October 2014

[SG] Food photography with Nikon Df | Part II – Surviving dim lighting

It was one of those lazy days where we woke up late and decided to tuck ourselves into a hearty brunch. Having heard much about the new wave of cafes and coffee movement created at the quaint estate of Everton Park, we decided to make a trip down!

1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 1000, 25 mm

We stepped into a cosy-looking café which has a fair share of dark spots. While it may not be the best for food photographers, it certainly set the mood for a relaxing brunch affair!

When our food and latte was served, they looked too delicious to reject a shot and I conveniently took out my smartphone to snap a quick shot, though it was overwhelmed by the café’s dim lighting. With my Nikon Df in my camera bag, I decided to give it a try and was pleasantly surprised by how crisp and clear the images turned out!

1/60s, f/2.8, ISO 2000, 45 mm

I started with a relatively high ISO of 2000 to see if the high light sensitivity setting could help capture the beautiful colours on the plate. I maintained a minimum shutter speed of 1/60s to eliminate any potential issues with handshakes and the composition set at a focal length of 45 mm. With these settings, I struck an optimal shot with the right exposure compensation as guided by the gauge in the camera’s viewfinder. With pockets of spotlight cast at the walls, I was really surprised at how rich and vibrant the colours turned out for my shot!

1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 2000, 50 mm

Nobody resists snapping a shot of a beautifully illustrated latte art and we are no exception. With a focus on capturing the latte art, I zoomed in sufficiently to 50 mm and maintained a bokeh effect with a chosen aperture of f/2.8 while maintaining my ISO at 2000. Similar settings were applied for the following shot on the waffles with sliced bananas and chocolate sauce.

1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 2000, 40 mm

While most photographers would be particular about the image noise (inaudible image variations such as film grains) that becomes quite apparent with high ISO settings, I decided to push it further by adjusting to ISO 2500 for my next shot to see if the Nikon Df can still support the harsher conditions.

1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 2500, 50 mm

Despite a higher ISO setting of 2500, the image noise was hardly visible and this made it perfect for shooting under such dim lighting without creating excessive distraction to the food.

When it comes to food photography, I believe most would agree that the lack of good light sources is one of our largest nemeses. More often than not, restaurant and café owners would focus on creating the perfect ambience for their guests by having spotlights or soft touches of warm lights at the corners such as this particular cafe which we visited. This often cries out ‘help’ from the photographer’s point of view, especially if you are craving to do justice to a nicely presented dish by photographing it well.

How is it like to shoot food pictures outdoors? Stay tuned for our final part of food photography in our next post!

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, by cy

Media Invite

[SG] Food photography with Nikon Df | Part I - Indoor Dining

Having grown up learning the basics of photography through film cameras, I was highly captivated by Nikon’s release of their retro-styled DSLR, the Nikon Df. Inspired by the aesthetics of old school film cameras, it remains to be seen if the work horse can make the mark when it comes to food photography.

For those passionate about food and inherently food photography like us, you will certainly empathise our agony and frustration, almost, when it comes to capturing the real images of food to share with your family and friends. More often than not, we fall victim to space constraints and poor lighting at restaurants, leading to an unsatisfactory collection of food photographs.

With my new toy, the Nikon Df, I visited a Japanese restaurant located within a shopping mall to do my usual shooting. Paying particular attention to lighting conditions at the restaurant, it was one which I thought quite fairly reflect the shooting environment of an average restaurant with varying light sources.

1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 800, 55 mm

Like most standard restaurants where tables are arranged relatively close to each other, it required some manoeuvring to get into a good position for the shoots. I decided to work with the AFS-Nikkor 24 – 70 mm f/2.8 lens instead of the kit prime lens to allow greater flexibility by either zooming in for a close-up shot or zooming out for a more aerial snap. Handling the Nikon Df for the first time, I had to figure out how to choose the appropriate settings in accordance to the restaurant’s environment and lighting conditions to capture my shots since the physical shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation dials are all located on the camera body itself instead of internal programming.

