FEATURED DEALS
3.9
out of 5
Telephone: (65) 6333-4358
Website: http://www.absolutehaven.com.sg
Category:
Restaurants » European
Located in the historic and trendy Prinsep Street , Absolute Haven is the ideal restaurant to unwind and chill out.
Every creation on the food menu is set to excite the palate. The fine selection has been thoughtfully planned so that there is something for everyone. If you're a wine lover, you can look forward to a perfect wine from our wine list to compliment your meal.
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Absolute Haven pride itself in serving Modern European Cuisine. Barely one years old, the restaurant has attracted numerous food-lovers and had rave reviews about the place. Thus its no wonder LIC must make a visit to Absolute Haven for a dinner.
Located at Prinsep street, the area has seen the entry of many new restaurants and has become a dining spot positioned within walking distance to Orchard. Absolute Haven is probably the crown among the many restaurants there, with the others not really being competitiors to it, but as complements which help to build Prinsep street as a place to dine.
Entering through the gates of Absolute Haven, there is the alfresco dining area where you can chill out with your friends. Otherwise, if you are on a romantic date and do not want to be seen sweating while enjoying your meal, step inside, to the cozy and chic environment of Absolute Haven.
When my friend and i reached the place at 7pm, the place was not full yet, but the crowd starts to come in subsequently. Being brought to our seats, we browse through the menu and placed our orders.
Mushroom Soup ($5.80)
A very mushroom mushroom soup, made from portobello mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, and button mushroom. The rendition here is quite similar to the ones I had at Friends @ Jelita, except this one comes up stronger in the "mushroom taste"
Soup of the day ($5.80)
We begin our delightful meal with the soup of the day. I'm not really a soup person while dining out so my view may not paint an accurate picture.
Oriental Cod-Fish ($24.0)
Steamed cod-fish done in oriental style topped with wolfberries, shitake mushrooms and bacon, served on a bed of asparagus.
This is truly an fusion where East meet West. You will never expect a dish like Oriental steamed cod fish to appear in a modish European restaurant like Absolute Haven.
Wolfberries as a ingredient, are by far rarely found in European restaurant, it further emphasized the oriental-ness of the dish. The use of bacon added flavoring which enhance the taste of the fish.
It does seems slightly weird to have a oriental steamed cod fish as a main course as usually it is more common to find it in Chinese restaurants. Nevertheless we enjoyed the unique experience, there's always a first for everything.But from what we gathered from Phyllis (Absolute's Manager), some customers find it to be too fishy, and the fish will be taken off the new menu which will commerce on 9th April.
Chef's Special Norwergian Salmon ($32)
Herb oil confit Norwergian Salmon drizzled with Vanilla cream sauce, walnut & black olive pilaf rice, accompanied with organic butternut pumpkin braised in Earl grey tea.
The food at Absolute Haven are all presented very well, the chef really does put in effort in making the dishes look nice. After all, a good appearance of the food does makes it taste better. Applause to the chefs for their hard work!
Having try quite a few Salmons recently, the version here is slightly different to the ones i had before which are mostly grilled or pan-fried. The herb oil confit salmon is a nice change, and i dutifully finish every bit of it.
The walnut & black olive pilaf rice is good, without a doubt. The organic butternut pumpkin braised in Earl grey tea isn't really to my liking, but i do appreciated the effort put into making this side dish.
Tira Mi Su ($9)
A classical Italian dessert served with espresso coffee and liqueur in light mascarpone cheese mousse. The Tira Mi Su here simply melts in my mouth, the liqueur was not too strong which does well for me. The slight hint of cheese in the mousse also provides a variation from the normal Tiramisu.
The thought of the Tira Mi Su dissolving at the tip of my tongue is enough to make me visit Absolute Haven again.
Passion Fruit Panna Cotta ($9)
This dessert wasn't on the menu when we visited Absolute Haven on the 22th March. There was another choice, lavender Panna Cotta, which offers a sweet version instead of the slightly more sour flavor of the passion fruit panna cotta. My friend preferred sour to sweet, so we got the Passion Fruit.
