Stirling bar & grill at Cheong Chin Nam

Stirling has opened for a couple of months and is a few doors down from the famous Al-Ameen. With the new MRT station slated to open in the next few years, expect this place to be the new Holland Village with the numerous options available, and cheaper prices too!

The Grilled Halloumi Salad ($9) with baby spinach, tomato and capsicum salsa was a refreshing start to the dreary afternoon. Most of us were expecting a huge chunk of cheese on top of the salad, instead it came out nicely chopped up and plopped over a fresh mountain of leaves. The salsa added the needed acidity and juices to mix the greens with.

The Bacon Wrapped Asparagus ($11) topped with sauteed capsicum and sun dried tomato was a clear favorite among all and all 3 plates were wiped clean quickly. That streaky bacon bursting fat juices in your mouth while the capsicum and tomatoes gave it a variance in textures and flavors. The asparagus felt a bit too limp to me, but i guess that's what you get with tiny things.   

Now if you're looking for a place to drink I highly recommend coming here. They have archipelago beers on tap and a large selection of bottled UK craft beers & ciders too. And a redonkulous $2 slider promo to tempt you to further part with your hard earned money.

They look like a whale was trying on skinny jeans, but apart from that... I can't really fault anything that costs $2.

The Grilled Watermellon ($12) wasn't that grilled afterall.. What little charred bits I found actually added a different dimension that left me moreish. The parma ham added some saltiness while the rocket helped to give it a clean finish.

The Delicieux Duck Breast ($25) with creamy truffle mushroom, pencil asparagus and oven baked baby potatoes were... for a lack of a better word, poor. The breast meat was on the verge of turning grey and it wasn't rested enough, hence the amount of blood/juices you see on the plate. The flavors though, were good. The truffle sauce gave it a richness it deserved while that orange slice gave it some acidity to cut through all that meat on the plate.

Now this was what we came down for. Their signature Ribeye steak ($29 for 200g/ $35 for 250g) that's slow charcoal grilled before finishing off with high heat. Because of that you don't get the line charring you would expect from a grill. The steak is topped off with avocado butter, served with truffle fries and alcohol infused vegetables. Biting into this, you know they've not messed around with it much. The meat was tender but could use just a tad more resting time. Definitely value for money.

To me, the Crispy King Salmon ($23) was the definite winner of the day. This mess on the dish is actually fork crushed potatoes, creamy dill and leek sauce. The crispy skinned salmon gave way to a beautiful pink on the inside which left everyone wanting more. I cheekily stole more from the other side as this was too good to resist.

The restaurant has sofas to laze around and an al-fresco area that shows live sports as well. Do check out their facebook page as they have live music, although not that often due to licence restrictions.
The menu does have some hits and misses but noting their prices, this is a pretty decent place and we'll definitely be back.

Stirling15 Cheong Chin Nam RoadSingapore 599739Tel: (+65) 6469 9096Website: www.stirling.sg

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Modern Aussie Barbeque at Burnt Ends

With all these new cafes and restaurants mushrooming all around Singapore in the past few years, I was starting to tire of it. More often than not, concept restaurants and cafes are overpriced with sloppy service, and the food mediocre at best. I was starting to wonder if we have reached saturation point. But one restaurant restored my faith in our F&B scene.

Chef David Pynt

Enter Burnt Ends, a twelve-seater counter top restaurant in Chinatown, opened last May by Chef Andre Chiang of Andre and hotelier Loh Lik Peng. Branding itself as a modern Aussie BBQ restaurant, Burnt Ends serves up food that is exactly as its name suggests-- food with charred ends and a smoky flavour, mostly cooked using the wood-fired ovens in the open concept kitchen. The menu is different every day, as they use seasonal ingredients.

We kicked off our meal with the Smoked Quail Eggs ($6), smoked and lightly sprinkled with sea salt. I popped one and the yolk burst in my mouth out as I bit into the egg. The oozing yolk wass delightful, but the eggs were rather plain, and left a slightly bitter, smoky aftertaste. Kinda like eating a tea leaf egg without the flavour of tea leaf.

Next up was the Kingfish and Lemon. A western sashimi, if you can call it that. The zesty lemon sauce gave the fresh slices of fish a refreshing touch.

It's easy to screw up lamb. Some chefs either make it too dry and tough or too raw, but the Lamb and Carrot here was cooked to tender perfection. Each bite oozes a sweetness from the juices of the meat, paired with the pumpkin puree underneath. 

The Sobrasada, a Spanish raw, cured sausage to be eaten on toast is flavourful and filled with chunks of pork with a bit of heat from the paprika and peppers mixed in. While some may find it a tad salty, it was an absolute delight for me.