Equipped with basic knowledge about matching ISO with its relevant shutter speed and, or, aperture, I started with ISO 800 given the relatively dim settings by turning the dial on the left of the camera body and flicked through to 1600 for experimentation purposes to see which combination of settings provided the desired effect on my shot. Using the exposure meter within the range viewer as a guide, I was able to ascertain whether my composed shot had the suitable shutter speed, aperture and more importantly the accurate exposure.

While most people might rejoice about a spotlight above head casting sufficient light source to the food for shooting, it can potentially create over-exposure to the photograph or cast excessively dark shadows. Working with a relatively high ISO of 800 increased the sensitivity of the camera’s sensor to the surrounding lights without causing the photo to be over-exposed. With the physical dial of the ISO conveniently located on the left of the Df camera body, I was able to snap at varying ISO levels quickly to see which delivered the best result. More importantly, snapping fast is key when it comes to food photography so that we can still enjoy the food while it is piping fresh and hot!

1/125s, f/2.8, iSO 400, 60 mm

Apart from trying out the various ISO settings to capture the beer mug and tonkatsu dishes, I enjoyed the flexibility to shoot my food either at a slight distance or zooming in to a close-up without actually moving my physical body as seen with a 50 mm focal length compared with a 70 mm focal length as below.

1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 320, 50 mm

1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 320, 70 mm

While you are in the frenzy of arranging the plates and utensils on the dining table to make sure that you can steal a good shot, you would learn to appreciate how light the Nikon Df is relative to most DSLRs. This surely takes the burden off the shoulders and makes it a very manageable camera even for the ladies.

Despite the absence of natural lighting and sufficient light source, no flash was required throughout my shoot as I was able to compensate quite easily by varying the aperture or altering the ISO and exposure compensation.

Pleased that the Nikon Df is able to shoot well under typical restaurant lighting conditions, can it similarly perform in a dimly lit environment? Find out in our next post!

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, by cy

Desserts

[SG] Henri Charpentier | flame of glory?

Bearing the tradition and spirit since the founding in 1969, renowned French-inspired Japanese patisserie Henri Charpentier recently opened its first overseas outlet at Dempsey Hill in Singapore. Named after a famous 19th century French chef, it was then founded by Naokuni Arita and started as a small cafe in the Hyogo prefecture in Japan.

Ashiya is the birthplace of the Henri Charpentier brand. Located in a suburb of the city of Kobe, it is the gateway to different cultures and the point of initiation for Modernism in Japan. The brand was born and raised in a place where quality and elegant products are valued and polished with a modern touch.

With more than 100 shops in department stores throughout Japan, Henri Charpentier Singapore makes a dedicated effort to incorporate locally-inspired desserts to add a varied dimension to the signatures it brings from Japan.

Can this dessert saloon spark the flames? Let us find out!

Rouge | S$19/++

While we struggled to choose our desserts among the various fanciful ones on the menu, the lady who took our orders took a separate menu which had pictures of the special desserts for our ease of choice. Fascinated by the artisanal display of the Rouge, it looked too beautiful to reject its presence.

It brought wows to the table when the dessert was served as the spectacular curves distracted us from the passion fruit and financier that laid the foundation. The parfait of marinated strawberries with a generous pool of strawberry sauce brought much tang while the acidity of the passion fruit cuts through our palate beautifully to leave a lasting impression. What set the dessert apart was the signature financier bake which delivered a palatable sweet almond after-taste.

Two almonds, Marcona and Fritz which are both rich in aroma are blended with original cultured butter from Hokkaido which allowed the lovely flavours to stand out despite the rather strong tastes of the strawberry marinade, While we continue our hunt for the best financier yet, this has to be the leading star for now.

