UE Square is in between Mohamed Sultan road, and Robertson quay, together the area’s a conclave for food and beverage alike. Bontá Italian restaurant & Bar is one of them, located within UE square facing Mohamed Sultan. Having seen this place on both my past visits to Sage the restaurant, and Epicurious, I immediately recalled this place when my partner mentioned that they are famed for their complimentary bread.
A quiet affair on a weekday dinner, Bonta had a very beautiful al fresco area, which was definitely welcome if you need some private moments while enjoying the air outside.
f sweating isn’t what you really imagine on your first date out, you can of course enter the cozy and elegant interior of the restaurant. Coupled with the warm lightnings, Bonta does makes a nice place for a romantic dinner. There’s also a private room available just beside the wine cellar.
Complimentary bread The complimentary bread which Bonta’s famous for. We were full of expectations since we heard rave reviews about the bread, and when the bread came, we were not disappointed. Coming in the form of a cup, the bread at Bonta’s baked freshly everyday, and the smell of it was captivating enough.
Usually the idea of a fresh complimentary bread is dry, unappealing to the palates, and the main reason for its existance is to have a bite while waiting for the appetisers to serve. But not this one, the walnut foccacia bread was totally in a different league on its own. It’s crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside, with walnuts, sundride tomatoes, and feta cheese.
Feta cheese, made from goat’s milk, was the chief architect for the aromatic scent. Crumbly and grainy texture could be best used to describe feta cheese, but if you ain’t a cheese person, and didn’t really like the smell of feta cheese, then maybe you wouldn’t appreciate the bread very much.
Lobster tartare ($39) Tomato salsa, olive oil, capers, sicilian olives, rocket leaves, and of course lobster made up the lobster tartare. We ain’t quite sure what exactly made us order the most expensive appetiser on the menu, but since we weren’t very hungry, and wasn’t planning to order a lot, plus my partner didn’t try lobster before, we decided to go for it.
The first form of emotion felt when the lobster tartare arrived, was a rather let-down feeling. Well to be frank, paying almost 40 bucks for such a appetiser did not make economic sense when you could order a main course with the price.
The tomato salsa which formed the top layer of the tartare, was too overpowering and jarring, which almost completely covered the taste of the lobster. So even if the lobster wasn’t fresh, you couldn’t really tell. Lobster meat wise, there wasn’t much of it to be seen and felt.
Basil infused angel hair pasta, with jumbo crab meat ($29) The angel hair pasta was apparently green with basil providing the colour. Chives, white wine sauce, and jumbo crab meat was part of the ingredients which accompanied the pasta. Basil infused angel hair pasta, was definitely a better pairing compared to the tom yam one we had at Absolute Haven,
My partner found the pasta bit soggy, and the lack of sauce which made it too dry for her liking. The jumbo crab meat serving though, was rather generous, with big bits of crab meat. Angel hair still tasted like Chinese rice vermicelli to us. The salmon roe, was quite a good addition apart from the crab meat. Overall there wasn’t anything intriguing about the pasta, just a good and solid version.
Total Bill was $80.04 for one main course and one appetiser for the two of us. We didn’t order a lot because we weren’t feeling very hungry. The walnut foccacia bread was certainly excellent, and one of the better complimentary bread around. The same couldn’t be say for the lobster tartare, which we felt was a rather let down since we expected more from it.
There was a rather unpleasant incident at the beginning because initially I asked permission from the restaurant manager, Mr Karim Benramdane to take photographs of the restaurant, and he agreed with politeness. But after I took some pictures, the executive chef, Mr Luca Pezzera came and asked me to stop taking photographs, citing reasons that they had bad encounters with customers taking photos, and written bad reviews about Bonta, which caused negative publicity for them.
I did agree with him that different people have different taste and preference, so reviews cannot be properly judged the standards of a restaurant. But i felt that if a restaurant is really good, they shouldn’t be afraid to let the customers take photo of their place.
I’ll also like to praise one of the staff, Mr Morning, who was really polite and professional in his work. He greeted us with his friendly smile, and also explained to our enquiries diligently, for that i’ll say there isn’t many restaurant who has professionals like him, and he will go a long way in serving Bonta.
I don’t think that one appetiser and one main course can be used to judge Bonta fairly, since we didn’t have their signature dishes, it will be unfair to make an early judgement on their standards. Therefore, i’ll return for their valued set lunches which at $28, comes with appetiser, main course, dessert and tea.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Royal China @ Raffles exudes the prestige and grandeur as the famous colonial Raffles Hotel. Housed in the 3rd level of the hotel, Royal China definitely strikes out to be a cut-above-the-rest with its impressive name, and location. Having heard rave reviews about Royal China’s dim sum, it was about time that I patronised the restaurant, and boy I was charmed.
I decided to go against the norm this time round, usually i’ll write out my conclusion at the end, but Royal China isn’t any normal restaurant serving run-of-the-mill dim sum. I’ll rate them in the same league as Yan Ting, but definitely cheaper. Given the varsity in prices, I say Royal China certainly serves the best dim sum among the places i tried so far.
You can be forgiven if you think that Royal China comes with some Chinese background since the name China indirectly implied the meaning. In fact, The Royal China group is eminent in London, and the foray into Shanghai was just a recent event. Royal China @ Raffles remains the exclusive restaurant in the whole of South-east Asia.
Stepping into Royal China, the contemporary interior which comes in wave of ocean blue makes it a swanky restaurant. No doubt you wouldn’t believe this was actually a Chinese restaurant, and i must say I enjoyed the ambience as it’s very different from the traditional red and gold setting which you find in Chinese restaurants. The blue and white backdrop ooze a certain calm and tranquil, which made you feel right at home.
Baked Barbecued pork puff ($4 for 3) The baked barbecued pork puff or char siew sou, was definitely the must-order dim sum at Royal China. Within the flaky, crispy pastry skin was the most delicious, sweet and juicy char siew that you could find. I regretted not having second serving of this, the next time round, i’ll have one basket for myself!
The best char siew sou that i tried so far was at Yan Ting, and Royal China’s rendition is certainly on-par with that. The thought of the excellent BBQ pork puff is enough for me to make a perennial return.
Steamed pork dumpling ($4.80 for 4) Making a strong case for Royal China, the steamed pork dumpling, or siew mai was also another staple in the menu. Like most siew mai, the beautiful red roe adorns the top, and how can you not order this when you are having dim sum!
