That’s why the 35-year-old entrepreneur brought chai here after he tried it at the airport leaving India, so others may try “the very essence of traditional chai which the consumer market has, up to now, never heard of simply because it has never been served in its true authentic form”.

The term for tea in Arabic and Russian is also the Hindi reference to sweetened spiced milk tea, a refreshing drink to knock back (either warm for chillier rainy days, or iced on Singapore’s many sweltering tropical days).

Chaitime offers a special sensory experience for its customers by bringing a little piece of India to them with every cup of chai, which caters to 2 different ranges of tea. One for the spice, one for the tea. The Masala range, as its name suggests, introduces alluring spices of the different Indian regions, including the full-bodied Spicy Masala Chai Latte ($5.80) and the Relaxing Cardamom Chai Latte ($5.80).

The Experience range, sold ‘espresso-like’, has more tea than spices in their blend for the everyday caffeine addict. Named to reflect the colorful background of India, it features drinks such as the Mumbai Tapri Chai Latte ($5.80) and the Famous Dhaba Chai Latte ($5.80).

Inspired to infuse 2 different sides, Chaitime reflects a blend of both cultures and times. Its fossilized wood panels and the old school refurbished chairs complement their flavourful array of chai, settling you into simpler times.

Specialising in this exotic drink, Chaitime offers up to 19 different blends for your choosing. Their Signature Iced Rose Tea ($6.50) is a light mix of roses and is the perfect drink to go with their Masala Chicken Croissant ($4.80).

Softly flavoured with rose, the drink helps cleanse the palate after each bite of the heavy buttery flavor of the croissant. Put together with a soft croissant, the sandwich’s stuffed with crispy lettuce, layered generously with masala chicken and topped off with thinly-sliced hard boiled eggs.

If you’re not looking for a full meal but a quick pick-me-up, a good choice is the Railway Platform Chai Latte ($5.80). Delivering a swift kick with its heavy fusion of Assam black tea and spices such as ginger and black pepper, this is a drink you’re sure to feel all the way to the back of your head.

While many of beverages are a wonderful first step into the world of authentic chai, perhaps the Organic Green Darjeeling ($7) should be left for the more experienced. Light-bodied and fresh, it cuts across the palate, leaving a aftertaste that might be a tinge too bitter for many.

If you happen to be around Shenton Way, be sure to stop by this quaint café that feels like it would be more at home in one of the many shophouses along Tiong Bahru. Nominated Singapore’s Top 500 SMEs for 2013, arguably Singapore’s first authentic Chai café it sits right above the Tanjong Pagar MRT station, past Starbucks and Huggs.

This specialty tea store opened last December and has been growing strong ever since with plans to open 4 more outlets within the year.

Chaitime

Price Rating: $

Rating: ★★★★✩

Address:
AXA Tower, 8 Shenton Way, #B1-02

Opening Hours: 08:00 to 18:00 (Mon – Fri)

Contact info:
6423 1155
chaitime.com

marketing@chaitime.com.sg

https://www.facebook.com/Chaiholics

Neither its name nor décor will suggest Thailand to most people, but you’ll be glad to say Sawasdee to this new restaurant offering fast, no-frills Thai bites that sits somewhere between casual Thai Express outlets and the swanky, world-class Thai restaurants such as Sabai Fine Thai and Jim Thomson.

Refreshingly absent from the entrance is the run-of-the-mill, painted Thai statue. Instead, amuse yourself with the vintage German slot machine at the casino-themed bar. Walk in and prepare to be distracted by a meticulously curated collection of yesteryear gems with collectibles ranging from tiffin food carriers (that are sold upon request) to an opulent vintage gramophone player.

“I think one thing that everyone wants is a form of escape. That is why I want my customers to feel like they are in Thailand. If they don’t look outside, they can feel like they’re in a Bangkok cafe right now,” managing director Akira Monthienvichienchai tells UrbanWire.

The brainchild of the 25-year-old post graduate, the 5-week-old homely establishment is, in fact, a family-run business of the native Thai family and isn’t the first food enterprise they have ventured into. A casual dining abode to fuss free Thai food, Mart Boulevard is run by his mother in the heart of Shenton Way.

The unusual name for a Thai food establishment came from the idea of small group gatherings among friends sharing a simple meal. “This isn’t fine dining. I’m not aiming for the food to be fancy. I just want the food to be yummy,” said Monthienvichienchai.

