Happy New Year from Singapore, everyone!

by Alec Ee on www.photo.net

Review: Reif & James

Always on the trail of a good steak, we (mum, dad, bro and yours truly) discovered Reif & James today. Actually, it was the outcome of a series of coincidences. We were actually on a different trail, following Chubby Hubby's review of Sage, The Restaurant, at Robertson Walk. But Sage is only opened for dinner. So we walked around and finally decided on Yoyogi Japanese Restaurant, because bro had been wanting to try that for some time. Bro stepped in to get us a table, and I lingered on outside to peruse the next door restaurant's menu with dad. We were just about to join bro, when a man suddenly burst out of said next door restaurant and called after dad. Lo and behold, turns out that he used to work at one of dad's favourite steak joints and has just left with former head chef to set up shop on his own.

So, to cut a long story short, we end up at Reif & James.

It's a pretty simple brunch menu on weekends. Eggs Benedict, crab pasta, steak sandwich, Reif hamburger, mee siam, lontong, nasi lemak etc. Apparently fusion of sorts. Dad enquired after the steak (which is not on their lunch menu). No problem. We ended up with three steaks, all medium, all served with a mash and a chinese mushroom/vegetable stir-fry (the fusion element). I had the crab pasta, and some of mum's steak.

Crab pasta - definitely fusion. The pasta was done to al dente perfection. Smells like maggi mee, bro and I said in unison when it arrived. Unusually, the pasta was served with a rich crab-infused stock, rather than a sauce, giving it an Asian feel immediately. It was scattered with parsley, chilli padi and pine nuts - again, quite fusion. Nothing to fault here, but I still prefer my pasta with a sauce. Not very experimental in that department, I'm afraid. But saying that, pine nuts, with their bursts of sweetness, certainly jazz up any good ol' stir-fry - am going to experiment with that combination the next time I cook.

Steak - definitely the highlight. Medium rare, done to perfection. Reif & James use Kobe beef imported from a Japanese family in Australia - only one of five restaurants in Singapore that carry it. With all the hype about Wagyu beef nowadays, it is worth pointing out that Kobe beef is Wagyu beef. "Wagyu" is a generic term for a type of Japanese cattle originating from Kobe. There are four types of Wagyu cattle, one from which Kobe beef is derived. Wagyu beef is reknowned for its tenderness, juiciness, flavour and marbled texture - enhanced apparently by massaging the cow and feeding it a special diet. Needless to say, the steak today was all of the above.

Reif & James use the rib-eye cut, served finely chargrilled and plain (the purist way). We enquired what sort of grill they use. Electric? Wood? Charcoal? It's a charcoal grill, we were informed. That's pretty impressive, given that so many new restaurants nowadays have capitulated to the convenience of electric grills, which somehow just. don't. taste. the. same. Pim has a more professional opinion on grills here - as she puts it, "The ultimate quality of a great cook... is hardly in the chemistry or intricate sauces. It is in the ability to master the fire."

I just know what I like - a good chunk of medium rare steak, grilled just the right amount on the outside to give it a smoky (but not burnt) overtone, and great company to eat it with.

Will be back to try the Eggs Benedict (another obsession). Desserts are ok - we had coconut pannacotta with caramelised pineapple, and chocolate fondant (need you ask?). It goes without saying, the steak is highly recommended.

Reif & James
80 Mohammed Sultan Road
#01-03 The Pier
Singapore 239103
tel: +65 6238 8817

Recipe: Christmas roast pork with crackling

One of my favourite roasts is pork with crackling. I started making roast pork with crackling because it's the quintessential "fusion" dish - both my Asian and English friends love it. Plus, I love crackling. As a child, I remember sneaking more onto my plate whenver mum's disapproving eyes were diverted, and being forced to cut away the fatty layers when I was discovered (sob!). Making full use of my independence in London in the early years, I used to ask the lady at Four Seasons to add roast pork (siu yoke) to my roast duck rice all the time - very very yummy on a cold winter's night (sorry mum!).

This is, ironically, mum's recipe. In the past, I used pork belly, which is the cut the Chinese use to make roast pork (siu yoke). Recently, however, my butcher in London persuaded me to switch to the loin, which is less fatty and appeals more to non-Chinese palates. Get your butcher to score the skin deeply, and to string it into a roll (alternatively, the meat can be roasted flat). In Singapore, the friendly butchers at the Swiss Butchery on Greenwood Avenue will do it for you - ask nicely. In London, the friendly butchers at the Ginger Pig in Borough Market will do it as a matter of course. Five spice powder adds an "Asian" touch to an otherwise universally-enjoyed dish.

ROAST PORK WITH CRACKLING

Roasting time: 2hours

Pork loin or belly (approx. 200g per person)
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp five spice powder
1 tbsp ground white pepper
(Note: The amount of dry marinade can be increased or decreased proportionately, depending on the size of your roast. This is the recommended amount for 800g of meat.)

1. Dry fry the marinade ingredients together, mixing thoroughly, for one or two minutes until fragrant. Leave aside.

2. Preparing the meat: In order to produce truly crispy crackling, there are two factors of utmost importance -
i) Firstly, make sure that the skin is scored deeply, almost touching the fatty layer.
ii) Secondly, make sure that the skin is very very very dry.

