lo and behold! The new kid on the block, Obolo opened along the popular Joo Chiat Road late 2007, serving up desserts and drinks. It has a small seating area with 3 tables for about 10 people.
I liked the interior decor. Very modern and yet cosy like. They had pastry books for browsing on the coffee tables which was a nice touch. The well-taken pictures of their own cakes adorned the walls.
I happily plonked myself down on the seemingly comfortable chair to discover that it was hard as stone. *ouch* The table was the same height as the chairs so you really have to bend over to have your cake.
Noisette $6.90 Dark chocolate mousse, caramelised toasted hazelnuts, crunchy praline feullitine, chocolate genoise enrobed in a shiny chocolate glaem I wanted to order this at first and regretted that I didn't. My companion did though and I had a taste of it. I like it pretty much. It was quite light and easy on the stomach despite looking so chocolatey but it is mousse you know. I could taste the chocolate nicely but it wasn't too rich. But it wasn't fantastic too.
Guanaja Cheesecake $6.90 Dark chocolate cheesecake, topped with a chocolate macaron This cheesecake was very thick. Not the light and fluffy sort I like. Don't be fooled by the colour, the cheesecake doesn't really taste of chocolate. Only the base is made of a tangy dark chocolate. The macaron on top is SUPER sweet, and this comes from someone with a sweet tooth. It was so sweet it made me cringe for a few seconds, having my companion guess what I was trying to say.
I actually find the privilege programme a little tricky as you can only have the 10% discount if you spend more than $10. Doesn't sound so privileged after all isn't it? AND you have to spend $100 within a month to get these privileges..... mmm
I would be back though. I was intrigued by the rest of the cakes. They did look very nice but I do hope they taste as good as they looked. They had tiramisu in glasses which I'm really tempted to try. Anyone?
Cakes, cakes, cakes. Who can ever get enough of these soft, sweet tasting delicacies that come in a rich variety of flavors and mixed with different mediums? I for one, never feels a cake is enough. This post is a little late of course but hey, better late then never yeah?
After scouring for cakes for Christmas for a long time, and seeing the obscene prices each cake is being touted by in almost all the shops we visited, me and my gf finally settled on something very familiar and almost guaranteed to satisfy. The choice is none other than the Four Leaves cakes that we pretty much swear by for any occasion. Does it disappoint though?
Christmas, a season of giving and sharing. And also a season of eating, partying and generally getting fatter. Well, my success in that field is pretty much legendary i suppose. Back to the cake at hand.
Despite the rather cute appearance, the cake has its roots from an old favorite of mine. The much revered Cocoa Exotica. The main difference is on the icing and cream which adorns the outer layer and a distinctly smaller inner layer in terms of the usage of cream and chocolate. Nonetheless, the cake itself simply melts in your mouth, and the hazelnut cookie layer gives it much needed fragrance and taste. Do not be mislead by the thick icing and cream you see, it never gets overwhelming nor unpleasant as the icing itself is just a tad sweet and is strangely soft that it is easily taken in. I like this cake as much as the Cocoa Exotica, enough said.
So far, in terms of cakes, i haven't had a particularly disappointing experience with Four Leaves yet. And if they keep up the good work, this is one of the better cake shops out there despite its abundance in malls.
Fancy cakes with a strong chocolate twist? Tired of old and run-of-the-mill cakes available everywhere else? Want something reasonably affordable and yet packing in the taste department? Well, welcome to choc-a-bloc. Coincidentally, the word "bloc" actually means blissfully luscious orgasmic chocolate as is positioned on their website. I wouldn't go that far to say their cakes are the best but i do second the fact that they are less common then the rest thus far.
