The Highway
It is not only about what I cook but appreciating the many foods and cultures that I experience. I have had the privilege to travel to interesting places around the world and explore their history, culture and food. Khmer spices in Cambodia, the story of the travelling dumpling along the Silk Road, Maori cuisine in New Zealand, Peranakan/Nyonyan cuisine of Penang and Malacca. Its not funny how history has influenced local palates and cuisine. I am sharing here a few of my favorite eats from all around and some fantastic restaurants that I recall very fondly.
Join me on THE HIGHWAY!
The easiest way to spot the difference is to look at the shape and size; a typical pelmeni is almost circular and about two inches in diameter. The other forms are usually more elongated and larger in size. Also, pelmeni will never have a sweet filling, unlike its Ukrainian counterpart. No one knows for sure when pelmeni first entered Russian cuisine but one theory suggests that stuffed boiled dumplings in general, originated in northwestern China – this would explain the use of spices such as black pepper, which are not native to Russia and had to be imported. The general thought is that pelmeni was carried by the Mongols to Siberia and the Urals and then gradually spread as far as Eastern Europe. The dish was particularly favoured by hunters, who were looking for light, easy-to-prepare, nourishing food to take with them on long trips in the winter.
The travelling dumpling along the Trans-Siberian route
17 July - 6 Aug 2016
The summer of 2016 was memorable as my parents and I embarked on the most memorable Trans Siberian trip. A thought that crossed our mind was the story of the travelling dumpling. Throughout our trip, we tried a wide range of dumplings – Georgian dumpling Khinkali, Uzbek Manti, Russian pelmeni, Buuz and Khusshur in Mongolia, wontons in China and so many more.Important to know: Although Pelmeni is a Russian national dish, it does have numerous look-a-likes – in particular the Ukrainian vareniki and the Polish pierogi, which are varieties of dumplings filled with mashed potatoes, cheese or berries.
Uzbek cuisine at Nigora, Yekaterinburg, Russia
24 July 2016
After a long train ride, we arrived in beautiful Ekaterinberg (pronounced Yekaterinburg – one of Russia’s major industrial cities named after the Russian emperor Peter the Great‘s wife, Catherine I. For our first meal in the city, we visited the Nigora restaurant which was our first experience of Uzbek cuisine – a blend of dumplings, kebabs and flavorful pilaf. A must visit.
Peranakan cuisine at Manis J - Straits of Malacca, Malaysia
24 November 2016
Peranakan or Nyonya cuisine comes from the Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia inter-marrying with local Malays and combines Chinese, Malay and other influences. Nonya cooking is the result of blending Chinese ingredients with various distinct spices and cooking techniques used by the Malay/Indonesian community. This gives rise to Peranakan interpretations of Malay/Indonesian food that is similarly tangy, aromatic, spicy and herbal. In other instances, the Peranakans have adopted Malay cuisine as part of their taste palate, such as Assam fish and Beef rendang.
More than just cheese steaks in Philadelphia - Tommy DiNic's
25 June 2017
I was introduced to this place by my uncle in Philly – the best pulled pork sandwiches ever.
Tommy DiNic’s, at the Reading Terminal Market, is now in its fourth generation, as Tommy owns and runs the shop with his son, Joey. With a deep respect for the past and an eager eye on the future, Joey has built upon DiNic’s lineup of classic Italian sandwiches to include new favorites like the slow-roasted brisket of beef and Italian-style pulled pork.
For Spaghetti Carbonara look no further than Hostaria Romana - Rome, Italy
24 July 2018
I can never get enough of spaghetti carbonara and make it quite often at home. But if you ever travel to Rome, Hostaria Romana is a must visit. In close proximity to the Spanish Steps, Hostaria Romana serves phenomenal carbonara. It has a homely vibe with sleek decor. The basement has walls with writings from visitors from around the world which you can add to (we sure did). Please book in advance but if you just show up and need to wait, its well worth your time.
Must try: Spaghetti Carbonara and Spaghetti alla Gricia
Meet the Michaelangelo of Pizza at the Pizzarium - Rome, Italy
27 July 2018
The best pizza in Rome is not easy to find; however, I feel I have found the one: Pizzarium by Maestro Bonci has excellent, unique, and delicious pizza. Pizzarium has a counter lined with their raw pizzas which they cook in their wood-fried ovens at your request to ensure the freshest bite. It is located close to the Vatican and I agree with the review that chef Gabriele Bonci is the " Michaelangelo of Pizza" as he creates magic with dough.
