Fetish for Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon is a preparation of salmon, typically a fillet that has been cured and then hot or cold smoked. Due to its moderately high price, smoked salmon is considered a delicacy.

wikipedia

When i dine out at cafe or bistros, a smoked salmon sandwich is none other than than my ideal choice. The sharp sweet-salty taste coupled with fresh toasted bread makes it an instant hit with my tastebuds.

I'm a huge fan of bread and salmon.

Making a good home-made rendition is unfortunately not as easy as i thought. Resturants would either take in the ones of freshest quality or smoke their own to lower costs, which ensures a controlled taste and texture of the product. However, packaged smoked salmon purchased from supermarkets usually come dull or not suited to individual liking (some with unbelievable sodium levels!). I can never get the soft, smooth, tender ones from my dine-out sandwiches.

A couple of weeks ago, i came across a pack of Finest Scottish Oak Smoked Salmon from Giant at $10.90 (for 100 grams). Using an uncommon oakwood smoke, the pretty orange shade looked far more promising than the rest.

i decided to invest my chance.

Smoked Salmon Sandwich, arugula tomatoes & dill

My expectations lifted on first touch. Finally, something soft and delicate out of that processed packet. To savour the original flavour, i kept my sandwich simple with just arugula, tomatoes and a light sprinkle of dill weeds. Lemon by the side.

I took one bite, then two. And towards the end, i was struggling with swallowing those slices. It met head-on with my sodium intake limit and worse, beared a sort of fishy flavour. Bummer. Seems like nothing makes the cut.

I will still keep a vigil lookout for any new brands on the rise, but for now... grabbing my salmon outside would best satisfy the cravings.

Lookout for my top 10 smoked salmon sandwiches... soon.

Shrimp Fusilli Salad

After a long day at school, i made a quick dinner for myself. It took no more than 15 minutes to toss up fusilli spirals with baby carrots, cherry tomatos and cooked shrimps. Some olive oil, lemon juice, herbs and black pepper would do the taste a good favour.

Hassle free yet appetising.

Pepperoni Pizzeria

Exploring the secluded Greenwood private estate rewarded us with a few new gems. Amongst the cluster of restaurants, we found a warm cheerful place sitting tables of caucasians indulging in fragrant pizzas and pastas. Dad and i have made a couple of visits and we loved everything about their hearty italian fare.

Most of the time we were offered the Al Fresco dining, encased within an cosy courtyard- warm painted walls with leaves, vines and all. If kids do come along, they lay sheets of paper as table mats and provide coloured crayons for doodling.

Frutti di Mare ($20)

I have this Frutti di Mare everytime! It used to be the best marinara pasta until the quality dropped the second time (Da Mario takes over for now). Piping hot, this dish is an authentic feature of fresh tomato base, skilfully aldente capellini & a selection of scallops, prawns, shrimps and squid... it puts many mediocre versions to shame.

Aglio e Olio ($22.50)

The original Aglio e Olio dish only costs $16 but the price was piled up after Dad's request to add prawns and mushrooms. Both were resonably charged for the generous portions, particularly for those crystal prawns. Tasty yet light, this one is a great pleaser.

Panna Cotta ($8)

Even the desserts proved to impress. I would specially ensure some stomach space left for their Panna Cotta, a quality cream pudding. Firm, non-wobbly and nowhere near the sweet danger-zone.

Creme Brulee ($8)

As for Dad, i felt the Creme Brulee was another wise choice. Creamy egg custard, not too rich not cloying, laid under a optimal layer of crisp caramelized sugar. A westernized substitute for the traditional egg tarts.

I had my fair share of ogling at those cute caucasian toddlers too, people-watching is a part of dining entertainment.

My verdict: a restaurant deserving a praise in every aspect. Warmhearted affable serving staffs, delicious italian food, homely laidback environment... you just wouldn't mind paying for such quality.

Pepperoni Pizzeria is definitely worth your visit!

Pepperoni Pizzeria

5 Greenwood Avenue

Hillcrest Park

Cedele

You could call this Dad & Elaine's All-Time-Round Favourite Hotspot. We absolutely adore Cedele and there's no doubts about it. This is probably the one and only place where you can get wholesome main courses, hearty soups and salads, quality sandwiches made with handcrafted bread and killer cakes.. all under one roof.

