Cookware to get started in the kitchen

Leave a comment 4th January 2021 wenoms1

New year, new resolutions ! For me, my cooking resolution this year is going to be health driven. One of the top things on my list is to learn more about the fermentation process and I can’t wait to start experimenting and reading up on the various techniques.

For anyone who’s made up their mind to get a little more serious in the kitchen, it can be a bit overwhelming choosing between a large variety of cookware and the different brands involved. I remember the hours spent pouring over the internet and youtube reviews trying to make a decision on what to get! If I can impart some advice – less is more, especially if you’re just starting out. Choose one quality piece over that 5 piece set that costs the same because chances are, you’ll just need that one piece and the rest will just end up crowding your kitchen. While I’ve accumulated a fair bit of cookware over the years, there were two must-haves in the kitchen that I started out with and still continue to reach for time and time again.

1. Le Creuset Dutch Oven

I’m a massive fan of Le Creuset because I think this is one brand that has stye as well as substance. Pricey to be sure, but if you take good care of your cookware, they literally will last you a lifetime ( or more). I have 4 pieces of Le Creuset cookware including a grill and a pan, but the one I recommend getting is definitely the Dutch Oven. It is one of the most versatile pieces of cookware, and I use it on the reg so much that it’s usually just hanging out on my stovetop. Perfect for roasts and stews, I also use it to cook chinese soups and just about anything you can think of !

Le Creuset’s Dutch Oven is made out of enameled cast iron. The enamel keeps it low maintenance ( no rusting), but still retains the cast iron properties of retaining heat in your dutch oven. You can go from stove top to oven which is incredibly convenient and saves a ton of time. I love doing a roast chicken with root veggies in my Le Creuset, popping it into the oven on low heat for a couple of hours and volia you’re done.

The Le Creuset Dutch Ovens come in both round and oval shapes as well as different sizes. I have both shapes and use them equally. I first purchased the oval size and used it for longer cuts of meat, but later bought the round oven in a larger size to cook for bigger parties. If you’re worried about whether the oval fits your stovetop, enameled cast iron promotes even cooking so even if you have a round stove top burner the oval will work just fine. It’s down to personal preference but for an item as pricey as this I recommend you pop down to the nearest store and have a look and feel for which size, and shape might suit you the best.

2. Cast Iron or Carbon Steel Pan

If you enjoy a good ribeye as much as I do, this is a definite must have in the kitchen. I often get questions about why steak doesn’t seem to brown properly or why the meat sticks to the pan. The saying a bad workman blames his tools in this instance really doesn’t apply here, because in this case, it is most definitely about the tools, (or at least 70% of it is). The key to getting a good crust on your steak, and an even cook is heat. Plain and simple. You want a pan that can hold and retain heat and the best materials for that are cast iron, or carbon steel.

What’s the difference you may ask? Honestly…. not much. From personal experience both retain heat well, both can be taken from stovetop to oven and both perform really well. I used cast iron for years, but recently started adding carbon steel to my collection. It’s slightly lighter and for me that’s a deal breaker because these pans are heavy!

What you do need to note is that both types of pans require some babying. You need to make sure they’re well seasoned before use, and keeping them dry and well oiled after is a must as well, or you’re gonna see some rust and you do not want that in your food ! Another benefit is that once these pans are well seasoned they are perfectly non-stick! Forget all the pans that promote non-stick properties and have these coatings made out of godknowswhat on your pan. When you have your pans broken in, you can cook eggs, fish, whatever you want, and you’ll find they glide right off perfectly.

Brand wise, I have my favourites but honestly I don’t think it makes a massive difference with a cast iron pan what brand you use.
I have the Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Skillet but if you’re on a budget I’ll say the Lodge Skillet is pretty value value for money and works just as well – save your money for a dutch oven!
Available on Amazon here – Lodge L8SK3ASHH41B Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, Pre-Seasoned, 10.25-inch, Black
For Carbon Steel pans, I recommend the de Buyer brand which is the one I’m using right now. It’s a great pan for the price and its worked beautifully for me so far.
Available on Amazon here – De Buyer 5610.26A Mineral B Frying Pan, 10.2 Inch, Silver-Grey

