Paris Envy

It's been a while. A rather long one. Missed out on writing about Bali. Missed out on reporting on new Batavian treasures in Jakarta. (Twice!)
But I'm back.

It's been two weeks. And I'm still suffering post-holiday blues. They were SO severe the first few days I only lay in bed, ate chocolates and cried for the weather. It didn't help that He had been shipped off to Tokyo for some meetings. Thank god for friends who enticed me with an evening of...card games!

When we left for Paris on 18th May I prepped myself pyschologically (?). I brought clothes that would take me through my gastronomic adventures! Thank the fashion world also, for making the empire-line and baby-doll silhouette the summer rage. At least I didn't look Un-fashionable while I piled on the kilos. But I think I never did put on enough - I was still feeling cold all the time.

Arriving in Paris early on a cold, windy (and grey) Saturday morning was not the most pleasant. But as soon as we opened the door to our little room on the 5th floor of LeGrand Hotel Intercontinental, all was forgotten. It was cosy and dark-red everywhere, albeit too small for his liking. It was PERFECT for me. I always wanted a room with a slant roof - yes, kick me to the attic anytime! And the petite balcony ala Paris! And of course...the white-and-chrome bathroom was clinically-perfect too. I was Home.

Best hospitality item: Plush, velveteen white slippers.

Best way to test a room: take a nap. A few hours later, I was ready.

The concierge recommended a little local haunt a few blocks down. But by the time we found our way there, they had closed after lunch. What's the next best alternative? Galeries Lafayette (GL) of course!

L’Archicafé:

The cafe on Level 1 (which is actually the 2nd floor!) of Lafayette Maison is a bit tourist-y because of the area but it's great for first-day people watching if you sit by the window like we did. And TRY not to stare and gawk at the naturally- and and plastically-beautiful Parisian tai-tais who convene for their tea. I had my first encounter with REAL fresh foie-gras. SO YUMMY! Duck and goose liver pate with toasted brioche. Goodness in a jar. Artery-damage in a jar too. But oh what the hell...

For more varieties of food, try Lafayette Gourmet (laymen's term: Food Heaven) on Level 2 of Lafayette Homme. It has something for EVERYBODY. And it had MANY somethings for me ;)

You will find a gorgeous Dallayou counter to start the drool-fest. It is a whole circle-counter of pastries, cakes, chocolates and of course...macaroons! I made two rounds and couldn't decide. If you don't get enticed by their cellars, venture into the main food hall. But it is definitely NOT for the faint-hearted. It's food, food, and MORE food. For as far your eyes can see. (It really makes our supermarket look lame(?))

There is a Japanese patisserie you must try - beautiful cakes and cookies. And if you're like me, I love hearing someone non-native speak the beautiful language, ask them what some the ingredients are! Funny how a Jap pastry chef tries to explain something in French interjected with Jap. (Was I wearing my Hello Kitty hairband?)

In gratitude and wonder, I bought two cakes. Superbly chocolate-y. Superbly-abfab.

The other Must-See: The CHEESE COUNTER. All the goat cheese I could ever want. If I bought 1 type each day, it would probably take a month to try all the different goat cheese. After limiting ourselves to 4 types of French goat cheese and a wedge of Machengo, we proceeded to check out the shelves.

And found...a punnet of fresh (and blood-red and sweet) strawberries for S$4! our fave Belgian chocs! Galler! Immediately we knew we would be buying quite a bit of chocolates home...

After what seemed like hours, we finally made it around the other parts of GL for some more retail therapy.

When the shops closed, we made our way back to the little restaurant the concierge pointed out - Au Petit Riche at 25, Rue Le Peletier, 75009 Paris, France (Tel: 01 47 70 68 68). Please be warned that this place is NOT for the claustrophobic. It is so cramped in some parts of the restaurant that you can smell the garlic breath of the guest at the next table! And no intimate whispers because you wouldn't be able to hear yourself!

