It was juz beside the cinema and I was craving for something cold... So I juz pop in and WAH... I was spoil for choice! There was alot alot alot of flavours... which include some of my fave... peppermint, tiramisu, dark chocolate, ferrero rocher and so on....
apart from the ice cream, you get to choose a mix.. e.g. from kit kat to nuts to raisons to oreo...
so after choosing the flavour and the mix, they will smash and blend the ice cream...
Anyway, that day I happen to pass by Holland Village... Cold Rock Ice Creamery is in Singapore!
Seriously speaking, apart from smashing in the mix, nothing wonderful abt it...
I order a tiramisu with kit kat... One scoop of ice cream plus juz 1 kit kat (the smallest size kit kat that comes in 2 ). I feel that the mix is too little...
Hidden in an obscure corner on the third floor of the hotel, Wan Hao doesn't look like much from the outside. However, step in and be wowed by the luxurious and solemn interior which exudes pure unadulterated sophistication and charm. If dining in a party of 4 or less, do try for one of the 4 cosy corner tables that come complete with curtains.
The Wok Fried Fresh Scallop Cubes with Tropical Mango in Fresh Milk and Egg Topped with Crab Roe served on a bed of Vermicelli tasted uncannily like the excellent Shredded Scallop with Fish & Egg White from Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant, except that it was smoother and richer in taste due to the fresh milk. However, the scallop cubes were rather bland and didn't add any life to the dish. Not that this dish wasn't good though. In fact I like it enough to want to order it again when I return.
The Poached Live Prawns came deshelled, with the exception of the head. The prawns were bigger than your usual ones and were extremely fresh, crunchy and juicy. Add that to the fact that they were perfectly cooked and drenched in a garlic concoction which served to complement the natural sweetness of the prawns. Definitely a winner! But at $90/kg, you might want to think long and hard before placing your order.
The Homemade Seaweed Beancurd Topped with Shredded Abalone, Dried Seafood and Vegetables didn't quite meet expectations. The tofu, though soft, was flat in taste and lacked the natural wholesome goodness of the one I had at Li Bai. The vegetables were cooked in a way that I personally dislike - soft with thick gravy.
The Crispy Boneless Chicken Stir Fried with Fresh Strawberry in Honey and Lemon Sauce was a bummer. I thought this dish would be interesting with the use of fruits to enhance the taste of the chicken, but oh boy, was I wrong. The chicken tasted exactly like Sweet and Sour Pork, albeit of a softer texture. The sweetness from the honey didn't exactly go well with the chicken. It tasted a little too strong and the strawberries didn't really make much of an impact on the dish. But having said that, its still an above average dish.
With a name like Chilled Coconut with Sea Coconut, I had expected fresh chilled Coconut meat served with Sea Coconut, but that was not to be. It is actually a layer of Coconut jelly and a few slices of Sea Coconut served in a small Coconut husk on a bed of ice. This is one dish that would score high marks for presentation. I guess you can tell why just from looking at the picture. And it was rather pleasing to boot. The coconut jelly had a strong coconut taste and coupled with the thick and sweet syrup, it was a pleasure to consume. The Sea Coconut tasted rather normal though.
Crystal Jade is my all time favourite! I visit Crystal Jade at least once fornightly....
I love the hongkong tea-time menu... (from 2:30 pm - 5:30pm) and each set cost around $6 which include a dan dan noodle and a drink... My favourite dish from the tea time menu is the French Toast Set! The bread soak in egg and fried! It smell so good! The thought of it makes me hungry!
Apart from the tea time menu, they also have their normal menu... or should I say the all day menu....
My favourite dish is the HUA DAN HOR FUN (Egg and Prawn Hor Fun). The prawn is crystal clear and it's very fresh and sweet!
Sometimes together with my girlfriend... we will juz order a bowl of soup plus sweet sour pork together with white rice... WONDERFUL!!!
I love their sweet sour pork! There's really the sour taste... alot of the sweet sour pork doesn't have the sour taste... mainly sweet only...
