Espresso Cake drown with Kahlua Syrup Recipe

Special request deary to get me a bottle of Kahlua on his way back from his business trip. Got a few recipes lined up in my baking list that I want to experiment with this popular bottle of coffee liqueur.


Espresso Cake Ingredients
6 teaspoons of Instant Coffee
60ml Hot Water
60ml Water
315g Cake Flour
10g Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
0.5 teaspoon Sea Salt
113g Butter
250g Fine Sugar
3 Eggs
0.5 cup Sour Cream

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160ºC.
2. Dissolve the Instant Coffee in Hot Water, stir in the Water and set aside to cool.
3. Sift Cake Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda. Add Sea Salt in mix up the ingredients and set aside.
4. Place the butter and Sugar in the mixer and cream until smooth and light in color. This will take approx 8 to 10minutes.
5. Add in the Eggs one at a time with 1 min intervals.
6. Blend in the Sour Cream.
7. Divide the dry ingredients in to 3 parts and divide the espresso into 2 parts.
8. Add in the dry ingredients alternating mix until incorporated then alternating with the espresso.
9. Spray a baking pan. Pour in the batter and smooth the surface with the spatula.
10. Position the baking pan in the lower third of the oven and bake it for 50mins or until when you insert a cake tester in the middle it comes out clean.
11. Remove from oven but do not remove from pan and cool in the tray while you prepare the Kahlua Syrup.


Kahlua Syrup Ingredients
100ml Kahlua
80ml Water
3 tablespoons Honey

12. In a small pan blend Kahlua, Water, and Honey. Bring it to a slow simmer 2 to 3 minutes then remove from heat.


13. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC, top only.
14. Feed the Espresso Cake by using a spoon and slowly pour over the top of the warm cake.
15. After feeding, let it stand in the pan for at least 1 hour to allow the cake to absorb the Kahlua Syrup.
16. Place the feed cake back in the oven for 3 to 5mins to dry up the top which is wet from the feeding.
17. Remove from oven and let it cool in the tray for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.


Storage: Store at room tempreature in an airtight container or cake dome for up to 7days.



Click here for our blog page Baking Classes for more recipes. Hope you will be inspired~

Tandoor Delicacies at Bukhara, New Delhi - India's Best Restaurant.

One hallmark of Indian cuisine - North Indian in particular - are the many different meats and breads cooked in the Tandoor. The oven itself is a marvel of a cooking instrument: it's fueled by wood/charcoal with heats exceeding 400°C, which give a nice char on any meats on the outside while not overcooking the inside. There's probably tens or hundreds of thousands of tandoors around the world in various restaurants and eateries, but according to the various ranking lists none of them do it better than Bukhara.


Bukhara came in as the #1 Restaurant in India and New Delhi in Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino's Asia's 50 Best Restaurants List 2014. It's one of the few restaurants on this list that are completely and unapologetically rustic - no fancy pants fusion or deconstructed molecular stuff here - just 35 years of extracting the best possible result from the clay oven.


The decor is rustic and comfortable (although the tables are a tad low for taller diners), service is warm and jovial, and the (non-vegetarian) menu has just ten items on it. Surprisingly and thankfully there is a Single Diner Lunch option for Rs 2,400 (SGD 50.64), which allows you to choose and sample three different items off the menu! Awesome concept. I go for Murgh Tandoori, Murgh Malai Kabab and Barrah Kabab - Chicken pieces, Minced chicken and Lamb pieces respectively. The lunch option also comes with your choice of bread (I asked for butter naan) and the restaurant's signature Dal Bukhara - Creamy Black Lentil Dhall with a huge dollop of butter.


Oddly enough I enjoyed the Dal Bukhara most of all. It's entirely unlike the watered down soup we normally get with Prata in Malaysia/Singapore - this one is strong, creamy, buttery, thick - delicious. Of the three clay iron meats, I thoroughly enjoyed the lamb - moist and juicy. The minced chicken however was terribly dry inside - I needed a spoonful of Dal with every bite just to swallow it down, which was surprising for a restaurant that only cooks with the Tandoor. The chicken pieces came somewhere in between.

