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A tale of two pastas : Nuffnang-Pizza Hut's Taste, Blog and Win Contest

2010-08-24T21:57:00.035+08:00

Pasta.

What are the first few words that come to your mind when you hear that word?

"Comfort food", " Delicious", "Lip-smacking good" and "Rich" are just some of the phrases.

Pasta is all of that and more, simple in essence but difficult to master.

So I had the privilege to be invited to this pasta-tasting event organized by Nuffnang and PizzaHut at this cozy Pizza Hut outlet in Suntec City, at which Pizza Hut would unveil two of their latest flavours to twenty fortunate food bloggers, just a single day before they would be available to the public.

Arriving at the venue at 6.30 pm, we were ushered into the restaurant, where I was surprised to find that 16 of the 20 bloggers present were women ( a full 80 percent !) So it does seem that, much more than other dishes, pasta seems to be a woman's dish.

*Starters*

Back to the event- at 6.50p.m. , little time was wasted and the starters were immediately brought out- the Tofu salad which consisted of numerous cubes of fishcake, not tofu as mentioned, accompanied with fresh greens- certainly a most refreshing start to the meal.

Rating:7/10

Next up was the usual plate of sweet ‘n’ spicy drumlets, criss cross fries, calamari rings and scallop rolls which was absolutely delicious.

Rating:8/10

*Main Course*

Finally, at 7.15 pm, the the much awaited Parchment Pastas were served. 2 pastas were to be served, both very different in character and style.

First up was the Char-grilled Chicken Parchment, which, as the name suggests, came contained in a tightly wrapped parchment held together by a single peg. The presentation style was pretty unique- Think about it- How often do you see pasta wrapped up like this? Not only is it refreshingly innovative, this method of cooking/serving the pasta also enhances the flavours by keeping them well-contained. Unwrapping the parchment is also a unique experience- almost like opening a wrapped present to catch a glimpse of the treasure within.

Upon carefully opening the parchment, a fragrant garlicky aroma wafted out, immediately whetting my appetite . I inspected the dish. It looked most appealing, consisting of a cream-based pasta infused with generous amounts of char-grilled chicken, turkey bacon, fresh button mushrooms, garlic and capsicums.

Char-grilled Chicken Parchment -$11.90 - smooth and flavourful !

Taking the first bite, I was overwhelmed with the delicious flavours of the cream base, as well as the garlic, capsicum and other ingredients which blended harmoniously together. The noodles were smooth and certainly well-cooked- not too soggy or hard, while the slices of grilled chicken were delightfully tender. This dish certainly hits the umami spot- it is appetizing and flavourful without being too rich or salty.

Rating : 8/10

Spicy Seafood Parchment -$12.90 - spicy and appetizing !

The next dish to be served was the much anticipated Spicy Seafood Parchment which consists of linguine in a spicy tomato sauce sauce served with fresh mussels, prawns and squids. The dish came served with several slices of chili padi added to it which would certainly up a notch where spiciness was concerned.

Upon opening the parchment with great enthusiasm, I realized that the aroma wafting from it was noticeably fainter than that of the Char-grilled Chicken Parchment, most likely due to the absence of garlic. .

Upon taking the first bite, the sour, spicy and slightly sweet flavours leapt out at me. The dish was loud, exciting and attention-grabbing.. I found the level of spiciness to be quite-moderate, and not overly spicy, as the dish is probably catered to the average customer. The spicy tomato-based sauce went perfectly with the mussels and linguine in a most appetizing manner. However something seemed to be missing- the seafood flavours present seemed to be rather mild, not quite as strong as I would have liked it to be. Instead the tomato-base was overwhelming- appetizing nonetheless, but would have been more tasty with a greater seafood flavour.

This dish would certainly find favour with more more adventurous palates, as compared to the Char-grilled Chicken Parchment, more suitable for those who prefer cream-based pastas.

Rating: 7.5/10

*Desserts*

After two most fulfilling pasta dishes, it was time for dessert. Slices of oreo cheesecake and banana chocolate mousse were served, being fonder of cheesecake I naturally preferred the oreo cheesecake. The only problem was that, by this point of time, most people were already too full to fully enjoy the desserts.

