The Wine & Dine Advocate

Via Mar (55+p)

2008-10-22T11:32:00.000+08:00

8 Raffles Avenue #01-10/12 Esplanade Mall
Tel: 6423 0900

WADA rating: 31.5 +24= 55+ pts
QPI: 6 ($25 per pax for set 1-for-1 set lunch, includes glass of wine)
WFI: C (there should be corkage and the wine list is just about reasonably stocked and priced)

Had this for a weekday luncheon with DBF and tasted various times in the past for Tapas and desserts.

This spanish -themed restaurant has been around for some time now but unfortunately or fortunately it is hardly known by many.

What's Good

Cold Gazpacho
Really fresh tomatoes on the fore lined by citrus acidity most probably of lime. This is very appetizing and goes perfectly with the Cava we had.

House Salad
Usually salads are not worth much mentioning but the salad dressing used here is quite aromatic...although I can't quite put my finger on it except for some sesame oil.

What's Not

Beef Stew
Too beefy but on the indon beef kind of spectrum rather than the euro beefiness. So its slightly musky with wild manurish notes. Not subtle at all.

Choc Fudge Cake
So plain and dull. Very cheap chocolate flavours. Big dud.

Other Dishes Tasted

Salmon of the day - The garlicky sauce provides some much needed flavours to an otherwise plain dish. This is okay.
Tapas - Not very authentic and fantastic but there are not many places serving tapas. However, there is this fried milk cake that is quite tasty. It's like coagulated milk fried to an aromatic welness.

Comments

Service is mediocre with staff having some communication issues. However, still very much friendly if not a bit fakey. Come here only if you are really stuck at esplanade before or after a show with nothing much to do and have a craving for spanish food....although the lunch I had was not in the least bit spanish at all. The tapas is pretty alright though.
The ambience is quite authentic in relative comparison to the cuisine. A nice place to come to for some drinks and sangria.

Wine Pairing Done

House Cava (not sure what label)
WADA rated 68pts
Yeasty notes on the nose but mostly closed and unexciting. Off dry with brief appearances of honey and cirtus notes. Very flat and bubbles don't hold well but does go better with the gazpacho.

House Red - 2005 Yellow Tail Shiraz
WADA rated 74pts
Deep dark purple. Sweet confectionary nose exihibiting ultra-ripe black & blue berries....hmmmm ... make that genetically modified artifical berries. ...Also can smell some baygon! Overcloying sweetness covers up most of the acidity with a slight hint of black perpper heat on the finish. For such a commercial and generic wine like yellow tail, I think it is pretty good. It tasted better with the choc fudge cake.

Pairing Suggestions
The cuisine doesn't spike much interest in me to do any wine food pairings here. So I guess just sticking to their house wines would suffice.

Canton Wok by Chef Kang (69p)

2008-10-21T22:57:00.001+08:00

382 Joo Chiat Road Tel: 6285 6919

WADA rating: (46 + 23) = 69 pts
QPI: 6 ($37 per pax for for special signature dish set menu
WFI: D(Free corkage but ikea glasses and they have lousy bottle openers!)
Tasted thrice. Once when they were back in Serangoon, twice at their current Joo Chiat outlet. The most recent visit on 19 Apr 08 for dinner with my family.

What's Good

Crab Steamed with Glutinous Rice

Fantastic and well-integrated. The soft & tasty rice has absorbed the full sweet essence & sea saltiness of the crab. The lotus leaf aromas is very inviting and not overwhelming on the dish. The sweet aftertaste and gluey goodness of the rice permeates the throat...leaving you wanting for more.

Fried Bee Hoon
Well done with the right balance of dryness / wetness. Just nice with purity of flavours seeping through the dish. I especially love having this with some nice hot chilli padi soaked in soy sauce splashed over the bee hoon.

Fried Brinjal with Pork Floss

Thin bite-size brinjal chips fried in a batter to perfection and topped off with pork floss. Good crispy chewiness. This is the best of its category DBF and I have tried. It retains its crispness even when cold . This is pringles ...Singaporean style...once you start , you can't stop going at this.

Homemade Tofu

DBF says this is good.

What's Not

Shark Cartilage Soup

Has some good "boiled over slow fire for a long time" frontal assault on the nose and palate. But after two scoops, this comes across as a little over the top with essence of saltiness...probably coming from the chinese ham. Good for hangovers.

Pork done in Two Ways

This is like the value deal of this restaurant...you get coffee pork and sweet & sour pork in one dish. When I first tasted this back in the Serangoon outlet days (2 - 3 years ago), it was wickedly good..but now its just wicked. It just wasn't as special anymore...the sweet sour is plain normal zhi char fare but the coffee pork does retains its tastiness with intoxicating coffee smells. All in all, this just punches not below , not above but just nicely on the belt.

Comments

Though my granny says the place is too cramped and noisy with a full crowd, this place does have its charm. It is located in an old traditional rich towkay bungalow along Joo Chiat's stretch of many good restaurants. This is rustic charm that might not appeal to the atas-hearted.
Given the space constraints and full house, the service staff were showingly worn out. They try hard to serve but it is like a over-reved charade with a full load of passengers trying to get upslope.
Food is good but not as good as before. Felt like Chef Kang outsourced the cooking entirely to a "foreign talent" and took a back seat playing golf (or mahjong). With the signature menu, do try the food here but the ala carte looks expensive. Most importantly, BYOG!!! (Bring Your Own Glasses!!!) cos their glasses really suck and look dirty.

Other Dishes Tasted

Steamed Fish with Chilli, Fried Salad Prawns, Papaya with White Fungus dessert.

Wine Pairings Done

2007 Peter Lehmann Rose
WADA rated 73pts
Light redish pink. This is nothing to shout about. Cherryish nose with some fake sweet dilute ribena on the palate. Forgettable but still gives good length.

2001 Apollonio Copertino, South Italy (WE95)
WADA rated 82pts
Dark purple. Funky nose of cat's pee mixed with something green...maybe jalepenos. Cherries dominate with good structure of oak and acid. It is a little hot on the alcohol with ruggard tannins.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

Any cabernet or blends would do well. Do also bring a fresh new world white with some crisp acidity to pair with the crab with glutinous rice.

Wild Rockets @ Mt Emily (66p)

2008-10-21T22:57:00.000+08:00

10A Upper Wilkie Road, Hangout @ Mount EmilySingapore 228119

Tel: 63399448

Tuesday to Saturday: 12.00pm to 3.00pm & 6.30pm to 11.00pm

Sunday: 11.30am to 3.00pm & 6.30pm to 10.30pm

Monday: Closed

WADA rating: 44+22 = 66pts

QPI: 6+ ($40 per pax)

WFI: B- ($25 corkage, good stemware but limited range... they served my Tokaji in a short champagne flute)

Tasted twice in 2008 with the most recent tasting for Mother's Day.

A much hyped about place with the cliche story of high-flier-turned-successful-chef after discovering his true passion in life. Nestled on the hill behind The Cathay, ex-lawyer Willin Low cooks up a storm of fusion dishes. His passion, drive and motivation for life is evident in the creativity and uniqueness of his dishes.

What's Good

Mushrooms with Gorgonzola Cheese on Polenta

It looks very appetizing...this has good mingling of earthiness and the slightly smelly cheese. Some buttery notes.

From L to R: The Fried Cod Fish Cake, La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Luberon Blanc and the Mushroom Polenta.

Fried Cod Fish Cake

Yummy! Very well done. The fresh milky and silkiness of the cod lingers on unaffected by the frying. There are nuances of lemon grass and yellow ginger that gives more bite to the dish. Any oiliness from the frying is tamed by the sweet thai chilli drizzled over with a touch of lime.

Cod Fish with Green Curry & Olive Rice

Smells wonderful with asian spices on the frontal assault but in elegance. What a great balance in this dish! The spicy milky green curry just gently strokes the cod without overkilling it. And when you thought that is the main attraction...wait till you callously scoop the olive rice into your mouth (thinkin it as a filler)....Wow! the most tasty olive rice that DBF and I ever had. Every grain is a tasty dish in itself. It is delicately infused with asian spices coated lightly in olive oil. Very elegant balance.

Warm Chocolate Cake

Yummy! The outer layer is baked to a crisp crunchy crust. The oozing warm chocolate is balancedly sweet. A good finish.

Gula Melaka with Coconut Ice Cream

Simple yet satisfying. This is chendol in a minimalist form...without the green jelly and beans...just pure scweet caramel like gula melaka...infused together with some milky coconut ice-cream

What's Not

Shepard's Pie

Very comfort food. Not exactly mind blowing especially for the high expectations being set on creativity and fusionism on this restaurant. Its got good tomatoey savoury sauciness that feels home cooked. A little stingy on the meat filling though

Laksa Pesto Linguine

Laksa / curry leaves!Everywhere!This is like the sequel to The Curse of the Golden Flowers - The Curse of the Greenish Leaflets. The aromas are too overpoweringly green...and lacks saltiness to savourize it. Bears only faint reminders of laksa. ..this should be called wheatgrass pasta. The smells reminds me of going outfield in army...bashing through an overgrown field of long grass on a hot sunny day.

Other Dishes Tasted

The freshly made focacia bread is soft and fluffy..its free so do have it. We also had the Salmon Sandwich...a little too raw and oily for my taste...not special at all...and can be quite "ni" (chinese for cloying).

The squid salad with mirin is pretty decent fusion of flavours. Very light and tamed ...excites but only a little.

Comments

Definitely a must-go place if you have a car and need to get away from Singapore. The location is somewhat atas but it does have its charm. The food is generally just good but many are unique creations and helps liven up the food culture here. A good effort.

The service staff could improve with their speed and memory cos we had to ask for vinegar thrice but had already finished our bread when it arrived. Funny how the same forgetfulness never surfaced when we asked for the bill.

Wine Pairings Done

Decided to try their house pours from La Vieille Ferme owned by Perrin & Fils of Chateau Beaucastel fame. Coincidentally, I had a chance encounter to share a glass of bourgogne with Pierre Perrin (the next generation owner winemaker) just a month ago at Denise wine shop @ Vivo. He walked in with a well-groomed local wine distributor and since I was tasting some bourgognes ...and being all eager to impress a walk-in ang moh customer with my wine knowledge...I , of course, offered him and his associate some of the village bourgogne I was tasting. What a pleasant shock when I realised that this ang moh was no ordinary ang moh...and it was only after I tried selling him the good characteristics of the bourgogne we were tasting that we exchanged business cards.

2006 La Vieille Ferme, Cotes du Luberon Blanc, Rhone

WADA rated 74+pts

Consists of rarer grape varietals of grenache blanc, bourboulenc, roussanne and ugni blanc. Somewhat weak nose of pineapples. Fared better on the palate with fresh acidity and lemon liquer. Medium length with a bitter lemon pith finish.

2005 La Vieille Ferme, Cotes du Ventoux, Southern Rhone

WADA rated 78pts

A grenache syrah blend. This has sweet violets on the nose. Pleasant, standard, no-suprises rhone blend. This has a rounded palate and does suprisingly do better with the green curry cod rather than the shepard's pie.

2003 Oremus Tokaji Late Harvest Furmint

WADA rated 89+pts

Golden "urine" (sounds yucks but my mum concurs that it does have that hue) yellow with a tinge of orange.

Beautiful orange marmalade that evolves into sweet pineapples, chrysanthemum . Solid citrus lining that gives this sticky the ability to not stick to the throat but gives it a gulpable texture. Medium length causes this wine not to rate above 90.

The evolution of this wine in the glass is amazing...just look at the slightly darker orange hue (from 5 mins in the glass) as compared to a more golden hue (from freshly poured glass).

Wine Pairing Suggestions

Most of the dishes have asian twist to it, so whites (all types) or fruiter reds like a Grenache would do.

Punggol (Hock Kee) Seafood Restaurant (51p)

2008-10-21T03:49:00.000+08:00

600 Ponggol Seventeenth Ave (Marina Country Club),Tel : 6448 8511
Operating Hours: Mon-Fri 11.30 am to 2.00pm, 5.30pm to 10.30pm
Sat, Sun & PH 11.30am to 10.30pm

WADA rating: 34+ 17 = 51pts
QPI: 3+ ($25-$45 per pax for dinner)
WFI: C (Free corkage if youu order beer or know the lady boss who is kinda an oenophile too)
Tasted twice, most recent with DBF's extended family of 20 pax in mid Apr 08.

Situated in a very ulu location near the old punggol cluster of original chilli / pepper crab restaurants in Singapore, this restaurant used to be one of the original gang of four (or five? can't remember). The journey to this place is itself ....a journey...it really reminds me of the good ole days when my dad drove the family deep into the punggol jungle on dusty dirt tracks all the way to the end near the waterfront to have our monthly dose of chilli crab. They had redone the whole area into a country club but there still exists a whisker of that old world charm in the area. This place is really deep in and out of the way so don't even try to come if you don't drive...although I did see an LRT station nearby but heard its not operational yet.

What's Good

Stirfry Nai Bai Vegetables

A pleasant suprise for a seafood restaurant, this had clean fresh flavours. It was well fried just at the right doneness and displayed good fire control by the chef. Tasty and refreshing as a first dish.

Fish Maw Soup

I was again suprised by this dish that I was expecting to be an expensive filler on their menu which would most probably be a starchy tastless "shark fin soup" imitation. However, this was a simple yet tasty broth of seafood flavours with very good consistency that doesn't feel starchy at all. Hints of vinegary sourness helps to cut through any remaining cloying starchiness too. The highlight is the fish maw, which bursts out with the wonderful stock in th e mouth. Pleasantly suprised.

What's Not

Crabs (both Chilli and Pepper)

Given the provenance of the dish and how crabs ARE the main selling point as can be seen from their signboard, it is only fair that expectations are at least marginally high. However, echoes of disappointment from DBF's extended family echo my own sentiments. The quality of the crabs were deplorable with loose meat that feels more like those supermarket crabsticks. The seafood freshness is not evident at all. I did hear some explanations of seasonalilty from DBF's family being used to justify the poorer quality of the crab meat but I am not buying it.

The chili crab used to taste better when I first tasted it last year but this time round it just tastes plain and unexciting. Its not even spicy! It maybe passes off as average stuff that you can get easily from any seafood zhi char all over Singapore.

The pepper crab, though faring better, is just slightly a feather above average with some hot white pepper action on the palate.

Other Dishes Tasted

The Mee Goreng was decent with good tomatoey sweet & sour flavours working through...but could do with more "wok hei". The sweet and sour pork and hot plate deer meat were of average zhi char quality. The steamed prawns were very fresh and sweet...a good consolation.

Comments

One phrase sums it all...living on past glories. This place needs to pick itself up, dust away the cobwebs and re-invent themselves. With such a unique location and a strong brand name , it should have been able to deliver a mind-blowing dining experience...but sadly...it did not.
Service-wise, it is just keeping its head above water with too many tables (interesting to say it is usually quite a full house at least during weekends) and too few staff. They seem to be in a daze ..probably overwhelmed.
All in all, come here for reminiscing sake and I suspect this is also the prevalent reason for the crowds on weekends.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

Definitely a white....say a viognier or new world riesling.

Carnivore @Vivo (55p)

2008-10-21T03:32:00.000+08:00

1 Harbour Front Walk, #01-161/162, Singapore 098585
Tel: 6376 9939
Operating Hours:
Buffet Lunch: 11.30am to 3.00pm
Happy Hour Buffet Dinner: 5.30pm to 6.30pm
Buffet Dinner: 6.30pm to 10.00pm

WADA rating: 36.5+ 18.5 = 55pts
QPI: 4 ($45-$50 per pax for dinner)
WFI: C ($30 corkage regardless of bottle size…so do bring MAGNUMS only, staff had general knowledge)
Tasted on 17 Apr 08 for DBF’s bdae dinner with her frens.

There have been many Brazil churrascaria restaurants popping up, following in the footsteps of the “original” one at Bukit Timah that is aptly named Brazil Churrascaria. We have been to the “original” as well as the one at east coast parkway and both were pretty pleasant experiences. So when I had to think of a restaurant to hold DBF’s surprise bdae party (which wasn’t much of a surprise cos she already knew somehow….women’s instinct I think), I thought to try this one out since every time we head to uncle L’s vivo shop (which is at least once a fortnight) and pass by Carnivore, we keep telling ourselves to try it. The décor of the place is clinically chic in a nice way.
However, on hindsight I think we should have done somewhere non-buffet….especially non-meaty buffets! We had..by that time, done lunch at IL Lido….dinner the night before at Wood….dinner two nights before at Prego! The meat carvers (or passadors as they are called) were so insistent with putting meat on our plates that I almost developed meatophobia. All said, this place played also played a part in DBF’s weeklong bdae celebrations, which in turn had inspired the creation of The Wine And Dine Advocate!
If you have never tried Brazil Churrascaria, it is basically a BBQ of various varieties of meat, all types of sausages and one vege – BBQ pineapples!

What's Good

In general, all of their BBQ items smell wonderful but that is to be expected of BBQs. The sausages were juicier in comparison to the other BBQ meats. So many types to choose from, I can’t really remember which I had tasted. But in general, all were roasted to a crisp on the exterior with chewy salty fillings within. It definitely made for less tiring eating – Fork it, Bite it, Swallow it!, as compared to the meats.
Roasted pineapples are a personal favourite ever since I first tasted this years ago at the “original” at Bt Timah. Ever since, I have always done roasted pineapples at my own BBQs. I preferred to pick the slightly charred slices here as it gives off a caramel like aroma & coconut candy floss like qualities.

What's Not

The BBQ meats are normal with some that are tough, dry and too salty. Some did like the lamb though.

Other Dishes Tasted

Everything!

Comments

The service is not at all adequate although the passadors (those walking around with big slabs of meat and a big menacing looking knife) were very proactive ...in fact too proactive in filling our plates with overflowing mountains of food. The serving crew, on the other hand, seemed rushed and busy yet nonchalant to the customers. It’s like a really snobbish Porsche driver that zoomed past an accident scene without even giving a glance (as all kaypoh Singaporeans would naturally do).
Being a buffet BBQ, I would suggest to just TRY EVERYTHING! Its not going to cost you anymore than you already paid anyway.

Wine Pairings Done

2001 Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward, Southwest AU (JO82, JH87)
WADA rated 82+pts
Slightly purplish. This is a little French-styled in its approach but with inescapable nuances of new world ripe cherries. Quite elegant on the finish but not mind-blowing enough to warrant a higher point. This didn’t pair well with the heavily-flavoured BBQ meats.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

Pl do not bring your expensive Moutons or Lafites here…worse still if you brought your DRC….any wine with even a faint sign of elegance will be eaten up alive by the meatiness and Viking aura of the food here. Do bring your 18% alcohol shiraz or Chilean cab sau.

Spice Junction (54p)

2008-10-20T09:44:00.000+08:00

126 Race Course Road Tel 6341798

WADA rating: (37 + 17) = 54pts
QPI: 5 ($40 per pax for quite an extensive set menu but portions are small)
WFI: C (Free corkage but pl do bring your own stemware, staff are not adept with wine)
Tasted once in May08.

Was invited by Uncle L for this Makansutra spinoff event. I immediately said yes to give this Goan Indian restaurant a try since we have been rating so many western and chinese restaurants so far. A much needed breakaway from the norm, this restaurant is situated along the bustling Race Course road off Little India MRT station. The exterior does not look as grand and inviting as its more glamorous neighbours along the same street (Muthu’s Curry, Banana Leaf Apollo etc).

What’s Good

Goan Chicken
The white piece is the chicken. One is the rendang like beef and the spicy prawns.

The best most balanced dish for the night as compared to the rest which were too over-spiced and numbed the palate to all the wines tasted. The chicken had a mild herby aroma to it and also carried a faint yoghurt aura. Meat was tender (but a tad bit on the dry side) with uplifting notes of fragrant lemon grass and curry leaves.

Fish in Banana Leaf
Intense chilies and spicy spices make up the paste that doubles up as a flavour sealer by locking all the juices into the fish. “Chao tar”ness of the banana leaf wrapping is infused quite well with the paste. Taste profile reminds me of the bbq stingray @ chomp chomp stall no. 1.

Rice
Don’t like the type of rice used here (long and thin varietal) but I do enjoy the unique flavourings going into the rice. It is almost bubble-gummish and gives off whiffs of delightful small white jasmine flowers on the nose. A good compliment to the food served here.

What’s Not

The prawns were done too oily but did have a nice crispiness and notes of fresh spices. The other curried beef and fish were not breathtakingly different from normal local Indian cuisine although I have heard that Goan Indian is supposedly unique because of Portuguese influences.

Other Dishes Tasted

A lot of small platters of different curried meats were served and all were big on the aromas. Do try their naan bread (which I called roti prata) in some of the curries...its fluffy goodness.

Comments

A refreshing journey on the spice route. Come here to wake up your palate. This place emits a humble and good home-cooked indian food vibe. Overall, a little less spicy and not as milky as your average Indian cuisine.

Wine Pairings Done

2007 Villa M Gagliardo Moscato
WADA rated 77+pts
Pineapples and hints of bubblegum on the fore….with some half fizzy sprite action. A dash of lemon peel and honey dew showing up on the mid to finish as well. Very quaffable stuff.

2006 Weingnut Friedrich Becker Riesling QBA, Pfalz
WADA rated 75+pts
Fresh lime with wet stones and some soapy action on the nose. The palate is very un-german in its approach and could be easily mistaken as a NZ Riesling. The main body is dominated by citrus, green apples with some nice minerality flowing through. There is also some bitter lime zest on the finish.

2007 Babich Pinot Gris, NZ
WADA rated 71pts
Pale yellow with lime and straw hay nuances. Common finish and somewhat one dimensional in its approach.

2007 Mount Bold Frontignac Spatlese, AU
WADA rated 80pts
Fresh sweet ripe Sarawak pineapples with traces of orange. Short to medium finish. Absolutely a crowd pleaser, so far all my WADE frens that have tasted all found it very agreeable.

2001 Nierstein Pettental Riesling Auslese, Rhein
WADA rated 82+pts
Giveaway airplane fuel nose that shouts its terroir…DBF says it smells like an ice wine. I thought it smelt more like a swimming pool. Lychee pineapple cocktail bordering on the syrup spectrum. However, this did not have enough acidity to pair with the cuisine here.

1995 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley (WS91)
WADA rated 84pts
Deep dark purple even after 13 years of aging. Sweet vanilla nose and quite jammy prunes. Finishes with fine tannins.

2003 Cono Sur limited edition, Maipo Valley Chile
WADA rated 84+pts
Dark purplish. Wilder nose than the Beringer and some milk choc. Unripe plums ...some greenish action and eucalyptus. It does evolve with nicer darker flavours of mocha. Rough tannins but I preferred this over the Beringer just a lil bit more as I thought this chilean wine has just that bit more cowboy character.

2002 Michelton Print Shiraz, Nagambie Lake AU (JO95, JH94)
WADA rated 82pts
Dense deep dark black berrries with hints of raspberries. Very dark mocha and inkish framed with graphite. Mid to long finish.

2005 Peter Lehmann Shiraz, Barossa (WS91)
WADA rated 80+pts
WS highly recommended this wine as a smart buy and I agree but this is for drinking now. Just released, this wine already has balanced dark red cherries with "crayons". Mild dark choc coffee on the finish.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

The food is super spice-infused and overpowers most wines both in flavours and aromas. I suggest sweeter whites with some acid backing to cut throught the oiliness of some of the dishes. Therefore, alsace and german kabinett or even trockens could work. I would really love to try some sparkling shiraz and see how it goes. It could work.

Bistro GaGa @ Old School (59p)

2008-10-20T00:06:00.000+08:00

11 Mount Sophia, #01-03 Tel: 6883-2120

WADA rating: (38.5 + 20.5) = 59pts
QPI: 4+ ($35-$45 per pax)
WFI: C+ (Free corkage on weekdays but $20 per bot for weekends, Schwott Swizel stemware, pl BYOB as their wine list is less than adequate)
Tasted once in Apr08.

Had chanced upon this place when we were trying to find Wild Rockets. We did hear about old school but just never got about to finding more about it. The place looks really creepy at night but fortunately the restaurant is nearer to the main road and is situated near where a spooky looking blood red larger-than-life sculpture of a half-crouching boy is…you can’t miss it. The boy or thing smiles at you as you come in the driveway. Despite the eerie-ness, this place has charm…v …old school! Had also heard about the affordable wagyu beef burgers served her and read some good reviews about it.

What’s Good

Tapas Platter of 3 Choices

Very appetizing and chic presentation. Only the Spring Roll stood out largely due to the very unique dipping sauce accompanying it. My bro and DBF guessed it as peanut butter, lime, curry leaves & some sesame oil. The main body of taste is dominated by buttery nuttiness lined by fresh acidity and uplifted with notes of spice. The Spring Roll played a perfect second fiddle in bringing the wonderful unique mixture of flavours from the sauce to our palatial senses.

Cod Fish

Scores on efforts put into presentation. It has good rich buttery aromas. The fish is fresh and the meat is flaky with a fried crisp exterior. Cheese & cream on the taste. However, the interior layer is a lil “over-stretched” and not as forthcoming as the exterior layer of meat. It was a tad bit overly cloying on the finish too. It doesn’t make you want to have more.

What’s Not

Braised Lamb Shank

Interesting Indian spices in the sauce. Lamb is very well braised to a butter-melt level of texture. However, there is imbalance caused by over-sweetness (prob from the carrots & vege) which totally kills it for me.

Grilled Beed Tenderloin with Truffle Mash & Port Reduction

One question….WHERE’s the TRUFFLES?

