Standing at about 173 metres about Orchard Road, Top of the 'M' Revolving Restaurant is one of two revolving restaurants in Singapore and it also happens to be the highest. Mention Top of the 'M' and most people will have heard of it. That goes to show how strong the brand is. But we are not here to talk about branding or top of mind recall. Its food we are concerned about. So I took half a day off work and got my gf to accompany me for lunch at this much talked about restaurant.
The express lift zooms you right up to the observation deck (38th floor) where you have to walk up a flight of steps to reach Top of the 'M', which is on the 39th floor. Floor to ceiling windows and classy black glass tables with high back chairs greet you and sweeping views of the areas surrounding Orchard Road are offered. Simply breathtaking. The restaurant, as it name suggests, rotates at a slow, almost unnoticeable pace and allows views all round. But I had a slight grouse about this. The rotating mechanism didn't seem very smooth. There were times when I could feel the restaurant jerking, albeit slightly. Still it got quite annoying after a while. After some deliberation, I had a 3 course set lunch which included a salad, main, dessert and coffee/tea while my gf had the 2 course set lunch which came with a soup and main.
The complimentary bread was served and I found the bread extremely crispy, which made it a little difficult to bite into at times because the bread crumbs would just start dropping all over. Coupled with the smooth and light butter, it makes for a great snack.
My salad was the La Caesar Salade au Magret de Canard Fume et Brioche Grillee - Caesar Salad with smoked Duck Breast and toasted Brioche. The greens were fresh and the almond shavings added a nice touch to the salad. No more need to be said about the slices of Pigeon except that they were fantastic. Lightly smoked with no discernible fowl taste yet tasty and soft. Even my gf found it good! My gf's Bisque de Homard - Lobster Bisque Scented with Cognac and a Dash of Dill Snow, was extremely flavourful, although I couldn't really taste the cognac. The soup did seem a little runny as well. However, there were small slices of lobster in the soup to give it that extra chew factor.
My main was the Cassoulet de Canard - Confit of Duck Leg slowly cooked in a White Bean Stew. The duck was done medium well and responded very well to my fork. Getting the meat off the bone was as easy as slicing through butter with a knife. The fowl taste was very distinguishable though and it proved a little too strong for me at times. As for the white beans, I honestly have never tried or even heard of them, but they tasted and looked to me like those Heinz baked beans you buy from the supermarket, minus the soft exterior and tomato sauce. The white beans were hard on the exterior and tasted bland. My gf's Bar de Ligne Roti, Puree d'Aubergine au Caviar, Sauce au Cidre - Oven Baked Wild Seabass, Eggplant Puree with Caviar and Apple Cider Sauce was a much better bet. The fish was baked till the skin was hard and crispy, while the meat remained soft, moist and sweet. A feat if you ask me! The accompanying Apple Cider Sauce was a little creamy yet light on the palate. A good combination indeed! The Egg Plant Puree tasted a little smokey but a pity the Caviar didn't stand out.
Dessert for me was Top of the 'M''s signature Black Forest cake. You get to choose your dessert from a tray of desserts that is pushed to your table by the way. The cake was moist with the berries a little sweet, which is very appealing to people who have a sweet tooth. The whipped cream was also minimal, which allowed the Black Forest cake to really shine. I prefer this rendition to the one at The Chocolate Factory.
Lunch for 2 pax cost a respectable $84.45. In case you are thinking that it's expensive, it actually isn't. More than $20 went to the drinks, which is a total waste of money (just ask for ice water). So that brings down the meal to about $60-$65, which is a good deal considering the food, ambience and service. I must mention that the service is attentive and excellent. Try it if you are in the area. As for me, lunch beckons again.
Polarbearsaid: Wow took half a day for this lunch. Haa.... They closed this place permanently or jz for renovation? 09 Jan 2008 at 10:58 am
feizhusaid: i think renovation.. 3 years? 09 Jan 2008 at 11:58 am
rainbow29said: erhmm, i know this is outdated.. so why exactly top of the M close down? now chatterbox is taking over the space.. 15 Jul 2008 at 1:02 pm
feizhusaid: No idea actually. But yes the $25/plate chicken rice has taken over. Yucks. 15 Jul 2008 at 2:32 pm
Cold Rock Ice Creamery - Another ice cream stall to hop onto the mix and match your own ice cream bandwagon, which brings the grand total of such stalls to 2 at last count (the other being Ice Cream Chefs).