The food is, indeed, scrumptious. Pan-fried and tossed with prawns, eggs, squid and tofu, the Phad Thai Goong ($8.90), has its Thai-imported noodles cooked to a fine al dente texture. Munching into Phad Thai of the right firmness is harder than you’d expect on this island. After umpteen instances of disappointing experiences with this dish, the flavourful nutty serving was, fortunately, a far cry from a let down with it prepared by Thai chefs.

Moulded by the chewy squid bits, the Prawn Pancakes ($8.90) were surprisingly springy and crisp. Robust with shrimp flavour, these flour-based prawn shards taste best with a generous dunk into the sweet plum sauce that comes on the side.

Slightly less seen as a Thai appetiser, the Signature FOLKS Wings ($6.90) have been soaked in and then marinated with ground coffee beans, honey and slivers of deep fried garlic chips, before being brought to a slow roast. Bearing a similar consistency and texture to honey glazed wings, the sweet glaze is balanced nicely with the subtly acidic tang of the coffee beans.

For avid saccharine lovers, the Ice Cream Kati ($4.90) is one dessert you shouldn’t skip. Delightfully fresh, the ice cream is made from scratch daily. The rich milkiness of the coconut cream, with chendol (coconut flavoured green jelly noodles made from rice flour) and attap chee (gelatinous, transluscent seeds of the nipa palm), is placed on a bed of glutinous rice. Now all you have to do is sink into each frosty bite and enjoy the candied marriage.

Apart from the remarkable ambience constructed by the brilliant nostalgic décor of the 150-seater eatery, another huge draw are the 12 original house cocktails. Incorporating an innovative mix of Thai herbs and spices is the Yaowarat Burning ($12), a revitalising concoction of Belvedere Vodka, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime and rose syrup. Take a moment from some serious chewing on your Phad Thai and enjoy the effulgent sparks from the sparkler– cleverly used as a decorative prop on this showstopper of a cocktail.

Besides the affordable (especially for the Central Business District location) comfort food and the intriguing furnishing, Folks Collective has its attentive Thai staff take charge of the wheel of your sensory dining experience from start to finish. Disappointment is a word long forgotten when you’re savouring some mango sticky rice while transporting yourself to the Land of Smiles.

Folks Collective

Price Rating: $

Rating: ★★★★✩
Address:
20 Cross Street
China Square Central #01-25
Opening Hours: 11:00 to 23:00 (Mon – Sat)
Contact info:
folkscollective.com
hello@folkscollective.com

https://www.facebook.com/folkscollective

Unlike similar competitor, Salt Tapas & Bar, Plonk offers a smaller variety of 15 tapas, but compensate for the smaller menu by striving for quality over quantity. The tiger prawns with tomato, almond and chilli salsa ($10) consists of fat, succulent tiger prawns garnished with a salsa sauce that comes off more garlicky than spicy. Although it had “chilli salsa”, the dish was not overwhelmingly spicy, and was refreshingly tasty with the commendable freshness of the prawns.

The grilled chicken skewers with harissa [a hot pepper paste made out of different red peppers and spices] ($8) weren’t anything special except for the fact that the usually tough and dry chicken was especially tender. The harissa, though mild, was still able to masking the barbecued taste of the chicken.

The Ibérico ham, mushroom & marinated artichoke pizza ($19) is a 10” thin-crust pizza, perfect for sharing. Unlike Skinny Pizza, the thin-crust pizzas here don’t have the problem of crumbling. Instead, it was still able to hold the weight of the generous amounts of huge chunky portobello mushrooms and artichoke. The earthy taste of the mushrooms balanced out the saltiness of the Ibérico ham slices and artichokes, allowing the pizza to be bitten into without being too rich in flavor despite the greasiness.

It took a while for the entrée to be served, but the wait for the Tri-tip Wagyu steak with mash ($42) was worth every minute and dollar spent. The rangers valley meat, shipped from Australia, was cooked to medium rare perfection, as the juicy tenderness comes through with every bite. Reminiscent of the significantly pricier Morton’s Steak House, you’re left reeling at the quality of the meat and the precision with which it was cooked. The time-tested combination of beef and potato lives up to its reputation, as the creamy mash complemented the steak despite being a little salty. The sautéed garlic cloves and blanched mustard greens gave the dish a dimension of flavours and texture which allowed the dish to be enjoyable, and not boring at every bite, making for the star of the night.

Despite the fact that desserts are meant to put a sweet ending to your meal, they are often made too cloying. The sticky date pudding with fig & honey ice cream ($11), thankfully, wasn’t. You might want to consider sharing this with your friends, as it comes in a big serving and the sticky date pudding starts to get boring after a while. The ice cream, on the other hand, was a refreshing change from the usual vanilla, with a distinct honey taste that was more floral than sweet. 

