Awfully dark, awfully bitter, awfully good chocolate

Rich Chocolate Cupcake (in an "exhibition" solo box), Awfully Chocolate, Ion Orchard, Singapore

CHOCOLATE HASN’T really stood a chance to make me weak in the knees.

Okay, I guess there must’ve been at least one wobbling on record somewhere.  But for the most part, chocolate has never really made me hardly speak or lose my self-control.

And then I came across Awfully Chocolate at Ion Orchard.

Their very straightforward menu – just cakes, cupcakes, ice cream, truffles. It's the "cold poached chocolate" that caught my eye.

 

So the bestsellers are the "Super Stacked Chocolate Cake" and the ice cream.

 

Kahlua Bars

 

Dark Chocolate Truffles

 

Cold Poached Chocolate

Now I’m speechless and knocked right off of my feet.

I’m big on cupcakes.  That’s one of the things I miss most about home.  And seeing “Rich Chocolate Cupcakes” staring back at me at Awfully Chocolate’s stark counter top display, I couldn’t help but hear, “Bite me.”

Rich Chocolate Cupcakes

 

There are White Chocolate Cupcakes too.

 

I haven't tried this one yet!

Going along with the dialogue developing in my head – believe me, that almost always happens when I wait in line – I fixed the cupcake with a stare, quite obviously taking the bait, and telepathically snapped back, “Why so lonely in the window?”

Don't they look so pretty?! Pretty scrumptious.

I asked the pretty counter girl about their cupcakes and she said, “They’re moist chocolate cake with a rich dark chocolate frosting.”  I don’t think I need to add to that.

This cupcake is such a tease...

But standing right in front of a tub of their Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, I knew I needed to add to my order of 10 of their luscious-looking cupcakes.  I just had to have a scoop to see me through the wait.  Intense pleasures.

Their boxes and packaging could very well be at home at Chanel.

 

Awfully Chocolate has these laminated "Chinese takeout boxes" to scoop their ice cream in.

 

 

The same boxes are perfect for their Kahlua Bars and Dark Chocolate Truffles.

 

But as I've said, they're perfect for the ice cream.

 

This was my first one!

 

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Nothing like the presents

Send-Off Gift from Sonja L. Ocampo, Chef and Owner, Cupcakes by Sonja, The Serendra Piazza

WE CAN think of countless good reasons under the sky for giving.  But the sweetest one may be for no reason at all.

Or when it is meant to send someone off well.

A message from Sonja. She wasn't in the store when I stopped by (it was already very late). But she had left instructions to her girls about my box of presents. Sweet =)

——-

“Are you bringing that with you to Singapore?”

My youngest brother asked, nonchalantly, in between taking up spoonfuls of the scrumptious dinner that I made, his eyes set in a fixed glassy stare at the object in question.  I lifted my first-edition Nokia XpressMusic – its original casing cracked near the power-on button and its screen broken on the right side – and brandished it with the response, “But of course!”

A couple of days later, I got a text from him asking me to meet him up at Greenbelt 3 where he was hosting dinner for about twenty architects, engineers and interior designers who worked with him on his latest (successful) project.  I didn’t want to intrude so I asked to be met outside the restaurant.  He got out and handed me a brand new Blackberry Bold 9780.  “Thoughtful,” I immediately said to myself.  Not so much because of the gesture of giving me a gift, but more so because he knew I wouldn’t like the Blackberry Torch.  I’ve never been into sliding phones.

Actually, I’ve never been into gadgets.  With cell phones, as long as I could text and handle calls, I’m perfectly fine.  And I’ve never received one as a gift.  So I was really surprised.

Why am I thinking of this anecdote?  Yesterday marked my third month here in Singapore.  And I couldn’t help but look back to all of the presents I did receive days before I got on that Singapore Airlines flight.

Sometimes it’s nice to reminisce.  Here are some of them.

Brand new Blackberry Bold 9780 from my youngest brother. The other one, the "Curve", was for my other brother.

 

I love that the Blackberry came with a free holster.

 

Sonja makes the best cookies!

 

...And of course, cupcakes! They're the very reason she put up her pioneering store in the Philippines!

 

From Thea, an Onitsuka Tiger bag, "handmade to the highest standards!"

 

And from Batman himself... another Batman!

