Thanksgiving at Spruce

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year, period. When I was a kid, we used to have huge feasts that seemed to last all day and mysteriously re-appear for the next week in various disguises. Thanksgiving dinner is a ritual. You know exactly whats gonna happen.

11am: Dress up nice for the in laws and wear the biggest pants you have
1pm: Full Thanksgiving mode, food on the table, biggest decision, more stuffing or stealing the rest of the dark meat you hid below all the carved white meat
2pm: very close to bursting, mind says keep going, stomach urges you to stop. Note: always listen to your stomach
3pm: waddling around like an overweight penguin, strategically planning how to lure cousin from sofa to snag the "thanksgiving nap", tell him grandma wants to talk to him, works every time
4pm: quiet slumber, can't get dreams of flying turkeys out of my head
5pm: you would think not possible but craving a turkey, cranberry and mayo sandwich, b-line to the kitchen
6pm: can not stand the smell of turkey any more, till next year.

Well, we may be far away from home, but cooking Thanksgiving dinner is for me one of the highlights of my year. I love it. We have two options this year. You can book a family style feast in our private dining room with a whole roasted turkey and all the fixin's or come in for a 3 course set that has everything on one plate. Either way a great way to spend the night. Please call the restaurant to book your spots now. Cheers!

Here are both the menus:
Family Style: Private Room 10-14 pax at 80++ per person
First Course
Pumpkin Soup with Chestnuts, Maple and Brioche Croutons

Served Family Style
Main Course
Roasted Tom Turkey Cornbread Stuffing with Pan Gravy
Mashed Desiree Potatoes with Salted Butter
Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Truffle
Sautéed Wild Mushrooms with Herbs
Roasted Apples with Cardamom, Cinnamon and Rosemary
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Winter Salad of Persimmon and Pomegranate
Dessert Warm Ginger Date Pudding with Chocolate Toffee Sauce
Coffee or Tea

Three Course Set: $65++ per person
First Course
Pumpkin Soup Chestnuts, Maple and Brioche Croutons
or
Holiday Spiced Foie GrasApple Variations ($10 Supp)
or
Winter SaladPomegranate and Persimmon

Main Course
Roasted Tom Turkey Cornbread Stuffing with Pan Gravy, Mashed Desiree Potatoes and Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Dessert
Warm Ginger Date Pudding Chocolate Toffee Sauce
Coffee or Tea

Wine Dinner Series

I am very excited to announce my new pet project. It will be a monthly dinner series featuring some of the most exciting and inspiring wines from all over the world. Our private room was designed with this dinner series in mind, to intimately host up to 12 diners. Our first dinner is a great one and features wines made in beautiful and bountiful, Tasmania. Kreglinger Wine Estates have a long history of producing some of the finest sparkling wines outside of champagne and also have many other projects including the illustrious Ninth Island and Pipers Brook Vineyards which are becoming reknowned for making extraordinary Pinot Noir. Our first dinner is next Thursday October 8, 2009. I have only a handful of spots left so please let me know soon if you would like me to reserve a place for you or call the restaurant directly to make a booking. Below is the menu and the wines we will be featuring. I can't wait and hope to meet some of you there. All the best and cheers!

Kreglinger Dinner october 08, 2009 $95++
Winemakers Dinner with Nathan Hyde

First Course
Marinated Tuna avocado red radish kaffir lime
Kreglinger, Sparkling, Brut, Tasmania, 2003

Second Course
Burrata Cheese momotaro tomato basil ligurian olive oil
Ninth Island, Pinot Grigio, Tasmania, 2008

Third Course
Japanese Scallops golden raisin ras al hanout green apple
Pipers Brook Estate, Riesling, Tasmania, 2007

Fourth Course
Sweet Onion Crepe reggiano parmigiano white truffle
Pipers Brook, Reserve, Pinot Noir, 2004

Fifth Course
Grilled Filet of Beef mushroom beurre rouge potato fondant
Pipers Brook Estate, Tamar Blend, Tasmania, 2004

Dessert
Coconut and Blueberry Tart vanilla bean ice cream

The Creative Process

The mind of a chef is often filled with taste and flavor memories, seemingly shook up over time like one of those snow globes that everyone recieves at Christmas. Most often the context of a new dish is created in my head and eaten before a fork can even get close. Questions like texture and temperature contrast are debated at length and whether the dish has consistency or execution issues or wether it costs too much. But, the most important question is, Does it taste great?