This is a customized version of the "Mom's coco fudge cake". One thing about the cake is that its generously big (though of course you have to pay for it to be big.) The cake is surprisingly simple and expensive. 2 layers of chocolate and 3 layers of sponge cake is pretty much all you get for the price and yet. It feels surprisingly worthwhile. For one thing, the dark chocolate used is tastefully chosen. Being just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness which it balances very well. So much so that despite the big portion, i had no difficulty in finishing the cake at all. Being a fudge cake, it is also nicely soft and filling. One of the simplest and better tasting cakes i've had actually. I have to say its pretty much on par with the renditions even in Secret Recipe and some french gourmet cakes i've had. (Maybe i just have not eaten enough cakes to have a cake that has a higher standard yet but i'm getting there.)
I'm interested in having more actually but i do feel the pricing is abit steep and seems to have increased. Anyone who has tried better cakes out there, do let me know so i can try others yeah?
Perfect Mum is a shop selling Maternity Wear in Suntec. It's located on the 3rd floor in the mum and kids' section between Toys 'r us and the cinema.
I like the clothing in Perfect Mum. They are modern looking and not frumpy like what some of the shops sell. They also have a good range of clothing for the working mum and even evening wear which looks very presentable. All the clothing seemed very well designed to cater to the different stages of pregnancy.
The only gripe I have is that they don't have much choices for the nursing mum. Those are quite limited and it's not as well-designed as some other tops I've seen at other shops.
The staff here are all very polite and friendly. They are very knowledgeable and give very good advice. I do notice that the prices are slightly higher compared to other places but I still find them reasonable due to the quality and design.
Spotlight used to have 3-4 stores around Singapore but now they are left with one outlet at Plaza Sing. They sell a large variety of craft items and fabric so you can practically find anything there.... IF you have the patience.
I hate how the things are always in a mess. The shelves are hardly ever tidy even when you go when they open shop. The items are not packaged properly so it makes it easy for people to tear them out. They don't put out samples for people to see, forcing people to buy blindly or to rip their packaging...
They have very few staff around this huge store so don't expect help in locating things. not to mention, everytime you go back they would have shifted the things around. Few things remain in the same corner for long.
Also the prices of some of the items are more expensive... so choose wisely.
I wouldn't go there if I had a choice... Sometimes only Spotlight stocks up stuff from American brands...
I had the chance to go to Hilton on my own yesterday. It was rainy and I got out on the doorsteps on the hotel. It was bustling with activity for the doormen and valets were all trying to get cabs for the guests who were patiently waiting at the glass door. I have been running to quite a few hotels recently and this wasn't done at those hotels anymore. It was nice to see some things like this still done.
The doorman who opened the door for me greeted me with a very nice "good evening". I was ah hour early for my appointment so I decided to loiter about in the hotel. Every staff greeted me. When I was in the lift alone and 3 of them entered, all three smiled and one said hello even. When I got out of the lift the staff outside, held the door for me and greeted me as well. While I was being a busybody around the swimming pool and entertained myself taking pictures, the staff greeted me and waited till I was done before coming up to offer extra information about the venue.
When I met up with the catering manager later, she immediately offered me a drink from their cafe when we sat down. That was a first which I certainly didn't experience in other hotels. She also patiently answered all the questions, even those which I vaguely remember asking before. She was also very flexible with some details agreed to change some things for me.
The place looks nice and pretty posh. I like the interior decor pretty much. The arrangement for the wedding solemnisation to be held by the pool then the lunch to be served in the function rooms next to the pool is a very good idea. I viewed the rooms which I was quite satisfied with. But they are going at $300 per night. ($1080 for F1 nights)
To be honest, I haven't tried the food yet. But the overall atmosphere of the place was very warm and made one feel at home. I guess the only reason why I haven't given it a 5-star is the hefty price tag. I'll update when I've tasted the food. ;)
Vien Thai, it doesn't get clearer then this i suppose. Vietnam and Thailand cuisine together in the same restaurant. For the love of me, i have no idea what differentiates normal cuisine from Vietnamese cuisine, all i know is the Thai cuisine are generally a combination of sweet, sour and spicy all in one. The location of this place isn't much to shout about either.
