat! I don't know how much it is now, but when I graduated from Med School, the first thing I did with my first paycheck was to bring my family to eat Tasmanian King Crab at a Chinese Restaurant in Sydney. The Crab was cooked in three courses and my Mother-in-law even brought the arm length pincer back to Singapore. At that time, it was going for about $30 per kg, so that meal sort of wipe out half my paycheck. I am serious! As a houseman I used to earn $1800 per month. Fifty percent of it was taxed, so I took home only $900. That crab cost me $330 (You never forget such an expensive crab) and the rest of the dishes came up to almost $500. So that meal really did cost half my paycheck!


Tetsuya Wakuda

I have two regrets when I think back about my time in Sydney. The first is that I never took my classmate, Terence Kwan's advise to go eat at Tetsuya's when the reservation list was still in the weeks rather than in the months. Tetsuya's is probably the most well known restaurant in Sydney which is run by a Japanese born chef who migrated to Australia, worked his way up from a kitchenhand to become one of Australia's best known chefs. Tetsuya's menu is like every other really famous restaurants. You don't get to choose what you want to eat, you just go there and get served what the chef thinks you should eat.


Harry's Cafe de Wheels

The other regret that I have is that I never went to Harry's Cafe de Wheels. This is probably one of the most famous pie restaurants in Australia and its still like a little makeshift shop by the road. Pies are to Australians what a plate of Chicken Rice is to us Singaporeans. It is what every Aussie craves to eat when they get back home. (Ok, maybe not every Aussie, but when I get back to Australia, I usually make sure I get to eat some meat pies). The thing with Harry's is that they have been around for over 70 years and is a bit of an institution. The next time I am back in Sydney, I am going to get down to Woolloomoolloo and get me one of those pies with mushy peas piled over it.

Now, you might not think about eating Thai food in Australia, but I tell you that I first fell in love with Thai food while I was living in Australia, a love which I maintained when I lived in Thailand, but which I eventually lost when I came back to Singapore. Believe me, the best Thai Food in the world (in my world at least) is in a little restaurant in the suburb of Epping in Sydney called Tom Yum Thai. Until today, the best green curry chicken and red curry beef that I have eaten is made by the Thai chef in this little restaurant. When you eat here, one bowl of curry is all you need to down three bowls of rice. It is really that tasty. If someone were to offer me to fly anywhere around the world to eat Thai food, I'd sooner fly to Sydney than Bangkok!


Grape harvesting

If you are planning a food tour to Australia, then a Wine and Cheese tour of the wine growing regions is a must do. There are wine growing regions in most of the Southern states of Australia. Among the most well known are the The Hunter Vally near Sydney, Barossa Valley near Adelaide and Margaret River near Perth. Now, a Wine and Cheese tour really does fulfill the deepest desire of every Singaporean which is to be able to go to somewhere and just eat all the cheese and drink all the wine for FREE! Just remember to be "Jee Dong" and buy some bottles to bring home yeah? If you are just getting into wine or are planning to, then a trip to a vineyard is a necessary step towards vino enlightenment.



Oh, before I forget, I want to tell you that you get really good sushi in Australia as the Coast of Australia are the natural habitat of the bluefin tuna and other seafood delicacies. So a visit to a Sushi restaurant is a must, as is a visit to the fishmarkets. At the Sydney fishmarkets, you get to handpick your fish and lobster and sit down by the water to enjoy your meal. They sell plenty of sushi right there at the fishmarkets too.

Speaking of Japanese food, you really must try Teppanyaki in Australia. Over there, the Teppanyaki chefs really have lots of fun with the patrons. It is not uncommon for the chef to hurl eggs into the air for patrons to catch with their bowl or using their scrapers to shoot pieces of fried egg into the mouths of patrons. Expect them to throw bowls of fried rice into the air for you to catch!

One of the great things about being a food blogger is that we are part of a fraternity with instant friends from all over the world. So I contacted the bloggers at eatshowandtell.com, one of Sydney's most popular food blogs and they have very kindly listed their Top eats in Sydney for us. They have also very wisely divided them into gourmet and cheap eats category. Thanks very much to Teresa and Howard of eatshowandtell.com.