Total Bill came up to around $100.15 for two person. I got two Absolute Haven vouchers (entitled to two free soup and main course). But do not let this fact spoils the review. I deliberately left this fact for the end so that my share-readers can read through this review without any hint of biasness. Absolute Haven is excellent, and i'm not saying this because i got a free meal.
We paid $13.30 for this excellent dinner for the Tiramisu, the Panna Cotta was on the house, courtesy of Phyllis. Absolute Haven promise romantic fine-dining at an affordable price, without burning a hole in your pocket, you can bring your dates there for special occasions. Even for normal events, it's a great place to chill out with your family and friends. The price of their mains ranges from $16 to $32, and desserts are valued at $9-$12.
The friendly manager, Phyllis came up and spoke to us about our meal halfway through. She is a real nice person. You could feel her earnest and sincerity while she was talking to us. There are few managers or bosses in the local food & beverage industry that come across to me as genuine as her. Do call her 9766 3798 or even drop her a sms (which i did) to make your reservations.
The service staff there are polite and quick to help out if we got any inquiries, and my friend note that most of them are good-looking. Anyway thats not the main point, the service at Absolute Haven is indeed what other new start-ups should learn from. Excellent services can never go wrong!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
" Romantic Fine Dining at an affordable price "
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Review with more photos available here.
The girlfriend and I managed to give Absolute Haven a try. I was expecting something refreshing, cheerful and something close to "fireworks-on-the-palate" after so many positive reviews.
The menu of the day was a revamped one, so in a way we were all guinea pigs sent into an experiment. Which is actually more fun actually, as there would not be any references. Best of all, we get to dine at a fraction of the usual price.
Anyway, on with the food review.
Soup - Cream of Rocket
We started off with cream of rocket which was quite nicely done. The soup was not overly smooth so that bits of its potato base (my assumption) could be felt. It is a nice thoughtful touch to have added that dimension in the texture. For me, perhaps lacking was a tinge of the rocket's bitterness to authenticate the dish itself. Maybe a bit of minced or chopped rocket might have added a little character to the soup?
Starter - I tried Panchetta Ham & Smoked Salmon Roll
I like the combination of the smoky panchetta ham and salmon with the greens wrapped in them. The textures of the meat and leafy greens stood out for themselves with every bite and distinctive flavours complimented each other really well. The smoky meats provided the punch while the greens cleared the palate for the next piece. My only grouse is the saltiness from the ham, but I am sure it can be easily neutralised with more of the salad greens.
Starter - The Girlfriend tried Duck Breast Salad with Berry Sauce
I liked the sweet and tangy taste, but foresee it may be too overpowering as one progresses to consume more of this salad. This is perhaps catered to those with a sweet tooth.
Main Course - I tried the Pan-seared Seabass with Poached Egg, Miso Braised Daikon and Olive Pilaf Rice, served with Lemon Cream Sauce
High scores on the presentation, but average in taste. The fish wasn't exactly fresh and was over-cooked with edges totally burnt and bitter. Rest of the fish was tough and dry by my standards. Taste-wise, the fish was very plain with the minuscule amount of lemon cream sauce. Overall, it felt like the dish was conjured by a randomised process where you pick cards for every accompanying item and a poor excuse for a fusion dish. Every item did nothing to each other or for each other in terms of taste.
Main Course - The Girlfriend tried the Oven-Roasted Yorkshire Pork Rack with Herb Potato, Vegetables Ratatouille, Fresh Mesclum Salad, served with Coffee Chocolate Sauce
The pork rack was nicely done with a tinge of pink in the centre and tender to the bite. The marinate was done just right to allow the freshness of the pork to be tasted. However, the coffee chocolate sauce with meat combination reminded me too much about the coffee ribs available from the tze char stalls. The girlfriend mentioned that the pork could have been better used, i.e. prepared in better ways.
The ratatouille seemed out of place because of its "heavy" flavour was more of a clash with the pork and it just felt additionally pretentious thanks to the movie. The use of fresh cut fruits like lychees, longans, dragonfruits, pears would have provided a refreshing edge and balance to the dish.
Dessert - I tried Victorian Creme Brulee
I liken this to the Hong Kong steamed egg pudding, but mushier. Well done for that important crusty top layer of caramelised sugar. Unfortunately it tasted pretty plain for a place where I expected more of. No exciting layers of surprised or infused floral scents. Or perhaps that was what the "Victorian" stood for - old, traditional and outdated.
