Mia's Althea Christmas Wishlist

Hey there, lovely readers! 2018 is soon coming to an end, but it's not the time to look back on the year and reflect... yet, for Christmas is around the corner! 

Still fretting over what to get for your girlies this Christmas? Well, not to worry because this time, Althea got you covered with tons of on-going special promotions with various discount codes up for you to grab over the week!

So let's move on with my specially curated top 10 Althea Christmas wishlist/recommendation, not in any particular order.

First up, let's take a look at the awesome line of Althea Exclusive, that's currently having 25% or 50% off minimum spending of $40 or $60 (until 19th Dec) and free shipping until 31st Dec 2018.

#1 

Skin Fresh Skin Detoxer Set - $25
(both Rose and Green Tea selling separately at $14 each)

A successful collaboration between Althea and Korea's top beauty programme, Get It Beauty, these two skin detoxers are both your super convenient 10-seconds wash off mask and facial cleanser combined!
I've previously talked about these two amazing products HERE, so do check it out!

#2

Milk Peel Cream Mask - $12.50

Another wonderful product from Althea Exclusive line, the Milk Peel Cream Mask contains AHA & BHA to help exfoliate dead skin for smoother skin, and at the same time contains Casein Protein (milk) to provide moisture to the skin and help our skin stays moisturised all day! I absolutely love the soft and creamy, clay-like texture that BUBBLES UP on our skin after application, it was so fun!

#3

Petal Velvet Set - $17.10
(Sunaway and Velvet Powders are selling separately at $13 and $6 respectively)

Armed with the highest sun protection of SPF 50+ and PA++++, the Petal Velvet Sunaway is made to be ultra lightweight on our skin. This translucent sunscreen is formulated with Damask rose extracts to make sure that our skin stays fresh and hydrated throughout the day without any streakiness or the dreadful ghastly white cast. 
(Read more about Sunaway HERE)

The velvet powders comes in 3 variations, translucent, warm beige and lavender pink, all of which 
helps to set makeup and leave behind a silky finish to the touch. Infused with oil from Althea seeds, this powder works to keep sebum production at bay without drying out the skin for a radiant, fresh look, all while giving out a gentle scent. 

#4

Pore Purifying Serum Cleanser - $11 

This is definitely one of Althea Exclusive latest launch that I'm so excited to try out! 
Combining the powers of a cleanser and serum, this product whisks away makeup, dirt, and oil with mint extracts while ensuring the skin stays cool and hydrated throughout thanks to a dual moisture cell system that envelopes the skin in a serum-like formula. It prevents the skin from drying out and effectively minimizes enlarged pores, keeping it smooth to the touch. This product also helps to balance the pH levels of the skin to keep it working in tip-top shape! Best of all, it's gentle on the face and suitable even for those of us with sensitive skins!

And now, onto winners of 2018 Althea Award, with 15% off with minimum purchase of any 3 items under the Award list.

#5

Laneige BB Cushion Pore Control - $38

Laneige BB Cushion Pore Control has to be my favourite cushion, ever! And now, they've gotten an upgrade! With an even prettier packaging and new, improved formula, this cushion provides smooth coverage with effortless application. The Pore Control comes with a formula that controls excessive production of sebum, leaving the skin looking and feeling fresh throughout the day. It also has long-lasting properties to keep it on all day so you won’t have to worry about it budging. These compact cushions make morning routines a breeze, and are great to keep in your bag for touch-ups on-the-go!

#6

W.Lab Jewelry Base Sapphire - $21

A gem-infused skin base, have you heard of it before?! With a mix of hydrating ingredients like Centella Asiatica, glycerin, and sunflower seed oil, this base moisturizes the skin, prepping and smoothing it for a flawless makeup application. This pretty base also contains illuminating sapphire and pearl pigments that give the complexion a gorgeously radiant glow. 

Sounds amazing, right?

#7

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask - $27

I'm pretty sure this world's best-selling sleeping mask needs no further introduction. This is probably THE product that gained Laneige most of its ardent fans. 
With 1 sold every 12 secs, this light gel mask provides intensive hydration, vitality and brightening effect while restoring skin with deep relaxation. This product contains a number of patents including the SLEEP-TOX™ technology that purifies skin during sleep, keeping it in optimum condition while MOISTURE WRAP™ helps skin retain moisture throughout the night. It also has an aromatic SLEEPSCENT™ helps you relax during sleep. Best of all, it’s also formulated with skin soothing agents that are gentle on the sleeping skin, helping it to recover overnight.

