Showing posts with label East. Show all posts
Showing posts with label East. Show all posts

Thursday, 5 June 2014

Carvers & Co. | ThumbsForFood

Carvers & Co., is a new bistro that will be officially opening its doors this Sunday, 8th June. We were thus, honoured to be invited to try out this new place.

Carvers & Co. joins many new cafes and restaurants in the Katong/ East Coast road area. It is run by chef and fitness trainer, Sarah Lin. She was inspired by the cooking techniques and tradition through her farm stay in Southern Italy which was later fuelled by her own passion for cooking for friends through "supper clubs" and other events.


Exterior of Carvers & Co.

As we entered the restaurant, we realised that the space was actually quite small and cozy. It has a seating capacity of about 40 people. Furniture were arranged in a way that encouraged communal dining in groups. The interior was decorated with paintings, some shelves and the colours of the place made the place feel friendly and welcoming.

Interior
Display

Paintings on the wall

Table decoration

Carvers' & Co. serve a range of drinks. The highlight would be their coffee. The coffee here are brewed with beans roasted by Common Man Coffee Roasters. You may also speak to the barista and staff to request for pour-overs featuring single origin coffee beans from reputable roaster around the world. These coffee are specially hand-picked by Carvers & Co. and vary from time to time.

If you are interested in learning more about coffee, they have coffee cupping sessions that welcome anyone to join on certain afternoons. Check out their Facebook page for more details!

We tried their Flat White which was aromatic and not too acidic. They offer other drinks such as craft beers, organic colas and wine for those who prefer something else.

Flat White

We tried one of the craft beers, called Palm beer which is a Belgium beer. The beer is supposed to go well with the candied bacon. They also recommend the Massachusetts Pale Ale (No.9) but it was out of stock for the night. 

We really liked the Candied Bacon which kind of taste like "Bakkwa". It is a good snack to go with some beer. The bacon is baked in honey and paprika which brings out the malty flavour of the beer, making it creamier.


Candied Bacon

Next up, is their signature brunch item, Truffled Egg-in-the-Hole Toast with Bacon Jam. It is usually served with Candied Bacon as well. Brioche bread is used in this dish where the centre of it has a hole where the pour in a fresh egg. The truffle taste was consistent and we felt sufficient. On the side, bacon jam is served atop a crouton. It was our first time tasting bacon jam and we really liked how the salty bacon was emulsified into a jam that had a balance of both sweet and salty flavours. 

Truffled Egg-in-the-Hole Toast with Bacon Jam

Bacon Jam

Another signature brunch item is the Peanut Butter & Banana Fench Toast. It is served with maple syrup and toasted walnuts. I felt that the edges of the toast were a little too burnt. Other than that, it was really a pleaser especially for those who have a sweet tooth. Really, banana and peanut butter makes a killer combination.

Peanut Butter & Banana French Toast

Signature Brunch Items

Carvers & Co. also prides itself with their signature hearty roast meats that can be enjoyed individually or ordered whole and shared. Their choice of roasts varies weekly. You can order their Carvers' Plate which consists of Gammon Ham and carvings of Roast of the Day served with caramelized onions and potato hash. Half a roast is usually at $80 for 4-6 people while a whole roast is at $150 for 8 to 10 people. 

Thyme and Rosemary Turkey with a Cider Glaze was served that night. Just look at how beautifully roasted it was! The skin of the turkey was glowing from its marinade.

Thyme and Rosemary Turkey with a Cider Glaze

The turkey was served with Creamy Mash and Caramelised Carrots.

Sides with Turkey

The Creamy Mash was really creamy, smooth and tasty. I'm sure it will be a popular side dish on its own.

Creamy Mash

Personally, I don't really like carrots when they are too raw because the raw carrot flavour is too overpowering for me. Mmmm, but, caramelised carrots are hard not to enjoy because they are sweet and crunchy! The raw flavour of the carrot is totally nonexistent.

