Singapore | The Disgruntled Chef

The Disgruntled Chef
26B Dempsey Road
Singapore 247693
http://www.disgruntledchef.com/

Price: $$$
Recommendation: 4 Stars

Closely situated next to the Singapore Botanical Garden, the elegant and trendy Dempsey Hill gives urbanistas a place to enjoy fresh air and get away from the jam-packed city lifestyle. While only a short distance away from Orchard, this posh neighbourhood full of restaurants, art galleries, and fashion boutiques possesses a completely different scenery and atmosphere with a very relaxed country vibe. Because of its unique history as once the site of British army barrack and, more recently, Singapore’s national service training base, along the main passage are majestic trees and tropical plants that surround and seclude this suburban area.

The Disgruntled Chef is a hidden gem among the cluster of shops and diners in Dempsey Hill. With its inconspicuous and subtle sign, Howard and I almost missed the restaurant which occupies an one-story colonial house. The contemporary restaurant employs a simple and industrial interior design with gray-scale furnishings that create a clean and stylish atmosphere. Famous for its strong tapas influence with modern twist, The Disgruntled Chef splits its menu into 3 sections: nibbles, small plates, and big plates. Our waitress recommended us to order a few small plates along with one big plate as they are made for sharing.

Thai White Sangria

Citrus Vodka, Lime, Grapefruit, Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime Leaf, Honey & Riesling

I’m usually very hesitant when it comes to white sangrias because of its potentially bland and uninteresting taste, but the bar’s own version of Thai White Sangria completely blew my mind. With a refreshing hint of lemongrass and lime leaves, the Riesling-based alcoholic goodness was pleasantly fragrant and fruity. The light pink and green elements of the sangria also make it the perfect sweet spring cocktail.

Black Truffle Bikini Sandwiches

With Brie

With a sexy name like this appetizer, I was definitely expecting more than just three pieces of bite-size, truffle-scented grilled cheese. Nothing out of the ordinary…

Curried Mussels

With Lemongrass & Deep Fried Buns

Seasoned with exotic spices, the aromatic curry sauce was strong and heavy, which complements the Singaporean favourite - mini fried man tous!

Steak Tartare

With Soft Quail Egg & Truffle Hash Browns

Sadly, the steak tartare did not live up to my expectations as the dish lacks strong flavouring and seasoning to sublime the excellent texture but otherwise bland taste of raw meat. Nonetheless, the mini truffle hash somewhat made up for the disappointing dish. And the runny quail egg yolk, hidden inside the tartare, was a nice surprise.

Papillote of Prawns

Tiger Prawns, Chorizo & Garlic Butter baked in Parchment

The Papillote of Prawns may easily be my favourite dish of the night (besides the Thai white sangria, of course). The tiger prawns and chorizos were placed in alternating orders and baked in parchment, allowing the fresh prawns to soak up the sweet and spicy juice from the Spanish sausages. Served with slices of warm and toasted sour dough, the shrimps were packed with incredible flavours that will keep you going for more.

Pan Roasted Barramundi

With Tapenade Crust & Sauce Vierge

Chocolate Fondant

With Peanut Butter, Banana Brulee & Vanilla Ice Cream

Instead of the typical chocolate filling in lava cakes, the pastry chef mixed a smooth and delicious banana brulee with peanut butter for the Chocolate Fondant. I may be exaggerating a little, but a bite of the fondant cake is a true indulgence for the palate as the holy trinity of chocolate, peanut butter and banana do wonders.

Vodka Berry Bramble

Vodka, Frambroise, Crème de Fraise, Lime Juice, Soda & Fresh Berries

The cocktail was very yummy with lots of summer berries. Great for me who likes to munch on the garnishes in drinks!

Howarddd!!

The dinner was terrific at The Disgruntled Chef, especially when I had such great company (shout out to Howard!!). Along with the fantastic presentation of food and incredible use of different ingredients, the chef’s personal interpretation of modern cooking was spot on!

