Food and Drink to Try Out in Singapore

notes in Food and Travel by Renzie Baluyut.

I miss Singapore. Cristina and I flew in for a visit early last year, and now that we finally have some more free time to ourselves, another quick visit just might be in the works.

It might look laid-back at first, but you know there's a bustling city in there somewhere. The people are some of the friendliest I've ever met, and there are just so many places to see. As for shopping-- well, Singapore is probably one of the best places for shopping anywhere in Asia, or perhaps even the world.

In the event that you do get a chance to check out Singapore, you might consider trying these ten Uniquely Singapore food and drink experiences:

1. The SGD 5 Beer at any Changi Airport Pub – the cheapest in town. Cheers!

2. The Imperial Golden Fried Rice from Chen Fu Ji Noodle House at Terminal 2, Changi Airport – this particular dish was perfected by the imperial palace chefs in China thousands of years ago.

3. The Chili and Pepper Crabs at East Coast Seafood Centre – one is cooked in a sweet, spicy gravy with lots of garlic while the other is stir fried with crushed black pepper. Both are equally tempting!

4. Char Kway Teow at Maxwell Market in Chinatown – a combination of rice noodles fried with eggs, fish cake, bean sprouts, cockles and a dark sweet sauce.

5. The Fried Carrot Cake at Tekka Centre in Little India – this white radish cake is first steamed, then fried with eggs, garlic, pickled radish and dark sweet sauce.

6. The Hainanese Chicken Rice at Chatterbox @ Meritus Mandarin Hotel (Orchard Road) – tender poached chicken served with fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock and served with chilli, minced ginger & dark soya sauce.

7. Laksa at Katong – thick rice noodles cooked in coconut gravy and topped with shrimps, egg, chicken and cockles.

8. Rojak at Chinatown Food Street in Chinatown – a tasty salad of cucumber, bean sprouts, pineapple, white radish and fried dough fritters, tossed with prawn paste and topped with peanuts.

9. Roti Prata at Prata Cafe (26 Evans Road) – multi-layered crispy pancake that is served with curry.

10. Satay at Lau Pa Sat – skewers of marinated meat dipped in gravy and served with rice cakes and fresh slices of cucumbers and onions.

So there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Ten food experiences you have to try out the next time you visit Singapore. For more food and travel tips on Singapore, you could check out the Uniquely Singapore website, or Lonely Planet's very own Guide to Singapore.

Cheers, everyone!

Renzie Visits Mandarin Oriental's Club Lounge

more from the Food and Travel notes of Renzie Baluyut.

My good friend Sasa flew in from out-of-town last week, and so we took time out to meet up and do some catching up. While we've met up already for a good round of tale-swapping and general chit-chat the Sunday before, we thought we still had some more stories left, so she invited me over for cocktails at the Mandarin Oriental.

Turns out that the Club Lounge at the 17th floor is such a great place to hang out. But only if you're checked in at Mandarin's 15th to 18th floors. So anyway they have these comfy sofas and seats all over- you can go ahead and pick a spot- and quite an interesting selection of cocktails going on.

Sasa and I had some of these canapes, as well as some waldorf salad, and these appetizers of chicken breast and air-dried beef. You can get pretty much whatever drink that was laid out on the counter as well- local beers, juices, soda drinks, bottled water. I got me a Sprite Lite and a couple of glasses of wine.

On another table there was some pork satay, some breaded shrimp, and some Spanish chorizo sausages. You also had an assortment of sliced fruit, and some bowls of cold Japanese soba noodles if you wanted some.

Upon request, the attendants could also bring in chips or nuts to munch on (which would have been great with beer), but I think we had enough to last us the rest of the evening. I did, however, get myself another plate of food, some of the cold soba and some fruit.

All in all, it was a fine evening. Also managed to get some photos as you can see.

The Mandarin Oriental is located right along Makati Avenue. If you need to check it out, you could visit their website right here.