It's a long weekend... It's a good time to meet up with friends... On saturday, I met my friends! We had buffet at Marriott....
Personally... Comparing Marriott and Riz... I prefer the buffet at Riz....
Price Riz buffet = $65 (after all the service charge and GST with 15% discount)
Marriott = $57 ( after all the service charge and GST with 15% discount)
Music/Noise At Marriott, there is so much people talking... By the way, Marriott is almost full house... I hate the crowd...
Whereas at Riz, there's a live band which played Cannon in D (upon our request)!
Ambience It's obvious right? Riz is so romantic... Whereas Marriott is more like a coffeeshop... =X
Food I prefer the food esp the dessert at Riz.. The dessert table of Marriott is also good... However there were too many people and the food is juz so- so.... I still prefer Riz
Company At both place, the company was the same! Hence, it's a tie... Ha~ha~
The Opera cake ($3.50) caught my attention. I walked into the café without realizing it’s a hotel lounge.
Today it’s Friday! I don’t have to work tomorrow and I don’t have to rush. I think I need time of my own… So I walked in to the café after my facial at Body Contours.
I ordered a Opera Cake ($3.50) and a cup of Cold Cappuccino ($9). The waiter informed me that they are having a tea time special…. With any hot beverages, a slice of cake free! Hence I changed my drink from cold cappuccino to hot cappuccino. The price of the drinks is the same…
The sofa seat is nice… However, if you are looking for quiet time on your own, this is not a place for you… It’s rather noisy even on a mid-afternoon…There are a lot of hotel guests… Most of them are drinking and chatting loudly…
I pluck in my earpiece and busy blogging… OhYah… There’s no wireless here…
If you ordered Beer, there will be free flow of chips… It’s rather a good place to chill out with friends…. =)
I went there twice and they never fail me… They deserve to be a 6 star hotel and I’m willing to pay the price!
First time was on a weekday dinner ($48 per pax ) with my friends… The ambience was very good… Good for couples and there is a live band! The food was delicious… Slipper Lobster was the star that night.. Most of the dish consist of Slipper Lobster…
I even asked the band to play Cannon in D live! After this wonderful experience, I decided to bring my mummy here for her 52nd birthday!
Mummy birthday falls on a Saturday… Hence I make a reservation… The theme for Saturday was International Seafood Buffet. ($65 per pax ). The food is very nice… There were lots of different types of seafood… From drunken prawns to cold prawns to crab soup (similar to shark fins soup) to flower crab to sashimi to lobster! Wonderful spread!
I missed Cannon in D live… Hence, once again I asked the band to play it… Since its mummy birthday, I also requested to play a Happy Birthday Song for mummy… You guess what?
When the band started to play the Happy Birthday Song, the waitress came out with a birthday cake for Mummy! Mummy was very surprised and elated. She said it’s a long time she has a cake and someone sang her a happy birthday song…
Every year, for mummy birthday, she will request not to buy birthday cake for her cos seriously speaking, she doesn’t like to eat cake… So normally we will go out for dinner only…
Back to the Birthday Cake, it was FOC! As mummy and I were rather full, we packed the cake home instead! Mummy really enjoyed herself… =)
Thumbs up for Riz!
Anyway… Juz for info… 15% off at Riz if you are paying by UOB credit Card!
I went there twice and I simply love this jap resturant!
The first time, I reached around 12:30 pm and I waited for 75 minutes before getting a seat. It's rather a small restuarant. There's only 12 seats in the resturant. YES! only 12 seats... and no reservation allowed...
I got smarter the second time, I reached around 1:15pm and I only waited for 10 minutes! So my advise is, either u reach before 12 pm cos they open at 12 pm.. or u reached after 1 pm but before 1:20 pm... if not after 2:30pm... but the resturant close at 3 pm...
So business hours is from 12 pm to 3 pm and 6pm to 9 pm...
No nice decor...
No nice service charge (no service charges)...
