MooJaa, Mookata Thai BBQ Steamboat

MooJaa is a popular slang word meaning "My lovely pig" which is commonly used by couples who have put on a little of that "happy weight" during their relationship. Here at MooJaa, Kookata Thai BBQ Steamboat, you could enjoy having both barbecue and hot pot at the same time like what shown above. The pot comes with a dome shaped grill which allows smoke from the charcoal to waft up to the grill and perfume the meat with "wok hei" fragrant which makes you crave for more.

The selling point of MooJaa is definitely their flavoursome "soup broth", sweet and spicy homemade dipping sauces as well as fresh ingredients like meat and seafood.

While flipping thru their menu, we notice that they have some Thai-style Ala Carte dishes like Basil Pork, Green Curry Chicken, Fried Garlic Pork/Chicken and etc for their lunch menu with pricing range from S$5.50 - S$8.00 inclusive of white rice and soup. 

Although there are quiet a few choices on the drinks menu but when comes to Thai restaurant I would either go for their Thai Ice Tea (S$2.50) or Lemongrass Drink. And I am glad I made the correct choice for having Thai Ice Tea from Moojaa which taste really good with a light refreshing after taste that is not too sweet or bitter.

They are two popular dipping sauces such as Spicy BBQ (red colour) and Sweet Sour Seafood (orange colour) which the Thai chef made from scratch using 31 different ingredients.  And to make these sauces it involved about six straight hours of non-stop stirring in order to prevent it from char or bun, no wonder it taste so good and like by most customers. Personally I love the Sweet Sour Seafood Sauce which taste more refreshing with hint of citrus flavour in it.

At MooJaa, the owners also specially used quality Binchotan Japanese Charcoal (備長炭) which does not release smoke, ashes or other unpleasant odours like those traditional charcoal steamboat we used to have. And the moment when we saw they bring in the charcoal we were all very excited to try the food which would be cooked using the traditional way rather than gas stove.

While the staff was preparing the steamboat for us, something interesting caught our attention. He actually used a cube of "Pork Lard" (in place of the butter which normally used for BBQ) to grease the grilling pot before placing the meat on it.  From what he told us, this extra goodness would add great fragrance and crisp to the meats barbecued on the dome.

For your information the soup broth for the hot pot section is brewed for at least five hours using chicken and pork bone which makes it so tasty even before adding in any of the hot pot ingredients. And by the time, we added in the meats, vegetables and seafood, the soup turns incredibly flavourful with the mixture of the hot pot ingredients and meaty juices from the grill.

MooJaa has two types of Mookata set which are Set Moo and Set Gai both pricing at S$39.90. Basically they have the same items just that Set Moo consists of Pork Collar Set whereas Set Gai is of Boneless Chicken. Both the Mookata sets includes Prawn, Fish/Pork Ball, Squid, Hotdog, Golden Mushroom, Vermicelli, Kang Kong and Cabbage.  

Furthermore they also have other Ala Carte items to add on to the Mookata such as Cheese Ball (S$8.00), Deep-fried Salmon Fish Skin (S$6.00), US Angus Beef (S$22.00) and etc which you could take a look at their Menu.

Their homemade Chicken Cheese Balls (S$8.00) is one of their popular side orders which is tender when bite and the cheese filling is not too overpowering in taste too. But just be careful when you eat this as the cheese might burst and split when you bite it.

One of their private dining room which could caters around 8 - 10 persons.

MooJaa, Mookata Thai BBQ Steamboat
25 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089132
Reservation: (65)6536 4780
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MooJaa.sg

Operating Hours:
Lunch: Monday to Friday; 11.00am - 2.00pm

Dinner: Monday to Sunday; 5.00pm - 11.00pm

The Boxing Crab Seafood Restaurant At Sentosa, Underwater World

A week ago, together with couple of friends we visited The Boxing Crab Seafood Restaurant which is launched by Food Junction.  Nestled in the beautifully quaint stretch of Sentosa, the 250 seater (with both indoor and alfresco) restaurant overlooks the panoramic sea where patrons would be exhilarated by the sights of traversing cruise liners and ferries while dinning. On top of it, there are two VIP rooms which can accommodate up to 20 persons per room for Birthday or office functions too.

