The Hungry Bunny

Esquina , a casual tapas bar in Chinatown, is the brainchild of Michelin-starred, Gordon Ramsey-disciple, English Chef Jason Atherton and Midas-incarnate lawyer-turned-hotelier-and-restauranteur Lok Lik Peng. In addition to being one of the earliest purveyors of the interactive kitchen, counter-seating-only styled restaurants, we have Esquina to thank for kick-starting the small plates movement. The celebrated restaurant has been on my to-review radar for the longest time, but I never really got around to dining here until recently. Maybe it's because reservations weren't taken until 2014, and then, when reservations were finally allowed, they were frequently at full capacity at the teeny tiny bistro. I don't know why I took this long to visit Esquina . The modern European food was innovative, delicious, and immaculately plated. I'd recommend dining here for lunch; the lunch sets are extremely value-for-money and affordable in a mass-market kind of way. A three-c...

Recently, on one of our off-days, we made like tourists and went a-hunting in Little India to Bismillah Biryani , long regarded as the best biryani in Singapore. Unlike most biryani, which are slathered in a thick curry blanket, Bismillah serves its biryani the Pakistani-style, dry, sans gravy, with the meat buried beneath a mound of the most flavoursome long grains of fluffy bismati rice. For such a no-frills, nondescript shack of an eatery, service was surprisingly classy. Food was churned out speedily, and the boss-man came over to check on us a couple of times - asking if the food was too spicy, and suggesting that we douse the heat with the yoghurt-y cucumber cream. It wasn't easy locating the hole-in-the-wall stall, because its fraying signboard was in tatters. Just look out for this chalkboard - listing a decidedly limited menu of 4 variants of biryani, a couple of proteins and some thirst-quenching options. A must-try is their Mutton Biryani ($15), studded with ...

I picked up a jar of roasted sundried tomatoes the other day at the supermarket, and was inspired to whip up a chicken dish in celebration of the arrival of Spring. The toasty piquancy of sundried tomatoes is mellowed by cream, and kicked up a notch with fresh basil.  Ingredients (feeds 4): 4 chicken (apportion about 1 pc per person) 2 tbsp olive oil 10 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, drained of oil and chopped roughly 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced into strips 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp dried basil Directions: 1) Sear chicken in olive oil till golden brown, salting liberally. Set aside and reserve. 2) Fry garlic in chicken-fat-infused olive oil till fragrant, about 2 minutes on medium-heat. Add sundried tomatoes and fry till toasty, about 2 minutes. 3) Add pepper flakes, and fry till toasty, about 1 minute.  4) Add wine, ...

Bali, affectionately named the "Island of the Gods", is one of the more beautiful island destinations in this part of the world. If you're looking for a short holiday to romance your significant other, look no further than Bali. The seascapes, world-class dining, luxurious villa accommodations, form the trifecta of the perfect romantic getaway. Duration Bali can be enjoyed in-depth in just 4 days and 3 nights. There's not that many sights to see, and most people spend their time getting pampered in the spas, eating up a storm, and languishing in their private villas anyway. Weather Try as best to avoid the tropical monsoon season from December to March, because it's no fun being stuck indoors, away from the sun and fun. We once were in Bali in December, and got so rained out, we hardly got out of the villa. On the day we left for the airport, the streets were flooded 2 feet high. Getting In Bali's international airport Ngurah Rai recently underwent...