Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 - 22 November 2014 @ Suntec City Convention Centre (Plus Giveaway)

The Ultimate Hawker Fest is back and if you have not planned this coming weekend's brunch, why not consider visiting Suntec City this Saturday for some food and at the same time support the over 32,000 beneficiaries of Touch Community Services. The beneficiaries are from all races and religions.



To help navigate what's going on at the Hawker Fest, it will be divided into 3 zones:

1) Ultimate Original Recipe - where stalls have been around for multiple generations.

Here's the menu:

2) Ultimate Pursuit of Happiness - where young folks who have left their cushy jobs in other sectors to come into the food business.

The menu:


3) Ultimate Ingredients - featured hawkers who will replace their usual ingredient with special ones to make their dish more extraordinary.

The menu:


Now introducing the folks who are curating this year's festival.



My friends and Singapore Food Bloggers that you are all probably already following,  Maureen Ow (www.MissTamChiak.com), Derrick Tan (www.SgFoodOnFoot.com) and Ian Low (TheSilverChef.blogspot.sg) have been working tirelessly to talk to the 20 over hawkers, visited farms to check the ingredients and many more.

The hawkers are also taking taking time off from the usual business and coming to Ultimate Hawker Fest to bring you the food and for them and you to help support this charity.


Date: Saturday, 22 November 2014
Time: 11am to 5pm
Venue: Suntec Convention Centre Halls 401 and 402

Buy your coupons at www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg



But wait... what about a Giveaway:

For the giveaway, 2 persons will get 1 set of $50 coupons to spend at the Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014.

• Look for my Instagram post on this giveaway. Share it with your friends and say how you will spend your $50 based on the menu above on Instagram.
• Hashtag your post #ultimateHawkerFest2014 and #keropokmanGiveaway and tag @keropokman in your post so I can browser through it easily.
• Contest is for readers who will be living in Singapore only.
• Closing date is 2359 hours, Wednesday 19 November 2014.
• The winners will be randomly picked and informed via Instagram.

If the winners do not reply within 24 hours, new winners will be picked.

Terms and conditions:
The curators of the Ultimate Hawker Fest is solely responsible for contacting the winners. No refunds are allowed and the prize is not exchangeable for credit, cash or in kind. If unclaimed after the redemption period, the prize will be forfeited, and the winner shall have no further right to claim it thereafter.

Winners of the Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 Giveaway are not eligible to win the same prize in similar contests hosted by any other person or organization on Facebook, blogs, magazines and online publications.

Guest Masterchefs Karl and Rudolf Obauer @ Dolce Vita, Mandarin Oriental Singapore

Are you a 'fan' of the Mandarin Oriental?

Once you have stayed in one of their properties, you somehow get addicted to their impeccable service and quality of their rooms and restaurants. My wife and I were converts when we had our wedding at Mandarin Oriental Singapore and saw what they could provide to our guests during the dinner. We were also impressed with the rooms and restaurants we dined during our stay. Since then, we have stayed in a few other MO properties. We wished we could stay in more, but it really is beyond our budget at this junction of life, we need to save up.

Are you a fan of great chefs? Are you are a fan of Austrian food? Are you are a fan of the Obauer brothers? If you are, you are in for a treat.



From 30 October to 2 November 2014, there will be Special Lunch and Dinner Menu featuring the works of the Chefs Karl and Rudolf Obauer here at the Mandarin Oriental. I was privileged to have tasted the lunch menu yesterday.

There are 2 lunch menus and 2 dinner menus, and you can view them here.



Lunch started with a baskets of different rolls and crisps and it was served with this interesting saucer of green dip. After we tasted it, we wanted to know what is in it! The chef was happy to tell us the ingredients: Crème fraîche, Quark, Wasabi and Steinklee. Steinklee are Alpine mountain herbs and they brought in the dried powdered version to make this.