If you are looking for dining experience which is away from the hustle and bustle city life, perhaps the eclectic menu  (comes with mud crabs, swimmer crabs, flower crabs, prawns, garoupa, scallop and etc) from Boxing Crab plus affordable prices and variety of culinary styles (Chinese, Balinese or Western) would be a great consideration.

Pastry And Cake Counter plus Open Concept Kitchen View

Other than serving seafood or ala carte dishes, The Boxing Crab also cater Quick Lunch Set features dishes such as Roasted Sirloin, Lamb Korma, Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, Scramble Egg Croissant and etc.

Pastry and Cake which display over at the dessert counter

During teatime, the restaurant also offers Afternoon Tea Menu such as: Waffles, Pancakes and Crepes with toppings of fresh fruits and single scoop of ice cream of your choice. Or you could make your choice from the Ala Carte afternoon snacks like pies, tarts, sandwiches, cakes and etc to go with a cup of premium coffee or tea.

Stimulator (back) and Detox(front)

The restaurant also has a FULL page of Beverage choices ranging from Smoothie, Fruit Juice, Soft Drinks, Coffee/Tea to Beer, Champagne, Wine and etc. For something different, we tried some of their smoothies which are:-

~ Energy Enhancer : Consists of juices from Orange, Pineapple, Lemon, Kiwifruit, Passionfruit together with Yogurt, Ginseng and Honey

~ Stimulator : Consists of juices from Orange, Pineapple, Lemon, Kiwifruit, together with Ginger and Honey

~ Detox : Consists of juices from Apple, Celery, Beetroot and Ginseng.

My choice was Stimulator which blends well with the choice of fruits used leaving you with a cross between sweet and sour after taste. And when sipping the you could also taste bits of ginger which spicy up the taste too. All smoothies are at S$7.00 per serving.

For appetizer, we had Otah Otah Cigar (S$12.00) which was crispy on the outside and piping hot with otah filling inside. The otah within is not too spicy or dry and overall the "spring-roll" like finger food was also not too oily to taste.

{Must Try}The Steamed Bamboo Clam with Minced Garlic (market price) was steamed to perfection with the flavor of the meat being locked in with a small serving of vermicelli in dark soy sauce. Furthermore the bamboo clam meat is well-cooked and tender with some amount of fragrant minced garlic on it leaving you asking for more.

For the main courses we started with the Charcoal Grilled Snapper (S$28.00) which accompany with 3 different types of dipping chilli sauce .  The fish used is very fresh and it is slightly charred on the outer skin with chunks of white meats underneath but the only setback was certain parts of it tends to be a bit dry and tough. Other than fish, you could also choose from their seafood range such as Prawn, Squid or Clam. 

{Must Try} I have tried Salted Egg Crab With Pumpkin from other seafood restaurants before but this Braised Claypot Crab with Superior Broth and Pumpkin (market price) from Boxing Crab was indeed a hit and something special that you should try.  The unique flavor of mixing superior broth with pumpkin gives it a rich flavour with thick golden sauce that compliments well with the fresh steamed crab. Almost all of us love the pumpkin sauce which we can't stop sipping on it.

{Must Try} We also tried Caramelized Spicy Crab (market price) which is a good choice for those who prefer something non-spicy as compared to the usual Black Pepper Crab but yet filled with similar wok-hei flavour and flavourable caramelized taste.  The first taste of the dish reminds me of another hawker food that is the "Black Fried Carrot Cake" because both of these two dishes have similar after taste.

