KHA ....... Thai Cuisine with a modern twist

KHA IS NOW LOCATED AT 38 MARTIN ROAD

KHA is a contemporary Thai restaurant serving classic Thai cuisine with a modern twist. The restaurant is nicely nestled inside the relaxing greens of the HortPark, providing the opportunity for viewing the sun set over the greens while sipping their interesting list of drinks to suit your taste. One can choose to dine or drink on dining benches outside with the greens or within the comforts of air conditioning.

Basilistic, Dragon Eye

Basilistic and Dragon Eye are just the 2 catchy names that KHA had for 2 of their mocktails that we ordered. Basilistic (light brown), as the name suggest, has a blast of basil flavor, consisting of mango juice, thai basil leaves, fresh raspberry, lime, splash of sprite. Dragon Eye, for whatever reason it's called that, didn't ring a bell to me. It consist of lychee, fresh mint leaves, lychee juice and fresh lime juice. Both are very refreshing drinks.

Rice Crackers with red curry dip

We were served a complimentary appetizer of rice crackers with a red curry dip, flavored with a tint of lemongrass and mixed with some minced chicken.

Kab Klum Ruam

3 Signature KHA appetizers

crab cake, bbq pork tortillas, home made thai spring rolls

This sampler platter of KHA's signature appetizers was tastefully done but was really small portions. However, we were glad that it's not a big portion as all of us were more incline at taking like nibbles to try them out. the crab cakes and the tortilla wrap were great but I didn't like it that the spring rolls were soaking wet with the chilli based sauce.

Tom Yum Goong

Hot and Sour King Prawn Broth with Lemongrass

This is the typical Thai soup, the Tom Yum Goong that I had to order. It was spicy enough, sour enough and the prawn was sweet and tender enough that made it enjoyable enough for me.

Kra Poh Pla Nam Daeng

Fish maw soup with crab, prawn and quail egg served with black vinegar

HY's fish maw soup was full of seafood punch. Taste very gentle to the tongue as oppose to the fiery of my Tom Yum Goong.

BBQ Ruam

Platter of BBQ beef strip loin, sticky chicken, grilled sea bass and grilled tiger prawns for 2 to 4.

Everyone agreed to ordering this dish. All the meat and seafood were grilled alright except for the chicken. I thought it was too dry. The 3 different spicy thai dips did all the magic t the taste else the meat just had that simple lightly salted taste.

We all thought that the grill beef strip loin was a great job done. A little crusty on the outside and still juicy on the inside.

Phad Thai

Stir Fried Rice Noodles with grilled prawn

tofu, banana blossom salad, grilled whole pepper

The phad thai here tasted quite good but wasn't quite right for me. I think the better phad thai I had in mind must be the street stall kind that is fried that special "wok" aura.

Khanom Sam Yang

trio of dessert; black sticky rice and date pudding, red rubies, baked pumpkin custard, coconut ice cream

Out of the three I prefer the baked pumpkin custard and the date pudding to the red ruby. I probably had too much of red rubies in hawker centres dessert stalls already. The baked pumpkin custard was soft, sweet and just plain simple. Just how I like my pumpkin eaten. the sticky date pudding wasn't as dense as others I've eaten before but I thought it was nice.

I have no complains about the prompt service at KHA. Maybe, the ratio of service staff to customers was quite balanced. KHA serves presentable Thai food that taste good but I thought just not quite marvelous. What would bring me back here must be the closeness to greens and their interesting mocktails.

33 Hyderabad Road

HortPark

Tel : 65 6476 9000

Singapore

KHA Website

Grilled Whole Red Tilapia and Striped Bass

RED TILAPIA

this is a beautiful fish. once again i have found another reason to drive all the way to my favorite Chinese market, 99 Ranch. the fish selection is so outstanding, always fresh, whole, live and/or filleted..and when you buy it whole they will clean it for you while you wait. i never even knew there was a RED Tilapia. grilled whole and stuffed with lemon, tarragon and garlic i found this unbelievably meaty, moist and so clean..beautiful white flesh. alas, i have no photo of the finished product because i am new to grilling whole fish and sorry to say this one didn't turn out so pretty in the looks department, but the flavors well made up for the loss in visual. next time i will be a little more generous with oiling the grill...woops...my bad...it's called GRILLING 101.

STRIPED BASS

i guess this is a typical grilling fish. as i googled around for ideas on whole fish, this is the one that most often came up. not sure why being that there are so many others to chose from. the bass was quite good and did hold up well to the grill. it's a little slimmer than the Tilapia and makes for a nice presentation. nothing really WOW about this fish...just a nice white fish that takes on flavors well. i stuffed this one with lemon, thyme and garlic.

don't be afraid of the whole fish...

NO, THEY DO NOT BITE.

the presentation can be excellent if your game. the bummer i find hard to deal with is the tiny little "no-see-um" bones. just when you think you've got the prefect bite...fish bone!... i know there is a skill to eating whole fish, but i have yet to conquer this seemingly difficult technique, although it won't keep me from trying. the flavor and moisture from cooking whole with all it's fatty omegas and those pesky bones really seems to make a difference.

