BiTES - The Scoop on Good Eats (December 2014) by BiTES - The Scoop on Good Eats

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are you ready for 30 turkey buffets?

ADVERTORIAL

Holiday cheers! Eat, drink and be merry with the world's number one French beer Kronenbourg, AND CHECK OUT The Boiler, which pairs Louisianastyle seafood with plenty of bubbly

The year-end brings milestones to rejoice. Kronenbourg, which turned 350 years old, is not slowing down at all—in fact, it’s going to greater lengths to bring you the French Art of Living. These are special and authentic moments: an aperitif with friends, or leaving work early to savour time for yourself. Kronenbourg 1664 lager owes its delicate aromas and crisp flavours to a sweet-scented Strisselspalt hop, giving it balance and a satisfying finish. Meanwhile the Kronenbourg Blanc is a refreshing wheat (white) beer. Citrus and coriander spice enhances the quality of the palate. When founder of The Boiler Louisiana Seafood & Beer, Malcolm Hong, set up his communal dining concept, he discovered that Kronenbourg checked all the criteria—a strong brand, excellent taste and the origins of a French beer. He says, “All our customers should llet their hair down and get used to eating with their hands without inhibitions. When friends and loved ones gather to indulge in great seafood and drinks, that’s the concept of the seafood boil party. As the saying goes: ‘This is how we roe!’”

Like us at www.facebook.com/ KronenbourgSG and www.facebook.com/TheBoilerSG

Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc (5.0%): match with seafood in the signature The Works sauce, Momma’ Potato Scoop and Chicks & Waffles

Kronenbourg 1664 (5.0%): match with seafood in the Peppa’ Butter sauce, Spam Fries, Louisiana Spicy Mid Joint Wings and Bacon Shrimp The Boiler Louisiana Seafood & Beer: #01-06 Novelty Bizcentre, 18 Howard Road. Tel: 6635 1285, www.theboiler.com.sg

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dining Report 2014

We review the year in F&B for the good, the bad, and the funny

DEALS! 15% off Dean & DeLuca's festive dine-in

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Singapore’s top 10 soft serves

inside Smart buys p.12

Deck your shelves with clever finds under $100

Buffet bounty p.18

Get turkey’d out with festive feasts, countdown to 2015, and say meow to blogger SuperFineFeline

Drink tank p.27 Christmas in a bottle

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SUPERMARKET SLEUTH p.28 Can’t get enough of the bird? Check out our fowl taste test from FairPrice and Rochester Market

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Where to find your BiTES? DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE at www.bites.com.sg PICK US UP! Free at over 100 venues it’s

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DEALS! 15% off Dean & DeLuca's festive dine-in

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2014 187/03/

dining RepoRt 2014

We Review the yeaR in F&B For the good, the bad, and the Funny

SINGAPORE’S TOP 10 SOFT SERVES

inside SMART BUYS P.12

Deck your shelves with clever finds under $100

BUFFET BOUNTY P.18

Get turkey’d out with festive feasts, countdown to 2015, and say meow to blogger SuperFineFeline

DRINK TANK P.27 Christmas in a bottle

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bit es t eam

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Rocked ouR WoRld

SUPERMARKET SLEUTH P.28 Can’t get enough of the bird? Check out our fowl taste test from FairPrice and Rochester Market

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Cover image Délifrance

Cafes & restaurants &Sons • Alfresco Gusto • Bishamon • Black Angus Steakhouse • Bonta Italian Restaurant & Bar (District 10) • Brussel Sprouts - Big Splash • Brussel Sprouts - Robertson Quay • Brussel Sprouts - Sentosa Cove • California Pizza Kitchen - Forum • Daikokuya • Delifrance Cafe Cold Storage Jelita • Delifrance Cafe - Gateway West • Delifrance Cafe - Gleneagles Hospital • Delifrance Cafe - Harbourfront Centre • Delifrance Cafe - KK Women's and Children's Hospital • Delifrance Cafe - Lot One Shoppers' Mall • Delifrance Cafe - Mount Elizabeth Hospital • Delifrance Cafe - Rendezvous Gallery • Delifrance Cafe Singapore Post Centre • Delifrance Cafe - Thomson Medical Centre • Delifrance Cafe - UE Square • dr CAFE COFFEE (all outlets) • Eggs & Berries Changi City Point • Eggs & Berries Westgate • Emicakes @ Kovan • EN Grill and Bar • Ginza Lion Beer Hall • IPPIN • Joe & Dough (Kallang) • KOMMUNE • Medzs Millenia Walk • Medzs Orchard Central • Ootoya Japapnese Restaurant • Outback Steakhouse • Outpost Bar & Bistro • Oyster Bar & Grill Wharf • Ramen Champion •

Publisher Cecilia Goh

Web Developer Jun Evangelista

Editor June Lee Staff Writer Meredith Woo Editorial Intern Lim Si Hui Contributor Kylie Ng

Accounts Manager Christina Tan

Designer Benjamin Soh Contributing Senior Designers Loh Wai Sum, Lynne Wong Designer Intern Tay Yuliang Regional Business Director Carlos Loh Business Directors Penny Ho, Ashad Shah Business Manager Cherin Ong Publishing Admin Manager (Admin & Circulation) Siti Haneymah Senior Digital Media Manager Eugene Koh

Group Publisher Ho Sum Kwong Group Managing Editor Adeline Wong Group Creative Director Thng Wee Nee Bites is published 12 times a year by Magazines Integrated Pte Ltd 85 Playfair Road, #04-02 Tong Yuan Building, Singapore 368000 Tel: +65 6848 6884 Fax: +65 6748 3453 Website: www.bites.com.sg Advertising enquiries: 6848 6882 bites.editorial@magsint.com bites.advertise@magsint.com bites.marketing@magsint.com Distributed by Region Periodicals Distributor. Printed by Times Printers Company Reg No: 200918015G MCI (P) 187/03/2014

Bring us with you! BiTE INTO US ONLINE www.bites.com.sg BitesSingapore

@bitessg

Picotin Express - East Coast • Picotin Express - Sentosa Cove • Roti Mum • Selfish Gene Cafe • Spinelli (all outlets) • Starbucks (all outlets) • SQUE Rotisserie & Alehouse • tcc - The Connoisseur Concerto (all boutiques) • Tsubohachi • ZEN Japanese Cuisine Car showrooms Chevrolet • Citroen • Honda • Hyundai • Infiniti • Kia • Mazda • Nissan • Opel Singapore • Subaru • Toyota Singapore Cooking Schools Cookyn Inc • My Private Pantry • The Eureka Cooking Lab Country & Private Clubs British Club • China Club • Ee Hoe Hean Millionaire Club • Hollandse Club • Jurong Country Club • Keppel Club • Laguna National Golf & Country Club • Orchid Country Club • Raffles Marina • Republic of Singapore Yacht Club • Seletar Country Club • Sentosa Golf Club • Serangoon Gardens Country Club • Singapore Chinese Swimming Club • Singapore Cricket Club • Singapore Island Country Club • Tanah Merah Country Club •

The American Club • The Swiss Club • Tower Club Hotels Albert Court Village Hotel • Amara Singapore • AMOY Hotel • Bay Hotel • Carlton City Hotel • Changi Village Hotel • Concorde Hotel Singapore • Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore • Furama City Centre • Furama RiverFront • Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel Singapore • Hilton Singapore • Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium • Hotel Miramar • Hotel Re! • ibis Hotel Singapore • Intercontinental Singapore • Link Hotel • Mandarin Orchard • Moon Hotel • Nostalgia Hotel • Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay • Orchard Hotel Singapore • Pan Pacific Orchard • ParkRoyal on Kitchener Road • Peninsula Excelsior Hotel • Ramada and Days Singapore at Zhongshan Park • Riverview Hotel Singapore • Studio M Hotel Singapore • The Club Hotel • The Elizabeth Hotel • The Quincy Hotel • The Scarlet Hotel • Traders Hotel • Village Hotel Bugis • Wangz • York Hotel MallS Far East Square • Katong V • Orchard Central • Parkway

Parade (Pedestrian Crossing) National Tourism Offices Australia Tourism • Japan National Tourism Organization • Korean Tourism Organization Petrol Kiosks Caltex • Shell • SPC Salon Jean Yip Hairdressing schools National University of Singapore •Temasek Polytechnic supermarkets Four Seasons Gourmet MarketMBLM • Four Seasons Organic Market-Great WorldCity • Four Seasons Organic Market-Parkway Parade • Meidi-Ya Singapore • Rochester Market Also hand-distributed at: OUTSIDE MRT Stations Ang Mo Kio • Bedok • Bishan • Boon Lay • Bugis • City Hall • Clementi • Dhoby Ghaut • Eunos • HarbourFront • Holland Village • Jurong East • Lavender • Orchard Road • Pasir Ris • Raffles Place • Serangoon • Tampines • Telok Blangah • Tiong Bahru • Woodlands • Yishun

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d e c e m b e r sunday

monday 1

tuesday wednesday thursday friday 2 Christmas Fair

saturday 6 FLEA GIFT

A fair for the foodie with over 130 vendors, look forward to trying everything from cheese to wine, with cooking demos from the like of seafood specialists The Alaska Guys. www.facebook. com/theexpatfairs

While picking out the perfect Christmas gift at this flea market, snack on baked goods from Little Nothings Bakery and Bakes & Craft, or try healthy cold pressed juices from Hic’ Juice. www.facebook.com/ pages/Good-CitizenSG/1469446463336755

2-3 Dec | Raffles Town Club | 10am-7.30pm/5pm

BEAMS 30 Days Store

Till 7 Dec | kapok, #01-05 National Design Centre | 11am-9pm

Get your hands on limited edition BEAMS products at the pop-up store and sit down at kapok café after for a cup of coffee. www.facebook.com/KapokSG

10 The Fair

Pan Pacific Hotel | 10am-6pm

Founded in 1990, The Fair is held six times a year with goods from all over the world gathered for sale. Look forward to a wide variety of merchandise as well as lucky draw gifts. www.fairsandbazaars. com/

Public Garden Christmas Market 6-7 & 13-14 Dec, 1-7pm | TripleOne Somerset

Better known for their terrariums and eco efforts, Public Garden’s Christmas markets include popular vendors Green Banana, The Marmalade Pantry, and Plain Vanilla. www.public-garden.com

Bookfest@Singapore

Playground

Free | 12 Dec 12pm-10pm, 13-21 Dec 10am-10pm | Suntec Singapore

From $20 | Every Wednesday | kyo

Don’t miss the finals of the Chef Wan Cooking Challenge (11am), with contestants making dishes from his latest cookbook, 400 Resipi Terbaik! www.bookfestsingapore.com

Tonight, the club turns into a regular carnival of partygoers with contemporary dance hits. Ladies, get your free flow vodka orange here from 10pm to 2am. www.clubkyo.com

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F1 Pit Building | 12pm-8pm

Singapore International Film Festival 4-14 Dec

Now in its 25th year, SGIFF will open with Unlucky Plaza, a film by Ken Kwek featuring, among others, a restaurateur turned kidnapper. www.sgiff.com www.sgiff.com

11 Artscience Late Free | ArtsScience Museum | 7-10pm

Check out the bar while enjoying performances at this monthly event; tickets for standard exhibitions are at 1-for-1 discount too. www.marinabaysands. com/museum/ exhibitions-and-events/ artscience-late.html

ZOUKOUT 12-13 Dec | Siloso Beach Sentosa

Party animals should be familiar by now with ZOUK’s annual dance rave at Sentosa. This year, look forward to food from The Travelling C.O.W., Deli on Wheels, and chilling with Popaganda’s ice pops. www.zoukout.com

20 Pasticceria Ferrero Weekends, 29 Nov-21 Dec | Wisma Atria

At Pasticceria Ferrero, not only can you customise your own Ferrero Rocher gift boxes, live demonstrations of the making of Ferrero Rocher chocolates will be held with two specially Italian trained chefs.

CHRISTMAS

Ho ho ho-ppy holidays! Check out p26 to see what Santa ate.

