Buku Nero

I waited a decade to try this place. Never could find the right reason, moment or someone special to share this experience with. Till my wonderful baby remembered how much I wanted to dine at this place and booked it a few months in advance for my birthday. I was so excited!

The restaurant is unpretentious - small and cosy without the flamboyant decor that tries to impress. Rather it is more like a chef's table.  The food will speak for itself. Indeed it did. No photos allowed but it is the best Classic Italian meal I have had for a long time. Oscar and his wife, together with her mum, run this place. Service is quiet, professional and attentive. For once, someone knows the menu through and through. What a pleasure. We had appetizers, entree, main and desserts, for a total of SGD244 dollars. 

Wow. In Singapore, you get taken for a ride all the time with fancy named restaurants that serve you average food with astronomical prices. But not here. As good as the quality at DB bistro or even better. Same price range but without the fan fare of a MBS Michelin star restaurant. And it could hold its own. Best home made pasta and panacotta. I highly recommend to all genuine foodies out there. 

Mountbatten Room

This is the fine dining restaurant at the British Club and its a quiet and elegant place for a nice sit down civilized dinner. The food is seriously slightly above average. Good but not great. I won't rave about it nor will I hanker to head back again. 

A shame though. It has the right ambience and table setting with the expected English stuffiness provided by the service staff. They try but let slip a waitress that's from mainland China. So this is what is wrong with this restaurant. It get some bits right but other bits quite wrong. So you walk away feeling like something is amiss. For example the food. In either servings of appetizer or entree, some components are done well but others were like an after thought. Especially if it's not the main star of the dish eg pickled cabbage. Chefs must realize every component of the dish must be as good as the other. Otherwise diners are simply going on a roller coaster ride. Brilliance overshadowed by bad moments of executional flaws. For all the accolades it won, it has a lonnnggggg way to go before it can be a truly fine dining restaurant worth going back to. 

Local yummies

Local food is always comfort food. Laksa, mee siam, chicken curry, kueh pie tee, chendol.... Wonderful to devour these after months of carb less food. 

Chicken black curry

Trying to emulate a national dish of Sri Lanka we simply love. We bought a packet of roasted spices which has 8 different spices, roasted and grounded. Add to sauté onions, green chillies, curry leaves, grated ginger and garlic and viola it's done as a base paste. Add chicken, coconut milk, cayenne pepper and salt and leave to simmer for an hour. The whole house smells so good! 

Musings on the power of food

I was thinking to myself that day - the only memories of my grandmother and grand aunties, were the food they cooked. They were a very big part of my childhood. 

Therefore, food creates profound memories. So people, don't underestimate the power of cooking for your family. It's a legacy all mothers should leave behind. 

Curry Curry!

I am just beginning to discover curries as a cuisine to overcome technically. I have to learn the various spices, get the right equipment and ingredients. Since we do not have access to fresh spices and powder, I have to make do with little containers of ready made spices. Of course, I still try to get mustard seeds fresh, or garam masala etc. 

We have bought different types of curry powders from India and recently, sambors from Sri Lanka. We loved this particular aubergine pickle called vambatu moju. It's absolutely delicious. I have made a few types of Indian cuisine - tandoori chicken, cabbage with turmeric, fish curry, pork curry. Tonight I will be attempting a chicken black curry using roasted spices. It's almost black in color but oh so heavenly with a lot of depth and kick. 

Well, here's a collage of all our favorite food in Sri Lanka! Enjoy folks.