I'm not a fan of leek at all but I decided to have a little piece of this dish of Leek, Hazelnut and Brown Butter. Not only was it juicy and tender without the stink of Chinese stir fried leeks, the aromatic combination of hazelnut and brown butter was out of this world. 

One of the best things about Burnt Ends is you can watch the chefs prepare the food. Unlike a regular restaurant where you'll just play with your phone while waiting for your dish to be served, it gives you an opportunity to make conversation with your mates as you wonder what ingredients the cooks are using for each dish.

This is the Toast Tomatoes and Lardo. Even the top and bottom ends of the tomatoes are burnt without drying out the insides. The tomatoes are carefully laid atop a piece of toast, then topped with a thin, sheer layer of Lardo, an Italian cold cut which turns transparent when melted, due to the heat from the toasted tomatoes. Take a bite, close your eyes, and you can almost see yourself in the Mediterranean.

The Fennel, Orange and Burrata is another example of a dish with literal burnt ends. The Burrata lends a savoury touch to the smoked fennel which could be rather plain eaten on its own.

The Burnt Ends Sanger ($20) was one of the highlights of my meal. It's a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and a slightly spicy chipotle aioli which honestly, tasted a bit like cheddar cheese. Not a bad thing at all, although a slice or two of melted cheese would've taken the sandwich to another level. Often, brioche buns turn out to be too thick and dry, but Burnt Ends has nailed it. The soft and pillowy brioche buns were made even better with perfectly moist pulled pork. It is deliciously rich and also messy to eat so don't order this one if you're on your first few dates! But otherwise, don't leave the restaurant without having this.

After the deliciously rich and sinful sandwich came the perfectly seasoned Whole Baby Snapper with a heap of veggies. One of the healthiest options on the menu.

The only disappointment of the night was the Jamaican Chicken. It lacked the heat and spice that a Jaimaican chicken should have, and the thighs were raw.

However, the 45 Day Dry Aged Mayura OP Rib made me forget about the raw chicken I bit into. Undoubtedly the best steak I have ever had. Each slice is beautifully marbled and velvety smooth. A top contender.

We rounded up our meal with a Rocky Road and Granola Ice-cream, Pineapple, Rum and Vanilla, and toasted marshmallows. The rocky road and granola ice cream is the winner: A bed of deconstructed fudge brownie with bits of turkish delight and marshmallows topped with fragrant granola ice cream. 

Despite being less than two years old, Burnt Ends deserves all the buzz and hype. The food is unpretentious yet sophisticated; simple yet thoughtful, and the use of quality seasonal ingredients justifies the higher prices they charge for each dish. Be sure to make a booking at least a week in advance if you wanna get a good view of the action in the kitchen!

Burnt Ends

20 Teck Lim Road

6224 3933

w: http://www.burntends.com.sg

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Grand Mandarin Restaurant @ 325 New Bridge Road

You know you've made it big when your restaurant comes out on a certain Sunday paper. And they sure as hell make sure you know it by putting multiple copies of it around the restaurant. So what makes them so special you ask? They're famous for their empura fish which costs a whopping $700kg and up, and promises an earth shattering orgasm in every bite (including scales). You really can't escape that fact because they keep showing reruns of it on their projector screens. We didn't get to try it and instead were served their other signature dishes.

We started off with the deep-fried prawn coated with creme lemon sauce ($32 per order), which was still firm to the bite, while the sauce gave it a sweet and tangy gloss it deserved. Their all famous honey glazed barbecued pork loin got lots of confused looks from the table. While it was OMG tender, the coating of sugar around the meat that wasn't caramalised added a crunch that left a lot to be desired because of that raw taste. The crispy soft shell crab coated with chicken floss and curry leaves was meh.. The floss was way too sweet and killed off the flavor of the crab while I didn't taste any curry at all.

Next was the Steamed silver cod with pink ginger topping in bonito sauce ($22 per serving). The fish was cooked perfectly and cut like butter while the bonito sauce added a touch of umami-ness, but.. that's where the awesomeness ends. The pink ginger was revoltingly strong and killed my tastebuds.

The roasted ducked with perigord truffle ($28 per order) didn't exactly wow us either. It felt like the truffle sauce was an afterthought and only poured over the duck before serving instead of letting it infuse for a longer period of time. That chili stain you see on the top left was done by a blogger who was late for an hour and blamed the PR girl for it   who thought was artistic.

The tofu crab meat and egg white in carrot & spinach broth ($24 per order) looked pretty as and I felt the flavors came together well.... BUT... the tofu was fried to near death and hence was a letdown.

Like most chinky places, a meal ends with yummy carbs. The Stir-fried crystal vermicelli with pork collar in X.O chili sauce ($24 per order) thankfully wasn't a dud. The wok-hei taste lingering in my mouth for a long time. Mmmmmm.... The noodles were still firm to the bite and drenched with that wonderful sauce. While the fatty pieces of meat weren't needed, they gave a touch of richness to the dish.

Grand Mandarin has opened to much fanfare in the last few months but leaves plenty to be desired. For what you pay you'll definitely be expecting a higher standard of food and service. But that being said, they're still new and would probably get better. No harm giving it a go.

Grand Mandarin

325 New Bridge Road

#01/02-00 S(088760)

t: 6222 3355

w: www.grandmandarin.com.sg

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Suprette and Nickeldime Drafthouse. A tale of two burgers.

Many people love burgers, but not like the way my girlfriend does. A bad burger would ruin her day, and then mine. So needless to say when she tells me OMG YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!!! I have to drop all plans and check it out with her.

Located in Kam Leng Hotel, Suprette have slowly but surely gained a following even though they only have 5 main options. We decided to just go big and ordered the Ken's Heart Attack Burger ($45). I dare any of you to try and finish this alone. My eyes popped out when the server plopped this down onto our table. It was a fucking beauty. Double patty with beautiful charring and bursting with juices, purrfectly crisp bacon, gooey gruyere cheese that threatens your arteries, and mushrooms. Fries are free flow as well, so help yourself to carbs overload. The bottom of the sesame bun surprisingly didn't give way to the load and juices that were runneth over. Now look at that and you wonder what's the big fuss about Omakase burgers. 

This would be easily rank in the top 5 of burgers in SG for me 

Suprette

Kam Leng Hotel Lobby

383 Jalan Besar

S ( 209001)

Tel: 6298 8962

Website: www.suprette.com

Another day, another burger. Nickeldime Drafthouse has been getting a lot of press recently for all the beer reasons. That huge ass BEER sign tempted us in for a look even before they opened. They have 15 different craft beers on tap at any one time, and lots more in bottles which are available for takeaway. We were there for 2 weeks getting sloshed almost everyday before their menu finally kicked in, and we decided the burger would be their litmus test.

The 510 burger ($18 + $4 for pulled pork) was a definite winner for us. It had homemade beer bread, beer braised pulled pork, IPA cheese, mozzarella, candied bacon and egg. This was a messy burger that when melded together, felt like captain planet had been called upon. The pattie had a beautiful char and was seasoned well. The pulled pork definitely wasn't needed but added an extra zing with the smokey barbecue sauce and burnt bits thrown in. I was gutted that my yolk was stabbed but that just added to the ooze factor. Fries were generic like most places so no biggie. (they currently charge for fries separately)

Looking back, i'll definitely head back for their food but not so much for their beers. It's absolutely bloody expensive. 

Nickeldime Drafthouse

273 Thomson Road #01-06

t: 8288 5568

www.nickeldimedrafthouse.com.sg/

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Paradise Pavilion - Some things are just worth waking up for

Located in the heart of Marina Bay Financial Centre, Paradise Pavilion serves up lip-smackingly good dim sums at prices that are justifiable the moment you sink your teeth into em. Just finding this place from Raffles Place MRT is enough to work up an appetite as the endless labyrinth of underground walkways to get to tower 2 is enough to make you hangry (hungry + angry if you're wondering). Being the kiasu Singaporeans that we are, we made a reservation for 2 at 1130am on a Sunday just to be sure as this place has been getting a constant stream of good reviews online and from friends.

The Fried Carrot Cake in XO Sauce ($8.80) was definitely one of the highlights for me. My mouth watered just looking at that dish, and it sure didn't disappoint. The chunks of carrot cake having nice crispy bits on the outside, yet pillowly soft on the inside. It was complemented with the bean sprouts and yummy chunks of egg scatted around. We polished up this dish as it was so easy to eat, and not greasy on the palate like what you find at our hawkers.

The baked Snow Bun with BBQ pork ($5.60) should be on your to order list if you have a sweet tooth. That crisp, yet flaky exterior giving way to a heap of lean BBQ pork in the middle. I would personally love a bit more fats and perhaps some charring as the second bun just got a bit way too sweet and monotone for me.

Next up were the Crackling Pork Belly ($12.80) and Siew Mai Skewers ($5.80). One bite of the pork belly would send you to heaven. That thin crisp skin on the top gives way to an explosion of fats and meat underneath that has been lovingly cooked over time. None of that tough cuts you get elsewhere. The English mustard on the side just gives that extra kick at the end if you find this too rich for your liking. I would have happily finished up this portion by myself but unfortunately I had to share...

The skewers veered towards the fusion side of things. The fillings of meat and juicy ass prawns was bursting with juices while being encased in skin that's glazed over by a terriyaki like sauce. This gave the outside a sweet, yet smoky taste that held firm and wasn't mushy at all.

Unfortunately this picture was from my partner as I had to start licking my fingers after she took this. The Steamed Custard Bun ($5.50 for 3) is something you should not miss. That supple skin easily breaks away, showing you it's glorious sweet and salty insides for you to lick up while having that stupid grin on your face.

If you're in the mood for something a little more upmarket you can always check our their ala-carte menu but be prepared for their eye-watering prices. Or come with a few friends and try their apple wood roasted peking duck. This place fills up quick with the crowds, and the hustle and bustle takes you away from the fact that this is chi-chi establishment. While this place is priced above your regular dim sum places it's definitely worth what you pay for, and more.

Paradise Pavilion 
8A Marina Boulevard
#02-01 Marina Bay Financial Centre 
Tower 2 (018984)
Tel: 6509 9308
Nearest MRT stations Downtown, Raffles Place and Marina Bay

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[The Entertainer app] Roosevelt's Diner and Bar

Located at the corner or Dorsett Residences in Tanjong Pagar, Roosevelt's has been attracting a pretty decent crowd with their casual dining at friendly prices and swanky decor. I was here a couple days back with my partner and was utterly blown away by the burgers and hence decided to come back again. Oh, did I mention they have 1 for 1 drinks from 5-8pm too?

I ordered the Southern Fried Chicken $18, and for that price I've got to say it's worth it. The chicken came out nice and crisp and was seasoned well to boot. Cut into the skin and you're welcomed with that *crrrack* sound followed by the juices runneth over. Thank god they didn't use the breast meat. If you're starving, order something else as well in addition to this dish.

My partner had the Mushroom Cheddar Beef Burger $22 which I actually ordered a couple days back and raved about it non stop. Unfortunately... inconsistencies have come to bite them back. The mushrooms lacked seasoning and was waaaaaay undercooked... The pattie had mad decent flavors and charring as before , but was overcooked. (Our table ordered 3 burgers and all came out with different done-ness and one of em even complained hers was bloody dry). We were told by the waitstaff that the kitchen changed and were not requesting for the done-ness of the patties anymore much to our disappointment. Chips were definitely cooked and left out a long time as every bite I took just made me cringe even more. Their house-made brioche bum was top notch tough. It had a nice density and buttery tinge to it, and easily soaked up the juices from the meat and didn't break apart.

With the epic waffle craze storming through our nation, we thought it was a good idea to share a Churros Waffle $12 with cinnamon sugar, mocha sauce and a huge dollop of ice cream. Their waffle came out nice and hot, and was crisp even after 4 people took a zillion shots of it before tucking it. Now me not being a waffle connoisseur, I actually enjoyed this as it was part fluffy, part chewy. BUT.... the ice cream totally and utterly destroyed it for me. It was probably a $3 tub from Giant supermarket as every bite just sent more ice shards into my mouth leaving me grumpy and nursing my pint instead.

After all that's been said and done, I'll actually head back again to try their other dishes. (their truffle fish pie looks amazing...)

Roosevelt's Diner&Bar
331 New Bridge Road
#01-02 Dorsett Residences (088764)
Right above Outram Park MRT

Now if you've read through this and was wondering what the heck is the entertainer app... do let me explain. You basically get access to all 770+ buy one get one free offers at some of the hottest restaurants, nightspots, spas and activities. Especially useful if you're a foodie too, since each merchant provides more than 3 vouchers; meaning that you can visit participating restaurants more than once! 

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Cha-Char-Ch叉r: Pork belly that melts in your mouth!

There's been a lot of buzz surrounding Char ever since it opened its doors a few months ago, so a couple of friends and I decided to go see what the fuss is about.

We arrived on a Tuesday night at 7:30pm to a packed restaurant, but luckily, we made a reservation. Before going to Char, not only do you have to reserve a table, you have to reserve your portions of meats as they sell out very quickly. We saw people walk-in hoping they could get a table but were told to come back later!

We shared the Chicken & Salted Fish Fried Rice ($11), garlic spinach ($10) and three types of meat (I'll get to it later) between three of us. The fried rice had that umami flavour, thanks to the salted fish. I'm still not over how tasty it was. The spinach, however, was nothing to shout about. It's just a regular garlic stir fried spinach that your mum cooks at home. It's not worth $10 and we'd have skipped that if not for the need to balance our meat feast with some veggies.