Taipei | Oriental Cuisine 東方饌 黔天下

Oriental Cuisine 東方饌 黔天下
No. 27, Lane 46, Dazhi Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan
台北市中山區大直街46巷27號
(02) 8509-2310

Price: $$
Recommendation: 4 Stars

Under the great Chinese food categories, there lie eight different major cuisines, including the slightly sweet Shanghainese and notoriously spicy Szechwanese. Most of us are familiar with those; however, little is known (at least for me) about Guizhou food 貴州菜, which emphasizes the mixed taste of sour and spicy and prides itself as the 9th category of Chinese food. Since Vickie and I were craving for some serious spicy food, we decided to be adventurous and went to the highly acclaimed Guizhou restaurant, Oriental Cuisine 東方饌 黔天下.

Before opening Oriental Cuisine 東方饌, Chef Yeh was the executive chef of a celebrated Italian restaurant for more than 15 years. In the spring of 2008, his entrepreneurial dream prompted him to journey to China's Guizhou Province to master and bring back the mysterious Guizhou cuisine to Taiwan. Chef Yeh was both a great cook and an awesome server. For every dish he brought out, he carefully explained the origin and ingredients. While it was nice to learn about the food, it was really painful listening to him because the food looked incredibly delicious and I was literally drooling all over the place and hoping he would finish soon!

Oriental Cuisine 東方饌 黔天下

Though Oriental Cuisine is often featured in big name magazines and media, there were still quite a few empty tables in the restaurant.

traditional Guizhou decorations

Red Oil Green Bean Liangfen 紅油綠豆涼粉

Green Bean Jello with Chili Oil

To begin our meal, we ordered two small traditional dishes. I especially enjoyed the Rice Noodle with Hot and Sour Chili Oil 紅油酸辣米線. The perfect balance between hot and sour as well as the manyfold flavors of ethnic spices made it a delightful appetizer.

Don't be fooled by the amount of hot peppers. They weren't that spicy at all!

Rice Noodle with Hot and Sour Chili Oil 紅油酸辣米線

While I savored the tasty and tender beef briskets, the eggplants in the casserole were simply amazing. The thick and heavy sauce justly complemented the soft textured eggplant. I devoured the pot in no time and left almost none for my friend...

Hot Pepper & Eggplant Beef Casserole 泡椒香茄筋肉煲

Miao Pan Fried Chicken 苗寨干鍋雞

A traditional delicacy, Miao Pan Fried Chicken 苗寨干鍋雞 is typically only served when the Miao people worship deities or celebrate weddings. The juicy and tender chicken absorbed the complex flavors of different chilies and spices and was surrounded by slices of potatoes. The slightly fried potatoes tasted like thick baked chips. It was a very interesting dish and also a Chef Yeh's signature!

Miao Pan Fried Chicken 苗寨干鍋雞

Each of the colorful Guizhou Wu Xing ("Five Elements") Dumpling has a different meaning and represents the "five elements" 五行: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth! Not only were the dumplings incredibly delicious, they were also fun and playful because every piece was made with different ingredients.

Gold 金: The yellow dumpling wrappers were dyed with the bright color of carrots and folded with corn and other vegetable fillings.

Wood 木: Using fresh Taiwanese spinach and seaweed, the green dumplings were glowing like a beautiful jade. Chef Yeh mixed the fillings with pickled cabbages, which were naturally fermented following traditional Guizhou techniques.

Water 水: The white dumplings were pretty standard and tasted like regular jiaozi. The chef should probably dye the wrappers blue, but what natural ingredients are blue?!

Fire 火: The red skin of the fire dumplings were created with hungqu 紅麴 (red fermentation starter), and the filling contained a red shrimp. It was my favorite of all!

Earth 土: The dark brown earth dumplings, with many precious Chinese herbs, were the most special of all. Chef Yeh created the wrappers with Eucommia 杜仲 and fillings including goji berries 枸杞, pork kidney 豬腰, and more. A piece of this healthy dumpling will bring you enormous energy and nutrition!

Guizhou "Wu Xing" Dumplings 貴州養生行運餃

5 dishes for two (with unlimited rice) - we definitely ordered way more than our stomachs could handle...

Oriental Cuisine 東方饌 黔天下

Taipei | Ah Shui Shi Pigs Feet 阿水獅豬腳大王

Ah Shui Shi Pigs Feet 阿水獅豬腳大王
No. 235-1, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei, Taiwan
台北市忠孝東路四段235-1號
(02) 2752-1997
http://www.assfood.com.tw/  (WTF!!)

