Author: Lim Lixuan

A Teppanyaki Dinner That Hits All The Right Spots – Teppan Bar Q

Part of a chain of restaurants by the Ishida Kikaku Group, originating from Hakata city in Kyushu, Japan, Teppan Bar Q is the group’s second restaurant in Singapore. This newly opened restaurant is set in the hip and stylish Robertson Quay area.

The founder, Mr Kyota Ishida, also known as Mr K, promotes the taste of Hakata in all his dining ventures. Mr K has been in the industry since he was sixteen when he started working in a French restaurant. His passion for bringing a sense of excitement and discovery to customers through food has led him to open various restaurants around Japan, and now, Singapore.

Teppan Bar Q

Teppan Bar Q is a contemporary teppanyaki restaurant that offers Spanish Tapas with a creative twist. This cosy and inviting diner seats 21 pax around the counter. Indoor and outdoor seatings are available for drinks and light bites. You can also pair a wide selection of wine from Spain to Japan, private-label sakes, fruit liqueurs, cocktail, and beers,  with its dishes.

Roasted Hakata Mentai

One of Hakata region’s speciality is their Roasted Hakata Mentai ($12.90) – marinated roe of Pollock and Cod, specially flown in from Hakata. The roe is sliced into small nuggets, gently roasted on its grill, and topped with capsicum, chilli flakes.

We found this dish a little too savoury for our taste buds. However, it paired well with sake for a full bodied flavour.

Octopus Galician Style

This is an interesting combination – octopus on potatoes ($13.90). The octopus is well-cooked and seasoned to perfection. Topped with paprika powder, olive oil and spring onions on a bed of soft potatoes, this dish tantalised the taste buds. The dish was delightful – tangy, slightly peppery, and just the right amount of savoury.

Foie Gras with Daikon

The Foie Gras with Daikon ($26.80) is our favourite dish and totally stole the limelight. This dish is chef Kyota’s signature Mediterranean-inspired dish. After grilling to perfection, the foie gras is set to rest for 2 minutes. This makes it more juicy and tender.

The smooth and rich foie gras melted in my mouth. The daikon (white radish), soaked in dashi broth, was heavenly. It oozed with unami and dashi and left me wanting more. This is a truly unforgettable dish.

Tonpei Yaki with Rice Cake & Cheese

One of Teppan Bar Q’s must-haves is definitely their Tonpei Yaki with Rice Cake and Cheese ($25.90). The Tonpei Yaki is a thin batter layered with finely chopped cabbage with slivers of pork, egg, and white sauce. The white sauce is a secret mixture of mountain yam paste and mayonnaise. The restaurant’s mayonnaise is homemade with plum-infused soymilk – a healthier choice. Also, good quality eggs from Okinawa are used for this dish. What’s also special is that this dish is served on special earthenware plates. These plates have an infrared effect that draws out the taste of the ingredients evenly. Definitely a must-try dish!

US Ribeye Angus Steak

The US Angus Ribeye Steak ($58.90 for 200g) was cooked to perfection. It was not tough at all and was juicy and tender. Choose from three accompanying sauces – sesame sauce, soy sauce with wasabi, and garlic ginger onion sauce. Out of all the sauces, we felt that the sesame sauce added a punch to the flavour of the beef. If you want to enjoy the natural flavour of the beef, simply opt for the soy sauce with wasabi.

Garlic Fried Rice

A good garlic fried rice consists of loads of garlic fried to a delectable aroma with eggs and rice. This garlic fried rice ($12.90) totally nailed it! On top of all these goodness, the chef added in a fatty portion of the steak from our previous dish which gave our fried rice a surprise burst of flavour for each bite.

Vanilla Ice Cream Kinako

To wrap up your dinner, try their Vanilla Ice Cream Kinako ($6.90). The ice cream is made from kinako – roasted soybean paste which is a healthy option for diners. A brown sugar syrup at the bottom provides a sweet finish to the dessert.

All in all, we love how quaint and cosy this little restaurant bar is. If you’re looking to unwind with friends or would like to have a family gathering in an intimate casual setting, we definitely recommend visiting Teppan Bar Q!

Do note that the servings seen in the pictures are in mini portions as this was an invited food tasting. Besides the ala carte dishes, Teppan Bar Q also offers a set course menu from $60.

In Singapore, Teppanyaki is either found at food courts or at the high-end restaurants. Teppan Bar Q fills the mid-range gap. To find this restaurant, walk along Muhammad Sultan Road instead of Unity Street.

