one sunday morning, i was sitting in a quaint restaurant, enjoying a similar affability and ambiance that i remembered. for proud co-owners of the kitchen table restaurant & bakery, marcus and mei wan, it was their passion and dream of opening a restaurant coming into fruition.both the chef and baker were completely in their element as former was expediting at the open kitchen while the staff was putting together the sunday brunch menu dishes and the latter was brewing lattes and cappuccinos at the front counter where her vibrant baked goods flaunted themselves in the glass display.the quaint restaurant was styled in modern minimalist accented by industrial chic details of the white-washed brick walls, echoed by the arrangement of white tiles at the counters. several vintage industrial lamps and spotlights fill the dining space which were contrasted and complimented by the warmth of the wooden floors, tables and chairs . it was a classic theme - clean and simple but at the same time cozy as the sunday morning sunlight streamed in through the windows. a comfortable and relaxing space.the dainty sunday brunch menu proffered three options - which were all classic brunch selections but marked with 'the kitchen table' twists and of course, a selection of pukka tea flavors and espresso based cuppas.teas - pukka teas :: lemon, ginger & manuka honey (rm 9)served in a clear teapot, we gave it a few minutes as the tea steeped. {mh} took her first sips and thought it was very light in flavor (maybe too light) with an after taste to the tongue that dissipates after several seconds. out of curiosity, i tried a sip of it which funnily gave me an impression of fennel notes in the steep.

coffee :: latte (rm 9)adorned with coffee art, the latte smelled promising as the comforting familiar whiffs of the coffee emanates its way to a pleasant start to my brunch. as much as the aroma was lovely, the latte was alright with sharp bitter endnotes - not quite the best but not bad.

sunday brunch :: chamomile french toast crunch, cornflakes, macerated strawberries, gula melaka syrup (rm 19)two pieces of thick cut toast (brioche, perhaps?) soaked in the egg-milk mixture infused with chamomile (it maybe that i tasted the addition of buttermilk too), caramelized in butter in a pan. the chamomile introduced itself at the first bite but quickly disappeared in the crowd of the other ingredients. but a few bites in and i think it needed more time in the pan to cook the center and to give it its crispy edges i desired.

it was a mark of ingenuity with the sprinkle of cornflakes for crunch although i wouldn't mind another small handful for more texture contrast. more than that, my favorite part was the bruleed sugar on the top side of the toast for additional crunch and pleasant caramelized sweetness of the sugar that contrasted the lightly tangy cream that was akin to mascarpone. i loved the twist with the use of gula melaka syrup to complete the french toast which exemplified the kitchen table restaurant's infusion of local ingredients in their menu. it was crunchy vs soft and tangy vs sweet done almost right. almost since i would have loved additional syrup to elevate the sweetness.

sunday brunch :: soft egg, streaky bacon, tomato jam, watercress & sourdough (rm 19)the base: sourdough slathered with excellent tomato jam, both made from scratch.
the bacon, perfectly cooked soft eggs and watercress salad were cushioned graciously.once again, the tomato jam stole the show (although i have to say the smoky, salty and crispy thick cut bacon came in as a very, very close second) with its sweetness weaving through the tartness of the tomatoes. partnering with the balanced flavor profile was the fresh crispness of watercress tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette. to top it off, the golden richness of the yolk coated each bite-fuls of sweet, salty, smoky and citrus-y herbaceous flavors to bring it to a full circle. a delicious ode to the classic breakfast favorite.the kitchen table restaurant & bakery's food philosophy was evidently reiterated in their creations, rooted in their respect and love for each ingredient in their new american approach infused with local ingredients. short conversations with marcus and mei wan hinted that the brunch/lunch/dinner spread may be expanded over time but kept to a single page menu with the possibility of seasonal menus. in fact, my second session at the restaurant is in the planning, and this time for lunch/dinner. i can't wait.