Grilling Whole Fish

chose your fish wisely. trust your fish monger. i have found a few important things to look for when buying whole fish...
VISUAL...should look like it just flopped out of the water onto the ice.
the eyes should be clear not cloudy or marred.
the gills should be a nice fresh dark red and separate easily.
SMELL...if you question it at all, ask to inspect the fish and give it a good smell...if you smell ANYTHING don't buy it.
when you get your fish home inspect the inside and wash/cut out any bits that got left behind and dry it completely.
i found a great tutorial at ABOUT.com for the next few steps found here
follow these easy step by step instructions or at least read through it for some good info.
choose some good flavors for your stuffing. there are so many possibilities. some nice fresh herbs and a few lemon slices is always quick and simple. i chose to sew my fish closed with a needle and cooking string, but it's not necessary if you handle your fish with care.

in conclusion...
oiling the grill is most important
don't forget to salt and pepper the inside
AND slash the fattest part of the fish on the outside for even cooking
learning how to serve the whole fish is equally important.
here are a few helpful sites to check out.
How to eat a whole fish #1
How to eat a whole fish #2

Sekai Japanese Ramen

In the last few months, not one, but two new Japanese cafes have popped up in Footscray.  The first is Ebi Fine Foods in Essex St, way over Gordon St, whose fabulous pork belly I have fallen head-over-piggy tail in love with.  The second is Sekai Japanese Ramen, which has opened up on Hopkins St, nestled within Footscray Market.

I just can't resist pictures of food.  Ebi may have a snazzy digital photo frame in the window that scrolls through shots of its dishes, but Sekai made my heart flutter with its total sensory overload of pics!

Complimentary tea is forthcoming when you sit down.  I don't think it's run by Japanese people (the menu has some oddities like wonton noodle soup), but then again, neither is Ebi, and it doesn't detract from the deliciousness at that particular restaurant.

Yasai udon, $8

I so wanted to follow in the footsteps of the Ramen Hunters, but I couldn't go past the yasai udon.  For a long time, every time I went to the city I would eat this at one of the Japanese cafes along Swanston St.  Udon are thick wheat noodles, and in this particular soup they come topped with a variety of vegetables.  It is delicious and makes me feel virtuous, although I must say the MSG burn afterwards at many places is disappointing.  The soup here was good.  The noodles were a little overcooked and the broth could have done with more punch, but the toppings were really quite nice.

Gyoza, $5

These gyoza were great, though!  The filling was a spunky mix of pork, cabbage, and ginger, and their bottoms were so crispy and delightful.

The prices here just can't be beat - most things are $10 and under.  It's certainly not the best Japanese in Melbourne, but it's fun to have a different option when you're out doing your shopping.  I like that it opens out on to the market, and I hope that people that may not otherwise shop there enjoy the experience of it as they eat their lunch.

In other Footscray news, Thai Tho is closing down and a Korean BBQ joint opening in its place.  Excitement plus!!!  I'm bummed I never got to try Thai Tho, but it mustn't have been that mind-blowing then, right?



Sekai Japanese Ramen
Shop 194, 81 Hopkins St, Footscray (map)
Phone: 9687 1088
Hours: Tues-Sun 11am-8pm

Sunday afternoon's simple indulgence

Being a nice husband, I made it a point to send HY to the start point of the Shape Run this morning, wait for her at the finishing line and snapped some photos as she reached the finishing line. I don't know if it's my personal fetish or what but I liked watching the composure, the look of determination on HY's face every time she reaches the finishing line. Looking at all the lady power at play doing their utmost to finish their run, my feet itch to burn some rubber. After lunch, HY was headed for a girls meet-up. The afternoon is all for my mischiefs ......

Told you that my feet was itching ...... So I did a slow 10km at East Coast Parkway at 2pm, complete it at 3.06pm walked back home and then did a 1km slow swim in the pool. Feeling a little tired, I did a 30mins power nap.

At 4.40pm my stomach was feeling the effects of my early afternoon activities. I open my fridge to discover the source of my simple Sunday afternoon's indulgence.

Lemnos "The Australian Cheese"

Garlic and Chives Cream Cheese

Just bought this cream cheese this morning at NTUC Finest. I got the cheese spread into a few slices of bread accompanied by a glass of Vietnamese Coffee. The cream cheese was rich, milky and I liked the enhanced flavours added by the garlic and chives. This cream cheese and bread, although simple, was satisfying. Mmmmm.......

Paris Mai Coffee from Cafe Mai in Hanoi

What's more indulging then having a cup of fragrant civet cat coffee with my personal Bodum Assam glass. My well kept stash of civet cat coffee powder still maintain its fragrance even after more than 6 months. All I did was to keep the coffee powder air tight and refrigerated.

Even though it's just a lonely chill-out Sunday afternoon doing a little reading over simple cream cheese and coffee, it made me beam inside out. That's just the simple things that just made simple me happy.