Crepe Suzette | S$22/++

Photo credit: Henri Charpentier

When founder Mr Arita was understudying at a restaurant, this was the special dessert he encountered which he felt encompassed happiness, joy and wonder.

The orange-soaked crepes, flambéed in Grand Marnier instilled warmth and wonder with the first spoonful as the theatrical display of blue flames would set everyone in awe. Unfortunately, from where we were seated, rays of sunlight were shining directly which made the blue flames hardly visible to the naked eye. The layered crepe not only embodied the flavours of the alcohol but soaked up the luscious orange flavours to make it a sweet but not overly empowering dessert. Texture of the crepe was close to perfection as the soft layers were clearly defined and it was with great pleasure that I scoped up every single bit of the sauce and leaving nothing to clear on the plate!

Dome | S$29/++

Photo credit: Henri Charpentier

Exclusively available only in Singapore, the chocolate sphere composed of a chocolate parfait of fraise d'amande and upon pouring down the alcohol which set ablaze a lightly visible blue flame (once again due to the bright sunlight shining through) that melted the chocolate casing. While the end result does not look the least bit palatable, it bore the richest flavours among the three desserts tried.

Blending the classic chocolate and strawberries combination, it packed a bag of flavours that would bring oomph to each spoonful of sinful calories!

The beautifully and lavishly decorated interior made the dining experience a lot more sophisticated than just a visit to any other dessert saloon. With a focus on 'creating a new appreciation for sweets', it could be seen that much efforts have been dedicated to enhancing diners' experience at Henri Charpentier.

You could also see the chefs in action behind the counter display as you step in to the restaurant.

A list of awards and accolades that Henri Charpentier won in Japan!

The restaurant also has some outdoor seating available though it is quite apparent that no one takes such seating under the scorching afternoon heat!

Distinctly differentiated by its flamboyant pink carpet leading to the entrance, we felt that the overall experience at Henri Charpentier makes it a worthy visit albeit the relatively steep prices for desserts which can easily be justified by the quality of ingredients used and of course the theatrical display that would almost certainly impress your dining companions.

With a gorgeous ambience, the service crew were also commendable. Most of the service personnel were Japanese and while they left us to enjoy our desserts mostly, the manager took a special effort to strike up a casual conversation, asking about our experience and feedback of the various desserts tried. We were rather disappointed that we were unable to catch the display of blue flames for the two flaming desserts ordered but we are already planning our next visit in the evening to make sure we catch it during our next visit!

Overall Verdict: 8.0/10

Henri Charpentier

9A Dempsey Road

Singapore 247698

Tel: (+65) 6479 5518

Website: http://www.henri-charpentier.com/

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, by cy

Brunch

[SG] PS. Cafe Petit | Traditional fast food served the 'Slow Food' fashion

While most people would be familiar with PS. Cafe, we recently visited PS. Cafe Petit on Martin Road and was equally impressed by its brunch offering. With a casual setting, PS. Cafe Petit is a gourmet takeaway and retail concept that offers traditional fast food such as pizzas and burgers. Another highlight about the place is that they work with over 20 different wine suppliers, hence they carry a curated selection of wine bottles which would suit the palate of most!

As we stepped inside the restaurant, what struck us distinctly was that none of the occupied tables had dining guests that were purely local. Do not be mistaken, we are not being judgemental people here but this is clearly a place popular with the expats or it could simply be a case of visiting at the wrong time.

Fish and Chips

It was one of those lazy days where we did not know what to order and quite simply jump to the 'Favourites' page of the menu. While I was still nursing a cough and sore throat, it was difficult to resist these beer-battered red snapper fillets paired with shoestring fries, dill pickled aioli.

I enjoyed the crisp batter that coated the delicate fish and more importantly, it felt clean and fresh, without leaving us that stale oil after taste nor greasy lips that you would feel ashamed of especially with a group of friends.

