Kha is a modern Thai restaurant located in Hort Park. The setting is quite interesting, although I would only recommend the outdoor tables on next to the main entrance.
My full review can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2008/09/kha-modern-thai.html
The menu is actually quite traditional as in any other Thai restaurant, except the "Chef's recommendations" menu, which has a collection of more inventive dishes. Please refer to their website for more information: http://www.kha.sg/
Apologies for the pathetic pictures, but this was a dinner and the ambient light was so dim that producing appetising photos would have been a real challenge.
We were served a complimentary starter of rice crackers with a curry sauce for dipping.
As a starter, we chose 'hor muk salmon', described as spicy grilled salmon souffle on lemongrass with pomelo salad and red curry dressing. Although the description sounded quite 'modern', the dish tasted quite authentically Thai. The salmon souffle' was actually a typical salmon fishcake accompanied by a nice foamy sauce.
The second starter was a salad called 'yam nua wagyu' and described as rare grilled red curry rubbed Wagyu beef, papaya salad, yogurt and chili jam. This also tasted quite typically That, with the exception of the Wagyu beef that didn't taste like Wagyu at all. The beef was of average quality and it was nothing like Wagyu beef and didn't look it either. If you forget about the 'Wagyu' bit, then you can probably start appreciating this dish.
The 'pla salmon yang', a grilled salmon fillet served on green mango, ginger, Thai herb salad with citrus oyster sauce dressing was an enticing combination, but a rather disappointing find. On the positive side, the salmon was only lightly seared. Being a sashimi appreciator as I am I can only be pleasantly surprised by that, but I can also imagine lots of un-entertained faces biting into what they expect to be a cooked salmon fillet to actually feel a thick chunk of raw meat as they start chewing. Writing 'seared' on the description might help. There was nothing wrong with the way the dish was cooked, but it just didn't work. Perhaps a different fish would have made this a successful combination, but salmon really didn't work with that set of ingredients.
Finally we had the 'nua moun' - a beef tenderloin wrapped around enoki mushrooms with seasonal vegetables, spicy sour tomato puree' and green leaves. This dish was OK, the beef being not particularly tender, but well marinated into its Thai tasting sauce.
The dessert selection was not incredibly inviting as in any Thai restaurants. I had the 'sung kaya fuk thong', a coconut mousse with poached pumpkin in jasmine syrup. I wasn't particularly impressed by what was actually not a mousse but a coconut pannacotta topped with coconut meat and garnished with caramelised strips of pumpkin.
Overall, I was highly unimpressed by Kha for a number of reasons. Starting from the environment, which looked pretty impressive on picture, while in reality it didn't meet my expectations. The outdoor terrace at the back where I was first seated was very noisy and right next to the roadside, so I asked to be moved inside. The service was rather poor for a restaurant at this price range. There was a continuous storming of waiters coming in and out of the restaurant to serve the outdoor tables. The fact that a couple of waiters kept rushing through the door to suddenly come to a halt only 1 meter next to our table and stand right there in order to take their order using their portable palmtop became rather disturbing after a while, to the extent that I had to communicate it to the manager. After my complaint, the waiters were redirected to the counter in order to complete their orders. My guess is that their palmtops have a very short reception and the waiters are unable to use them outside, so they have to rush into the restaurant and stop as soon as they get reception. Not very well thought, and they'd better sort it out fast considering that they will be losing customers because of this.
The fact that the dishes weren't accurately described in order to make them sound 'fine dining': a salmon mousse that is actually a fishcake, a coconut mousse that is a pannacotta, a salmon steak that is a raw seared chunk of salmon, a 'Wagyu' beef that is a normal slice of beef. The restaurant is overpriced and it does not deliver the right level of ambiance, service and food to justify the bill.
It's not too often that I walk upset out of a restaurant in Singapore. But it definitely happens more often on my attempts to visit Italian restaurants. Perhaps because, being Italian, I know what the real thing should taste like, and it particularly irritates me when I get charged fine dining prices for food that can barely be categorized as home cooked food. Unfortunately, Bonta is one of those places. My full review can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2008/09/bonta-but-not-quite.html
Having read advertisements raving about the multi-awarded head chef, I naively hoped their food would match the expectations set by the advertising campaign. Well... it doesn't, and it's not even close.