For tables with "Crab" orders, there would be a set of "surgery tools" (shown above) which consists of Gloves and Utensils to make picking the crab meat easier. If you want to keep clean while eating those crabs, there are also Aprons available for your used.

Overall their crabs are indeed very fresh with firm, thick  and juicy flesh which is naturally sweet and flavoursome with the choices of cooking methods.

Seafood Mee Goreng (S$25.00, medium) was delicious with the right amount of spiciness and flavour together with the combination of fresh seafood which is heavenly enough to whet everyone's appetites.

DESSERT

After the meal, if you still have room for dessert you could pick a choice from their dessert column where they served both Asian and Western desserts such as cakes, waffles, ice-cream, yam paste with gingko nuts, warm almond cream and even pan-fried water chestnut cakes and etc.

Below are a few dessert items that we have tried and most of us prefer the Tropic Pineapple Sorbet which is an interesting dessert that combined both sight and taste satisfaction. Whereas if you have sweet tooth, go for either Meringue with Chantilly Cream or Catalana Cream with Caramelized Sugar.

Meringue with Chantilly Cream (S$8.90)

Traditional Sicillian Cannoli with Sweetened Ricotta (S$11.90)

Tropic Pineapple Sorbet (S$11.90)

Yam Paste with Gingo Nuts (S$5.00)

If you intend to try out their yummy "Crabs" with over 10 different cooking selection, here is a Good Deal for you to enjoy the 1-For-1 Crabs promotion which ends 30 November 2012.

(1) 'Like' Boxing Crab facebook page HERE.
(2) 'Share' the 1-for-1 crabs promotion with your friends
(3) Print out the coupon and show them your facebook that you've liked them
(4) Enjoy your crabs

For more information, you cal call The Boxing Crab at (65)6274 7760 or visit their Facebook page HERE for more details.

THE BOXING CRAB
80 Siloso Road
(Sentosa Island, behind Underwater World)
Singapore 098969
Reservation: (65)6274 7760

Opening Hours
11:00am to 11:00pm (Daily)

Lion City’s ‘Get Out of the Box’ Blogger Challenge Plus Dinner At MEDZS

Last Friday, I attended a bloggers get together event which was organized by Brand Cellar on behalf of Lion City (parent company of Gold Kili and Frezfruta) to kick off a "two weeks blogger challenge". For this fun contest, bloggers are to come out with creative ways to incorporate Gold Kili and Frezfruta products in their daily life as well as complete a list of easy tasks such as include sharing creative photos or recipes of the coffees and bread share it over social medias such as blog, facebook and twitter.

The bloggers meetup was held at MEDZS which is located at Millenia Walk and while waiting for the everyone to arrive, there were also some Gold Kili and Frezfruta products for us to sample and take photos with.

Believe me, eating cream crackers with Frezfruta Kaya/Jam can be really addicting and you won't just stop with one or two pieces.

Briefing by Ms Joanne from Brand Cellar on the event topic for "Lion City Blogger 14-Day Challenge" before the dinner starts.

DINNER AT MEDZS, MILLENIA WALK

Above shown were our main courses at Medzs during the event and some of these Mediterranean cuisines really taste good base on the flavour and aromatic spices used. Since there are 3 of us at the same table, we decided to order 3 different types appetizer and main course to share among ourselves. 

Before the dishes, we have some Mocktail Of The Day such as:-  Morning Glory (Essence of Lemon Grass with Lime, Grenadine and Cherry), Lemon and Lime Bitters (Freshly Squeezed Lemon and Lime with Refreshing Taste of Sweet, Sour and Bitter) and Orange Blast (mixture of Fresh Orange and Cranberry Juice with a Twist of Soda).

Personally I don't really fancy any of those mocktails above as I find it way too "strong taste" for my preference.

{Appetizer} Home-made Cured Salmon Bruschetta with Pesto is one of my favourite appetizer for that night. The smoked salmon is served with crusty bread together with some flavorsome pesto to enhance the taste and texture leaving bursting flavour in your mouth.

