My Little Tapas Bar

It was a little intimidating at first.

The usual sight merrymakers gathered in the al fresco dining areas, drink in hand and a delicate tapas in the other.

It looked like a perfect night out with the mates.

Except. I had my mum with me.

But of course, that wasn't an issue at all. 

The warm lights within My Little Tapas Bar and the rustic and simplistic interior decor of their indoor dining area was very welcoming. And it was the 5th day of the lunar new year. It felt like I was doing a chinese new year visitation to someone's house.

And you know what? That. Was exactly the kind of experience they wanted to recreate for the diners. 'Mi casa es su casa - my house is also your house', Maria Sevillano says, as she shares about their concept for this homely diner. 

And the warm welcome continues with their house sangria.

I've an allergy to alcohol but the royal red brandy with the chopped fruits was intriguing enough for me to take a sip.

Strong. But resplendent with fruity notes.

Being the only Spanish restaurant with 5 legs of Jamon on offer, their next sampler plate gave us a taste of two of the five Jamons available.

The darker red Jabugo jamon from the well known 10 Vetas, was a crowd favourite.

It went perfectly well together with a cut of the Manchengo cheese and Jenga style baguette sticks.

Pop an olive in to complete the experience.

And rosemary baked almonds to cleanse your palate before the next round.

The Croquetas de Jamon were deep fried morsels of addiction.

Don't bother with half pieces.

It really was just for the camera effect.

I took a full one for myself after. :)

These croquettes are made the traditional Spanish way, with no potatoes.

No potatoes you say?

Yes, that's what they said.

Bechamel and Jamon stuffings, encrusted in a delicate shell. 

On a bed of garlic aioli.

Once you pop, you can't stop!

The next dish was a yet another Spanish tradition- the flatbread.

With the most amazing colors and flavours on every single piece.

I feared a strong fishy taste associated with the anchovies but the sweet peppers, slightly bitter taste of the rocket and the sweet sour reduction of balsamic vinegar drizzled atop put my fears to rest, and sent my tastebuds into overdrive.

We were also treated to their lamb rack.

Yet another fear of its gamey taste that I cannot stomach.

But Chef Director Edward Esmero gives his word that the gamey smell would be non-existent.

And one would be hard pressed to doubt a man who speaks with great passion about his food and his kitchen.

And indeed,

the tender racks of lamb had just a tinge of that gamey smell and the juices of the meat created an explosion of sense in the mouth. The proportions of fat made it all the more tender and still retaining a certain bite.

And while the potato chunks at the side looked like an overload on the calorie counter, these were amazingly worth the tipping of the scales.

A crisp exterior with a moist fluffy interior.

Do not put me on a no-carb diet.

Move over truffle fries.

I'd like a whole bucket of these.

The chickpeas were also a nice complement this main course.

And what's a dinner without dessert?

Tarteleta de Chocolate.

Chef Edward's entry for an International Culinary Competition while he was still an amateur in his home country of the Phillipines.

With this dessert, he beat his better known competitors from hotels and culinary schools.

Simply made.

It was a dish close to his heart, and made with the purest form of sincerity and passion.

This was a buttery tart, slightly bitter from the cocoa powder with a truffle chocolate interior which was described as chocolate ice cream but I'd think it'd be closer to a thick mousse made with 68% chocolate, topped with salted caramel almond bits.

The scoop of strawberry ice cream was made with the Magimix, using milk and egg with fresh strawberries. Forget your creamy strawberry ice creams, this was a much less creamy ice cream with an icy texture that bore truth to its rudimentary homemade processes. This was a tasting portion and the most perfect way to end the night. The regular sized portions I'd expect to be entirely indulgent and better shared due to its richness. 

So while I haven't yet been to Spain, this cosy experience has already created a wanderlust in me to explore the traditions and soak in their hospitable culture. 

But of course, till then, when the craving hits for some authentic Spanish fare, I know where to be at! :)

Thanks to Reka and Opensnap for this tasting invite jointly organised by Charles from FoodCult and also to the gracious hosts, Maria and Edward of The Little Tapas Bar.

