Binge – Here's Where To Go For Unpretentious, Hearty Indonesian Food!

The hubs has a thing for spicy food, being part Peranakan. But whenever we decide to hunt down some Indonesian food, it always proves elusive, especially since we don’t like wading into the crowds at Orchard Road! But I was recently reminded of two Indonesian restaurants that skirts the busy town area, and if your dad is a person who likes hot flavours, here are two unpretentious places to head for.

 

Garuda Padang Cuisine recently opened a branch at Far East Square serving up pretty good Padang fare. Apart from a la carte, I didn’t know you could also have a buffet for lunch and dinner. Must tries, according to sources, are the Ayam Bumbu Goreng, their signature dish of crispy chicken with ‘floss’; beef tendon curry and tumis kang kong, which is one of the less spicy items on their list. Lunch buffet at $21.80++ per adult, $11++ per child; and for dinner, from $23.80++ per adult and $12++ per child.

 

Far East Square #01-01

7-9 Amoy Street

Tel: 6536 4111

 

Over at Furama Riverfront Singapore, Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant – a stalwart since 1985 – is a simple, unpretentious restaurant that serves what they call ‘authentic Balinese cuisine’. Bali or not, this halal-certified restaurant offers both ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ renditions of popular Indonesian dishes. Specialities include classics like Rendang Daging Sapi (Beef simmered in Spicy Coconut Milk Gravy) and Sup Buntut (Oxtail Soup) and updated interpretations like Avocado & Prawn Salad and Stir-fried Prawns in Butter Sauce. A must-try is Ayam Kodok Kintamani, boneless chicken, minced and marinated with a medley of spices and deep-fried till golden brown, as well as chilli crab (pix above) and Ikan bakar Kintamani.

 

Furama RiverFront,

405, Havelock Road, Level 3,

Tel: 6739 6463

- By EW

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Binge Hong Kong - NEW places to WOW Dad!

So he is a creature of habit .. but then again he did say, "You decide!" when you asked "where to?" for Fathers' Day. Well then, choose because there are a few new and notable places that have recently come to 'be' in Kowloon, all in the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui area.

Billed as 'Hong Kong’s most prestigious new Chinese dining and drinking destination restaurant and bar', Nanhai No. 1 and Eyebar promises to offer great food and an even more spectacular view. Find it in Tsim Sha Tsui’s new iSQUARE mall on the 30th-floor. It has a ‘sea-and-be-seen’ nautical themed dining room, with soaring picture windows, an open grill kitchen, and a sexy rooftop deck called Eyebar where before dinner you must have that exotic fruit cocktail (or lychee martini) under the stars. On the menu which focuses on premium seafood, watch as your lobster is roasted, steamed, sautéed and grilled in front of you in a glass-enclosed seafood barbecue kitchen. Must try dishes are the Braised Garoupa's Fin with Bamboo shoots, Simmered Geoduck with Consomme, Baked Oyster in Sichuan Spicy Sauce, Simmered Tomato with Mixture of Mushrooms, Crispy Shredded Yam and Deep-fried Spareribs Marinated in Nanhai’s Special Sauce.

Nanhai No. 1 and Eyebar are located at 30/F, iSQUARE, 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Reservations at +852 2487 3688.

At One Peking is the recently established flagship of Shanghai’s famous Xiao Nan Guo restaurant designed by renowned Hong Kong interior designer Steve Leung. The restaurant reflects an elegant Chinese Jiang-nan garden with a Chinese-style wooden ceiling, dark-grey stone flooring and simple, yet stylish, wooden furnishings. As you enter the restaurant, walk the traditional Chinese zigzag bridge to the main dining area where seating provides every guest with panoramic city views through huge glass windows. From a small restaurant with a few tables over 20 years ago to what it has become today, a renowned fine-food brand.

Xiao Nan Guo Premier Haute Cuisine de Shanghai is on the 10F, One Peking, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Reservations at +852 25278899

Not far away at the newly renovated Heritage 1881 (near the Star Ferry, if you are coming over from Hong Kong to Kowloon) is busy suzie, now busier than ever as they have launched a New Lunch Menu which I have been to try and have given a big thumbs up. I vote this great value, presentation and a lovely way to brunch on a lazy Sunday morning. First explore Heritage 1881, the old Marine Police Headquarters which has now become a home and haven to various watch and jewelry retailers and after a wander, you can head for a great value robatayaki lunch with Prime Australian Wagyu beef tenderloin, the freshest seafood and delectably light vegetarian options including Sushi with Soba; Pork Cutlet Donburi; Eel “Kabayaki”; Beef or Chicken Teriyaki and Vegetarian Tempura Set all priced from only HK$98 to HK250+ and served with salad, vegetable sakizuke, Japanese egg custard and fruit. Watch the Robata chefs practice the ancient tradition of using a wooden paddle to pass food items to customers further adding to the fun and theatre of the robata dining experience. Whilst you are there try the cold sake, Yukinobosha Yamahai Honjyozo or the hot Suishin Junmaishu Komenokiwami, both better than the stuff served at regular Japanese restaurants.

