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Help Build A Bar With Jack Daniel’s “The Bar That Jack Built”

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24 August 2015

Help Build A Bar With Jack Daniel’s “The Bar That Jack Built”

Every wanted to build a bar?

With Jack Daniel’s “The Bar That Jack Built” you might get that wish.

In celebration of the birthday of the man himself, Jack Daniel’s is once again offering Australian fans the chance to band together and help build a fully functioning bar. But unlike last year when the build was limited to the hands of Sydneysiders, in 2015 this construction goes on tour throughout regional cities in NSW and Victoria.

So, here’s the basic idea. Jack Daniel’s is looking for skilled people, chippies, sparkies, plumbers, artists, designers and awesomely competent people to donate their time to help build the bar, bit by bit, city by city over the month of September (dates below). The finished product will then be set up for two respective three-day runs in Melbourne (Federation Square) and Sydney (Paramatta Park), and because every bar needs music, they’re also looking for bands, entertainers, and singers to accompany what will surely be a lot of whiskey.

Here’s where you can show your bar building capabilities:

Wollongong – Towradgi Beach Hotel: Thursday, 10 September
Queanbeyan – Walsh’s Hotel: Friday, 11 September
Wagga Wagga – Kooringal Hotel: Saturday, 12 September
Wodonga – Birallee Tavern: Sunday, 13 September
Shepparton – The Overland Hotel: Monday, 14 September
Geelong – Grovedale Hotel: Tuesday, 15 September

And you can drink at the bar you built at:
Federation Square, Melbourne
18-20 September

Parramatta Park, Sydney
25-27 September

We think this idea is so crazy it just might work, check out the Jack Daniel’s Australia Bar On Tour Facebook page for more details and to get involved.

Jimmy Grants Opens In Richmond

Chris

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23 August 2015

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MELBOURNE | After what seems like a lifetime of waiting, famed souvlaki outlet Jimmy Grants has finally opened it’s doors in Richmond. This is the fourth in the wildly successful chain and joins stores in Fitzroy, Emporium, and Ormond, continuing the work of the seemingly unstoppable wunderkind Chef George Calombaris (so unstoppable his website even managed to crash my browser). But for those of you unfamiliar with this Melbourne institution, here’s what you need to know.

Jimmy Grants is a bit of rarity. We all know the souvlaki, or the kebab, or any other cuisine of this style you care to name, but many of us only really know of it at 2am (or later) and may be unlikely to remember the taste without some extensive reminders. In comparison, Jimmy Grants aims to do something different. The souvlakis still taste like souvlakis of course, but their presentation, their carefully chosen recipes and ingredients, and in particular their opening hours (the Richmond store closes at 10pm) position them squarely in a class all their own, a class far away from the realm of drunk food.

Looking inside, if the famed Apple retail stores are known for their wood surfaces and clean white walls, and Swedish flatpack furniture store IKEA is known for its maze-like shopfloor, then Jimmy Grants in Richmond should most surely be known for it’s enormous round mirrors. With their presence filling up almost every wall in the place, a glance in any direction will likely reveal your own familiar face starting back. Of course like all great store designs, this very distinct feature creates a feeling unlike any other souvlaki store and most certainly anywhere in Richmond.

Straying to the food, the Jimmy Grants menu offers something a little different than a traditional souvlaki outlet. We were invited for the Richmond opening, so here are a few of our favourites from the night.

Steamed Jimmy Dimmy

We know what you’re thinking, what is a dim sim doing at a souvlaki store? But if you haven’t tasted one of these before, we are very happy to say that this little gamble pays off in a very big way. By treating the humble dim sim as something more than fodder for a fish and chippy, it elevates it to something worthy of attention. We’ll admit we don’t know the story behind it, perhaps it was a dare, but we do think it’s a very clever and very original take on a dim sim that most certainly deserves your attention.

Homer

While we would like to suggest this was named after the cartoon character of the same name (or his ill-fated car), we’re pretty certain the origins of the name of this vegetarian falafel-based souvlaki are from a far older place. And after having a few bites, I was not surprised to hear that people who would usually avoid the vegetarian option on any menu, are often more than happy to choose this as their souvlaki of choice. It there’s such a thing as a premium vegetarian option, this is likely to be it.

The Duck Souvlaki

Offered exclusively for the launch of the Richmond store, this duck souvlaki doesn’t have a snappy nickname that was know of yet, but I’m certain it’s just around the bend. At first I was surprised to hear of duck being used, but my fears were quickly allayed. In many respects it reminded me of Peking duck, but transplanted into something far removed from small pancakes. I’m not sure if it will make it to the chain’s regular menu or even if it will be on the menu at the Richmond store, but if it makes it, you won’t be disappointed.

Mr Papadopoulos

Aside from having the best of the nicknames, the Mr Papadopoulos is first and foremost, the souvlaki in which Jimmy Grants will be measured. For every time you had that lamb souvlaki on your way home from the club or the bar, you compare that experience with this lamb souvlaki. How does it stack up? Quite simply, with the Mr Papadopoulos the lamb is nicely slow cooked, the flavours are all given the right airtime, and the bread is soft and carefully chosen. The verdict is that if you’re sober enough to appreciate it, this is the souvlaki for you.