Other Dishes Tasted

I wished we had the Wagyu Beef burger…which they unfortunately ran out of (maybe its really good?). We also had the asparagus soup, tomato soup and the warm chocolate cake (quite good).

Comments

A dud that we couldn’t taste the wagyu beef burgers but all in all, this is a pretty interesting place to come to. It’s just that it lacks some human warmth...wasn’t very crowded on a weekday night. Also, the staff wasn’t too welcoming…needs improvement especially when your location is so ulu.
Seriously, I will say...do come here to experience the locale. The food is fair, prices somewhat steep. If I had a really good Shiraz, I would come here on a weekday and have it with their average quality steak so that the Shiraz would shine.

Wine Pairings Done

2005 Greenstone Shiraz, Heathcote AU (JH94)
WADA rated 77+pts
Cedar, metallic and sharp red cherries on the nose. Very cool climate red cherries with some white pepper on the finish.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

Bring your Shiraz and big monster wines here.

Chin Lee Restaurant (60+p)

2008-10-12T01:11:00.000+08:00

Blk 115 #01-285 Bedok North Road

WADA rating: 38.5+22= 60+ pts
QPI: 6 ($15-$40 per pax)
WFI: C+ (Free corkage, Ikea stemware, staff have basic knowledge but can't differentiate a rose from red)
Tasted twice - 9 course dinner for my granny's bdae today!

Was introduced to this teochew restaurant quite recently by DBF , who in turn was introduced to it by her colleague. Heard they just had renovations done and am really quite impressed by their decor given its at a HDB flat. You would think it'd just be an aircon zi-char coffeeshop but are awed by the "atas"-ness of this place. Quite impressive.

What's Hot?

Fried Cod Fish with Soy Sauce and Fried Garlic
Full of burnt garlic on the nose which i like. The fish is fried to a light crispness... exihibiting the
teochew forte of elegant non-oily dishes. The 5 cent-sized slices of fried garlic really enhances the clean soy sauce flavours and integrates perfectly with each mouth of the juicy white meat of the cod fish. Good stuff that I would gladly have with some plain porridge ...and maybe a glass of aust riesling.

Braised Duck with Chestnuts in Lotus Leaf
The aromas score big with me. Fresh steamed lotus with scents of chestnuts. It does remind me a lot of ba-chang (rice dumplings). The glue-like thick dark brownish sauce is quite delicate, v teochew-styled ...not so salty and bordering bland ..BUT taste hard enough to get the sweetness that has seaped into the sauce from the chestnuts. The duck meat is firm and pretty delectable except that it cld have been slightly too overcooked. This dish must be ordered in advance.

Fried Homestyle Tofu
Simple tofu enhanced with tasty meat sauce and a sprinkling of fried crispy strips...i think its a root vegetable..not sure which though. What can I say... a simple dish that punches just above its weight. Again i am thinking of have a bowl of plain porridge.

Yam Paste (Orh-Ni) with Pumpkin
I don't really fancy Orh-Ni cos its supposed to be fattening with lard mixed in. But this is special .Not overly sweet and the bits of natural sweet pumpkin mixed into the solid, firm. dense milky, purple yam paste makes the difference between Kellog Frosties and the Cornflakes. ..the extra icing on the cake. Aftertaste is not oily but quite refreshing...amazingly so ...

What's Not?

The roasted suckling pig was just above average and slightly too porky....a little salty too. Not something i would specially pre-order for. The coffee pork ribs are so-so , v standard like in your face new world shiraz...not much character. Maybe, they should stick to the teochew forte of fish dishes.

Other Dishes Tasted:

Braised Chicken with Chestnuts, some stir fried vegetables (forgettable) , Fried Mee Suah (pretty decent stringy oodles), Cold Dish Combi.

Comments:

They are too crowded for their own good. Staff seem truly wanting to serve well but they could be overwhelmed by the full house this place draws during weekends. Food is better than decent and prices are fair. Do pop by for a meal or two...try it for yourself. And if you are not satisfied, just cross the road to the Bedok Hawker Center for their famous Ba Chor Mee.

Wine Pairings done:

"Around the World in 80 mins" wine pairing done for Granny's birthday bash!

2004 Babich Gimblett Gravels Gurwurtztraminer, NZ
WADA rated 79pts
Light golden. Canned lychees with a bitterness on the finish.

2005 GH Von Mumm Classic Riesling, Germany
WADA rated 72pts
Faint light lemons with some interesting kerosene and small white flowers trying to peek thru. Could do with a little more acid and sugars on the palate. A standard german riesling without much soul.

2006 Libalis Rosado , Spain
WADA rated 74pts
Ribena-ish inits colour, nose and palate. Good light acidity. Delightful but standard.

2004 J Cacheux Les Champs D’ Argent
WADA rated 72+pts
Pale diluted blood red. Some earth and cherries on the nose and palate with a Chinese hawthorne flake (San-Char) finish. Drink and go wine.

2004 Barone Ricasoli, Chianti
Wine was corked. A pity this italian part of the trip had to be poured away.

2004 Santa Rita Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Chile (WS91, rated top 250 great values)
WADA rated 82+pts
Dark purple turning black. Dark plums and mint with dark coffee on the second smells. Big oak. Dark cherries and plums with slight spice notes. Good body with chewy tannins. Seem to get better in the glass. Might have a lil prob on the oak though.

2004 Pondolowie Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Bendigo (JH96)
WADA rated 81+pts
Deep purplish. Milky coffee with dark sweet plums. A little bitter coffee bean on the finish too.

Pairing Suggestions

Suggest heavy-light to medium bodied wines here as the food is less intense than cantonese cuisine but this is no teochew "muay". Certain dishes are pretty cantonese-styled in its taste direction. Therefore, preferably new world pinots or a denser cote-de-nuit bourgogne. Less oaky cabernet / merlots would do fine too.

Imperial Treasure @ Great World: Revolutions

2008-10-11T12:36:00.000+08:00

To celebrate my two good frens from ACS days getting married within a month of each other, we decided to pool our resources and buy them a good bachelor's night dinner. Where else but Imperial Treasure @ Great World ! So here is the 3rd sequel to the Imperial Treasure saga.

What's Good

Fried Cod with Special Sauce

This is damn good fish...fried to perfection with an excellent crispy exterior but not too overdone such that it soaks up too much oil. It retains its freshness and juiciness within the soft silky flesh. Beautiful golden brown caramelised soysauce enfolds the cod in its saucy embrace . Simple yet elegant dish that was absolutely fabulous with a new world chard.

Black Pepper Beef Fillet

Ooh la la!! The chorus going around the table was in unison...."I love it! I love it! I love it!" A perfectly balanced yet robust dish. Yummy to the max with exceptionally tender meat layered with just the right dash of black pepper sauce, which also has a savory sweet (prob from the onions) edge. Absolutely yummy with the greek wine and paloumey 01.

What's Not

Squid with Salted Egg Yolk

This is imbalanced with the egg yolk coating overdone that masks the natural flavours of the squid. Romanee's kitchen's version is so much better.

Other Dishes Tasted

"Lap Mei" (Waxed Meats) Rice in Claypot

Textbook in style and substance with the right amount of taste and aromas going into the dish but does not have much soul in it though. Good but not great.

Wine Pairings Done

NV Arnea Soave, Spumante
WADA rated 71+pts
Little whiffs of citrus on the nose but evolved to a very “kiam” smell that I associate with some taxis driven by these old uncles…not sure how to explain this to you but its like very sourish “sheun sheun sok sok” (Cantonese) smell. The taste wasn’t too bad…simple citrus fruits with some sweetness nearing the finish. Bubbles were short-lived. Drink up!

2004 Hiedler Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal Austria
WADA rated 63pts
Strong urine ammonia dominating with a lining of lemons. Simple taste of sour pickle juice. Too sourish with no character. I will pass.

2007 Dr Loosen QBA Riesling, Mosel Saar Ruwel
WADA rated 77pts
Textbook floral nose accompanied by some tropical fruits. Pleasant simple Riesling that packs mostly a sweet pineapple lychee cocktail punch. The most approachable and likeable among the BOB for the night.

2007 Torres San Medin Rose, Chile
WADA rated 72pts
Light cherry red. Half sweet nose of fresh fruits. Imbalance of acidity but fresh and acceptable drinking. Unripe sour cherries.

2005 Louis Lequin, 1er Le-Passe-Temps, Santenay
WADA rated 81 to 85+pts
Beautiful crimson red, this looked very promising for a Santenay! The nose is very tight probably it needs more time to develop. But still, from what I can smell, this is really promising…v dense and might even be mistaken for a Nuits. Some mushrooms. The body of this is voluptuous! V unlike the previous few Santenays I have tasted from the same maker. Promising tannins and acidity makes me want to buy a case of this to keep. Even after so many glasses of wines, the strength of this 05 Santenay is undeniable.

From L to R: San Medin, Rapsani, Hiedler, Dr L

2000 Tsantalis Rapsani Epilegmenos (Reserve), Thessaly, Greece
WADA rated 89+pts
Made from the greek varietals of Xenomavro, Stavrato, and Krassato. This wine is sourced from a vineyard near Mt Olympus…the wine of the gods. My first encounter with a greek dry red…and WOW! woW! Wow! I am very pleasantly surprised by this bottle of 2000 that I have been cellaring for 2 years now. Clear red with almost tinge of brick. The nose is very expressive and reminds me of a very good Bordeaux…a right bank. This has infused red / blue-berryish nose layered with some light blue flowers (am thinking babybreaths), some earthiness and even some leather. Even my BOB (band of brothers from AC) who are not as wine fanatic as me, are quite captivated by the nose. Beautiful elegant palate of blueberries all over from start till end in a continuous ocean waves momentum….gentle waves that rock you to sleep. Occasionally…some Chinese herbs and spices appear but never to steal the show…I am feeling this Olympian medal winner of a wine. The balance is amazing and transition flawless. The finish is menthol and resonates glimmeringly in the throat. Not a juicy wine but definitely as elegant as a royal princess. I just love the balance.

2005 Pertaringa Over the Top Shiraz, Mclarenvale (RP92, JH94)
WADA rated 79+pts
Dark purple. Dense nose of sweet black fruits and plums. Blackberries and chocolate flows through with black pepper. Some crayola action. Still young and not integrated yet. Definitely not a big monster wine but at least a little devil.

Cafe de Amigo (63p)

2008-10-11T11:20:00.000+08:00

Funan Digital Mall #02-15

Tel: 6835 0238

WADA rating: 39 +24= 63 pts
QPI: 6 ($30 per pax or $50 for set dinner and $25 for set lunch)
WFI: B- ($30 per btl but if spending is above $40 per pax , it will be waivered. Good stemware. Good affordable wine list)

We came here long ago when it was still at the Specialist Centre. It was already pretty established and well-known back then. Although it has never been up there with the big boys, it has received certain status of notable mentions. Supposedly famous for its escargots (which we didn’t manage to taste), they are more famous for its owner’s love affair with wines. A lot of wine events have been held here and my guess is that the cuisine here is mostly not overpowering.

What’s Good

Apple Pie
The brightest spark in a fairly dim night. Crispy filo pastry lasden with thinly sliced apple slices that seems to be more savory than sweet. Fluffy light with a teasing touch of apple scents. A very quaffable dessert that doesn’t go over the top in sweetness. This I can have a couple of without getting tired of.

Other Dishes Tasted

Seafood Platter
The squid is alright but not sea fresh. We think the tangy sauce had some black bean sauce mixed in. Its very Chinese influenced. Same for the fish which presented a more local flavour than French.

Chicken Chop with Black Pepper Mushroom sauce
Crispily grilled chicken skin covers a succlent dry chicken drumstick. Decent sauce but once again the flavours are very localized. It is definitely one up from your hawker center chicken chop as the saucing is slightly more complex with tangy flavours. Very hainanese western chicken chop feel to it.

Tiramisu – Generous with the kahlua that makes this better than average as the kahlua does most of the talking.

What’s Not

There really is nothing bad about this place maybe that it is too neutral and somewhat dull in its approach. Although not exciting, it is better than average.

Comments

Excelling in being better than average, this establishment could do with a little more excitement. Flavours are very localized which could work in its favour, depending on how you look at it. It is definitely a Chinese chef cooking western cuisine here. Although it is supposed to be a French bistro (though the name card shows the Eiffel tower painted in the Italian national colours), the food is far from being authentically french.
If the prices shed 10- 20% , this place could be somewhere that I could come more often (especially for the lunches which seem a much better value). In fact, I am more impressed by their wines than the food.

Wine Pairing Done

2001 De Loach Russian River Valley Chardonnay, Sonoma California (WE85)
WADA rated 86pts
Golden yellow. Unmistakable apple core with some white “ass”ness of an aged burg. Some lining of almonds and sweet white chocolate…..white frangipani flowers as well. It was a little corked but blew away after a while and revealed baked pears with cinammon with an almost nail-varnish like finish. Shockingly intense on the nose and palate that humbled me. Wasn’t exactly a seamless wine especially with a disappointingly short finish, but I am still awed by the value and blossoming complexity of this wine.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

I suggest you order your wines from them as it is quite an extensive list that has many affordable aged wines. You might find a piece of buried treasure like I did.

Guan Hin (Teochew) Restaurant (57p)

2008-10-10T23:20:00.000+08:00

Blk34 Whampoa West #01-01

WADA rating: 37+20= 57 pts
QPI: 6 ($30-$40 per pax for a very seafood dominated selection)
WFI: C (Free corkage, Ikea stemware…pl BYOG)
Tasted at Uncle L’s birthday dinner!

Organised by William, we threw uncle L a surprise party at this Teochew restaurant (William seems to have a particular penchant for Teochew food probably for their cold crab) tucked away at the corner of a HDB void deck. It’s impossible to take notice of this restaurant because of its obscure locale….so this is one of those old brand name restaurants (lao zi hao) that survives on word-of-mouth customers…like us I guess. However, think it wasn’t as hugely popular (by this I mean oldies like Red Star, Ban Heng, and Dragon Phoenix) to start with because my dad (who is my foodie shifu) has not heard of it.

What's Hot?

Steamed Cold (Molting) Crab
This is the first time I have eaten such a crab. Understand from William that this is a crab that was undergoing molting when caught. Therefore, it has two shells, of which the inner is a soft shell that is edible! Apparently, it’s more expensive than usual because of its novelty and rarity (1 in every 20 I think). The meat appears to be firmer and wonderfully smeared with saffron-coloured roe! Yummy! I love it when every slurp comes with a bit of that mildly sweetish crab roe. If nothing else, I will patronize this place again for this cold crab. Lovely with the minerally-citric polish hill riesling we had. Didn’t get to taste the inner soft shell but from the looks of those that had it…this is something I really MUST try!

Fried Oyster Omelette
Lovely… eating this made me feel as though I was at a small family-owned kampong restaurant located next to the beautiful untainted sandy beaches of a remote Malaysian / Thai island. The oysters are so natural and pure in taste…not aussie ocean waters fresh but…more like southeast asian seawaters fresh. Amazingly simple dish that just makes me happy eating it. A comfort food.

Stirfry Scallops with Spring Onions
Good wok hei…this has round medallions of chewy fresh scallops nicely tucked in with delicious crunchy spring onions (which DBF will definitely not like). Gives off a very refreshing lift.

Fried Kway Teow
This I like too…clumpy lumps of fat kway teow tossed lightly in some soy and fragrant garlic oil…it’s like char kway teow but without the sweet black sauce. The kway teow is fried till it clumps together …making it more like fried kway teow balls. Might be too salty for some but I like it especially after a glass too many palate numbing wine.

What's Not?

Butter Crayfish
Oily, almost tastelessly bland for a butter crab. Not good at all. The meat was not as fresh and after tasting the cold crab… the muddy deadness of the crayfish stood out like sore thumb. I suspect this is expensive too…maybe even more so than the crab.

Other Dishes Tasted

Fried Hay Chor (for a Teochew restaurant, this traditionally Teochew dish is not impressive at all..in fact a bit stale).
Fried flat fish in black bean sauce (not bad).

Comments

Both food and service didn’t blow me away. The waitressing aunty looked pissed because we weren’t downing our food fast enough for her to clear…most prob cos we were taking too much time enjoying and talking about the wines. Haha. Her stare could freeze you…like Medusa.
The food is not bad but except for the crab, there really isn’t much magic going into it. Chin Lee and Huat Kee (which will be reviewed in due time) are definitely one-up.

Wine Pairings done

All wines were tasted blind.

2007 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley
WADA rated 82pts
Steely minerality piercing through …followed closely by stone fruits and wet stones lined by some lime.

2000 Cantermerle, 5th Growth, Haut-Medoc (RP88, WS91)
WADA rated 81pts
Tasted the leftover on the following night with not much change to the flavour profiles. Horse urine features strongly…v musky. Whiffs of ripened capsicum too. Leathery with some dark plums. Somehow it feels awkward. This is like that guy in the class that isn’t the class nerd or psychopath but the cross in-between…intriguing but you just can’t bring yourself to get to know him.

2001 Larmande, St Emilion GC (WS88, RP92)
WADA rated 83pts
Round and very comfortable aromas of dark fruits. Plums & prunes dominate with a slightly herbaceous finish. Elegant but not to the level of millionaire rich tai tai yet. Just simple elegance.

1989 Marques de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja (WS90)
WADA rated 78pts
Brownish brick red tells its age. Amazingly still keeping fairly well for at least the first half hour with sharp bright cherries.

1998 Bodegas Muga, Torre Muga (reserva), Rioja (WS90, RP91)
WADA rated 85pts
This fooled me as a burg with earth, minerals and cherryish notes. Very pleasant drinking with good acidity and balance.

2001 Marcarini Brunate, Barolo (WS88, RP92)
WADA rated 78+pts
Winter melon tea nose. This has good fresh acidity of cherries. Some eucalyptus.

1997 Giuseppe Cortese, Babaresco Rabaja, Piedmont (WS93, RP92)
WADA rated 82+pts
Leathery meaty nose with fresh sour cherries. Good balance and length of finish.

1997 Gianni Gagliardo, Barolo Riserva
WADA rated 75pts
Weaker effort as compared to the Giuseppe.

2004 Oliver Taranga HJ Reserve Shiraz, Mclarenvale
WADA rated 81pts
Dark purplish. Tell-tale new world approach of upfront masculinity. Too young to drink, the nose is overpowered by glycerin crayola. On tasting, this had blackberries and a lot of oomph…too much at the moment. However, being an 04, this has years to go developing in the bottle. There is that nice wasabi “qiang bi”(nostril-flaring) aftertaste

Pairing Suggestions

The food seems to be geared more towards whites. Would love to have some chardonnays here. The aged tempranillos and Sangiovese did hold up quite well with the food as well but its definitely harder to come by.

Imperial Treasure @ Great World: Reloaded

2008-10-10T21:57:00.000+08:00

Its National Family Day!!! and what better way to celebrate than to bring my Granny and family to one of my current fav restaurants for a laid back dim sum luncheon.
We managed to take a few photos and posted them on the 1st Imperial Treasure review. Pl check that out.
Also... here are some additional tasting notes from the luncheon.

Steamed Yam Cake
Wow! Just look at the glimmer in the picture...
Sexy, seductive gloss drizzled all over it.This is yummylicious...sweet yam bits coagulated together by the smooth gelatin light purple-brown "cake". The savory soy sauce is perfect with the off sweet yam cake. Good.

Steamed Pork Ribs (Pai Kuat)
Clean and pure flavours coming through that is not spoilt by over-oiliness, which is so prevalent in many other renditions of this dish at various dim sum restaurants (even good ones).

Fried Cheong Fun
A tad bit oily but there is Wok Hei! in this dish! Wonderful smells of food oils..maybe sesame..with some interesting nutty / buttery characteristics. You can dip this in the peanut or sweet sauce provided to add some creaminess / sweetness but i prefer mine plain, which is good enough.

Fried Silver Fish with Pepper Salt
The perfect appetizer paired with some champagne or a new world riesling with some fresh acidity and lemon / lime backing. Fried to a lovely crisp but still retaining some ocean fresh fishyness. Lightly flavoured with the pepper, salt and fried garlic bits.

2004 Domaine Schlumberger Princes Abbes Riesling, Alsace (WS90)
Wada rated 76+pts
Light golden or as GV would call it... Ric Flair Gold. Beautiful kerosene dominates with tropical pineapples following. Pretty high lemon acidity base ...very much like a new world riesling.....Very interstingly, there are hints of dry grass like a NZ sauvignon blanc. Finished dry and unfortunately short to medium. Perfect with the silver fish.

Anthonij Rupert South African Wines

2008-09-28T10:23:00.001+08:00

Been invited to taste test a new range of South African wines from Franscheok Valley that Denise wants to bring in. Here goes...

The Whites

2006 Nemesia
WADA rated 80pts
Kind of closed up with singular grapey-ness. Detected some osthmanthus and orange peels on the fore and mid with bright and decent pleasant finish. The label doesn't tell much but I think it is chardonay with some chenin and viognier, which is supposed to give it a lifted nose but did not do so in this effort. However, this was the best of the lot among the whites.

2006 Serruria Chardonnay
WADA rated 77pts
Butter mixed with nail varnish and finishing with bitter pith.

2007 L'Ormarins Chardonnay
WADA rated 78+pts
A much sweeter pearish nose framed by citrus. Some osthmanthus action. This is okay.

The Reds

2005 Merlot
WADA rated 83+pts
My favourite of the bunch with suprisingly "Left Bank" aromatics of dried fallen leaves, earth and slightly "dao you" dark soy nuances. Lucious and thick for a merlot with teeth coating tannins. Very rooty and potrays more left bank strenght than right bank opulence. Interesting for a South African.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
WADA rated 81pts
Wet soil and twigs. Dusty black cherries with quite old world approach.

2005 Syrah
WADA rated 83pts
Although some green steminess detected, there is underlying a robust nose of dried raisins tainted with "dao you"dark soy. In fact, up to now, it reminds me very much of touriga nacional. Elegant floral violets and sweet cassis fills the mouth with interesting bitter roots on the finish. Another good effort.

The Verdict
Pretty decent so far. The Reds tend towards old world but with South African robustness. The whites are okay for everyday drinking. If prices are below $40 for the reds and $30 for the whites, I would give these wines serious consideration.

Vinum Annual Sale @ Caveau

2008-09-15T00:37:00.002+08:00

A selected tasting of the wines available for tasting at the sale.

1982 Ducru Beaucaillou, St Julien, 2nd Growth (RP94)
WADA rated 85pts
Brownish dirty blood. Dried prunes, lacquer rounded by dried earth and herbs. This is still not at its deathbed but smells like its in the final leg of its journey. However, the palate still triggers a small explosion of red fruits framed by nice oak, dry soil, dried english spices. Elegant and smooth tannins albeit the tiredness of age showing. Could have gotten a higher score if more complexity on the nose.

1999 Leoville Poyferre, St Julien, 2nd Growth (RP89)
WADA rated 85+pts
Dark red. Robust nose of leather that is suspectingly savory. Violets at the back. Exceptionally savory prunes that has a good packaging of mouthfeel, fruits and glycerin. Lean but still sexy and busty. This is your desperate housewives material.

2003 Bass Phillip Belrose Pinot Noir
WADA rated 81pts
Diluted blood red. Very sweet bouquet of raspberry pie, raisiny nectar and a pinch of earth. Definitely new world in approach. This is all about the sweet strawberries but with just a hint of bitter herbs. Also reminds me of grape skins soaking in glycerin solution.

2003 Vignobles Brunier, Vieux Mas des Chateanuef-du-Pape
WADA rated 75pts
Lightish red. Basically very sweetish but did detect traces of sichuan preserved cabbage. However, the palate is just plain artificial sweetner sweet! Too fake without enough acid to balance.

2003 Clos du Caillou, Cote du Rhone, Bouquet des Garrigues
WADA rated 76+pts
Lightish red. This reminds me of sweetish berry flavoured jujube candy. Very singular but I wouldn't say focused. Dainty, simple and sweetish. Similar to the Brunier but much more real.

2001 Quinault En'clos, St-Emilion Grand Cru
WADA rated 74 ??? pts
Nice red. I basically got a lot of wood on this. I though the palate was also overdone by the oak. However, it could be that my palate had been killed by the very sweet CDPs above.

1996 Pibran, Pauillac (RP89)
WADA rated 82+pts
Garnet with diluted blood red. At first slightly off, the nose got better with lots of stewed fruits seasoned with ajinomoto and some lifted spice. Bright yet old cherries on the palate. A pleasant suprise.

2005 Triennes Merlot, Provence
WADA rated 77pts
Good dark red. Lifted perfumery flowers on the nose. Simple cherries amd red fruits.

2005 Oremus, Tokaji Furmint Dry Mandolas
WADA rated 77pts
Citrus and flowers. This is like a mineral and flowery dry riesling.

2000 Oremus, Aszu 5 Puttonyos Tokaji
WADA rated 81pts
Lovely chrysanthemum yellow. Raisiny sultanas coated in nai varnish. This is a marmalade of orange and walnuts. Finishes considerably long, nice and clean.

Monstrous 6'O Clock Club Tasting @ Equinox

2008-09-09T23:20:00.003+08:00

These are the rest of the wines tasted at the public tasting area.

2006 De Trafford Chenin Blanc, South Africa
WADA rated 82pts
Nice perfumes of peaches and nectarines. Big, luscious, fresh and rounded with a creaminess on the body.

2006 Gunderloch Riesling Trocken, Germany
WADA rated 77+pts
Grassy with some floral lychees. Decent citric acid grip.

2006 Gunderloch Riesling Jean Baptiste, Germany
WADA rated 76pts
Whiffs of honeysuckle pineapples. Faint effort of round sweet peaches. Pretty normal stuff.

