Arista Kwek, Author at SALT Magazine

27Nov 2018 by Arista Kwek

Why You Need to Visit Apéritif, Ubud’s Latest Fine Dining Destination

It's an Anton Ego moment. The dish in front of me tastes foreign, yet entirely familiar. I am no longer in an ornately furnished restaurant in Bali, but back home, having a bowl of creamy Cantonese-style congee with my family, a Sunday tradition that has since been relegated to the past. But no component of the dish hints at Eastern inspiration. In fact, it is innately European, a modern interpretation of a classical European dish using only three ingredients: lobster, salsify, and caviar. It is simple yet elegant, luxuriously redolent with a creamy buttery fragrance, fresh sweetness from the lobster, and just a slight edge of welcome bitterness from the deep-fried salsify garnish. In that moment, I understand Chef Nic Vanderbeeken's philosophy of "global cuisine" for Apéritif -- distilling flavours…

15Oct 2018 by Arista Kwek

Gather Your Family and Friends This Deepavali To Try These Exclusive Seasonal Menus and Mithais in Brand New Flavours

Food, Restaurants

[caption id="attachment_14439" align="aligncenter" width="810"] Lotus root and avocado kebab from Rang Mahal[/caption] Rang Mahal This year, Rang Mahal brings a lighter touch to your Deepavali celebrations with their healthy take on the usually-indulgent festive dishes. From now till 7 November, sample three time-limited additions to the menu, all backed by Ayurvedic principles. The creamy yet refreshing lotus root and avocado kebab ($20) features a shtavari kalpa dressing that is known to boost the immune system, while the soya paneer with edamame stir-fried in ginger and kerala pepper ($36) is a dairy-free dish bursting with spice and flavour, whose piquant flavours are balanced out by the bed of nutty and fibre-rich brown rice pulao. Even dessert gets a healthier spin - the wheat germ and barley kheer pudding served with honey…

01Oct 2018 by Arista Kwek

New Bars In Singapore To Sate Your Thirst

#thursdaytipples, Boozy, Drink

[caption id="attachment_14267" align="aligncenter" width="606"] Enjoy an iconic Singapore Sling at the newly refurbished Long Bar at Raffles Hotel Singapore[/caption] Long Bar at Raffles Hotel Singapore The iconic heritage bar at Raffles Hotel has finally reopened its doors, with a fully refurbished bar counter and an interior reminiscent of 1920s Malaya, complete with cane and rattan furniture that complement contemporary plantation-inspired motifs. As per tradition at Long Bar, dig into peanuts straight from the gunny sack and throw the shells on the floor when you're done, and of course, enjoy a Singapore Sling--a tipple that's said to have been created at the very hotel itself--as well as the selection of other craft cocktails available on the menu. Level 2, Raffles Arcade, Raffles Hotel Singapore, 1 Beach Road, Singapore 189673. Tel: +65…

25Sep 2018 by Arista Kwek

New Brunch Menus To Try This Weekend

Food, Restaurants

[caption id="attachment_14195" align="aligncenter" width="810"] Summerlong's Haloumi and herb grain bowl, part of their new brunch menu[/caption] Summerlong Want a delicious way to beat that weekend hangover? Head for a fresh, vibrant and nutritious brunch at Summerlong. Try the real Turkish breakfast ($35), a hearty spread which sees spiced merguez sausage, Turkish beans, and Turkish eggs served in warm yoghurt with chilli-spiced browned butter, all accompanied with a variety of condiments like spinach and feta pastry, honey ricotta, cured beef, and labneh. Another comforting dish is the shakshuka ($26), which features baked eggs nestled in a rich tomato ragout perked up with slices of smoky spiced merguez sausage. For those who prefer something lighter, the whole grilled avocado on sourdough ($22), or the haloumi and herb grain bowl ($22) are sure…

19Sep 2018 by Arista Kwek

Sproutfore: Singapore’s First Online Farmer’s Market Brings The Freshest Produce Right To Your Doorstep

#supermarketsunday, Food, Ingredients

Farmers’ markets are gaining traction in Singapore. More often than not however, they happen as isolated and sporadic pop-ups, which can make it hard to consistently get the artisanal produce that you love. Enter Sproutfore – Singapore’s first online farmers’ market that brings together the best produce and products from around Singapore and Malaysia. More than 50 merchants are currently listed on Sproutfore’s website, offering a wide range of goods such as household products like environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions; lifestyle products like beautiful hand-woven bags and baskets from Ghana; poultry; beverages; fresh organic fruits and vegetables, and farm-fresh eggs. In fact, freshness is the cornerstone of Sproutfore’s approach. Produce such as vegetables are harvested on the day of delivery (or as close to the delivery date as possible if the produce is…