Opened recently in June this year at Holland Village , Cold Rock Singapore is actually a franchise of the wildly popular Cold Rock in Australia, which was set up back in 1996 and has 60 stores across Australia as of May 07. The process and concept of making your dream ice cream is similar to that of Ice Cream Chefs ( the process has already been detailed in the entry on Ice Cream Chefs so I shall not elaborate further). Cold Rock however, definitely has more ice cream flavours and mix ins available, but at a slight premium of course. If I remember correctly, Ice Cream Chefs charges 60 cents per topping whereas it goes for $1 at Cold Rock. The prices for a basic ice cream is also more expensive.
My combination of Butterscotch ice cream Ferrero ice cream Milo nuggets Tim Tam Marshmallows - Taste wise, I did find the ice cream served up by Ice Cream Chefs marginally better because it was lighter on the tastebuds and not too sweet (I had a mild sugar high from eating Cold Rock's ice cream).
My concoction set me back by $9, which is terribly expensive for an ice cream, regardless of the novelty factor. I mean, even Ben & Jerry's doesn't charge that much for a 3 scoop sundae! However, if you live in the west and crave for such novelties, then Cold Rock would be your best bet.
Lafiandra Trattoria recently opened a new outlet at the Singapore Art Museum to complement its bustling business at the Prinsep Street outlet. Owned and operated by Chef Cataldo and his wife Brenda, Lafiandra has been highly recommended as a food centric casual Italian restaurant, which made it the natural choice for our monthly dinner.
Sitting pretty on the ground floor of the Singapore Art Museum (the former old SJI), Lafiandra has a very homely feel to it with its earthly shades, huge glass windows and murals painted on pseudo brick walls. High strung Italian music wafts through the air, which does seem a little at odds with the laid back ambience.
Somehow I've never had a good impression of restaurants that DO NOT serve iced water, especially when even places like Morton's and Iggy's do so. That aside, I had asked for mineral water, but got served the more expensive still water instead. When quizzed, the waiter replied that he had already opened the bottle.
Cheapskate me was expecting complimentary bread as well, but I guess they are adopting the practise of not giving free bread, in line with restaurants in Italy.
Bruschetta - A staple whenever I visit Italian eateries, the humble Bruschetta was reduced to nothing more than a joke at Lafiandra. Size wise, it was tiny and it didn't help that the bread was badly charred in many areas. Probably the only positive note was that it still tasted decent, albeit a bit too crispy from the burnt areas.
Seafood Soup - I was astonished by the amount of seafood that came with this dish. Ingredients wise, this has got to be the most generous I've ever seen. Sadly, thats where the compliments end. The seafood wasn't fresh and that extended to the soup, giving it a raw and pungent taste. I honestly never knew seafood soup could be that bad. I guess I was wrong.
Pizza Diavola, Pizza Con Porcini, Prosciutto Funghi & Pizza Prosciutto Crudo - The pizzas all had one thing in common - pathetic toppings. The crust was fairly thin but didn't quite cut it. Taste wise was decent but that's about it. It got to a point where I actually thought that one of the pizza was from Canadian Pizza.
Ossobuco Alla Milanese - In case you are wondering, no, this is not a tower of mud or something along that line. Its actually the very weird looking ossobuco. The meat was tender but some parts of it seemed a little too fatty and soft, which was plain gross. On a brighter note, the saffron risotto actually had a mild saffron taste, but it wasn't exactly my cup of tea.
Tagliata Di Manzo - I mistakenly thought that this dish was a salad when it got served and it isn't difficult to see why. The thin and miserly slices of ribeye were buried under a mountain of rocket leaves, which would have been acceptable if they had tasted decent. But no, they were terribly bland without even the basic beefy taste. When beef doesn't even taste like beef, then theres a huge problem.
Tiramisu & Panna Cotta - The preceding dishes were so disappointing that I dared not expect anything from the desserts. And rightfully so. The tiramisu had no taste of liquer and instead tasted like soya sauce. Texture wise was still decent though, a little fluffy and smooth. The panna cotta was the icing on the cake for the terrible meal thus far. Its texture tended way towards kueh - sticky and soft and the berry sauce just didn't fit the dessert.