Right brand new/Left after 6 months of consistent use and seasoning. Not so pretty to look at but you better believe it’s cooks up a mean meal

xx Kerri

Looking back at 2020

Leave a comment 30th December 2020 wenoms1

Like everyone else, 2020 threw me for a complete loop. Plans I made at the beginning of the year went up in smoke , trips were cancelled, the reservation I finally managed to make at Noma(!!) has been indefinitely postponed, and I ended up leaving London and coming back to Singapore. It’s not all doom and gloom though. 2020 has definitely given me some fresh perspective, as well as time and space to refocus on what’s important to me, and hence why I’m starting this blog. I’m really looking forward to 2021 and the possibilities it can bring. For now though, here’s looking back at what I’ve been up to in the kitchen for the past year!

See you in the new year

xx Kerri

Esora Review

Leave a comment 3rd November 2018 wenoms1

Esora was quite an experience. They pride themselves on modern Japanese kappo cuisine. Newly opened , I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the hype, but I’m glad to report it did, and I will definitely be paying them a second visit. I always judge a fine dining restaurant on 3 criteria – ambience, service and obviously food. This is going to be a long post so bear with me. Let’s begin.

1. Ambience
First of all the decor is stunning. Simple clean lines, wood and soft lighting is used. The counter is under this gorgeous skylight, giving rise to the name of the restaurant Esora, which means painting in the sky.

2. Service
I could not fault the service. Attentive, quiet, not at all stuffy, I never needed to wave anyone over. All I had to do was catch their eye and they were there. Door was held open for me every time I went to the bathroom, the staff were waiting for me as I exited the restaurant. Nothing was too much trouble, explanations of dish are detailed, and when you engage them conversations are casual, professional and peppered with personal anecdotes, making you feel like you’re just friends trading stories over a meal. These things may seem small, but it’s what I expect when I’m paying prices like this , and they delivered.

3.Food
Let me say outright that I was very impressed by the food. Often I find “modern” or “fusion” places can go horribly wrong. Just lumping 2 ingredients that have cultural origins from different countries together does not a modern restaurant make, but they executed it perfectly. Presentation for each course was also ace and that’s very important in Japanese cuisine – it has to look as good as it tastes. They start you off with some dashi which was excellent, warmed the stomach and always a precursor of a great meal to come.

I had the 9 course set. 5 courses were standouts for me which I’ll go into more detail on, 2 were very good but what I would expect and 2 I thought could be better.

Standout courses in no particular order for me were :
1.Kegani Chawanmushi. I’m a huge fan of chawanmushi and this was incredible with the hairy crab sweetness mixed in with the silky chawanmushi adding so much depth to an already amazing dashi base. Chawanmushi is a relatively simple dish to make but extremely tough to perfect. So when executed like this, it was heaven

2.Uni wth the suppon, cauliflower . They used bafun uni from Hokkaido, already amazing on its own but when paired with the suppon that was a bit tart, it further accentuated the rich and creamy flavours of the uni to the next level.

3.Fried scallop with leek, nori, caviar, also very good. I liked that the nori wasn’t visible but when you bit into the dish with that delightful crunch, you could certainly taste the seaweed in the dish. And of course it’s so hard to go wrong with Hokkaido scallops

4.Surprisingly the dessert of white truffle, ice cream and chestnut was one of my absolute favourites. They do a simple ice cream with some form of chestnut purée at the bottom. More chestnut shavings are done at the top, and then a layer of truffle is then shaved over that right in front of your eyes. The flavours are just incredible. Everything goes together so well. I mentioned to the server that the dessert was one of my favourites and she said the chef’s palate is more savoury than sweet which explained the dessert.

5. Special mention to the Ikura used in the Akamutsu Donabe (the rice course). I thought that course was alright, but the Ikura itself is on another level. I was told this particular Ikura from Hokkaido is only available in September and October which is a shame because it’s seriously the best Ikura I’ve had in my life. FAT, juicy, perfectly formed with so much flavour, I started picking it out of my rice and eating it on its own because it was just that good.

