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!

Boston | No. 9 Park

No. 9 Park
9 Park Street
Boston, MA 02108
http://www.no9park.com

Price: $$$$
Recommendation: 5 Stars

The elegant and sophisticated No. 9 Park represents the pinnacle of fine dining in Boston. Created by celebrity chef Barbara Lynch, No. 9 Park is the flagship shop of her dining empire in Boston; I believe it is one of the only few Michelin star worthy restaurants in the city. Overlooking the iconic Boston Commons, the restaurant attracts a very smart and classy crowd in its exquisite dining room and bar.

No. 9 Park is one of the most popular restaurants over the Boston Restaurant Week. I had to make a reservation a month in advance to ensure a spot at this exclusive diner. While the heavenly food is absolutely delicious, what impressed me the most was the top-notch and impeccable service from our waitress and busboys. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable about the food as well as the wines. More importantly, other waiting staffs and busboys were incredibly polite and made sure our water glasses were always filled. On top of that, whenever I finished my bread, another freshly baked goodie would appear on my bread plate immediately. The service was just spot on! It definitely added to our already great dining experience.

In addition to the restaurant week menu, we ordered additional wine pairings with our set. Each dish was accompanied by a specially-selected and unique wine. The choices were excellent, but I wished they poured a little more. It was certainly not enough for alcoholics like me!

Seared Labelle Farms Foie Gras (with $$$ supplement)

lentils du Puy, duck rillettes, hedgehog mushrooms

Perfecto. The seared duck foie gras was truly made to perfection. The creamy foie gras and spongy texture of the hedgehog mushrooms went extremely well together. And the delicious smell of duck fat would linger in my mouth until I had another bite of this delicate dish.

Fluke Crudo

Marcona almond, preserved lemon, harissa

Roasted Scottish Salmon

fennel, great northern beans, broccoli rabe

The roasted Scottish salmon was incredibly prepared at the right cooking temperature and time. The fish was warm through the middle with a hint of red - just the way I like it.

Daube de Boeuf

Macomber turnip, bacon, petite vegetables

Devil's Food Cake

malted cream, coffee, honey

The cake was a bit on the dry side, but it seems to be how devil's cake are supposed to taste like (?)

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

coconut, almond, mango

The aromatic blend of tropical fruits and nuts mesmerized my taste buds, along with the amazing smooth taste of panna cotta, I practically stole this dessert away from Chantal.

Marshmallow and Chocolate Cookie

With our check, the waitress presented us four petit dessert bites. The bitter dark chocolate cookies coupled with fluffy white marshmallows ended our night with a very sweet note!

Chantal <3

My absolutely beautiful and amazing food buddy and partner in crime in Boston. Miss her lots!

Chicago | Lawry's The Prime Rib

As my spring getaway, I flew to Chicago to visit some of my best friends in the area. Although it seemed as if I was there to explore the windy city and catch up with friends, Jon and I, both know that it's for the tender and juicy cut of prime ribs at the Lawry's.

Lawry's The Prime Rib is my ultimate favorite steakhouse. Period. Writing this review even makes my mouth water and crave for a generous and thick slice of their famous roast beef. Unlike many chained steakhouses, such as Ruth's Chris, Outback, and Morton's, the classic and elegant restaurant operates in very few locations (only 4 in the US). As loyal as a customer can be, I have been to Lawry's in Beverley Hills (where it all started), Las Vegas, Chicago, and Taipei. Known for its top notch service, the restaurant prepares the prime ribs and side dishes to the highest quality across all locations.

Situated on the glamourous Magnificent Miles, the Chicago outpost occupies the historic light opera house, which made it the finest and most lavish branch of the Lawry's. When you enter this "magnificent" building, you will immediately be captured by the old English decor with beautiful chandeliers and aesthetic wood frames. Our host kindly led us to the dining room, which is further inside the building. Along with the shiny silverwares and antique high-back chairs, the high ceiling in the dining room elegantly established the superior and high class atmosphere at Lawry's.