One of the worst Italian dinners I've ever had cost the 8 of us $306, which is way out of this world for the inferior quality of food. I do not see how Lafiandra has made to the list of recommended restaurants and if this dinner is anything to go by, I'm staying very clear of the Prinsep street outlet as well.
Had dinner at the Wheelock outlet of Sun with Moon cafe, a sister establishment of Sun Japanese Dining at CHIJMES. From what I know, both establishments have almost the same menu, with the exception of a few more upscale items that only Sun Japanese Dining carries.
The interior is significantly different from other Japanese restaurants that I've dined at, blending in modern architecture with wooden finishes and dim lighting to give that Zen feel. Nice cosy corner tables are seperated by a semi permeable screen which allow for some degree of privacy (Thats if you are lucky enough to get them).
Hitokuchi Pork Katsu - Deep Fried Pork Cube - This dish came on the recommendations list and I was all geared up to eat some kick ass pork. Sadly, it didn't quite meet my expectations. The pork was quite decent, chunky and chewy but the deep fried exterior made for a very nauseating experience after a few mouthfuls. Think a souped up version of Pork Katsu. Nothing fanciful to say the least.
Avocado Soft Shell Roll - As per my writeup on Sun Japanese Dining, the Avocado Soft Shell Roll was good. The rice was a tad sticky and the soft shell crab gave it a slight smoky taste. The generous drizzling of mayonnaise did help as well.
Ebi Tempura - Now for the bummer. The Ebi Tempura was merely average at best. For starters, the batter was a little too thick and tasteless and so were the prawns. The dipping sauce was bland as well, making the whole dish one big expensive joke ($22). The only saving grace was that the batter wasn't too heavy on the oil.
Pork Yakisoba - Stir Fried Noodle with Pork - The noodles had a slight burnt taste which went down quite well with me. The servings of pork slices were generous and so were the cuttlefish(?) shavings. A nice mixture of smokiness and saltiness as a whole. A word of caution against eating too much though.
Tofu Cheese Cake - An intriguing name, a less intriguing taste. No tofu taste whatsoever. Tasted like a lighter (and much smaller) version of the Cheese Cake to me. Decent rendition, coming across as fluffy and light, although a tad too sticky.
Monaka - Japanese Wafer filled with Sweet Potato, Red Bean & Ice cream - I've learnt that appearances can be deceiving. Such was the case with the Monaka. It looked absolutely tantalizing when I first set my eyes on it. Alas, it was anything but. The wafer tasted like it was made from low quality batter while the red bean came across as rather watery. The sweet potato tasted like red bean (how weird) and the ice cream was your run off the mill kind. Sheer disappointment.
While I wouldn't say $79 is a lot to pay for Japanese food, its certainly pushing the limits for such an average display of food. I had certainly expected more from this place, given all the good things that I've heard about it. Or maybe its just that I ordered the wrong dishes.
Mothers day - A day to show your heartfelt appreciation for all that your mum has done for you. Sorry but I don't buy that. Sounds really gimmicky to me. I personally feel one shouldn't have to wait till any one day to show his/her mum that he/she cares. Nevertheless, my family still took it as an excuse to dine out together. Deviating away from the norm of eating Chinese food, we settled for Japanese food at Sun Japanese Dining (lets call it Sun for short) instead.
Located within the picturesque and upmarket CHIJMES, some stair climbing is required in order to get to the main entrance of Sun. There, a classy and sombre interior awaits. Hanging lights coupled with stylish wooden partitions and ambient lighting make for a cosy affair. Together with plush cushions thrown in at corner tables, it is really cosiness personified. Sun practises an open kitchen concept, which allows customers to observe what goes on in the kitchen. In most cases, this would have been a disaster in the absence of a good ventilation system. But not at Sun. The ventilation system was excellent, allowing us to walk away at the end of the meal not reeking of oil fumes.