Dessert - The Girlfriend tried Passionfruit Panna Cotta
Here at Absolute Haven, Panna Cotta has a texture of curdled cheese and plenty of zesty punch from passionfruit, orange peel and berries. I can't be sure if I like this dessert as it didn't taste bad, but neither did it taste fantastic.
Overall, the food just didn't wow me as I had expected more thoughtful, cleverer, refreshing combinations in ingredients.
Service
The staff was friendly but rather slow with service and response and lacking in initiative. However the worst part has to be their failure to prioritise. The girlfriend and I had to run off for another appointment, so we asked for the food to be served slightly faster. Our expectation was only to be served with the first batch of the dish we ordered, but they weren't even able to do that. Worst, for a group of over 20 people, they failed badly at coordinating for the food to be served together, making patrons without their food stare blankly at those who do. Some had even finished their food before their partner's had arrived. That is totally unacceptable.
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After so long, my post is finally ready! Haha…
My partner & I decided to try out this place after seeing several reviews with good feedback on the place. Somemore, with the 15% discount offered by Yebber, what are we waiting for??
We did not make any table reservation & but luckily the place was not packed with diners. Probably it’s because it’s a weekday and also that we were there pretty early, at about 6 pm. We were given a choice between the outdoor seats and the indoor ones. We chose the latter. The interior looks cosy & spacious. Each table came with a small tea light candle to brighten up the dim interior a little. Of course it did make the place more romantic too. Haha…
We were greeted by their friendly manager who even let us choose the seats since the place wasn’t packed with diners. Interestingly, the ice water they served had slices of strawberries in it. That’s really special, as most places at most serve lemon ice water. Strawberries in water? That’s really my 1st time trying it! Well, the strawberries did give the ice water a tint of sweetness & sourness. Pretty refreshing!
Here comes the food part! When we asked about certain dishes in the menu, the manager was very patient in her explanation & made some recommendations to us. These are what we have ordered.
Asparagus Roll with Bacon Dressing ($8.50) – This starter was great. I like it! The combination of asparagus & bacon was a perfect match! The asparagus was crunchy and a little sweet while the bacon was salty. So when the two came together, the taste & crunchiness made u crave for more. It will definitely improve your appetite & get you ready to indulge on the main course. Thumbs up!
Chef’s Special: “Rocket” Soup ($3.90) – “Rocket? What’s that??” That’s the first thought which came to our mind when the manager recommended the soup to us. Nevertheless, we decided to give it a try. Well, it looked like some blended spinach soup. But upon tasting it, it has this very unique taste which I quite like it. After checking with the manager, we realized that rocket is a kind of bitter vegetable. Yet the chef managed to cook it in such a way that the bitterness of the soup was gone. Wow!!
Prawn Bites ($9.50) – Quite a normal dish to me. Tasted just like the Japanese prawn tempura. But the light wasabi sauce which came with it was nice.
Stella Artois Battered Fish & Chips ($16) – This was my main course. It came with two big pieces of fish, deep fried and coated with the beer batter and a large serving of fries. The fish is fresh and tender, with a little beer taste. Find it quite a normal dish & I ended up attacking my partner’s main course which I am going to talk about next.
Tenderloin Steak ($28) – It’s my partner’s main course but I find it more yummy than mine. It came as a generous serving of steak. Looked good & smelt good. It was also served as requested – medium rare. Perfect! The sauce went well with the steak too.
Victorian Crème Brulee ($8) –I’m not a big fan of crème brulee and thus definitely not an expert in judging it. Yet I find it quite nice, with the milk taste not too overwhelming.
Crepes Haven ($12) – It was recommended by the manager. It did look good, with a flame over it when served. However, it did not taste up to our expectation. The sauce which went with the crepe was too sour for my liking.
On the overall, most of the dishes we have ordered were good. To add on, the service was excellent, with our glasses constantly topped up with ice water. The manager was warm and friendly too and was open to feedback on the food from us.
I shall be back to try out other dishes!