I started getting suspicious as I went through their vast menu. I could count about 11 starters, 11 pastas/risottos, 10 mains and 6 desserts. It would be rather challenging for a fine dining restaurant to successfully maintain an appropriate level of quality with so many dishes on their menu.
We were first served what was announced by the waiter as their 'renowned bread'. It was a warm load of bread served in a cup, enclosing a rich combination of Feta cheese, nuts and other ingredients. Not bad, but not particularly Italian either. Overall, I would say that this 'freebie' was their most successful dish.
As a starter we ordered 'oven baked Australian scallops' ($24). They came with their shell, topped with spinach and a 'black olive hollandaise sauce'. On top of it all, an extra bit of greenery. I am not entirely sure what's Italian about this dish, but I would be happy to forgive the 'fine dining' creativeness if it was well done. Unfortunately, the combination of oven baked scallops with hollandaise sauce, spinach and watercress doesn't quite work. Scallops are a subtle delicacy. Keep it simple.
The other starter also came topped with the same greenery, which seems to be particularly fashionable at this restaurant, as much as the 'basil oil' which surrounds every dish. The 'Sicilian swordfish carpaccio' ($29) couldn't have been worse. The delicate texture of thin slices of swordfish were raped by the presence of a salad right on top. And we are talking a real salad, with full-sized slices of tomato...
Now the pastas, what every respectable Italian chef gets a chance to prove himself with. The 'spaghettini with tiger prawns, cod, sun dried tomatoes and bottarga' ($30) were topped by our favourite topping: watercress. Traces of bottarga could be spotted if you looked hard enough. Overall there was nothing particularly wrong with this pasta, but it wasn't exciting either. Just an average, rather oily pasta, which you would have in a normal 'pizzeria' (please note, not restaurant) if you were in Italy.
The same can be said about the 'homemade basil infuse angel hair with crab meat, chives and salmon roe in white wine sauce' ($29). Once again, topped by the usual magic touch of watercress and surrounded by oil and chopped basil. Flavours weren't quite as distinct and sharp as they should, and the whole thing had a rather creamy texture.
We didn't order the desserts, as we thought we could save ourselves further disappointment and unnecessary bleeding of cash. The bill came up to $170 including 2 cocktails and a bottle of water. I am happy to spend such money for food that's worth it. Unfortunately Bonta is not the kind of place that makes me proud of being Italian. Take a look at their website: http://www.bonta.com.sg/. They sell Bonta as a fine dining restaurant. This is simply unacceptable, when obvious shortcuts are taken when it comes to produce, preparation and presentation.
The service was friendly and efficient, while ambiance rather spooky and uncomfortable, probably due to the unsettling lighting.
Next time, should I be around the area and crave for Italian, I will go to Cugini. Only a few steps away, I can have the best Italian food I have had in Singapore to date, and for a more reasonable price.
Who doesn't know what chicken rice is. Well, that's what soup restaurant is all about, together with their herbal soups. This is a well known chain of restaurants, with branches all over Singapore. I find that the Seah-street branch has more character. Located within a shop house, it offers that 'old school' environment which perfectly matches their cooking style. My full review can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2008/10/soup-restaurant-seah-street.html
Their philosophy is to serve 'Chinatown heritage cuisine', prepared in a traditional way. The Samsui chicken is their signature dish, and their menu narrates the full story of this truly Singaporean dish for those who haven't heard it before.
The steamed peanut snack ($4) is served as you sit at your table, but it's not complimentary. It's very well done, fragrant and soft.
A 'Samsui Ginger Chicken' portion for 4 people costs $26.80. Two layers of juicy, thick chicken chunks are arranged circularly around a large plate with the sauce served in the middle. This dish is not cheap when you consider that you can have chicken rice for a few dollars elsewhere in Singapore, but in my opinion the price is fully justified. The sauce, made from grated ginger and sesame oil, enhances the succulence of the chicken without obfuscating its flavour. You will find yourself dipping those generous chunks of chicken deeper and deeper into this addictive sauce. Lettuce is served on the side, so that you can wrap your seasoned chunks of chicken as you would do at a korean barbecue.
This beautiful 'Teochew olive rice' ($5.80) is a great substitute for your regular chicken rice. Although I disagree with the theory, every health conscious Singaporean will avoid chicken rice as it's notorious for being high in cholesterol. Olive rice doesn't feel oily, it has a very fragrant aroma, it looks beautiful and healthy and it tastes without covering other flavours (like a fried rice would do). It's the perfect combination to enhance your Samsui chicken experience.
