CHRONICLE - Nanyang Technological University

����
18
���
04
4
�����������
CHRONICLE
ONE NORTH
VERVE PIZZERIA
������������������������������������������
��������������������������
THIS Italian restaurant recently
shifted from its original premises in
Gilman Village, but fans of Verve
Pizzeria should rejoice. The new
Vespa-themed restaurant’s chic
décor showcases restored vintage
scooter parts and a glassed wine
cellar.
I suggest you go in the daytime
because you would be able to
bask in the sunlight streaming in
through the full-length windows,
which also offers a fantastic view
of the lush greenery surrounding it.
Large enough to hold 120 customers,
this place is perfect for events
as they also provide a screen projector
on request.
But the real show-stealers
are their cocktails. Try the “Blue
Bikini”, a well-balanced blend of
Lychee, Bombay Sapphire gin and
other secret brews the management
declined to reveal. The best part is
that patrons can order a cocktail
NO MORE
6
during happy hour and be entitled
to a free slice of pizza every 20
minutes.
The F&B manager, Jason,
stressed that everything on the
menu is made from scratch. He
recommended the Alto Bello pizza
baked with spicy minced beef, bell
peppers and topped with mozzarella.
Also on the menu are their
Enzo or Peking Duck Pizza; a simple
topping of roasted duck, spring onions,
Japanese cucumber and Hoisin
sauce. And don’t worry if you and
your friends are split on which topping
to choose - just ask for a pizza
with two different toppings.
It is a tad pricey for students
though. An 8-inch costs $19 and a
12-inch will put you back $26. But
go with friends and share a pizza, as
a 12-inch is good for two to three.
Get 10% off when you flash
your NTU Alumni Club membership
card.
BOTANIC GARDENS
IMPRESSIONS ART STUDIO
�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������
EXPERIMENT WITH ART: Amateurs can now get their hands dirty with ceramic painting and batik painting.
GET an invigorating dose of art
therapy by expressing your creativity
on canvas, ceramics and cloths.
The bare industrial-like palette of
the art studio allows vibrant shelves
of acrylic paint bottles, scrapbook
accessories, pottery sculptures and
paintings to stand out.
Co-owner Ms Anna Peterson,
45, wanted to create a space for
people to walk in and do art. “Most
people need to set aside time to do a
whole course on art forms like ceramic
and Batik painting,” she said.
Most popular among walk-in
customers is ceramic bisque painting.
These palm-sized pieces come
in various shapes, such as dragonfly
and soccer ball. For something more
challenging, choose from a buffet of
ceramic sculptures to splash some
colours on. They include practical
accessories like trinket boxes,
mugs, and piggy banks.
But don’t get too excited about
bringing home and showing off
your artistic works after painting
them in underglaze (ceramic paint).
There is a two-week wait for the
staff to fire the ceramics and add a
glossy layer. Prices range from $9
for a dog figurine to $45 for a plate.
Batik painting is another popular
option. Customers colour the
cotton canvas bearing waxed outlines
of designs with batik dyes.
The artwork can be transferred onto
pillowcases, bags, and placemats.
For those starved of artistic inspirations,
you can turn to folders of
5
LIFESTYLE
11
A PAMPERING TREAT: The tasty but pricey Alto Bello pizza, which features spicy beef, bell peppers, and mozzarella, is
highly recommended at Verve Pizzeria.
images categorised by themes such
as animals and flowers for ideas.
Besides do-it-yourself art services,
the one-year-old art studio
offers art workshops from animation
drawing to pottery, which is
taught by acclaimed ceramicist
Winnie Go. With the opening of
Botanic Gardens MRT station,
Ms Peterson expects a 20 percent
increase in walk-in customers.
“Hopefully, more people will drop
by this area, and it is also a good
place for parents to drop their kids
off before grocery shopping,” she
said.
It is advisable to call beforehand
to check if there are spaces available
if you are coming in a group
larger than six.
FARRER ROAD
WESTLAKE
���������������������������������������������
��������������������������
INNOCUOUSLY Innocuously nestled
within a typical public housing
estate at Queen’s Road is one of the
pioneering eateries which brought
braised pork buns to Singapore in
1976.
Also known as Kong Bak Pau,
it is a stalwart on the restaurant’s
menu, with nine out of 10 customers
ordering the dish on average.
Consisting of five luscious
pieces of pork belly served with
piping hot steamed buns on a bed of
lettuce leaves, this yummy delicacy
costs $12.
The key to making a good Kong
Bak Pau is to ensure that it is not
a greasy overkill, said Mr Robert
Lim, 62, Westlake’s manager. He is
a second-generation member in the
family business.
An eight-hour process painstakingly
shaves some of the fat
content. The pork belly is first
boiled, then deep-fried, and finally
marinated with dark soy sauce
before getting steamed to remove
excess oil. The result is a deliciously
soft slab of pork belly.
More than 200kg of pork is
used for each batch which is made
every two days to ensure freshness.
The tender piece of meat is perfectly
sandwiched between springy
steamed buns, together with lettuce
leaves and parsley to give it a
crunchy juxtaposition next to the
well-marbled pork. The fluffiness of
the buns is achieved by using Lye
water, instead of baking powder.
Westlake also serves an assortment
of Zi Char dishes. Popular
choices include the spicy Sze Chuan
hot and sour soup ($8) and yam
basket ($16).
The Circle Line’s seven-year
long construction has caused
business to drop by 40 percent.
Construction block-ups and massive
traffic jams along Farrer Road
made it inconvenient for diners to
visit the restaurant.
Although Mr Lim noted most
customers come by car, he is optimistic
about being near the new
Farrer Road MRT station. “We hope
that business will increase, as the
Circle Line will provide another
means of public transport for our
customers,” he said.
SINFULLY DELICIOUS: Since 1976, Westlake is well-known for their Kong Bak
Pau, which is pork belly sandwiched between steamed buns and lettuce.
PHOTOS| RONALD LOH AND LIM WEI TING