worth the calories? - the skinny on skinny pizza

dinner at skinny pizza happened really by chance, as the plan really was to have ribs at tony roma's. however the first sight of the snaking queue outside the joint immediately made us do an about turn, and i took the opportunity to suggest heading to skinny pizza. having heard quite a bit about the place, i was honestly curious as to what was so special about skinny pizza that has given rise to its growing number of reviews (and outlets!). now that i've been there (and done that), this girl is happy to report that she is ready to present the skinny on skinny pizza!

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buono!

there's something about these off the beaten track type places that always intrigue me and stir up some familiar fantasies of setting up my very own cafe, similar to those that litter the bohemian streets of melbourne and new york....i guess its the laid back vibe these places exude, plus of course, the fact that these places almost always serve up some really authentic and good quality grub that instantly draw me to them. with many of these places really living off recommendations passed around through friends and family, it really is kinda nice when you are told of or treated to a meal at such a place as it really makes one feel that you are in on a fabulous secret! that was precisely how i felt when we headed to buono one evening, thanks to g's brother's recommendation for a family birthday celebration dinner.

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forlino

the end of the year is, at least in my books, always associated with eating. with most of the family born in the later half of the year, the celebratory eating begins as early as august (with e's birthday) and continues with two birthdays in october, three in november and then christmas and new year's in december and january. so the posts on mojitos should be picking up speed and i'm gonna try to keep the momentum going with this one following the recent combined birthday celebration for my sis and mom at what is touted to be one of singapore's best restaurants....forlino.

hidden on the second floor of one fullerton, forlino's entrance hides the somewhat maze-like layout of the restaurant. coupled with the oppulent deco of tiffany blue walls with ornate trimmings and the odd modern artsy piece here and there, just walking to your table gives you the alice down the rabbit hole feel, making one intrigued and curious about the place, and of course the food it is going to serve. with a fantastic view of the marina bay, forlino probably has a somewhat unfair advantage in drawing in the crowds, especially with peeps wanting a view of the f1 circuit, fireworks and eventually the night skyline once the integrated resorts are done, and have the luxury of enjoying some classic italian fine dining.

the experience in forlino was quite special with the surprise of a private room, professional yet friendly maitre'd and of course the six course gourmet degustation menu. even before the courses began, we were all quite blown away by the house-made freshly baked focaccias, which the maitre'd warned us not to over indulge in less we will not be able to enjoy dessert...and he was right. they were little discs of buttery heaven...just out of the oven and oozing salty butter, one really needed a lot of control to resist wolfing down all four quarters! thankfully the kitchen timed the arrival of the degustation quite perfectly and we began the culinary adventure. first was the chef's complimentary course...kinda like a quiet thank you from the chef gesture i think, it constituted a red bean puree (which tasted a little like truffle mushroom!) and quail served on a bed of greens. not outstanding but certainly unusual enough to pique my interest as to what the rest of the courses would be like. next, citrus fruit cured salmon with fennel salad and pomegranate sauce. now this was refreshing twist the the normal smoked salmon and capers. with a tangy touch, classic fennel flavor and crunch of the pomegranate, this immediately gave mom new ideas to spice up her salads! no italian meal is complete without a serving of pasta and forlino did quite a good job with its tagliatelle with duck confit and goose liver. al dente and not overly rich and oily, the combination of duck, creamy liver and hint of wine sauce definitely hit the spot with me. they also did a serving of cabonara for the kids and it was similarly fantastic. think classic cabonara made with egg not cream, crispy bacon and al dente pasta...its no wonder the kids polished every last bit off!

i thought the highlight of the dinner would be the main, that is the korobuta pork cheek or the beef tenderloin depending on what you chose, but i think the pan roasted black cod definitely stole the show. with fish being one of the hardest dishes to cook perfect, forlino's serving of the cod was quite phenomenal. it was a good sized piece, perfectly cooked and dressed with a complimentary smoked roe and mushroom sauce. the light smoky earthy sauce and the creamy texture of the cod brought the flavors of both the earth and the sea together in harmony and really made the dish something to remember. dinner was rounded up with a chocolate log cake and an additional chocolate truffle cake to celebrate the birthdays. both were good but i think we would have enjoyed it a little more if we paid a bit more attention to the maitre'd's warning about the breads!