Christmas Wonderland Free | 29 Nov-1 Jan | Gardens by the Bay

A dream come true: an European-style Christmas market in Singapore. With light sculptures flown in from Italy and gourmet restaurants, it’ll be a treat for everyone. www.christmaswonderland.sg

29 Imaginary Friends Afternoon Tea

Till 31 Dec | Pacific Marketplace | Daily 3-5pm

Local author Melanie Lee’s book is brought to life with 10 delightful sweet and savoury tea treats. $58 for two. www.facebook.com/ imaginaryfriendsmph

coming up in January

Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2015

Indulge in refreshments and shopping at the Marina Waterfront Bazaar, or enjoy yourself at the carnival before seeing off 2014 with a huge bang. www.marinabaycountdown.sg

M1 Fringe Festival 14-25 Jan Laneway Festival 24 Jan

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FREE TAPAS BUFFET (WORTH UP TO $22/Person) with every main course order Burger VS wings + Bar

15% off DEAN & DELUCA festive dine-in menu featuring Lamb Shepherd's Pie and other festive gourmet selections dean & deluca

#11-03/04 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6634 0423

Available at all 3 outlets. www.kitchenlanguage.com.sg/outlet-locator.html

Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1-31 December 2014. Limited to one dine-in redemption only per coupon. Not valid on 23-28 & 31 Dec 2014. Not valid with other discounts, privileges and promotions. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

20% off retail products (11am to 10pm) 20% off any lunch set (11am to 2.30pm) ippin cafe bar

#01-01, 18 Mohamed Sultan Road. Tel: 6733 4794 Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1-31 December 2014. Limited to one dine-in redemption only per coupon. Not valid with other discounts, privileges and promotions. Redemption valid at all Dean and Deluca outlets. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

Enjoy 20% off set menu Lunch: 12pm to 2.30pm (last order 2pm) Dinner: 6pm to 10pm (last order 9pm) Joie by Dozo

#12-01 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6838 6966 Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1-31 December 2014. Offer is not valid with other promotions or card discounts. Not valid on eve and actual day of public holiday. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

Valid: 1-31 December 2014. Valid for dine-in only. Offer is not valid with other promotions or card discounts. Not valid on eve and actual day of public holiday. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

Mushroom soup & Pomodoro pasta at $12 (U.P. $24) Monday to Friday, Lunch & Dinner

$25 ofF JUICES: RASPBERRY, CRANBERRY, SOUR CHERRY, WILD BLACKBERRY, WILD STRAWBERRY, WILD BLUEBERRY (min. 12 bottles/PURCHASE)

The Find

GranNy's secret

Terms & Conditions

#02-15 Rochester Mall, 35 Rochester Drive, Singapore 138639

#01-312, 19 Defu Lane 10, Singapore 539200. Tel: 6282 8292 Valid: 1-31 December 2014. Minimum purchase $82.80, subject to availability of each flavour. Prior registration on www.grannyssecret.com.sg required. Discount code: GSBITES1214. Payment mode: PayPal or credit card. BITES

Scan here to check out the deals online at www.bites.com.sg

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POULET

1FESTIVE DINING

Poulet goes the way of sweet, tart apples for Christmas with its juicy chicken offerings: a succulent poulet roti ($17.90++ half, $30.90++ whole) with caramelised apple sauce, and crispy cinnamon winglets ($5.90++ with any main course) paired with an apple dip. Festive menu available until 31 December at all outlets save Jurong Point. Daily 11.30am-9.30pm. #0412 Bugis+, 201 Victoria Street. Tel: 6509 9411 Experimentation is the motto of Restaurant SELA, with its constantly changing menu and innovative dishes. The Christmas menu features soft, roasted brussel sprouts ($16.50) with bacon and sweet tangy pomegranate, and turkey breast escalopes ($26) with mangoes, plums, and feta cheese. Mon-Sat 11.30am2.30pm, 6.30-11pm. 32 Seah Street. Tel: 6337 6358 Putting a South Asian spin on Christmas pays off for Zaffron Kitchen West Gate. Its festive menu ($35 per pax) offers a choice of mains between a whole wheat Shahi turkey biryani, or a roasted tandoori turkey set. Dessert includes the chef’s spin on bread and butter pudding. Mon-Thu 11.30am-3pm, 5-9.30pm; FriSun, eve of PH and PH, 11am-10pm. #01-20 Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive. Tel: 6465 9880 Clover Garden‘s four-course festive menu ($42 per pax) runs till 10 Jan 2015. The cream of cauliflower soup topped with prosciutto crisp, poached egg and croutons is especially heart-warming in this cool monsoon season, and we enjoyed the triple-textured Tasmanian salmon, which goes from raw on the inside to flaky on the outside. Daily 7am-10pm. #01-02 Hotel Clover, 33 Jalan Sultan. Tel: 6297 0377

EARL SWENSEN’S

Earle Swensen’s rolls out its holiday menu, available till 31 Dec, with three new mains and a dessert: the slipper lobster vol-au-vent ($32.90) has pan-seared lobster packed with mushrooms and vegetables into a puff pastry bowl, and the turkey breast supreme trio ($26.90) combines turkey breast with king prawn over butter chestnut rice. Daily 10.30am-10.30pm. #02-117 VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk. Tel: 6272 3306 Check out family-owned Trattoria Nonna Lina‘s Tuscan Christmas specials, available till 24 Dec. The festive dishes include tortellini in brodo ($42), a handmade tortellini with parma ham and Italian pork loin, and zuppa di polpo e patate ($40), an octopus and potato stew. Daily 12pm-2.30pm, 6-11pm. 61 Cantonment Road. Tel: 6222 0930 For every festive charcuterie platter order ($45) from sQue Rotisserie & Alehouse, you can get 50 percent off a bottle of Rose de la Chevaliere 2013. MonThu & Sun, 11.30am-12am. Fri-Sat, eve of PH, 11.30am1am. #01-70 The Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street. Tel: 6222 1887

BRUSSELs SPROUTS

At Sakura Forte, let Santa’s little helpers prepare a feast for you: the highest tier ($68.80 per pax, min. 40 pax) includes a live carving station with roasted turkey and a delicious honey-glazed ham with fresh pineapple chutney and dessert stations with ice cream and chocolate fondue. www.sakuraforte.com.sg Rotisserie chicken restaurant Charly T’s take-home bundle ($78 nett) is perfect for a family of four and includes their original recipe rotisserie chicken and a Danish crackling roast pork. A two-day advance order is required, and orders before 20 Dec will receive a discount of 10 percent. #02-06/#02-K12 Pasarbella, The Grandstand, 200 Turf Club Road. Tel: 6467 9307 Marmalade At Home‘s festive dine-at-home options include a four-course set menu ($68 per pax, min. 12 pax), a festive buffet ($58 per pax, min. 30 pax) that offers up a variety of three mains, four sides and three desserts to choose from. Festive savouries (like their honey baked ham) and sweets can be added on and delivered. www.marmaladeathome.com.sg HEALTHY GOURMET

This Christmas, enjoy the Belgian specials of BRUSSELs SPROUTS, including a mussels and clams soup ($28) and sausage ($32) with sweet caramelised apples, redcurrants and pomme puree. Available till 31 Dec. Tue-Fri 5-11pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-11pm. #01-12 The Pier @ Robertson, 80 Mohamed Sultan Road. Tel: 6887 4344 At the colourful and playfully decorated Spuds & Aprons, try the $32 three-course festive lunch set: togarashi pan-seared Norwegian salmon, with fennel and a manuka yuzu dressing, and an aglio olio chipotle squid ink pasta or a baked Asian turkey roll. Sun-Thu 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat, eve of PH, 11am-1am. 109 Mt Faber Road. Tel: 6377 9688

2CHRISTMAS DINE-IN

Orange Clove Catering’s festive menus are suitable for family gatherings of any size, with their menus ranging from 40 pax ($25-35 per pax) to an intimate 8-10 pax ($299); featuring herb-scented oven baked chicken, traditional roast turkey, and honey-baked chicken ham with pineapple sauce. Additional add-ons available for delivery. www.orangeclove.com.sg

ORANGE CLOVE CATERING

For the health-conscious, try Healthy Gourmet‘s organic Christmas hampers ($70-80) which let you easily create a meal with ingredients from Alce Nero, such as fusilli and wildflower honey, and Belvoir’s organic elderflower cordial. www.healthygourmet.sg Dôme Café’s takeaway party platter ($218, feeds 10-12) includes a royal roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing, a premium smoked honey-glazed ham, a Christmas logcake (chocolate raspberry or tiramisu), as well as other goodies. Daily 10am-10pm. #03-92 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road. Tel: 6884 3601

LOGCAKE DELIGHTS

Celebrate a white Christmas with Bakerzin’s tropical logcake ($62), coconut-themed with a subtle almond base, and salted caramel mouse wedged between; or their striking blue-and-white snowy dream logcake ($68), reminiscent of a warm cup of eggnog and decorated with gold leaf and white chocolate. www.bakerzin.com The offerings at Délifrance range from their smooth classic red vevet logcake ($45) and pistachio logcake ($45), to the more unique Love of Delifrance raspberry, shaped like a tree trunk with a warm smiling face, a pink twist on the usual choc variant. www.delifrance.com.sg Until 28 Dec, Japanese bakery Green Pumpkin introduces two modern logcakes: their au chocolat Yule log ($40.80) pairs rich chocolate mousse with sweet peach slices, and the aux fruits Yule log ($30.80) introduces a tropical twist to Christmas with mango CHOCTOBER FEST mousse and caramelised apple. www.greenpumpkin.com.sg Roll up for some lovely homey treats from Pine Garden’s Cake, a 1984 homegrown family bakery. There’s a spiced apple caramel logcake ($42-83) with spiced apple chunks, and a cookies and nougat logcake ($59-86), with chunks of cream cheese and almonds. #01-2369 Block 529 Ang Mo Kio 10. Tel: 6459 5507 Prima Deli joins the tropical festive fun with their lychee logcake ($38.90), sweet whiffs of lychee, as well

as the traditional chocolate-flavoured truffle ($38.90) and limited edition mont blanc ($50.90). www.primadeli.com

JOE & DOUGH

Joe & Dough presents its Christmas Valrhona chocolate mixed berries Yule logcake, covered in a mix of rich and smooth 62 percent Valrhona Satilla dark chocolate and 33 percent Valrhona Opalys white chocolate, with sweet juicy mixed berries topping the decadent bake. www.joeanddough.com

Artisan Boulangerie Co goes with a traditional chocolate logcake ($42) made with crunchy praline and Gianduja mousse flavoured with roasted hazelnuts; the cake is adorned with a layer of chocolate glaze and

DEAN & DELUCA

fresh berries. Pre-order at least two days in advance for collection. artisanbakery.com.sg Put a smile on loved ones’ faces with the joyously vibrant Dean & DeLuca Rainbow Logcake ($78), inspired by their signature Rainbow Cake. Red velvet fans are not left out as the cake has been turned into the luscious red velvet cheese logcake ($78). They’ve also introduced the chempedak fruit logcake ($88), filled with real pulp. #04-23/24 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6509 7709

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#HASHTAGS & APP-ENINGS For more tasty times, follow

MANHATTAN FISH MARKET

The rise of the hot new pâtisseries

Bread & Hearth

@bitessg on Instagram

#DTFXmas #foodfieDTF From 1-12 Dec, enter Din Tai Fung’s #DTFXmasFoodfie photo contest to win dining vouchers by sharing your favourite Din Tai Fung dish on Facebook or Instagram, along with a Christmas caption and these hashtags! fb.com/dintaifungSG @chijmes.sg #chijmes These Instagram-Happy tags could net you a romantic countdown dinner and drinks worth $400. Just share a photo of your favourite moment at CHIJMES and make sure you add the F&B outlet to your photomap. Till 25 Dec. chijmes.com.sg #GivingTuesdaySG On 2 December, outlets participating in the Eat2Give campaign will be donating part of their proceeds or rolling out special menus and dishes. Support them and tag your photos on social media. eat2give.givingtuesday.sg #mfmnewandbolder Manhattan Fish Market has launched an all-new menu of 43 dishes that covers both sea and land: we liked their Fishy Chicky Bang Bang ($13.95), a double fillet of dory on one side and chicken on the other, served with a sunny side up and chips, and the oyster roulette ($7.95). fb.com/MFMSingapore

Bready, set, munch What you’ll loaf: bacon focaccia ($6.50), lined with streaky bacon on a homemade béchamel spread. The Keong Saik neighbourhood may be saturated with hipster cafés, but it certainly has room for unpretentious listings like Bread & Hearth. Be greeted with a rolling pin for a door handle, and a palatable spread of fresh European pastries. 18 Keong Saik Road. Tel: 6534 7800

BREAD & HEARTH

#shareyourloaf with a friend today! New Zealand bakery Loaf has launched their packets of Mini Bites and Cakes treats in supermarkets islandwide; and you can upload a photo of yourself or with friends, showing how you’d share your favourite Loaf product, to win Loaf goodies. Till 31 Dec.