Caveman Carrot Cake Cookies

CAVEMAN CARROT CAKE COOKIES

well, first i give many props to SOG-Son of Grok...a fellow blogger that i believe, came up with this interesting recipe for a healthy, satisfying cookie.
these really are PRIMAL and definitely something a caveman would and could munch on for a tasty treat. the recipe was so easy, healthy looking and actually so weird...no flour, no butter and no sugar...that it intrigued me enough to run to the market and buy the little stubby mini carrots, dive into the pantry for the rest of the ingredients and make them right away. i'm always looking for something healthy to balance out all the pork fat i've been consuming and this seemed to fit the bill.

these are kind of a "what you see is what you get" kind of a cookie. the main ingredients are carrots, almonds, and coconut...no guess work on the flavor profile there, but you'll be surprised how they actually DO taste like a carrot cake...well, the first bite does, then you find yourself munching mainly on almonds and semi raw carrots with a hint of coconut which isn't a bad thing at all...and...no after treat guilt that's for sure. nothin' but good for ya in these chunky little patties.

a little warning to the real cookie lovers out there...these are not like any real carrot cake cookie you might expect. think HEALTHY, think RAW, think AGAIN if you're looking for a delicious treat with cream cheese frosting.

CAVEMAN CARROT CAKE COOKIES

original recipe found here at SOG-Son of Grok

i just added a few more spices. next time i might play around with a little almond flour, a little more spice, more sweet and maybe grated carrots.

Ingredients:
2 cups mini carrots
2 cups raw almonds (might try roasted...)
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

1 1/2 Tsp splenda (could use more)
2 teaspoon Coconut Oil
- 3 eggs

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except eggs in food processor. Pulse until small but a little chunky. use your judgement. i wonder if the carrots should be shredded before going in the processor?
2. Combine mixture with eggs in a large mixing bowl.
3. Form into “patties”. this can be a little messy. just make them like you would a hamburger patty and flatten them. they, of course, WILL NOT RISE. place on a baking sheet. I made 14 with this batch.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until done. Mine took about 40 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Udders Ice Cream ....... Milking outlet in the East.

Fresh made ice cream seems to be the name of the game for ice cream parlours nowadays. We have a spoil for choice now that there's Island Creamery, Tom's Palette, Ice Cream Chefs ....etc. Since I've moved to the East, the frequencies of visiting ice cream parlours have increased. The reason, the several ice cream parlours in this part of Singapore that opened to post dinner hours.

Udders is one of the ice cream parlour that had made a name for themselves for their freshly made uniquely flavored ice cream. Now their outlets are sprouting. Recently, they have one in Siglap. I've checked out Udders website and liked it that they are showing what flavors are still in the R&D phase. We've heard about the Mao Shan Wang Ice Cream and decided to visit for a takeaway.

On a Wednesday night, at 9.30pm, we were surprised that we were greeted to a full house. The Siglap outlet have 2 storeys and there were no space for us. HY and I had to do the takeaway.

Snickers Mars Honeycomb Vanilla

I tried their classic snickers and mars flavour and was sure that its going to be my own classic flavour if I visit Udders again. I love Mars bar, Snickers bar and Vanilla ice cream as a child. Now I can have the 2 chocolate caramel bars and milky rich vanilla ice cream all in one. The Snicker and Mars bar were crushed up into crumbs and then mixed into Udder's fresh and rich vanilla ice cream. Sometimes, you'll have to bite through the tough nuts in the snicker crumbs. This is a sweet one for the sweet tooth.

My Snickers Mars Honeycomb Vanilla flavour in a cone.

Mao Shan Wang

Mao Shan Wang is definitely one of the most popular durian varietal of the decade and Udder's had to blend it into an ice cream. The results, several empty ice cream trays that needs frequent refills. Like the real Mao Shan Wang, the ice cream is very creamy and tasted very 'durian'. Udder's creation of the Mao Shan Wang is potent for a durian ice cream but I still like the punch out of the real thing, the Mao Shan Wang straight out of the thorny husk.

HY's Mao Shan Wang Durian in a cone.

* Photos taken with my iPhone 3GS

87 Upper East Coast Road

Singapore

Tel: 65 6448 8732

Opening Hours

Sun-Thu 12pm-11pm

Fri-Sat 12pm-12am

Udders Ice Cream Website

Duck Duck Soup

Duck Duck Soup...Stock, Broth and rendered Duck FAT...YUMMM !


what do you do when you bring home an absolutely beautiful whole roasted duck and no one is as excited as you are?...make soup. actually it's a 3 in one bonus. you'll end up with a flavorful soup, rich stock and the always sought after and ever so expensive rendered DUCK FAT.







the broth is fabulous and rich. i like to reduce about half of the pot and keep a bit in the freezer to use with quick sauteed veggies or add into a braising liquid for just about anything. the other half goes into the soup for the night.