Chips

A side of chips topped with crumbled feta and oregano and olive oil never did anyone any harm. A great tasting twist to something simple.

Grain Salad

If you’re in the mood for something on the healthier end of the scale, there are a range of salads on offer, including this tasty grain salad. Pulses, grains, nuts and herbs topped with herb yoghurt make for a tasty lighter option.

Whippy Snapper

At the sweeter end of the scale, there are a few options on offer. We’re big fans of the Jim Jam, a take on the Wagon Wheel, but at the Richmond opening it was all about the Whippy Snapper – a tasty mixture of soft serve chocolate baklava ice-cream, salted caramel and… crunchy stuff!

They do large sundaes as well (the Whippy Snapper), but after you finish everything else on this list, you may not have the stomach to take on anything larger.

At this point, it’s worth stepping away from these bright lights and enormous mirrors to take a look at what Jimmy Grants really is. If you were to happily say that your desire for a souvlaki is mostly confined to when you’re a little drunk at 3am, then Jimmy Grants is not and never will be the food of choice for you. And for that there are plenty of other amazing options out there that will gladly fill that void. However, if you’re willing, as so many Melbournians are, to see a souvlaki as being something of a culinary pleasure that does more than line the stomach, then we think you will be incredibly happy with what Jimmy Grants has to offer.

Of course with its rapid expansion, Jimmy Grants will certainly have its detractors yearning for simpler days, but if it continues in the same fashion as the newly-opened Richmond store, then I don’t think we have anything to worry about just yet. Simple Greek street food done well, in a suitably 1970s-esque homely Greek/Australian space.

Jimmy Grants Richmond

427 Church Street
Richmond
Victoria 3121
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://jimmygrants.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun: 11:00am to 10:00pm

Travel Bites: Book Review

Books

Chris

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23 August 2015

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Travel Bites is an anthology of stories that combine three things we love on this site: true travel stories in far away locations like Vietnam and some not so far flung locations like Melbourne; great food discovered in interesting and seemingly random locations; and recipes that break down how even a novice in the kitchen can make meals just like them.

Coming from a learned man known only as The Hungry Traveller the stories are meant to hit at the heart of what it means to be a traveller. Some are simpler than others and will offer a different appeal depending on your preference, but all are short enough that you can put the book down and pick it up just as easily.

A highlight for me was the opening tale chronicling the author’s frustrations in tackling the taxi system in Vietnam. His reliance on the guidebook (he doesn’t mention any names but my bet given the era of the story is that it’s from Lonely Planet) and it’s stern but impractical advice regarding bartering a price was strangely reminiscent of my own adventures in Moscow many years ago. Another story of note is the author’s discovery and review of the world’s best Kebab, which will make many of you more than a little proud (hint: if you live in Melbourne you’ve probably had one of them before).

If you’re a seasoned food traveller, this is a great book to help you find your next adventure. If you’re a future food traveller or just generally a future traveller (no time machine required), this might very well teach you a few things and get you on to that plane. And if your travelling days are done, this should be just the right source of nostalgia.

The City Lane has 4 copies of Travel Bites to give away (RRP $AUD: 24.99) thanks to the good people at Wattle Publishing. To enter, all you need to do is subscribe to The City Lane by entering your e-mail address into the subscribe box at the end of this post and leaving a comment about your best food travel story in the comments section below.

So, what are you waiting for?

Singapore: Exploring Changi Village & Pulau Ubin

Paul

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22 August 2015

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SINGAPORE | Changi Village. It’s a part of Singapore that visitors don’t know too much about, including the most seasoned of Singapore travellers. Despite having been to Singapore so many times that I’ve lost count, I too knew nothing about Changi Village until my most recent visit.

Changi Village is located on the North Eastern tip of Singapore, about a 15 minute taxi ride from Changi Airport and a half hour drive away from the city centre. The City Lane was invited to Singapore by Far East Hospitality Group (“FEH”). These things can sometimes go astray, and it’s not uncommon to hear stories about the benefits of free flights and accommodation being offset by very strict guidelines around what attendees can and cannot do, and “must” write about.

In this case, the guidelines were simple. Stay at 2 FEH hotels and write about the hotels and things that visitors can do around the hotels. We were provided with a list of suggested activities, about half of which did not quite fit The City Lane. We told FEH that if we were going to do this, we wanted to do things that we liked, that we knew our readers would like – the kind of stuff we’d do if we were organising our own holiday. In the case of The City Lane this of course mostly revolves around eating and drinking like a local and discovering the “real” side of the cities that we visit. FEH said “not a problem” and just like that, plenty of free time to do whatever we wanted (at our own expense) was accorded to The City Lane. And so it was that I found myself, a month later, in Singapore, checking into the Village Hotel Changi.

The hotel itself ticked all of the boxes that I usually look for, apart from the obvious one of it not being centrally located. Check in was a breeze – I arrived in the wee hours of the morning, well before check in opened and was greeted by a very friendly staff member who stored my bags and provided me with temporary WiFi access and access to the hotel’s Club Lounge. This allowed me to get some work done, grab some breakfast and a much needed coffee before heading out to explore Singapore.

