Korean Feast Weekend - Red Pig Korean BBQ Restaurant

I started to crave for Korean food 4 days after we came back from Korea. Leecher decided to cook kimchi jjiage for dinner to satisfy my cravings, yums! The hubby is simply amazing in the kitchen, whipping out dishes after dishes to feed my hungry stomach. Even though it was his virgin attempt, Leecher did a fabulous job that we gobbled down (almost) the full pot and truly deserved 2-thumbs up!

 

The next day, lil bro texted me and asked us out for dinner with mummy dearest for she was craving for korean food too! Haha, mother-daughter-telepathy at work? After a round of brainstorming, we decided to head to Red Pig Korean BBQ Restaurant, located at Amoy for dinner.

 

During the weekends, the CBD area is usually a ghost town but boy, I was so wrong when we walked along the shop houses. Most of the Korean BBQ restaurants were filled to the brim, some with a queue forming outside waiting for their table. When we reached Red Pig, the whole restaurant was crowded. I was half cursing myself for not reserving a table in advance. Thankfully, we managed to get a table within minutes.

 

Cute cashier, very appropriate for the restaurant too. 

Leecher flipping through the menu while we waited for mummy dearest & lil bro to join us. Well, there isn't a wide variety of food items on the menu. For dinner, there are 2 pages of food items that you can choose from - ranging from BBQ meat, spicy stews or other side dishes.

We ordered 3 plates of  meat to kick-start the meal - Bbalgam Doiji (Red Pig, $20), Bbalgam Dak (Red Chicken soy sauce marinated, $18) and Galbisal (Beef rib meat without bone, $28). Lil bro can't wait to start, lol! They served pretty decent banchan (반찬) & my fave goes to corn with mayonnaise (one serving per table, additional at $5).

Makgeolli for the alcoholic us. We even got mummy dearest to try this, but she gave up after 2 sips. The 2 酒鬼 (Leecher & lil bro) shared the bottle between them while I sipped on brown rice tea as I wasn't in a drinking mood.
 
Out of the 3 types of meat we ordered, the best goes to Bbalgam Doiji (Red Pig, $20). For the pork lovers, there is another option of Ogyebsal (Pork Belly, $15). I strongly recommend the Red Pig version, since it is marinated with chilli+other ingredients and tasted more flavourful when BBQ-ed.   

 

Mummy dearest enjoying her egg roll & kimchi. Being her virgin trip to a Korean restaurant, mummy dearest was excited that she finally got to eat the food that she saw in K-drama, lol! Looks like I should start training my mum more, so she can come along for our Korea trip next time, heehee!

Seafood pancake ($18) which won praises from both mummy dearest & lil bro. This dish made it to the table twice, lol! The first plate was crispy and filled with a lot of ingredients. When we ordered the 2nd plate, it came slightly soggy and filled with more spring onions than seafood. Quite a disappointment but the rest still enjoyed it.

    
The must order for me in all Korean restaurant, Tteokbokki! I wished this came in a spicier version though - this version is too mild for my liking.
   
  With lil bro, who graciously paid for the meal! Wa, it's not everyday he offered to pay so must whack more, haha! 

Mummy dearest lamenting that she still needs to "cook" for us during her off-days, lol! Well, can't be helped since she's the best & most experienced cook :)
 
Enjoying her first BBQ-meat-wrapped-with-lettuce-experience (^^) & she really loved it!
 

  Mum really had a good time & most importantly, we all got a free meal thanks to lil bro! 

Red Pig Korean BBQ Restaurant
93 Amoy Street
Singapore 069913
Tel: 6220 7176

Busy Aug!

Have not been updating much on this space, for weekends are now more precious than ever :) I blame it on the lure of Apple TV for "sucking" up much of my time, haha! I promise to be back with more updates, but till then .....