2006 Gunderloch Spatlese, Germany
WADA rated 81pts
Good nose of sweet XO durians, apricots and honey notes. Quaffable stuff but erring on the side of being almost overcloying. Needs just a bit more acidity.

2005 Gunderloch Auslese, Germany
WADA rated 86+pts
Unique smells of FAB washing powder. A very balanced effort (more so than their Spatlese). The yummy apricots and peaches go a long way with the help of nectarine-based acid structure. Good length and finishes pleasantly sweet.

2006 Bouchard Pere & Fils, Cote de Beaune, Puligny Montrachet
WADA rated 81pts
Creamy, nutty and buttery for days. This is both big on the nose and palate. Mainly white fruits but some alcohol imbalance detected.

2005 Bouchard Pere & Fils, Cote de Beaune, Mersault
WADA rated 79pts
Light white fruits but not very ripe though. Some acidity, some sweetness, some mineral and some bitter pith. This just doesn’t seem to amount to anything.

NV Henriot Brut Rose, Champagne
WADA rated 84pts
A beautiful pink drink. Clean crisp roses laid on a bed of small strawberries. Pleasing finish and was just marvelous with the curry samosas served.

2003 Domaine Zind Humbretch Herrenweg de Turckheim Pinot Gris, Alsace
WADA rated 70pts
Detected some sprite laden with bitter minerality. Tad bit too exotically unpleasant for me.

2003 Domaine Zind Humbretch Wintzenheim Gerwurtraminer, Alsace
WADA rated 75pts
Smells like canned lychees and taste like canned lychees. Simple and yummy if you are not looking for a serious relationship.

2005 Bouchard Pere & Fils, 1er Cote de Beaune du Chateau Rouge
WADA rated 82+pts
Beautiful bright red. Perfumed smells of cologne. Good intensity and richness of dark red fruits. Has pretty big structure for a burg not to mention a beaune.

2005 Bouchard Pere & Fils, Chambolle Musigny
WADA rated 81pts
Light red. Vegetal rot with earthy tones. Has structure and small sweet ripe cherries dominating. Lacks some fresh acidity. Finishes on bitter roots.

2002 Bouchard Pere & Fils, Cote de Nuits, Vosne Romanee Du Chateau
WADA rated 83+pts
Elegantly spiced with scorched earth dustiness. Good bright cherries, good acidity, good tannins, good spiciness and bitter roots at the finish.

2004 Bouchard Pere & Fils, Cote de Beaune GV de L’enfant Jesus
WADA rated 83pts
Bright red with beautiful brownish tinge. “Ass” and bright red fruits on the nose. A communion of candied fruits, sweet cherries and bitterness on a good structure and finish.

2002 Alois Kracher Zweigelt TBA Nouvelle Vague No.1, Austria
WADA rated 84pts
Golden brown. Beautiful dried raisins, apricots, honey syrup framed by nice fresh acidity.

The Universal Wine Bar & Restaurant's Burgundy Wine Tasting

2008-08-31T20:08:00.001+08:00

Invited by uncle L for this very value for money burg wine tasting at Universal that is organised by Denise.

2004 Domaine Edmond Cornu, Hates-Cotes-de-Nuits Blanc
WADA rated 78pts
Minerality on the nose. Sharp lemony citrus. Not impressive but sufficient.

2004 Louis Lequin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot
WADA rated 79 pts
Fishy! Smells of cod liver. Dry and lemony. Slate features quite prominently as well.

2002 Guy Bocard Mersault Genevrieres 1er Cru
WADA rated 86pts
The deepest gold among the lot. A milky way of minerality , honeysuckle and nectar that radiates in its complete aura. Good weight. This is plesantly satisfying.

2004 Mischief & Mayhem Corton-Charmelagne Grand Cru
WADA rated 84pts
Gunpowdery smoke. Excellent balance, body, acid and fruit. A basket of citrus range fruits sitting beautifully on the patio of the summerhouse, basking in the comforting mid morning sun.

2005 Louis Lequin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru
WADA rated 85+pts
Also fishy but not as much as the Louis Lequin Morgeot. Pungent! with honeysuckle bordering the edges. Some heat showing but blaanced off nicely with superbly rich and full mouthfeel of fresh butter. Aging needed for its potential to show.

2005 Domaine Edmond Cornu Ladoix 1er Cru Le Bois Roussot
WADA rated 79pts
Red. Lifted cherry fruit carried by kopi "O" aromas. Feels aged. Dark cherries to an almost plummish fruit characteristics. Wonderful lenght and breadth.

2005 Mischief & Mayhem Pommard 1er Cru Clos Blanc
WADA rated 76 + 4pts
Muted cherries. Dimmering palate that is a bit on the thin side. However, it did do a lot better with the lamb as the sweeter berries surfaced when paired with food.

2000 Domaine Jacques Cacheux Vosne Romanee 1er Cru La Croix Rameau
WADA rated 81 pts
Smells of cockroach infested kitchen cabinet. Bright cherries and berries ending with sufficient earth tones. Textbook and simple enough.

1995 Comte Senard Corton Grand Cru Clos des Meix Monopole
WADA rated 82pts
Beautiful "ass" that makes me enjoy burgs so much. This tastes like aged coke that has lost its fizz with herbs soaking in it for some time. A grand dame.

2004 Prieure Roch Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
WADA rated 86+pts
An interesting scent of Indian essential oils and shrivelled strawberries. Savory double boiled soup spectrum of flavours that reminds me of the Leroy Bourgognes I had.

Restaurant Ember (82p)

2008-08-27T00:41:00.010+08:00

50 Keong Saik Road, Hotel 1929
Tel : 63471928

WADA rating: 57 + 25 = 82pts
QPI: 7+ (Less than $200 for the two of us for a very sumptuous spread of a few appetizers, mains and corkage. There's also a chef's table menu of 8 courses for $100+++ per pax)
WFI: B- ($20 per btl, reasonable stemware but not very comprehensive winelist)

Tasted twice. The most recent with DBF for our anniversary.

A seemingly humble looking establishment located in a previous red-light district turned boutique hotel enclave. Already quite established, this place is packed even on a weekday night so do make bookings early.

What's Good

Angel Hair Pasta with Sonbu and Abalone
Extremely refreshing and light on the mouthfeel, the sonbu (i think it's a kind of preserved vegetable) adds a sourish sweetness to divinely thin strips of pasta that seems to have been soaked in truffle oil. The thin slices of abalone only accentuates the whole experience like a sea breeze in the sunset.

Foie Gras in Mirin Sauce
Oooh Ahhh.. orgasmic and out of this world... I had had many type of foie gras before but this ...This is special because it is the only one that is done in an intense braised soy type of savoriness. Lovely sweetness also from the slightly burnt caramelised foie gras. The flavours implode in your mouth and lingers on for a long time. I really wanted to have a glass of sauternes with it but sadly they didn't carry any on their winelist.

Chilean Sea Bass with Truffles
The signature dish that I truly recommend ALL to try. Extremely well made fish that reminds me of the uniquely flavoured fish dishes at Woods. The seabass tastes more like a meat dish with the infusion of truffle smoke and bacon fat in every bite. Lovely earthy notes make this a red wine dish!

What's Not

Roasted Pork Belly
Slightly soggy on the skin which makes it hard to chew. Given the impression from the starters and the fish, this dish is underwhelming. Showing not much character except for the interesting display of sauces around the plate, this effort shares similar flavour profiles (especially with the accompanying sauerkraut) to roasted German pork knuckles I have had at Marche, Brotzeit and Paulaners. Although able to match up to its comparatives, I am not blown over at all.

Other Dishes Tasted

Baked Tomato Bread
The free bread here comes freshly warmed or baked and is plesantly well flavoured and does its job of enticing the palate for the feast yet to come.

Curry Prawn Salad
An interesting seasoning but doesn't invoke any strong feelings from me.

Soft Shell Crab
Nicely fried to a crisp but smothered in a sticky sauce tasting much like sweet thai chilli sauce.

Comments

Very chic ambience that is unpretentious but classy. The presentation is like the ambience and shares similar style with Braise @ sentosa. This is no coincidence as Braise is spawned from Ember. However, the main chef-owner is still resident at Ember even though Braise seems to be more more hyped and classed-up. Although very good, I did prefer the higher creativity of the pairing of ingredients at Braise.

Wine Pairings Done

2005 Clarendelle Blanc , Bordeaux
WADA rated 86+pts
A newly-minted label under the same banner of La-Mission and Haut-Brion, this is supposed to be the cheaper alternative for those who are unwilling to pay a few hundred bucks for a Bahans or a Haut-Brion. I would have taught it to be a weak imitator that is out to make a handsome profit by waving the Haut-Brion banner. However, I was very pleasantly suprised by this relatively serious effort of a wine.
Bananas carried by lemon drops candy with whiffs of peaches and pears. This is refreshingly satisfying with good ripeness. A dense / intense effort that is restrained on the oak but showing shades of its lineage with its very mature approach. Even though we had opened this the day before, the palate is still stiffly intense and fresh. In fact, it showed a creamier, rounder body as well as a longer finish. Impressed.

2001 Pichon Lalande, 2nd Great Growth, Pauillac (WS92, RP93)
WADA rated 85+pts
Big green peppers and horsey-ness on the nose. A confusion of very wild animal notes bordering on cat's pee and cabbage greeness. There is also an underlying floral nose of violets. The palate is suprisingly black fruit driven with good structure and spice notes of nutmeg.

Le Bistrot (81p)

2008-08-26T23:21:00.010+08:00

2 Stadium Walk #01-03 Singapore Indoor Stadium
Tel: 6447 0018

WADA rating: 53+28= 81 pts
QPI: 8 ($55 for a appetizer+main+dessert but combinations of either of 2 are allowed at a lower price)
WFI: B+ ($20 per btl, gd stemware with a reasonable wine list)

DBF and I were planning on a double date with Paul and Elsa as a follow up to the melaka trip so Paul suggested this french restaurant tucked away at the corner of the indoor stadium. We did have a suprise guest- Elsa's little sister, who had joined us for an educational talk on wine and food appreciation by Paul and myself. Lovely ambience and easy to park. A perfect place for couples as the restaurant is just next to the waterfront.

What's Good

Pork Terrine
From the looks of the dish, you might be fooled into thinking it to be a compresed package of luncheon meat and leftovers from the night before. BUT! the strength of flavours packed tightly in this compact piece of meatloaf is amazing. Yummy pork bits that taste like duck and "lap cheong" is gelled and held together by a piece of streak bacon. Not exaactly salty, this tastes amazingly refreshing. I especially enjoy the pieces of pistachoes stuffed within that gives it more texture. It also comes with a generous serving of a whole can! of pickled vegetables which I am not a big fan of.

French Onion Soup
Ooh la la! The best french onion soup I have had so far. The cheesemelt bread covering adds a nice cheesy richness to the aromas. When you finally break through the cheesy "icing", the wonderful sweet aromas of caramelised onions fills your every senses. The perfectly sweet onions add an almost foie gras-level like richness to the soup stock. Zee best so far!

Black Angus Beef Steak
What can I say, its top grade quality, fresh and a sizeable portion...take note that the I had requested the steak to be split to two to be shared between me and DBF. What you see on the plate is just half of the actual portion....What a Killer ! The doneness is just right and the chef has used a simple slightly peppery sauce so as to not overpower the flavours of the wonderful black angus. Juicy!

Others Tasted

Appetizer Platter
Consisting of pickled olives, char-grilled eggplant and char-grilled peppers. I am definitely all for the char-grilled items which go so well with the aged semilion we were having. The smokey flavours filled up for the lack of oak components on the semilion.

Desserts
Can't remember the name of the ice cream cake dessert at the background but it had very crunchy bits of nuts or caramelised cereal...not sure.. but decently fulfilling. What I recommend all to try is the cheese platter....a very good selection (including the all time favourite stinky blue cheese) served with honey and jam, which I strongly urge all of you to dip your cheese in! The explosion of stinky salty cheese coated with syrupy sweet honey / jam will make you understand why angmohs like to always order sweet and sour.

Comments

Overall, the whole dining experience here is as good as a balanced wine. The ambience is cozy yet french cafe chic with enough glitz factor to impress your date. Friendly and attentive staff, very good appetizers, mains and desserts all at a very fair price. Good location next to the waterfront. Easy to find (it's the indoor stadium for goodness sake!) and easy to find parking. I will be back for more.

Wine Pairings

1993 McWilliams Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon, Hunter Valley
WADA rated 88+pts
Beautiful yellow gold reminding me of a good sauternes. Lovely nose of mushrooms and damp tropical rainforest floor. Some orange peel rounding it off with wet stones, margarine and almonds. Focused beam of freshly-squeezed extract of lemons mixed into perrier mineral water. Faultless purity and cleanliness. Finishes with a tingling zing on the tongue reminiscent of popping candy.

2000 La Grange Neuve de Figeac, St Emilion Grand Cru

2nd Label of Figeac

WADA rated 83 pts

Dark purple red. Green capsicum with some spice notes framed by good oak and firm structure. It got progressively sweeter with notes of cherries. Ripe black cherries provide a gentle lusciousness on the palate, exhibiting the terroir of St Emilion. A bordeaux blend that new world drinkers can enjoy. Textbook in approach with hints of new world forwardness.

2006 Venus La Universal Dido, Montsant, Spain
WADA rated 80+pts
Smells of mamee noodle snack with smack of raspberries and blueberries. Sweet nose. A pretty forward simple drinking style. Supposedly old world but too new world in approach.

We were also recommended a glass of the following sherry. Pretty cognac flavoured with some sweetness.

Lianhe Zaobao Wine Review Challenge 2008

2008-08-25T01:03:00.003+08:00

Organised by SPH in conjunction with Wine Review's Chng Poh Tiong. This annual affair has mainly commercially easily available wines. The medals and trophies from this competition have been listed for a point of reference.

1998 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, Champagne (Gold, Joint Best in class)
WADA rated 88+pts
Delicious and rich lemon custard with teasing aromas of baked bread. Nail varnish follows closely …riding on the tailcoats of fresh white fruits. Fresh and full mouthfeel that closes the symphony of citrus richness with pickled Japanese radish shreds.

1999 Philiponnat Clos des Goisses Brut, Champagne (Gold, Joint Best in class)
WADA rated 91pts
On the nasal front, this petite lady is not at all overwhelmed by the grand old lady (Veuve Cliquot). While the old lady had grandeur, this little lady is all about gracefulness and gentle kindness. Much rounder with rich creamy peanut-butteriness accompanied shortly after with gentle caresses of white flowers and white stone fruits. I am feeling the love…very much so.

2000 Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage Rose, Champagne (Bronze)
WADA rated 87pts
Perfumed nose of flower petals…in particular roses. A different lady altogether from the rest of the champagnes tasted. This has a dainty sweet aura encircling a core of peachy fruit . Good delectable finish.

2000 Philiponnat Cuvee 1522, Champagne (Bronze)
WADA rated 83pts
Intense chicken essence with yeasty notes overpowering most of the nose. Bright fresh lemons carry most of the palate with a moderately satisfying finish.

1999 Philiponnat Grand Blanc Brut, Champagne (Bronze)
WADA rated 79pts
Again very yeasty chicken essence aromas that overwhelms most of any fruits. A duller palate than the Cuvee 1522 tasted. Didn’t get much besides some citrus acidity.

1997 Lanson Noble Cuvee Blanc de Blanc, Champagne (Silver)
WADA rated 82pts
Focused but gentle aromas of honeyed lemon drops. Good full mouthfeel with moderate finish.

NV Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blanc, Champagne (Bronze)
WADA rated 86pts
Intense nose of honey dew, melons and a drop of margarine. Great length and grip. Rich yet focused with balance. This should be a vintage champagne and my favourite of the NVs being served.

NV Delamote Blanc de Blanc, Champagne (Bronze)
WADA rated 78pts
Muted aromas of some citrus grapefruits. I found the flavours too one dimensional and unchallenging. Disappointed.

2007 Castel Sauvignon Blanc (Gold, Best in class)
WADA rated 82pts
A very expressive nose of rock melons and honey dew dominated by a big helping of banana-rama! Citrusy with lemon pith. There is some complexity that is just as enjoyable to a newbie. The finish could have done better on length and grip.

2006 Bouchard Aine & Fils 1er Cru Vaillons, Chablis (Silver, Best in class)
WADA rated 79pts
Simple white peach framed by citrus freshness. Tastes similar to a lemon drop sweet. However, the finish is sadly short.

2006 Markus Molitor “Wehlener Klosterberg” Kabinett Riesling, Mosel (Bronze)
WADA rated 82pts
Whiffs of smokiness and nuttiness carries through on typical German Riesling aromas. Good focus of slate carrying through on a a mineral undertone.

2006 Jacob’s Creek Orlando Steingarten Riesling, Eden Valley (Bronze)
WADA rated 83pts
Small white flowers dancing about citrus tones with a somewhat bready nose. Good acid structure composing mainly of bright citrus. Needs more balance for a higher score but seems to have potential to age beautifully.

2006 Schloss Johannisberg Kabinett Riesling (Bronze)
WADA rated 85pts
Perfumed notes of sweet apricots, peaches in a garden of floral blooms. Good citrus acidity balancing off on a lychee body. Good balance and finishes well.

2006 Voyager Estate Chardonnay, Margaret River (Bronze)
WADA rated 86pts
A haven of butter and nuts enveloped by a cloud of vanilla oak (which could just be a tad bit too much). The mouthfeel is full with bright fleshiness, white flowers, white peaches ending on a long finish.

2005 Wyndham Estate Show Reserve Chardonnay (Gold, Best in class)
WADA rated 88pts
This won the only Gold medal of its class and Best of class at the wine review challenge. However, I had been skeptical knowing Wydham as a commercial producer rather than a quality one but I was proven wrong by this effort. I was dumbstruck by the almost burgundian characteristics showing so beautifully in this new world wine. The burgundian “ass”-like aromas had been nicely replicated with hints of white flowers as well. Explosive on the palate with a layered attack of rich buttermilk and almonds. Despite its power, it does manage to pull off control and restraint in its attack. Wow! I would love to throw this in a blind burg tasting to see how it fares.

2007 Wyndham Estate Bin 222 Chardonnay (Silver)
WADA rated 81pts
Considering that I was wowed over by the show reserve, I had expected much more from their Bin 222 given that it was the only of 4 silver medallists. However, I was just a whisker shy from being disappointed. Still a relatively good effort albeit a more new world approach. Citrus lemons framed by good oak on the nose. Shades of buttery creamy lemon custard cake teases on the palate with decent length, body and finish.

2005 Fallen Angel Pinot Noir, Central Otago (Gold)
WADA rated 83+pts
Ribena blackcurrants finishing with some bitter herbs. A closely burgundian effort if not for being slightly too sweetish on the nose. This is good though.

2006 Fromm Brancott Valley Pinot Noir (Bronze)
WADA rated 80pts
Obvious cat’s pee aromas. Simple brambly cherryish fruit. This is okay but not killing it for me.

2003 Clarendelle Rouge, Bordeaux (Bronze, Best in class)
WADA rated 81pts
Capsicum framed by menthol eucalyptus notes. Red berry fruits dominate. Decent finish.

2003 Chateau Laroque, St Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux (Bronze)
WADSA rated 82+pts
Opulent concoction of ripe plums, dark berries and currants. A short to moderate finish.

2005 Chateau Daugay, St Emilion (Bronze)
WADA rated 81pts
Some violets on the nose. Some opulence detected. Some fruits with some acid and some structure. Nothing special to an almost dull normality in its approach.

2005 Chateau Lamote (Bronze)
WADA rated 80pts
Green bell peppers on the nose with vegetal greenness on the palate. Finishes lightly herbal.

2004 Colazzi Toscana (Silver, Best in class)
WADA rated 84+pts
An infusion of ripe black cherries and dark flowers. Good ripeness of fruits without being overdone. Good body and length.

2003 Castello Di Cacchiano Chianti Classico docg (Bronze)
WADA rated 79pts
Restrained and cherryish. Good length but not getting much.

2005 Chateau Maucoil Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone (Silver)
WADA rated 81pts
Some crayola action. Gentle berryish fruits finishing with peppery notes.

2003 Chateau Gigonan Clos du Roi, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone (Bronze)
WADA rated 86pts
Beautiful aromatics of floral roses. Has complexity and layers of fruits and good spice heat. Good body and length. Teeth-coating tannins but very agreeable for immediate drinking.

2005 Chateau Maucoil Chateauneuf-du-Pape Privilege, Rhone (Bronze)
WADA rated 78pts
A somewhat artificial nose with nail varnish. Raspberries on the fore but that’s all.

2006 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semilion, Australia
WADA rated 86pts
Honeyed dried apricots and canned lychees. Exceptionally good sweetness that is not cloying. Wow! What a finisher.

“ Spanish Gems Made from World-Class Producers” by Caveau

2008-08-25T00:50:00.003+08:00

Another tasting by Caveau that featured all the top wine producers from Spain.

2004 Vega Sicillia Pintia, Toro (RP95)
WADA rated 80+?pts
Purple black. Glycerin laced with spice notes and piercing nail varnish fumes. Rough plums provide good weight and mouthfeel ending with a light mandarin peel and spiciness. A bit too tannic with ruggard angularity in structure. This might prove to be greater in its later years.

1999 Finca Villacreces Crianza, Ribera del Duero (RP90)
WADA rated 79pts
Garnet with brownish hue. Crushed tangerines with soil-covered mushrooms add a dash of spice. Tomatoey on the fore with orange peel gently brushing the mid palate. This wine has a gentle grip on the mouthfeel that is stronger than a caress but lighter than a hold. Some nail varnish and chalky tannins. Nearing the end, this became very much diluted prune juice. Short finish.

1999 Artadi Pagos Viejos, Rioja (RP90)
WADA rated 78pts
Nice brick red to a brownish red hue. Earthy notes underneath aged raspberries laced with glycerin. Gentle smooth mouthfeel of cherries and an almost watery prune juice. Quite unimpressionable.

2000 Alvaro Palacios L’Ermita, Priorato (ST95-98)
WADA rated ???
Purplish ruby. An opulent nose of light sweet dark berries. Good dark purple fruit of mostly black berries. Marmite flavours add some complexity to a chalky finish. On one hand, I am not overly impressed but maybe my expectations had been set too high given the hype (and price) over this premier Spanish label. But on the other hand, there are some good things going on that seems to be capable of causing greater depth of flavours to be developed with time. There could be hidden potential that my unpolished palate is unable to detect. Therefore, I am withholding my scores until I re-taste it again in a few years time (I hope).

2000 Artadi Vina El Pison, Rioja (RP96)
WADA rated 84+pts
Light red. Beautiful nose of cabbage soaked in soy sauce with fumes of gunsmoke. Brighter red fruits, good intensity and bite. Orange peels on the finish with good structure. Short to medium finish.

2000 Artadi Pagos Viejos, Rioja (RP94)
WADA rated 84+pts
Medium dark red. Beautiful and opulent aromas of raspberries and stems. Textbook style on the palate. Round fruits with a nice grip exhibiting power and elegance.

2000 Artadi Grandes Anadas, Rioja
WADA rated 86+pts
Opaque and dark red. Dark plums and cokish lifted by glycerin and gun flint. Big black berries and plums that are almost simple yet so good. It’s like having a bowl of porridge when sick. Purity of flavours are comforting.

1999 Artadi Grandes Anadas, Rioja
WADA rated 88pts
Opaque and dark red. Some “ass” , a little dash of glycerin, nail varnish and pepper accumulate to an opulent bouquet. Nice juicy plums and orange peel. Velvety tannins that are just a bit chalky. Finishes with some spice notes and a coffee aftertaste.

2003 Vega Sicilia Alion, Ribera del Duero (RP96+)
WADA rated 85+pts
Dark red. An extremely savory nose of salted duck soup with wolfberries and cooked berries. Savory flavours of satisfyingly ripe stewed blackberries with hints of tomatoes. Friendly approach and a smooth velvety finish.

2002 Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5o Ano, Ribera del Duero (RP92)
WADA rated 84+pts
Purple black. Infusion of cooked dark cherries, berries, plums and prunes with some “dang gui”. Juicy round dark fruits finishing elegantly. If not for the short finish, this could be a winner.

NV Vega Sicilia Reserva Expecial 2007 release, Ribera del Duero (RP97)
WADA rated 83pts
This release is a blend of the 1985, 1991 and 1996 vintages. Dark red to purple. Dark cherries and coffee oak on the nose. Good fruit of dark berries with powdery tannins.

1997 Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5o Ano, Ribera del Duero (RP91)
WADA rated 91+pts
Cloudy murky red with much sedimentation. Burgundian earthy “ass” notes with mandarin peel, spice and glycerin. Wonderful orgasmic palate that is smooth, round and refined. Undetectable alcohol.but still has good structure that is neither busty nor anorexic but al dente.

1996 Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva, Ribera del Duero (RP95)
WADA rated 93pts
Dark opaque red. Smells of caramelized overnight grape juice with cooked plums. Very rich but not opulent. Lifted fruits of cherries, blackberries with sweet flavours reminding me of the Kopiko coffee sweet. This is a full-bodied wine that is also beautifully rounded on the approach. There is power with restraint and gracefulness. The package of acid, fruit and tannins is almost perfect! This is Balance! A Chinese saying comes to mind that summarizes what this wine is doing for me…” Receiving a gift of coal in the coldest of winters”.

Bouchard Pere et Fils Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

2008-08-25T00:47:00.001+08:00

A tutored tasting organised in conjuction with the Monstrous 6'O Clock Club Tasting by Booze. This took place at Equinox @ The Fairmount.