Oboro Tofu - Homemade Bean Curd - As you know, the Japanese are famed for their home made beancurd and rightly so. The Oboro Tofu was served on a bed of ice and was cold to the touch. Delightfully smooth yet firm, it slithered down my throat with great ease. No complaints about the texture. However, taste wise, it was nothing out of the ordinary, tasting merely like Tao Huay without the sugar syrup.
Tokusen 5 Sashimi Mori - Special Assorted Sashimi (5 kinds) - I veer away from raw stuff as often as possible (with the exception of a few items) and (un)fortunately this time was no exception. I didn't touch this dish one bit but it did make me wonder if the price was worth it ($55).
Tontoro Yaki - Grilled Sliced Pork Cheek with Black Pepper - Not too thickly sliced and nicely done with a homogeneous sprinkling of black pepper which sought to enhance the overall taste. The pork cheek was tender and held a little bite.
California Roll - I've honestly had better California Rolls, but Sun's offering was still a cut above the rest. Think Sakae, Genki, Sushi Tei, Kushin Bo blah blah blah. The rice was firm yet not too coagulated and everything comes across as light on the palate and easily digestible.
Avocado Soft Shell Roll - Avocado & Soft Shell Crab Sushi Roll - I've never been a fan of Avocado but I simply couldn't resist the Avocado Soft Shell Roll. As with the California Roll, the rice was well done and the roll had a slightly smoky taste due to the soft shell crab (I'm guessing). Presentation wise was also aesthetically pleasing. You definitely want to try this if you do visit.
Sazae (From Yamaguchi) - Imported Fresh Top Shell - For all its aesthetics on display, the Sazae didn't amount to much in terms of taste. Sure, it was something unique - you get a whole shell sitting atop a mound of flaming wax. Gimmicks aside, the top shell was fresh, but didn't exactly wow in taste. The tiny mushrooms that came with it actually tasted better, but that's just me.
Yasai Tofu Steak - Tofu Steak with Vegetable - Nothing fanciful and a waste of money. The tofu was rather bland and had this slight oil aftertaste which really marred the whole dish. The skin wasn't as chewy or crispy as I would have liked it to be.
US Kobe Style Beef Sirloin (Gold Grade) - Undoubtedly the star of the evening. The beef was so succulent and tender that I chewed on it ever so delicately. Every bite brings forth a burst of the wonderful juices that lie within the meat. Simply great! The accompanying side of bean sprouts were cooked in beef fat which gave it an irresistible flavour, at least for beef lovers. Pity about the small size of the beef slab though.
Sankai Tempura Mori - Assorted Tempura - Overall speaking, the tempura's batter was rather light which made eating all the more pleasurable. Nothing really stood out in this dish. Rather, all of them were slightly above average.
Goma Pudding - Black Sesame Pudding - Another dish which tasted like Tao Huay texture wise, but with a black sesame taste. Not too bad, coming across as light and quivery. But too much of it can make you sick, especially when there seems to be traces of milk in it.
Dessert Trio - Assorted Sweets (3 kinds) - The dessert trio came with 3 desserts - Mango pudding, Green Tea Ice Cream and the Goma Pudding. Right on the onset, the Mango Pudding had hints of peach in it, which made identifying it rather difficult. It was only after much deliberation that we all came to a consensus. It was jelly like and was really average. The only good thing about it was that it wasn't too sweet. The Green Tea Ice Cream was slightly different from the normal ones you get outside. First of all, it wasn't sweet at all and had this biting aftertaste, just like normal green tea. Second, red bean paste is given to sweeten up the ice cream. A rather interesting combination if you ask me. The red bean paste and the ice cream complemented each other very well. Not much can be said about the texture of the ice cream though.
Tofu Cheesecake - A staple dessert in any self respecting Japanese restaurant, Sun's rendition was nothing out of the blue, but somewhere along the lines of good. I couldn't make out any tofu taste and the texture seemed to lean more towards pudding than cake. Not that its bad though. On the contrary, it was quite good - fluffy and light. Look out for the minuscule portion though.
At long last, the bill. Standing at an exorbitant $400 for 5 pax (before discount. After discount was $350), it was a physically filling but none the satisfying dinner. Why so? Because portions were small and we had to resort to gorging on rice to fill our tummies. I recognize the quality of the food but for the price, I expect to have a hearty meal, not some dainty meal with pretty presentations to boot. In all honesty, 3 of us could have finished all the dishes without even breaking a sweat, not to mention 5. So unless you are feeling rich or are rich, you might want to think twice before eating here.