The hotel is clean, the rooms are of a reasonable size and the beds and pillows are really comfy – a good night’s sleep was not a problem. Something else that really stuck out to me was the positioning of the power outlets in the rooms. In many hotels, power outlets are minimal and inconveniently located which isn’t ideal for those of use who like to use electronic devices while in bed. The Village Hotel Changi had power outlets in convenient locations around the room, which was something that I really appreciated.

In terms of amenities, the hotel has all the things that you’d expect. Buffet breakfast, a diverse range of restaurants, gym, multiple swimming pools and a Jacuzzi. One thing that really appealed was the rooftop infinity pool, with its expansive views of the Changi coastline and planes flying in to Changi Airport – a quite different experience compared to the more centrally located hotels.

If swimming isn’t your thing, you can wind down at Stella Wellness Centre day spa or in the aforementioned Hotel Club Lounge which provides visitors with a quiet space in which to enjoy some food and refreshments (including cocktails) and either relax or get some work done.

The first day I had to myself before meeting up with the rest of the small group (there were only 4 of us) on Saturday morning. The planned activity for the day was a morning stroll around the nearby island of Pulau Ubin, which literally translates as “Granite Island” in Malay. Arriving on Pulau Ubin the first thing that struck me was that it was a very calm, tranquil place. The spot where the boats moor is a traditional kampong (village) and we were told that this is what all of Singapore used to look like back in the day – jungle and small villages. It was a quite beautiful glimpse into the past.

What came next was something unexpected and it led to me enjoying my time on Pulau Ubin much more than I had anticipated. We were shown around the island by a guide with a keen interest in nature and proceeded to spend most of the time eating almost everything on the island. I’m not talking about cafes, restaurants, street food or hawker centers, but rather the native plants that grow on the island. Leaves, stalks, flowers and berries – you name it we ate it. I had no idea that there was going to be such a unique food angle on Pulau Ubin and I was really impressed to learn about all of the native flora, how it was used traditionally, how and if it is still used today and the general history behind island life which was of course, was life for all Singaporeans not too long ago in the overall scheme of things.

We finished our visit to Pulau Ubin with a Singaporean feast at Season Live Seafood. Unsurprisingly, seafood is the name of the game at this place and there was no shortage of food. I’m not going to tell you that this is the best meal that you can have in Singapore but if you do feel like eating on the island there’s certainly nothing wrong with any of the food here, there’s just better on the mainland. In fact I and one of the others in the group had a particular reason to hold back on eating too much here, as we had decided that the afternoon would be the perfect time in which to head to the street food mecca that is Geylang and eat our way through the area. Keep an eye our for The City Lane Geylang street food guide which will be posted on the website soon.

Back to Changi Village, what else is there to do? I had it on good authority from my taxi driver when returning to the hotel on Saturday night that one of the best places for Nasi Lemak could be found at the Changi Village Hawker Centre, which is only a 5 minute walk from the Village Hotel Changi. Breakfast on Sunday, sorted.

A hawker centre, for those of you who don’t know, is a complex, akin to a small open-air mall of sorts, that contains a wide variety of stalls selling all kinds of street food. Singapore used to have street food, but when the government decided to “clean up” and modernise Singapore back in the 1960s, these hawker stalls were where all the street food vendors were moved to.

Nasi Lemak is a dish consisting of fragrant coconut pandan rice. It’s served with sambal, cucumber, fried anchovies, fried egg (sometimes hard boiled) and other accompanyments depending on the establishment. Ours came with ayam goreng (fried chicken) and otak otak, a grilled, spiced fish cake. It was as delicious as it sounds.

We also tried chai tow kway (fried carrot cake) which doesn’t actually contain carrot, but rather is a cubed radish cake , which is then stir-fried with eggs, preserved radish, and other seasonings. To wash it all down we had some traditional sweet kopi (coffee). For lovers of good food there’s not only the Changi Village Hawker Centre, but also the café strip across the road which is also very popular with locals, and vibrant with loads of people well into the early hours of the morning.

So then, who is the Village Hotel Changi for? The first time visitor to Singapore? No. It’s quite simply too far out from the city centre (a taxi will cost you around SGD$30) and all the things that you want to see as a first time visitor are unsurprisingly closer to the city centre. The Village Hotel Albert Court, located in Little India, which I will write about soon, is the better hotel for first time visitors. The Village Hotel Changi is for those people who have been to Singapore before and are looking for something different, or for those who are stopping over and want to stay in a relaxed area that’s close to the airport that lets them chill out, be it in the hotel or on Pulau Ubin, and still get in some great hawker food before flying off to their final destination. If you’re on a business stopover and need to be productive, you should definitely consider the Village Hotel Changi.

I’ll admit that if FEH hadn’t told me that I’d be staying out here I wouldn’t have given the area any though but having spent a night there I’m glad got to see a part of Singapore that was new to me.

Rök Restaurant, Shoreditch

Paul M

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21 August 2015

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LONDON | Rök Smokehouse (edit 15/07/18 – now known simply as Rök Shoreditch) is a Nordic bar that’s just opened up right in the heart of Shoreditch, a short walk from the boundaries of the City of London itself. We visited Rök during their soft launch to get a sample of what they will be bringing to the people of London. Upon entry the first thing that was apparent was what a cozy little space it is. There is a short wood paneled bar with a few bar stools running down the right hand side of the front of the space, opposite it there are a few tables down the other side. Towards the back is a small looking kitchen. It feels like we were in what was once someone’s terraced house, with an old fire place completing the homely atmosphere.

