Look at that KILLER sheen. You can tell just from the glaze that this is excellent char siu, nothing like the dry papery kind that tries to pass off as meat. But even I was surprised by how good it was. The first bite I had was a fatty piece that simply melted into a pool of bliss on my tongue. The thickly chopped slices were sweetly succulent with a chewy caramelised crust.
I am now happily the proud owner of a WMF Spitzenklasse 1985 Chef's Knife (20 inch blade, S$179).
The ‘Made in Germany’ Spitzenklasse 1985 series is a limited edition series specially created to mark the 30th anniversary of Spitzenklasse Plus, WMF's classic range of knives. Spitzenklasse means "top class" in German.
Kids these days get to travel a lot more than those from past generations. So it's nice to see that hotels are beginning to cater to family travel and holidays. The Westin Hotels & Resorts launched the Westin Family program across 200 of its properties in December 2015.
The Epicurean Journeys Pop-Up Chef Dining Series will be back in Singapore. From 30th May to 3rd June, five celebrated chefs from The Luxury Collection Hotels in Austria, Greece, India, Italy and Thailand will enthral diners with indigenous flavours from their home countries. You don't have to travel the world, the world is coming to you.
Those menus on the website look sublime! One chef will take over each night at the historic Fullerton Waterboat House to showcase epic eats from their stunning hotels. Wine-pairings and vegetarian menus are also thoughtfully included. The series ends with afternoon tea that’s available on two days.
India (Monday, 30 May)
ITC Luxury Collection Hotels in India
presents Corporate Chef Manjit Gill
Chef Manjit Gill oversees the famed Bukhara, Dum Pukht and Royal Vega restaurants. His stellar menu includes dishes like the Tandoori Jhinga - Bukhara: Char-grilled jumbo prawns marinated in a carom-flavoured mixture of yoghurt, red chillies, turmeric and a Chefs’ blend of spices, and the world renowned Dum Pukht Biryani - Basmati rice simmered with lamb in mace, ittar and kewra, finished in a sealed handi.
PRITHVI RASA: A JOURNEY OF 6 TASTES
S$168++ with wine pairing
S$128++ without wine
Italy (Wed, 1 June)
Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
presents Executive Chef Dario Parascandolo
Chef Dario heads Restaurant Terrazza Danieli at this picturesque hotel in Venice. His menu includes Venetian grilled octopus; Broccoli Tortelli with Lobster Royal; and Whipped Codfish Cannolo covered with Aperol and prosecco jelly, garnished with green olives caviar
VENETIAN SOJOURN: 6-COURSES
S$168++ with wine pairing
S$128++ without wine
Thailand (Thu, 2 June)
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok
presents Executive Sous Chef Manachai Konkangplu
Chef Manachai who has been with the hotel since 1995 takes great pride not only in presenting refined Thai classic but also introducing diners to less well known dishes and personal favorites. One of his highlights is the Kiew Waan Nua Gam: Premium Wagyu beef cheek accompanied by a herb-rich crispy rice ball
and an authentic green curry sauce.
A TASTE OF THAILAND’S FOUR REGIONS: 6-COURSES
S$168++ with wine pairing
S$128++ without wine
Greece (Fri, 3 June)
Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Athens
presents Executive Chef Sotiris Evangelou
The multi-awarded Chef Sotiris apprenticed alongside Ducasse, and believes in authentic Greek cuisine using healthy raw ingredients to produce outstanding taste. His menu begins with seafood - seabass, red snapper, and octopus - but his main dish is a Baby Lamb Fillet with smoked eggplant trilogy with raisins, pine-nuts and tzatziki foam.
FLAVOURS OF THE AEGEAN: 6-COURSES
S$168++ with wine pairing
S$128++ without wine
Austria (Wed, 1 June and Fri, 3 June)
Hotel Bristol, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna
presents Executive Chef Manuel Gratzl
There's nothing like passion to the craft that imbues a chef's creation with flair and creativity. Chef Manuel has prepared a dazzling array of tea time treats - chorizo madeleines, lemon baiser, caramel apple, banana cake with chocolate icing, macarons, plus classic Viennese specialties like Schönbrunn pancakes, Kaiserschmarrn with sweet plums, and Cardinal cake.
SWEET SYMPHONY: A VIENNESE AFTERNOON TEA
ON 3-TIER AFTERNOON TEA STANDS
S$77++ with Champagne
S$53++ without Champagne
Last year's successful Luxury Collection Epicurean Journeys culinary series saw three nights of exceptional dining from award-winning chefs from three Luxury Collection Hotels in Paris, San Francisco and India.
“For the global explorer and food lover, the discovery of a destination through its indigenous aromas and authentic tastes becomes a lasting and cherished memory; a portal to the locale’s rich culture, charm and local treasures,” said Yeoh Fay-Linn, Director - Brand Management, The Luxury Collection and St. Regis, Asia Pacific.
I have always loved traveling and so have my tastebuds. And here we have five acclaimed chefs from five rich culinary landscapes. Coming to your table soon.
For more information and to book your seats, please visit www.epicureanjourneys.sg – Early bird discounts of up to 20% off are available for a limited time.
This post is made possible by The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Looking for authentic Sarawak laksa and kolo mee? Well, they are really hard to find in Singapore, because the ingredients are just not the same here.
