Media Food Tasting at Korean Charcoal BBQ SEORAE on 12 April 2017

Craving for Korean food over the long weekend?  Check out Popular Korean Charcoal BBQ SEORAE as it has sizzled up its mouth-watering selection with exciting new additions, sets for sharing and a merry array of soju cocktails and makkoli mixes that guarantees good times all round. 

One plus point to order the grilled meat is that SEORAE uses a special ‘circle grilling’ technique where diners can scoop up silky folds of egg and fiery grilled kimchi for a burst of flavours to go with their meal.  For added indulgence, coat your skewers with a layer of melted cheese that surrounds the grill, offering a buttery creaminess that’s hard to resist.  I am a cheese lover so it is definitely a YEAH for me!

A must firm order has gotta be its signature Korean Galmaegisal (premium pork skirt meat).  Once said to be reserved only for lofty Korean royalty in olden days, the exclusive sirloin- extension—forming only 250 grams between the ribs and belly of a full-grown pig—is now a must-have on every local Korean buff’s platter. Marinated in a delicious blend of Korean spices and grilled to perfection, the galmaegisal takes on the characteristics of wagyu beef; rich with flavours, and promises a tender and juicy bite. 

I also tried a few other grilled dishes like Woosamgyeob which is US beef shortplate, marinated with Seorae's special juicy sauce.  I am not a great fan of beef but this dish doesn't have that strong 'beef' smell and I actually like the flavour of the meat.

The Spicy Samgyeobsal is yet another one of my favourite grilled meat.  I love pork belly because of the crisp bbq fats that go well with the meat... an awesome combination of soft vs chewy texture.

If you are into stews, SEORAE has a wide variety to choose from.

Warm up your bellies with the comforting Budae Jjigae – a succulent selection of sausages, spam, bacon, fish cake, tteokboki, beans, mixed with fresh vegetables and simmered in a special Gochujang spicy stew. 

I also tried Sundubu Jjigae which is spicy soft tofu stew mixed with minced pork and fresh vegetables, clams and eggs.  This will be a great choice for cold days to warm up the body.

This was my first time eating cheese dumpling when Cheese Mandu Tteokbokki was served.  It was an interesting combination of Korean rice cake cooked in Seorae's hot sauce, served on hot pan with fried fish cake, egg, corn-cheese dumpling, ramyeon and pineapple

New on the menu is the fickle-friendly Kkochi Platter – charcoal grilled skewers oozing in an array of delicious and addictive fillings such as melted cheese, kimchi and spicy enoki wrapped in samgyeobsal (premium pork belly) or woosamgyeob (US prime beef shoortplate). 

I strongly recommend everyone to try this out.

Make your meal a merry affair and knock back a toothsome tipple or two. New concoctions include the Rose Petaline Soju and Lime Mojito Soju, both guaranteed to put a happy blush in your cheeks. Flashy meets fleshy with the Pineapple Cocktail, featuring a whole pineapple that’s spiked with soju and scooped straight from the husk.

New Promotions

Epic Lunch Menu

Price: Starting from S$10.90
Valid: Monday – Friday, from 11.30am to 3.00pm (Not applicable on public holidays)

Enjoy a fuss-free lunch in the heart of the city as Seorae Singapore serves up its signature selection— including Kkochi Platters, Budae Jigae, Seoul Bulogi and Dolsot Bibimbap—in affordable lunch sets (starting from S$10.90) with free drinks and side dishes that are perfect for sharing. Enjoy 20% off on your BBQ meats and get them expertly grilled to perfection by your very own server, allowing you to head back to the office without smelling like smoke.

Kkochi Platter

Price: S$21.90 (a la carte); S$14.90 (with minimum two BBQ meat at regular price) 
Valid: All day

For the fickle eater, opt for the Kkochi Platter and treat yourselves to a variety of charcoal grilled skewers wrapped in samgyeobsal (premium pork belly) or woosamgyeob (US prime beef shoortplate). Enjoy them at a reduced rate with a minimum two orders of BBQ meat at regular price.