It’s a bit of a tight fit if you are sat with your back to another table, and table space itself can prove to be at a premium if you do start ordering with sharing in mind (as is encouraged).

Rök means “smoke” in Swedish and the food on the menu consists of British ingredients that have had traditional Swedish techniques like brining, pickling and smoking applied to them. The menu has been designed by head chef Matt Young (formerly of Barnyard and Aveqia) and meats are supplied exclusively by Islington’s Cobble Lane Cured, who do all of the smoking before sending them to Rök to be finished on the custom made charcoal BBQ.

Charcuterie Board (£4.50/£9.00)

The starters made an immediate great impression. The charcuterie board comes in two size options, so without even a second thought of course we went large. We’ve yet to see a more generously portioned charcuterie board in London and couldn’t fault the quality of the ingredients, with the intended smokiness really coming through in the meats.

Cobble Lane Beer Sticks (£3.00)

The Cobble Lane Beer Sticks give nothing away in their name. We asked the waitress what they were and it wasn’t until she reached the bit about them “being kind of like Peperami” that we knew what we were getting. The beer sticks are indeed kind of like Peperami, but they are many times better than their mass produced cousins.

Nduja Scotch Quail Eggs (£3.50)

The Nduja Scotch Quail Eggs were very good. The hint of nduja gives enough spice to liven up the taste buds, while the quails egg offers a small concentrated egg flavour. The accompanying slice of pickled cucumber offsets things nicely. You should note there are many pickled snacks to order on the menu, such as the cucumber, mushrooms and beetroot, and that these will rotate seasonally. Based on our brief sample, I imagine they’d all go down pretty well.

Charred Broccoli Salad (£4.50/£9.00)

The sides were a hit. The large Charred Broccoli Salad could almost have been a meal itself. The bits of Broccoli had a wonderful smokiness to them, and just the right amount of charring from the grill permeating the pumpkin seeds, toasted almonds, sesame seeds and quinoa.

Cauliflower Cheese with Beef Dust and Almonds (£5.00)

The Cauliflower Cheese was good but not great. We weren’t quite sure what the “beef dust” was on top. Was it crumbled Oxo stock cube? We imagine it wasn’t, but it certainly got us talking. As a whole, it just didn’t quite work as well as the other dishes but, being a soft opening, the dishes are still subject to tweaking.

Burnt Sweet Potato with Creme Fraiche (£4.00)

The third side arrived a bit later than the others so wasn’t really fighting on a level playing field, but even so, the Burnt Sweet Potato with Creme Fraiche was tasty and very tender with a surprisingly, almost glaze-like finish to it.

Moving onto the mains and we had to remind ourselves this was a soft launch. We admire places that do offer soft launches. Things aren’t going to be perfect. The restaurant provides discounts with the trade off being you are helping them get it right before the full paying customers enter through the door. We do hope that Rök manage to sort out their stock for each night. Out of 4 main dishes on offer on the menu, 2, the pork belly and the lamb chop, were unavailable. Of the 2 mains that were available, the duck breast was substituted for duck leg while the guinea fowl leg looked suspiciously like guinea fowl breast. What we’re guessing happened is that the duck leg/guinea fowl breast mix-up was simply a typo on the menu – this sort of thing can happen during a soft launch and is completely understandable.

Duck Leg (£18.00)

The duck leg came looking very much the way it should in a smokehouse with a dark charring coating the entire leg. It hadn’t dried out, which is always a risk with grilling and was quite tender. In a classic Scandinavian twist, lingonberry jam added a sweet counterbalance to the dish.

Guinea Fowl Breast (£15.00)

We really wanted to try the pork belly however we filled this void by ordering the guinea fowl, which was very good. It was succulent, tasty and nicely charred. Nduja made another appearance here, for which you won’t get any complaints from me.

Lamb Ribs (£16.00)

The lamb chop might not have been available but we were informed that there were some “great” lamb ribs to offer in their place. Why we weren’t told this at the outset was somewhat puzzling but again, soft launch – these things happen. We’ve not seen much in the way of lamb ribs on menus in London and based on what we tried here we can see why. Lamb ribs are quite fatty and need to be cooked slow and low in order to turn that fat into succulent, melt in your mouth goodness, much the same as pork belly. On one of the lamb ribs we had a good balance between meat and fat, although the fat was not very edible. The second was almost completely fat which didn’t leave us with much to eat on that rib at all. The sauce that came with the ribs, the fennel puree that normally accompanies the lamb chops, was very nice.

To help wash down the food are some great beers by Einstöck, an Icelandic brewery shiveringly close to the Arctic circle. We went for the Pale Ale, which had a darker amber look than those you normally associate with Pale Ales. It was very good though and one worth checking out if you see it on the shelf at your local. The wines also were well received, there is a good selection, with my companions pleased with their choices (among which was a punchy Australian Shiraz).

The waitress informed us there is a cocktail bar opening soon downstairs. If Rök manage to pull that off well, it will be a great addition to the area. It might provide some competition to the nearby speakeasy Nightjar over at Old Street.

