Greece will always have a special place in my heart. I decided that i wanted to visit the country in 2016. Came end 2015, major upheaval in my life, new job, new relationship status (i was briefly single). Then, a whirlwind 6 months later, dust was settled and everything fell into place (even the relationship part) and Greece happened! The universe has its plans for us really. So anyway, here's sharing highlights of the magical trip we took! This itinerary provides you with IMHO a comprehensive experience as you can get in 10 days. There's history, nature, sun, wine & dine, and city life. What more can you ask for right? Now read on. 

When to visit

A good time to head to Greece is in the May - early June period, before the rest of Europe breaks for summer holidays. It's slightly off peak so accommodation is cheaper, but at the same time the ferry frequencies would have increased so it's  more convenient for island hopping than when it's off peak.

Where to visit

Delphi- 1 night

Meteora- 1 night

Crete- 3 nights (Chania and Heraklion)

Santorini- 2 nights

Athens- 2 nights

Travel

Fly into Athens on your choice of airline. Scoot flies to Athens direct now so that's pretty awesome. We took Qatar and it was only S$950/pax. Choose to spend time in Athens first, or to do it at the end (we did it at the end).

We took a car from Athens to Delphi, and then Meteora, and dropped it off at Thessaloniki. It may not be the best thing to do because a one way car rental is A LOT more expensive. This costs $440 for 3 days. 

As we wanted to visit the islands, we decided to take a couple of domestic flights so that we could save some traveling time. From Thessaloniki, we took a flight to Crete island (in order to hike Samaria Gorge, S$150/pax), and then another flight from Santorini to Athens (S$200/pax). Between the Crete and Santorini, we took the ferry (S$100/pax). 

Places of Interests

Delphi in ancient times was considered the center of the world, the place where heaven and earth met. There isn't much to see other than the ancient site. It makes for a nice afternoon stroll to stretch your legs from the drive. Read all about Delphi's history here. 

We stayed in the suite at Fedriades Delphi Hotel (amazing view from the tub and balcony), which is within walking distance to the archeological site. Restaurants are also readily available in this area. Basic European breakfast is served, Greek yogurt is always available!

Meteora is a must visit for us. It presents nature's grandeur, history, architecture and culture/religion. The monasteries will amaze anyone, even non-believers. My advice is to take note of the opening hours of the monasteries that you want to visit. They are closed on different days of the week and they also close early. Find out more about Meteora Monasteries here.

We stayed at Doupiani House in Kastraki which has a great view of the rocks. This is the view from our balcony. Gorgeous right? Note that it's a little farther from the town so you'll need to drive. The rooms are basic but comfortable.  

Crete was one of the highlights of our trip! If you love nature, you should definitely check out Samaria Gorge, which is Europe’s largest gorge. This National Park is 18km long with unbelievable natural beauty. Spend 4 - 6 hours walking through the gorge (it is mostly downhill and steep at the start). We started at approx 730am and ended at 130pm. Remember to pack lots of snacks for picnics along the way. Fresh spring water is available at the various rest stops and free for refills. 

Agia Roumeli village is where the walk ends and you can enjoy a swim in the Libyan Sea! The easiest way to trek Samaria Gorge is to sign up for a 'tour' and they will settle all the transfers (pick up and ferry) for you.  The trek is non guided but you wouldn't lose your way for sure. We stayed in Chania for easy access to Samaria Gorge. 

Cretan food is also superb. We had our best meal at To Maridaki, which serves the freshest seafood we've eaten in Greece! The chefs are all Greek grandmothers btw. Gosh that grilled squid and fish.. If you have more time in Crete, do check out the Cretan wineries, and get their olive oil! 

We stayed at Kydon, The Heart City Hotel in Chania, which is walking distance to To Maridaki. It was a good idea #becausewine, and the restaurant served us a parting shot of raki (an aniseed-flavored vodka) before we left. We had a giggly walk back. It's good to note that the breakfast spread at Kydon is quite amazing (compared to the regular European standard).

Heraklion in comparison is more touristy and you can get your dose of 'city life' here, especially around the Lion Square area. To get from Chania to Heraklion, we decided to hop on a morning tour to the Palace of Knossos (with our bags), and requested to be dropped off in Heraklion. The morning was well spent learning about the Minoans (and Minotaur), our guide was very informative. There are plenty of tours offered in the city and we booked one when we were in Chania.

