Cafe food デンプシーのカフェフード

It was one of those Friday evenings when I had to head for Dempsey when ideas on where to eat were not forthcoming. I haven't really had a feast there, so why not? I thought.

The place looked quite 'happening'- crowded and bustling with activities; yuppies eating, drinking and chatting. Even when empty tables were spotted in the Jumbo Seafood Restaurant, the Filipina guest-relations officer chirped 'Sorry Ma'am, they are reserved'.

La Forketta, the Italian place seemed like the place to go, but the music was explosive inside the restaurant, noisy diners competing with it. No thank you.

So, Culina was the last resort.

White asparagus with al funghi risotto...Croque monsieur with salad...The menu on the chalkboard looks good. We ordered our wine and appetizers.

Mmm...our wines turned out good. Our appetizers weren't bad either. Not the best risotto here - but asparagus was very fresh and crunchy.

Then came croque monsieur:

A mistake.

Next, the dish of the evening: scampi pasta.

Quite exciting to look at, but urrgg...so salty.

The tab came up to SGD 102 plus. We felt we had eaten just to keep our organs functioning, but end up overworking the kidneys.

The next time I run dry of ideas on where to eat, I'll just head for Garibaldi. For a few more tenths of dollars, food and wine is surely awesome.

Go Thai

October 2, 2008 (Fri): It’s Friday evening. Picking up some organic veggie is has become a routine. I stopped by Vivo City, and decided to go for dinner first.

Stopping by Thai Accent was just a coincidence. I haven’t had Thai food since my last meal with a Thai friend at Baan Thai in Hanoi. This restaurant is popular-judging by the line outside. It was early evening, about 7 pm. We were ushered to sit at the corner of the raised level. It was a good table but the air-con was blowing too strongly. We asked to be seated at a corner where we could see the line outside-not so comfortable but we will not freeze.

The waiter and waitress who served us were very pleasant, attentive and efficient. We ordered a Thai green curry, stir-fried kang kong with fermented beans, a glass-noodle soup and a Tiger beer, which was served in well chilled glasses. The curry wasn’t spicy- and that’s good for us.

The veg was very good and rice was refillable. I don’t like egg tofu normally but the soup (without the tofu) was delicious.

With Amex card discount of 15%, the bill was SGD 45. Wow-good deal in this part of the city and excellent (!) for such service, ambience and food quality. I enjoyed the view overlooking the Sentosa casino, currently under construction.

A recommendable place for casual dining.

Minoru Restaurant (Tel: 6775 8879)

February 20,2008(Wed): It's mid-week and chilling out at some small cozy place seems the right way to 'recharge'. I found this place along the quiet West Coast Way. It's hidden and all covered-up so that passers-by will not be able to see its interior.

I used to take evening walks near Hong Leong Shopping Centre where Japanese kids and housewives hanged out in the 1980s-90s; but then, I did not even know this eat-out existed. The equally inconspicuous sliding door of the restaurant opens up to an authentic Japanese drinking ambience. Its low ceiling, warm latterns, small wooden chairs and tables, beer ads of sunbrowned belles on the beach, comics, and ornaments are all so provocative of the izakaya ambience prevalent in the back alleys of Japan. The three gaudy fu-lu-shou (Prosperity, Wealth and Longevity dieties) standing above the shelves of Japanese comics hint at its non-Japanese ownership, however. The chefs and the waitresses are also of Southeast Asian origins - though not necessarily Singaporeans - except for a tall waitress from Mainland China. The head waitress has the sweetest smile, and she immediately imparts an ii-kanji (good feelings) of the place. She told me that the restaurant has been there since the 1980s. I wonder what the place was like in those times when Singapore's Japanese population was four times greater?

Most customers now consist of families or couples, and most were locals living around there. There was a Japanese tanshin funin (expatriate without his family) who pecked at his bowl of rice and naberyori (hot claypot) while reading his daily. I guess doing that was better than just focusing at the steaming claypot right in front of him.

I ordered a Minoru bentoo (lunch-box) and A., a sashimi set. Although lunch time has long past, the waitress informed that bentoo orders were acceptable. That was the kind of flexibility I like.

After munching the rather chewy sanzai (wild mountain vegetable) appetizer, our food arrived.