CMY

Pantler What you’ll loaf: sinful cream puffs ($5.50) chockfull of generous velvety filling in delicate airy choux cases. Housed in a quaint shophouse, Pantler is home to a busy test kitchen that is constantly rolling out tempting goodies the likes of strawberry entremets, banana eclairs, pâte de fruits and the galette des rois, or kings’ cake. 198 Telok Ayer Street. Tel: 6221 6223

Steps away from the popular Kki, 3 Petits Croissants is a gem not to be missed. The French-themed bakery prides itself on its quality viennoiseries, while serving up fresh coffees and sandwiches. Master baker Nicolas Moutalidis has 17 years of experience, and draws inspiration from his previous posts in Paris, Dubai, and North Carolina. #01-01/02, 1 Zubir Said Drive

and Pâtisserie Glacé, before striking it out on his own with his eponymous cake boutique. Offering Petit Gateau (sliced cakes) and Grand Gateau (whole cakes), its cosy interiors are decked full of darling Frenchinspired creations—but pastries sell out way early. #02-44, Block 1, Tanjong Pagar Plaza. Tel: 6604 9709 ASANOYA

Mugiho Bakery What you’ll loaf: Ojiisan A-ge Pan ($2) or ‘grandfather's fried bread’, a well-balanced and homey azuki creation topped with soy powder. An inviting oasis amidst the hectic hustle of Lau Pa Sat, Mugiho Bakery stocks a delectable array of Japanese-influenced bakes. The store is its first beyond Japan and is already a popular stop for the office crowd. Wash the azuki bun down with robust brews from its sister café, Delicius Pasticceria. 18 Raffles Quay. Tel: 6702 7430

3 Petits Croissants What you’ll loaf: crumbly croissants ($2.70), which are hearty and satiating. We’re totally digging the not-so-petit gilded rolls. D&D[ws]_BiTES HPFC FApath.pdf

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CHEF YAMASHITA

Chef Yamashita What you’ll loaf: Sake ($7.50), a pillowy soft soybean mousse topped with sake jelly made out of liquor from Nara, chef Yamashita’s hometown. Chef Yamashita was the maestro behind Flor Patisserie

Asanoya What you’ll loaf: Karuizawa blueberry loaf ($2.60 for 100g), a rye bread with fresh berries; crisp on the outside and soft within. Asanoya boasts over 80 years of culinary excellence. This the brand’s first storefront outside Japan, and stocks a hearty range of breads, brews, salads, and soups. #01-03, 15 Queen Street. Tel: 6703 8703

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New restaurants featuring exotic fare

Hold the meat! Inspired by the European meatless cuisine wave that has swept Taiwan, Joie serves up a six-course lunch ($38.80) and seven-course dinner ($68.80) with an array of modern Japanese fusion dishes, playfully presented. We loved the button mushroom gratin, presented in an escargot plate with melted mozzarella cheese, and the hearty snow pear and napa cabbage consommé served in a teapot. MonSun 12pm-3pm, 6-10pm. #12-01 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6838 6966

($3) sizes. The chunky steak pie ($5.20), with hearty beef chunks and gravy, is one of the most popular, and the Thai chicken curry pie ($4.90) is fragrant and spicy. Also try the mini dessert pies ($3.30). Daily 10am-10pm. #B3-10, 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Road

PIE FACE

JOIE Howdy, mate! All the way from down under hails Pie Face, a micro-bakery café that produces pies made with a 48-layered crust in both savoury regular and mini

Have a Caribbean lunch with Limehouse Deli, which offers both lunchtime grab-and-go delights and dine-in menus for those who wish to soak in the reggae vibe. With chefs from Trinidad and Tobago, the eatery brings Jamaican patties ($4-4.50) and mains like jerk chicken ($12) and curry goat ($13) to the CBD area. Mon-Fri, 8am-9pm. 51 Telok Ayer Street. Tel: 6226 7530

TOP 10 SOFT SERVEs Yes, in order of preference. Full deets at www.bites.com. sg/daily-bites/reviews

10. McDonald’s, www.mcdonalds.com.sg 9. Come-In-Hokkaido, #B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre 8. Oyoge! Taiyaki, 191 New Bridge Road 7. Amasoy, #B4-64 ION Orchard 6. IKEA, www.ikea.com/sg/en 5. Mr Bean, www.mrbean.com.sg 4. Sunday Folks, #01-52 Chip Bee Gardens, 44 Jalan Merah Saga 3. Godiva, B2 Takashimaya Department Store, 391 Orchard Road 2. Honey Creme, #01-37, 313@ Somerset, 313 Orchard Road 1. Tsujiri, www.tsujiri.sg Bonus: HoneyComb, 30 Bali Lane

FROM FARAWAY LANDS

TSUJI

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WEST SIDE (FOOD COURT) STORIES

An office canteen turned high-tech social enterprise, and a hungry trip to “Japan” Everyone is welcome at the industrial-chic Food Glossary. It’s brought to you by the folks at ABR Holdings Limited and Good Morning Nanyang Café, so expect solid kaya toast (try the ciabatta version, $2.60), "sock" tea and coffee, as well as Asian (nasi Singapura with curry chicken, $4.80) and Western fare. Order via the easy-to-navigate app or online, or via the tablets by the counter. What we love most is its mission, supported by South West Community Development Council: to actively provide training, social and employment opportunities to residents in the community, especially back-to-work women and mature workers. Mon-Fri (excl. PH) 7am-6.30pm. #02-01 The JTC Summit, 8 Jurong Town Hall Road. www.foodglossary.skipque.com It’s a stroll through modern-meets-olden Japan at Shokutsu Ten Japanese Food Street, Jurong Point. The Osaka stretch features the famous Dotonbori icons: Glico man, huge crab (Kani Doraku), and a giant pufferfish lantern (Zubora-ya). What’s new after the $7 million makeover is the Tokyo stretch, styled after old Edo: elegant with paper parasols, kabuki masks and classic paintings. Exclusive here are Shabu Tontei for premium kurobuta and wagyu hotpots (sharing sets from $58); the WAttention Plaza (pop-ups include F&B and

traditional handicrafts); and Kabe no Ana’s café concept for mentaiko carbonara spaghetti ($13.90) and eggs benny ($15.90). B1 Jurong Point, 1 Jurong West Central 1

SHOKUTSU TEN

“SUPER” OPENINGS Watch out! Superhero-themed cafes are coming to town

Hungry Heroes brands itself a restaurant/deli cum decorative art retailer/consultancy (Art Art and Away, upstairs), but we'd add another: a superhero museum. The impressive memorabilia's a personal (i.e. not for sale) collection—you'll find figurines, busts, life-sized statues of Superman, Thor and Iron Man. Speaking of iron, we love the meaty menu: there’s Meat Fury's signature pork ribs ($16/30) and The Juggernaut ($188, serves 8-10 pax), a platter of ribeye, lamb rack, sirloin,

pork ribs, pulled pork, sausages, de-boned chicken leg, honey glazed ham, veal osso bucco and beef stew. Mon-Fri 4pm-12am, Sat 11am-12am, Sun 11am-11pm. 33 Tessensohn Road. Tel: 6295 5401 Choose from a selection of fuss-free bentos at Superhero Concept Café (we tried the $8 Lasso of Truth, dry ramen with your choice of chicken, salmon or prawn), Sidekicks (we chose to Time Travel with the generous $7 otah omelette), Villainous Desserts and beverages. Everything’s cooked with olive oil and purified water. Should anything on display (Batman bobbleheads, DC T-shirts) catch your fancy, scheme with your wallet to make the collectible yours. Work nearby or have an office pow wow? There’s delivery too (minimum order of $50). Mon-Fri 11.30am-7pm. 37A Boat Quay. Tel: 8228 4334 SUPERHERO CONCEPT CAFE

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The spirit of gifting

BATH MELTS AND BOMBS For the star in your life: Who doesn’t love these natural scented bath items that come in the form of everything from a mini Santa to a classic silver star that sparkles up the bathwater? From $7.50 from LUSH, #01-303 Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Boulevard. Tel: 6884 5494

It’s getting harder to find the right presents, whether it’s for the family member who has everything, your lucky Secret Santa or even yourself! Get the best bang for money with the perfect gifts under $10, $50 and $100. By Lim Si Hui CHRISTMAS CARD For the friend who loves a laugh: Send a pugalicious card to light up someone's Christmas! $3.50 from Typo, #01-18 313 Somerset. Tel: 6509 6951

ADVERTORIAL

STRALA LED LANTERN For the young and young at heart: this handy little light can be toted from room to room. Set up a tent and enjoy a weekend of indoor camping! $6.90 from IKEA, 60 Tampines North Drive 2. Tel: 6786 6868

SUGARPOVA CANDIES For the BFFs: Maria Sharapova’s fun, flirty soft candies are a sweet way to snack away the holidays. Comes in quirky shapes from handbags to fruits and a tongue-tingling sour variant. $7.50 from Robinsons The Heeren, 260 Orchard Road. Tel: 6735 8838

BiTES alert! 8-12 Dec

We have 10 sets of three Sugarpova candies, including one autographed by Maria Sharapova, to give away! Check out bites.com.sg/ promotions/contests

Fresh and hot

That's how Shi Li Fang serves up their food. With two outlets in Singapore, the Taiwanese hotpot restaurant prides itself on putting fresh food on the tableƒjust like home Adhering strictly to their motto of “No steaming, no boiling, no frying. Healthy food naturally,” Shi Li Fang goes the extra mile to put a smile on customers’ faces. We noticed that meats are sliced upon order; and patrons can opt for DIY springy hand-stretched noodles and “prawn glue”, a minced paste housed in a piping bag. Order your choice of broth from up to four soup bases, then create your own sauce from an array of over 30 dipping sauces as you wait for everything to be served fresh. Shi Li Fang’s fast too. Pop in for a quick solo lunch and a mini hotpot will be prepared for you (up to two soup bases)—orders

arrive in five minutes, tops. Try their specialty chicken set which comes with a basket of mixed greens: the tender poultry and piping hot broth will make a difference to your work day. #07-10/11 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6238 0800 #01-41 Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street. Tel: 6222 8518

FOUR SEASONS SHAKER For the domestic god/goddess: The cutest shakers we’ve ever seen—and we’ve seen lots. To recreate a scene of frolicking in the snow or crossing the Gobi desert on a camel, fill these with salt, pepper, and spices. $49 from Qualy, qualydesign.sg

LET’S BUILD A SNOWMAN FRUIT BOUQUET For the sweettoothed: With its plump little snowmen, this bouquet of juicy and tangy pineapple, apple and strawberries recreate a white winter wonderland in your mouth. $99 from Rainbowly, rainbowly.com

WISHBONE NECKLACE For the minimalist: Instead of tussling with your girlfriend or BFF over getting to make a wish, get them these local handmade necklaces that add charm to any outfit. $39 for mini-sized, $45 for normal-sized from By Invite Only, www.byinviteonly.info

HAPPY SOCKS For the fashionable father: The true sign of a stylish man lies between the hem of his pant leg and the top of his shoe, and these colourful socks are sure to make even a stranger smile! $50 from Robinsons, #03-01 Raffles City, 52 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6216 8388

COLLECTABLE DESIGN TIN For the tea-loving lady: A beautiful tin filled with goodies like raspberry and white chocolate biscuits and lavender preserve. $68 from Crabtree & Evelyn, #01 09 VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk. Tel: 6270 6887

Authentic Homemade Japanese Food. All ingredients are handled with care at OOTOYA. Fresh vegetables are all hand-washed and peeled each day. For meat and fish, we have our own handling procedures to keep the freshness. Because of this thorough preparation and our policy to only start cooking dishes after we receive the order, we are able to guarantee the quality and freshness of each dish. We are always dedicated to create more mouth-watering foods to our valued customers. Facebook.com/OotoyaSG

Branches:

Orchard Central #08-012 Tel : 6884 8901 Clementi Mall #03-53 Tel : 6659 2644 Changi City Point #01-30/31 Tel : 6636 1228

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Grades (YAY ) ) (NEUTRAL (NAY )

Looking back: the year in food trends

What we loved, what was meh, and what needs to stop… just stop immediately! 1. Lobster rolls (YAY!) With the opening of Pince & Pints ($48), modelled after London's Burger and Lobster, suddenly everyone was craving a hot dog bun filled with fancy pants chunky buttered lobster. Try also Platypus Lobster Shack ($19.90), or Boston Seafood Shack’s “Lobstah” roll ($18). 2. Mixologists (YAY!) It’s the year of the bespoke bars. And along with it, barkeeps became the hottest commodity in town. The dapper Mike Cheong from WOOBAR, champ of La Maison Cointreau Singapore 2013, will be at the Regional Finals in Jan. We also like Mixes from Mars, Spiffy Dapper, Anti:dote, Ah Sam’s Cold Drinks Stall, Bitters & Love, Tess, Nutmeg and Clove, Operation Dagger and The Secret Mermaid. 3. Pet cafés (YAY!) For furry therapy: stroking one relieves stress and lowers blood pressure. For cat lovers: Neko no Niwa ($12/pax for first hour), The Café Café, Meomi Cat Café, Cuddles Cat Café and The Company of Cats. And for pooch pals: We are the Furballs, Doggiestyle Café and III Café (they also held a bunny event) for a barking good time.