In Heraklion, we stayed at Kastro Hotel, a small hotel that is a 3 min walk to Lion's square. It's super basic but comfortable enough. We chose this so we didn't have to wake crazy early to catch our ferry to Santorini  (the only is a 5min taxi ride away from the ferry terminal). From Crete to Santorini, we took Hellenic Seaways. 

And then it was SANTORINI OF COURSE! I don't care how touristy it may be. How can you go to Greece and not visit Santorini right? Don't give me that BS about 'oh, that's for tourist'. The most important thing is that you have fun on your holiday. So on that, YES GO TO SANTORINI. 

To top off that touristy thing, go catch a sunset cruise. We chose this because we wanted to explore the island a bit without the hassle. The cruise brought us to the volcano and hot springs (we swam in it), and then we were off to the Volcanic Red beach, White Beach, and Mesa Pigadia for more snorkelling. A Greek BBQ was served on board and it was quite delicious. The highlight was of course the Oia sunset from the waters.  

We took our cruise with the Santorini Yachting Club, and our hotel helped book us on it. They have various fleets and price varies depending on how private the cruise is. The good thing about going slightly off peak is that you get the same privacy on a bigger boat at a cheaper rate! Prices start from 95€ per pax (for max capacity of 55 pax).

Whatever you do, make time for some wine tasting, especially their specialty dessert Vinsanto! Santos Winery is highly recommended. They are super generous with their tasting portions (80ml each) and the tastings come with snacks too! We were absolutely stuffed. We went with a 12 wine flight and it was only 27€! We also visited Domaine Sigalas which has better food than wines i feel. Art Space is another art gallery-museum-winery that I'd have loved to check out. 

We stayed at Esperas Hotel in Oia, Santorini which is the best accommodation we stayed at in Greece! I'd say splurge on a nice place in Santorini, the view is definitely worth it. We could enjoy the gorgeous Santorini sunset from our balcony. There's also the view of the caldera. Amoudi Bay is a short walk downhill and you can get seafood from one of the restaurants. We had our seafood fix at Katina's. Also check out Melatini for some delicious tapas in Oia. For more food and buzz, head back to Fira. 

And then it was back to Athens! 

There are plenty of ancient sites so i'll leave it to you to pick and choose the ones you wanna visit. I'd recommend that you do the Acropolis site first, and follow up with a visit to the museum. Of course, visit the Parthenon and its surrounding sites. 

Plenty of amazing restaurants in Athens to check out. See my pins below! Make sure you make a reservation or else you'll not be able to eat at the popular places. 

Hope you find this Greece itinerary useful! Let us know if you have other recommendations. :)

XOXO 

Travelerintransit

Cuppage Plaza is known for the small Japanese restaurants that cater to the discerning palates of the Japanese community in Singapore. As seedy as it may be, with Thai and Vietnamese call girls loitering on the corridors, once you step into the individual restaurants, you'd think that you're in Japan. That's exactly my thoughts after stepping into the super discreet (no sign board) and high security (you need to buzz the intercom before you're allowed in) Kappo Shunsui.

Those familiar to the Tokyo food scene may have heard of Shunsui, which was named in Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list for three consecutive years between 2015 and 2017. And now, the man behind the same restaurant, Chef Tomo Watanabe, has set up shop here in Singapore.

Kappo Shunsui serves a Kappo-style cuisine which is all about creating balance throughout the course  of a meal by the use of five primary cooking techniques: grilling, steaming, frying, simmering and raw preparation. From behind the counter, Chef Watanabe prepares and cooks for the lucky 19 who get a taste of the ever changing seasonal menu made with produce delivered from Tsukiji Market thrice weekly and other imported Japanese ingredients.

A qualified kikisake-shi (sake sommelier), Chef Watanabe has also curated an impressive list of close to 100 labels of sake, including bottles not listed on the menu, from his private collection. These are available by the glass and bottle (From $12/63 respectively). Sake pairing for the omakase is also available ($55/85 for 6 glasses of 60ml).