Top 10 gourmet restaurants (Tetsuya's is in a class of its own)

In no particular order:

• Marque, Surry Hills (French)
• Pier, Rose Bay (Seafood)
• Berowra Waters Inn, Berowra (French)
• est, Sydney (Seafood)
• Becasse, Sydney (French)
• Longrain, Surry Hills (Thai)
• Grand National, Paddington (European/french)
• Fish face, Kings Cross (Mod Oz)
• Azuma, Sydney (Japanese)
• Four in Hand, Paddington (French)

Top Cheap Eats

• Mamak, Chinatown (for Malaysian)
• Ryo's Noodles, Crows Nest (for ramen - great fish stock ramen)
• Gusto's, Paddington (for cafe style food)
• Danks St Depot, Waterloo (for brunch - creamed eggs in truffle oil)
  
• Bills (for brunch. they have very nice breakfast foods)
• Thainatown, Chinatown (Quickest, yummiest, and cheapest pad thai and food in general)
• Chat Thai, Chinatown (Very popular Thai food)
• Campos, Newtown (Best affogato and coffee)
• Single Origin Coffee (One of Sydney's best coffee joints. Only open on weekdays)
• Toby's Estate (Another great coffee joint. Lovely coffee beans)
• Jasmine's, Lakemba (Lebanese food)
• Juju's, Kings Cross (Authentic Japanese)
• Masuya, Sydney (Japanese. Fresh raw fish and very polite service)
• La Disfida, Haberfield and Rosso Pomodoro (Authentic italian pizzas)
• Prime, Sydney (for steaks)
• Adriano Zumbos, Balmain (Desserts/macaroons.)
• Lindt Chocolate Cafe, Darling Harbour/Martin Place (Chocolate lovers!)

For more places to eat, check out their excellent food blog: eatshowandtell.com

So, if you are thinking of a food trip to taste food from all over the world, all you really need to do is head downunder. Its a great time to fly now when Qantas is offering to fly to two cities for as low as $869!

Check out the great Come Walkabout in Australia offers at www.australia.com or call 1800-GO-TO-AUS (1800-46-86-287) to speak to an Aussie Specialist travel agent now.

For more information about the special promotion, please visit www.qantas.com.sg

All photos are copyright Tourism Australia

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Changi Fishery: Sashimi doesn't get fresher than this!

There is something very romantic about Kelongs.

I guess if you were a child growing up in the 70's, you will still remember seeing the Kelongs offshore especially when you travel to Changi beach for that family day out at the beach. Nowadays, the traditional Kelongs built on stilts have all but disappeared, so my kids have no idea what a Kelong is. But that doesn't mean there are no Kelongs in Singapore. In fact, the AVA has been encouraging aquaculture in Singapore, and Kelongs are being leased out to private enterprises. The reason that you don't realize that there are still Kelongs around is that since they are no longer built on stilts, it is not as easy to spot them.

If you go to Changi and look towards Pulau Ubin, you can actually see these Kelongs. They not only catch fish from the wild, but they are also rearing fish, prawns and even lobsters.

I happened to chance upon Changi Fishery while surfing online and was fascinated by the fact that we actually still have Kelongs in Singapore. So I made a date with Rosemary, the lady who runs the Kelong to bring my family to experience what life is like on a floating fish farm. Changi Fishery is a 5 minute boat ride from the Changi Sailing Club and is open to the public for educational tours and hosting makan sessions.



One of the fishes that are being reared at Changi Fishery is the Cobia which the AVA has identified as one of six species of fish to be reared for food. The Cobia is also known as Black Kingfish, Ling and Lemonfish and has been is touted to be the next big thing after Salmon. They grow really quickly and within 8 to 9 months they can grow to a size that is ready for the table. Salmons in contrast can take up to three years. In the US, they have successfully reared these fish in tanks and have started marketing the meat to the consumers. Earlier this year, Jamie Oliver was featured in US Iron Chef where he pitted his skills against Mario Battali in "Battle Cobia" where both chefs had to creat dishes using the Cobia. Guess who won?

I was told that the Cobia is slowly making its way into the Japanese Sushi Market where the fish is known as Sugi. So we decided to try some really fresh Sugi Sashimi. Our Cobia was fished out of the water and filleted rather unceremoniously by our Indian Sushi Chef (Not). Actually, we were not well prepared for a meal there or we would have brought our own filleting knife, wasabi and soy sauce.