Steamed prawn dumpling ($4.80 for 4) As with most, if not all good steamed prawn dumplings, a whole fresh and luscious prawn shroud within the thin and light skin had the right amount of bite. And at $1.20 each, they are really worth the money, compared with the ones at Peach Garden which are higher in price.
Steamed BBQ pork buns ($3.60 for 3) Like i mentioned before, I love to eat char siew buns from Chinese restaurants because they are usually in three parts which have gaps to tease you with the char siew fillings. And at $1.20 each, I’ll rather have one of these any time over the sub-standard buns elsewhere.
Steamed seafood roll with minced garlic ($4.80 for 2) Coming on the recommendation of the staff, the steamed seafood roll with minced garlic was one of the more expensive dim sum at Royal China. Each basket only serves two person, nevertheless, each serving came in the form of a huge crunchy prawn wrapped around wisp of noodles. An interesting and novelty take.
Carrot cake with preserved meat ($4 for 1) There wasn’t anything fantastic with the carrot cake here, No complications of XO sauce, no carrot cake wannabe cheong fun just a good and reliable portion of the dish which we are all familiar with.
Glutinous rice in lotus leaf ($4.80 for 2) We decided to have just one basket of the Glutinous rice not because it wasn’t good, but rice makes you full easily, and we wanted to keep our stomach for the other delectable dim sum. The rice was enhanced with the fragrant emitted by the lotus leaf.
Royal China Cheong fun ($4.80 for 3 rolls) We had the Royal China Cheong fun, which was a combination of the three different ingredients, namely, prawn, char siew and scallop. You can also get just one of the ingredient in a serving, but since we wanted to try all three, this was a good choice.
The cheong fun rice rolls were silky-smooth, and encompassing within were fresh scallops, crunchy prawns and juicy char siew. I couldn’t quite decide which ingredient was better, but i’m leaning towards the crunchy prawns.
String beans crystal dumpling in chilli oil ($3.6 for 1) This was the only upset from the otherwise perfect meal at Royal China. Coming as a last minute before the last order at 2.45pm (lunch’s from 12-3pm), the staff told us this was special because not many places uses string beans in dim sum. And i agreed, only with the part that you seldom see string beans.
The string bean crystal dumplings had fillings of string beans, and soaked in chilli oil. We did not like the combination, the chilli oil was too spicy and oily. But being the nice people, we didn’t want to waste food, so we took one each and gulped it down.
Deep fried prawn dumpling served with Mayo ($4.80 for 3) Another of the last minute order, the deep fried prawn dumpling fared better than the string bean crystal dumpling. Covered with almonds, the inside was minced prawn. My friend was looking out for the big prawn which was evident in the prawn dumpling, and the seafood roll. But the prawn here was minced nicely and filled in the dumpling instead.
Baked duck meat roll in Portuguese sauce ($4.80 for 3) The baked duck meat roll was also on the recommendations of the staff, it came as a surprise to us when it arrived, looking like meat roll dipped in curry-like colour sauce. In fact, it was Portuguese sauce, now i’m not too sure what exactly was Portuguese sauce, but the flavour was too strong, and overwhelmed the duck meat roll.
But eaten without the Portuguese sauce, the duck meat roll on its roll was actually quite good. The fillings were generous within the roll, pity the Portuguese sauce though.
Total Bill was $95.10 for 5 people. Most of the earlier dim sum that we ordered came in 6 portions because another friend didn’t come in the eleventh minute. I listed out the normal pricing for the standard pieces of dim sum available so as not to confuse you. You could also do it like us, say you have 5 people order 5 pieces instead of getting two basket of 3 each.
Prices are reasonable given the quality of the dim sum. We paid about $19 per person, definitely not expensive, but we didn’t exactly eat a lot, one of each dim sum. I preferred to appreciate each piece of quality dim sum than to gorge myself silly with a lot of sub-standards one.
Dim sum at Royal China was an excellent one, standards are comparable to Yan Ting, yet prices are cheaper than the latter. There are some other dim sum which i haven’t try, and a perennial return looks to be a certainty, and I’ll definitely recommend Royal China if you are looking for good dim sum. The restaurant’s also famous for their lobster noodles, but unless you got deep pockets, i suggest you stick to the dim sum. See you there!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
We had so many tries, that I overlook your existance.
Still, I believe, we should remain separately.
For I have since found my new love, the lovely in pink.
We, Banana and chocolate should never have got together.
For I realise, the lovely in pink watermelon’s better for me.
Now do you remember?
Water melon sorbet and banana chocolate gelato!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Life’s simple pleasures. I liked Mr bean’s tagline, it’s easy enough, and i thought it conveyed the message quite well. I never really noticed it before since i didn’t try them. Have you felt the beauty of a smile, the warmth of a touch or the bliss of simply watching the world go by, the goodness of Mr bean soya milk’s a life simple pleasure.
The branch at Raffles Place MRT is always packed with the office crowd, a light breakfast before starting a new day at work, some beverage for after-lunch, or also a quick bite before going home. My partner thinks that Mr Bean’s definitely better than Jollibean, well it won’t be fair to comment on that since i haven’t try both Mr bean and jolli bean soya milk.
Bandung soya milk My partner’s a fan of their bandung soya milk. I had a sip of it, and although i didn’t really like bandung, the taste was quite all right, not as sweet as i thought it’ll be. In fact it’s quite light, and there’s a subtle hint of soya milk combined with the bandung, certainly a healthier drink compared to having bandung alone.
Taking a quick glance at Mr bean’s menu, they have a wider variety of soya milk, 14 if you included the icy versions, and i am quite intrigued by their honeydew soya milk. Given the wide-spread locations of Mr bean islandwide, it won’t be a problem picking up one of them next time!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Another store which stood out at Lau Pa Sat for its unique name, was Souper! Like the name implied, the food couldn’t be far off from soup, and it did slightly remind me of our Chinese steamed soup with rice. Well except for Souper they had baguette instead of rice to go along with the soup.
There’s four choices, the mushroom, clam chowder, garden salad, and maryland crab soup, which all came in two sizes, the 12oz, and 15oz.
Souper! Value Meal ($6.50) There’s a souper value meal which consisted of a choice soup, baguette, meatballs and bashed potatoes. It’s more worthwhile to get this rather than just the soup and baguette alone. The meatballs were not too bad, and they strike a cord with Ikea’s Swedish meatballs, which also had strawberry jams to accompany the meatballs.
My friend tried the maryland crab soup for the value meal. But somehow we didn’t particularly enjoy the soup, like i always mentioned, i’m not a soup person (other than my mom’s soup of course).