Price: $
Recommendation: 4 Stars

For more than 40 years, Ah Shui Shi Pigs Feet 阿水獅豬腳 is probably the most established pigs feet eateries in Taiwan. With the highest quality ingredients, Chef and owner Ah Shui Shi insisted following traditional recipe and techniques to prepare his pigs feet. The restaurant's popular pigs feet was even featured at the wedding banquet of the former Taiwan President Chen's daughter.

Ah Shui Shi 阿水獅豬腳大王

Pigs Feet 豬腳

Pigs feet are braised in traditional ceramic pots that can evenly heat the pigs feet as well as keep the cooking temperature at the perfect constant. The special luzhi 滷汁 ("master stock") has not been changed in years, and the sauce stains frighteningly covered all around the pots. Jon and I thought it was quite insane, but as the elders said, "the older [the luzhi], the more aromatic 愈老愈香," just like wine, which tastes better as it ages......

Braising Ceramic Pots 滷鍋

Lou Wei (Braising) Station 滷味

Tofu, Egg, Minced Pork, and etc. 滷豆腐, 滷蛋, 肉燥, and etc.

Pigs Feet 可口豬腳

The delicious pigs feet were delicate and soft. Without a knife, I could easily separate the meat with my chopsticks. My favorite part was the fatty skin, which was extremely tender but also chewy. Both the texture and aroma were excellent, but I wish the sauce was a bit heavier.

Pigs Feet 可口豬腳

Braised pigs feet would not be complete without a bowl of vermicelli with luzhi. Taiwanese believed that eating pigs feet vermicelli can bring good luck to life! It is also a common tradition to serve pigs feet vermicelli for birthday celebrations.

Vermicelli with Lu Zhi ("Master Stock") 滷汁麵線

As side dishes, the braised pork knuckle tendon and tofu were surprisingly good. I was totally amazed by the taste of the tendon and the texture of the tofu. Both of them are well-flavored and fully absorbed the essence of the luzhi. No extra sauce or seasonings were needed.

Pork Knuckle Tendon 可口蹄筋

Braised Tofu 滷豆腐

Ah Shui Shi also operates a pretty successful delivery and e-commerce business. Below are pigs feet waiting to be packaged.

for delivery 宅配

locals who look like tourists!

also in various locations in Taichung, Taiwan

Taipei | Boon Keng Chicken 文慶雞

Boon Keng Chicken 文慶雞
No. 219-1, Section 3, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei, Taiwan
台北市忠孝東路三段219-1號
(02) 2731-5522

Price: $
Recommendation: 4 Stars

As the first international outpost of the widely popular Boon Tong Kee 文東記 in Singapore, Taipei's Boon Keng Chicken prides itself as the best Hainanese Chicken Rice restaurant in Taiwan and has a slogan of "Either go to Singapore or come here"! Catering to Taiwanese people's different eating preferences, the cocky diner chose to use free range chickens in Taiwan, which gives a more tender and chewy composition than the regular fatty chickens used in Singapore.

Boon Keng Chicken 文慶雞

"Either go to Singapore or come here"

"要嘛新加坡, 要嘛來這裡"

The walls of the tiny restaurants are covered with autographs and endorsements by numerous celebrities in Taiwan.

autographs and endorsements by celebrities

Hainanese Chicken!

We ordered a couple signature appetizers, recommended by our waitress.

Sauteed Pork Liver & Braised Pork 香煎粉肝 & 胭脂肉

Hainanese Chicken (half chicken) 海南雞 (半隻)

Here comes the golden Hainanese Chicken that we've been waiting for. Just looking at the glowing chicken made my mouth water. With a dip of Singaporean hot sauce, the tender and delicious chicken is both sweet-scented and slightly spicy.

Hainanese Chicken 海南雞

As good as the Hainanese Chicken gets, in my opinion, the spotlight of this famous Chinese dish is on the Hainanese chicken rice. The reason why Hainanese chicken rice is so tasty is because that the rice is boiled with Chicken soup stock instead of plain water. Each grain of the brown and fragrant rice is filled with the essence of chicken soup.

