Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill

Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill – 91 Tanglin Road #B1-01 Tanglin Place

My closest friends picked this place for my birthday bash with good reason; the dim lighting and cosy booth seats render this grill and bar an intimate hangout place, perfect for a chill and chat. Prices are a bit steep though, with a party of 4 racking up a $157.10 bill.

The generous Bread Basket was a clear indicator of the American-sized portions to come. The wonderfully mealy corn muffins were excellent with airy whipped butter while the amazing walnut muffin was rich, moist and full of nutty flavour. The soft, crusty hunk of bread was a little dry though.

The Combo Platter ($16) was a most substantial starter and would have been excellent to nibble at with a frosty beer in hand. The herby chicken was crisp and moist while the caramelised onions had a generous sugary sweetness. Fritters of tasty cheese and crispy potato wedges were excellent with garlicky aioli, smoky barbecue sauce or rich sour cream.

My order of Creamed Spinach ($5.50) drew a couple of raised eyebrows which gave way to appreciative sighs at its smooth, soft richness with a peculiar sweetish note. Do forgive the blurred picture, I still struggle with photos in low light as I hate using flash.

The Sweet Potato Fries ($5.50) were too unusual not to pass up and turned out to be a refreshing change from the typical potato. Delicately sweet and lightly crispy, the small bowl was finished while the fries were still piping hot.

The Crab Cakes ($21) had an herby, spicy depth that was enhanced by a Cayhenne-laced tartare dip. However, the pilaf rice it was served alongside seemed out of place.

Full-Slab Barbecued Ribs ($40) are a must have at such an establishment and the sizable slab did not disappoint. The sweet, tangy, caramelly glaze was delightful not just with the tender meat but also mopped up with lovely crisp Southern-style fries. The lightly-dressed coleslaw was as guiltless as the stuff comes too.

The Roast Chicken ($23) had a side of fluffy, garlicky mash to soak up the lovely chicken drippings once you're done with the tender Rosemary-infused bird.

The Key Lime Pie ($8.50) was a delightfully balanced creature with a buttery shortcrust complementing the citrusy-perfumed filling's tang.

The intriguing moniker of World's Smallest Sundae ($4.50) belied a less than interesting construct that was more whipped cream than frozen confection.

On the other hand, the Carrot Cake ($9.50) caused much oohing and aahing as the towering 4-layered cake had a heady sweet-spice flavour and a lovely creamy yet light icing. A little more desiccated coconut would have done alot for the cake's texture though.

Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Cuisine

Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Cuisine – 19 Cheong Chin Nam Road

Finally, I can have a Peranakan fix whenever I want with Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Cuisine – formerly of River Valley – opening an outlet a short drive from my place. Prices are reasonable and the menu is extensive, including some dishes I haven’t tried before. A feast for 3 amounted to $111.90.

The Achar ($1.50) and Keropok ($1) were served immediately but proved not to be complimentary. The pickles were good if not groundbreaking with crunchy vegetables in a tangy sauce that was at once pungent and fragrant. I would – however – decline the prawn crackers next time around as they were a little stale and lacked crunch.

The Bakwan Kepeting ($16) was exceptionally light with a delicately flavoured broth. The softy, meaty balls had an interesting textural twist as they were studded with bamboo shoot slivers.

I could only describe the Babi Pongteh ($10) as excellent with rich, thick gravy full of robust coriander flavour. The chunks of pork were bite-sized and meltingly tender despite their leanness.

The Beef Rendang ($12) won me over with its robust and flavourful rempah that had a layered amalgam of fragrant spices. The meat had good bite and was a perfect medium-well though the flavours could have been given more time to seep into it.

As always, I had to have an order of Ayam Buah Keluah ($12) which tragically fell short of the mark. The chicken was so bony that I have a clearer memory of picking scraps of meat from bone than actually eating it. That said, the nuts never fail to please with their earthy flavour woven into the notes of tamarind and anise, excellent with my rare indulgence of rice.

The Sambal Pomfret ($28) was wonderfully crisp and moist but it was the gravy that stole the show. Its flavours mature on the tongue with the initial burst of tart sweetness of tomato giving way to the smoky sugar of caramelised shallots followed by candlenut richness and finally the fading warmth of chilli like a setting sun.

The Sambal Kangkong ($8) was delightfully crunchy and had a good spicy kick as well as resonating character from a generous amount of belacan.

