Spinelli's Coffee: apple crumble

They said love is about sharing...for me, it depends what is being shared upon.

There are mass market coffee shops around Singapore.  In Orchard, Raffles Place, even Beach Road, every other block you can see Starbucks, or Coffee Bean, etc.  Though some of their branches don't serve cappuccino appealing to my taste (too much milk) even if i clearly mentioned 'DRY', I still patronize for their accessibility, their Ice Blended Green Tea and some of their pastries (that would be on another post).

Spinelli's Coffee is our favorite among the MM (mass market) coffee shops.  Aside from being the cheapest, their Cappuccino is heaven sent.  They tend to use a lot of milk just like others, but one secret is, we always get the smallest size.  There's less room to pour milk after a single shot of espresso...just the way our coffee should be. Hubbie likes their Macchiato, an expresso-shot with just a spoonful of steamed milk. Their Banana Spin is our savior, especially in this hot, sunny weather.  They use real bananas(not banana syrup) and I would say, bananas always work well with chocolate/mocha. 

I'm a very generous wife, even the last spoonful that would go into my mouth, I would offer to hubby...but as I've said there are limits...

Apple Crumble (5/5) - This is our favorite apple crumble in Singapore.  Look at those thick chunks of apple slices and lots, lots, lots of raisins.  We love the light flavor and aroma of the cinnamon.  And the crumbles and crust are delicious, not too sweet but still have that sugary punch.  For $3.70 (cheap!), it's value for money.

Now, can you blame me of not sharing?  *peace hubby*

Price Summary (in SGD)

Apple Crumble 3.70

Banana Spin (M) 5.90

Cappuccino (S) - 4 something

Spinelli's Coffee

Raffles Hospital

*we prefer this branch quietness,

a little bit off the city and walking distance

from home

Opening Hours: 7:30 am - 8 pm

other branches: http://www.spinellicoffee.com/

Laurent Cafe & Chocolate Bar: sweet visit

We love eating sweets.  Our fridge doesn't have much items other than chocolates.  Hubby and I would eat a piece everyday.  Sugar rush for hubby every afternoon, to keep the energy going.  In contrast, I would eat a piece before going to bed for a good night sleep.

This small chocolate bar @ Robertson Quay is my favorite souffle place in Singapore.  We've tried a few of their souffles and trying out more...

This time, we had rum and raisins...

Rum and Raisin Souffle (4/5) - They started making our souffle upon order.  Once it arrived on our table, we can't wait to dig in!  I love the light, fluffy and creamy texture of this souffle.  The hint of rum and the exotic taste of the raisins had been a unique flavor for desserts so why not in this?  But I do agree to other foodies who have been here that their Chocolate Souffle is still the best.

Brazil Mocha (5/5) - Hubby's drink, but I almost gulped down when I tried.  The rich consistency and taste of the mocha with a kick of caffeine made this a good after-dinner drink that warmed our tummies and satisfied our tastebuds.

We love the  neat, kitchen-like counter and the hanging bulbs!

This is definitely a must-return for desserts!

Laurent Cafe and Chocolate Bar

The Pier on Robertson Quay

80 Mohammed Sultan #01-11

Operating Hours:

Monday  6 pm - 11 pm

Tuesday-Thursday 1 pm - 12 midnight

Friday-Saturday 1 pm - 1 am

Sunday 1 pm -11 pm

*check out their other branch at Portsdown

http://www.thechocolatefactoryonline.com/

Peperoni Pizzeria

Hubby and I need our dose of disc-shaped bread created by the Italian to complete our week(Thank God for the food-minded Italians).  We decided to try out the busy but relaxed neighborhood of Greenwood Ave (Hillcrest).  The area is surrounded by numerous restaurants so you'll be able to get seats, for sure.

Peperoni Pizzeria is part of the famous Les Amis Group...Au Jardin, La Strada to name a few.  This pizzeria showcased the lighter side, family-oriented and budget conscious of Les Amis.  They served true Italian fare and the wood-fired oven pizza that is becoming a staple food in Singapore.

No fancy table cloth, colored papers were used, so kids, oldies, and not-so-young-not-so-old can scribble on the paper which they post on the walls and gave the warmth feel to the place.

Better be sure your drawings are worth posting!

They have a semi-outdoor dining, if you want a little bit of romance.