Rating: 7.5/10

Time passed rather quickly and at 8.15 we gathered for a final group photo, ending a most enjoyable night of feasting.

Many thanks to Nuffnang and Pizza Hut for organizing this event !

What are you waiting for ? Get down to pizza hut to savour these mouth-watering creations !

*Afterthoughts*
Although I felt that the event was generally well-organized and enjoyable, I have several suggestions for possible improvement.

- Reduce the serving size of the pasta. The serving portion seemed to be the usual serving size which was too much as there were 2 different servings to be served. In the end this led to a fair amount of wastage. The serving size should be reduced to 60-70% of the normal portion and this makes it more unlikely that one would be too full to consume much of the second pasta.

- Serve the Spicy Seafood Parchment first. Being spicy and more appetizing than the other pasta, this dish would help to whet one's appetite. I don't think that serving the cream-based pasta is such a good idea as cream-based pastas tend to make one feel full more quickly, reducing one's appetite for the next dish.

Steamed fish: simple yet satisfying

2009-01-07T19:05:00.007+08:00

Had this for dinner today.

Steamed ikan kurau fish with a slightly sweet gravy poured over it and topped with lettuce. Although it looks simple, the dish was actually quite satisfying- the meat was soft and succulent, flavoured by the gravy while the lettuce provides a refreshing touch.

Dish of the week: Chicken curry, Indonesian style !

2009-01-05T19:31:00.010+08:00

This delicious dish was prepared for dinner tonight.

Unlike Indian curries, Thai, Malay and Indonesian curries are generally based on a mixture of local fresh herbs such as lemongrass, galangal, coriander leaf, fresh tumeric, lime leaves and coconut. Common Indian curry spices of cinnamon, cumin or coriander seeds are seldom used.

This dish is extremely appetizing, with a strong fragrance of lemongrass and spices, but not too spicy. This is the dry type of curry, which does not have any gravy, but instead has a dry paste which is equally tasty. Every piece of chicken is rich with flavour and spices, such as onion, lemongrass, tumeric and many others. It is rather similar to the beef rendang being sold at indonesian restaurants outside. Not as spicy as some other curries, but every bit as yummy.

Ingredients for making the curry paste: sugar, salt, ginger, spring onion, lemongrass, tumeric, onions, chili.

Dinner at NYDC

2009-01-01T14:55:00.002+08:00

Went to NYDC at Wheelock place for a simple dinner. The outlet was already fairly crowded by the time I got there.

NYDC is a fairly well-known chain of cafes selling western dishes such as pasta, pizza, baked dishes, salads and other main courses. Its outlets have a laid back design with a trendy feel to them.

The service was prompt and the food arrived quite quickly. Ice water was also served free of charge.

First up was the lemon drink ($6.95) A tangy lemon sherbet with the perfect balance of sweetness and sourness, this drink is a must-try. An excellent start to the dinner.

Rating:9/10

Next was the meatball spaghetti($15.50), one of their recommended dishes. However the dish turned out to be slightly disappointing overall- the pasta was quite decent with the tomato base giving it a welcome sweetness but the meatballs were a little too dry and tough, maybe even a little fatty. Simply not juicy enough. Overall rather mediocre.

The portions also seems to have been reduced somewhat since my last visit.

Rating:6.5/10

Not sure if I would return any time soon as the dishes are quite mediocre, but the drinks are rather good. The pricing isn't exactly cheap either.

Food:6.5/10
Ambience:6.5/10
Service:7/10
Value:6/10

Stir fried chinese noodles

2008-12-31T12:48:00.005+08:00

This plate of noodles was prepared by my Indonesian maid for lunch.

This dish is suitable when you don't want to have too heavy a meal, but at the same time also want something that is fairly satisfying and tasty.