Sangrias are a must when it comes to having tapas, and they come at $12 a glass at Plonk! If you’re unsure whether to get the red or white sangria (which has a drier taste), you can always try both.

If you’re not a fan of small bites and prefer a more substantial meal that’s not as limiting as their dinner mains, you can always come down over the weekends to try their breakfast and lunch mains, when they’re opened at 9 am instead.

PLONK’s prices, compared to restaurants such as Aston’s, may be a little steep, targeting the working class rather than youths.  But, the fact that it isn’t merely a place to dine at, but rather a place of indulgence to unwind in with your friends or colleagues, makes every dollar worth it.

Rating: 3/5

Price rating: $$$

Address: 7 Maju Avenue, Serangoon Garden Estate

Telephone: 6286 4688

Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 5 pm – 1 am,

Sat – Sun: 9 am – 2 am

He landed in the Accident & Emergency room in hospital while recreating the iPhone and Android game Fruit Ninja in reality. No one can accuse YouTube funnyman Ryan Higa of not taking content creation very seriously. “It’s definitely going to leave a reminder to never play with swords again,” Ryan joked with UrbanWire.

With 8.4 million subscribers and more than a billion views on his YouTube channel, Higa requires little introduction. Here in Singapore from 20 to 26 May with other YouTube celebs such as Chester See, Little Boots and David Choi at the Youtube Fan Fest, the 22-year-old’s videos on “How To Be Gangster”, or his iconic song, “Nice Guys” must be familiar to most UrbanWire readers.

Only 3 accounts—Smosh, JennaMarbles and RayWilliamJohnson—in all of YouTube have more subscribers than him, unseating him from the top spot in June 2011, despite non-regular updates on his videos. And that’s not even counting the 1.2 million subscribers he has on his second YouTube channel, in response to his fans asking for bloopers and behind-the-scenes footages of his videos.

Ryan Higa goes by the alter ego Nigahiga, a mashup of the words “niga”, but Japanese for rant, and his surname. According to an interview with PBS Hawaii done last year, he started to post his videos on YouTube simply because he didn’t know how to burn them on to DVDs for his friends to watch then.

Talking about what he had to sacrifice for his success on the Internet since 2006, the Hawaiian names dropping out of college, risking an uncertain future in the process.

On the other hand, his major in college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas was a far cry from what he’s doing right now. “[For] my first 3 years, I was studying nuclear medicine,” Ryan recounted with a laugh, as if unable to believe it actually happened. Nuclear medicine, in his own words, is “like diagnostic and therapeutic for dealing with radiation and stuff… The easiest way to explain is x-ray, I guess, but a different branch of it.”

If not for YouTube, Ryan reckons, “I’d probably still be in college not knowing what to do, because there is not anything that I love doing other than YouTube.”

Ryan uploaded his first video—which has since been taken down because of copyright infringements—of him lip-syncing to Freddie Mercury’s “The Great Pretender” in 2006. Since then, these videos have grown a lot more sophisticated with proper lighting setup as can be seen in his behind the scenes footages and special effects. His latest one takes a swipe at popular music artistes of today and their methods of music production without leaving wigs, props and music video-like effects out of the humorous equation.

So how does he do it?

“Filming and editing doesn’t take very long for me. Writing is a huge part of it,” Ryan tells UrbanWire, “I write every single day, like literally at least 12 hours a day. I write a bunch of basically crap videos and then I try to select at least 1 out of there.”

And what constitutes a good idea?

“Honestly it just clicks. I’ll write a hundred things [and I’ll] be like, ‘That’s the one’. It just happens. I just have to keep writing. There’s no formula to decide what’s good and what’s not good.”

Aside from making videos, Ryan spends his time with his proverbial fingers in other pies as well. Working with director of The Fast and The Furious films, Justin Lin, and a group of other Youtubers to form the YOMYOMF network, [You Offend Me, You Offend My Family], Ryan has had his taste in executive producing and judging on the internet series, Internet Icon. The second season is being uploaded weekly, as we speak.

Internet Icon had been in talks for 3 years before coming to fruition. He and his friend, Andy Fickman, director of films such as Race To Witch Mountain, approached TV stations with their idea to start a video-making talent competition as a television series. Reminiscing, he said, “TV at that time, they just didn’t get it, so they said ‘no’.”

“And then YOMYOMF came about, which is a network I’m a part of, and we said ‘why not just do it here?’” he elaborates, “In a year and a half we knocked out about 2 seasons.”