 

 

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Awfully Chocolate

Awfully Chocolate, ION ORCHARD, Singapore

ON MY list of next must-try places is Awfully Chocolate at ION ORCHARD.  They have an extensive handwritten menu on boards outside the store and on their wall that when I first read, made me feverish enough to convulse.  How could I not shiver upon reading a seeming culinary paradox as scrumptiously sounding as “cold poached chocolate”?

That may be fancy, but it was the sight of the seriously chocolate cupcakes that pushed me over the edge.  I got to go back.  Soon!

Care for cold poached chocolate, anyone?

 

Truffle cake! Kahlua bar! And the best? It's "chocolate by weight"!

 

 

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

A couple of weeks on a gastronomic merry-go-round

Carousel on a full page of the I-S Magazine Restaurant Guide 2011. Behind it is my kikki.K Daily Notes, and the Korean red string bracelet from The Boy Wonder. Interestingly, the bracelet took the shape of a "C"... for Carousel!

I VIVIDLY remember being on a carousel ride only once in my life.  I never knew I’d make up for it big time as an adult.  For 13 days.

Carousel, the international buffet restaurant on the ground floor of Royal Plaza on Scotts, 25 Scotts Road Singapore, afforded me a couple of weeks to indulge in my unbridled, lustful passion for good food.  It was as if I was guaranteed a seat on an amusement ride that, much like the actual animal seat mounted on posts, moved me up and down, galloping towards all the edible art my heart, soul, and tummy could handle.

Royal Plaza on Scottts... where the magic carousel ride brought me to a memorable gastronomic adventure.

 

Fresh flowers floating in a bowl of water greet guests at the restaurant entrance.

 

One of many blown glass chandeliers that hang from Carousel's ceiling.

 

A view of the dining hall

An ad printed on the pages of I-S Restaurant Guide 2011, published by Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd., gives credence to Carousel’s rightful place in the food mecca that is Singapore:  Best Buffet Restaurant in Singapore by The Straits Times, Best Buffet Restaurant in Singapore by AsiaOne People’s Choice Awards, and 1 Gold, 6 Silver & 2 Bronze medals at Food & Hotel Asia.

Clearly, my sneaking suspicion that I wasn’t alone in appreciating this place and raving about it is warranted.  Actually, Friendship, upon learning that I would be billeted at Royal Plaza on Scotts, was quick to send me a text message saying something like, “that’s the one with the nice buffet!”

Halal-certified and catering to just about every imaginable kind of diet or picky eater, Carousel’s extensive breakfast spread gave me my much needed kick-start to my hectic days.  With my olfactory nerve stimulated by the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries (the mini-muffins were just so pretty!), my eyes allowed to view an otherwise overcast day through pastel-colored macarons, and my ears attuned to the rhythm of slotted turners making omelets to-order, it was easy to understand why, even if I would catch my zzz’s very late into the night, I didn’t ignore my wake-up call to make it to breakfast.

Muffin love! Cranberry, Apple Crumble, and Double Chocolate Chip muffins made fresh daily! Brother loves these!

 

Macarons!!! Simply the best. From the foreground – coffee, pistachio, hazelnut cream, green tea, and caramel.

 

My first mushroom and cheese omelet being made by the very accommodating, very pleasant chef. Forgot his name! I think it starts with an "S".

 

The chef allowed the button mushrooms to render their goodness in a little clarified butter.

 

The freshest eggs and grated mozzarella cheese were added and voila! My mushroom-and-cheese omelet was ready!

There was never enough time to cover as many of the stations as I wish I could, so I ended up gravitating towards my favorites – the noodle station, the dimsum spread, the wide array of bread, butter, jam and jelly, the egg station (for omelets and eggs over easy), and the fresh fruit juice bar.

I would come to Carousel for my first bites of the day but I would always remember it not only for the great food but also – if not more importantly – for the amazing chefs, staff and crew.

Carousel is open daily for beakfast (6:30 – 10AM), lunch (Mon – Fri, noon – 2PM / Sat – Sun, 11:30AM – 2PM), high tea (3:30 – 5:30PM), and dinner (6:30 – 10:30 PM).

My mushroom-and-cheese omelet shared space with a slice of roast beef cold cut, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, chicken cheese sausage, a slice of white bread, and a breakfast roll.

 

I ate the white bread with the roast beef and sausage. The roll, I tore piece by piece and stained with lots of unsalted butter. Yum!

 

Clockwise from bottom left: Mushroom Ragout, Char Kway Teow, Steamed Phoenix Roll in XO Sauce, Chives Swee Kao, Chicken Cheese Sausage, Julienne of Chicken with Tomato Salsa, and a Grilled Tomato with Oregano and Garlic.