The Mandarin Oriental, Manila
Makati Avenue 1226 Makati City, Philippines
Tel (+632) 750.8888 / Fax (+632) 817.2472
www.mandarinoriental.com

Cheers, everyone!

Renzie Visits Wham! Burgers

another adventure in Food and Travel with Renzie Baluyut.

I was at Shangri-la Mall yesterday helping out a friend of mine shop for some baby stuff. Naturally, all that walking around and shopping worked up an appetite, and so I thought snacking on something heavy would hit the spot just right.

Right there on the fifth floor was Wham! Burgers. I haven't had some of these in a while, so it seemed like a good idea to grab some for our post-shopping snack.

Unlike regular fast food burgers- Wham! Burgers (as well as most other gourmet burgers) has a 1/3-pound beef pattie. I asked if they had something larger than that, but unfortunately, the 1/3-pounder is all they have.

I got myself one of those Bronco Burgers- had a couple strips of bacon and a generous helping of barbecue sauce that starts dripping once you go to town on that bad boy. Also got me a side of fries and a side of onion rings to go with my burger.

You might want to check out their website, but it's still under construction. Nevertheless, Wham! Burgers is located at:

• Katipunan Avenue Extension in Blue Ridge, QC,
• the 5th Level of Shangri-la Mall,
• the 4th level of Robinsons Galleria,
• at The Block in SM North Avenue,
• at SM Fairview and
• at Robinsons Midtown in Ermita.

Cheers, everyone!

Great Food at... Red Box?

from the Food and Travel notes of Renzie Baluyut.

I was sorta surprised about it myself. But yes, Red Box does serve some pretty good food. Not just "good-food-for-a-karaoke-bar" kind of good, but we're talking about some honest-to-goodness delicious dishes.

The fact is this: most karaoke bars don't put another thought to beefing up their food and drink offerings. It's true. For those of you who do frequent karaoke joints, the stuff on the menu isn't really all that spectacular. It's probably OK, but it's definitely not worth talking (or blogging) about.

Enter Red Box karaoke. Now here's a karaoke place that takes as much effort coming up with all kinds of great food experiences as they do building up their song library (which does have a rather extensive song selection, I might add). You can easily expect then, that Red Box's dining experience and menu is at par with the best restaurants in the city.

So, if you're going to hang out someplace where you can sing, play billiards, and even get a few rounds on a Nintendo Wii, then you might as well get some good food while you're at it.

You have got to try their Gambas al Ajilio-- shrimp sauteed in garlic, spices and olive oil, the Potato Skins, the Lechon Kawali, the Onion Rings, or their very own Buffalo Wings.

Red Box is also the first karaoke bar to open at lunch time, and has a whole lot of packages available for anyone who'd like to throw a party for family or friends.

Red Box has branches in Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma. For more information and inquiries, please call 757.6188 or visit their website here.

Cheers, everyone!

Renzie Visits Pancake House

Pancake House has always been an reliable favorite for us whenever we go out. We took these pictures a couple weeks back, when we decided to have a late snack at Glorietta in Makati.

I remembered a time when the old Pancake House really served pancakes and waffles mostly. But just like any other successful restaurant chain in Metro Manila, Pancake House had been able to meet the demands of a fickle market by offering a better variety of food, as well as new items on the menu from time to time.

So yes, you can still get your pancakes, but they have much to offer whether you feel like eating rice, a sandwich, or the occasional slab of steak.

I almost usually get myself some pancakes or the french toast, or at least make sure I leave room for those. Depending on how I feel on a particular visit, I'll probably get myself...

• an order of spaghetti and a sandwich, or a spaghetti and two tacos
• a breakfast meal, like tapa or tocino, with eggs and fried rice. Plus an extra fried rice thrown in for good measure.
• a steak. Mm-mmm.

We also almost always go for Pancake House's very own iced tea. Not the crappy Lipton/Nestea drink-all-you-can iced tea- way too sweet and watered down. Ask for the House-blended iced tea. You can never go wrong with that.

For pancakes and waffles? I usually go for the one with peanut butter, or the one with peaches. Or just a plain waffle.

