Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Patite Patisserie: Exclusive Bloggers Preview

You want something different for a birthday occasion but for some reason, time or cost is a factor.

What are your options available?
Most customized orders for cakes requires an advance order of 3 days and delivery charges for cakes aren't cheap for small orders.

Well, the new addition of The Patissier, Patite Patisserie may have the solution you need. Introducing a range of frozen mousse cakes made from premium ingredients without any artificial preservatives or agents, it gives the flexibility to when to purchase the cake and the room for creativity.

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Decorating your own cakes is something not new. Icing Room from the Breadtalk group has created a stir to allow people to decorate the cake with icing on the spot.

What makes Patite Patisserie different from them is the use of mousse cakes and them being sold in supermarkets. These cakes are currently available at Meidi-Ya supermarket (Liang Court) and maybe NTUC or Cold Storage in the near future.

What does that mean?
You can make last minute purchase as late as 10pm at your convenience.

If you are curious about the technology used to ensure freshness, the information is available on their website. In short, each cake is snapped frozen to ensure freshness and the cake can be consumed after defrosting in the fridge for a few hours.

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Although the frozen cakes are not bundled with basic decorative ingredients, one will be surprised simple candies and biscuits that are usually found in most households will do the trick. If not, there are premade sugar figurines available to simplify cake decorating.

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The beauty of decorating yourself would also mean an opportunity available for children to showcase the creative side of them.

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Doesn't this kid make it looks as easy as ABC? Or rather, to the adults, it maybe a perfect excuse for kids to mess up the kitchen? Whatever the case, getting a few of these cakes for parties will definitely be something novel.

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For now, these cakes only come in one size, 500gm and are priced at $25. Depending on how one looks at it, it is definitely not the cheapest cake in market so how it taste matters.

There are currently three flavours and each of them has its raves and rants. Chocolate Dream, a combination of chocolate mousse and chocolate sponge, has no doubt been an all-time favourite. Though it has been described to be made from ingredients obtained from Barry Callebaut, Valrhona and Cocoa Berry, the overall taste is not exceedingly rich.

Strawberry delight (strawberry mousse with vanilla sponge) and Mango Madness (mango mousse with vanilla sponge) are the non-chocolate alternatives and were pretty well-received in the event. Light and refreshing is what most described and having it snapped frozen previously, I have to admit the texture is pretty decent.

In short, given the way it is processed and its price, the taste offered is definitely above average and easily accepted by most.

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As a parting shot, we present Yuan's and Fen's very own creation. We call this 'The Chocolate Cake'. Not too bad for a first attempt, right?

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Since this is a blogger event, we are happy to meet up with good old foodies, Elaine, Daniel & Lay Sian, Justin and the sisters, Phoebe and Chloe.

Lastly, many thanks to Senior Account Excecutive, Ms. Celena Ho for extending the invitation for us to attend the Bloggers' preview of Patite Patisserie at Hotel Re!.

For more information, check out Patite Patisserie's website.
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Friday, July 23, 2010

Brownies from Baked and Eaten

Whenever Yuan asked me what form of business will be feasible in Singapore, my answer will always be "it is never going to be a patisserie or bakery". Why so? Having blog a fair bit on desserts,I realize there are two distinctive group of patrons, the ones that willing to spend, travel but hold high expectation; and the ones that would prefer savoury and only indulge when desserts are within reach and affordable.

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Hence, when Yuan first come across the baking project set up by Whisk and Fold, he can't help but to be amazed by how people can give up their stable jobs for passion. Setting up a patisserie may not be something new but what Delcie Lam did was to set up a halal-certified kitchen studio and inspire home bakers to make and market their product via a legal channel.

Charmaine from Baked and Eaten is one of the bakers accepted into Whisk and Fold family and her specialization is chocolate brownies made from quality ingredients that are purchased on the day of production to ensure freshness.

Comes in a lovely plastic box of 8, there are 3 flavours (Walnut Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Cranberry and Swirled Cheese Cocoa) to choose from.

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Swirled Cheese Cocoa Brownies are our favourite for its soft and rich texture. Sweetness is just right and the cheese topping is smooth and comparable to an American cheesecake. However, for those who likes pure chocolate brownie, the cheese topping seems to neutralize the "kick" chocolate usually gives.

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Dark Chocolate Cranberry and Walnut Chocolate would appeal more to the brownie lovers who love chocolate on its own.

Apart from the use of good quality ingredients, having baked in a Halal Boutique Bakery, it can be considered for cooperate events.