Total cost was $6.50 for the Souper! value meal, which i felt was quite worth the money since there’s a soup, baguette, meatballs, and also bashed potatoes. Nothing fantastic, but it’ll do for a simple lunch. Even though i don’t really like the soup that we had, Souper! does deserved a praise for being the outstanding one in the midst of the many stalls in Lau Pa Sat, for coming out with something different from the norm.
'You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Had been meaning to try out Vittles for quite a while and the opportunity finally presented itself one rainy afternoon. Apparently this small heartland cafe has been featured in quite a few media vehicles as well as in various prominent food blogs. Whats seemingly interesting about this place is the free flow of popcorn that you can help yourself to.
Vittles sits among a short stretch of shops along Sembawang Road and can be difficult to spot especially if you are not alert, which was precisely what happened to me and I had to circle the area a couple of times before I finally spotted it. The place offers an alfresco sitting as well as a smaller air conditioned interior and comes across as very "cafeish" with its white plastic chairs and laminted menus.
Julius Caesar Salad - As great as Julius Caesar was in Roman history, this salad bearing the namesake wasn't the least impressive, coming across as average and run off the mill. And just to set the record straight, no, Julius Caesar didn't invent the caesar salad.
Moo Moo II Burger - One of the signature dishes of Vittles, the Moo Moo Burger looked a tad smaller then what I had seen in photographs, which was a bummer really. Texture wise, the patty was relatively smooth with patches of roughness throughout (an indication of slip shod hand chopping?) and managed to retain some moisture even though it was cooked till well done. My major grouse came in the taste section. The patty was covered/drowned with BBQ sauce which greatly overwhelmed whatever taste the beef patty had to offer as well as that of the bacon and cheese.
Durian Mousse - I couldn't resist ordering the durian mousse even though it cost something to the tune of $7. I must say that it was quite decent - smooth and not too sweet although the mousse was a tad too dry. Not something that I'll order again though, simply because of its small portions.
While its comforting to know that $29 can buy you a soup, salad, main and dessert at Vittles, its not exactly value for money as food quality is a whisker above average at best. A return seems highly improbable for me as Carl's Junior does seem like a cheaper option.
Had dinner at Seafood Paradise @ Defu, the original and mass market seafood offering from Paradise Group, which has another outlet bearing the same name at the Singapore Flyer and also runs the excellent fine dining restaurant, Taste Paradise ,at Mosque Street. This wildly popular restaurant started out as a humble 25 seater cze char stall in 2002 and has since expanded its premises to accommodate more then 200 people, which is by no means a small feat.
Hidden within the Defu industrial estate, Seafood Paradise @ Defu isn't exactly located at the most convenient of places and people who are unfamiliar with the area might have quite a bit of difficulty trying to get there. The restaurant offers both alfresco and air conditioned dining and please be warned that turning up without reservations at prime time slots like 7pm to 830pm would probably leave you without a table.
Wasabi Prawns - A signature dish of Seafood Paradise, the wasabi prawns certainly lived up to its hype in my humble opinion. The prawns were fresh and huge with a nice crunchy texture beneath its slightly crispy exterior. Topped with sweet mango slices, pine nuts and dragon fruit seeds, I did think that the wasabi was a tad strong this time round, giving me a minor headache. But all in all a very good eat.
Homemade Beancurd in Seafood Sauce - The small serving of beancurd was quite a size (for 3-4 pax) and came across as silkily smooth with a very faint hint of the smokey aftertaste that I personally like. The generous meat floss atop gave it a nice sweet bearing while the savoury gravy had cubes of prawns, sea cucumber and squid. Very satisfying, to me at least.
Egg White and Scallop on Broccoli - I thought that this simple vegetable dish was very well executed with the broccoli not too soft from overcooking while the gravy had a very nice savoury taste. The scallops weren't overcooked as well and the egg white was plentiful sans the raw and mildy nauseating aftertaste that plague most such dishes. Probably the only fault I can find with this dish is the excessive oil in it, which would probably scare off the more health conscious folks.
Whole Ribs in Honey Pepper Sauce - Another signature dish of Seafood Paradise, the ribs were well seasoned without being the meat being too hard and carried with it a light sweetness from the honey with a placid pepperish undertone. But some might find it a tad too sweet for their liking, ie, my gf.
A dinner that costs close to $70 for 2 pax isn't what I would call cheap but I cannot deny the quality of food that Seafood Paradise offers. Just for the record, we had to doggy bag most of the ribs (3 out of 4 pieces) as both of us were too stuffed to eat anymore. Service was excellent as well although they could have been a little more organised in the reservations. People waiting up to 30 mins for a table even with reservations is definitely a big no no.
Hua Yu Wee (华友园) is the last standing seafood restaurant along Upper East Coast Road, an area that used to be populated by many seafood restaurants which have now all shifted to East Coast Park, save for this sole survivor. I remember eating at this restaurant with my relatives from time to time as a kid when there were occasions for celebration.
Hua Yu occupies an old colonial bunglow that has been converted into a restaurant and offers both al fresco and airconditioned dining areas. The interior is homely with its white washed walls but noise is a big problem here as the area is enclosed and with so many conversations going on at the same time, you might really have to raise your voice a little to be heard.
Homemade Tofu - The tofu was quite good. A little crisp on the outside yet soft and quivery on the inside. The layer of compacted spinach and dried scallop shreds atop provided a nice savoury taste to the tofu while the golden mushrooms and enoki gave it that extra bite.
Stir Fried Dou Miao - I thought that the dou miao fried with garlic was a little too bland and a dash of salt would have been much appreciated. On the upside, it wasn't overcooked, which sealed in the flavour and texture of this vegetable.
Salted Egg Pork Ribs - Interestingly, this is the first time I've eaten pork ribs coated with salted egg yolk and deep fried. And it didn't really impress me much. For starters, the taste of the egg yolk was rather faint and overall the ribs were bland. To compound matters, the ribs didn't taste fresh, more like frozen products really. Judging from the colour of the ribs (red), I believe duck eggs were used.
Black Pepper Crayfish - $14 for 2 small crayfish halved up into 4 pieces is definitely a no go. But to give it credit, the crayfish was fresh and the meat firm. However I did think that the pepper taste was overwhelming, threatening to numb my tastebuds.
The 3 of us chalked up a bill of $53 which is decent enough for the food quality. Standards seemed to have dropped significantly since the last time I visited about 10 years ago but that seems to be the trend everywhere! I doubt I'll be back though. Adiós my old friend.