Price-wise, it's alright. It's one step up from fast food fare, and not as pricey as your casual family dining restaurants like TGIFridays or Chili's.

Although they have cakes, shakes and other dessert items on the menu, I'd say I'm fairly happy with the pancakes, waffles or french toast.

Cheers, everyone!

Recommended Wines for Beginners

a friendly recommendation from Renzie Baluyut.

There are a lot of good reasons to start drinking wine. But for someone like me who hasn't been raised in a culture that isn't inherently into wines (Filipinos are more into beer than anything else), getting into the whole culture of wine appreciation can be a tad bit challenging.

But not if you know where to start. I've recently attended a leisurely lunch and wine-tasting event at Cav in Bonifacio High Street, and I liked it that they've put together a four-course meal and paired each course with a particular kind of wine.

With that event in mind, here are a few wines you might want to start with: Fleur Du Cap, Nederburg, and Two Oceans. All fine South African wine labels, which I had the pleasure of sampling recently. I've also been able to gather some notes on these three labels, thanks to this very useful website on South African wines.

Fleur Du Cap

The Fleur Du Cap label has two wines excellent wines you should try: the Fleur Du Cap Chardonnay, and the Fleur Du Cap Merlot Unfiltered.

The Fleur Du Cap Chardonnay

On the nose, this Chardonnay displays apricot, melon and citrus fruit with a hint of vanilla oak in the background. The palate is dry but packed with apricot and citrus fruit flavours, supported by lovely nut and vanilla oak

The continued success of the Fleur du Cap range of wines is the result of a team approach at the The Bergkelder that starts with meticulous vineyard selection and is driven by an overriding passion for winemaking and constant experimentation to create new generation of superior quality wines. The wines are shaped in perfect harmony with nature to capture the highly sought after qualities of varietal character and terroir.

This wine pairs excellent with sushi, oysters and full-flavoured fish such as tuna and salmon. It also goes well with white meat dishes or pasta in rich, creamy sauces.

The Fleur Du Cap Merlot Unfiltered

The wine has an intense and concentrated ruby red colour. On the nose the wine shows rich plum and blackcurrant flavours infused with gentle vanilla whiffs. On the palate this medium-bodied wine displays fresh lively berry fruit flavours with hints of vanilla and a distinctive aftertaste.

Made from superior grapes meticulously selected from prized vineyard blocks in the Cape Coastal region, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered wines are shaped in perfect harmony with nature. Handpicked in the vineyard and handcrafted in the cellar, these new generation wines capture the highly sought-after qualities of varietal character and terroir. Sedimentation, racking and fining as opposed to filtration maximise the preservation of colour and flavour elements resulting in wines that abound with fruit and flavour. This succulent Merlot is perfect with Parma ham, roast lamb kebabs and a hearty oxtail meal. An ideal accompaniment to robust Italian dishes.

Nederburg

The Nederburg label has three wines that beginner wine aficionados can easily appreciate: the Nederburg Pinotage, the Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc, and the Nederburg Special Late Harvest.

Nederburg Pinotage

Concentrated ruby crimson in colour, this wine has the aroma of overripe berries, rich plum and blackcurrant with an earthy undertone. It is an elegant medium-bodied, smooth entry wine with flavours picked up on the nose and follow through to a slight tannic finish.

The grapes were sourced from vineyards in and around the Western Cape. Planted between 1990 and 1998 the vines grow on southern to south-eastern slopes situated at between 80 m and 150 m above sea level, in soils originating from decomposed granite and Kroonstad and Swartland. The vines, grafted onto nematode resistant rootstock Richter 99, 110 and 101-14, received supplementary irrigation from an overhead sprinkler system, yielding an average of 8 to 10 tons per hectare.

The winemaker suggests serving this wine with pasta, pizza, roast leg, bobotie or even chocolate.

Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc

This particular wine is brilliant green with golden specks, and herbaceous varietal aromas. It has flavours of gooseberry, passion fruit and peach, with an elegantly dry finish. Its generous palate is refined by a well harmonised fruit/acid balance.