Check out her thoughts and route in optimising her brownies on her blog...

For more details on ordering, don't miss out on her website...

For inspiring home bakers, Whisk and Fold might be the place you are all this while looking for.

Lastly, a big thank you to Charmaine for sharing with us her freshly baked brownes.
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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

"Live-firing" @ Chef Daniel's Kitchen

Cake hunting has slowed down, backlogs start to accumulate and tonnes of photos to be post-processed. July has been a busy month but in a positive manner.

What makes is busy and pleasant is to meet up with good-old friends and one of the group is the bubbly bunch of foodies.

Organized by Harris and Glenn within a week, this is not only to catch up with the other foodies but also a farewell lunch for Loraine. If you have followed her blog, you will know that she has migrated to Netherlands.

Ok, back to the food topic... Hmm... $10.50 nett for a set lunch sounds good for gatherings and defnitely minimizes hassle when the bill comes. Rooftop dining gives the extra value-add.

Chef Daniel

High ceiling with earth tones, the first thing that strikes you as you enter the restaurant is its generous space. The spaciousness comes through the clever use of glass panels, allowing the restaurant to be well-illuminated with nautral lighting.

Nature is another feature since the rooftop is decorated with flora and fauna, exuding a mix of contemporary and resort atmosphere.

The set lunch comes with a bowl of soup, free-flow bread, a main course of your choice and desserts.

Beef Burger with Cheese

Yuan settled with the Grilled Beef Burger which he felt was very moist with resemblance of a bolognese. Being a carnivore, Yuan felt that the patty has more fillers than meat.

Fish and Chip

As for Fish & Chips, I thought it was average. On the positive note, it was not so oily.

Raspberry Mousse

Dessert of the day is a combination of raspberry mousse and vanilla sponge, providing a sweet and slight tangy note.

Pardon for the lack of description but in such outings, it is always the laughter, the conversations and the clicking of cameras that leave a deeper impression. Ultimately, a meal does not need to taste fantastically good when it is coupled with a lovely bunch of diners to make it memorable.

The bloggers

The Hungry-Trotting Couple (Loraine) - Chef Daniel's Kitchen: a fun, fun food bloggers' outing
HungryEpicurean (Glenn)
For the love of ...calories and weighing scales (Phoebe & Chloe) - Bounce by Chef Daniel at Illuma, Bugis
Dot in a box (Dorothy)
Foodoshoot (Charlene) - Chef Daniel’s Kitchen: Food Bloggers’ Lunch
Memoirs of Food (Daniel & Lay Sian)
The simplest aphrodisiac (Harris)

Chef Daniel's Kitchen
201 Victoria Street
#07-02/03 Illuma @ Bugis
Singapore 188067
Tel: 6509 9888

Operating hours: 11am - 11pm
Website
[ ... ]

Friday, July 16, 2010

28. New York Cheesecake from Blue Magnolia

Cheesecake is a common candidate in most patisseries but one will be surprised how different it can taste.

NY Cheesecake

Described by ST to be made with premium cream cheese, the New York Cheesecake from Blue Magnolia is creamy, smooth and rich. In addition, the smooth surface and a good degree of moisture makes this cheesecake more outstanding than most.

Seasalt Caramel Cake

What I thought was more memorable was the Seasalt Caramel Cake. Salted caramel has always been a highlight in the context of pastry, probably due to the nice confusion created between sweetness and saltiness. Having being a sticky ingredient, most would have paired it with chocolate but Blue Magnolia does it even better with hazelnut feuilletine.

Blue Magnolia

Having ate the operas from The Line shop, this falls short on both texture and the strength of the coffee buttercream. The top layer of chocolate is just too overwhelming making it closer to a chocolate cake.

Chocolate fudge cake was not too bad but the major players would have deserved more attention for it having a sticky fudge and moist chocolate sponge.

Yuan described Blue Magnolia's Carrot cake to be closer to Barcook's Carrot cake due to a distinctive presence of cinnamon and the raisins. Cream cheese frosting is closer to icing since it lacks the tiny bit of saltiness.

For frangipane lovers, the raspberry almond cake and blueberry cake will leave a deeper impression, given its sweet and crumby texture with a hint of sourishness.

Petite desserts can be misleading, given its small proportion but having ate 8 tiny creations from Blue Magnolia, the overall impression tells us that this place deserved a second visit. Ultimately, there aren't many patisseries that sells bite-sized desserts (e.g. Gobi and Pat's Pastry) and this is the best among the 3. Be it taste and selection.

