Category

Fine Dining

Category

Singapore’s natural beauty makes the perfect backdrop for a romantic dinner, and fine dining establishments like Tamarind Hill in the Labrador Nature Reserve offer couples a unique experience away from the concrete jungle.

I visited the modern Thai restaurant to do a story for the American Association of Singapore and had the pleasure of meeting Executive Chef Thiti Thammanatr, a Thai-Canadian who has worked with top chefs in Canada. In this video, he invites us into his kitchen to demonstrate a few of his signature dishes.

The restaurant’s remote location in the southern part of the island is part of its charm. With nothing around except lush forest and the South China Sea, Tamarind Hill is a destination restaurant that encourages guests to linger over a nice meal and ambiance.

Another restaurant designed for romantic dining in nature is Halia in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Halia — Malay for “ginger” — serves Asian-inspired European cuisine in the Ginger Garden in the middle of the park. You’re surrounded by greenery, making it a peaceful alternative to the cluster of upscale restaurants in Dempsey Hill or the CBD (Central Business District).

Many of the dishes and cocktails incorporate ginger, in line with the restaurant’s theme and the fact that the garden has more than 250 species of gingers.

My husband and I had dinner there with another couple and opted for the five-course Garden Journey Tasting Menu. I especially enjoyed the frog leg porridge of oats with ginger, spring onion and coriander and Hiramasa Kingfish with parmesan and almond crust, curried cauliflower and potato leaves.

We created a Tastemade video (see below), but as you can see, lighting is by candlelight, which is great for ambience… bad for filming.

Adding to the intimate setting, a man proposed to his girlfriend at the next table, and the restaurant applauded the special occasion.

As for the meal, the portions were small, but the dishes were tasty so we left feeling satisfied. When you eat dinner at a place like this, you’re really paying for the experience and service, not the amount of food you get.

So if you’re looking for a unique dining experience away from the typical haunts in the CBD or any of the crowded Quays, look to nature for a romantic retreat.

Bangkok is famous for its amazing street food culture, so Thai food in a fine dining restaurant may not be the first thing foodies flock to when visiting the city.

Bo.lan Restaurant makes a good argument for taking a break from the hawker stalls to enjoy classic, family-style Thai cuisine in an upscale setting.

Owned and run by two former proteges of Michelin-starred chef David Thompson of award-winning Nahm, Bo.lan is a combination of their names: Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones.

The husband-and-wife chefs have earned the industry’s respect for their authentic Thai food. San Pellegrino’s 2013 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants placed Bo.lan in the no. 36 spot and named Chef Bo the year’s Best Female Chef. She appreciates the honor and hopes to encourage others to preserve traditional ways of Thai cooking.

The chefs find inspiration from various sources, including antique recipe books and modern-day street food. The results are flavorful dishes made with fresh ingredients, such as the Korat-style beef curry and stir-fried pork ribs with Southern-style curry paste.

Hidden on a quiet street, the restaurant offers guests a peaceful retreat and culinary adventure amid the chaos of Thailand’s bustling city.

Bo.lan Restaurant
42 Soi Pichai Ronnarong
Songkram Sukhumvit 26
Klongteoy, Bangkok 10110
Tel. +66 (2) 260-2962

Editor’s Note: This video was featured by Epicure magazine

If you’ve ever been to Bali’s cultural center Ubud, you’ve probably heard of Mozaic Restaurant Gastronomique.

Not only has it been recognized as the Best Restaurant in Indonesia by San Pellegrino’s 2013 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, it’s a popular fine dining destination for Indonesian-inspired French cuisine in a beautiful oasis-like setting.

Before moving to Bali and opening his own restaurant, U.S.-born French-American chef owner Chris Salans built an impressive resume, including stints as sous chef for David Bouley at Bouley Bakery in New York and head chef at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Napa Valley.

Executive chef Blake Thornley gives us an exclusive tour of Mozaic and invites us into his kitchen to demonstrate his unique Discovery tasting menu — six courses that highlight fresh seasonal Indonesian ingredients prepared with Western techniques.

The menu changes periodically depending on the availability of ingredients. Among our favorites were the sous vide Boston lobster with ginger flower and radish puree, chargrilled watermelon and caviar and the French pigeon with black truffle tempe crumble (fermented soybean), jackfruit puree and sugar snap peas.

Mozaic Restaurant Gastronomique
Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud
Gianyar – Bali 80571
Indonesia
Tel. +62 361 975768

Editor’s Note: This video was featured by Epicure magazine

 

Restaurant Andre in Singapore is so hot right now, you have to reserve a table several weeks in advance. After all, they only serve 30 people each night.

Thanks to my video for The Wall Street Journal, you can get an exclusive look inside the popular fine dining establishment, ranked no. 38 on S. Pellegrino’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2013. Chef Andre Chiang demonstrates one of his unique dishes based on Salt, one of eight elements in his “Octaphilosphy.” His food seriously looks like art!

I don’t cook at home at all. …. I don’t even boil water.

This is just one of the fascinating things I learned about Andre Chiang, chef/owner of the award-winning Restaurant Andre in Singapore.

He also opens up about the dish that changed his life, what’s in his refrigerator at home and what kitchen gadget he finds sexy.

Read my full article in The Wall Street Journal this weekend and online here: http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2013/06/27/in-my-kitchen-andre-chiang

Photo courtesy of Restaurant Andre
Chef Andre Chiang with the Restaurant Andre brigade (Photo courtesy of Restaurant Andre)