1=SGD 0.0587
The express lift zooms you right up to the observation deck (38th floor) where you have to walk up a flight of steps to reach Top of the 'M', which is on the 39th floor. Floor to ceiling windows and classy black glass tables with high back chairs greet you and sweeping views of the areas surrounding Orchard Road are offered. Simply breathtaking. The restaurant, as it name suggests, rotates at a slow, almost unnoticeable pace and allows views all round. But I had a slight grouse about this. The rotating mechanism didn't seem very smooth. There were times when I could feel the restaurant jerking, albeit slightly. Still it got quite annoying after a while. After some deliberation, I had a 3 course set lunch which included a salad, main, dessert and coffee/tea while my gf had the 2 course set lunch which came with a soup and main.
The complimentary bread was served and I found the bread extremely crispy, which made it a little difficult to bite into at times because the bread crumbs would just start dropping all over. Coupled with the smooth and light butter, it makes for a great snack.
My salad was the La Caesar Salade au Magret de Canard Fume et Brioche Grillee - Caesar Salad with smoked Duck Breast and toasted Brioche. The greens were fresh and the almond shavings added a nice touch to the salad. No more need to be said about the slices of Pigeon except that they were fantastic. Lightly smoked with no discernible fowl taste yet tasty and soft. Even my gf found it good! My gf's Bisque de Homard - Lobster Bisque Scented with Cognac and a Dash of Dill Snow, was extremely flavourful, although I couldn't really taste the cognac. The soup did seem a little runny as well. However, there were small slices of lobster in the soup to give it that extra chew factor.
My main was the Cassoulet de Canard - Confit of Duck Leg slowly cooked in a White Bean Stew. The duck was done medium well and responded very well to my fork. Getting the meat off the bone was as easy as slicing through butter with a knife. The fowl taste was very distinguishable though and it proved a little too strong for me at times. As for the white beans, I honestly have never tried or even heard of them, but they tasted and looked to me like those Heinz baked beans you buy from the supermarket, minus the soft exterior and tomato sauce. The white beans were hard on the exterior and tasted bland. My gf's Bar de Ligne Roti, Puree d'Aubergine au Caviar, Sauce au Cidre - Oven Baked Wild Seabass, Eggplant Puree with Caviar and Apple Cider Sauce was a much better bet. The fish was baked till the skin was hard and crispy, while the meat remained soft, moist and sweet. A feat if you ask me! The accompanying Apple Cider Sauce was a little creamy yet light on the palate. A good combination indeed! The Egg Plant Puree tasted a little smokey but a pity the Caviar didn't stand out.
Dessert for me was Top of the 'M''s signature Black Forest cake. You get to choose your dessert from a tray of desserts that is pushed to your table by the way. The cake was moist with the berries a little sweet, which is very appealing to people who have a sweet tooth. The whipped cream was also minimal, which allowed the Black Forest cake to really shine. I prefer this rendition to the one at The Chocolate Factory.
Lunch for 2 pax cost a respectable $84.45. In case you are thinking that it's expensive, it actually isn't. More than $20 went to the drinks, which is a total waste of money (just ask for ice water). So that brings down the meal to about $60-$65, which is a good deal considering the food, ambience and service. I must mention that the service is attentive and excellent. Try it if you are in the area. As for me, lunch beckons again.
See all my pictures here
- 1 more comment »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Wow took half a day for this lunch. Haa.... They closed this place permanently or jz for renovation?
09 Jan 2008 at 10:58 am
i think renovation.. 3 years?
09 Jan 2008 at 11:58 am
erhmm, i know this is outdated.. so why exactly top of the M close down? now chatterbox is taking over the space..
15 Jul 2008 at 1:02 pm
Opened recently in June this year at Holland Village , Cold Rock Singapore is actually a franchise of the wildly popular Cold Rock in Australia, which was set up back in 1996 and has 60 stores across Australia as of May 07. The process and concept of making your dream ice cream is similar to that of Ice Cream Chefs ( the process has already been detailed in the entry on Ice Cream Chefs so I shall not elaborate further). Cold Rock however, definitely has more ice cream flavours and mix ins available, but at a slight premium of course. If I remember correctly, Ice Cream Chefs charges 60 cents per topping whereas it goes for $1 at Cold Rock. The prices for a basic ice cream is also more expensive.