NY Cheesecake

As for cheesecakes, Hotel Hilton will remain on the top of my list.

Each petite dessert cost $2.20 and apparently there is a 50% discount after a certain timing for Fridays. I am not very sure about the details as the staff didn't disclose much so do call up if you have intention to catch the promotion. If I am not mistaken, a box of 9 is about $14.90.

Blue Magnolia
Market Street Carpark
146 Market Street
#01-38
Singapore 048945
Tel: 6535 2623 / 6534 2623

Operating hours:
11am to 7pm (Mon to Fri)
Closed on Sat, Sun and P.H.
Website
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Opera @ The Line Shop

To me, it is always a joy to get birthday cakes for my family, friends and colleagues and that they enjoyed it. I guess good things are meant to be shared.

Recall I was searching for a good mango cake for my colleague. Well, you can say I fail in that mission. To find something better than Ritz Carlton's mango mousse is not an easy task so I have decided to settle with something I am confident it will be good.

Strawberry Vanilla Streusel Cake is one of the cakes that leave a deep impression when I first started this blog and I am very happy my colleagues love it as much as Ritz Carlton's mango mousse, if not more.

Note that this is no longer available on the shelf so if you are keen, you can drop The Line Shop an email, they can check with the chef if this cake can be done.

The cake looks pretty similar to what was served 2 years ago and a 1kg cost $51.35 nett after tax. Taste-wise, just as good as before. You can see from the photo my colleague has taken, this creation is made up of two layers of vanilla sponge sandwiching lots of strawberries and vanilla cream, topped with cookie crumbles.

And for those who are curious about the operas available at The Line Shop, read on...

Surprisingly, I have eaten more green tea operas than the classic French creation. Anyway, while waiting for my colleague to make payment, both the Opera cake ($6.75+) and the signature 'The Linecake' ($6.75+) caught my attention.

Opera

For a non-opera lover like me, I have gladly finished the entire slice. Although the layers of almond sponge cake ("Joconde" in French) are not soaked in coffee syrup, the overall has a nice balance of coffee buttercream and chocolate. The layers are so distinctive in each bite and the smooth texture of the buttercream with the slight chewy sponge cake makes each mouthful delightful. Perhaps, I prefer cakes that are not soaked so though this may not sound traditional but I feel that it works well for me.

The Line Cake

On the other hand, The Linecake is described to be a traditional modern opera cake layered with tangy orange & bittersweet chocolate. Comparing with the traditional opera, this is distinctively chocolately with a subtle tanginess. Somehow or rather, Yuan prefers this more than the traditional opera. I guess it is just different strokes for different folks.

For your information, here are the list of cakes The Line Shop has,

500grams @ $24+
Chocolate Truffle
Chocolate cake, a luscious dark chocolate sponge base, coated in smooth dark chocolate, topped with raspberries

Traditional Cheesecake
An old time favourite. A cold set mousse cheesecake

Strawberry Pistachio Shortcake
A delicate combination of vanilla sponge layered with pistachio cream, surrounded with strawberries

Maronnier
Hazelnuts with chestnuts cream will awe all nut lovers

Tiramisu
A charlotte of creamy mascarpone mousse and kahlua-soaked sponge nestled in espresso dipped savoiardi biscuits

Mixed Fruit Flan
Colorful cut fruits with delicious vanilla sponge, layered with fresh cream

Black forest
Traditional layered German chocolate sponge cake with brandied cherries, covered in dark chocolate shavings & decorated with a cross motif

Le Jubilee
Almond sponge cake with cherries, topped with chocolate mousse

500grams @ $26+
Durian
Our special fresh durian meat with vanilla sponge. covered with meringue.

Mango Cheesecake
Cheesecake topped with mango slices

500grams @ $18+
Strawberry Tart
Apple Crumble Tart

1.1kg @ $52+
Signature 'The Linecake'
A traditional modern opera cake layered with tangy orange & bittersweet chocolate


The Line Shop
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore,
22 Orange Grove Road,
Singapore 258350
Tel: 6213 4377
Website
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Friday, July 9, 2010

Sunday Brunch @ M Hotel

To a certain extent, how impressive a buffet to most depends strongly on its price tag. Apart from that, the head chef plays a strong role in dictating the signatures and theme of a buffet.

When asked for recommendations, it is easy to list the big names but to cater to a family of 4 or friends gatherings, it is never feasible as not everybody is willing to pay so much for a single meal.