Grapes were sourced from vineyards in the Durbanville, Stellenbosch, Paarl and Darling areas. The grapes grow in Clovelly, Hutton, Tukulu and Oakleaf soils at between 100 m and 150 m above sea level. The vineyards were planted between 1980 and 1999. Grafted onto nematode resistant rootstock Richter 99 and 101 – 14, the vines received supplementary irrigation from a micro irrigation system while some vineyards grow under dryland conditions.

The winemaker suggests serving this wine with seafood, creamy fish, chicken or veal.

Nederburg Special Late Harvest

Lemony yellow with green specks, the Nederburg Special Late Harvest has a complex honeyed character with rich aromas of dried fruit. It is delicious, with apricot and raisin character supported by fresh acidity.

Grapes were sourced from trellised vineyards in Stellenbosch and Paarl. The grapes grow in soils originating from Clovelly, Hutton and Glenrosa soils at between 50m and 100m above sea level. The vineyards were planted between 1984 and 1988. Grafted onto nematode resistant rootstock Richter 99, the vines, yielding an average of five tons per hectare, received supplementary irrigation from a micro irrigation system.

Enjoy as an aperitif or with mild spicy dishes, dried fruit and baked puddings.

Two Oceans

Two Oceans has two recommended wines for those just starting to appreciate the nuances of wine culture: the Two Oceans Semillon Chardonnay, and the Two Oceans Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.

The Two Oceans Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

A medium-bodied wine with ripe fruit flavours and soft tannins, this Merlot is ruby red, with an aroma which can be best described as an abundance of ripe strawberries and cherries.

This Distell label takes its name from the two great oceans that converge near the Cape of Good Hope, the Indian and the Atlantic. Two Oceans is an easy-drinking and very versatile range of food-friendly varietal and blended red and white wines. Accessibly styled, the brand exemplifies South Africa’s friendly, relaxed and café orientated lifestyle.

Two Oceans’ winemakers work closely with a team of viticulturists who ensure vineyards are ideally located to produce concentrated fruit flavours. To ensure the finest quality, all grapes are sourced from premier vineyards within the Cape’s Coastal region, where a temperate climate prevails. Vineyards are cooled in summer by day-time maritime breezes from both oceans and a drop in night-time temperatures, allowing grapes to ripen slowly, which promote flavour intensity.

This wine is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) and Merlot (45%).

An ideal companion to most red meat dishes.

The Two Oceans Semillon Chardonnay

Winemaker Kobus Gerber says the crisp, lemony notes and creamy flavours of the semillon are beautifully balanced by the citrus character of the chardonnay to make for a full-bodied, mouth-filling wine.

This Distell label takes its name from the two great oceans that converge at the Cape, the Indian and the Atlantic. The Cape’s Coastal region enjoys a temperate climate, cooled by day-time maritime breezes from both oceans and a drop in night-time temperatures to allow grapes to ripen slowly. In addition, the moderate humidity means vines are far less prone to disease than in areas with higher moisture levels.

To ensure the finest quality, grapes are sourced from vineyards in cool growing areas. The winemaker works very closely with a team of viticulturists and he closely supervises pruning, suckering and canopy management practices for optimal crop yield. During the ripening season the grapes are tasted daily for ripeness and also chemically analysed to ensure they are picked when varietal flavours are most concentrated, tannins are ripe and there is a good balance between fruit and acid.

This wine is made from a blend of 57% Semillon, 43% Chardonnay

Pictures and notes from www.wine.co.za-- the virtual home of South African wine. Visit the website, and read more about our featured wines for this post.

If you'd like to have your own wine-tasting party at home, you can go right ahead and check out the wines from Future Trade International's portfolio. You can go ahead and get yourselves some wines from the Two Oceans, Nederburg and Fleur du Cap labels. FTI has a wide range of wines that can sell as low as P175 per bottle to as much as P17,500 per bottle. You may call them up at (+632) 671.8694 or 671.8434, or you can check out their website for more information.

