Faye Wong Concert 2011 王菲巡迴演唱會2011

[disclaimer: I actually watched her comeback concert back in Nov 2010 over at Shanghai, where it was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena which seats 18,000 people]

WOW! She is undisputedly the Queen of Mando/Canto-pop! And this concert does not disappoint!! The much smaller Singapore Indoor Stadium (?8-9000) was filled with fans of all ages. Unlike in Shanghai, she sang a couple of cantonese songs and 1 English song (Sinead O'Connor's "A Perfect Indian"). Her dresses were prettier and less theatrical which is either a good or bad thing depending on your taste. Her earlier initial comeback concerts in China set the iconic looks for her promotional items, but I guess, similar to how she changed the songlist for this local concert, she got bored (though I can't decide whether I liked her Alexander McQueen Amish/Mormon dress at the end)! Speaking of which, the songlist here were at least 50% different from the one in Shanghai, which makes it very much worth it to have watched it again! Unfortunately, the song system in Singapore sucks, and the sound engineer had to spend the first 2 songs tweaking the settings until we got it right. That ended up producing a very pitchy and screechy first 2 songs, before finally Faye managed to belt her a signature yodel/scat singing. Otherwise, this was a fantastically great concert! Since I went to her Shanghai one, I already expected the ending and lack of audience interaction, though she did speak two times more than in Shanghai!! (5 "谢谢" and 1 "多谢" in canto!!)...ahhahahha....

Antoinette (Mandarin Gallery)

Tucked away at the 2nd level of Mandarin Gallery, this little Parisian patisserie and salon du the is charming in its appearance. Very European in design with armchairs, picture frames adoring the walls and gold-gilded furnishings; there's even a settee out at the waiting area for you to park whilst waiting in line. Helmed by award winning pastry chef Pang Kok Keong, this place serves, possibly the best macaroons in Singapore, thus far. They have the right balance of airy-ness and melt-in-the-mouth-ness. His famous "Antoinette" macaroons (milk chocolate mousse infused with earl grey team, chocolate biscuit, raspberry coulis, and earl grey tea crumble) are really superb, the sesame and grand yuzu were great too, however, the strawberry was blah. And this about all the praise I have for this place...oh, one more! Good service too! Unfortunately, they should have stucked to being purely patisserie/dessert-only, instead of diversifying like Pang's previous employer - Canele. The Antoinette breakfast was disappointing. The three viennoiseries were average at best, only the brioche was near great. The chocolate crossiant can't compare to the absolutely perfect ones at Hediard; the "normal" croissant was also not spectacular. Similarly, the hot chocolate, though well-made, simply pales in comparison to Hediard's mouth-watering ones, or even the real ones you can get in Paris. The breakfast itself was sad, especially if the best thing on the plate was the roasted tomatoes: the eggs were bland, the bacons need to be crispier, and the sausage was just blah. There was even salt on my salad, which was a bit strange, unless that's the way the dear Queen liked hers. Lastly, was the strawberry shortcake. It was much better than your average ones available, however, it is definitely not the best. The sponge and cream was very well done, and the strawberries slightly soaked in kirsch which gave it a bit of cake, but at the price I'd rather eat K-Ki's!

Verdict: Will definitely come back for the macaroons, and just sit back and chill. May come and try their crepes or blinis (french pancakes).

Antoinette
333A Orchard Road
#02-33/34 Mandarin Gallery
Singapore 238897

tel: 6836 9209

Opening Hours
Everyday: 9am - 10pm (last order 9.30pm)

Smiths: Authentic British Fish and Chips

This new fish and chippys place at Balmoral is not really a new kid in town, with 2 other branches already in Boat Quay and Tanjong Katong. Firstly, the price is a bit on the high side, and that will definitely set expectations up. Unfortunately, the Haddock (served on triple-layer oil-absorbent paper...man! it sure needs the oil absorbing!) that I had was a tad too fishy and overcooked. The batter was good, and not overly doughy/floury, and I really liked the whole vinegar and salt topping(very brit), however, the fish needed some tartar sauce and/or chilli sauce to make it more palatable. At $17, this is not really what I would expect. (much cheaper and more worth your buck to just takeaway from Greenwood). The chips, on the other hand, was good: irregularly chunky and just the right thickness; great with the vinegar/salt.

Verdict: May go back to give the cod a second chance; but the price is a deterrence in making it a regular fish & chips joint.