This was an invited food tasting session.

(All photos are taken by the writer)

Teppan Bar Q
11 Unity Street, #01-21/22 Robertson Walk, Singapore 237995
Tel: 65 6235 0629
Opening Hours: Daily, 6pm – 12am

Also, read Decadent Yet Light Cakes You’ll Love – Waku Ghin @ Marina Bay Sands

Bitter or Sweet? Guide To Identifying Your Favourite Durian Types

The king of fruits’ season is here again. Every year, between June and August, is the best time to savour durians. However this year, after a prolonged dry spell, the peak season is delayed. Durian season this year could be later and longer as flowers are still blooming.

Nonetheless, you’ll still need to know how to choose the best durians before buying them. Believe it or not, there are more than 400 types of durians! Whether you like it sweet or bitter, we’ve got it all covered. Read on for our guide to identifying the best durian types.

1. Mao Shan Wang

There’s no doubt that all durian lovers love the Mao Shan Wang. Here’re some tips when choosing a Mao Shan Wang (also known as Cat Mountain King). Look for these distinct features altogether in one durian.

Mao Shan Wang
Flesh colour: Bright royal yellow in colour
Flavour: Bittersweet, creamy, sticky. In the same durian, flesh could be bitter and/or sweet.
Thorns: V-shaped/pointed thorns
Crown: Thorns tend to converge at the base of the stem, forming a bald brownish ring around the stem
Shape: Oval 
Base: Brownish five-pointed star. A little bald.

2. Musang King

Musang King is currently regarded as the best durian in Malaysia. It’s the most sought after, desired and expensive of all durian varieties. It sells for more than twice the price of an above-average durian. To avoid being conned by unscrupulous durian vendors trying to sell you an average durian as the Musang King, here are some features you must not miss.

Musang King
Shell: Yellow-brown to camo-green to tinged with purple
Flavour: Sweet, rich, and creamy, like a toasted marshmallow
Thorns: Rather inconsistent. Either very far apart or close together, could be as thin as a needle, or rather pyramidical.
Crown: Smooth and brownish gap between the stem and thorns.
Shape: Bean-like, like a kidney or egg
Stem: Longer than other durian types 
Base: Brownish five-pointed star. Balder, broader and more pronounced than the Mao Shan Wang.

3. Golden Phoenix 

The Golden Phoenix, also know as Jin Feng, is a pale-coloured durian type with very soft and wet flesh. More affordable than Mao Shan Wang, it is small in size and is very fleshy with tiny seeds and thin husk. The taste of the Golden Phoenix is sweet, bitter, creamy and slightly less pungent than the Mao Shan Wang. It’s considered a ‘value for money’ durian type as you get a good amount of tasty flesh at an affordable price.

Golden Phoenix
Shell: Light green to greyish brown
Flavour: Bittersweet with a more watery texture
Thorns: Skinny and sharp
Shape:  Roundish and oval
Base: Tiny almost non-existent base formed by thorns converging towards the base, forming a tip.

4. XO

If you like your durian strong and bitter, the XO is not to be missed. The XO durian is bitter with its famed alcohol taste – cultivated through an extended period of fermentation inside its shell. Its fruit is usually smaller and the husk is identified by its thin and brownish-green colour. Another point to look out for is its watery thick flesh.

XO
Shell: Thin and brownish green in colour
Flesh colour: Very pale yellow
Flavour: Watery thick flesh, bitter with alcohol aftertaste
Shape:  Roundish, oval, or even starfruit-shaped
Base: Centre depression with thorns pointing inwards

5. D24

D24 is one of the more popular durian varieties. Its flesh tends to be pale yellow and tastes creamy and bitter. As D24 is a popular durian type that is widely cultivated, there are several grades and even sub-categories.

D24
Shells: Homogeneous green/ greenish-yellow
Thorns: Tend to cluster together
Flavour: Neither overly sweet nor bitter, great starter durian for newbies
Flesh: Thick and creamy 
Stem: Relatively short stem with small brown ring around it

6. Red Prawn

If you like sweet durian, Red Prawn (also known as Ang Hei or Udang Merah in Malay) is the right one for you. Its texture is beautifully creamy but often a bit too watery. This durian has a fruity sweet taste. Some varieties have tiny seeds, others have large ones. The red prawn durian shells are thick and hard to open. Though the durian looks large, there may not be a lot of fruit, as the core of the durian is wide.

