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A Mid-Autumn Collection by Mandarin Orchard [Media]

Mooncakes hold a special place in the hearts of many Chinese; it’s a symbol of the celebration of mid-autumn and, when given as a gift, is often seen as a symbol of togetherness.

To celebrate Mid-Autumn, Mandarin Orchard Singapore has unveiled an exquisite selection of mooncakes in an equally exquisite brand new packaging. Both baked and frosted-skin collections are available for people of different preferences too.

What’s nice about the packaging is that each baked mooncake is presented in a custom-designed carrier featuring the hotel’s iconic lattice pattern, accentuated by a motif of peony flowers in a red foil stamping. Adding an auspicious touch as well is a decorative Chinese knot with a tassel, finished in a vibrant red to complement the already exquisite box.

This year’s features include the limited edition Mini Baked Mooncakes made with premium ingredients. Two flavours include the Cempedak with White Lotus Paste and the Japanese Yuzu and Pistachio with Black Sesame Paste, which is made with a gold-dusted charcoal skin.

Another is the return of their signature baked mooncake with Mixed Nuts with Jamón Iberico (a type of cured ham; not shown here), which melds both sweetness and savouriness in every bite. Legit favourite there.

While I will never understand why people prefer snow skin mooncakes (heck yeah baked ftw), there are also snow skin favourites like the Lychee Martini and Chocolate, and Red Wine Cranberry Paste with Japanese Yuzu and Lemongrass. These delicately handmade and refreshingly innovative mooncakes are filled with creamy decadence, and will make you go all Crazy Rich Asian and channel your inner Eleanor Sung-Young!

Of course no Mid-autumn collection is complete without the time-honoured classic selection of baked mooncakes, like the Double Yolk and White Lotus Paste. The health conscious can also opt for the Macadamia Nuts and Low Sugar White Lotus Paste (watch your diabetes)!

We were also treated to a selected menu of Mandarin Orchard Singapore’s own talented chefs, such as an aerated salted egg concoction with croutons and truffle shavings, and a Kurobuta Pork Belly “Kong Bak Bao” (扣肉包). There were also matching German and French wines by Wein & Vin to pair with the mooncakes and food, and even the attendance of esteemed palm reader Master Khor!

If you, like me, want everything and can’t make up your mind when you order stuff like mooncakes, you can opt for The Mandarin Collection. Each set comes with four different flavours which include the aforementioned Mixed Nuts and Jamón Ibérico, Double Yolk and White Lotus Paste, Macadamia Nuts and Low Sugar White Lotus Paste, and Azuki Red Bean Paste and Pine Nuts.

The Mid-autumn Collection is available at Mandarin Orchard Singapore’s Festive Counter at Level 1 Lobby from 17 August to 24 September 2018 (from 11am to 7pm daily).

For larger orders or corporate enquiries, please call 6831 6320/6262 or email festivedesk.orchard@meritushotels.com. For more information, view the brochure here and the order form here.

This post is brought to you courtesy of Mandarin Orchard Singapore, by Meritus.

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Cutting The Queue with Eatsy – feat. Park Bench Deli

Read till the end for an exclusive discount code only for our readers!

Eatsy-ing Into Your lunch

Having lunch on a weekday, especially with your BFFs at work usually entails one of two (sometimes both) scenarios. One is the never-ending crowds as office gophers like myself simultaneously come out to forage for food. Even after you (finally) get your food after a long wait and finish your meal, someone will kena “arrow”  (read: involuntarily assigned) to be on accountant duty and figure out exactly how much each person pays (top tip: the magic no. is 1.177 for including service and GST in Singapore).

via GIPHY

One pretty good solution to that however, is using Eatsy, a collaborative mobile app that allows diners to not only order ahead, but also pay for their orders all in-app at their favourite local eateries and coffee shops.

You can just order the items you want through in-app e-menus, hit order and pay through the app, all at once! The venue will then prepare your food ahead of time, and you can simply arrive to piping hot delights without the wait (and you get to cut everyone’s queue with swag). Works for BOTH takeaway and dine-in services!