for full post and more photos: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-kitchen-table-restaurant-brunch.html

this plate of awesomeness deserved its own entry. it's been around since nov 2o13 but it was only about 8 months later that i stumbled upon this brunch delight on my instagram feed.

it was an immediate reaction. waffles always catch my attention effortlessly and the rest was history. i knew i had to a piece of it and quickly. thus, off i went to standing theory in ss2 that very weekend.all for this must-have dish: THE b.b.c. waffle.


we reached the cafe that was situated within a commercial row in the midst of the housing area and finding a parking space was a little challenging since parking was so limited and the road was narrow.the decor took on an affinity towards industrial minimalist with a splash of red punctuating the grey walls. similarly, the collection of mismatched tables, stools and chairs seemed to echo the theme with some injection of colors and finally finished with exposed bulb lamp to complete the story. i kinda adore the blackboard art on the menu behind the counter as well as the signs for the restrooms - a personal touchthe petite menu for brunch/ lunch (11 am - 4:3opm) was limited and all four items were unrelated and from different regions.my first impression, this cafe has the case of identity crisis. however, on the flip side, it offers enough variation and perhaps they only serve food that they are proud to have their reputation pegged onto - as they have admitted on their facebook page.

i think it took me longer to decide on the drink since the food was decided even before i got here. lol. btw, orders and payment are at the counter, cash only [#protip] but the food & drinks will be served at your table. glasses of plain water - self service at the counter, please.

drinks all day -- tea/chocolate :: earl grey | (rm 7)standing theory serves ronnefeldt tea which is founded in frankfurt by its namesake and it has been served in premium hotels and gourmet restaurants all around the world. {owy} seemed to enjoy the brew.

drinks all day -- white :: cappuccino | (rm 1o)their coffee menu offers flat white and cappuccino but no latte. however, the layer of coffee foam suggested this cup was more akin to a latte instead of cappucino. a lovely presentation with the coffee art and tiny cookie on the side. a decent cuppa joe but not as smooth and had a borderline over-brewed bitterness end note on the tongue.

lunch :: b.b.c. waffles | waffles, smoked bacon, banana, fat baby cornflake ice cream + gula melaka syrup (rm 16)

this was the classic case of savory + sweet combination, which is probably one of my favorite-est flavor profile.b.b.c.= bacon. banana, cornflakes ice cream.

say whattttttt?

what intrigued me more than the combination of the ice cream, waffles and bacon was the cornflakes ice cream. and the fact that it bore the name fat baby ice cream.

fat baby ice cream lovingly describes their cornflakes flavor as ::"we’ve all done it, soaked our cornflakes in the milk to get that slightly smoky milk flavour – that flavor is, what we believe, the best bit of eating cereal in the morning. This ice cream captures that and we’ve even added clusters of cornflakes caramelised with honey to boot. Truly a breakfast of champions in our books!"

how i see it, this dish could do no wrong. it has already won half the battle even before i tasted it with its main elements√ bacon {my motto: everything is better with bacon.}
√ waffle {well, it is my current obsession.}
√ ice cream {and a breakfast for champions one at that. 'fat baby' says so.}
√ banana { add something healthy to make us feel better}

first bite : yummmmm.. i smiled. *pause*
such satisfaction.the flavors of warm, smoky and savory, crispy bacon contrasted harmoniously with the cold creamy, slightly sweetened milk flavored ice cream with a the soft banana forked with waffle that absorbed some of the rounded sweetness of the palm sugar syrup. what made the dish special was fat baby's cornflakes ice cream which was as promised and i was pleasantly surprised with the occasional cornflakes that remained crunchy. it was reminiscent of frosted flakes in very cold milk.

i loved the bbc waffle despite the waffles itself was overcooked where its texture was crispy all the way through with burnt edges where i was hoping more of an airy inside encased by crispy shell. (fix this pleaseeeee!) it also made me wonder if the dish could be elevated with the banana caramelized.i have to admit that i am very biased towards savory + sweet combinations especially when it involves bacon and waffles. the b.b.c. waffle at the standing theory has clinched a spot on my favorite brunch food list and i can't wait to go back to have seconds. so i guess it doesn't matter if their menu only limited to four dishes for lunch cos i will always go back for the chosen one.

