Seragoon gardens is a place i've worked at for about 2 years and i'm ashamed to say, i've never tried anything here apart from the fish bee hoon from the hawker centre, Pow Sing chicken rice, Jumbo restaurant and Mcdonald's. So now that i'm revisiting the place as an outsider, its quite interesting that there's so many places i've yet to try. Ristorante De Parma happens to be one of them and i had to pay it a visit after a friend gave me a nice discount voucher to play around with.
Located along the same stretch of shophouses as Icecube and Frolic, this unassuming and quiet restaurant is located all the way to the far end of that stretch. Its difficult to miss with its soft ambient music and overall soft demenour. Classy table setting and warm lighting embrace the patrons who venture forth while unintrusive service makes the meal pleasant and relaxing.
Complimentary Bread (Foccacia) - The focaccia is served first to quench the hunger of waiting for the fresh pizza to be served. I suppose its a 1 piece per person serving since there were only 3 pieces. We were, however, delighted when a second serving was provided when the first was exhausted. Taste wise, the upside is that the bread is fluffy and warm while the downside was how dry the bread really is. The olive oil and vinegar combination helped somewhat, but not enough.
Lemon tea ($5.80) - At the time, i didn't notice the cost of this but now as i'm writing this. 2 lemon teas cost us $11.80 ???? Overpriced most definitely covers what i feel about this order. Its normal home brewed lemon tea with sugar syrup and no, its not justified in terms of cost no matter how it tastes.
Pizza Margherita ($16.90) - Tomatoes, mozeralla cheese, basil and dough. Simplicity can sometimes be the best option, even when it comes to food. The crust is paper thin and charred at some areas but otherwise fragrant and light. The toppings blend perfectly to provide a moist and juicy layer of bliss. Very enjoyable even though its one of the most economical items on the menu.
Deparma's Smoked Salmon Pizza ($28.90) - Introduced by FZ as one of the must try pizzas in this outfit, i have to say, i'm not too impressed. Suffice to say, ordering an item not on the menu is an interesting change, the price of this is once again, like the lemon tea, bordering on ridiculous. The paper thin pizza is still a wonderful idea but the salmon has an obvious fishy smell about it that really detracts from the experience. Although i like the combination of peppers, raw salmon and what i suspect to be mayonnaise, the pizza was cold when served and didn't appeal to me much further.
Tiramisu ($12.90) - Thankfully, the meal ended with a bang with this lovely dessert. I'd go so far as to say its one of the best tiramisu's i've had in Singapore. A balanced mix of mascarpone cheese and sponge without the overarching wetness of alcohol even though it lingers in each bite. Nicely done.
The bill came up to a whooping $91.52 before discount from the voucher. Which reduces it to about $60 . Judging from the sheer amount and variety of food, its still a rather steep price to pay.
Ambiance: 7.5/10 Service: 6.5/10 Food: 7.5/10 Value for money: 6/10 Overall score: 6.5/10 (7/10 for Margherita and Tiramisu)
Last word: The food is great when it works. And honestly, shrug off the salmon pizza, pop in another hot pizza and i'll be singing praises of this place as my favorite Italian restaurant. Still, factor the price and its around the same league as Spizza in my books. Although it does much better then Spizza in many respects. As of now, i still prefer to frequent il piccolo simply because, being financially challenged is the order of the day nowadays.
Yoguru, Yo guru or maybe just a fun wordplay between yogurt and guru. Analyze and break the word however you want, the fact is, I've found a new addiction and thankfully, it is a rather healthy one (taken in moderation of course).
(**A little note on the pictures above, as this blogger is not used to being questioned when taking photographs, the rare event that the owner actually required explaination of my actions kinda took me aback and thus, resulted in less quality photos due to nervousness. In future, if you see a guy taking photos and ordering food from your outlet, please, leave him be for better photographic results. )
Located in the revamped and renovated Kallang Leisure park, Yoguru is a spot of purplish red in a predominantly white mall. Scrounging some information from the net yielded that this little gem has been operating for a year or more by now and has garnered a strong following of dessert lovers. Positioned as a "true yogurt" experience. Yoguru's main selling points are its fresh ingredients and yogurt made fresh on site in their outlet. It is said that this is the only way, the probiotic cultures may survive to actually provide the health benefits yogurt is supposed to impart. Equally intrigueing is the fact that yogurt is non fat and contains calcium and minerals which are of benefit to the body. Sounds a little too good to be true isn't it? The good news is, the yogurt is definitely smoother and better then anything i've tasted. I chose the original flavored yogurt with 2 toppings, mango and strawberry. The fruit toppings are indeed fresh and comes with all natural flavor, which means they were either sour or sweet depending on your luck. The yogurt itself is the star. On first glance, it reminds me of vanilla ice cream but it doesn't melt as quickly so it can be enjoyed slowly. Taste wise, its slightly sour with a firm texture when compared to other yogurts and ice cream. Its also refreshingly light and appetising even to the last scoop. Even for someone who has had a rather filling lunch, having this will not make you feel overloaded, which is rather surprising for me.
Overall score: 8/10
Last word: For the record, i don't like yogurt. Never liked the sourish taste and jelly like texture which i always get from supermarket and restaurant yogurts. This, however, has me convinced and converted. I like it because its low fat, healthy and most of all, because its light and tasty. Which is exactly what desserts should be. For the uninitiated, please do drop by for at least a try. If this outlet is too far out of the way, there's a new outlet opening in Raffles City Mall for more yogurt goodness. Lets just hope franchising doesn't kill the quality like so many other franchises.
Mention the name Jumbo Seafood and the first image that pops to mind is the gigantic boat against a backdrop of neon glowing lights as you are taking a motorboat to the floating palace-like restaurant in Hong Kong. In Singapore, however, its a restaurant with the sign of a boat and the attitude of Hong Kong in that, everything needs to be done fast. Order fast, reach on time and serve fast. The restaurant started back in 1987, this home grown business has since opened 9 outlets with 2 in Japan over the last 22 years. I'm not able to determine if there is any connection between this and the Hong Kong restaurant but i guess in the end, its the food that counts. So without further ado, lets dive in.
Personally, i've never been to the Safra Resort and i must say, i was quite impressed. It looked just like a country club, at discount prices for our guys serving the nation. Its a shame if they didn't make good use of the place. The restaurant, on the other hand, was packed with people and as you can see from the shots, quite huge. Simple carpetted floors with multiple big round tables spread evenly throughout the floor. I like the fact that the layout was simple and no nonsense. The following will be the food we had. We ordered 2 set meals to feed 20 people at $437.80 per set.
Jumbo Appetiser Platter - Surprisingly, the appetiser platter contains rather heavy food items like deep fried dough with squid paste and mayonnaise, braised duck, donut with seafood paste and jellyfish. Everything on this was hot apart from the jellyfish. Everything is a little oily but otherwise good. The appetising items were the duck and and jellyfish which were predominantly sour and appetite rousing.
Steamed Live Prawns - Big, scrumptious and crunchy fresh prawns always get me in a good mood. This really isn't about cooking, simply boil fresh and huge prawns for a good time. And i have to say, their prawns were sweet and huge. Good stuff.
Shark's Fin with Seafood Soup - Do not let the name fool you. I'm suspecting this is seafood soup with some shark's fin thrown in. Why so? There's so much seafood in the soup, its difficult to ignore. Shrimp, mushrooms, fish, shark's fin and even beancurd. Add the fact that its less starchy and the shark's fin is rather difficult you can see why i suspect the above. However, i'm not saying its bad by any means, its just not shark's fin soup per se.