it is no wonder why forlino's got itself a quiet following...this girl thinks that while the food is pretty good, it is positioned in the higher class of fine dining joints in singapore. definitely worth a visit though for that special occasion especially once the marina bay is all decked out and ready.

forlino
1 fullerton road
#02-06 one fullerton
(65) 6877 6995

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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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woo-ed & wow-ed by wild rocket!

this girl has officially broken the big three-o barrier...and i really couldn't think of any better way to mark the day but to have an outstanding meal with g and the whole family at wild rocket.

g and i were both blown away by our first experience at wild rocket so much so that we more or less already knew what we were going to have! the menu was as yummy as we remembered it, and with new additions to everything, i was really glad that there were seven of us (plus evan!) allowing us to really get a nice repertoire of dishes.

we started off with three appetizers - the beef carparcio, deep fried tofu and pumpkin rocket salad. the beef carparccio was exactly how the smoked salmon was done (see previous post!) except of course instead of paper thin salmon, it was paper thin smoked beef...producing fantastic flavours that really opened up everyone's palate! using the signature rocket leaves, the pumpkin rocket salad was another crowd pleaser, with fresh rocket drizzled with tangy dressing and sprinkled with roasted nuts and pumpkin seeds. a very nice asiany touch, reflecting the creativeness of the chef and attention to detail even with starters! the best of the three in my book, was the deep fried tofu. served fresh out of hot oil, the tofu was crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. it could have been some special oil they use, or the probaby made from scratch batter, whatever it was...the tofu was heavenly! to top it all off, chef willin treated the table to a nice refreshing bottle of chilean sauvignon blanc just so that we could kick start the occasion on a perfect note.

the mains were served on cue the moment we were done with the starters and the table was quickly filled with classic white plates of al dente pastas and hot off the grill meats and fish. we had pastas done three ways, with me indulging in the the signature laksa pesto with tiger prawns and quails eggs, g revisiting the chili crab linguine and evan requesting to have the same yummy mushroom cream pasta he had at brunch two weeks back (even he remembers!). i thoroughly enjoyed the laksa pesto and think chef willin managed to capture the lemak-ness of the laksa and blend it perfectly with the pesto, resulting in a fusion of both asian and western flavours in every mouthful. and trust me, it isn't too spicy or too lemak, allowing one to really savour every last strand with the fresh seafood. g was slightly disappointed with his linguine, having remembered it to be a bit more creamy...but i personally found it still good with a bit more spice and less richness of the cream. for all cabonara and cream sauce fans, the mushroom cream pasta is a definitely must have. really rich cream sauce with a lot of mushroom and hints of ham (or was it bacon?) smothering fettucine done al dente, all the adults around the table were more then happy to have a second helping following the first bite!

meat-wise, the experience was as gastronomic! from the chef recommended stuffed quail wrapped in bacon, to the sirloin steak covered in mushroom gravy, bean and garlic coated sea bass and masala fused rack of lamb, everyone was on high dishing out portions to everyone, insisting that they try it just because it was so good. the quail was something quite different. stuffed with potato and enveloped within crispy bacon, it gave the bird a nice smoky flavour and texture to its otherwise lean meat. the sea bass was very fresh and extremely well done, with everyone blown away by the crispy garlicky yet slightly salty crust. i am still somewhat puzzled by what they actually used to encrust the fish, but this girl thinks it could be yet again the blend of eastern (bean paste) and western herbs and spices that gave the dish is unique character. the steak was done as requested, tender but not too red and was served with a very nice homemade mushroom sauce. the lamb got top votes all around the table for not only its tender meat but its awesome marinate of eastern masala spices. served with even a piece of papadom, chef willin's definitely got the lamb down perfectly. pak law was very impressed by the creativity of the dish that i've got my money on the fact that he just might experiment with indian spices the next time he does lamb!

