Foodie Friday: What The Stars Ate This Week (Aug 28-Sep 4)

It’s been a sweet week for the celebs: Wong Li-Lin tucked into a refreshing grape tart for her birthday; James Seah relaxed his diet a little and allowed himself to have some brownies (courtesy of Joanne Peh!), and the Muttons’ radio-themed custom cake wows with its surprise centre. And as for the savoury end of things, check out the black pepper crab whipped up by Belinda Lee, as well as Nathan Hartono’s McDonald’s-inspired recipe for fried rice that’s beginner-friendly.

What she ate: Fusion Japanese

Yummy factor: Apple’s meal at kappo-style Japanese resto, Esora, was most certainly a feast for the senses, featuring elaborately-prepared dishes that include wagyu, foie gras, and fresh seafood. And the “macaron lookalike” she’s holding is actually a monaka (a Japanese sweet), and it includes fresh grapes, foie gras torchon and myoga salad.

What they ate: Chocolate brownies

Yummy factor: Joanne’s a woman of her word — she made good on her promise to gift James with a 4cm by 4cm square of decadent brownie as a reward for an emotional scene he had to film for upcoming Mandarin drama, Mind Jumper. And if you’re wondering why the size of the snack had to be so specific, it’s because James is currently watching his diet for a shirtless scene for the drama.

What she ate: Black pepper crab

Yummy factor: Something tells us that the peppery goodness of the crab dish by Belinda will go really well with her signature rosemary waffles. A new fusion dish, perhaps?

What she ate: Juicy steak

Yummy factor: What makes you happy? For Kimberly, it's tucking into a 200g steak at steakhouse The Feather Blade, as well as plenty of sides like creamed spinach, sauteed mushrooms and smashed potatoes (fried in beef fat!) to share. Also, we spy a gyudon at the corner topped with Hokkaido scallops. Yum.

What they ate: Izakaya nosh

Yummy factor: From fried chicken skin to skewered wings and shredded potatoes topped with torched mentaiko for maximum umami, as well as perfectly-grilled squid, Felifrey’s catch-up session with singer Olivia Ong at The Public Izakaya featured plenty of yummy eats.

What they ate: Radio burger cake

Yummy factor: Can’t decide between having a burger or slice of cake? Well, the Muttons' Vernon A and Justin Ang got to have the best of both worlds with a custom radio burger cake from Shangri-La Hotel, complete with an “On Air” sign. And as if the cake’s not unique enough already, the folks over at Shangri-La even added a surprise piñata element — its core is filled with chewy marshmallows! Even the chocolate hammer used to crack open the piñata is edible too.

​​​​​​​What she ate: Fried sweet potato balls

Yummy factor: These addictive fried balls are a must-have street snack for the family whenever Vivian visits Taiwan with her girls, Vera and Ariel. Now that leisure travel is out of the question, Vivian decided to try and make some from scratch, and the results were yummy!

What she ate: Roast pork and beancurd tarts

Yummy factor: Despite being busy with the kids, Yvonne managed to find time to roast some crispy sio bak and bake a batch of beancurd tarts. Safe to say, the tarts are approved by #HappyAlexa!

​​​​​​​What she ate: Birthday tart

Yummy factor: Happy birthday, Li-Lin! The 48-year-old beauty, who doesn't look a day past 35, celebrated the occasion with a whole fruit tart topped with plenty of grapes. A healthy diet probably contributed to her youthful visage.

What she ate: Fresh seafood

Yummy factor: Xiuhuan went on a day trip to a kelong for a fresh seafood feast with friends, including Hong Huifang and Tang Miaoling, and the spread looked amazing. Think steamed squids and a whole fish, as well as buttered prawns and more.

What he ate: McSpicyRicey”

Yummy factor: What do you get when you dice up some leftover spicy McNuggets and chicken wings and cook them in a rice cooker with some carrots and rice? In Nathan’s terms, you’ll get a “McSpicyRicey” that’s absolutely delish. Perhaps McDonald’s can look to Nathan’s eureka moment for their next seasonal menu item?

What she ate: Sushi rolls

Yummy factor: Yasminne made her own healthy sushi rolls with minced meat and unagi, thanks to tips from Akira Back’s Chef de Cuisine Tomoyuki Kiga, and we think the results look promising — albeit it being her third attempt.

What he ate: Lobsters and beef

Yummy factor: Although his birthday is a couple of weeks away (Sep 19), Gerald had an early celebration with his wife Thia Zhixin at the swanky VUE, where he had the Turf and Surf set featuring a winning combo of whole Maine lobster and USDA Prime, Brandt family beef.

​​​​​​​What she ate: Sourdough focaccia

Yummy factor: We’re loving the colours on Patricia’s sourdough focaccia from home-based bakery Dee Mindful Baker — it resembles a colourful garden with ingredients like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, onions and more.

What he ate: Otoro sashimi

Yummy factor: Pornsak’s lunch at Rakuichi Japanese Restaurant was a shiok one — it's no wonder he looks so happy! Think thick slices of premium otoro sashimi with plenty of fat, aburi sushi and more.

What she ate: Duck porridge

Yummy factor: There’s just something comforting about having a piping hot bowl of porridge on a rainy afternoon. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Sora’s homecooked version has plenty of hearty ingredients like a whole duck drumstick, eggs, carrots, as well as a handful of goji berries for a touch of sweetness.

​​​​​​​What he ate: Big breakfast

Yummy factor: Despite the hearty portions of scrambled eggs and sausages on his breakfast platter at the Marmalade Pantry, Daren’s wife, Nadia Lum, quipped that he’d always feel hungry soon after consuming brunch fare. Perhaps he should order two mains for himself the next time?

What she ate: Kueh pie tee

Yummy factor: You Yi spent a leisurely afternoon munching on kueh pie tee topped with crunchy prawns and turmeric chicken wings at Violet Oon’s, and could barely resist getting started on the fried wings before taking a photo.

What she ate: Modern Italian creations

Yummy factor: Fann had a girls’ day out at Supply & Demand, and check out what she treated herself to — pan-seared scallops with kombu caviar, as well as a juicy, herb-crusted lamb rack straight from the grill.