{Appetizer} Spanish Omelette "Tortilla" with Aioli Dip is soft and nicely done without being overcooked and I love the Aioli Dip (garlic sauce) which has a light and refreshing taste from the lemon and garlic which is quiet similar to Hollandaise sauce.

{Appetizer} Classic Caesar Salad on the other hand seems to lack of some flavour which was quiet "tasteless" despite of some chunks of unknown hidden in between the greens which might be either anchovy, capers or black olive (did not really check as we were busy with the photoshoots, eating and chatting). But I think I still prefer my Caesar Salad with added Chicken.

{Main Course} Charcoal Grilled Baby Sea Bream with Aubergine Gratin, Mashed Potato and Watercress Salad. Certain part of the fish was rather a bit dry but overall it still taste quiet decent and  I love the accompany Aubergine Gratin and Mashed Potato.

{Main Course} Moroccan Beef and Caramelized Apple Stew Tajine with Couscous comes with two different flavour in a dish. The Couscous is perfumed with sweet rose scented caramelized onion which gives it a lift on the plain couscous. On the other hand, the Moroccan Beef Stew was tender but the taste of the spices was a bit too "over powder" towards our liking which ends out this dish being our least favourite for that night.

{Main Course} Braised Cook Chicken Paella with Chorizo and Saffron earns the most votes from our table as we love the texture of the rice which is not too mushy and overall the flavour of the dish is well balance with the spices and ingredients used.

At the Bloggers' event each of us also received a Mystery hamper with some Gold Kili (Kopi Kosong, Double Shot White Coffee and Double Shot White Milk Tea) and Frezfruta (Strawberry Jam, Apple and Blueberry Jam plus Kaya) products to assist us to accomplished the assigned task for the "Lion City Blogger 14 days Challenge".

MY DAILY NEEDS TO PERK MY DAY

I must confess, I am a coffee lover who loves "Black Coffee" especially those without sugar or less sugar content. And over the years I have tried many different brands of instant coffee products and I have narrow my choices to only 3 favourite brands including Gold Kili as one of it.

Can you spot the "Smiley Face" from the beverages?

Honestly speaking I used to drink my daily "Kopi O" from another brand till I tried Gold Kili, Kopi-O with 35% Less Sugar which taste just as good as those coffee served in coffee shop which use grind coffee powder. On top of it, their Double-Shot White Milk Tea is also superb, smooth and fragrant which is not too sweet for my liking. For my personal preference I love to add in a slice or two of Ginger to enhance the taste which is pretty similar to Teh Halia (ginger milk tea).

IKYU – Japanese Restaurant in Tiong Bahru

A few weeks back I was invited to a media tasting at IKYU (pronounced as E-Q) which mean “Take A Break” in English. This newly setup Japanese restaurant is located at 5, Yong Siak Street that is within short walking distance away from Tiong Bahru MRT station.

IKYU is headed by Executive Chef Takuma Seki who is formerly the chef-de Cuisine of Hide Yamamoto at The Shoppes of Marina Bay Sands. The restaurant is divided into 3 different sitting area such as; sushi bar, dining tables and bar area. Usually the regular patrons would enjoy sitting at the sushi bar counter to engage conversation with chatty Chef Seki and his assistant(s).

For starter we had Grilled Edamame Flavoured With Truffle (S$8.50). This is my first time having grilled Edamame rather than the usual steamed/boiled option which served in most Japanese restaurant. For a non Edamame lover like myself, the twist of the char-grilled aroma plus truffle oil definitely makes a big different to this simple snack. I just couldn't stop eating it after the first pod.

Century Egg Traditional Potato Salad (S$8.50) is one of the dish that interests me because of the added "century eggs" (I am a big fan of century eggs) which I have not seem in any Japanese style potato salad that I had before. 

