His Food Blog's Reviews
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Located at a hidden corner on the 4th floor of Mandarin Oriental, entering into the restaurant immediately transport one from a simple boring main façade to a voguish interior of dim lighting and sounds of fine tableware clanks.
Being HFB’s virgin trip to Morton’s, Tina, our maître d' for the evening, rattled off what seem like a scripted introduction of the various cuts of steaks, as well as seafood, that the restaurants serve as mains before the start of the dinner.
Following that, the dinner commenced with the much raved about Onion Loaf that HFB was looking forward. A colossal loaf of a bread, that was probably the best complimentary bread that HFB have eaten – served crisp on the exterior and fluffy on the inside, the whiff of the onion exude from the bread when one yank opened, yet it remained subtle on the palate without too overwhelming. It is so good that it goes with butter as well as on its own. And if one is too tempted to finished it, HFB’s advice to you is – DON’T – as Morton’s is also renowned for their generous serving portion.
Two appetisers were chosen that night – the first being ½ dozen of Pacific Oysters on the Half Shell ($36.00). Served the way HFB expected it to be – on a bed of ice that is, the oysters were fresh but not the most meaty. Thus for $6 a pop, HFB doesn’t found it to be value-worthy.
The latter was that of the Lobster Bisque Soup ($30.00) that was big enough portion for 2 – but HFB found the single small piece of lobster meat swimming within laughably wretched. While the soup reeked of essence, it was VERY salty towards the end of it, such that HFB have trouble finishing it.
The mains in Morton’s don’t come with any sides thus a serving of Creamed Spinach, for two, costs an eye-popping $22.00. Serving portion was a gargantuan affair, but what HFB like was how lightly salted and smooth it was to consume. However, too much of the cream and the “jelakness”, or fullness starts to set in.
The Sautéed Mushrooms ($15.00) were satisfactory. Done al dente and comes with a nice bite, it was salted to taste.
The celebrated dish that evening would have to be the Aged Australian Filet Mignon ($79.00). Nicely char-grilled on the outside, the lean cut was perfectly executed to medium-rare, exuding sweetness on this tender piece of meat.
It was definitely the best piece of steak HFB had tasted so far, and rated higher than the Grade 9 Wagyu Ribeye at Astons, as HFB prefers his steak to be “beefy” – something that is lacking in a piece of well-marbled wagyu.
Regrettably, the Morton’s Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake ($25.00) failed to live up to the tag that evening. Urged on to “die, die” sample the chocolate cake by all my peers who had dined at Morton’s before, it came slightly over-baked and was dry and bitter on the outside.
Portioning the cake also did not reveal an oozing molten chocolate that HFB was highly anticipating. The only saving grace was the scoop of In-house Vanilla Ice-cream that tasted very good.
Overall, service was generally good and accommodating, but dinner for two costs $316.60, inclusive of 2 glasses of house-pour wines and taxes, which is very expensive and (steak aside) not value-for-money. Excellent mood created by the furnishing and lighting was also ruined with mindless chatters from various tables as well as the consistence singing of birthday songs (10 times over a 2.5 hours period) – absolutely not recommended for a romantic dinner for two.
You can view all the photos and other reviews here.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!an average score here, a high score below. Now who should i trust? mmm..
17 Oct 2008 at 5:27 pm
The steak is worth 4.75 stars though :)
17 Oct 2008 at 6:04 pm
If I go, I can only order the mushrooms! Wahahaha!
17 Oct 2008 at 6:46 pm
Situated just a stone’s throw away from Pietrasanta, The Italian Restaurant and the iconic Colbar Eating House, this marketed and positioned as a French-Californian restaurant is another lovechild of nightclub boss-turned restaurateur Mr Michel Lu, after alfresco bars Hacienda at Dempsey, and Superfamous in Boat Quay. 1-for-1 Happy Hours are from 12pm to 9pm; as such ½ pint of Heineken Draft Beer at $10 is essentially $5 each.
Appetiser was Pan Seared Blue Fin Tuna Salad ($15.90). Considered the prized-catch among tunas, the fish was seared adeptly and came with a nice firm bite but otherwise, it was lacklustre in taste and balsamic vinaigrette seeks to engulf the flavour all the more.
Personally, HFB thought the Sautéed Organic Mushrooms ($6.90) was probably the best dish for that night. Infused with the aromatic flavours of White Cooking Wine and a tint of sweetness from the Cherry Tomatoes, the mushrooms topped with fresh herbs was palatable and produced a nice texture for nibble. However a question looms – HFB wonders there is any different in taste and texture between normal or organic mushrooms?