Rök’s Nordic take on the BBQ smoke-house is a welcome variation to the much more prevalent American BBQ in this part of town and we left the venue smelling of BBQ smoke, making the hungry hordes of Shoreditch drool as we walked past them. Yes there were some issues with the menu but at a soft launch that’s to be expected. Based on our overall experience, we’re sure that if Rök irons out these issues, they’ll do very well.

Rök Smokehouse

26 Curtain Road
London EC2A 3NY
United Kingdom

Telephone: n/a
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.roklondon.com/

Open
Sun – Thu: 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Fri – Sat 12:00pm to 1:30am

The Best Chicken Rice In Sinagpore

Paul

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21 August 2015

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SINGAPORE | When it comes to food in Singapore, is there a more divisive question than “Where can I find the best chicken rice”? Ask any Singaporean for the answer to this question and you won’t get the same answer each time. There are however, several places that come up consistently on most people’s lists and, armed with a list that I complied after researching the topic on websites, asking people on social media and talking to some locals on the ground, I set off to see if I could find the elusive “best chicken rice” during my recent visit to Singapore.

Before getting to the list, here are a few bits of information for the uninitiated. Hainanese chicken rice is, at its most basic level exactly that – a chicken and rice dish that originated from Chinese immigrants from the Hainan province of southern China. A whole chicken is steeped in hot (not boiling) pork and chicken bone stock and cooked until tender. The rice is cooked using a separate fatty chicken stock which gives it its famous oily texture. The chicken and rice are usually served with a range of condiments including chilli sauce, dark soy sauce and freshly pounded garlic. cucumber slices and light soy sauce finish the dish. Delicious!

The preparation time and effort that goes into making what appears to be such a simple dish shouldn’t be underestimated, and there’s a lot more to it that my brief description aludes to, but you get the basic idea.

Tian Tian

Tian Tian is arguably the most famous of all the chicken rice stalls in Sinagpore. Located in the Maxwell Food Centre, Tian Tian has been visited by people like Anthony Bourdain and you’ll find its name in many a guide book. Does it live up to the hype?

The chicken was very tender, however it wasn’t quite as fragrant as some of the others. Thankfully the rice was nicely oily and fragrant. The chilli was very strong so be warned that you don’t need a lot to get that fiery punch. One big let down was that the chilli was the only condiment that I saw on offer. No dark soy or garlic that I could see, nor any chicken broth. A quick glance around the other tables indicated I wasn’t the only one going without. I’ve seen photos online where the full range of condiments has been available so this may have been an issue only on the day I visited.

Another thing that was unusual about the chicken rice here was that the chicken was served without the skin. Again, I had a quick look online and found many photos of Tian Tian chicken rice with the chicken skin on. So that’s no skin and missing condiments. This sort of thing has happened to me before when at Asian restaurants, especially in Australia. I call it the “gweilo special”. Did I get a watered down version because I’m not Asian?

Price for a single regular serve: $3.50
Highlight: Tender chicken
Lowlight: Lack of condiments and chicken skin

Tian Tian

Stall #01-10
Maxwell Food Centre
1 Kadayanallur Street
Singapore

Lion City

Lion City is the complete opposite of Tian Tian in the fame stakes. I assume that the 2 chinese characters next to the lion’s head in the logo say “Lion City” however there’s nothing in English to indicate what this place is called. A Google search for “chicken rice stall #02-41 chinatown complex” is also of little help and a lot of sites with incorrect information are returned. Thankfully I spotted the laminated print below the menu to the right of this photo while writing this.

The Chinatown Complex is one of my favourite Hawker Centres in Sinagpore. There’s so much good food in the centre that you could happily eat only from here during your entire stay in Sinagpore and have something different and great each time. I stumbled upon Lion City for the first time back in 2011 and no visit to Sinagpore has ever been complete without a stop here.

The chicken at Lion City is very fragrant tender and has luscious fatty skin that glides down your throat. The full range of condiments is offered and you can have as much or as little as you please. No broth though. The chilli is a bit weak and the rice, while very fragrant, could be oilier. Overall, the chicken rice at Lion City remains on of my favourites and for those on a budget, it’s also one of the cheapest.

Price for a single regular serve: $3.00
Highlight: Fragrant, tender chicken
Lowlight: Rice could be oiler

Lion City

Stall #02-41
Chinatown Complex
355 Smith Street
Singapore

Wee Nam Kee

Wee Nam Kee is one of the more successful chicken rice places in Sinagpore, and has a few branches across the city. The original in Novena Ville closed down a few years ago due to a redevelopment of the land on which it was relocated but reopened just up the road at United Square. Moving out of the hawker centres and into a proper restaurant means there’s a different vibe to Wee Nam Kee – things are certainly less hectic and vibrant in here, but there’s a certain something to be said about the peace and quiet. Pros and cons, swings and roundabouts and all of that.

The chicken was larger than I’d had at other places but was unfortunately not that fragrant which was surprising given the relative dark colour of the skin. On the condiments side there are no complaints – the full range of condiments is offered, you can use as much or as little as you like and you get a bowl of the chicken broth to either drink or to dip your chicken in. I felt that Wee Name Kee really nailed the “eat it the way you like” philosophy of chicken rice. As for the rice itself, this was the definite highlight. Really fragrant, oily, and more gingery than many others but not so much that it was overpowering.

