Bistecca Birthday Dinner 12th April 2025

 

Macaroni and Cheese 

Yesterday we celebrated May's birthday at Bistecca Tuscon Steakhouse at 26 Mohammad Sultan Road. The 3 of us, Noel, myself and May ordered 2 steaks medium done and a series of starters which I must say is truly exceptional.

The exceptional starters are :

a) Octopus Grilled with Tomato paste (bottom picture). 

   My Rating : 5 / 5

  

I've eaten some amazing grilled Octopus dishes in Singapore, from the likes of Alati (Amoy Street), Bakkalaki (Merchant Road) and Blue Kouzina (Dempsey) just to name 3. We've also tried some wonderful grilled Octopus in Napfoli Greece in 2022 which will go down as the best we have ever tasted. 

I can safely say, this ranks with the best Octopus we have eaten in Singapore. 

The texture is a little crunchy outside, tender inside, and so flavourful all around, without any hint of fishy or  salty taste. The tomato pesto tastes great too.  

Broccoli and Bacon Bits 

Squid Ink  Lobster Pasta 

M/y Rating : 5 / 5 

This has got to be the best Squid Ink Pasta I have ever eaten, here or anywhere else in Europe. There are bits of lobster which surprises my palate with every bite. 

The texture is wonderfully soft, the taste is like no other, and the aroma of the cheeses, and some wine is evident with each bite. Truly a heavenly tasting dish which I would be happy to eat again and again. The price tag of  $ 48 ++ is on the high side. I believe the calorie counter will go through the roof too. 

Ribeye M5 400 g (left) and Wagyu M2/3 200 g 

The true test of any steakhouse is ,well, the steaks. We've travelled the length and breadth of Italy 3 times in the last 7 years, and Tuscany steaks are well aged, and most oftentimes, eaten rare. In Florence, Tuscany, they proudly have their stakes done rare, and bloody. 

In our case, we had ours medium.

The rating 

Wagyu : 5 / 5

Ribeye  : 4 / 5

The Wagyu was superb, texture wise, grass fed Australian cow. The taste was a little salty but very savoury. Could I eat it without the sauces ? Yes, though the 4 sauces really enhanced the flavour to a 'heavenly'  note. 

Ribeye was highly marbled and if it was medium well, the fatty part would be turn out crispy  and more to May's palate and liking. I liked it the way it was done. With regard to the sauces, my favourites were the

a) Horseradish sour cream

b) Mushroom Steak Sauce

c) Dijon Mustard. 

Squid Ink Lobster  Pasta 

Octopus 

Finally for the side dishes, we had 2 to be shared amongst us. The Mac and Cheese I did not try but it appeared unappetising. The other one, the Brussel Sprouts with Bacon Bits was a 'hit', though it was salty.

Side Dishes 

Brussels Sprouts

Rating : 4 / 5 

Mac and Cheese

Rating : N A.

Drinks : Pinot Noir 

For $ 25 a glass it was expensive, but since it was a special occasion, I decided to splurge a little.

Service 

It was very good, but something I would expect from a top rated restaurant such as this. The service staff cleaned our plates quickly, wiped the table free from any breadcrumbs and food, refilled our water without prompting and was very helpful in suggesting the house specials.

Nothing spectacular but very welcoming. 

Best Steakhouse in Singapore ?

Its a toss up between Bistecca and Wooloomooloo at Raffles City. 

Price Range : $ 420 for 3 pax or $140 per pax all in.

Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse

26 Mohammad Sultan Rd

Singapore 238 970

Reservations Needed ? Yes. 

Do it online, at least 2 weeks in advance. 

How will Trump's Tariffs impact the world ?

As a small business owner, I read and watched with some trepidation when Donald Trump announced on 2 April that the US was implementing tariffs worldwide to 181 countries. Major countries were slapped with as much as 54 % tariffs (China for example).

How will these tariffs impact the world ? Who will bear the brunt of his Make America Great Again ?

One thing is for sure, the stock markets around the world have dropped as much as 10 - 15% of their value and left a trail of trillions of dollars of losses.

US Citizens will feel the major brunt of the action, in the short run. Price of eggs for example have escalated from US$ 0.30 to US$ 1.00 per egg. If the person was a multi millionaire or billionaire, then the impact on his monthly expenses will be insignificant, but for tens of millions of Americans this will mean the difference of eating 3 meals a day to perhaps 2 meals a day.

