Beijing, China: Cèpe @ Ritz Carlton

My love for all things Italian knows no bounds. No matter where my journeys will take me, I am sure little Italy will have a special place in my heart. On food, there is nothing pretentious about the cuisine, for what you find is something both hearty and heart-warming, and one which takes pride in delivering richness in almost intricate simplicity. It is little wonder then that even in a roast duck-filled holiday in Beijing I craved for pasta, more than I thought I should and more than I expected myself to be, and for that reason alone I found myself in one of the best places in China that could possibly satiate that intimate longing - Cèpe at Beijing Financial Street's Ritz-Carlton.


Cèpe is a modern and posh Italian restaurant which prides itself in quality food and service that one would naturally expect from The Ritz-Carlton. Its setting, sleek and classy, is also at once cosy and even romantic, and is perfect for that special occasion you've been trying to plan all along. Pure love.

Bread Basket


There is nothing more welcomed than a warm Bread Basket to whet your appetite. From the all-too-familiar fragrant foccacia to the crisp breadsticks and to the soft and supple ciabatta, these breads were quite simply a delight to have and to indulge leisurely in.

Amuse-Bouche


The Amuse-Bouche arrived in the form of a smoked amberjack atop a small bed of greens and a piece of herb-crusted bread. It was delicate and pleasant.

Zuppa di funghi porcini con castagne e rustico di ragu’ d’anatra al tartufo
Porcini mushroom soup with chestnuts


That Cèpe was named after porcini mushrooms, a traditional mainstay in Italian cooking, was no coincidence or gimmick. Chef de Cuisine Eugenio Iraci takes this ingredient seriously, and even oversees a mushroom humidor which houses a premium selection of dried and fresh mushrooms. The marks of care and quality was immediately evident from the Zuppa di Funghi Porcini, as it bore the rich flavour of the mushrooms from the very first spoonful. Thick and savoury, this soup is undoubtedly one of the best mushroom soups that I've had the honour of trying.

Linguine con astice, pomodoro fresco e basilico
Linguini with Boston lobster, fresh tomato and basil


"Sorry, what was that?" I asked puzzledly, as the well-groomed Italian manager leaned forward and suggested something in Chinese.

"Oh," he blinked, and then grinned, "Would you like to have some black pepper?"

Chuckling, I nodded and watched as he sprinkled some pepper on the pasta. When he was done, I thought it would only be gracious to address him in a way more familiar to him.

"Grazie," I smiled.

Taking an about-turn, he looked at me and laughed, "I speak to you in Chinese, and you speak to me in Italian."

"But I'm not Chinese, I mean, I'm not from China," I explained, "I'm from Singapore".

"Ah, Singapore, you come all the way here? On holiday?"

"Yes, but I'm missing Italian food... a lot." Then I added, "Been having too much Peking ducks as well."

Nodding, he smiled, "Then you must enjoy dinner tonight."

And boy, did I.


The Linguine con Astice was nothing short of amazing. It may even be possible that this is even better than Otto Ristorante's rendition of the Boston Lobster Linguine. While similarly done to al dente perfection, the pasta scored on its rich sauce which was thick, sweet and most importantly of all, authentic. And although I ordered a serving for one, it seemed to me like a whole lobster was used, but not that I'm complaining of course. Firm, juicy and fresh, the chunks of lobster were simply delicious. At one glance this dish looks simple, but each forkful was a magical weave of flavours, and pure pleasure.

Apple Crumble Tart with Vanilla Gelato

"Can I get you some dessert then?" the same Italian manager offered as he wheeled in the dessert trolley.

I paused. Desserts are always difficult.

"I can't decide between the tiramisu and the apple crumble," I admitted, "But I'm leaning towards the crumble... I think."

"Ah, the apple tart." His eyes twinkled and he made small wave at the tart as if he was a magician. "I know the best way to eat it."

I knew what was the best way I would eat it, but I wanted to be sure. "Tell me."

Clasping his hands, he said, "I'll warm it up till it's really hot, and then put a delicious scoop of cold vanilla gelato on the side."

This man knows his desserts too.

"I would love that please," I smiled.