2 courses that I thought could be better. were the Sashimi course and the Omi wagyu. Beautiful presentation aside, I found the sashimi course very ordinary – they served flounder, akami, chutoro, bonito, and nothing particularly stood out in the preparation of the fish. The Omi wagyu beef was good, but over emphasis of rich flavours with the mushroom purée and the sauce just made the dish too rich to properly enjoy. I would have liked a sudachi lime or some form of tangy flavours to cut through the heaviness but that might just be my preference.

They have 2 set menus priced at SGD 198/258. Tea pairing is available at SGD 38/48 , and wine pairing at SGD 78/108. I went for the SGD 258 menu which had 9 courses. Pretty sure menu changes with the seasons so don’t expect everything to be the same!

Esora
15 Mohamed Sultan Road
Singapore 238964
Open from Tues-Sat ( 7pm onwards

Engs Vs Engs

Taberna de Vilarinho, Lisbon

Sushi Kanesaka @ Tokyo Ginza

1 Comment 15th March 2015 wenoms1

THIS. The pièce de résistance of my entire trip. I had wanted to try the Singapore outpost (Shinji at St Regis) for ages, but the hefty price tag always put me off. But now that I was in Japan, there was nothing that was going to stop me. My reservation was made months in advance, the anticipation made all the worse by my random googling of reviews and ogling of pictures. Its not uncommon to feel that all the hype kills the outcome and I was afraid that I was going to bitterly let down, but let me just say upfront, Sushi Kanesaka was AMAZING and well deserving of its two michelin stars.

Omakase which literally means chef’s choice doesn’t come cheap. That’s the only thing they serve and lunch sets go at 8000, 10,000 & 15,000 yen each. When I went I was told those sets were for sushi only, and if I wanted a sashimi mix as well, there was an option for 20,000 and 30,000 yen. Not wanting to miss out, I went for the 20,000 yen set ( around 250SGD).

When the sushi chef behind the counter found out I was Singaporean, he asked if I heard of Shinji at the St Regis, ( which of course I have!!) and then he proceeded to utter the following words ,” Hi, I am Shinji Kanesaka, nice to meet you.” I was in a state of disbelief. I knew Kanesaka-san owned the restaurant but for some reason I never expected to be served by him . For the next few minutes, I kept poking a rather bemused c and muttering ,”omg we’re being served by the man himself.”

With a knowing grin and flourish of his knife, we got started.

1. Baby Octopus

Soft and flavourful the sauce went perfectly well with the octopus. I looked over at c and he nodded with approval. This was a sign of good things to come.

2. Bamboo Shoots

Not sure if this was intended to be a palate cleanser after the octopus but it was served in quick succession. The bowl was tiny and I devoured it in anticipation of the other courses.

3. Hairy Crab

I absolutely adore hairy crab. This was served cold with all the goodness of the roe at the bottom of the shell. I started out daintily with my chopsticks but by the end I was this close to licking the shell clean.

4.Hirame

There was texture to this fish that I wasn’t expecting. Slightly crunchy, it had a subtle sweet flavour. I was instructed to have one piece with wasabi and sauce, and the other with wasabi and salt. After I tried both, Kaneaska-San asked which I preferred. When I replied with the salt option, he let out a laugh and said, “You, you are Japanese!”

5. Chutoro

Divine. Perfectly marbled, I didn’t really have to chew at all.

6. Abalone

I watched wide-eyed as Kanesaka-San pulled out a whole piece of abalone. He deftly sliced it into half, then into quarters and served two of those quarters to me. This was absolute heaven. I’ve never tasted abalone like this before. Compared to the usual can stuff I got, this was incredibly sweet, and tasted of the sea. The two pieces were gone before I knew it.

7. Fish

I didn’t manage to catch the name of this fish. All I know is that it starts with O and sounds something like “Odedoro?” No matter, it was to die for. I’ve never liked having skin with my fish but this was something else. The skin was light and crisp and disappeared in my mouth. The meat of the fish was oily and delicious and I can taste it now typing this. Ahhhh.

8. Red Snapper

This was the start of the sushi course and end of the sashimi. I didn’t mind. I was anxious to try the rice that Sushi Kanesaka was famous for and boy was I in for a treat. Using a wet cloth at the side to wipe my fingers, I picked up my sushi by hand. The rice is amazing. It holds its shape perfectly and yet in my mouth each grain is delicate, perfect, a gem. The snapper was okay. This was probably the one piece I didn’t enjoy out of everything.