L'Estraminet, which takes care of the drinks, is the sibling of this pizzeria.  They have a wide range of Belgian beers!  I got myself a glass of fruit beer (the only beer I can drink) 

Boon Kriek (4/5) - I love it!  The sweet taste of cherry and the bubbly spirit of beer, I don't mind having a beer belly if it's free flow (keep dreamin')

Bitter Ballen (3.75/5) - their own version of Dutch meatballs.  The balls were tasteful but, the meat was less creamy than the real thing in the Netherlands.  We missed that oozing consistency when you cut the balls into pieces. Still, taste good and a nice treat.

Mozzarella Fasciata Con Prosciutto (5/5) - We got 3 fat pieces of mozzarella wrapped in parma ham and fried in balsamic reduction sauce.  Balsamic reduction is when you slowly cook balsamic vinegar to sacrifice it's volume but gives more taste (as explained by hubby - I skipped the molecules part though*smile*).  The mozzarella was smooth and the idea of wrapping it in a parma ham was terrific as it made a white cheese interesting and gave that "oomph" taste.

Large Pizza 12" (3.5/5) - we enjoyed 2 types of pizza as we ordered a split large one.  We quickly decided on Capricciosa - ham, mushrooms and the artichokes, which was not abundant to fill half the pizza and the other half was Saucisson (held my nose to pronounce it correctly) - we got a few pieces of sausages, but love those whole cloves of roasted garlic and scattered onions.  The pizza was a bit dry and bland for our taste. A few dash of parmesan and chili flakes does the works.

what i like the most - how thin the crust is!  I can imagine the kneading effort that the chef has devoted for our pizza.

We always enjoy wood-fired oven pizza.  Let us know of any other good pizzeria in Singapore so they can be a part of our weekly dose.

Service was good and I love the the ALL NET policy (GST included/NO SVC CHARGE)

Price Summary (SGD)

Boon Kriek = 13

Bitter Ballen = 8

Mozzarella Fasciata con Prosciutto = 16

Large Pizza = 22 (regardless of the type)

*you can opt to add truffle = add. $4 for large

House Red = 13

Peperoni Pizzeria

6 Greenwood Ave

Hillcrest Park

Opening Hours: 12nn - midnight

www.lesamis.com.sg

Gyu Kaku Japanese BBQ

 Back in the Singapore scene, hubby and I don't like eating fats except those that are served in this place.  We made sure we have a balanced diet, veggies, meat, carbs and of course, fats...

Lazy, hungry couple, we settled down with Botan set (good for 2) and a bottle of plum wine.

We got these:

Kimchee and Spicy Pickled Cucumber (5/5) - I am a kimchee lover but the cucumber was my choice here.  I love the combination of spicy, tangy and sweet flavor of this pickled dish.

Choice of Salad (5/5) - our choice for the night was Horenso(Spinach) Salad. The creamy sesame dressing was full of flavor and the greens were fresh topped with mushrooms and bacon bits. Hubby and I were both nodding while chomping on our salad.

Assorted Sausages and Bacon (4/5) -  The thick bacon cubes were lip smacking!  Who cares about fats?


Bibimbap (5/5) -  cooked in a claypot and served hot, the rice was seasoned well and can be eaten alone.  I love the crunchy bits that got burnt from the claypot and gave the Asian feel of appreciation for rice.


Ebi foil wrap (4/5) - soaked in lemon sauce and lots of garlic, we have to cook this first to avoid spoilage and food poisoning. It was good but i think the portion was too small.  The Ebi were tiny.

Assorted meat plate (4/5) - enough portion of everything, lamb chops which were marinated with lots of garlic and mint, Wagyu tongue, Wagyu Rump Cap and the Wagyu Nakaochi were cut nicely so the fats around the meat were evenly spread.  Every bite was so tasteful.  Buta Karubi (pork belly) is always lovely for us, meatlovers.  We were given a lemon dip to remove the strong taste of tongue in case we're not used to it.   Note: they give you an option to give you more pieces of the other Wagyu items in case you're not a tongue fan.

Matcha Ice cream (5/5) - my green tea ice cream was a delight.  It's not too sweet and I can still taste the green tea goodness with my eyes close.

Yuzu Sorbet (4/5) -  orange peels in hubby's ice, the natural flavor of oranges were kept.  I hope they sell pints of this.


 Our meal won't be complete without aa bucket of ice and our favorite Ume (you can buy this in Cold Storage or Liang Court grocery for half the price) *but you can't BYO (bring your own)


 The service was excellent!  They kept on changing the grilled plate so your meat don't get charred easily.