busy suzie is at Shop 209, 1881 Heritage, 2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon,

Reservations at +852 2369 0077. Website: www.busysuzie.com

- Elaine

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Bytes – In Case You Missed Out On The Man Bag For Dad…

Sweeties! Did you see the uber-cool Tods Man Bag in Elaine’s post (‘Quirky But Useful Father’s Day Gifts’ – 25 May)? Don’t we just absolutely love it for good old Dad or even our guy, for that matter?!

Well, if it runs out of stock while you’re rushing down to grab it – and we can just SEE the frenzied queues of people tearing the house down just to get hold of one – don’t despair! There are robust alternatives out there that will soothe both you and your deprived dad. Here’s our picks of more Father’s Day gifts.

A camera is always more exciting than a tie or pair of socks. Of course, it comes nowhere in comparison with the Tods Man Bag but at least Dad can take his mind off it by photographing the grandkids, the birds and bees and stuff around him. The Olympus SP-800UZ is the smallest compact digital camera in its class and the first in the world to incorporate a super powerful 30x optical zoom. Combined with digital zooming, the total effect is increased to 150x which means you can zoom right in on the craters of the moon. So cool!

It’s also got a wide shooting range with focal lengths ranging from 28mm wide-angle (think Himalayan panorama) to 840mm telephoto (craters of the moon or ex-boyfriend’s face). High resolution 14 megapixel CCD means good clear pictures, a 3-inch wide screen means Dad can see the pretty pictures without straining his eyes, and CCD-shift image stabilization function and high-sensitivity imaging means no blurred pictures whether Dad is shaking or the object in this viewfinder is. A big bonus – he can record HDTV movies on this camera too. Lots of other bells and whistles are packed into this little sweetie, and it’s so small it fits just nicely into the Tods Man Bag (if only we got it!) and also in the palm of your hand. Only comes in titanium silver, priced at $748, with 8GB mSD card.

If he is into sound, Creative’s ZiiSound D5 – it’s flagship wireless speaker system – is easy peasy for even the most technophobic dad to plug into. Just launched, this rather compact wireless speaker system is locally designed and developed and gives great, rich sound (I heard it myself and was so impressed!) and is so easy to use. Essentially, you blue-tooth it to any blue tooth-enabled gadget – be it your laptop, notebook, iphone, ipad, etc – and it will deliver the fantastic sound that rivals any hi-fi system. No complicated installations or downloading programmes from a CDRom - it's just literally plug and play. I saw the demo.

It won't fit into the Tods  Man Bag but it's so light, Dad can bring it around the house with him and soothe his (Tod's Man-)Bagless woes away with crystal clear music. An added bonus – the speakers charge the iPhone or iPod while they are docked. What I can’t understand is why it isn’t compatible wirelessly with its own Zen MP3 players! Duh!! Still, I say, buy local!! Costs S$399 and bundled with USB Transmitter for the launch period (worth $59) while stocks lasts. Available at  Creative stores at International Buisiness Park, Marina Square and authorised dealers.

Finally, SingTel and Samsung Electronics has just announced that the hotly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S smartphone will be available from 4 June 2010 – the first time it hits Singapore’s shops. The Android-powered Galaxy S has an ultra-responsive SUPER AMOLED screen, super sharp viewing of images and movies, 80% less reflectivity even out in the sun, video play and record functions, and allows you to record, edit and play HD video, browse the Internet, and read e-books. You can also check emails, listen to music and send messages without having to open and close applications, and it fits niftily into the Tods Man Bag. In fact, with this smartphone, he can keep track of the new shipment of Tods Man Bags the moment it hits the stores, with just a call to the boutique, anywhere, anytime! 

SingTel is introducing three enhanced Galaxy 3G Flexi price plans at launch from $39/month including unlimited LIVE MobileTV Basic Pack viewing for up to 24 months, free additional 200 minutes of talktime*, free local mobile data of 12GB (capped at $30), plus free access to SingTel AMPed offering unlimited music downloads. You can get it from today online at www.singtel.com/galaxyS and Singtel stores from 4 June.

- by EW

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Binge - Father’s Day Eats

Father’s Day is round the corner, and for us in the ‘Sandwich Generation’, make sure you do spend time with good old dad and let him know he’s the best. Not all our dad’s are hale and hearty – count your blessings if he is – so spending time with him is the best thing you can do on Father’s Day…and for every opportunity you are given.

