Village wok, a simple name for a simple image. Traditional food at a semi affordable price and secret recipes which brought about a fortune. I'd like to thank the owner for inviting us for a tasting session and for the wonderful hospitality they've shown the group.
Hidden in a rather inconspicuous corner along Cecil and Amoy street is this extremely Chinese looking restaurant. The interior is adorned with simple antique furniture and the bare minimals, tables, chairs, air conditioning and lots of white cloth. In simple fact, its simplicity extends to its food offerings as well. Thats not a bad thing by the way. In fact, the restaurant is simply a front for a greater business, the actual supply and selling of their famous and secret sauces.
DIY Popiah Set ($20 per set) - An apt start to our session began with one of their more popular items, the do-it-yourself popiah. At $20 a set, this is pretty good value for money since its possible to serve up to 5 people. The real draw lies in the process of making these little delectable dishes. A little bit of carrot here, some shrimp here, a little cucumber and sauces there, its actually loads of fun for such a simple process. I have to complement the chili sauce provided because it was mild yet retained some spiciness for a suitable kick.
Chilled crab with special vinegrette sauce ($30 per crab) - To enjoy this dish, one must first reserve it with the restaurant since there's only a fixed number of these little crustaceans available daily. The real draw of it lies in the succulently sweet meat and sinful eggish paste that comes with each one of these crawlies. Taken as it is, its already a treat but simply swab a little of Village Wok's top grade vinegrette and you'll be sold on paying a whooping $30 per crab. Steeply priced? Definitely. Worth a try? The depends on your wallet.
Fried Brinjal with crispy squid in BXO sauce ($15) - This dish was a surprise to me simply because, i dislike brinjal and this dish made me reconsider my opinions of this tasty plant. The sweet sauce coupled with the fried squid served to give the soggy plant more texture and taste then i'm ever tasted before. I enjoyed this dish and have been trying brinjal made dishes ever since.
The Phoenix soars ($21 ) - A flashy name for a simple dish. The is basically just a plate of roasted and white boneless chicken. The twist lies in the addition of lettuce to wrap the chicken in and of course, Village wok's own chili and garlic sauce which proved once again to complement it very well. I prefered the white chicken which was more tender but otherwise was only impressed with the sauce since i've had the same conceptualised chicken in other establishements.
Black pepper ham leg ($23 ) - Pig's trotters honestly do not appeal to me but this was once again a surprise. The crispy skin coupled with a thin layer of fats and thick lean meat provided a decent balance to the palate. There's a slight "porkish" smell from the fat but is easily negated with Village wok's rather spicy black pepper sauce.
Village Wok Celebration Parade ($22 ) - Simply roast pork and char siew in an extremely nicely set dish. The presentation for this did loads to make us hunger for it. This dish was another of their simple dishes done well. Tender, juicy and sweet char siew with an equally juicy roast pork in mustard sauce, whats not to like?
Steamed Pating fish with preserved vegetables ($44 ) - I love fish and i love batang chopped into little pieces to be used in porridge. This rendition is sadly not one of those i liked. The salty preserved vegetables and steamed fish didn't seem to complement each other since fish are supposed to be sweet and having a salty base simply didn't bring out the flavor i've come to expect and love.
Smiling fortune noodle ($8 ) - This noodles happens to one of the cheapest items you can find here. In fact, its rather value for money, has a strong shrimp taste and is a tad spicy. I liked it though.
Home-made Nonya Kaya with bread - Now this was weird, the kaya was balanced and sweet enough to have all of us popping each piece of bread into our mouths non stop. In fact, after all the food above, we managed to clear 3 plates of this strangely addictive yet simple item. Many of us were tempted to purchase the kaya home as well.
Black glutinous rice with coconut ice cream and lemongrass ice cream($4.50) - Dessert is also a simple affair with the surprise hit being the lemongrass ice cream. I liked the way it cleaned the palate and refreshed our heaty breaths after a heavy meal.I'd recommend it over the coconut ice cream anyday.
True to what our host said, the sauces are the star of the day. Without which, the food offerings would have seemed too simple to be worth the amount they commanded. I can understand why people would pay to have these sauces supplied given their popularity with even my group. However, i do need to point out that this meal would have cost in excess of $200 if we were billed for it. And i do feel its still too steep a price to pay.