While waiting for dessert, we snacked on a small order of terrific Ngoh Hiang ($8) which was light, crisp and not at all oily; perfect if you have just a little space left. The five-spice-powder-laced parcels were stuffed with a moist, meaty filling of pork mince, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and a generous amount of diced shrimp that accorded a subtle sweetness even without the sugary sauce accompaniment.

With a touch of salt accentuating the smoky caramel of palm sugar, the Chendol ($3.50) proved itself as the genuine article. Mildly rich from a dash of coconut milk, chock full of red beans, grass jelly and green mung bean gelatine bits; this dessert was extremely satisfying.

Gula Melaka Sago ($3) is one of my favourite desserts but this rendition proved most disappointing. I believe it was the coarsely-shaved ice that did it in by hardening the pearls of sago and thinning everything as it melted. Perhaps they’d consider drawing inspiration from the best gula melaka sago I had in Penang about a decade ago; it comprised a soft, round cake of lightly-chilled sago doused liberally with liquid palm sugar, ginger juice, the barest touch of coconut cream and garnished with a sprig of mint. Nothing I’ve had in all the years since then has come close.

The Puloh Hitam ($3) fared much better with a rich sweetness and thick, sticky consistency reminiscent of hot fudge sauce. The bits of glutinous rice giving this dessert its name were also soft and chewy, not hard as I have often experienced.

The Kueh Pisang ($2) piqued my interest and I was delighted by the unusually coarse, slightly mealy texture of the mung bean custard studded with chunks of tart banana.

Khmer Delight

Khmer Delight – 922 Upper East Coast Road

While Thai and Vietnamese food has hogged the limelight over the past few years, Cambodian food has yet to establish as strong a following; which is surprising as it is amazing! Khmer Delight is – to date – the only authentic Cambodian restaurant in Singapore, tantalizing taste buds with the cuisine’s refreshing lightness, refined delicacy and milder spice as compared to her more mainstream cousins. Prices are comfortable with a full dinner setting me back $45.75.

Service here is a fine specimen with my cheerful and dynamic waitress brimming with suggestions and recommendations. A distinct personal touch is evident from how a rapport is established with each and every person entering the restaurant, be it by humoring an excited infant or attempting to guess my ethnicity.

I whet my appetite with the Chicken and Banana Blossom Salad ($7.90). The sweet and tangy dressing was exceptional with a delicate spiciness blooming on your tongue for a millisecond at first crunch before dimming to gentle warmth, much like a firework display. I loved the fact that the chicken was not dry or tough but soft and rather moist. Together with banana blossoms, crunchy cabbage, a scattering of refreshing mint leaves and pickled ginger, it made for a delightfully light start to the meal.

Off to a strong beginning, I attacked the Beef Lok Lak ($14.90) with gusto. This signature Cambodian dish is almost indistinguishable from a really, REALLY good stir-fried black pepper beef. The generous portion of thickly sliced lean beef had good bite while remaining tender and was tossed with sugary-sweet, delightfully crisp chunks of bell pepper and onions. However, the knockout punch would have to be the smoky, warm and syrupy pepper sauce lying in a gorgeous, glossy sheen over everything.

The Fish Amok ($11.90) came next in quick succession. Despite what its intriguing moniker might suggest, there was nothing chaotic about this utterly beautiful dish. Unlike the typical homogenous fish-paste otah most are used to; the Cambodians opt for meaty chunks of firm fish buried like nuggets of treasure in a rich, chili-and-spice infused coconut cream custard. While a little overwhelming on its own, the wobbly custard is nothing short of divine when messily scooped up with crunchy prawn crackers.

I brought my meal to a close with Banana and Sesame Fritters with Ice Cream ($6.90). Apparently, bananas grow abundantly in Cambodia and no part of the plant goes to waste. Banana blossoms went into the salad; banana leaves were used to wrap the fish amok, imparting a delightful flavor; now the fruits take centre-stage in my dessert. Black sesame seeds added a wealth of dimension to the crispy coating of the fritter which was thick, serving a dual purpose of not turning soggy too quickly and providing a layer of thermal insulation between the piping hot banana and cold ice cream. I have no idea how they managed to get a hot banana robed in warm pastry but it worked out beautifully. The banana itself was more sour than sweet, relying on the ice cream for sugar quotient, resulting in a symbiosis between fruit and frozen confection of not only temperature but taste as well. In short, it was absolutely delish!