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*New Review on 1/4/08*
Have yet to use the vouchers which Panerai generously gifted to me and a few other lucky individuals recently so with the expiry date nearing i decided to make a trip to AH on Sat 29th March..plus iv got a lunch date with my dear ice on Sun the 30th so one might say "is she crazy to go to the same place twice in two days". For food this good. I would go three times in two days!!.
Was going to be boring and go for the same things i ordered last but i decided to be adventourous and try the warm spinach and mushroom salad while my bf had a mushroom soup(i did try to persuade him to get the rocket salad but failed)..
I loved the salad!!!!came with 3 different types of mushrooms and was done perfectly. mushrooms were nice and juicy, just the right amount of vinagrette used and i savoured every single mushroom.
Soup was good too. No campbell soup here.
Ordered the seefood sampler and when Phyllis said it was big we thought we could still handle it but boy were we wrong.it was humongous. Usually for samplers most places would serve 1/3 of the ala carte dish but i tink we got the whole dish. Calamari was as good as ever, fish was okay, found it a bit weird, like those defrosted frozen fish..Prawns were gooood.Liked the batter used for all. Not too heavy and the dips!!!Beetroot was a nice pinkish hue, very nice too and the mango aioli dip was equally good..i was using my fork to dish out the dips even after i was done with the food. Oh and the fries..omg..there was alot..and was cooked well, not overdoused with salt and my fav, crunchy..
For mains, my bf had the tenderloin-medium rare(cut to my face cringing) and i had the lamb shank changin the rice to fries.
To be honest, the lambshank was cooked well, meat was tender my bf liked it but me on the other hand, found the lamb abit too overwhelming, ate the fats but gave my bf most of the meat. the tenderloin on the other hand was OMG!!after my last tenderloin disaster experience i had a huuuge phobia of tenderloins but now phobia gone, the meat was not too overdone not too bloody or chewy, went well with the onion shiraz sauce and the gratin.oh gratin, thin potatoes and chheese and it had a slight flaky crust thingy. i was enjoying every single bite.
For dessert we had the tiramisu and another OMG moment. It was deeeelish. I love my tiramisu/ cakes creamy and not too dry. the tiramisu was perfect. each layer tasted rich and i savoured every single spoonful, if the kitchen hadnt closed i would have ordered another one. I was heartbroken when i finished my tiramisu..
That was just saturday night.
Now Sunday for me was a total repeat telecast of Saturday.
I ordered the same things Spinach n Mushroom, main this time was tenderloin-medium and as if i wouldnt order my favourite tiramisu.
ice ordered the asparagus wrapped with bacon salad, the chefs special, Herb oil confit norweigan salmon with vanilla cream sauce with olive pilaf rice(changed to a avocado salad) accompanied with organic butternut pumpkin braised in earl grey tea. and she tried the chefs special dessert, mixed berries with this egg custard like pudding.
I wnt repeat my rave reviews for my food but what can i say, salad still rocked, tenderloin was ommph(and this time ALL MINE) and the tiramisu...OOOH!!!!!
Tried an asparagus from ice and i love love loved it, still retains its crunchyness and asparagus taste. very tasty.The salmon which i tried a bit was good. Fresh, didnt have that weird salmon taste that sometimes i experience and went well with the vanilla cream sauce.
But her dessert well had a weird taste. i did like the egg custard.
Service on both days were impeccable. Phyllis was patient in explaining to us the dishes in the menu, which was recommended and which were going to be replaced and to be placed in the new menu.
Gladly replaced out free soups with other salads instead and obliged our requests for changed to the items in our meals.
Oh oh n she knew i was MN!!!haha..that was so cute and even enquired abt my grandad(who is in the hospital) which i felt was truly sweet and thoughtful.
I felt that Phyllis genuinely wants her customers to enjoy their experience and not just be nice to chalk up points. The staff were polite, friendly and I remember them from my last visit a few months back.
That says a lot about an establishment. Many have everchanging staffs either due to unreliable staff or the staff were not happy working there. From what i have seen i am sure the staff enjoy their job promting them to stay commited to the establishment and provide the service that i have found no fault with at all.