The 'steamed San Yu fish slice' ($10.80) has a typical local flavour. Steamed fish slices, served on a bed of soy based sauce and topped with shredded spring onions and chilly. Although I like this dish, it's not what I would go to Soup restaurant for. I have tasted very similar versions of this dish at various other places around Singapore.
There is only one problem with Soup restaurant: that your neighborhood chicken rice stall will no longer taste the same.
Au Petit Salut is a chain of two French restaurants, one located at Holland Village and one at Harding Road (Dempsey Road). They have also a 'private dining' restaurant on top of the Harding Road branch for a private dining experience facing the Chef. My full review can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2008/11/au-petit-salut-set-lunch.html
My lunch was at the Harding Road branch, which has a relaxed and bright 'al fresco' atmosphere. There is also an indoor dining area, with wide glass windows looking onto the surrounding patio.
There are two lunch menus, one 'executive' menu priced at $58 , and a regular menu priced at $30, which is the one we chose. The menu includes a starter, main, dessert and coffee or tea. Ice water is offered at the end of the meal.
I started with a 'Homemade duck rillette with mesclun salad and walnut dressing', which tasted like tuna-like textured flaky lean meat. Slightly on the salty side, but that's how it's supposed to be.
The 'Quail salad with Romaine lettuce, yogurt and cucumber dressing, croutons' consisted in a lightly seasoned and tender half quail laid on top of a typical Caesar-like salad. The quail was simple but nice, while the salad was a bit boring.
My main was a 'Braised beef cheeks Hungarian “Goulash-style’’, polenta and carrots'. I found this polenta style very interesting and gnummy. It is rather different from the traditional Italian style I am used to. In comparison, this is creamier and fluffier, probably smoothened by some dairy ingredients. The beef cheek was quite lean and tender with a clear and rich flavour enhanced by its red wine sauce.
The other main was a 'Oven baked sea bass fillet with fresh mixed vegetables, light herb butter emulsion'. The sea bass was superbly cooked, with a crispy surface sealing the subtle flavour of its juicy and firm meat. The foamy butter emulsion added that extra richness to the dish, while the bed of carrots and fennel slightly lacked of a distinguished flavour.
The 'Crème Brulée infused with fresh Madagascar vanilla beans ' is a classic French dessert, served in a very classic version. It was well prepared, with a visible quantity of flavoursome vanilla beans and a thin and crispy surface. The smooth flavour had quite a distinct bitter aftertaste, probably due to the caramelised surface.
I was very excited about this dessert. The '“Mont-Blanc” vanilla ice cream, chestnut purée and meringue' was absolutely phenomenal. I must warn you that this dessert is not very sweet, so in order to appreciate it, you must be someone who likes mildly sweetened desserts. I had Mont-Blanc before, and it was always extremely sweet and heavy. The intriguing thing about this version is that it's not purely a mountain of chestnut puree'. They have filled it with ice cream and topped it with whipped cream and chestnuts crumble, and more chestnuts and meringue chunks at the bottom, creating a well balanced harmony of textures.
If you like 'home style' French cuisine rather than 'Nouvelle Cuisine', Au Petit Salut is the place for you. Even if the lunch menu isn't breathtaking , it is certainly a quality meal that's excellent value for money. The bill came to a total of $70 for 2 people, including a bottle of water and charges. Au Petit Salut provides a relaxed ambiance in a superbly quiet and natural setting, accompanied by very friendly and attentive service and classic, simple and well prepared food.
ladyironchefsaid: dude glad to see you posting here too. eh remember dont post more than 7 reviews a day, otherwise there won't be any yebber dollar for the additional reviews. lol! 08 Apr 2009 at 9:42 am
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Chiharu is a new Japanese restaurant opened by Mr. Loh (who recently opened Braise, a stunning French restaurant located in Sentosa also reviewed on this blog). Given his impeccable track record I was particularly eager to try his new restaurant, and even more so this time as Japanese food is what I am into.
My full review can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2008/11/chiharu.html
Chiharu is located on Bukit Timah road, next to 6th avenue. The dining room is spacious, with double height ceilings and an elevated dining area, an exposed wine cellar, a bar and a sushi counter. Soft lighting and a simple and dark decor based on wood, glass and metal create the feeling of a traditional style Japanese restaurant.