I'm just going to pretend I'm on vacation :p

Restaurant Week, 2014 edition: J's

The 3rd stop for Restaurant Week is J's, a Latin-American restaurant nestled along Purvis street. As I swing open the front door, I was greeted warmly by Joy, the Managing Director of the restaurant. Joy introduced herself, ushered us to our table before excusing herself to attend to another couple who arrived at the front door. 

With a name like J's, the first thing that popped into my mind was J represents Joy, which is the name of the owner. Later, I realised that not only does J represents the culmination of the many years that Joy dreamt of owning her own restaurant which provides quality food & good service, J also signifies Joy's desire to create a space for her son, friends and community & the Upper Room (located on the 2nd floor) is available for such use.  

 
As we sat at the table, I was half waiting for them to provide us with a menu. Well, I was in for a surprise when the scroll of paper placed in the empty glass was the menu.

 

Wow ~ I wasn't expecting a personalised menu with my name printed on it :) What a lovely surprise! Leecher was disappointed that he was simply addressed as "Guest", haha! Well, I told Leecher that he can always have the honour of making RW's reservations next time, to get his name printed on it, tsk tsk. 

 

Posing with our my very first personalised menu :) It seemed to me that the smaller establishments are making an effort to provide personalised service to differentiate themselves from the big players. I still recalled seeing a personal place-card when we visited Little Diner's last year during Restaurant Week. Sometimes, I think these little gestures go a long way in customers' memories.

There were only 2 starter to choose from, so we ended up with one of each to try. 

Popper & Meatball, which consisted of chipotle meatball and jalapeno popper with citrus couscous and mixed greens. Leecher (unwillingly) had mango and avocado salad, consisted of mixed greens with mango, avocado, walnuts, feta cheese, citrus couscous and citrus dressing. I have a special liking towards citrus couscous & I even finished the mixed greens on the platter. What an achievement, haha! 

Break time before the main courses arrived. Take a break, snap a picture, lol! 

 

With 3 main courses to choose from, we decided forgo the vegetarian paella and instead, opted for beef & fish. 

Leecher's order of Barramundi Filet, served with pan roasted fillet of wild caught barramundi with baby vegetables, mushy peas, potato laces and jus reduction. When the plate arrived, it was like a work of art! I had to take a couple of pictures to capture the essence of the plating while ignoring Leecher's dagger-like stares to start eating.

   

As for me, I opted for the usual Sirloin Beef, consisted of grilled Australian grain fed 120 days beef sirloin with cabbage, leeks fricassee and saffron rice puree. Joy came over to the table once again and explained that the sirloin beef is one of their signature dishes (the other being Chicken "Adobo" which was not offered as part of RW's menu). As I sank my teeth into the beef, I was surprised to find that it was really juicy and tender!

  

The mandatory "main-course" pic before we start dinner proper, heh!

 

Moving onto desserts & once again, we tried the 2 options that were available. 
 

Chocolate & Lemongrass ice creams. Needless to say, chocolate ice cream worked wonders for me, but somehow lemongrass ice cream tasted really weird. Even though it was refreshing, I couldn't bring myself to take another bite. On the contrary, Leecher loved it and before I knew it, he finished everything, lol! We also had churros layered with salted caramel bananas, fresh mangoes and coconut-infused mascarpone sabayon. I've always paired churros with chocolate sauce, so this new pairing was quite innovative even though I'm not a fan of bananas. Another of their mouth-watering desserts is "Bocas Negras", a flourless chocolate cake that I would to try for the next trip. 

 J's 

 7 Purvis Street

 #01-01 Singapore 188586

Tel: 6887 4787 

Honeymoon: 15 things to do in Paris

Paris, also known as the City of Love, is a popular honeymoon destination. When it comes to romance, the french people knows it best since French is the language for love. The iconic Eiffel tower is also a symbol of love, as countless proposals took place within its ground. There is something whimsical about Paris, an irresistible charm that makes people yearn for more. Therefore, here is my personal take on how to enjoy Paris with your love :)  

1. The Eiffel Tower

A trip to Paris is never complete without visiting the Eiffel Tower, one of the most recognizable structures in the world. For those looking for a good workout, simply tour the tower on foot by climbing the 704 steps from the bottom to the 2nd floor. Otherwise, purchase the tickets for lifts in person at the ticketing booths or online from their official website.