And another thing that i have to mention. A few hours after we left today i got a call from Phyllis informing me that i was supposed to be entitled to a 20% discount as we had lunch today but i was given 10% instead and that the next time i dine there and paid with a citibank card i would be entitled to a 20% discount. Now firstly, the fact that we even got a discount when we used the vouchers was already something that impressed me. But it is really something else that she would make the effort to call me to inform me of the mixup. Honestly, given the quality of food and service provided to us i would not mind not being given the discount. I really have to applaud Phyllis for going that extra mile. Now i know that some would find it strange for someone to go all out raving about the food but i really did feel that the food was good and well i was honest abt what i did not like. I would definitely come here more often. And if i were in the area and in desperate need of a tiramisu fix, no questions on where i would go.
Prices for 1st dinner would have been around 45-50 per person
Prices for the 2nd would have been around 35-40 per person.
But with the vouchers generously provided by Panerai
The 1st dinner was only 18 per person
2nd was 14 per person..
The menu will be changed soon so my beloved tenderloin with the super onion shiraz sauce will be replaced with port wine instead..wonder if i can request for the onion sauce though...oh n both me n ice are hopin the cream of rocket soup is retained..she was crushed when we found out the soup had sold out
*Old Review Jan 2008*
Before even entering the restaurant, a caucasian patron had already gushed to us how good the food was
Nice decor, liked the yellow booth like chairs they gave us but requested for the table for 2 in the inside. It was slightly dimmer there but i liked being far from the main door*more ahem romantic*
Ordered the garden salad, calamari, buffalo wings, ribeye steak for myself and the seafood spag for bf(he actually wanted sumthin else but sumhow he ordered the ss)..for a girl who rarely drinks the plain water served, i liked the strawberry flavoured water. bf was puzzled since im nt a strawberry person either. OOh ooh and our drinks came without lemon slices in it!!YAY. if not so unglam to see me fishing out the lemon slice n dumpin it into bfs drink.
I liked the fact that my salad wasnt drowning in thousand island(dont see the point eating salad= healthy with ti= not so healthy)..instead there was balsamic vinegar..something i have grown to not hate..
Calamari rocked. Me tinks its the bestest calamari i had. yes even trumps my beloved fish n co calamari. bf didnt like the buffalo wings tho(too spicy) but i did. expected the bbq like version tho but prefer the fried.And i liked the sauce it came with so much that both times the manager n the waiter wanted to clear it i requested for it to be lefted on the table.
*i liked how they served the appetizers all together and only when we were finished did they clear everything, they even changed our plates for us in between the appetizers n at the end they changed our cutleries for us..
Since the chicken n fish dishes were out for me, i choze ribeye steak. Was worried i wouldnt like it since im more of a chicken gal but it was super nice. It was medium done or sumthin(basically no blood)..but wasnt hard or too chewy. And my only taste of potato gratin was at delifrance. The pathetic two layers of potato n a layer or cheese..AH's potato gratin was heavenly. They should put it as an appetizer too ;)
Didnt try bfs spagetti as it was well..green(pesto sauce). he liked it tho(plus prawn was peeled so i didnt have to).
Food was good, service was fantastic as opposed to other and it wasnt crowded at all so the whole romantic ambience was preserved. we skipped dessert as i purchased cakes frm gourmet carousel. But nxt time im so tryn the crepes.
Sumhow although it was 74(10% discount for citibank) for dinner. Looking at the receipt wasnt as heartwrenching as looking @ a $64 receipt(after 40% discount) from another restaurant i went to..
In other words..
So worth it.
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Absolute Haven, I did not know that this place is a restaurant until I saw someone reviewed this place. Since Yebber having this 15% discount, my partner and I decided to go and give ourselves a little treat! Hee…… The place is actually quite well hidden, if not for the large signboard. Once we step through the gates, it seems like we are transported to another place peaceful and quiet.
There are outdoor seats and indoor seats. Once at the door, the waiter showed us in to our table. The place is big which means can cater to a big group of people and the gap between each table is quite big as well, so that each couple or group can have their own space and privacy as well. They also have a couple of sofa seats far back which I think is more for those who is coming in for a drink and desserts only. When we were there at around 6.30pm, there is only two other couples in the restaurant. So we can simply choose our own seats. The crowds started to came in after 7 pm and the place does get pretty packed.