Lau Pa Sat or Telok Ayer Market, holds a very special meaning for most Singaporeans. The distinctive clock tower on top, the unique, octagonal and intricate roof structure of the building. Not to mention the many mouth-watering food which showcase a wide variety of our Singapore culture.
Having said all that, i’m didn’t frequent Lau Pa Sat often, why you asked, since i praised the place to the sky. Well, i felt that it’s more like a tourist attraction kind of place rather than a food centre to me. And because of the tourist crowd and the over-hype in the place, prices are obviously much higher than other places. Therefore even i was working in the vicinity last time, but i rather go to other places for lunch.
Nonetheless, having heard some good reviews about a particular burger stall from Philippines setting up shop in the midst of Lau Pa Sat, and I was meeting a friend who was working in the CDB area, so we decided to go to Lau Pa Sat for lunch!
Hotshots does have a rather impressive menu of burgers considering that their’s a small store in Lau Pa Sat. I was in a dilemma over which burger to get, so i just randomly picked the Cheeseburger deluxe.
They took quite some time in preparing the burger on the spot, around 5-10 minutes or so.
French Fries ($3) I also ordered french fries for side since Hotshots didn’t have any set meals and just came with a lone burger. For fries that cost 3 bucks, I definitely expected better. Their fries was average, there’s no “wow” factor, which failed to justify the high price for a small miserable packet of fries.
Cheeseburger Deluxe ($5.50) On first sight, the Cheeseburger deluxe was kind of smaller than what i imagined, since the word deluxe implied another meaning. The sesame seed bun was kind of too soft, i’ll preferred those that are slightly toasted which gave a firmer characteristic to the burger. Presentation-wise also didn’t quite make the cut, the ingredients were hasty organised, and everything dropped out easily. A Messy affair!
The beef patty was not bad, rather juicy although it might look a tad dry on the outside. But still, i lamanted the fact their patty’s kind of too thin, which didn’t provide the “kick”when you took a bite in the burger. Nonetheless, you can’t compare this with Relish’s gourmet burger, given the disparity in prices.But i think it edged out Seah Street Deli’s rendition.
Total Bill was $8.50 for a burger and fries. I think i made the wrong choice in burger, maybe i’ll go back again to try their Real Bleu cheeseburger, or the crispy burgermelt. But for now, i still favoured the one that i had at Epicurious.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Basilico at The Regent Singapore is named after basil, a humble perennial herb that is featured prominently in Italian cuisine. This two month old Italian restaurant, which took over the now defunct Capers, is helmed by 3 Italians - Executive Chef Claudio Rossi, Restaurant Chef Angelo Ciccone and Pizza Chef Carmine Esposito, who hail from northern and southern Italy.
Located on the second level of this prestigious Four Seasons hotel, Basilico's interior is designed by renowned Japanese architect Yasuhiro Koichi and dazzles with its centrepiece crystal chandelier and circular open space dining concept which houses three open kitchens - antipasto, the hot kitchen and pasticceria (desserts). For those who wish to dine al fresco, there is the option of dining by the pool.
Complimentary Bread - I thought that the focaccia was quite decent, just a tad cold when served, which made it a little dry and hard on the outside. But I did like the slightly chewy texture it carried and of course the interesting repertoire of dips that came alongside, with the most notable one being mascarpone cheese, which can usually be found in tiramisu. The sheets of cheese crackers came across as rather average though.
Cacciucco di Pesce (Fresh Seafood in Lobster and Tomato Stew) - The lobster and tomato stew was rich in flavours yet did not overwhelm, making for a nice savoury soup with a tinge of spice. The servings of scallops, prawns and squid cubes were relatively generous as a whole, which was definitely a step in the right direction.
Focaccia Pita - I couldn't quite catch the name of this dish but it is, beyond a doubt, the shining star of the evening. Made with focaccia and stuffed with black truffle and mascarpone cheese, it looked anything but asthetically pleasing. However, the charmer came in the form of its considerably thin crust that had a nice chewy texture to it. Throw in a nice and light creamily cheesy undertone sans the nausea and you get an excellent pita dish.
Pizza Prosciutto - To be very honest, I thought the pizza was quite good but certainly not to the extent of outstanding. Granted, the crust was thin and baked to a crisp golden brown with the parma ham lightly smokey. But the pizza did seem a little bland overall. There was a harmonious cohesion amongst the ingredients but that failed to ignite any sparks (aka boring).
Risotto alla Pugliese - The risotto didn't quite do it for me as the arborio rice came across as a tad too hard for my liking. If its any consolation, the servings of diced lobster, prawn, scallop and asparagus were generous to say the least. I do wonder about the green foam atop though.
Wagyu Beef - Grilled to medium rare as per my request, the wagyu failed to impress. That's not to say it wasn't any good, just that I'm rather picky when it comes to steak. The beef carried an oily aftertaste that was quite prominent and invoked nausea. The steak sauce that came alongside wasn't really effective in masking the oily taste even though it carried a noticable amount of alcohol. On the upside, this was a quality piece of meat, which was naturally sweet and succulent with a proportionate amount of fats.
Semifreddo al Torroncino - I thought that the almond parfait was quite good with a consistently smooth and creamy texture which had bits of almond in it. The stewed sour cherries below provided a much needed jolt to tingle my jaded senses.
Apple Tart with Marsala Cream - Personally I felt that the apple tart was rather normal as the crust was a bit too dry but lightly buttery. The apple slices were bland and the marsala cream provided the alcoholic content.
Fig Tart - I dislike figs but surprisingly the crust was different from that of the apple tart, coming across as moist and leaning a little towards crumble. Personally I prefered this crust over that of the apple tart.
Raspberry Panna Cotta - One of the more unusual panna cottas I've come across so far, Basilico's rendition tasted more like mousse with an almond jelly aftertaste. Certainly not what I would expect from a good panna cotta.
The meal ended with a glass of groppino, which is essentially a lemon sorbet, champagne, mint and vodka concoction that is supposed to help you digest. I'm not sure it did the trick for me though.
All in all the meal was rather satisfying except for the desserts, which fell rather flat in my humble opinion. I'm not exactly sure how prices are like because the meal was complimentary, courtesy of HGW. I'm sure that in time, with some tweaks here and there, Basilico will be able to hold its own against the likes of other well know Italian restaurants like Senso, Garibaldi, Il Lido etc.