 

What I would have given for a chance to be behind the counter and whip up a sumptuous pasta sauce out of lots of these grilled tomatoes! In my head, I imagine the resulting sauce to be chunky, robust, bursting with smoky goodness!

 

Nasi Lemak is THE love!!! Here, I paired it with Chives Swee Kao, Steamed Phoenix Rolls and Ho Fan dunmplings!

 

How could something so simple, like these rolled rice paper noodles, be so delicious?!

 

I fell in love with these Chives Swee Kao!

 

These dumplings called Soon Kueh were simply awesome! Dipped in a combination of sweet soy and chili sauce, they were simply divine. I would wait for these all the time.

 

Soon Kueh, here I am!

 

How could anyone not love a dumpling as pretty as this?

 

I'm ashamed to admit just how many of these I could gobble up in one go. I don't want to be banned from Royal Plaza's buffet!

 

Scallop Dumplings in Enoki Mushroom Sauce on top of steaming hot, fragrant, flavorful, nutty white rice!

 

Scallops, Enoki Mushrooms, White Rice... what's not to love?!

 

First of many bowls of noodles on day four. Mee Kia noodles, enoki mushrooms, brown mushrooms, beansprouts, and poached chicken.

 

Second bowl on the same day as the one above. This one had lots of Taiwan pechay.

 

First bowl on day five.

 

On day six, I started my noodle course with Mee Kia with Chee Siew (slightly sweet braised pork).

 

Second bowl on day six, my first time to incorporate Chee Siew in my noodles. By way of greens, I had lots of the bok choy.

 

On day seven, the extent of my noodle adventure meant having rice noodles in place of my favorite mee kia.

 

This bowl was specially made for me by Chef Balvinder. Thank you so much! I won't forget this bowl!

 

This was the only plate that really struck close to home. My Singaporean version of the Filipino "cornsilog." Corned Beef, Nasi Lemak, and Egg Over Easy.

 

I love my eggs over easy!

 

I would always have lots of the grapefruit juice and orange juice!

 

When I told Christian that the glass of my orange juice had a crack, apart from profusely apologizing, he made up for it by making me a tall glass of freshly squeezed orange juice! I find the action to be decisive, customer-oriented, and a good representation of the hotel.

 

A couple of peach halves for dessert!

 

Carousel's fine cutlery

 

I would write down all the stuff I ate!

 

How I'd look after stuffing myself crazy at the buffet!

 

I took all my sweet time at breakfast on my last day there!

 

A quiet homage to everything I liked about Carousel, components of my noodle soup arranged daintily on top of pristine white rice.

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Today is Friendship day

A cupcake to say "Happy Birthday, Friendship!"

IT SHOULD actually read as, “today is Friendship’s day.”

This blog came to life because of a lot of people’s encouragement.  Either that, or they must’ve grown so tired of me ramming my nonsense down their throats that if I would move from e-Mail and text to a blog, they at least have the power to read or not to read.  To click or not to click.

Seriously speaking, it was Friendship who gave the last nudge that plunged me in to the world of blogging – something that quite obviously I couldn’t do without.  Anymore.

In the course of this blog’s more than two years of existence, I’ve published my greetings to all of my closest friends.  I just don’t know how to express anymore just how very fortunate I am to have this friendship with her, Friendship.

So this post today is yet another feeble attempt to articulate that.

To the one person who meant it when she said, “Let’s keep in touch,” when she moved abroad; to the person who knows how much a box of chewy chewkies once a year makes me happy; the same person who knows that more than the food, it’s the company that we look forward to at dinner time; to someone who never tolerated my wrongdoings but allows me my little attempts at happiness; to the one person who has been not only a friend but a sister – someone who will be bold enough to tell you, “Could you let it go?!  Could you let go?!  Let go!” – HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I know I should’ve gotten on that plane today.  But what’s another five more days?!  Can’t wait to meet up!

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Peanut Butter Nutella. Eat Pay Love.

CUPCAKES BY Sonja keeps giving back.  And I keep coming back!  It’s like having your very own Eat Pay Love moment.  Have your cupcake and eat it too.  Pay for it.  And, send ripples of your love to as far as they could go.  I’m sure that’s what happens when part of the proceeds go to a good cause.

Peanut Butter Nutella cupcake by Cupcakes by Sonja

 

A box of four. Actually, one of boxes of four.

