Creator of my newest addiction

This is my tribute to a chef I passionately believe in and the creator of my newest addiction.

Here he is hard at work.

Here is a man so passionate about food that he totally jumps on the bandwagon when I call him up for a spontaneous lunch at Gunther's and then proceeds to analyse each dish with a hawk's eye as though it were a million dollar deal. Talk about dedication to his craft.

Check this out.

THIS. His dish recently featured in 8 days.
I haven't stopped thinking about it since last week despite having gorged myself on two platefuls..

Muy Bueno!

Ok the restaurant version is plated a little differently, but the taste doesn't change.

The star of the show, the tartare is marinated in secret blend that leaves the meat springy yet tender. The runny yolk coats the chunks of beef creating a silky texture. With every bite, the juice from the beef complements the delicate sweetness of the fuji apples. The creative use of crispy mantous, adds yet another dimension with its crunchy texture.

Due to some personal constraints, I had mine without the mustard and wasabi, but I'm sure that would take the dish to a sizzling new level. Imagine a spicy kick that sends you reeling and wanting more with every mouth.

 
Then there's this. These tanuki balls are made of mash and deep fried and then topped with truffled beef carpaccio. Bingo! There's my new favourite comfort food. Talk about sinful indulgences, you can't beat this artery clogging awesomeness.

To sample these amazing dishes, drop by Tanuki bar located at Orchard Central level 2 next to the escalators.

The barman does amazing cocktails too. Alice in wonderland is my favourite. Just the right amount of girly sweetness, topped with a bit of sass and a good alcoholic kick.

Or grab a martini during happy hour and enjoy the $1 oysters. It's bang for your buck. Don't miss out!

Spontaneous Monday Indulgences

Simple and plain, the decor is minimalist, an absolute contrast to the artistic creations that were laid before us. Spontaneity, a last minute phone call and I found myself at Gunther's for my midday meal, with an awesome chef for company.

When you put fresh ingredients for the specials in front of two crazed foodies, it's almost impossible to say no. We succumbed to the burrata cheese served with spanish ham ($42) in no time at all. Although the dish cost nearly more than our 3 course set meal, the sated looks on our faces told us that it was a worthwhile indulgence.

The burrata was firm on the outside, soft and melty inside and tasted great, but what really set this dish apart was the way it had been paired with a medley of olive oil, caviar, lumpfish roe and greens creating a mixture of texture and flavour that whetted more than just my tastebuds. The accompanying baby cherry tomatoes were ripe and soft and burst with flavour in my mouth while the saltiness of the parma ham left my palate perfectly balanced.

But let's go back to the main focus of this meal, the incredible set lunch.
To say that the set lunch was good value for money is a severe understatement. At $38++, I'm being served an appetiser made with beautifully marbled wagyu need I really say more?

The beef is tinged with a natural sweetness and retains its original hearty flavour, while its delicate marbling ensures simply melts in my mouth. Not to mention, the beautiful plating made my mouth water as soon as I laid eyes on it.Topped with bits of still runny egg white and small slices of fruit, the combination of textures in my mouth tantalise the palate and leave me wanting more. Plus the crunchy parmesan crisp, it's perfection in my opinion.

My main doesn't quite elicit as dramatic a reaction from me, in fact, I lamented about the angel hair pasta not being al dente. However, the taste was pretty spot on, at least for my fussy taste buds. The tomato base is slightly creamy, we think it might be egg or a small amount of creme fraiche added to the sauce, which lends a silky texture to the otherwise thick sauce. The tangy nature of the tomato is kept and unlike many creamy tomato bases, I did not tire of this one quite as easily.

The dessert, which the staff very kindly offered as a complimentary upgrade was Gunther's signature apple tart served with Havana rum and raisin ice-cream. For someone who has never really enjoyed rum and raisin, I found the flavour rather pleasing and the apple tart was drenched in just the right amount of sweet indulgence. Garnished with almond pieces and filled with thinly sliced apples, this was a definite winner for me.

A lunch experience that I would not hesitate to repeat. Perhaps a visit next week might not be too soon. After all good service without a hefty price tage doesn't come by often. Kudos to the team at Gunther's for awesome food and prompt service, enabling such a happy pig in the short span of an hour or so.

Gunther's
36 Purvis Street
#01-03

best flat bread in town

Osia's warm inviting interior paints a stark contrast to its next door neighbour, Kunio, a high end Japanese Kaiseiki restaurant with eye-opening prices which start in the hundreds per person. Its prices too, are on the other end of the spectrum. The brainchild of famous Chef Webster, it boasts an open plan kitchen that allows us a peek into the bustle of culinary expertise as the smell of freshly baked bread wafts through the air.

It is a Saturday night and the restaurant is at full capacity and I'm fortunate I managed to make reservations only 2 days in advance. The atmosphere is relaxed and chatter fills the restaurant, only adding to its cosy interiors. Having skipped lunch, I could have eaten a cow and I was impatient to get some food in my stomach. The waitress very kindly suggested some stonehearth flat bread to help abate my hunger and I nodded in agreement without really thinking.

Mind you, I'm not a fan of olives, so when I realised what I'd ordered when it arrived, I wasn't particularly pleased with myself. I was not very keen to taste it but my stomach protested loudly. I very reluctantly shoved a small piece in my mouth, but the flavours that greeted me, were divine. Yes divine. I could barely even notice the olives, The bread with soft yet crunchy with the right bite and it was flavourful without overwhelming. Too add on to the oomph factor, it came with squeezy tubes of topping and let's just say I wasn't in much of a mood to share my cream cheese spread with anyone else at the table.



Black Olive Rosemary Stonehearth Flat Bread. Must have. It shut the chatty pig up right away. Need I say more?

I'd left my partner to order my appetisers and main course for me since he already knew what I was craving and when by the time my Ice experience arrived, I was back to being a happy pig instead of a grumpy hungry one, but thats a story for another day..

heart in paris

A certain dear friend dropped me a message on facebook some time ago, asking me for my favourite restaurant in paris and how badly the place would bust his wallet. I told him, I tasted the heart of france for less than 40 Euros.

Photo: Courtesy of Marc Chang

There's something about little joints tucked away in small streets left unknown to the crowds that throng the main streets. Yet often, a rising star is hidden in these alleyways. This time, it was no exception. In fact, the experience blew me away so much that it is the number one recommended restaurant on my Paris list. And everyone knows Paris is known for their fine delicate culinary arts. Yet this one place that left me wanting more and more was a simple small family bistro, skilled in casserole dishes.


It sounds fairly simple, but the art of casserole cooking isn't quite as easy as it looks. This place has gotten it down to a T.

LA COCOTTE.

Photo: Courtesy of Marc Chang

Describing the dishes is an impossible task, yet the taste and flavour still lingers so clearly. You know the dish is good when you remember it so dearly that when close your eyes and imagine, it's like tasting it all over again.


La Cocotte restaurant in 70 rue Sébastien Mercier. Can't put it in words. All I can say is, pop by for a visit and you won't be disappointed.

The happy pig is back..

She's a little older now, a little rounder, a little happier and hopefully a little wiser too..

After a long hiatus since the last post on Le Atelier Joel Robuchon in London, the happy pig is finally inspired to write again. Don't get her wrong, she hasn't lost any of her gluttony natures, if anything, her voracious appetite has grown and she has ben expanding sideways too. She's been too lazy to share because there's nothing that's made her get off her lazy ass to write yet. But today, she had an incredibly value for money and delicious set meal that she simply must rave about. So... the happy pig is back with her foodie rantings!

And here begins her quest for awesome set lunches to make good work days become brilliant ones...