And true enough, the Apple Crumble Tart with Vanilla Gelato turned out to be a winner. The tart was crisp on its ends but not overly crumbly, while fresh caramelised apple slices adorned its middle like priceless gems on a crown. The cold and creamy vanilla gelato, so beautifully dotted with vanilla beans, matched the hot crumble tart wonderfully.

Service

"Excuse me," I waved to the waiter, "You left out my dessert in the bill."

The Chinese waiter took a look at the bill, frowned and disappeared for a moment with it. When he returned, he was smiling, "Our manager would like you to know that desserts are on him. He hopes you liked the dessert."

"Oh, I loved it," I said, as I got up, "But please, let me see him so I can thank him personally."

In all Italian warmth and hospitality, the manager put whatever he was doing aside and shook my outstretched hand with both of his. "If you return to Beijing, please come again," he said, "And maybe, try more desserts next time."

We exchanged cards, and with all honesty I said I hoped to return to Cèpe someday. Turning the card, I looked for a name - Alberto Michieli. A true Italian gentleman indeed.

This was definitely one of my best meals of the year.

Price
110RMB for the Zuppa di Funghi Porcini
325RMB for the Linguine con Astice
90RMB for a glass of Italian white wine
60RMB for a bottle of still water

* Prices subject to 15% service charge.

Place
The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street
Xicheng District, Beijing.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

K.L, Malaysia: Happy Meal

Many Malaysian food blogs have raved about the durian puffs from Happy Meal at Petaling Street but these did not out to be as great as we would have expected them to be. Perhaps it was a case of overly raised expectations, but we do know it couldn't match up to some of the ones we have here in Singapore - most especially the king of all durian puffs at Goodwood Park Hotel. I'm not saying these blogs were "wrong" or "misleading" of course - taste after all is subjective.



To us, the Durian Puffs weren't as flavourful and rich as we would have liked them to be. The pastry would have been better if it was softer too. Similarly, the Pineapple-Coconut and Almond tarts were a tad hard and dry (beyond the intended crispy outer layer I'm sure) and we couldn't go more than half of each. The rest were quite forgettable.

Price
RM2.80 for four durian puffs
RM2.00 for each coconut tart
RM2.50 for each almond tart

Place
Kafe Happy Meal
143, Jalan Tun H.S. Lee
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Pictures taken with the Canon Ixus 80 IS.

K Ki @ Ann Siang Hill II

Cakes cakes cakes. K Ki at Ann Siang Hill is to me the undisputed Queen of Cakes. Queen because of the gentle yet regal lightness of its simply divine cakes, and queen too because of how pretty these little, delicate creations look. Sweet dreams, my friends, are made of these :)


Ever since my first visit to K Ki a long while back, I've always been wanting to return for more of its heavenly cakes. And if you're interested, K Ki also shares the space with The Little Dröm Store, an artistic and dream-like shop that has an attractive range of vintage and quaint knick-knacks that are bound to grab your interest. A good place for a meaningful gift surely.


Well I've said it before, but I'd say it again: if there is one word that I have to describe K Ki, it's love. You can feel it from the warmth and coziness of the place, you can see it from the way oweners Kenneth and Delphine attend to their customers, and boy, can you taste it from their cakes. It's all about love and passion weaved in all forms, and you get to enjoy it in more ways than one with every visit to K Ki. For all of that, this long and sincere post is especially dedicated to Kenneth and Delphine.


In this entry, I've decided to post the rest of the cakes that I had before just so you don't have to keep switching back and forth with my older entry on K Ki. As such, I'm doing all the work for you readers; all you need to do then is to feast your eyes on the cakes, and then do yourself a favour, give yourself a treat, and make your way to K Ki at Ann Siang Hill as soon as possible.

Nespresso Coffee and Latte


Nothing like a rich cup of quality Nespresso Coffee to perk you up. People who like their coffee sweeter though would probably have to add more milk or sugar, but it suits just fine for me this way. At first I was concerned that the full flavour of the coffee would affect the taste of the cakes, but it turned out to be a good complement. Do try their Gryphon Camomile Tea too, it's really good if you prefer your teas. And oh, delicious coconut sablé cookie to accompany the drink, which you could buy in the pack too!