 Price ( in SGD)
Botan Set ~ 168 (good for 2)
Ume ~50 per bottle
with GST and Service Charge

Gyu Kaku BBQ Restaurant
Chijmes, #01-01/03
Singapore
Opening Hours: 12 nn to 3 pm
                         530 pm to 1130 pm

Time-Out Canberra: passion for cooking

I'm the type who would rather spend time catching a few hours of sleep, or watching TV than spend time in the kitchen.  With so many choices and varieties of food courts, restaurants and everything-in-the-grocery...why bother?  Until...our visit to our friends in Canberra (keeping their names as H&W) made me realize how fun it was to spend time in the kitchen and how special homemade are.

H&W (aren't they sweet? )

i forgot how it's called but i'll call it H's Moroccan Spices Dip - it taste a bit different at first but I kept eating it after a few bites of my bread.

H's Homemade Basil Pesto (5/5) - it's divine.  Basil were taken from their neighbor's garden, of course, with permission.  It was very flavorful and I have to eat slowly to savor each herbs that were mixed together to form this lovely dip.  I've decided to make one soon and would skip the pesto lane in the grocery (wish me luck).

H's Homemade Omelette (5/5) -  it was nicely cooked, not burnt and it looked like a perfect egg pizza!  The tomatoes and mushrooms were fresh, tasty and goes very well with the omelette.  Hubby and I skipped salt and pepper so to enjoy its awesome freshness in taste.  Though the bread were not homemade, it's worth mentioning.  I was so busy eating, I forgot to ask where H got the bread.

W's Barbie fare (5/5) -  i think the secret to their love is through each other's stomach.  This time it's W's turn to cook.  He switched on the modern barbie and start grilling with a grin on his face.  Sausages, spiced chicken kebabs, ribs and steaks...i started mouth watering until the plate was placed on the table.  Hubby and I always wanted to share, but we did this only for the first piece.  It was so delicious that I have to ignore hubby as I didn't want to share my plate anymore.  What i love most was the steak.  It was cooked perfectly just the way I like it (the meat was very tender).

I always salute people who have passion for cooking.  One day, i'll find a way to bring out that same passion in me.

Thanks again H&M for making our trip in Canberra a memorable one and of course for filling our tummies with good food!

Time-Out Sydney/Cairns Part 3 : Spanish, Greek and British fare

I gained about 1/2 a kilo but hubby lost about 2 kilos from our 10-day Australia trip.  Check out how it happened.

Harry's Cafe De Wheels - serves wide range of pies.  You have the option to eat it the traditional British way with mashed peas, add mashed potatoes for your daily allowance of carbs, or you can opt to eat the pie alone just enough to fill your tummy...Ask and you'll receive.

*from left to right

Tiger Pie (5/5) -  This is the house specialty.  You get a good portion of carbs, veggie (mashed peas) on top of your chosen pie (mine was the beef, cheese, bacon pie) from their wide selection.  It was mouth-watering when the pie was handed to me.  There's enough meat which were very tender and the pie was nicely cooked (not burnt even the bottom part).  The gravy was delicious!

Hotdog De Wheels (3/5) - Don't be fooled how hubby can skip the mad pies.  He didn't!  He had one which he shared with me (yes, I had 1 1/2 servings of their pies) and got this hotdog.  It's simply an ordinary hotdog in a bun, swirled with cheese sauce and some chili con carne to add taste.  What made this interesting is again the mashie peas and potatoes layered under the hotdog.  Thanks to the British influence for that wonderful idea of adding greens in a different way.   Don't judge the size of this hotdog as it's very filling.

Price (in AUD)
Tiger Pie ~5-6
Hotdog     ~5-6

Harry's Cafe De Wheels
Haymarket, Capitol Square Shopping Centre
Sydney, NSW, Australia
*they have other branches
www.harryscafedewheels.com.au


Adelfia Greek Taverna - this place serves Greek fare in the middle of Cairns.  This was my first choice after going around Cairns CBD.  Somehow, it's inviting us to go in.

Saganaki Cheese (3.5/5) - it may sound Japanese, at least to me but Saganaki is a Greek word meaning (little frying pan).  Pan seared feta cheese, it was very salty (hubby said that's how it should be), which awaken my taste bud and was a good pair with our wine.  I love the crunchy bits of the burnt part and the chewy texture of the cheese.  It was too salty for me but I just can't resist the goodness of the cheese.  A great Meze.