The lunch set also comes with your choice of dessert - wanting something cold I went with their Kulfi - which is indian ice cream made from evaporated sweetened milk. I didn't find the Bukhara rendition to be really that much different than other Kulfi's we get here in South East Asia.


It seems that North indian restaurants almost invariably serve sweetened fennel seeds as a breath freshener to end off the meal. It's definitely a taste that I've yet to acquire.


I didn't think Bukhara really deserved its' billing as Best Restaurant in India to be honest. It's definitely a very good restaurant - the service is warm and friendly, decor is rustic and inviting, that Dal Bukhara was supremely divine. But meats cooked in the Tandoor is their specialty, so they should be able to nail it perfectly. Eating dry minced chicken here is like going to Morton's or Ruth Chris and getting a burnt steak. Nevertheless I still thoroughly enjoyed my visit overall, even if some of the kebabs fell a tad bit short of my (admittedly lofty) expectations.

Bukhara is in the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mansingh road, New Delhi. Reservations recommended: mytable.itcmaurya@itchotels.in. No pork and no beef.

Tamagoyaki Step by Step Guide Recipe

Deary and me on and off will order Tamago when we are in a Japanese restaurant. Looking at the layers of eggs leaves me wondering if one day I could ever make this. This is my second try as I was unhappy with my 1st attempt due to the brown bits and white egg whites appearing in the layers... Now it's perfectly beautiful!

Hope you enjoy this tamagoyaki recipe.......


Ingredients
4 Eggs
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Mirin
0.5 teaspoon Shoyu
Cooking Oil

Rectangle Pan required..

Tools required.. Used a folded kitchen towel to soak up the cooking oil.

Step by step
1. Gently mix the Eggs, Sugar, Mirin, Shoyu in a bowl.
2. Strain the egg mixture through a sieve twice.
3. Heat the pan over medium heat apply oil to the pan.
6. When the pan is ready, pour a thin layer of egg mixture in the pan.
7. Poke the air bubbles to release the air. After the bottom of the egg has set but still soft on top, start rolling from one side to the other using the wok spatula with the support of the chopstick.
8. Move the rolled omelette to the side where you started to roll, and apply oil to the pan. Pour the egg mixture to cover the bottom of the pan again.
9. When the new layer of egg has set and still soft on top, start rolling from one side to the other. Repeat until all the mixture finish.
10. Finally it's done. Roll from one side to the other move the rolled omelette to the side. Turn off the fire and let it stand for 5 secs to let the end cook a little more to seal off.
11. Remove from the pan and place the omelette on the bamboo mat and wrap it up.
12. Shape when it is still hot by giving it a squeeze till it is sushi shape like.
13. Slice the omelette into 1 cm thick slices.


Lessons Learnt:
- Control the temperature of the pan by lifting the frying pan rather than adjusting the stove heat.
- Strain at least two times so that it is smooth.

It's ready to be serve!


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Juice Exploration ::: Watermelon Juice

Just juice 1.4kg Watermelon for 4 cups of Juice to enjoy.

Let's learn a little about Watermelon.

Watermelon
Health Benefit of Watermelon Juice
High quantities of iron
rich in antioxidants, it can preempt the development of kidney stones
Soothes sore muscles
Improved circulation can benefit more than just the heart
Antioxidant linked to both the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer, Stomach Cancer, Lung Cancer
Anti-aging
Very hydrating
Cleansing
Helps to control blood pressure
Promotes weight loss
Helps to lower cholesterol
Offers natural sun protection
Relieves edema (water retention)
Relieves mental depression and fatigue
Rejuvenating blood tonic
Perfect piece to beat the summer heat
Antioxidant
Diuretic
vitamin C
When juicing with seeds and rind, the result is a good source of chlorophyll, vitamin B1, B6, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iodine, nucleic acids, and enzymes that aid in digestion.