If you never tasted Cobia before, well, it tastes like chicken. Kidding lah. The fish looks very similar to the more familiar Kanpachi/Hamachi/Hiramasa and tastes like it. The flesh is white and translucent and has a hint of citrus which might be why it is also known as Lemonfish. Information on Sugi is still quite sparse on the net but I found this really helpful website which lists the different fish used for sushi. The fish is so new that it hasn't been listed yet, but the very helpful author did respond to my email query on Cobia, by saying that:

Most cobia sold as sushi is in lower-end establishments, where it is offered under false names, most commonly masquerading as kanpachi or hiramasa. After several glasses of sake, a forgiving person could almost mistake very high-quality cobia for a mediocre piece of amberjack (kanpachi, etc.) Almost.

The Cobia is also slowly making its way into our Sushi restaurants as well as other eating establishments here. I think it won't be too long before the fish will be seen swimming in the tanks ready for our Cze Char Chefs to turn it into a meal for your family.



In case you are after some fresh seafood for the weekend, you can actually place your orders on Friday with Changi Fishery and pick up your seafood on Saturday afternoons at the Changi Sailing Club. The various Kelongs there have actually formed a conglomerate, so you are able to get quite a variety of seafood ranging from prawns to lobsters, seabass, groupers and so on. If you are feeling more adventurous, you can even organize for a group to visit the Kelong and have dinner there.

More information can be found at the Changi Fishery website at www.changifishery.com. Contact numbers: 96150215, 61001638

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Riyadh Muslim Food: Crispy Fluffy Prata made with Passion

With ieatjr

Five Prata Stack 70cent each

Ah Prata, one of my all time favourite breakfast food. I don't know why, but it might have something to do with how my Pa used to bring me to the coffeeshop in Toa Payoh Lor 8 to eat prata. If I remember correctly, $1 used to buy 10 pratas and you could bring an egg to the prata man so that he can add it to the prata for you. As with most kids, I started off eating prata dipped in sugar. Then gradually, I learnt that dipping it in the curry can be quite shiok, albeit a little spicy. But I still liked the sugar so I ended up dipping in the curry, then the sugar. I sometimes still eat it that way nowadays.

Speaking of eating Prata as a father and son (or daughter) thing, I too brought my son to eat prata with me on this occasion. He still does not want to dip in the curry, hopefully one day he will realise what he has been missing. It's amazing that my fondest memories with my Pa are just these simple things we used to do together while my brothers were still to young to tag along. So I guess it is important to remember to spend one-on-one time with your own kids regularly so that they have some fond memories to accompany them for life.


Mr Abdul Aziz explaining how to make a perfect prata

Unfortunately, with the proliferation of 24 hour prata joints, the standard of Prata in Singapore has been waning and in some places it is just plain bad. The reason is very simple. It all has to do with ownership and passion. In the past, men from India used to come to Singapore to etch a living for themselves. So they would open a prata shop and through sheer hard work and long hours, make a name for themselves. Nowadays, the guys flapping the prata are all hired men from India and Malaysia, and unless the boss correctly incentivise them, it is difficult to ensure quality.

I have been hunting around for stalls where the owners still take pride in making their own dough and flapping their own prata. A place where they are still passionate about a simple dish which has been taken for granted and neglected.

Mr Abdul Aziz of Riyadh Muslim Food is just one such person. His father was the one who started the famous Thesevi's which made Jalan Kayu prata a household name. When he parted ways with his brother, he started up his little stall here in an industrial park in Defu Lane. That was 20 years ago and he is still doing much the same as his father had done.



It is heartening to see a bucket of handmade dough instead of what most stalls do nowadays which is to buy them ready made. So whenever I eat at a Prata stall, I always lookout for the dough in a bucket rather than in a cardboard box. Amazingly, his dough is still handkneaded and not made with a machine. Mr Abdul tells me that handknead is still best and he doesn't have space to put a mixer in his small shop. He still adds QBB pure Ghee in his dough to give that savoury buttery taste as well as Carnation evaporated milk. The other ingredients are Prima's Ikan Terbang brand Flour, salt and sugar. The was tight lipped about the proportions. Doh! Or should I say, Dough!


