Fern and Kiwi @ The Cannery + Five & Dime @ River Valley Road

The second day back in Singapore after the travel madness in December and I would kill to eat local food.

Except that my girlfriend just had her China project nightmare and would die if she had to eat anymore Chinese food.

She wanted pizza.

And so here we are.

At Fern & Kiwi at The Cannery in Clarke Quay.

Besides subtly sounding like a swear word,

it was a cute idea.

Fern and Kiwi.

The two most representative items of New Zealand.

I knew about the latter but didn't have an inkling about the former.

In any case,

as long as they were actual food offerings on the table.

I was easy. :)

So what is New Zealand food?

You've watched all those cows grazing on limitless and luscious fields of green right?

That's basically it.

Quality food untainted by the advancements of agricultural steroids and toxins.

It isn't hard when they receive the best in rainfall, crystal clear waters and mineral rich volcanic soil.

Their physical proximity to Australia would explain for their apparently choice of food but they have a traditional tribal influence from the Maori ancestors inherent in their cooking style.

Simple and uncomplicated.

So let's have some of them ribs, shall we?

The Classic Pork Spare Ribs- A Lone Star Classic as a entree came with 4 counts of ribs. 

My girlfriend had this on her previous visit and wasn't impressed.

Apparently, just four ribs could be stacked till they hit the top of the metal racks.

For what it lacked in quantity,

it made up in quality.

Coated with honey BBQ orange glaze,

the meat fell off the ribs in a thoroughly satisfying way.

The soft bones of collagen, the tender pork rind and juicy meat.

I love not having to fight with my food.

And on the waitstaff's recommendation,

we had the Aucklander with chicken meat as our pizza order.

More bread than sauce it's obvious from here.

The base was good but would've been better if it wasn't soaked through with the tomato base sauce.

It became so soggy that you couldn't possibly pick up a slice and murder it without looking like you actually committed a massacre with all that sauce dripping all over you.

All those flavours were rich and intense.

I love every fork of pizza that I had. :)

And they should be bringing you hot sauce and this uber cute sauce called Rocket Fuel or was it rocket sauce.

With raisins as a main ingredient, it was a thick sticky sweet sauce that was so addictive...

You really should ask them to take it away after a certain time.

And no, it shouldn't be taken away only after the meal.

*Looks disapprovingly at you.

I mixed both hot sauce and the rocket fuel together.

Hot and sweet.

Oh my yum!

And the service there was excellent.

Fun loving staff and we had a few rounds of checking in to see if we liked what we were having and topping up of water without being asked.

It might have been also that we were one of the two tables filled downstairs.

The dining/ bar area upstairs area wasn't yet open at 7pm it seems.

I was happy with dinner but my girlfriend was not impressed with their dessert offerings and not about to settle for TCC desserts so away we went to this place with awesome Nutella brownies.

She was bubbling over with excitement I couldn't bring myself to say no.

Welcome to the Five and Dime.

So chocolate yourself out guys.

Earl Grey chocolate tart.

I love all things Earl Grey and this was not an exception.

Thick and rich chocolate infused with the smell and subtle taste of Earl Grey,

topped with cinnamon crumble and a lonesome berry.

The crumble wasn't buttery enough for satisfaction but provided a distinction from just pure chocolate decadence.

Share this.

Or end your dessert here.

The nutella brownie with Fig and Honey ice cream.

So have the ice cream. And maybe two scoops of it.

Bits of honey and fig in a deliciously creamy vanilla ice cream base.

I didn't like those chocolate pop balls because they weren't -that- crunchy.

I'm really picky with dessert it seems after our Parisian adventure.

The nutella in the brownie was only evident on the top layer and well, that's just it.

I put a scoop of nutella on a slice of brownie cake.

Hmm.

Just a note though,

we realised too late that you could request for the brownie to be served warm and they'd very conscientiously put the scoop of ice cream on the side when it's served.

Maybe that would've impressed me more.

Stuffed.

Sent home a very happy girl.

These are what girlfriends are for.

Pig out, hang out, hearing out.

<3 p="p">

coffee and chocolate dutch courage @ tiong bahru bakery

sunday afternoon coffee break.

we were supposed to satisfy a fruit tart craving at drips.

but seems many others had that in mind too.

there was a queue and only two tarts left.

minimize our losses.

let's walk.

orange thimble?

not that either. we'll be back for a proper breakkie.

so. next door?

tiong bahru bakery.

a corner seat.

perfect.

now leave that reserved sign there please.

crossiant aux amandes

just because it was still on the baking tray.

i know.
just psychologically instinctive.

i loved the crunchy bits at the side.

that buttery coat on the top - think hk po lo buns and their buttered crusts.

and generous almond flakes.

perfect companion to my latte.

too pretty.

and almost ironic.

it's a broken heart i'm nursing.

not a perfect one. 

a viennese chocolate roll.

soft. pillowy. :)

with little chocolate nibs.

perfect for a long black.

and this chocolate tart.

must come with a tooth warning honestly.

i did not manage to successfully saw through it.

not even once.

and it took pure brute strength for a rugger to attempt to do it.

everytime his knife goes into the tart, i brace myself for a flying slice.

fortunately it didn't happen. 

the concept of caramelized fruit in the tart shell was good.

but did the chef think of the actual process of eating?

it's not like one can stuff the entire pie into one's mouth.

the valrhona chocolate was rich. 

do -not- eat this on your own. 

especially not if you're planning to run after.

prices here are steep.

but with the way singaporeans spend on food?

these prices could actually qualify as a norm already.
 he spent over $100 on breads the last time he was here?

mmhmm.

from the west to macritchie.
11k. 

this one's for you babe.

loved.