'Cooking with Friends' makes a comeback to Osia and have invited Australian Chef Tim Montgomery to represent his signature dishes to his guests at the restaurant, for a limited time from today till this Saturday 19th July 2014. 

Chef Tim Montgomery was singled out as the South Australian Chef of the Year and recently taken on the Executive Chef roles at Berardo’s Restaurant and the Noosa International Food & Wine Festival.

Diners can look forward to the exquisite set dinner menu put up together by Chef Tim and Osia restaurant. Prices of the 3, 4, 5 courses dinner start from $90++ onwards.

This was my first visit to Osia, and I had the pleasure to attend this special tasting with my fiancee.

We were welcomed by the warm hospitality of Yun Kai, the restaurant manager and his team at Osia. 

Yun Kai walked us both to our table and thoughtfully explained what we would be expecting for the evening's dinner. 

The first few photos above showcases the restaurant interiors of the Osia. As we arrived at the restaurant early, there were no other guests around so I grabbed the opportunity to "tour around" and took pictures of the restaurant.

Osia Signature drink - Ginger Beer 

We decided not to have any wine or cocktails, the restaurant manager told us that he will come up with something special for us. He came back with two tall glasses of freshly grated Ginger Beer, and sweetened with granulated sugar. This bold drink was well chilled and refreshing, a wholesome and healthy alternative. Thank you Yun Kai for the great recommendation. 

Cauliflower Soup - Quail Scotch Egg, Pickled Mushroom, Truffle

We started our first 3-course with a soup and it was really magical seeing how things were beautifully presented to our table. 

When I first read cauliflower soup on the menu, in my mind I was thinking about the plain Chinese version of cauliflower soup which my dad used to cook for me when I was a kid. 

I had doubts on how different and special the cauliflower soup could be, and I was proven wrong. 

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie, Chef Tim worked it great by using simple recipe with some fine twist. On this very night, I never complained about cauliflower soup, because this soup was really so good. 

Stone Hearth Flat Bread with Macadamia Pesto, Truffled Kalamanta Olive - Served with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Butter, Dip ($11 Ala Carte)

Osia’s stone hearth flatbreads are free form loaves that are freshly baked upon order using a wood fired oven. The bread has a delightfully crisp crust, airy and chewy bite. 

You can choose from a variety of toppings, and a number of accompaniments from butter, extra virgin olive oil or Bush Tomato, one of Osia’s signature “toothpaste” tube dips.

Sea Bass - Brandade, Organic Egg, Smoked Potato Espuma, Avruga

Eggs and Potatoes played a big part in this dish as they were Chef's Tim favourite comfort food, and he told us that he got his inspiration from his mom. 

Being a big fan of eggs and potatoes, this dish will never go wrong. Chef Tim cleverly turned a sea bass into a cod fish; from it's firm looking appearance to it's succulent and tender texture, you can never tell this was actually a sea bass. There were exciting moments of "Oh my god that glorious flow of yolk" when we broke the egg apart, enough said. 

Cherry Ripe - Chocolate, Cherry, Coconut

Cherry Ripe Chocolate, a decadent mousse based dessert reinvented from the classic Australian chocolate bar "Cherry Ripe". 

Rich chocolate mousse, covered with layers of chocolate dust, desiccated coconut, brandied cherries and jelly, topping off with a lump of coconut sorbet and chocolate twigs. This no bake dessert is such a big hit to me, I would not mind having another serving.

VERDICT
Excellent hospitality with superb culinary dishes and menu curated by Chef Tim Montgomery and Osia.

For a limited time only and a Not-to-be-missed special dining experience at Osia, I strongly recommend you call up for reservations.

Thank you Cheryl for the invite and team Osia for the wonderful efforts. 


Cooking with Friends Featuring Chef Tim Montgomery*
*16th July 2014 Wednesday to 19th July 2014 Saturday

Lunch (12pm – 3pm):
3-course: $50++, 4-course: $60++

Dinner (6pm – 10.30pm):
3-course: $90++, 4-course: $115++, 5-course: $135++

A la carte menu is made available.

There is a free cooking demonstration by Chef Timothy Montgomery on this coming Saturday 19th July from 3pm-5pm on a first come first serve basis. There are only 15 slots for this event, therefore please book your seats early to avoid disappointment.


