Palate Pleasers N Tummy Teasers
Kushiyaki from the Heart
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I always thought it silly to pay a premium for kushiyaki (charcoal-grilled skewers) when dining at Japanese restaurants, when you can get similar items at half the price from food kiosks that populate the basements of most malls. That was till I was convinced by a friend to check them out:
Specialising in charcoal-grilled skewers of everything from chicken and pork to seafood, their expertise is revealed in every bite of yummy, marinated meats 
Patience is probably key to the end product of grilled meats that retain a smoky flavour without being burnt.
*Papilles recommend Beef/Pork + Enoki Mushrooms/Asparagus. YUM 
Interesting curry and yam flavoured salts for dipping. Papilles advise that these be used minimally, as the meats have been marinated and these flavoured salts do pack a pretty potent punch 
A serving of Garlic Rice ($4.80) to go with our Kushiyaki:
Flavourful without being oily - just the way papilles like it 
Fans of chilled noodles should check out their Hiyashi Umeshiso Udon/Soba (Chilled noodles in a light broth with sour plum and mulberry leaf). Light and refreshing, these make a good accompaniment to the slightly salty kushiyaki.
Dessert to end the meal on a sweet note:
Beautifully plated Kuro Goma Heaven ($7.80) - a scoop of black sesame ice-cream paired with their in-house black sesame cream and a chocolate wafer stick.
A meal like this is what papilles term cooking with the heart, true to the philosophy behind Shin Kushiya. More items on their menu can be found here.
Shin Kushiya
#02-120/1/2, Vivocity
1 Harbourfront Walk
Makan Post-it (11) - Gelato come-back?
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It’s been some time since we were taken by a wave of Gelato craze and all seems quiet in the scene now. Along comes Gusttimo Di Roma, in a brave attempt to orchestrate a revival of the gelato craze 
We’re such suckers for new stuff, any shrewd business person knows “New + Foreign name (preferably French/Italian sounding to up the atas quotient) = winning formula for long queues”. Throw in a freebie or two and you’ll even have people queuing at your doorstep before you’re open for business. Darn. I should be a marketing guru 
Gusttimo sure got that part right, down to explaining the meaning behind their name…
Plus points for the minimalist chic interior decor of shiny white tables and plush leather seats/bar-top stools. Even the water served at the premise reflected the attention paid to creating the ultimate gelato eating experience!
Orange and apple slices to add flavour to your water? That’s definitely a one-up from the usual lemon slices or metallic tasting tap water.
A pity then, that their key item failed to impress 
Sold in your choice of cup/cone, the minimum order’s for 3 flavours. Or you could simply make that a huge serving of 1 flavour, though Papilles would discourage such blatant overdose.
We settled for Stracciatella (chocolate chip), Macedonia (mixed tropical fruits) and some flavour made from rice. Nothing stood out in particular though nothing was bad either; save for the sorbet-like Macedonia which was a tad lip-puckeringly sour for my liking. For the curious, you can check out their range of gelato flavours here.
Fine Dining Italiano Style
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A post of indulgence, where food covered with metal lids are presented with a flourish followed by a brief explanation of the goodness (that is the ingredients) that goes into each morsel.
Presenting Forlino’s “Gourmet” Menu:
Complimentary Serving of Homemade Sweetbread
Tastebud Tickler: Grilled Squid
Mushrooms with Ricotta Cheese
Parsley Tagliolini with Clams and Sundried Tomatoes
Halibut Filet with Orange Caramel, Green Asparagus and Martini Vermouth Sauce
Or
Wagyu Beef Cheek Braised with Marsala Wine and Herb Mashed Potatoes
Molten Lava Chocolate Cake with Banana Gelato and Rum Sauce
Coffee & Petit Fours
$98
True to the description of Forlino’s food as “timeless cuisine”, it was clear in every dish presented that the freshness and quality of ingredients used were never compromised. Even a simple dish of Tagliolini pasta dressed in olive oil, green peppers and parsley was nothing short of stellar. I could wax lyrical about each and every dish, but short of extending this post to 2 pages long, I can only say that the next time a special occasion comes around that calls for food as fantastic as the ambience, there is no doubt where I’ll be placing my reservations for a table
#02-06 One Fullerton
Beside ButterFactory Club
Makan Post-it (10) - Udderly good ice-cream!
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I’ve been wanting to share this gem of an ice-cream parlour with all you dear readers for the longest time, but every trip I made was coincidentally in the absence of our photographer-boy X. Not until one hot and sticky morning of activity after, where a trip to Udders was warranted
This has got to be the best use of mall space! Setting up a seating area ‘alfresco’ style, in an open space that would otherwise be a (too) wide pathway for shoppers. Sure beats having everyone holed up in a tiny shop. Hey, a mass congregation of human bodies = a rise in surrounding temperature = ice-cream melting faster
I’ve had people asking me, “After reviewing so many ice-cream places, aren’t you guys sick of the stuff already??” Not when it’s ice-cream of such quality and intensity! Freshly made of course, so even their comparably less exciting variety don’t bother me as much. At least they’re Masters of the flavours they do
As someone who’s neither a fan of caramel nor sea salt, I must say their medley of both is quite Kick-S For an elaboration on their alcoholic concoctions, please read on…
Down an entire scoop of Orange Choc Bitters, or any of their liqueur flavours for that matter, and you may possibly fail the breathalyzer. DRIVERS’ ALERT: Not to be consumed at night! Don’t say papilles didn’t warn you if you can’t get past the next roadblock (Yes. They are that generous with the booze.)
Fans of local fruits - their Mao Shan Wang Durian ice-cream is to-die-for! A seedless durian. That’s how I’d describe it. Any better and you’ll have to open the thorny husk yourself! (Also available in D24). Other Singaporean-familiar flavours include Cempedak, Kopi-C and Gula Melaka+Attap Chee. Their full list of flavours can be found here.
Udders
#02-10 West Mall
1 Bukit Batok Central Link
Milking hours: 11am to 10.30pm daily
*Alternative outlets include Goldhill Centre (Thomson Rd) and 17 Lorong Kilat (near Beauty World Plaza).
Makan Post-it (9) - Time to get Tarty!
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock all this while, you’d have known/noticed two spanking new malls in town (which, going by papilles definition, equates to that stretch of road from Palais Renaissance to Prego’s). Sure, new shops excite me, but what mattered most were the eateries these malls hosted; new foodie ventures are always welcome
Papilles have been wanting to give this cafe a try since it hit our shores in the early part of the year, but were deterred by its location (i.e. at a far corner of our island, where there’s nothing much else to entice). Good thing the people behind this cafe had the business sense to plonk an outlet smack in the heart of town (though the same can’t be said of its location in the mall 
).
Enough with the mystery, here’s what I’m talking about:
Possibly the priciest fruit tarts ($7.80 per slice) papilles ever had:
As you can tell, these are bad stuff for weight watchers (I’ll dare say whipped cream makes up a good 70% of their tarts 
) Definitely yummy, loved the tart base and how their tarts weren’t cloyingly sweet; they could be a bit more generous with the fruits though. Afterall, they’re supposed to be the Fruit Paradise
P.S. Do try their range of Gryphon Teas ($3 a pot with every tart purchased)! Light, floral or fruity (depending on your choice of tea), the subtle waft of fragrance every time you lift the cup to your lips, is reason enough to pop by
Fruit Paradise
#05-51/52 Orchard Central
Call 6509 9920 for reservation of whole tarts.