Amuse Bouche:



It was an interesting start of 5 little tidbits. We had chickpea purée in the spoon, veal tartare, and a shot glass of zucchini yoghurt. My favourite of it all is the shot glass of zucchini yoghurt made from zucchini cream and yoghurt with pumpkin seed oil in it.



There's also this little cube of Parmesan „QimiQ“ jelly. To put in names that we in Singapore would understand, it has the texture of marshmallows. I just searched about QimiQ to find out what it is! There is also the lamb sausage.


Course 1: Cauliflower Jelly



Cauliflower jelly is something we don't usually see in menus here. I have seen it in some restaurants and this is the first time I tasted it. I think I will eat more cauliflower if it's served to me this way! It's light tasting, there were small pieces of soft cauliflower in a firm jelly. It rested on bell pepper purée which gave it a nice slightly sweet and piquant flavours.

There's also the aged smoked beef from Salzburg and eggplant chutney. A very nice texture and taste to complement the cauliflower jelly. I was hesitant to finish all the goose liver though. The reason being, it raw goose liver. If you don't tell me what it is, I will have finished it up because it was delicious when I had some of it with the grains of green tea salt and alpine herbs. Blame it on the service staff for explaining what it was. Haha! My head said don't finish it, when the mouth wanted to eat it up.


Course 2: Lake Char Lasagna



This very interesting dish is made up layers of pasta sheets, Arctic Char and reduced tomato slices. It's covered with big basil leaves. The sauce is made from reduced seafood stock with Grüner Veltliner (a variety of white white grape grown in the Alpine region).

Not the usual soft mushy lasagna, but al dante pasta sheets layered between the ingredients. The sauce is something I enjoyed too.



Since we were talking about Grüner Veltliner, we were treated to some Grüner Veltliner that MO Singapore carries in their collection. The sommelier said only 2 MOs around the world carry this.


Course 3: Celery-Saffron Soup



Something to warm up our tummies mid meal. Steamed Pike in a simple celery saffron soup. It's always nice to elegantly punctuate the meal with a bowl of warm light soup.


Course 4: Saddle of Lamb



Mary would have cried because it's lamb they are serving. I would cry too for a different reason. It's so delicious. I wasn't listen to what the service staff was talking when he was explaining the dish because I was mesmerized by the looks and the aroma of the lamb.

It was two medium rare piece, so tender and not much of a gamey smell I thought I was having beef. Oh yes, I am a parsley lover, so this dish just resonated with me. You know I am normally not a lamb person, but this was good.



The lamb was served with a mix of horse radish, sour cream and a dash of balsamic v. It goes very well with the lamb. In fact, it was nice just to nibble bits of this by itself.


Course 5: Apple Strudel and Cottage Cheese.



The last course, the desserts. This apple strudel deserves a photo of it by itself because of the work that has gone into it. Apple that has been reduced with coconut and also with rum and raisin. Let your imagination brings out the flavour for you.



Many of us loved the ice cream. It's chamomile ice cream that's so refreshing. Another flavour that I should try to make with my ice cream machine one of these days. I don't know how to appreciate the cottage cheese curd though. I am not a very cheese nor curd person. It just tasted good to me that's all and a nice clean end to the meal.

We also had some petit fours from Dolce Vita's pastry chefs with coffee and tea.

If you are thinking of bringing that someone special to a special Austrian meal, get a reservation here. Chefs Karl and Rudolf Obauer have a long list of awards under the belt. They are been Chefs of the Year in Austria, named Chefs of the Decade by Gault Millau Austria, and also they have rave reviews by acclaimed food critics. You just need to search their names to read about them. They will be here in Singapore from 30 October to 2 November 2014.


The pricing:
Four-course lunch at SGD 88 per person.
Five-course lunch at SGD 128 per person.
Five-course dinner at SGD 128 per person.
Seven-course dinner at SGD 188 per person.
View the menu here.


I have been a fan of Mandarin Oriental and this lunch was on invitation by Mandarin Oriental Singapore. Thanks!


