Ristorante Da Valentino - a small Italian restaurant famed for its excellent homely Italian food and stellar service to boot. Dining at this reclusive semi fine dining restaurant presents quite a challenge as reservations are hard to come by (minimum 2 weeks in advance) and made even harder with the restrictions placed. Reservations of more than 8 pax are usually not entertained and Valentino also enforces a two seating policy, with the first running from 6pm - 830pm and the second from 830pm till closing. This effectively means that a leisurely dinner is probably out of the question, especially in large groups.
Located at the end of a short row of shophouses at Jalan Bingka, just off Rifle Range Road, Valentino can be rather inaccessible if you don't know your way around the area (shortcuts) or have your own means of transport. The interior struck me as very cosy and homely with its low ceilings, smallish dining area, decorative memorabila on the shelves and red walls decked with photo frames.
Complimentary Bread & Minestrone Soup - The complimentary bread was simple and nice. Warm and a tad chewy without all the frills. I won't be shy to admit that I requested for another serving of the bread.
At $5.90 a plate, I was rather doubtful about the quality of the minestrone but it was surprisingly good. With just about the right viscosity and flavour, it came across as light on the palate and was a hit amongst my dining companions.
Salmon Salad & Tomino Wrapped in Bacon - I didn't think too much of the salmon salad, in which the salmon slices were smoked and served atop fresh greens simply because the smoked taste was conspicuously faint. Honestly, if I wanted to eat non smoked semi raw salmon, I would have gone to a Japanese restaurant instead.
The Tomino, which is a typical Italian cheese that comes from Piemonte and made with cow's or goat's milk (in this case it was definitely goat), created a little stir with its nice smooth texture which was complemented by the crisp bacon. Only gripe I had was that the whole dish was extremely salty. And if you can't take the rather pungent taste of goat's milk, please refrain from ordering this dish.
Fettucine Al Granchio - The dish which I was eagerly anticipating, the squid ink fettucine with crab meat. The home made pasta was al dente and featured a rich cream based sauce with a touch of tomato that was most excellent, a fact that was accentuated further by the decent clumps of crab meat. Personally I like this better than that of Da Paolo's.
Porcini, Rucola and Prosciutto De Parma - The pizza spotted a thin crust that heaved downwards under the weight of its ingredients. Please do not be mistaken that the ingredients were plentiful. On the contrary, it was adequate at best. Personally I thought the pizza was good but not exactly the type that would wow me. I mean, how bad can mushrooms, parma ham and rocket leaves taste when eaten together?
Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare - The risotto deserved the worst dish of the evening award with its sourish overtone that reminded me of food gone stale aka chao sng. I wasn't the only one who thought so apparently. Neither the fresh seafood nor the texture of the risotto could save this dish.
Chantilly - I had requested for four of Valentino's best desserts and left it up to our waitress to decide which desserts would fit the bill. The chantilly started us off on the right note, coming across as light on the palate without the cream being overbearingly sweet.
Panna Cotta - The panna cotta's texture was reminiscent more of tofu than pudding - quivery yet firm, which isn't so bad really until you get to the taste part, which was bland and uninspiring in my humble opinion. Would have liked it much stronger.
Tiramisu - Served up in a queer shaped plastic container, the tiramisu disappointed right from the start. Even though the presence of liquer was evident, the mascarpone cheese was a tad too thick and coagulated while the sponge was dry. I had expected better.
Valentino Cake - This was one decadent cake with dark chocolate making up most part of it. There were bits of raisins and traces of rum as well, making it a sweet but dry (the sponge was dry) ending to our dinner. Could it be that the cake was left in the open for a period of time such that the sponge dried up?
On my part I paid about $56 for a share of all the dishes I reviewed above, which really isn't too expensive for the variety of food I got to sample. Food quality was a case of hits and misses and I reckon only the mains are worth the trouble. Prices for the appetisers do seem a tad over the roof while the mains are priced a notch higher than other similar restaurants. Service was great and I must say I enjoyed some aspects of the dinner.