It is a terrible reduction in the quality of life for tens of millions of American citizens.

The recent DOGE action to terminate literally hundreds of thousands of US Federal jobs have made millions of families go to the edge of bankruptcy and despair, coupled with the loss in trillions of dollars in ETFS share prices whereby the 401 (K) retirement funds are invested in, means that their promised pensions may be cut by up to 30%. Their 'golden retirement' nest egg and the Medicaid cuts are all being thrown into a cesspool of uncertainty.

Worldwide, there may be geopolitical instability as the bastion of democracy and freedom these last 80 years after the 2nd World War is no more. 

The USA is fast becoming no more than a self serving 3rd world country with a big chip on its shoulder. Friendly countries are being dumped and faced with uncertainty and stonewalling.

 

5 Rules to Success

1.Show Up  - Accountability.

This is the No. 1 rule for me. When the chips are down and the bread needs to be buttered, show up and be accountable. Successful people show up when it is absolutely crucial to the completion of the project, the potential sale and the accountability of the mess up.

It is the major difference between winners and losers. 

2. Be Clear on Why You are Where You Are at this point. Don't lose your head.

Setting goals are one thing, but achieving them are completely different matter, and I must be clear that when I set goals, I must achieve them, else I will not give myself excuses.

Many times, I am doing something and then I go wayward and end up doing something else, similar but not achieving the major objective however painful or unpalatable it is to carry out.

Be clear to address the elephant problem in the room, no procrastination, no matter how unpalatable that process turns out to be. You and only you must do it.

Lesser people will procrastinate, give excuses, delegate the issue to someone else and the consequences normally will turn out to be a compromise, or something less than ideal. 

                    With Noel at a Greek Restaurant Pano Kato (29 March 2025)

3. Give the Best Version of Yourself - Day In and Day Out.

Give of your best daily. Your mind, your body and your soul. 

4. Be Resilient 

Bounce back from failure, learn to walk away if the challenge is too big to handle, lick your wounds and live to fight another day.

If you choose to fight on, be resilient, and come back up fighting. It will be messy, it will be bloody.

You may fail again and again. 

5. Be Humble. 

Never brag about your achievements, its better to let people find out about your success when other people write about them. Success is only temporary. It is fleeting. Learn to savour the moment and move on. 

Its the same with failure and setback. Swallow your pride and take the bitter medicine and learn from your failures.

Try not to dwell on the failures too long. It becomes emotional baggage which drags you down from moving forward. 

Lunch at Tinto Dempsey 28 Mar 25 Friday

 

Chorizo Paella 

I had another pretty amazing lunch at Tinto Spanish restaurant at Dempsey recently. Rey, a new business associate and friend I have known for a couple of years was in town recently, and I hosted him a business lunch to discuss some terms of our mutual cooperation. The lunch menu consisted of 3 dishes, and I have chosen to highlight 2. 

The first, (above) was the Chorizo Paella which I must say was exceptional and very tasty. Though it appeared a little salty, it was extremely good on the palette and very filling.  The saffron  long grained rice was nicely cooked and the lemon bits added to the zing.

Suckling Pig 

The suckling pig (leg portion) with mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables was another standout dish. The skin was crispy and the meat, tenderful and juicy. It was a little on the gamey side, though I would think that this dish is best shared, Rey seemed to enjoy this dish far more than I did. 

Paellas (Dry Martinis)

We had a couple of Paellas, and I would say, the conversation flowed very smoothly from the get go. 

 

Here's to the start of a good relationship. 

WUI - Writing under the Influence - Here is my take

 I sure you have heard or seen of the word DUI, that is Driving under the Influence of Alcohol which can be punishable by a stiff fine or even a jail sentence, here and in many countries abroad.

Now that I am slightly inenbriated with a bottle of Soju (12% alcohol per serving), I am writing to explain the effects of it, since I wrote so disaffectedly about the perils of alcohol (and the other vices).

Your cognizance is slightly enhanced if you drink a couple of sips. If you consume increasing amounts, it will spiral downhill fast and your ability to think logically, see or visualise, even hear well enough will impact you in a negative way.