Much tastier than it looks, the noodles burst forth with peppery flavour. The minced pork is well-marinated and tasty while the vegetables go well with the springy noodles. The bits of fishcake serve to enhance the overall flavour. Small pieces of lemongrass also add a faint fragrance to the dish. The addition of a few prawns would certainly be welcome.

Ingredients: Noodles, some vegetables, minced pork, fishcake, garlic, light sauce, sesame oil, lemongrass, pepper.

What's your favorite cuisine?

2008-04-21T09:55:00.005+08:00

My favorite cuisines are Thai, Indian and Italian.

Thai cuisine combines a fantastic variety of spices. Dishes like green curry chicken, pad thai and pineapple rice are difficult to resist.

Indian cuisine also has a wide variety of spices. Butter and yoghurt are frequently used. Having tried North and South Indian cuisine in Mumbai, I certainly preferred South Indian cuisine- more rice based and seafood, compared to North Indian, which is more bread-based.

Italian cuisine uses many spices and herbs for tasty cooking. Pasta, pizza and ravioli..

What are yours? Do vote on the newly created poll.

Brownies

2008-04-17T17:14:00.005+08:00

Q Bread's brownie for only $1.40. It is indeed quite a large slice. It is a pretty decent brownie- the chocolate flavour is fairly strong and it is also quite buttery..

Comments needed !

2008-04-01T11:09:00.005+08:00

Traffic here has been very sluggish lately...need some comments.

-How do you find this blog?

-What would you like to see?

-Any suggestions to attract more viewers?

new blog

2008-03-20T18:47:00.001+08:00

Started A new blog just for cheesecake here

Sweet indulgences

2008-03-06T09:40:00.014+08:00

Went to Sweet indulgences at Stanley road with a group of people for dinner. This restaurant serves a wide range western food from seafood to grills. This is the external signboard The lighting inside the restaurant was slightly too dim for my liking, although it does give the place a slight cosy touch.

Cabinets full of bottles of wine opposite of where we were seated.

We were given complementary drinks. This is a combination of pear juice and Zeppel- quite nice, but would have been nicer with a sour touch. Maybe adding a bit of lemon juice would be nice.

The first appetizers- Sauteed mussels. Pretty tasty, as they were firm, fresh and full of flavour.
7.5/10

The 2nd appetizer- spicy garlic prawns. One of the more tasty dishes- the amount of cut chili added was just right to give it the flavour it needed. Prawns were fresh and crunchy.

8/10

There was also another appetizer of Sauteed mushrooms- nothing special about those..

It was rather unfortunate that several of their best dishes were sold out, including the lamb, Warm Choco Lava Indulgence and the soups..

Chicken cordon bleu ($25.90)- not ordered by me. Fried chicken supposed to be stuffed with cheese and ham although the cheese seemed to be missing.

Codfish with pesto sauce, not ordered by me either. Looks nice.

Spaghetti carbonara ($14.90), which I ordered. Sadly this version was slightly watered down- the cream sauce is nice but it was a little too soupy. Also, it was not flavourful enough and the pieces of ham were too few..

6/10

Beef tenderloin, also not ordered by me. But a fairly tasty dish.

The final desert- a chocolate brownie topped with vanilla icecream. A fairly decent finish to a long meal..

7/10

The total bill came up to $204 for 9 people which is fairly good value for money. Service was a little slow though-it took a full 45 minutes for my main dish to arrive..

Ambience:7/10
Service: 6.5/10
Food:7/10
Value:7/10

Sweet indulgences
2 Stanley Rd

Feel free to comment..

2008-02-25T18:15:00.005+08:00

See my review here

Update

2008-02-22T22:47:00.001+08:00

Trying to revive this blog so stay tuned.

2008-02-21T18:53:00.001+08:00

Lunch at Macau express in Expo. This eatery serves chinese food with portugese influence, like baked rice, portugese egg tarts, tea and other stuff

Some noodle soup with prawns-

Chicken chop baked rice ($7.90). Not bad, with many ingredients. The sauce was quite tasty. Fairly good value. 7.5/10

Baked rice with pork chop- another tasty dish, but the chicken baked rice is still tastier.

hokkien mee

2007-11-19T11:37:00.001+08:00

Following a friend's recommendation, I went to Far East plaza to try some hokkien mee..