I always feel that a great dish is one that has gone through a rigorous editing process. In that I mean, ingredients and techniques are scrutinized and the question is asked: What does this particular ingredient or technique do for the dish? If I cannot answer that question then it gets removed and I move on. I am currently developing a few new ideas for dishes to add to the menu and this is the process I go through. Many times, conceptually the dish sounds great and in my head I can taste the components working together, but in reality there is a diversion or confluence of other matters at play. I would say out of ten dishes I conceive theoretically only 1 will ever actually make it to the plate and your stomachs.

New Happenings

Hey, sorry for the looooooooong delay. I didn't realize its almost been two months since I posted last, how crazy. In any event, we have been working hard everyday to make your experience here better than the last and we have a host of new updates for everyone out there. First, the space, we have just finalized plans for our new bar on our lower patio which will feature a Japanese style sit-down bar framed by mid century modern furnishings and raw wood tables and bar counter. I am truly excited not only for the bar but also because we have retained the skills of a japanese trained bartender who used to serve me my favorite cocktails at Coffee Bar K. Expect really great cocktails, hand carved ice and a selection of wonderful libations from the world over.

For those with Children, we have just completed our Spruce Playground which should serve as a great tool to keep the kids occupied while you try to get a good cup of coffee in the morning, undisturbed.

We have also been working on and are completing a Spruce Canteen, a small takeaway hut just at the top of Phoenix Park that will serve some local favorites, our bakery goods and of course a few Spruce special features such as the SpruceDog!

I have just amended all of our menus to include some new items for both lunch and dinner. A tuscan inspired Antipasto Salad with fire roasted Capsicum, chickpeas and green olive vinaigrette is my new favorite. Our rendition of the "Fathers Office" burger was so popular we decided that it had to be on the menu full time, so it is. Lastly, what is fast becoming our signature dessert, The Spruce Sundae, has finally moved from feature item to the full time menu. I would tell you more but I think you have to experience the Sundae for yourself to make up your mind, it is truly decadent.

For Brunch you have to try the new Steak and Eggs Benedict with Black Pepper Hollandaise on toasted Ciabatta, it is easily one of the best things I have created this year and as an aside is a great hangover remedy. Also, don't miss our Spruce Cinammon Rolls that are baked fresh to order. The wafts of cinammon and sugar as they pass through the dining room are intoxicating.

I think thats it for now. Hope to see all of you soon. Cheers!!

Subjectivity

This business is all about one thing, making people happy. That's it, very simple. It could be as straightforward as making a perfect cup of coffee for someone on an early Sunday morning or as elaborate as arranging a flawless event for someone to celebrate as special moment in their lives. While that may sound easy, the steps involved to make each person who visits the restaurant happy is numerous. Consider this, I had a guest last week who thought the food was fantastic but the sound of a servers shoes on the hard wooden floor annoyed her to no end and that little thing was a huge thing to her(note: he has new shoes now). Conversely, I recently had a guest who found the service by a particular staff to be gracious and warm, while another guest found the same person to be cold and inattentive.

The complexities of human interaction and the perception of similar circumstances and events are fascinating to me. These complexities pose a challenge to me and my staff and we constantly talk about how to "read" certain tables for clues on how they would like to be served. This of course takes experience and time as well as an innate ability to anticipate the needs of someone who you just came into contact with. What this also means is that everybody has different expectations, whether it be of the food, service or ambiance.