This entry is way overdue and I finally got off my butt to start doing it. Well had a Chinese New Year eve dinner with one of my good friends at Peony Jade that doubled up as a catch up session.
Situated along Clarke Quay in a 2 storey refurbished shophouse, it faces the Singapore river and lies just a few doors down from Indochine. Traditionally furnished complete with mock up walls and heavy wooden doors reminiscent of the courtyards of old, it exudes scanty old world charm.
Deep Fried Live Prawns with Curry Leaves - A brilliant recommendation by our waiter I must say. I, for one, don't really fancy curry, but this dish kinda blew me away. The prawns were relatively huge, succulent and fresh, but the winner was the sauce which had a slight tinge of curry flavouring but was slightly sweet.
Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Golden Garlic - Another recommendation by our waiter and I found it quite interesting. The pork ribs were juicy and tender whilst the sauce was sweet and hinted strongly of garlic with a salty aftertaste. Every individual flavour carried itself very well, which made the dish very easy to appreciate.
Baked Cod Fish with Mango - I didn't find this dish outstanding, but it was still quite a gem. The fish was fresh, nothing less and baked till the exterior turned a hue of brownish red while the flesh remained white and firm. When eaten with the slices of mango, the natural sweetness of the fish blended in well with the sweetness of the mango, creating a delectable dish that didn't come down hard on the palate. But there's certainly room for improvement, given that the mango slices weren't chilled when served, which would definitely have gone down better with the fish.
Deep Fried Cod Fish with Oat Cereals - In all honesty, I didn't quite take to this dish simply because the oats taste was overwhelming. But my friend did fancy it, so to each his own I guess. Texture wise, the fish was well done with the flesh still firm and sweet while the exterior was slightly cripsy.
Yang Chow Fried Rice - I lament the fact that good Yang Chow Fried Rice is difficult to find. Peony Jade's rendition isn't too far off though. The rice was homogeneously cooked and had a slight "wok hei" taste. Ingredients were generous but overall I found the dish a little bland. Perhaps a little salt and sugar would be nice.
Chestnut with Egg White - Desserts kinda slided down the slope. Chestnut with egg white sounded intriguing to me so I ordered it and I regretted it right from the first sip. The chilled syrup tasted awfully weird and had this overpowering egg white taste. I took a few mouths and decided to call it quits, so you can guess how weird it was. According to the waiter, it is more popular with the older folks.
Yam with Sweet Corn Sauce - This was rather normal. The yam was a little too rough for my liking and the sweet corn sauce was way too sweet. Also, it felt weird eating yam with sweet corn. Somehow or rather, both flavours didn't go down well with each other.
Service was excellent and so was the food, barring the desserts of course. Price is rather steep though, standing at $122 for 2 pax. Do note that all portions are slightly smaller than average, so if you have 4 pax, it would be advisable to order at least 6 dishes. All in all, an enjoyable experience and definitely worth a visit if you have some spare cash to burn.
Was roaming around T3 one evening and fancied some Chinese food for dinner so ended up at Crystal Jade Shanghai Restaurant. I'm sure Crystal Jade is no stranger to most Singaporeans but I believe this Shanghai outfit is relatively new as I don't remember seeing it anywhere else before.
Crystal Jade occupies a circular space within the terminal and there is no interior to speak of as the place practices a semi open environment which allows you a view of T3's calming interior, which honestly, is good enough for me.
Xiao Long Bao - To be frank, the XLB was probably one of the best I've eaten in any Crystal Jade outlet in the past year or so (not that I've eaten at many though). Malleable yet thin skin shrouding a lump of meat that didn't carry that overwhelming pork taste and filled with tasty, albeit a tad oily, juices.
Crispy Duck with Chinese Herbs - I thought that the crispy duck came across as overly salty and dry. The herb taste was rather evident but I failed to see how it enhanced the taste of the duck, rendering the duck average at best. Served up on the side were tiny clam shaped mantous, which were similar to those I had at Szechuan court - sweet and filling.