Crispy Beancurd - Forgive me if i seem to be simply belching out names on this post. It just so happened that all information i had of this place has been lost. Still not going to stop me from writing a post however. The beancurd skin was very thick and hard while the beancurd itself lack much taste. The only saving grace turned out to be the sweet and sour Thai garnishing and sauce that made it at least palatable. Overall, save yourself the trouble on this dish.
Clear Tom Yam Seafood Soup - The Tom Yam soup was barely passable. Not in the least spicy but not the least bit lacking in the sour department. The ingredients were generous as you can see but i wouldn't recommend trying it as well.
Vietnamese Beef Vermicelli - The only item that brought a refreshing taste. A little sour, a little spicy and very fresh. The beef turned out a little too tough for my liking. The vermicelli when mixed with everything ended up tasting significantly pleasant and refreshing. Thats not saying alot however, because the material for comparison are sub par items.
Simple and overly pricey sums up the experience and offerings here. For some reason, i couldn't taste much difference between what is offered here and similar offerings elsewhere. It could have been better of course. Much better.
I believe the place needs no introduction. Its already the third time i've visited this place so basically its just a different location with a different crew. Does it uphold the tradition though?
Well, what can i say? The balcony seats overlook the river with all its hustle and bustles going on below it. Low buildings and little tourist boats cramp the location, giving it an otherworldly feeling that is very relaxing. Service wise, i did get the impression that the people there didn't really want to be there however.
Burning Action - Some people call it showy, others say unnecessary, but i still find the whole process very interesting however. And most importantly, it gives the rice and prawn a wonderfully fragrant and interesting taste.
Soup of the day ($3.90) - Since its already the third time i'm having everything (fourth actually), i'll leave you to check out the older posts for comments on the soup. Nothing much has changed on that front.
Garlic Lemon Mussel ($8.90) - The bread and mussels are supposed to go well with each other and to the better of the experience, they do. The white sauce that the mussels were swimming in is the same as the sauce that comes with the mushrooms below and the oysters after. According to my dear friend, Andrew, the sauce is the best thing about the restaurant. I'm inclined to agree on that since it does add to the taste quite a bit. However, i must say the mussels are not one of the better items here and i would advice against having it.
Fried Country Mushrooms ($9.90) - I've had these mushrooms as many times as i've come to this restaurant. It is definitely one of the better things to have and still one i can heartily recommend.
Deep Fried Oysters ($11.90) - Essentially, this is the same cooking method as the mushrooms above. And sad to say, it tastes the same as well. The oysters themselves were reasonably fresh and sweet but i prefer the mushrooms as they are healthier.
Fisherman's Platter ($36.90) - We asked to switch one of the side items for the flaming prawns so the final deal we had consists of calamari, chips, mushrooms, prawns and fish. The best thing about this? It fed 4 people to the brim. The downside, health issues abound if you take this for protracted periods of time. The rice when added with sauce is still the best thing for me, personally of course. Everything else is as it should be, meaning its good but not necessarily impression making since i've had it this many times. Overall, this platter is good for big eaters and up to 3 people.
Tiramisu ($5) - The waiter heartily told us that we qualified for a $5 dessert special which we took without much thought. Tiramisu is a dessert that has been done to death and their rendition is interesting. Cocoa powder adorns the top while a small layer of cake fills the bottom. Cream and rum filled the rest. Its overwhelming actually and somehow, i didn't like it too much in the end. Not recommended.
The bill turned out to be $98 for 4 people. Lots of food and a full tummy later, reflection on the process doesn't bring much to mind since i paid for it in full. My treat to my friends and i'm happy for giving.
They say "too much of a good thing makes it bad". Well, in this case, its starting to sound pretty true. I've heard much about the branch in Central and somehow, there are parts that are true and some parts which are not. I found the normal service staff helpful and generally good but the supervisor level however, disappointed me when i asked what the sauce was. Maybe its a trade secret but repeating the same rubbish when i asked twice isn't my idea of good service. Food is simple and non elegant but gets the job done. All said, the mushrooms are still something i would pine for. If you have not had it before, it warrants a try at the least.