No friendly chef ( the chef is superb fierce)...
No beautiful waitress to see (only the fierce chef plus his wife who is also quite firece)
BUT
The price is cheap...
The food is nice...
There is no GST...
There is no service charge...
They charge $2 for a drink and towel (inclusive of whatever charges)
Anyway... The food...
I love the fresh sea urchin... $15 for a portion... It is so fresh and sweet... It's a MUST order for me... Their bento set for most food (soba, unagi, chicken beef) cost about $15...
Today I order a Unagi and a beef bento... plus of course the fresh sea urchin... Total bill is $49... Very worth it for such authetic japanese food... Not to mention, the serving are all very huge... Oh Yah... I love the starter too... Pork with seaweed in some special sweet sauce....
I remember visiting the now defunct Haw Par Villa when I was still a kid in primary school. At that time, Haw Par Villa had opened with much fanfare and I remember paying an exorbitant amount (in the $20 range I believe) just to gain entry. Those days are long gone and all that is left of the sprawling theme park are the forgotten statues and a recently opened Chinese restaurant called Made In China which is managed by the Singapore Explorer group, the very group that manages Pier Eleven. Now who in the right mind would open a restaurant in the middle of a deserted theme park that is not really accessible without a vehicle? Parking is a breeze because you can literally park anywhere you want along the slope that leads up to the restaurant. It all depends on how much you are willing to walk. As I stepped into the restaurant compound, everything seemed so surreal. The building and its surroundings seemed to have come out straight from some ancient martial arts flick that I used to watch. The interior of the restaurant brought me back to reality though. Sparsely furnished, this is one place that believes in spacing out its tables for the comfort of its guests and I appreciate it.
The Peking duck was both good and bad. The skin was crackling crispy and had minimal fats under it. This is probably the crispiest Peking duck skin that I've ever eaten. Such a delightful skin was only let down by the rather lacklustre skin which was thin but tasteless. The meat on the other hand, was a total letdown. A tad dry and not as tender as I had expected. There was also a discernible, albeit faint, fowl taste.
For the price ($25) , the shark's fin and fish maw soup was good. First looks, it actually reminded me of curry because of the yellowish soup base. The soup was rather intense in flavour and came across as thick and starchy while the fins and fish maw were aplenty and pretty decent. According to the waitress, the soup base is boiled for 42 hours using old chicken, old duck (literal translation) and some other stuff that are supposed to be beneficial to the body.
The Fried Golden Butter Prawns came looking rather messy and not the least bit like prawns, more like chunks of fried stuff. The batter was lightly salted and crispy with a lingering buttery aftertaste while the prawns were fresh but none too succulent. I did find this dish a little disappointing because the butter batter came across as bland, unlike the egg yolk variations I've eaten before which were decidedly more savoury. But then again, its quite decent.
Pan Grilled Miso Marinated Beef Tenderloin - Honestly, I didn't think too much of this dish. It looked like it had been drenched in oil and the black pepper taste was overwhelming, so much so that I couldn't really make out if it was beef or pork. The doneness of the beef didn't help either.
Desserts weren't fantastic but decent nevertheless. The crust of the Red Bean Paste Pancake was a little too thick for my liking and the red bean filling seemed a little runny and low on the sugar content. The Yam Paste in Coconut fared better. It's actually Orh Nee served in a coconut. The yam was very smooth, not too coagulated and mildy sweet. Only bone I had was that too much coconut milk was added and it didn't gel very well with the yam paste. The Black Glutinous Rice with Ice Cream derived its sweetness from the scoop of vanilla ice cream in its midst but was average tasting.
I'll be lying if I said that I could walk up straight after such a hearty meal because I simply couldn't, try as hard as I might. And it didn't exactly cost me a bomb either. Standing just shy of $120 for 2 pax, it's certainly not cheap but definitely a notch or two down the price scale relative to restaurants that serve up a similar quality of food.