Hainanese Chicken Rice 海南雞飯

Shortly after, the waitress brought each of us a dish of mysterious black sauce and instruct us to pour it on the rice. It is the traditional way of serving Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore, and it is said that the sauce will bring out the tastiness of the rice. Surprisingly, it did, and I don't know why!

special black soy sauce 黑抽

Angela photoshopped a dreamy picture of us. lovin' it!

photo credit: Angela

also in various locations in Singapore (Boon Tong Kee)

Taipei | Yu Dow Son Aesthetics Japanese Cuisine 魚道生美學日本料理

Yu Dow Son Aesthetics Japanese Cuisine 魚道生美學日本料理
No. 13, Lane 199, Section 4, Xinyi Road, Taipei, Taiwan
台北市信義路四段199巷13號
(02) 2707-4323

Price: NT$ 1,200+
Recommendation: 4 Stars

Because of Jon Chiu's short stay in Taiwan, we planned an insane food marathon in hope to have a taste of the many new and awesome restaurants in Taipei. As the first stop of our journey, we find it appropriate to begin at Yu Dow Son Aesthetics Japanese Cuisine 魚道生美學日本料理, one of the hottest additions to Taipei's competitive sushi scene. Owner and Chef Liu Ji-an was a senior sushi chef at No Sushi 野壽司, a premier Edomae 江戶前 sushi house in Taipei.

Yu Dow Son 魚道生 (Japanese: Gyodouike) represents a technique of Japanese "flower-do" (the way of flower) that stresses the harmony of ying and yang. The combination of exquisite Japanese cuisine and elegant flower-do is the immediate theme of the restaurant. In addition to the hearty wood furnitures and spacious dining atmosphere, state-of-the-art flower decors can be seen at every corner of the restaurant!

Owner and Chef Liu Ji-an 劉濟安師傅

Jon and I ordered the NT$ 1,800 omakase - the chef decides what to serve us based on the freshest available ingredients. We also made a reservation a couple days in advance, so we can sit at the sushi bar and see Chef Ji-an in action.

Appetizer Platter

Flatfish & Torched Yellowtail Sashimi 比目魚 & 黃鰭鮪魚

In addition to the usual ginger and radish garnishes, the chef offered us to try some sea grapes. The radish was particularly delicious!

Sea Grapes 海葡萄, Ginger 薑, Radish 醃蘿蔔

For many Asians, Cod milt is considered a delicacy (I am not sure if I agree with that). However, if you don't think about what you are actually eating, it really doesn't taste that bad.

Cod Milt 鱈魚白子

Slightly Torched Scallop Sashimi 干貝

Blended with exotic spices from abroad, the bonito carpaccio was flavorful and whetted my appetite.

Bonito Carpaccio 醃製鰹魚

Black Cod Saikyo Yaki 圓鱈西京燒

Steak with Taro Sauce 牛肉佐芋頭醬汁

Fried Tofu 炸豆腐 (on the house!)

Unlike traditional sushi masters, chefs at Yu Dao Son dress in stylishly black - bringing some swag.

chopping up a piece of tuna

The fresh and tasty nigiris demonstrated the masterful skills of Chef Ji-an. Before serving, he beautifully flavored and garnished each nigiri with the most complementary seasonings. Quite interestingly, Yu Dow Son's sushi rice is warm instead of the typical dead-cold state. The temperatured rice escalated the tastiness of the fish and made the sushi more smoothing to take. Chef Ji-an jokingly asked, "Don't you think it tasted better?"

Cuttlefish Nigiri 軟絲握壽司

Chef Ji-an proudly presented his cuttlefish nigiri and told me that he carefully scored it 60 times!

Sweet Shrimp Nigiri 甜蝦握壽司

The ruby-like tuna as well as the sharp cuts made it the most awesome tuna nigiri.

Tuna Nigiri 鮪魚握壽司

nigiri

nigiri

Mackerel Nigiri 白昆布青花魚握壽司

topped with marinated white seaweed

White Miso Soup with Clams 蛤蜊白味增湯

Red Bean Soup with Mochi 紅豆湯麻薯

Macha Green Tea 抹茶

Yu Dao Son 魚道生

Yu Dow Son stands out as one of the finest and most traditional sushi houses in the city. I will definitely come back for more!