Sparklette Magazine » pizza

Wok & Barrel – Traditional Singaporean Cuisine with a Modern Twist

Jasper Aston Lim — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:00:44 +0000

Located at Duxton Hill, the current “it” food place in town, is Wok & Barrel — a new modern Singaporean restaurant. Set up by Shen Tan, founder and cook of Madam Tan’s, you can expect Singaporean hawker flavours executed with bold and modern twists alongside her famed nasi lemak.

Decorated with contemporary photographs, the cosy interior is modern yet casual, reflective of the concept behind the restaurant. During the day, patrons can also enjoy dining indoors with natural lighting from a skylight, lending a special touch to the dining experience.

Food

Crispy chicken
S$7.90

Just one bite of the crispy chicken and any idea of a diet is out the window! Each piece of the deep-fried, boneless chicken thigh is juicy and flavourful, making every minute of the 24-hour marinating period in Madam Tan’s secret marinade worth its while.

Nasi lemak rice
S$1.90

Served with traditional nasi lemak chilli and extra spicy sambal belacan, the delightful twice-steamed lemak rice is both fragrant and fluffy — good enough to eat on its own!

Chicken curry
S$8.90

The version of chicken curry here is rich and dry, and closer to a rendang. While I find it a bit too lemak for my taste, it sure had my dining companions fighting over the last bits of the loaded gravy!

Lamb char siew
S$29

Dry-rubbed with spices and grilled to pink perfection, the organic free-range lamb neck fillet is surprisingly tasty and full of flavour. I also enjoy the side of greens and French fries that gave a twist to this classic dish.

Rendang pizza
S$11.90

One bite is all it takes for me to fall in love with Wok & Barrel’s rendang pizza! With chunks of rich, fork-tender beef rendang over a light, hand-thrown crust, then topped with cheese, it is simply irresistible!

Bak chor mee pasta
S$19.90

Fans of the local favourite bak chor mee should definitely give the bak chor mee pasta a go! With hand-made tagliatelle paired with the signature “5 spice roast pork”, and tossed in a spicy piquant sauce, this modern interpretation is both tasty and novel.

Desserts

Shendol delights
S$7.90

Shen’s version of the local dessert chendol — aptly named “Shendol delights” — is a great union of rich, silken coconut panna cotta served with Gula Melaka syrup and creamy, home-made red bean ice cream. Yum!

Chocolate Guinness cake
S$7.90

While I enjoy the pairing of the vanilla-scented cream with the hints of Guinness Stout from the Valrhona chocolate cake, the chocolate Guinness cake would have been more enjoyable had it been more moist.

Pulot Hitam cake
S$7.90

The Pulot Hitam cake, a sticky date pudding-inspired dessert of steamed Asian black glutinous rice cake, sinfully drenched in Gula Melaka butterscotch, and served with ice cream is absolutely divine. A definite must-order!

Drinks

Knappstein reserve lager
S$15.90

Hitachio nest white ale
S$12.90

Though I am not much of a beer-drinker, the Hitachio nest white ale stands out with its light floral notes, accenting the stronger flavours of the dishes served here.

Service is efficient and warm. One notable point is that the restaurant does not believe in levying a 10% service charge, and has instead adopted a tipping policy for good service.

Given that it is still new to the market, Wok & Barrel stands out with its innovative and creative style. I can’t wait to see what other new additions they will add to the menu in future!

Have Your Say!

Know any good eats in Duxton Hill? Share with us in the comments!

Wok & Barrel
13 Duxton Hill
Singapore 089507
Tel: +65 6220 0595 | Website

Opening hours:
Tues – Sat: 11:30am – 10pm
Sun: 11:30am – 4pm

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Pizza Memoirs – You Will Remember the Pizzas

Melissa Koh — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:00:11 +0000

Pizza Memoirs, situated along Mohamed Sultan Road, specialises in creative pizzas with unique themes.

Under The Foundry, an open-air concept that houses four different restaurants — The Better Burger, Tiffin North Indian, Tomatillos Mexican and Pizza Memoirs — you can enjoy western, Indian, Mexican and Italian cuisines all under one roof. Its entirely alfresco seating allows you to wind down and relax after being cooped up in the office all day.

What better place to enjoy good food coupled with live telecast of football games? A nice cold beer in one hand, and a slice of pizza in the other is just the perfect way to chill out with great company.

Other than the three specialty pizzas, Pizza Memoirs offer a selection of classic pizzas (S$15, S$20 and S$35 for 9-inch, 12-inch and 21-inch respectively), pastas (S$10-15), salads and soups (S$4-10).

You cannot leave this place without trying the specialty pizzas. They only come in the regular 9-inch size, but you may request for extra toppings for an additional S$3. With such creative names — Sweet Dreams, Taboo and Nightmare — they sure pique one’s curiosity!

For those who enjoy bolder flavours, Taboo and Nightmare would suit your taste buds. But for those with a lighter palate, you would enjoy the healthier option, Sweet Dreams.

Sweet Dreams pizza
S$22

Fresh from the oven, the humble looking Sweet Dreams resembles the classic Hawaiian pizza, comprising fish bak kwa (fish jerky) and sweet pineapples on a special miso mayo sauce base, topped with caramelised onions and mozzarella.

The dough is made from scratch daily with extra virgin oil, ensuring a fragrant and firm but light pizza base. There is a good contrast between the texture and sweetness from the crunchy pineapples and the savoury fish bak kwa.

You may be pleasantly surprised by the texture of the bak kwa. Unlike the typical bak kwa, its texture is more similar to otah.

Even though Sweet Dreams is the best seller among the three pizzas, I am slightly underwhelmed, possibly due to the high expectations I had. Perhaps the simplicity of this dish is meant to showcase the restaurant’s specialty product, the fish bak kwa, without overwhelming the entire pizza with other ingredients. It is definitely still worth a try.

Taboo pizza
S$18

The Taboo pizza comprises masala curry sauce, curry chicken, red chilli, mozzarella, sprinkled with fresh coriander and drizzled with fresh yogurt. The spice-loaded fragrance is temptation in itself, and the presentation very much appeals to my visual appetite.

Upon the first bite, I enjoy the crispiness of the crust, the intensity of the flavours followed by the creaminess of the cheese. Unlike other curry flavoured pizzas I’ve tasted in the past that are pretty dry, Taboo is moist with tender slices of chicken that did not dry out during the baking process. Tamed by the fresh yogurt, the heat is just right without being overly spicy.

The thickness of the pizza base is ideal. Although indicated as a medium crust, it is thin enough that I can still fill my stomach with more. I love how the crust remains crispy despite sitting on our table for some time.

Nightmare pizza
S$20

Do not be startled by the blackness of the Nightmare pizza. It is not burnt; the colour comes from squid ink! Nightmare comprises of squid rings, red chilli, a special black pepper sauce and mozzarella over a squid ink dough, sprinkled with fresh coriander.

Every bite is a burst of exotic and delicious flavours. The squid rings are tender; for those who tend to avoid squids due to their chewy texture, this would probably ignite your love for squids. The black pepper sauce ups the oomph factor, and the fragrance from the coriander makes the pizza so appetising.

This is one well-executed dish that I strongly urge you to try. A nightmare it certainly is not!

While the seats here may not be the most comfortable, the food and ambience is definitely good enough to keep you staying here till nightfall. It is a great dining experience and I am looking forward to more intriguing pizza creations.

Have Your Say!

Where can you enjoy the best pizza in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Pizza Memoirs
The Foundry
18 Mohamed Sultan Road
Singapore 238967
Tel: +65 6733 3102 | Website

Opening hours:
Sun – Thu 11am – 11pm
Fri & Sat 11am – 2am

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Borgata Trattoria Osteria – Italian Dining at the Quay

Veron Ang — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:00:50 +0000

Clarke Quay is one of the first choices for party animals when it comes to a night out in Singapore. But let’s face it, when you want good food at affordable prices, the place is nobody’s first choice. Or so I thought.

The Italian restaurant, Borgata Trattoria Osteria, at The Cannery, offers decent food at decent prices. Take your pick from the menu which offers familiar Italian favourites such as pizzas and pastas, as well as a selection of main courses.

Alfresco seating allows for people-watching along the river, or you can sink into the cushy indoor seats, too.

Portobello
S$16++
Rating:

Our choice for the starter is the Portobello which, as an ingredient, never seems to go wrong. Stuffed with vegetables and ladled over with cheese sauce, juices ooze out as you bite into the succulent mushroom. And that’s not even the best part. The sauce is a winner — rich, creamy and delicious with mushroom bits. Oh, Mama Mia!

Borgata
S$22++
Rating:

As for the pizzas, there are classics like the Margherita (tomatoes, mozzarella and basil) and the namesake pizza that comes with a United Colours of Benetton mix of toppings (mozzarella, ham, capsicum, Porcini and Parmesan cheese). The pizza is excellent, with a thin crust so crispy that you will have no problem finishing everything up — all 8 slices of them!

You may wanna go easy on the red chilli pepper flakes though. They are flaming hot! Just a few specks are sufficient to make you wanna reach for that sparkling San Pellegrino. I kid you not!

Fusilli Porcini Gamberi Con Salsa Alla Zucca (sampling portion)
S$20++
Rating:

The fusilli with prawns and Porcini mushroom usually comes in pumpkin sauce, but the chef would be happy to switch it to tomato sauce if you prefer. The sauce is a tad tangy for me, although the sweetness of the plump prawns (neatly sliced along the sides so that the shells come off easily) helps to alleviate the tartness.

Tiramisu and profiterole (sampling portions)
S$9++ for each
Rating:

Do save some room for desserts. What kind of an Italian meal would this be without Tiramisu? The cake here is so light and airy, it practically melts in the mouth!

The profiterole is a delightful pastry puff, with chocolate coating on top and creamy milk chocolate at the centre.

Lava cake
S$9++
Rating:

The chocolate lava cake arrives in dramatic fashion. It is served in a ramekin, one of those porcelain cups used for baking. The staff would pour rum on top of it, then set it on fire. How’s that for a wow factor? Apart from the flaming drinks like Lamborghini and Waterfall, and the seafood platter at the Manhattan Fish Market, can you think of any more flaming drinks and dishes?

Unlike the regular chocolate fondant where only the core is filled with molten chocolate, the entire top half of the cake is gooey chocolate goodness! The portion is really ample, too. Throw in a cappuccino and I’m done!

Have Your Say!

What are the other restaurants worth checking out at Clarke Quay? Share with us in the comments!

Borgata Trattoria Osteria
Clarke Quay
Blk 3C River Valley Road, The Cannery #01-02
Singapore 179022
Tel: +65 6305 6723
Service:

Opening hours:
Mon, Tue & Thu: 6pm – 11pm
Wed, Fri & Sat: 6pm – 1am
(Closed on Sun)

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15 Minutes at Laselle – Art/Music/Design Cafe

Veron Ang — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 06:34:19 +0000

In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.

When Andy Warhol said this in 1968, it gave rise to the expression “15 minutes of fame”. With Youtube, blogs and the sheer number of reality shows these days, it sure looks like anybody can easily get his dose of fame!

And now, the 15 minutes café at the LASALLE College of the Arts offers aspiring musicians a stage and their 15 minutes of fame.

It’s a big hit with the young crowd!

With its lofty ceilings, long tables and floor-to-ceiling windows, the atmosphere at 15 minutes is that of a large, jovial cafeteria. The bar area on the lower floor comprises of tall tables, comfy lounge seats, a deejay station and a stage. Bands perform here live every Friday and Saturday.

The crowd here is largely the college students, although the café is also open to members of the public.

On an elevated platform lies the main dining area. This section is decked out like a school canteen, with long wooden tables and benches and menus written on chalkboards. The food served are the standard Western fares such as pastas, pizzas and fish and chips.

Fish & chips
S$12.90++
Rating:

One of the house specialties is the fish and chips, an ample portion served with homemade coleslaw and Cajun fries. The crumbed skin of the dory is light and crispy, while the inside is fleshy and moist with no fishy stench. The tartar sauce makes a delightful dip, too. Nice!

Even with the awesome cheese-stuffed fish and chips at Fish & Co as a benchmark, this one still impresses!

Extra cookie points are awarded to the accompanying Cajun fries. If you have tried the fries at Popeyes, you would love the ones here, too. Tinged in Cajun spices, these fries are tasty and crunchy!

Wasabi prawn pizza
S$9.90++
Rating:

We also venture into the pizzas and go for the wasabi prawn pizza. Done fusion style with tomato sauce, cheese, prawns, sesame seeds and wasabi mayo sauce, this pizza looks really good on paper!

This pizza is lacking pizzazz.

For someone that loves wasabi, it is hard for me to not like a dish with wasabi in it. And that’s where this dish falters. There is almost no hint of wasabi in it at all, or cheese, or tomato sauce for that matter. What gives? To be brutally honest I actually have a hard time eating this one.

(Speaking of which, here’s a wasabi joke: What did Sushi A say to Sushi B? … What’s up B?)

Orange juice
S$4.50++
Rating:

The orange juice tastes suspiciously like orange syrup water. Hmm. That wooden reservation sign is a nice touch though!

Overall, this is a great place for chilling out with friends. Love the relaxing ambience! But next time round I’m going for a cold beer and some fish and chips. Also, it would be just perfect if they play Michael Jackson as opposed to the hip-hop that night. Alright, I’m aware that I’m probably just wishing for the moon (pun intended).

On a side note, how snazzy is the school building? It’s totally befitting of an arts college. Wow!

Have Your Say!

Are there any cafés and restaurants on your school campus worth visiting? Share with us in the comments!

15 Minutes
LASALLE College of the Arts
1 McNally Street Block D #01-01
Singapore 187940
Tel: +65 6333 5915 | Website
Service:

Bus services: 23, 48, 56, 57, 64, 65, 66, 67, 131, 139, 147, 166, 170, 851, 857, 960, 980, 1N, 2N, 3N, 4N, 5N, 6N, NR6
Nearest MRT: Bugis, Little India

Opening hours: 11am – 11pm (Mon-Thur & Sat), 11am – 12midnight (Fri) (Closed on Sundays)

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Sapore Italiano – Welcome to Gourmet Paradise

Veron Ang — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:25:02 +0000

Sapore Italiano has opened on our island with style. Whether it’s espresso coffee in the morning, a pizza for lunch, or a nice after-work aperitivo (with a free buffet spread!), you can enjoy gourmet food all day long at the Raffles City Shopping Centre caffé-bar. Welcome to gourmet paradise!

Update on November 15, 2010: Sapore Italiano has moved to the National University Of Singapore along Bukit Timah Road.

With over 20 outlets worldwide, their goal is to spread Italian culture and provide diners with a true Italian experience. There are specially imported Italian beverages and authentic Italian food. Many of the staff are Italian. Even the flat-screen TV screens show Serie A football!

A meal here comprising various gourmet food reveals that this is so much more than just a bar.

Pizza

Order pizza! That is my first advice to any customer here. You can’t go wrong with the house specialty of Pizza SI SI, which is the squid ink pizza.

Pizza SI SI
S$22++

I’ve had black pasta before. As for black pizza, that’s definitely a first.

The pizza is smothered in a succulent tomato gravy with a good spread of seafood such as octopus, squid and prawn. The marvellous seafood flavour that fills the mouth bite after bite easily makes this the most enjoyable pizza I’ve ever had. Mmm… And that’s not all.

Check out how thin the crust is! Minimal carbs! Yes, you can indulge in this pizza without taking a guilt trip or ditching that Atkins diet.

Pasta

Tagliatelle Dello Chef
S$19++

The chef’s special pasta of tagliatelle with a mild-flavoured sauce comes with slices of chicken breast meat. The accompanying cheese wafer is crispy and delightful, and adds much taste to the dish.

Soup

Asparagus soup
S$12++

The chilly days ahead are the perfect occasion to warm up to some cream soup. The zuppa di asparagi is good comfort food. Instead of the usual bowl, it’s served in a tall glass! While the texture is mostly creamy smooth, some small chunks of asparagus remain intact, providing that characteristically tender chewiness.

Next, we sample the house brand coffee and specially imported cocoa, as well as the designer gelati.

Coffee

“Your cappuccino with one litre of milk and a bit of coffee — this is not cappuccino, it’s café latte,” says founder Pietro Mazza.

Well, I have to agree. I can’t really tell the difference between the cappuccino and café latte we get at most coffee chains. Can you?

Here, coffee addicts enjoy a wide range of fresh coffee from the house brand.

Marocchino
S$6++

The marocchino, not available elsewhere in Singapore, comes in a delicate glass cup. This is basically a shot of espresso coffee garnished with frothed milk and a light sprinkle of cocoa powder on top. The fresh coffee aroma certainly makes this a nice morning pick-me-up!

Gourmet Chocolate

For cocoa connoisseurs, a wide range of gourmet chocolate beverages from the Italian gourmet chocolate brand Cioccoliamo is available.

Gourmet chocolate
S$7-9++

There, cocoa in a cup! These come in 12 exquisite flavours including White Chocolate, Gianduja Chocolate and even Chocolate with Chili Pepper!

Gelati

Aside from the pizza, what I find most impressive on the menu is definitely the gelati that are made in-house. It’s not only the common gelato scoops that you can get here, but entire sculptures of culinary arts! Adorned with fruit slices or rocher, these look more like elaborate floral displays!

Chock-full with low-fat gelato and assorted fruits like kiwi, orange and strawberry, this is certainly more healthful than your typical ice cream dessert. Perfect for sharing with someone close!

Coppa Della Casa
S$20++

If you look closely, the pink gelato in this bowl of colourful delights has been shaped to resemble spaghetti. It reminds me of the spaghetti with meatball ice cream at Icekimo!

For more gelato art, check out these restaurant menu designs:

If we aren’t already stuffed, we would have gone for the Coppa Rocher, too. Filled with Rocher candies, it is every chocolate lover’s dream!

Aren’t these awesome? Every one of these gelato sundaes is so huge and impressive!

Abbondio soda drinks

Have you ever seen these cool soda drinks? They are from the Abbondio Vintage range, with soda labels featuring beautiful pin-up girls.

Colourful! And totally appealing to at least half the population in the world.

Aperitivo

One huge draw of Sapore Italiano is the free buffet spread of appetisers and finger food at Happy Hour (6-8pm daily). Feast on mini pizza, raviolis and fruit cocktails for free with any purchase of an alcoholic drink.

Now you know where to go for an authentic Italian experience!

Sapore Italiano
National University Of Singapore (NUS)
Li Ka Shing Building
469B Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 259771
Service:

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Disney Naturally – A Little Disney Experience [Closed]

Veron Ang — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:47:27 +0000

Many of us grew up with Disney cartoons. Some of us even had childhood dreams of visiting a Disneyland theme park one day. (I finally did that in 2007!) for me personally, this fondness for Disney characters continued even through adulthood.

So when I checked out the newly revamped Anchorpoint shopping mall, I was ecstatic to find Disney Naturally, a Disney-themed restaurant. And what a rare find it was! According to the staff, this is the first Disney-themed eatery outside of Disneyland! Given how commercially successful Disney is, that is certainly a surprise.

Of course, everything here is decked out in the full flavours of Disney. Life-sized statues of Mickey, Donald and Goofy greet visitors at the entrance of this 1,400 square foot restaurant. Don’t forget to wash your hands at the giant Mickey’s hand wash basin before dining!

All the chairs here are baby blue and shaped like Mickey’s head. Cute! And the Mickey-shaped things here are not limited to just the chairs.

Minnie’s Secret
S$15.90+
Rating:

The pizzas are Mickey-shaped too! 6 different kinds of pizza dominate the rather small menu. I can’t resist listing down their names so here they are:
- Mickey’s Classic
- Daisy’s Garden
- Donald’s Legend
- Minnie’s Secret
- Pete’s Pan
- Pino’s Fancy

We share a Minnie’s Secret which was just about right for two not-so-hungry people. It comes with toppings of cajun chicken, tomato and mushroom. While the taste isn’t exactly that memorable, what is unique about it (other than its distinctive shape) is that spinach bits have been sneakily hidden in its crust! It’s a healthful treat especially suitable for people that dislike vegetables. In fact, I didn’t even realise there was spinach until I read the menu more carefully!

Despite the small menu, it is certainly packed with healthful goodness! Colourful little square booklets at every table serve to inform diners about the nutritional value of all menu items.

Prince Charming’s Kiss (pink) & Goofy’s Favorite (red)
S$5.50 each+
Rating:

For drinks, options include the usual juices and cuppas, as well as icy fruit blends. I think most people would go for the fruit blends which, again, sport very colourful names:
- Goofy’s Favorite
- Winnie’s Rainforest
- Prince Charming’s Kiss
- Mermaid’s Whisper
- Fairy Godmother’s Magic
- Pluto’s Pick

Goofy’s Favorite is a red-coloured blend of apple, orange, blueberry and cranberry that tastes very refreshing. Prince Charming’s Kiss, a sweet pink-coloured blend of strawberry and mango fails to charm. There’s just too much of the chunky ice shavings!

That said, these fruit blends have no sugar added, and stands true to Disney Naturally’s philosophy of promoting healthy eating.

Fun activity: Try making a guy order the Prince Charming’s Kiss. Sure, the drink itself isn’t impressive, but the ordering process would be so worth it!

While enjoying a cute Disney-themed meal, you can also watch movies at the same time! Popular titles include Finding Nemo and even the more recent Ratatouille.

The movie schedule is displayed at the storefront. I think it changes weekly so be sure to call them up and find out what movie is playing before heading down!

To keep children busy while waiting for their food, game sheets are available at every table that allow them to engage in some fun activities such as crossword puzzles and quizzes. There are also Mickey-shaped computer terminals for children to surf the Disney website and play Disney games. Man, these guys think of everything!

One thing to note: if you are going there with your children, you may be forced to buy a pre-paid card at one counter, top it up with cash on top of a $2 deposit, then proceed to order and pay for your food at another counter. At the end of the visit, you can choose to keep the card for the next visit, or get your refund back at the first counter.

It’s all quite a hassle and the purpose is to educate kids on @#$!&#!. I don’t quite remember; the guy lost me at the $2 deposit. In the end, we found out that since we didn’t go there with kids, we could do away with all the hassle and just pay with good ol’ cash.

Little hassles aside, this is a fun place to visit for everyone, and not just families with children. It provides a nice little Disney experience outside of Disneyland. Perhaps, having Disney characters walking around the restaurant or sitting down with diners would make it even more memorable!

Disney Naturally ( )
Anchorpoint
370 Alexandra Road
#01-05/06 Singapore 159953
Tel: +65 6479 2823
Service:

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Canadian Pizza

Veron Ang — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 15:41:29 +0000

A new Canadian Pizza outlet just opened in my neighbourhood. Like its other outlets across the island, it is strictly for pizza delivery and does not have any dining area for customers.

I love Canadian Pizza for their huge variety of pizza flavours. They have a permanent 2-for-1 pizza promotion. The cheapest pizza starts from $21.90.

I ordered the teriyaki chicken pizza…

…as well as the BBQ chicken bonanza. That’s my all-time favourite pizza!

Way better than Pizza Hut! Call 6241 0241 for delivery. Get it? Two-for-one!

Canadian Pizza ( )
Tel: +65 6241 0241 | Website

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