The Hungry Bunny

This is an incredibly delicate stew, light with fresh leek and pesto, and choc-a-bloc with vegetables galore. Ingredients (feeds 4-6 pax): 8 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in (apportion 1-2 per pax) 1 large yellow onion, minced 1 head garlic, minced 2 cups leeks, only light green portion, sliced finely 4 cups white wine 6 cups chicken stock 2 cups petit pois (baby green peas) 2 cups skinny green beans, cut to 2" lengths 15 stalks fresh thyme, tied together with butcher's twine 8 tbsp pesto (apportion 1 tbsp pesto per serving) 8 tbsp grated parmesan (apportion 1 tbsp cheese per serving) 1 tbsp olive oil Directions: 1) Brown chicken on medium-high heat with olive oil, about 4 minutes each side, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, and salting liberally. 2) Set aside browned chicken in soup pot. 3) Taking 2 tbsp of chicken fat-infused olive oil, fry onions on medium-high heat till translucent, about 2 minutes. 4) Add leek, fry about 1 minute.

We were in Marina Bay Sands for an event when we thought a juicy burger would make the perfect complement to all the champagne we'd been imbibing. So we popped into DB Bistro Moderne upstairs for a late dinner. DB Bistro has been on my to-eat list since forever. I haven't been to its Michelin-starred sister restaurant in the Big Apple, but I grew up on a diet of tv reality shows/cooking competitions such as Masterchef and Top Chef, both of which hosted restaurateur/chef Daniel Boulud as a guest judge. So, obviously there was some kind of standard expected of an outpost of a Michelin-starred celebrity chef. Unfortunately, DB Bistro falls under the curse of most celebrity chef-affiliated restaurants in Singapore. The food, while adequate, was dismally pedestrian, and we walked away full but thoroughly unsatisfied. A surprising hit, and undisputedly the best dish of the night, the Mediterranean Seabass ($25), beautifully burnished and boasting crisp of skin, was flavoured w

As with Peranakan restaurants, I'm always on the lookout for good Teochew restaurants. They're both my heritage, and because both grans have passed on, without passing on their recipes, I've had to settle for restaurant fare, to supplement the rare meal where I've resorted to bribing my way into friends' homes for homecooked Peranakan or Teochew food. I'd heard about Huat Kee back when it was still in the CBD along Amoy Street, but never got around to visiting the old-timer until it moved to the Orchard Road district. And since we were at the Shangri-La Hotel nearby, we thought to have some Teochew a little up Orange Grove Road at Huat Kee . Huat Kee turned out a mixed bag, some dishes were tediously middling, whereas some others were absolutely fantastic. In this regard, I feel Chui Huay Lim is still best for Teochew cuisine. Though service was resoundingly first-rate; from the kindly owner/chef with twinkly eyes who reminded me so much of my gran (she i

Darwin is quite distinct from its arguably more famous Australian counterparts like Melbourne or Sydney. For one, the weather's tropical, as it's at the Top End of the continent and nearer to the equatorial line than any other major city in Oz. The makeup of its populace is also different, notably with more Southeast Asian immigrants as it's also the closest to the Asian continent. The latter may explain how its markets are teeming with nasi padang stalls, a sight rarely seen in most other Australian markets. One of the biggest attractions, and arguably the most prolific market, in Darwin is the Mindil Beach Sunset Market . The beach, relatively scarce during the day-time (because crocodiles), comes alive at sundown, when locals and tourists alike are drawn to the bustling market for a fun night out. Several musical acts scattered all around lend to the electric atmosphere of the market, and first one right off the bat, near the entrance of the market where the main c

We chanced upon Tok Tok when we were in the bowels of 313 Somerset. A casual eatery serving Indonesian soups and stews, its warung in Orchard is the offshoot of its wildly successful mothership at Ann Siang Hill. Efficiently low-frills, it's entirely self-serviced, and you order, pay, and collect your dishes at the counter. A sure sign of authenticity, Tok Tok has 3 different sambals, to cater to every whim and taste. A must-try, the Soto Madura ($8.80) was the best rendition of the Javanese staple I've ever had outside of the Indonesian archipelago. The tumeric-seasoned broth was bold and heady, and rich in depth of flavour steeped from the beef bones. Copious lashings of fried shallots, a hard-boiled egg and fork-tender brisket lent heft. The Soto Ayam ($7.80), which accompanying rice was switched out for glass vermicelli, was delicate yet robust. A nourishing homey bowl of soup that hit squarely on the comfort button. The Sop Buntut ($9.50), sumptuous with lus

I've resisted going to Coriander Leaf for a long time now, and if you're a regular reader, you'd know why. For the uninitiated, I absolutely detest coriander leaves. I hate hate hate it. So notwithstanding the illustrious accolades, or the restaurant being a stalwart of the mod-Sin movement that I love, I have not felt any compulsion to dine there. Until the other day when we couldn't get a table at El Mero Mero , and saw that Coriander Leaf was just above the cantina. And so, we hopped upstairs and into the restaurant; we figured there would be at least a couple of edible dishes we could ask to hold off the parsley/coriander leaves/cilantro. It's the biggest irony of the year: me loving the food at a restaurant named ' Coriander Leaf '. Who'd have thought, right?? But WOWZA,  Coriander Leaf was truly outstanding. Absolutely incredible. Every dish was finessed with aplomb and flavours were fused harmoniously. Service was stellar as well; we were

Persian cuisine is not often found this part of the world. We have the occasional 'Middle Eastern' restaurant, encompassing food from all of the Middle East, which is a bit like having Singaporean and Thai food lumped under the umbrella of 'Asian restaurant', but I digress. So anyways, country-specific cuisine like Persian fare, nada, I don't recall ever having Persian food on our shores. It was Jaleesoo who recommended Shabestan , which is a little bit like Arabian Nights come to life. It's a lot kitsch, and its ambience by the riverside at Robertson Quay was plenty fine, but unfortunately, the lovely setting didn't translate to excellent food. In this regard, Kazbar remains my favourite spot for Middle Eastern cuisine. I first had hummus at a girlfriend's home, who set the standard of hummus ridiculously high, coz, boy does she make amazing hummus. This Hummus ($10) a blend of garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil and lightened with lemon juice, didn