Egg White with Shrimp & Asparagus - This dish wasn't too fantastic but I liked it solely because its comfort food to me. The prawns were crunchy but for the price, this dish could really do with more asparagus. I did think that the egg white tasted a little too raw as well.
An average but filling meal cost the 2 of us about $58, which isn't exactly cheap for the quality of food. But I guess such prices at the airport still fall into the reasonable category. Service didn't go beyond taking our orders and serving the dishes. One thing to note, please be prepared to queue if you wish to have dinner at this restaurant on weekends.
Hidden in a corner of a market in the western regions of Singapore is a small Bak Kut Teh gem, going by the name of Joo Siah. Set up by an engineer who was retrenched by his employer some 20 odd years ago and learnt his trade from his brother in law (who owns a popular bak kut teh stall in Sin Ming), Joo Siah has grown to operating out of 3 units in the market and sells close to 100kg of ribs each day - certainly no small feat.
$4.50 gets you a bowl of steaming hot bak kut teh with 3 pieces of bak kut and a bowl of rice. I was initially aiming for the more expensive loin ribs but was promptly informed that those were only available in the morning. The dough fritters were sold out as well. Nonetheless, the meat on the ribs were tender and moist, soaking in the goodness of the extremely peppery soup that was flavourful and light on the palate. I did think that the amount of pepper was an overkill though, almost numbing my senses and overwhelming the inherent bak kut taste. Overall a good eat and I'll definitely be back.
Hotshots is a famous burger joint originating from the Philippines which has just landed on Singapore's shores in recent months, setting up base at the iconic Lau Pa Sat with a push cart type store front.
Crispy Burger Melt ($5) - The crispy burger melt was surprisingly good with its hand made patty which boasted an uneven texture and bits of fats within for a nice chewing sensation. The patty was also juicy and char grilled till a little crisp along the edges with a nice smokey aftertaste. I thought the slice of button mushrooms and bacon bits were a nice addition to "spice" up the overall taste of the burger. One thing that caught me by surprise was the relatively small piece of patty, even though it was supposed to be a quarter pounder.
Ultimate Cheeseburger ($8) - The cheeseburger sprung the same surprise, with both patties looking a tad small even though both should have added up to half a pound. That aside, I found the patty a little too dry as compared to that of the crispy burger melt. The dual patties were also noticeably more charred as well, which could translate to a consistency issue.
Hotshots is currently having a promotion whereby you order 2 burgers and you get 2 sides free. The choice of sides is limited, namely french fries, twister fries or potato wedges. Trust me, nothing is nice, so skip the sides if you can.
Personally I think hotshots serves quite a mean burger without the exorbitant prices. Read Relish. However the burgers aren't really big so big eaters/hungry folks like me might have to go for something bigger or eat 2 servings (I ate both burgers).
1=SGD 0.0587
Located at the end of a short row of shophouses at Jalan Bingka, just off Rifle Range Road, Valentino can be rather inaccessible if you don't know your way around the area (shortcuts) or have your own means of transport. The interior struck me as very cosy and homely with its low ceilings, smallish dining area, decorative memorabila on the shelves and red walls decked with photo frames.
Complimentary Bread & Minestrone Soup - The complimentary bread was simple and nice. Warm and a tad chewy without all the frills. I won't be shy to admit that I requested for another serving of the bread.
At $5.90 a plate, I was rather doubtful about the quality of the minestrone but it was surprisingly good. With just about the right viscosity and flavour, it came across as light on the palate and was a hit amongst my dining companions.
Salmon Salad & Tomino Wrapped in Bacon - I didn't think too much of the salmon salad, in which the salmon slices were smoked and served atop fresh greens simply because the smoked taste was conspicuously faint. Honestly, if I wanted to eat non smoked semi raw salmon, I would have gone to a Japanese restaurant instead.
The Tomino, which is a typical Italian cheese that comes from Piemonte and made with cow's or goat's milk (in this case it was definitely goat), created a little stir with its nice smooth texture which was complemented by the crisp bacon. Only gripe I had was that the whole dish was extremely salty. And if you can't take the rather pungent taste of goat's milk, please refrain from ordering this dish.