Brewbaker's is part of Jack's Place holdings but is an offshoot in the sense that unlike Jack's place, its not halal certified. Its concept is one of escapism and relaxation which is reflected in its rather decent bar selection but holds many similarities to its parent company in regards to areas like its interior design and overall service level. Me and my gf patronized this venue on Valentine's day this year because i found it in a rather decent and new community centre near my house. It took about 35 minutes for us to walk the distance but honestly, we needed the exercise. Was it worth our effort though?
Thoughts on the location and surroundings: Being in a community centre doesn't necessarily mean its a slipshod location. The restaurant had a rather laidback atmosphere and relaxing buzz as its next to an excellently under utilized yet beautiful public pool and is next to a canal/river which actually is rather pleasing. The interior is spacious but the design reminds me too much of Jack's place to be a good thing.
Its Valentines day, so what better way to celebrate then to have a decent meal with my girl? And there's even a menu that promises a "gift for the ladies" to every couple. Perfect. More on the gift at the end of the post.
Archipelago Travellers Wheat - Self brewed gourmet beer seems to be appearing everywhere these days. Not that its a bad thing. I ordered a complimentary sampler from their menu and honestly, it wasn't too bad. Travellers Wheat tastes like....golden ale from Brewerkz and i simply adore beer with that taste so this is good for me.
Mango Drink - This is definitely not made in house since it tastes just like something you can get from a concentrate with water added. Need some work here.
Terrine of Seafood - This was weird. It tastes like it has milk concentrate in it but dissipates in each taste. There's actual crab and fishcake-like taste in the pasty center as well. Its not a bad dish per se, its just weird.
Garlic Bread and Homemade Clam Chowder - This was a surprise. At first glance, i was thinking: "how dare they serve campbells soup when its stated as homemade clam chowder?" My fears were put to rest once i taste it though. There's actually a generous amount of seafood tucked beneath the surface and it provided a balanced palate for the meal to come. Helps that its not flooded with salt and other such nonsensical tastes as well.
True Love Platter - The "True Love Platter" for 2 feels more like "true fat platter" to me. However, it wasn't bad at all. The grilled salmon steak with dill sauce was a little salty and had a rather strong "fishy" taste which didn't sit well with me. The Sirloin steak did not come with black pepper sauce as per the menu and was well done, which means it was rather tough to eat. The grilled vegetable skewers were pretty good as is the chicken drumlets and potato salad. My gf didn't like the calamari rings due to the thick batter. The potato salad was supposed to be potato wedges but was switched without informing us and the steak was well done without asking the doneness we wanted it in. I attribute this to a service issue though.
Sweet Temptations - The dessert was basically strawberry and chocolate mousse cake with fruits. The white chocolate sticks and fruits were pretty good. Refreshing and sweet while the cake itself....is a little too creamy for our tastes. Otherwise, it was an ok ending to the meal. Coffee was served after this which helped as well.
The final bill for a simple valentine's lunch came up to $70.62. Rather steep for the quality of food served.
Cons: The "gift" mentioned in the menu was never given. We had to ask for it 3 times before being given something and it was not a valentines gift for the lady at all. It was a leftover scratch and win card from Chinese New Year which held no significance whatsoever. Needless to say, i was disappointed. At the very least, if there was no gift, i would have appreciated being warned beforehand and replaced with either an additional dish or a drink would suffice. Not this lame attempt at redeeming themselves with a useless item. The management needs to look into this. Not to mention, the lack of initiative to inform on the change of items and the courtesy to ask about the doneness of my steak.
Final Score: 6/10 (minus 1 due to the service lapses and problems with the "gift" that never was.)
Last word: I was disappointed with the gift problem and service but the food was actually decent and so was the beer. Actually, the beer and location is probably the only reason i'll consider returning to this place. 50% off beer and 1 for 1 offers for the beer is something i could live with. Otherwise, i'd say try the food sparingly and they really need to buck up on their service training. Oh, its still better then Jack's Place as far as i'm concerned. Just thought i'd end it with that.
Recently, i've been bestowed with a valuable gift of Takashimaya vouchers from my superbly wonderful company. I've thus been thronging Takashimaya with the intention of spending every single voucher away to no avail. Thus, i used it to the most important aspect of my being. My every growing tummy. It so happend that Bakerzin was having an offer for macarons and i just hopped to try it.