Located in the heart of the financial district and it being not far away from the city, M Hotel seems to be an ideal choice for Sunday brunches. At least, the drivers are spared from the expensive hourly parking. Also, having priced at $48++, it sounds affordable for families and gatherings.

Cafe 2000, M Hotel

Cafe 2000 is not easily missed, having situated at the lobby level of M hotel. Moreover, this hotel is renowned for its chicken pies so it will not sound foreign to most foodies.

Adopting an open kitchen concept coupled with the use of warm lighting and wooden furniture, it provides a causal and leisure dining area.

With half the restaurant being paneled with glass windows, vehicles traveling along Anson Road is alot lesser, thereby giving an impression of a lazy Sunday. I mean, how often are we in Tanjong Pagar Singapore District on a Sunday morning.

Salads and Smoked Salmon

In any buffets, one can expect the regular suspects of salads and appetizers.

Appetizer, Greens with various dressings

Though not shown in the pictures, I have to admit I love the hotel's hand rolls. The bread is warm with a thin crisp crust. The crumb (inner part of the bread) is soft and goes very well with the softened butter. In addition, this is the only buffet I have come across (till date) that serves nachos with cheddar cheese dip. Cheese is cold but rich enough to satisfy.

Seafood on Ice

Sashimi and fresh seafood are often the highlights in all buffets. Selection is decent with crayfish, crabs, oysters, prawns, etc.

Sashimi is only limited to salmon and tuna; cut upon request. Fish is fresh but not cut against the grain, giving it a "shredded" texture.

Chicken, Fish and Beef

Although selection of hot dishes are limited when compared to other buffets, Cafe 2000 do serve alot of meat, huge beef meatballs, chunks of BBQ chicken and Grilled fish, unlike the regular fried rice and sauteed vegetables.

Pizza and Satays

Pizza and satays were not bad in terms of taste but having served for long under buffet heat lamps, one can expect certain batches to be slightly tough and dry.

South Indian food and curries

As Chef Ganesan Ashouk was in charge at our point of visit, we were pleasantly surprised by the South Indian food served. The curries were flavourful and the mutton curry was my favourite for its tender meat and rich gravy.

Instead of serving the common briyani rice, Chef Ganesan Ashouk presents his very own Assam rice. Using Basmati Rice (if I am not mistaken), Chef Ganesan Ashouk blended his selection of local spices which is not easily reproducible in other hands, since the proportion and type of spices used depends alot on experience and preference. The end result is a mix of tanginess and spiciness that is easily accepted, so much so we ended up with more than 3 servings.

Tandoori Chicken with Chef Ganesan Ashouk

The other favourite of ours is Tandoori Chicken. Instead of cooking in a clay oven (tandoor) or on a grill, Chef Ganesan Ashouk does his in a döner kebap ("rotating roast") manner. Having cooked partially in the hotel's oven prior the brunch, the meat is cooked slowly by an electric burner and sliced upon request. Unlike the Tandoori we had in other buffets, the meat is served juicy and warm.

Local curry laksa, served with tofu puffs, fishcakes, quail eggs and prawns, is also part of the buffet line. The gravy is not overly spicy and is on the milky side. Not exceedingly overwhelmed with Hae Bee Hiam (Spicy Dried Prawns) and is easy on the stomach, considering there are other selection in the buffet.

Carvings - Roast Beef, Sausages and Pork Ribs

Roast beef and pork ribs glaced with BBQ sauce are decent in terms of taste and are easy on chewing.

Disappointment comes with the tough sausages having placed under the heat lamps for long. Pasta live station was sloppy given the limited toppings and bland taste. Moreover, the pasta served were inter-contaminated with the cream sauce, bolognese sauce and olive oil.

Nonya Kueh and Cakes

Desserts are made in-house and the turnover for the desserts are relatively high. One major setback for this section is that the cakes were sliced in huge portions so either they got smashed while diners attempt to take a smaller portion or one is full after eating 1 slice.

By the time we hit the dessert station, most of the desserts were replenished with alternatives. Based on the few desserts we had, we have to admit that they are relatively decent, given its price tag.

The Nonya Kuehs are good due to the use of strong, fragrant coconut milk. Lychee cake is a refreshing treat and (to me) a better variant of Pine's Garden Lychee Martini Cake. Chocolate mousse has a smooth texture with a hint of liquor and layered nicely on a thin layer of chocolate cake. As usual, the shooters were artificially flavoured with mango syrup and strawberry syrup, making it relatively disappointing.