1=SGD 0.0587
UE Square is in between Mohamed Sultan road, and Robertson quay, together the area’s a conclave for food and beverage alike. Bontá Italian restaurant & Bar is one of them, located within UE square facing Mohamed Sultan. Having seen this place on both my past visits to Sage the restaurant, and Epicurious, I immediately recalled this place when my partner mentioned that they are famed for their complimentary bread.
A quiet affair on a weekday dinner, Bonta had a very beautiful al fresco area, which was definitely welcome if you need some private moments while enjoying the air outside.
f sweating isn’t what you really imagine on your first date out, you can of course enter the cozy and elegant interior of the restaurant. Coupled with the warm lightnings, Bonta does makes a nice place for a romantic dinner. There’s also a private room available just beside the wine cellar.
Complimentary bread
The complimentary bread which Bonta’s famous for. We were full of expectations since we heard rave reviews about the bread, and when the bread came, we were not disappointed. Coming in the form of a cup, the bread at Bonta’s baked freshly everyday, and the smell of it was captivating enough.
Usually the idea of a fresh complimentary bread is dry, unappealing to the palates, and the main reason for its existance is to have a bite while waiting for the appetisers to serve. But not this one, the walnut foccacia bread was totally in a different league on its own. It’s crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside, with walnuts, sundride tomatoes, and feta cheese.
Feta cheese, made from goat’s milk, was the chief architect for the aromatic scent. Crumbly and grainy texture could be best used to describe feta cheese, but if you ain’t a cheese person, and didn’t really like the smell of feta cheese, then maybe you wouldn’t appreciate the bread very much.
Lobster tartare ($39)
Tomato salsa, olive oil, capers, sicilian olives, rocket leaves, and of course lobster made up the lobster tartare. We ain’t quite sure what exactly made us order the most expensive appetiser on the menu, but since we weren’t very hungry, and wasn’t planning to order a lot, plus my partner didn’t try lobster before, we decided to go for it.
The first form of emotion felt when the lobster tartare arrived, was a rather let-down feeling. Well to be frank, paying almost 40 bucks for such a appetiser did not make economic sense when you could order a main course with the price.
The tomato salsa which formed the top layer of the tartare, was too overpowering and jarring, which almost completely covered the taste of the lobster. So even if the lobster wasn’t fresh, you couldn’t really tell. Lobster meat wise, there wasn’t much of it to be seen and felt.
Basil infused angel hair pasta, with jumbo crab meat ($29)
The angel hair pasta was apparently green with basil providing the colour. Chives, white wine sauce, and jumbo crab meat was part of the ingredients which accompanied the pasta. Basil infused angel hair pasta, was definitely a better pairing compared to the tom yam one we had at Absolute Haven,
My partner found the pasta bit soggy, and the lack of sauce which made it too dry for her liking. The jumbo crab meat serving though, was rather generous, with big bits of crab meat. Angel hair still tasted like Chinese rice vermicelli to us. The salmon roe, was quite a good addition apart from the crab meat. Overall there wasn’t anything intriguing about the pasta, just a good and solid version.
Total Bill was $80.04 for one main course and one appetiser for the two of us. We didn’t order a lot because we weren’t feeling very hungry. The walnut foccacia bread was certainly excellent, and one of the better complimentary bread around. The same couldn’t be say for the lobster tartare, which we felt was a rather let down since we expected more from it.
There was a rather unpleasant incident at the beginning because initially I asked permission from the restaurant manager, Mr Karim Benramdane to take photographs of the restaurant, and he agreed with politeness. But after I took some pictures, the executive chef, Mr Luca Pezzera came and asked me to stop taking photographs, citing reasons that they had bad encounters with customers taking photos, and written bad reviews about Bonta, which caused negative publicity for them.
I did agree with him that different people have different taste and preference, so reviews cannot be properly judged the standards of a restaurant. But i felt that if a restaurant is really good, they shouldn’t be afraid to let the customers take photo of their place.
I’ll also like to praise one of the staff, Mr Morning, who was really polite and professional in his work. He greeted us with his friendly smile, and also explained to our enquiries diligently, for that i’ll say there isn’t many restaurant who has professionals like him, and he will go a long way in serving Bonta.
I don’t think that one appetiser and one main course can be used to judge Bonta fairly, since we didn’t have their signature dishes, it will be unfair to make an early judgement on their standards. Therefore, i’ll return for their valued set lunches which at $28, comes with appetiser, main course, dessert and tea.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Royal China @ Raffles exudes the prestige and grandeur as the famous colonial Raffles Hotel. Housed in the 3rd level of the hotel, Royal China definitely strikes out to be a cut-above-the-rest with its impressive name, and location. Having heard rave reviews about Royal China’s dim sum, it was about time that I patronised the restaurant, and boy I was charmed.
I decided to go against the norm this time round, usually i’ll write out my conclusion at the end, but Royal China isn’t any normal restaurant serving run-of-the-mill dim sum. I’ll rate them in the same league as Yan Ting, but definitely cheaper. Given the varsity in prices, I say Royal China certainly serves the best dim sum among the places i tried so far.
You can be forgiven if you think that Royal China comes with some Chinese background since the name China indirectly implied the meaning. In fact, The Royal China group is eminent in London, and the foray into Shanghai was just a recent event. Royal China @ Raffles remains the exclusive restaurant in the whole of South-east Asia.
Stepping into Royal China, the contemporary interior which comes in wave of ocean blue makes it a swanky restaurant. No doubt you wouldn’t believe this was actually a Chinese restaurant, and i must say I enjoyed the ambience as it’s very different from the traditional red and gold setting which you find in Chinese restaurants. The blue and white backdrop ooze a certain calm and tranquil, which made you feel right at home.
Baked Barbecued pork puff ($4 for 3)
The baked barbecued pork puff or char siew sou, was definitely the must-order dim sum at Royal China. Within the flaky, crispy pastry skin was the most delicious, sweet and juicy char siew that you could find. I regretted not having second serving of this, the next time round, i’ll have one basket for myself!
The best char siew sou that i tried so far was at Yan Ting, and Royal China’s rendition is certainly on-par with that. The thought of the excellent BBQ pork puff is enough for me to make a perennial return.
Steamed pork dumpling ($4.80 for 4)
Making a strong case for Royal China, the steamed pork dumpling, or siew mai was also another staple in the menu. Like most siew mai, the beautiful red roe adorns the top, and how can you not order this when you are having dim sum!
Steamed prawn dumpling ($4.80 for 4)
As with most, if not all good steamed prawn dumplings, a whole fresh and luscious prawn shroud within the thin and light skin had the right amount of bite. And at $1.20 each, they are really worth the money, compared with the ones at Peach Garden which are higher in price.