Scallops and Asparagus - Scallops were rather plump and springy but otherwise a very standard dish.
Jumbo Chilli Crab - Jumbo Pepper Crab - Finally, something done right. Huge Sri Lankan crabs, about 4 crabs prepared in different styles per set. Out of this, the favored style will be the chili crab which went well with the fried buns as usual. The crabs were definitely fresh and wasn't overcooked since the meat does not stick to the shell and were sweet. The chili style however, felt more like tomato since it wasn't spicy in the least bit. The black pepper version had the same trademark freshness and was more spicy and fragrant then the chili version. Of the 2 i'd say the black pepper version was done better.
Groupa done HK Style - Once again ,this was fresh, sweet and cooked just right. The meat literally melts in your mouth. Consistency is suspect though since the other table had a fish that was overcooked.
Longevity Noodles - After having all the items above, the noodles arrived to finish everyone off. Having had bad noodles before, i had a phobia for these things. The upside is, this is actually done well. The noodles were chewy yet soft. The flavor is apparent and fragrant. I managed to finish this bowl but couldn't stuff anymore even though i wanted to.
Honey sea coconut with longan.....i guess this says it all doesn't it?
The bill knocked my socks off at a whooping $1009.09 for 20 people.
Ambiance: 6/10 Service: 7/10 Food: 6.5/10 Value for money: 6/10 Final score: 6/10
Last word: I find the bill to be a little too much for the quality of food we had. Is the food bad? Definitely not! The ingredients were fresh and the cook had a good grasp of the timing for the dishes. The only problem is, i could find this at a coffee shop for less then 1/4 of the price minus air conditioning and service. Still, i had a good time meeting most of my family again during this occasion so it wasn't all bad. Could be better though.
Taste paradise is run by none other then the Paradise group of restaurants and has been raved by my friends in their blogs as well as commercial reviews. See here and here. My wife-to-be was having her birthday as well and that's when i decided to bring her there for a meal. Its a risk since i've never personally tried their food and seafood paradise wasn't exactly mind blowing but its what she has been asking for, so i figured it would be a good birthday present.
The interior is slick with heavily carpeted floors, padded leather chairs and corner booths for comfort and intimacy. Its also one of the more colorful restaurants i've been to with emphasis mainly on red, yellow and white. Lighting was dim and sleep inducing with mild instrumental chinese music in the background for added ambiance. Everything felt perfectly synchronised and well thought. Service is personalized and impeccable. The staff will remember you by name and provide commentaries and recommendations on the food if you are lost. Advise them on your preferences and they will remember it for you next visit. Simply outstanding.
Signature XO Carrot Cake ($7) - For a $7 carrot cake, it arrived with little fanfare. However, pop a piece in your mouth and you'll be treated to an explosion of taste and texture unlike any $3 carrot cake could ever dream of giving. Crispy and clear wok hei taste on the outside and quivery smooth on the inside with a fragrant XO aftertaste. This is definitely something everyone should try.
Peking duck: Fragrant herb taste, crispy and minimal fats make this a winner. Wasabi Mayonaise Prawn: The prawns is generally big, juicy and well battered with a subtle wasabi mayo coating. The wasabi is strong enough to exert its presence, yet mild enough to not overwhelm. Add the fact that the prawn is crunchy and sweet and pair that up with a palatte cleansing watermelon and this is simply perfect. Pan Seared Foie Gras: Having heard good thing about the foie gras, i'm glad to report that it is at least as good as they say. Soft and quivery on the inside and seared to a crisp on the outside. It doesn't feel overly oily as well but still, take in moderation.
Double Boiled Shark's Fin with Bacon Onion Roll - Designed to be another signature dish by the restaurant, this traditional Beijing broth is double boiled to perfection and served in a japanese claypot to keep the broth warm all the way to the last drop. The broth is light and not starchy with generous amounts of shark's fin, scallops and dried conpoy. The accompanying bacon onion roll is also worth a mention as it is extremely crispy, fragrant and goes really well with the broth. This is most definitely the best item we had that day.
Baked Rack of Lamb in Lamb Stock - Smooth tender, medium rack of lamb with a delectable sauce. I'm not really into lamb but this is very very good.
Baked Cod Fish with Chef's Recipe - Sweet, soft cod fish marinated in chef's special sauce. The sauce gave the impression of being a little like teriyaki and honey which gave the fish its golden color. Its also lightly charred on the outside and still moist and quivery on the inside. Wonderful.
Baby Abalone, Hoshimeiji mushrooms and hand made noodles - I was pleasantly surprised when this final dish was served, to find a decent sized abalone sitting atop the noodles. The noodles were very springy and yet surprisingly soft just as the abalone is and the sauce it was done in reminded me of Sze Chuan spicy soup which is perfect since we were already pretty stuffed by this time. Excellent.
The desserts were nothing short of excellent as well. Especially so when one of them was given free via the recommendation of the captain. Sweet, sourish and palate cleansing, its the perfect ending to a wonderful meal.
The total bill for this meal came up to $222.45.
Ambiance: 8/10 Service: 9/10 Food: 8.5/10 Value for money: 7/10 Overall Score: 8/10
Last word: Good food, good service, new experiences and good ambiance. To me, this place has won me and my girl over quite simply and i'll definitely be back. No doubt about it. If i really need to complain about something, it would be the location. Driving is very much recommended to hae a meal here. To those who have not tried it yet, i heartily recommend giving it a chance. Go in with an open heart and it will warm up to your expectations.
Was introduced to this place by my colleagues and was there for a celebration for "da boss" on this weekday noon. Porta Porta apparently has 2 outlets, one in Changi and the other in Stanley Street, we went to the Changi branch since it was nearer to our office. Its location is somewhat obscure and according to a friend, the buildings have already been enbloc so i'm not too sure about the fate of this restaurant as of now. The following is a rather late post of my previous visit there and my thoughts on the food.
Despite the rather lacklustre appearance of the shop front, this restaurant exudes a laid back and quiet charm which is easy to like. Cozy sofas adorn the 2nd level and simple tables in a soft lit dining level. All this gives it a rustic and homely feeling which is both comfortable and relaxing.
Bruschetta - This was served hot and straight out of the oven. Its a little different then the usual bruschetta in that the tomato is not chopped and served as a whole slice on top of the focacia bread. This results in a squishy texture and might not be for everybody since you really need to like tomatoes to enjoy this. For me, i prefer the diced tomatoes version.
Complementary bread with Olive Oil and Vinaigrette - Simple, serviceable and nothing extraordinary. The only thing worth mentioning is the dip which is still an appetising treat with its sourish and saltish taste.
Tomato and Crab Meat Pasta - Despite the small portion size, this was nicely done. I liked the strong crab taste and tomato combination and the pasta was done al dente. The problem with this is that the tomatoes were watery and thus resulted in a visually less appetising presentation.
Calamari - The calamari is probably the best thing i had at the restaurant that day. It was lightly battered and retained most of its springy texture without the overwhelming taste of batter. The batter itself is rather salty but went well with the calamari which is lightly sweet.
Tiramisu - This was.....average at best. There was too much cream and not enough cake. Also, instead of a chocolatey taste, it had a strange strawberry-like taste instead and there was no rum.
Service: 7.5/10 Ambiance: 6.5/10 Food: 6/10 Value for money: 6/10 Overall Score: 6/10 (not an average)
Last word: I can't quite confirm if the restaurant is certified halal but my Malay colleagues were able to enjoy the food without worry. I can thus say safely that our Malay compatroits should be able to enjoy the food here without incident. Service is good and the ambiance is decent but the food and value for money-wise could do better for me. Overall, still an enjoyable meal but i'd not bet on it being a hit with everybody.