Shooters and toppings for chocolate fondue

To start off, the cafe isn't very big so there are times when there is a build-up in the human traffic. Food is constantly replenished but the empty plates and water were cleared and refilled in a delayed manner. Overall, the experience is pleasant and for the first time in a buffet, we felt that the Indian food deserved more attention than the International spread.

We also have to give credits to the manager-in-charge who make it a point to ensure all his diners are at ease and also introduce the highlights of the brunch after his guests are seated. Not forgeting the warm hospitality of Chef Ganesan Ashouk who values customers' feedback, his time to arrange a take-away for the hotel's signature chicken pies and explaining the dishes available at the brunch.

However, the meal didn't start off pleasantly with a huge hiccup on the telephone reservation side. The confusion came when I wanted to postpone my reservation by 1 week but the person on the line was so impatient to hang my phone call. It was only when they called to re-confirm my first reservation then I realize the change was not made. To make it worse, when I turn up for my second reservation, they didn't realize my existence and called me 30min later to ask if I will be coming or a cancellation is required when we were already in the restaurant. Not forgetting we were only seated 15min after the time made for my reservation.

Semi Buffet Dinners at Cafe 2000 include a fine array of appetisers and live stations, which includes fresh seafood on ice, choice canapes, salads and pasta made on demand, together with a main course of your choice from Cafe 2000's Chef's Specials.

As the theme changes every month, the theme for July is Everything Singapore where local fare such as Grilled Sambal Chilli Stingray, Braised Duck Thigh with Five Spices Herb, Crispy Noodles with Assorted Seafood, etc. will be served.

Semi Buffet Dinner
$40++ (A), $22++ (C) per person (Sun-Thurs)
$45++ (A), $25++ (C) per person (Fri, Sat)

Sun Brunch
$78++ (A) (with free flow of Mumm Champagne, wines and beer)
$48++ (A) (with free flow juices, NO alcohol)
$24++ (C) (with free flow of juices)

Credit Card discount as follows:
For now the current promotion is
For DBS credit cardholders

1st visit: 15% off total bill & receive 15% discount voucher for next visit.
2nd visit 30% off total bill (after utilizing 15% return voucher)

Valid through 31 July 2010 & for dine-in only, unless otherwise stated.
Vouchers issued are valid until 31 August.
Vouchers issued are applicable for use at any of our participating outlets
Not valid on eve of and on Public Holidays and special occasions (etc Father’s Day), unless otherwise stated

Cafe 2000
M Hotel Singapore
81 Anson Road
Singapore 079908
Tel: 6500 6112

Operating Hours -
6:30am – 11pm (All Day Dining)
11:30am - 3pm (Sunday brunch)
Website
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Sunday, July 4, 2010

No. 49 Mango Cake from Orchard Hotel

Mango Cake

It has been awhile since we bought a cake listed in the 50 Yummiest Cakes article.

Having ordered Ritz Carlton's Mango Mousse Cake for my colleague's birthday, I am tasked to get another mango cake for another birthday occasion which is just less than a week away.

Described by the article that this is generously inlaid with fresh mango slices and sprinkled with fluffy coconut flakes, I thought a hotel's signature cake will not go wrong but the impression obtained was not far away from Yuan's impression of Bengawan Solo's mango cake.

Reason being? The sliced mango with a layer of jelly served with fresh cream and sponge is quite old-school and having ate a fantastic mango mousse cake from Ritz Carlton, I doubt this is going to impress. Looks like I will need help from my readers to suggest good mango cakes for me?

FYI, each sliced is priced at $5.80+ and whole cake is available in 2 sizes (500gm and 1kg) priced at $32+ and $42+ respectively.

The Orchard Cafe
Orchard Hotel Singapore
442 Orchard Road
Singapore 238879
Tel: 6739 6565

Website
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Green Tea Mousse @ Orchard Cafe

Green Tea Mousse

There is no hard and fast rule when making a green tea dessert and so far, the pairing for green tea in various patisseries and hotels have been very different. With a bitterish after-taste and that incorporating into sponge may make the sponge dry and rough, it has always been a challenge to find a nice green tea cake and often most green tea desserts are disastrous.

For Orchard Hotel, Green Tea Mousse ($5.80+) is a unique combination of green tea sponge with mango jelly and the outcome is a refreshing treat. Just like most green tea cakes, the sponge is often dry but the hotel overcomes it by layering it with mango jelly which contrast very well and the mousse makes the overall relatively moist. In our humble opinion, we thought this is better than the hotel's signature Mango Cake.