i found my beautiful duck fully cooked at my favorite Asian market, 99 Ranch Market in Irvine, CA. i've been fascinated with duck for a while and never tried cooking a whole one myself. #1, they are pretty expensive in regular markets (about 25-30 bucks) and #2 i've heard they are kind of tricky to cook properly. the ratio of fat to meat is not even throughout the body so it seems one must control the cooking to get the perfect roast bird. when i saw this baby hanging in the deli section i was so excited, but immediately knew it would be pricey...not so. the whole cooked duck was only $14.00...i'll take 3 please. no, i just bought one, but you can bet i was back within the week getting another. i made Asian flavor Duck Rillettes with the second. i haven't posted about it yet, but oooh they were delicious.

so, since this duck was ALL MINE i took it apart piece by piece...totally enjoyed and devoured the wings, legs and thighs on their own and set aside the breasts for the soup or stew i knew i had to make with all this ducky goodness. the meat was a little seasoned and the skin was delicious and crispy. after wiping away the carnivorous debris, i was smart enough to keep all the bones and fatty skin from the parts i had eaten and, as you can see, i had the whole body/carcass...head to tail...with all it's flavorful fatty skin and bones. everybody into the pool. what i mean is everything goes in the pot except, of course, the breasts.

DUCK STOCK
adapted from Chichajo @ 80 Breakfasts
original recipe and great blog found HERE

The bones (the whole carcass including head) of 1 Peking Duck (or roasted, as shown)
2 carrots, peeled and cut in large pieces
2 onions, peeled and cut in quarters
2-3 stalks of lemongrass, white part only, bashed
1-2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into rounds
2 jalepeno peppers halved
2 star anise
A few sprigs of cilantro
A few stalks spring onions (I used about 3)
Whole black peppercorns approx. 10 - 15
1/4 cup soy sauce

- Place everything in a stockpot and cover with water. The water should reach about an inch over the duck.
- Bring to a boil and skim off any scum that appears. Reduce to a simmer and cover pot. Let the stock simmer gently for 2-3 hours.
- Uncover pot and simmer for about 30 minutes more to reduce stock. Taste and either adjust seasoning or reduce further to deepen flavor.
strain, but do not use cheese cloth. use a regular fine strainer if you are interested in rendering as much of the duck fat as possible
- Portion as you prefer and let cool. Use immediately or store in the fridge if you’ll be using it in a couple of days…if not, freeze for future enjoyment

don't forget to render the duck fat. i like to pour the stock into 1 qt. containers and let it come to room temp. to let the fat rise to the top. then into the fridge for the fat to solidify. render the fat off each container and put into separate container...microwave the fat slightly back to liquid state and pour into an appropriate size container for storage. this will keep in the fridge like butter or you can freeze it for future use.

Topography

My friend, Brandon, recently told me that when we are born we have smooth brains. As we get older, acquire knowledge, information and experiences, our brains become wrinkly. I guess as we get older everything gets wrinkly and crevice-y. Not unlike rivers, valleys, and land in general. The Grand Canyon is a very good example of this. Here we have nearly two billion years of the Earth's geological history exposed as a result of the Colorado River and its tributaries cutting their channels through layer after layer of rock.

A week or so ago I was riding out to Malibu with Ryan.  As we were zipping along the PCH, listening to Metallica very, very loudly (is there any other way?), I was suddenly overwhelmed with a flood of visceral memories. As we drove along we passed The Reel Inn where I took my Dad for a dinner while it was so misty and foggy we couldn’t even see the water from our table. It was beautiful. Or Topanga Canyon where I spent most Sunday brunches when I lived out here for a Summer while I was in college. I remember those days being with Emma and Sam. Or that house where I was sent to photograph a brother and sister portrait for their parents. Turns out Heather and Danielle actually pranked me for a Girls Behaving Badly episode. Or that wonky motel on the left where I ended up at 1am with a friend and a backpack filled with wine. We watched episodes of I love Lucy on the little TV and ran around the property like wild animals.

Remembering and feeling all of this again made me happy, sad, longing, empty and completely full. And a little bit old.

I think sometimes about the places we live. The walls we live within. What has happened here? If these walls could talk sort of thing. I wonder about who has loved here, lost here, died here. What sort of wild parties, famous and infamous people have been here? What babies, songs or paintings have been born here?

When I was younger (young enough to still be living in Richmond, Va.), my dad and I were driving down the street and stopped at a light in front of a random, lonely little house in The Fan. He looked at it wistfully and told me about an awesome party, a wild night, he had spent in that house in his twenties. Wow. This little old house? I’ve never even noticed it. And yet every time he drives by it he is taken back to some specific night in his past. How many other people in the world have attachments to that old house for whatever reason? And now I have an attachment, albeit vicariously, to that house.

Much like brains filled with information, causing their physicality to change or actual land changed over time, water, and air - buildings, streets, and places also have a tactile memory for us. They, too, are topographic. All of the traffic over time in all these places makes them their own kind of wrinkly. It somehow reminds me of the Family Circus cartoons. You know, the maps with trajectory using dotted lines?

Obviously food has a special place in our hearts and minds. Restaurants, kitchens, dining rooms, dishes, flavors, smells and textures. The dish I’m sharing with you here is another one of the first ones my dad taught me how to cook. It can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. 