In order to ensure that the skin is as dry as possible, take the meat out of its plastic wrap immediately when you get home and pat it with some kitchen towels until all the moisture is absorbed. Then, rub the marinade into the meat, pushing it into the scores, until the whole slab is covered. The salt will draw out whatever moisture is left. Leave overnight in the fridge, uncovered. (I never felt comfortable with hanging meat out to air dry...)

3. When ready to roast, pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Roast the pork for 10 minutes at this temperature. This kills any bacteria on the surface and seals the juices in.

4. Turn the temperature down to 160 degrees Celcius and roast for 1 hour. The meat will cook during this time.

5. Turn the temperature up to 250 degrees Celcius. Using a spoon, spread some cooking oil over the meat, covering the whole top surface. When the temperature reaches 250 degrees Celcius, roast for 15 minutes. This is the most crucial stage, when the crackling is produced.

6. Check the meat. (Warning: A lot of smoke will be emitted when the oven door is opened.) If the skin is blistered and crackling, it is a successful roast. If the skin is still smooth, this is bad news, and the most likely reason is that the oven was not hot enough.

7. Let the meat rest for 30 minutes. Serve with crispy roast potatoes and some greens.

SUMMARY
200 degrees celcius - 10 minutes
160 degrees celcius - 1 hour
Spread oil (I usually put a roasting pan of oil in to heat at this stage, for the potatoes)
250 degrees celcius - 15 minutes
Rest - 30 minutes
TOTAL: 2 hours

Review: Foliage

It was supposed to be a surprise. I was led, down into the bowels of the tube, along the blue Piccadallian line, and then surfacing back up into the cool winter's night of Knightsbridge. Oh, that's the Mandarin Oriental Hotel over there. Are we having dinner at... *squeal*. Yes, the boy said with a grin. It's my favourite... *squeal again*. Yes, the boy said. Now how shall we cross the road? With brute force, I answered determinedly over my excitement. And so we ran hand-in-hand towards the beckoning christmassy lights and into the ushered halls of my favourite restaurant in the whole of London.

Dinner was, what's the word?, sublime. Sublime, I tell you.

The menu:
~ Pan fried West coast scallops, ceps, walnuts and pickled pears ~
~ Duo of foie gras, 'Bavarois' in apple jelly, salt cured carpaccio, pain d'epice, apple and celery salad ~
~ Pan fried fillet of line-caught sea bass, toasted almond puree, butternut and chorizo, sweet and sour Ruby endive ~
~ Fillet of Yorkshire venison, wild mushroom 'Pain Perdu', braised red cabbage, smoked artichoke puree ~ **
~ Mango and basil salad, natural yoghurt mousse, white chocolate and passion fruit sorbet ~

** I substituted this with White Alba truffle risotto, which was absolutely my favourite dish of the evening. Unlike some, I'm not obsessive-compulsive about truffles nor do I go around sniffing at its provenance. But, once in a while, its pungent heady aroma gets my heart racing. Plus, I love risotto, well done.

The amuse bouche was made up of a trio of hummus, artichoke(?) foam and various flavoured breadsticks. I thought sea bass and chorizo was an interesting and bold pairing, otherwise it was a pretty straightforward menu. Surprisingly, Aa liked the foie gras (although after having foie gras with peking duck at the New Majestic restaurant, that would be hard to surpass for me). I enjoyed the way the richness of the foie gras was balanced by the light fruitiness of the jelly and salad, the shrinking saltiness of the carpaccio, and the crunchy texture of the pain d'epice - a playful variety on the tongue. The scallops were done to perfection, nothing to fault here. Oh, and did I mention? I loved my white truffle risotto.

Everyone fusses over you at the Foliage, without being too fussy. I like friendly but professional service, unlike the European snootiness of places like La Gavoroche. There's a lightness in Foliage - maybe it's the lighting, or the garden leaves brought in every morning by the staff. But on a cold winter's night, to be in yellow warmth, with the tinkly sound of crystal and cutlery soothing one into a state of complete peace like a lullaby, eating with someone I love and respect - I looked through the rose-tinted glass of my kir royale, and my heart was suddenly warmed. I realised how very lucky I am. Dinner with Aa is always lovely. Tonight, it was especially magical.

Blessed christmas, my darling.

Persis -ting, blog update from London

is back... (sans sandwiches)

Autumn's last goodbye

Winter's here. Very soon it will be Christmas. The leaves are falling, and it's raining in London - lots. Darkness befalls mid-afternoon, but there's much to be joyful and give thanks for.

Visiting Anna in Hertfordshire

It's been a busy term - Hertfordshire, then Sheffield for a conference, then Newcastle for another conference, then Cardiff with Cat to visit Caroline. In 7 days, I'll be stepping into the warm humid sanctuary of Singapore. My first Christmas back home in a long while. Aa will be flying back to the US of A for Christmas, oceans away. So we're going to have our own little season's celebration tomorrow night, before we both leave. A sneak preview of my Christmas prezzies from Aa:

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