The kitchen is supervised by the ex chef of Shiro, a reputable and exclusive Japanese restaurant that closed some time ago.
After taking a look at the menu, it became obvious that their food style is plain traditional. Dishes are subdivided into the main Japanese cooking techniques (agemono, nimono, yakimono, ...) and include a fairly large variety of Japanese classics.
We started with a selection of Nigiri sushi: Shima Aji ($12), Kampachi ($10), Ika ($8), Uni ($20). Rice and fish were of good quality and well assembled. I particularly like their style of ika nigiri, as they slightly roasted the surface of the squid slice. The only negative note is the sushi soy sauce plates, which were so deep (like mini cups) that dipping your nigiri into the sauce is a real challenge (if you follow the proper protocol). I appreciate design, but it needs to be functional.
The Gyu Tataki ($45) was quite nice, if it wasn't for its price. The quantity is ridiculously small and the wagyu beef is not the best I had (I would doubt that it's actually from Japan). A dish of this size and quality would be more adequately priced at $25 at most.
The Tara Teriyaki ($15, grilled cod with teriyaki sauce) was reasonably priced and very well prepared. The fish was extremely firm, moist and perfectly flavoured. The accompanying pickles were also a nice classic touch.
The claypot dish Nasu Yanagawa ($15, aubergines in claypot with eggs) was mild but tasty. They used proper Japanese aubergines, thinly sliced to fully absorb the flavour of the broth, mixed with simmered scrambled eggs and burdock root.
The Renkon Hasami Age ($15, lotus root deep fried and stuffed with chicken mince) was well presented, served with a couple of tasty green chillies and salt on the side. The lotus root retained its crunchiness and juices, while the coating was thin and crispy. This dish is not so commonly found in Singapore (it used to be served at Shiro) and it was an interesting find.
The Kaki and azuki Yokkan was a seasonal fruit serving of excellent Japanese persimmon. The fruit was crunchy, ripe and sweet, accompanied by a couple of cubes of red bean paste, very recommended with green tea.
The most interesting dish was the Kuri Yokkan ($8), which was actually a crunchy version of the japanese tea dessert classic. Filled with bits of juicy water chestnut rather than the more rich and filling classic autumn chestnuts, it was a light and cooling way to end the meal.
The total bill including tax and service charge was $180 for 2 people (including a diet coke and green tea). It isn't cheap, but it's the sort of price you would expect for this quality of food considering that the wagyu beef alone was $45 dollars. Another consideration is their service, which needs substantial improvement when related to this price range.
Taking into account that they have opened only 2 weeks ago, I think Chiharu delivers an overall nice experience, although I expected slightly more originality in their dish selection. There was very little on the menu that was unique both in terms of products and seasonal dishes. They have experienced chefs and the potential to innovate and distinguish themselves, but I am yet to see that spark in Chiharu.
1=SGD 0.0587
My full review can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2008/09/kha-modern-thai.html
The menu is actually quite traditional as in any other Thai restaurant, except the "Chef's recommendations" menu, which has a collection of more inventive dishes. Please refer to their website for more information: http://www.kha.sg/
Apologies for the pathetic pictures, but this was a dinner and the ambient light was so dim that producing appetising photos would have been a real challenge.
We were served a complimentary starter of rice crackers with a curry sauce for dipping.
As a starter, we chose 'hor muk salmon', described as spicy grilled salmon souffle on lemongrass with pomelo salad and red curry dressing. Although the description sounded quite 'modern', the dish tasted quite authentically Thai. The salmon souffle' was actually a typical salmon fishcake accompanied by a nice foamy sauce.
The second starter was a salad called 'yam nua wagyu' and described as rare grilled red curry rubbed Wagyu beef, papaya salad, yogurt and chili jam. This also tasted quite typically That, with the exception of the Wagyu beef that didn't taste like Wagyu at all. The beef was of average quality and it was nothing like Wagyu beef and didn't look it either. If you forget about the 'Wagyu' bit, then you can probably start appreciating this dish.