Remarks

ES team The BiTa on a at k c b s k loo g. Wh n i n i d f o year fanciesg r u o d e piqu d us cravin and ha ack? We tell to go bur not-soall in o repor t card— secret with the good, a long d a n d t h e t h e b aa i n i n g enter t

4. Affordable upscale dining (YAY!) We returned for Sushi Kou's oh-so-affordable $50 omakase sets. Try Restaurant Labyrinth for a Mod-Sin molecular $98 five-course prix fixe that aims to tease all your senses: the mango tomato bruschetta arrives looking like steak tartare, and chilli crab ice cream is a mindbender. 5. Honeycomb (Neutral) While everyone was braving the line at Honey Creme ($5.90), the real trend was in honeycombs. Beegurt (opened 14 Oct) has frozen yoghurts topped with raw honeycomb from New Zealand; HoneyComb (opened 25 Oct) has both milk soft serve and yoghurt options with South Korean honeycomb. 6. Food pop-ups (Neutral) Pop-ups became mainstream. We wonder if they’re really “guerrilla operations”, like the In-N-Out Burger stand (12 Nov). Then you have ANDSOFORTH had actors and stage crew working with the culinary team for a surreal feast ($88). Markets abounded, like Crateful, Creatory, 9MCM, and Naiise (#supportlocal!). Also notable: #FIJIWaterLimeTruck (15-16 Aug), MAGNUM Pleasure Store (23 May to 23 Aug) and Singapore Food Festival’s Nyonya Mobile (12-17 Jul). 7. Collagen/beauty hotpots (Nay!) In the case of Tsukada Nojo ($25/person, min. 2 pax), the secret's in the stock, made from carefully-raised

Jitokko chickens. Collagen is said to aid in your body's renewal (like the elasticity of skin). You'll find similar versions in Shirokiya ($38.80, feeds 2-3 pax) and buffet restaurants Shabu Sai (yuzu and salt beauty pot in May-June) and Momiji Shabu Shabu. Our cheeks ain't glowing yet… waitaminit, we have to take it everyday? 8. Juice cleanses (Nay!) You must have at least one friend who went on a juice cleanse/detox this year. This liquid programme of cold-pressed juices is supposed to “spring-clean” your system. Check with your doctor if it’s suitable for you before starting. Then check your bank account as it doesn’t come cheap (easily $300 for a three-day programme). 9. #desklunch food delivery (Neutral) If you work in the CBD, this #desklunch phenomenon is huge, with specialist vendors. Grain offers healthy options like stuffed tofu with goji berry black rice ($9.95, 493 kcal); Lunchbox.sg has largely Asian cuisine meals like minced pork noodle ($11). Try also food courier Feedex (pick-up from a central location) and Boxgreen (healthy snacks under $20/month). Thinking of the delivery business? Check out Oddle, a platform for F&B business owners. Cubicle rats, just remember to get some fresh air!

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10. Nostalgia (Nay!) Nostalgia isn’t real anymore—it’s there to sell you some romantic version of the past. Yet we fall for it every single time. We do actually like Tian Kee and Co (in a 54-year-old provision shop), The Dispensary (an old Chinese medical hall), My Awesome Café Singapore (Chung Hwa Free Clinic) and The Tastemaker (Shing Lee bookstore belonged to the owner's grandpa), but let’s hope 2015 brings us back to the future with new ingredients and fresher concepts.

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TOTALLY WORTH THE CALORIES Calories? What calories?

+ a FAVOURITEST DINING EXPERIENCES

Be it service, ambience or food, we can’t get these out of our minds

Oyster omelette from Green Sky We chomped through Bedok Corner in October’s edition and found an amazingly crisp orluak ($5) from a family-run Halal stall. #01-14 Bedok Food Centre, 1 Bedok Road

Waterdrop Teahouse A hidden find in Punggol. The tranquil vegetarian eatery serves crispy ginger ($5), braised rice ($4.50) and teas. Level 3 Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, 1 Punggol Place. Tel: 6411 0596

B + Mont Blanc from Henri Charpentier We love this French-inspired Japanese patisserie’s Mont Blanc ($9): a slightly savoury glazed chestnut, light cream, and finally, the chestnut cream with a hint of rum. All this sits atop a buttery financier (also a star item). 9A Dempsey Road. Tel: 6479 5518 Fish noodles from Hai Tien Lo Part of the celebratory six-course menu ($108, till 31 Dec) by master chef Lai Tong Ping, the springy noodles are steeped in flavours of the rich broth, with a tinge of wok hei. Level 3 Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6826 8240

Steamed minced meat with aged radish from Chui Huay Lim This Teochew muay staple ($12) featured hand-minced meat paired with 10-year-aged radish native to Swatow (not your usual chye poh)—available in limited quantities from painstakingly-sourced family-producers.. #01-02 Chui Huay Lim Club, 190 Keng Lee Road. Tel: 6732 3637

Moly milk strawberry green tea from Moly Cafe The homemade creamy topping is seasoned with sea salt, adding punchiness to the fruity and fragrant tea—we're also loving the strawberries and cream ($3.20/4.50). Also newly refurbished, with a cooler and larger seating area. #01-304, 109 Toa Payoh Lor 1. Tel: 9382 6613

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BEST OPENINGS

These standout establishments got us excited

SUFOOD The Taiwanese vegetarian restaurant's packed, service impeccable, and it’s great value for money ($25++ for an eightcourse set menu). We're still yearning for the eye-catching signature appetiser ($5.80): Japanese yuca root with blueberry coulis, oriental white water snowflake greens, and cherry tomato jelly. #02-19 Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6333 5338

Khun Mee Thai Thai-Chinese Teochew owner Khun Aum shadowed her favourite Bangkok street food vendors: try the ba mee (Thai wanton mee) with dumplings, charshu, lava egg and crabmeat ($8.80). #0232/34 Bedok Point, 799 New Upper Changi Road. Tel: 6445 9932

Nickeldime Drafthouse From the 15 seasonal craft beers on tap to the takeaway Liquor Store, we’re beery happy. Throw in beer-infused nosh like stout meatballs and a beer crepe, take-home growlers, a screaming neon sign, and a boozing octopus to seal the deal. #01-06, 273 Thomson Rd. Tel: 6256 0261

A+ a

Hairy Crab at Home Premium Seafood, or Hairy Crab At Home, impressed us with a delivery of wriggling, healthy crustaceans from Lake Taihu; storing, cooking and eating instructions included ($108 for the Silver Mixed Package: three 125g females and three 150g males). www.fb.com/hairycrabathome

Pek Kio Market & Food Centre We staked out the nostalgic food centre for our patriotic August issue: silky smooth handmade HK-style chee cheong fun (#0125) and crispy peanut pancake (#01-32). 41A Cambridge Road

Hai Di Lao 313@Somerset While you wait, get a manicure, read magazines, snack and drink for free, play games, sit and chat with kakis. Once inside, you're "royalty"—handphone covers, hairties; a hand-pulled noodles show. Level 4, 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Road. Tel: 68357227

Pizzeria Da Mario Authentic Italian hospitality by the river side. Tthe family-friendly restaurant does delish pizzas ($22, marinara with fresh prawns and tender squids and scallops, marinated in garlic parsley) and pastas ($36, tagliolini tartufati, topped with black truffle shavings, Parmesan cheese and cream). The laidback vibe’s also a hit with regular patrons (mostly Italians). #01-05/06 The Quayside, 60 Robertson Quay. Tel: 6235 7623

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NIPPON ROUND-UP

A delicious year for fans of Japanese food

B+

Memorable Japanese restaurants We loved centrally-located Shin Minori's a la carte lunch buffet ($34++) with a beautiful and fresh sashimi platter, and wide choice of dishes; EN Japanese Dining Bar for kindly hosting our buffet blogger hot seat with Melicacy (Sept issue); and Ootoya for their family-style fare with a taste of home.

A+

Ramen Keisuke Takeda, known for his restaurants, re-opened Keisuke Tokyo in Suntec City (June) and launched Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King - Matsuri in Parkway Parade (July). We also wrote about 53 ramen brands here in September's issue. Oishii Japan 2014 From 16-18 Oct, we covered our first major event, Oishii Japan, as the supporting food paper, along with official gourmet magazine, epicure (our big sis). Go, BiTES, go!

AA+ A

c o v e r

the bad

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POOR BEHAVIOUR

A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS

Shame and blame is the name of the game

Hawker deaths and restaurant closings

Arrest at Vienna International Seafood and Teppanyaki buffet Refusing to pay for food wastage, a woman hurled both vulgarities and physical items at the hapless staff. Food dumping at Eighteen Chefs A dissatisfied freelance photographer dumped food on the table and posted it on Facebook. Singaporean reports JB eatery Yes, a police report.Their crime? Toospicy nasi goreng kampung. Forum Seafood Village Restaurant overcharges tourists again The restaurant served Alaskan King Crab instead of mud crab—and a resulting bill of $1,186.20.

D D E C

Hawker deaths Mr Tay Khang Huat of Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee, and Mr Andrew Lim Seng Ann of Ye Lai Xiang Cheng Tng, passed away from heart conditions. Patron death A four-year-old boy died after eating at a nasi padang stall at Northpoint Shopping Centre. Restaurant closures Rising rentals and the labour crunch have forced several big names to close: Guy Savoy Singapore, Bomba and Kha, One on the Bund, and Au Jardin, just to name a few.

Haig Club Whisky David Beckham visited our shores for the launch, but does his name really make a difference to the product? The Papa Shop Actor Keagan Kang's bar and alcohol shop opened in March. Babette Backed by DJ Darren Wee; dishes out French-Japanese fusion. The Mama Shop Opened by Felicia Chin and Sora Ma and two shadow backers. Zhen Zhou Dao Opened by actor Moses Lim and family, the restaurant folded in March.

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STRANGE NEW WORLDS

Savoury cupcakes From Royal Plaza on Scotts. Polenta and spring onion weren't our fave desserts of the year.

Ramyun… and rice? Korea’s new Samyang ramyun and rice cup noodles are just amusing. Ramen burgers Fried ramen noodles replace regular buns, found at The Travelling C.O.W. Black burgers They're charcoal from bun to bun—and don’t look all that appetising. Pudding ramen The Taiwanese added caramel pudding to their instant noodles.

U-TURNS AND ROUNDABOUTS

Bye-bye, chef Ujong heralded a Mod-Sin menu with chef Shen Tan at the helm... for just seven months. Too bad the new menu has been totally overhauled.

A-

Wild Rocket stays put Wild Rocket closed in 2013, citing rising rents—only to reopen in July in the same spot: the landlord agreed to lower rents.

C-

Kay Lee Roast Meat Joint... sold! Finally, for a whopping $4 million to conglomerate Aztech Group.

Bincho at Hua Bee An old-school mee pok eatery stays put at the front, with a yakitori joint in the back.

C-

Shisha ban We’re still not quite over the sudden shisha ban that bars and their clientele are calling foul over.

The more things change...

C+

Café Fest disaster Tthe "exclusive event" became a crowded public free-for-all on the spot and perks and goodies vanished. Weak excuses and poor compensation failed to appease ticket buyers as the festival’s Facebook page exploded into a fiery ball of fail.

New food trends and products

De Burg eviction Rising rentals are one thing, but we were stunned when De Burg was evicted by their landlord with minimal notice in May, leaving them stranded.

CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS

Fails and wails all round

the funny :D Famous names want to be in F&B

I CAN’T BELIEVE IT

A+

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Wish you had a reliable buffet resource available to guide you to the best all-you-can-eat spots? Buffet Bounty is your go-to resource on buffets for all budgets, tastes and locations. This month, we truss up the turkey buffets, chat to a blogger about her fine dining preferences, hunt down Christmas Eve buffets under $50 and show you where to dine and party on New Year’s Eve. Log on to www.bites.com.sg for these buffets and more!