Fettucine Al Granchio - The dish which I was eagerly anticipating, the squid ink fettucine with crab meat. The home made pasta was al dente and featured a rich cream based sauce with a touch of tomato that was most excellent, a fact that was accentuated further by the decent clumps of crab meat. Personally I like this better than that of Da Paolo's.
Porcini, Rucola and Prosciutto De Parma - The pizza spotted a thin crust that heaved downwards under the weight of its ingredients. Please do not be mistaken that the ingredients were plentiful. On the contrary, it was adequate at best. Personally I thought the pizza was good but not exactly the type that would wow me. I mean, how bad can mushrooms, parma ham and rocket leaves taste when eaten together?
Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare - The risotto deserved the worst dish of the evening award with its sourish overtone that reminded me of food gone stale aka chao sng. I wasn't the only one who thought so apparently. Neither the fresh seafood nor the texture of the risotto could save this dish.
Chantilly - I had requested for four of Valentino's best desserts and left it up to our waitress to decide which desserts would fit the bill. The chantilly started us off on the right note, coming across as light on the palate without the cream being overbearingly sweet.
Panna Cotta - The panna cotta's texture was reminiscent more of tofu than pudding - quivery yet firm, which isn't so bad really until you get to the taste part, which was bland and uninspiring in my humble opinion. Would have liked it much stronger.
Tiramisu - Served up in a queer shaped plastic container, the tiramisu disappointed right from the start. Even though the presence of liquer was evident, the mascarpone cheese was a tad too thick and coagulated while the sponge was dry. I had expected better.
Valentino Cake - This was one decadent cake with dark chocolate making up most part of it. There were bits of raisins and traces of rum as well, making it a sweet but dry (the sponge was dry) ending to our dinner. Could it be that the cake was left in the open for a period of time such that the sponge dried up?
On my part I paid about $56 for a share of all the dishes I reviewed above, which really isn't too expensive for the variety of food I got to sample. Food quality was a case of hits and misses and I reckon only the mains are worth the trouble. Prices for the appetisers do seem a tad over the roof while the mains are priced a notch higher than other similar restaurants. Service was great and I must say I enjoyed some aspects of the dinner.
See all my pictures here.
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Situated along Clarke Quay in a 2 storey refurbished shophouse, it faces the Singapore river and lies just a few doors down from Indochine. Traditionally furnished complete with mock up walls and heavy wooden doors reminiscent of the courtyards of old, it exudes scanty old world charm.
Deep Fried Live Prawns with Curry Leaves - A brilliant recommendation by our waiter I must say. I, for one, don't really fancy curry, but this dish kinda blew me away. The prawns were relatively huge, succulent and fresh, but the winner was the sauce which had a slight tinge of curry flavouring but was slightly sweet.
Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Golden Garlic - Another recommendation by our waiter and I found it quite interesting. The pork ribs were juicy and tender whilst the sauce was sweet and hinted strongly of garlic with a salty aftertaste. Every individual flavour carried itself very well, which made the dish very easy to appreciate.
Baked Cod Fish with Mango -
I didn't find this dish outstanding, but it was still quite a gem. The fish was fresh, nothing less and baked till the exterior turned a hue of brownish red while the flesh remained white and firm. When eaten with the slices of mango, the natural sweetness of the fish blended in well with the sweetness of the mango, creating a delectable dish that didn't come down hard on the palate. But there's certainly room for improvement, given that the mango slices weren't chilled when served, which would definitely have gone down better with the fish.
Deep Fried Cod Fish with Oat Cereals - In all honesty, I didn't quite take to this dish simply because the oats taste was overwhelming. But my friend did fancy it, so to each his own I guess. Texture wise, the fish was well done with the flesh still firm and sweet while the exterior was slightly cripsy.
Yang Chow Fried Rice -
I lament the fact that good Yang Chow Fried Rice is difficult to find. Peony Jade's rendition isn't too far off though. The rice was homogeneously cooked and had a slight "wok hei" taste. Ingredients were generous but overall I found the dish a little bland. Perhaps a little salt and sugar would be nice.
