Ristorante Wendy's! Again!

13 April 2009 - 20:00 (Tuesday)

If you have been following this blog, you will know how i always declare that Wen must be the best pasta chef in the world. She never has to try very hard to bring tears to your eyes when you try her pasta or any noodles for that matter. I'm not alone in saying this.... we've held numerous home dinner parties for various friends and if there's one thing unanimous about their opinions of these parties, it's the pasta that Wen whips up.

This time round, she's up the ante....



Wen's latest creation.... It's only apt that i give this dish a name.... I think I shall call it.... Wen's Divinity Dish! :)

Basically, she created a tomato based sauce mixed with bacon, garlic and chilli padi. Left to simmer for quite a long while. Taken out and then blended... yes blended... to form a puree. Next throw in some sausages into the puree, simmer a little bit more. In goes the Spaghettini, topped with some grated Parmesan cheese and pine nuts and Voila! Wen's Divinity Dish!

Heavenly!!!



Dinner was accompanied with a bottle of Torres Vina Sol 2006... For all you wine snobs out there, yes this may be a S$25 bottle of wine but it is a very very nice bottle of white. Complemented perfectly with the Divinity Dish.

Yes, i've been to heaven and back....

Bali - Mozaic

24th October 2008 - 18:30 (Friday)

If i said that Mozaic is simply the best fine dining restaurant Bali has to offer, some smart alec would probably bring up the point that it can't be true simply cos i haven't tried all the fine dining restaurants in Bali. Nevertheless, I will still unabashedly proclaim that Mozaic must be the best fine dining restaurant in Bali... If you doubt me, then try doubting it's reputation as the 5th best restaurant in Asia, an award given by The Miele Guide...

Situated in Ubud, Mozaic is this really charming restaurant with a very beautiful indoor bar cum lounge area while it's main dining facility is outside in the courtyard surrounded by perfectly manicured greenery. The landscaping is simply magnificent and the closest description i can give to it would be.... errr.... Disney's Tiki Room.... it's gorgeous, it's charming, it's magical...

It's a pity i am writing this blog 5 months after we've been there as most of the details are rather vauge to me by now. But i did remember that i was completely enchanted by the courtyard dining area, mesmerised by the flickering torches surrounding the dining area, happily intoxicated by the bottle of Pensfold Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir 2006, thought i died and gone to heaven with Chef Salans cooking...

Below are some of the fantastic memories of our meal at Mozaic...


Bar cum Lounge area where we enjoyed a nice Dirty Martini :)


Dirty Martinis with some Canapes...


Amuse Bouche...


Scallop with Parma Ham Starter....


This is good stuff!!!!


Wen's main course.... I believe it's a salmon.... so yummy!!!


My Main course.... a medium rare steak.... Awesomeeeeeee.....


Wen's Dessert....


My Chocolate Dessert....

Bali has a lot to offer culinary wise and i'm sure we will be exploring more of that the next time we are there but Mozaic, along with Ibu Oka, will definitely receive a repeat visit from us :)


Mozaic
Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Gianyar
Bali 80571
Tel: +62 361 975768

Bali - Four Season's PJ's

25 October 2008 - 18:00 (Saturday)

PJ's at Four Seasons, located in Jimbaran, Bali is one of the restaurants which both Wen and myself will remember even when we are into our 80's and strangely.... it's not because of the food. Here's why...

Picture this, it's close to 7pm, you are seated in an open air restaurant in a 5 star hotel on a beach watching the sunset. On your left are cliffs with lots of lanterns lighted up. In front of you is a clean beach filled with candles and their flames are flickering away. A little out to sea are 3 small boats with massive kerosene lamps lighted up for no other reason other than to add to the atmosphere. On the beach are mirrors, lots and lots of mirrors.... all strategically situated to reflect the already numerous candles on the beach to create an illusion of a beach completely lighted up by flickering candles. How romantic is that!

And if i haven't been able to conjure up that romantic image in your mind successfully, i hope the below pictures will be able to tell a better story than my words :)


Sipping on a frozen Margarita as the sunsets under the horizon...


Some bread to start off the dinner...


A Bottle of Devil's Lair Chardonnay.... purchased from Singapore Duty Free on the way to Bali...


The Massive Seafood platter that both Wen and I shared...

And finally, some pics to try and whip up the romantic image i was attempting to explain with words.






Oh.... and to add... personally, i think this would be a great place to propose to that loved one of yours :)

PJ's
Four Seasons Jimbaran, Bali
Denpasar 80361
Tel: +62 (361) 701010

Bali - Ibu Oka

24th October 2008 - 11:00 (Friday)

Did i ever mention that i have a focus issue..... whether it's tasks on hand or using a camera.... i have a knack of... losing focus. Yes, i know i am right in the midst of blogging all the wonderful food we had in Japan but i need to break away from all that and blog about food we had in Bali 6 months ago....

Over the weekend i was at home mucking around, surfing the net aimlessly and kaypoing friends' Facebooks when i saw that my uncle Andrew was about to leave for his vacation in Bali. He was asking for recommendations on food on his FB when it suddenly dawned on me that i never got around to blogging some of the most awesome meals i have had in Bali.

Proceeded to dig out the photos from the memory cards and finally.... presenting.... my most memorable meal ever costing less than S$5..... Ibu Oka!



This eatery was a recommendation by Anthony Bourdain and what made me decide to give this a try was when i saw how his face light up when he took his first bite. The pure pleasure that he experienced was instantly recognisable.

Ibu Oka is this warung that is located in Ubud, Bali. It's so famous you just have to tell any cab driver Ibu Oka and they will know instantly where to bring you. Just take a look at the menu.... there's nothing on the menu that's more than S$5! And at those prices, don't expect any luxury. The eatery is open air, has no chairs, you basically sit on the floor and eat from a low height communal table. Yes, you don't get your own table...

But you really don't need all that luxury when the food is this good. It's really only after you have finished your meal that you realise you can no longer feel your legs cos of the limited space you have to cross your leg during the whole duration of the meal.



We had the Nasi + Babi Guling Pisah (loosely translated to Pig Rice Special) and i swear we had that same expression that Anthony Bourdain had when we took our first bite... It was so so so so gooood! The special comes with 2 pieces of really crispy pig skin, a few pieces of fatty pork meat, a few pieces of lean pork meat, some pork intestines and a heap of specially prepared vegetable that would make a mean man cry.



It was so good i licked up every single bit on my plate! I'm lost for words on how good this really is. If you ever make a trip to Ubud in Bali, this is a DIE DIE MUST TRY.....

Ibu Oka
Jalan Tegal Sari No 2 Ubud
Tel: +62 361 976 345