So what’s out there for fatherly indulgence? How about what is dubbed ‘the ultimate crab buffet’ (4-27 June)? The chefs at Ellenborough Market Café at Swissotel Merchant Court are rolling out a serious spread of over 20 sinful crab dishes that the food-loving fathers will definitely enjoy. Consider Teochew Style Cold Crab, Steamed Mud Crab with Shaoxing Wine, Salted Egg Flower Crab wok fried with salted egg yolks, Thai Crab Bee Hoon, Dungeness and Snow Crab cooked in Beer, Black Pepper Crab and Sri Lankan Chili Crab with Fried (not steamed!) mantou. With the rich flavours and even richer cholesterol count, this is surely an indulgence reserved only for special occasions. Father’s Day is definitely one such!

Available for dinner daily, and for lunch only on weekends. On Father’s Day weekend, all dining dads get a complimentary Tiger Beer. From $45++ for lunch, and $52++ for dinner. (For HSBC card holders, one dines free for every three paying adults.)

20 Merchant Road

Tel: 62391848

If Dad is into haute gourmet, fill up on foie gras at Ristorante Bologna at the Marina Mandarin Singapore. Chef Patron Carlo Marengoni weaves the flavours of foie gras into authentic Italian cuisine, such as Pan-fried goose liver with fig jam and Brandy sauce ($32++), Pan-fried goose liver with asparagus and Madeira wine sauce ($40++) and Porcini mushroom soup with diced Foie Gras and Truffle oil ($22++). Daily for lunch and dinner for the month of June. (closed Sundays)

Ristorante Bologna, level 4

Marina Mandarin Singapore

6 Raffles Blvd, Marina Sq.

Tel: 6845 1111

For the healthy dad, a meat fest is always a sure winner. Get it at Pan Pacific Singapore’s all-you-can-eat brunch at Global Kitchen on 20 June. Apart from the necessary crustacean counter and salads, there’s roasted carved meats, plus unlimited sparkling wine and beer. Price - $88++ or $108++ with sparkling wine, beers and soda; $28++ per child (6 to 12 years). If dad’s a little old fashioned, heave him up to Hai Tien Lo (37 flr) for the all you can eat brunch (20 June from 11.30am) at a happy $62++ per person $28++ per child (6 to 12 years). The spread includes up to 60 different highlights including dim sum, roasts, soups, noodles, seafood and dessert. But if dad prefers superior quality over quantity, take their set menus (from $78++; 14 – 20 June) of fine Chinese cuisines featuring dishes like Double-boiled ‘Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’ with Black Truffles and Steamed Sea Perch Fillet with Preserved Vegetables.

Pan Pacific Singapore

Hai Tien Lo, 37 Flr

Tel: 6826 8240

- BY EW

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Buys - Quirky but Useful Fathers' Day Gifts

Quirky but useful gift ideas that we have received for Fathers Day (20 June). Have a look at our picks ....

RAINBOW CLOCK - no more fumbling in the night for glasses to scrutinise the time as this clock from Oregon Scientific at HK$898 has a sharp amber digital display against a black screen that enables him to read the time clearly from a distance. There is an outdoor temperature display for those who live in a seasonal climate and the clock creates mood lighting in the bedroom at night via a light that runs in loops just like having a vivid rainbow in the bedroom or it can also be set to a still mode. If he likes to go to bed with music in the background, the clock connects to the iPod and most Mp3 players. In the morning, he can opt for the radio alarm to wake him or a selection of 8 sounds from nature - the sound of the breeze, ocean waves, bird chirpings, rustling trees etc. See: http://hk.oregonscientific.com/eng/cat-Time-and-Weather-sub-Designer-Clocks-prod-Rainbow-Clock-.html

NIKE + iPOD SPORTS KIT - your man likes to run or walk or gym. Whatever it is, his iPod and Nikes can now team up allowing him to literally see the minutes tick by, watch the miles unfold and hear real-time voice feedback. All to his favorite music — including his power song - the one song that always gets him through the home stretch. Nike+ iPod Sport Kit only S$55 at www.apple.com/sg/ipodnano

HOGAN Tees - I recently read a book on colour therapy that says that colour has an influence on how you are perceived. Red for passionate, Blue for calm and collected, White for purity and trustworthiness and the list goes on. Colour code his day with these newly launched Summer tees from Hogan. See: www.hoganworld.com

And our unrivaled favourite is definitely this one: The TODS MAN BAG. -  this definitely takes a certain kind of guy to carry off this bag as part of his wardrobe no matter how metrosexually inclined he is. This lightweight calf leather hand carry in canary yellow makes a bold and 'ballsy' statement for the man who dares! See: www.tods.com

- Elaine

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