Emphasizing on the “collaborative” part of the app, Eatsy also allows your friends to ‘join’ your table if you are dining in. No more worry about splitting bill as you can set the payment mode to be “Let’s go dutch” and vola! No more headache about Linda arguing to round up to the nearest $0.10, or Clarence insisting on splitting the sides 4 ways because he only had 1 piece out of 10. Did I also say you can enjoy cashback from paying through this app?

1. Pick your restaurant
2. “Open” a table or join one by your friends
3. Order away!

 

4. Place your order
5. Remember your promo codes!
6. Split the bill/ treat yo homies

 

Dat sweet cashback the more you use!

 

More about Eatsy

Eatsy Technologies, the firm behind the dining app made up of a group of youthful and talented foodies, was founded in September 2017 by CEO Shaun Heng, who formerly worked in Corporate Development at RedMart. The collaborative order-ahead app aims to partner with the best and busiest quick service restaurants and cafes in Singapore to give them a competitive and technological edge to drive up profitability, and also provide a more personalized way to connect with their customers. Notable names in Eatsy’s current list of the merchants include crowd favourites – Tanuki Raw and Park Bench Deli. To date, Eatsy has also seen an impressive gross transaction value growth of 80% month-on-month!

Cr: Eatsy Technologies

 

 

“Imagine it is lunch time and you are helping to order take-away for your colleagues. With the app, you don’t have to jot down everyone’s orders and queue anymore. Just add your friends in the app – they “piggyback” onto your existing order and send it through. The restaurant will start preparing your orders, so just head downstairs for collection once it’s ready. This ‘collaborative ordering’ saves a lot of time for customers and drives incremental orders for merchants. Our mission is to make mobile ordering and payment the new way of life when dining out.”

Mr Shaun Heng, Founder and CEO of Eatsy Technologies. 

Trying It Out @ Park Bench Deli

To try out the app first hand, we were hosted at Park Bench Deli (PBD), a hole in the wall in its own right along Telok Ayer Street. Inspired by the culture of no-frills sandwiches and subs from delis in North American cities and neighbourhoods, where white collars in fancy suits enjoying their deli-bought subs on a park bench are common sight.

Although the menu has slightly changed over the few years it has been in business, their focus is on bold sanwiches, made with swagger and lots of spunk. From sous-vide Fried Chicken dipped in buttermilk to Philly Cheesesteaks on hoagies, with hand-melted gruyere cheese whiz (my favourite), you can find something for yourself to chomp down while questioning life’s meaning. It certainly helped that Eatsy was so fuss free to use, so less playing footsy with the bill, and more eating!

I’ll be back with a bigger review soon 😉

More Information

Eatsy

For holeinthewall.sg readers, enjoy $5 off your first Eatsy order with the code “HITW5“. Valid till 31st July 2018! Not valid with other promo codes. Other Terms & Conditions in-app may apply.

Check out their website for a full list of restaurants: https://eatsyapp.co
Download the app here (Apple App Store | Google Play)

Park Bench Deli

179 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068627
Reservations: chope.co
Phone: 6815 4600
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This post is brought to you by Eatsy. Download it now on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

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The Great American Buffet at Triple Three! – Mandarin Orchard Singapore

The Great American Buffet

Mandarin Orchard Singapore’s award-winning and pretty famous atas buffet restaurant, Triple Three, marks Independence Day in the United States of America with the return of The Great American Buffet!

Making Buffets Great Again

In what can arguably be regarded as one of the national hobbies of the USA, the buffet features both classic American favourites as well as some with a local twist, You’ll be spoilt for choice with the massive spread of premium meats, seafood, desserts, and a great variety of sides—all prepared with a dash of freedom!

RIght at the centre stage are grilled and roasted meats prepared to succulent perfection, such as the Smoked Barbecue Pork Ribs, the Oven Roasted USDA Prime Black Angus Ribeye, and the ever popular Smoked USDA Short Ribs which packs an intense smoky flavour from the special dry rub marinade.

Something else not to be missed is the Creole Gumbo, a rich stew from southern Louisiana, featuring rock lobster, mahi-mahi, scallops, clams, mussels, and browned sausages. This delicious medley of ingredients is cooked for hours in hearty stock requiring layer upon layer of flavours and spices.