Bites guide: Price guide (nett) $ wallet-friendly (below $50) $$ just can’t resist a splurge ($50-100) $$$ a special occasion ($100-150) $$$$ indulgence galore (above $150)

laksa and chilli crab. Dining receipts score you a chance in their festive lucky draw. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off for festive buffets 21 on rajah

Certified halal Does not serve pork or lard Kid-friendly facilities

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off hamper and festive goodies (valid from 15 November to 30 December 2014) ◆ 20% off festive buffet lunch and dinner from Sundays to Thursdays (valid from 1 to 30 December 2014, except 24 and 25 December 2014) ◆ 15% off festive buffet lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays (valid from 1 to 30 December 2014, except on 24 and 25 December 2014) Buffet Town [ ] #B1-44E Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6837 3793 From 24 Dec 2014 to 1 Jan 2015, this sprawling buffet restaurant serves up four innovative flavours of turkey: traditional, char siew, kung pao, and tandoori ($32.80++, Mon-Fri 11.30am-3pm; $39.80++, Sat-Sun & PH 11.30am-3pm; $44.80++, Mon-Thu 6-10pm; $49.80++, Sat-Sun & PH 6-10pm). Equally tempting are the honey gammon ham and ice-cold snow crabs—on top of their usual buffet spread. A mini playground will entertain your tots. Buffet town

Festive Turkey Buffets around Singapore $ 10 at Claymore Lobby Level Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore, 10 Claymore Road. Tel: 6831 6686 Dig into an oven-roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing, accompanied by giblet gravy and cranberry marmalade at this buffet ($42++, Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm) that runs throughout December (except 24-25 & 31) Other musttries include the roast wagyu beef, the hearty seafood on ice (Maine lobsters and Queen Roe scallops), and freshly-made crepes.

21 on Rajah [ ][ ] Lobby Level Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park, 1 Jalan Rajah Road. Tel: 6808 6847 Celebrate Boxing Day (26 Dec) with this dinner buffet ($42++, 6-10.30pm) that features a carving station with traditional roast turkey and roasted U.S. prime ribeye. Make your own comfort food at the DIY rojak station, and indulge in Asian pasta with Singaporean sauces like

Azur Lobby Level Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, 75 Airport Blvd. Tel: 6823 5354 Enjoy traditional roast turkey as part of Azur’s festive buffet ($42++, 12pm-2.30pm, 15-19, 22-24, 26, 29-31 Dec) that includes a fresh seafood bar and Asian and Western show kitchens. Be sure to leave room for handcrafted Christmas sweet treats. Brizo Restaurant [ ] Level 1 Park Hotel Clarke Quay, 1 Unity Street. Tel: 6593 8855 The festive buffet lunch ($36++, 15-23 Dec) includes roasted turkey with rosemary sauce and cranberry sauce on the side, honey baked ham with apple sauce, and roasted beef striploin. Delight in the selection of butter, salted egg, and pepper crabs; these go swimmingly with their cereal tiger prawns. If you’re having the dinner buffet (from $65++, 6.30-10pm), your kids will love the special Santa’s workshop.

visit

Caprilicious Level 1 Capri by Fraser Changi City, Singapore 3 Changi Business Park Central 1. Tel: 6338 0800 A turkey rules the roost at this festive buffet lunch ($33.80++, Mon-Fri except 25 Dec, 11am-3pm). The bird’s dressed in a homemade Romesco marinade and stuffed with Bahia rice paella and portobello mushrooms. This Mediterranean bird is flanked by swordfish sashimi and roaring fresh tiger prawns—don’t forget the main courses and sweet treats once you’re fowl-ly satisfied.

In partnership with

Flavours At Zhongshan Park [ ] Lobby Level Ramada Singapore At Zhongshan Park, 16 Ah Hood Road. Tel: 6808 6846 A buffet spread ($36++, 1-5pm) that will satisfy the stomachs of Straits Chinese food lovers. Enjoy a welcome festive mocktail before making your way to the carving station for home-brined honey-glazed gammon ham with apple sauce, and roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing served with green peppercorn sauce. The restaurant’s very own “teh-tarik man” will also be “livepulling” the local beverage. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off for festive buffets flavours at zhongshan park

Bar and Billiard Room Lobby Level Raffles Singapore, 1 Beach Road. Tel: 6412 1816 On the live carvery station roosts roasted turkey stuffed with chestnut, served with gravy and cranberry sauce (13-23 Dec, Thu-Sat: $68++, 11.30am-2pm; $78++, 7pm-10pm). The European colonial styled restaurant also serves up lamb leg and Australian sirloin. After your meaty rounds, try the cute snowmen and penguin desserts. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 20% off for total bill Café Mosaic Level 1 Carlton Hotel, 76 Bras Basah Road. Tel: 6311 8195 The traditional roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing and old port wine sauce at Café Mosaic (from $68++; 12-25 Dec 6.30-10.30pm; 24-25 Dec 12pm-2.30pm) makes for a nice accompaniment to the live festive music of the National Junior College String Orchestra. Treat yourself further to the fresh seafood, including queen scallops, and the honey baked ham with pineapple raisin sauce. Carnivore Grandstand #01-16 The Grandstand, 200 Turf Club. Tel: 6466 9418 Cranberry turkey is the star of the season (24-25 Dec: $45++, 11am-3pm; $60++, 5.30pm-8pm; 24 Dec: $70++, 8-11pm) at this Brazilian barbecue restaurant. Balance the savouries with logcakes and candy canes.

The Square Level 7 Hotel Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay, 177A River Valley Road. Tel: 6433 8790 Apart from the roasted turkey with giblet sauce and cranberries sauce ($38++, Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm except 25 Dec), load up your plate with grilled barramundi, salted egg pork ribs, and a selection of dim sum. Desserts span durian pengat, French pastries, and the Christmassy stollen and logcakes.

$$ Aquamarine [ ] Level 4 Marina Mandarin Singapore, Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6845 1111 Encounter either the roasted traditional tom turkey on a rotating grill, served with chestnut stuffing and giblet sauce; or the roasted rendang marinated turkey (from $60++, daily 12pm-2.30pm, 6.30-10pm). Other than the Christmas fare of roast ham and beef, make a beeline for the wide range of seafood (mussels, crabs).

6.30-9.30pm)—it’s on rotation so do call up in advance to check. On Christmas Eve and Day, turn up the cheer with their free party favours. Indulge at Park [ ] Level 1 Grand Park City Hall, 10 Coleman Street. Tel: 6432 5888 Slow-roasted turkey breast with chestnut and golden raisins stars in the Santa & Santarinas Festive Delights buffet ($45++, Mon-Sat 12pm-2.30pm; $55++, Sun 12pm-3pm; $58++, Sun-Thu 6.30-10.30pm; $65++, Fri-Sat 6.30-10.30pm). Throughout December except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For more holiday cheer, check out the baked Christmas ham with cola maple glaze and the Christmas Shepherd’s Pie; tiny tots will have lots of fun with tree decoration and balloon sculpting on Sundays. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off hamper and festive goodies (valid from 15 November to 30 December 2014) ◆ 20% off festive buffet lunch and dinner from Sundays to Thursdays (valid from 1 to 30 December 2014, except 24 and 25 December 2014) ◆ 15% off festive buffet lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays (valid from 1 to 30 December 2014, except on 24 and 25 December 2014)

Carousel [ ] Lobby Level Royal Plaza on Scotts Singapore, 25 Scotts Road. Tel: 6589 7799 A traditional Christmas roast turkey with giblet gravy and chestnut stuffing is part of Carousel’s festive buffet ($49++, Mon-Fri 12pm-2pm; $55++, Sat-Sun 12pm2pm; $68++, Mon-Fri 6.30-9.30pm; $78++, Sat-Sun indulge at park

l’espresso

L’Espresso Lobby Level Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore, 22 Scotts Road. Tel: 6737 7411 If roast turkey is not your thing, try the pan-seared sous vide turkey breast with chestnut stuffing at L’Espresso’s festive English afternoon tea buffet (from $45++; Mon-Thu 2-5.30pm; Fri-Sun 12pm-2.30pm, 3-5.30pm). It’s available 1-30 Dec except on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There’s also hot food and scones, desserts, pastries, and cakes.

Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa

Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:

10% OFF

festive takeaway goodies

Valid till 25 December 2014. For orders, call 6825 3866. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more dining privileges.

b u f f e t

b o u n t y

Blogger Hot Seat This month we convinced the camera-shy corp comms and PR specialist with digital responsibilities, Karen Wee of superfinefeline, to unprecedentedly “showface” for our Christmas feature at 10@Claymore. She gives us the lowdown on her moniker and why she hardly touches cooked food at any buffet.

with a wax seal. I thought, ‘siao liao’.” Lunch cost 180. CURRENT FAVE CHEF: Paul Longworth of Rhubarb le Restaurant for his pigeon leg confit and panfried breast with rhubarb and rose purée, grapes ‘a la Aussignac’. christmas luncheon

WHO: Karen Wee (www.superfinefeline.com) BLOGGING SINCE: 27 September 2006. Moniker given by a close friend due to her cat-like movements. ON CATS: Rescued a stray near Brewerkz with a broken hip and a “run-over” tail. After a trip to the vet, the B&W feline was named Oreo, but ran away after six months. COUNTING COFFEES: Eight cups of latte in a day while working on a story for a women’s magazine. Parlez-vous français? Studied French in university as part of her European Studies course. FAVE HAUTE DISH: Artichoke black truffle soup from the now defunct Guy Savoy Singapore. MOST EXPENSIVE MEAL EVER: Dallmayr (restaurant side instead of bistro) in Munich. “The menu was a scroll

Lime Level 1 PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore, 3 Upper Pickering Street. Tel: 6809 8899 From 12 Dec (except 24-25), a classic roasted turkey and honey baked ham will be added to Lime’s celebratory line-up ($68++, daily 12pm-2.30pm; $78++, daily 6.30pm-10.30pm). The savoury menu features foie gras terrine with fruit chutney and lobster bisque soup, and you can pat your belly fondly after you’ve filled it up with the durian pengat-inspired durian mousse with vanilla buttercream logcake. Makan@Jen Level 10 Hotel Jen Orchardgateway, 277 Orchard Road. Tel: 6708 8899 With a traditional roasted turkey available for Christmas

FEAR FACTOR CHOW: In Guangzhou, friends ordered a stew bubbling with chicken testicles (“as big as fishballs, squishy with fluid inside!”), fish intestines and cow’s vagina. Ate, with the help of chilli and whisky. ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD: Fishball noodles with homemade chilli and meekia. DON’T OFFER HER: Ketchup, durian, bugs, offal (can only tahan foie gras), beer (craft beer like Hitachino Nest is OK), octopus, certain pork (some has boar taint), instant coffee. FINE DINING PET PEEVES: Cold bread, not changing cutlery after each course. FLAVOURS OF X’MAS: Eggnog and mulled wine. Definitely Starbucks’ Toffee Nut Latte.

Day ($55++, 12.30pm-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm) alongside their usual international Christmas buffet spread (dishes yet to be confirmed at press time), just top up $25++ for a freeflow of tipple: sparkling wine, house red and white wine, and the signature Jen cocktail. Get ready to make merry! Olive Tree Restaurant Lobby Level Hotel Intercontinental Singapore, 80 Middle Road. Tel: 6825 1061 The traditional roasted turkey (1-30 Dec except 24-25 Dec: $68-118++, daily 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm) is decked out like the colourful streets of Barcelona. The Spanish theme continues: 36-month aged jamon iberico, and cod fillet with fresh manila clams and saffron. If you love chocolate-dipped churros, or Spanish doughnuts, they’re on the dessert menu as well.

visit

THE BUFFET:

Crustacean Celebrations dinner buffet at 10 at Claymore at Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore ($68++ per person, daily 6-10.30pm, ended 30 Nov 2014) TIME OF VISIT: 14 November, 7pm STRATEGY: Sashimi (only salmon, tuna and swordfish), oysters, salad and cold cuts (iberico and salami, please), soup (especially lobster bisque, but never minestrone), a strict selection of cooked food (live stations, certain starches, a la minute dishes), cheeses (“I love the creamy and the stinky). If there’s still tummy room: a scoop of ice cream; raspberry sorbet if available. “I’ve actually been here a few times. Coffee is good too; the Penang dishes (hae mee, laksa and char kway teow) are must-haves.” BEST DISH: Always the char kway teow. American Maine lobster spiced with kam heong, and Australian Riverland tenderloin in balsamic red wine were pretty good too. NOT EVEN ON HER MIND: Most of the cooked food. “At a buffet, the dishes are usually sitting around for some time and that could alter the taste, so I prefer to order from live stations or the a la minute Plates of Pleasure menu.” SHOULDN’T HAVE ORDERED: The lamb was too dry. AN X’MAS BUFFET’S GOTTA HAVE: Gammon ham HOW MANY BiTES? Taste: 3/5 Value for money: 4/5 Service: 4.5/5 Note: At press time, Christmas buffet was not yet available, but the hotel kindly prepared a showcase of their festive specials (available from 1 Dec 2014. Read more on p.18)

olive tree restaurant

In partnership with

Orchard Café Lobby Level Orchard Hotel Singapore, 442 Orchard Road. Tel: 6739 6565 Traditional roasted turkey is part of the pre-festive buffet (8-23, 26-30 Dec: $55-78++, daily 12pm-2.30pm, 6-10pm) rotation along with Christmas delicacies like champagne ham with honey, grilled premium beef tenderloin with Béarnaise sauce and goose with orange sauce. End the feasting with fusion desserts like pandan coconut macarons and jackfruit panna cotta. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ Early bird special: 25% off festive dining (valid till 15 December 2014) ◆ 18% off festive buffet and goodies

christmas Buffets

under $50 NETT

oscar’s

On the eve of the 25th, prepare a little gift to yourself: check out these costsaving buffets to ring in the season and feed a whole family of elves!