Sort of like that drive out to Malibu, I don’t have this dish very often. As a result, each time I do I am taken right back to my kitchen on Grove Avenue and I can hear my dad explaining how to prepare it while sharing with me the stories of the times he had made and the guests who partook.

This version has been wildly modified from the original. My dad doesn't even remember how he prepared it initially. The relish he made was Asian-like and incorporated very different produce than I have used here. So, while, over time and use, this dish has changed - become wrinkly, even - its taste and the memory it elicits remains steadfast.

Grilled Salmon with Market Relish over Jasmine Rice

Serves 2

2 ½ lb. salmon filets

3 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

dash of fish sauce

1/2 lemon

½ cup chopped shallots

1 large clove of garlic, chopped

½ heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved (different colors, if possible)

1/4 cup chopped Hungarian Frying peppers

1/4 cup tomatillos, quartered

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded & chopped

2 tbsp fresh basil

1 cup Jasmine rice

2 cups water

salt & pepper to taste

For rice:

Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water is clear, then drain in a sieve. Combine with water and salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

For salmon:

Brush salmon with oil and lemon and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Grill salmon on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until just cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side.

For relish:

Heat oil in sauce pan, add shallots and peppers. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until somewhat soft. Add garlic, cucumber, wine and fish sauce. Cook down for another 5 or so minutes. Add tomatillos, tomatoes and basil. Salt and pepper to taste.

See photos for assembly and serve with a smooth Sancerre or a dry rosé.

Zucchini Salad with Feta Recipe

Everyone I know is looking for a good recipe that uses zucchini. Enormous zucchini appear from behind large green leaves surprising even the most vigilant gardeners. It seems there is always too much of it. No one complains about too many peaches or too many tomatoes. Too much zucchini? It's likely to be left on a neighbors doorstep as a "present."

This salad is one of my favorite ways to cook and eat zucchini. It's based on a salad in Claudia Roden's The Book of Middle Eastern Food, a book I turn to again and again. I like it seasoned with toasted cumin instead of coriander and caraway and a little bit of scallion to add texture and oniony flavor. It's called a salad but it's soft, like a dip. The sweetness of the zucchini is balanced by the saltiness of the feta, the sourness of the lemon. If you want to make even the blandest vegetable taste good, I recommend dousing it in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and topping it with feta!

For a light Summer meal I'd serve this salad well chilled along with bread and other assorted vegetable side dishes like this Middle Eastern carrot salad, tomato salad, marinated mushrooms or with hummus and pita or grilled kebabs. It's a healthy dish to keep in the fridge for a little snack though you may find you polish if off pretty quickly.

Zucchini Salad with FetaServes 2-4

Ingredients

1 lb zucchini
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili paste or harissa
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced and mashed
1/2 teaspoon toasted ground cumin
2 scallions, white and pale green parts only, minced
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
Salt

Instructions

Cut zucchini into about 5 pieces and place in a large saucepan; cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook about 15 minutes or until zucchini is very tender. Drain in a colander, while zucchini is still in colander, coarsely mash zucchini with a fork; pressing out the liquid but not the pulp.

Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, chili paste, garlic and cumin in a serving bowl. Add zucchini and minced green onion and mix. Taste for seasoning and salt, but don't use too much if your feta is salty. Top with feta. Chill before serving with pita or bread.

Enjoy!

Guest Post - African Taste

I am here in the house where my husband was born.  Slightly weatherbeaten but proud homes line the street, which is utterly quiet, the silence broken only by a passing car.  Later on, evening will fall.  The cicadas will begin their deafening roar, and the smell of burgers on the grill will begin to drift enticingly through the neigbourhood.  Out on the porch, "bloody" in hand (Bloody Mary) - it is so peaceful here in the American Midwest.

As I will be here for a while, I put out the call recently for submissions to Footscray Food Blog, so that we could keep celebrating and sharing the food of our wonderful suburb and surrounds.  Eileen and Phil have very kindly and eloquently responded, with a review of one of their faves, African Taste in Seddon.  Thank you so much, and enjoy!

There’s a warm, humbling ambience when you walk into African Taste. The décor is basic but the friendly welcome from the café-bar owners – a big smile and recognition that we’ve eaten there on other occasions – is more like a homecoming.

African restaurants, predominantly Ethiopian, are dotted all over Footscray and they offer traditional cultural cuisine. African Taste is a great addition to the area. The food here is inspired by Chef Ben’s country of origin Ethiopia, but with a hint of difference - all dishes are a modern take on the traditional cuisine. For instance gnocchi, a well known Italian staple, is made here the African way using barley. The gnocchi are then pan fried and tossed through a creamy sauce, rich yet light, topped with natural yoghurt. You can have them just as described or with diced lamb, fish (Chef Ben’s favourite), or by request with ricotta and spinach - yum.

The African Enchilada is a revelation. A wicker covered ramekin holds tender pieces of chicken and torn pieces of flat bread, oven baked in a creamy, cheesy sauce. The flat bread soaks up the flavours of the dish and is a wonderful addition. This dish is a surprise and utter delight.