However, “I will always be faithful to YouTube,” Ryan explains, further emphasising his loyalty by elaborating, “Sometimes I’ll just tweet out some random person’s channel just because I like their content and hopefully give them the hope that they can keep doing this the way I got to.”

His support of new talent on YouTube clearly endeared him to the crowd. When the host of the Youtube FanFest announced the end of his set on stage, an audible boo could be heard from the many fans in the audience, signifying their disapproval of his departure.

This is also not Ryan’s maiden trip to Singapore. Invited by SoulMannaLive for a mass fan meet on 1 September 2012, he recorded snippets of his music video, “Clenching My Booty”, a parody of Bieber’s hit, “As Long As You Love Me”, with his fans.

Ryan is now back in Los Angeles. However on his Facebook page, Ryan raved about his stay in Singapore. “Singapore, you were amazing as always! If any of you have the opportunity/money to go (travel + because Singapore is expensive) I highly recommend Singapore! One of my favorite trips so far.”

Here at UrbanWire, we hope to see this iconic funnyman back on our sunny island in the near future.

Photos courtesy of Noel Teo.

You’ll find an array of tantalising dishes on display, which you can mix and match at your own choosing. Meals ranging from $13-17 are served in sets with 3 choices of salads accompanying the main dish of your choice. On top of that, they have a delectable selection of sandwiches and brunch items on the weekends. This compact café is perfect for doing work or enjoying a quiet day as even when it’s full, the well-behaved clientele of stylish yuppies keep their conversations hushed.

For a café with a name so focused on the main substance found in a cup of joe, you’d expect it to be a coffee purist’s haven with odd names for drinks with different amounts of milk. But Department of Caffeine is nothing like that; instead it’s got a great selection of light meals and lovely desserts to go with your coffee drinks, which aren’t confusing to order at all.

Its Pulled Pork Sandwich with Homemade BBQ Sauce ($13) was a mass of shredded vegetables and tender meat. The first bite holds a myriad of flavours – sweet, tangy and something almost floral, akin to lemongrass, to balance out the pork’s saltiness. The homemade sauce that lightly marinates the pork is the tangiest BBQ sauce we’ve tried, tasting almost Thai. With soft buns that soak up the flavours, this pulled pork sandwich is definitely not your typical café fare.

The Chargrilled Broccoli Salad ($9/11/13), lightly drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with flakes of chilli and garlic, came as a pleasant surprise. Chargrilled to add a certain depth to its flavour, the salad made for a savoury yet refreshingly juicy appetiser.

Though the Poached Salmon with Yoghurt & Dill sauce ($13/15/17) was cooked very well with its tender insides, it proved too salty even with its creamy sauce. If you’re really craving salmon, be sure to order it with the Sesame Soba Noodles Salad($9/11/13). The salad’s nutty and tangy flavour due to the sesame and citrus dressing, will even out and complement the salmon’s strong flavour.

Nothing like the dried-out muffins you find at Starbucks, the desserts at DOC are creative and made to complement your coffee. “You won’t find anything with layers of cream here. Everything is made to enjoy with coffee,” said Andrew.

The Pear & Amaretto Cake ($5) might be a unique pairing of flavours to most of us, but rest assured, both ingredients go great together. Leaving you with a wonderful nutty sweetness, its only improvement would be if the alcoholic presence of amaretto was more prominent. Be sure to get a strong cup of java alongside this cake as its dense, almost bread pudding-like texture grows cloying with each bite.

The standout dessert is definitely the Honey & Lavender Teacake ($4.50) – soft, moist and lovely with a latte. Delicately flavoured with lavender and topped with a complementary lemon drizzle that offsets the floral sweetness, it’s a must-try.

Providing the coffee beans is the Australia roaster Five Senses, the same roaster that supplies 40 Hands, a popular café in Tiong Bahru, that uses a heavier blend.

A great full-bodied blend, its deep roasted taste hits you at your first sip, giving way to a milder slightly sharper taste. This is a crowd pleaser with its versatile and palatable flavour.

They definitely justify their name by making sure to serve coffee from a variety of roasters other than the mainstay, Five Senses. Every month, DOC features a local and international roaster, this week’s being Nylon Coffee Roasters.

A rather unique blend that comes off as sweet, it’s marked by its strong acidic taste. The taste of milk in lattes made with Nylon beans are much more prominent than in Five Senses lattes, making it more suitable for those with a preference for a lighter coffee taste. Although, it might put people off with its evident sourness.

With so many cafes popping up around Singapore, it’s hard to distinguish the good from the mediocre. But DOC definitely has the formula for your new favourite café: a cosy environment, good food, even better desserts and, of course, a great cup of Joe.