We are all formulating a subjective response to the situation. I strongly believe in the products, people and place that we have here at Spruce and when we fail to meet a guests expectations I am honestly very hurt. I also believe that we can't be everything to everyone. We are who we are and while some people may think we are great others may think differently and that's ok. All we can do is move forward and look at ways to become better and act accordingly. I think as a restaurateur you must be confident in your product and not be afraid to feel strongly about the services and products you provide. But, you also must be humble and admit when you were wrong and make it right. Till next time.

The next step

We have started to settle in at the restaurant and our days are becoming more routine. I have finally had some time to refine some of the dishes, look at possible new ones and more or less get back to cooking everyday. My goal was always to keep the food fresh and exciting and by that I mean not only on a purely product level, but continuing to evolve and change dishes as we go in rhythm with the seasons or just from inspiration.

A few new ideas play around the concept of our burger. While we think the Spruce burger is great, we all know that burgers can be a wonderful canvas for supporting many different flavors. I have always wanted to reference some of the great burgers I have had from other places and as such will start tomorrow with the introduction of the "Fathers Office" Burger. A homage if you will to the now famous Los Angeles Institution serving its burger with a caramelized onion and bacon compote with blue cheese and garlic mayonnaise. Stop in and tell me what you think.

My team and I have also started to explore foods and flavors of our childhood to bring back and put a twist on, so this week for brunch we will be featuring Blueberry Waffles with Real Maple Syrup, Vanilla Ice Cream and Homemade Streusel and Warm Buttermilk Biscuits with Poached Eggs and our Homemade Sausage Gravy.

Please feel free to ask for me if you have been reading the blog. I always love to meet new guests. Cheers!

Operating Hours

Thank you to all who have commented on the blog. I first want to address our revised Operating hours as they have changed recently.

Monday-Friday 10.30am-10.30pm (last food order 10.15)
Serving Bakery Items, Coffee and Tea from 2.30-5.30

Saturday & Sunday 8.30am-10.30pm (serving brunch from 8.30-2.30 both days)
Serving Bakery Items, Coffee and Tea from 2.30-5.30

I appreciate those of you taking the time to write and we are working on many things to make the experience here much better, including the answering of phone calls. I genuinely want everyone to have a great experience with us, and unfortunately there have been some stumbles along the way, so for this I apologize, but know that we are committed to creating a great all around restaurant. Thanks for your understanding.

The good and not so good

What can I say, we have been blessed by the response to the restaurant. It has been overwhelming at times and to be honest we had a few rough patches along the way. What is true though is that everyday we are getting better and learning from our mistakes. We have been fortunate enough to get a lot of feedback and we use this in a constructive way to help better not only the restaurant but ourselves as well. Our staff has been the backbone to our success and have continued to give 100% every step of the way with a smile on thier face.

I must also apologize to all those people who have called the restaurant to make a booking and have either been told we are fully booked or have just been left to hear the phone ringing. We never want to dissapoint any guest and when we do not answer it is not that we are trying to ignore you, we just physically do not have enough people to answer the phones! The reservations have been filling up fast and I can tell you that it is our intention to leave room for walk-ins at all times, we want the restaurant to be accessible to everyone. So if you cannot book, I encourage you to come on down, most of the time you will have no problem getting a table.

There have also been some changes at the restaurant and we are continuing to evolve and look at how to better both our food and service. We are not perfect, but we aim to be as close as possible. I thank all of you who have shown continued support and for your encouragement along the way. This is a dream of both mine and my partner Danny's, to create a restaurant where everyone feels at home. Hope to see you soon.

T

Open for Business!!!!

Hello, I am very excited and happy to announce that Spruce is officially open for business. It has been an amazing experience with ups and downs along the way but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I want to first give acknowledgement to my great staff who have embraced the meaning of hospitality and given 110% every step of the way. We most definitely could not have done it without them.