This is my second visit to Fish & Co, the first time being at the Glass house, on this occasion (quite some time ago) we went to the branch at Paragon. Fish & Co has grow from strength to strength since it started with their first store at Plaza Singapura in 1998, bring forward ten years and now they have 13 branches island-wide.
I believe most people know more or less about Fish & Co, so i shall skip the usual long-winded introduction and jump right into the food.
Swordfish Collar ($14.90) Chunky & juicy swordfish collar, fried & served with spicy mango vinaigrette. Given that Fish & Co specialise in fish & seafood, they got quite a list to choose from, so i thought i’ll get something special. Now now, how often do you see restaurants serve swordfish as a main course? Never or seldom right? Thats the idea!
Our first impression of the swordfish when the waitress served us the food, o-boy, the fish is huge! Seriously, there are three collar of swordfish, and its suppose to serve one person? Order this and share with your partner.
Fish & Chips ($13.90) The Fish & Co classic! Fried, topped with lemon butter sauce & served with chips. The lemon butter sauce is the life & soul of the fish, it added an extra dimension to the fish. But given the price is more or less as the other fishes, i rather try different type of fishes. But my mate wanted the safe option, so they had 2 of this.
Seafood Platter for 1 ($19.90) Platter of Seasonal fish, calamari & king prawn. Many people should have tried this one before i guess, the standard fish, calamari & the chips. Nothing new there, what i like it the rice from fish & co.
Seafood Platter for 2 ($35.90) You must be wondering why did we order the Seafood platter for 1, and then order another seafood platter for 2 right? Pardon me, but i didn’t know what were we thinking, we sort of over-ordered! Hahaha!
Nevertheless, Seafood platter for 2 is definitely more worth it than the platter for 1. Lets do some simple math, platter for 1 cost $19.90, so if you times by 2 it will come up to $40 right? But platter for 2 only cost $35.90, furthermore there is the addition of scallops which the platter for 1 didn’t have. Well, unless you are a small-eater, or eating alone, or refuses to eat scallop, Seafood platter is the choice.
Total bill for the 5 of us adds up to $122.90. Usually Fish & Co is relatively affordable, but i think in this instant we over-ordered, hence the bill seems a little expensive. But i think i won’t be going back to Fish & Co in just a while, having been there twice, what must try have been tried. There are more alternatives out there with the same price range. So don’t expect to see Fish & Co III unless somebody is giving me a treat. Like what i mentioned in the previous visit, there are other options if u really want to eat fish & co type of food, Manhattan Fish Market isn’t too bad, Hooked! provides many variety of fish, New York New York has some nice seafood platters around also, and Greenwood Fish Market is my favourite.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
Hanabi has a few other outlets in Bukit Timah and North Bridge Road.... this would be its new addition. I haven't been to the other outlets though my companions have. They have Japanese Buffet in ala carte style which was what brought us to the place during the CNY season. There were 5 adults and 2 kids and we managed to get a table despite not calling ahead. It was really crowded, being a weekend evening and during the festive season. Buffet prices for weekend dinner was about $30(adult) I believe.
Service was good, considering how busy they were. They topped up our tea and water regularly and tried to clear the plates whenever they could. Food was served relatively fast and orders were not forgotten.
However I've had better Japanese Buffets where the food is fresher and tastier. The menu which the food is listed on could be improved on as it is a little disorganised. The variety of food varies from outlet to outlet, according to my companions, who were a little upset that certain sashimi wasn't served in this outlet.
But I do think that a re-visit is possible... when I'm not with fussy people and there's nothing much else in the area to try.
1=SGD 0.0587
lo and behold! The new kid on the block, Obolo opened along the popular Joo Chiat Road late 2007, serving up desserts and drinks. It has a small seating area with 3 tables for about 10 people.