Caramelised Carrots

The turkey skin was a favourite amongst the foodies present for it is one of the most flavourful part of the turkey. Turkey meat tends to be generally drier and tougher. We could taste some of the fragrance of the herbs used in the meat but, I felt could be made more tender. I wonder if a pairing of some homemade gravy and cranberry sauce might add more flavour?

Turkey meat

One of their other signature roast is Porketta with Crackling and Apple Chutney. Porketta, or otherwise also known as Porchetta is actually an Italian tradition where the body of the pig is emptied and arranged with stuffing and roasted. The porketta is seasoned with herbs such as garlic and rosemary. The crackling of the Porketta was the highlight as it so light, crispy and tasty. The meat is well-seasoned but I thought it could do with more moisture.

Porketta

Porketta carved meat with Crispy Skin

Summer Panzenella is one of the two salads that Carvers & Co. offer currently. It is a  tuscan tomato and bread salad tossed with basil and fried capers. The addition of fried capers is not commonly found in salads but, I found it gave the dish a distinct sour and savory taste. 

Summer Panzenella Salad

We got to try their fries with garlic aioli and anchovies. It was an interesting combination of anchovies with fries. I thought it was refreshing pair and enjoyed the combination. 

Fries with Garlic Aioli and Anchovies

We felt the Wagyu Steak was the highlight for the night for us. The portion shown below is for 2. If I am not mistaken a portion for 2 is at $75. It really is a generous portion! I enjoyed the garlic and caramelized sides as they give a good balance to the red meat. The doneness was medium which we felt appropriate. It was done evenly and the meat was really tender. We would recommend this dish for all steak lovers! The price is also pretty reasonable for the quality and portion!

Wagyu Steak

Wagyu Steak
Last but not least, our tasting night ended off with Berries crumble served with Ice Cream! It was served hot and the sourness of the berries went well with the sweetness of the crumble and ice-cream.

Berries Crumble and Ice Cream

We would like to thank Sarah, Kimberly and the team for the invite. We gained some knowledge of coffee as well during the cupping session. We would love to visit Carvers & Co. again to try out their other items on the menu.

Carvers & Co. 

Opening Hours
Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am to 10pm (last orders at 9.30pm)
Brunch 10am to 2.30pm
Snacks 2.30pm to 6pm
Dinner 6pm to 9.30pm

Address
43 East Coast Road
Singapore 428764

Reservations
6348 0448 or commune@carversand.co

Web

​Social Media
Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/CarversandCo
Instagram @carversco
 
Upcoming Promotions
Father’s Day (15 June) – Further details will be available at Carvers & Co. Facebook page

Cheers, 
Y

Thursday, 17 April 2014

Percolate | ThumbsForFood

I was really happy when my colleague alerted me to a new cafe in our neighbourhood, Bedok. So, we decided to check this place out on a Saturday afternoon after our work ended for some coffee and chill-out session. 

I spotted a post on Percolate's instagram regarding the definition of their name. Percolate [per-kuh-leyt] means to pass through a porous substance; filter; ooze; seep; trickle. Another meaning could be to become active, lively and spirited. And now, it also is a specialty coffee place in East side of Singapore. Interesting! 

Percolate is situated near Bedok Central. It is actually on the same row as the Nakhon branch in Bedok. 

Storefront
Percolate has a small seating capacity, probably enough for only 20? The walls of the cafe are painted in Black and White with wood-textured furniture. I like the vibe of the cafe - simple, small and cozy. As it is still a relatively new cafe, we were quite happy that the cafe was not crowded. It is definitely difficult to find an empty cafe these days where you can simply just sit, read a book and chill the afternoon away.


Interior
Percolate serves Papa Palheta coffee. Their bakes are from an exclusive baker, Cakestand.

Percolate's Menu 

Beverage Counter

Counter

Drinks and Utensil counter

Variety of Desserts offered
We decided to try out two of their desserts that were offered. Besides desserts, Percolate also serves up simple sandwiches for those who are looking for something savoury.