Entrées - Starters:
In the spirit of all things French, I had to have the snails! Escargots de Bourgogne, Beurre Fin à l’Ail (Burgundy snails cooked in garlic butter). Very fresh. Very garlicky. Very salty. Very French. Not to be outdone, He had Foie Gras de Canard Maison (their homemade foie gras) which was perfect in every way. We decided that it HAD to be the freshness of the ingredients. Deepu was adventurous too (but decidely healthier!) and picked the Thon frais mi-cuit au sésame,tartare de betterave et coriandre (basically fresh red Tuna with sesame, beet and cilantro). She really enjoyed every bit of it - and the novelty of beetroot!

Viandes - Meat:
On the plane we had a discussion. And I had pledged to eat as much duck as I could. I was going to be in Duck Country! ;) So it was natural when we both grinned when we perused the menu. We knew we were both trying the Magret de canard au basilic, vinaigre de Xérès (roasted duck filet). Gorgeous. I have to say it now. It was THE BEST duck I had had. (Warisan, look out!) It was Perfect in every sense. Technically cooked to perfection both inside and out. Just the right amount of glace so that you can dip the little morsels in but not too much that the meat soaks it all up and becomes stewed duck. And the duck was just nicely-fat too! Just the way I like mine. I was almost sad when I put the last piece into my mouth...

Desserts:
They categorised their desserts into "regular" and "Les grands classiques Au Petit Riche" so of course I had to do my French chef test: I had Crème brûlée à la vanille Bourbon. For the record, we had TWO of it because we enjoyed the first one so much. It must be the French cows.

Disclaimer: We had two superb bottles of French red. But in all fairness, I was so taken in by the food, I forgot what the labels looked like. (He is going to laugh so hard and insist I touch up my blonde roots.) Will update on this if we ever get to recalling them.

Great start to a Parisian adventure? Definitely. But wait till you hear what else Paris had in store for me...

The Day I Got it Wrong. Twice

What can I say? No excuses, I got it wrong. Twice.

The first bout of less-than-intelligence came as we were driving along the ECP up the BS bridge. He pointed out the lights atop Swissotel The Stamford and half-asked me if there was a party on the helipad. Since I really couldn't make it out (old age and deteriorating night vision perhaps?), I said no. My mistake?...Insisting that it was just the coloured lights of NABG. And hence the argument ensued. Point: He started it.

Until we got close to Le Pont de Vie. And then the quest for a parking lot began. As usual, I voted (and won since I was in THE driver anyway) for the option of flouting the law and ignoring the double-yellow lines. (But we miraculously got a Real lot coz someone drove out of the lot just as we were going to do The Deed.) Yay.

Kamal had told us about Tye setting up a place of his own. And I had read the review in the papers last Sunday. So there we were.

Beautiful setting. Very quaint and romantic. Wish the seats were a bit more comfy though. (Gentle remidner: I am spoilt and a fan of cushioned-everything)

The lack of cushion comfort was quickly forgotten by the two warm slices of baguette served with gorgeous truffle-infused butter. The kind I will crave for when I am in my bread-butter phase.

Since He was happily exploring a virginal wine list, I selected the Egg starter (but of course!!) - a millefeuille of wafer-thin slices of celeriac and leek layered with TWO perfectly runny eggs with parmesan shavings. It was AWESOME. If we were at home, I would have swiped the plate clean of yolk with my fingers!

I was in the mood for lamb. So lamb it was. Although the lamb was technically-perfect, the accompanying eggplant compote was bland and overpowered by the tomato bits and jus. We spent a bit of time debating what the dish needed to get the WOW factor. Perhaps dijon mustard. Or fresh aromatic herbs. Or a good glaze. (Well, we're going to give Tye and Chef Too a chance to find that special zing that will make the lamb dish a crowd-puller.)

By the time we got to dessert, He was, as usual, on the verge of "I can't go on!"

Until I showed him the "Valhorna Chocolate Fritters with Dark Chocolate Gelato". Haha. I win. Finally I got it right.

Imagine biting into a small rectangular parcel made of thin crispy Filo pastry and then utter bliss. And decadence. f you think you've sinned, trust me you haven't. Until you have this. There's NO TURNING BACK now! (i.e. Currently My #1 Chocolate Dessert)

He knows that I'll never share this again. Perhaps, a small bite of the fritter. And a teeny dollop of the gelato.

Sharing is a virtue. Point: but Indulgence is one of life's simple pleasures.