The Orchard Cafe
Orchard Hotel Singapore
442 Orchard Road
Singapore 238879
Tel: 6739 6565

Website
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Crunchy Hazelnut @ Orchard Cafe

Crunchy Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

We have passed by the cake counter of Orchard Hotel several times but the display has never tempt us to grab a few slices. As we always mentioned in our other posts, chocolate mousse with hazelnut feuilletine is one cake that will seldom go wrong, particularly in popular patisseries and hotels. This time, we were proven so wrong.

Perhaps Crunchy Hazelnut ($5.80+ per slice) is one of the most unappropriate name for this cake. The layer of crunchy hazelnut was almost non existence. As a chocolate cake, this is one of the few which I had trouble finishing. It was a little like eating chocolate jelly made with low cocoa content (might be due to an overdose in gelatin). Chocolate mousse lovers will be terribly disappointed with this cake since the smoothness and richness are lacking in this creation.

Crunchy Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Also note that you should eat your cakes at the lobby as they do not have an appropriate box to take away your order. This is how the poor "banana" was compressed into the box.

The Orchard Cafe
Orchard Hotel Singapore
442 Orchard Road
Singapore 238879
Tel: 6739 6565

Website
[ ... ]

No. 47 Mango Mousse Cake from Ritz Carlton

Mango Mousse Cake

If there is one hotel for me to recommend, be it service or quality, it has to be Ritz Carlton. If one has been following the blog, despite the absence of a take-away counter and that all the cakes are only available as a whole, I have always make it a point to get one every year.

When asked for a mango cake recommendation, the very first thing that striked me was the mango mousse cake I had 2 years ago. The entire combination was so memorable that I am confident my colleagues are going to like it (Notice I have never blogged about the cakes I have gotten for my colleagues apart from this one).

Mango Mousse Cake

My comments are pretty much going to be the same as my previous post and the niche about this cake is the splendid use of mango in the various components of this cake, starting from the fresh mango balls, the mousse, the jelly and summing the entire combination with a layer of European vanilla sponge that has a very fine crumb.

I am one who don't eat mangoes on its own and there is a distinctive taste about mango which I don't like. In particular for mango desserts and cakes, this "artificial" taste dreads me alot but surprisingly I don't encounter this in Ritz Carlton's Mango Mousse Cake. Instead, I love every little bit of it and was craving for more, considering this cake was shared among 14 people.

The other plus point of Ritz Carlton is that they only need a minimum of 3 hours to prepare the cakes available from the list (3 days advance notice is required for custom-made cakes) so freshness can be assured.

All the cakes are available in 20-cm and the cakes available at Ritz Carlton for 2010 are
- Almond Frangipane Tart with Sesaonal Red Berries ($60+)
- The Platinum Chocolate Fudge Cake ($65+)
- Mango Mousse with Mango Jelly topped with fresh Mango ($62+)
- New York-Style Vanilla Cheese Cake with Red Forest Berries ($58+)
- Classic Black Forest ($62+)
- Chocolate and Hazelnut Royal Mousse ($60+)
- Fresh Strawberry Cream Cake with White Chocolate ($58+)
- Tiramisu : Coffee-scented Whipped Cheese Mousse ($55+)

Should you need a copy of the cake list, you can contact Ritz Carlton via email or I can gladly forward you a copy.

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039799
Tel: 6434 5288
Email: rc.sinrz.restaurantreservations@ritzcarlton.com
Website
[ ... ]

Friday, July 2, 2010

Durianmisu from Goodwood Park Hotel

Durianmisu

Goodwood Park's annual Durian Fiesta has always stirred the attention of durian lovers and if one is observant enough, the hotel will release new creations every year. As for what is on next year menu, it depends greatly on the sales of individual items this year. In short, the least popular ones will be eliminated off next year menu. Hence, items such as the Durian, Pandan & Coconut Cake and Durian & Crunchy Hazelnut Tartlet are not available for this time round.

Available in two sizes ($4.80+ and $8.80+), Goodwood Park's latest creation, Durianmisu is a daring concoction of pure D24 durian pulp with the components of a regular non-alcoholic tiramisu (e.g. lady's fingers, espresso and mascarpone).

We had alongside the durian pudding ($3.50+) and durian strudel ($8.80+ per slice); so this fails to outshine the others. Although the durian pulp is nicely infused into the smooth and refreshing mascarpone, the contrasting coffee-soaked sponge fingers makes the overall taste confusing.