I liked the interior decor. Very modern and yet cosy like. They had pastry books for browsing on the coffee tables which was a nice touch. The well-taken pictures of their own cakes adorned the walls.
I happily plonked myself down on the seemingly comfortable chair to discover that it was hard as stone. *ouch* The table was the same height as the chairs so you really have to bend over to have your cake.
Noisette $6.90
Dark chocolate mousse, caramelised toasted hazelnuts, crunchy praline feullitine, chocolate genoise enrobed in a shiny chocolate glaem
I wanted to order this at first and regretted that I didn't. My companion did though and I had a taste of it. I like it pretty much. It was quite light and easy on the stomach despite looking so chocolatey but it is mousse you know. I could taste the chocolate nicely but it wasn't too rich. But it wasn't fantastic too.
Guanaja Cheesecake $6.90
Dark chocolate cheesecake, topped with a chocolate macaron
This cheesecake was very thick. Not the light and fluffy sort I like. Don't be fooled by the colour, the cheesecake doesn't really taste of chocolate. Only the base is made of a tangy dark chocolate. The macaron on top is SUPER sweet, and this comes from someone with a sweet tooth. It was so sweet it made me cringe for a few seconds, having my companion guess what I was trying to say.
I actually find the privilege programme a little tricky as you can only have the 10% discount if you spend more than $10. Doesn't sound so privileged after all isn't it? AND you have to spend $100 within a month to get these privileges..... mmm
I would be back though. I was intrigued by the rest of the cakes. They did look very nice but I do hope they taste as good as they looked. They had tiramisu in glasses which I'm really tempted to try. Anyone?
**photos up later**
Rating given:
Cakes, cakes, cakes. Who can ever get enough of these soft, sweet tasting delicacies that come in a rich variety of flavors and mixed with different mediums? I for one, never feels a cake is enough. This post is a little late of course but hey, better late then never yeah?
After scouring for cakes for Christmas for a long time, and seeing the obscene prices each cake is being touted by in almost all the shops we visited, me and my gf finally settled on something very familiar and almost guaranteed to satisfy. The choice is none other than the Four Leaves cakes that we pretty much swear by for any occasion. Does it disappoint though?
Christmas, a season of giving and sharing. And also a season of eating, partying and generally getting fatter. Well, my success in that field is pretty much legendary i suppose. Back to the cake at hand.
Despite the rather cute appearance, the cake has its roots from an old favorite of mine. The much revered Cocoa Exotica. The main difference is on the icing and cream which adorns the outer layer and a distinctly smaller inner layer in terms of the usage of cream and chocolate. Nonetheless, the cake itself simply melts in your mouth, and the hazelnut cookie layer gives it much needed fragrance and taste. Do not be mislead by the thick icing and cream you see, it never gets overwhelming nor unpleasant as the icing itself is just a tad sweet and is strangely soft that it is easily taken in. I like this cake as much as the Cocoa Exotica, enough said.
So far, in terms of cakes, i haven't had a particularly disappointing experience with Four Leaves yet. And if they keep up the good work, this is one of the better cake shops out there despite its abundance in malls.
Rating given:
Fancy cakes with a strong chocolate twist? Tired of old and run-of-the-mill cakes available everywhere else? Want something reasonably affordable and yet packing in the taste department? Well, welcome to choc-a-bloc. Coincidentally, the word "bloc" actually means blissfully luscious orgasmic chocolate as is positioned on their website. I wouldn't go that far to say their cakes are the best but i do second the fact that they are less common then the rest thus far.