Guest Masterchefs Karl and Rudolf Obauer
Dolce Vita
Mandarin Oriental Singapore
5 Raffles Avenue
Marina Square
Singapore 039797

Tel: +65 6885 3500.
Email: mosin-dining@mohg.com

Okonomi Kaiseki @ Keyaki, Pan Pacific Singapore.

Last weekend, the wife and I were invited to a tasting at the new Weekend Brunch at a Japanese restaurant. We found this interesting as for most Kaiseki, you don't really have 'options'. You pick the Kaiseki set you like and out comes the chef's best picks for you. Here, they have what they call the Okonomi Kaiseki. Okonomi means 'as you like it'. Chef Hiroshi Ishiii has this Okonomi Kaiseki on weekends.

I asked the wife if she's interested to go, she thought for a while. Ladies have a rational side and not all emotional. She figured, it has been some time since she's been here, so that is a tick. She's also a preggie now and when she thinks of Japanese, so it's a cross. So she was in a dilemma. That's until I told her, you can choose what you want to eat. She exclaimed: Really?! You mean for every course, I can choose? Are you sure? OK, another tick. Let's go!

Yes, that's what the weekend brunch here is about. It does solve the problem many of us have with different family members or friends or spouse. The road block they always give you when you want to bring them out for meals.



It's a pleasure strolling to Keyaki at Level 4 of Pan Pacific. It's suddenly so tranquil and peaceful. I don't really see Japanese gardens at a restaurant in Singapore. I suddenly thought of Tetsuya's in Sydney. Tranquil gardens ah...



The wife says, "Hey this place has changed a bit". She's right, they have done some renovations here recently. So peaceful that you want to spend some time reading here!



We were slightly late because of poorly planned route we took getting here. The jams are so unpredictable now. The gracious host was kind to us, but we felt sorry for the other guests who had to wait for us.

Here's the menu. $75++ per person if you choose the non alcoholic version.
$125++ if you choose the unlimited sake, champagne, beer and some reds and whites version.

I shall not describe the details of a traditional Kaiseki meal. It's really very interesting but it takes pages and pages to describe it and some of you might already know. I'll describe our delightful experience here at Keyaki, course by course. Here goes:

1. Sashimi

• this course is usually served as earlier courses and it showcases the fresh flavour and what's in season.
• choices are: Shake (salmon), Hotate (scallop), Amaebi (sweet prawn), Hamachi (yellowtail) or Assorted Sashimi (Shake, Amaebi, Hotate).

Almost the whole table has the assorted sashimi! The amaebi was really nice. So fresh, sweet and I wanted more. The scallop was good too. So I plucked a few of the chrysanthemum petals and had it with the sashimi.

2. Kobachi

• the course is like the French style amuse bouche, it's to awaken the palate and prepare for the meal. It's usually light and refreshing.
• choices are: seared beef with ponzu sauce, sweet miso-glazed konnyaku, unagi omelette, avocado salad and spinach with goma sauce.

Unagi Omelette was nicely done. Soft and light, it really whet your appetite for what's to come.


This was the seared beef appetizer. OK lah.


The spinach with goma sauce is good. Flavourful yet very light.
If popeye was to eat here, he will love the goma sauce over the spinach.

3. Yakimono

• dishes in this course are cooked over high heat to give it a nice crisp crust.
• choices are: Cod Teriyaki, Chicken Teriyaki, Grilled Mackerel, Grilled Prawn Skewer with Bacon, Pan-fried Pork with Ginger.

I love all kinds of mackerel and if it's on the menu, 90% of the time, I will order it. Nice crispy mackerel, nicely salted and a happy me. It's very hard to describe mackerel, if you are a mackerel person you will like it.


The wife is the cod or salmon person. If there's cod or salmon, she will order it. The cod teriyaki here is nicely done. It's also popular on the table as most people ordered this!

4. Nimono

• for this course, food is simmered in Keyaki's homemade dashi stock.
• choices are: agedashi tofu, chawanmushi, chicken soup, simmered seasoned vegetables and simmered white bait and egg.

