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.