First off, a little background into why i wanted to try this.
1: My boss bought a nice sample of the best macarons back from France for the team to try during her trip and i have to say, they were excellent if a little pricey. I mean, 1 small macaron for $8? Ouch.
2: I've been told the Singapore renditions for macarons were no where near the true taste and standard of a France. And being a true blue Singaporean, i felt compelled to see if this was true.
The observation: The macarons from Bakerzin were smaller and the proportions were different. The original macaron i had was thick in the middle and thinner on the sides. The Bakerzin rendition had a thicker side and smaller middle with a generally smaller size as well. Taste wise, the Bakerzin rendition i bought had 6 flavors, chocolate, mint, strawberry, cherry, coffee and lemon. They all had a rather strong milky taste which is unusual because the actual french version had no such taste. The sides were are less fragrant and had a different texture and layer of crunchiness as compared to the french version. Overall, i felt this version highly inadequate. I only had 2 flavors from the ones my boss brought back and i can tell you, the ones you find here are no where near the real thing. For starters, there is absolutely no milky taste. The texture is highly different and the actual fillings were packed full of actual flavor as opposed to the ready made ones you see on offer here.
Last word: Sure, i may be overly harsh on this. After all, the real thing costs 700% more and has to be flown in but hey, i had more faith in our chefs then to produce this half baked effort. Maybe when the promotion is over the macarons will be of better quality. I wouldn't know for sure but honestly, they need to step up their game so that it tastes like a true macaron instead of looking the part. Just my personal opinion is all.
As i'm preparing and writing this post, i'm struggling deep inside on whether i should post this or not. Reason being, this is one of my absolute favorites of all time and the fact that already too many people know of this gem of a restaurant. I'll make a statement here: "This is the best Japanese food i've had in Singapore thus far." Not that i've tried alot of the higher end restaurants but given the price and the quality, nowhere in Singapore comes close yet. You do have to get over a few things you may find weird though.
I'll start off with some things to note so that you at least know what to expect:
1: Do NOT put your finished plates on the sushi counter
2: If you order the hotpots, do NOT put your hand near the serving plate when he serves.
3: Your experience will depend solely on the food and not on the service and that the only way it can be.
4: Always order in numbers and prepare your order BEFORE coming into the restaurant.
5: A $2 charge is mandatory for each seat and comes with a drink. There's no service charge or gst.
6: There's no pork or lard here.
7: Be prepared to wait 1 hour at least if you miss the first seating. The restaurant seats only 16 people and if you miss it, you'll just have to queue outside till someone finishes their meal.
8: Do NOT offend the chef.
This is it, the place to look for. Wasabi tei is run by only 2 people, the chef and (if i'm not mistaken) his wife or assistant. She's in charge of serving drinks and taking orders while the chef takes care of everything else. Both of them have quite a temper but otherwise, i think their just nice people making a living.
Amuse Boche - Apart from the drink, your $2 per seat also comes with the appetiser. It looks less appealing then it really is. To describe its taste, its sweet, slightly salty and light. In other words, its an excellent appetiser in my opinion. Not sure if thats beancurd or meat but no matter, its still good.
Chawanmushi ($5) - A picture speaks a thousand words and this chawamushi should tell you how it tastes like quite simply. Its nothing short of superb. The generous helpings of enoki mushrooms, prawn, sharks fin and chicken meat is obvious since its filled to the brim with it. Its also made fresh when its ordered which thus give the chawanmushi its excellent melt in your mouth sensation. Unlike other renditions, this is extremely light and smooth. To date, this dish is unmatched anywhere else in Singapore.
Salmon Sashimi ($9) - I hope this picture tells you that the salmon sashimi comes in a huge portion because it definitely did. 6 thick slices of salmon thats easily 2 servings in similar restaurants for a reasonable price of $9. It also helps that the sashimi is wonderfully fresh and sweet with the natural fat of the fish giving it a nice smooth texture as well. At this price, the quality is just unbelievable. Trust me, this is worth more then all the red plates or whatever plates the sashimi comes in elsewhere.
