Bengawan Solo Chinese New Year Factory Discount @ Woodlands Link

It's a few days more to Chinese New Year. There are so many things to do, change money for Ang Pows, new clothes, cleaning the house and when friends and family visit, the festive goodies! How is New Year without all the usual New Year goodies? 

KopiKosongGirl and I have been buying various stuff to give to both sets of parents and Aunt who has been feeding us the whole year. The wife says, don't buy the same thing every year. It will get boring.  Don't give too much, it will be very difficult to find things to give the next few years.

We bought cans of Abalones that we spotted was on offer at Fairprice, during their '1 day sale' few days ago. It seems they have more sale in today's newspapers. We got some other stuff from Cold Storage too. Enough to form a very nice presentable gift set.  For cookies this year, we got them from Bengawan Solo, because we happened to visit their factory last weekend!



Their Factory Discount has been going on and should be ending soon. Think it was on since Christmas for their Christmas sale. So if you have not gotten your goodies and you need to grab them in bulk, head down here!



If you have not been there, and need the address, it's at 23 Woodlands Link, Singapore 738730.

You would see bus loads of people visiting this area. Some are visiting this factory, others to the other factories nearby. We might be back at this area again, we are thinking of visiting Fassler to get some fish supply and soups to stock up our freezer!




The big air-conditioned tent with rows of goodies for sale.



Camemberu and us went for their factory tour and we found out lots of interesting things about Bengawan Solo. Things like they use only fresh coconut in their products, they actually have machines to process and extract the coconut milk. Their eggs are also delivered from Seng Choon Farms daily, sometimes a few times daily if they need more. Those stories would be another post some other day.

We saw the Pineapple tarts being made inside the factory. Their staff busy packing them up. When we finish the tour, we saw the pineapple tarts on sale outside the tent. Now, how fresh can this be? If you are eating them yourself or given to family, you want to give them something good right?




Kueh Lapis lovers, you want freshly made lapis? Order them at their different outlets or get them at a discount here. We met Mrs Anastasia Liew and her son Henry who led us for the tour. We saw how tedious it was to make the Kueh Lapis! Each cake takes 3 hours or so to produce. Layers after layers their staff have to pour the cake mixture and bake them. To meet demand, they are working 24 hours during this time!

They said their way of saying Thank You to their customers for the year long patronage is to have a discount for them during this time of the year. You know why so many customers are loyal to them!

Oh, if you are not their usual Kueh Lapis customer, the prices do go up on the last two days before they shut the factory for holidays. Regular customers know that, but some customers still insist they want to collect it on the very last day.  (I know some of you are laughing, because your mum or mum-in-law behaves like that right?)

We got some of the cookies and other munchies, paid for it and that's another tick off our 'to-do' list! Thought this info would be helpful for those who needs to buy to give away and the savings might be helpful.

For non-locals or visitors to Singapore, you would be glad to know that Bengawan Solo has 4 branches at Changi Airport.
Hint: The airport branches charges no 7% GST like most shops at the airport ;-)


Bengawan Solo Factory Discounts
23 Woodlands Link
Singapore 738730

Kagoshima Fair @ Sky on 57, Marina Bay Sands

If you have been wanting to try out Kagoshima Kuroushi (Black Cattle) Wagyu Beef, Kagoshima Black Berkshire Kurobuta and other Kagoshima Prefecture produce, there's a 4 week Kagoshima Restaurant Fair at Sky on 57, Marina Bay Sands starting from today (17 January 2012).

If you are interested and confident in handing the products and produce yourself instead of being prepared by chefs, you can head down to Isetan (till 18 Jan) or selected Cold Storage from 18 - 21 Jan. There would be Kagoshima Kuroushi Wagyu and Kurobuta Pork for sale and sampling.

Besides Sky on 57, Chikuyotei at InterContinental Singapore, Nadaman at Shangri-La Hotel and Mikuni at Fairmont Hotel is also participating in the Kagoshima Restaurant Fair. (14 - 24 Jan). Call them up for reservation if those are your preferred restaurants.