Beef is synonymous with Argentina. The county has been raising cows since the 16th century and Argentines are the second-highest consumers of beef in the world (after Uruguay, and ahead of Hong Kong). The steaks are high when it comes to picking a Parrilla (steakhouse) to dine at because of limited calories and the fear of gout. To prevent any mis-steak, here are some tips on how to order your meats, and where to enjoy them in Buenos Aires.

Bife 101

You will not find steaks on the menu, only Bife (“Bee-fay”). The most popular cut in Argentina is Bife de chorizo (sirloin). Next would be Vacío (flank steak, around the belly), a cut is rarely served outside of Argentina. Asado de tira (short ribs) and Entraña (skirt steak) are the next popular cuts.

The Argentines prefer to have their meats slow smoked over briquettes, also known as the asado style. Thus, it is wiser to have a slice with more fats, hence the popularity of sirloin. Ojo de bite (ribeye) could work too. Or if you really must, the bife de lomo (filet mignon).

Degree of over-doneness

Argentina meats are more often than not, over cooked. I really like my meat medium rare and it has been suggested that you order it jugoso (juicy). However, the chefs often have different ideas on what jugoso means. Well, in most cases, blue (vuelta y vuelta) will turn out medium rare, and medium (a punto) will come medium well or well done (bien cocida). You could always try bien jugoso or rosado con y bien jugoso for a medium rare steak; and a punto pero todavia jugoso for medium.

10 Best Parrillas in Buenos Aires

Most upmarket- La Cabrera

José Antonio Cabrera 5099

Tel: +54 11 4832 5754

Daily: 12.30 - 4.30pm, 8.30pm - 1.30am
La Cabrera is tipped as Buenos Aires top steakhouse. Make sure you make your reservation and dress to the nines if you intend to dine in this trendy Palermo restaurant. Rosemary-flavored steaks are served in 200g or 400g portions (yes they are massive), accompanied by delicious sides. Try your luck at the sister restaurant La Cabrera Norte if you can't score a table.

The Disgruntled Brasserie, sister outlet of the acclaimed The Disgruntled Chef at Dempsey has now launched a revamped menu created by newly appointed Chef de Cuisine Desmond Goh. Unlike its fine dining counterpart, the Disgruntled Brasserie is a relaxed and modern European brasserie focused on sharing plates.

Located in boutique hotel The Club, The Disgruntled Brasserie provides a respite from the noise, sights, and smells from the Ann Siang watering hole. 

We started out night with the small plates. The Foie Gras & Peanut Butter Miso ($18/pc), served with blackcurrant, poached grapes and brioche is recommended. How can anyone say no to a smooth chunk of butter on more butter.

I like some oomph in my dishes so the Home-Cured Salmon ($16) with pickled cucumber and marinated avocado on horseradish buttermilk was a tad too bland for me.

Now, the dish that really tantalized my tastebuds is the Gruyere Cheese Soufflé ($16). Cheesy it sure was but it was delightfully airy and light and the caramelised onions and chardonnay fondue helped to balance the creaminess. Share this or not, i'll leave it to you. Ps. i wouldn't.

Outside of Japan, probably no other country has more Japanese restaurants per capita than Singapore. There is no lack of options if you wish to have a bowl of ramen. So why should you make your way to Machida Shoten, a ramen eatery that recently opened in Wisma Atria Japan Food Town?

Here are two reasons. You may discover more if you heed my advice and make a visit, which you should the next time you crave a bowl of ramen or a good, inexpensive and fuss-free Japanese meal.

Reason #1: The ramen

It may come as a surprise that quite a few places in town that claim to be ramen restaurants are not very good at it. Machida Shoten, on the other hand, does a great job. It uses thick yellow noodles, different from the thin stringy version that is more common here. The ramen is not overly heavy or starchy, and acts as an excellent conduit for the broth, which is the star of the show. You should either order the Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen ($16) or the Miso Tonkotsu Ramen ($16). 

The Shoyu Tonkotsu broth is an intense mix of pork bone and shoyu flavours which engulf your senses at once – it is rich, robust, nutty, and many delicious things combined into a wonderful whole. You are forced to shut out all distractions to confront this bowl of ramen, and the reward is utter satisfaction and happiness.

Can't believe it has been 3 years since Manhattan opened in Regent Hotel Singapore! After serving over 170,000 cocktails and 60,000 plates of gourmet bar bites centered on the New York boroughs, they have now updated their menu which draws inspiration from the five eras of New York. 