The decoration is clean and simple, using very basic colors. One thing, they used mahjong table as “table cloth” on the table. Hmm….. As we were seating indoors and there was not a big crowd, the air-con got a bit too cold for us. Hee… We were almost freezing by the end of dinner already. There is a little tea light candle in the middle of the table creating a romantic scene and with slow jazz music playing in the background as well, soft enough to be heard yet will not stop you from having a decent conversation.
While waiting for us to decide our food, the waiter served us drinking water. This place instead of putting lemon slices in their water, they actually put strawberries in it. This actually gives a very strong strawberry fragrance to the water, making the water taste sweet also. A plus point. Think I am going to try it at home as well.
We ordered the following dishes.
Asparagus Roll with Bacon Dressing @ $8.50 – This dish is a good way to start off the night. It is pan fried but not oily. The asparagus is crunchy and not soft at all. The bacon is salty on its own so when combined with asparagus, it adds flavor to it. The bacon is pan fried to a little crispy yet able to chew. With a unique sauce on its side, it just increases the taste of the whole dish. This is a must try.
Chef’s Special: "Rocket" Soup (Dunno if I got it correct) @ $3.90 – When we ordered this, we were feeling a bit adventurous as we got no idea what is "rocket". When they served the soup, it looks greenish. However, it is the special taste of "rocket" that won us over. They mashed the "rocket" into the soup, so we are able to have little chew bits in the soup. First taste does taste a bit of bitterness because of the "rocket", and it was brought down to a minimum. This soup needs some time to get used to it. However once used it, it is a bowl of good soup.
Prawn Bites @ $9.50 – This is something extra, that we want to try. It is just simply deep fried prawns. The batter is not too thick, and was fried to golden brown, crispy. The prawns used are of medium size. It comes with a special dip as well. Average for me on this dish.
Stella Artois Battered Fish & Chips @ $16 – This is what my partner decided to have. It came with two big pieces of fish, deep fried and coated with the beer batter and a large serving of fries. The fish is fresh and tender. The batter does not really smell much of beer but the taste of the beer is there with a hint of bitterness. It is one of the better ones I have tasted. The portion is big as well.
Tenderloin Steak @ $28 – I have this as my main dish. It came with a piece if thick meat in the middle of the plate. I cut through the meat and happy to see that it was medium rare as I had ordered. As I cut it open the juices of the meat with some blood flowed out, the middle part of the meat is still raw and pinkish while the outer part of the meat is cooked, thus locking in the juices of the meat. The meat is a little on the salty side but it is fine with me. To me this is a very good main dish that I will order when I go back for next visit.
Victorian Crème Brulee @ $8 – I am a huge fan of crème brulee, so I must ordered this when I saw it in the menu. The one that they served is not disappointing at all. As usual, there is a layer of thin crispy of sugar on top, it is the crème brulee inside that surprises me. It is thick and creamy with eggy taste. I loved this dessert! It is a must order!
Crepes Haven @ $12 – This one is recommended by the server. When she served it, in front of you, she poured some alcohol and lighted up in front of you. Can see a small beautiful blue fire going on for a while before it extinguishes itself. However, the crepes do taste a bit sourish with the berries and the alcohol. Not really to my liking.
The food is actually quite good and the food presentation was quite good as well. The plates that they used are quite unique. It does make the food more appetizing as well. The bill comes up to $88 after a 15% discount (All thks to Yebber. Hee….).
All the above food is served hot straight out from the kitchen. The service is good as well. There was one waiter serving 3 couples that that time but yet my water was never empty. He is very prompt and polite as well. The manager or the boss also quite friendly giving us recommendations of what to try out since it is our first time there. She also has a little chit chat with us to check on our views on the food and to see if there is anything to improve on. Overall, I fell in love with this place and definitely will be back again.
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Had the opportunity to attend a food sampling session at Absolute Haven, one of the up and coming culinary stars of the quaint Prinsep Street. Much has been said and written about this eatery which dishes out modern European cuisine amidst a chic backdrop.
There's an option of al fresco seating in the relatively small outdoor area or indoor seating in a much larger(and cooler) area which boasts clean lines, wooden pillars and oozes minimalistic elegance. Music was rather tasteful as well if I may say, a most fitting complement to the ambience.