Osia Bar & Restaurant
8 Sentosa Gateway, Festive Walk, Singapore 098139

Operating Hours 
Lunch Thursday to Tuesday 12pm - 3pm
Dinner Thursday to Tuesday 6pm - 1030pm
Closed on Wednesday

Reservations Tel: +65 6577 6688

https://www.facebook.com/OsiaRestaurant
http://instagram.com/osiarestaurant
https://twitter.com/OsiaRestaurant

CHABUTON 

(Since 2005)

Ramen lovers whom been to Japan, or even the popular destination Bangkok Thailand, you probably would have tried or heard about Chabuton. 

Chabuton created a big hit in the Thai market in 2010, with 14 outlets in Thailand, making it one of the fastest growing ramen chain there.

This Prestigious Chabuton from Japan, has arrived into our shores and opened its first outlet at Somerset 313 #B2-01.

The brand of Chabuton Singapore shares the same formula and original secret recipes as the other outlets in Japan and Thailand.

I was excited and privileged to be invited to savour the ramen dishes created by the Michelin starred chef, Mr. Yasuji Morizumi, the first ramen chef that achieved such honour and also named as the "King of Ramen" from TV Champion, TV Tokyo Station.

 THE RESTAURANT

The bright coloured entrance was welcoming, with many wooden wall panels and brown tables it gives off a clean, spacious and Japanese vibe upon entering into the restaurant. 

THE FOOD

All the ingredients used are imported directly from Japan, or sourced from specially appointed companies by the Japanese team, and ensured that well-balanced and authentic bowls of Japanese ramen are being produced. 

Chabuton will continuously localise flavours and create unique offerings at reasonable price that appeal to the Singaporeans. 

I shall start off with some side dishes. These bite-sized dumplings Hitokuchi Gyoza ($5 for 8 pcs) served as a perfect side dish to Chabuton's ramen. The dumpling skin was crispy and the pork meat filing was juicy. I would be pleased if they were more generous with the meat filling. 

Chicken Tatsuda Age (Fried Chicken $5), nothing much to comment about deep fried items. It was lightly marinated and fried until crisp. 

Ika Karaage (Fried Squid $5), was deep fried to a good texture and it wasn't oily at all so that everyone can enjoy without feeling guilty. 

Soup Gyoza ($5), the soupy version of their signature dumplings in chicken collagen broth. The soup was light yet flavourful, it will be an enjoyment having this on its own and I will not mind requesting for extra soup if I could. 

Out of the 12 ramen dishes, I picked Tonkotsu as this is Chabuton's signature dish. The rich and creamy broth is the culmination of many hours of simmering pork bones. A slice of char skew rests atop the noodles, with abundance of Japanese leek and white sesame added to enliven the overall taste. 

Small portion are priced at $8:30; while the standard hearty size are at $11.90 for Tonkotsu Ramen. Diners can customise the ramen to your own liking, by choosing the noodle texture from soft to hard, as well as the saltiness level of your soup. 

I like my noodles rich and with a little bite, so I opted for hard noodle texture and level up the saltiness. 

An extra $3.00 will give you special add-on of a Ajitsuke Tamago (Soft Boiled Egg) and Buta Kakuni (Braised Pork Belly). I was a little disappointed when I was told that the pork belly was sold out in store, but glad that the egg made up for it. 

For those who prefer their soup to be more flavourful with a spicy kick, you can add Kara, spicy minced pork for just a dollar. 

Shio and Miso ramen options are made available, if you are looking for a clear or miso based soup.

Chabuton Shoyu Zaru Ramen ($11.90), thin-style Japanese cold noodles served on a bamboo tray and a bowl of Japanese soy sauce soup. Made to be eaten cold, it is great to have this dish during our hot weather in Singapore. After finishing the noodles, diners can ask for the Wari Soup to be added to the bowl for an extra enjoyment. 

Do take note of the weekday lunch special where you can get a junior bowl of ramen of your choice with a side, dessert and beverage at only $12.30. This is such good deal that you should not miss. 

Thank you Chabuton for the invite to savour your signature dishes. I will definitely head back for your gratifying bowls of ramen. 

Chabuton Singapore Outlet (Somerset 313)
Address: 313 Orchard Road #B2-01 Singapore 238895
Opening Hours: 11:30am - 10pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabutonsg

Poulet, the French casual dining chain set its first debut at Bugis+ in 2012 and have since expanded rapidly. With 9 outlets around the island, diners can enjoy affordable French dining at major shopping malls around you. The 10th outlet is soon to open at the Kallang Wave @ Sports Hub #01-17. 