From the time of the European Exploration (1520 to 1730s), when Dutch explorers settled at the southern tip of Manhattan and the first settlers of New York developed their native way of life, Manhattan presents the First Voyage ($25).

Made from Mancino Vecchio, Rutte Old Simon Gin, Penfold's Father Port Wine, Luxardo Maraschino and Orange Bitters, this low-abv clay pot-aged cocktail is full-bodied with deep flavours and subtle cherry notes. Left to rest for at least two weeks to heighten smoothness and gain complexity, the drink is a tribute to the history of clay pots being used to store liquids during the time.

Looking for a romantic spot for a date or for an intimate wedding? Consider Lewin Terrace, a Japanese-French fusion restaurant housed in a gorgeous black & white bungalow and nestled amidst the lush greenery of Fort Canning. 

Take it from the experts, my dining party of bridal publication writers said that Lewin Terrace serves the best food in their category (boutique wedding restaurants i reckon). I definitely agree with the made-in-heaven marriage between Japanese and French cuisine, which was made better by Executive Chef Keisuke Matsumoto and his team of chefs. 

Lewin Terrace’s signature set dinner and seasonal lunch menus change every three months due to its produce-driven philosophy. Here's a look at what we had for their special World Gourmet Summit 2017 menu, along with some wine-sake pairing from their extensive and exclusive wine list. We were lucky to try the dishes prepared by Chef Keisuke Matsumoto and critically-acclaimed pastry chef Kiriko Nakamura from Tirpse for this collaboration.

Snack by Kiriko- A delightful pop of onion, shallots and blue cheese powder on a snappy cracker. We had the 2014 Muscat Bailey A “Seiro” L’Escargot” to start. This Japanese wine smells like lily and i loved the fruity and floral notes that end with honey.

What was once The Forbidden City is now VLV Restaurant, a restaurant- club lounge- courtyard-riverside dining spot. Well let's just focus on their food shall we?  restaurant that focuses on traditional Cantonese flavours.  Executive Head Chef Martin Foo whips up modern plates that take reference from traditional Cantonese flavors in his menu, and the restaurant has launched three new Lunch Sets—‘Creations’ ($48/pax; min 2 pax), ‘Tasting’ ($98/4 pax; max 2 sets/grp), and ‘Signatures’ ($138/4 pax; max 2 sets/grp).

From the Signatures menu, the cold starter Aburi Kagoshima Kurobuta Roll did not impress (a little dry) as much as Calamari Rings. Do not scoff at fried food. With a crunchy batter and thick juicy rings of squid, how can I not fall in love with these golden rings?

The radioactive green Crab Meat Spinach Soup may put you off but it's rich and tasty, and definitely green. 

Steamed to the precise second, the Coral Trout Head & Belly had me going for second third helpings. Fresh and chunky white fish dressed in black garlic and black bean, and garnished with Chinese coriander may be typical of a Cantonese steamed fish, but the charm was the surprise silky sheets of beancurd skin beneath the fish!

A little late here but WELCOME TO THE HOOD Firebake! Can I just say that Firebake Woodfired Bakehouse and Restaurant is my favorite dining spot in the East? I've been waiting with bated breath ever since I heard that Konstantino (or Tino) is gonna open up a place to sell his kickass sourdough bread made. Plus this passionate man was building a full-scale woodfire oven just so that he can bake his breads in (how's that for passion)! Of course, you can expect that I made many rounds around their block so that I can be the first to check them out when they open.

Tino is truly an artisan who is devoted to his craft. From raw ingredients to firewood to water, everything is as non-processed, sustainable, and close to its natural state as possible. Organic flour, natural non-iodised and non-processed salt, water that has been treated using Firebake’s elaborate Nordaq Fresh water filtration system, all these pure ingredients go into the making of a perfect loaf. 

Hump day alert! Because the best way to get through mid week is with some sake and bar bites! We have recently discovered an awesome Choinomi deal for Japanese sake and Otsumami (snack) at IPPUDO. 