PS. Bolognese Pizza

All the 12-inch pizzas are handmade to order hence there was a waiting time of about 20 - 30 minutes. Almost like your Bolognese pasta but served on pizza, the usual ingredients such as tomato, beef, pork, mozzarella, parmesan and basil were responsible for bringing out the flavours. The thin pizza had a lovely crust on the edges and it was nicely baked with some burnt ends.

What caught our surprise was that it was served with some traditional Chinese chilli oil. It was an interesting condiment to accompany the otherwise traditional Italian pizza but this hint of Asian twist surprisingly worked for our palate. The heat from the chilli juxtaposed the plain savouriness of the pizza, making it quite addictive after a few mouthfuls!

Black Cherry Tiramisu | S$12/++

Dubbed as one of the signatures at PS. Cafe, the Petite sister restaurant carries this dessert too. Overall, it was an easy favourite since the distinctive flavours and components were all intact, such as the mascarpone, sponge and cream which were all spot-on. Personally, I felt that it lacked boldness from the alcohol but the ladies at the table certainly looked past that!

Chocolate Nut Doorstep

Another signature on the menu, this was surely a sinful indulgence and would go well for chocolate lovers. Topped with a refined chocolate mousse, the caramelised pecans were sandwiched by a dense dark chocolate cake that laid the foundation to the cake. I enjoyed the difference in textures as you slice across the varying layers and pack them all into a mouthful.

Curated selection of wine bottles from all over the world.

PS. Cafe Petit is quite a fuss-free place so expect minimal service from the crew. With the menu placed together with the cutlery and tap water refill section, you are expected to pick those up and head over to the counter to place your orders where payment would then be taken as well.

The hot food would however be sent to your tables but in general, we were pretty much left to ourselves throughout our meal. If you are expecting the place to be service-oriented such as PS. Cafe, then it would not fit the bill. Otherwise, it would be a lovely place to chill over some decent food and catch up with friends!

Overall Verdict: 7.5/10

PS. Cafe Petit

38 Martin Road,

#01-01

Singapore 239072

Tel: (+65) 8188 6191

Website: http://www.pscafe.com/pscafe-petit-at-martin-road/

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, by cy

Casual Dining

[SG] Ricciotti Riverwalk | experiencing a taste of Italy with its authentic arts culture

Italian cuisine isn't unfamiliar with most, with the usual favourites like pastas and pizzas. What we might be unfamiliar with, however, would be the proliferating arts culture in Italy, spotting art pieces everywhere as you walk down the streets. While most places have brought in authentic tasting Italian food, Ricciotti brings in a flavour of Italy complete with the arts experience for its newly renovated flagship store along Singapore River.

Unveiling its new installation piece, Ricciotti will have ongoing collaborations with Italian artists from different backgrounds to bring forth an added dimension of the Italian culture to their dining concept. As the art piece was unveiled, we liked the idea of how it was an unfinished piece, with the artist adding on her artistic strokes while we dined.

And now, on to the food itself! Some of the highlights of our meal had to be the classic Italian we've always known.

Linguine al Granchio (crab meat, chili, tomato cream) $25++

While I was expecting a spicy kick like our usual chili crabs, this was a tamer version to cater to most who might not have an appetite for the fiery crabs. I liked the balance of tomato cream with just a slight tinge of spiciness, packed with much shredded crabmeat goodness!

Cod Fillet (cod fillet, thyme, sundried tomatoes, sautéed spinach) $31++

Not the first thing that comes to my mind for Italian cuisine, this was a surprisingly good dish with the cod fish cooked just right to retain its moisture within. The sundried tomatoes added a nice touch to the combination with a slightly sour tinge, well complemented with the spinach for a good balance.

Grilled Pork Ribs (pork ribs, mixed salad, potatoes) $28++

I was skeptical of this initially as it looked pretty dry, only to be pleasantly surprised when I pry the succulent ribs that were off-the-bone tender. The well-marinated ribs were good on its own that we could do even without the usual sauces that piled atop.