Chocolate Espresso Tart was one of our choices. My friend really like this tart. The tart is not very sweet which was good. I like the crust of the tart whereby its quantity was quite balanced with the Chocolate Espresso filling in it.


Chocolate Espresso Tart

We were struggling whether to choose the Red Velvet of the Salted Caramel Cake. In the end, we took the staff's recommendation and picked the Salted Caramel. Well, we couldn't really taste the "Salty" aspect of the cake. I liked the Cream Cheese but I found that it overpowered the flavour of the sponge cake. I would love to taste more of the Salted Caramel flavour that the cake promises.

Salted Caramel Cake

The coffee was good and strong. We all agreed that the coffee was affordable and value-for-money. The coffee comes in either black or white; hot or cold. The white coffee comes in two sizes (3oz or 5oz). Hot coffee are priced below $4 and teas are priced at $5.

3oz White

I saw two other patrons ordered Iced Chocolate and was so tempted just by the look of the drink. Look at it below! The iced chocolate has chocolate infused in the milk. It was appropriately sweet with the right amount of chocolate. I like that it can be refreshing and chocolatey at the same time.

Iced Chocolate

Overall, I enjoyed my time at Percolate. We also appreciated that the staff were very friendly. One of them even waved goodbye to us when we left the place. I would definitely be back at Percolate for its coffee and warm ambience! Would love to try their bundt cakes the other time round. 

Percolate
136 Bedok North Ave 3
#01-152B Singapore 460136

Mon- Fri (Closed on Tues): 1030am-930pm
Sat-Sun: 930am-930pm

Love, Y

Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Rice & Fries | ThumbsForFood

It excites me to introduce to readers hidden gems but, at the same time, worry that the place will be too crowded the next time I am there. This is one place I am really glad to have tried and was pleasantly surprised. Rice and Fries is situated a stone's throw away from Kembengan MRT! Accesibility- checked.

Rice and Fries feels very homely with random scribblings on the wall. When we were there on a Monday evening, it was relatively empty. I really like that we had the place very much to ourselves. We were even very comfortable in taking selfies on the sofa! 

Rice & Fries's Entrance

Rice and Fries is simply decorated with partitioned seatings at both sides and longer dining tables for larger groups of people in the centre of the place.

Interior
Interior
If you take a look closely at the scribblings and drawings on the wall, you will find that they are actually quite interesting and entertaining. It sort of lets you have a better understanding of the whole restaurant's vibe and feel. I love that genuine touch of the whole place that reflects the spirit of the owners. 

They serve a variety of drinks except hard liquor. Hahaha because they say in their drinks menu on the wall, that is not a chill drink!

Drink Menu on the wall
I'm HANGRY! 

We ordered Foie Gras as our appetiser. It was really delicious! And the Foie Gras was quite a good portion. Considering that it is priced at an affordable price, I would say this is really value-for-money. I like how they put thought in their plating as well.

Foie Gras

The Pork Chop was recommended on the menu. And just look at how delicious-looking it is! The portion was very generous. I absolutely love the tenderness of the pork and how well-braised it was. I think the sauce was also not too sweet and had the right amount of flavour. Would definitely recommend those who love pork to try this dish!

Pork Chop

 My friend ordered the Chicken Roulade served with Risotto. The Chicken Roulade is really yummy with fillings of minced meat, vegetables and cheese. The risotto is real also well done and flavoured with spices and herbs.

Chicken Roulade
If you add $3, you can get a Potato au Gratin. I did not regret adding $3! The Potato au Gratin was soooooo good! The potato and cheese went together really well. It did not feel gelat and I think I will definitely order this dish again! It's simple yet, a total comfort food.

Potato au Gratin
Pasta with Tiger Prawns was something my friend ordered. It came served with one Tiger Prawn, Angel Hair and Scallops. My friend is not a fan of Angel Hair, but, she found the pasta really good. The portion was also very generous!