My combination of Butterscotch ice cream Ferrero ice cream Milo nuggets Tim Tam Marshmallows - Taste wise, I did find the ice cream served up by Ice Cream Chefs marginally better because it was lighter on the tastebuds and not too sweet (I had a mild sugar high from eating Cold Rock's ice cream).
My concoction set me back by $9, which is terribly expensive for an ice cream, regardless of the novelty factor. I mean, even Ben & Jerry's doesn't charge that much for a 3 scoop sundae! However, if you live in the west and crave for such novelties, then Cold Rock would be your best bet.
See all my pictures here
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Butterscotch Ferrero Milo nuggests Marshmallows! Of cos sugar high lah!
08 Jan 2008 at 4:52 pm
Sitting pretty on the ground floor of the Singapore Art Museum (the former old SJI), Lafiandra has a very homely feel to it with its earthly shades, huge glass windows and murals painted on pseudo brick walls. High strung Italian music wafts through the air, which does seem a little at odds with the laid back ambience.
Somehow I've never had a good impression of restaurants that DO NOT serve iced water, especially when even places like Morton's and Iggy's do so. That aside, I had asked for mineral water, but got served the more expensive still water instead. When quizzed, the waiter replied that he had already opened the bottle.
Cheapskate me was expecting complimentary bread as well, but I guess they are adopting the practise of not giving free bread, in line with restaurants in Italy.
Bruschetta - A staple whenever I visit Italian eateries, the humble Bruschetta was reduced to nothing more than a joke at Lafiandra. Size wise, it was tiny and it didn't help that the bread was badly charred in many areas. Probably the only positive note was that it still tasted decent, albeit a bit too crispy from the burnt areas.
Seafood Soup - I was astonished by the amount of seafood that came with this dish. Ingredients wise, this has got to be the most generous I've ever seen. Sadly, thats where the compliments end. The seafood wasn't fresh and that extended to the soup, giving it a raw and pungent taste. I honestly never knew seafood soup could be that bad. I guess I was wrong.
Pizza Diavola, Pizza Con Porcini, Prosciutto Funghi & Pizza Prosciutto Crudo - The pizzas all had one thing in common - pathetic toppings. The crust was fairly thin but didn't quite cut it. Taste wise was decent but that's about it. It got to a point where I actually thought that one of the pizza was from Canadian Pizza.
Ossobuco Alla Milanese - In case you are wondering, no, this is not a tower of mud or something along that line. Its actually the very weird looking ossobuco. The meat was tender but some parts of it seemed a little too fatty and soft, which was plain gross. On a brighter note, the saffron risotto actually had a mild saffron taste, but it wasn't exactly my cup of tea.
Tagliata Di Manzo - I mistakenly thought that this dish was a salad when it got served and it isn't difficult to see why. The thin and miserly slices of ribeye were buried under a mountain of rocket leaves, which would have been acceptable if they had tasted decent. But no, they were terribly bland without even the basic beefy taste. When beef doesn't even taste like beef, then theres a huge problem.
Tiramisu & Panna Cotta - The preceding dishes were so disappointing that I dared not expect anything from the desserts. And rightfully so. The tiramisu had no taste of liquer and instead tasted like soya sauce. Texture wise was still decent though, a little fluffy and smooth. The panna cotta was the icing on the cake for the terrible meal thus far. Its texture tended way towards kueh - sticky and soft and the berry sauce just didn't fit the dessert.
One of the worst Italian dinners I've ever had cost the 8 of us $306, which is way out of this world for the inferior quality of food. I do not see how Lafiandra has made to the list of recommended restaurants and if this dinner is anything to go by, I'm staying very clear of the Prinsep street outlet as well.
See all my pictures here
- 1 more comment »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Oh boy! This sounds very very sad. And 1 star only! They got to do lots to convince customers to return for more.
08 Jan 2008 at 11:25 am
For further confirmation, please ask bobo haha
08 Jan 2008 at 11:34 am
wah really le. it's ONE star lor. cos if you look at Food, Ambience, Cost, Service, they dun pass any.