How to choose and store Watermelon in general?
- Store whole watermelons in a cool place. Once cut, store for up to two days in the fridge.
- Thump a watermelon with your knuckles. If it sounds hollow, it will taste sweet. Look for a dark green melon, dull rather than shiny, with a pale yellow underbelly.

Some good reads are found here About Watermelon


Click here for our blog page Desserts, & Drink for more recipes. Hope you will be inspired~

Irresistible Mango Sago Pomelo Dessert Recipe

Notice that nearly all the recipe online requires Sugar. We tasted & do not find there is a need to put any sugar! Is there a secret behind this?

No!! It's just the usage of really good & ripe mangoes, this would already leave this dessert sweet enough. Also, if you notice our recipe has very minimal water so the natural sweetness is not watered down. However, if you have a sweet tooth replacing the Water with Syrup will fix it.

Hope you will like our recipe. :)


Ingredients
600g peeled and sliced Mango
Follow by either options below:
- Option A: 200ml of Pineapple Juice + 50ml Water + 80ml Evaporated Milk
- Option B: 250ml of Mango Juice + 80ml Evaporated Milk
- Option C: 330ml of Mango Low Fat Yogurt Drink
Pomelo
Small Diced Mango Cubes
Sago

Put the Mango & Option you choose in to a blender and blend well. Let it chill in the fridge. Pour in to invididual bowls top with Pomelo, Small Diced Mango Cubes and Sago. Done! It's so simple.

Lesson Learnt:
- Do not use Juicer as good mangoes have extremely fine and less fibre so blending does not affect the texture.
- No need to worry about sifting the plup up, just use good mangoes. We love Australia Mango, Thai Honey Mango these 2 are the best choice.
- FYI. We love Option C more which give more flavor and balance. Option A is more Citrus feel dessert. Option B is more neutral and light dessert




Click here for our blog page Dessert & Drinks Recipes for more recipes. Hope you will be inspired~

Fusion Buttery Biscuit Tart Crust Recipe

It's been forever since i blog my famous tart recipes. I'll start off with my latest Fusion Buttery Tart Crust.


Ingredients
185g fine crumbs of Digestive Biscuits
0.5 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
0.25 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
90g room temperature Butter


Lightly grease a 2cm x 20cm loose based round tart pan. Combine Digestive Biscuit crumbs, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg in a bowl. Add in butter and mix well. Pour all the mixture and press into base and side of the greased pan. Cover it with kitchen wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.


Click here for our blog page Baking Classes for more recipes. Hope you will be inspired~

Sharing my Cooking and Baking Tips & Lesson Learn Tips

Cooking and Baking Tips
I'll try to add on as many tips as I learn through my baking days~

Ingredients
1. Egg White can last up to 1 week in the fridge or a month in the freezer.
2. Sift powder form ingredients before starting the mixing process is to avoid pockets from forming. Example: Flour, Baking Powder, Cream of Tartar, Matcha Green Tea, etc.
3. Cooking Caramel - Once placed over the heat, try to avoid stirring the caramelising sugar. Best is do not stir at all. Why? It's because stirring also promotes crystallisation.


Cookies
1. Chilled dough overnight in fridge does make a difference.
2. Do not over fold the chocolate chips if not the dough will be colored.
3. Add additional All Purpose Flour to have a crispier cookie texture.


Cakes
1. Volcano Top: Generally, the smaller the cake the higher the temp but shorter time, vice versa, the bigger the cake the lower the temp but longer time. How much longer or shorter depends on individual oven. If the big ones is baked after the small ones, the oven might be hotter than 180 degrees by the time the big ones were sent in.


Icing
1. There is no need to thaw the Cream Cheese and Butter, however, they need to be in cubes and chilled.
2. Frosting need to be placed in the fridge for 30mins before use.
4. Common to use 1M or 1D Wilton nose for piping.


Eggs
1. Strain at least two times so that it is smooth.


