at @28Wilkie, thanks to our ever gracious host and hostess - @the_caviar_king and @imcynlim. Their Head Chef @matteo.chef’s all-new Tasting Menu was a joyful tribute to the season. The flavour profiles of each course leaned towards the bright and uplifting, which I found really lovely. As one should when dining at #28Wilkie, we commenced our meal with the Caviar Experience featuring five types of @caviarcolony. It was apparent first-time visitors to the restaurant - @immichellechong @wongahyoke and @chanksters, were bowled over too. We ate the caviar in the recommended sequence, first off the side of our hands, then heaped on warm, fragrant potato blinis. After the luxurious treat, Chef Matteo presented a trio of small bites which we polished off in this order: the slow-cooked, calamansi vinegar-seasoned Normandy carrot tart, followed by the beetroot chip with beetroot purée infused with coffee flavour, and finally, the raspberry vinegar-glazed foie gras mousse with raspberry purée on sourdough toast. Each bite bold in personality. An unexpectedly refreshing yuzu tomato jelly with white anchovies and creme fraiche was set down next. This truly whetted our appetites for the courses to come. I must say, the new breads by Chef Matteo and his team were superb. Not only did we spread butter on them but also the luscious dark pearls of #caviarcolony. Yes, it’s terribly indulgent but oh so good! As easy on the eyes as the Hamachi course was, its taste impressed us more. Such a complex combination of flavours and textures it boasted from the use of balsamic bianco, fresh green peas and Japanese ginger flowers. Since White Asparagus in season, it’s also in the Tasting Menu but elevated to a juicy crisp bite, and complemented by a marvelous brown butter gelato, buffalo mozzarella and colatura di cetara (a type of ancient grain). The next course was my favourite of the night. A gutsy “surf & turf”, it starred the Longfin Squid charcoal-grilled to smoky tenderness on rizzole (a pasta that resembles rice) with spicy nduja. The killer touch was the eggplant scapece - which had been pickled raw. ⬇️Continued in Comments⬇️

@theorientalisthouse’s new Chef/Host-in-Residence, Reiko Yoshikawa (@reikointokyo2019). (Hosted) Please watch my video with sound on. It is one of the longest I’ve put together, partly because of the fascinating anecdotes Chef Reiko shared. This charming lady who moved to Singapore recently, is a veteran culinary consultant, food guide as well as cooking school director from Tokyo, Japan. Due to her personal contacts at Tsukiji (築地市場) and Toyosu (豊洲市場) Markets in Tokyo (she does a call with them every Monday to decide what she wants flown in twice that week), we had the pleasure of a 9-course Omakase menu featuring the freshest seasonal ingredients. But that was after Britney (@21august) and Brandy (@brandilious_lawofattraction) welcomed us upon arrival, with highballs concocted from @theorientalistspirits. Chef Reiko prepared a Salmon Tartare with rice crackers to accompany as nibbles. After we were ushered into the dining room, she introduced herself and shared a little about what was to come. Then dinner commenced. Below is all that we had: 1. Kinmedai Fish Head Soup with salt, and rind and juice of sudachi - Our appetites were whetted with a few sips. 2. Chilled appetisers - Highlighting the beauty of Spring, one was Wasabi Flowers marinated in dashi and soya sauce, and the other, fresh Peas from Kagoshima cooked to a perfect, smooth plumpness. 3. Six-year-old Scallop from Iwate - Incredibly delicious, THE standout for me. The huge and meaty scallop was sautéed in dashi soy, and crowned with a pat of creamy, unsalted Calpis butter made from fermented milk. 4. Kinmedai - Lightly aburi-ed, it was served with sudachi and a unique yuzu salt that’s “wetter” than the normal kind. 5. Chilled Chawaushi - Popular in Japan during the warmer months, Chef Reiko piled a generous amount of Zuwai Kani (crab) from Toyama on it. 6. Pen Shell - It was marinated in dashi soya sauce, shichini spices before being grilled. To enjoy, we were given a toasted seaweed to wrap the smoky and savoury springy shellfish. 7. Kinmedai Collar - Those who are booked to dine on the days the shipment of seafood arrives from Japan might get bonus items,... ⬇️Continued in Comments⬇️

Last Friday’s lunch at @blueskiescottonclouds’ home felt like we had hopped over the border to Penang. Not only did we get to indulge in fantastic #PenangCharKwayTeow potent with “wok hei”, fried one-plate-at-a-time by our amazing hostess (I should mention she picked up her skills from CKT guru @sk_food_and_travel who’s incredibly exacting in his standards), but also a few lovely food items brought by the other guests. @madam_key whetted appetites with her Jiu Her Cha, a classic Penang dish of braised turnip, cabbage and dried squid that we ate wrapped in lettuce, and also fed us a dessert of Apom Guan (another Penang special of a folded pancake filled with corn and banana). @singaporeliciouz made a wonderful Kueh Bingka which we all attacked with enthusiasm. @uncle_lim_chiak was a little late to the party but was quick to catch up. Don’t think I’ve ever seen two plates of Penang #CharKwayTeow disappear so swiftly 😂. Thank you again for organising the get-together, @blueskiescottonclouds. It was really nice to meet @madam_key for the first time and to catch up with everyone in person. #veronicaphuaeats #lunchwithfriends #charkoayteow #homecooked #moneycantbuy #burpproved #burpple #burpplesg #sgfoodies #sgfoodie #igfood #igfoodie #tastespotting #foodiesofinstagram #foodlover #foodstagram #foodie #instaeat #foodspotting #instasg #foodinstagram #homecookedfood #singapore