Food

Casa Restaurant opened in mid-2021, taking over the indoor space of El Mero Mero (which has now become a fully alfresco restaurant) in Chijmes. Helmed by the affable Chef Remy Lefebvre who was most recently at Butcher’s Block and, in a past life, El Mero Mero; the 35-seater restaurant offers a peek at Chef Remy’s extensive travels and culinary values. The name “casa” might immediately suggest a Spanish, Italian or Portuguese restaurant but the venue is neither of these things. While Chef Remy spent some of his formative years in Spain, the name “casa” alludes more to the concept of homeliness and this is evidenced by the cozy spaces – neatly divided into the living room, dining hall and open kitchen. 

For dinner, Casa Restaurant serves 3 types of menus. The lowest is the 4-course Discovery menu for S$118++ per person, followed by the 6-course Experience menu for S$198++ per person as well as the 8-course Carte Blanche for S$258++ per person. I had the 6-course menu but managed to share some dishes with my dining companion so overall, I got to try 8 dishes.

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Executive Cantonese Chef Hoo Chee Keong officially joined Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant – Top of UOB Plaza with his refined take on Cantonese Cuisine since 1st April this year. At only 38 years old, the young executive chef brings with him solid years of experience in some of the finest Chinese restaurants in Singapore. He was most recently at Mott 32 in Marina Bay Sands. With his arrival, Chef Ho has come up with a new and highly approachable 6-course tasting menu at $88++.

the view from si chuan dou hua Top UOB Plaza

Situated at the highest floor of UOB Plaza, the second tallest building in Singapore, one can catch sweeping views of the CBD and the surrounding Marina Bay while partaking in this new menu. The dishes contain no MSG and has a distinct focus on premium boutique produce.

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Given that the public is now advised to stay home with work-from-home once again the default, many now have little choice but to re-train their culinary skills to fill their time while indoors. A popular, and in most cases, necessary activity, is cooking one’s own / the entire household’s meals. If you prefer to have the convenience of fresh ingredients delivered to your doorstep instead of having to go for grocery runs, here are some establishments / online butchers that offer islandwide delivery of fresh meat – in some cases for free once you hit a certain order amount.

Do note that the establishments listed here are for fresh and frozen meat delivery in Singapore. Fresh seafood, vegetables and fruits will be covered in separate articles so watch out for those as well….

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I love matcha. I seek it almost on a daily basis, having prowled all the matcha tea houses in Singapore and even cafes that sell matcha latte or offer it as a cold brew. I recently came across Craft Tea Fox. The brand specializes in matcha and hojicha and their product line-up revolves around that – from powder to cold brew. 

Craft Tea Fox sells Matcha Latte (S$7) and Hojicha Latte (S$7) and they also sell oat latte versions of the same at S$8 per bottle. As I am lactose-intolerant, I tried their oat latte range. 

hojicha oat latte craft tea fox

Their Hojicha Oat Milk Latte was smooth to the taste, with a creamy finish. While I did note that it was slightly sweetened, it was not too sweet that I could easily make out the nutty taste profile of the roasted green tea as it sunk in.

matcha oat latte craft tea fox

The Matcha Oat Milk Latte hits you immediately the moment you drink it. The delightful bitterness of the tea was clearly perceptible, indicating a generous concentration of matcha. Compared to the hojicha, the matcha latte seemed less sweeter. 

Craft Tea Fox operates primarily as as a delivery service but they do make their matcha and hojicha lattes available in certain cafes and bakeries like An Acai Affair, Morimori Yogashi Patisserie, etc. Islandwide delivery is free for orders of S$40 or more – or roughly 6 bottles of their latte. Otherwise, an S$8 delivery charge applies. My matcha and hojicha latte bottles were packed nicely in a styrofoam box when it was delivered to me, with the bottles still chilled inside and ready to drink. Craft Tea Fox delivers from Mondays to Fridays, from 11AM to 7PM. I was initially concerned that I might not be at home when they deliver but their website states that the bottles can still stay cold for a few hours when inside the styrofoam box.

Aside from single orders, Craft Tea Fox also has a subscription system where customers can automatically have their matcha or hojicha latte bottles replenished every 1,2,3 or 4 week intervals at 10% off the ala carte prices. For matcha purists, Craft Tea Fox sells matcha and hojicha powder, including ceremonial grade ones. Customers can also choose to order these powders as a DIY set inclusive of a bowl and whisk, similar to how they do in matcha tea houses.

Order from Craft Tea Fox here.

15 Stamford by Alvin Leung – the inhouse restaurant of The Capitol Kempinski Singapore has taken a relatively bold move in its Sunday brunch by presenting it in a slightly different format from the “hotel norm.” The Sunday Brunch at 15 Stamford by Alvin Leung is presented as an ala carte “set” semi-buffet with 6 courses rather than a full-fledged buffet. The highlights – such as the mains and seafood – are limited to just one serving per person but after having tried this brunch myself, this decision seems to surprisingly work in the restaurant’s favor. 

This review is a course-by-course run through of the Sunday brunch at 15 Stamford by Alvin Leung to help readers decide if it is a brunch worth going to. I will also share my opinions on each dish and my overall verdict at the end.

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