#8

Nature Republic Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel - $5

This is definitely one of my holy grail product! Made from 92% Aloe Vera gel, Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel is enriched with vitamins and can be used for just about anything, from soothing sunburns to hydrating the skin and hair in the form of a mask, to an everyday moisturizer for supple skin. The aloe vera used to make this product comes from certified organic farmers in California (CCOF) and is kind to even the most sensitive of skins, making this suitable for all skin types. 

#9

Laneige Wild at Heart My Neon Sign Stained Glasstick - $28

Coming in Neon Pink or Neon Orange, this is Laneige's 2018 Limited Edition Holiday Collection, so grab yours before they're gone! It's a glowy tint lipstick that gives us the watery, stained glass lip makeup look. The festive, cute packaging is definitely the cherry on top! 

#10

RiRe Bubble Bubble Lip Mask - $9.50

Last but not least, I've decided to add a lip mask into my top 10 list, for lip care still seems to be always neglected! This hypoallergenic, innovative lip scrub foams up after moments and gently exfoliates away dead skin cells using fruit enzymes so you won't have to worry about accidentally scrubbing too hard. It also helps moisturize any dry patches, so you'll be left with smooth, kissable lips that are prepped to take on any lipstick you desire.

So, what are your thoughts of my Althea top 10 wishlist/recommendation? Have you tried any of these ten products before? Let me know your experience with these products down at the comment board below!

Till then,
Mia Foo

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Bakestarters Christmas Edition Baking Kit: Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Babka

Yes, I've successfully made my 1st ever chocolate babka, all thanks to Bakestarters! 

Bakestarters is a local company specialising in baking and baking kits, which come with freshly packed and individually pre-portioned ingredients, along with a recipe card and detailed instructions, tips and even a QR code linking to a tutorial video. Other than eggs, Bakestarters measures and packs all the ingredients that we'll need, including fresh milk, butter and fresh fruits!

Some of the kits even come pre-packed with baking tools such as loaf pans, cookie cutters and parchment paper, offering baking enthusiasts of all skill levels a fun and hassle-free baking experience.

For this coming Christmas, Bakestarters has launched their all new festive Christmas collection comprising of 8 baking kits:

1. Gingerbread Men

2. Passionfruit Yule Log

3. Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log

4. Blackforest Brownies

5. Orange Pistachio Biscotti

6. Pumpkin Spice Biscoff Loaf

7. Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Babka

8. Tiramisu (no bake)

Initially I was thinking of giving the passionfruit yule log a go, but after realising that I actually do not have the required baking pan size, and it will probably NOT fit into my small oven as well, I decided to give babka a try! 

As you can see, the baking kit comes with individually packed and labelled,  pre-portioned ingredients in a cute box, which you will also find your recipe and instruction cards. Other ingredients that required chilling, like butter and fresh milk, were well packed into a small cooler bag, stuffed with a generous amount of ice packs to keep everything nice and cold. 

And frankly speaking, this pre-portioned, individually packed idea brought so much convenience and it took all the hassle of measuring out the ingredients one by one out of the way. It took me less than 5 minutes to get all the ingredients for the bread dough mixed up in my bowl and all I did was snip-pour-chuck. 

Well, there's just one thing I couldn't quite understand was why they need to pack the unsalted butter in resealable bags, when technically there shouldn't be anything left behind for us to reseal?

But anyway, that's hardly of any importance at all. 

Bakestarters has obviously put in a lot of effort curating and perfecting their recipes and ingredients, for I totally did not need to add in any more liquid or flour to "perfect" out my bread dough. I mean, if you do bake bread, you will probably face the very common issue of differing hydration level across different brands of flour, or even between different batches of the same brand of flour, right? There's never a time I found myself not needing to add in that extra few teaspoons/tablespoons of flour or water to my overly moist or dry dough ball. But with Bakestarters babka baking kit, I got my clean bowl and clean hands easily with less than 15 minutes of hand-kneading, and reach the windowpane stage within 20 minutes! 

However, instead of following their instruction of letting it proof till double in size for 1 to 1.5 hrs, I let my dough slow-proof in the fridge overnight (for almost 12 hours) instead, which will allow the bread to develop more (yeasty) flavour. As babka is made from enriched bread dough (brioche) which tends to be a lot softer (and harder to manage if you're not a very seasoned bread-baker), leaving the dough rest for a couple of hours in the fridge also helps with all the rolling and shaping later on. 

Since the baking kit is supposed to yield two loaves/wreath of babka, I decided to make one following their instruction to get a babka wreath, and another into a simple twisted loaf, topped with cinnamon streusels, YUMS!

And I also dropped a few pieces of the remaining streusels on the babka wreath, which I kind of regret. It'll probably look better without the random "spots"?

Look at those pretty chocolate swirls! But well, I kind of cut the wreath in the wrong direction and got a full cut across the tucked ends with no chocolate swirls instead. BOO!

But I have to say, this recipe is DA BOMBZ! The sweet brioche bread is so soft and tender, that it's almost cake-like. Even my mum and brother, who aren't fans of chocolate, loved it!

Bakestarters Christmas Collection 2018 Baking Kits is now up for preorder until 7 Dec, 2359 hr, and delivery of the kits will be from 11 to 21 Dec.
If you miss the preorder, do not worry! Bakestarters Christmas collection is still open for orders after 7 Dec, subject to availability of delivery dates. Do note that the blackout dates indicate full delivery slots so it's advisable for you guys to cart out quickly should you want to purchase any of the kits! You will also be able to get your kits in time for the New Year (if that's what you are planning for) as Bakestarters will be delivering after 25th December too!

For more information, visit their website HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia Bakes: ROCK CAKES!

Rock cakes, also called rock buns, are actually small fruit cake with a rough surface resembling a rock. Originated in the Great Britain, they are a traditional tea time treat. You might jolly well first heard of them through JK Rowling's Harry Potter series as Hagrid's favourite tea time snack to serve the trios, which were more of a rock than a cake, and were so hard that they could break teeth instead of being a lovely treat.

Rock cakes also happens to be one of my mum's favourite pastry-snacks (along with "old-times" butter cakes) and so let's get baking!

To get roughly 10 to 12 small rock cakes, you'll need:

115g all purpose flour

65g unsalted (good quality) butter, chopped and COLD

55g castor sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

90g dried mixed fruit (or you can use sultanas)

1 medium/large egg (mine is 50-55g out of the shell), beaten

1/4 tsp vanilla

Apparently, you can make rock cakes in a few methods, which includes the creaming method whereby you cream your butter and sugar as you would for any cakes, the melted butter method as you would for a soft cookie, or the frozen butter method as you would for a scone. As I'm hoping to get a more crumbly texture as would of a scone, I decided to go for the cold butter method. 

So, in a clean bowl, add in all your dry ingredients (except mixed fruits) and give it a quick whisk to combine. Then, throw in your frozen, chopped butter and cut it into the flour mixture in a mini food processor, or with a pastry cutter, or a simple knife-and-fork method. You may also use your hands (if you do not have hot hands) and rub the butter into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs with a little bit of bigger, pea-sized chunks. 

Then, add in your mixed fruit and give it a quick toss before adding in your beaten egg and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined and you get a slightly stiff, yet still rather moist and spoon-able dough. As different flour will have different hydration level, you may tweak your dough consistency with either some milk (if they're too dry and doesn't come together) or more flour (if they're too wet and not holding their shape). 

Then, spoon your dough evenly onto a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure they're spaced around 2 inches apart. You do not need to smooth our the surfaces, in fact, the more bumpy and 'rocky' your dough looks, the better! These are not called rock cakes for nothing! 

Then, bake them off in an oven pre-heated to 200 degree Celsius for around 15 minutes, or until they turn a lovely golden brown colour. 

Do keep a watchful eye on them to make sure that they do not burn, but you would not want them to be under-baked as well, if not you won't get the lovely slightly crisp surface on the outside.

I personally would prefer a more "dried-out" cakey texture for my rock cakes as if I crave for something more tender and moist, I should just go for scones, right? 

These tasted so good when still warm from the oven, with a crisp surface on the outside and cakey, tender and yet not overly moist texture on the inside. I've already reduced the added sugar level to the bare minimum, so unless you're using more of the dried fruit to add sweetness, I strongly suggest that you do not reduce the amount sugar any further. 

Do let me know if you've tried out this super quick and easy recipe and how these rock cakes has turned out for you!

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Althea x Get It Beauty Real Fresh Skin Detoxers [Advertorial]

-credits to sg.althea.kr-

A while back, I've raved on IG about these Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxers, a 10-second, 2-in-1 cleanser pack that showcases real, fresh ingredients and incorporates them into a system that allows a deep & clarifying cleanse while boosting the skin's health with nutrients and goodness. Available in two editions, the Rose (recommended for morning regime, made with French rose petals + extracts to refine skin) and Green Tea (recommended for night regime, contains Juju green tea leaves + extracts to purify skin) both help to leave our skin feeling fresh and smooth for a healthy complexion! 

I'm totally loving these two products (especially the green tea edition) as it makes masking so quick and convenient! You just need 10 seconds, and it miraculously changes into your facial cleanser, can you get anything better than that? And even though it's a purifying mask that helps to gently exfoliate our skin, it doesn't dry out the skin even with daily usage and instead, leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth after every use. 

And do you know, this amazing range of product is a successful collaboration between Althea and Get It Beauty, Korea's top Beauty TV show, and even Jeonghwa, member of the popular K-POP girl group EXID, is also a fan of the product!

Now, you can get this Real Fresh Skin Detoxer Set (150ml x 2) at only $25 with FREE SHIPPING using the promo code PBSHIP for a limited time only!

Check out HERE for more information!

Till then,

Mia Foo

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NZL Travelogue: Auckland & Shakespear Regional Park

 Hey people! Finally, the #miagoesnzl travelogue series is getting started! But before you move on to my Day 0 and Day 1 of my 9D8N Jucy Campervan road trip in the North Island, do check out my posts on Leasany (and how you can get a 20% discount off their rental services) and Jucy Chaser campervan review too! :)

As our Airasia X flight is scheduled to touchdown at the Auckland international airport at 510pm and the last slot for Jucy Rentals' collection is 430pm, we had no choice but to check ourselves into one of the airport hotels, and ibis budget airport hotel it shall be! 

-credits to https://www.accorhotels.com-

Conveniently located within 20 minutes' walking distance from the Auckland international airport, and near to a selection of eating places like your ever so trusty McDonald's, Carl's Junior, KFC, cafes, restaurants, and Countdown & Warehouse, the ibis Budget Hotel is also the most affordable of all the airport hotels you can find. Rooms are small, but clean, comfy and definitely good enough for our one night's stay after our McD dinner and with some Halo Top ice cream (why aren't you available in SG?!) & chips for our late night snacks from Countdown just opposite the road.

That entire pint of Halo Top is only 360 kcals! 

PLEASE COME TO SINGAPORE, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! 

And is it me, or do they get fluffier buns at their McD? Well, they have way fancier takeout coffee cups, that's for sure!

After a good night's rest, we started our day early and left for Jucy Rental's after our McD breakfast (they have bagels here!), which was another 20 minutes walk for collection of our Jucy Chaser, scheduled at 9am. We would have walked back to the airport and wait for their shuttle service, but it won't make much sense as that would be a 20 minutes walk as well (though that might have saved us the 15m hardcore uphill walk to Jucy's entrance gate).
And well, we did expect a bit of waiting, but surely didn't expect to wait for nearly 2 HOURS before we were brought to our campervan, and the entire walk-through for the CV only took us... 5 to 10 minutes. Anyway, all was good and off we went to PAK'nSAVE Mangere to stock up on our food supplies for the trip, before heading into Auckland City to meet up with my Uni mate, R, (who's currently working in Auckland) and his wife.

-credits to www.paknsave.co.nz-

R initially planned to bring us for Tanpopo ramen, but sadly, they were closed. So Mexican food it shall be, at Mexican Cafe located in the Auckland CBD.

I got the Quesadillas (15 NZD) and BF got the Burritos (15 NZD). 

I'm not at all familiar with the Mexican cuisine, hence I have absolutely no idea of how authentic their food taste, but they were definitely yummy and not that damaging on your pocket. Love their complimentary serving of salsa and tortilla chips too, so yummy! 

-credits to http://www.mexicancafe.co.nz-

They also have a covered veranda "alfresco" seating area, which would be lovely on a cooling day to dine in. 

After a hearty lunch treat from R, we walked around Queen street, Auckland's equivalent of our Orchard Road, but with just a fraction of our crowd, and also.... a fraction of what we have to offer. No offence, but nobody travel all the way to New Zealand to shop, right? Anyway, while walking towards the viaduct harbour, we came across Uncle Tetsu Japanese Cotton Cheesecake, which apparently originated from Japan.... but after visiting Kansai and Hokkaido, I've never seen any Uncle Tetsu shops. But can't deny the fact that they're ridiculously cottony, soft and fluffy, and not overly moist. Those "angel hat" cakes looks super cute too!

And so, after sharing a whole Uncle Tetsu cheesecake among the 4 of us while enjoying the view of the viaduct basin and harbour bridge at the viaduct lookout (while keeping a close eye on the annoying, greedy seagulls), we heading off to the viaduct harbour and silo park!

According to R, they made a museum out of one of the silo (which he has visited). 

The sky was rather gloomy that day, but still it didn't change the fact that the views here was simply awesome!

And after yet another yummy sweet treat from R (I actually forgot what flavour I've gotten, but it sure was good!) before we say our goodbyes. T.T

And off we go for Shakespear Regional Park, which was about 1.5 hours' drive from Auckland CBD. 

Located at the top of the Whangaparao Peninsula, the park is named after the Shakespear family, who bought the land back in the 1880s from a local Maori. This massive park is home to three walking trails, the Heritage Trail, Lookout Track and Tiri Tiri Track.

And see who's there to welcome us! There were TONS of Pukeko birds and a handful of peacocks roaming free around the park's area, by the beach. R reminded us to keep a lookout for Kiwi birds as well, and I've also read reviews on the park stating they spotted Kiwi birds, but we weren't so lucky. 

But there were so many sheeps there to entertain us! Haha, they weren't very entertained by us though. On paper, the park closes by 9pm and we were there at 6 plus, nearing 7pm, so it seemed like a safer choice to give all the walking trails a miss as the estimated time to complete the trails is at least 2 hours, and we aren't sure of the sunset time, nor the lux level (we believe that there's no source of lights available after sunset) on the trails. 

And here's a short, unedited clip taken at Shakespear Regional Park, using my OPPO R9s on the Osmo Mobile 2 from Leasany.
The gimbal makes the video so stable, omg!

So after a quick walk among the grazing sheeps, chasing some pukeko birds and peacocks, and a leisure stroll along the beach, we hopped back onto our Jucy Chaser and headed off to our campsite for the night, which is a free campsite located at the Gulf Harbour Car Park, located at the end of Laurie Southwick Parade, which is about 20 minutes drive from Shakespear Regional Park. 

And here's our very first campervan one-pot dinner for the trip, white wine garlic mussels and lemonfish with baby spinach and buttered wholemeal toasts. YUMMY! 

Day 3 is up HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Althea Korea Petal Velvet Sunaway [Advertorial]

Scared of the unforgiving sun, but even more terrified of the ghastly white cast that your thick, sticky and heavy sunscreen gives you? Now, Althea has got you covered!

-credits to althea-

Made to be ultra lightweight, this translucent sunscreen is formulated with hyaluronic acid and Damask rose extracts to make sure that our skin stays fresh and hydrated throughout the day without any streakiness or the dreadful ghastly white cast. 

Armed with the highest sun protection of SPF 50+ and PA++++, the Petal Velvet Sunaway is actually a non-chemical formulation, with an advanced non-chemical UV filter that has a more transparent formula, helping it to apply evenly and smoothly onto the skin without leaving a white cast behind. 

Combining the effect of a micro powder barrier system, which absorbs sebum and excess oil from the skin, and the moisturising & hydrating effect of hyaluronic acid, the Petal Velvet Sunaway not only helps to control excess sebum on the skin, but also ensures that the skin is kept hydrated throughout the day. 

Suitable for all skin types, the Petal Velvet Sunaway is retailing at only $13 (55ml) HERE

Even better, you can now pair your purchase with your choice of Althea Petal Velvet Powder (now comes in 3 shades) and get 10% of the petal duo!

Visit sg.althea.kr for more product information. 

ps. do you know that Althea is also on shopback.sg now? Check out how you can get up to 5% cashback on all your Althea's purchases HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Food Tasting: Artichoke

Seated right in the middle of the busy Middle Road, yet ironically, located rather inconspicuously while being in the heart of Singapore's Arts and Heritage district, is Artichoke, a Middle-Eastern inspired restaurant set up in 2010, with a backdrop setting of street art, 60's soul and 90's hiphop.

Bjorn Shen, chef-owner of Artichoke and also author of the Artichoke cookbook, shouldn't be a new face to all, for he was very recently featured as one of the resident judges on MasterChef Singapore. Over the 14 years of his culinary journey, he has accumulated an impressive list of industry accolades, including ‘Chef of the Year 2013’ ­ SC Global,

‘Rising Chef of The Year 2015’ finalist ­ World Gourmet Summit, ‘Best Local Chef 2016’ ­ SG

Readers’ Choice Awards, ‘Singapore's Best 20 Chefs 2016’ ­ World Gourmet Summit, and 'Chef of The Year 2018’ finalist­  World Gourmet Summit. 

Other than being featured as judge on MasterChef Singapore, Bjorn has also participated in programmes such as MasterChef Asia, Secret Eats, and has taken up lead roles on Eat List Star Season 2 and The Ultimate Brocation.

Artichoke is probably the least authentic Middle-Eastern restaurant you would have encounter, for the food is fun and creative; drawing inspiration from the Middle-Eastern flavours and ingredients rather than being traditional. So here comes what truly matters; food, oh glorious food!

The first round of food, Mezzes and taster, that was served to the table was actually enough to fill our tummy and leave us satiated, no joke.

Mezzes (from top, clockwise): Turkish Toast, Iraqi-spiced Mushrooms, Burnt Miso Hummus, Samphire (sea asparagus, lebneh, shallots), Beetroot Borani (yoghurt, pistachio dukkah, dill), Babaganoush (smoked eggplant, pomegranate teriyaki sauce, pomegranate and sesame seeds)


I have to give a special shoutout the those two bags of Turkish toasts. They are so good, omg.
I tend to secretly judge a restaurant by the most basic food, bread, for I'm a huge bread-lover, and Artichoke has totally aced it. Specially served in paper bag to keep them warm, these toasts has a lovely crust on the outside and chewy on the inside, typical of a gourmet artisan bread.


My favourite of the lot has to be the burnt miso hummus, for the addition of miso has added so much more depth to the flavour of an otherwise normal, standard hummus. The rich and creamy texture of the hummus, paired with the crusty, chewy Turkish toast was definitely the best combination, ever.

Taster (middle): Devils on Horseback
wagyu ham with dried apricot, labneh, mint, almond

It's probably a shame that I have to give this a miss (I don't take beef), for this was very well received at the table. It was a new dish that has yet to be launched officially on their menu though. But judging from how much the rest of the bloggers (and their +1s) loved this, I'm pretty sure this would make it to their menu pretty soon, so do keep a lookout for this!

Jerusalem Salad

crumbled falafel, tofu tahini, mango amba

This is probably the kind of salad you will not choose to eat when on a diet. 

The tofu tahini gave the salad a creamy, rich texture and the mango amba helped to tone down the richness with a "pickle-y" mango flavour. I personally felt that it's a waste that the falafel (deep-fried ball/patty made from ground chickpeas/fava beans) was so thoroughly crumbled that I hardly tasted them. 

Fried Cauliflower Salad

fried cauliflower, 5-min egg, miso hummus, labneh, Isreali salad, tahini, skhug, mago amba, toast

Yet another cheatday-worthy kind of salad. Those fried cauliflower got OYHZ going for seconds when she's usually not a fan of her veggies, and there's nothing surprising about that because they were so so so good! Imagine a vegetable that taste almost like... chips! Although not exactly crisp and crunchy like your typical deep fried food, the cauliflower florets were definitely fried till the point where they have the charred flavour that is so addictive. 

This is THE SALAD you absolutely have to give it a try, even if you usually hate salads. I'm not even exaggerating. 