Pumpkin Pudding


Before we start on the cakes, let us begin with the Pumpkin Pudding. This is actually not sold regularly because of the strictest standards that Kenneth has set for the grade of pumpkins he gets every week, so you can say I was very lucky indeed to have this. I'm not very much a fan of pumpkins, but after this smooth, moist and rich delight, I'm a convert. It's so sweet and so good, even if you may think for a while that this could be awesome baby food too. That's how soft it is. If that's all not enough, why not a generous pool of caramel sauce too. Lovely.

Souffle Cheese


The Souffle Cheese is something you may want to try (there's a richer Cheese Tart variant available here at K Ki too) if you like your cheesecakes. "Soft and fluffy" was how my friends described it, and they were definitely spot-on. Nothing fancy to it, just beauty in simplicity.

Little Red Riding Hood


One of the latest creations from K Ki, the Little Red Riding Hood impresses not only with its sexy, bold look but also with the intricacies (passion, passion) involved in its creation. The real hardcore chocolate lovers would say "aye!" to this - 70% pure Guanaja dark chocolate - went into the LRRH for that addictive bitter chocolate taste. If the silky exterior doesn't charm you enough (trust me, it all looks so delicate you wouldn't want to put your fork through at the start), wait till you get to the middle - raspberry puree for that interesting mix of sweet and sour. It does seem like there's almost too many things put together here, but somehow, it just works. And it works wonderfully well too.

Mona: Nip-Tucked


The revamped and improved Mona was such a joy, to behold and to eat. Kenneth wanted more balance to the cake and went on to create a simple, dual layer, teardrop delight. The top layer was a perfect harmony of banana and milk chocolate mousse, while the bottom was a thick but delicious sablé-based crust. I love this so much more than the previous Mona.

Mona


So this was what the Mona looked like before the revamp. It was slightly richer (and thus slightly "heavier") then, but I remembered that I especially adored the light and sweet macaron at the top. By the way, this cake also happens to be named after one of Delphine and Kenneth's friends!

Antoinette


The owner of The Little Dröm Store loves this cake so much that Delphine and Kenneth decided to name it after her. The Antoinette is undoubtedly one of K Ki's bestsellers, and it's not hard to see why it is. Light and delicate white chocolate mousse wrapped around a sweet mango purée centre. This is a personal favourite.

Mont Blanc


Another one of K Ki's bestsellers, the Mont Blanc is a chestnut-flavoured cake (see the brown swirls) with soft sponge and sweet cream underneath. Always thought Mont Blanc as the snow-capped French Alps, but hey I love this even more because I get to eat it. Yums.

Kinabaru


Coconut mousse, passionfruit crème and chocolate daquoise, the Kinabaru is another one of my favourites. Kenneth was saying that since there's already a "Mont Blanc" why not one after Kota Kinabalu, but with a hint of something refreshing in "baru" (Malay word for "new"). While the coconut flavour could be just a little bit stronger, it still fits with the "light" theme of the cake and I like it a lot. You can probably have slice after slice of this cake and not go full at all!

Strawberry Tart


I'm not the biggest fan of fruit tarts, but at least K Ki's Strawberry Tart base made from its sablé cookies was a simple delight to munch on. The ladies adore this to bits.

Cafe Dumo


The name Cafe Dumo somehow reminded me about this adorable Japanese mascot Domo-kun, which happens to be of a similar brown shade as well. This cake is perfect for guys who want something of a stronger (maybe even manly?) flavour as it's a good, delicious mix of coffee and chocolate. While I'm not sure if non-coffee lovers would take to this easily, Delphine assures that the touch of coffee is light enough to not put them off.


Lovely cakes, lovely service and lovely company. There's certainly a nice charm to this place and I'm missing K Ki already, as always. It's not just about the good cakes, but also about the "spirit of joy and love" (as quoted from Delphine) that draws me so much to this little sanctuary along Ann Siang Hill.

Share the simple things in life. Come to K Ki, you know you want to :)

Service
Excellent.

Price
$4.50 for a teapot of Gryphon chamomile tea
$4.00 for the Nespresso latte
$3.50 for the Nespresso regular coffee
$7.00 for the Pumpkin Pudding
$5.50 for the Souffle Cheese
$8.50 for the Little Red Riding Hood
$7.50 for the Mona [Nip-Tucked]
$8.00 for the Mona
$8.00 for the Antoinette
$8.00 for the Kinabaru
$6.50 for the Strawberry Tart
$8.50 for the Mont Blanc
$7.50 for the Cafe Dumo

* Prices subject to 10% service charge.