The 'pla salmon yang', a grilled salmon fillet served on green mango, ginger, Thai herb salad with citrus oyster sauce dressing was an enticing combination, but a rather disappointing find. On the positive side, the salmon was only lightly seared. Being a sashimi appreciator as I am I can only be pleasantly surprised by that, but I can also imagine lots of un-entertained faces biting into what they expect to be a cooked salmon fillet to actually feel a thick chunk of raw meat as they start chewing. Writing 'seared' on the description might help. There was nothing wrong with the way the dish was cooked, but it just didn't work. Perhaps a different fish would have made this a successful combination, but salmon really didn't work with that set of ingredients.
Finally we had the 'nua moun' - a beef tenderloin wrapped around enoki mushrooms with seasonal vegetables, spicy sour tomato puree' and green leaves. This dish was OK, the beef being not particularly tender, but well marinated into its Thai tasting sauce.
The dessert selection was not incredibly inviting as in any Thai restaurants. I had the 'sung kaya fuk thong', a coconut mousse with poached pumpkin in jasmine syrup. I wasn't particularly impressed by what was actually not a mousse but a coconut pannacotta topped with coconut meat and garnished with caramelised strips of pumpkin.
Overall, I was highly unimpressed by Kha for a number of reasons. Starting from the environment, which looked pretty impressive on picture, while in reality it didn't meet my expectations. The outdoor terrace at the back where I was first seated was very noisy and right next to the roadside, so I asked to be moved inside. The service was rather poor for a restaurant at this price range. There was a continuous storming of waiters coming in and out of the restaurant to serve the outdoor tables. The fact that a couple of waiters kept rushing through the door to suddenly come to a halt only 1 meter next to our table and stand right there in order to take their order using their portable palmtop became rather disturbing after a while, to the extent that I had to communicate it to the manager. After my complaint, the waiters were redirected to the counter in order to complete their orders. My guess is that their palmtops have a very short reception and the waiters are unable to use them outside, so they have to rush into the restaurant and stop as soon as they get reception. Not very well thought, and they'd better sort it out fast considering that they will be losing customers because of this.
The fact that the dishes weren't accurately described in order to make them sound 'fine dining': a salmon mousse that is actually a fishcake, a coconut mousse that is a pannacotta, a salmon steak that is a raw seared chunk of salmon, a 'Wagyu' beef that is a normal slice of beef. The restaurant is overpriced and it does not deliver the right level of ambiance, service and food to justify the bill.
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Having read advertisements raving about the multi-awarded head chef, I naively hoped their food would match the expectations set by the advertising campaign. Well... it doesn't, and it's not even close.
I started getting suspicious as I went through their vast menu. I could count about 11 starters, 11 pastas/risottos, 10 mains and 6 desserts. It would be rather challenging for a fine dining restaurant to successfully maintain an appropriate level of quality with so many dishes on their menu.
We were first served what was announced by the waiter as their 'renowned bread'. It was a warm load of bread served in a cup, enclosing a rich combination of Feta cheese, nuts and other ingredients. Not bad, but not particularly Italian either. Overall, I would say that this 'freebie' was their most successful dish.
As a starter we ordered 'oven baked Australian scallops' ($24). They came with their shell, topped with spinach and a 'black olive hollandaise sauce'. On top of it all, an extra bit of greenery. I am not entirely sure what's Italian about this dish, but I would be happy to forgive the 'fine dining' creativeness if it was well done. Unfortunately, the combination of oven baked scallops with hollandaise sauce, spinach and watercress doesn't quite work. Scallops are a subtle delicacy. Keep it simple.
The other starter also came topped with the same greenery, which seems to be particularly fashionable at this restaurant, as much as the 'basil oil' which surrounds every dish. The 'Sicilian swordfish carpaccio' ($29) couldn't have been worse. The delicate texture of thin slices of swordfish were raped by the presence of a salad right on top. And we are talking a real salad, with full-sized slices of tomato...
Now the pastas, what every respectable Italian chef gets a chance to prove himself with. The 'spaghettini with tiger prawns, cod, sun dried tomatoes and bottarga' ($30) were topped by our favourite topping: watercress. Traces of bottarga could be spotted if you looked hard enough. Overall there was nothing particularly wrong with this pasta, but it wasn't exciting either. Just an average, rather oily pasta, which you would have in a normal 'pizzeria' (please note, not restaurant) if you were in Italy.
The same can be said about the 'homemade basil infuse angel hair with crab meat, chives and salmon roe in white wine sauce' ($29). Once again, topped by the usual magic touch of watercress and surrounded by oil and chopped basil. Flavours weren't quite as distinct and sharp as they should, and the whole thing had a rather creamy texture.
