Restaurant review: Al Forno (East Coast), Singapore

Despite Singapore being a tiny island, I seldom travel to the eastern part of the country. Since I live and work in the west, and most of my friends and family live around the area, that is where I am most of the time. It is a shame though because it is well known that East Coast plays host to innumerable restaurants, cafes, hawker delights and is considered a bona fide foodie haven. The food scene at Katong, East Coast, Joo Chiat, Bedok and Changi Village areas have largely remained unexplored in my 16 years on the island. That said, I've been to many of the restaurants located in Jewel Changi (if that counts). 

The westie that I am, I usually settle of some of my favourite haunts in Holland Village, Bukit Timah and Dempsey while dining out. I do like to go to Seletar Aerospace Park up north with my family in tow. Even if I have to go further towards the heart of the city when dining out with friends, Orchard, Little India, Arab Street, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay are usually as far as I'll go. 

During late last year, I met up with one of my old college buddies. Since she lives in the east, we decided to meet up for lunch at a restaurant near her place. We chose Italian because, 1. Duh, who doesn't like Italian food? and 2. We were bound to have vegetarian options which was a prerequisite for the venue. 

Established in 1995, Al Forno East Coast Restaurant & Pizzeria is an authentic Italian restaurant in Singapore. At Al Forno, diners can enjoy a casual dinner in a warm, festive atmosphere of Napoli created by the hands of Italians. 

The restaurant is known for importing fresh ingredients like whole peeled tomatoes and cheeses directly from Italy and use of traditional wood fire oven which imparts a delightful taste to their pizzas and fresh breads. 

I liked the location of the restaurant. Rather than being housed in a glitzy mall or busy commercial complex, the restaurant is located within a charming shophouse along the East Coast road in what appears to be a residential enclave. 

As you enter the restaurant, your eyes are instantly drawn to the pops of red, white and green which obviously are the colors of the Italian flag. The furniture is what I would describe as rustic. I was glad to notice that the tables were spaced wide apart to maintain a sense of distancing and privacy. The walls are adorned with plaques of awards and lots of photographs. The restaurant has a quaint and cosy vibe. I could see that it is a popular hangout spot for expats.

We went through the menu which has a reasonable selection of Antipasti (starters), Primi Piatti (pasta), Pizze (pizza), Secondi Piatti (main course), Dolce (dessert) and some red and white wines. We were pleased to see that there was a decent selection of vegetarian dishes.

Recipe of the month: Tex-Mex Burrito Bowl and Burritos (Vegetarian)

I have a very good reason for being MIA on this space you guys. The past one month has been much more busier than usual on the work front. With an important deadline looming ahead, it is likely that this phase will last a few more weeks (boo 😞). Around the same time, taking my mind off the work-related madness was the much anticipated visit of my parents during the first week of May. They stayed with us for 10 days which resulted in busyness of a much more pleasant kind 😊 I managed to take three days off and we tried to make the best of our time together. My parents happened to be the first overseas visitors we have had in close to three years so you can imagine how much we welcomed their presence in our midst.

I have had several ideas for upcoming blog posts but it is only this week that I was actually able to sit down with my laptop, take a quick peek at my blog, mull over the content I want to post and the sequence that I want to publish it. 

Today’s post is going to be a recipe post and one that is very close to my heart. I know I sound like a broken record when I say I LOVE Mexican food. This insatiable love extends not only to authentic Mexican but Tex-Mex and really anything remotely Mexican-inspired. I can probably eat this cuisine every day of the week without getting bored. 

Something we (ok ‘we’ is a stretch, it is my husband mainly) have been making quite often is Tex-Mex Burrito Bowls and Burritos. Ever since we (and I mean he 😆) discovered La Mexicana, an online and physical grocery store that serves as a one-stop-shop for all Mexican Groceries in Singapore early last year, Mexican food features much more regularly on our weekend menu. Previously, we would make Mexican only when we chanced upon fresh jalapeños in speciality grocery stores or rarely, online. With La Mexicana, cooking Mexican at home has turned into a breeze. And if you were wondering, no one is offering me anything to say this. I’m just a happy customer spreading the word out of the goodness of my heart!