Rating: 3.5/5

Price rating: 4/5

Contact details:

Address: 15 Duxton Road

Tel: 6222 4326

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 10:30 am – 7:30 pm
Sat – Sun: 9:30 am – 7:30 pm

From learning the essence of art in cuisine, grasping the business perspective of a budding entrepreneur and making sausages, the 1-day event covered a wide array of topics.

Even if you’re not an aspiring chef or planning to open a restaurant, here are 3 sessions we think might help you impress at your next dinner conversation.

Art in Cuisine

“I was trained to make carrots look like olives,” said Daniel Sia of The Disgruntled Chef. “But I believe that food should look like what they are. Carrots should not look like olives, and cucumbers should not look like dragons,” he said, earning laughs from the audience.

Together with Chef Janice Wong, owner of the 2am:dessertbar and 2am:lab, they collaborated to create a sweet and savory dish dubbed the “Garden Dessert”. Artfully putting together unlikely bedfellows watermelon, asparagus, carrots, bamboo shoots, with caramelized shallots, the pair then drizzled the ensemble with miso-caramel sauce.

It was a lesson in the importance of food presentation. Instead of relying on the ingenious disguising of food, Wong told UrbanWire that it was more important to “focus on the textures and colours. I also followed my philosophy of art on a plate, but now my new philosophy is food as art. Every chef needs a philosophy… You’ve got to find your own style and your own philosophy.” Wong was just named Asia’s Best Pastry Chef 2013, a new category created by The Diners Club® World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is also responsible for the listing of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Dispelling the common myth that dishes are either sweet or savory depending on whether we use “certain ingredients or techniques,” Sia explained that “I can use the same caramelizing technique for apple pies to shallots while retaining its original flavor.”

The Artisan’s Mastery of Fromagerie

Chef David Senia is a Michelin star chef who has worked in distinguished establishments from the Restaurant l’Oasis jn la Napoule, the Old Manila restaurant in Manila, Philippines, to the Ritz Carlton in Osaka, Japan. The bubbly 41-year-old may be dead serious about his craft, but he was kidding around so much that the 30-minute session flew by most pleasurably.

“Do you understand my French accent, by the way?” questioned Senia, “Good, because sometimes I don’t understand it myself,” he continued, to the roar of laughter from the crowd.

The current executive chef of 6-starred Capella Singapore, Senia gave full play to his down-to-earth and jolly personality, and kept the crowd captivated throughout the half-an-hour session dedicated to cheese as non-stop laughter filled the room.

Although his demonstrations of camembert cheese with vanilla, apples and deep-fried breaded goat cheese were impressive, when it came time for questions, a student asked, “How (can) I be like you, a funny chef?”

“How to be like me? Enjoy life. We are not pilots of airplanes, we are just chefs. We are not kings of the world, so just enjoy life,” answered Senia.

Being a Chef As a Profession

“Why do you want to be a chef?” Chef Edmund Toh, Assistant Vice President of Resorts World™ and President of the Singapore Chefs Association asked the students in attendance. “Are you forced to be a chef? Do you want to be a chef for the fun [of it]?”

As long as that driving force is right, and the chef is adaptable, Toh feels success will eventually come.

“To be a good chef, you can’t be too selective. You can start anywhere, from hawker centers to food streets and food carts, all the way to 3-star Michelin restaurants, so your palette has to adapt to all kinds of cuisines,” advised Toh.

After delivering a short inspirational talk on the positive attitude and personality that a chef should have, Toh proceeded with his demonstration on Thai food.

As he showed the audience how to make 3 variations of the same dish, ‘Chicken Rice Balls’ (bite-sized rice balls with steamed chicken inside), student volunteers went up on stage to gain some hands-on learning experience from the culinary expert himself.

The chef added Thai flavours to the rice balls – which were a twist on Singapore’s famous chicken rice – by making his own sauces using typical Thai ingredients such as chilli padi, lemongrass and Thai basil. The sauces were then used as dips for the rice balls.

“The chefs are basically teaching us common sense,” said Chong Ing Wei, 32, student from At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, “But it motivates us to work towards our goals and ultimately, hope to become as successful as they are in the future.”

From the left: David Senia, Janice Wong, and Daniel Sia

Drawing a successful crowd this year, organisers are already looking to next year’s Youth Chefs’ Day. Senia promised it will be “even bigger”, with more talents from around the world invited to share with the audience. So to gourmet enthusiasts who want to get their hands dirty and learn some culinary tips (or meet their celebrity chef idols), watch out for the next Youth Chefs’ Day.