Smiths
271 Bukit Timah Road
#01-02 Balmoral Plaza
Singapore 259708

tel: 67637 9313

Opening Hours
Everyday: 12noon - 11pm

The Help

Another long delayed movie has finally reached our shore. The Oscar buzz has been steadily building for this little sleeper hit in the States and it is totally well deserved!! This is a slow burning hit that rewards its patient audience. Once you get past the southern accent, this is a touching, funny, serious and serious current and reflective movie. The background may be obscure to local audience, but the theme is universal. It is not only a film about racism, but also of pure and simple bigotry and bullying (feminism, elitism, chauvinism all makes appearance). Bullying has not lines, no boundaries; bullying is for the weak. A powerful, emotional performance by Viola Davis will surely gain her another well-deserved Oscar nomination; Octavia Spencer is also equally riveting as the sassy Minny! Emma Stone is a starlet in the making (hope she doesn't pull a Lohan!); Jessica Chastain...wow!...this girl is a STAR! Exciting, illuminating, and arresting!! Can't wait to catch her next 2 flicks! The hilarious Sissy Spacek, uncharacteristically un-glam Allison Janney and even bitchy Bryce Dallas Howard round out the excellent oestrogen-filled cast. This movie also aptly reflects the current Singapore situation and the way where I see many kinfolks treat their help - as archaic as it was back then; our kiddies are undoubtedly gonna start (or many have already!!) loving their "aunties" more than their own mothers!! Can't wait to start on the book!

Table 66

I have heard good things about this modern French/European restaurant, and I finally get to taste it (shout out to my boss! THANKS!). Lucky for it, the expectations were met. The place itself was not impressive. The bar looked cozy (and appropriately dimmed), but the dining area itself was unfortunately a bit hard/cheap looking. Service was excellent! Sally was an excellent host, friendly and vivacious without being overly intrusively. On paper the set lunch looked reasonable. Let's talk about food. The oysters were excellent. 2nd best oysters I had in Singapore (1st being those found at The Cliff): fresh, juicy and succulent. We had 3 kinds: au naturel (very good); cucumber granita with mint (refreshing); hollandaise (a bit overpowering). I had a taste of the foie gras (I can't believe California is banning it!!), and the bite that I had showed promise. Next up was one of their signature dish: poached egg with herb-cured salmon. The egg was impressive, with a very good texture. The herb-cured salmon on the other hand was not spectacular. Starters was followed by duck leg confit. I started on that with a bit of trepidation (see previous entry on ODP), and boy, am I glad to say that this duck got standard! Crispy with still a layer of fat beneath, and the meat was tender. It would have been better if the duck was cured longer, and baked/roasted rather than fried to get the skin crispy. Dessert was coffee swiss roll, at least it wasn't too sweet or creamy, hence easy on the palette after the heavy 2 courses. Coffee did not come with petit fours (boo!). This was the last week of business for them. They will be relocating to 10 Winstedt Drive (taking over the old District 10) and business will commence there on 11 Nov 2011.


Verdict: Will definitely visit them again.

Update (Dec 2011): They are now called Skyve Elementary Bar & Bistro

Table 66
66 Tras Street
Singapore 079005

Open Door Policy

New place down at Yong Siak Street, Tiong Bahru, sister restaurant of the Forty Hands cafe across the road. This area is shaping up to be a quaint little neighbourhood, with cafes and bookshops and bric-a-brac-wannabe shops. Sadly, ODP is like 40-hands, interesting but not Wow-ing. The decor is unique with a mix of old-school (ala Col Bar) furniture with modern furnishings (reminds me a lot of the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego). The food is an interesting mesh of genres/varieties, with a limited menu. Starters, Meat, Fish, Vegetables and Dessert (with just about 5 items per section). I would say this was more a modern European bistro kinda food. The Halloumi cheese with anchovies was good, just a tad too oily; would have preferred it if they cut down on the oil after searing the cheese, though was a great fit with the salty tang of the achovies. The duck leg confit served on lentils was average at best. The meat was not cured enough and the skin not crispy enough. However, the meat was soft and tender. The addition of bacon on top was a mis-step in my opinion (not every thing taste better with bacon...the pork fat adulterated the taste of the duck). Dessert was a disaster!!! The pistachio and chocolate souffle with creme anglaise was too artificial in taste and texture was too sloppy; the lime panna cotta was too "skinny", it had absolutely no taste, and what with the sago?? (suggest adding gula melaka or the mollasse sugar from the coffee); the "award-winning ice cream" was homemade vanilla ice-cream with chocolate brownie and peanut butter crunch...let's just say the nicest thing was the peanut butter crunch. Coffee (the ODP blend) was average too.

Verdict: Too ex for the quality of food. May go again after they have established themselves a bit more just to see if they have improved.

Open Door Policy
19 Yong Siak Street (opposite Fourty Hands)
Singapore 168650

tel: 6221 9307; email: enquiries@odpsingapore.com

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 12 - 4pm (last order 3.30pm)
Dinner: 6.30pm - 11pm (last order 10.30pm)
Closed on Tuesdays; Wednesday only open for dinner

Midnight in Paris

Woody Allen's love note to Paris finally hits our shore. This movie is a win on so many levels! Impossible not to fall in love with Paris all over again. Smart, funny, meta and lotsa little jokes for the Lit & Art buffs ("pseudo-intellectual! Ha!). Most of all it has heart: Don't live in the past. Let go and live in the present. True Love is a respite from the fear of death!  Owen Wilson is a good fit for the naive Romantic American in France, and Marion Cotillard is luminating and alluring. Possibly Allen's most accessible film, and I can't wait for his ode to Rome next year!