That exactly is the case with every purchase of the Peanut Butter Nutella cupcake by Cupcakes by Sonja.  Reminiscent of her “Red Velvet Vixen for Red Cross” campaign in 2009, this new socially responsible drive benefits the Virlanie Foundation – “Giving back the smile to street children”.

And sinking your teeth into one of these peanut butter-nutella confections likewise couldn’t help but put a smile on your face!  I love peanut butter, reason enough for me to explore turning it into a sauce for egg noodles long before I got formally exposed to the wonders of Indonesian satay.  But over the years, I’ve come across peanut butter cookies and cakes that had proven to be wanting.  Even Otis Spunkmeyer’s version of the classic peanut butter chocolate chip cookie wasn’t able to impress me.

I just love the height and the look of that Nutella buttercream frosting.

Cupcakes by Sonja’s Peanut Butter Nutella cupcake puts an end to the dry spell that’s my search for a really satiating peanut butter confection.  It has got to be one of the most visually compelling in Sonja’s wide array of offerings – an imposing tower of swirls of nutella-spiked buttercream frosting sits prettily on top of the peanut butter cake, in which is ensconced a dollop of Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread.  It’s an “architecturally sound” work of edible art as handling and traveling didn’t compromise the integrity of the frosting’s design and structure.

I freed one from the hold of the box-of-four liner and soon the feast for the eyes became a feast for the palate.  The cake is crumbly and moist, my Oneida Silversmiths dessert fork being chased by just enough eager and yummy crumbs as it pierced its way through to the bottom.  The flavor is undeniably peanut buttery – unapologetic in its goodness but at the same time, not cloyingly sweet.  And when savored in the mouth, it is amazing how a small piece of cake – kissed by Nutella, and slathered with buttercream – becomes something big.

And when you get reminded where part of what you paid for for the cupcake goes, you do realize just how big.  Now, doesn’t that bring enjoying dessert to a totally new level of guilt-free?

A pile of treats from Cupcakes by Sonja! My all-time favorite is somewhere in there.

 

Four red velvet vixens in a box!

 

Once bitten...

 

I just had to get these too – Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies!

 

The very scrumptious Peanut Butter Whoopie Pie in a solo box. The "doily" that lined the pie against the box was a nice, elegant touch.

 

Sharing the love – a Peanut Butter Nutella and a Red Velvet Vixen shared with our company's very efficient and outstanding Executive Admin Assistant, Ms. Deng.

 

Cupcakes by Sonja menu

 

My excitement over the Peanut Butter Nutella cupcake makes it to a card.

 

Every purchase of the Peanut Butter Nutella cupcakes benefits a good cause.

 

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Adrianna

Something fit for a princess!

“SOMETHING FOR the two little feet that belong to a princess – Adrianna.  From Tito eNTeNG.”  That’s how I signed the card that went with my gift for Batman’s precious little Adrianna who had her baptismal last Saturday, the 18^th of December.  I’m not really good at getting gifts for kids.  But when it came to Batman’s lovely daughter, I guess it was a choice of whether I wanted her to become a shoe fiend or a bag addict.  Her delicate arms couldn’t tote a purse on her own just yet.  But the straps on these shoes could hold them in place on her feet.  Though Batman said Ianna would surely take them off.

I’ve actually looked forward to finally seeing this little princess eversince that May 10, 2010 09:26:29 PM text message that said, “Batman now has an heiress.”  True to form, the Dark Knight’s heiress is named after a superhero.  Adrianna was taken from ‘Adrian Veidt’, believed to be the smartest man on the planet, from the comic book limited series ‘Watchmen’.

Ianna’s special day happening just a week before Christmas, I expected traffic to be heavy.  But nothing prepared me to getting stuck for over fours hours on the road.  The most wonderful time of the year just happens to be the most harrowing too – I mean, traffic-wise.  But the half hour I got to spend at Cabalen Restaurant on West Avenue was well-worth the travel time and the tip I promised – and gave – the cabbie if he got me to my destination 15 minutes before it would have been a wrap.

Festive in the color of the season – a simple gift for Adrianna!

Unforgivably and shamelessly late, I was still welcomed warmly by Batman, his lovely wife, and their Ianna.  Batman kept teasing me that even after a couple of rounds, I was nowhere near satiation as I wasn’t able to “really” get my fill of the eat-all-you-can buffet spread.  But whatever I got to devour – Manila Clams in a Spicy Fermented Black Beans Sauce, and Swamp Cabbage (Kangkong) in Fermented Shrimp Paste – I absolutely liked…  and came back for for seconds!

