Eat your hearts out!

Dinner In The Sky

Just when you think the best gastronomical experiences are limited to restaurants, Dinner In The Sky catapults you into the league of clouds (maybe even birds and planes)!

Based in Brussels and extending its flying vessel to other European cities, diners hang 50m above ground, sampling cuisines from specialised gourmet menu.

Good food, great wine and spectacular view money can't buy. A great MasterCard campaign for "Priceless" experience.

http://www.dinnerinthesky.com/



Dans Le Noir?

French for "In The Dark", Dans Le Noir came from Paris. I personally visited this very unique branch in London for a mind-blowing, "eye-closing" experience.





Diners ate in complete darkness, mimicking the world of the blind. I found the concept intriguing and very meaningful. I was not allowed to take pictures though, so I'm really curious as to how the dining area looks like.

There was an obvious challenge trying to eat in pitch black, relying so much - and solely - on your other senses. I kinda freaked out when the monkfish I had tasted queer. Also, being unable to see in the dark, I took forever to get the attention of my personal server, who is visually-handicapped. That lil' exercise kinda got me realising how hard it is to cope if I were to lose my sight.

I was in awe of the waiters at Dans Le Noir?. They did brilliantly despite problems with their eyesights and this experience let us walk in the shoes of the blind, even for just a while, and at the same time, these folk could be employed and earn their own living.

Definitely a one of a kind dining experience not to be missed!

http://www.danslenoir.com/london/




El Bulli

El Bulli and its chef, Ferran Adrià have got to be the names-en-vogue. This self-proclaimed food deconstructivist is here to stay and his vision will change the culinary world if it has not already. El Bulli, named "Best restaurant in the world" thrice, is located just outside Barcelona, in a town called Girona. An average meal would set you back 250euros at El Bulli. It is always fully booked and without advance booking, don't even dream of setting foot in the restaurant!

From asparagus foam to polenta of frozen powdered Parmesan cheese. Ferran Adrià is the Willy Wonka of haute cuisine sphere, always innovating and turning food fantasies into reality. Dine once at El Bulli and you'd never view food the same way ever again! For more gastro-galore, I found Loremipsum with a great album of cuisines from El Bulli.

http://www.elbulli.com/

- the Fad girl

A Tale Of Two Timbres

Over the weekend, my girl friends celebrated my birthday for me at the quite-new Timbre @ the Arts House.



From a quiet murmur at nine, the crowd poured in by ten-ish. This water front experience is slightly different from its rustic predecessor cozily tucked away behind Substation, just along Armenian street.

Timbre @ Substation is probably a cocoon for those who know its location and love it for its festive, inviting ambience. Like a niche, we return week after week on fridays, making it a regular hang out where friends would gather to chill. Singing along to infectious live music, yelling in between the hard beats thumping through the speakers, hopping from table to table bc you'd most probably bump into one familiar face or another. It felt like the whole world was there. We were in a league of our own, somewhat.

Timbre 2 @ the Arts House is like a subdued, big brother of its Substation sibling. We know it looks polished. We know it's more for the working crowd. Adorned with sexy red couches, boasting a laid back, kick-off-your-shoes-and-chill kinda chic vibe.

The identity is obvious but it has not established for itself a character. I find myself missing the al fresco, noisy and unpretentious setting at the back alley of Armenian street.

Sitting under a tent-like roof of hanging lights, the view of Boat Quay and its mesmerizing skyline sparkled quietly like diamonds in the night.


Occasionally there's a slight breeze and you feel the pulse of the city. A steady, low decibel you can't hear, but it's always there. Beating....



Drums. Bass. Guitar.
Even the music is toned down to suit the quieter setting. We wanted "Fly Me To The Moon" and thanks to the bassist, Clement, for taking the dedication, we could hear Timmy's beautiful rendition of this classic.

I wonder if all Timmy fans miss the good old days at Substation? I know I do.

Apparently even the menu is altered. We can't order certain drinks by jugs, the food selection is limited. The cocktails we had were more syrup than booze, the servers mixed up our bills, it took us quite some effort to get the attention of a somewhat busy, short-handed crew.

We can't compare the two Timbres bc they are obviously targetting different crowds and set at different places. While the scenery by the river is refreshing, and we have one more spot to visit, as a Timbre fan (could I still call myself that?), I'm less than thrilled at the cocktails served and the service it provided.

Seems like growing up is not such a fun thing after all.

- the Fad girl

Easy ways to taste a good glass of wine...

Anyone can drink wine, you just pour and gulp.. but to fully appreciate the taste of wine, that requires some knowledge...



We all know the simple rules: There is the all known "Red with red meat and white with white meat." How about "start with the lighter ones and move upwards gradually"? Or maybe you know that the wine "releases" its full flavour as you expose it to air?

If you didnt know this, know you do! Here at theFadpeople, we try to bring it alittle further up the knowledge chain.

Color

It needs to be pure, lovely red (no sediments! obviously no insects!) Its the basics, the wine has to be pure, clear and clean... If your glass of wine doesnt appear to be so, please.. change it

Swirling

Now, why do we swirl the wine? Because we wanna look like we are experts at appreciating wine. But to help you be a tad more "expert" on the subject, you should know that you are setting up the smell of the wine. When you swirl, you are allowing air to enter the wine, thus releasing the bouquet of the wine.