No introductions needed for this group of restaurants. Basically met up with a group of friends over the weekend to have some dim sum and was recommended this because it is known to be kind to the wallet and serve quality dim sum as well.
Simple carpet floors and wide open spaces are the order of the day. Tables are spaced well and give plenty of leg room without the claustrophobic trappings of other Chinese restaurants. Orders are taken ala carte style and it is recommended to order as many as possible because they do take some time before the food is served.
Buffets buffets, always a little difficult to comment on since everything is en mass. So i'll just split this into the usual categories: Service: In terms of service, the staff are proficient and fast but has a slight attitude edge to them. Maybe its due to the good turnout of people and their reputation, the impression i got was that they are always in a rush and will not wait around for our orders proper. And my group of people are big eaters, so we had many mutliple orders which were met with looks of frustration and impatience. Not a very good experience on this part. Food: The food is as you see above. We ordered quite a decent selection from the $19.80 menu and in terms of overall quality, the best i can give is average. For the usual items like shrimp dumplings and char siew bao, i've had better from the likes of Yan Ting , Royal China and even Imperial Nan Bei Restaurant. From the entire selection that day, the items that caught our tastebuds were the Ji Bao Gai, which was surprisingly fragrant and tasty, fried chicken wings in shrimp paste, we liked the size and how it was served piping hot, the sweet and sour diced sea perch, which was crispy, sweet and warranted 2 orders and the egg tarts, which were small, bite sized and had an extremely crispy and flaky crust. The other items were forgettable and average IMHO. Value: When the bill came, it actually totalled up to be about $26-30 per person. Although we ate alot, the quality of most of the food wasn't really up to par. The feeling we got at the end was unsatisfactory.
Ambience: 5.5/10 Service: 5/10 Food: 6/10 Value for money: 6/10 Overall score: 5.5/10 (not an average)
Last word: I'd expected a little more from this restaurant since it belongs to quite a prestigious group. So far in my journey, i've only eaten at Tung Lok Seafood, Zhou's Kitchen and My Humble House and honestly, i have to say that i'm not impressed yet with any of their offerings. Maybe its just me but everytime i try their stuff, the only words that surface in the end is "overpriced" "bad service" and "could be so much better". I really want to like them but i'm sorry, it hasn't happened yet.
Atlantic dining room resides within the prestigious and exclusive Tower Club on the 62nd floor of Republic Plaza. The club itself deserves mention as its members are only allowed to register "by invitation" only. Its rather simple to sum up the criteria though, millionaires, CEOs and ministers would probably fall within the invitation list. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who had access to the premises and was thus able to attend a special dinner this night. The chef's at the helm for the night are worth mentioning as well, Chef Edward Voon and Chef Paco Roncero (the king of olive oil and Chef Voon's mentor). In any normal circumstance, a meal by Paco Roncero would have meant flying to Spain and being on a waiting list for 3 months. As such, i chose this night to propose to my fair lady as well but only food will be shown here. And without further ado, let us move on...
The waiting area and the first view that greets you at Tower Club is a rather intimidating one. Perched on the 62nd floor, you'll get an unimpeded view of the work-in-progress Marina Bay Sands project and the sea. The club spared no expense for the decor as well, you'll notice art pieces, comfortable sofas and splendid carpets that will awaken the monarch in you.
One of my favorite shots that night, outlining the setting sun in the background with the lamps and tables in view.
To start off, this special dinner was prepared and designed by the collective efforts of Chef Paco and Chef Voon. Both of which has won a special place in my heart after this meal. The service is impeccable and attentive for the waiting staff and in particular, the floor manager who helped in the final proposal. So here's a big thank you for everyone that night.
Frozen Daiquiri - The first item to be served is well liked by the ladies but received a lukewarm reception by the guys. The frozen daiquiri has a layer of warm egg white outlining the top with the cool daiquiri itself settling below it. The daiquiri itself is very sour, albeit refreshingly so when taken together with the egg white which itself has a very smooth texture not unlike smooth beancurd. The end result is it gets you very hungry for the main meal, which is its sole duty.
Complimentary Bread - Before our next dish, the much talked and praised complimentary bread is served. I took an instead liking to one particular version which on first bite, tasted like pizza bread with a little spicy tinge to it but slowly gives off an aromatic mint aftertaste which is unlike any bread i've had before. Needless to say, the four of us managed to clear 3 baskets worth of bread.
Olive oil butter, Foie Gras with Red Wine, Sesame Sponge with Miso, Liquid Chicken "croquette", Raspberry Fondant with Wasabi, Tomato Biscuit with Basil - The dish had a particular sequence for finishing beginning with the Liquid Chicken "Croquette" with bread crumbs which was fantastic. The moment you pop the entire ball into your mouth, it literally melts and leaves a taste of chicken in your mouth which is further enhanced by the fried bread crumbs. Superb! The tomato biscuit had a very very strong tomato taste but i couldn't taste the basil. Next up, the raspberry fondant with wasabi is strange to me because the raspberry fondant has a caramelized layer over it which crackles and pops when you bite into it while the wasabi gives it an added kick of surprise. The sesame sponge with miso is a fluffy concoction that gives the impression of eating solidified miso soup with sesame. Foie gras with red wine is surprising in that the red wine is the thin layer surrounding the foie gras and this layer will melt in your mouth to produce a strong fragrance of red wine. I didn't quite like the taste of foie gras in it though because it tasted pretty raw and i prefer my goose liver cooked and hot. The final item is a simple biscuit with olive oil butter served in a tub. The butter is smooth and rich but nothing else i could say about it. Overall, this starter was very interesting indeed with loads of stuff i've never tried before.
21st Century Spanish Omelette - I was surprised when another liquid item was served up and was stumped when i was told it was a spanish omelette from the 21st century no less. True enough, it was very interesting with its foamy layer of egg white and even more so when you mix it with the yellowish tinge which was salty and the layer of onions which really did give it the impression of being an omelette. Its pretty good but i still prefer my omelettes in solid form.
Lobster, Grapefruit and Virgin Olive Oil Soup - The grapefruits in this were surprisingly sweet and very satisfying while the lobster was sweet and springy. The olive oil soup was subtle and a little bland but otherwise served to bring out the sweetness of the lobster even more. I enjoyed this.
Brittany Sea Bass in "Salmorejo" - I don't know what Brittany sea bass means but this is one of the best fish dishes i've had. Pan seared to perfection with its superbly crispy outer layer which is still not over cooked and a wonderfully hot (read: hot!) and soft meat on the inside. I'm amazed at how they managed to cook the fish so thoroughly and keep the dish so warm on the inside when served. Not to mention as well, the seemingly simple dressing you see on the sea bass is awesome. Sweet and slightly sourish with pepper overtones, it just works. Perfectly executed in my book.
Wagyu Beef with Lemon Puree - Another perfectly executed main dish. The wagyu is soft, chewy and done medium rare throughout. The lemon puree is sourish with some red wine (i think) and works really well with the already perfectly executed beef. I was fortunate enough to have 2 servings because my gf was already rather full and for the record, i finished all of it. It's just something you need to try.
Orange Sorbet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Once again, olive oil is used in ways i cannot fathom. The sorbet, however, is moderately sweet and once again, a little sour but is suitably refreshing after the heavy meal we just went through. The nuts and jelly-like items (which is suspect are infused with red and white wine) only serve to refresh the palatte even more.