Flutes at the Fort - a modern Australian restaurant housed within an old refurbished colonial bungalow and set against the historical backdrop of Fort Canning Park. Amidst the lush greenery and idyllic setting, one would hardly expect to find anything but birds and trees here, much less a restaurant, a swanky one at that.
Getting there can be quite a hassle as the route to the restaurant is quite complicated unless you drive and park at the complimentary valet carpark. But even then, you will have to make your way up a flight of stairs just to get there. But its all worth it. The old bungalow is beautifully restored with modern finishes yet retaining its rustic charm. Ambient lighting is practised and the windows overlook Fort Canning's lovely foliage. There is an option of sitting indoors in the cosy air conditioned area or outdoors at the veranda, with the latter being ideal for cool evenings.
The complimentary sourdough bread was quite good - served warm with the crust lightly crackling and the interior soft and fluffy. Definitely a welcome dish to temporarily stem our hunger pangs. Just don't get carried away and stuff yourself with it or else you are not going to be able to enjoy your other food (aka the ones that cost money).
Carpaccio of Hokkaido Scallops - The only thing that I found interesting about this dish was the breadstick which was served alongside. It was extremely brittle and came coated with a layer of seaweed, giving it a nice salty taste. The thinly sliced scallops, which were supposed to be the main draw, were a little too soft and tasteless for me. Not that my other friends disagreed also.
Double Baked Alaskan King Crab Soufflé - "Where's the king crab?" was my initial reaction to this dish. Clearly that was top of my list when I ordered this dish. After a few prods and scoops, the elusive king crab was still nowhere to be found. Not that this dish tasted bad anyway (It was cheesy with a slight hint of crab). In fact, it was so good that I had the urge to order another serving, but at $25 a pop, it was a no brainer really.
My main course, the Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly. Just to reiterate that Kurobuta Pork is akin to Kobe beef in the pork hierarchy, therefore making it highly prized and expensive. The Kurobuta pork belly was nothing short of excellent, with the fats literally melt in your mouth tender and the meat fibrous yet retaining a certain firmness. Did I mention anything about the skin being crackling crispy as well? The accompanying Sauteed Portobello mushrooms were juicy and soaked up the wonderful Star Aniseed Jus, making for a wonderful and flavourful side. Please be warned that this dish is definitely not for the health conscious.
The warm Pur - Caraibe Chocolate Fondant was slightly different from the usual renditions offered by other places. There was no molten chocolate in the centre to ooze out when I broke open the shell. Instead, molten chocolate was generously poured over the entire cake and allowed to cool, resulting in a gleaming black chocolate coated cake. Taste wise, I couldn't have asked for more. The cake was moist and spongy and I could detect teeny weeny pockets of chocolate within the cake that would burst forth as I bit into it.
The Fresh Peach and Vanilla Creme Brulee kinda lowered the standards a little. Granted that the pudding was smooth and not too sweet, but the layer of charred sugar atop was way too thick. Thick enough to get stuck in your teeth and irritate the hell out of you with every bite. The accompanying Chempedak and Mint ice cream was good though, mildly sweet with a tinge of the familiar chempedak flavour. Best of all, the ice cream is placed atop a base of slightly burnt Gula Melaka and coconut shavings which only serve to enhance the taste.
Excellent food, excellent ambience, excellent company. I'm a happy man (Not so happy after I got the bill amounting to almost $520 for 7 pax). I personally feel that the price isn't too steep for the quality of food you get here and especially the fantastic ambience. Service is great to boot. On a side note, thanks to all who turned up for the dinner!
What a pleasant surprise, when I discovered the good food and excellent service at Hog's Breathe Cafe yesterday. It was my birthday, so the good stuffs were definitely welcomed!
I had their Atlantic Salmon with fries and salad. The portion is huge and it's very nice! I tried their Chicken Tender too, which is just as good.
The prices are fairly reasonable for their portion. At the end of the meal we were really really full!
1=SGD 0.0587
I first try this ice cream is in Australia...