A plate of manila clams in a spicy fermented black beans sauce and swamp cabbage in fermented shrimp paste. Sooo delicious!!!

 

I'm definitely going back to Cabalen for the food that I got to try at Ianna's baptismal reception!

For dessert that I got to bring with me and enjoy at home, I had Frostings cupcakes in red velvet with cream cheese frosting, and in “swiss chocolate” with a milk chocolate frosting dotted with chunks of luscious swiss chocolate.

Frostings Swiss Chocolate cupcake, their bestseller, I've been told.

 

Frostings Red Velvet cupcake

Back in the comfort of my bedroom, I took an Oneida dessert fork with me, opened the lid of the red velvet cupcake, put on the DVD of Eat Pray Love, and ate, prayed, and loved the fact that another precious life – that of Ianna’s – is in this world.  A true testament to God’s opinion that life, and this world as we know it, should go on.

The cream cheese frosting was quite luscious!

 

Red Velvet cupcake is the love!

 

Frostings!

 

Copyright © 2010 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

The Cupcake Queen in print

Ready for her (almost) close-up – Sonja L. Ocampo, chef / owner of Cupcakes by Sonja.

SHE WILL always be, to me, the pioneer and foremost purveyor of the edible art of cupcakes in this country.  I first came to know of her and her efforts – not the least of which has been to elevate the public’s taste, and make it more discerning – through Friendship.

In part, this blog was born out of my fascination of Cupcakes by Sonja.  First, the cupcakes.  Then, the chef/owner who is the store’s namesake – Sonja L. Ocampo.

She is featured on the Style page of the September 2010 issue of the Philippine Tatler.  It’s quite refreshing to see her all dolled up.  I’ve always been used to seeing her hard at work at her store.  She will always be in a neat and uncluttered ensemble, accented at most by South Sea pearl studs or some other pair.  But she doesn’t mind partaking in the heavy load with her staff.  Elbow grease is the least of her concerns.  If it is at all.

Copyright © 2010 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Just some favorite photos

At Bom & Rizzie's wedding, The Blue Leaf, January 10, 2009.

At Bom & Rizzie's wedding, The Blue Leaf, January 10, 2009.

At Rizzie's birthday lunch, Buon Giorno, Tagaytay City, July 2008.

At Cupcakes by Sonja, with Sonja, The Serendra Piazza, 2008.

At Cupcakes by Sonja, The Serendra Piazza, January 2009.

With a Red Velvet Vixen cupcake!

Healthy Shabu-Shabu dinner (with Brother)

At Ian & Marie's wedding, The Diamond Hotel Manila, August 15, 2009.

At Ian & Marie's wedding, The Diamond Hotel Manila, August 15, 2009.

At Ian & Marie's wedding, The Diamond Hotel Manila, August 15, 2009.

Emceeing the office Christmas party, 2008.

With The Dark Knight at the AstroPlus store, Greenbelt 5, 2009.

Emceeing an office party, The Palms Country Club, January 22, 2010.

At Matthew Rylie's 2nd month birthday party, with Jing, April 15, 2010.

At the office with DJ Rhawle!

 

Copyright © 2010 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Month one

I’VE ALWAYS believed that a baby is God’s opinion that the world – this world as we know it – should go on.

Matthew Riley's beautiful blue birthday cake!

So I didn’t pass up on the invitation from my friend and colleague Lester to join in the celebration of his son Matthew Rylie’s first month.  We feasted on pancit canton, bread, Selecta limited edition ice cream, and Lester’s mom’s homemade fruit salad.

But the pièce de résistance has got to be the blue birthday cake, surrounded by some of the yummiest chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever tasted.  It was Ms. Jo and Jing who sourced the supply of sweets but it was Iron Man who had to follow the somewhat complicated driving directions to pick them up the night before.

Happy first month, Matthew Rylie!

A tight shot of the really yummy cupcakes! The taste and the presentation truly breathe life to what "bang for the buck" means.

Party people at Riley's month one! Mark, Mike, Ronald, Ms. Jo, Gerley, Jing, Michelle, and Clem.

That's the proud dad Lester (in pink), with baby Matthew Rylie!

 

With a yummy cupcake in hand!

 

A nice tight shot of one of the cupcakes. Thanks to Mark for this and a couple of other photos.

Copyright © 2010 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.