08 Jan 2008 at 11:50 am
The interior is significantly different from other Japanese restaurants that I've dined at, blending in modern architecture with wooden finishes and dim lighting to give that Zen feel. Nice cosy corner tables are seperated by a semi permeable screen which allow for some degree of privacy (Thats if you are lucky enough to get them).
Hitokuchi Pork Katsu - Deep Fried Pork Cube - This dish came on the recommendations list and I was all geared up to eat some kick ass pork. Sadly, it didn't quite meet my expectations. The pork was quite decent, chunky and chewy but the deep fried exterior made for a very nauseating experience after a few mouthfuls. Think a souped up version of Pork Katsu. Nothing fanciful to say the least.
Avocado Soft Shell Roll - As per my writeup on Sun Japanese Dining, the Avocado Soft Shell Roll was good. The rice was a tad sticky and the soft shell crab gave it a slight smoky taste. The generous drizzling of mayonnaise did help as well.
Ebi Tempura - Now for the bummer. The Ebi Tempura was merely average at best. For starters, the batter was a little too thick and tasteless and so were the prawns. The dipping sauce was bland as well, making the whole dish one big expensive joke ($22). The only saving grace was that the batter wasn't too heavy on the oil.
Pork Yakisoba - Stir Fried Noodle with Pork - The noodles had a slight burnt taste which went down quite well with me. The servings of pork slices were generous and so were the cuttlefish(?) shavings. A nice mixture of smokiness and saltiness as a whole. A word of caution against eating too much though.
Tofu Cheese Cake - An intriguing name, a less intriguing taste. No tofu taste whatsoever. Tasted like a lighter (and much smaller) version of the Cheese Cake to me. Decent rendition, coming across as fluffy and light, although a tad too sticky.
Monaka - Japanese Wafer filled with Sweet Potato, Red Bean & Ice cream - I've learnt that appearances can be deceiving. Such was the case with the Monaka. It looked absolutely tantalizing when I first set my eyes on it. Alas, it was anything but. The wafer tasted like it was made from low quality batter while the red bean came across as rather watery. The sweet potato tasted like red bean (how weird) and the ice cream was your run off the mill kind.
Sheer disappointment.
While I wouldn't say $79 is a lot to pay for Japanese food, its certainly pushing the limits for such an average display of food. I had certainly expected more from this place, given all the good things that I've heard about it. Or maybe its just that I ordered the wrong dishes.
See all my pictures here
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Located within the picturesque and upmarket CHIJMES, some stair climbing is required in order to get to the main entrance of Sun. There, a classy and sombre interior awaits. Hanging lights coupled with stylish wooden partitions and ambient lighting make for a cosy affair. Together with plush cushions thrown in at corner tables, it is really cosiness personified. Sun practises an open kitchen concept, which allows customers to observe what goes on in the kitchen. In most cases, this would have been a disaster in the absence of a good ventilation system. But not at Sun. The ventilation system was excellent, allowing us to walk away at the end of the meal not reeking of oil fumes.
Oboro Tofu - Homemade Bean Curd - As you know, the Japanese are famed for their home made beancurd and rightly so. The Oboro Tofu was served on a bed of ice and was cold to the touch. Delightfully smooth yet firm, it slithered down my throat with great ease. No complaints about the texture. However, taste wise, it was nothing out of the ordinary, tasting merely like Tao Huay without the sugar syrup.
Foie Gras Lettuce - Teriyaki Foie Gras Canapé - In all honesty, I've never seen Foie Gras in a Japanese menu. But that's probably because I don't go to many Japanese food places to begin with. This dish was quite well executed in the sense that the bread was extremely well toasted, the lettuce fresh and crisp and most importantly of all, the Foie Gras well seared. The resulting effect through the combination of the 3 items was a myriad of flavours that was accompanied by a crunching sound in every mouthful. Just one small fault though. The Foie Gras was a little too firm for my liking. I prefer ones that are quivery.
Tokusen 5 Sashimi Mori - Special Assorted Sashimi (5 kinds) - I veer away from raw stuff as often as possible (with the exception of a few items) and (un)fortunately this time was no exception. I didn't touch this dish one bit but it did make me wonder if the price was worth it ($55).