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.

more photos and full entry can be found at :: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/07/bbc-waffles-standing-theory.html

hallyu hit the global stage in 2oo9 and took the world by storm as the korean wave swept us off our feet in 2o11.

like the rest of the world, i was taken by everything k-related -- k-pop, k-drama, its language and the delectable foods, which was evident when korean fusion recipes hijacked my blog entries. the biggest highlights were my trips to seoul that solidified my love for its culture and country.

when i left seoul, i thought that was the end of my relationship with korean fried chicken and i had to force myself to forget about its yumminess although the cravings occasionally struck.that was what i thought until kyochon chicken {교촌 치킨} entered into my life in an unexpected way. thanks to {mh}, who had the same desire to taste that sweet, savory, succulent delights again; i yelped with joy at our find on the internet search (social media to the rescue once more!) to find that kyochon wasn't too far from us.

we were almost yodelling "korean fried chiiiiiiiiiiickiiiiinnnnnnnn" as we drove excitedly to the new wing of one utama, raced down to the lg floor across from cold storage to find our coveted chicken shack!much to our delight, there wasn't a queue, which was awesome cos we were starving. we knew that all we wanted was chicken wings but that was as far as we got as we looked at the menu. since we couldn't narrow it down, we just ordered all three of the flavors and waited patiently as we mumbled 'korean fried chiiickiiiiiinnn' under our breath.

beverages -- premium teas | natural sparkling yuza fruit tea (rm 5.9o)a pleasantly refreshing drink, yuza fruit tea (which i am guessing is yujacha {유자차} in korean ) is a citron tea sweetened with honey, which was highlighted in the essence of tangy citrus accented by a balanced fruity sweetness makes this a irresistible drink to put down on a warm day.

beverages -- premium teas | natural sparkling plum fruit tea (rm 5.9o){mh} picked the other premium tea on the menu but i had the better luck with my drink choice. this was slightly off putting and it didn't taste natural as the name would suggest. however, it was possible that it was an acquired taste to get used to the combination of tea and plum. i had a quick sip - it wasn't what i would have imagined the flavor to be -- i wouldn't have discerned it as plum in tea for my first taste but it was okay.perhaps it was the hunger. maybe it was us being impatient. or probably kyochon was fulfilling one of its three promises : no fast food, all natural and honest goodness because it felt like it took more than a couple of minutes before the chiiiickkkiiinnnnn finally made it to our table. i suppose that's justification enough. lol.what remains is the taste test!

original soy series :: wing & drumette (s) | crunchy and crispy chicken coated in our exclusive soy garlic glaze. warning: highly addictive! (rm 9.9o)a classic asian flavor profile, the original soy series was slightly sweet but stronger with the umami and soy saltiness with garlic nuances that was difficult to discern with its subtlety. it wears the familiar favorite flavors on its semi-crispy skin that encased the well seasoned meat that remained succulent and moist but not greasy. the small order consisted of 5 pieces of the chicken wing/drumette.

red series :: wing & drumette (s) | glazed with the original hot sauce made from korea's hottest chilli peppers! recommended only for the brave ones! (rm 9.9o)a departure from the usual, this would be a quick favorite with the heat seekers. the red series pack a spicy punch with a korean flair, highlighting their famed hot peppers where the heat persists after the sweetness of the sauce mellows out. a mouth-watering treat of sweet and spicy coating the slightly crispy skin that wraps around well seasoned moist chicken wings. it was a good amount of spicy (i love spicy food btw) and perfect intervals to go in between the savory sweetness of the other two series.