9. Fish

Didn’t manage to catch the name of this one but it was great. Very similar in texture to the snapper but much sweeter.

10. Maguro (Tuna)

No hint of that fishiness I hate when I get tuna in Singapore. Brushed lightly with soy sauce, this was simple and good.

11. Chutoro (Medium fatty tuna)

As good as the sashimi I had before and the creaminess was balanced out perfectly by the rice.

12. Otoro (Fattiest part of the tuna)

This piece melted in my mouth. No chewing needed. I rolled it over my tongue and let it slowly dissolve. It was bliss.

13. Ika (Squid)

Usually the ika i have tends to be rather chewy. None of that here.Each bite is slightly crunchy and the lemon/lime juice added on the top was sublime.

14. Prawn

I managed to fit the whole sushi into my mouth which was no mean feat because the prawn was huge. The tip of the head where all the lovely prawn juices are was included, which gave a nice unami flavour.

15. Kohada (Sardine)

I was expecting this to taste slimy because of the skin but it was excellent.

16. Bonito

This fish is used to make bonito flakes found in Takoyaki. I loved it. The piece of fish was thickly sliced so that it enveloped the rice. Lots of bite when I put it into my mouth.

17. Spanish Mackerel

Truthfully I thought I would hate this but I am now a convert! No fishiness at all. A little slit made in the fish which allows the garnish to poke its head out was a nice touch.

18. Octopus

This was a scary piece of sushi, all tentacles and such. But the crunch in the mouth was such a delight. I loved it.

19. Clam

This had an overwhemingly sweet taste.

20. Uni

This was THE BOMB. I had seen Kanesaka-San pull out the uni box for other customers and couldn’t wait till it was my turn. Uni is my absolute favourite and I made a point of ordering it everywhere I could in Japan. I’ve never tasted bad uni, how can you, when its just an explosion in your mouth? Nothing comes close to this piece though. Crisp seaweed paired with the creaminess of the uni that had a very clean, rich, briny flavour.

21. Anago (Eel)

This didn’t look like much but when I bit into it the flavours were overwhelming. It was light and grilled and melted in my mouth. So, so good.

With some miso soup, we were served maki and tamago.I was incredibly sad to see the tamago make an appearance, a clear sign that the omakase is coming to an end. But that disappointment quickly turned into awe when I bit into the tamago. It was nothing like I tasted before – dense with a custard texture. I savoured every bite. Next to me, a Japanese couple was conversing with Kanesaka-San, gesturing to their own tamago. I was kicking myself for not being more diligent in Japanese class as Kanesaka-San was clearly describing the process of how he made the tamago.

So that concluded my omakase experience. I had just gotten the bill and was about to keep my camera when Kanesaka-san leaned over and gestured to himself, “picture?” And that, was the perfect end to a perfect meal.

B/F, Misuzu Building, 8-10-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku,Tokyo
T: + 81 3 5568 4411

Lolla@ann Siang Road

1 Comment 15th February 2014 wenoms1

This has been on my ‘to try list’ for the better part of 2013. Many a time I swore to make a reservation but another restaurant always got in the way until I finally found myself here on Valentine’s day.

Lolla serves Mediterranean infused cuisine, mostly small plates meant for sharing . Part of the restaurant’s charm is its set up – they have an open concept kitchen where patrons are seated around a bar counter( limited to 13 seats) to watch chefs’ prepare their food.

Here are the things we had, in order of appearance.

1. Sea Urching Pudding (half portion)
Given that I am such a seafood fan, it was surprising that I did not enjoy this much. While I love uni and would gladly eat a whole plate , the overpowering sweetness of the squid ink pudding made it difficult to enjoy the dish.
That said, the uni was incredibly fresh and creamy and I loved it. Perhaps those with a sweeter tooth would take better to this.

2. Scrambled Eggs with Bottarga di Muggine (or grey mullet roe)
This was by far the best dish of the night. Yes, eggs are eggs. How good can they get? But these eggs were done flawlessly – creamy yet firm in the mouth. And the saltiness of the roe balanced it out perfectly. Never thought eggs could taste like this.