Mixed Sashimi Rice ($20) - Another shockingly huge portion of sliced fish. My gf ordered this because she's a huge fan of sashimi and honestly, i've never felt it worth my money to eat this until now and thats saying a lot. Salmon, toro, kenpachi, tuna and fish roe rounds up the sashimi selection and each comes in thick slices and generously proportioned. Sashimi is the ultimate test of freshness offered by a japanese restaurant and over here, i would say i've found the winner. What else can i say about the freshness and generousity of the portions at the price? Its just really really good.
Cod Fish Hotpot ($15) - I found this on the menu and was geniunely surprised at this being offered at $15. After all, cod is an extremely expensive fish. However, i'm glad to report that this is also worth every cent. The fish is very smooth and tender while the hotpot is filled with assorted vegetables, mushrooms and vermicelli. It also helps that it is served with rice and a nice concoction of home made chili sauce which goes really well with the fish. In fact, i'd say it enhances the fresh taste of the fish and makes it even better. A worthwhile item as well.
On this visit, my total damage amounted to $52 and i have to say, this is more value for money then any japanese restaurant i've ever been to.
The fabled and legendary chawanmushi - On my second, third and forth visit, the chawanmushi is still something we'll order and never get sick off. There's nothing more to say about it, its just that good. If you've only eaten at say...Sakae or Sushi Tei, this version will change your opinion of chawanmushi for good.
Crab Sushi ($6) - One thing to note about the chef is that he seems to do sushi rolls last after preparing everything else. So if you're here and only ordered sushi, you're gonna need to wait for some time. The sushi we ordered had crab meat, avacado, cucumbers and fish roe and like the rest of the offerings, this was good. However, it wasn't great and the waiting time involved makes me feel that the other items are much better investments.
Sashimi Moriwase ($25) - Sashimi addiction? Yeah, i'd say that's pretty much the case here. For $25, you get generous portions and thick slices of sashimi with the same wonderful freshness and sweetness i've mentioned earlier. At this portion size and quality, i'd say this is easily $40 or more in other restaurants but over here, its a luxury i wouldn't miss to order. The added scallop this time around is excellent to say the least. Its sweetness and texture is something you need to try to understand. I ordered this on subsequent visits as well and i have to say, it never disappoints. Have this and thank me later. It also helps that the chef prepares this as one of his first items to serve so you'll get it pretty quickly.
Unagi Rice ($13) - Look at the unagi and believe it. This is only $13 and the portion he is giving is simply huge. For the same price, you'd probably get only one piece elsewhere but over here, 2 huge portions of savoury, made on-the-spot freshly grilled unagi at an unbelievably reasonable price. It helps that the unagi is also of the melt-in-your-mouth texture with an excellent and balanced sauce which is neither too sweet nor too salty. My order was a little charred at some places but even then, i found this very tasty. I'm pretty much sold for this dish and i simply love it much like everything else i've tried here.
Total bill was a little more this time at $58 for 2 but still more value for money then anything else thus far.
Minus the little gripes about the small space and the sometimes black face of the couple. This place is a treasure little found elsewhere in Singapore. The food is nothing short of excellent and the value for money it provides is second to none. Thus far in my food endevours, nothing matches this place for quality and value quite this much. The only places close to it will be Sage for the quality of its fusion food but the cost is definitely much higher. Wasabi tei is a place i would return to again and again and again and to be honest, i did return with my gf at least another 3 times with more still on the cards. Definitely a winner. Do note its not open on Sundays and public holidays though. You'll probably see me there again real soon as well. Cheers and a special Thank You! to the chef and his assistant for bringing such reasonably priced and good japanese food into Singapore.
Was at Yishun for my gf's friend's baby's one month party yesterday (01112009) and chanced upon this outlet hidden in the newly opened Northpoint wing.
The decor looks better then usual with wide open spaces and was bristling with customers and activity which thus also lead to me consenting to give it a try.
My gf had a coupon for $10 of a main dish with the Xin Wang card and our orders are as follows:
HK Cheese Baked Pork chop spagghetti - This wasn't too bad. The tomato is more sourish then sweet while the pork chop was a little hard. Spaggheti was plentiful however and this was actually quite overwhelming after a while.
Shrimp Dumplings - I found this rather good actually. Fresh, crunchy and sweet prawns basically make this dish good.
Pork Pastry - This was average as the pastry is not fragrant. The pork within is alright however, warm and sweet.