Tontoro Yaki - Grilled Sliced Pork Cheek with Black Pepper - Not too thickly sliced and nicely done with a homogeneous sprinkling of black pepper which sought to enhance the overall taste. The pork cheek was tender and held a little bite.
California Roll - I've honestly had better California Rolls, but Sun's offering was still a cut above the rest. Think Sakae, Genki, Sushi Tei, Kushin Bo blah blah blah. The rice was firm yet not too coagulated and everything comes across as light on the palate and easily digestible.
Avocado Soft Shell Roll - Avocado & Soft Shell Crab Sushi Roll - I've never been a fan of Avocado but I simply couldn't resist the Avocado Soft Shell Roll. As with the California Roll, the rice was well done and the roll had a slightly smoky taste due to the soft shell crab (I'm guessing). Presentation wise was also aesthetically pleasing. You definitely want to try this if you do visit.
Sazae (From Yamaguchi) - Imported Fresh Top Shell -
For all its aesthetics on display, the Sazae didn't amount to much in terms of taste. Sure, it was something unique - you get a whole shell sitting atop a mound of flaming wax. Gimmicks aside, the top shell was fresh, but didn't exactly wow in taste. The tiny mushrooms that came with it actually tasted better, but that's just me.
Yasai Tofu Steak - Tofu Steak with Vegetable - Nothing fanciful and a waste of money. The tofu was rather bland and had this slight oil aftertaste which really marred the whole dish. The skin wasn't as chewy or crispy as I would have liked it to be.
US Kobe Style Beef Sirloin (Gold Grade) - Undoubtedly the star of the evening. The beef was so succulent and tender that I chewed on it ever so delicately. Every bite brings forth a burst of the wonderful juices that lie within the meat. Simply great! The accompanying side of bean sprouts were cooked in beef fat which gave it an irresistible flavour, at least for beef lovers. Pity about the small size of the beef slab though.
Sankai Tempura Mori - Assorted Tempura - Overall speaking, the tempura's batter was rather light which made eating all the more pleasurable. Nothing really stood out in this dish. Rather, all of them were slightly above average.
Goma Pudding - Black Sesame Pudding -
Another dish which tasted like Tao Huay texture wise, but with a black sesame taste. Not too bad, coming across as light and quivery. But too much of it can make you sick, especially when there seems to be traces of milk in it.
Dessert Trio - Assorted Sweets (3 kinds) - The dessert trio came with 3 desserts - Mango pudding, Green Tea Ice Cream and the Goma Pudding.
Right on the onset, the Mango Pudding had hints of peach in it, which made identifying it rather difficult. It was only after much deliberation that we all came to a consensus. It was jelly like and was really average. The only good thing about it was that it wasn't too sweet.
The Green Tea Ice Cream was slightly different from the normal ones you get outside. First of all, it wasn't sweet at all and had this biting aftertaste, just like normal green tea. Second, red bean paste is given to sweeten up the ice cream. A rather interesting combination if you ask me. The red bean paste and the ice cream complemented each other very well. Not much can be said about the texture of the ice cream though.
Tofu Cheesecake - A staple dessert in any self respecting Japanese restaurant, Sun's rendition was nothing out of the blue, but somewhere along the lines of good. I couldn't make out any tofu taste and the texture seemed to lean more towards pudding than cake. Not that its bad though. On the contrary, it was quite good - fluffy and light. Look out for the minuscule portion though.
At long last, the bill. Standing at an exorbitant $400 for 5 pax (before discount. After discount was $350), it was a physically filling but none the satisfying dinner. Why so? Because portions were small and we had to resort to gorging on rice to fill our tummies. I recognize the quality of the food but for the price, I expect to have a hearty meal, not some dainty meal with pretty presentations to boot. In all honesty, 3 of us could have finished all the dishes without even breaking a sweat, not to mention 5. So unless you are feeling rich or are rich, you might want to think twice before eating here.
See all my pictures here
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!that sounds like a lot of food! And yet it wasn't filling? Oh man... Expensive indeed.
08 Jan 2008 at 12:03 am
yea it was expensive :S
08 Jan 2008 at 10:24 am