We didn't order the desserts, as we thought we could save ourselves further disappointment and unnecessary bleeding of cash. The bill came up to $170 including 2 cocktails and a bottle of water. I am happy to spend such money for food that's worth it. Unfortunately Bonta is not the kind of place that makes me proud of being Italian. Take a look at their website: http://www.bonta.com.sg/. They sell Bonta as a fine dining restaurant. This is simply unacceptable, when obvious shortcuts are taken when it comes to produce, preparation and presentation.
The service was friendly and efficient, while ambiance rather spooky and uncomfortable, probably due to the unsettling lighting.
Next time, should I be around the area and crave for Italian, I will go to Cugini. Only a few steps away, I can have the best Italian food I have had in Singapore to date, and for a more reasonable price.
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Their philosophy is to serve 'Chinatown heritage cuisine', prepared in a traditional way. The Samsui chicken is their signature dish, and their menu narrates the full story of this truly Singaporean dish for those who haven't heard it before.
The steamed peanut snack ($4) is served as you sit at your table, but it's not complimentary. It's very well done, fragrant and soft.
A 'Samsui Ginger Chicken' portion for 4 people costs $26.80. Two layers of juicy, thick chicken chunks are arranged circularly around a large plate with the sauce served in the middle. This dish is not cheap when you consider that you can have chicken rice for a few dollars elsewhere in Singapore, but in my opinion the price is fully justified. The sauce, made from grated ginger and sesame oil, enhances the succulence of the chicken without obfuscating its flavour. You will find yourself dipping those generous chunks of chicken deeper and deeper into this addictive sauce. Lettuce is served on the side, so that you can wrap your seasoned chunks of chicken as you would do at a korean barbecue.
This beautiful 'Teochew olive rice' ($5.80) is a great substitute for your regular chicken rice. Although I disagree with the theory, every health conscious Singaporean will avoid chicken rice as it's notorious for being high in cholesterol. Olive rice doesn't feel oily, it has a very fragrant aroma, it looks beautiful and healthy and it tastes without covering other flavours (like a fried rice would do). It's the perfect combination to enhance your Samsui chicken experience.
The 'steamed San Yu fish slice' ($10.80) has a typical local flavour. Steamed fish slices, served on a bed of soy based sauce and topped with shredded spring onions and chilly. Although I like this dish, it's not what I would go to Soup restaurant for. I have tasted very similar versions of this dish at various other places around Singapore.
There is only one problem with Soup restaurant: that your neighborhood chicken rice stall will no longer taste the same.
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My lunch was at the Harding Road branch, which has a relaxed and bright 'al fresco' atmosphere. There is also an indoor dining area, with wide glass windows looking onto the surrounding patio.
There are two lunch menus, one 'executive' menu priced at $58 , and a regular menu priced at $30, which is the one we chose. The menu includes a starter, main, dessert and coffee or tea. Ice water is offered at the end of the meal.
I started with a 'Homemade duck rillette with mesclun salad and walnut dressing', which tasted like tuna-like textured flaky lean meat. Slightly on the salty side, but that's how it's supposed to be.
The 'Quail salad with Romaine lettuce, yogurt and cucumber dressing, croutons' consisted in a lightly seasoned and tender half quail laid on top of a typical Caesar-like salad. The quail was simple but nice, while the salad was a bit boring.
My main was a 'Braised beef cheeks Hungarian “Goulash-style’’, polenta and carrots'. I found this polenta style very interesting and gnummy. It is rather different from the traditional Italian style I am used to. In comparison, this is creamier and fluffier, probably smoothened by some dairy ingredients. The beef cheek was quite lean and tender with a clear and rich flavour enhanced by its red wine sauce.
The other main was a 'Oven baked sea bass fillet with fresh mixed vegetables, light herb butter emulsion'. The sea bass was superbly cooked, with a crispy surface sealing the subtle flavour of its juicy and firm meat. The foamy butter emulsion added that extra richness to the dish, while the bed of carrots and fennel slightly lacked of a distinguished flavour.
The 'Crème Brulée infused with fresh Madagascar vanilla beans ' is a classic French dessert, served in a very classic version. It was well prepared, with a visible quantity of flavoursome vanilla beans and a thin and crispy surface. The smooth flavour had quite a distinct bitter aftertaste, probably due to the caramelised surface.