honey series :: wing & drumette (s) | marinated for 24 hours in our special seasoning, then fried to perfection and coated with natural honey sauce. sweet and sticky, but never runny. (rm 1o.9o)my favorite of the three! in comparison to the other two series, the chicken wings appears to be slightly bigger in size (also the reason why the extra dollar on the price tag). as i bit into the crispier skin, this series was prepared differently with a coating over the marinated chicken wings to give a satisfying crunch that was finished with a sweetness that countered the savory pieces of moist meat. the honey sauce left its sweet and sticky mark on the fingers -- ending with us licking our fingers as testament to its tastiness.honey series :: honey stick (s) | marinated for 24 hours in our special seasoning, then fried to perfection and coated with natural honey sauce. sweet and sticky, but never runny. (rm 1o.9o)similar to the chicken wings edition, the honey sticks are just the bigger version in the drumstick form. however, my personal preference is the wings just because the crispy skin to the meat ratio is higher in the wings makes it a more guilty but yummy pleasure.

kyochon 1991 has compelled chicken lovers with so many reasons to visit their establishment considering they are the no.1 chicken brand including winning the new york nbc's best wing award and was consistently chosen as the "best brand" for 11 consecutive years in south korea, to name a few. more than just chicken wings, their menu also offers salad and classic rice dishes for some variety.

for us, it's for the finger licking good, not-so-greasy, crispy yet moist chicken that would keep us coming back. especially when our korean fried chiccckiiinnnn cravings comes knocking.

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.

yeast and i parted ways on okay terms when we first met for dinner plans. and yet i could not stop thinking about what could have been with brunch. that was reason enough to prompt me to make plans for brunch at yeast as early as i could - the following weekend.

unlike my dinner experience, the morning crowd was a lot more bustling and the cafe could only offer us seats at the counter, which was perfect because that was was exactly where i wanted to be - i can see all the action go down during the busier shift of the day!
entering the cafe, we were greeted by shelves full of crusty and rustic breads where their beginnings were aptly described by the cafe's name. the smell of butter and the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries from the oven whetted our appetites as the melody screeching of the espresso machine performed a duet with the sizzling sounds from the pots and pans filled the petite cafe as we made our way to the counter seats.

the executive chef of yeast, chef clara champonnois was leading the breakfast/brunch/lunch service with precision and such skills at multitasking, her taking on similar role during my dinner last weekend. in fact, her attention to detail shone when she noticed that the fries were soggy and called for a new batch of fries to be freshly fried before expediting the dish to the runners.breakfast is served from 9am -3pm while the lunch menu for both cold and hot meals begins at 11am to 3pm. while {hr} had already decided on the egg benedict before we even got here, i was torn between a couple of dishes and if we waited for the additional 10 minutes, we'd have an even wider selection of french classics.

caffe vergnano since 1882 - espresso ricco :: latte | (rm 9)brunch is incomplete without a cup of my favorite espresso based drink - the latte. the comforting aroma of coffee hit the nose as i took my first sip. it was leaning slightly towards the bitter side implying that the espresso was over brewed slightly rendering the latte less creamy but i sure wished it was warmer. but a decent cup of coffee in the morning with a lovely foam art to boot!

breakfast - eggs :: oeufs cocotte | 2 soft baked eggs in a cocotte with smoked duck, gruyere cheese, toasted farmer's bread and greens (rm 16)i wasn't sure what to expect but i guessed that the cocotte would resemble a mini ramekin. as i pierced my fork through the melted cheesy layer of gruyere, the egg white oozes out, reminiscent of a half boiled egg. below the golden layer hides the chunks of smoked duck ham which gave it a savory, salty flavor to bring flavor to the rich combination of eggs and cheese. as i look into the petite cocotte, the rawness (and here i mean literally uncooked) of some of the egg whites persuaded me to also break into the runny yolk in order to mix all the ingredients together which was happened to be the perfect way to eat the dish, thank you very much perhaps, that was the chef's intention.the richness from the the runny egg yolk, the creamy undercooked whites combined with some of the cooked whites from the bottom of the mini ramekin, paired with the melted with a bitter undertone of gruyere and salty, savory, smoky chunks of duck is quite a yummy mouthful to dip with the toasted farmer's bread which tasted akin to a mild sourdough bread to cut through the richness. the combination of all the ingredients took part in a lovely complete play with the different textures each ingredient brought. the side salad was no slouch either, where the crisp, fresh greens were tossed in a light, fresh, lemony vinaigrette featured as the contrasting element on the plate.