Another point to note (to impress), is to notice the legs of the wine (residue that are left on the sides of the glass). If it is strong legs, you can conclude that the alcohol content is considerable and it is a glass of heavy bodied wine.

Smelling (The Bouquet of the Wine)

Don't be shy when you smell a glass of wine. Stick your nose into the glass and take sharp shot breaths. Take in the full aroma of the wine, let the smell enter your sinuses, your mouth and you lungs. This is to prepare yourself for the main event (tasting)!

It is said that some people may smell flowers, minerals, the earth or the oak. But if you just happen to smell wine.. thats good too! (at least, thats wat i usually smell.)

Tasting

The entire process of enjoying (tasting) a good glass of wine is a combination of all the 4 steps above. Each dependent on each other to get the full flavor of the wine.

Remember its tasting (not gulping, not swallowing!), so take a sip.. let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds... Let each bud enjoy the taste of the wine before you finally swallow. A good glass of wine will leave a wonderful finish in the mouth.. Maybe 10sec or 15sec or maybe even a min if you are lucky.

IF all else fails, visit specialty shops that a famous for selling good wines. Talk to the dealers, bartenders, waiters or even other patrons of the place. Be humble, allow them to walk you through the selection and learn.

Most Importantly

Do not restrict yourself to any rules (even red for red meat) as this will remove the joy of choosing wine. It’s better to trust your own inner sense when it comes to choosing wine.

After 4 glasses of red wine, theFadboy is still trying to be an expert on wine tasting.. Enjoys!

Bungalow - Tapas Bar & Grill

Tapa : n. pl. ta·pas (-päs, -päz) Any of various small, savory Spanish dishes, often served as a snack or with other tapas as a meal.

Bungalow : Bringing a touch of casual elegance to United Square, Bungalow's aim is to offer a taste of Spanish style in the suburbs!

Judging from the website, it looks like Bungalow not only brings the taste but also the ambience as well. Don't just trust me, do check out the official website.

The food looks appealing and the decor unique. Perhaps if someone offers to be my next date, I will bring her there? Any takers?

Furthermore, Bungalow appears to be quite conveniently located in United Square. Just drop off at Novena MRT and you are within walking distance.

There is more, Bangalow is currently offering a SPECIAL WEDNESDAY.

Special Wednesday : Savour our chef's sampler of tapas, on the house, daily from 5pm to 10pm and toast to your favourite Martinis, Sangria, Wine or Beer.

Nice place, nice food (free) and nice drinks... Will there be a nicer offer?

Bungalow Tapas Bar & Grill is located @ 101 Thomson Road, #01-14/15, United Square, Singapore 307591
For Reservations: (65) 6258 9442 or email : enquiries@bungalowtapas.com

This wonderful news was searched/found/typed/prepared for you by theFadboy! ;)

Bourdain Wisdom

Trust me, you'd benefit from reading this, if you'd not known already...

From the Guardian, Anthony Bourdain once wrote:

I saw a sign the other day outside one of those Chinese-Japanese hybrids that are beginning to pop up around town, advertising 'Discount Sushi'. I can't imagine a better example of Things To Be Wary Of in the food department than bargain sushi. I never order fish on Monday, unless I'm eating at a four-star restaurant where I know they are buying their fish directly from the source. I know how old most seafood is on Monday - about four to five days old!

I don't eat mussels in restaurants unless I know the chef, or have seen, with my own eyes, how they store and hold their mussels for service. I love mussels. But, in my experience, most cooks are less than scrupulous in their handling of them. It takes only a single bad mussel, one treacherous little guy hidden among an otherwise impeccable group... If I'm hungry for mussels, I'll pick the good-looking ones out of your order.

Brunch menus are an open invitation to the cost-conscious chef, a dumping ground for the odd bits left over from Friday and Saturday nights. How about hollandaise sauce? Not for me. Bacteria love hollandaise. And nobody I know has ever made hollandaise to order. And how long has that Canadian bacon been festering in the walk-in? Remember, brunch is only served once a week - on the weekends. Cooks hate brunch. Brunch is punishment block for the B-Team cooks, or where the farm team of recent dishwashers learn their chops.

Beef Parmentier? Shepherd's pie? Chilli special? Sounds like leftovers to me. How about swordfish? I like it fine. But my seafood purveyor, when he goes out to dinner, won't eat it. He's seen too many of those 3ft-long parasitic worms that riddle the fish's flesh. You see a few of these babies - and we all do - and you won't be tucking into swordfish anytime soon.

Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter-faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food. Oh, I'll accommodate them, I'll rummage around for something to feed them. Fourteen dollars for a few slices of grilled eggplant (aubergine) and zucchini (courgette) suits my food cost fine.

This was an extract from Kitchen Confidential: Adventures In The Culinary Underbelly, by Anthony Bourdain. Now that makes me wanna go get this book. Hmm...

-the Fad girl