2004
WADA rated 87+pts
Aged brownish tinge. Beautifully aged with a classic burgundy nose of vegetal rot, beautiful cherries and mushrooms. Lightly sweet cherries enveloping hawthorn berries, mandarin peel and bits of bitter leather. Very good mouthfeel. I especially adore the aromatics which is surprising expressive for a 04.

2003
WADA rated 81pts
Light red. Very closed up and letting up only a sliver of vegetal notes. Digging deeper , I get some wet mushrooms. However, it did progressively reveal some sweet bread and raspberry fruits. Full structured wine with bitter herbs lining the finish. Some heat showing. This is not so much a thinking wine as to a wine that tries to think. More dark oaky plum cherries surface nearer the end.

2002
WADA rated 85+?pts
Light red that is slightly bronzed. Layered aromas with cold minerals and metals taking the 1st layer followed by milk chocolate. Finally at the end, it reluctantly gives up its brambly cherries with earthy tones and even some orange peel. The nose is just magnificent when you are able to coax it out from its shell. Savory plums finishing on a medicinal high. Still confused as to where this might go in a few years but as of now the 2004 makes for better drinking.

2000
WADA rated 78pts
Bright light red. This has fishy metallic cum Chinese ointment odors which eventually does develop opulent sweet cherry characteristics later. Salty and sour, there is some awkwardness in style albeit some flaws with reductive notes.

Graham’s Port Review

2008-08-25T00:44:00.001+08:00

A tutored tasting organised in conjuction with the Monstrous 6'O Clock Club Tasting by Booze. This took place at Equinox @ The Fairmount.

NV Fine Ruby
WADA rated 78pts
See-thru crimson red. Spiced cake…make that very spiced cake. Some graphite. Mildly sweet and spiced.

NV Six Grapes
WADA rated 81+pts
Opaque purple. Nail varnish and stemmy. Spice cake at first then became much sweeter with ripe black berry and cherry pie baked with honey glaze.

The Tawny
WADA rated 80+pts
Cognac coloured. Extremely brandy like. This feels like being in the head partner’s office that has been decorated with polished mahogany and teakwood furnishings. Sweet dried raisins that has been liquidied and honeyfied. Yet…it is still simple.

1998 Vintage Malvedos
WADA rated 81+pts
Dark purple. A regal concoction of dark polished sweet black fruits and sultanas accentuated by tobacco smoke. Honeyed, dark and raisiny.

2003 Vintage
WADA rated 83+pts
Dark purple. Dark forest, black peppers and sultanas punctuate a relatively opulent but more feminine nose than the 98. Ripe and sweet black fruits swashed about by thick chocolate mocca.

1983 Vintage
WADA rated 86pts
Bronzed red. Stately prunes resonate with hints of nail varnish. Three Bs summarize this port – Big, Brilliant and Black. The oldest of the lot tasted yet preserving much of its freshness.

Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico

2008-08-25T00:36:00.003+08:00

A tutored tasting organised in conjuction with the Monstrous 6'O Clock Club Tasting by Booze. This took place at Equinox @ The Fairmount.

2005
WADA rated 86pts
Blood red. Beautiful nose of nice round full berries plus cherries. Nicely sweet without being overpowering. Lightly perfumed with candy floss with faint hints of tangerines. With time, the freshly roasted coffee beans became more pronounced. Thick soup of salty savory cooked dark cherry stew overwhelms the palate.

2004
WADA rated 86pts
As blood red as the 2005 but more opaque. Pinot-noir-isque nose of compost and dense intense perfumed “ass”. Over time, this developed “dao you” (dark soy sauce) smells….with Latte mixed in. Dense, big and much fuller and firmer than the 05. Feels like salty, savory dark cherry stew. Quite quaffable and delish finish with chalky but gilded tannins.

2003
WADA rated 74pts
Blood red showing sign of brownish taint. Also exhibits stinky nose but much sharper with alcohol heat. Oxidised with reduction accompanying weak nuances of salty savory dark cherry stew. Quite flat from the mid palate onwards.

2001
WADA rated 81pts
Same colour characteristics as the 2003. Less stinky with gentler notes of smelly river water. Also caught whiffs of coffee, old cab smells and coke. Quite rustic and dusty earth and cherries, finishing with bitter herbs. Some heat and sharp fruits.

2000
WADA rated 83+pts
Much more opaque crimson than the others. Smelly vegetal unripe cherries….very vegetal! Also very sharp on the aromatics…almost nose piercing. Cooked cherries and raspberries that are very quaffable and carry nicely through to the mid palate. Some nice almost chocolatey finish.

Astons Prime (67+p)

2008-08-09T23:58:00.011+08:00

467 Joo Chiat Road
Tel: 63442447
Open 11.30 to 11pm / Closed on Tuesdays

WADA rating: 45.5 +22= 67+ pts
QPI: 7+ ($30 for a sizeable cut of steak and $90 for a 200gm Wagyu, no GST or service charge)
WFI: B+ ($10 per btl but are not sticky about it as we were charged $40 for 8 bottles that we opened, stemware is pretty classy but they come in only one shape type, all in all a wine friendly place)

Supposedly their flagship outlet, Astons Prime has built its reputation on serving good quality and cuts of meat at decent prices. I have tried their coffeeshop outlet at Sgn Gardens and can't say I was impressed. However, this particular outlet had been trumpeted by Paul and Ray as their favourite place for a "simple" steak so I had to come taste for myself.

What's Good

Steaks!!!
Without doubt, please have a steak when you are here because this is absolutely their calling card. They have a range of cuts and grades to choose from and I suggest you go through the whole range. We ordered the potterhouse cut of the Aussie grain-fed which is just huge! Thank goodness, I had DBF to share it with. Done medium rare, the steak is thick , juicy and succulent with a purity of clean beef flavours. They don't smoke the steaks so the flavours are all natural and there is no way of hiding a lousy cut or stale quality. So far, I am impressed with the cleaness and purity of the steaks here. Slightly lightly browned , the insides retains its half-doneness of greyish red.
Managed to snip a mouthful of Wagyu from Ming's plate as well...ooh man... heavenly smoky bacon fat permeates through your mouth with every bite. Extremely different from what I was having, the wagyu is decadent and can be cloyingly rich so...enjoy it sparingly...less is more.

Fries
These are the best fries I have tried. I think they make them fresh because it takes some time to be served and each plate looks like they came from one big potato that had just been sliced and prepared in the kitchen. Fried to an almost golden crisp, it is coated in a spice salt flavouring that is addictive. The best thing is that it comes in a big bowl so do order a bowl to share in a group of four.

Comments

This is really a meat and steak place so don't expect too much variety here. They do have sides like cheese macaroni and veggies too that are decent. Have also heard quite good reviews from those that tried the Lamb, Kurobuta Pork, Chicken and Grilled Fish so if you are bored of beef , there is life after beef here. The decor is simple and unpretentious so if you are thinking of bringing your hot date or client to a good steak dinner, I suggest you give Astons a pass. However, if you do want to have good meats with your own wine and don't want to burn a hole in your pocket....come here!

Wine Pairing
Shirazes of Australia

What better way to have steak than with a good robust glass or glasses of shiraz. The night had been planned with shiraz in mind and thanks to various generous contributions from my friends, we had a wonderful array of Aussie shirazes all from different regions.
A few were tasted the night before and re-tasted with the steak after bottle-decanting for a day.

2004 Pettavel Southern Émigré Shiraz Viognier, Geelong
WADA rated 86+pts
Deep reddish-purple. Lifted vegetal nose of cabbage / lettuce / cucumber ? …whatever it is this is vegy perfume. Semi-sweet and semi-sour bright small spicy berries Still elegant with a medium to long finish and smooth gentle tannins.
After decanting, the nose had a pronounced green capsicum mixed with white frangipani flowers. The palate had taken a more delectable ribena currant juice. A pretty good effort. It is quite expressive given it is from the southernmost coolest climate of the range.
Persona
Awkwardly different from the rest (sticks out like a sore thumb) yet not at all shy. She expresses her views as she feels it and at this moment, she is onto the hippie movement of flower and going green for the environment. She is thin and needs to be meatier. She resembles Calista Flockhart.

1998 Dalwhinnie Moonabel Shiraz, Pyrennes (JO95)
WADA rated 92+pts
Garnet with slight brownish hue. Cooked plums with a lift of orange peels. The aromas are beautifully restrained ….emitting gentle waves of savory plums , bbq meats and ribena. Beautifully aged dark round fruits with licourice and nutmeg spice. Exceptionally refined and elegant with graceful stature. The finish is smooth and gentle…fading to a gentle glow.
I had actually accidentally bottle decanted it the night before but it was a good mistake. After decanting, the nose is amazingly pinot noir-ish…of fart and muskiness. The palate is ever so gentle with a radiating glow of raspberry fruit. I can see this going with a wide range of cuisines besides the traditional pairing of Shiraz with heavy meats. Versatility that comes with the age and experience, this Shiraz totally does it for me. I love it!
Persona
Cooked and weathered yet still exuding signs of her sprightly succulence of her younger days. However, wisdom and age has made her more savory and given her an aura of stately grandeur. Maturity has curbed her desires to be fully frontal and given her a gentleness that soothes the savage throat. Your Excellencies, may I present her royal highness - Helen Mirrin.

2004 Paterson’s Shiraz, Gundagi (JH93)
WADA rated 84pts
Obvious violets nose surfaces among blueberry consommé. Sweet enveloping semi-jammy core of medium sized ripened blueberry plums. Not princess elegant but still preserves lady-like elegance and gentleness.

2004 Charles Cimicky Reserve Shiraz, Barossa (RP95, WS90)
WADA rated 91pts
Deep purple. Brambly crayola spice dominates over nice fully ripe and round black berries / raspberries with a lining of glycerin. Salty savoriness attacks the front palate with bacon fat nuances. The mid-palate is full of juicy black berry pie with some dried herb and spices. Very luscious sweet ripeness that is very elegant and restrained with the alcohol. Finishes with lovely licourice.
After decanting, the fruits still hold very well and seem to have taken on a more delicate orangey spectrum. The tannins are velvety smooth and caresses the palate like an experienced Javanese massage…deep tissue but very tension relieving.
Persona
Voluptuously ripe and round. Salty and sultry. Lusciously sweet but with considerable sexy elegance. Can get feisty-ly spicy as the evening draws near but her sweetness overwhelms like the morning dew. This is an Angelina Jolie.

2005 Pertaringa Over The Top Shiraz, Mclarenvale (RP92, JH94)
WADA re-rated 83pts
Purple to almost blackish. Thick glycerin with hints of crayola. Good black fruits with some dried twigs on the palate. Didn’t taste that much different from the first time this was tasted.
However, after decanting, this little devil is much more tamed in its approach but still big on the structure and glycerin. With the steak, it definitely tasted so much better. The harder tannins are smoothened out with big black fruits still dominating…with hints of dark mocha on the finish. So much better than before.
Persona
A succulent body….not to a sexy extent but definitely quite voluptuous. Carries her weight well. She is really quite beautiful in demeanor but is temperamentally spicier than her arch-rival – Angelina. Maybe that is why Brad left her. She is your Jennifer Aniston.

2006 Nashwauk Wrecked Shiraz, Mclarenvale (RP90-93)
WADA rated 83pts
Big nose of mixed berry fruit pie mixed into a pot of glycerin-laced ink. Although not over the top, this packs an obvious punch. The body fills your mouth completely and has that horse-radish nose choking effect. Tannins still hard probably due to its youth. A small giant that tramples over your palate.

Ducru Vertical @ Lam Soon

2008-08-03T22:35:00.004+08:00

Paul and I came across a 95 and 96 Ducru being auctioned off and thought the price to be pretty fair. He managed to secure another vintage and Sasi happened to have another 2 vintages in storage so...what else but to do a vertical!

All the Ducrus were tasted blind and a vote was taken on the favourite vintage. I and 2 others picked the 86 while the most popular was the 85 followed by the 96.

Besides the Ducrus, we had a few other exceptional aged bordeaux wines generously contributed by Sasi and Paul too.

All of the Ducrus held up pretty well with the corks still very much in tact.

1978 Ducru Beaucaillou, St Julien 2nd Great Growth, Bordeaux (RP90)
WADA rated 84pts
Cat’s pee with some bread on the nose that evolves into green capsicum. Starting to wane with the last squeeze of dusty blueberry juice still in it. Graceful with age with a deathbed finish….taking its last breath.

1985 Ducru Beaucaillou, St Julien 2nd Great Growth, Bordeaux (RP92, WS85)
WADA rated 88pts
Pungent indian flowers with milk chocolate notes that became more old tea-drinking cab driver smell. It eventually ends up with cigarette ash reminiscent of the “consulate” brand that I used to have to buy for my grandma. There is an interesting mix of green bell peppers with classic semi-sweet blackberries.

1996 Ducru Beaucaillou, St Julien 2nd Great Growth, Bordeaux (RP96, WS91, ST93)
WADA rated 90pts
Violets with mandarin orange peels! Alcohol shows but is excellently balanced by the other aspects. Big and structured but not overbearing. Good dark berry fruits that ends with a spicy finish with hints of crayola!

1986 Ducru Beaucaillou, St Julien 2nd Great Growth, Bordeaux (RP92, WS95)
WADA rated 91+pts
Savory marmite intermixed with sweet cassis and black/blue fruits….throw in some chocolatey cocoa powder / dry earth too. Very infused and focused (but not sharp) nose that packs a padded punch. I just love the nose on this. Savory “al dente” ripe blackcurrant fruits with good length and staying power. Clean and dry finish.

1995 Ducru Beaucaillou, St Julien 2nd Great Growth, Bordeaux (RP94, WS95, ST93)
WADA rated 88+ to 90pts
Whiffs of blue flowers show on a rather expressive and big nose. Clean pure black fruits with good balance. It feels unready with lots of power raring to go but needing more time to rev up. Not getting as much as I would like but still very classic in its approach.

2005 Thibault Planoil Corton Grand Cru Haut Mourottes
WADA rated 80+ to 85+pts
Dark red. Good colour. The first tasting from the bottle showed very dense nose of brambles, ripe cherries and unmistakable cocoa coffee dominating. Sour cherries carry most of the palate but still gentle on the palate. Very sharp focus with biting tannins. When tasted after 12 hours bottle decanting, the nose seem more closed than at the start…somehow disappointing with simple cherries showing both on the nose and palate. Maybe it’s sleeping and needs even more time to blossom. I still feel good fruits and depth on the body. Really felt impressed at the start but am somewhat let down later….it’s like finding out you struck toto but realized almost half of Singapore won it too.

1996 Leoville Poyferre, St Julien 2nd Great Growth, Bordeaux (RP93, WS90, ST91)
WADA rated 91pts
Also showing lots of horse and bell pepper greenness. Big wine on the onset but still very elegant with finesse. Exceptional like a lady with style.

1996 Pontet Canet, Pauillac 5th Great Growth, Bordeaux (RP92+, WS91, ST91)
WADA rated 90pts
Smell of sweat from a horse that eats nothing but green bell peppers. I like the greenness exuding from the wine with mineral spice. Dry smooth tannins ending in a clean finish.
The reason why Bordeaux wines are special…this middle-aged dame is al dente with its show of fruit, alcohol and tannins. Lovely.

1989 Doisy –Vedrines, Sauternes (RP88, WS91, ST92)
WADA rated 88+pts
Nail varnish and pop corn syrup! Exceptionally still fresh and floral fresh. I feel some caramel-flavoured popcorn as well. Great balance achieved on the sugars and fresh acidity.

Andre Wine & Dine (80p)

2008-08-01T23:21:00.001+08:00

206 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068641

Tel: 6223 4548

WADA rating: 53 +27= 80 pts

QPI: 9 ($60+++ for set dinners and half of that for set lunches but they always have promos for friends of Andre's so be sure to get on their sms list)

WFI: A (Great stemware and decanters available, free corkage for 3 btls for friends of Andre's)

Tasted various times for special anniversaries with DBF and with good frens

A hidden gem in the heart of town.. I have reluctantly decided to give out my secret favourite french restaurant. They might not be standing shoulder to shoulder with Les Amis, St Julien etc etc but...they do serve good food at very reasonable prices located at an extremely convenient location for that good hearty french dinner after a hectic day at work.

What’s Good

Duck Confit
This is still my favourite duck confit ever. The presentation is as inviting as grandma’s homebaked pie that she took a whole day making and baking. The delightful crisp succulent duck skin covering the off dry butter-melt firm duck meat acts like a golden armour protecting its treasure beneath. The duck is just seared, baked , fried to an excellent perfection. Might not be fully French but the asian influence in this dish is all good… I suspect skills in making the perfect peking duck was used here. The skin here makes the difference although the meat is just as expectedly tender and juice-infused of duck fat. The cassis sweet sauce is just perfect pairing with the slightly oiled duck. The potato and onion gratin is also just nice as a side without overshadowing the duck. This has soul and tries its best to impress.

We also had a variation of this duck confit sitting atop a generous portion of foie gras and it was just heavenly! The fatty fragrance from the foie gras enhances the spirit of the duck, making it a first class dish. Exceptionally well made!!!

I notice that they change the presentation and add twists and turns to their duck confit all the time , which keeps the dish a new experience everytime you have it... like having your first love over and over again.

Foie Gras Soup

What decadence! But this is quite a simple looking dish. Clear broth with a tinge of brown ...looking very much like grandma's rustic home-cooked wholesome clear mushroom soup. There is a very generous portion of foie gras thrown in the middle of the soup platter ...wow!!!! its like adding the umbrella to a singapore sling....topping a choc covered cherry on a hot fudge sundae ....yummilicious! The rustic chicken mushroom broth clewarly shows through on the fore but you get an explosive boom of rich foie gras juices overwhelming and taking you to a pleasant climax. This is a wicked concoction that is not recommended for the weak hearted.

Molten Lava Cake with Lime Sorbet
Oohh man… of all the lava cakes I have had.. this I would call interesting! The cake itself is wonderful chocolate laden heaven. The chocolate is velvety viscous smooth and has the right consistency of sweetness. However, when eaten consecutively with the sorbet!…. it EXPLODES in your mouth….and proves worthy of its namesake “Molten Lava Chocolate” cake! The flavours of the chocolate cocoa beans is more pronounced by the fresh acidity of the sorbet.

Caviar Noir
An exciting flavour contrast with the salty seabreeze-flavoured caviar with semi-sweet egg crepe-like cake.

Other Dished Tasted
Leek Potato Soup - Good broth.

Beef Steak - Amazingly tender and succulent. I am definitely taking a second, third or fourth look at this in future visits.

Lobster Pasta - Good and reminded me of the scapellini pasta with scallops I had at Braise.

Comments

What more can I say, go try it and you will understand why I like this place so much. The staff are friendly and take pains to present their best all the time. In fact, I was quite shocked that they knew my name on the second occasion I ate there given that it was almost a few months past the first time. I still don't know how they did that. Definitely try the duck confit if you need to spend your last $28 (or thereabouts) on it.

Wine Pairings Done

2002 Yon Saint Martin , St Emilion Grand Cru
WADA rated 82+pts
Quite pinot-noirish on the nose with vegetal undertones of bell peppers with mushroom dried dirt dustiness. Palate has some pleasant greenness but carries itself with some ripe black currants. Good gentleness on the palate with gentle smooth tannins. Good decent length with bitter bell pepper seeds on the finish. Am surprised by the value in this.

2007 Rymil Sauvignon Blanc
WADA rated 80+pts
Good balance of grapefruit with pineapples. Gentle acidity carried through the palate with comfortable appetite enhancing stone fruits and some pear on the fore. Not as grassy yet meadow fresh.

2002 Yarra Yering Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley AU (ST92)

WADA rated 81pts

The nose has decent strenght of flowers, some earthy notes but blows off quickly with cherries dominating. Again decent cherries with hawthorne on the palate that doesn't do much after. Not exactly bourgogne styled but also not exactly NZ pinot....i believe it is still trying to find itself....its own yarra style. For that, I give it a thumbs up but then again for the price point of almost a $100 a btl, I will give it a pass.

2001 Pape Clement, Grand Cru Classe, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeax (RP95, WS90, ST90)

WADA rated 94pts

Had this with DBF for a very special night here. Intense dark purplish. Perfumed nose of cassis, sweet ripe plums and berries, aromatic mocca and animal notes. Layers upon layers of flavours attack the palate which had lots of good purple fruits, mocca black chocolate. It's just amazing. This has strenght and depth executed with precise military precision in a scholarly style. Big ...Yes...Over the top...No! Restrained by fine velvelty viscous tannins and an extremely eternal finish. Voluptuous without being over-revealing. I have another half bottle and am looking forward to tasting it in 10years.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

Definitely Pinot Noir!! just to have with their duck confit. French wines will work perfectly but aussie imitations are most welcome.

I Smell, I Drink, I Spit, I Blog

2008-07-26T09:48:00.007+08:00

Here are a a few notes on what I had drunk recently and in the past. A wide variety of wines covering a few regions as it is my belief (like GV of WLTV) that we should expand our palate and not get stuck having aussie shirazs or french burgs or even Lafites (which I unfortunately have never tasted) everyday.

Tasted at Booze 6'O clock club

N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut Réserve
WADA rated 81pts
Yeasty nose. Citrus and baked bread too. Fast moving medium-sized beads.

N.V. Henriot Champagne Brut Souverain
WADA rated 82+pts
Oyster shells with lemon pith. Gently flowing tiny beads of bubbles. More refined with greater depth of flavours.

N.V. Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut
WADA rated 74pts
Closed on the nose. Simple sun dried lemon citrus.

2002 L'Aventure Optimus, Paso Robles, California
WADA rated 89 to 93pts
Opaque dark red. Brambly crayola nose typical of California terroir. Floral smells mostly of violets. Also smoky , some grape-steminess , some sweet vanilla oak …altogether extremely layered. Palate showed glycerin-laced prunes with hints of graphite. Some alcohol heat showing but still restrained …just on the cliff..not over…and finishing with chalky tannins. However, after decanting , it gradually revealed a different set of aromas of burnt rubber tyres and smoked duck. An extremely focused nose. Amazing strength on the palate with tobacco notes making its appearance. It also gradually gained a vegetal aspect with Chinese tree bark herb nearing the end. I enjoyed the journey. Started out a little rough but when we got past the bumpy roads, we saw the beautiful green meadowed mountains and flower-covered fields that finally leads to a coniferous forest. This needs time to impress and I think a few years of cellaring will bring out its best.

Tasted at Friends @ Gardens with DBF quite some time back but has become a reference point for me in terms of milk chocolaty-ness.

2003 Virginie de Valandraud, St Emilion Grand Cru
WADA rated 80+pts
Dark purple black. Inkish with glycerin and a heavy dose of violets. Milk chocolate and dark plums dominate with thick chewy tannins. Finishes with a herb/roots bitterness. Slightly too cloyingly rich for my taste.

Tasted at Vivo with Ming, Teck, Lyd and DBF

2001 Chateau Malleprat, Pessac Leognan
WADA rated 74+pts
This is damn thick and dark stuff. The cork was coated with black sediment that looked like what you get on old soy sauce bottles. Very inkish and dense on the nose…almost bordering on black soy sauce smells. Fruits are thick and very bashful but not bright. The thickness of fruits and whiffs milk chocolate reminds me of the virgin de valandraud that I had. This has weighty and teeth-sticking tannins. Some problems with alcohol heat that is making me get a headache. However, retasted this after 6 hours of bottle decanting and most of the alcohol had dissipated. The dense fruits had all but gone into a whimper of light cherryish fruits…very linear and not as impressionable when first tasted.

2006 Two Hands Angel’s Share, Mclarenvale
WADA rated 81+pts
Deep brooding dark purplish black. Dark raspberry and blackberries tart. Mini fruit bomb but after decanting revealed at least some balance. Hints of violets and lavender. Some coffee oak and a sprinkle of black pepper on the finish.

Tasted at Liang Kee with Godma and family.

2007 Kaesler Old Vine Semilon, Barossa
WADA rated 78pts
Tight on the nose but could get some white stone fruits and wet stones. Minerally lemon and green apples.

Home tastings!

2005 Yering Station Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley
WADA rated 80 to 84pts
Lifted focused nose of glycerin-powered brambles and perfumed lilacs, blueberries and some crayola action too. Light lively blackberries and raspberries with some mineral and spice notes. Just some alcohol heat at the finish but not burning . Leaves a bitter residue in the throat at the finish. Tasted this a day later and it is much rounder with more pronounced bitter spipice and licourice notes. However, on the second day when I tasted this, it amazingly still holds its fruits very well. In fact, this is so much more balanced with bright blueberries, losing much of its bitterness. I suspect this might prove a beauty after 10 years of aging.
Had this with a home cooked meal of butter-tossed couscous with sauteed garlicky prawns served with a side of japanese curry vegetables. It actually did go quite well! The wine was sweet enough to complement the curry but was a lil too ritzy for the couscous.

2007 Paolo Saracco Moscato d’Asti, Piedmont
WADA rated 91pts
Lifted aromas of sweet flowers, ripe lychees, pineapples, peaches and apricots. A white fruit bomb on the nose with a faint touch of petroleum, absolutely expressive. On the palate, it is sweet syrup-soaked canned fruit cocktail with all the fruits that show on the nose. In fact, it is also bubble-gummy sweet. Not only fun to drink, it is also serious in its own right like the Joker (in Batman). It seems sweet but not authentic and is just a sliver away from being cloying. It’s like in titration when we are that one-drop away from turning the blue solution pink. Absolutely the best moscato I have ever had.
This goes quite nicely with a slightly spicy malay food. But the sayur lodeh was a tad bit too much coconut for the moscato. This might be better with char kway teow or some chilli crab.