Place
No.7 Ann Siang Hill.

Additional Comments
1. At the moment there's only seating room for six (more room on the way), so either come early or be prepared to take-away.
2. Opening Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: 11am - 9:30pm
Thursday Closed at 7pm
Saturday Closed at 4pm
Closed on Mondays.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Laurent Bernard Chocolatier

Laurent Bernard Chocolatier at Robertson Quay is definitely something you would not want to miss if you're in the area, and it's certainly a personal favourite amongst the many dessert places here in Singapore. Following my unforgettable love experience with the chocolate tart earlier in the year, I was back here again looking for more, and with heightened expectations as well.

Chocolate Tart


Of course, no trip would be complete without meeting my first love. So here the chocolate tart continued to dazzle with its three layers of distinctive tastes and textures - delicious smooth dark chocolate, crunchy hazelnut praline feuilletine centre and crisp, biscuit-like pâte sablée crust. A best-seller surely.

Pleasure




This little lass did sashay into the picture and with a name like Pleasure it did arouse a certain amount of interest. A simplistic description would have it that this interesting creation is the milk chocolate variation to the chocolate tart, since it keeps the hazelnut praline layer and replaces the dark chocolate with milk chocolate ganache. I thought this was equally satisfying for a chocolate lover like me.

Chocolate Soufflé
Served with Raspberry Sherbet and Vanilla Cream


There's something amazing about Laurent's Chocolate Soufflé that leaves you smiling so widely even after having to part with more than seventeen dollars, a premium price surely when most soufflés I know go for about ten plus. The seductiveness of this expensive lady lies in the quality chocolate lying inside that protective bread coat, and the way the sour sherbet continues to tease your senses as you work your way through this fabulous dessert. Pour the vanilla cream in slowly, stirring the hot chocolate contents inside for maximum aphrodisiac pleasure. Even Aphrodite would be thrilled.


Strawberry Soufflé
Served with Raspberry Sauce


No other soufflé after the Chocolate Soufflé can do much to impress, and indeed the Strawberry Soufflé paled in comparison. After such strong cocoa, the raspberry essence was just not impactful enough. Either that or I was already in heaven drowned in chocolate.

Lesson learnt: Go for anything and everything chocolate at Laurent Bernard Chocolatier! Chocolate heaven indeed for any chocolate lovers or potential converts ;)

Service
Very good. Photography without flash is allowed, if you ask nicely.

Service
$6.80 for the chocolate tart
$9.80 for the pleasure tart
$16.50 for the chocolate soufflé
$11.85 for the strawberry soufflé

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
The Pier at Robertson Quay, 80 Mohammad Sultan Road #01-11.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Marmalade Pantry II

Marmalade Pantry used to be much raved in its heydey but I realised that has since quietened down (a lot), especially in food forums and the food blogosphere. Reviews haven't been the most promising too, and there's definitely a concern that Marmalade is having trouble maintaining its consistency in quality. Unfazed by the less than encouraging words on Marmalade, I made a visit to its Ion Orchard branch last month.

Sticky Date & Toffee Pudding


Still one of Marmalade Pantry's all-time favourites and signatures, the Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding continues to get its approval from its humble following. I like the way the caramelised toffee was drizzled all around this dessert.


And for a close-up, check out the vanilla beans :)

Chocolate Nemesis


The Chocolate Nemesis appeared to be more of an artistic attempt rather than one meant to fill you up. While it may look large on close-up, it's actually quite small, about the size of a slice of pound cake, with a smear of chocolate sauce on the side. It tasted alright but didn't really excite the senses.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake


The Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake however was even less appetising (for the lack of a better word) because I found it wayyy too thick and rich for my liking. Perhaps this is the "old-fashioned" type of fudge cake but I personally found it hard (literally too) to appreciate.

Cinnamon Spiced Apple Cake


This was something rich as well, but didn't leave that much of a lasting impression. At least the cinnamon flavour managed to reduce the richness of the cake a little.

Blueberry & Almond Tart


The Blueberry & Almond Tart was one of the favourites on the table because it was sweet, soft and smooth.