breakfast - eggs :: ouefs poches benedictine | 2 soft poached eggs on brioche toast with smoked salmon or smoked turkey, bernaise sauce and greens (rm 18){hr} ordered the smoked turkey (although i wished it was smoked salmon) and offered a taste of his dish to which i gracefully accepted.i've always considered the test of a breakfast place is the chefs' skill at making poached egg in which yeast has passed with flying colors. from the taste that i had i liked the softness of the bread and the saltiness of the smoked turkey that paired rather well. {hr} seemed to have enjoyed his meal immensely that he almost licked his plate clean.

breakfast - danish & pastries :: brioche au chocolat | chocolate brioche (rm 5.50)at the nudging of {hr} , i wanted to try out their pastries and i wanted something sweet as my dessert substitute. i have a weakness for chocolate and it was either this or the pain au chocolat. and i figured that brioche might be slightly lighter than the latter. sadly, baked chocolate chips on the top of a bread usually spells burnt chocolate which was almost the case for this one and the brioche was borderline dry. i wished for more chocolate melty goodness was what i was looking here.

breakfast - danish & pastries :: chausson aux champignons | white button mushroom puff (rm 11)

the pastry that i didn't get a photo of turned out to be really delicious. the puff expanded like a mini balloon, proudly displaying the layers within the flaky golden brown shell that shielded the soft, chewy buttery insides. with the perfect amount of seasoning of the white button mushroom filling encased within the expertly made bread gets a yummy in my tummy vote

yeast definitely shone brighter in the morning than it did at night. since i've started the ranking system, they are the first cafe that imo deserves a 4 out of 5 forks for their brunch meals after espressamenta illy. offering a myriad of french classics all day, i am honestly tempted to take my food relationship with yeast bistronomy to the next level - by returning for more pastries and perhaps a shot at their lunch selections

like with every story, it always begins with the introduction..

...followed by getting to know each other....

yeast and i didn't start out awesome. in fact, yeast kinda played hard to get...

the first time i was looking forward to its brunch, i was greeted by closed doors because they decided to take the day off on a public holiday.even so, i didn't call it quits with yeast. instead, it made me want to eat there more. my determination did not waver and i had dinner plans there set in stone the week after even though my original intention was brunch. and boy, oh boy, was i so happy when they were opened for business.as the sun was setting for the evening, the petite cafe that predominantly shone in bright mustard yellow that matched the evening atmosphere was tastefully paired with chess tiled floor while the decor comprised of vintage paintings and chalkboards with daily specials. the yellow walls were complemented by the maroon furniture and light fixtures that were dimmed to create a cozy ambiance. in fact, it was reminiscent of what i'd imagine a french cafe in paris would be.the dinner menu selections, with their names in french (which i will probably never attempt to say them cos that would force me to butcher the beautiful language) offer from entrees to pastas. thank goodness for their translation to english so i could comfortably order my meal without having to guess what the french word means... 'parfait'!

since yeast is an apt name for a lovely french boulangerie, we were so happy to be served freshly baked, warm french baguette with a side of soft butter especially when two starving people are sitting by the counter where the chefs were creating yummy smells. i am not sure if it is a good thing that i could watch how many spatula-full of butter that goes into each dish even though butter makes everything better.the rustic bread had the crispy shell that encased the chewy soft bread insides that describes the plain original baguette, served with rich, creamy butter was the wonderful introduction to what yeast does best. the other variation of the baguette had a nuttier flavor from the seeds and grains which also gave an additional textural difference.

