Friday, November 07, 2014

And then there were two. Plus two. :)

The sun was relentless.
The training?
Gruelling.
But then the doc decides to jog over from his place and wasn't content with just that.
He wanted to do more.
And so he did.
And so we did.
Kinda.
I hardly kept pace!

But onward we go from there to where a new cafe has just sprung up!
At Horne Road.
The Lavender enclave that is home to many cafes but always space for another.

Just a few doors down from Windowsill Pies,
Two Bakers occupies a pretty neat corner unit with gate grilles painted with a pop of yellow.
And adorned with congratulatory flowers.
Yes, these guys are the new kids on the block.

And they offer some yummy grub.


Seafood pasta rich with crabmeat and happy white clams.
Wide open, these guys' mouths were.
The chilli flakes gave a much needed kick to this linguine dish. 


And all good food is about sharing isn't it?
Large rings of calamari battered and fried to a delicate golden brown.
Battered to death.
Not.
These were served with lemon yoghurt and wasabi mayo.
Lemon yoghurt me anytime. :)

The mozza sticks were yet another deep fried indulgence.
The herb batter gave an added dimension to an otherwise flat mozzarella dish.
Good enough on its own.
Ketchup not needed.

So that was round one.
And we were saving all that space for desserts!


Passionfruit & matcha profiteroles.
It looked like an overwhelming amount of chantilly creme at first.
But the generous serving of light creme was all gone in an instant.
Nothing like smearing pieces of crisp chewy choux and craquelin with generous amounts of creme before putting it into our mouths.
The matcha flavour was evident but not overwhelming.
And the passionfruit added a nice zing to the light tasting creme.
Mmmm.


This key lime tart was a crowd favourite.
A buttery tart shell filled with a deliciously refreshing lime custard.
Subtlety is key.
To the lime tart.
Pun entirely intended.



Give this le chocolate noir some centrestage love.
This was quite the death by chocolate.
Last to be started on.
And last to be finished.
If you had to have some chocolate.
This would be a whole load of chocolate love for you!


And these are a few of my favourite things.
No.
Men. :)
We'll be back.
Because hey, we've still got another half of dessert list left! :)

Monday, November 03, 2014

Paprika & Cumin @ Chijmes

This is a Pan-European Mediterranean gastropub with a bar counter boasting more than 200 wine labels and cocktails.
And what's to do for a non-alcoholic like I?
We eat.
Fill up the tummy, I shall!

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Bruschetta

As I worriedly held onto the bruschetta, I wondered how much of the crisp baguette I could take.
And it was love, and ease at first bite.
I've got tooth issues and they don't do well with anything too hard.
So it was a huge relief to bite into only a crisp exterior and a soft interior.
The minced garlic and diced tomatoes were a delightful burst of refreshing flavour.
Simple.
But a winner in every way.



Tournedos Rossini

Foie gras balancing precariously atop a thick slice of beef.
I'm nary a fan of this. Those images of violence too cruel for me to enjoy this.
So I tried a small piece of foie gras which was pan fried to a delicate crisp. 
The liver melted immediately in my mouth.
Mmm.
Taking my first cut into the thick piece of beef, I was presently surprised to see that it was wrapped with a piece of bacon.
Keeping all the juices of the beef locked within.
This was a medium well order with a slightly pinkish hue in the interior.
The beef was full on flavour.
I was full but I could hardly pass up a dish of red meat just like that!



Chilean Sea Bass

A substantial chunk of sea bass arrived on a platter of happy summer colours.
Thick flaky pieces of fish fell apart just with the use of a fork.
This was a brilliant departure from the rich taste of the red meat.
But taken on its own, could be a little bland for some.
The sweet potato patty on the bottom would've been better if there was the addition of some crab meat for an added dimension to taste.
Perhaps a little more sauce to be served on the side as well?
It does get a little too dry with all the pan crusted fried items on this plate, as a matter of personal opinion.



Apple Filo Pastry with Vanilla Ice Cream

Now this.
Was a paradoxical surprise waiting to be unwrapped.
Altogether hot and cold.
Sweet and salty.
Crisp and moist.
This was my idea of a perfect end to a delicious meal.
I was expecting diced apple pieces alike those in the apple pies from McD's
But in that parcel?
It was a whole apple cored and held together a deliciously creamy cinnamon filling.
Eaten with the crisp warm filo pastry outside and topped with a nib of cold vanilla ice cream.
Aaaahhh.

I'd be back for this.
Just because,
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Right? :)

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