Cherry Crumble Tart


The other tart however, the Cherry Crumble Tart, felt quite "grainy" or "powdery", and somehow didn't have a very pleasant aftertaste.

The Geisha


The Marmalade Pantry is especially proud of its cupcakes, and if there's one that I particularly like, it would be The Geisha. Buttermilk and pandan cupcake with a delectable green tea and coconut frosting. The coconut taste was more prevalent than the green tea, but still it was sweet and good.

Complimentary Cupcakes


Me and my friends were at Marmalade till closing time, so we got three (leftover) cupcakes for free. The Bananarama cupcake of banana walnut cake with caramel cream cheese was awfully sweet and would rake up the sugars in your system surely. I found the pretty Cloud 9 cupcake, with the colourful hundreds and thousands on top, quite boring actually, since it was plain cake underneath. If I remember correctly, the last cupcake was the Limonata, a tart lemon glazed cake that also didn't impress me very much. I guess The Geisha still stands supreme amidst all of the cupcakes from Marmalade Pantry.

Service
Very good.

Price
$12.00 for the sticky date and toffee pudding
$14.00 for the chocolate nemesis
$7.80 for the slice of old-fashioned chocolate fudge cake
$7.80 for the slice of cinnamon spiced apple cake
$6.80 for the blueberry and almond tart
$6.80 for the cherry crumble tart
$4.20 for the geisha cupcake
$4.20 for any other cupcake

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
Ion Orchard, #03-22 - #03-34.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Coffee Club

As far as I can remember, I've never really eaten anything from Coffee Club before, except for its signature Muddy Mud Pie which I adore very much. Other than that, it has always been for the teatime (or evening time) drinks as an accompaniment to friendly conversations. This time was still no different, we were here just to sit around for a chat or two, but to keep it going we naturally got little somethings to munch away as well.

Hazelnut Caramel Tart (above): 4.5/5
I admit that I enjoyed the hazelnut caramel tart more than others would, but the layer of sweet caramel amidst chocolate powder and a mix of dark and milk chocolate underneath wins my vote anytime. I must also add that there's more of them hazelnuts in the tart for that extra crunch. If this came warmer with a slightly thicker (perhaps less bland-tasting) biscuit crust, I would love it even more.

Grilled Cajun Chicken Salad


Elaine picked the salad because it looked "pretty" and "colourful" on the menu, and I kinda agree with the "colourful" bit. Of course, you will never find me eating a salad, not something a carnivore like me would say yes to, but I'm sure most girls simply love their salads.

Cappuccino


And of course, if you're here at Coffee Club, have some coffee to perk you up :)

Service
Contrary to Hungrygowhere reviews, the service here is actually quite good and they refilled our glasses with iced water pretty frequently.

Price
$4.20 for the hazelnut caramel tart
$10.50 for the grilled cajun chicken salad
$5.50 for a cup of cappuccinno

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
Raffles City Shopping Centre, #03-30/30A.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Laurent Bernard Chocolatier

What's a trip to Robertson Quay without a visit to Laurent Bernard? For a chocolate lover like me, that would be pretty aimless actually! I do wish sometimes that I could enjoy my dessert in the comfort of the café, but the "no photography" policy on its premises has kept me out. For now, my delicious treat and camera can only stare defiantly at Laurent Bernard from afar, as seen from the light green tent in the distance.


Holding this box in my hand was like holding a casing containing the Holy Grail. I kid you not. I've been wanting to eat this lovely little slice of heaven for a very long time. And finally, the moment has arrived.

Chocolate Tart: 5/5


Indeed, it was perfect, and judging by its contents, it could very well be used as an aphrodisiac. Cake, tart, whatever you want to call it - this is the best of its kind that I've eaten so far. Of course, while the hazelnut-chocolate praline cakes like those from 1 Caramel and Checkers Deli are more spongy, as a tart, this one is more crisp and crunchy with three layers of distinctive tastes and textures. And what made this chocolate tart a wonder really is its deliciously smooth dark chocolate. Oh so good.

It has taken me a long time to find my one true love, but I'm happy to have finally found it.

Price
$7.30, incl. GST.

Place
The Pier at Robertson Quay, 80 Mohammad Sultan Road #01-11.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.