I enjoyed this simmered seasoned vegetable. The best part was the tofu that has soaked up the flavours of the stock. I have also learn how to make beautiful shape carrots next time I am cooking. This shape is nice ya!

 
The Agedashi tofu was good too as it was not the chewy on the outside.

5. Agemono

• this course is the hearty deep fried dishes, food dipped in batter and fried till golden.
• choices are: tempura, battered oysters, battered soft shell crab, battered squid, battered seasonal vegetables.

Battered Squid was all right. It was done just nice and flavoured nicely. The portion was good too. Looks a bit overdone, but it wasn't chewy though. Maybe the seasoning.


The battered soft shell crabs were good too. Crispy and nicely salted.


We saw new friend Bino's battered oysters and had to take a photo of it.
In fact, it might be the most popular dish for this course as most people had it!

6. Teppanyaki

• this course serves food cooked over high eat on an iron griddle.
• choices are: beef, scallop, prawn, salmon, chicken

I had the urge for scallops then, so I ordered scallops. As you can see, nicely charred, and still fat and plump. The small touches that I observed, heated plates, it's quite hot, ensure your food is still nice and warm when it is served to you.


The Mrs ordered well done beef and surprise surprise, it came out well done and it was still tender inside. Looks like the chef behind the teppanyaki does know how to control the temperature of the grill and the doneness of the meat.

7. Shokuji

• this course is the final savoury course in the menu, to round off the meal.
• choices are: spicy tuna roll, california roll, yakisoba, garlic fried rice and cold soba noodles.

The Mrs has the California roll. It's one of the safe food for her. (Haha!)
The service staff said they had egg roe on it and it was omitted for her, so they only had sesame seeds for her roll.


I had the cold soba noodles. I like soba noodles and the ones here is nice and cold. I think it's like an action food. You take some noodles, dip them in the sauce and then repeat.

I like more wasabi in my sauce, so I stole the wife's wasabi and added my portion of wasabi, seaweed and green onions into the sauce.

8. Mizumono

• the sweet note as the last course of the Kaiseki.
• choices are: seasonal fruit (that day we ate it was musk melon), green tea ice cream, red bean ice cream, lime sherbet and read bean soup.

It was a sunny day, so almost everyone had the recommended green tea ice cream.
Come to think of it, maybe I should have eaten the musk melon because it's available.


Another safe food for preggies, read bean soup with rice cakes.
A bit too sweet for the Mrs who has a less sweet tongue. It's a very heart warming end.

It was a nice meal on a warm Saturday afternoon. A nice cool, quiet place to spend the afternoon too and we met a few new friends.

To keep up to date with the restaurant, you can follow them at:
https://www.facebook.com/Keyaki.Singapore


Weekend Brunch @ Keyaki
Pan Pacific Singapore
Level 4
7 Raffles Boulevard
Singapore 039595

Brunch hours: 11.30 am to 2.30 pm
Days: Weekends (and public holidays)

Tel: +65 6826 8240

The Singapore Hawker Masters @ Town Restaurant, The Fullerton Hotel

Many people don't read the newspaper, but some still do. I am one that love holding a physical copy of ST.  If you read the ST and ZB, you would have seen the annual Singapore Hawker Masters Awards. The hawkers are selected through public nomination, then voting by ST and ZB readers and a taste test by a panel of food critics.

From 4 to 13 April 2014, you can taste the food from these 11 featured Hawkers Masters in addition to the international buffet items at Town Restaurant at The Fullerton Hotel.



Here are some of hawkers whom I got a glance, holding proudly their masterpieces.