For those who love the amazing french roast chicken, you will be excited to know that Poulet has just introduced a brand new menu of indulging creations such as Salad De Paris, Ratatouille, Halibut En Papillote, Pissaladiere, but still keeping most of their signature dishes and classic favourites. 

As a fan of Poulet, I actually tried all of the dishes on the menu during my previous visits. 

I was thrilled and honoured to be invited to review the launch of their new menu. 

Poulet's new menu is available from 1 July 2014 at selected outlets only and will be available in all outlets by 21 July 2014*.

If you happen to be in the East, you are definitely in luck to be the first to try as Poulet recently launched their new menu at Bedok Mall, Bugis+ and Changi Airport Terminal 3.

Adding on to the list are three other outlets where you can try the new menu at Chinatown Point, Raffles City and Great World City.

The new menu* will soon be rolled out to the rest of the outlets. 

Here are some of the new dishes on the revamped Poulet menu that I tried; starting with Salad, Plats Principal (Mains), Pizzaladiere, Sides and Desserts. 

 Salad De Canard Fume ($12.90)

Chopped garden salad, smoked duck slices, tomato, roasted pine nuts and orange wedges served with raspberry dressing.

Ratatouille ($5.90)

Classic french stewed vegetables with tomato, zucchinis, eggplants and bell peppers

 Poulet Diane ($17.90 Half / $30.90 Whole)

 Poulet Roti served in traditional brown sauce with bacon and mushrooms

Halibut En Papillote ($17.90)

Halibut fillet baked in parchment paper served with garden vegetables and white wine sauce

 Pissaladiere DePoulet ($12.90)

 Oven baked open faced pastry topped with caramelised onion jam and shredded chicken

Creme Brulee ($8.90)

Caramelised sugar on egg custard infused with Tahiti vanilla pod

 Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding ($7.90)

Chocolate chip and warm bread pudding served with vanilla ice cream

DISHES I LOVED

Salad De Canard Fume - The smoked duck breast salad works out tastier than I thought it would be. I was expecting an overly sweet salad with the cranberry dressing and orange wedges, but to my surprise it was tangy and appetising I couldn't get enough and finished everything within minutes. 

Ratatouille - I can’t believe a cartoon dish created by an imaginary rat, can be such a delicacy. If you ever watched the movie Ratatouille you will understand what I meant. I never like the taste of bell peppers, but for the first time I actually enjoy eating this humble creation. The ingredients were fairly simple for a French recipe, but it’s a bit more involvement with the preparation to cooking and putting all these simple ingredients together to create the layers of flavours. 

Halibut En Papillote - Poulet's healthy alternative to the popular paper wrapped chicken, with their halibut fish version, baked in parchment paper, served with garden vegetables and white wine sauce. The meaty white flesh has a delicious flavour but it can dry out quite easily. The chef did a great job cooking the fish carefully, it was tender and fully infused by the white wine sauce. 

Pissaladiere DePoulet - The French Chicken Pizza, is unlike other Italian pizzas out there. Traditional French flavours and ingredients such as the French onion jam and black olives come together to make this Pissaladiere, and the French did not use any cheese in their version so that lactose-intolerant gourmands can enjoy the pizza. I personally prefer thick crust pizza with melted cheese, but what's so special about this Pissaladiere was actually the open faced crust pastry base. It was light, crispy and fluffy, it doesn't make you overly filling so that you have space to try more dishes. This addition also comes in two other flavours - Mushroom and Smoked Duck. 

VERDICT
Poulet not only serve amazing Roast chicken, but also curated a new menu of enticing dishes and French classics at affordable prices. French cuisine lovers should head out to try the new menu soon, before long queues start to form again.

Poulet Outlets in Singapore
Bugis + Level 4 . Chinatown Point Level 2 . Great World City Level 2 . Jurong Point 2 Basement 1 . Vivocity Level 1 . Raffles City Shopping Centre Basement 1 . Bedok Mall Basement 2 . Westgate Level 1 . Changi Airport T3 Level 4 . Kallang Wave at Sports Hub Level 1 (Coming Soon)

Website: www.poulet.com.sg

Like Poulet on Facebook 
Follow Poulet on Instagram @pouletsg and hashtag #pouletsg in your photos

NUVO Restaurant and Lounge - Contemporary Italian cuisine infused with Japanese elements and cooking techniques. 

You can expect quality dining experience at NUVO, a gourmet restaurant at Marina Square's The Dining Edition. This is possibly one of the best hidden dining spots in Marina Square. Read on to find out more.

Helmed by Executive Chef Mark Richards (formerly from Keystone Restaurant), NUVO presents classic Italian creations with an exquisite Japanese twist. 