Executive Sous Chef Sam Chin adds his own twist to the American classics in his rendition of the Lobster Roll, where toasted buttery brioche replaces the traditional white bread hotdog buns. Chef Sam also wants you to try his Gourmet Beef Sliders using premium Black Angus beef patties, caramelised onions and melted cheddar, sandwiched between two slices of toasted brioche (seems like we know his favourite choice of bread).

On top of all these delicious creations, there’s also several other American delights, in all fried and roasted (freedom) goodness!

Dear ladies and your dessert stomachs, you have not been forgotten! There’s also a wide range of desserts to let you fill up that second space. With a selection like the Apricot Almond Tart, the Vanilla Panna Cotta, and the Bourbon Pecan Pie, AND the traditional Apple Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Blueberry Cheesecake, you can be sure that you leave with delight.

Triple Three at Mandarin Orchard Singapore

Named after the location which the Mandarin Orchard Singapore sits on, Triple Three, with its iconic three 三 (Japanese/Chinese character for the number 3) logo, is a Japanese-inspired buffet restaurant that is known for an extensive international buffet selection. Apart from the the seasonal specials such as the above Great American Buffet, it’s also known for fresh seafood and other international delights such as Chinese and Indian cuisine.

Book Now And Be Free!

The Great American Buffet runs from 4th (Wednesday) to 15th July (Sunday) 2018, and is for dinner at 6:30pm to 10:00pm daily. So go get yourself some freedom before it’s gone!

More Information

Triple Three
333 Orchard Road
Mandarin Orchard Level 5
Singapore 238867

Price: $108++ (Adult) | $48++ (Child 6 to 12 years)

Credit Card Promotions: DBS/POSB/UOB card members enjoy 50% off every second adult diner (up to eight diners per card)

Stand a chance to walk away with an exclusive dining experience for 2 worth $576++ when you dine at Triple Three! Click here for more information!

For reservations and enquiries:

Online Reservation – www.meritushotels.com/diningorchard
Tel – (65) 6831 6288
Email – dine.orchard@meritushotels.com

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A Dash of Szechwan by Chef Chen Kentaro @ Shisen Hanten [Media]

A Dash of Szechwan

Chen Kentaro, Executive Chef of Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro—Singapore’s highest Michelin-rated Chinese restaurant, draws on three generations of culinary heritage to complete his first English cookbook, A Dash of Szechwan.

The collection of 50 recipes, some of them never before shared family secrets, features Chef Kentaro’s own take on family recipes and Shisen Hanten signatures. Also included are recipes originally developed by his grandfather, Chen Kenmin—lauded as the “Father of Szechwan cuisine” in Japan, and his father, Chen Kenichi—the renowned “Szechwan Sage” and longest-running Iron Chef Chinese. (For the uninformed, Iron Chef was, and still is, a popular cooking battle show with lots of theatrics in Japan, and is considered a pretty big deal to appear on it)

Recalling his inspiration for the cookbook, Chef Kentaro said,

“With A Dash of Szechwan, I hope to share my love of Szechwan cooking with a wider audience, and showcase that the flavours of the cuisine offer so much more than the piquancy it is more popularly known for. I am excited to have this opportunity of bringing my favourite recipes into everyone’s kitchen.”

In the book, Chef Kentaro takes readers on an easy-to-follow journey through the bold and versatile flavours of Szechwan cuisine. Stunning food photography fills the pages of the cookbook, and peppered throughout are useful tips and visual step-by-step guides on cooking and preparation techniques. He also adds personal background stories to the mouth-watering recipes, and dedicates a pictured glossary for easier reference of some of the more essential and commonly mistaken ingredients featured in the cookbook. He also includes recipes for stocks, sauces, and marinades that can be used for a great variety of dishes.

Book Launch Event at Shisen Hanten

After the official launch, we were treated to a selection of Chef Kentaro’s signatures that are also featured in the book, from light starters like the Foie Gras Chawanmushi with Crab Roe Soup, to hearty and homely favourites like the Dan Dan Noodle (旦旦面) Soup, Stir-fried Lobster with Chilli Sauce and their now-gonna-be-famous Chen Family’s Mapo Tofu (meat and vegetarian versions were both served, how you like it at home is totally up to you). In good Szechwan fashion, the cuisine had the perfect balance between the spice from the chilli and the savoury tastes of the other stars of the dish (read; umami). Of course it’s up to you to up the ante on the spice either at the restaurant or at home. So fear not ketchup boys and girls!