Price for a single regular serve: $4.80 + $0.20 wet towel
Highlight: Amazing rice
Lowlight: Chicken was a bit bland

Wee Nam Kee

United Square
Shop #01-08
101 Thomson Road
Singapore

Boon Tong Kee

Along with Wee Nam Kee, Boon Tong Kee came up several times when I asked locals about their favourite chicken rice spots. It opened in 1979 but has since expanded to a few locations across Sinagpore but the Balestier branch is the original. There’s actually a lot more than chicken rice on the menu at Boon Tong Kee but, despite claims by some that it’s not as good as it used to be, the chicken rice here is still famous.

When the chicken rice came to my table I was surprised at the size of the chicken. This was by far the biggest chicken out of all of the chicken rices that I tried in Sinagpore. The chicken was fragrant and had really good flavour but was a bit on the dry side. As with Tian Tian, there were many condiments missing and the broth was nowhere to be seen. The rice was different than most, having more in common with broken rice. This meant that the texture was less oily than is normal but the flavour was very good.

One thing which really stood out at Boon Tong Kee, something that was different than any other place I visited for chicken rice was the service. It was terrible. Ordering was a chore for the staff, my presence was a chore for the staff, and simply asking for my bill was something that seemed impossible for the venue to act upon. One of the aunties made Basil Fawlty at his rudest seem pleasant. To top it all of it was the equal most expensive of the chicken rice places that I ate at – even tap water cost $0.50! This surely can’t be the experience that most people have given the reputation that Boon Tong Kee has but it was the experience that everyone at the other tables, not just me, was getting on this day.

Price for a single regular serve: $7.50 + $0.30 wet towel
Highlight: Unique rice
Lowlight: Terrible service

Boon Tong Kee

401 Balestier Road
Singapore

Loy Kee

Loy Kee has been around since 1953 and include the term “best chicken rice” in their marketing. Big claims from this place that now has a few outlets. After the experience I’d had up the road at Boon Tong Kee I was happy to be greeted upon walking in by someone who actually seemed like a happy person. I went for one of the popular “Special Sets” which contained chicken, rice, the full range of compliments and some bok choy.

I found it hard to fault anything at Loy Kee, the only real negative being the price. The chicken was slightly chewy but not in a bad way. The condiments were a cut above most places, with the flavours really coming through and the chilli in particular having a real kick to it. The rice was similar to that at Boon Tong Kee in that it was almost “broken” but still managed to be nicely oily and very aromatic. The addition of bok choy was well appreciated to get some greens in me.

What really struck me about the special set was just how balanced all of the flavours were. Everything worked really well together which made the chicken rice at Loy Kee one of my favourites. Pricey though!

Price for a single regular serve: $7.50 + $0.30 wet towel
Highlight: Balanced flavours
Lowlight: Price

Loy Kee

342 Balestier Road
Singapore

Sing Ho

Sing Ho wasn’t on my list when I arrived in Sinagpore but it was near the hotel I was staying at and came recommended later in the trip. If the serving looks massive compared to the other photos in this write up it’s because I was with a group for this meal, so we went for a full chicken. The chicken itself was very fragrant and tender and was the highlight of the dish. The rice on the other hand was the complete opposite. It wasn’t as oily as I had become accustomed to and was also quite bland. I later learned that Sing Ho does their rice differently than most to make it more healthy. Sure, the chicken fat broth isn’t healthy but it’s what makes the rice great. A full range of condiments, including broth, were offered.

Overall the chicken rice wasn’t bad, but there are better around.

There are a range of other dishes on offer here too, including the very unhealthy but oh so delicious deep fried crumbed prawns with mayonnaise.

Price for a single regular serve: $4.00
Highlight: Fragrant chicken
Lowlight: Bland rice

Sing Ho

270 Middle Road
Singapore

The Rest

Alas, despite my best efforts, I wasn’t able to try every chicken rice on my list during my short time in Sinagpore. Perhaps next time, but for your benefit here are the other spots that are, by all accounts, worth trying.

Five Star

Five Star are very popular and have 3 branches, the first having opened in 1988. They are famous for their free range “Kampung” chicken and if I could visit one more, this is the place I’d go to. The most accessible branch for visitors to Sinagpore is at 419 River Valley Road.

Hua Kee

Located at 85 Redhill Lane, Hua Kee is another famous chicken rice place whose claim to fame is that they only use white chicken meat with minimal seasoning in an attempt to make their chicken rice healthier than usual.

Heng Ji

Stall #02-131 is the most famous chicken rice spot in the Chinatown complex due in part to its long history and, of course, its chicken rice. I’ve heard mixed reviews on this place. Their sweet chilli sauce is divisive and their chicken more savoury than most. It’s one I definitely want to try one day so that I can make up my own mind.

I’ve been very picky in my write up to really try and get to the essence of what each of the chicken rices that I tried was about. I’ve mentioned the pros and cons of each but you know what, none of them were bad (service at Boon Tong Kee excepted). There’s not too much to complain about when the worst chicken rice you’ve eaten on your trip is, overall, still a good chicken rice.