IKEA Lovers of Swedish meatballs listen up; IKEA will be having a Christmas Eve buffet (lunch: $30, 12pm2pm; dinner: $35, 5.30pm-7.30pm and 8pm-10pn; members enjoy $10 discount for themselves and a guest). Buffet offerings include Christmas ham and smoked salmon, with soda and coffee or tea, as well as a $10 voucher for snazzy home furnishings. 60 Tampines North Drive 2. Tel: 6786 6868

Plaza Brasserie [ ] Lobby Level PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Singapore, 7500A Beach Road. Tel: 6505 5710

Kiseki Kiseki’s festive menu is chock-full of Japanese festive fusion goodness: roasted turkey with miso glazing, deep fried soft shell crab with truffle salt, and a honey baked ham with yuzu jam. The usual suspects in Japanese cuisine feature heavily too: White tuna tataki with ponzu and yuzu sauce, beef sanso yaki, and fresh sashimi. For the variety, it’s a bang for your buck Christmas Eve buffet ($32.80++, 11.30am-3pm; $39.80++, 5pm10.30pm). #08-01/02/03 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6736 1216

River Garden Coffee House

ikea

Oscar’s [ ] Lobby Level Conrad Centennial Singapore, 2 Temasek Boulevard. Tel: 6432 7481 Seasonal offerings at Oscar’s buffet ($59++, Mon-Sat 12pm-2.30pm; $69-80++, daily 6pm-10pm) this year include roasted mustard turkey and a live seafood station. If you’re game for Christmas brunch ($198++, 12pm onwards), bring your children along to have some fun at the kid’s corner, and to have their picture taken with Santa Claus or listen to some Christmas carols at select timings. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off total buffet lunch and dinner and Sunday Amazing Graze (valid from 28 November to 30 December 2014). More details on hotel website.

kiseki

The restaurant’s menu on Christmas Eve ($38.80++, 12pm-2.30pm) runs the gamut from east to west: there’s Asian fried slipper lobster with curry sauce and roasted suckling pig; traditional baked gammon ham and Welsh rarebit baked spinach with salmon. If you’ve already made plans, check out the lunch spread from 1-23 and 26-30 Dec at the same price. Level 1 Riverview Hotel Singapore, 382 Havelock Road. Tel: 6349 4871/72

Katong Kitchen [ ] This Christmas and Christmas Eve lunch buffet affair boasts specialties ranging from lobster Katong laksa with onsen quail egg (yum!) to Nonya spice prime roast beef with lemongrass jus ($42++, 12pm-4pm). Then have crispy sesame ball with durian for dessert. If you can’t wait to dig in, these offerings are also available during weekday lunchtime from 15-23 Dec ($40++, 12pm-2.30pm). Level 4 Village Hotel Katong, 25 Marine Parade Road. Tel: 6551 2141

Starz Restaurant Take the whole family to Resorts World Sentosa for a fun Christmas break—and for their Christmas Eve lunch ($42++, 12pm-2.30pm) and Christmas Day high-tea ($36++, 12pm-4pm). Try their centrepiece traditional roasted turkey, spicy chilli crab with fried mini mantous, and grilled wagyu steak with red wine sauce. A similar spread is available 1-23 Dec during weekday lunch ($42++, 12pm-2.30pm) and weekend high-tea ($36++, 12pm-4pm). Lobby Level Hard Rock Hotel, 8 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa Island. Tel: 6577 6688

Andersen’s of Denmark

Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:

visit voucher* (worth up to $10) with purchase of ice cream log cake Complimentary return *Voucher is for next use only. Complimentary $5 voucher for purchase of 1kg log cake, $10 voucher for purchase of 1.5kg log cake. Valid till 31 December 2014. Visit www.andersensicecream.com for outlet listings. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more dining privileges.

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The classic roast turkey with sausage meat, available from 12 Dec (except 24-25, 31), competes for attention with the marbled mangalica pork roast from Hungary. Carvery aside, the buffet ($45++, daily 12pm-2.30pm; $60, Mon-Thu 6-10pm; $65, Fri-Sun 6-10pm) tantalises with honey glazed ham and roast Angus beef striploin. On Christmas day, brunch will be at The Ballrooms, which houses a kids’ playzone and a cupcake decorating competition. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off takeaway festive goodies. Valid from 12 December to 1 January 2015. ◆ 15% off festive lunch and dinner buffets. Valid from 12 to 30 December 2014, except on 24 and 25 December 2014. ◆ 15% off festive lunch and dinner buffets on 24, 25, 31 December 2014 and 1 January 2015. Valid with reservations and pre-payments made by 18 December 2014

Tiffany Café & Restaurant

$$$ Pete’s Place Basement Level Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Road. Tel: 6738 1234 Tuck into a traditional baked turkey with chestnut stuffing at the live carving station at the Christmas Eve buffet dinner ($108++, 7-11pm) in the cosy, warmly-lit Italian restaurant. There’s also slow-cooked beef flank and a roasted lamb leg—don’t miss the seafood at the live station with oysters and poached Canadian lobsters.

Plaza Brasserie

Eve ($55.80++, 12pm-2.30pm; $65.80++, 6-10.30pm). A third child or adult dines free with every two paying adults. The Asian theme continues with salted egg yolk crab and smoked duck in shiso plum sauce; then tuck into durian pengat crumble and chocolate fondue.

Silver Shell Café [ ] Level 3, Dine on 3, Shangri-la’s Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa, 101 Siloso Road, Sentosa. Tel: 6371 1966 A traditional roast turkey is the highlight of the Christmas Day buffet ($68++, 12pm-2.30pm, 6-10pm) that features local and international cuisines. The restaurant also has a kid-sized buffet counter that’s the perfect height for picky eaters to grab their own plate of food. Tiffany Café & Restaurant [ ] Lobby Level Furama City Centre, Singapore, 60 Eu Tong Sen Street. Tel: 6531 5366 The Asian spiced roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing is a great deal with the 3-for-2 promotion on Christmas

(24-25 Dec: $77.30 nett, 12pm-2.30pm 12-23; 24 Dec: $90.50 nett; 6.30-8.30pm, 8.30-10.30pm and 25 Dec: 6.30-10pm) where roast turkey stuffed with foie gras, fresh sourdough breadcrumbs, mixed mushrooms and fresh herbs, from “Godfather of Australian cuisine”, chef Tony Bilson, will be available.

Triple Three Level 5 Mandarin Orchard Singapore, 333 Orchard Road. Tel: 6831 6271 There’s a fine traditional roasted turkey to be had alongside delectable Kagoshima wagyu beef and a melt-in-your-mouth pan-fried marinated duck liver with miso and black truffle (24-25, 31 Dec: $78$148++, 12pm-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10pm). Treat yourself to the green tea logcake and a selection of free-flow beverages. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 20% off festive goodies Valid till 14 December 2014. ◆ 15% off festive goodies Valid from 15 to 31 December 2014.

The Glass House Lobby Level Hotel Fort Canning Singapore, 11 Canning Walk. Tel: 6559 6770 A touch of chardonnay enhances the braised roast turkey; the bird is infused with white wine through steaming before being roasted in the oven at high heat. At this Christmas Eve buffet ($98++, 6.30-9.30pm), meat-lovers will be pleased with the prime rib roast beef with horseradish cream sauce and shallot and garlic confit, and maple-glazed gammon ham with pineapple and bacon chutney. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off on total buffet bill (food only) for Christmas Eve Dinner, Christmas Day Brunch, New Year’s Eve BBQ buffet Dinner and New Year’s Day Brunch Window on the Park Restaurant

Window on the Park Restaurant Level 2 Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre, 11 Cavenagh Road. Tel: 6733 8333 Open a window on holiday feasting with this buffet

The St. Regis Singapore

Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:

10% OFF

Festive Takeaways and a la carte

For orders, call 6831 6272/6320 or email to coffeecrust.orchard@meritushotels.com. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more dining privileges.

In partnership with

Top 10 new year’s

eve Buffets

A feast to wrap up 2014? Free-flowing tipples or a countdown party? We’ve nailed them all here.

CAFÉ BRIO’S Café Brio’s last buffet of the year (from $106++, 6-10pm) features herb-rubbed roast whole turkey with chestnut filling, cranberry jam and gilbert jus, as well as honey glazed Gammon ham, logcake and panettone. Then move on to the smoked green tea marlin and snow fish platter with wasabi mayo; grilled Alaskan king crab, baked hotate mentaiyaki, and wagyu mini steak. You might also want to conquer the macaron tower. Lobby Level Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, 392 Havelock Road. Tel: 6233 1100 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 18% off for festive dinner buffets for a maximum of five diners ◆ 20% off for festive dinner buffets with a minimum of six diners

Wash it all down with a dose of music at the lounge: a guest DJ from Spain will be manning the decks. 43 North Canal Road. Tel: 6536 4046

INDOCAFE—THE WHITE HOUSE A colonial respite that’s on the fringe of Orchard Road. Help yourself to hearty and familiar Peranakan fare at the a la carte buffet ($58.80++, 6-10.30pm). Start with kueh pie tee, bok nee (black fungus and chicken) salad, before moving onto mains like babi pongteh, nam yue (preserved beancurd) pork chop, wagyu beef cheek rendang, ulam (herb) rice and finally chendol panna cotta. 35 Scotts Road. Tel: 6733 2656

KEBABS N CURRIES Head to Mustafa Centre’s rooftop hangout for an Indian buffet ($35++, 8-11pm) with prizes for the best couple and best dancers (couples). Tuck into the heady and hearty flavours of multani paneer tikka (a cottage cheese dish flavoured with coriander and other spices), gosht palak (mutton with spinach), baghara baingan (eggplant curry) and a variety of salads. Fill up on South Indian chicken biryani and an assortment of naans, then finish off 2014 with chamcham (a traditional Bengali sweet flavoured with saffron, cream, and garnished with coconut flakes). #07-00 Mustafa Centre, 171 Syed Alwi Road. Tel: 6419 0749

NUVO

d’bell singapore

D’BELL SINGAPORE This Resto Lounge from Mumbai tosses up a special buffet ($70++, 7-10.30pm) which features a canape bar (crunchy tandoori duck spring roll, seared ocean scallops in an Oriental spoon), freshly baked breads, crab bisque, and a selection of mains and desserts. We’re eyeing the baked beef roulade, Bhune wine tomatoes, masala lamb kebabs and mango rasmalai. Includes masala chai or coffee, which comes with a side of gourmet cookies.