Special order Double Dough prata $1.40

Aside from the dough, the secret to a really good prata is simply passion and technique. Although Mr Aziz does not personally flap each prata nowadays, at 70, he is still there at the stall every minute of its opening to make sure that each prata comes out the way he wants. That is the work ethic of the first generation migrants of Singapore and amazingly, Mr Aziz still holds an Indian passport even though he has been here since the 50's.



The pratas here are hard to beat. As with the Jalan Kayu pratas, they are small but crispy and flaky and very flavourful. As far as prata goes, this is probably one of the best ones around and the best thing is that they insist on making the prata when you order, so you are assured of fresh pratas all the time. They still do some ready made ones for those people who are in a hurry, so make sure you let Uncle know that you are in no hurry for a great prata. 4.6/5

Conclusion

This Prata is really special. It might not be as convenient as a 24 hour prata stall, but the limited timing just means that each prata is still made under the strict supervision of the Prata master. If you really love prata, this is one place you have to visit.

Riyadh Muslim Food
Blk 32, Defu Lane 10
Stall 12, Soon Soon Lai Eating House
6.30am to 7pm daily
Closed last Wed of each month

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Cugini Italian Restaurant: Unbridled Italian Passion

Sardinian Style Spaghetti with olive oil, mullet roe, chili, garlic and Mediterranean prawns $22++

There is only really one ingredient that you need for really great food, and that is passion. But not just passion, you really need unbridled passion that defies practicality.

So many times I have met with Chefs who are passionate about their cooking but somehow they are held back. If they are working in someone else's kitchen, it is always the boss who clamps down on food costs. When they are the owner, they have to think about keeping the business afloat and time with their families. So the initial fiery passion gets toned down to a slow simmer.

When it comes to pasta, a good freshly made pasta is not so easy to find in Singapore. Most restaurants resort to using dried pasta, albeit good quality ones, because it is said that the weather in Singapore makes it difficult to duplicate the fresh pasta that you get in Italy. So practicality tells you to just do what everyone else is doing and just order your pasta. But passion insists that you somehow find a way to do what you believe is how pasta should be eaten.


Freshly made Spaghetti: Excellent texture and bite

Like most Singaporeans, I am used to eating dried pasta. By now everyone knows that pasta needs to be eaten "Al Dente" which basically means that it is still firm to the bite and not overly soft such that it has the texture of the canned alphabet soup. The way to do this is of course, not to overcook it. However, sometimes I feel that in their enthusiasm, inexperience cooks actually undercook their pasta such that it comes out still too hard. Yes, you can cook it till the white in the middle just becomes translucent but I feel that the perfect bite is a point somewhere in between that and it becoming too soft. What you really want is a pasta that has enough chewability but tender enough so that it is starchy rather than crunchy.

All the pastas at Cugini are handmade by the two Italian chefs who are like two boys having a lot of fun in the kitchen. Most of the time, I find that freshly made pasta lacks a certain amount of bite. But I had the most wonderful experience last week when I took my first mouthful of the spaghetti. The texture is really very special and definitely one of the most satisfying pastas that I have tried. It has enough bite in it but still tender and the feel of the spaghetti as it slides into the mouth is excellent. 4.5/5


Thinly sliced Guanciale (Cured Pork Cheek) Taken from the pizza topping

Now, I'd be happy just eating the Spaghetti here with some olive oil and Parmesan cheese. But if you are looking for something with a more robust flavour, you might want to try the Amatriciana. This is quite special as are a lot of their other sauces. Their bacon, for example, is not the stuff you buy from the supermarkets. They specially import a cured Pork Cheek known as Guanciale which is used in all their toppings and sauces. Gerri tells me that their basic tomato sauce is made from specially imported fresh Italian tomatoes. Two types are used, the usual Roma tomatoes as well as San Marzano tomatoes which are the ones that must be used if one is to fulfill one of the criteria of a Vera Napoletana Pizza. (True Neapolitan Pizza)


Guanciale: Italian Cured Pork Cheek

I have been on a pizza craze lately and have been doing a lot of research on the perfect pizza. Now of course, everyone has their own preference when it comes to pizza and I think that the current fad amongst Singaporeans is leaning towards the thin crust pizza. But when it comes to pizza, there really is a gold standard which is enforced by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. Because there are so many styles of pizza in the world now, this Association acts to preserve the style of the pizza which is widely acknowledged as the original from Naples.