Is your favourite chicken rice spot on this list? Do you know of any great chicken rice places that The City Lane team should know about? Let us know in the comments below.

S02E07 – Season 2, Episode 7

Chris

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20 August 2015

0

PODCAST | In this post-Beervana post-Wellington episode, Chris fumbles his lines as he makes his own very slow recovery; Jeff finds an incredible beer from Portland while deep in the heart of Wellington; and Paul discovers via Untappd that he had a very exclusive beer that is both tropical and chilli flavoured. We also talk about double versus single fist shakes and then try to understand why we were talking about that.

And on top of all this we laud Wellington’s incredible approach to combining art, food, and beer, and that when combined makes it a great, compact, artisan city.

Featured beers: The Hail Mary by Homestead Brewery (in collaboration with the Alehouse Project) and Double Black IPA by Mornington Peninsula Brewery.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Lamb Pinchos Morunos: Recipe

Paul

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20 August 2015

0

We recently had the pleasure of attending Jesse Gerner’s cooking class “The Spanish Table” at South Melbourne Market’s relaunched demonstration kitchen The NEFF Market Kitchen (you can read about the class here). We enjoyed everything Jesse cooked up for us but were particularly impressed by this very tasty, Moorish influenced southern Spanish lamb pinchos morunos. What appealed to us was just how easy this dish is to prepare. Thanks to Jesse for sharing this great recipe with us.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes / Cooking Time: 11 minutes / Serves: 4

Ingredients

1kg lamb back strap or lamb leg, cleaned of all sinew
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp spicy paprika
1 tbps smoked paprika
a pinch of saffron threads
4 cloves garlic
75ml extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
natural yoghurt (seasoned with a touch of garlic, salt & pepper)

Method

Dice the lamb into 2cm squares.
Toast the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds in a frying pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until they are fragrant. Be careful not to burn as they will taste bitter.
Grind the spices with the saffron in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar until fine and add to the lamb along with garlic that has been crushed in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt.
Add the smoked and spicy paprika and olive oil to the lamb and season well. Let the lamb marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
Thread the meat onto metal skewers and grill on a charcoal grill or BBQ for 3 minutes either side. They should still be nice and pink inside.
Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over each skewer and serve with the seasoned yoghurt.

Notes

To save time, make the spice mix in advance and store it in an airtight container. You can use it as a spice rub on all kinds of meat, not just lamb.

If you can’t grill or BBQ the skewers, you can cook them on a stovetop griddle.

The Spanish Table With Jesse Gerner

Paul

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20 August 2015

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MELBOURNE | The NEFF Market Kitchen is the recently relaunched South Melbourne Market demonstration kitchen. You can read all about the concept and plans for the space here, but this post is all about one of the demonstrations that The City Lane was invited to attend.

Jesse Gerner is known for his restaurants Bomba, Anada, and Green Park Dining, and the simple yet innovative Spanish food that he creates. We are big fans of Jesse’s cooking and when we found out that he was one of the chefs who would be supporting the NEFF Market Kitchen, we knew we had to attend one of his classes.

To start, we were treated to a simple snack – oven baked day old, olive oil soaked bread topped with jamon and cheese. I’d have happily snacked on these all night, but of course the best was yet to come.

Olives, bread and olive oil were naturally present on the tables for attendees to snack on while chatting with Jesse and the group about all things food, Spain, travel and life.

One of the things that I really appreciated about this class was that everything was prepared from scratch. There was no “here’s a little something I prepared earlier”.

As the first dish was prepared, the fish stock was set to simmer for the Arroz Negra that was to come later on.

Clams With Manzanilla & Mint

These clams (pipi) were so simple and utterly delicious. The manzanilla gave the clams that very traditional Spanish flavour and the non-traditional addition of mint was a twist that really worked.

Lamb Pinchos Morunos

This lamb was one of the highlights of the evening, and another example of simplicity at its best. The spice rub had definite Moorish influences, and in many ways reminded me of some of the flavours that I encountered earlier this year in Iran, especially the saffron. In fact this recipe was so tasty, that we’ve included Jesse’s recipe here so that you can make this dish yourself at home.

The best thing about this dish (apart from how good it tastes of course) is that you can make the spice mix beforehand and use it for this and other dishes when you’ve come home after a long day at work and want to whip up something quick and tasty.

Arroz Negra

The Arroz Negra was very similar to a paella as it is prepared in the same way but should not be confused with paella. It’s a popular Valencian and Catalonian dish that contains rice, blackened with squid ink, fish stock and squid, cuttlefish, cod, muscles and prawns. Definitely not one for those who don’t like seafood, but an absolute treat for those who do. My only wish is that there had been enough left over to take home for lunch the next day but unsurprisingly we had no trouble polishing this one off on the night.

PX Ice Cream

To finish off we were treated to a simple dessert, a kind of fancy rum & raisin dessert that contained house made vanilla ice cream, and muscatels covered with Pedro Ximénez. Simple and delicious.