pasta :: spaghetti de fruits de mer "en mariniere" | seafood spaghetti, garlic, shallots, white wine parsley sauce (rm 40)pride fills me up when i could still remember that fruits de mer translates to seafood from french. adorned with two butterflied, shell-on shrimps, the pasta is tossed in a light white wine sauce with a generous serving of clams and squid subsequently garnished with chopped parsley.imparting a strong seafood flavor to capture the essence of the dish, the fresh shrimps and clams were cooked to perfection, parading its natural sweetness in the white wine sauce that whispered flavors of garlic and shallots. however, the calamari was slightly overdone (very slightly) making them a little bit chewy. the pasta was cooked al dente and seasoned wonderfully all around. surprisingly, the parsley was not as pronounced which i would have prefer since it could have brought a freshness and on top of that, it could have probably used a splash of fresh lemon juice or a sprinkle of lemon zest.

tldr version: good but it wasn't outstanding.

pasta :: risotto de courge et confit de canard copeaux de parmesan | butternut squash & duck confit risotto, shaved parmesan cheese (rm 42){owy} offered a taste of her risotto which i was very excited when she did. the dish represented such beautiful colors that mimicked the colors of my favorite-est season, romantic fall.

the tender and flavorful savory, gamey duck confit that was further accentuated by the flavorful stock the creamy but undercooked risotto. the butternut squash lent a lovely sweetness that was contrasted by the stock and the sharpness of the parmesan. the flavor profile represented a delicate yumminess and could have been something really stunning if not for the slightly crunchy risotto.

post-entree, they presented us with the dessert menu and it was a challenge to say no. it was just easier for me to give in and just pick one to share to officially complete the whole dining experience.

it came down to madeleines chaudes, profiteroles or the souffle but after discussions with the waitstaff, souffle was our pick.

cheese & desserts :: souffle au chocolat, glace noisette | valrhona chocolate souffle, hazelnut ice cream (rm 22)
the dessert menu warned that the souffle would take an additional 15 minutes to bake.we asked the waitstaff if we really had to wait for 15 minutes but he promised it would be done 10 minutes..lol (not that we were pressed for time, we were just wondering) when it was served, i was ecstatic to see how high the souffle puffed & rose where a hazelnut ice cream quenelle pierced the soft, airy, pudding-like chocolate delight, gradually melting in the warm nest of chocolate. funnily, souffle actually means puff in french.

checking off all the criteria that makes an ideal souffle, this chocolate souffle had a melting texture, with a barely cooked and soft, creamy center hidden within the light and high dessert although there were occasional crunch from the sugar. rich on the chocolate creaminess which was great but unfortunately, it was cloyingly sweet that took away what was right about the dessert. the hazelnut ice cream added to the sweetness too which didn't help in this case.

one guy whom i can only guess is the owner of the restaurant came up to us and asked us if we enjoyed the meal to which we responded that the dessert was too sweet in our opinion for our liking. it was very proactive of the restaurant owner to collect feedback from his diners, and return to the back of the kitchen to try out the batter to reconfirm with our comments to share with their pastry chef to see if they could further improve their quality.


yeast bistronomy (bistronomy is coined from the combination of bistro and gastronomy) featured the makings of yummy plats français (french dishes) where the classics shine through the skills of the people behind the stove albeit the pricing is a little steep. i know i'd love to go back for the risotto but this time it will be all mine!

even after our dinner experience, i still had intense cravings to get back to yeast for brunch which was the story for the weekend that followed. so wait for it in the next entry for yeast at brunch

find more photos and original post at http://sians.blogspot.com/2013/10/yeast-bistronomy-at-night.html