All opinions are of the author's own.

OpenSNAP!

Posh nosh at Flutes in the National Museum.

Katrina from The Public Relations Company and OpenRice have really taken out all the stops for the unveiling of OpenRice's newest app- OpenSnap.

Individual Ipads.

Just to, you know.

Try out the app since it could be downloaded onto our mobile phones but hadn't yet been launched for public use.

An Ipad in the hand was the Invitation to Play and Dream.

Registering myself on OpenSnap and taking my first picture of the beautiful hanging display.

This was after applying a filter.

Understated glam aptly described the ambience of Flutes.

This was the first time seeing the Country Manager of Openrice.com.sg, Kenett Wong.

He boasts an impressive portfolio of social media start-ups and projects having been previously at inSing.com.

A passionate foodie, as he must rightly be working at OpenRice, his interest lies in heartland food. 

And he speaks of his usual food haunts at the neighbourhood hawker centres- All available on Opensnap. 

Jenny Sung from OpenRice HongKong was also there to share her experiences of using OpenSnap and leading us through a step-by-step guide to using this app and introducing the unique features of this new app.

So why Opensnap?

They were not kidding when they said that this app allows you to browse a million restaurants and pictures across 7 countries in Asia.

Just one app.

Yup.

So you're stuck in the middle of nowhere and you're famished.

Or you're out and about meeting with friends who give you perfect faith for being THE food guru who knows where the good grub is.

Welcome to my life.

More reason for me and you to fall in love with OpenSnap?

The app automatically lists nearby food places within a 2km radius from your current location.

And even states how far you are from them.

It's like a foodie's dream come true.

And wouldn't you love a personalised food album?

Automatically sorted by restaurant or filed under home cooking.

It's a food journal made easy right at your fingertips.

So join me.

On my food journey on OpenSnap @bsmint

If you love stickers, then you'd love these stickers customised to each country.

Full on localicious flavour.

Now don't be saying I BO JIO for the HO JIAK foods!

I'm pretty sure that's us saying Ho Jiak!

And Tiff maintaining her composure with a happy smile. @tiffywong

Wide open mouths for more delicious food.

Anytime Instagram makes you hungry, start up OpenSnap to get those hunger pangs sorted.

Explore at your own risk.

Avoid the nights.

They are the hardest for empty tummies to bear. :)

Thanks to OpenRice for the invite.

Will the real Fatty please stand up?

An eye catching display right on the highest possible platform in the store.

And a slice of history.

I was impressed by the rich heritage of this shop.

An immediate text message to my aunt staying down the road at Kerrisdale leaves me feeling like a country bumpkin.

They dine here every weekend it seems!

Well, that's going to change in a minute.

Jumbo Spring Rolls ($3 per roll)

This was a great starter to dinner.

To camera action.

To conversation.

And simple satisfaction.

Crisp rolls deep fried to a golden brown packed densely with a myriad of flavours.

Simple. But so much flavour.

Charsiew, egg, vegan flour crispy bits and beansprouts to keep things moist and bursting with juices.

Eating this with sweet sauce was a preview of things to come.

Seafood hor fun- Large ($14)

I'm a carb monster and this was just speaking to me from the time it was set down on the table.

The generous servings of assorted seafood.

I hoped the gravy would have that umami.

And I wasn't disappointed.

The dish would've scored a lot higher in my opinions if the horfun was not fried with soy sauce for color and instead, simply tossed with minimal oil over high heat for that characteristic wok hei flavour. 

Prawn paste chicken- Large ($22)

This was a deep orange and best eaten piping hot.

Unfortunately, the flavour of prawn paste was a lot less muted than its pungent fragrance.

Having said that, this was still a plate of juicy chicken pieces with the satisfying crackle of deep fried skin.

Homemade beancurd in mushroom sauce ($22)

Silky smooth pieces of beancurd cut into squares and deep fried.

Topped with sliced chinese flower mushrooms and yellow chives, drizzled generously with sauce.