Given that we were already fans of Jesse Gerner’s food before attending this class, we knew that we’d love what he cooked up for us but what we weren’t expecting was just how fun the night would be. Jesse is a really down to earth guy who is truly passionate about Spain and Spanish food and it was a pleasure to meet him and share stories. As for the NEFF Market Kitchen itself, it’s ultra modern and state-of-the art – sure to impress anyone with an interest in cooking.

Bao, Soho

Paul

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19 August 2015

1

LONDON | Bao Soho has had lines down the street (and across the road in more recent weeks) ever since it moved its East London street food popup to a permanent Soho location in April. The place is tiny and doesn’t take bookings which half explains the lines and of course the natural question that arises from this is “does the food warrant the wait?” If you don’t want to read any more of this review then the short answer is yes but let’s be honest, you want to know more.

The Bao team have been helped in their transition from popup stall to a permanent location by the Sethi family, (Trishna and Gymkhana), so it was no surprise that the operation was going to be slick. Drinks were on offer to enjoy as we waited in line and menus were provided so that we could start deciding what we wanted before we even had a table. The inside is all about wood and clean lines and fits in with the overall slick vibe. The place is small and packed, but we never felt uncomfortably crowded while we were there.

Food wise, what Bao is all about is evident in its name – fluffy steamed buns, which in the case of Bao are ostensibly Taiwanese but no different than their famous Japanese and Chinese counterparts. More of the uniquely Taiwanese influence can be seen in the small options on offer that aren’t Bao, a few of which we tried. There are more than a few hints of David Chang’s Momofuku philosophy here and that’s not a bad thing – classics elevated by experimentation is the name of the game. Sake, cider, beer and tea ensure that those in need of a drink as well as a feed are well catered to.

House Pickles (£1.50)

To start with was a small selection of pickles – crunchy and a great way to get the taste buds tingling.

Fried Chicken Bao (£5.00)

This might not be the most conventional of Bao, but that’s never been the claim to fame here. The soft bun contrasted well with the crunch of the fried chicken coating and the addition of mayonnaise meant that this was a dish that was familiar yet foreign at the same time.

Pig Blood Cake (£3.50)

Pig blood is a delicacy in Taiwan and, well if you like black pudding then you’ll love this. It’s those black pudding flavours that you love with the egg yolk giving things a decidedly Japanese twist – indeed we were transported back to the Izakayas we visited in Japan with this dish.

Trotter Nuggets (£4.00)

The trotter nuggets were really tasty. Lusciously fatty interiors and super crispy coating. Not the most innovative of dishes on the menu but very moreish regardless.

Sweet Potato Chips (£3.00)

The sweet potato chips were the lowlight of the evening. There wasn’t anything “bad” about them per-se, they just weren’t anything all that special, especially when contrasted with some of the other things that we ate that night.

Lamb Shoulder Bao (£5.00)

The lamb shoulder bao represented a return to form, with the intense coriander sauce cutting beautifully through the succulent, fatty lamb pieces.

Confit Pork Bao (£4.50)

The succulent confit pork pieces were melt in your mouth fatty and this texture was offset well by the judicious use of fried shallots. One of our favourites of the night.

Horlick’s Bao (£4.00)

A most untraditional end to the evening’s meal was this Horlick’s Bao. This one was more like a doughnut filled with ice-cream owing to the sugared, almost but not quite glazed bao. An interesting twist that really worked well.

If you’re new to the world of Bao, and even if you’re not, it’s easy to see why there are lines outside this place almost every night. Even the worst dishes are very good, and the best make you think about ordering more even when you’ve made it well past the point of being full. London has been late to the Bao game so when somewhere like Bao opens its doors, it’s easy to see why the hype builds fast. Thankfully, it’s justified.

Bao

53 Lexington Street
London W1F 9AS
United Kingdom

Telephone: n/a
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.baolondon.com/

Open
Mon – Sat: 12:00pm to 3:00pm; 5:30pm to 10:00pm

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

Steamed Jimmy Dimmy

Homer

The Duck Souvlaki

Mr Papadopoulos

Chips

Grain Salad

Whippy Snapper

Jimmy Grants Richmond

Charcuterie Board (£4.50/£9.00)

Cobble Lane Beer Sticks (£3.00)

Nduja Scotch Quail Eggs (£3.50)

Charred Broccoli Salad (£4.50/£9.00)

Cauliflower Cheese with Beef Dust and Almonds (£5.00)

Burnt Sweet Potato with Creme Fraiche (£4.00)

Duck Leg (£18.00)

Guinea Fowl Breast (£15.00)

Lamb Ribs (£16.00)

Rök Smokehouse

Tian Tian

Tian Tian

Lion City

Lion City

Wee Nam Kee

Wee Nam Kee

Boon Tong Kee

Boon Tong Kee

Loy Kee

Loy Kee

Sing Ho

Sing Ho

The Rest

Five Star

Hua Kee

Heng Ji

Ingredients

Method

Notes

Clams With Manzanilla & Mint

Lamb Pinchos Morunos

Arroz Negra

PX Ice Cream

House Pickles (£1.50)

Fried Chicken Bao (£5.00)

Pig Blood Cake (£3.50)

Trotter Nuggets (£4.00)

Sweet Potato Chips (£3.00)

Lamb Shoulder Bao (£5.00)

Confit Pork Bao (£4.50)

Horlick’s Bao (£4.00)

Bao

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