The 11 featured Hawker Masters at the dinner buffet are:

1. Casuarina Curry Restaurant's Roti Prata (Casuarina Road)
2. Haron Satay (East Coast Lagoon Food Village)
3. Hoover Rojak (Whampoa Drive Food Centre)
4. Nusa and Tara's Lontong (ABC Brickworks Food Centre)
5. Rojak and Mee Siam's Indian Rojak (Geyland Serai Food Centre)
6. Roxy Laksa (East Coast Lagoon Food Village)
7. Song Zhou Carrot Cake (Bedok Interchange Food Centre)
8. Tiong Bahru Tau Suan (Tiong Bahru Hawker Centre)
9. Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo (Chinatown Complex Food Centre)
10. Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh (Havelock Road)
11. Ye Lai Xiang Hot and Cold Cheng Tng (Bedok Food Centre)

Here is a few photos of the hawker master's specialty that I tried. You get to read a bit about them if you are interested in their stories. Some of us do like reading about people's stories. Here are some of the dishes that I really liked.


Hoover Rojak.
Mr Lim Ngah Chew started selling Chinese Rojak from a pushcart more than 50 years ago in Toa Payoh. He later relocated to sites near the former Hoover Theatre and Mandalay Road before ending up at the current Whampoa Food Centre in 1978.

If you are British, no, this is not the vacuum cleaner rojak. No, there's no Dyson Rojak in Singapore as well.


I like the thick 'hay kor' sauce. Since it's a buffet and it's self service, if you are like me who loves this thick sauce, add more yourself (after the service staff mixes the rojak for you).


Xiu Ki Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo

The 3rd generation owner Lee Siew Kim and her husband took over from her father who moved into Chinatown Complex Food Centre 27 years ago. Only ikan bilis and fish bones are used to boil their soup and her husband makes more than 1000 fish balls by hand every day using yellowtail and parang fish.


The fishballs and fishcakes are really delicious. I usually take 1 portion at buffets, but I did eat more than 1 portion for their fishcakes. If you want to try fishballs made by hand, go to their stall at Chinatown or just visit Town Restaurant and try as much as you want in air-con comfort.



Casuarina Curry Restaurant

Some pratas are chewy (some of you like it this way), some are really crispy (some of you also like it this way). Casuarina's version has secret ingredients added to ensure every piece is crispy and fluffy through the layers of prata.


Which version you want, order and this chap will make it for you fresh!



This guy is quite skilled and he's not afraid to show off too. I took up my iPhone and he started to perform the flips! Quite good eh?


Haron Satay 

Haron Satay has earned her reputation as one of the best Malay-style satay around. It has been around for over 30 years and the marinade mix really adds flavour to the meat.


The hard work of 'panggang-ing' the satay is done by the hotel staff. The satay is done outdoors so it doesn't get cold even as it rests on the serving platters.


I am a satay fan. Ahem, I think I ate 10 sticks or more of these delicious satay. It's not those tiny little sticks, but quite a decent sized sticks too.


Tiong Bahru Tau Suan (Tiong Bahru Hawker Centre)

Madam Mukini's father in law started selling Tau Suan down the road from Tiong Bahru Market 40 years ago. Today, Madam Mukini and her son stay true to tradition where their Tau Suan has a genuine old-time Teochew flavour. The beans were soaked till softened, steamed till just al dante and then boiled in a pandan flavoured, lighty-sugared broth, then thickened with potato flour.


If you are a true fan of Tau Suan, finished it all!
Or play masak-masak and scoop for those in your table.


It's delicious. I remember a friend was looking for some good Tau Suan, now I can recommedn her to have this one at Tiong Bahru.


Other than the Hawker Food, you can have Seafood, Pasta, Pizza, Cheese, Japanese, Indian and I love the meats section. Look at that piece of meat!


Town Restaurant is also quite famous for their Chicken Rice!


The desserts table for those who loves Peranakan Kueh Kueh.

If you are visiting Singapore or if you are a local and feel like having all the different hawker food all in a comfortable setting, this can be a choice for your dinner these coming week. 

The Singapore Hawker Masters at The Fullerton Hotel
Date: 4 to 13 April 2014
Time: 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm
Price: $56* per adult and $28* per child (6-12 years old)

Address: 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178

For reservation call: +65 6877 8128 or email town @ fullertonhotel.com