Bread
1. It is possible to prepare extra portions of dough. At the last rise of the dough, wrap it in plastic and freeze it. When needed, thaw the dough and let it rise to double its size. Then bake.
2. Bake until done, cool it completely. Then wrap it in plastic and freeze it. This can keep for up to six months. When needed, take it out and thaw it. Then bake it in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 5 mins for a small bun and 10mins for large ones.


Alcohol Storage - cap is tight and keep in cool and dark place
1. Kahlua shelf life for 4 years unopened; shelf life of 1-2 years opened.
2. Cointreau shelf life for 5 years unopened; shelf life of 1-2 years opened.


Found this Link which has 32 Essential Baking Tips: http://www.berries.com/blog/essential-baking-tips


Click here for our blog page Baking Classes for more recipes. Hope you will be inspired~

Singapore's Best Restaurants - JAAN (#5) at Swissôtel The Stamford

A week or so ago Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino released their 2014 edition of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, with eight restaurants in Singapore making the list! It just so happened that our first wedding anniversary was round the corner, so it was the perfect excuse for some splurging :) After some consideration, we decided to go with JAAN - 5th Best restaurant in Singapore, and 17th Best in Asia ... purely because of the gorgeous view from the 70th floor of Swissôtel The Stamford!


That View. Probably even better at night
As you might already know, JAAN is helmed by Chef de cuisine Julien Royer who stepped up to the pass after previous Maestro André Chiang left to form his own epynomous restaurant (incidentally it's made the #1 spot in Singapore this year as well). For lunch there's a choice between a three-course menu, a five-course (with vegetarian option), and a seven-course tasting menu. We decide to go with the five-course meal - one 'regular' and one vegetarian - $118++ each.


Pre-Lunch Canapé‎s
Of course, when it comes to this level of dining, five courses doesn't strictly mean five plates. There's almost always a plethora of other "complimentary" bites thrown in to either whet the appetite or cleanse the palate. JAAN is no exception and after our orders are taken we're immediately started off with some Canapé‎s, our favorites of which were the black sesame sponge with smoked Danish Eel, walnut crackers with grated cheese and Chef Royer's interpretation of Hummus.

The amuse bouche follows soon thereafter and is probably best described as an elevated mushroom soup, laced with Shiitake and other mushrooms with walnut cream and cheese. Warm, hearty, earthy and delicious.


Amuse Bouche
Moving on to the bread basket, then - this being lunch we didn't want to overstuff ourselves, so we tried the onion brioche and the baguette. The onion brioche was terrifically good bread - think buttery croissant style layered flaky goodness with a strong yet not overpowering onion aroma and flavor. The baguette on the other hand was surprisingly ... hard. Yes, we know that baguettes are supposed to have hard crusts, but at this mini size it just ends up being too hard.


Artisanal Breads

French Butter with Sea Salt on the side
The first course for both menus opens up with the Beetroot Collection - different types of beetroots, accompanied by beetroot sorbet, burratta artigiana and honeycombs. It's a nice start and perhaps serves as an opening statement for Chef Royer's philosophy when it comes to food.


1st Course: Beetroot Collection
The Winter Garden follows next which is essentially a salad with some remarkably unique ingredients. We thought the crunch imparted by the arrowroot, purple sweet potato and onion chips gave a nice textural contrast; but we weren't so sure about the onion chips as we felt the sharpness was a little jarring. The carnivore version comes with a few additional slices of prosciutto.


2nd Course: Winter Garden
From here the two menus diverge - I get the Confit of Rainbow Trout sitting on kagoshima pork and shisho flowers, with romanesco and cauliflower. The trout is nice - expertly cooked rare, but the pork simply steals the show here. It's full of flavor, tastes amazing, and overpowered every other flavor on the plate.

Or maybe I just like pork too much :)

Anyways, the darling gets a varation of the 55° smoked organic egg sitting on potato puree with grated cheese and shaved black truffles. It's amazing how different real truffles taste like as compared to truffle oil that's used in fast food joints serving truffle fries, etc. I suppose that's to be expected though since truffle oil isn't even made out of truffles.