Pork Chop burger - I found this to be the least worthwhile item we ordered. The pork chop had a big layer of fats but was thankfully tender while the "burger" was made using toasted white bread. Overall, get rid of the fats and its acceptable but hardly worth $4.90. Mcdonalds fare better for the price.
Overall bill came to $12.90 after the $10 discount.
Honestly, this branch is better then the others i've tried but i still find it overpriced for the simple fare they provide. Our conclusion for why this is better is because, being a new branch, we theorised that probably the executive chef was on the location which thus resulted in the difference in quality.
1=SGD 0.0587
Hidden in a rather inconspicuous corner along Cecil and Amoy street is this extremely Chinese looking restaurant. The interior is adorned with simple antique furniture and the bare minimals, tables, chairs, air conditioning and lots of white cloth. In simple fact, its simplicity extends to its food offerings as well. Thats not a bad thing by the way.
In fact, the restaurant is simply a front for a greater business, the actual supply and selling of their famous and secret sauces.
DIY Popiah Set ($20 per set) - An apt start to our session began with one of their more popular items, the do-it-yourself popiah. At $20 a set, this is pretty good value for money since its possible to serve up to 5 people. The real draw lies in the process of making these little delectable dishes. A little bit of carrot here, some shrimp here, a little cucumber and sauces there, its actually loads of fun for such a simple process. I have to complement the chili sauce provided because it was mild yet retained some spiciness for a suitable kick.
Chilled crab with special vinegrette sauce ($30 per crab) - To enjoy this dish, one must first reserve it with the restaurant since there's only a fixed number of these little crustaceans available daily. The real draw of it lies in the succulently sweet meat and sinful eggish paste that comes with each one of these crawlies. Taken as it is, its already a treat but simply swab a little of Village Wok's top grade vinegrette and you'll be sold on paying a whooping $30 per crab.
Steeply priced? Definitely. Worth a try? The depends on your wallet.
Fried Brinjal with crispy squid in BXO sauce ($15) - This dish was a surprise to me simply because, i dislike brinjal and this dish made me reconsider my opinions of this tasty plant. The sweet sauce coupled with the fried squid served to give the soggy plant more texture and taste then i'm ever tasted before. I enjoyed this dish and have been trying brinjal made dishes ever since.
The Phoenix soars ($21 ) - A flashy name for a simple dish. The is basically just a plate of roasted and white boneless chicken. The twist lies in the addition of lettuce to wrap the chicken in and of course, Village wok's own chili and garlic sauce which proved once again to complement it very well. I prefered the white chicken which was more tender but otherwise was only impressed with the sauce since i've had the same conceptualised chicken in other establishements.
Black pepper ham leg ($23 ) - Pig's trotters honestly do not appeal to me but this was once again a surprise. The crispy skin coupled with a thin layer of fats and thick lean meat provided a decent balance to the palate. There's a slight "porkish" smell from the fat but is easily negated with Village wok's rather spicy black pepper sauce.
Village Wok Celebration Parade ($22 ) - Simply roast pork and char siew in an extremely nicely set dish. The presentation for this did loads to make us hunger for it. This dish was another of their simple dishes done well. Tender, juicy and sweet char siew with an equally juicy roast pork in mustard sauce, whats not to like?
Steamed Pating fish with preserved vegetables ($44 ) - I love fish and i love batang chopped into little pieces to be used in porridge. This rendition is sadly not one of those i liked. The salty preserved vegetables and steamed fish didn't seem to complement each other since fish are supposed to be sweet and having a salty base simply didn't bring out the flavor i've come to expect and love.
Smiling fortune noodle ($8 ) - This noodles happens to one of the cheapest items you can find here. In fact, its rather value for money, has a strong shrimp taste and is a tad spicy. I liked it though.
Home-made Nonya Kaya with bread - Now this was weird, the kaya was balanced and sweet enough to have all of us popping each piece of bread into our mouths non stop. In fact, after all the food above, we managed to clear 3 plates of this strangely addictive yet simple item. Many of us were tempted to purchase the kaya home as well.
Black glutinous rice with coconut ice cream and lemongrass ice cream($4.50) - Dessert is also a simple affair with the surprise hit being the lemongrass ice cream. I liked the way it cleaned the palate and refreshed our heaty breaths after a heavy meal.I'd recommend it over the coconut ice cream anyday.