Spruce, aims to be a neighborhood restaurant that serves genuine food and drink with our trademark hospitality. We currently serve breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week from 8am-1030pm. During the midday, we encourage people to stop in and sample our scones and pastries with a pot of tea or coffee or to simply indulge in our signature chocolate chip cookies and decadent double chocolate fudge brownies.



Our coffee and tea has won rave reviews thus far and is backed up by a super rich and thick Hot Chocolate as well as a beautifully fragrant Masala Tea that is filled with aromatic spices and warm steamed milk. But my favorite beverage has to be the mint lemonade with fresh squeezed lemons, mint leaf and homemade sugar syrup.



Brunch offers a great array of breakfast favorites mixed in with some more traditional offerings such as our Cesar salad with crispy poached egg, our signature burger and a beautiful Ahi Tuna Tartar with our house made ciabatta bread.



Overall, I am very happy with the progress for the first week. I thank all of you who have supported me over the years for your valuable feedback, it is much appreciated. Here are the details for the restaurant and I hope that your experience here proves to be a great one.



Spruce

restaurant bar bakery

320 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park

t: 68365528

email: reservations@spruce.com.sg

Cocktails and Creations

Wow, first, let me thank all of you who wrote in with kind words of encouragement, it really means a lot. We are so close at the restaurant and will be putting on the final touches in the next few days. We have already booked our first private event at the restaurant, so things will start with a bang. 

Ok, on to cocktails. I have been thinking about our cocktail program for a long time and honestly was a little lost up until today. What spawned the sudden creativity was delivery from a supplier who brought us our Sodas for the restaurant. A couple of months back we did a tasting of Tiro Sodas from Australia and immediately fell in love. With great flavors of elderflower, grapefruit, blood orange and passionfruit it all clicked. Why don't I use those flavor bases as the beginnings of great ingredient driven cocktails. So here is what I came up with: 

Blood Orange Negroni (Campari, Gin, Blood Orange Soda and Sweet Vermouth)

Ginger and Elderflower Fizz (Ginger Syrup, Elderflower Soda, Mint Leaves, Calamansi Lime, Gin)

Back Porch Passion Fruit Lemonade (Passion Fruit Soda, Cranberry, Lemon Juice, Vodka, Fresh Ginger)

Basil and Grapefruit Summer Punch (Gin, Cointreau, Basil Leaves, Lime Juice, Grapefruit Juice)

They each use a different Soda and will be the anchors on our house cocktail list. I can't wait to get into the bar and start developing the recipes for these libations! Of course these are just ideas, we will have to see what reality brings when I start mixing, but I can already taste these refreshing cocktails and know they will be a great thirst quencher on hot days in the Singapore Sun. Cheers!

A slight delay

Wow, things have really been moving fast. It seems like yesterday that we started construction. After, some ups and downs though it finally look like we will be able to open in the next 10 days or so. While we had hoped to be open by the beginning of March things have moved a little slower than anticipated. But, with every set back it becomes clear that the space is truly special. I am so excited to serve all of you again and to welcome new guests to a really unique and great space. 

With all the delays the one thing that was completed early was the kitchen, which has been great to do some testing and tasting. What has become clear is that I have a great team of passionate and committed cooks whose sole goal is to make the best food they can. The food style is decidedly European with a focus on Italy and France with just a touch of fresh Asian Flavor. The food is bright, fresh and clean with little frying or butter used throughout. 

Our Bakery is taking shape and I tasted some great bread over the last few days and can say that our bread will stand head and above the rest. We are using old world bread making techniques, high quality ingredients and baking fresh everyday. Along with our bread program we will also be showcasing beautiful tarts and cakes in the dining room for everyone to see. They include a gorgeous blueberry and coconut tart with just a hint of lemon, a decadent valrhona chocolate tart on a polenta crust and a superbly sweet/sour whole lemon tart that has just the right amount of bitterness and lemony sweetness. Along with all of that we will be baking muffins, scones, cookies and cupcakes fresh everyday, guaranteed. 