9" Al Tartufo Pizza (black truffles, quail eggs, mushrooms) $20++

With the truffle craze right now, this is one to look forward to, especially with it being a new addition to the menu post-revamp. Truffle fans would revel in the dominant taste of truffle in this, and of course, biting into the quail egg yolk for some flowy egg porn.

Canella Sweet Pizza (cinnamon sugar with mascarpone and raisins) $14++

There's just something about Italian and pizzas and Ricciotti has taken a sweet twist to this typically savoury dough. An interesting combination, this comes in two other flavours - Nutella with chopped hazelnuts and Apples with cinnamon and honey.

Tiramisu (classic Italian recipe with mascarpone cream, espresso and lady finger) $10++

A classic dessert, this was one that was rich and creamy though mild on the espresso side. I liked that it wasn't too sweet and textures were just right.

Carrot Cake (moist carrot cake with cinnamon and walnuts, topped with frosting) $7++

A simple one done well, it was fluffy without an overpowering cinnamon taste to it. The walnuts added a lovely texture to each mouthful, a light and refreshing treat!

Soffiato (Italian style dark chocolate molten cake with stracciatella gelato) $12++

An innocent looking chocolate cake, it opened up to a warm molten core that went perfectly well with the classic stracciatella gelato (vanilla with chocolate chips). Moist and dense cake with comforting dark chocolate, it wasn't one to overwhelm on the sweetness and perfect to end your meal on a satisfying note.

*Do note that portions are served in serving plates and are not representative of actual portions served for the prices indicated.

Surrounding the theme of Benvenuti Casa, which means Welcome Home, Ricciotti set out to create a cosy and homely atmosphere perfect for any gatherings. We loved the vibrance of the restaurant and the bustle for a comfortable space to catch up over a hearty meal!

Celebrating its 10th year anniversary with its newly renovated flagship branch, it has re-created the contemporary dining experience complete with arts and cultural aspect of Italy. While the art installation had been one of the features of the opening, we liked that it was a work-in-progress and we'll leave it for you to check out its different look each time!

Celebrating with cocktails for the evening

Besides the lovely ambience and authentic taste of Italian, I was personally impressed by their long term goal to give back to society with a viable concrete action in place. With the Food for Good initiative, diners can now dine and do good as receipts will show how you can donate a percentage of your bill to a charity organization - all at the cost of Ricciotti. Supporting CrozzBorderz, diners can logon to the CrozzBorderz's website and select one charity project over the other, if you wish, and also top up payments via your PayPal accounts. Sharing profits for a good cause combined with raising awareness of charity projects for top-ups of donations if you'd wish, it's indeed a win-win meal!

Overall Verdict: 7.0/10

Ricciotti Riverwalk

20 Upper Circular Road

Singapore 058416

P.S: Special thanks to Krystal for the invitation and Elvi for being such a wonderful host!

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, by swee

Events

[SG] 'Flavours of the World' at Plaza Singapura

As Plaza Singapura celebrates its 40th anniversary, it partners Cold Storage to bring 'Flavours of the World' to its main atrium, where international gourmet delights are featured. Apart from an oyster bar, exquisite meat carving station and an extensive selection of beers, ciders and wines, guests and shoppers can also indulge in wine tastings, live jazz performances and interactive games during the two week event starting today till 2 November 2014!

This inaugural epicurean event is held in partnership with Cold Storage who is organising such a large scale event for the first time within a shopping mall!

Join us for a tour on what to expect!

Variety of Australian wines which include the usual Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the sweeter dessert wines Moscato and White Zinfandel

With a wide selection of wine from Australia, French to South Africa, there are various ambassadors representing wines from the respective regions and countries to provide wine tastings and also provide insights about the characteristics and types of wine.

In order to fully appreciate wine, we have to engage our various senses such as smell and touch in addition to taste. A tip to bear in mind when going through the tour is to always start with tasting white wine and finishing off with red!

