Foodie Friday: What The Stars Ate This Week (May 28-Jun 4)

The stars have been getting busy in the kitchen this week. Fann Wong made kong bak pau from scratch with the help of Christopher Lee and Zed, and Joanne Peh got us salivating over her whisky cake. Meanwhile, Ya Hui got to try SG Umami's popular pizzas handmade by towkay Ben Yeo, and can you guess who's that star trying to go incognito while out tapow-ing food?

What she ate: Kong bak pau

Yummy factor: It took the whole family to prepare this precious platter of kong bak pau — Fann's little kitchen helper Zed helped to knead the dough for the buns, and hubby Christopher Lee made the braised pork. Served with coriander, spring onions and chilli padi on the side, the classic Hokkien dish has never looked more shiok.

What she ate: Rojak

Yummy factor: Because Xiuhuan’s family had requested for her to make rojak, she decided to do some research online and eventually came up with her own recipe, which was inspired by the unique rojak from the now-defunct RojakStory. Aside from the usual ingredients like you tiao and pineapple cubes, she also included popcorn chicken, cherry tomatoes, green apple and fried tau kee for added flavour and crunch. Well, her family loved it and she couldn’t have been more pleased.

What she ate: Pizzas from SG Umami and you tiao

Yummy factor: Ever since the dine-in ban came into effect on May 16, tapow-ing and eating in the car has become Ya Hui's new normal. This week, she bought her favourite you tiao, or fried dough fritters, from Delisnacks at Whampoa Drive Market & Food Centre, for lunch, as well as SG Umami's Japanese-style pizzas prepared by towkay Ben Yeo. We hear the thin-crust pizzas have been so popular that they are sold out daily.

What she ate: Folded kimbap, or sushi sandwich

Yummy factor: Because food delivery options can get quite costly, Juin decided to make her own sushi sandwich for lunch. And it looks pretty wholesome too — she added pan-fried chicken thighs, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, greens and even instant prata to her creation for good measure. Be sure to spread out the fillings evenly or your sandwich might become too thick to fold.

​​​​​​​What she ate: Whisky cake

Yummy factor: Can’t decide on what to get for your dad for Father’s Day? You might want to try Joanne’s whisky cake, created in collaboration with online bakery Baked by Wolf. It features her fave flavours, too — think rich chocolate almond coating encasing moist marble cake with a hint of whisky. And it even comes with three additional shots of whisky for an extra kick. Yum.

What he ate: Nourishing soups

Yummy factor: Not only did Hanwei get hearty broths from Lao Huo Tang to go with delish yam rice, he also had plenty of sides like pig's trotter with black vinegar, sweet and sour pork with lychee, fried eggplant with pork floss, and more. Talk about variety!

What she ate: Gu cai kueh

Yummy factor: Ah Jie was spotted patronising the popular Yang Zhou Hokkien Mee stall at a coffeeshop at 127 Bukit Merah Lane, where she also got her fix of gu cai kueh from traditional kueh stall Poh Cheu. Stuffed full with Chinese chives and dried shrimps, the kueh look like they’d be perfect with a dash of black sauce and chilli.

What she ate: Canelés

Yummy factor: Yvonne made French pastry canelé for the first time this week, and it sure seemed like an effortless attempt for the avid baker. Her sweet little baked treats look beautiful with a dark, caramelised shell and soft, custardy interior.

​​​​​​​What she ate: Boat noodles

Yummy factor: Hungry past midnight? No problem for Michelle and Pornsak, who got to slurp up big bowls of celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee’s homemade boat noodles for supper. Or as Michelle would describe it, Thailand-style wanton mee without wantons.

What she ate: Seafood pao fan

Yummy factor: Sonia’s virgin attempt at making pao fan proved to be a success, and we’ve got to give it to her for paying attention to the littlest details — not only was her soup made from scratch with tiger prawns, collagen broth and cognac, she also fried her own garlic, shallots and ikan bilis. And she even made sure to include deep-fried crackling rice and crispy egg for extra texture. A+ for effort.

What she ate: Zi char favourites

Yummy factor: Sum Kee Food is one of Belinda’s favourite restaurants for zi char delights like curry fish head, and the XO Sum Lor Hor Fun is a must-have for her. As for her hubby David Moore, the Ultraman Chicken comes highly recommended for its salted egg goodness. And because she ordered more than $88 worth of food, she even got a braised duck for free — what a steal.

What he ate: Shabu shabu

Yummy factor: Check out the delivery sets Nick got from Goro Japanese Cuisine. His fried salmon fish head shabu shabu pot came with house-made fish broth, plenty of fresh veggies and udon, as well as Japanese curry rice. The spread looks like it’d be able to feed Nick’s fam for days.

What they ate: Porterhouse steak

Yummy factor: Dinner at a friend’s proved to be a gastronomic affair for Jeffrey and Felicia, who got to sink their teeth into juicy slices of grilled US prime porterhouse steak that had been dry aged for 50 days. Coupled with cold cuts and cheese, as well as soft burrata cheese with cherry tomatoes, it’s no wonder Jeffrey was full of praise for the meal.

What she ate: Al fresco lunch

Yummy factor: With outdoor dining now possible in Paris, Sharon took the chance to bask in the delightful 25 degrees Celsius weather at the swanky La Cour Jardin Plaza Athénée, all while enjoying her Camargue red rice dish with prawns, broccoli florets and fresh tomatoes.

What she ate: Roti jala

Yummy factor: Although Bingyu’s multi-coloured roti jala from Herba & Rempah, an online store based in Malaysia, looks almost too pretty to be eaten, she just couldn’t resist devouring them with the aromatic chicken curry they came with.

What she ate: Homely dinner

Yummy factor: In a time where food delivery services are all the rage, Kym’s homely dinner menu — winter melon soup with pork ribs, stir-fried nai bai and an omelette with steamed rice — stands out for its simplicity and wholesomeness.

What she ate: Meat galore

Yummy factor: Thanks to Paul Foster, Tabitha got to indulge in the Flnt and Fire experience right at home. Both restaurants offer Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) and Argentine cuisine respectively, and the take-home set included the best of both restos. Tabitha couldn’t stop raving about the meal, everything from the Devesa Argentinian dry-aged beef to the slow-cooked Iberico pork ribs and chorizo snail sausages.

What she ate: Eggs royale

Yummy factor: Thanks to ample time at home, Apple has mastered the art of poaching eggs. Of course, she promptly put her newfound skills to good use — dinner was a cafe-worthy eggs royale topped with homemade Hollandaise sauce, a generous dollop of caviar and fried bacon on the side. Fancy.

What she ate: Vietnamese salad

Yummy factor: We’re loving the vibrant colours in Tanya’s beef and noodle salad, also known as bun bo xao to Vietnamese folks. Rice noodles are topped with fresh vegetables and stir-fried beef slices, and garnished with fresh herbs and roasted peanuts. Paired with the dipping sauce, it sure looks like a satisfying meal.

​​​​​​​What she ate: Decadent desserts

Yummy factor: Why settle for one when getting both is going to make you grin from ear to ear? Well, at least we think that’s what Biren told herself when she ordered both the melt-in-your-mouth Basque burnt cheesecake and sinful Valrhona chocolate tart from online bakery Jobakesgreat.

What she ate: Cookies

Yummy factor: Although Cheryl’s discerning taste buds are hard to impress, the Chocolate Malty Rocks from online store Qakes & Bakes have won her over with its generous chunks of bittersweet chocolate. Also, her three-year-old son Marc likes them so much that he’s willing to down his cod liver oil supplement so that he can get one as a treat.