My bentoo looked ordinary enough: a grilled saba, a deep-fried kushi consisting of bacon and asparagus,sashimi slices, a miso soup and a star-shaped mold of rice. I like the shredded daikon which was thicker and juicier than the very thin popular version. A. liked his fresh sashimi - but not the ambience.

The bill added to about SGD40, including GST. It's not bad, really. The friendly staff know their regulars; the restaurant offers decent wine /sake and does not charge any corkage fee so you can bring in your favorite drinks from home.

214 West Coast Way
Hong Leong Garden Shopping Centre

Japanese Association Lounge

May 16, 2008 (Friday): I used to think that this place on the fourth floor is overly exclusive, being the place Japanese expats make friends, eat, dine, karaoke (next door to the lounge) and do things as a group. It WAS probably the only air-conditioned lounge that tolerated smoking, despite its non- smoking signs displayed on every table- as long as its customers wanted to puff in it. But recently, I have grown to like it, especially after one of its inconsiderate smoker clients has left. There's much peace and clean air, and as usual, rather good service.

I like to drink and snack here as there is hardly anywhere in Singapore where I can go without meeting a crowd and noise (including music). Two weeks ago, I ordered a Wolf Bass Bilyara (2006) Shiraz, the 'wine of the month'. The price was incredible at SGD 26!- and the texture and taste were great. In fact, I didn't expect such maturity to come from a young winery. I now think twice about this brand.

Hiyakko, tako yaki (Octopus balls), calamari rings and wafuu (Japanese style) salads prepared at Donguri (downstairs) went very well with it.

I could even keep the bottle there like whiskey or sake like at any Japanese waterholes.

Great. I'd go again and again.

Salmon Dishes at Home

December 7, 2007 (Friday): Time really flies! Three more weeks and it'll be Christmas! I am so glad that I've submitted my writing to the Editor for the Handbook who will be publishing my work. Now I can do some star-gazing and home-peeping. I have looked into the homes across mine. Some are already beautifully lit for Christmas--but that's all I can guess because the homes in my estate are designed in such way that you cannot see through the house. There is this home which has suspended a big bright star at its veranda. The star emits red rays that fall on the foliage and the walls of the veranda. It's a soothing sight. There's also another home with a Balinese interior whose glittering Christmas tree top I can see when I look up from my veranda... I can do all these because I feel more relaxed now. I haven't done my Christmas shopping yet,though. Cyril, my Swiss friend, told me he's finished his last weekend. Already! I have to do mine this weekend, i.e. tomorrow. I don't wish to repeat what I did last year. Last year Singapore registered the highest rainfall in 35 years and all my Christmas gifts went out in January this year because every day after work, I would rather relax at home. This year is certainly a little warmer and not so wet.

I prepared some salmon, five-grain onigiri and boiled kailan tonight. The orgnanic five-grain onigiri turned out really delicious. I am glad I've used the improved onigiri mould with a tap in the middle that enables the rice to be pushed out easily. It is non-stick as well so that you'll be assured of beautifully carved out rice moulds. I think the Japanese are fantastic craftsmen!

Salmon is probably one of the most frequent fish I cook at home. It is very easily done. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees ( a bread toaster is fine too) and then place the salmon (about 250 g) on a foil or in a baking plate to bake for about 6 minutes and it's all ready to be served. I couldn't find chive butter sauce when I did my grocery last night. What I use is my normal salad dressing- the Mentaiko from Japanese Cupie's Tasty Dressing Series. The sesame dressing from the same maker and series is another convenient but delicious seasoning to have in your fridge.

The sweet black grapes are also in season. They are cheap as well. I had some leftover unsweetened beancurd with Haagan Daaz Melon and these grapes together. The result: an unforgettable dessert which I will make tomorrow again.

I love the salmon pan-crust pizza at da Paolo along Bukit Timah. It costs SGD 7.50 for a small slice but it makes a wonderful appetizer. I also enjoy my salmon with Russet mash potatoes and golden kiwi and pine nuts. Pretty uncommon I think but it is better eating mash potatoes with fish than grilled red meats. My wine tonight was Two Oceans 'Pinotage' - another uncommon combo, I suppose.