like i mentioned in the earlier post, each main was portioned perfectly allowing all of us to have just the right amount of tummy space for dessert. birthday wishes were made over the must try molten lava warm chocolate cake. smooth warm chocolate encased by freshly baked chocolate cake, it was pure chocolate heaven! chef willin surprised us with wild rocket's dessert platter so next to the chocolate cake was a small serving of strawberry cheesecake and black sesame soup. we weren't too keen on cheesecake initially, thinking it would be your usual cake slice type, but this version reminded me of ben and jerry's strawberry cheesecake ice cream! think lots of yummy pieces of cake base infused in fresh strawberry cream and light cheese. very good! but what was truly phenomenal was the black sesame soup. freshly ground roasted black sesame with a bit of white sesame gave the soup a nice subtle grainy texture and truly sesame flavour. as chef willin said as we were leaving, most zi-ma hu has got too much hu and not enough zi-ma flavour...i couldn't agree more which is why he has definitely nailed this classic dessert and it is now my favourite place for zi ma hu! served with vanilla ice cream, the black sesame soup tops the books for best dessert at wild rocket. we also had the affrogato (served with a fresh shot of espresson) which is a must try for coffee lovers and the champagne jelly granita which is a must try for those craving a bit of alcohol to complete the meal.

dinner was a definite wow! everyone left happy and satisfied and already making plans to when next to head over to wild rocket to enjoy the nice vibe, friendly service and awesome food.

thank you chef willin!

wild rocket
10a upper wilkie road
(65) 6339 9448
www.wildrocket.com.sg

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la nonna

nestled somewhere in the midst of district 10 is this little italian gem...la nonna.

the food was outstanding. dinner began with toasted flat italian bread, fresh out of the wood fire oven, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar...the bread was very good, and very italian. g and i decided to skip the appetizers and have mains straight up. i chose the special of the day, angel hair pasta with scallops cooked with a chilli tomato base. pasta was done al dente and was served with a very generous portion of fresh scallops. the tomatoes were sweet and truly complemented the entire dish with a hint of garlic and chilli. g had the pizza nero, la nonna's signature and we fully agree. think squid ink, fresh servings of squid, scallops, mussels and prawns, seasoned in a seafood broth, topped off with just the right amount of mozzarella cheese, served on a thin crust. it was so good that the manager told us that other joints have been adding the nero to their pizza lists following la nonna's success!

wholesome food, homely vibe, la nonna has become one of dia's favorite italian hideaways. yet to be discovered by most i believe, it will really just be a matter of time before you'll need a reservation few days in advance to book a spot at this namly joint!

la nonna
76 namly avenue
(65) 6762 1587

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go fish!

the greenwood fish market is probably the first restaurant that i've been to amongst all that have landed in the neighborhood...and truth be told, it was only after visiting the humble establishment did i realize the definition of fresh oysters!

of all the times we have been there, the main attraction is of course the oysters! served on ice, with generous slices of lemon and a huge bottle of tabasco, the fish market did not at anytime skimp on the size or freshness of these gems. definition of fresh? the ability to remove the oyster from its stem with just one swop of the fork, just enough brine and absolutely no pieces of sand or shell! g and i literally polished off a full dozen within minutes, with each one sliding easily off the shell and literally melting in the mouth. superb!

beer battered or crumbed, snapper or barramundi, most people usually have an order of fish and chips. i personally had it once and found it pretty good...but having to choose between the fried fish and pasta, the pasta won hands down. this place served probably the second best aglio olio that i've tried in singapore with al dente pasta and amazing seafood stock infused with loads of garlic. the order this time around was almost the aglio olio until i asked the waiter how the hot smoked mackerel pasta was done. the moment garlic was mentioned, i was sold! still the same fantastic aglio olio with the exception of nice small pieces of mackerel used in place of the original anchovies. really reminded me of the english brunchs i used to have with smoked kipplings up at my sar-yi's place in manchester *grin*

g's chilli soft shell crab pasta was quite well done, with quite authentic chilli crab sauce and a generous portion of crispy soft shell crab. nice local twist to the classic seafood pasta and i think they could have upped the 'wow' factor by using linguine instead of spaghetti and adding a bit of cream to thicken the sauce just a wee bit.

its official! tuesdays will now always be oysters day!


greenwood fish market
34 greenwood avenue
(65) 6467 4950

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wild rocket

the past few weeks has left me in quite a daze. what with the moving to the bedok house and insane hours at the office, it couldn't have been a better time for a little escape from all the madness to enjoy a good quiet dinner at wild rocket.

casual yet somewhat refined, the vibe that wild rocket exudes managed to immediately put anyone at ease. it really didn't matter if one came in trainers and shorts, or dressed up in a dress and heels, as long as you were there, wild rocket was ready to make everyone comfy and ready to enjoy a wonderful meal.