2. Louvre Museum

 

Housing more than 35,000 works of arts including the famous Mona Lisa, Louvre Museum is worth a visit for those interested in arts & history. Pace your way through the different exhibits, ranging from Egyptian antiquities to paintings. While you are mesmerized by the painting of Mona Lisa, do be wary of pickpockets loitering around the area. 

Related posts: Louvre, the perfect symmetry I, II, III and IV

3. Dine at a Michelin Star Restaurant

With over 70 Michelin-starred restaurants, Paris is one of the most foodie-friendly capitals in the world. We headed to Lasserre, a 2-star Michelin restaurant for lunch and boy, it was the most enjoyable experience ever! 

 4.  Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame Church always remind me of the movie, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Decorated with exquisite carvings of French Gothic influence, the cathedral is widely considered to be one of the most well-known church buildings in the world. Conquer the 380 steps up the cathedral towers and see the Emmanuel bell.  

 5. Hop on a River Cruise

 

Hop on a river cruise to enjoy the sights along River Seine. Fuss-free and easy, this saves you from walking the miles. Head to the upper deck and bask in the sunshine, feel the gentle breeze caressing your hair as you sail down the river.

Related posts: Cruise along River Seine Part One, Part Two 

6. Picnic at the Park

Pack some food, head to a nearby park and have an impromptu picnic.   
Related post: Picnic at Tuileries Garden

7. Watch Moulin Rouge

The famous red wind-mill of Paris, birthplace of the can-can dance. Catch a show at Moulin Rouge and be transported into a world of cabarets, can-can dance, elaborate costumes made of feathers, rhinestones and sequins. 

Related post: Moulin Rouge 

 8. Palace of Versailles

 

The Palace of Versailles, which has been on UNESCO's World Heritage list for 30 years, is definitely worth a day trip out of Paris city. Spanning over 2,014 acres of land, the Chateau is divided into the Palace, the Garden, the Grand Trianon and Marie-Antoniette's Estate. My personal favourites are The Hall of Mirrors (located in the Palace) and the Garden. You can even rent a boat and row in the grand canal. 

Related posts: Journey to Palace of Versailles, The Palace - Royal Chapel & Hercules Room

9. Chill out at Laduree Tea house

 

Enjoy a quiet afternoon at Laduree Tea House, sipping tea over a table full of desserts. Desserts always taste sweeter when sharing it with the other half :) Pack a box of their signature macarons for takeaway! 

10. Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris

 

Designed by Paul Abadie, the Basilica is situated at the summit of Montmatre, which also happens to be the highest point in the city. The Basilica offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Paris skyline, which many visitors flocked to see. 

11. Shopping

   

Paris is the perfect shopping paradise, with home-grown brands like Chanel, Hermes and many more. Stroll down Champ Elysee, head into the store of your favourite brand and just hand over the credit card!

12. Street Performances

 

Being a capital of arts and culture, there are plenty of street performances in the city. Hunt for an empty slot at the steps in front of Basilica, grab a bottle of beer and some snacks from the street vendors and enjoy the show.

13. Drink lots of wine

When the price tag of wine is way cheaper than a glass of water, ordering wine is the best way to go!

14. Shop at their local supermart

Have a go at their ready-packed meals - they never tasted so good! Stock up on a few bottles of wine to drink at the comfort of your accommodation. Oh, grab a couple of their desserts to counter late night hunger pangs. 

Related post: Grocery Shopping

15. Stroll along River Seine

Take a slow walk down the river banks with your love, hand-in-hand and enjoy the wonderful sights of Paris. Head to the Eiffel Tower and snap a picture or two, or watch the sun setting in the horizon - this is the perfect way to end the day. 

Psst .... detailed posts will be linked once completed, stay tuned!