relishing in some brunch!

brunch. the meal defined as the combination of breakfast and lunch...and is most cases, quite a heavy meal to take the place of both breakfast and lunch. i love brunch, as it gives one the opportunity to truly indulge without having to worry too much about over eating (since you do  have two meals worth of calories at your disposal!), and it does in its own magical way, give the weekend that special holiday feel to it. its been a while since i actually had brunch, especially with g now down under in jdk, so it was kind of a nice treat that the entire family headed over to relish for a quick brunch getaway.

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coffee & cake

i really don't quite care what everyone says, but oriole cafe still serves up the meanest latte on this island. serving up quality 'honest' coffee, the baristas at oriole take no short cut in the brew process. all creations start with freshly roasted beans that are only ground on demand, tampered twice and then brewed with water at the right temperature for the perfect duration of time to yield the basic yet very awesome building block of any coffee creation - the espresso. 

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burger bliss!

 

the picture you see and the post you are about to read is not a mistake. yes, you guessed right, it is the classic mosaic walls and blackboard of the burger bench and bar...and no, this is not a mistake re-post of the b3 post written just 5 posts back...it is actually yet another rave about the awesome burgers served at b3 and marks yet another first in mojitos' history as being the first food establishment that this girl has been back religiously three weeks (yes, three weeks!) in a row!

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only As at b3!

this post is one that will go down in mojito's history because it is one of the very few posts that i punch out just hours (read within twenty four hours!) after being at the place....and yes, it is purely driven by the excitement, satisfaction and the need to just shout it out to the whole world that i've just experienced a gastrorgasm! the place? burger bench and bar or better known as b3.

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brunch at district ten

been kinda caught up with things over the past couple of weeks, and thought it's high time i took a couple of steps back, regroup and refocus on things that i love doing (mojitos being one of them!). and it being a sunday today, i figured it'd be nice to share with all a somewhat recently discovered brunch place - the district 10 bistro. 

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'gone fishing!'

now that's the sign you get if you ever try to head to charlie's corner on a monday...and also a huge clue to the chilled laid back vibe the place and crew exude at this corner part street cafe, part pub joint! the place definitely brings back memories from way back when pak law would bring the whole family up to changi village and my sis and i would literally go wild for their awesome fish and chips and fresh fruit juices served up in frozen mugs with the signature slab of ice at the bottom of each mug! 

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the handle on the handburger - part two of worth the calories?

opened by the folks that run the mean operation over at the soup spoon, the hand burger has been on my list of places to try since they opened. with the cool branding and concept, clean deco and decent reviews to date, i jumped at the chance to have sunday lunch at the city hall outlet...even though i knew it would be a heavy lunch and we were going to have a big dinner later that same day!

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time to rise and dine?

all day breakfast, everyday. with choices of eggs done scrambled, boiled, poached, sunny side or whipped into an omelette, i think the owners of hatched were onto something as i believe that there really is no one that would say no to brekkie or decline a serving of some yummy bright and sunny, maybe even runny, eggs!

hatched definitely was outfitted to match the happy and fun vibe that the dining concept brought with it. with a nice bar counter with classic high stools on one end, and long wooden canteen-like tables filling up the rest of the space, hatched was busy that sunday morning, with diners spilling out onto the lobby of evan's lodge. run, i think totally by family and friends, the staff were attentive and extremely friendly, making the dining experience feel like one you were having at home. the slight disappointment for me was the food. not only did it take a while to arrive, the dishes sounded a lot better in the catalogue of eggs (aka menu) then they looked and tasted.

we actually had two none egg dishes in addition to what i would define as classic egg dishes. the none eggies were actually ordered by the kids, which kinda surprised me with both of them loving their eggs. anyway, the bacon rap - fried bacon wrapping fresh mozzarella, served with fig jam turned out quite refreshing, think the classic tomato and mozz appetizer but with a salty twist. the animal farm, which was meant to be pancakes in animal shapes (i was secretly excited to see how they would turned out!) was served normal style (i.e. round!) and while i was slightly disappointed, the pancakes were pretty good. light, fluffy with a buttery and creamy feel, dusted with icing sugar and served with simple maple syrup, at six bucks a pop, the animal farm was tremendous value and would definitely make any hatchling (kid) happy!

