Tasty Tastemaker Tour (28th May 2016)

The last stop of the Tasty Tastemaker Tour where we dropped by this unique and zen spot in the west for some handbrewed coffee. The Tiny Roaster is a place that is by coffee lovers, for coffee lovers — one can get to learn about coffee from the different sources and flavour profiles to the handbrew processes while you drop by for a cuppa brewed by their baristas using the Kalita Wave Drippers which you can purchase and conveniently do at home; they even conduct cupping sessions which the public can attend at a small fee as well. The Iced Latte is brewed with their Fairy Lights blend (which is roasted by themselves), and comes with a ball of coffee ice made from coffee of the same blend so your coffee would not get diluted from the melting ice; a very thoughtful touch indeed!

So what is a visit to Paddy Hills if we did not order the Berry Ricotta Hotcakes? We definitely had fun taking photos of this photogenic dish during the Tasty Tastemaker Tour, especially with all that berries and that foam that gets those who love doing pouring shots in a frenzy. Having had Version 1 when I visited them when they were still new, it's pretty surprising to find it evolve into this Version 3 which I found a big difference in flavours and textures which had certainly improved over the times. It's more pancake-fluffy this time round, though still laced in maple syrup which reminds me of the happier and innocent days where McDonald's pancakes was "the moment" in my life on weekends. They are also more generous with the berries now too, and the pourable foam definitely makes it a fun dish to have on the table. Do make a visit if you hadn't had it yet; we have heard a Version 4 in the works that would be launched alongside the new menu revamp that will see the introduction of the Rigatoni and Four Little Pigs as well.

Another dish off Paddy Hill's yet to be launched menu from the Tasty Tastemaker Tour, this dish is inspired by Cacio e Pepe, which is a minimalist pasta dish that literally translates to "Cheese and Pepper". The Rigatoni also adds a mentaiko sauce and a little meat at the side. Flavours are strong here, especially since it is mainly powered by the cheese and pepper around the pasta which was done pretty decent, though I wished that the mentaiko had a chance to shine alongside the main characters as well — perhaps this is the reason people call me a biased mentaiko fan haha.

The spiritual successor to the Tonkotsu Risotto at Paddy Hill's, we were lucky enough to try it as it is from the yet-to-be-released menu which they would be releasing in a couple of week's time during the Tasty Tastemaker Tour. Featuring a playful menu while maintaining the dramatic presentation of the dishes here, the dish comes blanketed with a layer of seaweed that is meant to be shredded atop the risotto and mixed with to enjoy. It also comes with an interesting element; Pork Snow which I shall let everyone figure out on their own. I hadn't tried the previous version of this dish, but I enjoyed the savoury Risotto that came with Japanese Char Siew with a smoky flavour. Definitely something I would look forward to on a weekend.

Thanks to fellow Burpple Tastemaker Kenneth, we actually got to try Paddy Hill's Cold Brew at stop 2 of the Tasty Tastemaker Tour. Brewed from beans that are "roasted" via the sous vide method for around 18(?) hours. The result of this cold brew is seemingly light-flavored coffee that boasts of bright floral notes that is actually pretty soothing to have. Since everything at Paddy Hills is served for both the palate and the eyes, it comes atop a wooden board with a glass and the bottle of cold brew lying atop with various other items scattered across for the visual impact. Definitely something different from the usual cuppa.

The dessert that wraps up stop 1 of the Tasty Tastemaker Tour. On first look, this might look like a massive onslaught of sweetness all on one plate, especially with that generosity when it comes to the mixed berry compote and that scoop of vanilla ice-cream that accompanies them. I loved how the waffles here are always so ever fluffy, with a lingering Buttermilk fragrance that makes it so wonderful. The compote brings just a good amount of sweetness to the dish, so it comes with a good balance of sweet yet tart berry flavour while the vanilla ice-cream is smooth and aromatic — an ideal match to the waffles without being overwhelmingly sweet. Presentation wise it might be messy for some, but I personally find it fitting to the terminology "beautiful mess" pretty well!

Dish 2 of stop 1 for the Tasty Tastemaker Tour. My personal favorite dish to order at Atlas Coffeehouse for how wholesome it gets. It's a dish carrying a little Japanese element with it and seemingly not as brunchy as the Mushrooms on Toast, this is the dish that is suitable for a light meal. Glazed salmon was done just right, locking in the moistness yet being flaky with a hint of Teriyaki while it comes with shimeiji mushrooms that gives an earthy flavour that helps to mediate the savoury noodles. And of course, it helps that the fried egg is there to satisfy all your brunch fantasies regarding eggporn that comes with a little sprinkle of furikake just to spice things up a little. If all gets a little bit too flavoursome, have some of the Greek yogurt alongside that helps neutralize the palate, though personally I would prefer to have the dish without the Greek yogurt for I enjoyed every single bit of flavour that runs throughout this dish.

Dish 1 of stop 1 for the Tasty Tastemaker Tour. I have heard good things about this dish that had been raved by many who have had it before and was really looking forward to having it. Certainly not disappointed on how it turned out; runny scrambled eggs (an add-on that is highly recommended at $3 on top of the original price, umami sautéed shimeiji mushrooms in cream stop sourdough with shaved Parmesan, it's that dish you had always been dreaming about for breakfast when you wake up on weekends which made it totally apt for being the first item to be dished out on the tour.