This was my favourite comfort food tonight. :) 

Black pepper beef ($22)

Tender slices of beef well marinated with a strong black pepper sauce stir fried with a generous serving of onions.

Fans of the red meat should make an order for this dish.

Fried Prawn with Oats-Large ($37)

The priciest item on the table that night but these juicy and succulent large prawns were well worth the price tag.

Girls would be pleased to see that the large prawns have been served peeled.

Eating this without getting oats all over your mouth is still an art.

And there were more than enough prawns for practice.

The use of oats in place of cereal was a novel step.

And although rougher in taste than the latter, this alternative was less sweet and definitely very filling.

Fried vegetables with minced meat ($16)

A nondescript dish of chopped veggies topped with minced meat had a je ne sais quoi that kept me wondering.

The boss kindly lets us in on the magic.

Powdered dried flat fish and oyster sauce made for a delish gravy that these veggies were stir fried in.

Sweet & Sour Pork- Large ($22)

These battered pieces of pork were minimally covered in batter so you get a full bite of pork in every cube.

I found the meat a little tough though but I actually would rather lean than fatty pork for this dish.

The sauce was an addiction.

It was also a plus point that real pineapple pieces were used instead of the canned ones.

Nice family style environment, with enthusiastic waitstaff who serve with a smile.

I'll definitely be back with family soon for some Cantonese styled stir fry in the Bugis area.

Always a good time of meeting and eating with the OpenRicers.

Thanks for the food tasting invite OpenRice :)

Wing Seong Fatty's Restaurant

Burlington Square, 175 Bencoolen Street, #01-34, Rochor, 189649

Mon to Sun: 1200 - 1430, 1700 - 2200

breaking fast on the 8th day of Ramadan

The essentials of nasi lemak.

Rice.

Sambal.

And I do concur!

The name literally translated means 'rice in cream'. Coconut cream of course.

And progressions in today's efficient world system means boiling the rice in coconut milk these days.

But here at Nasi Lemak Kukus, you get your coconut rice steamed the time honoured traditional way.

Making sure the calories count!

Now this was a statement that caught my eye. 

Was this a glaring reminder for the kitchen staff?

A daring guarantee for every customer?

Or a subtle challenge for a return visit?

Very nicely encapsulated in a mission statement.

And do we have a Robert Browning fan in the house or perhaps an AC boy?

Most definitely a Commando though ;)

If you know what I mean.

I love the rustic laidback feel of concrete walls filled with writings.

A perfect place to kickback and chillax with good food and great music.

The photos and banner help to highlight food choices for the fickle minded customer. :)

Settling in happily with an order of a Vietnamese drip coffee.

At $2.50.

I kid you not.

Help yourselves to dinner please.

Even as I'm typing this, the unmistakable fragrance of the steamed coconut rice floods my senses.

Past midnight, this is a disaster for my heightened senses.

The good part about this though, 

is that Nasi Lemak Kukus stays open till 3am.

Yet another foodie find going into the treasure trove for midnight supper club dates! :) 

Staying focused and moving on. 

The fragrant rice costs just $1 and it's free flow.

So please. No sharing of rice guys.

Eat up! 

The plethora of dishes that lay ahead all looked tantalizing.

I wanted a bit of everything!

It was only at the checkout counter that I saw how much my little bit of everything cost.

This was an $11 plate of nasi lemak. 

Now I understood why the serving staff behind the counter topped up my okra for me.

The charges per serving are neatly typed and pasted on the glass panel above the dishes.

Still.

I'm not sure how my serving of 3 sambal prawns would cost as compared to say 5 sambal prawns?

Costs aside,

The rice was chewy and had a good bite to it.

It's uniquely different from the nasi lemak rice found in the usual hawker stalls.

The mutton rendang was sedap nya! :)

For a non-mutton lover, the meat didn't have the gamey taste I'm afraid of and it was tender to the bite.

Ayam masak merah was a perennial fave for me till tonight.

The chicken drumstick was tough and the sauce wasn't at all appetizing.

