Eden Cafe

Joined in the fun for the 1st Eat Out by Yebbers at Eden. It was fun to see the people behind the usernames. Hee.... Fun and friendly people. It is also one of the time that I actually ate from 8 plus to midnight, so it ended as a dinner/supper session. Haa...

The resturant was along Club street, well have to look out for the signage if not will miss the place.

The place is small but cosy, with simple decoration.

The boss, Clement is very friendly going ard making small talks with people at the same time making sure that the food are ready to be served on time.

Now to the food:

Starters:

Tomato based seafood soup: It is a thick tomato based seafood. The seadfood inside was fresh as well. I enjoyed it.

Endives with Mushroom and bacon canapes: I stongly recommend this starter. It was great! The mushroom was grilled (or pan fried) to prefection, and yet able to retain its juices within. Together with the bacon canapes, they formed a prefect match! Simply wonderful!

Main:

Rosemerry rose petal garlic lamb / beef: Hmm... did not managed to taste the rose petal, but the beef that I have was tender.

Lemon garlic Mahi Mahi: I believed that this dish was changed to snow fish. Even thought there is a hint of lemon and garlic taste but then it did not managed to fully cover the fishy smell. Overall a pleasant dish.

Seedless grape chicken: This one came in a pastry form where we have to break open the hard pastry for it. It was like digging for treasure. Hee... Once opened, can smell the faint smell of the grape. The only sad thing about this dish is the chicken is a bit too dry for my liking. If not, this will be a wonderful dish as well.

Balsemic Strawberry Beef: This dish is another winner! I loved it. The taste of the strawberry went into the beef which was a prefect match as well. The beef was tender and juicy! The strawberry a bit on the sour side. Hee....

Black sesame mushroom pasta: Once they placed this dish in front of me, I could smell the cheese. With is handmade pasta (I believed), it is unique but too unique for my taste.

Desserts:

Wine tea floral fruit jello: Got two of it, one is made with extra from hibicus and the other I forgot alr. Hee.... Both are good! Not really too sweet and taste really well!

Balsume mosse cake: Light on taste, with a hint of cheese in it.

Got 2 more desserts, which I forgot their names, one is another cheesecake.

Overall, the whole meal is fine, but maybe my expectations are a bit too high from reading the reviews above or manybe they are too busy trying to get all the dishes out on time that it might affect the quailty of the food that day.

However, I will be back to try their other dishes especially their desserts that Clement had recommended.

Thks to the organisers for this party and Clement for the great host, explaining every dish to us.

Eden cafe is located along the chic little alley of 54th club street. Nestled in a small inconspicuous corner is a little culinary treasure that is helmed by an equally inconspicuous and unassuming man by the name of Clement Ronald Ng. Incidentally, he is also the head chef and owner of Helio cafe located at Marina Square.

Appetiser: Mushroom Soup with Otak - simple as this dish may sound and look. It actually contains a blend of 5 different mushrooms and contains no cream at all. The result is a surprisingly fresh concoction that fills your tastebuds with all things mushroom. Before my tasting i'd already heard good things about this dish from friends but i have to say, it does underwhelm a little maybe because i'm too used to cream mushroom soups. This is definitely the healthier choice though. The accompanying otak is very nicely done. The bread was toasted beforehand and was nicely crisp. The otak was not too spicy and had just enough 'oomph' to its taste to set it apart from normal run-of-the-mill otaks. The only complaint was that there was too little of it.

Main Dish 1: Lavender Rosemary Pastry Wrapped Seedless Grape Chicken - the first dish after appetisers to grace our table. This is actually one of chef Clement's Signature dishes and i've been pining to have a taste since the previous visit because my initial impression with Clements other chicken creation was very positive. The chicken was very tender and you can definitely taste the lavender and rosemary albeit a lot less significant then before. The lemon which was inside the chicken along with the grapes kinda gave the chicken a very uneven sour taste but i understand from my friends that the parts like the wings and breasts had the taste spread more evenly and was very good. Personally, i got the sour parts so i cannot speak for the rest. The pastry was surprisingly hard but had soaked up the taste of chicken and lemon and lavender pretty well. The verdict on that was that some liked it and some didn't. I liked it though.

Main Dish 2: Dory Fish Potato Gratin - The second main dish to appear on our table. I've tasted various potato gratins before but never a dory fish melded version. This dish disappeared within seconds of its appearance as everyone quickly took a piece. The greens were superb with their salad dressing, as is with all the greens in Eden Cafe, i'll make a statement: "All greens in Eden Cafe are fresh and taste totally great!" Paired with the gratin, i'd say most of the taste was solely on the potato more then the fish. I couldn't really tell where the dory fish taste came in but the gratin was good nonetheless. It was cooked just right which gave it a nice texture of being soft on the inside and firm on the outside.