After the official book launch, the Chef ‘challenged’ us, the guests, to a cook-off a la Gordon Ramsay style. Our gusty volunteer, Bobby, put up a good showing as he was instructed back-facing Chef Kentaro to cook some stir-fried beef. Our judge even called it a tie! Maybe he was a secret Masterchef-level home cook, who knew?

At the end we received a personalised signed copy of Chef Kentaro’s book, together with some special gifts from Shisen Hanten and their partner, tea sellers Pryce Tea (more below). For more information on how to get your hands on limited editions of SIGNED COPIES of Chef Kentaro’s cookbook, visit the restaurant or contact them with the details at the end of this article.

Shisen Hanten by Chef Kentaro

Started in 1958, Akasaka Szechwan Restaurant aka Shisen Hanten which it is popularly known in Japan, was the brainchild of Chen Kentaro’s Grandfather Chen Kenmin which was then passed down to his Father Chen Kenichi. Regarded as Japan’s “Father of Szechwan Cuisine”, the eldest Chen envisioned the restaurant to “make Shisen Hanten customers truly appreciate Szechwan food through all the five senses.” Through Kentaro’s Father, Kenichi, the Shisen Hanten brand branched out across Japan, with 14 branches across 6 cities and now with it’s first debut outside the country in sunny Singapore, where it is Kentaro’s turn to continue their legacy and set the stage for global recognition of Japan’s best loved Szechwan Restaurant. Indeed it is already Singapore’s most decorated Michelin-rated Chinese restaurant (two-stars).

Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro celebrates the seven basic flavours of Szechwan cuisine: sour, pungent, hot, sweet, bitter, aromatic and salty. Highlights not to be missed include Chen’s Mapo Doufu, Chen’s Original Spicy Noodle Soup, Stewed Fish Fillet in Spicy Szechwan Chilli Pepper, and Deep-fried Chicken in Spicy Szechwan Chilli Pepper. Also available on the menu is a delicious selection of authentic Cantonese classics. Situated at level 35 or Mandarin Orchard, you can be sure of a good view too!

Pryce Tea

A quick feature on what I feel was a good selection of tea by the restaurant’s partner Pryce Tea. Established by one of Singapore’s oldest tea companies, Lim Lam Thye, Pryce Tea seeks to demystify the age-old perception that Chinese teas are only enjoyed during elaborate tea ceremonies, to bring you wonderful epicurean blends that embody oriental finery with modern simplicity.

We were treated to a display of a small part of their big collection of teas, such as the Cocoon Night, with decaffeinated Oolong tea leaves and Australian Eucalyptus and French Lavender which promises a good end to a busy day, and their aptly-flavoured Peppy Day, which is blended with Szechuan Peppers to give it a good oomph to pep up your day. Check out their website here!

More Information

Shisen Hanten
Level 35 Orchard Wing
Mandarin Orchard Singapore
333 Orchard Road
Singapore 238867
Phone: 68316262 / 68316266
Email: shisenhanten.orchard@meritushotels.com
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Drinks

Freehouse – Yo Dawg (Week of The Dog feat. Chef Christian)

Freehouse

Right at the middle of downtown is Freehouse, a bar opened in 2016 that “was birthed from a thirst that could only be quenched by good beer and cider”. With up to 16 rotating taps of craft beer (they’re usually almost at full capacity), you can be sure that you’ll only be thirsty for that guy/girl down the bar 😉 Situated in a shophouse in the Telok Ayer area, its intimate settings ensures you that there’s definitely “no strangers here”.

Week of the Dog at Freehouse

Yo Dawg, so I heard it’s the Year of the Dog, so Freehouse’s got some (hot)dogs at the week of the dog, so you can dog while you dawg!

Just over the last week, while basically half of the bars you frequent were closed over the Chinese New Year week, Freehouse started the year of the dog with a week long event starring their very own bar manager, Christian!