It was juz beside the cinema and I was craving for something cold... So I juz pop in and WAH... I was spoil for choice! There was alot alot alot of flavours... which include some of my fave... peppermint, tiramisu, dark chocolate, ferrero rocher and so on....
apart from the ice cream, you get to choose a mix.. e.g. from kit kat to nuts to raisons to oreo...
so after choosing the flavour and the mix, they will smash and blend the ice cream...
Anyway, that day I happen to pass by Holland Village... Cold Rock Ice Creamery is in Singapore!
Seriously speaking, apart from smashing in the mix, nothing wonderful abt it...
I order a tiramisu with kit kat... One scoop of ice cream plus juz 1 kit kat (the smallest size kit kat that comes in 2 ). I feel that the mix is too little...
Oh Yah... The girls there are young and pretty!
Rating given:
Hidden in an obscure corner on the third floor of the hotel, Wan Hao doesn't look like much from the outside. However, step in and be wowed by the luxurious and solemn interior which exudes pure unadulterated sophistication and charm. If dining in a party of 4 or less, do try for one of the 4 cosy corner tables that come complete with curtains.
The Wok Fried Fresh Scallop Cubes with Tropical Mango in Fresh Milk and Egg Topped with Crab Roe served on a bed of Vermicelli tasted uncannily like the excellent Shredded Scallop with Fish & Egg White from Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant, except that it was smoother and richer in taste due to the fresh milk. However, the scallop cubes were rather bland and didn't add any life to the dish. Not that this dish wasn't good though. In fact I like it enough to want to order it again when I return.
The Poached Live Prawns came deshelled, with the exception of the head. The prawns were bigger than your usual ones and were extremely fresh, crunchy and juicy. Add that to the fact that they were perfectly cooked and drenched in a garlic concoction which served to complement the natural sweetness of the prawns. Definitely a winner! But at $90/kg, you might want to think long and hard before placing your order.
The Homemade Seaweed Beancurd Topped with Shredded Abalone, Dried Seafood and Vegetables didn't quite meet expectations. The tofu, though soft, was flat in taste and lacked the natural wholesome goodness of the one I had at Li Bai. The vegetables were cooked in a way that I personally dislike - soft with thick gravy.
The Crispy Boneless Chicken Stir Fried with Fresh Strawberry in Honey and Lemon Sauce was a bummer. I thought this dish would be interesting with the use of fruits to enhance the taste of the chicken, but oh boy, was I wrong. The chicken tasted exactly like Sweet and Sour Pork, albeit of a softer texture. The sweetness from the honey didn't exactly go well with the chicken. It tasted a little too strong and the strawberries didn't really make much of an impact on the dish. But having said that, its still an above average dish.
With a name like Chilled Coconut with Sea Coconut, I had expected fresh chilled Coconut meat served with Sea Coconut, but that was not to be. It is actually a layer of Coconut jelly and a few slices of Sea Coconut served in a small Coconut husk on a bed of ice. This is one dish that would score high marks for presentation. I guess you can tell why just from looking at the picture. And it was rather pleasing to boot. The coconut jelly had a strong coconut taste and coupled with the thick and sweet syrup, it was a pleasure to consume. The Sea Coconut tasted rather normal though.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Crystal Jade is my all time favourite! I visit Crystal Jade at least once fornightly....
I love the hongkong tea-time menu... (from 2:30 pm - 5:30pm) and each set cost around $6 which include a dan dan noodle and a drink... My favourite dish from the tea time menu is the French Toast Set! The bread soak in egg and fried! It smell so good! The thought of it makes me hungry!
Apart from the tea time menu, they also have their normal menu... or should I say the all day menu....
My favourite dish is the HUA DAN HOR FUN (Egg and Prawn Hor Fun). The prawn is crystal clear and it's very fresh and sweet!
Sometimes together with my girlfriend... we will juz order a bowl of soup plus sweet sour pork together with white rice... WONDERFUL!!!
I love their sweet sour pork! There's really the sour taste... alot of the sweet sour pork doesn't have the sour taste... mainly sweet only...
