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.

Angry Birds Halloween Party @ Port Of Lost Wonder

Last Saturday, our family went for our very first Halloween Party at Port Of Lost Wonder where it was transformed into an Angry Birds themed Halloween playground featuring the iconic characters from one of the world’s most popular mobile games. And the most exciting highlight of the event was the bashing of the Green Pig Pinata.

3 New Seah's Spices - Kung Pao Spices, Singapore Noodles Spices And Singapore Fried Rice Spices

Even though I love to use fresh ingredients and herbs in my daily cooking but sometime I do have packets of instant sauce, spices, food and etc in my kitchen pantry to stock up for days where I just wish to cook simple and yet decent dishes for the family.

In this post, I am trying out some pre-packed spices which were given by SEAH'S Spices to test out their new products. And as a fan's of SEAH'S Spices especially their Bak Kuet Teh (recipe) and Emperor Herbal Chicken Spices (recipe) which are our family favourite, I am more than willing to try out their new spices.

As most of you would known, Seah's spices is 100% locally made in Singapore since 1991 and it is also a leading local brand which is available in all supermarkets and provision stores in Singapore. Recently Seah's Spices has launched 3 NEW spices packet which are Singapore Noodles Spices, Singapore Fried Rice Spices and Kung Pao Spices.

Each of these spices above has it's own distinctive flavour which you could incorporate it into your daily cooking to impress your loved one with local delight at the ease of home dining. And also most importantly these spices are with "NO added preservatives and colourings" as well as "NO added MSG".

SEAH'S KUNG PAO SPICES

Out of the 3 given spices, I am more interested in their Kung Pao Spices which comes in "powder" form instead of the usual "pre-mixed sauce" that are available in the supermarket. According to the cooking instructions given, the chicken has to be deep-fried before mixing with the spices but for my case on a healthier version I just pan-fried the chicken using Happy Call Pan.

(Serves: 2 - 3  | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 20 minutes)

Ingredients:
1/2 Portion of Chicken, chopped into pieces
1 Medium Brown Onion, cut into wages
6 Dried Chilli, pre-soak in hot water till soften
1 Stalk Spring Onion, cut into sections
Some Red and Green Chilli (optional), sliced
1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
1/2 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine
1 Packet of Seah's Kung Pao Spices

Method:-
1. Coat and marinate chicken pieces with Seah's spices from the "White Coloured Sachet" found in the packet for about 2 minutes.

2. Preheat Happy Call Pan (HCP) and lightly oil with 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Arrange chicken pieces in the pan, cover and cook for 4 - 5 minutes each side or till chicken is cook with brown outer skin.

3. Removed the chicken, coat it evenly with the spices from the "Red Coloured Sachet" and set side.

4. Add in 1 Tablespoon of oil to the pan, stir-fry onion, chillies and spring onion till fragrant.

5. Stir in the meat and spices and continue to cook for another 1/2 minutes on low heat, covered.

6. Drizzle white vinegar and wine mixture together on the cooked chicken, give it a quick toss and serve hot with steamed rice.

For me, I did not add in the whole packet of  the "Red Coloured Sachet" (still balance 1/4 packet) and I also added in some sliced fresh chilli so my version of Kung Pao dish is a bit spicy. And after eating a piece or two of the chicken you would feel a "numb" after taste feeling on your tongue due to the spices used.

SEAH'S SINGAPORE NOODLES SPICES

At first when I look at the Noodles Spices I thought it was Singapore Chao Mian Spices. Whenever I order noodles from the Cze Char stall, I would always go for either fried noodles or fried bee hoon if I am not having my usual Fried Hor Fun (fried rice noodles). But now with Seah's new Singapore Noodles Spices I could use it on different types of noodles or even pasta to create new dishes with distinctive Singapore flavour.

(Serves: 4 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
500g Fresh Noodles or 3 Pieces Instant Noodles
200g Chinese Cabbage, sliced
100g Char Siew (BBQ pork), diced
8 - 10 Prawns, shelled and devein
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 Medium Brown Onion, sliced
1 Stalk Spring Onion, cut into section
1 Red Chilli, sliced

Method:-
1. Bring a pot of water to boil, blanched or cook noodles according, rinse, drain well and set aside.

2. Meanwhile preheat wok/frying pan with 1/2 tablespoon oil, pour in the beaten eggs to the centre of the pan, tilting the pan so that the eggs spread out evenly over the bottom.

3. Cook until the eggs have set on the bottom, using a spatula flip it over and cook on the other side for a minute or two till set. Remove and set aside till cool before slicing it into egg strips.

3. Next add in another 1/2 Tablespoon of oil, saute onion, spring onion, chilli and prawns together till it is slightly pink in colour.

4. Stir in vegetables and continue to cook till vegetables is soften and prawns are cooked through.

5. Toss in cooked noodles and Seah's Noodles Spices evenly over the mixture and stir-fry for 3 minutes on medium heat.

6. Lastly turn off the heat, stir-in char siew and egg strips. Divide noodles on serving plates and serve hot.

Our opinion this Seah's Noodle Spices has a after taste that resemble instant "Mee Goreng" noodle perhaps due to the spices used. For this recipe, I used the dried egg noodles instead of fresh yellow noodles because we preferred a more springy texture for our fried noodles. Overall we do love the taste of this fried noodles and I am sure it would be something new to share during coming festive season as one of the potluck dishes.

SEAH'S SINGAPORE FRIED RICE SPICES

Since I am not a fan of "fried rice" I don't really get any fried rice spices for my pantry. Even if I would to cook fried rice, it would be just using simple seasoning such as light/dark soy sauce with some frozen mixed vegetables or egg.