Chestnut with Egg White - Desserts kinda slided down the slope. Chestnut with egg white sounded intriguing to me so I ordered it and I regretted it right from the first sip. The chilled syrup tasted awfully weird and had this overpowering egg white taste. I took a few mouths and decided to call it quits, so you can guess how weird it was. According to the waiter, it is more popular with the older folks.
Yam with Sweet Corn Sauce - This was rather normal. The yam was a little too rough for my liking and the sweet corn sauce was way too sweet. Also, it felt weird eating yam with sweet corn. Somehow or rather, both flavours didn't go down well with each other.
Service was excellent and so was the food, barring the desserts of course. Price is rather steep though, standing at $122 for 2 pax. Do note that all portions are slightly smaller than average, so if you have 4 pax, it would be advisable to order at least 6 dishes. All in all, an enjoyable experience and definitely worth a visit if you have some spare cash to burn.
See all my pictures here.
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Crystal Jade occupies a circular space within the terminal and there is no interior to speak of as the place practices a semi open environment which allows you a view of T3's calming interior, which honestly, is good enough for me.
Xiao Long Bao - To be frank, the XLB was probably one of the best I've eaten in any Crystal Jade outlet in the past year or so (not that I've eaten at many though). Malleable yet thin skin shrouding a lump of meat that didn't carry that overwhelming pork taste and filled with tasty, albeit a tad oily, juices.
Crispy Duck with Chinese Herbs - I thought that the crispy duck came across as overly salty and dry. The herb taste was rather evident but I failed to see how it enhanced the taste of the duck, rendering the duck average at best. Served up on the side were tiny clam shaped mantous, which were similar to those I had at Szechuan court - sweet and filling.
Egg White with Shrimp & Asparagus - This dish wasn't too fantastic but I liked it solely because its comfort food to me. The prawns were crunchy but for the price, this dish could really do with more asparagus. I did think that the egg white tasted a little too raw as well.
An average but filling meal cost the 2 of us about $58, which isn't exactly cheap for the quality of food. But I guess such prices at the airport still fall into the reasonable category. Service didn't go beyond taking our orders and serving the dishes. One thing to note, please be prepared to queue if you wish to have dinner at this restaurant on weekends.
See all my pictures here.
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$4.50 gets you a bowl of steaming hot bak kut teh with 3 pieces of bak kut and a bowl of rice. I was initially aiming for the more expensive loin ribs but was promptly informed that those were only available in the morning. The dough fritters were sold out as well. Nonetheless, the meat on the ribs were tender and moist, soaking in the goodness of the extremely peppery soup that was flavourful and light on the palate. I did think that the amount of pepper was an overkill though, almost numbing my senses and overwhelming the inherent bak kut taste. Overall a good eat and I'll definitely be back.
See all my pictures here.
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Crispy Burger Melt ($5) - The crispy burger melt was surprisingly good with its hand made patty which boasted an uneven texture and bits of fats within for a nice chewing sensation. The patty was also juicy and char grilled till a little crisp along the edges with a nice smokey aftertaste. I thought the slice of button mushrooms and bacon bits were a nice addition to "spice" up the overall taste of the burger. One thing that caught me by surprise was the relatively small piece of patty, even though it was supposed to be a quarter pounder.
Ultimate Cheeseburger ($8) - The cheeseburger sprung the same surprise, with both patties looking a tad small even though both should have added up to half a pound. That aside, I found the patty a little too dry as compared to that of the crispy burger melt. The dual patties were also noticeably more charred as well, which could translate to a consistency issue.
Hotshots is currently having a promotion whereby you order 2 burgers and you get 2 sides free. The choice of sides is limited, namely french fries, twister fries or potato wedges. Trust me, nothing is nice, so skip the sides if you can.
Personally I think hotshots serves quite a mean burger without the exorbitant prices. Read Relish. However the burgers aren't really big so big eaters/hungry folks like me might have to go for something bigger or eat 2 servings (I ate both burgers).
See all my pictures here.
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