However, I found a pleasantly "homey" rendition in Red Hornbill in a kopitiam just outside the Bedok Library. The owner, Mr Then Hua San, is from Sarawak, sources his laksa paste from his home state and custom makes his noodles to resemble the QQ and non-alkaline aspects of kolo mee.
I've not been to Sarawak before, so I can't compare. The first time I had Sarawak Laksa was at Laksania, and the broth was seriously intense and complex. This one is much lighter and less punchy by comparison. But Laksania's one seems to have suffered in my subsequent visits, so Red Hornbill although more muted is still pleasantly balanced.
The portions are seriously hearty, especially the laksa which comes with full prawns, chicken, shredded omelette and bean sprouts. And it comes with a super pungent sambal belachan you should not miss!
This small half-stall is easy to miss - its faded signboard has the words Red Hornbill in very small letters - but you'll likely spot the queue of homesick Sarawakians long before you see the stall.
Cat and the Fiddle has launched Fickle Feline 2.0 - an array of 10 slices of cheesecake in different flavours. It's a permanent item on the menu but it's just in time for Mother's Day! The new Fickle Feline mixed assortment is a non-alcoholic one this time. It's approximately 7 inches in diameter. Here's what you get in the S$42.90 bundle.
N1 - Maneki Neko (Yuzu, Lemon and Lime)
N2 - Modern Duke's Pudding (Oreo)
N3 - Over the Moon (Classic New York)
N4 - Queen of Hearts (Strawberry)
N5 - Paws of Fury (Yuan Yang)
N6 - Sweet & Smokey Taffy (Salted Caramel)
N10 - Red Riding Hood (Red Velvet)*
N11 - Once in the Blue Moon (Blueberry)
N13 - Apple of My Eye (Apple Crumble)
N14 - Naughty and Nice (Chocolate)
*new flavour!
I just got mine and they are defrosting in my chiller. Can't wait to try them. Cakes like these are perfect for me because I don't have to decide between flavours, I can have them all!
There are also other flavours too. If your mom is a durian fiend, there's a Mao Shan Wang "King Cat of the Mountain" (S$38.90) cheesecake.
The "Apple of My Eye" (S$38.90) is a little more traditional with apple, cinnamon and nutmeg atop a roasted crumble base.
Interestingly they also have stencils (S$12.90) you can use to create messages with. Powdered sugar and sieve included? That's convenient!
You'll also find other add-ons like flowers, teddy bears, novelty candles that burn with different coloured flames, and greeting cards for the full celebratory experience.
Gotta say I love the whimsical theme in the spirit of the nursery rhyme.
Behold the Morganfield's Southern Family Platter. Whoa, this was HUGE! Which suited us fine because we were a hungry family that day. This is a temporary menu that will only be available from 3rd May to 26th June 2016. Southern Family Platter: $108.90++
• A full slab of signature Sticky Bones slathered in your choice of sauce.
• Southern-style Crispy Chicken Drumsticks
• Luscious Honey Butter drizzling sauce
• Creamy Crayfish Mac & Cheese
• Fresh Mesclun Salad, with Lemon Olive Oil dressing
• Char-Grilled Roasted Golden Sweet Potatoes
• Country-Style Tangy Purple slaw
• Freshly Baked Corn Bread
• Mexican-Style Grilled Corn with Parmesan & Paprika
It is a lot of food, but just right for a family of four. The meaty ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, but next time we'd try the Asian BBQ sauce; that might be more intense or interesting. Oh, they gave quartered limes to squeeze over the corn that we used over the ribs instead, and that gave the ribs a nice zing.
The chicken drumsticks were enormous, and came with an unusual honey butter sauce that smelled like caramel. The kids loved the mac and cheese; I liked the corn. Hope they managed to get stronger sticks for the corn, because they are heavy cobs!
Blushing Peach: $9.90++ Glass / $23.90++ Pitcher
This was pretty good if a little on the sweet side (perhaps really sticking to the Southern theme). It hits you with refreshingly fizzy notes of peach, lemon and ginger. Naughty Peach: $16.90++ Glass
Go naughty if you want an alcoholic version of Blushing Peach.
If you still have room for dessert, here are a couple of options:
We tried the Bread Pudding, which came with a strong whiskey sauce, and a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
But the house signature is the Chocolate Lava cake. I'm not even a chocolate cake fan and I liked this.
There are a couple of promos going on too.
Southern Family Platter Promotion
From 3rd May – 8th May 2016, with every Southern Family Platter, you will receive a free $10 Morganfield’s voucher for your next visit.
Mother’s Day Special
On Mother’s Day (8th May 2016), all mothers dining at Morganfield's will be treated to a glass of Blushing Peach cooler.
There's a ribs buffet on weekends and public holidays too (S$40 per pax, 11am to 4pm), so you can try out ribs with different sauces, sides and soups. And best of all, on weekends kids below 8 eat free with every adult!
MORGANFIELD'S
3 Temasek Boulevard
#01-645 Suntec City Mall
Singapore 038983
(Outside Tower 4, Next to Promenade MRT)
Tel: +65 6736-1136 https://www.facebook.com/MorganfieldsSingapore/
Open daily Sun – Thu: 11am – 11pm
Fri, Sat & PH: 11am – Midnight
Morganfield's @ Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green
#02-23 The Star Vista
Singapore 138617
Tel: +65 6694-3635