We accompany our two mains with an African Taste salad – a simple lettuce mix with tomato, cucumber and pieces of toasted pita bread tossed in a tangy lemon, oil and sumac dressing - simply delightful. The Harar Beer we order is perfectly refreshing and goes well with our meal. Wine is also available by the glass and bottle.

For dessert, we sample the baklava. It’s a delicately sweet ensemble of nuts, filo pastry and syrup - sublime. We devour this with coffee, served hot and strong to our liking. Ethiopians are well known for having pride in their coffee and this cup doesn’t let us down.

While in traditional Ethiopian culture it is custom to leave some food on your plate after finishing your meal, Ben prefers to see empty plates at African Taste. The food is so delicious here that we never have any problem clearing our plates, much to Ben’s appreciation.

Everything on the menu at African Taste, from the homemade chilli sauces to the luscious desserts, is delicately crafted by Ben, a professionally trained chef. It is clear from chatting with him and his wife Sunny that their café-bar is not just a business venture but a way of sharing a passion for good food, and it seems to come naturally to them.

Ben is often chatting to customers and you can see his passion for food in his broad smile and expressive hand gestures. It’s a pleasure to be able to chat with the chef, usually hidden in the kitchen, and to sample Ben’s lovingly made, wonderful culinary creations. A meal at African Taste is a memorable experience with beautifully cooked food and friendly service.

Thank you both so much!  I have not tried African Taste but am so excited to do so soon.  I do love all the traditional Ethiopian fare available in Footscray, but it is also exciting to find riffs on traditional themes.  When accompanied by delightful service, so much the better!

If you too would like to consider submitting a review, with or without photos, or even a recipe using an interesting, locally obtainable ingredient, I would be so appreciative.

I would like to leave you with a wonderful quote that Eileen and Phil had at the bottom of their email. 

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

What lovely words to reflect on.

African Taste

124 Victoria St, Seddon (map)
Phone: 9687 0560
Hours: Daily 10am-9pm, Friday/Saturday til 10pm

Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice ......... a melting pot of taste in a single plate

It was the recent World Cup that brought us to Jalan Besar. Not to watch World Cup in one of the coffee shops but to accompany a few of my friends to get one of those budget antenna for the free to air soccer feed. Even though the antennas didn't really work as expected, we did manage to eat at Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice that set up business in the neighborhood.

This popular curry rice stall resides in a corner shophouse at the junction of Jalan Besar and Kitchener Road. Business is brisk such that they have bought over the adjoining shophouse for more table space. This business serves customers from all throngs of life. Construction workers or office executives alike all sit among the same tables and chairs.

If you are not local, one look at the curry rice may already set of the "No-No" alarm. Just look at my plate of curry rice. You don't get to see any grain of rice as they were all covered under generous amounts of curry and braise sauce. The result, a plate of 'unsightly' mess of food that nobody could tell what's in there. On my plate was the typical bread crumb coated Hainanese pork chop, the traditional braised pork chop and some very soft cabbage. The mix of curry and dark braised sauce taste surprisingly great.

Traditional braised Hainanese pork chop

This ghastly looking piece of pork chop looked like a very charred piece of BBQ. Fear not! It's just braised uniformly. The taste of this visually 'unappetizing' piece of meat was totally up my alley. The look was totally deceiving.

*Photos taken with my iPhone 3GS

While I was still schooling, I would have this meal at least once a week when my mum did take-aways for dinner when she's too tired to cook after a full day of work. I love it that it's all mixed up, creating a melting pot of taste that's agreeable with me. Obviously I'm not the only one that appreciates eating a plate of gruel like mess. It's quite popular with the lunch crowd as you just take it all in with fast food style.

229 Jalan Besar

(At the junction of Jalan Besar and Kitchener Road)

Singapore

Flor Pâtisserie by Chef Yamashita

For Chef Yamashita cake fans who have followed him from Patisserie Glacé, you should have known by now that Chef has set up his own pâtisserie at Duxton Hill and present to you, Flor Pâtisserie. For fans of French inspired Japanese pastry, cakes and tarts, Flor Pâtisserie is a place that you need to visit.

I have to admit that I didn't visit Flor Pâtisserie on purpose. We ended up in Flor Patisserie when K-ki didn't have a cake that we can take away. We were told that the cakes available in K-ki have to be eaten in 45mins ???? In the cosy little pâtisserie, were a few small tables which were not enough for a crowd. I noticed K-ki's well wishing card pasted onto the board on one of the walls.

Apart from the cakes below, I tried the Cocoa Banaan, Mango Pie and Crepe Suzette. I'm not a cake person so I decided to describe only the ones I like and the one I don't like. I don't know how to describe the in betweens that weren't impressionable to me.

Fromage Blanc

Special Blue Berry Sauce encased in smooth rarecheese, set in citrus and almond tart base.

