Wished you had a go-to place in a neighboring shopping mall you could head to whenever you are too lazy to cook? An affordable place with no need for pretense or a spot for casual communal gatherings? MEET Dining might just be that place for you if you happen to be in the Farrer Park vicinity!

We were recently invited to a media tasting event at MEET Dining in City Square Mall. "Meet" is a Japanese-French fusion restaurant which aims to serve quality food at an affordable price. From my understanding, this is a play on the actual word "meet" - a place where people gather, and a phonetical play on the owners' focus on "meat" specialties.

MEET Dining shared two of its specialties from their menu for this tasting event.

MEET's menu boasts a wide selection of seafood, meat cuts and craft beers. On this occasion, the team specially prepared two of their specialties, the Mussel, Prawn, Garlic Pan and Beef Tenderloin. For now, alcohol is served in bottles, but the owners have plans to bring in wines by the barrel and draught beer in the near term.

MEET Dining's Mussel, Prawn and Garlic Pan (S$20) is accompanied with a mushroom risotto.

My favourite dish goes to the Mussel, Prawn and Garlic Pan, accompanied with a mushroom risotto. This was nicely cooked with white wine and garlic cloves, bringing out the good fresh flavours from the mussels and prawns. Served on a metal skillet, this dish remained warm throughout dinner. The mushroom risotto was moist with generous servings.

MEET Dining's Beef Tenderloin (S$28) served medium rare.

The beef tenderloin was well seared and true to its medium rare preparation, served with a pinkish-red core. However, a good cut of steak should always be served on a hot plate to best retain heat, with due planning and consideration given to not overcooking the meats.

Be sure to check MEET Dining out the next time you are in the area and let us know what you think!

xx,
L

Steak has been a big part of my repertoire of comfort foods. It has always been shared together with the closest of friends and family, and my likeminded friends are on the constant lookout for newer and better steakhouses, not restricted to Singapore.



As part of celebrating L's return from her work stint in the Philippines, I decided to bring L to the highly raved Fat Cow for us to experience what they have on offer.



Despite hearing more about how their lunchtime wagyu dons are of great value, we decided to go for a steak dinner that is more befitting for this occasion.

We kickstarted dinner with a round of cocktails - an out-of-the-norm whiskey-based Fat Sour for L, and an aptly named Negroni-san for myself.

The sliced bream with black truffle was a great palate opening appetizer. The fresh bream sashimi was beautifully lightly seasoned, that left us in deep anticipation for the ensuing dishes.

OHMI Grade A4 Ribeye.

MIYAZAKI Grade A4 Striploin - This is labelled as the ‘champion cow’.

The highlights of our night were our medium rare cuts of A4 Ohmi ribeye and A4 Miyazaki striploin. Prepared before us in the central charcoal grill, interspersed with rising flames spurred by the drippings of fat, we savoured these simply with sea salt and the occasional dip in the accompanying yuzu sauce.



Both cuts were excellent and had that melt-in-your-mouth characteristics one would expect of steaks of this level, with the charcoal grill providing wonderful smokey overtones to the mix. However L and I both agreed that the Ohmi was the standout of the two, providing that fine balance between flavour and richness.



Couldn't resist pairing these steaks with Kinoko - sautéed Japanese mushrooms with sake, lime and butter, which added an extra dimension of creaminess to our meal.



We concluded our meal with some carbs in the form of a wagyu dashi chazuke, which is rice topped with mince, mixed in a clear Japanese broth - this came highly recommended by the staff. Surprisingly flavourful despite its clean disposition, and a nice touch to round off the flavours of the evening.



Definitely one of the best steaks we've had in Singapore. Highly recommended for couples seeking a little sanctuary in the heart of town for celebratory occasions.



D

Hong Kong has always held a special place with me. The territory has so many similarities with Singapore, but yet the differences are so stark. In part, it is because I have come across so many wonderful people from Hong Kong through my university days and my short professional life - many of whom I continue to hold dear to today. So much so that the annual family trip to Hong Kong is more a pilgrimage than anything else.

Coincidentally, I have ventured up north three times in the past year, each for entirely separate reasons - which in itself makes for distinct experiences. In May, I had the fortune of trying out the famed Kam's Roast Goose for lunch in Wan Chai with an old friend from my London days, just before rushing off, goose in tow, to catch my flight back to Singapore (and a near-connecting flight to Tokyo - a story for another day).

So when news hit that Kam's was making its first venture overseas to Singapore, I instantly raved to L about the country and all the wonderful experiences and places to visit. When L and I were wandering round Orchard last weekend, we were drawn to the crowds at Pacific Plaza and decided to give it a shot, at the expense of Tsuta next door.

The roast duck was definitely a worthy replacement for the traditional goose, though it didn't quite match that unique flavour you get with a goose. The fantastic plum sauce and wanton noodles, supposedly air flown daily, did somewhat make up for this shortfall.

The star of the show, in my opinion, was the toro pork. Albeit on the fatty side, the meat was oozing with melt-in-your-mouth goodness. As well, charred on the outside to give that extra boost of flavour. However, both L and I felt that the other meats we had, the soy chicken and roast pork, were rather standard.

Must say that the service staff made good effort in adding a personal touch, however their internal procedures remain far from being well-rehearsed. Though I am sure they will iron this out over time.

Hong Kong, we will be back.

D