True to what our host said, the sauces are the star of the day. Without which, the food offerings would have seemed too simple to be worth the amount they commanded. I can understand why people would pay to have these sauces supplied given their popularity with even my group. However, i do need to point out that this meal would have cost in excess of $200 if we were billed for it. And i do feel its still too steep a price to pay.
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18 Mar 2009 at 11:01 pm
Thoughts on the location and surroundings:
Being in a community centre doesn't necessarily mean its a slipshod location. The restaurant had a rather laidback atmosphere and relaxing buzz as its next to an excellently under utilized yet beautiful public pool and is next to a canal/river which actually is rather pleasing. The interior is spacious but the design reminds me too much of Jack's place to be a good thing.
Its Valentines day, so what better way to celebrate then to have a decent meal with my girl? And there's even a menu that promises a "gift for the ladies" to every couple. Perfect. More on the gift at the end of the post.
Archipelago Travellers Wheat - Self brewed gourmet beer seems to be appearing everywhere these days. Not that its a bad thing. I ordered a complimentary sampler from their menu and honestly, it wasn't too bad. Travellers Wheat tastes like....golden ale from Brewerkz and i simply adore beer with that taste so this is good for me.
Mango Drink - This is definitely not made in house since it tastes just like something you can get from a concentrate with water added. Need some work here.
Terrine of Seafood - This was weird. It tastes like it has milk concentrate in it but dissipates in each taste. There's actual crab and fishcake-like taste in the pasty center as well. Its not a bad dish per se, its just weird.
Garlic Bread and Homemade Clam Chowder - This was a surprise. At first glance, i was thinking: "how dare they serve campbells soup when its stated as homemade clam chowder?" My fears were put to rest once i taste it though. There's actually a generous amount of seafood tucked beneath the surface and it provided a balanced palate for the meal to come. Helps that its not flooded with salt and other such nonsensical tastes as well.
True Love Platter - The "True Love Platter" for 2 feels more like "true fat platter" to me. However, it wasn't bad at all. The grilled salmon steak with dill sauce was a little salty and had a rather strong "fishy" taste which didn't sit well with me. The Sirloin steak did not come with black pepper sauce as per the menu and was well done, which means it was rather tough to eat. The grilled vegetable skewers were pretty good as is the chicken drumlets and potato salad. My gf didn't like the calamari rings due to the thick batter. The potato salad was supposed to be potato wedges but was switched without informing us and the steak was well done without asking the doneness we wanted it in. I attribute this to a service issue though.
Sweet Temptations - The dessert was basically strawberry and chocolate mousse cake with fruits. The white chocolate sticks and fruits were pretty good. Refreshing and sweet while the cake itself....is a little too creamy for our tastes. Otherwise, it was an ok ending to the meal. Coffee was served after this which helped as well.
The final bill for a simple valentine's lunch came up to $70.62. Rather steep for the quality of food served.
Cons: The "gift" mentioned in the menu was never given. We had to ask for it 3 times before being given something and it was not a valentines gift for the lady at all. It was a leftover scratch and win card from Chinese New Year which held no significance whatsoever. Needless to say, i was disappointed. At the very least, if there was no gift, i would have appreciated being warned beforehand and replaced with either an additional dish or a drink would suffice. Not this lame attempt at redeeming themselves with a useless item. The management needs to look into this. Not to mention, the lack of initiative to inform on the change of items and the courtesy to ask about the doneness of my steak.
Final Score: 6/10 (minus 1 due to the service lapses and problems with the "gift" that never was.)
Last word:
I was disappointed with the gift problem and service but the food was actually decent and so was the beer. Actually, the beer and location is probably the only reason i'll consider returning to this place. 50% off beer and 1 for 1 offers for the beer is something i could live with. Otherwise, i'd say try the food sparingly and they really need to buck up on their service training. Oh, its still better then Jack's Place as far as i'm concerned. Just thought i'd end it with that.
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First off, a little background into why i wanted to try this.
1: My boss bought a nice sample of the best macarons back from France for the team to try during her trip and i have to say, they were excellent if a little pricey. I mean, 1 small macaron for $8? Ouch.