Rating given:
It's a long weekend... It's a good time to meet up with friends... On saturday, I met my friends! We had buffet at Marriott....
Personally... Comparing Marriott and Riz... I prefer the buffet at Riz....
Price
Riz buffet = $65 (after all the service charge and GST with 15% discount)
Marriott = $57 ( after all the service charge and GST with 15% discount)
Music/Noise
At Marriott, there is so much people talking... By the way, Marriott is almost full house... I hate the crowd...
Whereas at Riz, there's a live band which played Cannon in D (upon our request)!
Ambience
It's obvious right? Riz is so romantic... Whereas Marriott is more like a coffeeshop... =X
Food
I prefer the food esp the dessert at Riz.. The dessert table of Marriott is also good... However there were too many people and the food is juz so- so.... I still prefer Riz
Company
At both place, the company was the same! Hence, it's a tie... Ha~ha~
Rating given:
The Opera cake ($3.50) caught my attention. I walked into the café without realizing it’s a hotel lounge.
Today it’s Friday! I don’t have to work tomorrow and I don’t have to rush. I think I need time of my own… So I walked in to the café after my facial at Body Contours.
I ordered a Opera Cake ($3.50) and a cup of Cold Cappuccino ($9). The waiter informed me that they are having a tea time special…. With any hot beverages, a slice of cake free! Hence I changed my drink from cold cappuccino to hot cappuccino. The price of the drinks is the same…
The sofa seat is nice… However, if you are looking for quiet time on your own, this is not a place for you… It’s rather noisy even on a mid-afternoon…There are a lot of hotel guests… Most of them are drinking and chatting loudly…
I pluck in my earpiece and busy blogging… OhYah… There’s no wireless here…
If you ordered Beer, there will be free flow of chips… It’s rather a good place to chill out with friends…. =)
Rating given:
I went there twice and they never fail me… They deserve to be a 6 star hotel and I’m willing to pay the price!
First time was on a weekday dinner ($48 per pax ) with my friends… The ambience was very good… Good for couples and there is a live band! The food was delicious… Slipper Lobster was the star that night.. Most of the dish consist of Slipper Lobster…
I even asked the band to play Cannon in D live! After this wonderful experience, I decided to bring my mummy here for her 52nd birthday!
Mummy birthday falls on a Saturday… Hence I make a reservation… The theme for Saturday was International Seafood Buffet. ($65 per pax ). The food is very nice… There were lots of different types of seafood… From drunken prawns to cold prawns to crab soup (similar to shark fins soup) to flower crab to sashimi to lobster! Wonderful spread!
I missed Cannon in D live… Hence, once again I asked the band to play it… Since its mummy birthday, I also requested to play a Happy Birthday Song for mummy… You guess what?
When the band started to play the Happy Birthday Song, the waitress came out with a birthday cake for Mummy! Mummy was very surprised and elated. She said it’s a long time she has a cake and someone sang her a happy birthday song…
Every year, for mummy birthday, she will request not to buy birthday cake for her cos seriously speaking, she doesn’t like to eat cake… So normally we will go out for dinner only…
Back to the Birthday Cake, it was FOC! As mummy and I were rather full, we packed the cake home instead! Mummy really enjoyed herself… =)
Thumbs up for Riz!
Anyway… Juz for info… 15% off at Riz if you are paying by UOB credit Card!
Rating given:
I went there twice and I simply love this jap resturant!
The first time, I reached around 12:30 pm and I waited for 75 minutes before getting a seat. It's rather a small restuarant. There's only 12 seats in the resturant. YES! only 12 seats... and no reservation allowed...
I got smarter the second time, I reached around 1:15pm and I only waited for 10 minutes! So my advise is, either u reach before 12 pm cos they open at 12 pm.. or u reached after 1 pm but before 1:20 pm... if not after 2:30pm... but the resturant close at 3 pm...
So business hours is from 12 pm to 3 pm and 6pm to 9 pm...
No nice decor...