A cheese cake lover ought to love this creation. The almost cylindrical cheese cake was very soft but still manage to stay erect on top of the tart base and sandwiching the blue berry sauce along the way. I haven't eaten something like this before and the taste intrigues and attracts. I thought the salty, sour-rish taste of the cheese blends well with the sweet blueberry sauce. The tart base was all good for me. Wet damp interior with a gradation towards a crusty exterior. I love this creation from Chef Yamashita.

Napolean

Another creation that I like from Flor is the Napolean. My iphone's camera certainly didn't justify the beauty of the Napolean. The Napolean had fresh strawberries, chantilly cream, soft sponge cake all sandwiched between 2 layers of pastry puffs. The only problem I had is eating this beauty gracefully. I tried forking it from the pastry top, which crumbles, and ended up smashing the layers up as the other layer of ingredients were soft. In the end I thought a spoon is more useful to me. I do like the taste of a good chantilly cream with fresh fruit like strawberry and this one really hits me on the spot.

Green Tea Opera

I fork at the G.T. Opera and still maintained my stand since the last time I ate Sun Moulin's Green tea cake that green tea is meant to be drunk. Green Tea Cake is one thing that I still haven't overcome. I didn't like azuki but I've overcome it from passage of time. Raw fish became one of my favorite but green tea cake seems insurmountable. I think I'm better off drinking my OSK green tea for my anti-oxidant fix. Green tea cake lovers you definitely need a second opinion here or look at the picture and go venture yourself.

2 Duxton Hill #01-01

Singapore

Tel : 65 6223 8628

Flor Pâtisserie Website

International Incident Party - Tacos

I had high hopes for this month's IIP (a worldwide blogger event hosted by penny aka jeroxie of Addictive & Consuming, another local Melbourne food blog).  The theme is tacos, and I pulled out my Diana Kennedy Mexican cookbook and planned to make carnitas, crispy shredded pork, by poaching the meat until it was very tender and all the water evaporated, and then shredding it and frying it in its own fat.  Given that as you read this, I will be in my own personal hell - about to undertake 3 separate flights, by myself, with my 3 kids under the age of 5 - I think cooking anything other than grilled cheese sandwiches this week was somewhat ambitious.

Droll wit that I am, I had intended to start my post with my most embarrassing foodie confession, my beloved taco kit, before saying, "Just joking, here is my brilliant recipe."  But the more I think about it, Penny's International Incident Parties have, for me, been about sharing the things my family loves with the world, and potentially inspiring other busy people, parents or otherwise, that interesting, multicultural food is not hard to make.  This post will at least tick the first box!

The fact of the matter is, much as it is a total bastardisation of proper Mexican food, the taco kit has a very special place in my heart.  When I am feeling fragile, the happy red and yellow box is like a security blanket.  It reminds me of my childhood.  My parents divorced when I was about 12 and we subsequently spent every Sunday with my Dad.  He would often make tacos from an Old El Paso kit.  The table would be covered in white bowls with a myriad of colourful fillings - the meat, with its violently-coloured orange oil coalescing around the edges; crisp shredded iceberg lettuce; yellow grated cheese; bright red diced tomato.  As a young child, it was the perfect meal because you could fill each taco as you chose, and in the bunfight that ensued after the hot shells were placed on the table, no one noticed if you ate any vegetables.

When I am feeling frazzled, there is something comforting about pulling out this "magic box" that has everything you need inside (taco shells, seasoning, and salsa) plus a handy list on the front directing you to purchase 500g of meat, cheese, and lettuce.  Sometimes we crave that for life.  When faced with a difficult decision, it is wonderful to have friends and family to talk it through, but sometimes I want to cry, "Someone, just tell me what to do!"  Some friends of mine are very religious people who live their entire life to the letter of their religion, striving to emulate their prophet right down to the way he cut his nails.  My free spirit rails against this.  It seems such a waste of human ingenuity, but at the same time, I do see the appeal.  Follow these steps, and everything will be perfect.  The taco kit is my secular response to that same fragile human need.

Thanks for indulging me!  I am so excited for my upcoming trip to the USA and all the fabulous Mexican and other Hispanic food.  Even right out in suburbia where I will be, there are fantastic, authentic taquerias and I am going to totally overindulge in tacos el pastor the day I land.  I look forward to having all the ingredients at hand to try out all your fabulous taco recipes!

Sin Huat Eating House ...... Exorbitant Chi Char or Misunderstood restauranteur?

We've heard the notoriety of the "over-charging chi char" in Sin Huat Eating House and yet, Anthony Bourdain named Sin Huat as one of his best restaurant in the world, side by side with some tip top Michelin star restaurants. How would that be possible?

It was Jane's birthday and we decided to brave it out at Sin Huat. All participants were warned of the stakes involved and brought enough cash plus plenty of patience. When we were there, Ade test the water with the lady boss (Danny's wife) and found out that they accept credit card, in a coffe shop. Woah ..... a sign that it's not gonna be a cheap. The meal turned out not cheap but definitely GOOD. Patience was definitely needed as we polished 7 dishes in all 3.5 hours. Fortunately, a good company of friends made the long dinner easy to get by.