3. Grilled Squid
C enjoyed this but I found it pretty normal. Squid was grilled well , but the flavours were bland.

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4. Lamb Cutlets
These were actually pretty good. Well seasoned, tender, juicy, you name it. Unfortunately, the price does not justify the value of this dish and I found myself wondering how many bowls of wan ton mee I could have for the same price.

5. Grass-fed Rib Eye steak
I was not impressed by this but then again I’ve had some incredible steaks in Paris ( and have been making unfair comparisons to that ever since). Granted my steak experiences are somewhat limited, but if we’re talking local, I believe the best steak I’ve had in Singapore is at Mortons. Don’t get me wrong, the steak at Lolla was decent, but nothing special.

Despite the portions being small, by the end of the night C and I were well fed. The food isn’t anything to shout about, but for someone who hasn’t been there – I would advise to go early to get a seat at the bar(Lolla does have seatings at the basement, but they don’t take reservations for the bar) .The experience of watching your food prepared in front of you is something else and the service is stellar. Of course, going there with people you love always makes the experience better and I had a lovely time on the whole.

(getting our steaks marinated)

A Taste of Vietnam

Leave a comment 17th May 2013 wenoms1

C and I aren’t really fans of Vietnamese food, so most of the recommendations here aren’t for Vietnamese cuisine, but all are good and are restaurants that I would patronize again the next time I’m in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh

Some of the restaurants may appear to be located pretty far away, but if you’re staying in the central areas ( near the ben than market) ,cab rides are cheap and shouldn’t cost you more than 3SGD. There are loads of imitation cabs so make sure you get on a legit one with the meter on. The ones you can trust are the vina sun company and ma linh( white and green) Ma linh also has the green cabs but we didnt take any of those so I’m not sure if its legit.

Cuc Gach Quan – Vietnamese fusion

A quaint little restaurant tucked away in one of the smaller streets – I would recommend taking a cab because otherwise its almost impossible to find.

The thing I love most about this place is the impeccable service. The servers are helpful without being intrusive and they speak good enough English to give you recommendations specific to your taste. The ambience was good as well, with the restaurant decorated to look like the inside of a house.

There’s nothing especially fancy about the food, but everything tasted fresh and delicious. We gave up ordering from the menu because there were too many dishes and relied on recommendations from our server. Things that stood out for me included the tofu with bolognese sauce (very good) and our vegetable dish (potato leaves with garlic). It was incredibly fresh and not overcooked, which is something that most Singaporean restaurants can’t seem to get right. C also enjoyed the sweet and sour soup , cooked with a variety of vegetables and fish. It was a tad too sweet for me, but that may just be personal preference.

Their juices are pretty good as well. Fresh squeezed, you can choose to mix your juices, and there are some unusual fruits like the Vietnamese cherry among others. Honey is served together with your juice, just in case its too sour for your taste, and a stem is used in place of a straw, which was a cheap thrill for me.

All in all, we spent around 20 sgd for 4 dishes, rice and drinks, which I thought was very well worth it.

–

Le Bouchon De Saigon – French

This French bistro tries its best to imitate a bistro you would see in Paris. The red and white checkered table clothes, the paintings ; these are all reminiscent of the times we ate in France. Also, we were served by a young lady who was obviously French, so that helped matters.

Coming into the bistro, we were served glasses of complimentary champagne, always a good sign.We ordered their French onion soup, foie gras terrine, and 1/2 kg mussels as starters to share.

The French onion soup was one of the best I’ve tasted and definitely the highlight of the meal. The foie gras terrine which is apparently home made, was pretty good too, but nothing to rave about. C and I both enjoyed the mussels in white wine sauce. Although I felt the mussels were slightly overcooked , the mussels were plentiful and the white wine sauce was decent. The table next to us ordered the 1kg mussels and it came in a huge pot, none of that rubbish in Singapore where you pay good money and they serve you either 7 measly mussels or mussels that are severely atrophied.