Welcome to My Dining Room

One day about 2 years ago, just before we left The Firm, He decided we needed a Good Dinner. Back then that usually meant, Garibaldi, Saint Julien or Domvs with a really good bottle of wine (or more!).

So it was quite a surprise when he told me when I picked Him up that we were going somewhere new. Wow. We were risking it. Oooh. Bye bye comfort food!

I drove to Club Street. And after waiting for ten minutes for a guy to wriggle his car out of the lot, I finally parallel-parked upslope (hunger does wonders!) without scraping or bumping into anything...Up the flight of stairs I went, wondering why He was taking me to the Union (Bar) Restaurant. He had gone ahead to make sure we had not lost the table.

The moment I sat down, He had a wide grin plastered neatly on his face. "I thought I'd order for you." Probably to shut me up, he added almost immediately, "Trust me."

And trust him I did.

We started with the Oyster 6 ways (a platter of fresh oysters topped with GORGEOUS dressings). Damn I wished there were no cholesterol concerns. My favourite was the Oyster Jelly - freshly-shucked and subtly-enhanced with a topping of green tea & ume wine jelly. Slurp...

He had already decided we HAD to have ALL the starters. And so we did. Foie gras, great. Crabcakes, yums. Salmon gravlax with diced egg may, to die for. Really. That taste remained in my memory and my palate for days. (Which then explains why we went back for dinner the following Saturday and then the following Friday.)

And if like me, you are a BREAD pig, indulge. The cute mini fresh-from-the-oven (i.e. perfect) baguettes are serious stuff. Trust me (at least this once if you've got Trust issues).

The young chef, Vincent Teng, is so humble and friendly he'll put most other local chefs to shame. When the staff realized we were back again the 2nd time, Vincent came out to thank us for supporting him. And by the time we came the 3rd time, he'd already knew that I was still after the gravlax. By our next visit, they were offering us 15% off our bill. Which didn't matter, coz we were already SOLD.



Since then we've been back countless times. The staff are extremely helpful and will try their very best to fit you in even when they're full. Unlike some chic places that give you a curt "Sorry we are full.(PERIOD)", the host/hostess will offer you a slightly earlier/later table and ask if they can get you a table at the Union Bar while you wait. And yes, they are all sincere smiles even when you are the last table.

Hmm, it's Wednesday. And we haven't made plans for Friday when He returns...

Back in Action (& The Jap Treasure)

I can't believe that it's been almost a year since I last logged in!
A lot has changed since then.
For one, we've got our own kitchen!!! Yes He finally signed the papers after I declared I wouldn't partake the house-hunt any longer. Fifteen months after the first viewing.

The new job's great coz I'm on a year-long sabbatical to study. Which then explains the MIA status really. But the gastronomical adventure must continue!

In honour of the last BIG meal we had, I'd like to talk about a Jap treasure smack in the middle of town...When either one of us exercises our No-Red-Meat Policy (usually after lamb overdose) and do not feel like cleaning up the kitchen, we know it's time for Mezza 9.

Last Tuesday, 12 Sept, we celebrated the 5th anniversary of our first date. At Mezza 9. But since that first dinner, we've moved on from the little corner of the menu that listed the woodfire-roasted meats. Japanese food connoisseurs, eat your heart out!

We are perfectly happy if everyone continues to rave about Shiro, Yoshida, Aioki, Keyaki and the likes, then we won't have to share the guys at the sushi/sashimi counter at Mezza 9. These guys are REALLY masters of their craft. When they start slicing the blocks of fresh fish, they are totally focused on giving you the best platter of sushi and/or sashimi you can get. And every platter that's presented to you will look like a work of art, complete with bright yellow marigolds and fresh wasabe. Ask for the deluxe sashimi platter, and if you are lucky it'll even include sea urchin and (beautifully-marbled) salmon/tuna belly!!

The other secret in Mezza 9's Jap offerings: lamb chop yakitori. Finger-licking, lip-smacking GOOOOOOD to the bone. Just thinking about it is enough to make me hungry.

**Don't hesitate to ask any one of the chefs to recommend a bottle of sake!

And if you've got room to spare after the feast, don't leave just yet...get the staff to transfer your bill to the Bar and ask Anthony, one of the managers, to make the Sage Appletini. Perfect palate cleanser. Now Number One on my martini list. Period.