eggs-wise, we had the burly benedict - two poached eggs on classic english muffins, served on a bed of caramelized onions, topped with corned wagyu beef and accompanied by sauteed potatoes; and the usual suspects - 'simple and sweet' two eggs scrambled, served with a sausage and huge toast. maybe the expectations were higher with hatched being an eggs place, but g and i were not entirely impressed. the benedict and suspects were okay but i think we both agree that we have had better benedicts and big breakfast equivalents elsewhere.

while i think hatched still needs a bit more time under the incubator to not only sort out its kitchen and service but more importantly to add the finesse and punch into its food, the kids had a ball of a time. it is definitely a place to check out, but i'd give the place a bit more time to iron out its kinks and then it might really just 'rise & dine'!

hatched
26 evans road
#01-06 evans lodge
(65) 6735 0012
www.hatched.sg

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relishing!

digging deep into the mojito archives reveal that the inaugural trip to relish was way back in 2007! a good two years later (i did go back there one more time like in early 08), g and i decided to treat my sis, mom and the kids to a burger bonanza at relish...so we packed ourselves into the odyssey and headed across town for some major burger relishing!

to be really honest, i was a little worried that chef willin's burger concept might not be such a hit with singaporeans, but i guess i am wrong, with relish not only full with family and friends alike, just by the shear number of recent burger joint openings make me think maybe chef willin really was onto something. relish, in my book, pretty much is singapore's very first burger concept joint and he has definitely set some high standards to beat. the place was as cheery as i remembered it, with classic wood tables, soft warm lighting and myriad of pristine white chairs. the menu has evolved and expanded quite a bit, really displaying chef willin's innovation, creativity and understanding of fusing the classic burger with that of local flavors.

new on the menu included a lamb cutlet dish, morphed from a lamb in pita concoction from before, a mirin & teriyaki chicken rice burger and chicken mesak merah. they all seriously sounded really yum, but having committed to share the bacon & cheese burger with e, i let g, my mom and my sis indulge in the lamb and chicken rice burgers. the b&c burger continues to be a classic hit at relish. think nice sizeable slab of pure beef ground into a juicy patty, crispy bacon strips and melted emmenthal cheese slapped in between fresh veggies and a sesame seed bun. it was slightly messy but still oh-so good! g's open lamb cutlet on focaccia was a nice refreshing surprise. I was slightly worried that it might be a tad too oily and spiced up but it had a good balance of the flavors from the lamb marinated with a bunch of classic mediterranean spices. served on a bed of caramelized onions and freshly baked focaccia, you can tell that a lot of thought had gone in to ensure the perfect balance of sweet, salty and spicy with no overdose on unnecessary carbs. the rice burger added a nice asian touch to the otherwise bun based menu. unlike the rice burgers served at mos burger, relish used a mixture of brown and unpolished rice to form the bed of the burger. laying on the rice bed was a generous mirin & teriyaki marinated chicken fillet, which was then topped with crispy bits of taro (i think!) strips. again, relish concocted this with precision, ensuring that no one would be overly stuffed from the rice to enjoy the yummy sweet, tender and juicy chicken.

i have to of course mention that the fries that accompany every burger are purely fantastic. fried till crisp on the outside, but warm and creamy on the inside, just dipping it in classic ketchup makes one go into french fry heaven! relish's onion rings are another definite must try...think ultra sweet white onions, battered and deep fried again till crisp. the sweetness of the rings combined with the crunch and slightly salty batter are so yum that i can't decide which is better, relish's fries or rings! i think it is pretty much a tie but do pay relish a visit and let me know what your votes are....fries or rings *grin*

relish
#02-01 cluny court
501 bukit timah road
(65) 6763 1547
http://www.wildrocket.com.sg/relish.htm

p.s. we had dessert at island creamery (located next door at the serene centre) this time. again a definite must go for fantastic homemade ice creams!