With over 16 years of experience, Chef Mark Richards carefully curated a tantalising menu of innovative dishes that showcase the best of Italian and Japanese ingredients in a reunion.

The entire restaurant has an unique circular shape, with the elements of wood giving it a touch of nature, boasting a simple yet elegant atmosphere. 

Upon entering you will see Roman-inspired interior design, as seen in the Roman influences painted on the walls.

The 4,000 square feet restaurant holds a dining room, lounge and outdoor terrace.

The outdoor terrace makes alfresco dining a breeze.

At NUVO, the terrace and the lounge are the best options for catching the Singapore F1 Grand Prix as you can get one of the better views of the track.

The open kitchen of NUVO, where you can catch the drama and excitement of the chef cooking. 

NUVO can sit up to 100 people (Dining room 70 pax / Lounge 30 pax)

Communal dining plays a big part and NUVO is a perfect place to gather both friends and family for leisurely dining. 

Behind the door that separates the dining room from the Lounge is certainly a hidden gem. 

NUVO houses its own lounge with an extensive selection of rums, whiskeys and gins. 

Shaking things up in the Lounge, is Head Bartender Bani whom recently started a new cocktail programme serving artisanal cocktails to the restaurant. 

Bani has concocted 4 unique and exclusive cocktails in the NUVO Lounge. Here's one of the signature cocktails he is preparing for the guests. 

NUVO's cocktails are pocket friendly (priced between $18 to $25)

NUVO signature cocktail - Cityhall Highball

Another signature cocktail - Karagin

Homemade breadsticks and butter served before the meal

Warm Japanese Mushroom Salad (Starter - $18)

Crispy Calamari (Starter - $18)

Angus Osso Buco Stew (Starter - $28)

Kurobuta Pork Belly (Mains - $32) and Angel Hair Wakame (Pasta - $18)

Baked Olive Black Cod (Mains - $35)

Japones Australian Lamb Shank (Mains - $38)

Smoked Uni Carbonara (Pasta - $38)

Wild Honey Panna Cotta (Sweets - $16)

Fuji Apple and Parmigiano-Reggiano Torte with Fig and Honey Ice Cream (Sweets - $14)

DISHES I LOVED
Smoked Uni Carbonara, made from Mugi Cha smoked Uni and cooked with Applewood smoked bacon and crayfish in a lush velvety cream sauce. Served with an onsen egg nestled in the centre and dusted with truffle soil.

Angus Osso Buco Stew, a full flavoured stew made from roasted bone marrow. The dish consists of Hijiki and Porcini mushrooms that oven-roasted with thyme and rosemary, then combined with a reduction of veal jus, parmigiano-reggiano and toasted breadcrumbs. Served with baked Tsukiji oyster fritters, mushrooms and pickled crumble.

Japones Australian Lamb Shank, a hearty main prepared sous vide, with limoncello, yuzu salt and vine-ripened tomatoes. Topped with crispy kale, on a bed of organic pasta from Sicily known as fregola sarda.

Fuji Apple and Parmigiano-Reggiano Torta, fresh Fuji apples torta using a secret family recipe with an Italian twist. Baked with Parmesan, and served with honey and wild wig ice cream. 

WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T MISS - Pre Dinner Cocktails / Set Lunch and Dinner

Applicable on weekdays from 11:30m to 3:00pm, diners can enjoy a complete meal of a starter, main and dessert for only $15++. The set lunch menu changes every month. 

Dinner offering will be a 4-course menu from $35++, where you can choose a soup, entree, main and finish your meal with a dessert.

NEW HOT DEAL - Bottomless Prosecco Brunch Buffet
Available only on Saturdays and Sundays (11:30am t0 2:30pm), you can look out for the Bottomless Prosecco Brunch at $40++ include Free Flow Drinks: Choice of Prosecco, Mimosa or Bellini.

VERDICT

Modern Italian cuisine at affordable prices, catered to the Asian tastebud and budget. Playful and exquisite creations that won them the Most Innovative Menu (Western) 2014 award from Wine and Dine, and I couldn't agree more! It was indeed an indulging and tantalising experience for me.

NUVO Singapore Restaurant + Lounge
Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square, #02-100, Singapore 039594
Reservations Tel: 6822 2098

Business Hours

Daily 11:30am to 3:00pm, 5:00pm to 11:00pm (Restaurant)

5:00pm to 12:00 midnight (Lounge)

Like NUVO on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nuvosingapore