2: I've been told the Singapore renditions for macarons were no where near the true taste and standard of a France. And being a true blue Singaporean, i felt compelled to see if this was true.
The observation:
The macarons from Bakerzin were smaller and the proportions were different. The original macaron i had was thick in the middle and thinner on the sides. The Bakerzin rendition had a thicker side and smaller middle with a generally smaller size as well.
Taste wise, the Bakerzin rendition i bought had 6 flavors, chocolate, mint, strawberry, cherry, coffee and lemon. They all had a rather strong milky taste which is unusual because the actual french version had no such taste. The sides were are less fragrant and had a different texture and layer of crunchiness as compared to the french version. Overall, i felt this version highly inadequate.
I only had 2 flavors from the ones my boss brought back and i can tell you, the ones you find here are no where near the real thing. For starters, there is absolutely no milky taste. The texture is highly different and the actual fillings were packed full of actual flavor as opposed to the ready made ones you see on offer here.
Last word:
Sure, i may be overly harsh on this. After all, the real thing costs 700% more and has to be flown in but hey, i had more faith in our chefs then to produce this half baked effort. Maybe when the promotion is over the macarons will be of better quality. I wouldn't know for sure but honestly, they need to step up their game so that it tastes like a true macaron instead of looking the part. Just my personal opinion is all.
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I'll start off with some things to note so that you at least know what to expect:
1: Do NOT put your finished plates on the sushi counter
2: If you order the hotpots, do NOT put your hand near the serving plate when he serves.
3: Your experience will depend solely on the food and not on the service and that the only way it can be.
4: Always order in numbers and prepare your order BEFORE coming into the restaurant.
5: A $2 charge is mandatory for each seat and comes with a drink. There's no service charge or gst.
6: There's no pork or lard here.
7: Be prepared to wait 1 hour at least if you miss the first seating. The restaurant seats only 16 people and if you miss it, you'll just have to queue outside till someone finishes their meal.
8: Do NOT offend the chef.
This is it, the place to look for. Wasabi tei is run by only 2 people, the chef and (if i'm not mistaken) his wife or assistant. She's in charge of serving drinks and taking orders while the chef takes care of everything else. Both of them have quite a temper but otherwise, i think their just nice people making a living.
Amuse Boche - Apart from the drink, your $2 per seat also comes with the appetiser. It looks less appealing then it really is. To describe its taste, its sweet, slightly salty and light. In other words, its an excellent appetiser in my opinion. Not sure if thats beancurd or meat but no matter, its still good.
Chawanmushi ($5) - A picture speaks a thousand words and this chawamushi should tell you how it tastes like quite simply. Its nothing short of superb. The generous helpings of enoki mushrooms, prawn, sharks fin and chicken meat is obvious since its filled to the brim with it. Its also made fresh when its ordered which thus give the chawanmushi its excellent melt in your mouth sensation. Unlike other renditions, this is extremely light and smooth. To date, this dish is unmatched anywhere else in Singapore.
Salmon Sashimi ($9) - I hope this picture tells you that the salmon sashimi comes in a huge portion because it definitely did. 6 thick slices of salmon thats easily 2 servings in similar restaurants for a reasonable price of $9. It also helps that the sashimi is wonderfully fresh and sweet with the natural fat of the fish giving it a nice smooth texture as well. At this price, the quality is just unbelievable. Trust me, this is worth more then all the red plates or whatever plates the sashimi comes in elsewhere.
Mixed Sashimi Rice ($20) - Another shockingly huge portion of sliced fish. My gf ordered this because she's a huge fan of sashimi and honestly, i've never felt it worth my money to eat this until now and thats saying a lot. Salmon, toro, kenpachi, tuna and fish roe rounds up the sashimi selection and each comes in thick slices and generously proportioned. Sashimi is the ultimate test of freshness offered by a japanese restaurant and over here, i would say i've found the winner. What else can i say about the freshness and generousity of the portions at the price? Its just really really good.
Cod Fish Hotpot ($15) - I found this on the menu and was geniunely surprised at this being offered at $15. After all, cod is an extremely expensive fish. However, i'm glad to report that this is also worth every cent. The fish is very smooth and tender while the hotpot is filled with assorted vegetables, mushrooms and vermicelli. It also helps that it is served with rice and a nice concoction of home made chili sauce which goes really well with the fish. In fact, i'd say it enhances the fresh taste of the fish and makes it even better. A worthwhile item as well.