No nice service charge (no service charges)...
No friendly chef ( the chef is superb fierce)...
No beautiful waitress to see (only the fierce chef plus his wife who is also quite firece)
BUT
The price is cheap...
The food is nice...
There is no GST...
There is no service charge...
They charge $2 for a drink and towel (inclusive of whatever charges)
Anyway... The food...
I love the fresh sea urchin... $15 for a portion... It is so fresh and sweet... It's a MUST order for me... Their bento set for most food (soba, unagi, chicken beef) cost about $15...
Today I order a Unagi and a beef bento... plus of course the fresh sea urchin... Total bill is $49... Very worth it for such authetic japanese food... Not to mention, the serving are all very huge... Oh Yah... I love the starter too... Pork with seaweed in some special sweet sauce....
Rating given:
I remember visiting the now defunct Haw Par Villa when I was still a kid in primary school. At that time, Haw Par Villa had opened with much fanfare and I remember paying an exorbitant amount (in the $20 range I believe) just to gain entry. Those days are long gone and all that is left of the sprawling theme park are the forgotten statues and a recently opened Chinese restaurant called Made In China which is managed by the Singapore Explorer group, the very group that manages Pier Eleven. Now who in the right mind would open a restaurant in the middle of a deserted theme park that is not really accessible without a vehicle?
Parking is a breeze because you can literally park anywhere you want along the slope that leads up to the restaurant. It all depends on how much you are willing to walk. As I stepped into the restaurant compound, everything seemed so surreal. The building and its surroundings seemed to have come out straight from some ancient martial arts flick that I used to watch. The interior of the restaurant brought me back to reality though. Sparsely furnished, this is one place that believes in spacing out its tables for the comfort of its guests and I appreciate it.
The Peking duck was both good and bad. The skin was crackling crispy and had minimal fats under it. This is probably the crispiest Peking duck skin that I've ever eaten. Such a delightful skin was only let down by the rather lacklustre skin which was thin but tasteless. The meat on the other hand, was a total letdown. A tad dry and not as tender as I had expected. There was also a discernible, albeit faint, fowl taste.
For the price ($25) , the shark's fin and fish maw soup was good. First looks, it actually reminded me of curry because of the yellowish soup base. The soup was rather intense in flavour and came across as thick and starchy while the fins and fish maw were aplenty and pretty decent. According to the waitress, the soup base is boiled for 42 hours using old chicken, old duck (literal translation) and some other stuff that are supposed to be beneficial to the body.
The Fried Golden Butter Prawns came looking rather messy and not the least bit like prawns, more like chunks of fried stuff. The batter was lightly salted and crispy with a lingering buttery aftertaste while the prawns were fresh but none too succulent. I did find this dish a little disappointing because the butter batter came across as bland, unlike the egg yolk variations I've eaten before which were decidedly more savoury. But then again, its quite decent.
Pan Grilled Miso Marinated Beef Tenderloin - Honestly, I didn't think too much of this dish. It looked like it had been drenched in oil and the black pepper taste was overwhelming, so much so that I couldn't really make out if it was beef or pork. The doneness of the beef didn't help either.
Desserts weren't fantastic but decent nevertheless. The crust of the Red Bean Paste Pancake was a little too thick for my liking and the red bean filling seemed a little runny and low on the sugar content. The Yam Paste in Coconut fared better. It's actually Orh Nee served in a coconut. The yam was very smooth, not too coagulated and mildy sweet. Only bone I had was that too much coconut milk was added and it didn't gel very well with the yam paste. The Black Glutinous Rice with Ice Cream derived its sweetness from the scoop of vanilla ice cream in its midst but was average tasting.
I'll be lying if I said that I could walk up straight after such a hearty meal because I simply couldn't, try as hard as I might. And it didn't exactly cost me a bomb either. Standing just shy of $120 for 2 pax, it's certainly not cheap but definitely a notch or two down the price scale relative to restaurants that serve up a similar quality of food.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Flutes at the Fort - a modern Australian restaurant housed within an old refurbished colonial bungalow and set against the historical backdrop of Fort Canning Park. Amidst the lush greenery and idyllic setting, one would hardly expect to find anything but birds and trees here, much less a restaurant, a swanky one at that.