While most people would assume that French wines are exorbitant, the ambassadors present burst the myth and surprisingly, they are very affordable starting from as low as S$26.50 for a bottle! We were introduced to some Old World Wine by the French ambassadors which have a lovely blend of dark cherries and licorice to give a mellow yet robust flavours. Surely picked up some useful knowledge about wine appreciation from the gentlemen!

If you are looking to gift bottles of wine, there is also the service of personalised wine labels, complimentary with purchase of Terra Vega wine from Chile and exclusive to Cold Storage!

Moving away from the wine selection, there was a bar counter serving draft Stella, Hoegaarden and the exclusive Hoegaarden Rosee! With the fruity zest of raspberry infusion, it was certainly star of the evening with its burst of refreshing taste! At just 3% alcohol content, I enjoyed the balance in sweetness and acidity, which carried a tinge of floral and woody notes that linger. If you are looking for an easy drink to banter with some friends, this would just be it.

While Hoegaarden Rosee has been launched in some of the clubs around town, it will be available exclusively on the shelves of Cold Storage for the first time!

For cider fans, you would certainly be familiar with Rekordelig! This was one of our favourite ciders when we were living in UK and Christmas surely arrive early as the limited edition premium winter flavour is now available on the shelves! For those who prefer their ciders warm on a cold rainy day, this would surely fit the bill as it is suitable to serve both chilled and warm!

Apart from a wide selection of wines, ciders and beers, what else can you expect from the event? Food, of course!

Expect some freshly shucked oysters and indulge in these meaty US imported oysters! Offered in half a dozen for just S$15, these live oysters are at a bargain!

These gourmet sausages with natural casing are specially imported from UK and beautifully cooked to perfection, retaining the much desired moisture. Available in a box of 3 sausages for just S$5, it is no wonder to see this being the clear favourites amongst the crowd!

With a live bar serving wine and beer, it would be impossible to resist the Wagyu Beef Cubes. For a 200 gram portion, it would come at S$19, cooked medium rare. With a slight pinkness in the red meat, it was succulent and the marinade was spot on, delivering a flavoursome savouriness to each mouthful.

For the alcoholic drinks to complement the meats, beers are offered at S$8/cup, house pour wines at S$8/glass, premium wine at S$12/glass and for the bubbly champagne, S$15/glass.

For cheese lovers or simply to complement your wines, there is also an exclusive column of various selections specially imported from worldwide. While I am no cheese connoisseur, this selection is guaranteed to delight many!

When it comes to drinks, how can we ever neglect the importance of chips? Herr's is a popular US brand of potato chips that is now officially launched in Singapore at Cold Storage! With a wide variety of snacks that also include tortilla chips, cheese curls, popcorns and onion rings, this is something that you would love to hug on your couch as you watch the next blockbuster at home!

For those who wish to indulge, Torres chips are handcrafted and have the unmistakable black truffle flavour!

And we spotted Nando's chips too, one which we used to binge when we were in UK and these were readily available at most supermarkets! Now I know where to get my cravings fixed!

While the event aims to bring the flavours of the world closer to Singapore, it is more than just an event of fine food and wine. Expect to be entertained with live jazz performance which took centerstage!

Available for just two weeks till 2 November 2014, bring your family and friends and head down to Plaza Singapura today!

Plaza Singapura

Main Atrium

68 Orchard Road

Singapore 238839

P.S: Special thanks to Lewis for the invitation to the media preview!

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, by cy

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[SG] Food photography with Nikon Df | Part II – Surviving dim lighting

[SG] Food photography with Nikon Df | Part I - Indoor Dining

[SG] Henri Charpentier | flame of glory?

[SG] PS. Cafe Petit | Traditional fast food served the 'Slow Food' fashion

[SG] Ricciotti Riverwalk | experiencing a taste of Italy with its authentic arts culture

[SG] 'Flavours of the World' at Plaza Singapura

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