Now now, how about a Tokkuri (sake flask) of sake + 1 otsumami for only $9.90? Trust us when we say that the portions are generous (for both). For this promo, beers and highballs are also available if you love to guzzle and rinse. The in-between munch of otsumami include crab fritters, chicken jamban and otsumami menma. Of course there are more choices on the menu but we certainly recommend the above. If one snack is not enough (DUH), go for the otsumami set at $15 that allows you to pick 3 items from the Otsumami menu. Or just go for three Choinomi sets (because 1 tokkuri of sake is never enough).

The Choinomi sets will be available all night long from 5.30pm onwards at the Mohamed Sultan Outlet and 5pm onwards at Shaw Centre Outlet.

Eat. Drink. Repeat.

IPPUDO
207 River Valley Road, #01-55/56, Singapore 238275
1 Scotts Road #04-22/23 Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208

A brand new dining experience has been introduced at Hard Rock Hotel Singapore by Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). Get your savory, sweet, and Masterchef desires satisfied here with their crab and seafood dishes, elaborate patisserie, and cooking classes with their celebrity chefs. 

The highlight here is really the cooking studio, named Cooking Sessions. I don't know about you but i absolutely love cooking classes even though i never cook at home. So don't worry if your cooking skills are less than stellar, you'll be under the good hands of the celebrity chef or the resident culinary expert. Plus there are a variety of cooking programmes - from decorating cupcakes and baking cookies for the little ones (for children four years old and above at $18 nett per child) to a fine-dining 3-hour multi-course menu cook-off competition which makes for an exciting team-building activity (from $120 nett per person).

Chef Forest Leong took us through the preparation of her Fried Fish Slices with Salted Egg Yolk Cream which is served at Forest. Her husband Chef Sam Leong is one of the instructor chefs at Cooking Sessions, along with Chef Douglas Tay from Osia Steak and Seafood Grill, and Chef Yew Eng Tong from Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora.

Birds of a Feather, one of my favorite restaurant, has added new items to their awesome menu and they have also started their weekend brunch! WHEEEEE! Seriously guys, if you haven't tried their contemporary Western-Sichuan offering, you really should go now. Check out my earlier food review of Birds of a Feather here! 

While the first launch menu stuck with the more known flavors of Ma (numbing) and La (spicy), the have now introduced more complex sichuan flavors into the dishes! 

Starting with the small plates, how about a chilled Pig Ear Mosaic ($18)? I don't eat pig ears but these braised pig ears served cold with Sichuan red and sour dressing, and arrowroot noodles were pretty tasty, that's if you get past the squeamishness of the ears. My favorite was the chewy cold noodles with the numbing spice (ma la) sauce. 

One of my favorite Sichuan flavors is the salty garlic sauce. The Baby Octopus with Classic Sichuan Garlic Sauce ($18). Instead of the usual sliced pork which may be dryish, a blanched baby octopus is used instead. It's a good cold dish to start with and i loved the crunch from the black fungus.

Trust me, we all need that well-deserved break from weekend retail therapy and there's no better place to rest your legs and pockets at Hilton Singapore! They have just launched their new Endless Saturday High Tea at D9 Cakery. 

High tea at a cakery? Sounds like sweet stuff. Well there are sufficient savory bites IMO. Though the selection is not wide, i must say they are quality stuff that will satisfy. 

I love the buns here. Definitely the Pulled Pork Sliders (love the good balance of sweetness and tartness of the meat, sandwiched between fluffy buns) and Pork Floss Curry Pork Bun (remember to add on more of chef's house-made curry and more floss).

Hilton does the best hotel satays in Singapore I SWEAR. They are even better than Pan Pacific Edge's. I say it's among the best i've tasted in Singapore too. 

Super chunky, juicy, tender and well flavored!

The Laksa is quite lemak too! The surprise was the Liu Sha Bao (the skin is so fluffy and the tasty salted egg lava flows). Something special from the savory section is the Swiss Raclette that goes on top of your potatoes or focaccia. Honestly i don't get the hype because the cheese coagulates quickly. I'd rather have a selection of cheeses. 

Fall into a sweet coma with the six-meter showcase brimming with a selection of desserts highlighting artisanal cake creations all made using premium imported ingredients. Here, you get the bite size portions of the typical slices sold at D9. I say it's definitely a great way to help you find your favorite bakes! The chocolate fudge was a hit, i enjoyed the banana walnut loaf, and the pralines are great too. Plus there are the famous Hilton cheesecakes in pop size! They also have pretty desserts in jars too. 