We typically order large thin flour tortillas, pickled onions, fresh jalapeños, shredded cheese blend, tortilla chips, obeleas and either margarita or sangria. After that it is the simple matter of making sure we have good avocados, canned tomatoes, sour cream and refried beans and then getting ready to whip up a fantastic Tex-Mex meal washed down with margarita or sangria and obleas (if it is just us) or churros with chocolate sauce, flan or Tres Leches cake (if we have guests) to end the meal on a sweet note. Along with burrito bowls or burritos, jalapeño poppers, black bean salad, fajitas, tacos and assorted quesadillas commonly feature in our Mexican-inspired weekend cooking. 

The best part, for me, is that when we assemble burrito bowls for dinner, there most likely are ingredients leftover which serves as burritos for lunch the next day (or vice versa). Both burrito bowls and burritos are highly customizable and can be made vegan and gluten-free. Not to mention, they are super meal-prep friendly. Aside from the Tex-Mex staples such as rice, beans, cheese, tomato salsa, guacamole and sour cream, you can add whatever you like to suit your dietary preferences. We typically make a simple garlic cilantro rice, spicy tomato salsa, guacamole, steamed or grilled corn and stir-fried bell pepper strips. We then add a spoonful of store-bought refried beans or black beans, a dollop of sour cream, pickled onions, and  cheesy baked tortilla chips. When everything comes together in one bite, it is crazy delicious and you don’t need to go looking for any fancy schmancy Mexican restaurant. You can take my word for it. To make the burritos, we just warm up large flour tortillas and carefully layer the components listed above, wrap tightly, toast on both sides, slice and dig in. We love it, our children love it and when we are entertaining, even our guests love it. It is just an all-round big WIN 👍

I hope you try this recipe folks. Don't be intimidated by the number of components because putting this together is actually quite simple. 

Even though I do have recipes for tomato salsa and guacamole on the blog, we have tweaked them to make them better and so you will find the updated recipes in this post. We don’t add garlic to tomato salsa by choice and the addition of mayonnaise/sour cream/Greek yoghurt to the guacamole imparts an additional creaminess which we have come to love. 

Unless you live in the West, I understand that some of the ingredients may not be easily available where you live so I have listed all the possible substitutions in the notes section below. Just please don’t ask me what to substitute for avocados 😝

Book review: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This one was on my 'To-Read' list for ages. I'm glad I finally got around to it 😊

The Kite Runner is the first novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini and was published in 2003 by Riverhead Books. It is a poignant tale of the improbable friendship between two Afghan boys, a traumatic betrayal and a lifelong quest for redemption. 

The novel became a bestseller after being printed in paperback and was promoted in book clubs. It appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years with over seven million copies sold in the United States. A number of adaptations were created following publication, including a 2007 film of the same name, several stage performances, and a graphic novel. The novel is also available in a multi-CD audiobook read by the author.

***Plot***

Hassan and Amir grow up together in the affluent Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul in Afghanistan. While Amir is the son of a respected Pashtun businessman and philanthropist, Hassan is the son of a Hazara servant, who has been dutifully serving Amir's family for decades. Both the motherless boys forge a close bond and are inseparable until the winter of 1975. 

Desperate to win the approval of his impassive father, twelve-year old Amir is dead set on winning the local kite flying tournament with the aid of his faithful accomplice Hassan. As far as Amir’s father is concerned, his son’s kite flying capabilities overshadow an untapped flair for writing. Amir is ecstatic when he wins the tournament and an overjoyed Hassan, who happens to be the best kite runner in the city, bolts to retrieve the fallen kite. But what happens next irrevocably changes the course of Amir and Hassan’s life. Amir makes a series of grave mistakes that rips apart the friendship and leaves him with a lifetime of all-consuming guilt and regret. 

A few years later, with Afghanistan under Soviet occupation, Amir and his father flee Kabul and eventually forge a new life in the United States. Amir  completes his education, gets married and embarks on a career as a writer. He adapts to his new life in the West but thoughts of Hassan and Ali keep tormenting him. One day, he gets a call from Pakistan from his father’s oldest friend and confidant, Rahim Khan, who is dying. 

In Pakistan, Amir learns a devastating truth that shakes the foundation of his life. He is presented with an opportunity to right the wrongs of his childhood. But to do this, Amir has to battle with the demons of his past and display the kind of courage, he has never known. 

To know if there reconciliation and redemption in Amir’s story, you will have to read the book to find out.