Ultimate Grill Set (for 2-3 pax)

Price: Starting from S$79 
Valid: All day

Get the best of the best with Seorae’s Ultimate Grill Sets, featuring a wide selection of premium pork and beef cuts, complete with all-time favourites such as the spicy Sundubu Jjigae, refreshing Japchae and a Jeju-style Bibimbap that’s served in a stainless steel bowl. 

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Keen to visit SEORAE?

Check out the information below:

Address: 
Plaza Singapura #02-01
68 Orchard Road Singapore 238839

Telephone:
+65 6238 8429

Opening Hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 11:30am – 10:00pm (Last order: 9.30pm) 
Friday – Saturday: 11:30am – 11:00pm (Last order: 10.30pm)

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Bakerzin Comes up with Two New Flavours of Pineapple Tarts

What is the most important must-have goodie for Chinese New Year (CNY)? 

For me, it has to be pineapple tarts.  This year, I had the chance to savour the goodness of the finest Original Pineapple Tarts from Bakerzin, one of the best quintessential traditional pineapple tarts in Singapore.  

This year, Bakerzin up the competition by tantalise taste buds with two new flavours in the Assorted Pineapple Tarts range.  Thanks Bakerzin and Touch PR for hand delivering these wonderful pineapple tarts over to my place!

What to know what flavours they come in and how they taste like? Read on to find out more. :)

Original Pineapple Tarts – $22.80 / box of 18 pieces, Net Weight 390g 

Original Pineapple Tarts 

The shape of these buttery, heavenly classic treats are already enough to put a smile on people's face during CNY period as it symbolises prosperity.  With every bite, crumbly outer layer of pastry melts in your mouth and is well proportionate to the homemade pineapple jam core made from specially selected pineapples. While most pineapple tarts are sweet, Bakerzin’s golden ingots offer a slight twist with notable hints of spices like cinnamon and cloves.  Touted as the ‘King of Pineapple Tarts’ by media such as The Sunday Times and Silverkris, this will be definitely a hit with young and old, so make sure you stock up more of these at home.

NEW Assorted Pineapple Tarts – $22.80 (assorted) / box of 18 pieces, Net Weight 390g 

Fish Floss Pineapple Tarts

Lemongrass Pineapple Tarts

When tradition meets innovation at Bakerzin, you get two new exciting flavours - Fish Floss and Lemongrass, perfect for those looking for alternatives to the classics. 

The Fish Floss tart gives a nice balance of sweet and savoury as you sink your teeth into the flavourful homemade jam suffuse with a generous blend of fish floss filling and with Bakerzin’s signature butter tart pastry.

The Chinese believe that fish symbolises the abundance of wealth so what better way to showcase this innovation is the shape of a fish.

The unique and aromatic Lemongrass flavour packs a punch in an adorable ‘pineapple’ shape. The first bite into the tart emanates a fragrant energising scent reminiscent of being in a spa. Likewise, the outer layer of the pastry is baked to perfection and beautifully complements this zesty flavour often used in Asian cuisine.

There are 9 pieces of each flavour – Fish Floss and Lemongrass, packed into the festive tin. 

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Another big hit amongst customers, Bakerzin’s Chinese New Year festive tins are frequently praised for its intricate and elaborate design. The floral design used in this year’s Lunar packaging symbolises a ‘Spring Awakening’, holding true to the Chinese New Year traditions and culture to usher in Springtime. Bakerzin’s tins are also well-loved for its multi-purpose functionalities which you can use to display a variety of Chinese New Year goodies, to keep as a collectible or to recycle for other storage purposes. 