If you have been reading this blog, feel free to drop me a line and say hello. It gets a little lonely when no one says hello. Good eats!

Art

One of the things that I have wanted to do with the restaurant from the outset was to be a gallery for local budding artists. This idea was spawned while I was working in the U.S for a restaurant group that had a world class art collection in every restaurant they operated. They believed that displaying art across a wide variety of disciplines initiated a sense of contextuality in their restaurants. The works they chose  would represent the location geographically or historically and thus add texture to the restaurant as a whole. My aim is similar, to showcase work from local artists across a variety of disciplines to not only enhance the restaurant aesthetic but to offer them a public space that will hopefully engage our guests and expand the exposure of the artists. 

Our first artist is Photographer Felix Hug who is based in Singapore and shoots around Asia focusing on the unique landscapes, people and cultures that may escape the normal eye. His work is truly extraordinary with great depth and clarity. He is currently in the process of choosing his works for display, but I am confident that his work will speak for itself. Check out his site to see some of his past work. Cheers!

Grower Champagnes

As many of you know wine is a big passion of mine. The holidays that my wife Erika and I take almost always revolve around some type of food and wine experience and my trips to Australia's wine country in the last few years have been proof that when you get to meet the passionate people behind the scenes you have an even greater appreciation for the wine but more importantly you get to start a relationship. 

I have been doing a lot of tasting recently for our list and am starting to whittle down my selections for the few spots I have for our first list. One tasting in particular was rather unexpected. I was to taste a few champagnes from growers who not only supply many of the major houses but set aside a small amount of their harvest for their own production. The term in the business nowadays is "grower champagnes" and up until now I have only tasted a few examples of these small production, high quality and extremely terroir driven gems. 

That day I tasted from 3 grower/makers who are making extremely high quality bottlings. The first of which is Nicolas Maillart, from Montagne de Reims, who blew me away with his NV Brut "Platine" with hints of peach and toasted hazelnuts, a medium to long finish and beautiful compact bubbles that would stand up to any of the big houses. I have chosen this as our house champagne, and cannot tell you how excited I am to bring it to all of you. The good news is we are the only restaurant in Singapore to carry it by the glass!

The next producer was my personal favorite, Champagne De Sousa from Avize. This champagne had beautiful minerality with floral undertones and a super long finish that was balanced and pointed. No doubt that this champagne is made from the best grapes and by a winemaker who is a perfectionist. I have also decided to keep this on our list by the bottle because I appreciate its stylistic purity and also because De Sousa is a firm believer and practitioner  in organic agriculture. 

The final pour came from a very small producer who has garnered some international fame of late for his very high quality and extremely well made champagnes. Diebolt-Vallois from cramant makes minuscule amounts but that doesn't mean that each isn't made to exacting standards. The blanc de blans from his Cuvee Prestige brought to mind the term "greyhound" for its lean and muscular body and long finish. This is a wine of great pedigree with balance and just the right amount of acidity to amplify the soft subtle flavors of lemon and cream. This too made the cut and will grace the list. 

I am truly excited to be able to carry wines from theses three great producers. I am sure you will agree once you have a taste, that these champagnes can hang any day with the big guys. This selection and tasting process is another example of our tireless work to bring only the best to table.  Cheers!

Design

Design has always been an amateur interest of mine. When I was in university I took a class in Hotel and Restaurant Design and had a chance to really explore the nitty gritty and sometimes tedious work that goes into designing a space. That experience has helped a lot in conceptualizing the design of Spruce. Danny and I wanted something casual, sophisticated but at the same time a sense that the restaurant wasn't cookie cutter or designed like a shoe-box by which I mean, conventional. This has lead us to sourcing vintage lighting fixtures, one of kind hand made furniture and a really great collaboration with local artists to display their work. All of this was so the restaurant would have a soul with a real story to tell and also because we are concerned with every detail, making sure that every part of the restaurant has the feeling of comfort. 