Must try: Potato and Egg Pizza
Chef Josh Emett works magic at Rata - Queenstown
1 January 2020
What a brilliant start to the new year - truly a feast! One of the best, maybe the best, meal I have ever had was at Rata, a restaurant by acclaimed Kiwi chef Josh Emett in Queenstown, New Zealand. Since the chef had trained under Gordon Ramsay for 10 years, we decided to try the beef wellington and were blown away. What I found interesting is that similar to Gordon Ramsay's own Bread Street Kitchen, chef Emmett chose not to use ham in his wellington. I thought that this was a good idea as I believe ham overpowers the wellington and makes it too salty. I must add that the taragon mayo with the confit dug leg was just perfect - something that I will surely try to make soon.
Maori Cuisine - Hangi - Christchurch
5 January 2020
A Hangi is made by digging a large pit, lighting up a fire, laying out some stones (which retain heat once the fire goes out), then placing the food on top to be steamed for approximately three hours. Foliage, followed by soil, was also placed on top of the food to keep the steam inside. In places with ongoing geothermal activity, like Rotorua, early Maori used the natural hot pools to make their meals.
A present-day Hangi uses the typical ingredients you would find in a New Zealand roast meal: pork, mutton, chicken, kumara, potato, pumpkin, peas, and carrots. Along with being reserved for special gatherings, the Hangi cooking method has also been preserved in Maori communities that host cultural encounters for the country’s visitors. It was one of these cultural encounters in Christchurch that we attended to enjoy the unique taste of the Maori cuisine. Maori cuisine is also being advanced by chefs like Monique Fiso who uses her restaurant Hiakai to promote Maori cuisine as well as fuse it with modern fine dining.
Cut by Wolfgang Puck - Singapore
Wow. That word honestly sums my experience at Cut up. To celebrate my mother and my birthday, my family took a trip to Cut and ordered three steaks: one US Prime, one Australian Angus, and one wagyu. This was my first time actually trying wagyu in the first place, and I am incredibly lucky to have gotten this priveledge at a reknowned establishement like Cut.
Let's take a step back, what is wagyu?
Wagyu is a term that literally means “Japanese cow” and is the name given to cattle breeds developed over centuries in Japan. A5 is the highest possible quality rating awarded by the Japanese government. The A5 grade Japanese Black WAGYU cattle are fed only good quality grain (corn and rice straw) and raised with scrupulous care. The huge amount of concentrated feed increases the cost of this melt in your mouth tender and incredibly juicy and buttery meat.
The experience was as amazing as it sounds (and looks). I am waiting on the next big milestone in my life so that I can maybe visit Cut again!
Yardbird - Singapore
It's incredibly tough following Cut. But if any restaurant can do it, it's Yardbird. The moment I saw Yardbirds menu, I fell in love. It's literally the restaurant I would create if I had the opportunity to. When I stepped into the restaurant on my 16th birthday, I had even more confidence that it was going to live up to my sky-high expectations purely based on the internal decor. Yardbird is my embodiment of a perfect restaurant.
The menu is not extensive, but that makes it not repetitive and allows the kitchen to focus on quality. I came for the fried chicken. I stayed for the burger. The fried chicken is excellent, however, if you visit Yardbird I urge you to try their burger. It has officially attained my vote for the best burger in Singapore, toppling Fatboys, that held the record for 4+ years. The burger uses pork belly instead of bacon to add even more clouds of heaven to a burger that already consists a custom blend of the best steaks for a burger. Currently, Yarbird is my favourite restaurant in Singapore.
Red Eye Smokehouse - Singapore
It's near IMPOSSIBLE to follow Cut AND Yardbird, however, I have recently discovered another complete gem: Red Eye Smokehouse.
I am not sure what triggered my love for Southern food – perhaps my love for good meat helped me explore various options and I have now concluded that this is one of my favorites. The cuisine of the Southern United States developed in the traditionally defined American South which the rest of the world has woken up to leads to a multicultural reality of the New South. A good traditional Southern meal is assumed to include pan-fried chicken, brisket, pork ribs, field peas (such as black-eyed peas), greens (such as collard greens, mustard greens) mashed potatoes, cornbread and dessert—typically a pie. But Southern cuisine is regional and cannot be categorized under a big umbrella. Key ingredients like greens and preservation methods are great equalizers but the rest is largely regional. Food preservation is the key to all Southern cooking. It is the essential ingredient. There was a strong Native American influence in the early beginnings of Southern food when slaves began arriving: crops like corn and techniques like frying and daily survival ingredients like watermelons (95% water). Salting and frying meats and vegetables were simply preservation methods they learned from the Native Americans. They adapted to survive, while in the process, unknowingly transforming the Southern diet with the ingredients they brought with them from Africa.
Singapore offers a few options but the one that stands out among all is Red Eye Smokehouse. This year started out with the best Wellington at Queenstown and it is fitting to wrap it at this quaint no-nonsense just-good-food place in Singapore. Their website says “We use only quality meats, all smoked low and slow, until it reaches tender perfection” which is so true. The short ribs, BBQ poutine, burnt end beans, dirty rice with brisket and drippings are outstanding. A must visit!