Haloumi 

I know, they look exactly like some pan-fried taukwa, but haloumi is actually a semi-hard, unripened, brined cheese made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes cow's too. As it has a high melting point, haloumi is usually served fried or grilled. 

My first taste of haloumi cheese, and frankly speaking I felt a little.... cheated? This is not your typical rich, creamy and oozy goodness, which I was totally expecting of a cheese. Well, any cheese. Instead, the texture of haloumi deviates more towards fishcake and taukwa (firm beancurd), albeit a more savoury and chewy version. 

Squid Ink Couscous
with squid, clams and preserved lemon 

Yet again, my first taste of couscous, and they reminded me of barley. The blackness probably makes the dish seems a little too funky, but overall the taste of this dish was pretty mild and manageable. This was like the child that came out of a marriage between paella and risotto, if you can get what I'm trying to say. 

Golden Pomfret
charcoal-grilled locally farmed pomfret, with sweet onion chermoula & barbecued lemon

I was so loving the fish, for they were so well grilled. The skin were nicely charred but the flesh still tender and juicy. Even though the fish was pretty flavourful on its own, pairing it up with the sweet onion chermoula just brings the entire dish up to a whole new level. 

Hot Skillet Prawns
with green harissa, split cream and charred onions

The prawns were obviously huge, and extremely fresh. Nothing beats a mouthful of thick-fleshed, juicy prawn that's generously doused in an amazingly flavourful spicy condiment (green harissa). And you know what's better? Green Harissa is also supposedly to a real metabolism booster. 

Smoked Chicken
smoked chicken with toum garlic whip & pickles

I have to be really honest about this, that I did not bother with tasting the pickles, nor the toum garlic whip. And that's because the chicken itself was just so damn good on its own, and it seems like adding any other condiment to it will not be doing it justice!
The flavourful flesh was so tender and juicy (yet not to the point of being slimey) that it got all of us hooked at first bite. Definitely a seemingly simple and basic dish that totally swept us off our feet.

Lamb Shoulder
twice cooked lamb in milk sauce

The twice cooked lamb are so soft and tender, that the flesh was literally just falling apart with just a poke of the fork, I kid you not. I'm quite a big fan of lamb/mutton to begin with, so the usual gamey-ness doesn't really bother me. But honestly speaking, even though this dish was definitely very rich and rather strong in flavour (it's lamb in milk sauce, do you expect anything mild?), it's not that particularly gamey. Well, at least, not for me. I just loved this!

Lastly, let's not forget the most important thing that sweeten up the deal. Desserts!

Soft Serve Ice Cream (Sea Salt Burnt Honey)

This was like salted caramel soft serve, but better! I always find that the sweetness of caramel comes with a sickly-sweet aftertaste, which was absent in this burnt honey flavour. Moreover, the sweetness of honey also has more depth to its flavour, giving this soft serve a more subtly exquisite taste.

Date Pudding

I always "eat" desserts with my eyes first, and I'm not going to lie that the appearance of this date pudding did disappoint me a little. But people, the existence of this date pudding is to teach you a very important (albeit cliche) life lesson: do not judge a book by its cover.
The date pudding was more of a bread pudding, sponge cake texture, that was obviously drenched (or rather, partially submerged) in a concoction of smoked milk custard sauce with sea salt and bits of coffee jelly, and then topped with cashew caramel and cocoa powder.
Sweetness level of this dessert was definitely on the high end, so if you're the kind of person who enjoys "not-so-sweet" sweet dessert, then the rich flavour of this date pudding might be an overkill for you.

Malabi Split

Now, this is the kind of dessert I would first feast with my eyes, then feed to my camera, before getting them all into my belly. However, the coconut vanilla pudding was very coconuty, which I'm definitely not a fan of, but would have gone well with the subtle peppery flavour of pink peppercorn and tangy flavour of the strawberry ice. I personally love the strawberry ice though. I mean, strawberries with a popsicle texture, what's not to love about that, right?

Artichoke is located at 161 Middle Road, Singapore 188978

Opens Tuesday to Friday from 1600 - 2230 

Saturday & Sunday from 1130 - 2230

For more information, visit their FB page or Instagram  

Till then,

Mia Foo

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