3rd Course (carnivore): Confit of Rainbow Trout

3rd Course (herbivore): 55 Smoked Organic Egg
With the main course, I get the Roasted Venison Loin. Venison has a very distinct gamey taste that not everyone enjoys - I normally don't appreciate it much but it was roasted so well here I lapped up every bit of the meat. And the jus (sauce). And the accompanying vegetables and the red wine pear slice. And then I ate the blackberries on the side and found the sharp tart/sourness extremely jarring. Not quite sure what those berries were supposed to achieve.

The vegetarian option is the Chestnut Ravioli with pumpkin puree, pumpkin slices and more black truffle. More truffle's always good, right? We were really surprisd by the usage of the pumpkin here, it was really good.


4th Course (carnivore): Roasted Venison Loin

4th Course (herbivore): Chestnut Ravioli
A little breather here with the pre-dessert: Blood Orange Granite with Pomegranate Foam. I thought it was a very nice, light and airy palatte cleanser, but the darling thought it was too sour and couldn't finish hers.


Pre-Dessert
The last course is the dessert - for which I got the Choconuts Tart, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The tart is a smorgasboard of chocolate and hazelnuts with different preparation techniques resulting in a feast of different textures, flavors and temperatures. Crisp, spongy, moist, chocolatey, it's all here. If you enjoy chocolate and/or nuts you'll dig this.

The darling gets something called the Exotic which is a tropical fruit-themed dessert - coconut ice cream, pineapple slices, candied pineapple wedges, banana cake and banana puree. It's also pretty good but I much prefer my tart.


5th Course (carnivore): Choconuts Tart

5th Course (herbivore): Exotic
After all that food we're served our choice of coffee and tea, and get to wash it down with the petit fours of the day - rosemary scented ice cream lollipops, coconut jelly cubes, Banana puree with chocolate bits and kiwi berries with avocado cream. Delicious end to a delicious meal!


Petit Fours (with coffee and tea)
At the end of the meal, we think we understand Chef Royer's philosophy when it comes to cooking. For me I very much enjoyed the lunch, but I did think that some of the dishes were more a "collection of bits and pieces on the same plate" rather than one coherent dish. I also thought one or two of those bits didn't at all go with the rest of the plate and found that experience a little jarring. Considering the exemplary service and cooking overall I'd still give JAAN a solid 4/5.

The darling felt that her vegetarian-option set was better, though, and gives it a perfect 5/5.

At $138 nett after service charges and taxes, we feel that the meal was worth the money, and definitely would recommend it for any special occasions. Or for a normal meal, depending on the strength of your wallet :)

Measurement Guide and General Conversion Guide

Measurement Reference
Just a note of clarification all measurements may vary according to method used.


Eggs (without shell)
Small = 43g
Medium = 50g
Large =57g
Extra Large = 64g
Extra Extra Large = 71g
All my recipe uses Medium Size, 1 egg yolk = 20g; 1 egg white = 30g

Flour
1 cup = 140g
3/4 cup = 105g
2/3 cup = 95g
1/2 cup = 70g
1/3 cup = 50g
1/4 cup = 35g
1 tablespoon = 10g

Butter
1 cup = 2 sticks = 8oz = 230g
1/2 cup = 1 sticks = 4oz = 115g
1 tablespoon = 14g

Fine Sugar
1 cup = 200g
3/4 cup = 150g
2/3 cup = 135g
1/2 cup = 100g
1/3 cup = 70g
1/4 cup = 50g
1 tablespoon = 15g

Brown Sugar
1 cup = 220g
3/4 cup = 165g
2/3 cup = 145g
1/2 cup = 110g
1/3 cup = 75g
1/4 cup = 55g
1 tablespoon = 15g

Milk
1 cup = 245g
3/4 cup = 185g
2/3 cup = 165g
1/2 cup = 120g
1/3 cup = 80g
1/4 cup = 60g
1 tablespoon = 15g