Go on, call them. 6416 7189.

Isola e Olena

It's been a crazy month!!!
Since school started. And the ensuing semi-madness.

But sometime before that I had The One.
The One that slithered down my throat like berried-honey and up The List to topple the Preve and St Emillions.

Isola e Olena.
I had been hearing about it from Him. Each time He saw It in a wine list It was usually terribly overpriced. Part of the pleasure of enjoying a bottle is knowing that each delicious drop is worth every cent you're paying. And that you're not getting ripped off.

It was a Saturday evening. We had picked up the (much anticipated) latest installation of Harry Potter from Borders. Next mission: Where to for dinner?

Flipping the trusted Dining Bible, we came upon Michaelangelo's. I had marked the page because I wanted to ask him if he'd tried the place. We had not ventured to the other side of Holland Road. We just got comfy with the usual places.

Michaelangelo's had ONE bottle left.

And I guess the price wasn't too much of a killer. When a huge grin formed after He ordered the bottle, I knew He had done Something. I was in for something.

Okay, I would love to have talked about the food at Michaelangelo's - which was good enough for us that day. (The cheeses, especially, were so stinkingly goood!)

But I HAVE TO GUSH ABOUT the wine.

First sip: smooth, berried, honey, Perfect.
Second sip: as gorgeous as a wine can get.
Third sip: "I can't stop. Damn I'm driving!"
Fourth sip: "I could do the Meg Ryan thingy without even pretending now!"
Somewhere between third and last sip: DAMN, HOW THE HELL DO I MAKE THIS LAST???

After Last Sip: I've been so blessed. I can die happy now.

I think He was so amused that I was so taken to it. I can't remember if wine has been orgasmic before. I think this one is.

I think He's done for. I think He's worried too.

Umm, how much for a ticket to Italy?

Gourmet Plus - A quaint gem

It's no secret that the East Coast-Siglap-Katong stretch has got its fair share of culinary treats - but unlike Holland V area, the former has most of them all scattered around. Locating the ones off the main roads may be a bit of an Easter-egg hunt.

And one of those which is a wee bit off the main strip is Gourmet Plus.

When it first opened almost two years ago, I heard all the hype through friends because one of the chefs, E, is a good friend of an ex-boyfriend. And friends staying in the area couldn't stop raving about it. But we just never made it there - I wasn't looking forward to bumping into people from my past and I wasn't sure if E was going to poison my food! *grin*

Well yesterday I thought it'd be safe to finally go. Because E had left the place to set up his own little Italian joint?? Maybe...

It was very quiet for a Thursday night...but then again, so was the whole stretch of Frankel Avenue for that matter. Pleasantly modern and simple, I appreciated that they didn't try to squeeze 20 tables into the small indoor area. That made walking around to check out the shelves and deli counter easy.

The young staff were...young. And polite. And helpful. Very European-deli-ish.

For a little deli, they've got a quite impressive menu although it is a bit heavy on beef! Which unfortunately neither of us consumes. Since it was our first time, we decided to go for the "safer bets" - and share the Escargot in garlic-pesto-butter and Braised Lamb Shank.

And a bottle of 1997 Chateau Musar. A constant favourite from the Bekaa Valley, 15 miles north of Beirut (YES, Lebanon!!!).

This wine is different from everything I've had. It is almost borderline Quirky! Because it's got a somewhat pleasant acidic volatility (I'm imagining what my palate would say so please do NOT quote me on this!)...it's rich plummy and spicey with a hint of liquorice. And it never failed with the different food we had the last two times we drank it at dinner. Basically it's "friendly" and goes down like water. Yummy water *grin* coloured a deep scarlet.

The Escargots were alright. Although they were fleshy and well-cooked, the garlic butter was not as tasty as I would've liked it to be. I guess when I've had the best (see Post on Kafe Warisan!), it's difficult for anyone else's to come close. But I must say the Braised Lamb Shank with mash was gorgeous! It was good enough to appease the carnivore-b**ch in me. Well done!

