Travels: Bellagio, Italy

I heard much about Lake Como being one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.  Just an hour's train ride away, I was excited to make the visit on a good weathered day.  The train comes rather frequently, but the unseen killer was the bus service between Como San Giovanni, where the train stopped, to Bellagio.  It was an hourly service and the ride takes about 80 minutes up the terrains before reaching Bellagio proper.  So, we spent a while waiting.  Not so fun.

But the ride was fun that we saw a lot of commuters who greeted each other as they boarded the bus.  Very local, very cool.

 

Just before hitting Bellagio, we stopped for lunch at a hotel restaurant in Bellagio called Silvio.  It was recommended by the Chowhounders and I read about it being run by a guy who is a half restaurateur, half fisherman. I had to try the lake fish and I did! 

Honestly, the fish was rather tasteless, and overcooked.  To sum up in a Chinese term, it's " 老".  But the fried potato was lovely, buttery and powdery. With a fantastic clear view of the lake, accompanied by half a bottle of cold, white Italian Pinot Gringot, I felt happy and contented.




Hotel Silvio and Ristorante

Via P. Carcano, 10
22021 Bellagio Como, Italy Tel: 031 950322

I'm 30!

North Italy was a blast! The two weeks there were too short yet fillededith a lot of memorable moments. It was nice to be able to experience the cities and at the same time, know I could escape in just a couple of hours away, to a totally opposite environment, amongst nature and the beautiful vineyards.



It was a lovely pre-birthday treat indeed! And I don't feel any different stepping into my thirties. My gut feel tells me life is just about to get more exciting! Anyhow, I hope to share a little more about my adventures soon. Stay tuned!

Hiatus

Pardon me while I feast on pasta, cute men and delicious bags.

Review: Open Door Policy

Just about 1 o'clock from the entrance of Forty Hands sits Open Door Policy, the newish baby also by the folks from Forty Hands, together with Chef Ryan Clift of The Tippling Club.  Designed to be a casual bistro with affordable fare, and great coffee, ODP is set to be the next cool kid on the block.

The decor certainly fits the bill.  I particularly like the zinc-roof-look-alike design of the sunroof allowing natural light, and the limited number of sushi-counter-style seats upfront, right in front of the open kitchen.

You get an old-school folder that doubles up as a menu cover, a rather clever idea most befitting of the equally old-school estate the restaurant sits in.  The food selection appears to be your "usual fare" at first glance but actually involves modern twists.  And vegetarians won't have to fret about having nothing to eat.  There are pretty tantalizing choices available.

The starter of tuna carpaccio with radish and yuzu dressing was shared.  Not a fan of tuna in general, I thought it was just okay.  The stand-out though, was the dressing - slightly citrusy, sweet, salty, all at once.  Pure goodness.  For the first time I wished I had more dressing.  This is a very light and healthy dish, perfect for those into that sort of flavors.

The other starter that I ordered was a watercress soup served with a poached egg and truffle soil.  Now, I love my greens and have quite a high tolerance for bitterness.  That said, I was really challenged by this soup! Stirring in the creamy rich yolk was but a futile attempt to mask the intense bitterness.   To be honest, I was this close to aborting the soup for good but held on for health's sake.  But I personally really would not order it again.

For the main course, my friend ordered the duck confit with puy lentils cooked with smoked bacon.  The dish looked delicious and was deemed so.

On the other hand, I ordered the grilled salmon with panzella salad.  The fish fillet had a lovely crisp skin, but stayed a little too long in the oven so the inside wasn't as pink as it could be.  The saving grace was the panzella salad that was made with chunks of fried (or could be baked) croutons that had been tossed with colorful peppers and a vinaigrette dressing that was tangy and salty. 

 

We didn't have much room for dessert so we decided to go straight to the coffee.  Strong, aromatic coffee notes paired with creamy, sweet steamed milk, oh that was one good piccolo latte that remains etched in my memories.

The meal was interesting enough to warrant a return and I am quite delighted ODP is open late, and on Sundays too.  

OpenDoor Policy

19 Yong Siak St

Mon–Sun: 12pm–4pm, 6.30pm–11pm
Wed: 6.30pm–11pm
(Closed on Tue)
Tel: +65 6221 9307

Crafty Saturdays

I am absolutely in love with this current stage of life! Especially the time I have to rediscover old passions such as handicraft.