Cheers, everyone!

Lunch at Bamboo Beach

Me and a whole bunch of bloggers had the pleasure of checking out Kawayan Cove- this sweet little exclusive seaside community being developed by Edge Properties on a forested shoreline down in Nasugbu, Batangas.

Before I get down to the delicious details of the amazing lunch they had prepared for us down in Kawayan Cove's very own Bamboo Beach, allow me to just fill you in on what was in store for us for our visit that day.

It's a property worth checking out, particularly if you're seriously into real estate, and even more so if you're looking to get a piece of tranquil beachfront property for yourself. Check out Kawayan Cove's official website here.

It was a fun visit with fellow bloggers; the Puyat family was there to give us the grand tour of the place, joined by food and travel blogger Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet who was also there to give us useful tips and pointers on taking better pictures for our blogs.

Despite the light rains, we managed to get a good look at Kawayan Cove, and were able to take quite a lot of pictures. As for me, well, I took a lot of pics of one of the most awesome lunches I've had in a while.

The Bamboo Beach Beachside Banquet

Well, at least that's what I thought I'd call it- even as Anton was doing his talk on Food & Travel Photography, the staff of Kawayan Cove were already whipping up a storm. Right behind us, they were roasting seafood and chicken over some hot coals. Fortunately, it wasn't long until we had lunch going on.

There was plenty for everybody- so much food that you didn't know where to start. It's hard to miss the lechon- pig roasted Philippine-style- ready for carving right next to the grill.

And even as we were going around taking pictures of the food (bloggers that we all were!), the Kawayan Cove staff was serving us these crabs in garlic and coconut right next to our individual plates.

Right after taking a lot of these sweet pics, a lot of us started off at the grill, where there were skewers of shrimp and squid, as well as some grilled tilapia and these huge fish they were serving up as they came out of the coals. I took a few of the skewers and a tilapia for myself before hopping on to the next table, where some bloggers were helping themselves to some tinola- a chicken ginger stew with vegetables.

This particular tinola had a special twist, as it some coconut juice and fruit mixed instead of the usual green papaya or chayote. Needless to say, it tasted great, and made for a good start for our hearty lunch.

It seems everyone had some of the roasted chicken- I had two pieces myself. And on the serving table right next to it, were a variety of side-dishes that go well with either the chicken, roast pig or the crabs.

We had these green mango slices, which you usually eat with bagoong- a potent salty-sweet shrimp paste Filipinos use on a lot of dishes. There was also a pot of achara- Philippine pickled vegetables, and a salad of salted eggs and tomatoes.

There were a couple of kangkong (Philippine water spinach) dishes, one served as a salad with sliced onions and tomatoes, and then there was my favorite- kangkong stalks stir-fried in a light coconut milk sauce.

Naturally, there was lots of rice to go with all that food- but I skipped on it, opting to go low-carb for the day. I also skipped out on most of this huge roasted fish that graced the table- only getting a small slice from its side.

While there was dessert served after the meal, I was so stuffed that I decided to pass on it. Also, my fingers had crab-juice all over them, so I couldn't take any more pictures until I washed my hands. I helped myself to this very welcoming bowl of fruit right after that heavy lunch.

Now that was a good lunch, made even better as we were bonding with fellow bloggers, as well as with the Puyat family, who were even showing us old pictures of them when they were young and hanging out at this very same beach.

Needless to say, the food was great. The staff of Kawayan Cove were on hand to clear out the plates, keep the drinks coming, and hand out warm towels right after we were done with the fish and crabs. Excellent service on their end, and you have to give them props for that.

Special thanks to Mr. Joey Puyat and everyone in the Puyat family who joined us that day for being such gracious hosts; they were all there to welcome us, show us around Kawayan Cove, and pretty much made us feel right at home.

Also, thanks and shout-out to fellow blogger Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet- for giving us some tips on how to be better photo-bloggers. Last but not least, thanks to our friends from Geiser-Maclang for making it all happen.

Cheers, everyone!