If you have yet to know, Cicada is famously known to serve a wicked burger dish, which goes by the name of “The Infamous Cicada Burger” priced at $28.90. Served with thick-cut fries, which was slightly dry for me – sandwiched in between two pieces of bread are lip-smacking ingredients consisting of Caramelised Onions, Mushrooms, Gorgonzola & Gruyere Cheese and none other than the marbled Wagyu Beef as patty.
However, joy soon dissipated in frustration as my requested doneness of medium-rare for the beef came well done (again!). A request for change was pretty redundant as the patty was just slightly better – done medium well perhaps. Tired of waiting (and be disappointed yet again), HFB grudgingly finished his food and paid his bill without ordering desserts.
Overall, HFB wasn’t impressed by the food – which seemingly reminded him of PS Café at Dempsey – cosy ambience suitable for couples on first date, but no depth in terms of the fare served.
You can view all the photos and other reviews here.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!agreed, food was average
10 Oct 2008 at 9:42 pm
ya... quite disappointing especially since there was so much hyped about their burger!
12 Oct 2008 at 9:04 pm
What is so special about their soup-based, said to be boiled for at least 18 hours, is the additional of Preserved Salted Vegetables that gave it an extra ‘kick’ to the fairly light flavoured soup, or ‘Cheng’ as how the Teochews described it, although HFB finds it inconsistently salty at times having tried it on separate occasions. Prices ranges from $4.50 (small), $5.50 (medium) to $6.50 (large), and one has a choice of Kway Teow, Bee Hoon and Mee. One can also have a combination of Sliced Beef, Beef Tripe (Stomach), Beef Brisket (Cooked Meat), Beef Liver, Beef Ball, and for an additional of $1.00 – Beef Tendon.
The small portion of Sliced Beef with Beef Ball Kway Teow Soup was pretty pathetic in my opinion – unless one is not very hungry during lunchtime, braving the crowd for such a small serving is simply not worth the effort. Besides, the beef ball is definitely factory produced and not handmade, which is a disappointment considering the legacy of this eatery.
The medium portion of Sliced Beef, Beef Ball and Beef Brisket Kway Teow was slightly more adequate and the brisket was palatable – it is intense with flavour and malleable to consume.
The thin version of kway teow used was also something HFB is happy about - it was pretty smooth to slurp, although compared to Tuck Kee Sar Hor Fun, it was nowhere close in standard.
Hardcore Teochew Beef Kway Teow fans would also be delighted to discover that their original dry version comes with an additional topping of Grinded Peanuts to give it an extra crunch, the familiar Chinchaluk (shrimp paste sauce), and a pretty ‘solid’ chilli to go with.
You can view the all photos and other reviews here.
- 1 more comment »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Hock Lam has 3 branches, each claiming to be the original.
06 Oct 2008 at 12:05 pm
Ya. One more at purvis, and one more by Tina at Far East Square... the most original is Mr Tan from Swatow lor! LOL
06 Oct 2008 at 1:14 pm
Ya I tried all 3 before. Find the one at Purvis the best.
06 Oct 2008 at 5:09 pm
Dinner was underway with the complimentary bread and butter – served warm, crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside, a spread of the Japanese soft butter seeks to enhance the best of this simple yet wonderful dough.
The appetiser, that was part of the set dinner, which initially thought to be Vietnamese Rice-paper Roll by all of us, was given a magnificent twist – prawns were battered and deep fried, coupled by a hint of Japanese mayo, instantaneously brought the plain old boring rice-paper roll back to life. The harmony between the crusty prawn and crunchy greens was simply delightful – so much so that it prompted my mum to comment that the serving wasn’t enough.
½ dozen of Fresh Live Oysters ($18.00) served chilled were fresh and plump – no complains here as HFB thinks this is how oysters should be served. A wrench of lemon, a drip of Tabasco sauce, and a big slurp completes this simple yet always pleasing dish.
The Carrot Soup, again part of the set dinner, was subtle with a tint of sweetness from this root vegetable. We all agreed that it could be slightly more salted for a more robust taste as the cream seeks to overwhelm the flavour towards the end.
Garden Salad, provided along with the set dinner, was drizzled in Japanese Sesame Dressing – uncomplicated dish.
After a series of starters, the main lead finally arrived – 200gm Ribeye Steak ($53.50 for a set dinner). Doneness of the steak was partially achieved, some parts came in medium rare as how HFB would want it to be, but other parts were significantly medium-well to well done.
But no complains from me this time round as the steak was still tender and marbled with fats. Paired with a slab of herb butter, this steak was slightly velvety and smooth to consume. However, what I find objectionable was the cut of beef soaked in brimming, what seemed like brown sauce with radish. Not too sure whether that was deliberate, or a result of juices from a not so rested piece of steak.