Whatever you do, make sure you pop a few more of their macarons. THESE ARE DAMN GOOD. Nice crust (breaks a tad too easily) with dense flavorful ganache fillimg. Absolutely love the salted caramel one, and coffee, and chocolate, and lemon... Sorry no photos because they are all in my tummy!

Afternoon tea is incomplete without freshly baked Vanilla and Raisin scones with clotted cream. I love these perfect bite sized scones that have a nice crust on the outside and sticky density on the inside. Plus that clotted cream is yums!! Definitely one of the better scones around town.

The afternoon tea experience is complete with over ten handpicked selections of TWG tea blends. This Saturdate experience can be enjoyed at $41/pax with free flow coffee and TWG tea. Top up an additional $35 for bottomless rounds of sparkling wine, selected beer, white and red wines.

Hilton Endless Saturday High Tea at D9 Cakery

Lobby Level, Hilton Singapore

581 Orchard Road Singapore 238883

Tel: +65 6730 3392

Sat: 12 - 2.30pm, 3 - 5pm 

The word “superfood” has always struck me as a marketing gimmick designed to justify a premium for plain-tasting, strange-looking food. The latest case in point: the Quinoa, a bland, textureless mini-grain that resembles the head of a red ant; at least, (I was told) red ants have quite a complex flavour. Quinoa, on the other hand, does nothing to food except to make it look Instagram-worthy.

I was therefore suitably skeptical when I was recently invited to a tasting session featuring chia seeds. The Chia, like the Quinoa, has all the trappings of an overpriced superfood. It is very bland and looks very, very strange (tadpoles without tails? mini eyeballs?). It also has a supremely weird texture – think slimy multiplied by the number of chia seeds you happen to dump into your mouth. But the session was to be held at Yan and Yan is nice, so I decided to give chia a chance.

The tasting session was hosted by Mr Freddy Yap, boss of home-grown health food label Superior Brand. During the session, he spoke with passion about the importance of eating healthily – something he felt strongly about because of his brush with bad health a few years ago. He introduced us to Superior’s house blend of chia seeds, a formulation of 5 varieties of seeds sourced from Mexico and Peru for their rich nutrient contents and superior health qualities: I have always known that the seeds can reportedly lower cholesterol levels or high blood pressure, or have high fiber content; what I did not know is that they are also a great source of omega-3 fats.

For all their purported qualities, the Superior Brand Chia Seeds ($18/bag) does not stand out for its taste. During the tasting session, the chefs at Yan sprinkled chia seeds onto my main of roasted BBQ spare rib and all over my bowl of rice soup with crab meat. We were also asked to drop a tablespoon of chia seeds into our cups of hot tea. The chia seeds do not improve or affect the taste of the food. What they do, however, is to enhance the nutritional quality of your food. And it is precisely due to its blandness that the chia seeds are versatile enough to be served alongside pretty much whatever one is having.

What about the slimy texture? Mr Yap has that covered. Superior’s chia seeds are processed using a unique micro-slicing method which allows each seed to be cut extra-thin while frozen. The benefits are multifold – none of the nutrients are lost because very little heat is generated during micro-slicing, unlike the milling method typically used for chia seeds. Also, the minute size of the micro-sliced chia seeds enable quick and easy absorption by the body, and in turn, faster delivery of nutrients. Most importantly to me, though, was the fact that the chia seeds had lost the slimy texture I expected after micro-slicing. The finished product looked more like black sesame or pepper than mini-eyeballs, which was a great plus as well.

Mr Yap recommends 2 to 3 teaspoons of chia seeds daily, to be used as a meal replacement or supplement. To ensure quality and freshness, his Superior chia seeds are packed in small, handy packets that come with its own Ziploc. Each bag can last about a month if consumed daily. I am a convert – my new morning ritual is to sprinkle the chia seeds over my morning cereal!

Superior is better known for their Premium Bird’s Nests ($960/200g of dried bird’s nest or $158 for 2 bowls of double-boiled bird’s nest), which came from Superior’s own swiftlet house in Malaysia. I am no expert on bird’s nest, but even I can tell that this was different from the usual stuff that comes in a small glass bottle that one can get from a traditional Chinese herbal shop (or worse, in a tetra-pak). 