Some of the items we chose are really special like the 3.9 meter one piece acacia wood table that will grace our private dining room and become the centerpiece of our wine dinner series that will unveil in the middle of the year. 

Our interior design references mid-century modern masters, such as Charles and Ray Eames who are quite possibly the most famous chair designers in history as well renowned lighting designers Achille and Pier Castiglioni. These are just two of our inspirations, but expect a clean, minimalistic space with well thought out features and use of as many natural products and textures as possible. 

                     

Another great feature of the space is the climate controlled Cheese and Wine Cave that we had built from the existing structure. It features exposed brick walls, wide timber flooring and a great space for storing and ageing our selection of wines and cheeses. You will definitely see me in here a lot preparing your cheese plates and assisting in selecting great bottles to make your experience with us truly memorable. Till next time. Cheers and good eating!!

Herb Garden and Veggie Patch

I am very excited to announce that Spruce will have an onsite vegetable and herb garden. When we were first looking at the space we noticed we had the opportunity to do something special and unique. Many of you know my devotion to growing and sourcing great products from around the world, but as we hear everyday on the news, global climate change is upon us. With this in mind we find it opportune to look at fulfilling not only our desire to help the planet but also our desire to put incredibly tasty food on your plates.

Our goal is being supported by Grace Cup, a malaysian purveyor of great vegetables and produce that has been supporting me from the beginning. They also happen to be the growers of my tomatoes that so many of you love. In any event our relationship has spawned us to develop the Spruce Learning Garden. Here, everyone will have the opportunity to see how mother nature takes care of us.  We hope to introduce seed sowing days for children, so that they can see how vegetables grow, from watering the first seed to harvesting and finally eating what they have worked so hard to grow. Of course we will be using the garden to grow great veg and herbs for the restaurant as well and should become a great learning centre for me and my cooks. 

The concept of the garden is to understand where our food comes from. Many people in todays world don't know how the most common of fruits and vegetables are grown. As with most things, bringing it to reality is often more challenging than it seems. I am sure we will have our ups and downs and many days of frustration. But, it will all be worth it when I go down in the morning and pick the days produce right from the ground. I can't wait! 

Coffee and Tea

Not too many people know this but I met my wife, Erika, while working at a coffee shop when I was just 15. Of course it took us almost 7 years before we started dating but little did I know that she was the one. However, looking back I can see why I was attracted to her. She is a bit competitive and when we were working the same shifts she would always challenge me to sell more than her, make coffees faster than her or to simply make better coffee than her. Her competitiveness actually pushed me to learn more about coffee and the making process. I have built upon that knowledge as I have had more experience with coffee over time and can say that I am a coffee nut no doubt. 

I won't bore you with the details of what makes coffee great but it basically comes down to three things: Freshness of the Beans, Blend of the Beans and the Technique of the Barrista. 

Most restaurants and coffee shops can handle the first two rather easily, by sourcing great suppliers and coffees as we have done with what will be our house coffee, Giancarlo from Melbourne, Australia.

The last however proves to be the most difficult. Training someone to understand the nuances of great coffee can be daunting, but not impossible. First, they must be passionate about coffee and love to drink it themselves immersing themselves in the history, 

geography and techniques that make great coffee great.  Second they must be detail oriented and perfectionists so that each coffee is made to exacting standards. All of this is not easy to find, so we are currently searching for a great Barrista to cure your morning and afternoon coffee fixes. 

Coffee often overshadows Tea and while metaphorically this may be true, from a flavor standpoint Tea often trumps its bigger brother. Tea in so many ways is about nuance and subtlety. Teas can often be beguiling in there many aromas depending on the blending, flavorings and quality of ingredients. In many ways tea blending is like making a sauce in the kitchen, trying to layer flavors so that it tastes full of dimension. We have chosen a tea that I think has all the characteristics of great blending in a variety of different styles and flavors, TeaDrop. 