Sure enough, it was indeed pretty good. For $3.50, you get a decent plate of Hokkien mee. The noodles are very smooth and burst with flavour and prawn stock although they are slightly too savoury for my liking. The chili is good but can be improved on. Slightly surprised not to have any lime. But still a very appetizing plate of noodles.

8/10

Cahaya Muslim restaurant
Level 5 Far east plaza

Different taste restaurant

2007-10-29T08:22:00.000+08:00

We ventured to Different taste restaurant along Frankel road in the east for dinner. Lo and behold it was extremely crowded, nearly full. Opting for a fast and simply dinner, we ordered 3 dishes. Service was quite fast- food only took about 10 minutes to come

Penang Char kuay teow- This is one of the best I have tried. The noodles are well-flavoured with pieces of chicken, prawns and egg and plenty of chili. Very appetizing, but not overly spicy.

9/10

Lady's fingers with sambal and prawns. Another tasty dish with a strong sourness but nothing to rave about. Rather spicy indeed.

7.5/10

Honey pork ribs- The pork ribs were crispy and perhaps a bit too sweet, but still quite satisfying.

7/10

The total bill came up to $23.50 for 3 which is quite reasonable...

A reasonable place to visit, but note that it doesn't serve plain water for free, which really isn't good.

Japanese

2007-10-27T09:40:00.000+08:00

Went to Tiong Bahru plaza's food court, which is one of the noisiest ever due to its poor design- most of the noise is trapped..

So I had the salmon set for $4.90 which comes with salad, miso soup and salmon with rice. It doesn't look so appetizing , but the rice was mixed with with a nice japanese sauce which made it tastier. The fish was rather bland though- would have been better with a lemon sauce. But still quite reasonable for the price.

7/10

nasi lemak

2007-10-26T10:14:00.001+08:00

had some nasi lemak at this stall at bedok south again- it's pretty decent and quite cheap for $1, but overall nothing fantastic. The rice isn't flavoured enough, but the other items are fine..

6.5/10

Delicious Fei fei wanton noodles

2007-10-23T11:22:00.000+08:00

I had tried this stall a few times before, apparently it is part of a franchise with other stalls in Joo Chiat. See here. This outlet, however, is in Bedok South.

For $2.50, u get a fair serving of noodles, char siew pork, 2 fried wantons and 2 dumplings. The noodles are soft, springy and fragrant. The chili paste is very appetizing and the noodles burst with flavour. Makes for a really satisfying meal and fairly good value for money.

8/10.

Fei Fei wanton mee
Bedok South market 01-101

Mee goreng

2007-10-20T07:56:00.000+08:00

This dish was actually spicy seafood mee, from a food court stall at parkway that also sells hokkien mee..

Indeed it looks very appetizing. This dish combines the flavors of sweet, sour and spicy. It is bursting with flavour but is rather oily. Also it doesn't help that the 3 prawns were unshelled (I managed to remove the shell with a fork) and the squid was rather bland too. But still a very tasty dish overall

7.5/10

Quote of the day update

2007-10-19T07:41:00.000+08:00

I added a javascript which allows the quote of the day to be changed automatically every day. Do check back often.

Dinner.

2007-10-18T23:46:00.000+08:00

Dinner at Crystal Jade Parkway with several friends. Fairly decent food but perhaps a bit too well-flavoured.

Some dishes ordered:

Roast chicken and duck- fairly well done.

Fried prawns in mayonnaise. Extremely crunchy and a good appetizer.

Claypot chicken, presumably with some wine. Another tasty dish, but not terribly good

Other dishes ordered: eggplant, soup, fried rice ($8.80+) which is one of the better dishes

7.75/10

Lunch

2007-10-18T23:35:00.000+08:00

Chicken biryani ($4.90) at Funan mall's food court (lvl 5). Surprisingly appetizing- the dishes are all freshly cooked. The chicken is tender and tasty.

8/10