It began with the founding of the Bakery Depot by Ms Yeap Cheng Guat in 1997 then a succeeding expansion of many Cedele cafes downtown. All these are aimed to bring pure healthy and guilt-free delights with a confident assurance of

NO TRANS FATS.

Carrot Juice ($6)

Indeed, that was a smart move made to attract all the dieters, health-conscious and Orthorexics (all rising in number) on our island. And the food here is addictive- it somehow brings us back again and again. I think we really do deserve a privilege discount card for our active support.

Red Pepper & Onion Omelette ($12.50)

I am surprised they saw to my no-yolks request and did a sincere substitution with additional egg whites. Part of the All-Day-Hearty-Breakfast is a Red Pepper & Onion Omelette, served with salad, toast my choice of field mushrooms. Despite being a little on the greasy side, i enjoyed my platter.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Bacon Rashers ($12.90)

It must have been the brunch bug because Dad too, decided to pick from the breakfast menu. Apple Cinnamon Pancakes studded with real apple chunks within and a side of bacon rashers. I too a bite and found it a tad bland but he claimed they were fragrant. My advice, trust the one who ate the dish.

Mango Almond Cake ($6.50)

Cakes are a must over here. Good news for all sweet-toothed, Cedele offers scrumptious cakes made the classic, old-fashioned and home style way. The website lists a whole wide range but only a couple are available each day, varying from outlet to outlet. Luck comes in handy.

Lady luck was sure at my side today since there were both of our favourites. The Mango Almond Cake, made with whole wheat flour and centered with mango slices, simply flows with my liking. The mango yogurt frosting is one of a kind.

Mango Almond Cheesecake ($6.50)

And then standing proud and tall is the Mango Almond Cheesecake, currently ranked no.1 on Dad's cheesecake chart. It was a lovely creation featuring soft quality cheese with a subtle mango flavour and nutty crunch toppings. The only way to savour the best of both worlds: take half of each.

No doubt, skills may be paramount for quality food but food that reaches to the heart really takes passion to create. I firmly believe they have what it takes. For that, i salute Ms Yeap.

Cedele

1 Kim Seng Promenade

#01-01/02 Great World City

Italiano (1)

A planned dinner for the family. I tried to keep the menu as close to the italian context as possible, despite some slight western glitches added. 3 hours of preparation and cooking time was a great challenge for me, but i was glad i managed to keep up the presentation standard. Overall, satisfactory (:


starter Cream of Roasted Pumpkin

Pumpkins were slow-roasted in the oven before i brougth it over to the pot. A creamy, buttery orange pumpkin puree with a hint of leeks & onions.


appetiser. Garlic Mushrooms Bruschetta

Assorted oyster, shiitake, button mushrooms sauteed in garlic then spooned over buttered baguette toasts. Detect a splash of white wine & balsamic vinegar.


appetiser. Calamari Fritti

Sis loved this. I did the deep-frying fresh while they were having the bruchetta. A classic dish of battered squid and a touch of paprika, served with a lemon-parsley mayonnaise and tangy neapolitan dipping sauce. All home-made.




main. Roasted Vegetables Spaghetti w Seafood Skewer

The pasta was supposed to be the focus but i guess that luscious seafood skewer stole the limelight. Fresh marinated tiger prawns and succulent scallops sizzling pan-seared then warmed in the oven; sure to entice all tastebuds.

Beside it laid a colour feast of oven-roasted eggplants, pumpkin, red & yellow peppers tossed with a spicy aglio spaghetti.


main. Seafood Marinara

My all-time-favourite. I bathed my pasta in a thick tomato paste, mixed in morsels of tiger prawns, scallops, squid and whitefish fillets. All it lacked was a sprinkle of fresh basil shreds.


dessert. Tiramisu & Lemon Curd Tartlet

An expresso & bailey's infused marscarpone mousse, paried with a mini tartlet with lemon curd and caramel sauce. I keep my rendition of tiramisu light and its now one of my dessert masterpieces.

enjoy italiano~
more improvements next time.