This fusion Japanese-Italian restaurant is a choice spot to see 2014 segue into the New Year amid flutes of bubbly and delish food ($65++, 5-8pm; $85++, 8.30pm-2am). Armed with your choice of prosecco, Bellini or Mimosa, feast on pizzas (pecorino chicken bolognese, wasabi aioli), yakitori (pork and cherry tomatoes; prawn, squid and capsicum), pasta (angel hair wakame, grilled pork pasta) and more. Be sure to bring a partner or buddy for a one-time complimentary platter of cold cuts, antipasto and sushi. #02-100 Marina Square Shopping Mall, 6 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6822 2098

SENSO RISTORANTE & BAR Slide into the shiny New Year with free flow prosecco, wines and beer at Senso’s countdown party ($58++ for non-dining guests, 11pm-2am). This millennial (it opened in 2000) Italian establishment proves it’s still got the party animal within—groove to a live DJ set, clink your glasses with friends old and new, and make enough conversation so you don’t get too sloshed before the clock strikes midnight. 21 Club Street. Tel: 6224 3534

SINGAPORE SWIMMING CLUB If you’re chummy with a member of the Singapore Swimming Club, you can attend their Mid-Summer Masquerade Ball (members $110, guests $128; 6.30pm2am). It includes a variety show, stage games, music and comedians; the sit-down dinner (includes steamed red grouper with Yunnan ham) is followed by a buffet spread (includes roasted honey baby ribs, leg of lamb with mint sauce) to last partygoers till the stroke of midnight and beyond. Porridge supper’s even provided after 12.30am, when there’ll be a grand lucky draw and a DJ set. 45 Tanjong Rhu Road. Tel: 6342 3670

SOUTHWEST TAVERN Westies, this one’s for you. This cowboy themed restaurant’s challenge to you: eat and drink all you can (food 7-10.30pm, drinks 7-11.50pm). Feast on Beer Butt smoked chicken, crackling pork roulade with pineapple salsa, honey mustard lamb kebab with mint yoghurt, Australian marbled sirloin with wild mushroom sauce, Louisiana seafood broil, baked fresh Norwegian salmon, and more. Drinks: Erdinger and Heineken draught, housepours, house red/white wine. #01-33 TradeHub 21, 8 Boon Lay Way. Tel: 6515 4303

THE DINING ROOM The Dining Room’s New Year’s Eve dinner buffet ($138++, 7-10.30pm) offers seafood on ice, pan-seared duck liver with caramelised berry, araguani chocolate brownies with lavender ganache and more. When you’re done, there’s still time for a five-minute train ride to town for that swinging countdown party. Lobby Level Sheraton Towers Singapore, 39 Scotts Road. Tel: 6839 5621

THE KITCHEN TABLE

the kitchen table

Bring your dancing shoes to this buffet at this whimsical family restaurant. Six live stations dole out a la minute platters. Head for the raw bar which houses fresh shellfish and glistening seafood, then go for the freshly steamed dim sum, crackling wood-fired pizzas; and tantalising tandoori fare ($168++ non-alcoholic, 6-11pm). Grab a drink and adjourn to WOOBAR after dinner for live music spanning all genres; from jazz to fusion funk, to usher in 2015. Level 1, W Singapore, 21 Ocean Way, Sentosa Cove. Tel: 6808 7268

Mandarin Oriental, Singapore

Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:

15% OFF festive goodies

Valid till 25 December 2014. For orders, call 6885 3081 or email to mosin-festive@mohg.com. Offer is not valid for purchase of hampers. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more dining privileges.

d e s t i n a t i o n

d i n i n g Caldwell House Originally built for magistrate clerk H.C. Caldwell in the 1840s, Caldwell House was bought for 4,000 francs by Father Jean-Marie Beurel for the Infant Jesus Sisters in 1853. On 26 Oct 1990, Caldwell House was gazetted with the Gothic Chapel as National Monuments under the Preservation of Monuments Act. Today the restored building is an art gallery.

Goin’ to the chapel of love

If music be the food of love, play on. William Shakespeare sure nails it if he’s post-mortem-ly describing the area centred on the newly revamped CHIJMES—also comprising Raffles City shopping mall, Raffles Hotel Shopping Arcade, and the lesser-known Odeon Towers; this is a haven of dining and retail options in the proximity of City Hall, Esplanade and Bras Basah MRT stations.

gothic chapel

Gothic Chapel/hall Completed between 1902 and 1903, the chapel, along with the hall, is a popular wedding venue and photography location today. Gaze at the high ceilings, flower and bird motifs, grand chandeliers, and of course, the gorgeous stained glass windows.

By Meredith Woo

CHIJMES

(30 VICTORIA STREET)

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HERE & THERE Kushiyaki Bar (#01-11/12/13/18) Bar bites from as low as $5 (Tzatziki ginger chicken skewers), mains from an affordable $20 (foie gras and wagyu beef rice). Grab a side for $9 (Earl Grey cured salmon tartine) or $10 for umami truffle fries with real black truffle shavings. Sat-Thu 11.30am-11pm, Fri 11.30am-1am. Tel: 6333 0116

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New Asia Bar (Level 71) For great views, a pumping party and tipples at knee-shaking heights. Take the express elevator for a smooth but ear-popping journey. A cover charge applies on special nights, but otherwise, a drink in hand will suffice. Monday's the night for $15 martinis, Thursday for $10 housepours, or if you're driving, a $10 mocktail (before 9pm). Chow includes pizzas from their wood-burning oven (from $30 for Margherita). Events: 24 Dec, 10pm-late for The Ultimate Christmas Party; 31 Dec, 10pm-late for the New Year's Eve Spectacular Countdown Party ($50 nett). Wed-Thu 7pm-2am, Fri-Sat, eve of PH 7pm-3am, Sun & Tue 7pm-1am; last Friday of the month 7pm-4am. Tel: 9177 7307

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(2 STAMFORD ROAD)

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On-Yasai (#01-03/04) Thaw out in this rainy weather with comforting Japanese-style hotpot. Literally meaning "warm vegetables", go for the signature yasai platter ($9.90), or the more premium Japanese Wagyu katarosu (chuck roll, $24.90). Daily 12pm11pm. Tel: 6336 4002

Oyster Bar & Wine Dining wharf (#01-19) Start with a chef's selection platter of the freshest ($36/6 pcs), then try them steamed with white wine ($28/4 pcs), fried ($9/2 pcs), or grilled with four toppings ($28/4 pcs). There's also homemade sangria ($8.80/glass), a wine punch, for a fruity nightcap. Daily 5pm-12am. Tel: 6332 6789

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Dimbulah Coffee (#01-17) Find your java respite at Dimbulah, or "long watering hole". Their roasted Arabica coffee beans hail from Dimbulah Mountain Estate, in Tropical North Queensland. All their cuppas are double ristrettos (from $4 for a short espresso). Go for '1664' beer battered fish and chips ($18) or an Aussie steak pie ($6). Daily 7am-12am. Tel: 6336 4700

Swissôtel The Stamford

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Overview In her past life as a convent compound, CHIJMES housed an orphanage, schools, dorms and a chapel. The site underwent redevelopment after 1983. Part of the compound became SMRT's HQ; and the remaining complex was renamed CHIJMES (reopened 1996)—after the convent's acronym (Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus) and the peal of the tower bells. Its recent $45-million revamp saw the lowering of its cloister walls along Victoria Street for more visibility, and the addition of three corner entrances. Look out for the Lawn Market (6-7 Dec), The Artisans & Craftsmen Market (14-15 Dec), an Exotic Asia X'mas Special at CHIJMES (18-21 Dec), and of course, the NYE Countdown at CHIJMES (31 Dec).

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ODEON TOWERS

(331 NORTH BRIDGE ROAD)

Odeon Towers—for a chillax session on the roof Overview Mainly an office building, 23-storey high Odeon Towers also has an extended two-storey retail podium block. Look out for the reflecting pond, punctuated with rocks, a green planter wall, and a timber boardwalk just across the water feature. Asia Grand Restaurant (#01-02/08) Go for the good value and tasty Peking duck ($38, limited to one per table), with crisp skin you can wrap in egg rolls and a $10 top-up for fried rice after. Chefs use the wok, claypot and bamboo steamer as a nod to preserving Cantonese culture and tradition. MonSat 11.30am-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm; Sun & PH 10am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm. Tel: 68870010

HAN – Cuisine of Naniwa (#01-04) Splurge on specialty Kushikatsu (from $18/3 sticks), or skewers dipped in batter and panko (breadcrumbs) and deep-fried. In the good hands of executive chef Seiichiro Arakawa, try the Osaka sushi morikomi bento lunch set ($65), or go all out for dinner with the Ohmi beef courses (from $180, grade A4-7 and 8). Mon-Sat 12-2.30pm, 6-10pm. Tel: 6336 2466 Loof (#03-07 Extension Rooftop) Welcome to Odeon Towers' nightcap spot—the roof, or Loof. Its playful and Singlish name suggests what's ahead: bar food that's #SoSingaporean (Loof Flies $9, Babi-que Sliders $16), and cocktails with a Southeast Asian spin (Bandung Bloom $17, Ho Chi Mint $17). Make a trip to their version of the Mama Shop for “I don’t friend you” books, coin-operated kidult rides and old-school snacks. Events: 11 Dec, 8pm-12am for Pops of the Top; 24 Dec, 9pm-late Christmas Eve party; 31 Dec, 9pm-2015 New Year's Eve countdown. Mon-Thu 5pm1am, Fri-Sat & eve of PH 5pm-3am. Tel: 6338 8035

RAFFLES HOTEL SHOPPING ARCADE

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(328 NORTH BRIDGE ROAD)

Raffles Hotel Shopping Arcade—upscale shopping tr

Overview Operated by the hotel: kopitiam-style Ah Teng’s Bakery (#01-09), and Long Bar (#02-01), the birthplace of the Singapore Sling. The retail area houses over 35 international and regional fashion and designer stores, F&B, premium gift shops— with the verdant grounds in sight to complete your leisurely afternoon experience.

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SunnyHills (#03-05) These bite-sized pineapple cakes from Taiwan brand SunnyHills are a great addition to any festive table. Till 26 Dec, Christmas gift sets are available in two sizes: $25/10 pcs and $50/20 pcs. Or get the limited edition version ($27) that comes with 10 pieces of tangy and buttery pineapple cakes and a bottle of pineapple juice. Daily 11am-7pm. Tel: 8522 9605

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Leica Gallery (#01-18) It’s a beautiful, classy showcase of the cameras from this reputed German brand. Take your time in the Leica Gallery—admire the premium pieces and find out more from the friendly staff. Prices upon request. Daily 10am-8pm. Tel: 6336 9555 Surrender (#02-31) The stylish clothing store draws you in with its artisanal brands and high street labels. It's a bit hipster too: graphic tees and jackets from Japanese brand Neighbourhood (crafted with pride, yo!), footwear by Fujiwara Hiroshi x Nike, and HEAD PORTER Tokyo pouches. MonSat 12-8pm, Sun & PH 12-5pm. Tel: 6733 2130

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RAFFLES CITY

(252 NORTH BRIDGE ROAD)

Raffles City—where fashion, food, and a fountain meet r s a ff cehop les n t pi n c i re g t y

Overview The shopping mall is part of a 28-year-old complex that also houses an office tower, a convention centre and two hotels. New in: Boost Juice Bar (#B1-51, opened 30 Oct) and premium ice cream stop AFE + BEA Nothing Ordinary (#B1-68, opened end Nov).

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Fountain (Basement One) Dine beside the leaping fountain at PODI (#B1-45) or choose to sit around it and chow on bites from Epi D'or bakery (#B1-44), Tsukiji Gindaco (#B1-54) and Tip Top (#B1-55). NBC (#B1-22) If you're looking for a giant Totoro plushie or an elusive Midori notebook, NBC is the place to go. Packed with stationery and gifts from Japan, it always has the latest San-X toys and a trove of notebooks. Pick up a planner here for the new year! Tel: 6336 7466. www.nbcstationerygifts.com Das Erzgebirge-Haus (#03-27) Great Christmas gift ideas galore in this traditional German wood craft shop. Purchase a decorative nutcracker, an intricate Schwiboggen or arch light, or a Yuletide music box. You’ll also find toys for the kids and Guardian

raffles city market place

Angels for your desk. Tel: 6334 1920. www.erzgebirgehaus.com Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert (#B1-79) Apart from the eatery's HK wonton noodle, and mango pomelo sago, grab their promotional items and new dishes like plum sauce pork rib noodle ($7.50). Top up $1.90 for lemongrass jelly with passion fruit and soursop or almond paste, and steamed yam cake. Daily 11am10.30pm Osaka Ohsho (#B1-75) The gyoza specialist's pan-fried meat dumplings boast elastic yet thin skin, and a balanced savoury filling of minced pork ($3.90/6pcs). Must tries: mabo tofu & double cooked pork ($14.90), fluffy Tenshin Han ($9.90, a cross between mui fan and omu rice). Daily 11.30am9.45pm. Tel: 6338 5584 Raffles City Market Place (#B1-01/02) The gourmet supermarket's just been re-launched with more spacious layout. For desk lunch bentos ($6.50 for Thai green chicken curry), salads (from $4.99), a "Food of the World" aisle, and a "Wellness" corner (wholegrain pasta and gluten-free snacks). Cart home heirloom tomatoes from France, rose garlic from Spain, and choice cuts of U.S. beef. X'mas tipple pick: the limited edition Rekordelig Premium Winter Cider ($7.70/500ml) from Sweden. Daily 9am-11pm. Tel: 6336 2676

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Back to our island

T’was the evening before Christmas, when up on the roof; Santa and Rudolph arrived, all belly and hooves.