Special Package

Triple Joy Bundle - S$49.80 (nett)

Includes:

•   Original Pineapple Tarts
•   Assorted Pineapple Tarts
•   Good Luck Cookies Collection

Availability

Bakerzin’s Chinese New Year treats will go on sale from 3 January 2017 whilst stocks last. Available for online orders at www.bakerzin.com, and Bakerzin outlets in Singapore.

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Sake Pairing Dinner at Portico Prime on 16 Dec 2016

For readers who have been following my blog, you probably read about my blog post on wine pairing dinner at Portico Prime.

I was invited back by Portico Prime this time round for Sake Pairing Dinner on 16 Dec 2016.  Portico Prime has won my heart since the last visit where glorious food was well matched with different types of wine from champagne, white to red wines.

So this time round, I had set a higher standard than before.  Will the food taste as awesome as the last round? Will it be even better?  How will the sake be matched with the food?  Will it be perfect matches for each dish?  Sakes are hardly used to pair with western food.  Will Portico Prime be able to achieve a breakthrough?

Read my blog post to find out my verdict on the sake pairing dinner specially organised by Portico Prime and Wakka Singapore.

As it was nearing Christmas, a beautiful Christmas tree greeted me near to the reception counter.

Something notable to mention is that Portico Prime was one of Singapore's Top Restaurants 2016 by WINE & DINE.

I supposed food quality will be guaranteed since it has won this award.

I went around to check out Portico's setting since I reached there much earlier and it was still bright and sunny.  It was a great opportunity to take a look at the alfresco seating.

I am super in love with the alfresco seating area as it makes great #ootd background, amidst the colonial house structure.

I had actually took a fair bit of photos of the interior and featured in my earlier blog post on Portico Prime so this time round, I will just show a photo of many people's favourite spot... the island bar counter.

That's where you can order a few drinks and food and sit around to enjoy people watching or just chill out there.

I am not an alcoholic but my eyes brightened up when I saw the different types of sakes which will be paired with the food.

We were given a warm welcome and introduction regarding the sakes before food was served.

My stomach was growling... couldn't wait for the food and sake to be served.

Sake Pairing Dinner on 16 Dec 2016, 7pm

The first sake to make its appearance was Kitano Roman (Hokkaido).  It is known to be a very dry sake.  Nevertheless, there is a slight fruity and mani taste of rice.  It is best to drink when it is hot.

Momotare Tomato was the first dish to be served and it consisted of oba leaves, slice damon ham, mix mesclun salad, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic foam.

This combination was refreshing to the taste, with a nice crunch provided by the fresh vegetables, with a tinge of sweetness and saltiness by the ham, well balanced by the sourness from the balsamic foam.

Yes, the dinner was off to a good start!

Next up was Kitano-Nishiki (Hokkaido). It received gold award at Sake competition held in Japan.  It has a fruity and mild rice taste.  It is best paired with any kind of Japanese Washoku cuisine especially with vegetable.

A lot of people know that I am a huge fan of foie gras.  So when this dish named simply as Pan-seared Foie Gras, consisting of caramelised banana, inure, roasted chicken yuzu jus, my heart melted.  It was love at first sight.

A bite of banana with a bit of foie gras on top of the crunchy base sealed the deal.  Never could I imagine foie gras can be matched with bananas.  I wished I could ask for a second serving!

The third dish was matched with Maruta (Hokkaido).  It is a dry sake containing polished rice as Junmai Daijin-jo (50%).  It is best match for meat dishes such as Yakiniku and Wagyu.

The Portobello Mushroom dish deserved special mention as everyone at the table all agreed that this was the best dish served so far.

It also consisted of parmesan espuma, cauliflower floret, lemon vinaigrette as well.

If you look at the ingredient used in this dish, they were pretty down to earth vegetable and mushroom but yet the chef was able to combine these two ingredients together to create something that tasted so amazing.  I believed that the chef gave a lot of thoughts in coming up with this dish by creating different texture to it.