Red Prawn
Shell:Dusky Brown
Shape: Oval with a wider middle
Flavour: Sticky with sweet aftertaste
Thorns: Short and very widely spaced

7. Black Thorn

Black Thorn durians are the most prized durians of all – more expensive than Musang King. The flesh of the Black Thorn is nearly fiberless and has a bright orange colour.

Black Thorn
Shell: Grey-green
Shape: Round and small
Bottom: Bald bottom with a dark brown spot
Stem: Stubby, short stem
Flavour: Sweet with a bitter after taste
Flesh: Rich, creamy, fiberless, and sticky. Dark orange with reddish hue.

How can we resist these durians? After researching and going through this list, we’re having serious hunger pangs and cravings for durian! It’s time to hunt down the king of fruits and satisfy those cravings!

(Header image by Flickr, edited by writer)

Also, read Durian Lovers! The Best 5 Spots To Enjoy Your Favourite Fruit

Girlboss Series – Yina Goh And The Velvet Dolls

This month, we cast our spotlight on blogger and successful business owner, Yina Goh. We speak with her about her journey with Tell us more about yourself!
I came from a media/design background and worked for about 3 years in an art studio before deciding to leave my corporate job to pursue my dream of starting an online boutique. I write and sing occasionally too.

What were the inspirations behind The Velvet Dolls?
As I was bigger in size then, I couldn’t find suitable clothes to fit me as most online boutiques cater to petite ladies of UK6. I began to avoid dressing up. However, I then decided to slim down. Within 3 weeks of exercise and healthy eating, I lost a significant amount of weight. My self-esteem and confidence grew and I began to love online shopping. I then decided to open an online boutique – The Velvet Dolls to cater to women of all sizes.

“I was only 23 years old then, so why not give it a try?”

Why The Velvet Dolls?
The name “The Velvet Dolls” came about as I’d wanted to create something simple but memorable. I used to enjoy playing with paper dolls and thus paper dolls became part of the inspiration for our name. The word “Velvet” adds a more luxurious and classy feel to it. The logo was inspired from matryoshka, also known as Russian Dolls.

What are the challenges you faced when starting the business?
As I’d started blogging before opening TVD, I’d already garnered a substantial viewership which was an advantage to my business. My background in design also equipped me with the right skill sets from designing my logo to creating my website.

However, I did not have any knowledge (such as the financial aspect) of opening a business. Maintaining the business was also not easy. Back in those days, I had to do everything myself. I was the photographer, stylist, model, and more. As a perfectionist by nature, I tend to micromanage every single detail of the business.

What is The Velvet Dolls currently focusing on?
This year, TVD will focus more on its bridesmaid collection and stylish office wear.

What is it that makes your customers loyal?
A good relationship between customers is very important. The way you brand your business plays a part too. At TVD, we ensure that our clothes are of good quality and workmanship, which are features that keep customers coming back for more.

What are your thoughts on buying from websites such as Taobao?
One issue we feel is that photos from these websites may not reflect the actual products. Most of their clothes are mass produced and can be easily found anywhere. The quality of material used may also be compromised.

At TVD, we focus on style, quality and fit. We want our customers to look their best. Our clothes are tailored to fit and designed to flatter.

What is a typical day like for you?
My typical day can vary a lot. I try to block out entire days and dedicate them to completing a few essential tasks. For instance, if I have writing/photo-taking for blog advertorials, I’ll set aside a day just for that. I do the same when I need to edit images or prepare for the next collection for TVD.

It’s actually easier if you dedicate a good amount of time and focus on completing the task than doing ten different things at one time or in one day.

With your passion for singing and having performed gigs, what are your recommended places to visit for live gigs?
Definitely Switch by Timbre, it’s my favourite spot! Some other great spots are Shuffle at Clark Quay and Unplugged at Dempsey.

Lastly, any advice for people looking to start a business?
The most important part is to have a target audience in mind. You have to understand what the market wants and what the consumers need. Be constantly aware of the change in the market and always keep up with trends. You must be able to manage your finances and ensure what you are doing is sustainable.

Yina is currently taking part in Singapore’s biggest online Chinese singing competition, Hear Me Sing (organised by Starhub and MM2) and has made it to the top 4 after two months into the competition! Voting counts for 40% and you can vote for her It never ceases to amaze us when we hear stories of women who follow their hearts to do what they love. Yina’s perseverance is definitely inspiring to many. So to all aspiring entrepreneurs out there, the journey may be tough but remember, the effort you put in will all be worth it.

Also read: Meet Caryn Lim – Rising Entrepreneur In The Beauty Industry