The Spot

Here are a few photos of the buildings we will be taking over. It's rough for sure, but behind this crude shell I see great possibility. There are two seperate houses on the property and each will be converted into use for the restaurant. The first will be used as the main ding room with extended patio for outdoor dining, while the second house will support our kitchen and beautiful private dining room along with some offices and staff quarters.

         

The picture you see of the leaf strewn terrace will be transformed into a relaxing lounge for morning coffees and after work tipples. What you don't see is that we have a fair piece of land that will be home to one of my most exciting projects yet. Of course, I need to build up the suspense a little, so I'll wait for a later post to discuss in detail. In any event the work is coming along at a fast pace and much of the details you see here have already been re-worked, demolished or left alone. Have a look, and for those who are following along in Singapore, can anyone guess as to the location? 

The Logo

Have you ever had to design a company logo? I must say, it is not so easy as one may think. First, is the question of color or no color, then choosing a font which can lead you to near paranoia, looking at font after font for minute differences and just the right look. Then there is the look, should you have objects, pictures or none at all. Should the logo be big or small, should it have a background or not? Anyway, we have finally settled on a  logo that I think is well worth the effort, and in fact was chosen after we had already chosen another one at the 11th hour. It is minimal without being too austere and most of all it is in tune with our concept of simple, straightforward food. It also allows us to use the logo in many different ways if we so decide to expand in the future and that flexibility is something we didn't have with previous logos. It also allows us to have an identity now, one that communicates the essence of Spruce in print. I would love to hear your feedback and thoughts. This whole process has been incredibly rewarding thus far, and I can only imagine that each step will bring with it new challenges. All the best and happy eating. 

Opening a Restaurant

I thought it might be kind of fun to talk about all the things that go into opening a restaurant. It is one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences someone in the business can and should do. It tests your ability to communicate, organize, conceptualize, reason, compromise and visualize among a slew of others. Everything you take for granted normally has to be decided on. What type of toilet paper, the color and type of font for the logo, the location of the trash, what insurance to buy for the staff, to have fans or air-con, dim light or bright light, cans or bottled beer, bacon or no bacon etc. The list is endless, but the process is something that I love and always find to be the most fun during any new project. I like to think of the finished space, the food my guests will be eating and the great times in the future I have an opportunity to share in and create. 

For my new restaurant, spruce, my partner and I are constantly discussing the little things that will make your experience at the restaurant special. What has been most thrilling for me is to have a hand in designing the space from the beginning, developing the decor, style and atmosphere that will all culminate when our guests sit down to enjoy a meal. I will be putting up a few photos of the space shortly for everyone to see the transformation from thought to reality. Cheers!

spruce

Wow, what a year!! This has definitely been a year of ups and downs and one I will soon not forget. First and foremost the most exciting thing that has happened to me in my entire life is the expecting of baby boy anytime now, which in itself is a life changing event. I look forward to many sleepless nights in the rocking chair telling him stories of  how one day he will grow up to love bacon as much as is father. I think we should have him eating sushi by the time he is 2. 

Anyway, this year also brought a little sadness as well. After three years on the stove at WineGarage I left to pursue "other opportunities", and I want to thank all of those who were guests, staff and friends for all your support, it was not an easy decision. But, alas I have good news. Coming early this year will be, spruce, a casual breakfast, lunch and dinner spot situated in two restored terrace houses with the most beautiful open air patio I have seen in Singapore just off Tanglin Road. Think freshly baked breads and pastries in the morning with artisan coffee and the morning paper. Lunch will transform into a casual cafe with beautiful fresh salads, sandwiches, soups and handcrafted pasta. By night, relax on the patio with a glass of wine, seasonal cocktail or house aperitif, all while enjoying uncomplicated, simple rustic fare that you have come to know me for. It will be my new home and hopefully yours too. I will have plenty of details to follow in the coming days and months. I can't wait to serve all of you again and finally have a spot to call my own.