As a child (okay, and even as an adult), I never felt like I am creative. I did okay in any form of artwork simply because I am good at following instructions and am rather precise.

Whatever. I was very happy I found out about notabilia's bookmaking classes and when the first series ended, I felt a sense of loss. Practicing at home is not quite the same; I think I enjoy very much the social aspect of such self-interest classes, to be honest.  Where else can you meet like-minded, cool folks?

Anyway. Last Saturday saw me attending a rubber-stamp making class organized by Books Actually and taught by Joseph from Monster Gallery. It was a rather intensive 90 minutes as we learnt the basics and (had to) put them into use rightaway.  But each "student" produced a rather decent stamp at the end of the session, including the Imp. :)

I say, if I can do it, anyone can do it.
























After class ended, the ravenous us (or maybe just me) went in search of food that suited my bad throat. Old school Teochew Huat Kee (yes, that is the full name of the restaurant) at Amoy Street was the Imp's recommendation and I am pleased it was a very satisfying meal.
Steamed pomfret was fresh and not overdone, and stir-fry Chinese cabbage (奶白) that was crunchy, with umami from dried sole fish bits.























Did I mention I am absolutely in love with this current stage of life?

Priceless Gift

 

My birthday isn't here for another 3 weeks and I received my first present from the ever-thoughtful Imp, who knew I won't be around in town when the actual day comes around.  

Because I wasn't expecting anything, it was a really pleasant surprise.  Pleasant not because of the actual physical gifts (although, just for the record, they were all very well thought through), but more because despite our unique personalities, we have forged a friendship of respect and trust.  And I consider the actual gifting process merely as an outward demonstration of how we have become comfortable with one another.  

So thank you again Imp, for your priceless gift of friendship.  X

Review: Luke's Oyster Bar and Chop House

Luke's Oyster Bar and Chop House.  Wow, finally, Singapore sees a really decent American restaurant that does not scream just burgers and fries.  The latest concept by restaurant veteran Travis Masiero, I have to say he nailed it. 

Looking at the whole restaurant, from physical look-and-feel, right down to the actual food, everything is kept simple and classic, yet very grounded in the fundamentals.  His menu too, looks rather sparse, but it was tight and focused. 

Don't shoot me, but I think I just might be the odd few who did not take to their house special cornbread (I forgot to take a picture).  Personally, I felt it was a little dry and mealy, neither savory nor sweet. 

But the Oyster Po' boys that followed, that kicked up my expectations of the entire meal a whole notch. 

Oyster Po' Boy

The breaded and fried oyster was crunchy, well-seasoned and greaseless.  That bit of 'slaw added a bit of sweetness and sauce.  I thought if it was served with a soft bun (think: generic hot dog softbun), it would have been even more awesome.

Travis' Tomato salad was good, with bits of feta dolloped all over.  Yes, the tomatoes were sweet but I really expected a little more of the dish for its $23 tag.

 

Travis' Tomato Salad



The one dish I had to order was the Seared Scallops and I was very glad the raving reviews I read on other sites were spot on.  They were presented well-seared with a golden crisp "skin" that looked just so tempting.  Beneath those crisp shells, the scallops were cooked perfectly that they remained moist and soft inside.  The caper butter sauce paired beautifully as well, adding richness and a bit of sour.  



Seared Scallops



Torn between the cold seafood platter and the oysters au natural, we finally called on the latter, leaving it up to Chef to put together a few different varieties.  Our oysters that night were from Canada and Massachusetts. They were rather pricey but they were awesome - plump, juicy, brine-y.  Oysters and me, we go a waaay back so I had the process of devouring them down to the pat : squeeze of lemon, dash of hot sauce, slurp down juice and all, and repeat.  Make that four more times.

Fresh shucked oysters from Canada and USA

Last dish was a (whole) lobster pot pie, deconstructed.  The sauce was wonderfully rich, yet uncloying.  And my initial concern with over-cooking the lobster?  Throw that straight out of the window because that baby was cooked perfectly. 

Lobster pot pie

Oddly, I found the claw slightly tastier than the body, just because it has a less chewy texture.

huge claws

That meal at Luke's demonstrated that simplicity is not to be underestimated when well-executed.  But the downside is that the food is awfully pricey, making it more an 'occasion' restaurant rather than a place I could frequent more.

 Luke's Oyster Bar and Chop House
20 Gemmill Lane
Tel: 6221 4468
closed Sundays