Seafood Sampler ($18) - Almost every tom, **** and harry western eatery I know of has some variation of the seafood platter, be it in name, variety of seafood or otherwise. Which explains the lack of expectations for this dish. Even then, it was a disappointment. The prawns weren't fresh, the batter was too thick and the fries were too soggy. Probably the only positive aspect was the accompanying sauces - beetroot with mayonnaise and lime(?) with mint, both of which were unique in their own right. On a side note, the platter was huge, enough for about 4 pax to share (in the misery, (un)fortunately).
Spinach and Wild Mushrooms Salad ($7.50) - I had expected mushrooms covered by/mixed with a tower of spinach so this dish kinda screwed my expectations a little. The thinly sliced mushrooms were buttery and tasty whereas the button and shitake mushrooms came across as rather normal. The spinach was fresh but a little too soft from the balsamic vinaigrette. I liked the dash of cheese atop though.
Oriental Cod Fish ($24) - The name caught my eye. This is probably an example of modern European cuisine, European food with a fusion twist. Taste wise, the fish was fresh and well complemented by the sweet wolfberries and salty bacon bits. However, the meat could have been a little firmer for better texture.
Tenderloin Steak ($28) - The steak wasn't up to expectations. Period. Sure, it was done medium rare just the way we ordered it, but the meat was too soft, probably from the overuse of tenderizer? The lack of marination was apparent - the beef relied on the overly salty sauce to give it taste. Nothing like the pièce de résistance I had at Prive. I didn't quite like the accompanying potato gratin as well as I found it too dry and heavy on the palate.
Chicken Roulade ($20) - This was probably the best dish of the evening, simple yet close to the heart. Fragrant, tender and juicy, the chicken had bacon and spinach stuffed in between which added a slight salty dimension to it. The avocado salad really wasn't my cup of tea though. Very soft and mashed up, it reminded me of baby food. But I guess this really boils down to personal preference.
Victorian Creme Brulee ($8) - Aesthetics wise, the creme brulee was rather pleasing, especially when served with the rose petals. However, its texture reminded me more of egg custard than creme brulee, which is something rather weird. There was also a small rose bud embedded within, which came across as rather overwhelming.
Tira Mi Su ($9) - Another visually pleasing dessert, the tiramisu didn't impress with its pudding like mascarpone cheese mousse. It tasted really weird to me, but I guess thats personal preference as well. I couldn't detect any hint of liqueur at all and the cake was rather soggy from the espresso coffee at the bottom. It wasn't entirely disastrous though. At least it came across as light on the palate.
Overall, the food certainly isn't great but the soothing ambience and attentive service more than makes up for it. You won't have to worry about still or sparkling here as well as they serve natural strawberry flavoured ice water, a deviation from the norm.
*disclaimer: This tasting session was for the purpose of ascertaining the suitability of Absolute Haven for one of our upcoming events.
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I've always been one to try out new places... and this one is no exception!! Its cosy ambience and good location (in Prinsep Place amongst all the funky eateries) is certainly a draw. I'm also a sucker for simple modern yet cosy decor and this place certainly fit the bill.
Some of the dishes I tried:
Spinach and Wild Mushroom Salad $7.50
This one came as a surprise. I had the idea of a bowl of tossed salad with mushrooms mixed up inside but this one was served on a plate all the ingredients carefully separated from each other. The mushrooms were nicely buttered and being a mushroom-lover I'd loved this!
Seafood Sampler $18.00
This one was quite disappointing. There was Calamari, fish, fries and prawns. But the batter used was too thick and I didn't really fancy it after two pieces from the plate. But the serving was large and can easily be a starter for 4-5 people.
Oriental Cod Fish $24.00
I loved this one. The codfish was served with bacon but the tastes were quite separate. I liked the taste of the fish, which was light and just right. The texture could improve though but no real complaints about this dish.
Chicken Roulade $20.00
I liked the herb taste in the chicken meat itself. The chicken was wrapped around some spinach and bacon. But I enjoyed eating the chicken itself more than the entire combination.
The service provided was really good. Our glasses were never empty and they were polite and tried to accede to our requests. Also they were always available but not breathing down our necks, which I think makes it really comfortable to just chill there without having to feel like you're taking up a seat in the place.
I'll definitely be back to try other things!
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