This is a customized version of the "Mom's coco fudge cake". One thing about the cake is that its generously big (though of course you have to pay for it to be big.) The cake is surprisingly simple and expensive. 2 layers of chocolate and 3 layers of sponge cake is pretty much all you get for the price and yet. It feels surprisingly worthwhile. For one thing, the dark chocolate used is tastefully chosen. Being just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness which it balances very well. So much so that despite the big portion, i had no difficulty in finishing the cake at all. Being a fudge cake, it is also nicely soft and filling. One of the simplest and better tasting cakes i've had actually. I have to say its pretty much on par with the renditions even in Secret Recipe and some french gourmet cakes i've had. (Maybe i just have not eaten enough cakes to have a cake that has a higher standard yet but i'm getting there.)
I'm interested in having more actually but i do feel the pricing is abit steep and seems to have increased. Anyone who has tried better cakes out there, do let me know so i can try others yeah?
Rating given:
Perfect Mum is a shop selling Maternity Wear in Suntec. It's located on the 3rd floor in the mum and kids' section between Toys 'r us and the cinema.
I like the clothing in Perfect Mum. They are modern looking and not frumpy like what some of the shops sell. They also have a good range of clothing for the working mum and even evening wear which looks very presentable. All the clothing seemed very well designed to cater to the different stages of pregnancy.
The only gripe I have is that they don't have much choices for the nursing mum. Those are quite limited and it's not as well-designed as some other tops I've seen at other shops.
The staff here are all very polite and friendly. They are very knowledgeable and give very good advice. I do notice that the prices are slightly higher compared to other places but I still find them reasonable due to the quality and design.
**I'm not a mum-to-be. Just a tag-along...**
Rating given:
Spotlight used to have 3-4 stores around Singapore but now they are left with one outlet at Plaza Sing. They sell a large variety of craft items and fabric so you can practically find anything there.... IF you have the patience.
I hate how the things are always in a mess. The shelves are hardly ever tidy even when you go when they open shop. The items are not packaged properly so it makes it easy for people to tear them out. They don't put out samples for people to see, forcing people to buy blindly or to rip their packaging...
They have very few staff around this huge store so don't expect help in locating things. not to mention, everytime you go back they would have shifted the things around. Few things remain in the same corner for long.
Also the prices of some of the items are more expensive... so choose wisely.
I wouldn't go there if I had a choice... Sometimes only Spotlight stocks up stuff from American brands...
Rating given:
I had the chance to go to Hilton on my own yesterday. It was rainy and I got out on the doorsteps on the hotel. It was bustling with activity for the doormen and valets were all trying to get cabs for the guests who were patiently waiting at the glass door. I have been running to quite a few hotels recently and this wasn't done at those hotels anymore. It was nice to see some things like this still done.
The doorman who opened the door for me greeted me with a very nice "good evening". I was ah hour early for my appointment so I decided to loiter about in the hotel. Every staff greeted me. When I was in the lift alone and 3 of them entered, all three smiled and one said hello even. When I got out of the lift the staff outside, held the door for me and greeted me as well. While I was being a busybody around the swimming pool and entertained myself taking pictures, the staff greeted me and waited till I was done before coming up to offer extra information about the venue.
When I met up with the catering manager later, she immediately offered me a drink from their cafe when we sat down. That was a first which I certainly didn't experience in other hotels. She also patiently answered all the questions, even those which I vaguely remember asking before. She was also very flexible with some details agreed to change some things for me.
The place looks nice and pretty posh. I like the interior decor pretty much. The arrangement for the wedding solemnisation to be held by the pool then the lunch to be served in the function rooms next to the pool is a very good idea. I viewed the rooms which I was quite satisfied with. But they are going at $300 per night. ($1080 for F1 nights)
To be honest, I haven't tried the food yet. But the overall atmosphere of the place was very warm and made one feel at home. I guess the only reason why I haven't given it a 5-star is the hefty price tag. I'll update when I've tasted the food. ;)
Rating given:
Vien Thai, it doesn't get clearer then this i suppose. Vietnam and Thailand cuisine together in the same restaurant. For the love of me, i have no idea what differentiates normal cuisine from Vietnamese cuisine, all i know is the Thai cuisine are generally a combination of sweet, sour and spicy all in one. The location of this place isn't much to shout about either.