I was very excited about this dessert. The '“Mont-Blanc” vanilla ice cream, chestnut purée and meringue' was absolutely phenomenal. I must warn you that this dessert is not very sweet, so in order to appreciate it, you must be someone who likes mildly sweetened desserts. I had Mont-Blanc before, and it was always extremely sweet and heavy. The intriguing thing about this version is that it's not purely a mountain of chestnut puree'. They have filled it with ice cream and topped it with whipped cream and chestnuts crumble, and more chestnuts and meringue chunks at the bottom, creating a well balanced harmony of textures.
If you like 'home style' French cuisine rather than 'Nouvelle Cuisine', Au Petit Salut is the place for you. Even if the lunch menu isn't breathtaking , it is certainly a quality meal that's excellent value for money. The bill came to a total of $70 for 2 people, including a bottle of water and charges. Au Petit Salut provides a relaxed ambiance in a superbly quiet and natural setting, accompanied by very friendly and attentive service and classic, simple and well prepared food.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!dude glad to see you posting here too. eh remember dont post more than 7 reviews a day, otherwise there won't be any yebber dollar for the additional reviews. lol!
08 Apr 2009 at 9:42 am
My full review can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2008/11/chiharu.html
Chiharu is located on Bukit Timah road, next to 6th avenue. The dining room is spacious, with double height ceilings and an elevated dining area, an exposed wine cellar, a bar and a sushi counter. Soft lighting and a simple and dark decor based on wood, glass and metal create the feeling of a traditional style Japanese restaurant.
The kitchen is supervised by the ex chef of Shiro, a reputable and exclusive Japanese restaurant that closed some time ago.
After taking a look at the menu, it became obvious that their food style is plain traditional. Dishes are subdivided into the main Japanese cooking techniques (agemono, nimono, yakimono, ...) and include a fairly large variety of Japanese classics.
We started with a selection of Nigiri sushi: Shima Aji ($12), Kampachi ($10), Ika ($8), Uni ($20). Rice and fish were of good quality and well assembled. I particularly like their style of ika nigiri, as they slightly roasted the surface of the squid slice. The only negative note is the sushi soy sauce plates, which were so deep (like mini cups) that dipping your nigiri into the sauce is a real challenge (if you follow the proper protocol). I appreciate design, but it needs to be functional.
The Gyu Tataki ($45) was quite nice, if it wasn't for its price. The quantity is ridiculously small and the wagyu beef is not the best I had (I would doubt that it's actually from Japan). A dish of this size and quality would be more adequately priced at $25 at most.
The Tara Teriyaki ($15, grilled cod with teriyaki sauce) was reasonably priced and very well prepared. The fish was extremely firm, moist and perfectly flavoured. The accompanying pickles were also a nice classic touch.
The claypot dish Nasu Yanagawa ($15, aubergines in claypot with eggs) was mild but tasty. They used proper Japanese aubergines, thinly sliced to fully absorb the flavour of the broth, mixed with simmered scrambled eggs and burdock root.
The Renkon Hasami Age ($15, lotus root deep fried and stuffed with chicken mince) was well presented, served with a couple of tasty green chillies and salt on the side. The lotus root retained its crunchiness and juices, while the coating was thin and crispy. This dish is not so commonly found in Singapore (it used to be served at Shiro) and it was an interesting find.
The Kaki and azuki Yokkan was a seasonal fruit serving of excellent Japanese persimmon. The fruit was crunchy, ripe and sweet, accompanied by a couple of cubes of red bean paste, very recommended with green tea.
The most interesting dish was the Kuri Yokkan ($8), which was actually a crunchy version of the japanese tea dessert classic. Filled with bits of juicy water chestnut rather than the more rich and filling classic autumn chestnuts, it was a light and cooling way to end the meal.
The total bill including tax and service charge was $180 for 2 people (including a diet coke and green tea). It isn't cheap, but it's the sort of price you would expect for this quality of food considering that the wagyu beef alone was $45 dollars. Another consideration is their service, which needs substantial improvement when related to this price range.
Taking into account that they have opened only 2 weeks ago, I think Chiharu delivers an overall nice experience, although I expected slightly more originality in their dish selection. There was very little on the menu that was unique both in terms of products and seasonal dishes. They have experienced chefs and the potential to innovate and distinguish themselves, but I am yet to see that spark in Chiharu.
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