Mediterranean

It's Monday, but we're reminiscing last night when we indulged at Artichoke's Bangkok Jerk-off between superstars Chef Bjorn Shen and Tim Ross-Watson.

Jerking off the Caribbean vibes is Chef Tim Ross-Watson with his BBQ corn with jerk ketchup that's oh-so-bloody spicy good we could barely keep up. He sure knows how to heat things up all right.

Chef Bjorn Shen fights back with an epic waterfall pork belly with Thai herb salad that we couldn't (and didn't want to) keep our hands off.

Artichoke always hits the spot. 😉

"Eat your vegetables."

It's ingrained in every child from the minute understanding sets in.

At Moosehead Kitchen, the food does the talking. Here, the everyday carrot is pre-blanched in heavily salted water and rolled in olive oil, salt and pepper before it faces the wrath of the INKA until almost blackened.

It then emerges from the flames like a stallion, standing tall on a bed of dried apricot purée and overripe persimmon with olive oil. Pistachios are crushed and haphazardly scattered across; adding a welcoming crunch to the sweet-earthy-smoky creation. A light drizzle of rosemary and honey mustard finishes the dish.

It's hard to get enough of Moosehead's dishes.

So tonight, we reunite.

It may not look like much (that's due to my photo taking skills), but boy do these babies pack a load of flavor.

Seafood's always been my choice of meat. Prawns. Crab. Scallops. It doesn't matter. As long as its from the sea, my eyes are naturally drawn to these words on a menu. So when Chef Glen told me one of the new dishes were going to be scallops... my heart fluttered like a butterfly.

Thick and chunky slabs of fresh scallops are lightly marinated whole in yuzu, mitsukan and mirin for two hours (patience is a required trait in cooking), so the insides remain raw, giving it that beautiful bouncy texture achieved from extreme precision that comes from experience. And it shows.

Anything longer and it would've been 'over-marinated'. (Read: anything less than perfection.) But no, these scallops were bouncy and juicy; just the right amount of tenacity that offers bite. Sliced into halves that resemble butterflies (my heart continues to flutter like one), fresh, chewy, red and green seaweed are tossed over as frozen green apple shavings rain down on them.

The final touch that binds it all together is in the dressing—a reduction of orange juice emulsified with olive oil, and a dash of basil oil that keeps things interesting. Each ingredient holds its own, exploding full of complex flavors in the mouth that just makes me yearn for more.

Be still, my beating heart.

Finally home after a 12-hour workday after hosting both lunch and dinner at Moosehead (with the same dishes) and all I can think of as I lie in bed is tomorrow's dinner tasting back at Moosehead.

In my defense, I blame it on the food. Mostly on the chefs of Moosehead, but also, the distinctively innovative (and addictive) food.

Like these pork scratchings on the new menu. Hand cut beef is mixed into Dijon mustard, jerkins, capers, Tabasco, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, spring onions, and an intensely fragrant olive oil, before it comfortably nests itself into a dollop of yuzu mayo and settles into a boat of dehydrated and fried pork skin with a dash of yuzu chili spice that's so crisp it crackles in the mouth.

They say, be with someone who makes you smile the way you do when you see food enter the room.

I might need to find myself a chef.

Hello there, gorgeous.

I've never quite been a fan of beetroot—it's often rather bland and tasteless; never seemingly sweet enough. But tonight, Chef Glen Ballis made me eat this, and LIKE it. A lot.

Its earthy sweetness is so intense, it shocked me at how beetroot could reveal such flavors. The deliciousness comes at a cost, though—the whole process takes FOUR HOURS. I'm obviously never going to attempt this at home.

Here, the beetroot is served in a chunky wedge; where its sweetness is evident in each bite, and grated over a smooth and creamy smear of salted ricotta, along with pomegranate, chopped toasted almonds and spring onions. It's sweet, salty, crunchy and earthy all in one. What I mean to say is, it's FANTASTIC.

In the words of Oliver Twist, "Please sir (Glen Ballis), I want some more."

(Not so) secretly happy that I'm required to work tonight because it means I'll get to savor these mouthwatering dishes at Moosehead again!

Pictured here is the roast cauliflower, happily bathed in a moat of garlic miso. The sweet-savory-smoky combination is pure perfection, and I can't wait for more!

Feed me NOW.

Reminiscing about this fresh and riveting fennel salad that I had at Moosehead last week. Fresh rocket greens, crunchy strips of fennel, rosemary, ricotta, orange, black sesame and sherry-soaked raisins. Everything about it delicious—its flavors; refreshing, sweet, fruity and tart; and its textures—light, firm and crunchy. I could have this whole portion to myself and dream of nothing else.

This drool-worthy chargrilled octopus is one of our favorite dishes. We're loving the evolving mix of textures and play on flavors that Chef Manel is so well-known for!

Even better than the previously used chuck rib is this Kobe beef onglet with deliciously sweet teriyaki mushrooms, sweet potato crisps and bonito. Insanely addictive!

Love how the frozen apple snow complements the smokiness of the avocado, with an added kick of crunch from puffed quinoa!

Love the refreshing hint of sweet pineapple reminiscent of beach holidays, banana cream and crunchy chocolate "soil".