Fizzy Sweets and Virgin Olive Oil Gummies - This really reminds me of childhood with the popping and crackling of the fizzy sweet chocolates in my mouth. The gummies were also very interesting as they taste more and more like lychee as you chew on them. A suitable and light ending to a wonderful meal.
Of course, after all the wonderful food, its time to face the music and it doesn't come cheap. A superb meal for 4 made us $602.62 poorer altogether.
Ambience: 8.5/10 Service: 8.5/10 Food: 8.5/10 Value for money: 7/10 Overall score: 8.5/10 (not an average)
Last word: The food is excellent. The service is great and the ambience is wonderful. At the end of this meal, a new couple is born. Apart from that, a new respect and admiration for the chefs that concocted this meal was also born. Do give this a try if you can. Cheers and this will always be a happy memory for me.
Putien is named after a certain Chinese Province in China which reflects bountiful harvest and abundance of nature. The reason for this namesake is to reflect the simplicity and sincerity of Putien cuisine which is simple yet rich in flavor. Currently, Pu Tien group of restaurants has already expanded to 4 outlets in Singapore and one in Jakarta Indonesia. Question is, Chinese restaurants are a dime a dozen, does this succeed in setting itself apart?
The Tampines Mall outlet occupies a sizable amount of space in separate units. One is along the corner and features big round tables with modernized feel while the other unit resembles an open food court concept with a counter as the service area. Both areas are reasonably spacious which is a plus for me.
Bamboo Herbal Prawn ($3.80 for 2 prawns) - The prawns were of a decent size and literally seemed to pop out of the bamboo after you. The soup consisted of a strong herbal taste and was a little salty but otherwise light and enjoyable. The prawns, though looks good, is hit or miss in freshness as out of 4 prawns, 2 were scrumptious, crunchy and fresh while the other 2 were beginning to get powdery. Overall, if they could keep the consistency of freshness, this is a pretty good order.
Pu Tien Lor Mee ($6) - I'd describe this as interesting and pretty good. I like the generous portion size and the pork and vegetables that came in it. The broth is starchy like its black counterpart but at the same time, less overwhelming in the taste department. The noodles were also springy and soft which makes this well worth the investment.
Xing Hua Stir Fried Bee Hoon ($6) - The bee hoon came with lots of ingredients as well, clam, mushrooms, nuts, slices of pork and some vegetables all mixed into one package. The fact is, it was light and enjoyable. The only gripe is on the bee hoon being smashed. Its as though the bee hoon is made shorter on purpose.
Shredded Meat with Bun ($5.60) - The meat actually looks lke wroms to me but rest assured it isn't. Its just stir fried pork that has been diced till its fine and string-like. It came with some lettuce and fried buns with sesame to good effect. The buns were hot and soft but oily. Couple that with the lettuce and pork which is a little salty and you get sinful combination thats hard to resist.
Service: 5.5/10 Food: 6.5/10 Ambience: 5/10 Value for money: 7/10 Overall Score: 6.75/10 (not an average)
Last Word: All in all, the food was decent with generous portions. Some came with fresh ingredients and some a little less in that respect. I can't say i did not enjoy the meal but service could be improved upon with a little more attentiveness from the waitresses. The thing that got me quite unhappy about was the supervisor whom we got her attention from, refused to take our orders and asked another waitress to do it despite there being only 3 customers including ourselves. She was more interested in walking around aimlessly and talking to her other colleagues which is rather unprofessional. Other then that, the food and value for money is on par and definitely worth a try at least.
Muthu's curry had its roots in Singapore in 1969 before slowly building a reputation through the creative mind of their founder, Mr Ayyakkannu, who in time, developed a recipe for its fish head curry which brought the restaurant its fame. In fact, even to date, the restaurant is still well known for its fish head curry which i unfortunately, did not get to try.
For starters, i'm actually not a spice eater. I like mild chili but nothing quite like the sort our Indian compatroits are used to. The next thing to know is that i was there for a small wedding reception so the food i got was mostly from the buffet counter as you can see above. Despite all these i've said, the food here is pretty darn good. Maybe i'm too loaded with spice and burning lips to realise but the fact is, i found the buffet spread and the curry here top notch. Especially the mutton, chicken and beef curry, generous pieces of lean and fatty meat in thick, spicy curry. Each with its own merit, this is not the usual coconut heavy or packaged curry you find everywhere else and it goes really well with everything else you can throw on your plate. Be it crackers, rice, salads and what not. I had seconds for this even though i was perspiring passionately due to the spice and i really don't do that too often.
Overall Score: 7/10
Last word: What can i say? Authentic, good new and old fashioned curry in an equally authentic Indian setting within Little India in Singapore. It doesn't get any more realistic then this. Mind the spice though, you might not be able to take it but you sure will enjoy burning your lips off. I did.
Just Acia or rather "Just Asia" is a new set up featuring Asia's staples of noodles and rice as its main menu items. With a tag line that says "free flow of drinks and ice cream" at a starting price as low as $2.80, this is a place that is light on the wallet at first glance. There are currently 3 outlets for this franchise, Downtown East, Dhouby Ghaut MRT station and Suntec City fountain terrace. It was on a day of celebration that we visited Just Acia and i can't deny that the price was what drew me in at first. The following is what we had and my thoughts on the food.
The interior of the restaurant is simple and sat about 20-30 patrons. There was a payment counter right smack in the centre and your bill is presented to you upon completing your orders. The free flow of drinks and ice cream are also located right behind the payment counter so thats where the majority of the action will happen. Overall, the interior is serviceable and nothing impressive.
Herbal Chicken Soup Set ($11.90) - After some contemplation on the menu, we decided to have something more mid range as compared to the usual $5.90 meals. My order was the herbal chicken soup and it looked pretty substantial actually. There was half a chicken in the soup and it came with rice and some beans. The thing about herbal chicken is that the soup it comes in must be good, otherwise the whole dish amounts to naught. And unfortunately, the soup is salty and lacking much herbal taste in their version. My verdict, don't order this.
Stir Fried Greens ($4.80) - This wasn't too bad actually. At the least, it tasted crunchy and tasty enough to praise but nothing more to recommend.
Tom Yum Seafood Set ($10.90) - My gf ordered this and it was definitely much better then my herbal chicken set. The soup is still salty as though made of seawater but there's enough spice inside to give it a tinge of hope. Add to that generous ingredients and you have something tolerable but still too salty.
Spinach Tofu ($2.80) - On the menu, this was touted as the must order dish and chef's specialty. I'm sad to report its nothing special. In fact, it was rather bad because there's a very obvious layer of thick oil over it. The interesting thing is the texture which is similar to steamed eggs except that in this, the "eggs" are rubbery. Not recommended as well.
Free Ice Cream - The ice cream ain't half bad. I'm betting on Wall's or some simple NTUC brand but it works for me. The chocolate is thick and rich and so was the vanilla. I could have this for a long time. The free flow drinks were also a surprise for me since they weren't diluted by too much. Impressive. The total bill for this rather disappointing dinner amounted to $32.53. Is it too expensive? Not really. Is it worth the money? Difficult to say yes to that too...
Overall Score: 5.5/10 (6.5 for drinks and ice cream)
Last word: It wasn't all bad. There's decent stuff here i'm sure. In fact, i saw it packed in the Dhouby Ghaut outlet but i can't say the same from my visit to this outlet. As it stands, i do not think i will return for another try here but might consider trying the other outlet.