The Lost World - Can't remember when I drank these

2003 W. Gisselbrcht Riesling, Alsace
WADA rated 84pts
Chrysanthemum yellow. Fresh grapefruit with bitter sweet lemons and some aeroplane fuel. Good acid and balance with typical Alsatian characteristics. Good effort.

2005 Weingnut Johannishof Leser Johanisberg Kabinett Riesling, Rheinsal (WS 92)
WADA rated 85pts
Hints of flowers, pineapples and tropical fruits. Honey pineapples, a little apple and lychee and hints of lemon peel. Feels sweeter than a kabinett. A crowd pleaser with aging potential for 5-7 more years at least.

Tasted at Paul's place

2005 O&R Olivier Savigny Les Beaune, Les Peuillets 1er Cru, Burgundy

WADA rated 84+pts
Deep red. Infused with mushroom and soil on the nose. Thick vapourish nose that is on the move and radiant …very unlike a Savigny but this shows the strength of the vintage. This looks and smells like a nuits. Smell of small blue flowers too. Ripe blue fruits with slight bitter tannins. After a day of bottle decanting, the mushroomy soil has all but dwindled to a whimper. Still thick on the palate but with lighter sweet cherries / red berries.

2002 Sylvie Esmonin Bourgogne
WADA rated 82pts
Medium red. Semi-soil with some ass. Light sour cherries with mandarin oranges on the finish. Quite straightforward at the start but the second round of tasting showed a much rounder wine without the sharp edges. In fact the nose had sort of soupy characteristics with rounder haw berries with a “kum kum” preserved orange peel finish. Not a thinker wine but given the second chance, can prove rewarding.

2005 J. Cacheux Echezeaux Grand Cru, Burgundy
WADA rated 91-94pts
Dark opaque purplish red. The nose is just amazingly layered and complex with rubber tyres, crayola, brambles, some flowers and cherry drops. Dark plums and black cherries dominate. Given the firm structure and almost hot spice-like flavours, this could pass as a cabernet shiraz except for some tell tale bitter roots earth characteristics at the end. Thick and luscious velvety tannins. After an hour or so of decanting, the intense aromas of a forest floor strewn with wild mushrooms show with slight smells of glycerin but no alcohol heat on the palate. More dark chocolates too. This is definitely a cellar wine.

Taste of Burg 04 @ Caveau

2008-07-20T11:13:00.007+08:00

My first time tasting in a climate-controlled tasting cellar. Was advised to wear warm clothing as the temperature would be as low as 15 degrees celcius - the ideal conditions in which to have a glass of wine.

The Finest Burgundy Domains: The Classical 2004 @ Caveau (Vinum)

The Whites

Anne Gros Bourgogne Blanc
WADA rated 81pts
Light gold. Very lemon drops with mineral and butter characteristics. Some almonds. Short and linear but pleasant. Modern-styled.

Anne Gros Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits blanc
WADA rated 84pts
Deeper yellow gold. Focused lemons with good creamy rather than buttery mouthfeel. Amore gentle approach. Still short with white nuts on the finish. Also modern in style.

Dujac Morey St Denis Blanc
WADA rated 81pts
Pale gold. Focused lemon with oak nuances. Pretty closed up though. Palate explodes with lemon starbust candy. Good structure. Classic. Could rate much higher if not for the aromatics.

Dujac Mersault
WADA rated 80pts
Gld. Wet wood and wet stones. Sun-dried lemon concentrate with oak showing. Somple and no fuss with some almonds on the back palate. Another modern styled effort.

Leflaive Macon Verze
WADA rated 84pts
Gold. Funky nose of cat's pee, stinky sewage water and overnight cut apples. Good structure and balance with citrus fruits dominating. Finishes with hazelnut mixed with almond skins.

Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres 1er Cru
WADA rated 86pts
Gold. Very typical baygon, almonds, cashew nose. Also reminds me of Indian shop scents...not sure why....maybe indian flowers? Nuts galore with fresh acidity. Excellent mouthfeel that is juicy, rich, opulent and buttery. Medium to long finish.

The Reds

Foilin Arbelet Aloxe Corton Clos du Chapitre 1er Cru
WADA rated 80pts
Brownish hue. Chinese herbs dominate the nose. Old herby cherries. Pretty focused in approach. A walk in the woods.

Follin Arbelet Pernand Vergelesses en Caradeux
WADA rated 79pts
Brownish hue. Brutish oak reminiscent of a wooden baseball bat. Pleasant cherries to plum flavours. Quite dry and with chalky tannins.

Follin Arbelet Corton Grand Cru
WADA rated 81pts
Light red with brown hue. Sawdust in a workshop. Big round cherries tending to plums. Spicy finish.

Sylvie Esmonin Bourgogne
WADA rated 80+pts
Medium red. A walk in the forest strewn with mushrooms. Some leather. Simple sweetish cherries. Very NZ styled.

Sylvie Esmonin Gevry Chambertin
WADA rated 82pts
Medium reddish. Dark meaty aromas with more animalistic characteristics. Stinky ass with mixed ripe cherries, plums and a drop of sweetish strawberries. Also shows leathery notes and finishes with bitter herb.

Sylvie Esmonin Gevry Chambertin Clos St Jacques 1er Cru
WADA rated 87+pts
Dark red bordering purple. Mushroomy truffly ashy earthiness with a mix of chinese and indian herbs. Also has some smelly ass on the aromatics. Lifted dark ripe but not overextracted cherries. Animal notes with wonderful velvety tannins and a ginger root-like finish.

Thibault Liger Belair Hautes Cotes Nuits Clos de Prieure
WADA rated 79+pts
Medium red with some brownish tinge. Soil annd mushrooms. Pretty ripe cherries with bitterness at the finish.

Thibault Liger Belair Nuits St Georges Les St Georges Les St Georges 1er Cru
WADA rated 80pts
Medium red with some brownish tinge. Smelly ass , durians! and chinese herbs. Ripe cherry plums with mushrooms and twigs. Powdery tannins with some alcohol heat. Sharp drop in finish.

Thibault Liger Belair Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
WADA rated 80pts
Medium dark red. Again some ass and dried herbs. Beautiful fruit balance but showing signs of wateriness. Did had some good weight on the fore but fades too quickly. Disappointed on the finish.

Jean Jacques Confuron Chambolle Musigny
WADA rated 85+pts
Light brownish. This has light brightish small cherries and haw flakes on the nose. Dried preserved plums dominates with a seamless transition from the fore to finish. Very elegant with a leathery mushroomy kick. Yum.

Jean Jacques Confuron Nuits St Georges Les Fleurieres WADA rated 81+pts Light red. Restrained smelliness with floral aspects. Diluted mild cherries. Quite dry with some dried mushrooms and herbs on the finish.

Jean Jacques Confuron Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
WADA rated 82+ pts
Light red. Dash of "crayola" brambly action. Good plums with nice curvy body. Some spice heat at the finish.

Anne Gros Bourgogne
WADA rated 78pts Lightish red. Candy and flowers. Very pretty like a little girl. Slight sweetness of semi ripe cherries with dried herbs at the finish. But short though.

Anne Gros Chambolle Musigny La Combe D'Orveau 1er Cru WADA rated 79pts Light red. A hilly journey of chinese herbs alternating with mushrooms. Quite unsettled. Another very NZ like on the approach with sweetish straightforward cherries.

Dujac Gevry Chambertin aux Combottes 1er Cru WADA rated 80pts Garnet with brownish hue. Mostly dried herbs with whiffs of hidden red fruits lurking beneath. Rounded fruits composing of strawberrish cherries. Quite modern in style.

Dujac Clos St Denis Grand Cru WADA rated 88+pts Light with brownish hue. Bitter herbs on the top tier with mushroomy oak underlying. Good red fruits that is classily presented. Good acidity balanced by unpretentious all-natural sweetness. Elegance with power befitting the descriptive - "iron fist in a velvet glove". Satisfying lenght with spice on the finish.

Leroy Bourgogne WADA rated 90+pts Very light red with brown tinge. Oh my goodness!!! This is the absolutely first time I am smelling black chicken soup in a wine! (both me and Paul agree) Seriously...I can smell the wolfberries , double-boiled with a minature black chicken with some "yuk zuk" (some flat chinese root herb). I love it already. Light bright cherries and strawberries ...which has the lightness and brightness and sweetishness of NZ pinot...but more...it has something special going on. Very pure, layered, savory...ends with truffly notes....it carries you gently from start to finish ...into the church...down the runway...into the dinner hall...then across the threshold of your new marital home...and gently lays you on the bed...Magic! Simple yet not.

Leroy Nuit St Georges WADA rated 85+pts Same color tone as the Bourgogne. But this is double-boiled winter melon pork rib soup!! (Again both Paul and I concur) In addition, throw in a whiff of red dates and plums. A myriad of flavours whirling in the mouth...cherries and plums...very layered once again. But unfortunately. this time the finish is short. If not for the finish, this wine renders a 90pter!

Encore Tasting - some of us bought a few more bottles for an encore.

2003 Brogan Cellars Pinot Noir, Russian River Vally, California WADA rated 84pts Pleasant dark cherry fruits with smoky and savory undertones. On the sweetish spectrum but not overly. You still can tell it's a new world but there are quite strong appearances of dry earth and dusty mushrooms. Quite long on the finish. It grows on you the more you drink.

2004 Meerlust Rubicon Bordeaux Blend, Stellenbosch WADA rated 86+pts Dark intense blackberries lined by smoky tobacco evolving into a cigar box. Highly infused with great structure and intensity without losing balance. Stunning wine from South Africa. Will like to see this in another 5-8 years.

1999 Château Montus Cuvée Prestige, Madriran WADA rated 86pts A black wine made from Tannat- a varietal that I have never heard before. This is lightly perfumed with some dark blue flowers dominated by leathery notes. You can almost smell a bull in it. Good structure and mouthfeel. Medium length. I will definitely be looking for more Tannats to drink from now on..if i can even find any at all.

Picotin (73+p)

2008-07-18T01:22:00.007+08:00

100 Turf Club Road
Tel: +65 6877 1191

Brought my dad here for Father's Day luncheon.

WADA rating: 47 +26.5= 73+ pts
QPI: 7 ($35 per pax for lunch)
WFI: B- (I think its $20 corkage but their list has a few reasonably priced wines, staff is wine-adept)

Converted from the disused horse stables of the now defunct bukit timah turf club, the place is thronged by ang-moh expats and the like. A pretty new establishment, there has been quite a buzz about this place recently and so WADA decided to take a sneak peek. So far we haven't done a full blown dinner but will be planning for one soon.
The cuisine is supposed to be country french but I see pasta and pizza being featured quite prominently ....hmmm... now i am confused.

What's Good

Carbonara Pasta

The thick, creamy and buttery sauce is simply heavenly and comforting. The added touch of pieces of salted cheese tossed in makes it an even more wonderful experience. Little bits of ham hiding within the white jungle of pasta makes this such an interesting culinary treasure hunt on the palate. ..Take a smooth sailing glide along the silk road of creaminess and discover these salty bits along the way. The sauce is not at all cloying like most cream pastas and it is just so so comforting. Yum! This worked suprisingly well with the pinot noir.

Wood-fired Pizza

We had the pepperoni pizza and the slightly-charred crust was deliciously thin except maybe a lil soggy nearer to the center. The sausage slices were ust too salty and packed quite a sodium punch. Maybe we should have taken another topping. It does balance off very nicely with the pinot noir though. This would still be the third best pizza after stiff chilli and buono.

Stable of Desserts - Carrot Cake, Profiteroles and Molten Chocolate Cake

Oooh man..definitely keep your stomach for desserts because everything is delicious. The molten choc cake is bitter sweet and oozes out of the warm choc cake so seductively that I can't imagine anyone not liking this. The profiteroles with ice-cream is just amazing as well. The carrot cake is decent and most probably the healthiest in calorie count among the three.

What's Not

Duck Confit

Delicious herb-infused duck smeared in a sweet savory sauce. Simple and good but not great. The sauce is a little too sweetish. However, the potatoes accompanying the dish was great with the right doneness and saltiness...has some herbs in it too. The duck suprisingly didn't work well at all with the pinot noir.

Other Dishes Tasted

Escargots - Fresh but quite oily. Nothing mind blowing.

Comments

The place is just awesome and exciting. Service is attentive. Food is so far pleasing and comforting. I am looking forward to visiting this place more often.

Wine Pairing Done

2005 David Duband Haut Cote de Nuit

WADA rated78pts

Simple but bright strawberry / raspberry fruits with some earth. Chinese medicine bitter finish. This is very quaffable stuff and a testament to the wonderful 2005 vintage as even a lesser region such as this is punching above its weightclass. Good.

Sideways: Melaka

2008-07-17T23:42:00.009+08:00

After the constant reminding from Paul, I am finally writing up about the rest of the melaka roadtrip we did a few weeks back. The first and most memorable part of the trip had already been featured in the Teo Soon Long Chan review done in June. There are definitely more gems in Melaka with regards to good food.

The very first place where we had lunch was at Bibik Neo - a peranakan restaurant.

Bibik Neo
4 & 6 Jalan Merdeka
Taman Melaka Raya
Tel: 06 281 7054

WADA rating: 43.5 +23.5= 67 pts
QPI: 7+ (can't remember how much but its cheap for lots of fresh seafood)
WFI: B (Free corkage!! but BYOG and BYOB)

What's Good
Ponteh Ayam
Lovely chicken bits tossed in a appetizing sourish sauce. An appetite-whetting experience.

Assam Squid
Once again a very appetizing dish that is very over-the-top on the sour factor. Not the most modest of dishes but it works wonders for the appetite. Kudos on the fresh factor too.

Squid with Petai in Sambal Sauce
Hot ! Hot! Hot! After that sourish appetizing dishes, this dish turns up the heat with its exciting array of spiciness that is well balanced off with some lime acidity freshness. The pungent petai adds another extra weight to the mist of aromas. Try this!

What's Not

Ladyfingers in Sambal
Too simple and the dish is not integrated. Its basically just steamed ladyfingers and a plump of sambal chilli.

Other Dishes Tasted

Nanas Prawns - Okay but not impressive. Mild flavours for such a semi- curry like dish.
Duck with Salted Vegetable Soup - Good sourness and mild meaty flavours.

Comments

Nice rustic ambience and authentic furnishings. Doesn't feel like a tourish trap at all. Good value for money and one thing they can do well is bring out the sourishness and spiciness expected of peranakan food. Delightful to visit but didn't blow me away.

Wine Pairing Done

NV Heidsieck & Co. Bluetop Monopole
WADA rated 83+pts
Fresh citrus flavours with green apples. Good length with a gentle grip on the palate that slides away nicely. Off-dry with some sweet apple notes. This is absolutely fabulous with the spicy peranakan food. This champagne not only provides lot of drinking fun but also has a magical cleansing effect that neutralises the heat.

Pairing Suggestions

At first, I thought that a sweet white or rose would pair the best with perankan food but after having champagne with it, I think it is a perfect match. Absolutely lovely and fun.

To Satay or Not to Satay?

In between the Bibik Neo lunch and Teo Soon Long Chan dinner, we managed to squeeze in another stop at an amazing out-of-this-world satay shop. There will be no ratings as this is a very unqiue one of a kind satay. They used to be situated at Jonker st (Chinatown) but have since moved to this obscure coffeeshop in the midst of a residential district. V difficult to find. I can't even remember how to get there.

Made in the traditional hainanese way with pineapple stirred into the sauce, this shouts Yummy yum! Succulent with tumeric dominating. Extremely fragrant with slight sweetness in the meat. Its perfectly marinated to perfection. Whether it be the chicken , pork, chicken heart, pork stomach or whatever intenstines that can be skewered on a stick, they prepare it fresh and all taste superb. The satay sauce is just amazingly quaffable with light savory sweetness from the pineapples and some other fruits and vegetables thrown in. There's a twang to the sauce that goes so mwell with the satay.

Pontini (71p)

2008-07-11T01:26:00.008+08:00

WADA rating: 46.5 +25= 71+ pts

QPI: 6 ($100 for the 5 course dinner with wine pairings but heard that the wines were complimentary so I suspect the food alone should cost roughly around $80 thereabout)

WFI: C- ($50 corkage and okay wine list, good stemware, staff know their stuff)

iL Molino di Grace Wine Dinner organised by Top Wines

What's Good

Slow cooked duck magrait with tobacco and vanilla reduction

The duck was the best dish for the night. Lots of interesting aromas on the nose with smokiness and clean banyard. Meat is very well cooked with the right amount of doneness and retaining much of its juiciness. Smoked tea leaves and slight bitterness nuances dominates over a myriad of many interesting flavours going on in the tender duck meat slices.

Slow braised korobuta pork cheek scented with sage and fennel seeds served with melon and pink peppercorn Carnaroli risotto

The risotto is definitely more exciting than the Pork. The melon fruit flavours are subtle but more pronounced once you bite on one of the peppercorns . A very interesting combination of spicy and sweet flavours. Not totally integrated but I thought that the undulating waves of the nose-tickling heat and the mild sweetness brings about more excitement to the dish. I suppose the best pairing would be the IGT, which tasted very much like a good shiraz with ripe sweetness and just a dash of pepper heat.

Abinao bitter chocolate and ricotta cheese tart served with almond espuma

I find this such a lovely delicate dessert that proves contrary to popular belief that a good dessert is one that is snobbishly rich. It is light with a very fresh, slightly buttery biscuity crust holding the semi-sweet, semi bitter chocolate fillings. I especially enjoy the almond espuma foam that comes on the side. Its like almond paste soup emulsified. Yum.

What's Not

Pan roasted foie gras served with Chianti poached pear and licorice jus

Too thick and not seared long enought to give it a crispier texture. Could use some sea salt. Very french and not at all italian. Not half as bad if french cuisine but not half as good if italian.

Other Dishes Tasted

Venison tortelli with morel mushroom sauce and summer truffle

Flavourful meat fillings but a tad bit dry inside and needed some cheese to give it more twang.

Comments

Service is good, staff are friendly in spite of the full house and the dining hall has good vibes going on that enhances the dining experience. Food is supposed to be italian but the approach seemed very french to me with only the tortellini being the most authentic. Maybe it is fusion french-italian. All said, it's not bad at all and just lacks a dash of salt to taste.

Wine Pairing Done

Corte Viola Dedicato Private Label Prosecco NV

WADA rated 74pts

Fresh stonefruits and some pears and white pomelo. Also has something smelly going on ...reminds me of dried sweat in a taxi. Off-sweet.

iL Molino di Grace Wine Pairing

In general, the vibe I get is traditaional wines that are trying to be modern in style …. it's like china trying to embrace capitalism. Wines were wearing varying degreees of makeup.

The chianti classico 04 was done in light makeup with some blush and lipstick like going out for a casual luncheon.

The Ii Margone 03 has slightly heavier makeup with additional eyeliner and some foundation. However, still looking very pretty.

The chianti classico reserva 04 is too heavily done with too much foundation to the extent that it is suffocating the skin beneath. It's like a fat Italian lady wanting to be Marilyn Monroe. So she slaps on a lot of makeup with too much of powder and lipstick.
The IGT is like an opera singer with really thick makeup but at least done with artistic taste. But u know its all a farce and she is putting on a show.

The Margone appeals the most to me and I suspect also for a larger crowd of wine drinkers.

Chianti Classico DOCG 2004 (5 Stars by Decanter)
WADA rated 83+pts
Medium purple. Thick nose of woodshed exuding aura of semi-sweet dark fruits and brambles. Detected hints of coconout shavings and coffee oak at the end of the aroma tunnel. At first the palate tends more to the darker fruits but not long after it evolves with more cherries and plums. Hints of minerality peers out from the thick fruity makeup as the wine sits longer in the glass. Very well-balanced . Good effort although doesn’t last as long in the glass as the latter wines. In fact, tasted at intervals of the 2 hour long dinner and flavour profile didn't evolve much and was very much just tart cherry fruits at the end. Good for drinking now. Finish is short to almost medium.

Chianti Classico Riserva II Margone DOCG 2003 (5 Stars by Decanter)

WADA rated 85pts
Nice opaque purple. Pine wood and very stemy grapey fruit nose. Sweet plummish fruits come to the fore. Nose is focused to the point of being sharp and a tad bit hedonistic. Very full on the palate with darker cherries and berries carrying through. Evolves with more complex dark blueish flowers …some might even say sweet Indian flowers. Dry gripping tannins that is not fine but neither is it overdone. Some menthol (or could be just the alcohol) surfaces after a while. Really love thenose on this as it evolves and alternated quite a bit with some herbs showing through. Underlying chianti minerality veiled by the fruitish layer of makeup. The wine is made just on the verge of crossing the new world barrier for the most part except the finish. It feels balanced on the cliff of parkerisation. Still think many WADEs would like this.

Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2004 (WS85)

WADA rated 79+ to 84pts
Fresh refreshing currants on the onset with blueberries dominating the palate. Some underlying mineral tones. Lifted and focused but a much rounder nose than the second. I thought it to be slightly closed though even though it had been double decanted. It is comfortable and non-intrusive and not over alcoholic or over-oaked. Taste much like a semi edged new world with sweet nose, quite sweet palate but off-dry finish. Maybe a little too much “makeup” is causing it to lose its soul and identity. Tasted this wine over an hour and it seemed closed....maybe this wine really needs a lot more time to develop to its full potential...I don't know...not too much I get out from it right now.

IGT Gratius 2003 (WS90)

WADA rated 81 to 85pts
Thick blueberry nose with almost dark forest fruits. Very thick and blackberryish like a good mclarenvale shiraz. The palate is hedonistic and opulent if not but a little too brutish.Dark choc on the finish. This packs a glycerin-laced V8 punch with the alcohol and style of approach, even though it had been decanted for more than 5 hours. Another almost over the top wine that could be losing itself soon. Reminds me of the 2004 Kaesler Old Bastard I had that was decanted for a whole day…but a more diluted version. All said, this could age really well.

Pairing Suggestions

I actually thought the pairings done were awkward except for maybe the kurobuto pork and the IGT which share similar hot and sweet characteristics. The foie gras and chianti classico 04 didn't quite match up while the margone overpowered the tortellini. The margone seemed better suited for the duck. In all, this set of pairing is a really odd couple - a franco-italiano guy wanting to settle down with an italian gal that prefers to marry an australian.

1st AWFS Wine Dinner @ Buono

2008-07-06T22:15:00.010+08:00

1st Inaugural Asia Wine & Food Society Wine Dinner

Hi WADEs,

it has been a dream of ours to have a regular gathering of frens and fellow enthusiasts to come together for a great meal and exquisite wines without burning too big a hole in our pockets.

Over the year, I have had the fortune to be invited to many wine lunches / dinners organised by both fellow WADEs (Not-For-Profit) and professionals (restaurant establishments and companies in the wine trade). I dare say that almost all of those organised by the former easily battered those organised by the latter in terms of both quality & range of wine & food as well as QPI (quality price index).....except for the Burgundy dinner @ Universal Duxton Hill which was exceptional in all sense of the word.

At the same time, there are supposedly NFP wine & dine societies (no names mentioned here) that organise good value dinners too ...that is if you even get invited to them and if you do...whether you can get past the one time pain of paying a hefty $$$$ entrance fee (not to mention the yearly subscription). Of course, once you have been scrutinised by the elders of the Order and allowed entry then you are told that you are now a proud part-owner of the $$$$$$ worth of wines in the Order's cellar....which leads one to wonder if you would even live long enough to taste any of the 61 Latour, 82 Lafite or 2002 DRC, which I guess has to be cellared long enough till the wines hit its maturity or similarly when enough members also hit "maturity" ....such that there are just "enough" people to have a reasonable sip of the precious bottle. To ensure that these precious vintages are not squandered away, it's the cellarmasters' duty to ration out and budget them so that future generations of members can enjoy. ...and i so envy that generation.

Divine intervention made it such that our paths crossed with that of Paul, who shares a similar passion of having good food, excellent wines and great company. The next thing we knew we had fortuitously procured an excellent half-case of vintage piedmont wines from a private collector at an extremely reasonable price. Paul threw in another 3 bots of piedmont whites and I dug out 3 bots of french dessert wines from my cellar and walaah! ...the 1st unofficial inaugural AWFS wine dinner @ Buono restaurant.

Paul and I pre-tasting before the dinner

1st Flight (Piedmont Whites)

Cor de Chasse Gavi 2006 (Cortese)

WADA rated 74pts

Not big on the aromatics dept. Simple uplifted notes of citrus (leaning towards lemon). Pleasant acidity. Not much after though. A no fuss wine.

Mauro Sebaste Roero 2004 (Arneis)

WADA rated 78pts

Definitely past its prime and showing "sng"-ness(vinegarish) on the nose as well as on the deep yellowish gold colour. However, the palate was still suprisingly fresh and very complex. After leaving it in the glass for a good 5-10mins with swirling, the honey-ness surfaced. It tasted like a burg!!! with a play of creamy nutty oak as well as concentrated but balanced lemony acidity. Would really loved to taste this at its best. If not for the oxidation, this would definitely score in the 80s.

Michele Chiarlo Nivole 2006 (Moscato D'asti)

WADA rated 83pts

Apricots and cotton candy on the nose. Palate is structured with varying degress of sweetness of flower nectar , sweetened melons. Has an x-factor that makes you wonder and want more of this very quaffable moscato.