Look at the glistening signature Special Char Siew ($15 for 300g), obviously is the star of the table. I'm not sure what spices they use to marinate the pork, but there was a perfect balance of smoky, sweet and savoury. The meat was generously thick and melt-in-your-mouth soft, with a strip of fat running down the middle. I've never been a fan of char siew because of the lean, tough, red coloured paper-thin slices of char siew we get from hawker stalls and I still won't eat it, unless I'm at Char.

The Double Roast ($18 for 100g of roast pork and 100g of roast duck) wasn't as outstanding as the char siew. While the flavour wasn't that different from the Chinese roasts anywhere else, the crackling on the pork was crispy, and there was a mustard dip to go with the meat. The skin of the duck was also roasted to crisp perfection, but its flavour, just like the roast pork, was forgettable.

If you need something to quench your thirst, they serve a few different soups of the day, beers, soft drinks, and juices. 

This restaurant brands itself as Cantonese Casual Dining and that's exactly what it is. It's pricier than the roast meats we get from hawker stalls, but less harsh on the wallet than upscale Chinese restaurants. The decor isn't try-hard hipster, nor is it trying to appeal to a younger, westernised crowd. Apart from some art hanging on the wall, the interior is pretty non-descript. We saw families of three generations enjoying a meal. One thing great about their menu - apart from the offerings - is that there are Chinese words - probably for the older generation who can't read English - which I felt was a thoughtful touch. I'll be bringing my parents there next time!

Ch叉r
393 Guillemard Road, Singapore 399790
Tel: 6842 7759
Email: info@char.com.sg

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Ramen champion Singapore - Arrival of 2 new competitors at Bugis+

For those who are not familiar with the Ramen Champion concept at Bugis+ will be in for a treat. 6 different ramen flavors and recipes from the different regions of Japan are brought together in this 'stadium' setting to compete against each other for a year. The winner will be invited to set-up a restaurant in Singapore while the losers get booted out.

Two appetisers I would recommend are the Tebasaki fried chicken ($6.90) from Shodai Koji and the Deep fried gyoza $5 from Buta God. The chicken was cooked to a crisp while still maintaining moisture on the inside and the lemon wedge provided helps cut through the oil if you're having this dish all by yourself. The deep fried gyoza should only be ordered if you prefer vegetables it barely contained any meat.

The Triple Charshu Ramen ($16.80) by Shodai Koji (Yokohama) was the first new competitor that popped up onto our table to the collective ooohs and ahhhs. Coming from a country that loves gooey eggs, everyone attacked them first before tucking into the other parts of the dish. And it was sad to say.. disappointing. Just from the picture alone tells you it was overcooked bar the middle. The rich and flavorful tonkotsu broth is cooked for over 8 hours but was on the lighter side of things, which helped because the noodles were of a medium thickness. Thankfully they were cooked well and had a bite to it. The 3 types meat given were chicken thigh, pork belly and pork collar, and they were cooked to perfection.

The second ramen isn't a new competitor, but their Bugis+ outlet is their second and hence warranted a mention. The Special Power Riki Ramen ($16.50) by Tokyo Riki Ramen is totally unlike what you normally find in Singapore. Their milky white broth and amazingly cooked egg are where the similarity ends. They use thick cut noodles like udon AND heavily top it with bean sprouts before heaping a generous amount of garlic in. Before serving, the pork is given a gentle licking by a blowtorch which gives it a nice smokey taste and aroma. The excessive amount of bean sprouts helped to cut through that very heavy soup base and thick noodles but unfortunately I wouldn't go for this and I am no fan of garlic.

The second new ramen served was the Menya Ryu Special Miso ($15.80) from Sopporo, Hokkaido. The chef retains the original flavors by using 3 kinds of Miso (red,white & black). This was the only ramen we've tested on the night that used thinner curly yellow noodles. Sadly it was a tad overcooked, but that was the only fault I could find in that dish. Their soup base is a mix of tonkotsu and chicken, and was a clear winner of the 3 tested. The corn and bamboo shoots helped to counter the overall saltiness of the dish while the spring onion and radish gave a texture variance in the mouth with each bite. I got a feeling this is going to be pretty popular with the local palate and might be a winner.

My only gripe with Ramen champion is with 6 stores to choose from, you might pick something you dislike. It's best if you do your research before heading down as you will definitely be overwhelmed by the amount of pictures pasted everywhere. I will definitely be heading back soon to try out the other competitors.

This was an invited tasting.

 Ramen Champion, Bugis+
201 Victoria Street, #04-10
Singapore 188067
Near Bugis Mrt Station

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