Heavy Cream
1 cup = 235g
3/4 cup = 175g
2/3 cup = 155g
1/2 cup = 115g
1/3 cup = 80g
1/4 cup = 60g
1 tablespoon = 15g

Yogurt
1 cup = 235g
3/4 cup = 175g
2/3 cup = 155g
1/2 cup = 120g
1/3 cup = 80g
1/4 cup = 60g
1 tablespoon = 15g

Baking Soda / Fine Salt
2 teaspoons = 14g
1 3/4 teaspoons = 12g
1 2/4 teaspoons = 10g
1 1/4 teaspoons = 9g
1 teaspoons = 8g
3/4 teaspoons = 5g
2/4 teaspoons = 4g
1/4 teaspoons = 2g

Baking Powder
2 2/4 teaspoons = 10
2 teaspoons = 8g
1 3/4 teaspoons = 7g
1 2/4 teaspoons = 6g
1 1/4 teaspoons = 5g
1 teaspoons = 4g
3/4 teaspoons = 3g
2/4 teaspoons = 2g
1/4 teaspoons = 1g

Icing Sugar
1 cup = 160g
3/4 cup = 120g
2/3 cup = 105g
1/2 cup = 80g
1/3 cup = 55g
1/4 cup = 40g
1 tablespoon = 10g

Cornstarch
1 cup = 125g
3/4 cup = 95g
2/3 cup = 85g
1/2 cup = 65g
1/3 cup = 40g
1/4 cup = 30g
1 tablespoon = 8g

Cocoa
1 cup = 105g
3/4 cup = 80g
2/3 cup = 70g
1/2 cup = 55g
1/3 cup = 35g
1/4 cup = 25g
1 tablespoon = 7g

Yeast
Fresh 100g = Active Dry 40g to 50g = Instant 33g

Ground Nuts
1 cup = 150g
3/4 cup = 115g
2/3 cup = 100g
1/2 cup = 75g
1/3 cup = 50g
1/4 cup = 40g
1 tablespoon = 10g

Sliced Nuts
1 cup = 100g
3/4 cup = 75g
2/3 cup = 65g
1/2 cup = 50g
1/3 cup = 35g
1/4 cup = 25g
1 tablespoon = 6g



General Conversion
1 cup = 6oz = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons = 240 ml
3/4 cup = 6oz = 12 tablespoons = 36 teaspoons = 180 ml
2/3 cup = 5oz = 11 tablespoons = 32 teaspoons = 160 ml
1/2 cup = 4oz = 8 tablespoons = 24 teaspoons = 120 ml
1/3 cup = 3oz = 5 tablespoons = 16 teaspoons = 80 ml
1/4 cup = 2oz = 4 tablespoons = 12 teaspoons = 60 ml
1 tablespoon = 0.5oz = 15 ml
1 teaspoon = 5 ml

1 oz = 28 grams
2 oz = 56 grams
3,5 oz = 100 grams
4 oz = 112 grams
5 oz = 140 grams
6 oz = 168 grams
8 oz = 225 grams
9 oz = 250 grams
10 oz = 280 grams
12 oz = 340 grams
16 oz = 450 grams
18 oz = 500 grams
20 oz = 560 grams
24 oz = 675 grams
27 oz = 750 grams
36 oz = 1 kilogram
54 oz = 1.5 kilograms
72 oz = 2 kilograms

1/4 pound = 112 grams
1/2 pound = 225 grams
3/4 pound = 340 grams
1 pound = 450 grams
1.25 pound = 560 grams
1.5 pound = 675 grams
2 pound = 900 grams
2.25 pound = 1 kilogram
3 pound = 1.35 kilograms
4.5 pound = 2 kilograms

500°F = 260°C
475°F = 245°C
450°F = 235°C
425°F = 220°C
400°F = 205°C
375°F = 190°C
350°F = 180°C
325°F = 160°C
300°F = 150°C
275°F = 135°C
250°F = 120°C
225°F = 107°C

When Mr Butter Cake and Mrs Brownie become ONE Recipe!