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tomahawked!

a disclaimer to first start the post...the piccie above is taken from www.mylifestylemap.com, which i hope i'm not in trouble for copying and using the image, but had to include just because i think my pictures of dinner at bedrock bar & grill really does not give the credit and justice bedrock deserves. as you would have guessed, g and i were there with g's family and we spoiled ourselves by indulging in the 1.7kg version of that beautiful australian wagyu tomahawk that you see above.

done medium to suit the fancies of the varying people around the table, the meat turned out as fantastic as promised. well marbled, infused with the juices of the prized meat, the tomahawk wagyu i think, comes pretty close to the meat and style served up at the acclaimed peter lugers in brooklyn. good on its own, the accompanying medley of sauces ranging from a classic pinot noir reduction, homemade bernaise and my personal favorite the whisky mustard sauce, the tomahawk will most definitely bring out the carnivore in you!

mirroring the peter lugers steakhouse concept as much as possible but yet keeping in line with its own unique style, bedrock served up quite a mean set of sides that complimented the meat to a t. the creamed spinach was done slightly different from what i was used to, more tossed in cream as opposed to stewed in it, it was a refreshing touch and took the heaviness and richness down a notch, allowing one to fully enjoy the flavors of the priority meat. the roasted veggies were yummy, with the additions of beetroot (yes beet root!) and yellow squash to the usual classic potatoes, carrots and peppers. the mushrooms weren't part of the roasted veg dish, i think primarily because they had such a variety that the folks at bedrock decided to give the funghi their very own side....and well deserved too i think!

for all non-carnivores, don't fret, bedrock does have alternatives and based on the fish that c had, they do do quite a decent job with non-mooing creatures as well *grin*. the smoked tomato soup is worth starting the meal with, although i would recommend sharing it, just so that you have more room for the excellent meats...also do go easy on the homemade pita breads with fresh out of the oven roasted garlic and knob of butter. these are so good (and free flow!) that i wish i had a separate tummy just for breads!

desserts were taken over at sister joint oriole...which was cool since the last time i was there, we were too stuffed to enjoy the sweets. this time, we had everything on the menu less the bread pudding...so that means we polished off a berry meringue, molten dark chocolate cake and a hazelnut crunch vanilla affrogato. the chocolate cake scored high among the folks with its moist cakey exterior and molten dark chocolate center....making it perfect with a cuppa (i had a latte) served up by singapore's no.2 barista keith loh. i personally enjoyed the affrogato..think hazelnut crunch, homemade (i think!) french vanilla ice cream with a dose of oriole's signature espresso. heaven!

bedrock gets four and half scoopies from me....while i do admit prices are a little high, i think no one would dispute the value of the excellent meat, good service and nice oaky atmosphere.

bedrock bar & grill
#01-05 pan pacific serviced apartments
96 somerset road
(65) 6238 0054

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o.ri.ole

did you know that the latin origin of the word oriole stems from the word aurum or gold? i actually googled and wiki-ed it, hoping to get some inspiration for a fitting title to this post, and the discovery suddenly all made sense. the oriole cafe and bar truly was like the bird, standing out proud all decked out in truly gorgeous wood and leather deco - equivalent to the bird's yellow and black body, and golden, without a doubt, describes everything the cafe was...from the awesome food to the friendly service and oh most definitely, the coffee experience. 

i have to begin with the end of the meal, simply because the latte i had was simply the best i have ever had in a long long time. lattes are more than just a coffee with steamed milk...it starts with the artistic visual sealing of the top of the drink, providing somewhat of a clue of the barista that brewed the coffee and i guess a pretty good idea how the cuppa would actually taste. it's always a treat to watch someone make a cup of coffee, the latte especially because it is a definite art, from the brewing of the espresso to the steaming of the milk and my personal favorite part, the skillful infusing process of the steamed milk with the espresso, complete with the decorative detail on the foam top. the ease with which chief barista john whipped up my latte didn't appear too different from some other people i've seen, but the latte that resulted was hugely different. capped with a pretty toffee colored leaf, the latte was perfect. you know how it is sometimes when you first sip your coffee and all you get is the milk, or worse foam? well...the latte at oriole is brewed such that every sip had the rich coffee burst of flavor with just the right creaminess of the freshly steamed milk. not the least bit acidic, and no heart racing or funny tummy feelings i sometimes get after drinking coffee, this is most definitely how coffees should be. 