The Week of the Dog featured a special event-only menu made of gourmet sausages, corn dogs and more importantly (to me), TATER TOTS “smothered in homemade meat/beach chilli! With Christian in the kitchen (no sandwiches today), we devoured most of the brutally-named menu, such as the Brat-tallica, a Bratwurst topped with home-made braised red cabbage, Sauerkraut, Bacon, Hefeweizen Cheese Sauce, Spicy Mustard and Devil’s Ketchup; or if you’re in camp Dave Mustaine, there’s The Megadeth Corn Dog, that’s dipped in a special honey-infused buttermilk batter and deep fried to golden glory!

We also checked out good ol’ Trogdor the Burninator, our favourite strong-armed winged beast represented with Tater Tots smothered in molten Cheddar Cheese (that’s enough to make Torbjorn breathe heavily), Home Made Stout Bean/Meat Chilli, Srircha, Sour Cream and Devil’s Ketchup. Beware of the fire-breathing dragon!

No Strangers Here

Beyond the special menu for the week, Freehouse also offers a pretty wide range of bar snacks and dinner items (they’re usually not open for lunch). Favourites include the Cereal Frog Legs, Grilled Eggplant and Japanese Curry Fries just to name a few. Food menu may also change time to time, so find out the latest while you’re there!

Of course being one of the increasingly popular craft beer bar in Singapore, Freehouse offers a rotating selection of delicious craft beer from around the world, as mentioned previously having a capacity of 16 taps in full view of their white tiled display wall. New and seasoned craft beer enthusiasts are more than welcome, as your friendly neighbourhood bar guy Christian will surely put the right beer in front of you. Events and tap takeovers from particular breweries (such as the recent Battle Royale of Vietnamese breweries Pasteur Street and Heart of Darkness) also happen regularly, so be sure to like their Facebook page to keep yourself updated. For a good deal, head down to their Pint & Grub Mondays, where any pint with a side from a selected list go for only $20++!

 

Verdict

hole-in-the-wall-ness: [star rating=”5″]
Price: [star rating=”3.5″]
Quality: [star rating=”4″]
Overall: [star rating=”4″]

More Information

Freehouse
21A Boon Tat Street
Singapore 069620
Email: info@freehouse.com.sg
Opening Hours: 5:00pm to 12:00am (Tuesdays to Saturdays), 3:00pm to 12:00am (Fridays only). CLOSED MONDAYS.
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[CLOSED] Cafe Yellow Review – 팬이예요!

(NOTE: The cafe is closed for a bit till 16 Nov 2017)

Iced T

Tired of the same sweet bottled beverages you can find in convenience stores, or the saccharine-loaded teas soaked in cheap milk-flavoured powder? Not that they’re not enjoyable (I’d like an Arizona I C E D Tea once in a while), but I guess we should be mindful of what we putin us, especially since we’re here doing food reviews.

Cafe Yellow


In the town (where I was kind of born), at the far end of the second floor of Millenia Walk, sits a Citroen van that’s painted the brightest of yellow. Together with We The People (the Kickstarter products store), the aptly visually-named Cafe Yellow is a simple get-up that serves naturally-flavoured teas that are no added sugar.

Some of my favourites from their cold brew tea series are the mango sticky rice flavor with strong coconut hints reminding you of the markets of Bangkok, and the Hojicha with a fragrant malty taste reminiscent of the temples of Kyoto. For you caffeine junkies, they also serve Nitro cold brew coffee (seeing a trend here)!

Oh, did I mention that Cafe Yellow also run by the loveliest동생 ever, Sohee?

Verdict

hole-in-the-wall-ness: [star rating=”3.5″]
Ever since the previous anchor (Harvey Norman) moved out, it’s pretty quiet on the second floor of Millenia Walk, so you don’t really notice it so much.

Price: [star rating=”3.5″]
At $5-7 per drink, it’s pretty reasonable, and you get a nice ambiance away from the buzz. #protip: It’s a good hiding place when you need to rest from visiting the many conventions at nearby Suntec City Convention Center.

Quality: [star rating=”4″]
It’s a simple variety of beverages, but they all taste fresh and wholesome, none of that overtly sweetened syrups!