Apart from the durian pastries available at the Deli, 6 durian delights namely the Durian Oreo cake, Durianmisu, Durian roll, Durian pudding, Durian puff and Durian pancake are available in the regular dessert buffet in Coffee Lounge during lunch and dinner from 1 June to 25 July 2010 @ $24.80++ per person (Dessert Buffet with Durian Pastries only).

For take-aways, all durian pastries are available from 1st March 2010 to 25th July 2010 at the Deli.

For more details, refer the promotion page of Goodwood Park Hotel.

Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: 6730 1867 / 1868
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Tarte Citron @ Canele

Tarte Citron

Two visits to Canele within a week and I had this on both occassion. I am never a fan of Lemon Meringue Tart since I dread the sharp and tangy lemon curd. Moreover, meringue is nothing but sugar and egg white so...

Having heard many praises about Canele's Tarte Citron ($5.50+), I shouldn't doubt about this creation. True enough, the lemon curd is smooth and not exceedingly sour. The Italian meringue though not the fluffiest I have tried but good enough to neutralize the tangy lemon curd. Almond tart pastry is crisp but not as buttery and fragrant like K ki's and Patisserie Glace's.

Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie
Shaw Centre
1 Scotts Road
#01-01A, Shaw Centre
Singapore 228208
Tel: 6738 9020
Website
[ ... ]

New additions @ Canele

L'Amour

L'armour L'armour is none other a bigger rose macaron sandwiching rose cream and raspberry jelly, topped with fresh berries.

Despite the declining standards of Canele's macarons, it has remained on my must-try list for its distinctive flavour.

Anyway, when I saw the photo of L'armour L'armour on Ice's blog, it immediately reminds me of a similar one I had last year during Valentine time and I don't deny it was a disappointment when compared to their rose macarons. The shells were too wet and I didn't like the raspberry jelly that makes it sour and soggy.

The newly introduced L'armour L'armour ($8+) is definitely an improvement to their Valentine creation as it uses more rose cream and less raspberry jam. Since there is no air pocket and that the shells are meaty enough, this is better than Canele's rose macaron but at a pricier tag.

Rose Chiffon (1st attempt)

Despite the nice comments made, I am not sure if we have been eating too much rose chiffon these days but it appears that the L'Armour L'Armour is lacking in the rose aroma. Ever since I lay my hands on a bottle of Nielsen Massey's rose water, I made 3 rose chiffons with varying strength and I was burping like a bottle of perfume. Since then, Yuan has been so traumatized till he freaked out whenever he comes across anything that is rose-flavoured including a rose flavoured nonya kueh in one of our recent buffets.

Opera

I haven't really ate enough Opera to comment on this but my impression towards one is a overly dry chocolate cake with contaminating coffee taste. Sounds very unfair to a cake with long history. Anyway, a recent encounter to Marriott's Opera had our opinions changed but sad to say, they have stopped production for this cake and is replaced with their own version of Green Tea Opera.

Comparing Marriott's Opera with Canele's ($8+) , the latter lose out on the distinctive taste of coffee and chocolate. Moreover, in our personal opinion, we felt that the alcohol content for this opera was too much. It overwhelms the other layers present in the opera.

Apart from these two, we have tried Charlie Brown which is good, provided you share the cake. The excessive use of caramel makes this cake cloying and sweet. Depending on individual's threshold, the use of peanuts and peanut butter is an interesting twist to the regular chocolate mousse.

Now what else have we not tried... Arh, St Marc and Chloe...

Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie
Shaw Centre
1 Scotts Road
#01-01A, Shaw Centre
Singapore 228208
Tel: 6738 9020
Website

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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Mango Rhapsody from Patisserie Glace

Patisserie Glace has gained a fair bit of popularity with its selection of Japanese desserts since its opening in November 2008. Apart from the regular Mont Blanc and Japanese Shortcake, there is something exclusive about Patisserie Glace and that is none other the fusion of cake and tart.

Mango Rhapsody

Similar to my favourite Strawberry Hills, Patisserie Glace has a similar new addition. Set in an almond tart base, there are layers of custard cream, pear slices, almond frangipane, chantilly cream and sponge cake, topped off with fresh mangoes.