aside from the fantastic coffees, oriole has been touted to serve up quite a mean fish and chips, and i agree. the portion was generous, snapper was very fresh and fried in yummy crispy batter. the secret to the dish in my book is that they got the fish to batter ratio right, so the garlicky batter didn't overshadow the sweetness of the fish. the thick cut fries too complemented the fish...with hints of aioli, and the homemade tartar sauce truly completed the dish. if there was another dish to recommend, my vote would go to oriole's signature burger. 

think freshly ground homemade beef pattie, infused with caramelised onions, topped with melted cheese and a sunny side up, this burger was very very good. maybe it was the sweet onions, or maybe they put in a dash of fruit chutney but there was a sweet tangy flavor lingering in the background that augmented the flavors of the ground beef, making this burger really stand out. again, served with thick cut aioli garlic fries....the burger gets top marks from me!

i think the oriole just became this girl's new favorite cafe on the island..don't be surprised if you see more ravings here on mojitos!

oriole cafe and bar

96 somerset road level 1

#01-01/05 pan pacific serviced suites

(65) 6238 8348

www.oriole.com.sg

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griddle!

finally. the mcgriddle has landed in singapore. mac-what you say? the mcgriddle. for those who have not yet had the privilege to be introduced, this innovative creation has already been putting many smiles on faces for a good many years over in the u.s. and finally...yes finally, they decided to put those of us who have enjoyed the mcgriddle experience before out of our misery!

just imagine: fluffy mini hotcakes laced with maple syrup sandwiching mcdonald's classic breakfast sausage patti. cheese and egg optional.

this makes deciding what to have at macs so much easier. no more hotcakes or sausage mcmuffin dilemmas. the singapore version is slightly more floury and sweeter than what i remembered...but it is still really good. hotcakes laced with maple syrup sandwiching a classic sausage patti. enough said eh? *grin*

mcdonalds

www.mcdonalds.com.sg

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secrets at sunset

it is kinda cool how suddenly in the midst of a seemingly quiet neighborhood, out springs a row of eateries that quietly but quickly becomes the throbbing heart of activity in the area. first there was greenwood, then siglap and now...the slightly newer kid on the block, sunset way. with two trips under the belt, this girl has to admit that there is a quiet appealing vibe about the place. behind the local kopitiam, and flanked by two chinese joints (one seafood and one hongkong styled) there are a few interesting outlets, covering everything from thai food to new zealand delicatessen.

our first experience was at peaberry & pretzel. supposedly german inspired, the joint served up pretty decent entrees. between g and myself, we had a spinach salad and pot of mussels. the salad was not bad, with a simple dressing, sweet tomatoes, fresh spinach, hard boiled eggs and a sprinkle of bacon bits. it could do with a hint more honey mustard just to add that bit of twang in my opinion..but was a nice light side to accompany the slightly rich pot of mussels in white wine cream sauce. with the benchmark for mussels set to that of belgos london, peaberry & pretzel fared pretty well. mussels were fresh (less the 3 that g encountered tasted odd), sauce was hearty not fishy and the fresh bread served prior to the mains coming went pretty well with the sauce. only down side is the lack of frites (or fries)…if only they threw in thick cut fries with the pot, we would definitely be back to satisfy those mussel cravings!

the highlight of the meal was the dessert. we had the apple rhubarb crumble..and while it is really no match to auntie’s ta crumble, this girl would have to give them credit for good effort. the crumble bits were coarser then i would have liked, but they had a good mix of crumble and fruit, which was served hot and topped with a generous portion of vanilla bean ice cream. with nice and attentive service stuff, peaberry & pretzel is really not bad a place to spend an evening with a small group of friends or for tea with the gals.