Steamed BBQ pork buns ($3.60 for 3)
Like i mentioned before, I love to eat char siew buns from Chinese restaurants because they are usually in three parts which have gaps to tease you with the char siew fillings. And at $1.20 each, I’ll rather have one of these any time over the sub-standard buns elsewhere.
Steamed seafood roll with minced garlic ($4.80 for 2)
Coming on the recommendation of the staff, the steamed seafood roll with minced garlic was one of the more expensive dim sum at Royal China. Each basket only serves two person, nevertheless, each serving came in the form of a huge crunchy prawn wrapped around wisp of noodles. An interesting and novelty take.
Carrot cake with preserved meat ($4 for 1)
There wasn’t anything fantastic with the carrot cake here, No complications of XO sauce, no carrot cake wannabe cheong fun just a good and reliable portion of the dish which we are all familiar with.
Glutinous rice in lotus leaf ($4.80 for 2)
We decided to have just one basket of the Glutinous rice not because it wasn’t good, but rice makes you full easily, and we wanted to keep our stomach for the other delectable dim sum. The rice was enhanced with the fragrant emitted by the lotus leaf.
Royal China Cheong fun ($4.80 for 3 rolls)
We had the Royal China Cheong fun, which was a combination of the three different ingredients, namely, prawn, char siew and scallop. You can also get just one of the ingredient in a serving, but since we wanted to try all three, this was a good choice.
The cheong fun rice rolls were silky-smooth, and encompassing within were fresh scallops, crunchy prawns and juicy char siew. I couldn’t quite decide which ingredient was better, but i’m leaning towards the crunchy prawns.
String beans crystal dumpling in chilli oil ($3.6 for 1)
This was the only upset from the otherwise perfect meal at Royal China. Coming as a last minute before the last order at 2.45pm (lunch’s from 12-3pm), the staff told us this was special because not many places uses string beans in dim sum. And i agreed, only with the part that you seldom see string beans.
The string bean crystal dumplings had fillings of string beans, and soaked in chilli oil. We did not like the combination, the chilli oil was too spicy and oily. But being the nice people, we didn’t want to waste food, so we took one each and gulped it down.
Deep fried prawn dumpling served with Mayo ($4.80 for 3)
Another of the last minute order, the deep fried prawn dumpling fared better than the string bean crystal dumpling. Covered with almonds, the inside was minced prawn. My friend was looking out for the big prawn which was evident in the prawn dumpling, and the seafood roll. But the prawn here was minced nicely and filled in the dumpling instead.
Baked duck meat roll in Portuguese sauce ($4.80 for 3)
The baked duck meat roll was also on the recommendations of the staff, it came as a surprise to us when it arrived, looking like meat roll dipped in curry-like colour sauce. In fact, it was Portuguese sauce, now i’m not too sure what exactly was Portuguese sauce, but the flavour was too strong, and overwhelmed the duck meat roll.
But eaten without the Portuguese sauce, the duck meat roll on its roll was actually quite good. The fillings were generous within the roll, pity the Portuguese sauce though.
Total Bill was $95.10 for 5 people. Most of the earlier dim sum that we ordered came in 6 portions because another friend didn’t come in the eleventh minute. I listed out the normal pricing for the standard pieces of dim sum available so as not to confuse you. You could also do it like us, say you have 5 people order 5 pieces instead of getting two basket of 3 each.
Prices are reasonable given the quality of the dim sum. We paid about $19 per person, definitely not expensive, but we didn’t exactly eat a lot, one of each dim sum. I preferred to appreciate each piece of quality dim sum than to gorge myself silly with a lot of sub-standards one.
Dim sum at Royal China was an excellent one, standards are comparable to Yan Ting, yet prices are cheaper than the latter. There are some other dim sum which i haven’t try, and a perennial return looks to be a certainty, and I’ll definitely recommend Royal China if you are looking for good dim sum. The restaurant’s also famous for their lobster noodles, but unless you got deep pockets, i suggest you stick to the dim sum. See you there!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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After meeting you once,
I could never forget the encounter.
We had so many tries, that I overlook your existance.
Still, I believe, we should remain separately.
For I have since found my new love, the lovely in pink.
We, Banana and chocolate should never have got together.
For I realise, the lovely in pink watermelon’s better for me.
Now do you remember?
Water melon sorbet and banana chocolate gelato!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
Life’s simple pleasures. I liked Mr bean’s tagline, it’s easy enough, and i thought it conveyed the message quite well. I never really noticed it before since i didn’t try them. Have you felt the beauty of a smile, the warmth of a touch or the bliss of simply watching the world go by, the goodness of Mr bean soya milk’s a life simple pleasure.
The branch at Raffles Place MRT is always packed with the office crowd, a light breakfast before starting a new day at work, some beverage for after-lunch, or also a quick bite before going home. My partner thinks that Mr Bean’s definitely better than Jollibean, well it won’t be fair to comment on that since i haven’t try both Mr bean and jolli bean soya milk.
Bandung soya milk
My partner’s a fan of their bandung soya milk. I had a sip of it, and although i didn’t really like bandung, the taste was quite all right, not as sweet as i thought it’ll be. In fact it’s quite light, and there’s a subtle hint of soya milk combined with the bandung, certainly a healthier drink compared to having bandung alone.
Taking a quick glance at Mr bean’s menu, they have a wider variety of soya milk, 14 if you included the icy versions, and i am quite intrigued by their honeydew soya milk. Given the wide-spread locations of Mr bean islandwide, it won’t be a problem picking up one of them next time!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Another store which stood out at Lau Pa Sat for its unique name, was Souper! Like the name implied, the food couldn’t be far off from soup, and it did slightly remind me of our Chinese steamed soup with rice. Well except for Souper they had baguette instead of rice to go along with the soup.
There’s four choices, the mushroom, clam chowder, garden salad, and maryland crab soup, which all came in two sizes, the 12oz, and 15oz.
Souper! Value Meal ($6.50)
There’s a souper value meal which consisted of a choice soup, baguette, meatballs and bashed potatoes. It’s more worthwhile to get this rather than just the soup and baguette alone. The meatballs were not too bad, and they strike a cord with Ikea’s Swedish meatballs, which also had strawberry jams to accompany the meatballs.
My friend tried the maryland crab soup for the value meal. But somehow we didn’t particularly enjoy the soup, like i always mentioned, i’m not a soup person (other than my mom’s soup of course).