Crispy Beancurd - Forgive me if i seem to be simply belching out names on this post. It just so happened that all information i had of this place has been lost. Still not going to stop me from writing a post however. The beancurd skin was very thick and hard while the beancurd itself lack much taste. The only saving grace turned out to be the sweet and sour Thai garnishing and sauce that made it at least palatable. Overall, save yourself the trouble on this dish.
Clear Tom Yam Seafood Soup - The Tom Yam soup was barely passable. Not in the least spicy but not the least bit lacking in the sour department. The ingredients were generous as you can see but i wouldn't recommend trying it as well.
Vietnamese Beef Vermicelli - The only item that brought a refreshing taste. A little sour, a little spicy and very fresh. The beef turned out a little too tough for my liking. The vermicelli when mixed with everything ended up tasting significantly pleasant and refreshing. Thats not saying alot however, because the material for comparison are sub par items.
Simple and overly pricey sums up the experience and offerings here. For some reason, i couldn't taste much difference between what is offered here and similar offerings elsewhere. It could have been better of course. Much better.
Rating given:
I believe the place needs no introduction. Its already the third time i've visited this place so basically its just a different location with a different crew. Does it uphold the tradition though?
Well, what can i say? The balcony seats overlook the river with all its hustle and bustles going on below it. Low buildings and little tourist boats cramp the location, giving it an otherworldly feeling that is very relaxing. Service wise, i did get the impression that the people there didn't really want to be there however.
Burning Action - Some people call it showy, others say unnecessary, but i still find the whole process very interesting however. And most importantly, it gives the rice and prawn a wonderfully fragrant and interesting taste.
Soup of the day ($3.90) - Since its already the third time i'm having everything (fourth actually), i'll leave you to check out the older posts for comments on the soup. Nothing much has changed on that front.
Garlic Lemon Mussel ($8.90) - The bread and mussels are supposed to go well with each other and to the better of the experience, they do. The white sauce that the mussels were swimming in is the same as the sauce that comes with the mushrooms below and the oysters after. According to my dear friend, Andrew, the sauce is the best thing about the restaurant. I'm inclined to agree on that since it does add to the taste quite a bit. However, i must say the mussels are not one of the better items here and i would advice against having it.
Fried Country Mushrooms ($9.90) - I've had these mushrooms as many times as i've come to this restaurant. It is definitely one of the better things to have and still one i can heartily recommend.
Deep Fried Oysters ($11.90) - Essentially, this is the same cooking method as the mushrooms above. And sad to say, it tastes the same as well. The oysters themselves were reasonably fresh and sweet but i prefer the mushrooms as they are healthier.
Fisherman's Platter ($36.90) - We asked to switch one of the side items for the flaming prawns so the final deal we had consists of calamari, chips, mushrooms, prawns and fish. The best thing about this? It fed 4 people to the brim. The downside, health issues abound if you take this for protracted periods of time. The rice when added with sauce is still the best thing for me, personally of course. Everything else is as it should be, meaning its good but not necessarily impression making since i've had it this many times. Overall, this platter is good for big eaters and up to 3 people.
Tiramisu ($5) - The waiter heartily told us that we qualified for a $5 dessert special which we took without much thought. Tiramisu is a dessert that has been done to death and their rendition is interesting. Cocoa powder adorns the top while a small layer of cake fills the bottom. Cream and rum filled the rest. Its overwhelming actually and somehow, i didn't like it too much in the end. Not recommended.
The bill turned out to be $98 for 4 people. Lots of food and a full tummy later, reflection on the process doesn't bring much to mind since i paid for it in full. My treat to my friends and i'm happy for giving.