Getting there can be quite a hassle as the route to the restaurant is quite complicated unless you drive and park at the complimentary valet carpark. But even then, you will have to make your way up a flight of stairs just to get there. But its all worth it. The old bungalow is beautifully restored with modern finishes yet retaining its rustic charm. Ambient lighting is practised and the windows overlook Fort Canning's lovely foliage. There is an option of sitting indoors in the cosy air conditioned area or outdoors at the veranda, with the latter being ideal for cool evenings.
The complimentary sourdough bread was quite good - served warm with the crust lightly crackling and the interior soft and fluffy. Definitely a welcome dish to temporarily stem our hunger pangs. Just don't get carried away and stuff yourself with it or else you are not going to be able to enjoy your other food (aka the ones that cost money).
Carpaccio of Hokkaido Scallops - The only thing that I found interesting about this dish was the breadstick which was served alongside. It was extremely brittle and came coated with a layer of seaweed, giving it a nice salty taste. The thinly sliced scallops, which were supposed to be the main draw, were a little too soft and tasteless for me. Not that my other friends disagreed also.
Double Baked Alaskan King Crab Soufflé - "Where's the king crab?" was my initial reaction to this dish. Clearly that was top of my list when I ordered this dish. After a few prods and scoops, the elusive king crab was still nowhere to be found. Not that this dish tasted bad anyway (It was cheesy with a slight hint of crab). In fact, it was so good that I had the urge to order another serving, but at $25 a pop, it was a no brainer really.
My main course, the Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly. Just to reiterate that Kurobuta Pork is akin to Kobe beef in the pork hierarchy, therefore making it highly prized and expensive. The Kurobuta pork belly was nothing short of excellent, with the fats literally melt in your mouth tender and the meat fibrous yet retaining a certain firmness. Did I mention anything about the skin being crackling crispy as well? The accompanying Sauteed Portobello mushrooms were juicy and soaked up the wonderful Star Aniseed Jus, making for a wonderful and flavourful side. Please be warned that this dish is definitely not for the health conscious.
The warm Pur - Caraibe Chocolate Fondant was slightly different from the usual renditions offered by other places. There was no molten chocolate in the centre to ooze out when I broke open the shell. Instead, molten chocolate was generously poured over the entire cake and allowed to cool, resulting in a gleaming black chocolate coated cake. Taste wise, I couldn't have asked for more. The cake was moist and spongy and I could detect teeny weeny pockets of chocolate within the cake that would burst forth as I bit into it.
The Fresh Peach and Vanilla Creme Brulee kinda lowered the standards a little. Granted that the pudding was smooth and not too sweet, but the layer of charred sugar atop was way too thick. Thick enough to get stuck in your teeth and irritate the hell out of you with every bite. The accompanying Chempedak and Mint ice cream was good though, mildly sweet with a tinge of the familiar chempedak flavour. Best of all, the ice cream is placed atop a base of slightly burnt Gula Melaka and coconut shavings which only serve to enhance the taste.
Excellent food, excellent ambience, excellent company. I'm a happy man (Not so happy after I got the bill amounting to almost $520 for 7 pax). I personally feel that the price isn't too steep for the quality of food you get here and especially the fantastic ambience. Service is great to boot. On a side note, thanks to all who turned up for the dinner!
See all my photos here
Rating given:
What a pleasant surprise, when I discovered the good food and excellent service at Hog's Breathe Cafe yesterday. It was my birthday, so the good stuffs were definitely welcomed!
I had their Atlantic Salmon with fries and salad. The portion is huge and it's very nice! I tried their Chicken Tender too, which is just as good.
The prices are fairly reasonable for their portion. At the end of the meal we were really really full!
Definitely must re-visit. :)
Rating given: