Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire

Paris, October 2014 – Following a wonderful lunch at Pierre in Hong Kong,  Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire (#17 Best Restaurant in 2012) was at the top of my bucket list. It was a beautiful autumn day, when Mr. King and I visited the Michelin 3-star flagship restaurant of “the father of modern French cuisine”. Early on…

Artisan Steak at Fat Cow

Singapore, November 2015 – When selecting a venue to celebrate my friend, Hilda’s birthday, I had to think extra hard since she is an epicurean with a passion for meats.   We decided on dinner at the “off-the-beaten track” artisan meat specialist – Fat Cow. The Japanese-inspired steakhouse was cozy, with a U-shaped counter that accommodated…

Shinji by Kanesaka, Raffles Hotel

Singapore – I was quite unaware of Chef Kanesaka’s esteemed reputation in the culinary world when I first ventured to Shinji by Kanesaka– his first sushi-ya outside of Japan. Having heard from a friend that a famous sushi-ya from Ginza had opened at Raffles Hotel, I was curious to try it. That was in 2010,…

Chef Hamamoto’s Ki-Sho

Singapore is the competitive grounds for Japanese fine dining where chefs continuously strive to bring out the most sensational cuisine. With the abundance exposure to culinary creativity, it is difficult to “wow” Mr. King and me easily these days. That was until we went to Ki-Sho, also known as Chateau TCC (www.scotts29.com) since it is…

Point Yamu by COMO, Phuket

Phuket, March 2015 – Meet Phuket Island’s latest addition – luxury resort Point Yamu by COMO! Its contemporary interior décor is chic with the perfect turquoise blue accents. If Mr. King didn’t tell me that we were in Thailand, I would have thought this resort was somewhere in Greece! There is plenty of privacy in the…

Monsieur Vrinat’s Taillevent

Everyone should have 3 culinary experiences, so exceptional that one remembers them for a lifetime. For Mr. King and me, Taillevent in Paris is one of those unforgettable experiences. Spring 2002 –Mr. King put me in charge of our itinerary – food, culture and shopping. For the restaurants, I decided on ones that both of us have not…

Saying Farewell at Les Amis

Singapore, Spring 2014 – I said goodbye to my French friend, Madam Descharmes, who was moving back to Paris. I thought it fitting to have our farewell lunch at Les Amis (Asia’s Best Restaurants 2015, #13 and Two Michelin stars, July 2016 ). Madam Descharmes is more than a friend but also my French teacher. She had…

O is for Ottolenghi

Israeli-born & London-based chef and author of 4 cookbooks, Yotam Ottolenghi bursted on the culinary scene over 10 years ago. In his test kitchen in London, he creates recipes for his column in The Guardian. His two restaurants – Ottolenghi and Nopi – are extremely popular with Londoners as well as tourists. Mr. King &…

Prêt-à-Portea London

London, October 2014 – I had just missed the London Fashion Week. Luckily, I caught the fashionista’s afternoon tea fittingly called “Prêt-à-Portea “at Berkeley Hotel! In its ninth year, Prêt-à-Portea is a medley of edible delights inspired by the catwalk. For my tea, it was the last few days of serving up the Spring/Summer 2014…

Jamie’s Italian Singapore

Sept 2013 – Jamie’s Italian opened at VivoCity in Singapore in July, one of the hottest restaurants of the year. Décor – The décor was industrial chic – a mixture of wooden tables, cupboards & wall-paneling with red leather and pastel blue steel chairs. What impressed me the most was the use of industrial lamps…

National Kitchen

Singapore, Nov 2015 – Last night, Mr. King and I attended the National Gallery Singapore’s opening celebrations, which included not only a journey through the art space but a culinary journey by tasting “artistic” cuisine at the restaurants located inside the museum. National Kitchen by Violet Oon is a true culinary ambassador of Singapore’s heritage….

Guy Savoy Singapore

Singapore, Spring 2013 – For Mr. King’s birthday, we went to Guy Savoy at Marina Bay Sands for its relatively new lunch offering, Menu “TGV” – The Express, 60 minute experience, but oddly, lunch took nearly 3 hours (I mean it in a good way!). Chef Guy Savoy requires no introduction. He is owner of the…