Gyros (4/5) - Hubby had this as mains, and i have to dig my fork several times as the meat was very tasty even though it was a bit dry.  The tzatziki dip was flavorful with lots of herbs and spices mixed in the yogurt.  It was a perfect match with the lamb pieces.

I wanted to get the chicken fillet cooked in wine, wrapped with cheese and bacon and served with rice.  Sounds appetizing, I was very unfortunate that the last plate was given to the other table and I have to order something else.  I was craving for chicken and anything with Halloumi Cheese, a combination of goat and sheep's milk so i settled with...

Kotopoulo Pasta (3/5) -  when the dish was placed in front of me, i almost fell into my seat.  The serving was so big that I can invite 4 more people to join me.  The pesto was delicious but i think it was too creamy for my taste.  The chicken pieces were ok...and there were lots of them hiding under the pile of pasta.

They have an entertainer every Friday and Saturday. They gave us a crash course of belly dancing. Hubby enjoyed the show, the most (I wonder why?)

Their wine glasses are lined so servers won't give too much or too little.  I like the concept.  That night, i discovered that Greek wine is not for me. :D (no offense, taste is subjective)

Price (In AUD)
Meze(Appetizer) ~10
Mains ~ 20-30 +
Wine by the glass ~ 6-7.50

Adelfia Greek Taverna
16 Aplin St
Cairns, QLD, Australia
www.adelfiagreektaverna.com


Capitan Torres Spanish Restaurant -  the stretch of Liverpool Street is dominated with Spanish restaurants, and us being tapas lovers, we took a right turn to enter this restaurant after more than 4 hours of walking around Sydney CBD.

Hubby and I just kept on eating the whole day that's why we usually end up not hungry for dinner.  So we decided just to go with their tapas.

Garlic bread (5/5) - always good with any kind of tapas.  Lots of garlic!!! Yummy

Grilled Chorizo (4/5) - juicy spanish sausage but a bit on the dark side.

Gambas a la Sevillana (5/5) - served hot with generous pieces of prawns soaked in zesty tomatoes and

                                                the natural spicy flavor came from garlic.  We didn't care much about having 

                                                bad breath after the first bite.

Half a litre of Sangria to share ended our Spanish night.

Price  (in AUD)
Garlic bread  ~ 6 (2 pieces)
Grilled Chorizo ~15
Gambas a la Sevillana ~17

Capitan Torres Spanish Restaurant

73 Liverpool Street

Sydney, NSW, Australia

www.capitantorres.com.au

Time-Out Sydney Part 2: fish market

How can we afford not to get fresh seafood in a country that's surrounded by water?  Definitely, we can't!

We parked the car on a street that's close by Pyrmont (where the fish market is).  We decided to walk using our sense of smell rather than depending too much with our printed map.  The smell didn't fail us.  After crossing under a bridge...ta dah!  Fishy smell, market ambiance...and yes, we were there.

We dropped by at the first shop we saw..Claudio's.  They have a wide range of seafood but what caught our eyes were the nice, fresh looking sashimi! 

100 grams of Tuna and 100 grams of Salmon

We picked our fresh sashimi with soy/wasabi sauce and chopsticks with smiles on our face.  We headed off to the indoor dining area...which you can't bring food from outside(Claudio's is situated outside...unfortunately).  Sneaky as usual, we settled down at a shop name Peter's Grill and bought one of their items so we can use their dining area. 

What we got?

these fat looking prawns...sending message to our mind...pick me, pick me, eat me (they have 3 types of portion, we got the smallest container - still the serving is good for 3)

Verdict:

The sashimi were fresh.  The soy sauce is so-so.  It could used a little more wasabi for our taste.

The fat prawns were palatable.  We both agree that it needs more garlic, salt and pepper so we would not need to depend on tartar sauce.

With full stomach, we happily said goodbye and we shall return.

Price Summary (in AUD)

Claudio's Tuna and Salmon (100 g each) ~$15

*20 cents for the soy/wasabi, and 20 cents for 2 chopsticks

Peter's Grill Cooked prawns (serving: 2-3) ~$15

Sydney Fish Market

Bank Street Pyrmont

Sydney, Australia

Opens 7 am - 4pm

*conveniently accessible by metro or boat

http://www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au/