Next dish was paired with Shodai Taizo Shochu (Hokkaido).  It is made from Shochu rice.  It has a flavourful taste and a sweet scent just like Ginjo Sake.  It is also popular with local people who likes strong shochu and local sake.

Everyone was waiting for this dish as it is Kagoshima Wagyu Beef A4 Grade with blistered US asparagus, natural beef jus and smoked strawberry puree!

The beef simply melted in my mouth with every bite... no kidding! To be frank, I am someone who doesn't really take beef cos of that 'cow' smell and taste.  But trust me, this beef is a class of its own... no such smell and taste.  It was so easy to go down and well paired with the sake.

Just look at my happy smile!  I hope I don't look drunk in this photo after a few glasses of sake... lol.

Final dish of that day was of course Cotton Cheese Cake with fresh mix berries, home made watermelon sorbet and oat crumbs.  What a better way to end on a sweet note, yet light and fluffy too.

The cake was not 'jelat', meaning it wasn't heavy unlike the New York Cheese cake style.  It went well with the icy sweet sorbet, while the oat crumbs provided a certain light crunch to it.

What better drink to go with dessert than Jyunbai Shu (Okayama) Umeshu?  So I had a full glass of it to make my night even sweeter.  

It contains no artificial additives and it is made pure from one of the best fruit match of Umeshu, Ousyuku bai.  Emcee is usually made from Shochu but this is made from Sake.  It is made from very famous rice known as Akaiwa Omachi Rice.

All the ladies invited had so much fun that night chit-chating and savouring the dishes together with the sakes available from Hokkaido.

This Sake Pairing Dinner was one of the events organised by Portico Prime.  Instead of waiting for the next event, I strongly encourage everyone to just book a table and try out their regular menu for lunch and dinner.

The quality of the food combined with the nice ambience is so perfect for celebration of special occasions, business meetings over food and of course, just for chill out to have a nice lunch or dinner.

My verdict for this dinner is that the food tasted as awesome as the last round, super impressive indeed.  Sakes were perfect matches to the food as they heightened the flavours without over shadowing the taste of the food.  Portico Prime really deserves to be one of Singapore's Top Restaurants!

Portico Prime is located in the heart of Dempsey Hill, 10 Dempsey Road, #01-20.

Opening Hours:

Monday - Sunday(Mon -Bring Your Own Wine)
Lunch:

11:30am – 3:00pmLast Food Order at 2:30pm

Dinner:

Weekdays 6pm to 10:30pm (Last food order 10pm)Weekends 6pm to 11:30pm (Last food order 10:30pm)Open for drinks at 5pm

Do call in advance to make reservations though as it is getting very popular and I heard that walk-in customers sometimes do get rejected due to the restaurant being fully packed.

If you do not want to be disappointed, call +65 6474 6427 to make your reservations.

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Food Tasting Review at Perbacco Restaurant on 29 Feb 2016

Many Italian restaurants do not make their sauces and pasta from scratch nowadays due to the increasing cost of food ingredient as well as the number of manhours required.

I am glad that PerBacco restaurant, located at 20 Craig Road, #01-03 Craig Place, makes its pasta and sauces from scratch, the true italian style, according to the restaurant owner.

PerBacco's decor has a very simple rustic feel, with its high ceiling, brownish touches and warm lighting, giving it a cozy inviting feel.

A lovely drink bar greeted me when i walked into the restaurant.  There were many different types of Italian wines, prosecco, alcohol, aperitifs etc on the display hence diners have many choices when it comes to drinks.  The bar also serves non-alcoholic drinks, if you do not touch alcohol.

I would strongly recommend a glass of Prosecco with some antipasti before the start of your dinner to chill and relax.  This is a great place to catch up with friends as the atmosphere was relaxed and serene.

I tried a total of three antipasti that evening and this was my favourite... Strudel di Verdure e Fonduta di Formaggio (Grilled Vegetables & Mozzarella Strudel with Cheese Fondue) which cost S$18.  I am a big cheese lover and the soft eggplants and vegetable against the crispy baked pastry provided an excellent contrast to the texture of this dish.