1=SGD 0.0587
Seragoon gardens is a place i've worked at for about 2 years and i'm ashamed to say, i've never tried anything here apart from the fish bee hoon from the hawker centre, Pow Sing chicken rice, Jumbo restaurant and Mcdonald's. So now that i'm revisiting the place as an outsider, its quite interesting that there's so many places i've yet to try. Ristorante De Parma happens to be one of them and i had to pay it a visit after a friend gave me a nice discount voucher to play around with.
Located along the same stretch of shophouses as Icecube and Frolic, this unassuming and quiet restaurant is located all the way to the far end of that stretch. Its difficult to miss with its soft ambient music and overall soft demenour. Classy table setting and warm lighting embrace the patrons who venture forth while unintrusive service makes the meal pleasant and relaxing.
Complimentary Bread (Foccacia) - The focaccia is served first to quench the hunger of waiting for the fresh pizza to be served. I suppose its a 1 piece per person serving since there were only 3 pieces. We were, however, delighted when a second serving was provided when the first was exhausted. Taste wise, the upside is that the bread is fluffy and warm while the downside was how dry the bread really is. The olive oil and vinegar combination helped somewhat, but not enough.
Lemon tea ($5.80) - At the time, i didn't notice the cost of this but now as i'm writing this. 2 lemon teas cost us $11.80 ???? Overpriced most definitely covers what i feel about this order. Its normal home brewed lemon tea with sugar syrup and no, its not justified in terms of cost no matter how it tastes.
Pizza Margherita ($16.90) - Tomatoes, mozeralla cheese, basil and dough. Simplicity can sometimes be the best option, even when it comes to food. The crust is paper thin and charred at some areas but otherwise fragrant and light. The toppings blend perfectly to provide a moist and juicy layer of bliss. Very enjoyable even though its one of the most economical items on the menu.
Deparma's Smoked Salmon Pizza ($28.90) - Introduced by FZ as one of the must try pizzas in this outfit, i have to say, i'm not too impressed.
Suffice to say, ordering an item not on the menu is an interesting change, the price of this is once again, like the lemon tea, bordering on ridiculous. The paper thin pizza is still a wonderful idea but the salmon has an obvious fishy smell about it that really detracts from the experience. Although i like the combination of peppers, raw salmon and what i suspect to be mayonnaise, the pizza was cold when served and didn't appeal to me much further.
Tiramisu ($12.90) - Thankfully, the meal ended with a bang with this lovely dessert. I'd go so far as to say its one of the best tiramisu's i've had in Singapore. A balanced mix of mascarpone cheese and sponge without the overarching wetness of alcohol even though it lingers in each bite. Nicely done.
The bill came up to a whooping $91.52 before discount from the voucher. Which reduces it to about $60 . Judging from the sheer amount and variety of food, its still a rather steep price to pay.
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Food: 7.5/10
Value for money: 6/10
Overall score: 6.5/10 (7/10 for Margherita and Tiramisu)
Last word:
The food is great when it works. And honestly, shrug off the salmon pizza, pop in another hot pizza and i'll be singing praises of this place as my favorite Italian restaurant. Still, factor the price and its around the same league as Spizza in my books. Although it does much better then Spizza in many respects. As of now, i still prefer to frequent il piccolo simply because, being financially challenged is the order of the day nowadays.
Rating given:
Yoguru, Yo guru or maybe just a fun wordplay between yogurt and guru. Analyze and break the word however you want, the fact is, I've found a new addiction and thankfully, it is a rather healthy one (taken in moderation of course).
(**A little note on the pictures above, as this blogger is not used to being questioned when taking photographs, the rare event that the owner actually required explaination of my actions kinda took me aback and thus, resulted in less quality photos due to nervousness. In future, if you see a guy taking photos and ordering food from your outlet, please, leave him be for better photographic results. )
Located in the revamped and renovated Kallang Leisure park, Yoguru is a spot of purplish red in a predominantly white mall. Scrounging some information from the net yielded that this little gem has been operating for a year or more by now and has garnered a strong following of dessert lovers.
Positioned as a "true yogurt" experience. Yoguru's main selling points are its fresh ingredients and yogurt made fresh on site in their outlet. It is said that this is the only way, the probiotic cultures may survive to actually provide the health benefits yogurt is supposed to impart. Equally intrigueing is the fact that yogurt is non fat and contains calcium and minerals which are of benefit to the body. Sounds a little too good to be true isn't it?
The good news is, the yogurt is definitely smoother and better then anything i've tasted. I chose the original flavored yogurt with 2 toppings, mango and strawberry. The fruit toppings are indeed fresh and comes with all natural flavor, which means they were either sour or sweet depending on your luck. The yogurt itself is the star.
On first glance, it reminds me of vanilla ice cream but it doesn't melt as quickly so it can be enjoyed slowly. Taste wise, its slightly sour with a firm texture when compared to other yogurts and ice cream. Its also refreshingly light and appetising even to the last scoop. Even for someone who has had a rather filling lunch, having this will not make you feel overloaded, which is rather surprising for me.
Overall score: 8/10
Last word:
For the record, i don't like yogurt. Never liked the sourish taste and jelly like texture which i always get from supermarket and restaurant yogurts. This, however, has me convinced and converted. I like it because its low fat, healthy and most of all, because its light and tasty. Which is exactly what desserts should be. For the uninitiated, please do drop by for at least a try. If this outlet is too far out of the way, there's a new outlet opening in Raffles City Mall for more yogurt goodness. Lets just hope franchising doesn't kill the quality like so many other franchises.
Rating given:
Mention the name Jumbo Seafood and the first image that pops to mind is the gigantic boat against a backdrop of neon glowing lights as you are taking a motorboat to the floating palace-like restaurant in Hong Kong. In Singapore, however, its a restaurant with the sign of a boat and the attitude of Hong Kong in that, everything needs to be done fast. Order fast, reach on time and serve fast.
The restaurant started back in 1987, this home grown business has since opened 9 outlets with 2 in Japan over the last 22 years. I'm not able to determine if there is any connection between this and the Hong Kong restaurant but i guess in the end, its the food that counts. So without further ado, lets dive in.
Personally, i've never been to the Safra Resort and i must say, i was quite impressed. It looked just like a country club, at discount prices for our guys serving the nation. Its a shame if they didn't make good use of the place. The restaurant, on the other hand, was packed with people and as you can see from the shots, quite huge. Simple carpetted floors with multiple big round tables spread evenly throughout the floor. I like the fact that the layout was simple and no nonsense.
The following will be the food we had. We ordered 2 set meals to feed 20 people at $437.80 per set.
Jumbo Appetiser Platter - Surprisingly, the appetiser platter contains rather heavy food items like deep fried dough with squid paste and mayonnaise, braised duck, donut with seafood paste and jellyfish. Everything on this was hot apart from the jellyfish. Everything is a little oily but otherwise good. The appetising items were the duck and and jellyfish which were predominantly sour and appetite rousing.
Steamed Live Prawns - Big, scrumptious and crunchy fresh prawns always get me in a good mood. This really isn't about cooking, simply boil fresh and huge prawns for a good time. And i have to say, their prawns were sweet and huge. Good stuff.
Shark's Fin with Seafood Soup - Do not let the name fool you. I'm suspecting this is seafood soup with some shark's fin thrown in. Why so? There's so much seafood in the soup, its difficult to ignore. Shrimp, mushrooms, fish, shark's fin and even beancurd. Add the fact that its less starchy and the shark's fin is rather difficult you can see why i suspect the above. However, i'm not saying its bad by any means, its just not shark's fin soup per se.