For one, the bird’s nest (served with rock sugar syrup) does not have any plastic-like texture that I would associate with unnatural or manufactured products. What I had instead was silky and smooth, with just a bit of bounciness. The bird’s nest also came as long strands, not small broken bits and chunks. What was even more remarkable, though, was the taste. Typically, bird’s nest takes on the flavor of whatever liquid it happens to be cooked with. In this case, the bird’s nest has a subtle and pleasant hint of egg-white, which goes along nicely with the rock-sugar broth. It was certainly a very enjoyable and luxurious bowl of bird’s nest!

To find out more about Superior’s products, do check out http://finestfood.com.sg or #superiorfoodsasia From now till 15 May 2017, get 10% off your online purchase when you key in the code 'super0517' upon checking out your items! Time to get mummy some goodness! 

-Patrick

Ever walked into a whisky bar and got the daylight scared out of you because there are hundreds of bottles to pick from; you don't know what to order; and you happen to the only female in a room full of old men who all seem to know their stuff? Well The Wall at Tanjong Pagar aims to re-orientate the world of whisky drinking in Singapore, by making it friendlier, more accessible, more instantly enjoyable. 

It's a whisky education here at The Wall. A whisky tasting chart, indicating the characteristics of whiskies, from delicate to smoky, from light to rich, helps guide drinkers in selecting the type of flavor profiles that will suit their palates. Top-quality whiskies by the glass are offered on the finely curated list, at very friendly prices starting from $14 per glass, with whisky flights starting at $37. There's no need to invest in a bottle unless you are sure that you like it. 

Even if you are not into the spirit, it's interesting to give it a shot with some Japanese Sumiyaki-Whisky pairing. The Wall serves a comprehensive Sumiyaki menu that can be paired with whisky, unlike other whisky bars that offer limited or no food. So take your baby steps into whisky tasting with some comfort food in tow.

Whisky and sumiyaki pairing sets start from $49, and Chef’s omakase with whisky is priced at $168. We sampled the East Meet West whisky flight ($37) with Sumiyaki pairing at $12. Of the lot, my favorite was Auchentoshan Three Wood ($25/glass) which has a sweet but complex and intense profile. The Les Moissons ($18/glass), a French whisky is a really light drink IMO with grassy and herbal notes. Cinnamon was the highlight in the Yamazaki Distiler's Reserve ($20/glass). If you like spice, the Kavalan Single Malt ($18/glass) will suit you, and it ends with notes of barley, vanila, and tropical fruits.

Traveling takes a toll on my hair- sun exposure, harsher water, hotel shampoo (because it's to troublesome to bring my own). After all the traveling in the first quarter of the year, i headed to Silkcut Salon to give my hair some TLC. This time, Wendy recommended their latest Japanese Milbon Deesse 4 Step Treatment to moisturize my dry and unruly hair post Niseko snowboarding. 

To the uninitiated, Kaiseki is often confused with Omakase. The former is Japan's top fine dining cuisine which consists a prescribed set of courses dependent on the freshest seasonal produce; the latter is a style of dining that can be found at several types of Japanese restaurants and dishes served are up to the chef. In order to learn about Kaiseki, the best way is to eat it of course, and we recommend you do it at Kaiseiki Yoshiyuki, one of the very few restaurants in Singapore that specialize in this cuisine. 

If you're looking for punchy and wow, Kaiseki cuisine is not. Well, it takes more than your palate to understand and appreciate the beauty and intricacy that goes into planning and cooking the meal. It is an art form. There are no high tech kitchen aids in Chef Yoshiyuki's kitchen, the food is prepped by knives (no peelers even), true to his kaiseki training at the respected Kyoryori Hosoi in Saitama prefecture. 

For 2017, Chef Yoshiyuki will be serving seasonal menus tied to the Cultural Festivals of Japan. We sampled the Hina Matsuri (Girls' Day) menu, which is the first of the series of seasonal menus this year. 

We started our meal with a Shirozake, the first variety of sake and the most important element of Hina Matsuri. It was followed by the Hassun「八寸」course, an appetizer that brings together the mountain and the sea. Broad bean with fried gluten puffs, Temari sushi (river shrimp), stuffed squid, and fried white bait, were exquisitely presented on this plate.