To my surprised, Seah's Singapore Fried Rice Spices does not taste any similar to those fried rice from the Cze Char stall but rather it taste quiet similar to Nasi Goreng. 

(Serves: 4  | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 5 minutes)

Ingredients:
1 Packet of Seah's Singapore Fried Rice Spices
800g Cooked Rice, around 2.5 rice cooker cup uncooked rice
1/2 Cup Frozen Mixed Vegetables
2 Garlic Cloves, crashed
2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
Some Cooking Wine
Some chopped Spring Onion
12 Japanese Chicken Sausages
4 Eggs

Method:
1. Boiled or Grilled the sausages, set aside. Fry sunny side-up eggs individually and set aside too.

2. Add oil in preheat wok, saute garlic till fragrant before stirring in the mixed frozen vegetables and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add cooked rice and continue to stir-fry for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

4. Gradually add in Seah's spices into the fried rice according to your taste (you might not need the whole packet), stir well, drizzle some cooking wine and continue to stir-fry for another 1/2 minutes.

5. Remove, garnish with prepared sausages, egg and etc shown above. Serve hot.

Lastly I would like to thank Seah's Spices for sending us these 3 New Spices, and it's really a good experience to try out these new products before they are available in the supermarkets. So if you are a SEAH'S Spices users, do keep a look out on these NEW products launching in the supermarkets.

For more information and updates on SEAH'S Products, you could check out their facebook page HERE. Like their page to receive latest promotion and updates too.

BreadTalk's Unveil The Generation4 Concept and New Menu Highlight

Since its inception in 2000, BreadTalk has continuously honoured the art of bread-making by giving life to its novel creations. Over the last 12 years it has been encapsulated through three distinctive Generations. And now, BreadTalk is proud to unveil the Generation4 Concept, championed in the campaign ‘Get Talking’, a global initiative that aims to alter the way customers see, feel and taste the brand.

“Get Talking” showcases multiple changes such as the exciting Euro bread series with a twist of Asian flavours like drunken longan, black sesame, spinach and sweet potato. On top of it, BreadTalk also introduced their new toasts like Chia Seed Toast, Soya Toast and Pumpkin Toast which have recently been awarded the Healthier Choice Symbol by Singapore’s Health Promotion Board (HPB).

BREADTALK'S NEW TOAST

Chia Seed Toast - 亚籽土司 (S$3.60, 4 slices) is one of their HPB Healthier Choice toast which is generously filled with Chia seeds that provides high fibre and Omega-3 as well as zero trans fats and cholesterol. With two slices a day, it provide you with 44% of your daily whole-grain requirement too.

Apart from Chia Seed Toast, there are another 2 new toasts on shelf which are Pumpkin Toast - 金瓜土司 (S$3.40, 4 slices) and Soya Toast (S$3.60, 4 slices). Out of these 3 new items, our family favourite is the soft and fragrant Soya Toast which is made with golden soya flour, whole eggs and butter.

While enjoying all the healthy toasts from BreadTalk, my boy also love to collect their cute and innovative "name tag" that tied together with the Toast packaging. Guess from these tags you could spot our favourite "Toast" too!

BREADTALK ASIAN FLAVOUR

Claypot Chicken - 沙锅鸡 (S$2.00) is made with bamboo charcoal infused bun which resemble black colour "claypot" which wrapped up the unique fragrant threecup chicken fillings together with fresh basil to excite your taste buds.

Yam Tornado - 山药棒 (S$2.00) comes in a spiral-like bun which filled with Chinese yam paste that brings up it's natural sweetness on eat bite. To add extra crunch, almond flakes are also added as topping and bake till golden brown.

BREADTALK EURO BREAD SERIES

Spinacheese - 芝士波霸 (S$2.50) is a signature item of BreadTalk, this savory Cheese bread receives a healthy serve with the addition of Spinach in the recipe which makes eating vegetables a delicious treat for non-veggie lovers.

Sausage On French - 法式香肠 (S$2.20) has a nice golden and crispy crust that combined generous amount of herbs, spices and meat in one. It consists mixture of Chicken Sausage Filling, diced onion, shredded Cheddar Cheese, Black Pepper and Oregano Herb. This is best to be eaten slight warm in order to enjoy the soft and fluffy texture of the bread.

Drunken Longan (S$3.50) sounds and look good but personally I found it a bit tough and dry towards my preference. Perhaps I still cannot get use of this fused bread with added Chinese ingredients. I still I would still prefer my cranberry or walnut bun.

Cranberry Country makes every bite a crunch with cranberry in between the wholesome bun.  A healthy alternative that retains the natural sweetness of the berries.

Sweet Potato Pot - 金盆甜薯(S$1.80) is always one of my favourite pick other than Berries and Walnut when I am looking for crusty bread in BreadTalk. I love the nutty crust that is coated with fragrant sesame seeds and it taste absolutely delicious when it is freshly out from the oven.

BREADTALK ONLINE COMPETITION

In like with BreadTalk new Generation4 concept, BreadTalk has also commissioned a microfilm that unveils the new brand concept via a whimsical tale between a baker and customer. The microfilm (you can watch the film here) will be shown globally across various platforms as part of its integrated digital campaign, i.e. high traffic websites, social media channels and at selected BreadTalk retail spaces with broadcast facilities to elevate and share the brand experience.

Viewers are warmly welcomed to participate in an online contest to craft the ending of the microfilm through the use of manga storyboards. The online contest will be held at the microsite, www.gettalking.com.sg from 5 October 2012 to 2 November 2012 with attractive prizes such as iPad2, Beats Studio Over-Ear Headphones and other prizes up for grabs.

Lastly to celebrate this new interactive application, BreadTalk is giving away a complimentary S$2.00 e-voucher to the first 1,000 customers who download the BreadTalk app on their iPhones and iPads.