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Just the other day, I was in my neighborhood Starbucks, due to the fact that there was no other decent coffee alternatives. I was trying to enjoy a chocolatey cafe mocha when it occurred to me that to drink a mocha is to gulp down the entire history of the New World. .
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From the Spanish exportation of Aztec cacao, and the Dutch invention of the chemical process for making cocoa, on down to the capitalist empire of Hershey, PA, Cadbury and the lifestyle marketing of Seattle's Starbucks, the modern mocha is a bittersweet concoction of imperialism, genocide, invention, and consumerism served with whipped cream on top. Yikes.
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This Cuppa however was made by my buddy @koalamii which was a lifetime ahead compared to the evil corporation that is Starbucks which sadly is slowly taking over the world. At least get our names right, for God’s sake.
The noodles was made fresh, pulled and handmade to order. Where can you get freshness like this? Maybe at a high end establishment or from a affordable hawker/Chef that takes pride in his/her culinary skills and food. Each noodle has a slight difference in thickness which was part of the charm of it being handmade.
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Chewy and springy, the noodles are perfect. The sauce however, wasn’t as robust and fragrant as I’ve hoped for. The price is slightly more expensive than the others but the noodles made the trek to Chinatown worth it.
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Just the other day, I was in my neighborhood Starbucks, due to the fact that there was no other decent coffee alternatives. I was trying to enjoy a chocolatey cafe mocha when it occurred to me that to drink a mocha is to gulp down the entire history of the New World. .
.
From the Spanish exportation of Aztec cacao, and the Dutch invention of the chemical process for making cocoa, on down to the capitalist empire of Hershey, PA, Cadbury and the lifestyle marketing of Seattle's Starbucks, the modern mocha is a bittersweet concoction of imperialism, genocide, invention, and consumerism served with whipped cream on top. Yikes.
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This Cuppa however was made by my buddy @koalamii which was a lifetime ahead compared to the evil corporation that is Starbucks which sadly is slowly taking over the world. At least get our names right, for God’s sake.
With pictures of tourists and celebrities holding the pulled noodles with the chef, adorning the walls of this establishment and truth be told, scepticism creeped in. Is it a tourist trap? Or a well advertised place? Ironically there were only a couple of people patronising the place when I visited.
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The prices are reasonable and could give the nearby popular 中国拉面小笼包 Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Chinatown Complex & a huge chain like Ding Tai Fung a run for their money. The skin on their steamed dumplings are thin and the filling substantial, unfortunately the soup wasn’t as robust as the former places I’ve mentioned.
What makes a good ravioli? A made to order thin sheet of pasta from Italian 00 flour, a well seasoned filling, sealed firm, cooked to order, simple yet delicate. The sauce shouldn’t overpower the ravioli but compliment it. .
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The veal filling doesn’t have a funky smell which was much appreciated, a slight milky savoury flavour and the pasta skin, al dente. Superbly executed considering that it was quite a technical dish.
What makes a good ravioli? A made to order thin sheet of pasta from Italian 00 flour, a well seasoned filling, sealed firm, cooked to order, simple yet delicate. The sauce shouldn’t overpower the ravioli but compliment it. .
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The veal filling doesn’t have a funky smell which was much appreciated, a slight milky savoury flavour and the pasta skin, al dente. Superbly executed considering that it was quite a technical dish.
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The Kobe, Wagyu craze really annoyed me. Most of the practitioners had no real understanding of the product and were abusing it and exploiting it in terrible and ridiculous ways. Kobe beef should not be used in a hamburger. It's completely pointless. It's like fuelling Diesel on a Ferrari, why on earth does one wants to even attempt to do that. No just fuck no. .
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Regular beef, if handled with care and executed well is good enough, outstanding even, considering the affordability of it. Hence this beef bowl ticks all the right boxes in terms of taste, price and satisfaction. But it’s their Pork Ribs and Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Belly with rice) is what I find myself coming back for.
PS; BIG ASS PRAWNS are their December’s Special so get your ass there today to find out more.
Honestly I was disappointed when I heard that their famous Homemade Tagliatelle with Wagyu Beef and Foie Gras Ragout wasn’t in their menu this season after I heard so many rave reviews from my friends. Alas I settled for something halfheartedly however the Linguine did not lift my spirits back up. .
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It could be my high expectations or my disarrayed feelings about a dish I look so forward to having. It was decent, something you expect from maybe say, Pasta Brava? But I must say, they were really generous with the lobster. .
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For a dinner date, I eat light all day to save room, then I go all in: I choose this meal and this order, and I choose you, the person across from me, to share it with. There's a beautiful intimacy in a meal like that.
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The Kobe, Wagyu craze really annoyed me. Most of the practitioners had no real understanding of the product and were abusing it and exploiting it in terrible and ridiculous ways. Kobe beef should not be used in a hamburger. It's completely pointless. It's like fuelling Diesel on a Ferrari, why on earth does one wants to even attempt to do that. No just f*ck no. .
.
Regular beef, if handled with care and executed well is good enough, outstanding even, considering the affordability of it. Hence this beef bowl ticks all the right boxes in terms of taste, price and satisfaction. But it’s their Pork Ribs and Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Belly with rice) is what I find myself coming back for.
PS; BIG ASS PRAWNS are their December’s Special so get your ass there today to find out more.
Honestly I was disappointed when I heard that their famous Homemade Tagliatelle with Wagyu Beef and Foie Gras Ragout wasn’t in their menu this season after I heard so many rave reviews from my friends. Alas I settled for something halfheartedly however the Linguine did not lift my spirits back up. .
.
It could be my high expectations or my disarrayed feelings about a dish I look so forward to having. It was decent, something you expect from maybe say, Pasta Brava? But I must say, they were really generous with the lobster. .
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For a dinner date, I eat light all day to save room, then I go all in: I choose this meal and this order, and I choose you, the person across from me, to share it with. There's a beautiful intimacy in a meal like that.
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Here’s my choice; SiChuan Pork Noodles, Spicy SiChuan Dumplings and Longan Osmanthus Pu-Erh. I am such a slut for anything SiChuan, the balance of spiciness and the numbing sensation is addictive as coke, however their version is much more tame. Their homemade egg noodles doesn’t have the alkaline after taste which is much appreciated.
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The dumplings are your usual pork filled dumplings, steamed then topped with SiChuan oil and seasoning. Nothing spectacular hence it’s better for you to be a little more adventurous and try other flavours like; Fried Pierogi &/or Smoked Duck. There’s a 1-for-1 Lunch Set available on Burrple Beyond.
Presentation was expected, to be frank it was even underwhelming at times. Yes there’s Caviar, yes it’s one of the highly prized crustaceans from the waters around Mazara del Vallo, a small town on the south-western coast of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. The Red Mazara Prawn was honey sweet and the caviar lends its salty, savoury elements to the dish that almost completes it, almost. .
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There seems to be a missing touch and the portion was forgettable. I think fine dining is dying out everywhere... people nowadays prefers Casual Dining but I think there will be - and there has to always be - room for at least a small number of really fine, old-school fine-dining restaurants.