Shi Nai Hong Kong Cafe 师奶茶餐厅

These hongkong-themed eateries are just amazing, amazing in form of sarcarsm. I never understood why they can enjoy brisk business with food that can be simply whipped up at home. Ham & cheese toast, Nissin instant noodles... just where does the invisible magnet lie? Then i realised, it was comfort food at convenience.

Nonetheless, this is the better place to go when you need your comfort fix. The menu boasts of almost every category you can expect, and is real chore for the fickle-minded. Some even made with a local twist.

Hot Milk Tea

My best vote for hongkong milk tea had to be one i've drank from the island itself- rich, smooth... and nothing like our local teh-si. This one here comes close, at least it bore the hongkong feel.

Fried Horfun with Fish & Beansprouts

HK Cafe Instant Noodle

My sister's Fried Horfun with Fish & Beansprouts came tasty with an abundance of crunchy beansprouts. Dad picked a house dry-tossed noodles with pork chop, luncheon meat and a sunny side-up.

HK Famous Wanton Soup

HK Famous Wanton Noodle

My choice was a listed a chef's recoommendation, which utterly failed to be one. What shone were the hongkong-style wantons, solidly packed with a succulent prawn and some smooth meat filling. Every bite of it was satisfyingly crunchy with a soft skin. But to my disappointment, the noodles were ridiculously overcooked and the soup was plain tasteless. Not joking.

French Toast Banana with Icecream

Thankfully, the French Toast Banana with Icecream dessert came as a saviour. I loved how their toast is being masterfully deep-fried with mashy banana stuffings in the middle. The scoop of vanilla icecream was a good pair-off too.

In overall, "cha chan teng" fare made is made affordable and close to the hongkong context while the extensive menu stood as a strong plus point. Be prepared to wait for some of their dishes.

Shi Nai Hong Kong Cafe

378/380 East Coast Road

Caffé Cova

I chanced upon reviews of the newly opened Caffé Cova and knew i had to come. Hailing from Milan, this original Cova Pasticceria-Confetteria brought in by the Wing Tai group now replaces the Dome Cafe in swanky Paragon. Outside of Italy, Cova can only be found in Japan, Hong Kong and on some luxury American cruise ships.

The area outside for main food was full so we settled in the tearoom for light snacks. I liked what i saw... elegant decor, tables lined with table-cloth, fine silverware and a delectable range of pastries- all enough to score full appeal.

display of cakes & pastries

The waitstaffs smartly dressed in vests and bow-ties appreciatively completes the look of an decadent era, but the service was found to be severely lacking.

Salmone Pane Integrale ($14)

My next let-down was how their sandwiches came cold off the refrigerator display. I'm guessing they have all been premade in the morning for the convenience of freeing the chefs to devote to lunch service. This is bad for diners with special requests like me, who would either have to endure a long wait or accept those stale and insincere slabs from the fridge.

Gamberi Pane Integrale ($14)

I decided to take up the first choice, which was only attended to after i started to express my dissatisfaction. The Salmone Pane Integrale arriving after 15 minutes featured nothing more than lettuce, tomatoes and smoked salmon between dry brown wheat bread- but at least it was assembled fresh on order. Dad's regular order of Gamberi Pane Integrale saw a different fate as the bread was obviously bound to be sogged by the mayonnaise.

Selection of 4 Pastries ($9)

And then we thought desserts could be their saving grace. The four petite nibbles i picked- (clockwise from far left) Mini Chocolate Coconut Tart, Mini Chocolate Raspberry Tart, Pistachio Bigne, Raspberry Tart set on a large metal stand only looked smaller than they originally were. To be positive, they were catering for easy eating; to be negative they were purely exploiting with that hefty pricetag.

Innards of Chocolate Raspberry Tart

I particularly preferred the pistachio bigne oozing with intense molten pistachio cream and that simple tartlet sitting two fresh raspberries. The chocolate raspberry tart too had a inner surprise, while the tart bases were mentionable.

This place is clearly not cheap to dine in and they failed to show the diners the value in paying that top dollar. What turned out were small portions of sandwiches and rather ordinary pastries with an unacceptable service.

Caffé Cova

290 Orchard Road

#01-20A Paragon Shopping Centre