Paired with:

Frittura (Fried Squid)

Excellent soft-crunchy batter that is slightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Very nice with the v freshtomato puree that is spiced up with some chili olive oil. I find this going best with the Moscato to balance off the heat from the tomato dip. But if had without the dip, this goes well with the Gavi that provides the fresh acid balance to the fried squid.

Portobello Mushrooms with Cheese

Although grilled, the portobello retains its earthy juices that coagulate well with the cheese fillings. Yummy and even more so when paired with the Arneis, which was rich enough to handle the earthiness annd cheesy flavours.

2nd Flight (Light Piedmont Reds)

Dezzani Dolcetto D'Alba 2002 (Dolcetto)

WADA rated 83+pts

Boiled sweet winter melon boiled with red dates and slightly sweet cherries on the nose. Light and bright cherry flavours with some licourice bitterness but surprisingly fresh and not as bitter as one would expect an aged dolcetto to be.

Dezzani Monferrato La Guardia 1996 (Barbera blend)

WADA rated 85pts
Cherryish to plummish spectrum of flavours. Still fresh with good acidity that is pleasant. Notes of smoky tar and meatiness shows through. A small calf in the spectrum of animalistic notes.

Dezzani Barbera d'Asti Il Dragone 1990 (Barbera)
WADA rated 90pts
Almost completely secondary notes on the nose of manure! and barnyard horse. It’s just amazingly fresh given its 18 years of age. Complex with wild notes and aged fruits, in particular old plums. This might not be in its prime but it definitely is aging gracefully and still showing signs of being able to give a hard kick to your sense if it has to…like a Sean Connery.

Paired with:

Buono Pizza

Uniquely different with a light cream base, the sausages are juicy and pack a flavour punch gloved by the mild creaminess of the base sauce. Yum. Was very worried it wouldn't go with the reds but fears were unfounded as the cherryish and animalistic notes from the reds gave another dimension to the pizza...like another topping.

3rd Flight (Big Piedmont Reds)

Dezzani Barolo 1999 (Nebbiolo)

WADA rated 88+pts

Absolutely stunning with freshness and integrated roasted mocha beans. Darker cherry fruits lined by skins of leather. Definitely has more structure and *oomph* than the Babaresco but not in a brutish kind of way… more like a noble prince. The finish is beautiful and graceful lasting close to a minute. We decanted for about an hour but yet this wine still shows so much length and strength that I think can go on for another 5years. Blown away? No. Impressed? Definitely yes!

Dezzani Barbaresco Il Barbaresco 1999 (Nebbiolo)
WADA rated 84pts

Perfumed nose of light red flowers, cherries and gunsmoke from an oldskool M-16. Palate is surprisingly lighter and more elegant with cherries and sour plum powder...maybe a touch of meaty notes. Finishes on a rounded sour edge. Elegant soft tannins and I would personify its approach as a minor princess or maybe a lady of noble descent that seldom stays in the sun, therefore has unblemished and fair skin tones.

Moletto Raboso Piave 1998 (Raboso)
WADA rated 87+pts

Amazing density and once again the freshness of the cherryish acidity astounds me. This , in contrast to the Barolo and Babaresco, has slightly denser and darker cherryish – plummish fruit flavours. I thought I smelt a water buffalo in there too. Definitely giving more *oomph* but in a brutish sort of way. Yet, some might enjoy it.

Virgin Hills Shiraz - Cabernet Blend 1994 (Australia Victoria)

WADA rated 80pts

A suprise wine throw in for fun. Another surprisingly fresh though aged wine and AUSSIE!! of all things.Wow! At least , it shows that aussie wines can be cellared. This has simple delicate sweet strawberry nose with a pure beam of ribena blackcurrants on the palate. Not a Wow-ser but just so suprising that its aussie and 14 years old! Good effort!

Wine Spots Cabernet 2003 (Napa)
WADA rated 83pts

Another suprise wine thrown in by Paul (from Thailand). Dark infused dark berries with crayola that I identify with Napa Cabs. Dense blackberry fruits with good grip on the body and just enough amount of coffee oak on the finish.

Paired with:

Mixed Skewer

Just managed to nibble a bit off DBF's plate. Quite salty smoky meats that tasted much better with some raboso to bring together the flavours.

Tornedos of Beef Fillet (Red Wine Jus)

Except for the problems with mixing up our orders for varying doneness of the beef fillet, this is pretty good hearty beef that is not overdone with an overpowering sauce. Natural flavours are accentuated by the wild animalistic notes of the Barolo and the Raboso. Also good with the napa cab, I thought it was too much for the Barbaresco though.

4th Flight (Dessert Wines)

Carmes de Rieussec 2002 (Sauternes)

WADA rated 83+pts

Caramel nose that is slightly burnt. Dried fruits and burnt honey that is carried by some citrus lemon acidity. Pleasant drinking at this stage.

Château Solon 1999 (Sauternes)
WADA rated 82pts
Deep beautiful gold colour. Caramelised apricots and a myriad of other dried sweet fruits that you find during Chinese new year in those octagonal boxes. Has old person zingyness to it.

Cru Champon 2005 (Loupiac)

WADA rated 80pts
Very fresh with morning dew fresh floral notes. Reminds me of a greek sweet wine we had that is all about the white flowers and dandiness. Not big on character but ready to drink now and a no fuss dessert wine.

Paired with:

Molten Lava Cake

Yummy...it's not the best we have had but would rank among the top and as someone put it " you can't go wrong with Lava cake" which I agree too. However, would prefer my lava cake unerupted when served. Too chocolatey and sweet for the wines.

Profiterole

Preferred this over the lava cake as it has fresh cream stuck between the profiteroles that make it more fluffy and more pairable with the wines.

Huat Kee (Teochew) Restaurant (70p)

2008-07-01T23:40:00.005+08:00

74 Amoy Street Tel: 6423 4747

WADA rating: 45 +25= 70 pts
QPI: 7 ($40-$50 per pax for a Chinese Banquet style meal with Shark’s Fins and Roasted Suckling Pig)
WFI: B+ (Free corkage, more than adequate stemware, DIY service )
Tasted a few times, most recently being a lavish 60th bdae dinner for my aunt last week.

This must be my eldest uncle’s favourite restaurant because everytime there is a celebratory occasion there’s only one place he suggests…much to the dismay of my cousins. Although…this place really does serve excellent Teochew food. I understand this is also a Lao Zhi Hao (old brand name) restaurant with long history and tradition with a refurbished look under the next generation of management. Excellent business luncheon / dinner place as well as being somewhere that you might want to bring grand-dad or granny to.

What's Hot?

Roasted Suckling Pig
One of the better suckling pigs that I have tried. This is textbook suckling pig done to a perfect crisp with enough gloss and juiciness still evident in the skin. What makes this special is the distinct “nan ru” (fermented beancurd sauce) that covers the under belly, adding a whole new dimension of aromas and salivalating flavours.

Braised Superior Shark’s Fin Soup
I am actually a half-activist for Sharks. I disagree to having it at my wedding but will eat if being served at someone else’s banquet….why let the shark die in vain. Anyway, this shark’s fin soup presents a strong argument for keeping Shark’s Fin on the culinary menu. Perfect consistency. The superior stock is just nice, doesn’t overwhelm and brings out the quality of the fins. Savory with hints of sweetness…most probably due to chicken in the stock. Sinfully, I have to admit I love it.

Braised Goose Web
Silky and soy saucy dark brown sauce perfectly balances against the sinewy goose web and brings the dish together. The sauce really makes the difference here. This is the epitome of teochew braising sauce. Almost shares similar taste profiles as the Shark’s Fin except the sauce here is more bashful and upfront.

Yam Paste (Orh-Ni) with Pumpkin
I don't really fancy Orh-Ni cos its supposed to be fattening with lard mixed in. But this is special .Not overly sweet and the bits of natural sweet pumpkin mixed into the solid, firm. dense milky, purple yam paste makes the difference between Kellog Frosties and the Cornflakes. ..the extra icing on the cake. Aftertaste is not oily but quite refreshing...amazingly so ...

What's Not?

The butter crayfish is bordering on fakey butteriness...feels like the chef ran out of recipes and decided to throw in expiring knobs of overnight butter.

Other Dishes Tasted

Steamed fish (garoupa and promfet) is good here and big on freshness and just enough savoriness in the accompanying sauce.
The cold dish combination is pretty special with some exotic choices like pork jelly , pig's tongue jelly and all other kinds of weird gelatin looking items that is actually quite palatable though I am not a big fan.

Wine Pairings Done

2006 Hardy's Shiraz
WADA rated 75pts
Sweet confectionary nose backed by toasty coffee oak. Quite quaffable and balanced. Just loses out on the finish but for a supermarket wine, this is good.

2006 Pondalowie MT Tempranillo, Bendigo (JH93)
WADA rated 77+pts
Sweet raspberry fruit tart bordering on fake sweetness. Good body and generally a juicy wine. Definitely a crowd pleaser and good as an introductory wine for first time wine drinkers.

2004 Paterson's Gundagi Shiraz
WADA rated 78pts
Some funk at the start...a little corked but it all blew off after sitting a while in the glass. Nice dark chocolate, oak and plummish fruits. Elegance and balanced in its approach.

2004 Chateau Beauchamp, Begarac Sec
WADA rated 63pts
Flat, dry white with some mineral and citrusy nuances but ...that's as far as it goes.

Pairing Suggestions

I would love to have some really good chards here. ..chards with lots of character and depth, preferably off dry with some white fruits. Pinots would work lovely with the food here.

Teo Soon Long Chan Teochew Seafood Restaurant (74p)

2008-06-29T22:14:00.004+08:00

No. 55, Jalan Hang Katsuri (off Jonker st)
Tel: 06-2822353 (Melaka)

WADA rating: 47 + 27= 74 pts

QPI: 8+ ($20-$30 per pax for fresh seafood produce)

WFI: C (free corkage but BYOB and BYOG, limited space so if possible bring Riedel no-stem Tyrols)

A hidden gem in the heart of Melaka's chinatown! So fortunate to have Paul to bring us to this very obscurely located and charming "old world" restaurant. This has become one of my must visits if ever I come by Melaka. Do make reservations in advance because this restaurant is HOT! We arrived at 8 plus and it was packed full with guests streaming in all the way till we were finishing dinner at 9 plus. So to avoid disappointment, DO CALL!

Another point to note is that there is no menu. The protocol here is to take your pick from the day's array of fresh produce. Second point to note is to sit back, relax and wait for the elderly Towkay Tan's two sons (who have since taken charge over the kitchen) to serve up some "perspective".

What's Good

Fried Soft shell crab
Oaty, …extremely crispy and with the sweet sauce is perfect! So fragrant in the mouth. The best ever soft shell crab ..its fried but not oily. The batter reminds me of fried five spice crackers (Ngo Heong), its like highly crispy with oatis- like crunchiness.
Dish on left is the Lap Cheong and the golden popcorn chicken looking dish is the soft shell crab.

Homemade lap cheong with vegetables
The story (as told by Paul) is that the owner – Mr Tan went to china and saw the unhygienic conditions for which lap cheong is being made and decided to make his own. Admirable effort as the lap cheong tastes extremely fresh… as though it wasn’t preserved.

Yam Paste with ginko nuts and pumpkin
One of the best orh ni I have had so far, it’s a creamy paste of pure milky yammy goodness. What is special is the yam paste or should I say yam soup…cooked and pummeled to perfection. I don’t think they add any sugar syrup as the sweetness is quite natural without being cloying. Lovely with the ginko nuts and especially the half mushy pumpkin mash! What a way to end…I would love to try pairing this with a sauternes…just for the fun of it. FYI, they have a pre-packaged frozen version sold in NTUC!!! But they sell it under a different brand name....I think so as to not tarnish their brand name...and I would say nothing beats the original freshly made here.

Homemade Doufu
So simple…but yet this brings back memories for me. First of all , the plate is very retro…my paternal granny used to cook for me using such plates….*sobs*. ..this toufu serenades with grandmotherly love and a dedication to keeping food tasty yet simple. The fried minced meat with the spring onions and fried onions just gently lifts the aromas of the toufu to your senses. Its not clinically soft like those u get from the supermarket. Its soft because your granny slogged over the stoves slowly steaming this originally tough beancurd into tender loving softness.

Oyster Noodles
Yummy …this easily makes their no1. must-try dish list. Black gooey spiced infused sauce with threads of noodles floating around bits of oysters. There is good wok hei as well as that simple goodness that this place exihibits in so many of its dishes. Lovely pairing with the pinots.

Other dishes Tasted

Baked Salt Crab – The charcoal has been locked in this baked crab and every bite emits the black peppery smoky flavours. Not a crowd pleaser , this is an acquired taste. Very natural and simple in approach again.

Steamed Teochew Promfret – Super fresh and simple flavours that don’t overwhelm the quality of the promfret

Comments

Well-aged and charming describes aptly both the ambience of the place as well as the elderly owner. Age though seems not to have lessened the energy emanating from the elderly towkay and his restaurant, which is the embodiment of old-fashioned teochew cuisine at its finest.

The old man featured in the photo is the elderly towkay.

Pairings Done

2004 Michel Magnien Gevrey-Chambertin, VV
WADA rated 81+pts

Earth, mushrooms and bright cherries, red fruits. Orange peels and salted preserved vegetable water. Good example of a Gevrey but not spectacular. Good medium length.

2006 Kim Crawford Pinot noir
WADA rated 77pts

Cherry cola and ‘kiam chye’ water….reminded us of the salted vegetable duck soup we had at bibik neo. Straightforward and fun wine. At the start, very much new world but when we re-tasted later, the nose evolved into some mushrooms and earth so typical of bourgogne. However, this still very much had some imbalance….the tannins have a “scratching” effect on the throat. This is like a seemingly fun gal at a party that you should never get too closely-acquainted with because you know you will regret in the morning!

Pairing Suggestions

This place deserves some good pinots ... preferably aged with more earthy mushroomy undertones. I am also thinking aged bordeaux right bank blend - Merlot Cab would work too.

Braise (88p)

2008-06-11T00:58:00.008+08:00

60 Palawan Beach Walk, Level 2
Tel: 6271-1929 http://www.braise.com.sg/

WADA rating: 61.5 + 26.5= 88 pts
QPI: 8+ ($110-$140 for a very satisfying 5 / 6 course set dinner, $30-$50 for a main, portions are sizeable)
WFI: B ($40 per bot, good stemware, almost sommelier-class staff)

Have heard a lot of good things from some frens and colleagues about this new place, which I think is the 2nd restaurant opened under the same management that also owns Ember restaurant at Keong Saik. Coincidentally, was invited by Elaine for John's suprise bdae bash which took place at the very cool rooftop chillout bar at Braise.

What's Hot

Roasted Fillet of Beef with Savoy Cabbage, Beef Cheeks and its Own Braising Sauce

The Beouf is superbo!!! I love it.. it looks pinkish raw from the top but its totally juicy and very much cooked in its own juices. What is really delicious are the e cooked shreds of beef buried undeneath the fillet. Mmm Mmm...its flaky and off dry but packs a punch like beef bak kwa cooked and dried in a extremely flavourful sauce. The cooked shreds provide wonderful balance to the slightly rarer and juicier fillet.…and... ooo! lala...wat a sauce it comes with.. essence of bovril!!! Its beefy but not in your face beefiness...this is a bull tamed by the matador. And if that isn't enough...the Savoy cabbage tossed in with the beef shreds brings a sweet edge to the dish. By itself, the savoy cabbage is a standalone dish to eat with rice!!!

Duck Confit

Oh man...just look at the presentation. Its like a world map! On the north, you have flaky duck shreds / pieces which has a chewy and harder texture almost similar to the beef shreds mentioned above. The same cooking style of braising a portion of the meat in its own juices until it has completely absorbed the full flavours and then heated to a duck bak kwa like state of euphoria! On the south is the main duck breast with a very delicious sweet salty savory light brown sauce. This is yummy…fatty but succulent.. However, Andre's (watch out for the review) serves a better version with crispier and more aromatic skin. But this is still darn good ! And I paired this withe the 02 Nicolas Potel Volnay....heavenly pairing...the robustness and complexity of the volnay seems to interlock with the layered flavours of the duck breast. Finally , to the west , we have sweet poached peaches (which DBF adores) mingled with a sweet casis like sauce (actually think its cranberry) and covered with wonderful crisp wafer-thin toasted bread slices. There are so many things happening and each country is sovereign in its own taste kingdom....but yet all of them come together very well... i enjoyed having the peaches with a slice of the duck breast dipped in both the light brown savory sauce plus the sweet casis sauce ...its an orgy of flavours that none can resist. Great dish!!!

Duck Parmentier with Mustard Emulsion
This is a cake made up of flavour densified duck meat. It is very similar in presentation style to the roasted beed, So yummy.. its exciting as well as a comfort food. The creamy buttery sauce gives this dish the versatility of both a red and white wine dish!!! The juicy salty duck meat cake definitely shouts for a pinot but yet the cream sauce beckons for a white burg chardonnay. So versatile dish. Sweet caramelised onion slices add another dimension of great flavours to an already tender and deliciously sexy duck. Another darn good dish! Some complains of saltiness and it could be for those salt-intolerant ...But I love it! This is an exciting dish with life with every biteful. This is a must try~!!!!

Scallops with Scaplini pasta

Very delicate flavours with littering of olives that tasted like chwee kueh toppings… slightly too much olive oil as commented by some.. but I m ok with it though.. its good oil…emulsifies the dish and brings together the scallop's sweet freshness with the aromtically expressive thin threads of pasta. There is almost like an orange peel tinge to it as well...there are layers of flavours hiding in this dish.

What's Not

The Lobster bisque is like a mini expresso but instead of coffee you get really thick flavours of a prawn noodle soup cooked entirely with an overdose of prawn heads! A little too bitter to swallow and imbalance....like how some wines are overoaked!

Other Dishes Tasted

Roast beef was very excellent though I only took a small pinch from Ming's plate. But from that small piece of beef, I could taste the tenderness and slow cooked goodness in the very juicy beef.
The Press Foie Gras with Sauternes and Camomile Jelly, which has the essence of foie gras essentially...but still lacks the complexity in texture that a full piece of "uncut" goose liver has.
Filled Zucchini Blossoms with Tasmanian Trout (which is what the Degustation menu indicated but this doesn't look like its the right dish though) is above average and met with my expectations.

Comments

One big gripe is that the serving pace is really slow… the timing for the food is just not acceptable unless you are planning to sit down for a four hour long dinner. The place was not even 3/4 full but they were having trouble coping with the "crowd". Besides the timing, the service is pretty up to mark. This is up there with the big boys….almost…at the fringe. Like 1st div champion.. going to the premier league soon.

Wine Pairings Done

2003 Clos Du Marqis, 2nd label of Leoville Lascases – a super 2nd growth, St Julien (RP90, WS90)
WADA rated 85pts
Beautiiful blueish purple telling of the heat in the vintage. Pefumed nose of violets and dark red cherries/ berries. Jam mix of blueberries and blackberries but not at all new world in style as the mid palate transitions to a very Bordeaux like mix of dark milk chocolate and bitter roots on the finish.

2002 Nicolas Potel, 1er Volnay Les Pitures (ST90)
WADA rated 83pts
Textbook style burgundian nose that is expressive with tones of sauerkraut, vegetal components and some ripe cherries. Mainly bright cherries with delicate teases of some earth and mushrooms. Good but not monumental finsh. A darn good effort from an excellent vintage and at a very reasonable price of $80 sold at the restaurant (the other bottles were all 3 digit prices). Glad we picked this one.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

For $40 corkage per bot, it is still pretty worth the while to BYOB to pair with such an excellent dining experience. There are also some good picks in their wine list which is extensive...go for the Nicolas Potels! I would bring all manner of wines here.. there are so many interesting pairings that this place can offer so let the wine connoiseur in you take over!

Life is Short, Drink Up!

2008-06-10T03:40:00.010+08:00

This ad-hoc posting is a collection of various wines tasted tasted during the past months. As you would notice from the wines, I am a strong advocate of tasting all varietals from all regions no matter how big the brand name or limited the quantity. Wine is not just an alcoholic product...far from it ...I believe wine will become a record of the terroir and state of condition of Mother Earth through time. This is especially true given the rapid state of degeneration of the ecosphere. In time to come, all wines will taste overripe (what Parker likes) as temps soar...maybe we could get 2! harvests in a year. So here is WADA's bit to document earth's climatic history...

Welcome Blind Tasting @ Extraspace

Had just shifted into my new locker and incidentally William and gang were having their first ever blind session at the living room @ Extraspace.

2001 M Chapoutier La Bernardine, CDP (RP87)
WADA rated 85pts

Wow! This is the first time I have picked up such strong cracked white pepper. It smells of pig's organ soup too! Very burgundian on the palate with soft elegant cherries. Delightful and intriguing. This is impossible to guess.

2000 Domaine Meo Camuzet, Vosne Romanee (ST85)

WADA rated 81pts

A walk in a sparsely populated forest overgrown with wild mushrooms. Brambly. No doubt about it , this is a textbook burg with good nose and elegant body but loses itself nearing the end which reveals the weaknesses of this vintage. This is good drinking now.

2001 Domaine Amiot Guy et Fils, 1er Chassagne-Monrachet Clos St Jean

WADA rated 80pts

Extremely lighthearted in approach. I had guessed Savigny Les Beaune given its style but noted Chassagne-Mont pinots are very similar as well. Soft cherries with some teasing hints of cedar. Bitter herbs on the finish.

2005 Lafon Rochet, St Estephe 4th Growth (RP90, JR16, WS90)

WADA rated ???
This bottle had been opened since UGC, meaning about a week plus sitting in William's fridge. The amazing thing is that it still holds up at least for the first 5 mins in the glass. Tropical bananas galore on the nose...make that bananas that has been baking under a hot sun. However, the palate shows telltale signs of aging....pretty flat with just some residual acid left. There is no way I can give a fair rating given its been left oxidizing for so long but I would love to re-taste this soon. All said, this is another testament to the legendary 05 vintage.

M & M battle of the 05 Volnays

Tasted 2 of MM's (not Minister Mentor) volnays on separate occasions with the following results.

2005 Mischief & Mayhem, VV, Volnay (WS91)

WADA rated 82+pts

Dense red cherries. Amzingly complex and difficult to dissect...just too robust. Green and herbaceous...am amazed by the complexity of this village. Both Paul and I agree...this is puncing above its weightclass.

2005 Mischief & Mayhem, 1er Clos des Chenes, Volnay

WADA rated 74pts

Medium red. Minty eucalyptus with coffee-toffee oak. Brambly crayola with good cherry acid. Gummy tannins but has some question marks on the finish and alcohol imbalance.

Bubble Bubble Toil & Trouble

2004 Petaluma Croser, Adelaide Hills
WADA rated 81+pts
A bubbly mixture of Pinot Chardonnay concocted by prolific aussie winemaker - Brian Croser. Pale gold. Basic and nice peach and white fruits on the nose. Plenty of juicy peaches on the fore with a very enjoyable satisfying length. A non-pretentious “champagne” that anyone would like. This shouts Drink Me!

NV Gosset Grand Rose, Brut Champagne (WS83-90, RP90, ST91)
WADA rated 74+pts
Very stingy on the nose. It does give off a little unripe strawberry skins. Nice pinkish red and definitely very good on the bubbles (small, round and longlasting) and length. Slight yeastiness but not blowing neither me nor DBF away.

NV Tattinger Grand Reserve, Champagne
WADA rated 70pts
Had this at John’s after dinner party @ Café Del Mar. Yeasty and tastes like squeezed essence of lemons that have been baking under the sun….v griping lemony acidity. Bubbles are easily lost.

And A Spattering of Other Stuff...

2001 Paloumey, Cru Bourgeios, Haut Medoc
WADA rated 81pts
Garnet with brownish hue. This is ageing fast. Smells of a pot of cooked fruits with rabbit stew that has lots of mushrooms and truffles. Whiffs of milk choc as well. The nose is surprisingly complex and opulent. However, it is bordering vinegarish …probably you have to drink now. Alcohol and acidity still holding on ok but dimmering. Strong legs though. Mid palate of cooked fruits (plums and prunes) with Chinese herbs. It is pretty rich stuff with good density and richenss…this reminds me of the Virgin de Valandraud I had. The finish is short to medium and the lack of it penalizes this otherwise good effort.

1999 Louis Lequin Santenay Les Charmes
WADA rated 80pts
Diluted blood red with brownish tint. Truffles and earth with savory soupy nuances. Sweet cherries that are still bright given its age. Drops off a lil sharply at 1/3 of its finish. Soft tannins.

Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux: Review of 2005 Vintage

2008-06-01T22:47:00.010+08:00

Review of the 2005 Vintage
The Ballroom of Conrad Centennial Singapor26 May 2008, Monday

Finally! The much-anticipated 2005 Bordeaux vintage is here! And what better way to welcome this much-touted legendary vintage than to go for the UGC review tasting of 70 chateaus! Usually Monday blues are to be dreaded but this is one Monday that I had eagerly looked forward to and hope to have more often. So many good wines so little time…we started in the afternoon with the wild rush to taste more than 70 over 2005 bordeaux wines from 2nd Growths to Appellation Controlees. Everyone came with a strategy and mine was to limit the afternoon tasting to a max of 30 wines with spitting. As opposed to tasting by order of prestige / price of the chateau, I had chosen to go with tasting by regional appellation. Therefore, allowing for a clearer perspective of the quality of the various communes.
After a quick hour of rest, we were back in the ballroom for the UGC Wine Review Dinner with an extensive list of back vintages in addition to the remaining unfinished 05s from the afternoon. My original plan was to pick at least a sample for every vintage from 1985 to 2003….BUT! ….who would have thought that the wild rush in the afternoon is a mere shade of the mad rush at night….Imagine this…The constant stampede of unruly yet refined wine-crazy gentlemen quenching their thirst like runners at a marathon from one of the three wine buffet tables spread across the three corners of the ballroom. By the time we managed to make our way to any of the tables, the stash of wines had dwindled with a significant number of the most sought after wines of the night nowhere to be found It was only at the end of the event upon scouring around like Indy Jones looking for the holy grail that I finally found the 95 Pape Clement, 01 Pontet Canet, 98 Canon La Gaffeliere emptied and hidden in the ice buckets of the tables closer to the wine buffet tables. Still missing were the Leoville Poyferre 98 and Leoville Barton 99! What inconsiderate suit-clad infidels!