Hence, all those posters warning drinkers to "Drink and not drive." If you drink, be responsible and take a Grab or use the "drive me home" service. It will save you, some strangers and your family a whole lot of trouble, if you get caught.

The alcohol limits of people go down significantly, and in my case, it takes very little to get me in a tailspin, so a can or two of beer is my limit. I don't like whisky, or the fine spirits, and the worse poison I will succumb to will be wine which is 12 % or so alcohol content.

The upside of alcohol drinking ? Right now, the feeling of loss of inhibition or 'scared to lose face'. Apart from that, I can't find any transient 'joy' in drinking it on a regular basis, as I have enough of life's little satisfactions to give me the 'edge' or 'bounce' day in day out.

I will resolve to cut out drinking to perhaps once a month. 

It will give my wallet a much needed breather.

To counter the loss of flexibility and balance on the onset of old age. practice martial arts or yoga

 

I have said it before and I will say in again. After 55, everything in our bodies starts to fall apart. The best case scenario is for us to maintain our fitness, exercise almost daily, sleep well (7 - 8 hours) , keep a log of your mental capacities, learn new hobbies like dancing or mahjong to keep physically and mentally alert and hopefully, you will decline the aging process as best as you can.

There is no cheat sheet or 'get out of jail free' card as far as your health is concerned. If your body is a machine, and if you tune it, send it for regular checkups and replacements, the machine should perform well for as long as possible. That is the standard operating procedure for all machines, equipment and cars. So why is the body any different ?

Many of life's pacifiers or enhancers are man made. Here are 4 examples which all societies have and consume quite liberally (with the exception of Jewish and Muslim states for gambling, alcohol and drugs).

a) Alcohol

b) Drugs

c) Smoking (nicotine or e cigarettes)

d) Gambling

If you have enough discipline, if you avoid and / or quit early the likelihood that you have a decently long life of 75 plus. years is quite high.

Flexibility 

I have always struggled with my flexibility since young. So over 22 years ago I took the serious action of returning to karate shito style at my local CC. The once to twice weekly sessions have made me appreciate the fact that balance and flexibility are 2 of the most important factors in attaining overall good health.

Readers, do try to practice flexibility everyday, from stretching in the morning, to squatting and doing crunches. The core of our bodies or the stomach is the baseline for many flexibility poses and we must not neglect it.

If you do not have the discipline for it, in your late 50s, enrol in classes which provide them. I would recommend some form of martial arts for men, and taichi or yoga for both men and women. MMA is not for the middle aged. The amount of head injuries incurred during fights will lead to cerebral brain damage in the longer term and is not recommended at all.  

The other 2 are strength and endurance. I believe I am still good in these 2 factors.  

   

St Paul et Vence ; dining in the small alleyway up above all the towns

 

A clear cloudless  blue sky ; pristine winter weather of 18  C, 

               a spread of the best French veal and place

There is a time and place for everything. This was a time, some 7 years ago in a small village atop a hill. Quaintly called St Paul et Vence, it can be reached by public bus for a token EUR 1.5 each way. I recall we took it from a bus stop near the main Nice station, and along with a lot of schoolkids, we were practically the only tourists visiting this quaint yet beautiful place just off the Blue Coast or Cote Azure.  

Enjoying the weather and the moment. 

St Paul et Vence was called thus so, because of the apostle St Paul. It sits atop a small hill and was obviously a bastion  and had a small castle. The history of it was that it was used to protect or as a last resort a haven for the French against the Grimaldis who had conquered the lands below.  

Waiting for the food 

There is a modern Church atop the hill and lots of arts and craft shops. I recall buying 2 pieces of artwork from a very friendly German couple and still have their artwork in my office and home. The highhlight of the visit was obviously our late lunch along a narrow alleyway, which we had all to ourselves. If I can transport you, my readers there, it had cobblestone walkways, a perfect weather of approximately 18 C, perfect cloudless and sunny blue sky, some French traditional music in the background. After a small aperifif of the best Bordeaux, our meal of Place and Veal came.   

A transient moment. 

Happiness 

Looking at the picture above, you see me smiling like a Chesire cat. The food obviously was perfect, the weather beautiful and the company, pristine. 

I've always urged everyone to Seize the Moment or the Day, so here is mine.