14Sep 2018 by Arista Kwek

Gastromonth 2018: Exclusive Menus to look forward to in September

Food, Restaurants

[caption id="attachment_14020" align="aligncenter" width="840"] Dine with a view at Saint Pierre[/caption] Saint Pierre Contemporary French dishes are the order of the day at Saint Pierre, and their Gastromonth exclusive menu is no different. Priced at $178 (and available for dinner only), the six-course menu boasts Asian influences, and includes the likes of blue lobster with edamame, bacon, carrot and ginger; cod with cucumber, sorrel and ham hock consommé, as well as a crowd-pleasing dessert of chocolate paired with hazelnuts, Hokkaido milk and vanilla. 1 Fullerton Road, #02-02B One Fullerton, Singapore 049213. Tel: +65 6438 0887. Website here [caption id="attachment_14027" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Braci's umami-packed tagliolini with scampi and smoked paprika[/caption] Braci This casual-luxe Italian restaurant and rooftop bar is home to progressive Italian cuisine reinvented through modern techniques. Braci's six-course Gastromonth menu…

11Sep 2018 by Arista Kwek

Dining Deals To Rev Up Your F1 Weekend in Singapore

Drink, Food, Restaurants

[caption id="attachment_13983" align="aligncenter" width="810"] Treat yourself to the myriad of modern dishes at SKAI, which celebrates F1 with its curated night race dinner[/caption] SKAI SKAI replaces the recently-closed Equinox to become the next sky-high dining destination that pushes out progressive dishes. Given its prime location overlooking turn 9 of the F1 race track, SKAI is the perfect destination to catch the thrills of the race, all while tucking into dishes that feature unique flavour combinations and top quality ingredients. Look forward to the specially-curated night race dinner happening on 16 September, 7 - 10pm, which boasts menu highlights such as seared foie gras with Fuji apple, green tea granola and Choya; morels tartlets with green pea espuma and truffle, and the luxurious mini Wagyu burger with gruyere cheese and gherkins. A…

07Sep 2018 by Arista Kwek

Pick up these traditional Teochew mooncakes this Mid-Autumn festival

Features, Food

[caption id="attachment_13888" align="aligncenter" width="619"] Have a taste of tradition with Thye Moh Chan's traditional flaky Teochew mooncakes[/caption] Thye Moh Chan Celebrating its 75th year of rolling out traditional Teochew confectioneries, Thye Moh Chan combines new flavours with time-honoured traditions this year. One of its new creations is the red bean mochi with salted egg yolk flaky mooncake ($38.80 for four pieces). A thin layer of soft and chewy mochi wraps around a fragrant salted egg yolk, before being covered with a red bean paste studded with crunchy melon seeds. Nestled within Thye Moh Chan's signature flaky pastry, this unconventional take on the traditional mooncake is certainly something to try this Mid-Autumn season. Other equally exciting flavours to savour from Thye Moh Chan include the limited edition Mao Shan Wang durian…

05Sep 2018 by Arista Kwek

New burgers you’ll want to get your hands on

Food, Restaurants

[caption id="attachment_13941" align="aligncenter" width="810"] Medley of burgers from Fatburgers[/caption] Fatburger Don't be fooled - the "fat" in "Fatburger" is but an acronym for "Fresh. Authentic. Tasty", the core tenets underlying this Hollywood burger chain that has garnered fans from all walks of life. Fatburger's first two outlets will be in Velocity (September 14th) and OneKM (September 7th), and each outlet will be co-branded with Buffalo’s Express, a casual chain known for its world-famous chicken wings and chicken sandwiches. Burgers here are cooked to order and hand-crafted to your liking, available in a variety of sizes from a single patty and all the way to the humongous four patty Quad Fatburger, the completion of which gets your picture up on their wall of fame. On the flipside, those watching their weight can…

30Aug 2018 by Arista Kwek

New snacks, sodas and beers to add to your shopping list this weekend

Boozy, Food, Ingredients

Sainsbury's products There are even more reasons to love Redmart, what with over 320 Sainsbury's products now exclusive to the online supermarket platform. For those who love quality products at a fantastic value, by Sainsbury's - Sainsbury's core food range - offers a wide range of everyday products. On the other hand, Taste the Difference - a premium food range - is perfect for those looking for something a little special. Caramelised onion chutney, Greek feta stuffed olives, or even a Chilean pinot noir help jazz up an otherwise plain weeknight dinner. For the health and environmentally conscious, the So Organic and Deliciously FreeFrom lines are the perfect pitstop for chemical, hydrogenated oils, and artificial flavouring-free products, as well as products that are safe for those with gluten, wheat, milk, egg, nut, and soya allergies. Even…