In general, the quality of the 2005 vintage is undisputedly good to great (as echoed by many wine critics – both European and American palates). As can be seen from WADA scores below, this is a fact that cannot be denied. The whole group of us that attended – including myself & DBF, Paul & his fiancee, Uncle L and small L, the bourgogne maestro- William and Gao, all did not find a single wine that was appalling (or at least none were bad enough to warrant any loud cries of agony). In the 3 hours of tasting, the common thread of discussion centred mostly on which wine was better or needed some time to display its greatness. Surprisingly, I found the tannins of more than half of the 2005 wines tasted to be very agreeable now and a majority having no problem displaying purity and intensity of fruits. I personally preferred Margaux and St Julien for their brighter and denser fruits to complement the thick powerful tannins of the vintage. Actually, the right banks (Pomerol and St-Emillion) presented extremely good drinking now…which lessens my intrigue to prefer them. As for the night’s wines… although we couldn’t do the planned tasting sequence…I think it still went pretty well with some surprisingly good wines from lesser-known chateaus.
Us nervously before the start of the tasting.

Wine chat with Danny Lee (with tie) of Romanee's Kitchen

Mr Gao taking time off to pose with small Lawrence.

So here are some of the scores and tasting notes (as much as I can remember) from the fabulous day of tasting. Pl take note that given the unquestionable pedigree of wines tasted, any seemingly negative comments are made in reference to the overflowing goodness expected from this tasting. Pl also note that scores are given in ranges to take into account the palate overkill…so…don’t trust my scores…its your palate that counts most.

UGC 2005 Vintage Review

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac-Leognan, Graves GCC (RP92, WS97)
WADA rated 86+ to 91pts
Honey oats…some nuttiness. Tropicana palate with lemons dominating

Pape Clement Blanc, Pessac-Leognan, Graves GCC (RP95, WS95)
WADA rated 84 to 89pts
Floral with wet stones…elegant.

Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc, Pessac-Leognan, Graves GCC (RP93, WS96)
WADA rated 87 to 92pts
Butter and nutty…reminiscent of butterscotch.

Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc, Pessac-Leognan, Graves GCC (RP89-91, WS88)
WADA rated 83 to 89+pts
Captivating nose.

Canon-La-Gaffeliere, St Emilion GCC (RP94, JR17.5, WS95)
WADA rated 84 to 90+pts
Sweet cherries, blackberries and chocolate. Questionable finish…undecided. Some bitterness with low intensity finish. Really captured my attention at the start till mid but sort of confused me nearing the finish… maybe time will tell.

La-Gaffeliere, St Emilion 1er GCC B (RP96, JR15, WS92-94)
WADA rated 81 to 86pts
Violets, sweet dark fruits and some chinese herbs …powdery tannins with a bone dry finish. The nose was good but the palate didn’t quite match up.

Angelus, St Emilion 1er GCC A (RP98, JR15, WS96, GV99+)
WADA rated 88 to 93+pts
Sweet cherries, mushrooms and coffee cinammon…nutmegs too…cocoa beans on the finish…v elegant…extremely drinkable now. Some worries were voiced over the acidity…but to me…this is just great drinking now! I love it. So so so elegant and pure.

Smith Haut Lafittte, Pessac-Leognan, Graves GCC (RP95, JR17.5, WS93)
WADA rated 83+ to 87+pts
Stink bomb…roasted coffeee with bitter mocha ..a bit raw and meaty.

Pape Clement, Pessac-Leognan, Graves GCC (RP98, JR17, WS96)
WADA rated 84 to 90pts
Another stink bomb with dirty leather and coffee oak…bitter tannins on the finish.

Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Leognan, Graves GCC (RP95, JR17.25, WS95)
WADA rated 82+ to 86+pts
Raspberry with underlying fart. Nice ripe cherries on the palate. Friendly and very gay wine.

Gazin, Pomerol (RP94, JR17, WS94)
WADA rated 84 to 88pts
Brambles, dark fruits…WOW!!! Very layered…lots of spices..Powdery tannins and a lil dangerous on the alcohol.

Clinet, Pomerol (RP92, JR17.5, WS93)
WADA rated 88 to 94pts
Lightly perfumed with violets, coffee and blackberries. Very balanced…very light and gentle…like the bridegroom carrying the bride over the threshold…it brings you gently from start to finish…of some Chinese herb bitterness dashed with fruits. I am feeling it. Can’t believe its so ready to drink now.

Leoville-Poyferre, St Julien, 2nd Growth, (RP93, JR16, WS92)
WADA rated 82 to 87pts
Oaky and greenish with some dark blueberries. Alcohol showing.

Leoville-Barton, St Julien, 2nd Growth, (RP94?, JR17.25, WS96)
WADA rated 85+ to 91+pts
V interesting intensely sharp nose with good freshness. This is for keepers.

Branaire-Ducru, St Julien, 4th Growth, (RP95, JR17.5, WS92)
WADA rated 86 to 91+pts
Dense violet nose…Full bodied with some chin chow action…dark blackberries.

Pontet – Canet, Pauillac, 5th Growth, (RP96, JR15.5, WS96)
WADA rated 85+ to 90+pts
Raspberry, some oak…sweet raspberry and strawberries on the palate. Beautiful length and energy.

Lynch Bages, Pauillac, 5th Growth (RP91, JR17, WS93)
WADA rated 81+ to 86+pts
Stinky rotten vegetables with good fruits. A little bitter lemon seeds on the finish.

Clerc Milon, Pauillac, 5th Growth (RP92, JR17.5, WS95)
WADA rated 80+ to 86pts
Bitter tannins reminiscent of fruit seeds.

Lascombes, Margaux, 2nd Growth (RP95, JR15, WS93)
WADA rated 87 to 92pts
Deep dark brooding fruits. More berries than cherries. Definitely a parker wine but on reflection, this did stand out.

Giscours, Margaux, 3rd Growth ( RP91, JR17, WS93)
WADA rated 87 to 92+pts
Very surprised by this chateau given that not much attention has been given by the critics…probably because there are too many good 05 wines to compete with. But..I really felt this wine…I could feel the effort of trying to throw a serious challenge to the big boys….Lascombes being one of them. Deep, dark and luscious. I like the intensity of the fruits, acidity and tannins. Some might say its trying to hard.. but I can feel this underdog (well ..it’s a 3rd growth so maybe a Great Dane underdog) in the game of big name chateaus.

Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, 2nd Growth (RP94, JR15.5, WS92)
WADA rated 82+ to 86+pts

Malescot-Saint-Exupery, Margaux, 3rd Growth (RP97, JR16.5, WS97)
WADA rated ???
Had just a sip of this because they were out of it…but from what little I had…I didn’t feel the 97pts given by both WS and RP. Maybe I should re-taste to give it a fairer chance. However, a few frens that had tasted this.. didn’t feel it too.

Siran, Margaux, Cru Bourgeois Exceptional (RP88-90, JR15, WS91)
WADA rated 82 to 85pts
Brambly with violets. Good fruits.

Latour Carnet, Haut-Medoc, 4th Growth (RP91, JR15.5, WS90)
WADA rated 80 to 85pts
Decent with good fruit, acid and tannins….just not great.

La Lagune, Haut-Medoc, 3rd Growth (RP95, JR16.5, WS91)
WADA rated 80 to 85pts

2005 Sauternes

Given such a wonderful vintage, its no wonder that the sauternes are rich, bold and full-bodied sweet dessert wines. Yummilicious but hard to judge now as all of them are so rich! Too cloying and sweet to tell how each will develop. Will definitely be buying a few keepers to taste in anohter 10 years at least.

UGC Wine Review Dinner

What a treat...after a day of tasting the fantastic 2005 vintage ...we had a pretty sumptuous dinner with more wines! Personally, I felt the dinner menu was more blanc than rouge...abalone..chicken..curried prawns...Hmmmm...i wish I had some viognier or alsace rieslings. Here is the dinner menu:

The lamb wasn't cooked well enough and had lingering afterflavours of muskiness. The prawn, siew mai and abalone were just normal. What I do remember fondly is the crispy egg noodle which I felt was the tastiest with good fragrant aromas.

Too many wines, too little time..a pity we hadn't been as Kiasu enough as a Singaporean..we had missed out on tasting some of the wines that I had shortlisted to try for the night. They were very ungraciously taken away from the wine buffet table onto individual tables. But still...there were many other marvellous old vintages that we managed to taste and here are the scores and whatever tasting notes that I could remember.

2001 Siran, Margaux, Cru Bourgeois Exceptional (RP86, WS87)
WADA rated 86pts
Some green stemy action in this. Suprisingly pleasant drinking with good fruit acid and tannins...much better than their 2005.

2001 La Gaffeliere, St Emilion, 1er GCC A (WS88)
WADA rated 75+pts
Rather disappointing effort.

2001 Pontet Canet, Pauillac, 5th Growth (WS90)
WADA rated 78pts

1996 Brane Cantenac, Margaux. 2nd Growth (RP86, WS90) WADA rated 87 to 89pts

1998 Gruaud Larose, St Julien, 2nd Growth (WS89)
WADA rated 88 to 90pts

2001 Haut Bages Liberal, Pessac Leognan, GCC (WS91)
WADA rated 86 to 88pts

1995 Langoa Baron, St Julien, 3rd Growth (RP86, WS92) WADA rated 84 to 86pts Stemy green action.

2000 Malescot St Exupery, Margaux, 3rd Growth (RP92, WS93) WADA rated 83-85pts Stinky with some indian spices.

2002 Carbonnieux Blanc, Pessac Leognan, GCC WADA rated 83pts Sweet toffee, dates on the nose but suprisingly lemony sourish palate. A contradictory effort.

1999 Armailhac, Pauillac, 5th Growth (RP89, WS90) WADA rated 83 to 85pts

DBF with chateau owner of Citran and Climens.

1997 Climens, Sauternes, 1er Cru (WS94) WADA rated 88pts Sweet canned lychee cocktail.

1996 Coutet, Sauternes, 1er Cru (RP88, WS91) WADA rated 89pts A flower garden in bloom.

1998 Guiraud, Sauternes, 1er Cru (WS89) WADA rated 87+pts

1989 Bastor-Lamontagne , Sauternes (RP85, WS88) WADA rated 92pts

Liked this the best. Maybe its the great vintage it had come from or the slight advantage in bottle age, this is the most quaffable of the lot with gentle sweetness and complexity from both floral and sweetened fruits.

Buono (75p)

2008-06-01T22:36:00.006+08:00

27 Lichfield Road, Serangoon Garden Estate, Tel: 6733 5646
Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 12noon - 2.30pm (Lunch) 6.00pm - 10.30pm (Dinner)Sun: 10.00am - 2.30pm (Lunch)6.00pm - 10.30pm (Dinner)

WADA rating: (50 + 25) = 75 pts
QPI: 7+ ($20-$35 per pax for a main and side)
WFI: A (Free corkage, better than average stemware, very affordable wine list)
Tasted once for a weekday lunch.

We had recently read many reviews about this new kid on the block (my block to be exact) and we had tried on numerous times to locate this ang moh (italiano) chef cooking up a storm in the heartlands. Finally, on one lazy weekday noon, DBF & I (both on leave…officially!) finally found it tucked away in a very industrious corner of sgn gardens, where I have never (in my 10 years living in the area) ever ventured to before.

What's Good

Risotto Pescatore

A risotto bearing very similar qualities to a Spanish seafood paella but minus the saffron and add sweet sour tomato puree, which really makes this dish very appetizing. Delicate aromas of ocean waters splashed around the refreshing smells of the steamed risotto rice. The natural sweetness from the seafood – big prawns, squid, mussels and clams, are very well integrated with the alienly-huge grains of rice, which seems bloated up from excessive soaking up of the seafood juices. I especially love to slurp the tomato-red-stained risotto that have been lodged tightly inside the clam/ mussel shells. The purity of the seafood flavours are not overwhelmed by the sauce at all. However, the prawns were slightly off fresh and had a “mud” taste.

Penne Andrea

A seemingly simple looking dish of penne tossed in an orange cream sauce with slices of cured sausage slices, this is an elegant dish. Delicate aromas and flavours of saffron permeate through the hollow “trunk” of the penne …which is glazed with buttery creamy sauce. Some might find this too buttery but I can imagine it will go perfectly with some white Bourgogne. They are quite generous with the saffron as can be seen from the hue of orange in the sauce as well as the thin stalks of saffron littered over the penne. Could use a lil more salt though…in general, very good but not great yet.

What's Not

So far, we have only tried two mains and there have been only minor gripes with the food. First impressions from the first visit is good.

Comments

Hard to locate but this gem is worth searching out for. The neighbouring units along the same stretch of shophouses consists of a splattering of haphazard workshops, which seems to accentuate the uniqueness of this establishment. I really appreciate the fact that this is one of the few restaurants offering authentic high quality Italian food for a fair price that is located out of town….AND right at my doorstep! What is even more super is that they have free corkage! (which is the only good Italian restaurant that does so as far I am aware of )
I will definitely be patronising this place more often…provided I am able to even get a table….heard reservations are required from thu-sun nights.

Wine Pairings Done

2005 Durfort Viviens, Margaux, 2nd Growth (WS92, JR 15.75/20)
WADA rated 83+pts
Tasted at the UGC 2005 review and didn’t like it at all…with very harsh tannins dominating. However, on re-tasting this after bottle-decanting overnight…this turned out much much better. The hard tannins were now smooth and velvety with lots of milk chocolate nuances intermixed with crushed dark morello cherries. The elegance pairs well with both the risotto and penne (even though it was a cream based sauce). I am glad I re-tasted because this just shows how prodigious the 05 bordeaux vintage is going to be given some time in the cellar. I definitely look forward to re-tasting all the 05s in 5 years time!

Wine Pairing Suggestions

Had a chat with Mr ang moh chef, who exudes a serious no-nonsense “Godfather” aura, and tried to offer him a glass of Dufort Viviens… BUT lo and behold!...this Italian doesn’t drink! ...an abnormality to say the least. Ma Ma Mia! Pa Pa Doom! However, he does boast an exciting AND affordable wine list ranging from $30 to $100. I am definitely going to try some of his vino next time round.
In general, I had a quick look at his food menu and basically there is a wide range of food pairings to go with any wine varietal so do not fret over what to bring. Out of respect, do try to drink a Brunello or a Chianti.

Judgement de Li Hwan (2005 Bordeaux v New World Cabernet)

2008-05-25T23:07:00.008+08:00

It so happens that we were meeting up for some poker and BBQ last week and so happens I had just taken delivery of some 2005 bordeaux...it so happens too that Gary and Gao each brought a bottle of new world cabernet! So happens too that I had a few bottles of new world cabernet blends I had been waiting so long to taste. One thing led to another and Walaa!... we unofficially had a new world vs old world cabernet taste-off.
To start off the day, we had a refreshing NV Henkell Trocken Blanc de Blanc (a personal fav appertif), 2007 Coopers Creek Sauvignon Blanc (which was amazingly full of juicy sweet fruits ranging from pineapples to peaces to some bananas..i was pleasantly suprised by this supermarket wine), 2006 Grosset Sauvignon Blanc (razor sharp acidity that was too much, lacked the fruits to balance off).

From L to R: Henkell , Coopers Creek, Balnaves, Voyager, La Fleur de Bouard, Robert Mondavi, Blason d'Issan, Pepper Tree and Grosset .

The first 4 wines had been bottle decanted for about 6 hours for the taste-off but I had tasted the wines and written the notes as per tasted fresh out from the bottle.

In tasting order,

2005 Blason d'Issan, Margaux (WS87)
2nd wine of Chateau d'Issan (3rd Growth)
WADA rated 81pts
Deep purple. This has obvious cat's pee at the start but blows off after a while to reveal cherries, some indian spice backed by some dark coffee powder / dark bitter choc. Good riipe currants and plums framed with velvety thick and chewy texture from the tannins. At first, I thought it too thick for the fruits and acidity to balance off. But it was a little better balanced after the bottle decanting.

2005 Voyager Estate Girt By Sea, Margaret River (JH94)
WADA rated 79pts
Dark purple. Earthy and oaked..it feels like being in a furniture workshop. Also, some dirtiness on the nose and some interesting choking chilli / curry smells. Good blackberries provide the body ending with some powdery tannins. Finishes rather short.

2005 La Fleur de Bouard, Lalande de Pomerol (WS90, RP89)
WADA rated 85pts
Dense purple with a reddish hue. Sharper intense unripe cherries. Hints of green. Very dense on the mouthfeel with black cherry tart lined with liquorice. This is good drinking even now, good balance with no alcohol heat and smooth sweet tannins. It's like a girl with just the right amount of makeup. Elegant. Noted some dark mushrooms notes on the finish. At the start, the nose seems in contradiction to the palate but after bottle decanting, the nose got jammier.

2004 Balnaves Cabernet Merlot, Coonawara (JO95, JH94)
WADA rated 83+pts
Sharp metalic nose, cherry and some pepper. Good cherry currants with plums. Sharp tannins that brings you just on the edge.

2005 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (WE91)
WADA rated 79pts
Strong on oak & alcohol when first tasted, this is just choking all the other fruit flavours. However, I had re-tasted the leftover the next day and held out beautifully well. Typical new world approach with intense plums & hints of blackberries and mint. Not many layers of flavours but this is like a big-bosomed gal that doesn't need to take much reading into....simple eye candy.

1999 Pepper Tree Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawara
WADA rated 84+pts
This is a grand ole dame with new world decadence aura. This is what aussie wines can do when good and aged. Still intense but with some elegance ...full mouthfeel with good dark fruits with a dash of eucalyptus mint and some dark choc. Medium to long finish that is satisfying.

Asia Grand Restaurant (80p)

2008-05-10T18:04:00.010+08:00

331, North Bridge Road. #01-02 Odeon Towers Singapore 188720
Tel : 6887-0010 Fax : 6887-0020
Business Hour : 11.30 am to 2.00 pm , 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm

WADA rating: 52+28=80pts
QPI: 8 ($40 per pax for a very comfortable meal)
WFI: A (Free corkage, good stemware , staff are wine-smart enough to distinguish between using a white wine glass v a red wine glass)
Tasted various times.

Another current favourite restaurant of mine, this restaurant and my family go back a long way...It used to be known as Tsui Hang Restaurant at the pre-overhauled Marina Square before evolving into Asia Grand @ the old Asia Hotel and finally ...it has now settled in the ex-location of renowned "Chef Chan's Heavenly Three Ultimates" (shen chu san jue). The decor at its current location reminds me very much of a business-lunch class chinese restaurant in HK...very cina, very empress dowager...v cliche but its sure to impress. My dad's "good fren" - the restaurant manager , Mr Jacky Ma, also adds to the very HK restaurant feel. He's been around with this restaurant since Tsui Hang days (roughly 20 years ago).

What's Good

Steamed Cold Crab
A very simply prepared dish that stands out because of the sheer quality of the seafood used. Jacky Ma intro-ed this dish to us..said it was some special crab from don't know hokkaido or off South China Sea. Whatever it was... this crab is wicked stuff! If you are wondering what I mean by clean / purity of taste...this is it. Its also not expensive..was like $30 per crab which is well worth the money. The crab roe was bright saffron coloured like those of monk robes. The paste consistency provided much fresh sweetness to the crab meat , which in turn was ocean fresh and wild. The cherry on the topping is the well-mixed vinegar & brown sugar sauce accompanying it. Perfect acid balance with a sugary edge that brings out the true fresh sweetness of the crab. This dish SCREAMS OUT for some minerally, citrus-framed white vino!

Roasted Peking Duck
The foremost reason that kept me going to this restaurant is the $30 special offer Peking Duck (no min spending required) and its not some cheap gimmicks to attract the crowds and at the same time get rid of unwanted stock. The duck is GOOD man! Textbook quality that all other peking duck should take lead from. This is the standard...well-roasted dark reddish crispy skin with just enough fats to give it juice and not grease up the palate. Clean flavours. I could have this everyday and actually its really possible given the $30 price tag! This is a good deal that just makes any diner happy...pl pl pl order it even if you are a vegetarian. Its perfect with a good glass of Pinot or a Grenache.

Beef in Mushroom Roll
Lovely smells permeating from the dish..if you close your eyes, you might think you are standing just next to the ventilation fan of a Czi Char stall. Some sesame oil on the nose. The abnoxiously intense flavours of the dark brownish gravy reminds me of Japanese teppanyaki-teriyaki sauce but with chinese "hua diao" wine providing the structure. The beef literally slides down your throat with its velvety texture. The straw mushrooms add a nice chewiness that is much appreciated.

Fried Black Pepper Udon (with the carved up meat from the Peking Duck)
This is fried udon at its best. A 100 pts dish. Its perfect in all aspects. As my foodie brother puts it : " you want to slowly savour this." It is a heavenly balance of "wok hei", saltiness, oiliness, spiciness (from the black pepper sauce), sweetness (from the duck meat) and roastiness! The flavours hits you on the front and peaks all the way to the finish...that lingers on with pepperiness...just like an excellent shiraz...nothing less than an Old Bastard(the wine). Perfect.

Black Pepper Beef Cubes
Another very well balanced dish with just the right amount of spice from the black pepper. A well oiled dish with once again good "wok hei" showing in the after taste. Beef is as tender as chicken with the right level of done-ness.

What's Not

Conqueror Chicken
This is basically the samsui chicken from Soup Restaurant but it fades in comparison. Nothing special, a little bland and the ginger / spring onion dip is not at all comparable to Soup Restaurant. Eat only if you are recovering from a long bout of illness.
So far, the quality has been consistent and most dishes are good or at least of above average standards. Their dim sum is a little just bordering above average and I would recommend to avoid or eat as an accompaniment to the ala carte.

Other Dishes Tasted

We tried their basic stable of dim sum favourites like har gao, siew mai, chicken feet etc....all okay with none outstanding. A few claypot dishes like the pork ribs with bitter melon, brinjal with minced meat, chicken...all of which were very tasty and shouts for fragrant white royal umbrella thai rice. Also, had various vege dishes, sweet sour pork , coffee pork ribs etc. (all of which are good too).
About two years back when Asia Grand was at Asia hotel, we also had a steamed fish with mandarin peels and olives which I fondly remember as extremely exciting and appetizing with its play of flavours...will try to re-taste this some day.

Comments

Service is prompt, straightforward and generally warm. True to keeping with HK styled traditional restaurants, there are always a few captains / managers in their well-pressed suits going about chatting with customers. Not only does Jacky impress with his knowledge on wines, his staff does impress me with their understanding of the various types of stemware for various varieties of wine. Bring your family here, bring your colleagues here, bring your clients here and even bring your mistress(es) here! cos this place will impress with its comfortable vibe and grand setting. It appropriately deserves its name - Asia Grand.

Wine Pairings Done

Pl see http://wadadvocate.blogspot.com/2008/04/almost-all-shiraz-night-asia-grand.html

Also tasted recently here with my family:

2003 Jean-Marc Pillot & fils, Chassagne Montrachet Blanc, Bourgogne
WADA rated 82+pts
Pale yellow. A buttery nose ...reminiscent of butterscotch and some baygon! Lemon peel and slightly toasty , it finishes off with some bitterness and some alcohol heat. Needs another year or two.

1998 Chandon De Brialilles, Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru, Bourgogne
WADA rated 77+pts
Light brick red with brown tinge. Red cherries and some bell peppers peeping through. Sharp manuka honey mixed with deflated cola framed by a fresh acidity (despite 10yrs of aging). However, loses out on the short finish.

2001 Coriole Mary Kathleen Reserve Cabernet Merlot, Mclarenvale
WADA rated 82pts We had this decanted because the first whiff and taste was very closed up. The decanted dark reddish wine displayed strong oak with sweet vanilla and dark red fruits. Very bordeaux styled with some strawberries and plums backed by some inkishess. Hints of roasted coffee as well. Could do better if it found greater balance.

Pairing Suggestions

A myriad of cuisines that can be paired with a wide variety of wines. If in doubt, just ask Mr Jacky Ma for some recommendations from their wine list , which is pretty decent. Bordeaux blends would do well here.

End of Reservist 6th HK ICT Celebrations!

2008-05-10T13:14:00.008+08:00

Just had this to celebrate the end of my In-Camp Training and the fact that I got SILVER!! for IPPT (that's $200 free dollars from our beloved Gahmen!)

Tapanappa is a joint venture between Brian Croser, Bollinger and the Cazes Family of Lynch Bages.

