let’s start the year off nicely – with a recap of a great meal last year.
it’s going to be nearly another year before you’ll want to think about christmas again, but I’d like to insert a little brainworm so you remember your options when the time comes to make your orders again.
first of all, convenience is nearly everything when you’re planning a party, and picking up food for it – and the orchard paragon (besides being my favorite mall) is a great place to do it. da paolo and cedele at the basement, ps.cafe at the third floor, and the almighty jasons supermarket right at the basement to round things up.
this year, we went with the deboned chicken offering from da paolo: a modern confection of chicken breast rolled up with soft cheese, fruit, and pate with the skin crisped up beautifully.
they advise that it feeds 4-6, but I hazard to recommend a larger party of 6-8. it makes a good 8-ish thick slices, rich with cheese and pate, and you don’t need more than a slice or half more.
to bump the meal up and add bulk, you’ll want a good bit of bread – and the ciabatta from cedele makes a decent option. it’s pretty floury right out the paper bag, but toss it into a hot oven (incidentally, when you’re heating the chicken up) and it crisps and warms up nicely.
you’ll want some greens – and there are 2 options: 1. tossed and seasoned salads from da paolo (pricey, but they make for nice sides), and 2. crisp salad leaves and sweet cherry tomatoes from the supermarket.
and you don’t need salad dressing if you get some savories like smoked salmon and ham (both of which are moreish and always quick to finish).
and to finish – da paolo has a decent range of offerings that includes blackforest cake, tiramisu, and various cheesecakes and pies – but we went with cedele’s cakes this time.
I’m not sure we made the right decision, given the fact that I found cedele’s cakes not quite up to mark (and also because da paolo gastronomia seems in general a more superior deli). but even their average dark chocolate fudge cake went amazing quickly with a damp drench of cointreau.
and – here’s to a good year, and many more meals as filled with good food and good cheer as this one.
Da Paolo Gastronomia (tel +65 6738 1462)
Cedele Bakery and Cafe (tel +65 6235 2380)
Level B1 and Level 1 Orchard Paragon
290 Orchard Road
Singapore 238859
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