This dish below was ordered by my friend as well. It's Soft Shell Crab Pasta. Look at the generous portion of the dish! It is very tasty. I like how Rice & Fries managed to complement each dishes with different sauces so well. 
Soft Shell Crab Pasta
There is always space for desserts! And am I glad that Rice & Fries serve up quite a good variety of desserts. 

We ordered the Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. The Chocolate Lava flowed out nicely once we cut it open. I guess Chocolate Lava Cake that flows is the determining factor of a successful cake.

Chocolate Lava Cake

Chocolate Oozing out!
We ordered a Creme Brûlée as well. In our opinion, this was probably the only miss of the day! The Creme Brûlée was served in a huge portion! But, I guess the Egg Yolk taste was a bit too overpowering. And the sugar crust was a tat too sweet as well. 




Overall, we really had a good dining experience! We chatted with the very friendly boss, Ken Chia, who we initially thought was a random waiter of the restaurant. He came up with the dishes such as the famed Lamb Shank. We would love to try the famed Lamb Shank which was the supposed dish that won the heart of his wife.

We all agreed that Rice & Fries serves up good and affordable food. All of us spent about $30+ per person. We felt with the quality and generous portion combined with thoughtful plating, it was really value-for-money! Also, this place seems to be frequented by Cecilia Cheung too. I will be back to try their other dishes!


Displays in rice & Fries

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Rice & Fries
484 Changi Road
(Nearest MRT: Kembengan)
64456390 
97386648 

Cheers, 
Y

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Paik's Bibimbap (Bedok Mall) | ThumbsForFood

Being a Korean food lover, I was quite excited when Paik's Bibimbap opened in Bedok Mall. It's signature is non other than it's fusion-style bibimbap. 

Paik's is located at the side of Bedok Mall. As renovation works are still ongoing, it might be a little bit harder to spot Paik's. It is right next to Mr. Bean. I have visited the eatery twice - once during lunch and once on a weekend early dinner slot. It was quite empty both times. Paik's is a simple bistro that boosts a small seating capacity with quite a simple menu. 


Interior of Paik's Bibimbap
We tried the signature Terriyaki Chicken Bibimbap ($8.90) which was chicken stir-fried with soy sauce and a dash of Tenkatsu (rice crispy) and vegetable with special mayonnaise sauce. I added the hot pepper sauce in as well. Really, the dish is not photogenic at all. Like many of you reading this, I thought to myself "What a plain dish!" when I saw it. However, I was so surprised at how naturally flavorful it was after I mixed everything up. The various textures from the rice, tenkatsu, cabbage, vegetables made the dish alive.

Terriyaki Chicken Bibimbap
Previously, I had tried the Squid Bibimbap which they removed from their menu. I really hope that they can include it back in because it was so yummy! I especially enjoyed the flavorful squid. On my last visit, I noticed that they had only 3 flavors left - Terriyaki Chicken, Marinated Tofu and Beef Bulgogi. 

Warm Noodles with Soy Sauce was another choice. The first time when I was there, the warm noodles were al dente. The soy sauce was so fragrant that it made the dish really appetising. However, I was a little disappointed on my second visit as the noodles were slightly soggy. Nevertheless, the Soy Sauce made up a little for it. Hope to see the noodles improve the next time around!

Warm Noodles with Soy Sauce
Overall, Paik's Bibimbap boosts a simple, fuss-free, self-service concept. I liked that the bibimbap tasted naturally flavored. It made me feel that my meal was wholesome with a balance of both proteins and vegetables. I would think that I will return here again for some simple yet healthy meal! And of course, I would love to try their steamed egg and Anchovy Noodles next time!

Paik's Bibimbap Cashier 
Paik's Bibimbap
Bedok Mall #01-95
311 New Upper Changi Road
Open daily: 10am to 10pm

Love, Y