Sin Huat Eating House is a simple coffee shop styled restaurant disguised very well as a chi char stall. Maybe that's why people who didn't know better felt that they got cheated. Sin Huat's specialties are live seafood.

Danny, Sin Huat's boss and chef, came out in white sauce stained T-shirt and shorts to take our orders. We converse in a spatter of Mandarin and Hokkien and ask jokingly if his fish was as expensive as the S$1200 fish charged at RWS. Danny told us sincerely that he don't sell that kind of fish. His top of the line grouper, if it's available, is "only" about S$230/kg and went on to joke that his fish in the tank goes much faster than the same species in Li Bai. Not a bad guy, actually quite friendly if you are able to connect at his/our level. After eating the food in Sin Huat, I actually felt that the scales for Danny tips more towards the notion of a misunderstood restauranteur than an overcharging chi char owner.

First, all his seafood are fresh, every one of them that we had. So it's OK to pay for quality? Secondly, his cooking was good. Let me put it this way. I would spend a hundred bucks on an omakase meal that the Japanese chef dish out of his whims and fancies. Why wouldn't I spend a hundred bucks on good quality seafood, cooked Chinese style, in a lively, peculiar district with a unique character? Of course not everyone would agree with me, or rather, most wouldn't.

Any way, here's all of what we had for 6 people that amounted to a total bill of S$595. Almost a s$100 per person for a stomach bloating gastronomy experience.

Honey glazed pork, pork rib and pork belly

This was our first dish. I actually thought that we were starting to get creamed off. However, the roasts that were dished out were great stuff. The char siew had good mix of fats and lean meat, coupled with a good touch of honey glazing. The roast pork belly had the skin crispy and meat savory. I thought this dish was a nice touch for a seafood place to diversify from its all seafood menu. Sorry there weren't any menu here.

See that well prepared honey glazed BBQ pork

Gong Gong, Sea Snails

Normally, I wouldn't touch "the gong gong or the la la", sea snails species. However, when Danny recommended his dishes, he mentioned the gong gong 3 times and said that if we don't eat it here, we wouldn't eat it in another place. It was really that good.

As I dug the meat out of the shell and shove it into my mouth, I never realised that such ugly looking form can taste so nice, like very tender squid.

The superb dip sauce with myriads of spring onions, chilli padi and garlic enhanced the flavor of the gong gong.

Essence of Chicken Frog's Leg

I recalled that episode of No Reservations when Anthony Bourdain told KF Seetoh that he wouldn't touch frog's leg. Anthony, being professional to his show, took some of these, he continued, and he didn't stop, didn't even complain and seemed to forget that he was hosting the show. He allowed Seetoh to talk on and on in that episode while he enjoyed the food. And here I am facing the same dish ......

The auntie, one of the not so friendly service staff, poured the essence of chicken onto the frog's leg.

My bowl of frog's leg in the form of a mangled mess dunk in that tasty essence of chicken which was heavily 'garlic-cised'.

Kai Lan

At half time, we were served the most welcome plate of kai lan that looked oily but tasted real good after the all meat first half.

Steamed Garlic Prawn

As I was typing now, I can still taste the garlic in my mouth. This steamed garlic prawn are slayer prawns after being half buried in that heap of garlic. The sauce from the steaming tasted like concentrated prawn mee soup but with a heavy flavor of prawn roe. This could be the reason why Danny place the prawns upside down, to get the prawn roe (that as lined from the head section down the spine of the prawn) infused into the sauce. Every single big prawn have roe in them. That's just the kind of quality stuff that Danny dished out.

My plate of 'garlic-ky' prawn.

Steamed Squid

I didn't find this steamed squid special except for the fact that it's fresh and tender.

Crab Bee Hoon

Danny's Crab Bee Hoon is an award winning dish that most would order and we were not the exception. I don't know how the crab was cooked but it seemed that the essence of the crab got cleverly infused onto the bee hoon.

I grabbed at the pincer that was fleshy and easy to eat but that didn't seemed to be the sweetest part of the crab. I preferred the been hoon that comes with the dish more than the crab themselves. More bee hoon please!

Chef Yamashita's creations of Flor Patisserie appeared in Sin Huat Eating House

To end the dinner we brought Chef Yamashita's creation for a birthday song. Danny's son was intrigued by our singing and we gave him a portion of the Banana cake. Happy Birthday Jane!

We left the place feeling satisfied and didn't felt sore about the prices as we came prepared. Although, I wouldn't dare to recommend this place outrightly, I secretly thought that I will come back once I've saved enough money for that impulsive splurge.

Everyone thought that Danny was heavy on garlic. Most of the dish that we ordered were vampire slaying category.

As we were walking towards my car along the dimly lit Geylang Lorong 35, I thought I saw a shadowless form fell into the nearby drain at the corner of my eye as I exhaled hard to purge my garlic breath into the humid Singapore night.

659/661 Geylang Road

(at Geylang Lorong 35)

Singapore

Tel : 65 6744 9755