Apart from the Grilled Edamame their Deep Fried Sakura Baby Prawn (S$8.50) is another great snack which is super crispy and addicting dish to start your meal with.

Kara-age Chicken Izakaya Style (S$8.50) could be considered as a popular snack from the "fried menu" section which was deep-fried to golden brown with crispy outer skin and tender juice meat when bite.  Great choice to go with cool beer or sake.

I have never thought of eating something exotic till I tried this Blow Fish Tatsuta-age with Sansyo (S$16.50). To me blow fish (Fugu) seems to be a dangerous species rather than an edible ingredient. But after trying the above, the fish did taste great with a thin layer of tempura batter which deep-fried to a juicy perfection.

For someone who loves salmon sashimi, Wafu Marinated Salmon Carpaccio (S$16.50) is like a piece of art which is beautiful plated with some edible chrysanthemum and pink coral on it.  Love the wafu dressing which blends well with the dish.

French Foie Gras Flavoured in Miso (S$18.50) is lightly seared in Miso seasoning leaving it a fusion taste which makes you crave for more. If you love Foie Gras, you have to order this and I promise you won't regret it.

This is the tasting portion, not actual serving.

The Taraba King Crab With Soy Butter (S$48.50 for 2 claws) was amazing. The flesh is tender and naturally sweet with the enhanced flavour of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice.

The last items we tried on the "grill menu" is Kagoshima Wagyu Beef Sirloin (120g for S$68.50) which was sliced  and served with a homemade ponzu sauce which consists of yuzu, soy sauce and etc. Each piece of the meat was full of flavour and you could eat it in different way such as dip it with the Ponzu sauce or eat it with fried garlic slices and shredded negi that served on the side.

For your information, the fish from IKYU is flown in 3 times a week (definitely Tuesday and Friday) like most Japanese restaurants in Singapore to make sure that all supplies are fresh and good. Here for the "nigiri menu", we tried the Assorted 5 kinds of Aburi Sushi (S$38.50) which is lightly grilled (topside) and partially raw with drizzle of sweet sauce on it.

As compared to the above, I would preferred this Assorted 5 Kinds of Nigiri Sushi (S$28.50) because you could enjoy the fresh and sweetness of the fish with each bite. And some of it just literally melt in your mouth without much chewing too. 

As for the "roll menu", we tried the Crispy Hot Spicy Salmon Roll (S$8.50) which is something different from the usual sushi roll. Love the crispy outer skin which enhance the flavour of the salmon in it.

Next the Shrimp Tempura California Roll (S$15.50) was great with bursting flavour from the egg roes and accompany sweet sauce. This plate is definitely worth for a grab.

This is the tasting portion, not actual serving.

For dessert we had Shocyu Cheese Cake with Berry (S$8.50). It comes with quiet a strong liquor taste which resemble "rum and raisin" flavour. The cheesecake itself is silky smooth and light which similar to tofu cheesecake whereas the Japanese rock melon at the side was simply awesome with sweet fragrance. 

A bar counter near the back of the dining area where patrons can enjoy beer, sake and etc during Happy Hours or after meal.

Although the price for the "A La Carte Menu" might be slightly pricey but IKYU do offers wallet-friendly set lunch options ranging from S$25.00 to S$35.00. The set lunch consists of:-

~ IKYU NIGIRI Set, Assorted NIGIRI 6 pieces and ROLL
~ IKYU BARA CHIRASHI Set
~ NABEYAKI UDON & ROLL Set

all set serves with Appetizer, Salad, Soup and Dessert which is quiet reasonable.

IKYU
5 Yong Siak Street
Singapore 168643
Reservation: +65 6223 9003
Website: www.ikyu.com.sg/

Opening Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 11.30am – 3.00pm, 6.00pm – 10.30pm
Closed on Monday

Lastly I would like to thanks Ann from Word Of Mouth Communications Pte Ltd and IKYU for the invite tasting.