Total cost was $6.50 for the Souper! value meal, which i felt was quite worth the money since there’s a soup, baguette, meatballs, and also bashed potatoes. Nothing fantastic, but it’ll do for a simple lunch. Even though i don’t really like the soup that we had, Souper! does deserved a praise for being the outstanding one in the midst of the many stalls in Lau Pa Sat, for coming out with something different from the norm.
'You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Had been meaning to try out Vittles for quite a while and the opportunity finally presented itself one rainy afternoon. Apparently this small heartland cafe has been featured in quite a few media vehicles as well as in various prominent food blogs. Whats seemingly interesting about this place is the free flow of popcorn that you can help yourself to.
Vittles sits among a short stretch of shops along Sembawang Road and can be difficult to spot especially if you are not alert, which was precisely what happened to me and I had to circle the area a couple of times before I finally spotted it.
The place offers an alfresco sitting as well as a smaller air conditioned interior and comes across as very "cafeish" with its white plastic chairs and laminted menus.
Julius Caesar Salad - As great as Julius Caesar was in Roman history, this salad bearing the namesake wasn't the least impressive, coming across as average and run off the mill. And just to set the record straight, no, Julius Caesar didn't invent the caesar salad.
Moo Moo II Burger - One of the signature dishes of Vittles, the Moo Moo Burger looked a tad smaller then what I had seen in photographs, which was a bummer really. Texture wise, the patty was relatively smooth with patches of roughness throughout (an indication of slip shod hand chopping?) and managed to retain some moisture even though it was cooked till well done. My major grouse came in the taste section. The patty was covered/drowned with BBQ sauce which greatly overwhelmed whatever taste the beef patty had to offer as well as that of the bacon and cheese.
Durian Mousse - I couldn't resist ordering the durian mousse even though it cost something to the tune of $7. I must say that it was quite decent - smooth and not too sweet although the mousse was a tad too dry. Not something that I'll order again though, simply because of its small portions.
While its comforting to know that $29 can buy you a soup, salad, main and dessert at Vittles, its not exactly value for money as food quality is a whisker above average at best. A return seems highly improbable for me as Carl's Junior does seem like a cheaper option.
See all my pictures here.
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Had dinner at Seafood Paradise @ Defu, the original and mass market seafood offering from Paradise Group, which has another outlet bearing the same name at the Singapore Flyer and also runs the excellent fine dining restaurant, Taste Paradise ,at Mosque Street. This wildly popular restaurant started out as a humble 25 seater cze char stall in 2002 and has since expanded its premises to accommodate more then 200 people, which is by no means a small feat.
Hidden within the Defu industrial estate, Seafood Paradise @ Defu isn't exactly located at the most convenient of places and people who are unfamiliar with the area might have quite a bit of difficulty trying to get there. The restaurant offers both alfresco and air conditioned dining and please be warned that turning up without reservations at prime time slots like 7pm to 830pm would probably leave you without a table.
Wasabi Prawns - A signature dish of Seafood Paradise, the wasabi prawns certainly lived up to its hype in my humble opinion. The prawns were fresh and huge with a nice crunchy texture beneath its slightly crispy exterior. Topped with sweet mango slices, pine nuts and dragon fruit seeds, I did think that the wasabi was a tad strong this time round, giving me a minor headache. But all in all a very good eat.
Homemade Beancurd in Seafood Sauce - The small serving of beancurd was quite a size (for 3-4 pax) and came across as silkily smooth with a very faint hint of the smokey aftertaste that I personally like. The generous meat floss atop gave it a nice sweet bearing while the savoury gravy had cubes of prawns, sea cucumber and squid. Very satisfying, to me at least.
Egg White and Scallop on Broccoli - I thought that this simple vegetable dish was very well executed with the broccoli not too soft from overcooking while the gravy had a very nice savoury taste. The scallops weren't overcooked as well and the egg white was plentiful sans the raw and mildy nauseating aftertaste that plague most such dishes. Probably the only fault I can find with this dish is the excessive oil in it, which would probably scare off the more health conscious folks.
Whole Ribs in Honey Pepper Sauce - Another signature dish of Seafood Paradise, the ribs were well seasoned without being the meat being too hard and carried with it a light sweetness from the honey with a placid pepperish undertone. But some might find it a tad too sweet for their liking, ie, my gf.
A dinner that costs close to $70 for 2 pax isn't what I would call cheap but I cannot deny the quality of food that Seafood Paradise offers. Just for the record, we had to doggy bag most of the ribs (3 out of 4 pieces) as both of us were too stuffed to eat anymore. Service was excellent as well although they could have been a little more organised in the reservations. People waiting up to 30 mins for a table even with reservations is definitely a big no no.
See all my pictures here.
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Hua Yu Wee (华友园) is the last standing seafood restaurant along Upper East Coast Road, an area that used to be populated by many seafood restaurants which have now all shifted to East Coast Park, save for this sole survivor. I remember eating at this restaurant with my relatives from time to time as a kid when there were occasions for celebration.
Hua Yu occupies an old colonial bunglow that has been converted into a restaurant and offers both al fresco and airconditioned dining areas. The interior is homely with its white washed walls but noise is a big problem here as the area is enclosed and with so many conversations going on at the same time, you might really have to raise your voice a little to be heard.
Homemade Tofu - The tofu was quite good. A little crisp on the outside yet soft and quivery on the inside. The layer of compacted spinach and dried scallop shreds atop provided a nice savoury taste to the tofu while the golden mushrooms and enoki gave it that extra bite.
Stir Fried Dou Miao - I thought that the dou miao fried with garlic was a little too bland and a dash of salt would have been much appreciated. On the upside, it wasn't overcooked, which sealed in the flavour and texture of this vegetable.
Salted Egg Pork Ribs - Interestingly, this is the first time I've eaten pork ribs coated with salted egg yolk and deep fried. And it didn't really impress me much. For starters, the taste of the egg yolk was rather faint and overall the ribs were bland. To compound matters, the ribs didn't taste fresh, more like frozen products really. Judging from the colour of the ribs (red), I believe duck eggs were used.
Black Pepper Crayfish - $14 for 2 small crayfish halved up into 4 pieces is definitely a no go. But to give it credit, the crayfish was fresh and the meat firm. However I did think that the pepper taste was overwhelming, threatening to numb my tastebuds.
The 3 of us chalked up a bill of $53 which is decent enough for the food quality. Standards seemed to have dropped significantly since the last time I visited about 10 years ago but that seems to be the trend everywhere! I doubt I'll be back though. Adiós my old friend.
