Foods Picks: Eric’s Bistro reprises Italian classics and Cantonese pastries from Wan Hao Pop-Up, Food stuff News & Major Stories
Reprising Modesto’s favourites
Old classics and new dishes
Those people who skip the wood-fired pizzas at the now-shut Modesto’s can savour all those Italian flavours after much more at Eric’s Bistro in Hoe Chiang Street.
Immediately after Modesto’s closed in July, its team head chef, Mr Eric Cheah, 48, teamed up with other former colleagues to get started a new enterprise, Eric’s Bistro which opened in September 2020.
Most of the things on its menu would be common to Modesto’s regulars. The major difference is that the pizzas at Eric’s Bistro are cooked in an electric powered – not an wooden-fired, 1.
I obtain the Misto Carne ($23.50+) pizza fulfilling. The slender crust is crispy and the topping of pork salami, cooked pork ham, hen sausage and slices of in-home marinated hen thigh is tender and delicious.
A standout strike is the off-menu Grilled Calamari ($17.50+). Neglect the deep-fried Calamari, listed on the menu underneath appetisers. Insist on the grilled edition.
The bistro uses clean squid which is seasoned with spices influenced by the grilled skewers of Dongbei cuisine. Cumin and chilli powder give the squid aroma, flavour and just enough warmth. It does not need any condiments, but the dish arrives with the housemade garlic chilli dip that was a strike at Modesto’s.
The recipe arrived from Chef Cheah who was inspired by his Hainanese maternal grandmother’s recipe for chicken rice chilli.
An additional dish that is new to the bistro is the Spring Chicken ($24+). As a substitute of the pan-fried version at Modesto’s, the spring hen in this article is marinated right away in spices this kind of as fresh ginger, garlic, onion and curry powder. The curry powder is dusted off right before deep-frying, which stops the bird’s skin from receiving burnt. The spices totally permeate the meat which is juicy.
The parts right here are excellent for sharing and offer value-for-cash.
Other dishes to test are the Zuppetta Pesce ($16.50+), a tomato-based mostly soup with seafood. The venus clams are refreshing, not frozen and the bistro makes its very own clam stock.
A good dessert providing is the residence-manufactured Panna Cotta ($10+), manufactured with vanilla seeds handscraped from the pod.
The cafe currently features an opening advertising of 20 per cent off food items things for evening meal (3pm to 11pm) and 30 per cent off food things for lunch (11.30am to 3pm). The marketing ends Feb 28.
In which: 7 Hoe Chiang Road
MRT: Tanjong Pagar
Open up: 11.30am to 11pm everyday
TEL: 6592-4329
Sweet treats
Handcrafted Cantonese pastries
With egg tarts from Tai Cheong Bakery and Joy Luck Teahouse, do we will need an additional contender on the egg tart market place?
Of course, if they are from Wan Hao Pop-Up which retails hand-crafted Cantonese pastries manufactured by Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant’s culinary crew.
The egg tarts are produced with free of charge-selection eggs and primarily interesting are the Yam Egg Tart ($3.50 a piece) and the Red Bean Egg Tart ($3.50).
The yam egg tart has a layer of orh nee-like filling – Thai yam cooked with corn oil and sugar – less than the egg custard.
Japanese crimson beans – cooked for around an hour right until they are tender – are made use of in the crimson bean variation.
The Coconut Egg Tart ($3.50) is not bad as well, with shredded coconut lending a crunchy texture that complements the creamy egg custard.
Sadly, the Gula Melaka Egg Tart ($3.50) did not quite slash it as the aroma and style of gula melaka were faint. The filling tasted faintly of caramel much more than prosperous gula melaka.
The cookie crust of the egg tarts is slim however it retains up remarkably well. It is attainable to use a knife to area each individual egg tart with no it collapsing.
Other things really worth striving are the Baked Char Siew Bun ($3 a piece) and Wife Cake (Lao Po Bing, $3 a piece). Both come with generous fillings. The char siew filling for the bun, and the winter melon filling or the Spouse Cake are prepared in-property.
The Chinese Walnut Cookies (200g, $18 a jar) and Almond Cookies (200g, $18 a jar) are crispy. The almond cookies are paricularly addictive as they have a soften-in-the-mouth texture.
Most effective of all, the pastries are not extremely sweet.
The pop-up begun on Jan 2 and finishes on Feb 20.
The place: Java+, Level 1, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Resort
MRT: Orchard
Open: Jan 2 to Feb 20, 11am to 5pm. Available for walk-in buys for takeaway only. No pre-orders obtainable
TEL: Phone 6831-4605 for enquiries
Follow Hedy Khoo on Instagram @hedchefhedykhoo, and Straits Situations Meals on Instagram and Fb @straitstimesfood