My only complaint: the kitchen could have made a bit more effort on the Raspberry Creme Brulee. I had to deduct 10 points after seeing the condensation dripping on the outer walls of the dessert bowl, and yes it was so out-of-the-fridge cold, I sat there staring and waiting for the steaming hot caramel glaze to partake in some heat transfer.

But I've got to forgive & forget. I want to go back to try the duck! And hehe...the foie gras of course.

Sabai - Red and Perfect

3 years on we've pretty much adopted the habit of saving a Thai dinner for when either one of Us has the flu or a cold...there's Nothing like a bowl of steaming hot Tom Yum Kung to clear that nasal cavity and expel all the "toxins"!

But last night, I'm glad we broke that habit...

After running around some of the gourmet grocers in town, we finally gave up on ever finding ready-made raspberry/strawberry/blueberry coulis and reluctantly drove into The War Zone that circled Ngee Ann City! If the roads were any indication of the madness inside, I was unfortunately blinded by my mission - to get 8 pieces of Beard Papa's Chocolate Fondant for tonight's dinner at F&I's place!

I should thank Him for helping me endure the (seriously) madness created by overly-enthusiastic (Read: GSS-induced MAD) Friday-nite shoppers and hungry diners in Ngee Ann City...I am surprised He didn't clobber anyone with my heels. Or maybe it was the relief of finding His favourite snail-ish turkey sausages at one of the food stalls.

Sharing the snail-ish sausage, we decided it would be wiser to avoid the Food-Fair groupies in the basement as soon as possible and look for dinner. So we took the escalator up. I was glad to see that the Restaurants directory had changed somewhat. As He was still not ready for Chinese, we decided to try Sabai because (A) I thought the name sounded exotic and cool and (B) he had seen some ad/review somewhere and wouldn't mind trying it.

Standing at the door, I was already impressed by its scarlet-red walls and contrasting (simple) black furnishings. Hmm, very un-traditional-Thai...except for the long gold carving on the wall. Ok so they get 10,000 points for choosing an appropriate name (Sabai in Thai means "a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere")!

And the menu!!! Another 10,000 points - so many many many dishes to choose from (but prices may be a bit steep if you are accustomed to Thai Express), I wish we had a big table of friends! Oh well...we'll just have to come back again...and again...*grin*

After much analysis and deliberation and mind-changing, we decided to skip the appetisers and go straight for the Real Stuff...so we were going to share the Shrimp-paste Fried Rice with Chicken and Roasted Duck Thai Red Curry...and I was going to extend my adventure to include a bowl of Tom Yum Talay. (How can you judge a Thai restaurant without sampling the Tom Yum right???)

When my bowl of clear Tom Yum was served, the aroma alone could have cleared my nasal passage if it was blocked! It was really good - not like some of those watered-down spicy-lemongrass-y soups I had encountered...it was as authentic as I'd like it to be. And at S$8 a bowl, it was reasonable value for the fresh fish slices and huge tiger prawn (sorry, there's only ONE ok!) I guess.

But the dish that deserved my final 10,000 points would definitely be The Curry. (FYI: The fried rice was simple and good but boring.)

When The Curry was served (portioned enough for up to 4 (non-greedy) persons), I think we both just stared at it for a good one minute. It was almost beautiful! Accompanied by a little bowl of deep-fried dried fish, the curry was the perfect dark red shade, very fragrant, with lots of roasted duck cubes (BONELESS and WITH SKIN!!!) and chunks of "seasonal fruits" - pineapple and lychees!

The last time I had truly great red Thai curry was when we were on holiday at The Racha. Even then, I think it was the whole experience of retreating to an almost-deserted island resort that made the curry then perfect.

And Sabai's red curry has now claimed the Top Spot on my list (of Thai curries)! Just the perfect blend of spices that's simple but stunning. And the fruity chunks added the touch of quirkiness (tanginess more likely!). Just like my Nine West Sabah heels - seemingly-simple tan leather with stitching details and purple suede lining and 4" heels UNTIL I slip it on...

Sorry back to The Curry - so Yes it has won. It's going to be a pain trying not to order It the next time we go...Perhaps it's best if we bring some friends whom we could persuade to try The Curry?...hehehe

So I strongly recommend going with an empty stomach and a group of adventurous friends. And yes, your sunglasses...just in case the walls get too much.