Ho ho… oh? Our famous tourists from the Arctic Circle revisit Lau Pa Sat Festival Market after its $4 million revamp. Photography by Benjamin Soh/ Tay Yu Liang

World cuisine: Costa Rican chicken salad in a fried tortilla shell, or Krunchy chalupas; Vietnamese goi cuon (fresh spring rolls) and Filipino lechón (spit-roasted meats). Slightly squeamish but tasty: chicken liver Japanese skewers and raw squid viscera with salt (dinner menu only).

ding!!! ding!!! Hark now hear the clock tower peal (every 15 minutes: the iconic structure’s been fully restored to its former glory.)

"Teas from Betjeman and Barton, and floral tau huay! I can also pop by The Little Flower Shop to decorate my sleigh."

“The weather’s so humid, compared to the North Pole; cool down with cake and a latte to go.” Osaka’s Delicius Pasticceria uses superior green tea powder from Uji, Kyoto.

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With a few Indian vegetarian stalls to choose from, veg-chomping rudolph opts for big bites indeed. Behold his Bombay Meal.

LAU PA SAT FESTIVAL MARKET (AKA TELOK AYER MARKET), 18 Raffles Quay

The bill The total (4 pax): $49.90 ➔ [NEW] Stall 6 Mamacitas (Halal): Krunchy chalupas chicken set with avocado $8.90 ➔ Stall 49/71 Mang Kiko’s Lechon: Roasted chicken & pork combo meal $12 ➔ [NEW] Stall 55 Azmaya Yakitori Teppan: chicken liver skewer $2.50, raw squid viscera $5 ➔ Stall 22 Sunny Viet: fresh spring rolls $5 ➔ Stall 64 Big Bites (vegetarian): Bombay Meal $6 ➔ [NEW] Stall 25-27 Delicius Pasticceria: Iced matcha latte $6.50, Matcha azuki cream roll $4/slice

The score ➔ Food ➔ Ambience ➔ Value

THE VerdicT ➔ Slightly expensive; but the centrally located iconic food court has a good range of cuisines, from local to the more exotic. The night-only Satay Club takes over the road from 7pm-3am. A one-stop location for tourists.

Have a favourite hawker hunt? Talk to us at [bites.editorial@magsint.com] *BiTES dined incognito and paid for our own meaL

Last stop, the nighttime satay street: “Pakcik! One dozen satay, tapau for the road!”

so heavy, so happy. HO HO MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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Christmas in a bottle What’s a celebration without some tipple? these festive drinks from all over the world will add pizzazz to your party, be it a hearty turkey meal or a canapé gathering. By Lim Si Hui

GLÖGG SAFFRANSSMAK Origin: Sweden Price: $20 (500ml) Alcohol content: 15% Glogg comes from “gloedga”, the Swedish word for heat. This mulled white wine with saffron is a traditional Christmas drink, often enhanced with spices like cinnamon and ginger to give it its rich smell. Serve it cold as an aperitif at parties, or warm it up and add some raisins and chopped almonds on a windy (or air-conditioned!) night. IKEA, 60 Tampines North Drive 2. Tel: 6786 6868

BOLS ADVOCAAT Origin: The Netherlands Price: $47 (750ml) Alcohol content: 15% A more liquid version of the traditional dessert-ready Dutch eggnog, advocaat is made from pure egg yolks, giving it a rich, sweet taste and creamy aroma with a hint of alcohol and vanilla. For an easy cocktail, add Advocaat and cold lemonade in equal parts with an ice cube to make a Snowball; garnish with a slice of lemon. www.liquorbar.sg

INSIGNA DEL SAZ BRUT NATURE CAVA Origin: Spain Price: $28.80 (U.P. $36) Alcohol content: 11.5% Made from Chardonnay and Macabeo grapes, this pale yellow wine exudes clean aromas of white fruit and laurel; you’d think it was champagne—at less than half the price. Zesty with slow bubbles, it can be served at 6-7°C alongside white meat, or goat cheese. Vin Atelier, #B1-11 Thomson V Two, 11 Sin Ming Road. Tel: 9368 7730

PORTAL LBV PORT 2008 Origin: Portugal Price: $72 (750ml) Alcohol content: 20% We won’t be snuggling in front of a fireside with a glass of port, but this fetching bottle makes us wish we could. With a floral aroma of ripened red fruits and chocolate, and a hint of spices, the sweet treat goes down smoothly. If you’re getting classy, serve this deep ruby-coloured port at 16-18°C, decanted, and pair with red meat dishes or chocolate desserts. www.colheitas.com

REKORDELIG PREMIUM WINTER CIDER Origin: Sweden Price: $7.70 (500ml) Alcohol content: 4% This special winter edition cider is a Swedish favourite as well. Enjoy it during an alfresco lunch—its infusion of apple, vanilla and cinnamon make it perfect for a summer Christmas. Warm it up and add an orange slice to serve as a mulled cider, or pour it over ice for a light sparkler. Raffles City Market Place, #B1-75 Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road

KRONENBOURG BLANC Origin: France Price: $4.95 (330ml) Alcohol content: 5% Give your Christmas luncheon an elegant touch with this modern wheat beer, light in alcohol an d packaged in a classy blue bottle. Like a breath of fresh air, it has a sweet and refreshing taste that differs from other white beers, with the aroma of citrus and coriander spice. Brewed in Alsace, this slightly hoppy beer goes great with salads, seafood, and tangy cheeses. NTUC FairPrice, #B1-09 Jurong Point, 1 Jurong West Central 2

MIWAKUNO YUZU / ICHIGO Origin: Japan Price: $34 (Yuzu, 500ml) / $39 (Ichigo, 500ml) Alcohol content: 7% Kanpai to Christmas in the tropics! These light Maruishi Brewery sakes are made from yuzu from the Ehime prefecture and strawberries from the Aichi prefecture respectively. With a refreshing and smooth finish, they can be drank straight, on the rocks, or mixed with soda for a fun bubbly texture. Ippin Café Bar, #01-01 18 Mohamed Sultan Road. Tel: 6733 4794

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A tale of two turkeys ‘Tis the season for juicy, roasted turkey—but where to buy? We check out two supermarket fowls and suss out what to do with leftovers By Lim Si Hui, Photography by Tay Yu Liang

Top Turkey Tips • Have warmed

FairPrice Roast Rosemary Turkey Set

• • •

$55.90, serves 4-6 pax 3.5-4.5kg before roasting Pre-orders end 20 Dec, and must be placed 3 days in advanced in-store or online.

While the healthy white breast meat was a little dry, the dark meat on the bottom half of the turkey was juicy and tender; however, this turkey lost points on its not-quite-crispy skin.

Verdict:

Bites Dec (1) - pathed.pdf 1 25/11/2014 10:55:52 AM

•

Chicken Chestnut Stuffing (400g) With the looks of chicken ham and the taste of comfort food, this goes down well with the gourmet sauce.

Gourmet Sauce (300g) Gave a peppery kick to the turkey and stuffing, but did not taste significantly fragrant for a Christmas gravy.

chicken stock on hand: Brush a dry turkey with it before carving, or dredge carved turkey pieces in it before serving to moisten them up. To warm up sliced turkey without drying it out, heat in the oven in a casserole dish of chicken stock, covered with aluminium foil, for 10 minutes.

Rochester Market Roast Turkey • • •

Turkey Gravy Rich and savoury, although it might be on the salty side for the health-conscious.

$59 uncooked, $99 cooked, serves 5-7 pax 4-5 kg before roasting Available in other sizes at various prices, or in sets with other meats.

Sage & Onion Stuffing $25 A LA CARTE While filling, this stuffing was a little bland and could use more seasoning.

Most of the turkey—save some breast meat— was moist, and the thigh meat was particularly tender; the highlight of this turkey is its skin, which is crispy and well-seasoned, even beating out some takeaway turkeys from high end hotels.

Verdict:

Cookin' up some bites

BOXING DAY leftoveRS

Boil the carcass for soup stock to use in porridge and stews Bites Dec (2) - pathed.pdf

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Slice up breast meat thinly to make healthy rice paper spring rolls

Our friends at music streaming service Guvera have cooked up a special BITES soundtrack to make cooking oh so groovy! Check it out at www. guvera.com or scan the QR code.

Gather the scraps to put together into a pot pie or a baked stew

11:09:23 AM

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Treat your shelves

LOTUSGRILL Go from zero to hero in three minutes with this quick-to-heat grill. Smokeless and fussfree, the Lotusgrill keeps it small and simple for you to get your barbecue fix on right at home without any extra hassle; perfect for family feasts.

update your kitchen arsenal with that year-end bonus cheque; splurge on these handy helpers to whip up a perfect festive meal.

$388 from Elements by Home-Fix, #02248/249 Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6883 2038

By Lim Si Hui

MAUVIEL M’PASSION COPPER SUGAR SAUCEPAN Cook up a sweet caramel dessert with this elegant copper saucepan that heats evenly on all sides, preventing you from accidentally achieving crème brulée style burnt caramel.

PHILIPS AVANCE COLLECTION NOODLE MAKER If you’re worried that you’re not getting enough nutrition but love a good old plate of spaghetti, try infusing vegetable juice and eggs into freshly made-fromscratch noodles—all ready in just 10 minutes (with some practice, of course).

$329 from Best Denki, #0326 Compass Point, 1 Sengkang Square. Tel: 6456 3922

$253.20 from ToTT Store, #01-01A 896 Dunearn Road. Tel: 6219 7077

THERMOS SHUTTLE CHEF If you haven’t been participating in Earth Hour, try these thermal cookers to cut down on energy consumption: after bringing your food to a boil on a stove, simply transfer the inner cooking pot into the insulated outer pot and cover it—with thermal magic, the cooking just keeps on going.

SLICESY Make your life easier with an array of graters and slicers that come with the handy SliceSy. Need sliced potatoes for a gratin? Done. Need chunky vegetables for a soup? Done. Grated cheese, sliced apples, pizza toppings? Done, done, done!

$250 (3L), $290 (4.5L) from Isetan, Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Road. Tel: 6733 7777

$199 from Live Kitchen by mayer, #02-25 Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6838 4079

BOSCH COMPACT KITCHEN MACHINE Whirl it up with the mixer of many talents: this machine performs a multitude of tasks, depending on the tool attached to its multifunction arm. Knead, whisk, or even shred food with just one mixing system to prepare anything from salad to dessert.

$299 (U.P. $439) till 25th January 2015 from Bosch, www.bosch-home.com.sg/store/ product/MUM48CR1/MUM48CR1

WMF CHEF’S EDITION PERFORMANCE CUT KNIFE series We can’t promise that you’ll be good enough for MasterChef, but with these German-crafted knives you’ll feel like a pro. The ergonomically shaped grip helps you become one with your knife and slice your way through dinner prep.

$169-$239 per knife from BHG, #03-01 Bugis Junction, 230 Victoria Street. Tel: 6223 2222

ZOJIRUSHI BREAD MAKER Nothing says home like the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning, and this mini machine helps make it a reality. Just add ingredients, hit some buttons, and voila! The possibilities are endless: Cookies, pasta dough, cakes and more…

$368 from Momorice, www.momorice.com

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interview with Bill Berloni,

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last

A matter of taste

After 365 days of feasting, we look back fondly upon some of our favourite flavour combinations that surprised, soothed and delighted the palate. Pe n ny Ho k ...grilled por o with pota t sa la d from Ootoya . T he smoky mea t t ba la n ces ou t he s w e e t sa la d!

Meredith Woo ...Savan na Dark fr om Beer Fest 2 014 with an ad sa lted swee t-sour ded pr plum, to ba la nce th eserved e bitterness from th e hops. + Kerala vege ta ble is from SAHA Signa tu te w re In dian R esta uran t & Terr ace Bar done in an espuma with citrus pudding. June Lee ...oolong tea leaves fused with sea salt and milk in an iced tea latter. The earthy tea leaves and sweet milk are both enhanced by salt! + A decadent smoked uni carbonara with onsen egg crayfish and truffle soil from NUVO.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from BiTES!

Benjamin Soh ...salted egg crab with curry leaves from Roland Restaurant; I discovered the flavour this year and fell in love! C herin Ong twurst a ...Germa n br sta rd! u with swee t m juicy, d Sa voury a n f hea t. o with a tinge

Lim Si Hui ...foie gra s with apple compote from Restauran t SELA. The compote sweete ns the rich duck liver as it melts in your mouth. + Cockles wra pped in mint and dipped in lime, pepper and salt from Mrs Pho; a refreshing tak e on sea food.