Overall: [star rating=”3.5″]
Decent teas and a nice view (with pretty owner as a bonus)? We could drop by every time we’re in the area!

More Information

Cafe Yellow
Level 2, Millenia Walk
9 Raffles Boulevard
Singapore 039596
Tel: 9233 0627
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OUE Social Kitchen (Media Event) – C is for…

*Finish reading this post to the giveaway below! Till 1st October 2017 (Sun) 2359h!*

C is for Communal

Over the last week I was invited to a media event at OUE Downtown Gallery’s newly launched concept, the OUE Social Kitchen. Opened to the public since 18 September 2017, it is situated at the third storey of the complex (which is really actually a really long building btw), and where you can be part of Singapore’s first communal cooking experience! Inspired by how food is a very universal language we connect with, OUE Social Kitchen is designed as a “co-cooking” (think co-working but with stoves and dining rooms) so that you can comfortably cook and enjoy your own cooking with your friends and family, or even the strangers-who-are-actually-friends-you-haven’t-yet-met at the next station!

The 4000 square foot kitchen space has six standard stations, and two more that’s partitioned at the back that are halal-friendly! There’s also a very spacious dining area, and also two VIP rooms where you can bring your finest guests to enjoy the experience as well (or hold cooking classes! Chef not included, but feel free to ask the staff for any special arrangements)!

C is for Cooking

When we arrived there were already kitchen stations prepped with fresh ingredients where we could have a shot at being the next MasterChef. With a random draw, we picked the salmon en papillote (salmon in parchment) recipe and off we go! It wasn’t too bad in the end, and we got to trade dishes with fellow cooks too! The kitchen’s pretty professional, and is armed to the teeth with the full range of kitchen appliances from Smeg, such as state-of-the-art gas and induction hobs, ovens, microwave, fridge, wine chiller and coffee maker. Small appliances, baking essentials, cookware, crockery and cutlery will also be provided by OUE Social Kitchen. There’s also a wide range of condiments and seasonings at your disposal!

Don’t worry if you are not that great a cook or don’t know how to operate the appliances; there is an in-house chef (was kindly introduced to Chef Andy) and staff at the ready to provide assistance, some cooking tips, and more importantly when you’re done cooking, clean-up services (yay, no dishes)! Thereafter you can enjoy your food at the dining area as long as you like without worrying about anything other than who’s getting the last piece of chicken!

Apart from a delectable range of treats like tacos, DIY waffles and Vietnamese rice rolls, we were also treated to a quick in-house kitchen demo making tuna cakes at one of the VIP rooms. Featuring a high-tech cooking station, you can also interact with your important guests and impress them with some Michelin star-worthy cooking!

C is for Cheap

You may think that such an atas setting like this will burn a really big hole in your pocket/purse right? Actually they’re pretty affordable, with the standard kitchen station started at S$48/hr for up to four persons (that works out to $12 per person) and the VIP room from S$108/hr, subject to 7% GST. They say you can hold corporate and private events here as well, up to 200 people! Now that’s a real community!

Oh, before I forget, you can bring whatever ingredients you like (but please don’t try to make pot brownies here, this is still Singapore)! Or if you don’t want to or don’t have the time to go to the nearest supermarket (which is quite a walk away) you can purchase pre-packed ingredients with the OUE Downtown Gallery App (available on App Store and Google Play) or over the counter, with advance notice.

More Information

OUE Social Kitchen
6A Shenton Way
#03-02/03
Downtown Gallery
Singapore 068815
Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm daily
Tel: 6224 0355
Email: socialkitchen@oue.com.sg

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GIVEAWAY

Fancy yourself impressing your friends and family with your culinary prowess, but not having the space to do it at home? Or maybe you want a new idea for the weekends with your girlfriends? We’ve got TWO sets of vouchers worth $50 (valid till 19 Nov 2017) that you can use at OUE Social Kitchen up for grabs! To participate, you can either:

  1. Like our Facebook page, this post and comment what you would like to cook/bake at OUE Social Kitchen, and/or
  2. Follow us on Instagram (@holeinthewallsg), like and comment on this post what you would like to cook/bake at OUE Social Kitchen as well.