Frittelle Soffici e Involtini al Prosciutto e Scamorza or better known as Smoked Scamorza Cheese Wrapped with Italian ham and soft Fritters was also pretty interesting.  It is best to cut a bit of the Italian ham cheese wrapped together with a bit of the soft fritter and eat them together.  This dish costs S$18. 

Another antipasti which I tried was Crocchette al Granchio ($12) which is Crab Meat Crocchette with Spicy Tuna Sauce.  I was pleasantly surprised that crab and tuna could go well together.  The crocchette was breaded and deep fried yet they didn't taste oily.

After three antipasti, it was time to proceed with pasta tasting.

This has got to be my favourite of the two pasta which were served.  Linguine alla Carbonara di Astice(Linguine with Lobster and Egg Yolk Cream Sauce) which costs $28.  The restaurant owner mentioned that real authentic carbonara sauce is made of eye yolk , instead of those sauce made from cream which you find in other restaurants.  The Boston lobster tasted so fresh that you would still have that lingering seafood taste in your mouth long after you chewed on it.  The lobster flesh was crunchy and sweet, creating a good contrast to the linguine done in close to 'al dente' style.  Al Dente is Italian for 'to the teeth' and it refers to pasta that is cooked just long enough that it is neither crunchy nor too soft, and its texture appeals to the teeth.  The restaurant owner mentioned that locals are not quite used to true Italian 'al dente' style and some customers thought that the pasta wasn't cooked and requested for the kitchen to cook it longer.  However, 'Al Dente' is the best way to cook pasta, giving it the best texture, in my own opinion.

A glass of white Italian wine to go with the food anytime!

Another pasta which I tasted was Gnocchi di Patata con Coda di Manzo Brasata e Tartufo (Potato Gnocchi with Braised Oxtail and Truffle Essence) which is priced at S$28.  Gnocchi are thick, soft dough dumplings that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, egg, cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients.  

This dish was pretty interesting as the gnocchi soaked up the oxtail sauce to give it some flavour.  It is pretty similar to Korean spicy fried rice cakes just that this is not spicy at all.

 

Here come the main courses.  First up was Dentice al Forno con Sugo di Pomodorini e Burrata(Oven Baked Red Snapper Fillet, Cherry Tomato Sauce and Fresh Burrata) which costs S$32.  I was surprised that burrata cheese was paired with fish as normally burrito cheese usually appears as an antipasti together with ham. 

The fish was tender and succulent even though it was pan fried.  The cheery tomato sauce gave it a sweet and sour flavour and that worked well with the burrata cheese so that it does not taste overly overwhelming.

Guanciale di Vitello Brasato al Vino Rosso(Braised Veal Cheek in red wine with Cannellini Beans) was next in the menu.  This was priced at S$34.  The veal cheek was so soft that the meat just tore off when you sunk the fork into the meat.

After the main course, the desserts were served.  By then, I was extremely full but I couldn't resist but try this dessert, cheesecake alla Ricotta e Pesche Sciroppate(Ricotta Cheese Tart with Peach Compote) S$14.

The peach compote was made from scratch and it wasn't overly sweet like those readily available in cans.  It proved to be a great add-on to the cheesecake, with a good balance of creamy cheese and sweetness.

 

The last dessert of the day was Pannacotta alle Nocciole Caramellate(Caramelized Hazelnuts Pannacotta) priced at S$12.  The smoothness of the pannacotta against the crunchness of the hazelnuts was a perfect match in heaven.  

Want to try the above Italian cuisine and much more?  Visit PerBacco restaurant, which is within walking distance from Tanjong Pagar MRT station.  For more details on the menu which the restaurant offers, check out the website at www.perbacco.sg.  Make your reservations today!

Love,
Elaine Heng

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