peaberry & pretzel
block 106 clementi street 12
#01-52
www.peaberryandpretzel.com.sg

trip number two was for some classic italian pizzas and pastas at good old rocky’s. it must be what, a good ten years at least since this girl last had rocky’s but one taste of the pasta immediately brought back memories of the familiar old school homestyle goodness of the cooking. the spaghetti meatballs was done al dente with homemade marinara sauce and meatballs rich in italian spices. g’s lasagna was similarly good with generous portions of bolognaise filling up the spaces between layers of pasta and mozzarella. despite how full we already were, g and i indulged in a slice of the classic deluxe pizza. simple but awesome with only marinara sauce and mozzarella overflowing over the chewy pizza base. it is really no wonder why rocky’s still rocks after over twenty years! this girl really hopes they deliver to the east side…fingers crossed!

rocky’s pizza
block 106 clementi street 12
#01-60
(65) 6466 8696
www.rockyspizza.com.sg

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kick back and relish!

after finding out the chef willin, of wild rocket fame, just opened his burger joint over at cluny court, this girl immediately took down relish's number and added it to her list of must-try makan places in her trusty nokia e61. it was a good thing i did because it came in useful as g suggested that we hop over there for dinner last night!

there were only two other tables that just got seated when we arrived, but the staff were already shuttling about in their bright yellow tees, adding a nice little buzz to the place. we sat down in front of the bright yellow wall mural and began deliberating over the menu...even though both g and i somewhat already decided what we were going to have, thanks to chubby hubby's post! off the ten choices, we were torn between the wild rocket burger, the ram-lee and the mexican beef. we almost went with the wild rocket and the ram-lee but g was swayed by the description of the mexican beef... 'chillies, onions, tomato relish and guacamole'. enough said!

served quite promptly with a side of very well salted thick cut fries, both our burgers were towering pieces of gastronomia, thanks to the layers of yummy sauces, fresh veggies and of course the very generous portion of meat pattie grilled medium rare. i had no idea how i was going to tackle the stack so i tried to half the burger but realised quickly that the best way to enjoy the burger is just to get those hands dirty and eat it the way burgers are meant to be eaten! with chilli sauce and meat juices dripping off my fingers, i devoured the ram-lee quickly, thoroughly enjoying the tender juicy beef pattie wrapped in a warm omelet. the sauces are quite authentically ramlee but i guess the overall taste is way better, with the flavors of the beef enhancing the sweet chilli and seasoned omelet.

despite being a burger joint, chef willin brought a bit of fine dining into his menu by putting in suggested drinks that would complement the burger of choice. g had a cherry fruit one that was meant to go with the mexican beef...on its own, the fruit beer didn't quite agree with g...but one bite of the burger and g was happy *grin*. true to its description, the tomato relish and guacamole truly defined the mexican beef burger....definitely made from scratch, the tanginess of the relish mixed with the sweetness of the tomato really brought out the flavor of the beef while the creamy guacamole added a nice rich finishing touch.

we were stuffed by the time we demolished our burgers....partly because we didn't know that the burgers came with fries (be warned!) and we happily had a side of freshly fried onion rings. definitely worth a go if the meal was for a bigger gang, as again, this was done with a difference. think calamari batter coating sweet red onions...bit of sweet and salty all rolled into one! then there is of course dessert...which i am quite sure would have been outstanding but we really had no room....next time definitely! we will be back soon for more kicking back and relishing! (more piccies here!)

relish
#02-01 cluny court
(65) 6763 1547

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moo-rtons!

the recent trip to mortons of chicago is definitely one for the books…afterall, it was this girl’s first time at the renowned steakhouse!