Winners will be picked at random from both posts and announced on social media. Contest ends 8 October 2017 (Sun) 11:59pm (2359h)!

If you didn’t win, don’t worry. You can use the promo code “OUESK141” for a $10 off your booking. Simply use the Downtown Gallery app, navigate to OUE Social Kitchen, and make a booking with the promo code by 31 Oct 2017.

Best of luck!

This post has been kindly brought to you by OUE Social Kitchen.

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26@Marina Review – There’s Not Mushroom Left After This!

In Singapore, even as Singaporeans,  there’s a few things that grind our gears. The (sometimes overzealous) sun and heat, and never-ending crowds. Put both together and you got yourself a nightmare even the sandman can’t dust away. So one sweltering afternoon, as we were loitering around the Marina Bay Sands hotel and Gardens by the Bay while playing Pokemon Go (yes don’t judge, I want my pokedex ok), we wanted to find somewhere that we knew would be away from the throngs of visitors in the area.

26@Marina Bar & Bistro

26@Marina is a bar & bistro that took root (geddit) right at the far corner of Satay by the Bay; a good distance away from the tourist crowd in the Gardens. Being at the side means they’re shielded from the smoky satay and BBQ seafood fumes, and not to mention the hustle and bustle that comes with it. With ample seating, it’s great for one, or with your entire bike/e-scooter gang while you crack a cold one with the boys.

So anyway, after grabbing a pint of ice-cold beer to cool off the heat, I was introduced to one of their specialties the crispy pork belly (i.e. sio bak) salsa. While the pork has all the juicy goodness to match the crunch of the skin, the real hero of the dish IMO is actually the sambal chilli, which is V E R Y S P I C Y. PEDAS. 很辣. காரம். Do take it sparingly if you’re a ketchupboi/ketchupgal! By the way, the chilli (aptly named Woo-La-La! Sambal Belachan) is available for sale in bottles at the counter if you want… BUT BE WARNED.

Feeling really hungry, we went straight for the mains. A new creation of theirs at that time is a charcoal burger, served with a generous 180g beef patty, and a breaded portobello mushroom stuffed with cheddar cubes. That’s right, an entire portobello mushroom, not one of those uppity burger joint burgers that only have a few slices of mushrooms ‘for the flavour’. Dressed well in cheese and sauces, the beef is done properly (medium) and I can only complain that I don’t have mushroom left in my stomach after eating! There’s going to be more burger creations apart from this one, so be sure to check out their social media or their menu when you’re there! (Newly launched: Mushroom Swiss Burger & Double Cheeseburger, +$2 for truffle fries)

Despite being a casual diner in an al-fresco setting they take their food seriously. The U.S. pork chops that we ordered came along not overcooked (common gripe) and well-seasoned too!

26@Marina 26@Marina 26@Marina 26@Marina26@Marina 26@Marina26@Marina

Incoming Promotion!

In line with our 52nd National Day (SG52), 26@Marina will have a promotion from 3 August onwards! With any purchase of a gourmet burger (including the charcoal burger I ate, while stocks last) gets you a bottle of Tiger white (wheat beer)/black (dark lager) for just $5.20 (U.P. $8.50)! While stocks last!

Tiger Black White Promo 26@Marina

Verdict

hole-in-the-wall-ness: [star rating=”3.5″]
It’s a bit far-flung from public transportation, but still rather accessible. We took an oBike here from MBS and it only took like 7-10 minutes? Also there’s free parking on weekdays for lunchtime (12-2pm)!

Price: [star rating=”4″]
Standard bistro prices, about $20-30/person. Which isn’t bad considering it’s right next to Gardens, a major tourist attraction.

Quality: [star rating=”4″]
Everything is freshly made, and by including an entire portobello mushroom that’s the same width of the burger patty, it shows they mean business!

Overall: [star rating=”4″]
A nice change from the Satay (hence Satay by the Bay) and other overpriced local fare, you should come to this watering hole for a ice cold pint and that F-L-A-M-I-N-G HOT chilli!

More Information

26@Marina Bar & Bistro
18 Marina Gardens Drive
Satay by the Bay
Singapore 018953
Opening Hours: 11:30am to 11:30pm Daily
Reservations: 6702-0739
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