Scallops and Asparagus - Scallops were rather plump and springy but otherwise a very standard dish.
Jumbo Chilli Crab - Jumbo Pepper Crab - Finally, something done right. Huge Sri Lankan crabs, about 4 crabs prepared in different styles per set. Out of this, the favored style will be the chili crab which went well with the fried buns as usual. The crabs were definitely fresh and wasn't overcooked since the meat does not stick to the shell and were sweet. The chili style however, felt more like tomato since it wasn't spicy in the least bit. The black pepper version had the same trademark freshness and was more spicy and fragrant then the chili version. Of the 2 i'd say the black pepper version was done better.
Groupa done HK Style - Once again ,this was fresh, sweet and cooked just right. The meat literally melts in your mouth. Consistency is suspect though since the other table had a fish that was overcooked.
Longevity Noodles - After having all the items above, the noodles arrived to finish everyone off. Having had bad noodles before, i had a phobia for these things. The upside is, this is actually done well. The noodles were chewy yet soft. The flavor is apparent and fragrant. I managed to finish this bowl but couldn't stuff anymore even though i wanted to.
Honey sea coconut with longan.....i guess this says it all doesn't it?
The bill knocked my socks off at a whooping $1009.09 for 20 people.
Ambiance: 6/10
Service: 7/10
Food: 6.5/10
Value for money: 6/10
Final score: 6/10
Last word:
I find the bill to be a little too much for the quality of food we had. Is the food bad? Definitely not! The ingredients were fresh and the cook had a good grasp of the timing for the dishes. The only problem is, i could find this at a coffee shop for less then 1/4 of the price minus air conditioning and service. Still, i had a good time meeting most of my family again during this occasion so it wasn't all bad. Could be better though.
Rating given:
Taste paradise is run by none other then the Paradise group of restaurants and has been raved by my friends in their blogs as well as commercial reviews. See here and here. My wife-to-be was having her birthday as well and that's when i decided to bring her there for a meal. Its a risk since i've never personally tried their food and seafood paradise wasn't exactly mind blowing but its what she has been asking for, so i figured it would be a good birthday present.
The interior is slick with heavily carpeted floors, padded leather chairs and corner booths for comfort and intimacy. Its also one of the more colorful restaurants i've been to with emphasis mainly on red, yellow and white. Lighting was dim and sleep inducing with mild instrumental chinese music in the background for added ambiance. Everything felt perfectly synchronised and well thought.
Service is personalized and impeccable. The staff will remember you by name and provide commentaries and recommendations on the food if you are lost. Advise them on your preferences and they will remember it for you next visit. Simply outstanding.
Signature XO Carrot Cake ($7) - For a $7 carrot cake, it arrived with little fanfare. However, pop a piece in your mouth and you'll be treated to an explosion of taste and texture unlike any $3 carrot cake could ever dream of giving. Crispy and clear wok hei taste on the outside and quivery smooth on the inside with a fragrant XO aftertaste. This is definitely something everyone should try.
Peking duck: Fragrant herb taste, crispy and minimal fats make this a winner.
Wasabi Mayonaise Prawn: The prawns is generally big, juicy and well battered with a subtle wasabi mayo coating. The wasabi is strong enough to exert its presence, yet mild enough to not overwhelm. Add the fact that the prawn is crunchy and sweet and pair that up with a palatte cleansing watermelon and this is simply perfect.
Pan Seared Foie Gras: Having heard good thing about the foie gras, i'm glad to report that it is at least as good as they say. Soft and quivery on the inside and seared to a crisp on the outside. It doesn't feel overly oily as well but still, take in moderation.
Double Boiled Shark's Fin with Bacon Onion Roll - Designed to be another signature dish by the restaurant, this traditional Beijing broth is double boiled to perfection and served in a japanese claypot to keep the broth warm all the way to the last drop. The broth is light and not starchy with generous amounts of shark's fin, scallops and dried conpoy. The accompanying bacon onion roll is also worth a mention as it is extremely crispy, fragrant and goes really well with the broth. This is most definitely the best item we had that day.
Baked Rack of Lamb in Lamb Stock - Smooth tender, medium rack of lamb with a delectable sauce. I'm not really into lamb but this is very very good.
Baked Cod Fish with Chef's Recipe - Sweet, soft cod fish marinated in chef's special sauce. The sauce gave the impression of being a little like teriyaki and honey which gave the fish its golden color. Its also lightly charred on the outside and still moist and quivery on the inside. Wonderful.
Baby Abalone, Hoshimeiji mushrooms and hand made noodles - I was pleasantly surprised when this final dish was served, to find a decent sized abalone sitting atop the noodles. The noodles were very springy and yet surprisingly soft just as the abalone is and the sauce it was done in reminded me of Sze Chuan spicy soup which is perfect since we were already pretty stuffed by this time. Excellent.
The desserts were nothing short of excellent as well. Especially so when one of them was given free via the recommendation of the captain. Sweet, sourish and palate cleansing, its the perfect ending to a wonderful meal.
The total bill for this meal came up to $222.45.
Ambiance: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Food: 8.5/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall Score: 8/10
Last word:
Good food, good service, new experiences and good ambiance. To me, this place has won me and my girl over quite simply and i'll definitely be back. No doubt about it. If i really need to complain about something, it would be the location. Driving is very much recommended to hae a meal here. To those who have not tried it yet, i heartily recommend giving it a chance. Go in with an open heart and it will warm up to your expectations.
Rating given:
Was introduced to this place by my colleagues and was there for a celebration for "da boss" on this weekday noon. Porta Porta apparently has 2 outlets, one in Changi and the other in Stanley Street, we went to the Changi branch since it was nearer to our office. Its location is somewhat obscure and according to a friend, the buildings have already been enbloc so i'm not too sure about the fate of this restaurant as of now. The following is a rather late post of my previous visit there and my thoughts on the food.
Despite the rather lacklustre appearance of the shop front, this restaurant exudes a laid back and quiet charm which is easy to like. Cozy sofas adorn the 2nd level and simple tables in a soft lit dining level. All this gives it a rustic and homely feeling which is both comfortable and relaxing.
Bruschetta - This was served hot and straight out of the oven. Its a little different then the usual bruschetta in that the tomato is not chopped and served as a whole slice on top of the focacia bread. This results in a squishy texture and might not be for everybody since you really need to like tomatoes to enjoy this. For me, i prefer the diced tomatoes version.
Complementary bread with Olive Oil and Vinaigrette - Simple, serviceable and nothing extraordinary. The only thing worth mentioning is the dip which is still an appetising treat with its sourish and saltish taste.
Tomato and Crab Meat Pasta - Despite the small portion size, this was nicely done. I liked the strong crab taste and tomato combination and the pasta was done al dente. The problem with this is that the tomatoes were watery and thus resulted in a visually less appetising presentation.
Calamari - The calamari is probably the best thing i had at the restaurant that day. It was lightly battered and retained most of its springy texture without the overwhelming taste of batter. The batter itself is rather salty but went well with the calamari which is lightly sweet.
Tiramisu - This was.....average at best. There was too much cream and not enough cake. Also, instead of a chocolatey taste, it had a strange strawberry-like taste instead and there was no rum.
Service: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 6.5/10
Food: 6/10
Value for money: 6/10
Overall Score: 6/10 (not an average)
Last word:
I can't quite confirm if the restaurant is certified halal but my Malay colleagues were able to enjoy the food without worry. I can thus say safely that our Malay compatroits should be able to enjoy the food here without incident. Service is good and the ambiance is decent but the food and value for money-wise could do better for me. Overall, still an enjoyable meal but i'd not bet on it being a hit with everybody.