See all my pictures here.
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Lau Pa Sat or Telok Ayer Market, holds a very special meaning for most Singaporeans. The distinctive clock tower on top, the unique, octagonal and intricate roof structure of the building. Not to mention the many mouth-watering food which showcase a wide variety of our Singapore culture.
Having said all that, i’m didn’t frequent Lau Pa Sat often, why you asked, since i praised the place to the sky. Well, i felt that it’s more like a tourist attraction kind of place rather than a food centre to me. And because of the tourist crowd and the over-hype in the place, prices are obviously much higher than other places. Therefore even i was working in the vicinity last time, but i rather go to other places for lunch.
Nonetheless, having heard some good reviews about a particular burger stall from Philippines setting up shop in the midst of Lau Pa Sat, and I was meeting a friend who was working in the CDB area, so we decided to go to Lau Pa Sat for lunch!
Hotshots does have a rather impressive menu of burgers considering that their’s a small store in Lau Pa Sat. I was in a dilemma over which burger to get, so i just randomly picked the Cheeseburger deluxe.
They took quite some time in preparing the burger on the spot, around 5-10 minutes or so.
French Fries ($3)
I also ordered french fries for side since Hotshots didn’t have any set meals and just came with a lone burger. For fries that cost 3 bucks, I definitely expected better. Their fries was average, there’s no “wow” factor, which failed to justify the high price for a small miserable packet of fries.
Cheeseburger Deluxe ($5.50)
On first sight, the Cheeseburger deluxe was kind of smaller than what i imagined, since the word deluxe implied another meaning. The sesame seed bun was kind of too soft, i’ll preferred those that are slightly toasted which gave a firmer characteristic to the burger. Presentation-wise also didn’t quite make the cut, the ingredients were hasty organised, and everything dropped out easily. A Messy affair!
The beef patty was not bad, rather juicy although it might look a tad dry on the outside. But still, i lamanted the fact their patty’s kind of too thin, which didn’t provide the “kick”when you took a bite in the burger. Nonetheless, you can’t compare this with Relish’s gourmet burger, given the disparity in prices.But i think it edged out Seah Street Deli’s rendition.
Total Bill was $8.50 for a burger and fries. I think i made the wrong choice in burger, maybe i’ll go back again to try their Real Bleu cheeseburger, or the crispy burgermelt. But for now, i still favoured the one that i had at Epicurious.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Basilico at The Regent Singapore is named after basil, a humble perennial herb that is featured prominently in Italian cuisine. This two month old Italian restaurant, which took over the now defunct Capers, is helmed by 3 Italians - Executive Chef Claudio Rossi, Restaurant Chef Angelo Ciccone and Pizza Chef Carmine Esposito, who hail from northern and southern Italy.
Located on the second level of this prestigious Four Seasons hotel, Basilico's interior is designed by renowned Japanese architect Yasuhiro Koichi and dazzles with its centrepiece crystal chandelier and circular open space dining concept which houses three open kitchens - antipasto, the hot kitchen and pasticceria (desserts). For those who wish to dine al fresco, there is the option of dining by the pool.
Complimentary Bread - I thought that the focaccia was quite decent, just a tad cold when served, which made it a little dry and hard on the outside. But I did like the slightly chewy texture it carried and of course the interesting repertoire of dips that came alongside, with the most notable one being mascarpone cheese, which can usually be found in tiramisu. The sheets of cheese crackers came across as rather average though.
Cacciucco di Pesce (Fresh Seafood in Lobster and Tomato Stew) - The lobster and tomato stew was rich in flavours yet did not overwhelm, making for a nice savoury soup with a tinge of spice. The servings of scallops, prawns and squid cubes were relatively generous as a whole, which was definitely a step in the right direction.
Focaccia Pita - I couldn't quite catch the name of this dish but it is, beyond a doubt, the shining star of the evening. Made with focaccia and stuffed with black truffle and mascarpone cheese, it looked anything but asthetically pleasing. However, the charmer came in the form of its considerably thin crust that had a nice chewy texture to it. Throw in a nice and light creamily cheesy undertone sans the nausea and you get an excellent pita dish.
Pizza Prosciutto - To be very honest, I thought the pizza was quite good but certainly not to the extent of outstanding. Granted, the crust was thin and baked to a crisp golden brown with the parma ham lightly smokey. But the pizza did seem a little bland overall. There was a harmonious cohesion amongst the ingredients but that failed to ignite any sparks (aka boring).
Risotto alla Pugliese - The risotto didn't quite do it for me as the arborio rice came across as a tad too hard for my liking. If its any consolation, the servings of diced lobster, prawn, scallop and asparagus were generous to say the least. I do wonder about the green foam atop though.
Wagyu Beef - Grilled to medium rare as per my request, the wagyu failed to impress. That's not to say it wasn't any good, just that I'm rather picky when it comes to steak. The beef carried an oily aftertaste that was quite prominent and invoked nausea. The steak sauce that came alongside wasn't really effective in masking the oily taste even though it carried a noticable amount of alcohol. On the upside, this was a quality piece of meat, which was naturally sweet and succulent with a proportionate amount of fats.
Semifreddo al Torroncino - I thought that the almond parfait was quite good with a consistently smooth and creamy texture which had bits of almond in it. The stewed sour cherries below provided a much needed jolt to tingle my jaded senses.
Apple Tart with Marsala Cream - Personally I felt that the apple tart was rather normal as the crust was a bit too dry but lightly buttery. The apple slices were bland and the marsala cream provided the alcoholic content.
Fig Tart - I dislike figs but surprisingly the crust was different from that of the apple tart, coming across as moist and leaning a little towards crumble. Personally I prefered this crust over that of the apple tart.
Raspberry Panna Cotta - One of the more unusual panna cottas I've come across so far, Basilico's rendition tasted more like mousse with an almond jelly aftertaste. Certainly not what I would expect from a good panna cotta.
The meal ended with a glass of groppino, which is essentially a lemon sorbet, champagne, mint and vodka concoction that is supposed to help you digest. I'm not sure it did the trick for me though.
All in all the meal was rather satisfying except for the desserts, which fell rather flat in my humble opinion. I'm not exactly sure how prices are like because the meal was complimentary, courtesy of HGW. I'm sure that in time, with some tweaks here and there, Basilico will be able to hold its own against the likes of other well know Italian restaurants like Senso, Garibaldi, Il Lido etc.
See all my pictures here.
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