Lawry's The Prime Rib

the dining room

The menu at Lawry's is simple. The only things I needed to decide were the portion of my steak and how I liked it prepared. There were also other options available. For example, a popular side order is two Australian lobster tails for just $21.

My meal started with the Famous Original Spinning Bowl Salad, which was accompanied by an elaborate presentation. First, the server gave us icy "chilled forks", so that we could enjoy the salad at its cold temperature. Immediately, he brought out a cart filled with the freshest ingredients and tools to perform a salad mixing show! Most people found it amusing, but I felt really awkward when I saw the server "spin the bowl."

waiter preparing our spinning bowl salad

As seen from the picture, a big steel pot was placed on top of a bowl of ice. The server filled the silver bowl with chopped romaine, beets, hard boiled eggs, croutons, and other ingredients. Then, he gave a forceful spin to the pot. As the bowl furiously spun, he drizzled the pink house made dressing and mix it with a spatula. Voila! The famous spinning bowl salad was made! The salad was amazing and a great starter for my dinner. I really liked the beets and the lightly sour dressing. Remember to season the salad with Lawry's famous pepper!

Famous Original Spinning Bowl Salad

Now came the moment I had been waiting for all night - The Prime Rib. The certified chef rolled out a spaceship looking "silver" cart, which is ridiculously expensive. The cart is used to not only preserve the temperature and juice of the meat but also allow the chef to hand carve the prime rib in front of us. The chef cordially greeted us and proceeded to prepare our prime ribs. It was really fun to interact with the chef and actually see the racks of prime ribs in the cart. I wished I could have a whole rack to myself...

"Silver" Cart

I ordered the thick 16 oz. bone-in Diamond Jim Brady Cut. I used to always get the largest Beef Bowl Cut (24 oz.), named in honor of Lawry's tradition to serve super thick slices of prime rib to the football players in the annual Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Sadly, I can't finish it anymore. I guess I'm getting old!

Seasoned with Lawry's famous pepper and other spices, the mouth watering prime rib was divinely roasted to perfection. The temperature was perfect, the texture was excellent, and the smell of the roast beef would make you go crazy. A bite of the tender and juicy steak with its natural beef au jus literally made me the happiest person on Earth. The prime rib at Lawry's was truly addicting.

The "Diamond Jim Brady" Cut

with mashed potatoes

In addition to the salad, the roast beef came with mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. The Yorkshire pudding is a special savory dish at Lawry's. I didn't like it at first, but I actually quite enjoy it now. The soft and puffy pastry dipped in prime rib au jus brought out an interesting texture with the full flavor of the prime rib.

Yorkshire Pudding

Lawry's also have a selection of tasty sides, including creamed corn, creamed spinach, sauteed mushroom, and etc. Their creamed corn was absolutely to die for. I couldn't stop munching on the fragrant extra creamy and buttery sweat corn. I even tried to make it myself; everyone loved it! You can find the recipe here.

Creamed Corn

The Best!

Lawry's The Prime Rib in Chicago

I simply adore Lawry's The Prime Rib. The restaurant has elaborate presentations for its famous spinning bowl salad as well as the roast beef, which is hand-carved in front of you from an expensive silver cart. Without a doubt in my mind, Lawry's perfect roast beef is unquestionably the best I have ever tasted. The service was attentive and excellent. More importantly, the server always kept a smile on his face; it definitely added to the already awesome dining experience. To all the meat lovers, Lawry's is a must try!!

Lawry's The Prime Rib
100 East Ontario Street
Chicago, IL 60611
http://www.lawrysonline.com/

Price: $$$$
Recommendation: 4.5 Stars
The number one roast beef in the world.
The tender and juicy cut of prime rib will definitely keep you coming back for more!

also in various international locations: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Dallas, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, and Singapore