Rating given:
No introductions needed for this group of restaurants. Basically met up with a group of friends over the weekend to have some dim sum and was recommended this because it is known to be kind to the wallet and serve quality dim sum as well.
Simple carpet floors and wide open spaces are the order of the day. Tables are spaced well and give plenty of leg room without the claustrophobic trappings of other Chinese restaurants. Orders are taken ala carte style and it is recommended to order as many as possible because they do take some time before the food is served.
Buffets buffets, always a little difficult to comment on since everything is en mass. So i'll just split this into the usual categories:
Service: In terms of service, the staff are proficient and fast but has a slight attitude edge to them. Maybe its due to the good turnout of people and their reputation, the impression i got was that they are always in a rush and will not wait around for our orders proper. And my group of people are big eaters, so we had many mutliple orders which were met with looks of frustration and impatience. Not a very good experience on this part.
Food: The food is as you see above. We ordered quite a decent selection from the $19.80 menu and in terms of overall quality, the best i can give is average. For the usual items like shrimp dumplings and char siew bao, i've had better from the likes of Yan Ting , Royal China and even Imperial Nan Bei Restaurant. From the entire selection that day, the items that caught our tastebuds were the Ji Bao Gai, which was surprisingly fragrant and tasty, fried chicken wings in shrimp paste, we liked the size and how it was served piping hot, the sweet and sour diced sea perch, which was crispy, sweet and warranted 2 orders and the egg tarts, which were small, bite sized and had an extremely crispy and flaky crust. The other items were forgettable and average IMHO.
Value: When the bill came, it actually totalled up to be about $26-30 per person. Although we ate alot, the quality of most of the food wasn't really up to par. The feeling we got at the end was unsatisfactory.
Ambience: 5.5/10
Service: 5/10
Food: 6/10
Value for money: 6/10
Overall score: 5.5/10 (not an average)
Last word:
I'd expected a little more from this restaurant since it belongs to quite a prestigious group. So far in my journey, i've only eaten at Tung Lok Seafood, Zhou's Kitchen and My Humble House and honestly, i have to say that i'm not impressed yet with any of their offerings. Maybe its just me but everytime i try their stuff, the only words that surface in the end is "overpriced" "bad service" and "could be so much better". I really want to like them but i'm sorry, it hasn't happened yet.
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Atlantic dining room resides within the prestigious and exclusive Tower Club on the 62nd floor of Republic Plaza. The club itself deserves mention as its members are only allowed to register "by invitation" only. Its rather simple to sum up the criteria though, millionaires, CEOs and ministers would probably fall within the invitation list. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who had access to the premises and was thus able to attend a special dinner this night. The chef's at the helm for the night are worth mentioning as well, Chef Edward Voon and Chef Paco Roncero (the king of olive oil and Chef Voon's mentor). In any normal circumstance, a meal by Paco Roncero would have meant flying to Spain and being on a waiting list for 3 months. As such, i chose this night to propose to my fair lady as well but only food will be shown here. And without further ado, let us move on...
The waiting area and the first view that greets you at Tower Club is a rather intimidating one. Perched on the 62nd floor, you'll get an unimpeded view of the work-in-progress Marina Bay Sands project and the sea. The club spared no expense for the decor as well, you'll notice art pieces, comfortable sofas and splendid carpets that will awaken the monarch in you.
One of my favorite shots that night, outlining the setting sun in the background with the lamps and tables in view.
To start off, this special dinner was prepared and designed by the collective efforts of Chef Paco and Chef Voon. Both of which has won a special place in my heart after this meal. The service is impeccable and attentive for the waiting staff and in particular, the floor manager who helped in the final proposal. So here's a big thank you for everyone that night.
Frozen Daiquiri - The first item to be served is well liked by the ladies but received a lukewarm reception by the guys. The frozen daiquiri has a layer of warm egg white outlining the top with the cool daiquiri itself settling below it. The daiquiri itself is very sour, albeit refreshingly so when taken together with the egg white which itself has a very smooth texture not unlike smooth beancurd. The end result is it gets you very hungry for the main meal, which is its sole duty.
Complimentary Bread - Before our next dish, the much talked and praised complimentary bread is served. I took an instead liking to one particular version which on first bite, tasted like pizza bread with a little spicy tinge to it but slowly gives off an aromatic mint aftertaste which is unlike any bread i've had before. Needless to say, the four of us managed to clear 3 baskets worth of bread.
Olive oil butter, Foie Gras with Red Wine, Sesame Sponge with Miso, Liquid Chicken "croquette", Raspberry Fondant with Wasabi, Tomato Biscuit with Basil - The dish had a particular sequence for finishing beginning with the Liquid Chicken "Croquette" with bread crumbs which was fantastic. The moment you pop the entire ball into your mouth, it literally melts and leaves a taste of chicken in your mouth which is further enhanced by the fried bread crumbs. Superb! The tomato biscuit had a very very strong tomato taste but i couldn't taste the basil. Next up, the raspberry fondant with wasabi is strange to me because the raspberry fondant has a caramelized layer over it which crackles and pops when you bite into it while the wasabi gives it an added kick of surprise. The sesame sponge with miso is a fluffy concoction that gives the impression of eating solidified miso soup with sesame. Foie gras with red wine is surprising in that the red wine is the thin layer surrounding the foie gras and this layer will melt in your mouth to produce a strong fragrance of red wine. I didn't quite like the taste of foie gras in it though because it tasted pretty raw and i prefer my goose liver cooked and hot. The final item is a simple biscuit with olive oil butter served in a tub. The butter is smooth and rich but nothing else i could say about it. Overall, this starter was very interesting indeed with loads of stuff i've never tried before.
21st Century Spanish Omelette - I was surprised when another liquid item was served up and was stumped when i was told it was a spanish omelette from the 21st century no less. True enough, it was very interesting with its foamy layer of egg white and even more so when you mix it with the yellowish tinge which was salty and the layer of onions which really did give it the impression of being an omelette. Its pretty good but i still prefer my omelettes in solid form.
Lobster, Grapefruit and Virgin Olive Oil Soup - The grapefruits in this were surprisingly sweet and very satisfying while the lobster was sweet and springy. The olive oil soup was subtle and a little bland but otherwise served to bring out the sweetness of the lobster even more. I enjoyed this.
Brittany Sea Bass in "Salmorejo" - I don't know what Brittany sea bass means but this is one of the best fish dishes i've had. Pan seared to perfection with its superbly crispy outer layer which is still not over cooked and a wonderfully hot (read: hot!) and soft meat on the inside. I'm amazed at how they managed to cook the fish so thoroughly and keep the dish so warm on the inside when served. Not to mention as well, the seemingly simple dressing you see on the sea bass is awesome. Sweet and slightly sourish with pepper overtones, it just works. Perfectly executed in my book.
Wagyu Beef with Lemon Puree - Another perfectly executed main dish. The wagyu is soft, chewy and done medium rare throughout. The lemon puree is sourish with some red wine (i think) and works really well with the already perfectly executed beef. I was fortunate enough to have 2 servings because my gf was already rather full and for the record, i finished all of it. It's just something you need to try.
Orange Sorbet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Once again, olive oil is used in ways i cannot fathom. The sorbet, however, is moderately sweet and once again, a little sour but is suitably refreshing after the heavy meal we just went through. The nuts and jelly-like items (which is suspect are infused with red and white wine) only serve to refresh the palatte even more.