opened by a lawyer turned chef, i for one was not expecting too many fancy items on the menu..but i was pleasantly surprised as i found the food listings truly deserving of the term 'fusion'. with starters like chicken carrot ginseng soup, it is no wonder why people deliberate on what to have, just because everything seemed that have that bit of difference that would pique your curiosity to try it!

having heard and read quite a bit about wild rocket off several foodie blogs, i trusted that one wouldn't be disappointed by anything on the menu. i would have gone with the soup less the fact that it was cream of cauliflower. i'm sure it would have been great but i'm not big on cauliflower so we decided on the salmon carparccio instead and it was yum! done exactly like if it were beef, the slices of salmon were paper thin and smoked just right. topped with a wonderful wasabi sauce and drizzled with olive oil, this version of carparccio would definitely be able to hold its own against any good beef one.

it was pasta for the both of us with me having the linguini aglio olio with cod and g having the crabmeat linguini with chili tomato cream. both were served very fresh - al dente pastas and sauces you could tell were cooked specially for each dish. my pasta had a little of a cod-y tang to it at first, but it was kinda a good earthy taste and when mixed well with the extra garlic i requested, olive oil and chilli padi, it was so good that one could enjoy the linguini just on its own!

between the two pastas, g's choice was the more outstanding one. from the presentation to the rich creamy sauce of the crabmeat in chili tomato, i would highly recommend this to anyone who can't decide between cream or tomato based pastas. the chef somehow managed to balance the two sauce bases to produce a combination that highlights the rich flavour of both. extremely yummy, served in just the right amount without making one feel too je-lat from the cream!

kudos to the chef for really making the effort to portion his mains just right, such that one would have just the right amount space to try at least one thing off the dessert menu. i was torn between the dark lava chocolate gateau with flambe banana and the kueh bolu tiramisu...actually to be honest, everything on the dessert part of the house sounded really good! but growing up loving kueh bolus, the tiramisu almost immediately screamed 'pick me!'. arriving in a short martini style glass, the tiramisu was done parfait style, i.e kueh bolu sandwiched between a layer of rich mascaporne cheese and a scoop of homemade espresso ice cream, topped off with yet another layer of mascaporne cheese and sprinkled with dark cocoa. a nice local twist to the classic dessert plus the ice cream had yummy bits of coffee beans in it. made a mental note to myself the next time i venture into making tiramisu, no more sponge fingers! kueh bolu it will be!

wild rocket
10a upper wilkie road
(65) 6339 9448
www.wildrocket.com.sg

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white and that wee bit of turquoise

unable to decide where to head for dinner monday night, i whipped out my own version of makansutra off my trusty nokia e61 to see where we could go. i contemplated heading for some good hawker fare, but decided that since we were in the area, we'd give the turquoise room a shot.

located within gillman village, the turquoise room turned out larger and nicer than i expected. it reminded me of my old office at tanglin, one of those old one or two level blocks, rustic and surrounded by greenery. the owners did a really good job with the deco, spacious but cosy at the same time, with both an indoor and outdoor area. i immediately made a mental note to myself that this would be a really nice place for a private function.

dinner that night consisted of pumpkin soup, aglio olio with prawns and lamb. i think the highlight was the soup. g and i shared it and the service staff were nice to pre split the dish into two separate bowls. i love my soups and this one was good. creamy and full of flavours, it reminded me of the lovely homecooked tomato and bacon soup (using home grown tomatoes by the way!) we had a uncle peter's place in lincolnshire. i know pumpkin on its own would be enough to throw some people off, but trust me, they blend it so well with several other things that it is an amazing mix of flavours, one would wish you could have more! the pasta and lamb were a little of a disappointment. both had their good little bits but ultimately still lacked the substantial omph to make the dish yummy. the pasta came in quite a generous portion, with huge fresh prawns and cooked al dente, the only let down was it did not have enough of garlic bite. g's lamb was mediocre too and i think it was because the chef was a little concerned about cooking it to achieve the medium rareness. as a result, the lamb looked a little under-colored although yes, the meat inside was done medium. saving grace for this dish was the sauce, which i really apologize do not recall what it was made off! *blush* so much for being a foodie yah?

leaving the turquoise room, i thought to myself it was quite a pity that the food didn't quite match the relaxed and chill atmosphere of the restaurant. they have quite an extensive wine and drinks list, and given the very good service staff, i think it might be worth heading back possibly for drinks and to enjoy the laid back atmosphere.

the turquoise room

gillman village
7 Lock Road
(65) 64733655

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