no prizes for guessing what g and i had that evening *grin* g did prep me about what was in store but being there and actually experiencing it was a whole different story! our server, candy, did a great job rattling off the entire menu and introducing us to every single cut of beef, some of which i never knew existed! g already knew what he was going to have, having reserved a center cut of prime rib when we made the reservation…i, on the other hand, was a little stumped trying to decide what to have, knowing full well that there was only so much beef i could manage! finally decided on the steak diane, partly because it was under the ‘slightly smaller steaks’ part of the menu and partly because it was described to be served with de glaced mustard and mushrooms. no regrets there for sure! the steak diane was done perfectly medium rare and served up with a yummy mustard based sauce with fresh mushrooms. every bite was a melt in mouth sensation and my only regret was not being able to finish off the entire slice of meat!

g’s prime rib was huge….and i was literally lost for words seeing the chunk of meat in front of him! we could have shared the prime rib and still have leftovers if you ask me but we indulged..after all dia’s birthday just passed and g’s was upcoming so we gave in and literally had the full works! i do have to say though that the prime rib was quite out of this world…i have never tasted anything quickly like it before! think pure unadulterated meat served up with whipped horseradish and au jus. a very simple yet synergistic combination of flavours that send your taste buds into a flurry what with the fiery horseradish that almost immediately evaporates in your mouth, adding a nice spice-y touch to the richness of the meat. no wonder morton’s wins hands down against any steakhouse! the lobster bisque and chocolate cake were fantastic ways to kick start and end the meal and yes we managed to do both given the huge meats we had in between…and yes they were all very very good!

an almost perfect destination to celebrate a special occasion…be it a birthday or anniversary….the crew (and food) at morton’s will definitely guarantee you a fantastic time!

morton's
the oriental mandarin
fourth storey
5 raffles avenue
(65) 6339 3740
www.mortons.com

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the prime society

friday evening and the original plan was for a simple dinner before the nine o'clock movie at cathay. dia thought of somewhere along killiney and we were heading in that direction until g suggested swinging by dempsey village just to take a look and see if anything new had opened.

it was almost seven but the village was already a buzz with cars streaming in and people all dressed up to party. there were a few new places, an indian, japanese and wine bar type joint but the prime society caught both of our eyes. the outside was nice, kinda like something you'd fine in california, with the wood furniture, clean lines, minimal details....very nice. stepping in, we were immediately overwhelmed with the sights, sounds and smells of the place. high ceilings, warm lights and yummy smells drifting from the open kitchen, g and i were lucky to have gotten a spot without a reservation!

the society's menu was somewhat limited, focusing on the steaks and ribs with one pasta and one fish choice for non beef and pork fans. i honestly wasn't that hungry before we walked in, but after taking in the ambience, vibe and smells of the place, dia's tummy growled its way into having half a slab of ribs, done with bourbon barbecue sauce. served on a wooden slab with a generous portion of thick cut fries and grilled veggies, this is the best ribs that i have ever had since i can remember. it is nothing like that served at tony romas or dan ryan's, with the slab drenched in thick out of the bottle tasting sauce...this slab was lightly coated with good bourbon barbecue flavors and grilled till tender. garnished with a bit or rosemary, the meat fell cleanly off the bone. the ribs were meant to be accompanied by mash but one taste of the fries and i was content not asking for a change! the fries were done extremely well, hot and crispy on the outside, and seasoned with just the right amount of salt.

g had a serving of the society's ribeye done medium rare with bearnaise sauce. the meat was cooked to order, with a nice pink inside, but i think g would have preferred the cut to have a bit more marbling. it was still good, especially after he asked for a change in sauce to that of the red wine. it was more of a mushroomy gravy with a hint of red wine, but it was good and truly made up for the lack of marbling in the meat.

the verdict? the society's got the dining concept nailed pretty much on the head, with a nice space, wood finishes and open kitchen. The meats were good, although g and i still prefer steak at one six b or mortons..but the society wins for ribs, and the mojito wasn't too bad either...great potential for a bigger menu, especially in the mains and dessert arena. we should be back to check out the prime society again soon, and maybe even with pak law in tow *wink*

link to rest of the piccies!

the prime society
10 dempsey road #10-20
(65) 6474 7427 (RIBS there you go!)
www.theprimesociety.com

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