When Mr Butter Cake meets Mrs Brownie! Sometime special happen...


Brownie Ingredients
140g Dark Chocolate
50g Butter
40g Brown Sugar
1 Egg
35g Top Flour

Melt Chocolate and Butter over double boiler. Stir in Brown Sugar until blended. Set a side to cool slightly. Add egg, mix well. Fold in flour until well combined. Pour batter into greased baking pan. Bake in a preheat oven at 180ºC for 10 minutes.


Butter Cake Ingredients
230g Butter
80g Fine Sugar
2 Eggs
120g Top Flour
0.25 Baking Powder
50ml Milk

While the Brownie layer is baking. Beat Butter and Fine Sugar until creamy. Add in Eggs one at a time and beat until well combine. Fold in half of the sifted flour and baking powder, alternatively add in half of the fresh milk, repeat and mix until well combine.

When you're done here the Brownie Layer should be done as well. Immediately Pour and evenly spread the butter cake batter over brownie, you'll notice it melts away. Bake at 160ºC for 25minutes or until when you insert a cake tester in the middle it comes out clean.


Cool in the tray for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from tray to totally cool.


Lesson Learnt: Measure 1/3 of brownie and 2/3 butter cake will be the best combination.



Click here for our blog page Baking Classes for more recipes. Hope you will be inspired~

The Coastal Settlement - Great Hangout/Chillout place in the East

When one mentions hanging out or chilling out over food in Singapore, the areas that usually spring to mind are the prime suspects like Holland V, Dempsey, et al. For those of us in the East - or those of us looking for something a little more casual - there's a lovely place near Changi Village called The Coastal Settlement over on Netheravon Rd.


The restaurant/cafe is huge, with what seems like tables for over 200 guests sprawled over air-conditioned indoor and al-fresco outdoor areas. The decor is generally retro while also being quite hip at the same time. A side note that when we visited for dinner, the outdoor areas are very dimly lit - we saw more than one table needing to whip out their cellphone LED's to illuminate the menus. The indoor area also tends to get a little noisy thanks to the lack of noise absorbing materials. Buyer beware!


The menu is predominantly Western casual fare - things like burgers, pizzas, fries and ribs with some Asian staples mixed in. We start off with an order of Portobello Fries ($15, served with white truffle mayo dip), which is thick chunky cuts of mushrooms battered and deep fried. It's pretty good, although the portion is a little too big for two non-mushroom lovers.


For mains, we decide on the Wagyu Beef & Mushrooms Thin Crust Pizza ($23). We're thrilled that the pizza comes absolutely loaded with ingredients. The choice of sauce base - a caramelized onions and white wine reduction cream sauce - goes great with the beef and mushrooms, but also soaks its' way through the entire crust, so this is a pizza that you really need to eat with a fork or knife.


Continuing the beef theme, we also try the Cheeseburger ($26, add $3 for a fried egg on the side) - 180 gm of Wagyu Beef Patty medium rare with onions, sweet bacon, salad and thick-cut fries. Personally I'm not a fan of excessively thick burgers - this one is too thick to take bites out so I had to resort to using a fork and knife. No fun lah! Taste-wise the burger was pretty competent, though, and the sweetened bacon (maple?) was an interesting touch.


We're stuffed at this point so we decide for just one dessert to share - the Blackforest in a Jar ($9). It's basically a chocolate brownie sitting at the bottom of a jar with chocolate crunchies, cream, cherries and other assorted ingredients lathered on top and served cold. It's an interesting combination and one that I wouldn't mind having again.


All in all, food's above average and ambience is nice - this is a good place to come and chill out and take your time with your meal. The bill came in at $100 for two people which does feel a little on the pricey side, and service perhaps is a bit lacking (it's hard to get a waiter's attention at times).

The Coastal Settlement is at 200 Netheravon Road. It's perhaps a bit inconvenient to get here via public transport. Open Tuesdays to Sundays 10.30am till Midnight; Closed on Mondays.