Fizzy Sweets and Virgin Olive Oil Gummies - This really reminds me of childhood with the popping and crackling of the fizzy sweet chocolates in my mouth. The gummies were also very interesting as they taste more and more like lychee as you chew on them. A suitable and light ending to a wonderful meal.
Of course, after all the wonderful food, its time to face the music and it doesn't come cheap. A superb meal for 4 made us $602.62 poorer altogether.
Ambience: 8.5/10
Service: 8.5/10
Food: 8.5/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall score: 8.5/10 (not an average)
Last word:
The food is excellent. The service is great and the ambience is wonderful. At the end of this meal, a new couple is born. Apart from that, a new respect and admiration for the chefs that concocted this meal was also born. Do give this a try if you can. Cheers and this will always be a happy memory for me.
Rating given:
Putien is named after a certain Chinese Province in China which reflects bountiful harvest and abundance of nature. The reason for this namesake is to reflect the simplicity and sincerity of Putien cuisine which is simple yet rich in flavor. Currently, Pu Tien group of restaurants has already expanded to 4 outlets in Singapore and one in Jakarta Indonesia. Question is, Chinese restaurants are a dime a dozen, does this succeed in setting itself apart?
The Tampines Mall outlet occupies a sizable amount of space in separate units. One is along the corner and features big round tables with modernized feel while the other unit resembles an open food court concept with a counter as the service area. Both areas are reasonably spacious which is a plus for me.
Bamboo Herbal Prawn ($3.80 for 2 prawns) - The prawns were of a decent size and literally seemed to pop out of the bamboo after you. The soup consisted of a strong herbal taste and was a little salty but otherwise light and enjoyable. The prawns, though looks good, is hit or miss in freshness as out of 4 prawns, 2 were scrumptious, crunchy and fresh while the other 2 were beginning to get powdery. Overall, if they could keep the consistency of freshness, this is a pretty good order.
Pu Tien Lor Mee ($6) - I'd describe this as interesting and pretty good. I like the generous portion size and the pork and vegetables that came in it. The broth is starchy like its black counterpart but at the same time, less overwhelming in the taste department. The noodles were also springy and soft which makes this well worth the investment.
Xing Hua Stir Fried Bee Hoon ($6) - The bee hoon came with lots of ingredients as well, clam, mushrooms, nuts, slices of pork and some vegetables all mixed into one package. The fact is, it was light and enjoyable. The only gripe is on the bee hoon being smashed. Its as though the bee hoon is made shorter on purpose.
Shredded Meat with Bun ($5.60) - The meat actually looks lke wroms to me but rest assured it isn't. Its just stir fried pork that has been diced till its fine and string-like. It came with some lettuce and fried buns with sesame to good effect. The buns were hot and soft but oily. Couple that with the lettuce and pork which is a little salty and you get sinful combination thats hard to resist.
Service: 5.5/10
Food: 6.5/10
Ambience: 5/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall Score: 6.75/10 (not an average)
Last Word:
All in all, the food was decent with generous portions. Some came with fresh ingredients and some a little less in that respect. I can't say i did not enjoy the meal but service could be improved upon with a little more attentiveness from the waitresses. The thing that got me quite unhappy about was the supervisor whom we got her attention from, refused to take our orders and asked another waitress to do it despite there being only 3 customers including ourselves. She was more interested in walking around aimlessly and talking to her other colleagues which is rather unprofessional. Other then that, the food and value for money is on par and definitely worth a try at least.
Rating given:
Muthu's curry had its roots in Singapore in 1969 before slowly building a reputation through the creative mind of their founder, Mr Ayyakkannu, who in time, developed a recipe for its fish head curry which brought the restaurant its fame. In fact, even to date, the restaurant is still well known for its fish head curry which i unfortunately, did not get to try.
For starters, i'm actually not a spice eater. I like mild chili but nothing quite like the sort our Indian compatroits are used to. The next thing to know is that i was there for a small wedding reception so the food i got was mostly from the buffet counter as you can see above.
Despite all these i've said, the food here is pretty darn good. Maybe i'm too loaded with spice and burning lips to realise but the fact is, i found the buffet spread and the curry here top notch. Especially the mutton, chicken and beef curry, generous pieces of lean and fatty meat in thick, spicy curry. Each with its own merit, this is not the usual coconut heavy or packaged curry you find everywhere else and it goes really well with everything else you can throw on your plate. Be it crackers, rice, salads and what not.
I had seconds for this even though i was perspiring passionately due to the spice and i really don't do that too often.
Overall Score: 7/10
Last word:
What can i say? Authentic, good new and old fashioned curry in an equally authentic Indian setting within Little India in Singapore. It doesn't get any more realistic then this. Mind the spice though, you might not be able to take it but you sure will enjoy burning your lips off. I did.
Rating given:
Just Acia or rather "Just Asia" is a new set up featuring Asia's staples of noodles and rice as its main menu items. With a tag line that says "free flow of drinks and ice cream" at a starting price as low as $2.80, this is a place that is light on the wallet at first glance. There are currently 3 outlets for this franchise, Downtown East, Dhouby Ghaut MRT station and Suntec City fountain terrace. It was on a day of celebration that we visited Just Acia and i can't deny that the price was what drew me in at first. The following is what we had and my thoughts on the food.
The interior of the restaurant is simple and sat about 20-30 patrons. There was a payment counter right smack in the centre and your bill is presented to you upon completing your orders. The free flow of drinks and ice cream are also located right behind the payment counter so thats where the majority of the action will happen. Overall, the interior is serviceable and nothing impressive.
Herbal Chicken Soup Set ($11.90) - After some contemplation on the menu, we decided to have something more mid range as compared to the usual $5.90 meals. My order was the herbal chicken soup and it looked pretty substantial actually. There was half a chicken in the soup and it came with rice and some beans. The thing about herbal chicken is that the soup it comes in must be good, otherwise the whole dish amounts to naught. And unfortunately, the soup is salty and lacking much herbal taste in their version. My verdict, don't order this.
Stir Fried Greens ($4.80) - This wasn't too bad actually. At the least, it tasted crunchy and tasty enough to praise but nothing more to recommend.
Tom Yum Seafood Set ($10.90) - My gf ordered this and it was definitely much better then my herbal chicken set. The soup is still salty as though made of seawater but there's enough spice inside to give it a tinge of hope. Add to that generous ingredients and you have something tolerable but still too salty.
Spinach Tofu ($2.80) - On the menu, this was touted as the must order dish and chef's specialty. I'm sad to report its nothing special. In fact, it was rather bad because there's a very obvious layer of thick oil over it. The interesting thing is the texture which is similar to steamed eggs except that in this, the "eggs" are rubbery. Not recommended as well.
Free Ice Cream - The ice cream ain't half bad. I'm betting on Wall's or some simple NTUC brand but it works for me. The chocolate is thick and rich and so was the vanilla. I could have this for a long time. The free flow drinks were also a surprise for me since they weren't diluted by too much. Impressive.
The total bill for this rather disappointing dinner amounted to $32.53. Is it too expensive? Not really. Is it worth the money? Difficult to say yes to that too...
Overall Score: 5.5/10 (6.5 for drinks and ice cream)
Last word:
It wasn't all bad. There's decent stuff here i'm sure. In fact, i saw it packed in the Dhouby Ghaut outlet but i can't say the same from my visit to this outlet. As it stands, i do not think i will return for another try here but might consider trying the other outlet.
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