I have yet to taste a true Napoletana Pizza in Naples, but I have tasted some pizzas in Australia which were truly amazing. Once you have eaten a great pizza, you'd come to the conclusion that it is all about the dough, the tomato sauce and the cheese. A really good base is soft, chewy and gives you that carbo rush as you chew on the bread. The bottom and the rim has got to be just slightly charred and when combined with the tomato and cheese, it should be enough to get you thinking about the pizza for a long long time.

These guys have put in a lot of effort to make sure that the pizza is as close to what they get back home. They tell me that the dough is made with a closely guarded family recipe which has been passed down through the generations and insist that whatever recipe that you can find on the internet and in cookbooks are not 100% accurate as no self respecting Italian family would ever share their secret.


Napoletana style pizza topped with Guanciale, Aragula and Basil $24++ (pizzas range from $16 to $24)

This pizza will not pass the strict criteria for a Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN) but it certainly fulfills quite a few of the requirements. The dough was, in the words of the VPN rules "soft, elastic and easy to manipulate and fold", more like the texture of a Naan Bread rather then a water cracker which some thin and crispy pizzas are like. The use of San Marzano and Roma Tomatoes in the sauce also conforms to the rules.

However, the rules state that nothing else may be put on top of the pizza except Buffalo Mozarella, Oregano and Basil, so having slivers of Guanciale and Aragula on top of the pizza is like the Chinese proverb says, to "Hwa She Tian Zu" (Drawing legs on a snake - which turns the snake into a lizard). And then the rules are also very strict in stating that the pizza must be cooked in a wood fired oven. (They use a pizza oven here)

So, this pizza will not be given the stamp of a VPN, but I would say that the dough and sauce comes closer to a VPN than any other pizza I have eaten in Singapore. So if you order a Pizza Magherita, you would get a pizza which is very close to a VPN, except for the fact that it wasn't cooked in a wood fired oven. But at the end of the day, the real question is, would you enjoy a Pizza Magherita or one which has slivers of Guanciale and Aragula over it? For me, I am one who believes in discerning the spirit of the law, rather than strict conformity to the letter of the law. So I appreciate the authenticity of the the pizza base and sauce, but the addition of one of two toppings just adds that extra dimension. (You can tell I really like this Guanciale, don't you?)

The pizzas are very good here and I can appreciate the effort that the guys here put into the pizza to make it authentic. But until I get to eat a real Napoletana Pizza in Naples, I still have this niggling feeling that the best is yet to be. 4.25/5


Squid Ink Ravioli with Seabass in Lobster sauce $31++

They have five different types of Raviolis here. We tried the Squid Ink Ravioli which was unexpectedly good.I was told that they specially import an Italian Seabass to make the filling and you can tell from the taste that it is different from the locally farmed Seabass. (Actually it is a different fish altogether). The sauce complemented the the ravioli perfectly. Very balanced and has that wonderful seafood flavour without the overwhelming fishiness. 4.5/5


Mauro and Gerri

Conclusion

There is no doubt that these guys are passionate about their food and go to lengths to ensure that they are serving up food that they grew up eating. I think the prices are quite reasonable given that a lot of the stuff they use have to be imported. I loved the pastas, but I will need to try their pizzas in the evening when the oven is really hot and the dough has more time to proof to catch them at their best.

They've got a great set lunch for $13++ where you can order selected pizzas and pastas. I was told that the lamb dishes there were supposed to be really good and there is this Ravioli with ossobuco (veal shank) that I really want to try soon.

Special for ieatishootipost readers:

Mention "ieatishootipost" and get 15% off the menu price. Offer valid for Mar 2009

11 Unity Street,
Robertson Walk #01-27/28
68369541
www.cugini.com.sg
This restaurant was recommended by our reader, Rachelle who arranged for our menu tasting

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My interview with SMA News

Here's the interview I did with Dr Hsu Li Yang which was published in the Feb issue of the Singapore Medical Association News. Included in the last page is my updated rating guide.