They say "too much of a good thing makes it bad". Well, in this case, its starting to sound pretty true. I've heard much about the branch in Central and somehow, there are parts that are true and some parts which are not. I found the normal service staff helpful and generally good but the supervisor level however, disappointed me when i asked what the sauce was. Maybe its a trade secret but repeating the same rubbish when i asked twice isn't my idea of good service. Food is simple and non elegant but gets the job done. All said, the mushrooms are still something i would pine for. If you have not had it before, it warrants a try at the least.
Rating given:
This is my second visit to Fish & Co, the first time being at the Glass house, on this occasion (quite some time ago) we went to the branch at Paragon. Fish & Co has grow from strength to strength since it started with their first store at Plaza Singapura in 1998, bring forward ten years and now they have 13 branches island-wide.
I believe most people know more or less about Fish & Co, so i shall skip the usual long-winded introduction and jump right into the food.
Swordfish Collar ($14.90)
Chunky & juicy swordfish collar, fried & served with spicy mango vinaigrette. Given that Fish & Co specialise in fish & seafood, they got quite a list to choose from, so i thought i’ll get something special. Now now, how often do you see restaurants serve swordfish as a main course? Never or seldom right? Thats the idea!
Our first impression of the swordfish when the waitress served us the food, o-boy, the fish is huge! Seriously, there are three collar of swordfish, and its suppose to serve one person? Order this and share with your partner.
Fish & Chips ($13.90)
The Fish & Co classic! Fried, topped with lemon butter sauce & served with chips. The lemon butter sauce is the life & soul of the fish, it added an extra dimension to the fish. But given the price is more or less as the other fishes, i rather try different type of fishes. But my mate wanted the safe option, so they had 2 of this.
Seafood Platter for 1 ($19.90)
Platter of Seasonal fish, calamari & king prawn. Many people should have tried this one before i guess, the standard fish, calamari & the chips. Nothing new there, what i like it the rice from fish & co.
Seafood Platter for 2 ($35.90)
You must be wondering why did we order the Seafood platter for 1, and then order another seafood platter for 2 right? Pardon me, but i didn’t know what were we thinking, we sort of over-ordered! Hahaha!
Nevertheless, Seafood platter for 2 is definitely more worth it than the platter for 1. Lets do some simple math, platter for 1 cost $19.90, so if you times by 2 it will come up to $40 right? But platter for 2 only cost $35.90, furthermore there is the addition of scallops which the platter for 1 didn’t have. Well, unless you are a small-eater, or eating alone, or refuses to eat scallop, Seafood platter is the choice.
Total bill for the 5 of us adds up to $122.90. Usually Fish & Co is relatively affordable, but i think in this instant we over-ordered, hence the bill seems a little expensive. But i think i won’t be going back to Fish & Co in just a while, having been there twice, what must try have been tried. There are more alternatives out there with the same price range. So don’t expect to see Fish & Co III unless somebody is giving me a treat. Like what i mentioned in the previous visit, there are other options if u really want to eat fish & co type of food, Manhattan Fish Market isn’t too bad, Hooked! provides many variety of fish, New York New York has some nice seafood platters around also, and Greenwood Fish Market is my favourite.
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“ I eat faster than i blog ”
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Hanabi has a few other outlets in Bukit Timah and North Bridge Road.... this would be its new addition. I haven't been to the other outlets though my companions have. They have Japanese Buffet in ala carte style which was what brought us to the place during the CNY season. There were 5 adults and 2 kids and we managed to get a table despite not calling ahead. It was really crowded, being a weekend evening and during the festive season. Buffet prices for weekend dinner was about $30(adult) I believe.
Service was good, considering how busy they were. They topped up our tea and water regularly and tried to clear the plates whenever they could. Food was served relatively fast and orders were not forgotten.
However I've had better Japanese Buffets where the food is fresher and tastier. The menu which the food is listed on could be improved on as it is a little disorganised. The variety of food varies from outlet to outlet, according to my companions, who were a little upset that certain sashimi wasn't served in this outlet.
But I do think that a re-visit is possible... when I'm not with fussy people and there's nothing much else in the area to try.
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