I had the opportunity to sample these Kagoshima produce at Sky at 57 and here's some photos and my experience about it. Sky at 57 by Chef Justin Quek is the first in Singapore (2nd certificate to be given out) to be presented with the 'Certificate of Recommendation' from Kagoshima Prefecture.

If you, like me wondered, what's the certificate for? It's to certify that the restaurant is serving reliable, safe and finest ingredients that Kagoshima is proud of.




What's that huge thing? It's the Sakurajima daikon radish. Grown on volcanic soil, it's the world's largest radish and it can weigh as much as 31 kgs! This one doesn't look like it's 31 kg, but it sure was huge! The texture is supposedly firm and it tastes very sweet.




Other produce from the prefecture, An-nou potato (sweet potato), Dekopon citrus (Dekopon is trademarked orange if it meets certain criterias), pumpkins, musk melon etc. These were some of the ingredients for our lunch!




A chef preparing a shabu-shabu kagoshima wagyu beef. Swish swish and serve.
The broth was very tasty, it tasted of obviously of beef and also daikon, and I wondered if it's from that huge sakurajima daikon!



I should have immediately taken it out of the broth, so that it's more 'raw'.
You should try it!

 *** Lunar New Year Specials ***

There would be a Lunar New Year celebration Luncheon with Kagoshima Products that you can try at Sky on 57. There might be variants depending on what's flown in fresh. The price would be $138++.

The following is the tasting menu, so portions are 'different'.


Ceviche of 'Buri-OH' and Steamed Bamboo Shoot Salad



Buri-Oh is a brand of sorts for Hamachi / Japanese Amberjack from the region of Azuma in the Kagoshima Prefecture.


Buri-Oh marinated in lemon dressing and steamed bamboo shoots in truffle dressing with micro greens.

Oh wow, the buri-oh was so tasty. It was such a refreshing sashimi starter. It doesn't have the fishy taste but a light tangy and sweet and a nice mouth feel to it.



Spring Salad with Kagoshima Vegetables


A salad of snow peas, fava beans, fried leeks, grilled pumpkin and sweet potatoes and cheese croquettes. 

The grilled pumpkin (hidden inside) was done so nicely. The pumpkin still had a slight soft crunch to it when you bite into it, yet it had no raw taste.

The sweet potatoes and cheese croquettes was intriguing too. Can't figure if it was baked or fried. It was certainly not oily. It had a crispy outer layer but when you cut it, it's like mash potatoes with cheese inside. We wanted more!



Organic Kagoshima Pumpkin


Organic Pumpkin Veloute with Crabmeat Custard.

The pumpkin veloute has a nice viscosity, if you bake/cook, it's like custard that has started to coat the back of the wooden ladle. The soup though a little salty was such a delight to have. I did not really fancy the crabmeat custard in it. Not a crabmeat custard person. I don't mind having seconds or thirds of the soup though!




Green Pea Risotto


Sauteed Kagoshima Kurobuta Confit, Green Pea and Bacon, Natural Meat Jus.

Chef Justin who was roaming around the restaruatns, was at our table when this dish was served. He described how it was made and said the bacon were French bacon added to complement the dish. He was right that it will make it really really good.

My first time having green pea risotto which was quite nice. What I really enjoyed was the Kurobuta Confit. You see the piece of kurobuta? When you put in your mouth, it just dissolves. How did the chef do it?




Kagoshima Wagyu


Grilled Minute Steak with Kagoshima Vegetables.



It's called minute steak for a reason, it's minute!
But the taste and texture of the steak all made up for it. The famed Kagoshima Kuroushi Wagyu Beef. You got to try it.


Musk Melon


Chilled Musk Melon and Mousseline and Sauternes Jelly.

I liked the Sauternes (French sweet wine) jelly with the musk melon. A very nice combination of different kind of sweetness from the fruit and the jelly. Great end to the meal.


Excellent creative interpretations of French cuisine with quality Japanese produce by Chef Justin Quek. Great dining location at the Sands SkyPark to boost too! From 17 January to 7 February 2012, they are having this special menu for the Lunar New Year celebrations.


Sky on 57
Sands SkyPark,
Hotel Tower 1, Level 57
1 Bayfront Ave
Singapore 018971

Tel: 6688 8857