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Chef on Call: Fine dining in the comfort of home!

Hokkaido sea scallop with pumpkin mash, white wine cream reduction

Ever thought about hosting an intimate dinner party for your friends? I am sure you have and for those of us who cook, it is usually an opportunity to show off our culinary skills. But the problem with that is you end up going in and out of the kitchen and miss out on the fellowship. Furthermore, it would be very difficult if you are planning to do a 8 course, gourmet type meal where each course has to be constructed just prior to serving.

So sometimes it is nice to hang up the apron, sit down and just enjoy the dinner conversation. If that is the case, then one of the ways to still enjoy a gourmet style meal is to hire a chef to prepare the meal for you, ala Channel 5's "Chef for Hire". But you know, it can get quite expensive to do this. I read in the Straits Times that Ryan from "Chef for Hire" charges $170 per head to make an appearance! For that amount of money, I think most people will opt to just go to a nice restaurant to eat.

It so happened that one day I got this email from a young aspiring chef who has just started a Chef for Hire business. His credentials seemed to be a little limited but his rates were reasonable, so I'd thought I'd give him a try just to see what he can do.

Chris is a young fella who has been through Shatec and worked in the kitchens of five star hotels. Not a great resume by any means, but the guy seemed passionate about cooking and I had a gut feeling that he would do a good job despite his youth.

On the day of the dinner, Chris came by at around 1pm to start his preparations, armed with all the ingredients which he had procured through a gourmet supplier and a truckload of his own kitchen equipment. I could tell he was quite serious as he had even brought along small pots of fresh herbs including Rosemary which he subsequently used for the lamb.

By 7.15pm, he was ready to start with our first course which was a Scallop with pumpkin mash. We were very impressed with his presentation and the little details that he went into, like slow roasted the cherry tomatoes for a couple of hours in the oven to intensify the flavour. The scallop (I think it was just mine) was slightly overcooked, other than that, everyone around the table were suitably impressed by the first course. 4/5


Truffle scented mushroom soup served with frog leg

The mushroom soup had an intense flavour the frog leg as an interesting addition to the soup. However there was like three spoonfuls of soup in the bowl, so it looked almost like a frog leg served with mushroom sauce instead. 4/5


Our Chef preparing "Instant" Sorbet

Chris also tried to do some culinary magic to add some excitement doing what he called "instant Sorbet". The use of liquid nitrogen to flash freeze food seems to be quite the fad nowadays. It is hard to get hold of liquid nitrogen, so Chris was using dry ice to try to achieve the same effect with the Raspberry Sorbet. Great effort but needs a bit more polishing as the sorbet came out a little untidily. 3/5


Rack of lamb with Italian Parsley crust with rosemary sauce

We all loved the Rack of Lamb. It was pink and juicy all through and the lamb was very good quality. The parsley crust and Rosemary sauce complemented the lamb very well. This is as good as some of the best lamb dishes I have tasted. 4.5/5


Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is a very common dessert which Chris did very well. The texture was nice and smooth and the use of fresh vanilla beans gave it that edge. 4.25/5

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Chris exceeded our expectations. For a young aspiring chef, he has put a lot of heart and soul into his craft and it shows through the food. Given a few more years, he might well be one of those chefs that get featured in the media, but by then he would be asking for a much higher fee.

So for your next gathering, why not consider hiring a chef? He will buy all the ingredients, bring his own kitchen utensils and come over to your house to cook a gourmet meal. Chris charges $70 per head and you need a minimum of 10 pax. You can check out his website at www.chefoncall.sg.

For my next dinner party, I am planning to do a "How to Host a Murder" night. That means dinner in four courses and everyone assumes a role in a mystery where someone got killed. The game is played in four rounds where clues are given to each person and over the course of the meal, everyone gets to interact, accuse and reveal each other's deep dark secrets. It's a great get together kind of activity which we used to do a lot of when we were living in Australia. Having a chef do all the cooking really means that I get to enjoy the game without having to worry about preparing the next course!

Special offer for ieatishootipost readers:

For the first 3 reservations, Chris will charge $55 per head for a minimum of 10 pax. You can call him at 81482726 or email chrischefoncall@gmail.com. Just let him know you found out about him through this blog.

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