On an impromptu sibling double-date the other night, we ended up trying this newish “truffle-themed” restaurant. Cousin S, a “pig” with a talent for sniffing out worthwhile dining, had said that the truffle pastas here were a must try. Since the four of us all love truffles, we were eager to sniff up as much as humanly possible in a single meal. Casa Tartufo compentently integrates truffle into its menu items in a way that does not overpower yet leaves a pleasant after-taste which lingers long after the meal has concluded. However the dishes themselves were quite average for the prices charged, resulting in a decent but sadly forgettable meal.
Tag Archives: food
Hediard
G had a craving for a croque-madame and suggested that we eat at Hediard, a cafe and fine foods boutique that feels unabashedly old world with its dark interior and reserved upscale decor. It was already 2pm by the time we sat down, and the lunch rush (if there was one) was well over. Other than the Asian bohemian contently sipping coffee by the windowsill, the place was completely ours. While an empty resto-cafe could have been a warning sign that the food wasn’t up to the standard of the prices charged (the food was great), at least the ambiance was worth it so far.
Better eating through chemistry – part II
Continuing from part I on spherification, above is an example of reverse spherification that doesn’t take a lot of effort: multi-colored yogurt drink spheres.
Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Bath
- 5g of Sodium Alginate
- 1L of distilled water
Take an immersion blender and thoroughly mix the sodium alginate with the distilled water. Tap water isn’t recommended as your local supply of water may already contain trace amounts of calcium that will react with the sodium alginate. Let the bath sit for awhile for the air bubbles to disappear. Note that the bath is much thicker than water.
Searing and sous-vide
Inspired by a conversation last evening with the always entertaining T & A, I did a bit of follow-up research on a topic near and dear: sous-vide and meat. A mentioned that a chef had said that searing helps to trap juices and improves flavor when cooking with sous-vide. It’s a widely debunked myth that searing hels to seal in moisture. In fact, experiments show the opposite to be true. Furthermore, one of the advantages of sous-vide is that it can cook proteins at the optimal temperature to help retain most of its juices, thus making searing for this purpose redundant.
What I did wonder however, was whether searing first before sous-vide had any benefit to the flavor. Afterall, the real reason to sear meat is to give it that wonderful caramelized crust and flavor (via the Maillard reaction). Fortunately, thanks to the internet and Serious Eats, my question had already been answered. In short, no. Searing, pre-cooking, has no noticeable impact on the flavor of the meat, and since you’ll want to sear it after the sous-vide, there’s doubly no reason to do the same thing twice.
And there you have it – searing is still great, but you should just do it at the end.
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Additional resources on sous-vide:
- http://www.fiftyfourdegrees.com/
- http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html
- http://www.sousvidecooking.org/
- http://svkitchen.com/
Kazu Sumi-yaki
We recently ate at Kazu Sumi-yaki with our favorite foodie cousins, S & L, and were pleasantly surprised that while the crowds have gotten bigger, the overall quality was still worth the wait and the price. For grilled meat-on-a-stick cravings, this is still the place to go in Singapore. Located in sketchy Cuppage plaza (home to waaay too many karaoke/hostess bars), Kazu has been serving up skewered meat for over a decade, but unlike some other once-notable restaurants, the chef/owner can still be seen daily, grilling away in the kitchen.
Better eating through chemistry – part I
Spherification is a technique used for encapsulating liquids within a jelly-like outer shell, made famous by Ferrara Adria (El Bulli). It has since found its way into common use in modern cuisine and is great for adding a nice twist to any dish. Caviar (or salmon roe), is probably the best comparable in sensation- a slightly chewy sphere that explodes flavor and liquid.
The chemistry that makes spherification possible is pretty straightforward: when a solution containing sodium alginate comes into contact with a solution containing calcium a layer of calcium alginate immediately begins to form. This membrane is water insoluble and effectively traps liquid within.
Guess this counts as a craving
Our kid must’ve been inspired by a recent Top Chef episode as G suddenly had a craving for a tuna melt with tomato soup. Since she’s not allowed to have tuna, I substituted ham. It’s funny, for someone who lives to eat, G hasn’t really had any cravings. I’m just glad that there was a bit of it tonight, accompanied by some healthy kicks by Junior.
Yakiniku Yazawa
Yakiniku Yazawa is a guilty pleasure that we secretly indulge in every few months. It’s always the same ritual, a tacit nod of approval from the wife, followed by the anticipatory drive over to Mohammed Sultan, with a hurried stroll into the best yakiniku restaurant on the island. Spur of the moment visits have become harder as the place is now much more popular than when we first visited almost a year ago. Even on weekdays, reservations are highly recommended. But a bit of advance planning is worth it for the consistent quality A5 Japanese wagyu.
The Yazawa company in Japan is a wholesaler of beef as well as restaurant operator. They are known for serving high quality beef at affordable prices, and their first foray in Singapore is no exception. The A5 grade wagyu is flown in weekly, chilled, never frozen, which allows diners to enjoy authentic Japanese beef that is almost comparable to what you might eat in Japan. The selection of cuts changes daily as the beef is brought in whole pieces and sliced here. The friendly and helpful staff can help you select a good variety for your grilling delight.
Durians
Like pungent rotting eggs… one whiff can send grown men fleeing or scrambling to the nearest durian stall for a quick fix. The smell is so strong that “No Durian” signs are posted everywhere in Singapore (and other durian-loving countries) from trains to hotels. As if the odor wasn’t enough of a warning to stay away, this proclaimed “king of fruits” also bears sharp spikes that have to be deftly bypassed in order to gain access. Depending on who you ask, the flavor of the flesh inside is like either an ambrosia or spoiled milk.
Ramen-style soft boiled eggs
If you’ve eaten non-instant ramen, chances are you’ve also had the oh-so delicious soft boiled egg. The egg whites are fully cooked, but the yolk retains a molten consistency. As it turns out, making these types of eggs is not a trivial feat. Why? Because egg yolks and whites cook at very different temperatures – 64 °C and 80 °C respectively. In other words, the egg white has to be cooked to a much higher temperature than the yolk. To complicate matters further, egg sizes vary and the yolk doesn’t sit perfectly in the center…