On this visit, my total damage amounted to $52 and i have to say, this is more value for money then any japanese restaurant i've ever been to.
The fabled and legendary chawanmushi - On my second, third and forth visit, the chawanmushi is still something we'll order and never get sick off. There's nothing more to say about it, its just that good. If you've only eaten at say...Sakae or Sushi Tei, this version will change your opinion of chawanmushi for good.
Crab Sushi ($6) - One thing to note about the chef is that he seems to do sushi rolls last after preparing everything else. So if you're here and only ordered sushi, you're gonna need to wait for some time. The sushi we ordered had crab meat, avacado, cucumbers and fish roe and like the rest of the offerings, this was good. However, it wasn't great and the waiting time involved makes me feel that the other items are much better investments.
Sashimi Moriwase ($25) - Sashimi addiction? Yeah, i'd say that's pretty much the case here. For $25, you get generous portions and thick slices of sashimi with the same wonderful freshness and sweetness i've mentioned earlier. At this portion size and quality, i'd say this is easily $40 or more in other restaurants but over here, its a luxury i wouldn't miss to order. The added scallop this time around is excellent to say the least. Its sweetness and texture is something you need to try to understand. I ordered this on subsequent visits as well and i have to say, it never disappoints. Have this and thank me later. It also helps that the chef prepares this as one of his first items to serve so you'll get it pretty quickly.
Unagi Rice ($13) - Look at the unagi and believe it. This is only $13 and the portion he is giving is simply huge. For the same price, you'd probably get only one piece elsewhere but over here, 2 huge portions of savoury, made on-the-spot freshly grilled unagi at an unbelievably reasonable price. It helps that the unagi is also of the melt-in-your-mouth texture with an excellent and balanced sauce which is neither too sweet nor too salty. My order was a little charred at some places but even then, i found this very tasty. I'm pretty much sold for this dish and i simply love it much like everything else i've tried here.
Total bill was a little more this time at $58 for 2 but still more value for money then anything else thus far.
Minus the little gripes about the small space and the sometimes black face of the couple. This place is a treasure little found elsewhere in Singapore. The food is nothing short of excellent and the value for money it provides is second to none. Thus far in my food endevours, nothing matches this place for quality and value quite this much. The only places close to it will be Sage for the quality of its fusion food but the cost is definitely much higher. Wasabi tei is a place i would return to again and again and again and to be honest, i did return with my gf at least another 3 times with more still on the cards. Definitely a winner. Do note its not open on Sundays and public holidays though. You'll probably see me there again real soon as well. Cheers and a special Thank You! to the chef and his assistant for bringing such reasonably priced and good japanese food into Singapore.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!wow! very detailed. thanks for the info. have to go & check this place.
17 Jan 2009 at 7:55 pm
Thank you, its definitely worth a try if you discount service and just focus on the food and price. cheers.
17 Jan 2009 at 9:52 pm
darn the Q is alr long enuff & nw u gotta let more ppl know. haha (just kiddin)
29 Jan 2009 at 3:09 pm
The decor looks better then usual with wide open spaces and was bristling with customers and activity which thus also lead to me consenting to give it a try.
My gf had a coupon for $10 of a main dish with the Xin Wang card and our orders are as follows:
HK Cheese Baked Pork chop spagghetti - This wasn't too bad. The tomato is more sourish then sweet while the pork chop was a little hard. Spaggheti was plentiful however and this was actually quite overwhelming after a while.
Shrimp Dumplings - I found this rather good actually. Fresh, crunchy and sweet prawns basically make this dish good.
Pork Pastry - This was average as the pastry is not fragrant. The pork within is alright however, warm and sweet.
Pork Chop burger - I found this to be the least worthwhile item we ordered. The pork chop had a big layer of fats but was thankfully tender while the "burger" was made using toasted white bread. Overall, get rid of the fats and its acceptable but hardly worth $4.90. Mcdonalds fare better for the price.
Overall bill came to $12.90 after the $10 discount.
Honestly, this branch is better then the others i've tried but i still find it overpriced for the simple fare they provide. Our conclusion for why this is better is because, being a new branch, we theorised that probably the executive chef was on the location which thus resulted in the difference in quality.
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