The combination of almond frangipane and custard cream maybe sweet to people who has a low threshold towards sweetness. Apart from that, like most tarts in Patisserie Glace, the fragrance and crispness of the tart pastry coupled with the varying layers is bound to be well-accepted by most. An 18-cm cake can easily feed 8 people and is priced at $44. Note that the cookie tag cost $3 and ice packs are available at $0.50 per piece which is essential for transportation as the chantilly cream melts fast.

Mango Rhapsody

Pâtisserie Glacé
12 Gopeng Street,
#01-33/34 Icon Village
Singapore 078877.
Tel: 6400 0247

Operating hours: 11am to 7pm (Mon to Fri)
11am to 6pm (Weekends and P.H)
Website

P.S. My colleagues happened to eat both the Strawberry Hills and Mango Rhapsody in a go and her preference is inclined towards Mango Rhapsody since the former is sweet to her liking; anyway, one of them finds it so good that she is so tempted to drop by a visit the next day to pick up some for her family. Bottom line, it is worth a trip down to try this unique marriage of tart and cake.
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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Happy 10 years together

My temptation to splurge on food comes whenever I start to make enquiries to restaurants and hotels. Having to source out for a Chinese restaurant for a farewell lunch and that my 10th anniversary with Yuan is approaching, everything seems to fall in place to celebrate this special occassion at Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore.

Have been very busy with the recent renovation work but a good meal coupled with romantic ambience and a wonderful slice of cake, this is going to be equally memorable when Yuan proposed to me.

Happy 10th year

Most Singapore hotels will not disappoint in terms of service and Ritz Carlton gladly caters to Yuan's request for a slice of cake. The flavour is chosen by the chef and viola, it turns out to be good.

White chocolate mousse with pistachio

A simplistic combination of white chocolate mousse and pistachio, the mild flavour of both strikes well on the palette. Instead of an exceedingly sweet white chocolate, the use of almond in the white chocolate mousse neutralizes the sweetness and provides some texture to the white layer. Pistachio is prepared in a similar manner as the almond frangipane, leading to Yuan giving an extra nod to each mouthful. Though the milk chocolate sheets served as a decoration, these thin sheets melt perfectly in the mouth. Hmm...

Peking Duck

For those who have been to Summer Pavillion or have read the online reviews, this is going to be no exception. Although I mentioned to Yuan that the crepes are alittle thick as compared to Man Fu Yuan 满福苑 (Hotel Intercontinental), these thin, crispy duck skin with a thin layer of fats simply melts in your mouth. For half a duck, there are a total of 12 servings of duck skin with crepes and for once, we indulge without the slightest worry of calories and cholesterol.

Baked Sea Perch with Hoi Sin Sauce

Unlike the regular Chinese restaurant, the ambience this place offers is very close to a dimly lit fine dining restaurant. All the diners are appropriately dressed and what surprise us is the way the Chef recommendations were served. I guess it is a misconception that Chinese restaurants are brightly lit, noisy and the food are served in huge portions. Not the case for Summer Pavilion's Chef recommendation (at least for the next two dishes).

Baked Sea Perch was wonderfully seared with the Hoi Sin Sauce with the interior nicely coated with the fats.

Chef Fok's Special Wok-fried Fillet of Beef

As for the wok-fried beef fillet, the "wok hei" (镬气) is sufficiently felt till the extent one serving is not enough.

Beancurd with mushroom

The amazing thing about the few dishes we have ordered is that these are items Yuan will seldom order but all of them turn out to be unique and delicious in his opinion. This dish caught us by surprise for its slight chewy skin and soft, silky interior.

Fried rice with XO sauce

The remains of the Peking duck was fried with the XO fried rice. As seen in the picture, each rice grain is nicely seasoned so I will leave the photo to fill you in the details. For your information, the restaurant would recommend having the duck braised in Chinese wine sauce and we kind of regret not sticking to his recommendation. Though the fried rice is good, the smell whiffing from the claypot when served to our adjacent table sent my salivary glands activated. Definitely going to try that on my next visit.

For the first time, we have decided to celebrate this special occassion in a Chinese restaurant. The experience is very different from the regular buffets; and I am glad that this meal is so memorable. Having seated beside the window, the entire setting is lovely since Summer Pavilion is set amidst a picturesque garden. The service is fantastic and makes us feel welcome. I have indeed enjoyed myself greatly and now I am definitely looking forward to my next visit (Right? Yuan).

Summer Pavillion
The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039799
Tel: 6434 5286

Operating hours:
11:30pm to 2:30pm (Lunch - a-la-carte & dim sum)
6:30pm to 10:30pm (Dinner - a-la-carte)
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