2005 Tapanappa Tiers Chardonnay, Piccadilly (WS93, GV86)
WADA rated 83+ to 93+
Light golden. Extremely tight on the nose and palate. It does eventually open up but I suspect that this wine is way too early to drink even with decanting. Extremely dense and intense. A very serious wine. Hits you upfront with an asteroid of co-mingled vapours and flavours...very hard to break it down...it slowly melts like butter on a hot pan into your palate with waves of butter, green fruits, bitter lemons, honey oats and earthy/mineral-like complexity. Throughout the 30mins of tasting, this wine seems unresolved...undecided in its direction...like an adolescent...it just keeps going back and forth with its flavours. I also caught more nuttiness after 15mins...somewhere between cashews, almonds and macadamia. To wrap it up...there are some petrol-like nuances (which Uncle L calls Benzene) lurking at the back palate which is a little too hot for me...almost unbalanced ...but it seems to pull back and gets engulfed in its own evolving atmosphere of vapours. This is dificult to rate being so tight and unsettled. Therefore, at the moment, a range of 83 to 93 is probably the best range we can give. I suspect another year or so in the bottle will stabilise this monster and maybe give it more creaminess.

Min Jiang @ One Rochester (64+~74+p)

2008-05-03T23:36:00.015+08:00

5 Rochester Park ,Tel: 67740122, 11.00am to2.30pm & 6.00pm to 10.30pm Daily

WADA rating: (42 to 52) +22.5= 64+ to 74+ pts

QPI: 6 ($60 per pax

WFI: C ($35 corkage per bot, Schwott Zwissel stemware but glasses are not well polished, wine list is deplorable for such an atas-class restaurant

Tasted twice in 1H 2008. Most recently with my family and bro in May.

Min Jiang (@ Goodwood Park Hotel) used to be a favourite food haunt for my family back when I was still attending pri school. Back then, it had already established itself as a premier sichuan restaurant famous for its smoked duck and kung po prawns. Its only appropriate that we have my bro's farewell dinner here before he leaves for Perth. My rating has been given as a range due to the fact that during the most recent visit, I had been down with a sore throat which would definitely have impaired my judgement. To add salt to wound, half of the restaurant had been booked for a wedding and the other half was explodingly full. Signs of stress were evident in their less than adequate service standards with spillover effects on food quality as well. Fortunately for them, our first visit had nullified any negativity caused by the second.

What's Good

Smoked Peking Duck
If there is only one dish to order here, you CANNOT NOT order the duck! Pre-ordering is required, this is worth all the trouble just because of its uniqueness and pains taken to slowly cook this goose (by goose ..i mean the duck). The smokiness of various fragrant woods are infused wholly into the crunchy skin and half-juicy meat. This dish is eaten in three flights. Firstly, the light crunchy skin is taken with a coating of sugar and this pairing is absolutely fabulous! The thin layer of fat with each slice of the skin perfectly gels the woody smokiness with the granules of sugar. Second flight consists of freshly steamed crepe wrapped around a nice sizeable delectable piece of duck meat with skins on and throw in a sprig of spring onion and sweet sauce. The difference this dish brings with the normal peking duck is the smoky spice flavours infused into duck meat instead of just crispy duck skin. The third flight is my favourite eaten also in a crepe but with exciting spicy sourness contributed by sichuan "archar"...v interesting.

Chef Goh's Tasting Platter
Spectacular fireworks-like presentation...in a high class way...a great start. A constellation of four of the Chef's star specialties - Salted Egg Yolk Lobster, Sichuan Fried Chicken, Fried Eel, Scallops with Sweet Chilli Sauce. The scallops were so-so with sweet thai chilli drizzled over. The chicken reminded me of KFC's popcorn chicken...add in a dash of chilli powder. The lobster is quite nice with powdery salted egg yolk coating that is pleasantly just salty enough not to totally cover the taste of the lobster. I really do like the fried eel...its like eel fries with fragrant sesame oil and sweet honey aromas. Good crunchiness that makes this a perfect accompaniment to a mug of beer...but in our context.. maybe a dryer white wine. This has the longest lasting aftertaste with the fishiness of the eel showing on the end notes.

Soups

We ordered a few selections of their soups to taste but two left a deeper impression. The Sze Chuan Spicy Sour Thick Soup can be summed up as "elegant". Perfect balance between the sichuan peppercorns spiciness , the red vinegar sourness and the sichuan preserved vegetables saltiness. I thought there was a dash of sugar on the near finish as well. The other was a clear chicken soup broth which my failing memory remembers as very refreshing, delicately savory sweet and appetizing.

Durian Mochi and Durian Pudding

This is the other NOT-TO-BE-MISSED! dessert dish besides the smoked duck. As all foodies would already know, Min Jiang is closely associated with Goodwood Park Hotel, which in turn is famous for its durian puffs. However, the chefs at Min Jiang (Rochester) have taken it up another level by using the same high quality durian fillings and presenting them using different mediums. I especially like to give two thumbs up to the mochi... its like a chewy durian fruit bomb that explodes with sweet durian goodness in a bite.

What's Not

The high expectations I had of this establishment probably meant that I had unfairly expected ALL their dishes to be special or at least above average good. So here are some of the expectation mismatches I have....
The Fried Sichuan Style four season beans were a little too salty and tame to warrant anything more than one thumbs up.
The Kung Pow Prawns were also not as exciting as how we remembered it to be years ago at their Goodwood Park location. A lil on the sweet side and not spicy enough...maybe they brought the dish down a notch to attune to the many foreigner palates that patronise this outlet. Once again, good but not great.

Other Dishes Tasted

Black pepper beef and Pork Ribs....both as can be seen from the photo, looks and tastes pretty good with good "wok hei" showing for the beef and perfect sweet-savory balance for the pork ribs. Also, do try their steamed xiao long bao and other dim sum dishes.

Comments

After two visits, I am getting mixed feelings due to the vastly different vibes felt on the two occasions. No doubt, this is an above average restaurant but at the same time...maybe I had expected much more given the prices.
The service on the second visit had been bad but probably they were too packed and had to employ newbies to fill up the waitering void. We had a nasty tussle over Durian Mochi when we were told that they had run out of it even though we had suggested to pre-order desserts at the start. After some haggling , they finally relented and told us to wait 15 mins for it...but guess what..after 20mins later with no mochi in sight...we had decided to live with the disappointment.
The serving staff can be best described as a Camry...feels and looks like a luxury car but its really still not a mercs or beemer. However, all said they did waiver our corkage fee! Definitely a redeeming factor.
I want to reserve final judgement until my next visit (hopefully when its not so packed) but until then...my recommendation is go try the Smoked Peking Duck...its definitely worth its price in quality and uniqueness.

Wine Pairings Done

2005 Devil's Lair Chardonnay, Margaret River (JO92, JH95, WS91)
Disastrous! This wine went bad! Most probably tainted during the bottling. Will re-taste this some other time.

2005 Fish Rock Chardonnay, South Aust
WADA rated 78pts
We had to order this wine of the month (@ $80!!!) to replace the Devil's Lair. Have never heard of this label and the bottling looks cheap...most prob its supposed to be a entry level table white. But...suprisingly enough...this was actually quite good! Very intense white fruit aromas...some lychees and pineapples even...sweetness borders between real fruit sweetness and fakey sugar sweet. Good effort but prob not worth $80.

2001 Woodlands Kevin Cabernet Sauvignon (JO87)
WADA rated 87pts
Dark fruits ..plums...chocolate and nicely integrated oak. This seriously tasted like a good bordeaux...it shared some similar characteristics of the Pape Clement 01. Really serious and elegant wine. A pity the cuisine here doesn't seem to bring out its full complexity.

2005 Kooyong Haven Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula (JH96)
WADA rated 83pts
Red cherries with hints of strawberries. Good fresh acidity that goes especially well with the smoked duck. Silky texture with mid length finish. Could improve with age as complexity develops.

Pairing Suggestions

Except for the Smoked Duck, all the other dishes would definitely do better if paired with a white...I would say a less complex chard or a clean crisp new world riesling / gurwurtztraminer. I suggest you bring your own wine or recommend that they get a wine sommelier to redo their wine list...its SUX! big time...not many recognisable names and its bloody expensive. It makes paying $35 corkage a much better alternative...so pl...BYOB!

Glossary and FAQ

2008-04-28T22:33:00.006+08:00

Hi WADEs,

realised some of you might be confused by some of the short terms used so have done up a short FAQ / Glossary for your easier reference.

WADA - Wine & Dine Advocate
WADE -Wine & Dine Enthusiast
DBF - Dearly Beloved Fiona
WADA rating - pl refer to Wine & Dine Advocate: Introduction posted on Monday, April 21, 2008
QPI - Quality Price Index
WFI - Wine Friendly Index

List of Wine Critics
RP - Robert Parker (of Wine Advocate)
WE - Wine Enthusiast
WS - Wine Spectator
JH - James Halliday
JO - Jeremy Oliver
GV - Gary Vaynerchuk (of Wine Library TV)
JR - Jancis Robinson
ST- Stephen Tanzer (of International Wine Cellar)
BBR - Berry Bros & Rudd (Top Fine Wine Merchants)

What the WADA rating means in a nutshell

For Food
51-60 pts : Creditable Pass
61-70 pts : Meritable Mention
71 - 80 pts : Good Stuff
81- 90pts : Great!
91-100 : Divine!!

For Wine
51-55 pts : Less than Mediocre. To avoid.
56-60 pts : Mediocre. Drink only in emergency.
61-70 pts : Average with no major faults but nothing special.
71 - 80 pts : Above average to good. Good drinking for daily healthy living.
81- 90pts : Very good to excellent. Seek these out for special occasions.
91-100 : Divine!!Sell your house if you have to!

Almost-Shiraz @ Asia Grand

2008-04-28T22:06:00.020+08:00

For this post, we will be focusing on the wines had at a recent wine dinner with the NBS poker-wine gang. Asia Grand is also a restaurant up there in my favourite restaurants list and a WADA review will be done for it in the near future. But first...presenting the wines!

It was unofficially made an almost all Shiraz / Syrah night because Teck and Lyd wanted to buy us a good bottle of 1999 Peter Lehman Stonewell....and i decided to throw a few bottles for comparisons...one thing led to another and Eu Ming also threw in 2 aged wines (1 NZ, 1 Californian). All wines were tasted blind.

From L to R: Kaesler Touriga, Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blan, Castellon Pinot Grigio, Henri & Vincent Chollet Dame Claire, and Benziger Reserve Cab Sau

From L to R: Muirlea Rise, Peter Lehmann Stonewell, Trevor Jones Wild Witch, Maris Old Vine and the Boxer

Benziger Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, Sonoma (WE91)
Wada rated 82pts
A very promising start as the first red of the night. Woody on the nose with some plums and dark blue fruits. Really dark cherries and blue berries on the palate with a lil spice heat & lots of oak, which had some of my WADE frens guessing it as a shiraz. However, nearing the finish…the typical Californian Cab characteristics surfaces. Not sure what proper term its known as but I remember this particular taste as crayons.

Muirlea Rise Mareth 2000, Marlbourough NZ

Can;t really remember the notes on this. Maybe my frens can help me.

Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 1999, Barossa (JH96, JO95)
WADA rated 92+pts

Beautiful dark purple. Deep dark fruits and hints of wilderness. Satin silky berryish flavours that stroke your palate with a complex mix of spices / mint. Extremely elegant and balanced mid-long finish. This wine is at its prime for drinking now!

Trevor Jones Wild Witch Shiraz 1999, Barossa (RP92)
Wada rated 85+pts

Opaque purple. Nice gunsmoke , wild game nose… hmmm.. smell reminds me of old people too... a lil musky..in a gd way. To round it off, there is definitely Barossa Power in the nose and palate too- a fruit bomb on its ending last burst of fire with a dose of pepper. The aging has given elegance and finesse to the fruitiness and alcohol of this wine.

Maris Old Vine Syrah 2004, Minervois La Livinière (WS90)
WADA rated 92+pts

Nose of game, gunsmoke and hint of “oldness”. Intriguing aromas…complex and appealing. Hoever, note that we had bottle decanted this for at least 8 hours before tasting. Of all the shiraz tasted, this one stood out quite obviously as the odd nail…like the grapefruit among the oranges. Well-balanced, dense and full bodied. Black / blue berries and dark mocha choc on the finish. However, compared to the other shiraz tasted…this is just difference…seems more backward, harder to understand. The closest comparison would be against the 99 Trevor Jones Wild Witch.

Mollydooker The Boxer 2006, South Australia (RP94, WS90)
WADA rated 83+pts

Beautiful bright dark purple. Lovely sweet aromas of candied fruits and some bacon fat. V big wine.. it’s a nuclear fruit bomb of blueberries, blackberries , cassis and ink. Its just extremely ripe…the sweet flavours and aftertaste almost reminds me of the kaesler touriga nacional 2002. Crowd pleaser anytime but wine snobs pl beware…this might be too kiddish and straightforward.

Kaesler Touriga Nacional 2002, Barossa (RP95)
WADA rated 93pts

Don’t get me started on this wine…its my favourite dessert wine at the moment (its got extremely good QPI - $35 per bot only) and I have easily downed half a case of this since last year….so much so that I am running out of stock fast. It’s a semi-port cos its made from Port grapes – Touriga but its grown and made in Australia. I love to get up every morning to the smell of this wine - intense aromas of roasted blackberry-flavoured coffee beans and “chao-tar” toasted bread I thought I could smell some violets as well. Sip this …don’t drink it cos its like those really good viscous hot choc that you get in Belgium but intermixed with a condensified cup of cappuccino “gao” and blackberry jam concentrate. The finish is like gazing at the constellation of stars in the pitch black sky way out in the dusty outback desert ….long long into the night…. v memorable.

IL Lido (83p)

2008-04-27T10:37:00.008+08:00

Sentosa Golf Club, Bukit Manis Road Tel : 68661977 Fax: 68661979
Hours of Operation: Lunch : 11.30am – 2.30pm, Dinner: 6.30pm – 11pm

WADA rating: 55.5+27.5= 83 pts

QPI: 7 ($50 per pax)

WFI: B (buy 1 from their list and you can open 1 of your own for free, excellent stemware, sommelier-class staff)

Tasted on 17 Apr for DBF's bdae lunch celebrations.

A restaurant in the top leagues with a chi-chi sounding name and location. Nothing less for my DBF. They just had a change of chef recently i think and its a pity we didn't try this place under the previous original chef...would love to compare their culinary skills. We had ordered the set lunch which had the most reasonable price tag of the lot. There was a seasonal white asparagus set menu which costs a whooping $100 over bucks i think. ...Will have that when I have too much money in future...hopefully not too distant future.

What's Good?

Meat of the Day- Beef with Mushrooms on a bed of Mashed Potatoes

Wonderful smells of a mish mash of wild mushroom, herbs and spices...v country-styled comfort food. The beef melts in your mouth! and its just normal beef! ...i had Wagyu / Angus before and this normal beef is not normal man... the tag of "Meat of the Day" given by the restaurant is a misnomer. The incredible individual flavour charateristics of the beef and the mushroom sauce are loud in their own aspects but also gel well as a tightly-knit team. The sauce ...my goodness... is amazing! Perfect consistency ...feels like ...essence of mushrooms mixed into a beef broth that was double-boiled over slow fire for hours...then throw in some fresh cream and milk...Walaa!! Heavenly sauce! It definitely punches above its weight class given its called "meat of the day".

Fish of the Day - White Fish on Bed of Vegetables
Perfect fusion between the sea-saltiness of the sweet capsicum & onions. Very clean flavours with lingering finish framed by the spices, capsicum & caramalised onions. Again...punches above its name tag!

What's Not?

Duck breast on bed of Salad
Pretty decent but not exactly scoring big on the aromas or tastiness factor. The scattering of sea salt over the duck does enhance flavours but not well integrated. The orange slices (accompanying the dish) , the sea salt and the duck seemed like familiar strangers.

The Desserts
Nice presentation but DBF didn't really like the stale fakey fake sweetness of the desserts. I thought it was okay though. Nothing to shout about.

Comments

Great location with good view of the Sentosa Golf Club greens. Tucked away like a treasure at the corner of the clubhouse, the setting is chic and unassuming....not scarily pretentious but very practical feel to the place. In line with its reputation, the service is impeccable. Our waiter knows about his wines and how to care / present them ...thats a PLUS point for me! An establishment that everyone should visit...if not for the good food and nice view...then do it because of its reputation and numerous awards won. Not expensive for lunches but has the potential to put you back a few hundred bucks per head anytime.

Wines Pairings Done

2003 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac Leognan Grand Cru Classe Graves (RP95)
WADA rated 90pts
Nose was tight at the start...smelt like a textbook aussie sauvignon blanc with simple straightforward nose of fresh citrus and palate of fresh minerally lemons. BUT!! after 10 mins in the glass...ma ma MIA!...AMAZING! ...evolvement into sweet lychees, white flowers and some kerosene showing through. Heavy notes of lemon lychee...almost like a german riesling / alsace gurwurtztraminer blend. Delicious body...good mineral length on the finish. And when you thought that was it...BANG! ... the flavours hit you with a new evolvement of top grade butteriness ..reminiscent of a burgundian chardonnay. Amazing wine with absolute potential for ageing for 5 years or more.

2004 Chateau Canon, St Emilion Grand Cru Classe B (RP87, WS90)
WADA rated 84pts
Dark colours. Plums, blackberries and maybe a hint of mint leaf on the nose. This tastes of opulence...slight inkish-ness. Medium to long silky finish. Its pretty elegant on the overall presentation despite its opulence. Absolutely fantastic with the beef and mushroom sauce.

2005 Joseph Phelps La Magia Botrytis Riesling Traminer
- ordered from the winelist

WADA rated 83+pts
Absolutely fabulous as a dessert wine...I actually could just have this on its own without the dessert pastries being served. Not cloyingly sweet and had a citrus lift with lychee syrup dominating the palate and nose. Yummy..

Pairing Suggestions

Looking at their wine list ...its pretty good and somewhat reasonable. I definitely would recommend you checking with their waiters for pairing suggestions. If you are in a group of 4, definitely bring a bottle and buy a bottle from their comprehensive wine list.

Victor's Kitchen (57+p)

2008-04-27T10:15:00.004+08:00

Sunshine Plaza (its at an obsure corner unit with seats in neighbouring units)

WADA rating: 40+17.5= 57+ pts
QPI: 5 ($15-$40 per pax)
WFI: N.A
Tasted on 20 Apr 08 for brunch

Another recommendation from DBF's fren. We had family members that had tried searching for this place but couldn't find it. This is like one of those prilgrimages... tedious journey to search out this Dim Sum eatery.

What's Good?

Steamed Carrot Cake with XO Sauce
Very soft, juicy, enticing and pairs well with the homemade XO sauce, which was pretty fragrant with bits of sweet "hay-bee" marinated in the chilli flavoured sauce. Very fresh.

Cheong Fun with Char Siew
Very fresh again... a little powdery on the texture...its was soaked in a soy sauce that was not too salty but could be bland for some palates. Char siew seem to have a homemade like quality to it. A good integration of flavours between the cheong fun and char siew. Could be slightly thinner on the skin though.

What's Not?

Fried Spring Roll was too meaty... had expected some vegetables in this to bring some balance here. The steamedd siew mai and har gao were both a little too dry and hard. It felt like it needed some tender loving care to soften it up but both were still better than average and a bit better than some dim sum restaurants I have tried so far.

Other Dishes Tasted

Lychee boat congee, steamed pork ribs.

Comments

Staff were a little disinterested, rough and unpolished but functioning ok. Quite efficient on serving up orders but slow in attending to customers' requests. Its basic like a Geely....slightly better than the cherry QQ.
The theme here is freshness...the HK chef - Victor (he used to chef at big hotels in HK) seems very dedicated to cooking up every dish from scratch as can be seen in their slogan " we serve good food not fast food." ....or something along that line. I suspect that had we not been the first few customers just before their opening time, we would most probably have had to wait a bit for limited seats and the food. The place has its own charm. Its pretty decent with quality and prices so I say go try it at least once to find out for yourself if you like it.

Wood Restaurant (86+p)

2008-04-23T23:54:00.021+08:00

Harbourfront Walk #01-53 VivoCity Singapore 098585 Tel: 6375-9663 Fax: 6224-1382

WADA rating: 60+26.5= 86+ pts
QPI: 8 ($40 for 3 course set lunch, $75 for 6 course set dinner)
WFI: B ($20 per bot, good stemware, staff are wine-adept)
Tasted twice in Apr 2008 - once for bourgogne minor appellation dinner , the second for DBF's birthday!

A relatively new restaurant but this is no lightweight. Wood (as this restaurant's name suggest)features in almost all the food here. From cherry chips used to smoke the scallops or oak used to fire the oven (heard that the oven is never completely extinguished), the nuances of wood are unmistakable in executive chef Jake Klein's american guy-marries-asian gal-meets-french mistress-type fusion cuisine.

What’s Hot?

Walnut Grilled Margaret Duck Breast
Complex aromas....if this was smelt blind...you most prob would have difficulty deciding if it was fish, fowl or meat but you will definitely know that you want to have it...ALL of it.V sexy smells.The body is so tender that it seems to melt away with a downstroke of your knife. The half crisp skin hangin on to the sliced duck breast perfectly gels the flavours of the dish together. The harmony of the slightly cassis-sweet sauce paired with the smoky flavours of the duck is undeniably *muackz*. This duck shouts out for a red Burgundy Cote-de-Nuit...i m thinking Vosne-Romanee.

Smoked Foie Gras Pizza with Persimmon
Again smokey woody flavours from the wood fired crust ....but perfectly conquered by strong cloying "durian-intense" opulent aromas of the Foie Gras. This is like a Foie Gras 101 module captured in one pizza. Like durians or pinots, you either like it or you don't because the smell and taste of rich Foie Gras is just overwhelming. ..but well I LOVE IT! In addition, the dessert-wine-like sweetness of the persimmon pieces as well as the sweet cassis sauce drizzled all over the pizza has the effect of harmonising the intense flavours from the foie gras. There is a lingering finish which is also slightly oily and schweet...

Warm Cherry Wood Smoked Scallops with Sweet Corn Puree
Not big on the aromas but the flavours are intriguing . The smokey flavours of the cherry wood masks the seafoodness of the scallops. It could pass off with flavours of poultry or even a meat if not for the spongy "Q"ness that gives it away. The sweet corn puree gives the scallops an even more surreal feel, absolutely sweet kingdom in every bite but could turn off some with its fakey like schweetness. The seafoodness does seem to show in the aftertaste though.

Cedar Plank Roasted Salmon with Shitake and Enoki Truffle glaze
The first time I had this at the bourgone minor appellation dinner organised by Uncle L, the truffles had hit my nostrils even before the dish was served in front of me. Big big wild mushroomy aromas .... especially the truffles which were intoxicating! A pity it drowned the minor appellation bourgone I was having then. The salmon is perfectly grilled to a flaky texture but had some of those raw sushi pinkish texture in the middle. Its like those medium rare beef steaks . Beautiful! The palate is dominated by the shitake mushrooms, making the dish very japanese / chinese on the taste although the truffle gave it a frenchy appeal. The aftertaste showed a lingering flavour of the cedar wood, almost like hitting your throat with a plank of wood. A good fusion.

Black Cod (can't remember the full name)

Very tasty, I remember the "dao-you" like flavours ... the cod melts like butter. Feel as a very simple dish but once you have the cod, there is a myriad of fresh sea, the slight presence of wood (i think...or it cld be the aftertaste from the other oaked dishes before) , the pleasant salty sourishness of soy and some scallop-like sweetness.

Lavender Chocolate Ice-Cream with Sea-Salt

Another wonderful creation displaying the exciting combinations of flavours and smells so evident in many of the dishes here. Aromatheraphy food... lavendar oils flood the nose. The bitter sweet chocolate is made exciting by the bits of sea salt that is buried within. Its like those super sour candy with fruit filled centers but in reverse....sweet sweet sweet and suddenly SALTYy.... then sweet sweet SALtyyy... again. A dessert that teases.

What's Not?

There was another fish dish that wasn't quite outstanding (so much so that I can't even remember it). Maybe its cos every dish seemed to be unqiue in its presenation on the palate that our expectations were rising every moment. The beef we had was flavourful but a little dry and there were some complaints of over-saltiness.

Comments

Service was good but not up to a mark of a top tier restaurant... assuming they are targeting the big league. Serving staff needs to be more proactive and focused . Our server for DBF's bdae was v distracted..could be by my gd looks or the confounding smoky wood smells seaping out from the kitchen : ) Try this now! as being the new kid on the block the chef is still going all out to impress and establish its reputation.

Wine Pairings Done:

Minor Appellation Bourgogne

Too many tasted and not many memorable. It could be due to the strong flavours of the food that made it more diifficult for these minor appellation to shine through. However, among those tasted, the highest rated / commended by many were a 2004 Marsanny White- Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair and 2002 Marsannay Red- Joseph roty Clos Dejen (think my spelling is wrong). The white had beautiful nuances of asparagus and honey.

2007 Bird In Hand Pinot Rose, Adelaide Hills
WADA rated 76pts - Tasted at DBF's bdae
Cherry red. Cherry and strawberries on the nose. Unripe fruits with a sour edge. Was overwhelmed by the food.

2000 Katnook Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawara (JO87, JH94) WADA rated 86pts - Tasted at DBF's bdae

Dark brooding black. Strong oak witth dark fruits trying to burst thru. Same situation on the palate. Its like trying to find the black / blueberry bush in a dense forest but when you do find this bush (not George), it is overgrown with full, ripe dark berries. It really tastes extremely young and bright... almost a baby... good tannins and firm acidity will definitely carry this wine thru for another 3-5 years at least. It carries perfectly with the heavily wooded food here.

Pairing Suggestions

The cuisine is unique and intense. Definitely shouts out for something rhone , a new world shiraz or cab sau. The minor appellation bourgogne wines we had were overwhelmed, except maybe for the chards that held up better with the scallops and a mousse-like starter given with compliments from the chef.