Dessert for the night was a small slice of Tiramisu. Not the best, but what HFB like was that it was well laden with the alcohol – not too overwhelming yet strong enough to taste.
Dinner was completed not with wine this time round, but Asahi Draft Beer ($8.50) instead, served in a nice vintage-looking bronze metal cup.
You can view the all photos and other reviews HERE.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!You forgot to link to your post. You linked it to the generic URL.
02 Oct 2008 at 11:14 am
sounds good though expensive.
02 Oct 2008 at 1:20 pm
ex? I think is quite value for money leh
02 Oct 2008 at 2:40 pm
Traditionally hand-made, it is rubbed, kneaded and mixed into dough before being pressed with a long and thick bamboo pole. Using his whole body weight, the master chef will skillfully maneuver the pole back and forth to achieve the springy bite of the noodles.
However, at 大吃の喜, thanks to the ingenious engineering brain of Mr John See and the support from his wife, Amy, one no longer needs to travel all the way to Guangzhou, China (where John first discovered the dish) to sample this appetising noodles – he spent 18 months to invent his very own bamboo noodles production machine! What used to painstakingly take 2 hours to produce this wonderful chow is now reduced to a mere 45 minutes!!! Located in one of the refurbished shophouses along Joo Chiat, at the corner of Koon Send Road, 大吃の喜, or Tai Shek Hei, is a noodle specialist that produces their own palatable noodles with the freshest ingredients.
The verdict: This was probably one of most “Q” or springy noodles HFB has ever tried in his life (The trick is to slurp the noodles, as quickly as Japanese eating ramen, when served, and not wait too long, especially the soup version, as the texture will start to turn soggy).
And unlike the typical noodles one finds in Singapore, there’s none of the lye water taste or “Kee”, in dialect, presented in the noodles. Like how the old Gardenia Bread Ad that goes “It is so good that you can eat it’s on its own”.
Price ranges from $6.50 to $6.80 and comes with choices of Dumplings, Roast Duck, Soy Chicken, Char Siew and even Mushroom and Curry Pork! And that is not to say there’s nothing else good to eat at this restaurant – the appetiser dish of Deep-fried Enoki Mushrooms with Mayonaise (off-menu item) was simple but delightful. It was well fried without the greasy aftertaste and every bite produces an enjoyable crunch.
Another off-menu item of Marinated Chilled Chicken Wings was said to be Amy’s favourite dish in China. Marinated and slightly coloured yellow, it was served chilled for consumption. Slightly salty on it’s own, this would probably go along better with the noodles – however, HFB’s intolerance for cold food means he didn’t appreciate it fully.
The Fried Tobiko Dumpling ($4.00 for 4 pcs) was excellent in its own right. The skin, also home-produced by John’s machine, came with an excellent taste and texture that gave one a perfect crunch. Bountiful with ingredients, the dumplings were full with meat and prawn, and the extra dash of Tobiko, or Flying Fish Roe, freshly imported from Japan gave one an extra dimension to the dish.
However, the same astonishingly couldn’t be said about their soup version ($8.00 for 8pcs). Perhaps soaked in the soup for quite awhile, the skin just wasn’t as enjoyable as the deep-fried ones, and HFB found them a tad salty. Initially HFB thought it was the tobiko, but John confirmed that it was the meat instead that was intentionally marinated saltier to compensate for the clear soup.
The Roast Combination dish of Roast Duck and Char Siew ($10.00 for small serving) was another hit and misses. Everyone knows it is the skin that rates the duck, and 大吃の喜’s version is pretty good. Health conscious eaters would be happy to discover that the duck didn't come with much fat at the bottom of the skin, but yet the thinly strips of skin was so scrumptious and crispy. However, the char siew didn’t exactly wow HFB. He felt the char siew was under-flavoured and could be roasted slightly longer and make do with stronger marinates. Also, the lacked of fats also means it was slightly on the tougher side.
The Chives & Egg Pancake ($3.50 for small serving), shaped like mini curry-puffs, was another healthy option. However, HFB believed that the strong flavour of chives would probably turn many people off from it, although he himself thought the dish was not too bad.
Lunch was rounded off with a dessert of Fungus with Red Dates ($3.00) served chilled. Double-boiled with plenty of ingredients, the pleasant surprise was the inclusion of thinly strips of orange peel that gave a lovely zesty vigor to this otherwise straight forward dessert. On the other hand, HFB thought that the chef was pretty generous with the rock sugar.
You can view the all photos and the production process of the noodles @ His Food Blog.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!How come no address added?
23 Sep 2008 at 1:50 pm
I added lor... twice somemore...my review didnt come out on the 1st try either!
23 Sep 2008 at 2:05 pm