For mains, we both had the ribeye steak which was probably a mistake because by that time I was extremely full. I didn’t find the steak particularly great(lacked flavour) but it was a good portion and juicy, plus they got my doneness right – so nothing to complain about there. We were too full for desert but the table next to us ordered the crepe and the servers rolled out a pan and made it right in front of them, looked pretty good.

The meal was around 100 SGD for 3 appetizers, 2 mains and drinks(including wine). Pricey by Vietnamese standards, but definitely good value. A similar meal in Singapore would probably cost about 150-200SGD

For those with a higher budget, you might want to check out le brassiere de saigon, which is under the same group with more of a fine dining feel – seafood displayed on ice and all that.

–

Skewers – Mediterranean

This place serves great Mediterranean food. I wouldn’t say the food is tip top, but its above average, and for the price you pay, you definitely get good quality food.

The bread served to us was pipping hot.We had the mushroom soup and prawns for appetizers. Both were really good. The mushroom soup came in a humongous bowl and it was creamy and rich. The prawn appetizer( I can’t remember the exact name, I think it was called the sizzling prawns) came with zucchinis which were crunchy and cooked just right. The sauce was also delicious and we mopped it up with the bread.

C had the mixed seafood pasta which he liked and I had the blackened chicken which looks exactly how it’s described. It was pretty good, straight from the grill with a charred and slightly spicy taste but because it was the chicken breast it got a little dry after awhile. We saw quite a few people ordering the lamb chops which apparently is a speciality of theirs.

I can’t remember exactly how much we spent, but it was probably around 25-35 SGD.

Places to avoid : Casa Italia ( mediocre food, stingy in quantity)

_____

Hanoi
Restaurant wise, Hanoi is no match for HCM. The places we tried were average. Edible certainly but nothing more than that. I suspect the real gem lies in the street food. There are food tours you can take, but we were out of time and money. Also without a guide we didn’t want to risk getting food poisoning. We did try the pho at Pho Gia Truyen located at 49 Bat Dan Street, in the old quarters. Its one of the best apparently, but I found it to be rather average. Perhaps it was due to the hype that led to such high expectations. The broth was good, but nothing fantastic. Still it was quite an experience to sit in the streets and eat as the locals do.

This place only serves beef pho, and there are only three items on the menu, the most expensive being 50 000 dong.

–

The Hanoi Social Club was one place I really enjoyed. It was located near the hotel I stayed in.

The food is decent and if you’re a health freak, even better. Free range eggs, pumpkin soup, you get the idea. The menu is mostly vegetarian but I did try the Hanoi Social Club burger which was pretty good. It comes with regular fries or bamboo fries. I had the bamboo fries which was interesting, but also not something I would have again.

Mostly I like the place for the vibes and their slushies, which is a god send on a hot humid day. Their tea is also fantastic, served in a nice teapot, with tea leaves mind you, and not a tea bag dunked in hot water.

Places we tried and wouldn’t go back : La Badiane ( okay french food but pales in comparison to the places we tried in HCM. Chef was rather friendly though), Hanoi Garden ( expensive and over rated). Cha Ca Thuy Hong ( tasty but the fish was pre cooked and everything was soaked in oil. C felt sick after but it might not have been this restaurant that caused it). Jackson’s steakhouse ( poor quality for the price)

Burger and Lobster

Leave a comment 2nd November 2012 wenoms1

London was amazing as it always is. this time we hit up a place called Burger and Lobster.
The choice is simple enough. As the restaurant name so aptly tells you, 20 pounds gets you either a burger or a lobster, and you can get your lobster done grilled, steamed or in a roll. Since there were 4 of us, our server suggested we get a bigger lobster for the table to share. 65 pounds got us a huge ass grilled lobster ( the weight I can’t remember) as well as fries and a salad each.
For the price, this was definitely one of the better lobsters I’ve had. The lobster meat was firm and sweet , and what really impressed me was how juicy it was. From previous encounters, restaurants tend to overcook the meat. I particularly enjoyed the garlic and lemon sauce which went very well with the lobster. It was a great dining experience ( how often do you get to have a whole lobster to yourself) and very good value. Will definitely be back the next time I’m in town.

Burger and Lobster
29 Clarges street,
Mayfair London W1J7EF