Two choices on the sambal. 

I had the spicy option. 

And boy, that was an instant addiction.

If you ever wanted just rice and sambal,

I'd give this place a 5/5.

Dripped and stirred.

Rich with the fragrance of coffee and thickened with condensed milk.

The perfect accompaniment to my fiery sambal.

Bunch of happy campers!

Thanks to Openrice.sg for the invite and to the awesome coordinators- Calvin and Fizah. :)

Nasi Lemak Kukus 

(http://sg.openrice.com/singapore/restaurant/nasi-lemak-kukus/23724/)

Address: 908 Upper Thomson Road, S(787111)

Seventh heaven @ Ambush

Seventh day of the lunar new year and according to the Chinese, 

this is the day where everyone celebrates their birthday.

Nowadays, most Chinese celebrate this day with the seven colored vegetables lo hei.

I had two of those lined up for me but first,

let's do a celebration at Ambush's latest outlet!

The Atrium @ Dhoby Ghaut is now opened with even more dining options at Plaza Singapura.

Stepping off the escalator on the topmost floor finds you at Chef Wan's on the right and Hifumi on the left.

Just keep walking straight.

And ambush is right there, smack in the centre.

But amusingly inconspicuous as a dining outlet because their central kitchen is tucked away in a corner away from the dining area.

Now there's a dining place you wouldn't have to worry about leaving with the smell of oil. :)

A Staub!

Now that really impressed me.

I don't know if they do this for normal service but with prices as affordable as Ambush,

I did not expect much on presentation.

And what about taste?

Those delicious pieces of crackling.

The pieces of pork knuckle had a considerably low fat to meat ratio.

It's definitely a bang for your buck.

But I digress.

The satisfying crunch of the crisp crackling.

The juice that oozes out from the meat with every cut of the knife.

This was a good start.

And did I forget the sides?

Thick and creamy mash with additional gravy on the side.

Sauerkraut and mustard was an addition of a new dimension on taste for those less of a carnivore.

I was all ready for a weissbier!

We also had sharing pots of mussels done two ways.

This was the one done Aglio Olio style.

Spicy and full on garlic flavour.

A typically Asian palate would find this to be familiar.

A scoop of the gravy and that full mussel creates a stellar burst of flavours in your mouth.

Eat with caution.

You'll be going for seconds and thirds in no time.

We also had an earlier pot of mussels done the original Vin Blanc style.

Perhaps it was cold by the time all of us paparazzi people were done.

But the sauce had a very strong sour aftertaste that wasn't very pleasing on the taste buds.

I'll be sure to try it hot the next time.

An Earl Grey Vanilla to refresh my taste buds for my much anticipated order of a duck confit.

Perhaps the starters stole the limelight.

But this didn't shine for me.

The duck confit was a good sized duck leg.

Salted and seasoned with herbs, those were very evident in the taste of the meat.

However, the poaching process seems to have been skipped as the meat was not meltingly tender.

Fried, the duck leg had a crisp layer of skin but I had enough of all that skin from the previous starter of pork knuckles.

The Negra Paella which was shared amongst us, was a whole different story.

Served with a generous variety of seafood,

this was perfect for sharing.

Those grains were coated evenly with dark squid ink which aside from staining one's teeth, 

could be worryingly pungent if not handled properly.

Which wasn't a valid concern at all.

Every bite was a bite of yum!

Seafood and squid ink coated rice.

Ink black is the new black guys.

And then, with a tummy too full,

I was off for my seven colored vegetable tossing events.

Happy birthday to me and everyone else! :)

“At Ambush, Everyone Gets a Little Taste of Europe”

Perfect for large group dining events with their dining arrangements

and moderately affordable prices,

I'll be back at Ambush soon enough for my next large group gathering!

Ambush

Plaza Singapura 

68 Orchard Road #04-64/66 (The Atrium)

Singapore 238839

This was an invited food tasting session but all opinions shared are author's own.

Many thanks to OpenRice, Estelle and Ambush for their kind invite to a fun-filled food tasting session.