Main Dish 3: Pork Wraps In Wild Pepper Leaves - This is one dish i can easily recommend. Clement was introducing it to me before we dug into the dish and apparently, the way to enjoy this dish is akin to having Peking Duck. And yes, its wrapped with the pepper leaves. This is a totally enjoyable dish because everything complements so well. The pork is nicely cooked and there are faint traces of spices in it. The leaf is surprisingly tasty. The four other ingredients you see here are actually, sugar syrup, sliced lime, i think its ground nuts and little dried salty shrimp. To enjoy this dish, put all the ingredients and wrap it with the pork and leaf. You can control how you want this dish to taste by moderating the portion of each ingredient. Comments from my friends include it having a slightly thai taste to being simply delectable and light. A side note is that the shrimp was used as turtle food sometimes but thats beside the point. Its great enjoyment to have this dish since everybody has a great time eating and having fun with this dish. Of course, its also simply delicious and light.

Main Dish 4: Saffron Cream Sauce Salmon and Portebello - undoubtedly the star of the day in the main course department. This dish was simply great. The saffron sauce does not overwhelm and complements well with the salmon and portebello mushroom accompaniment. For people who do not like salmon for its fishy taste, please rest assured that you will have no such problem with this dish. As Clement would reiterate during the meal, he uses only sashimi grade salmon for his dishes and it shows. If you were to just enjoy the salmon, you would be missing out on one of the best things about this dish, the portebello mushroom. I say this with much conviction because EVERYONE including the previous group i came with loved the mushroom to bits. It is succulent, juicy and oh so tasty its a must try even from reviewers in the Today paper on June 18th Monday 2007. Definitely a must-try dish at Eden or Helios if they offer it.

Main Dish 5: Tomato Based Spaghetti With Fresh Mussel - as Clement puts it, this dish was meant as a backup dish if our group was not full after the delightful dish before. The tomato base is specially made and blended by Clement himself and if my memory does not fail me. He quoted using mushrooms in his concoction as well for the base. The result is a well balanced base that does not overwhelm the taste buds and is just right. The accompanying spaghetti is well cooked and easily palatable, complementing the tomato base well. The mussel is fresh and sufficiently marinated by the base while still retaining its very own wild freshness. For lack of a better term to describe the feeling, you can actually taste the freshness of the sea from that one single mussel. A good ending to the main course department though not exactly spectacular but worthy nonetheless.

Dessert: Hibiscus Cheese Cake - A star dessert and best seller at Eden. This Hibiscus cheese cake is specially made so its much lighter on the tummy then regular cheese cakes sold outside. The cake had a smooth texture that allows it to easily melt in your mouth. Its not too sweet and the hibiscus gives it a slight sour taste from the layer above while the other cheese layers contain a distinct sweetness that offsets and balances everything. I've heard nothing but praises for this dish from my friends and even the newspaper reviewer of Today took to this dessert with nothing but delight. Add to the fact that it is Eden Cafe's bestseller dessert and you know you gotta try it at least once. Be warned not to expect flavors that burst in your mouth as i've already said, this is a light dish and the taste is balanced, not overwhelming.

Visit 2: The following is a reminiscence of my first visit with pictures taken from my friend's blog and thus the watermarks. Do pay his site a visit as well since it currently contains much more then mine. horts of the signboard and interior. As you can see, its not necessarily big but its not the size of the restuarant that matters, its the food, service and also, for this particular restuarant, its spirit.

Starters: Jumbo Prawns Wrapped In Bacon - As a starter, this was rather disappointing if attention was focused on the prawn and bacon alone. The prawns were rather small and the bacon was quite salty when both were paired together. I also detect a slight powdery texture in the prawn which does not bode well for this dish. The tomato salsa salad on the other hand is a wonderful starter. Everything inside is totally fresh and very appetizing. This would have sufficed as a starter if paired with something other than the prawns we had.

Saffron Cream Sauce Salmon - As I've already said in my "Eden Cafe Revisited" post, this is a must try dish no matter what the situation. The freshness of the salmon and the combination of the mushroom with saffron sauce and salad. Its a great dish that everyone can enjoy.

Beef & Mashed Potato in Red Wine - As the second main course of the day, this was excellent. I myself am an avid lover of beef and meat. Thus this hit the spot for me just right. General complaints for this dish from my friends were that the beef was too raw. This is actually a very valid complaint since the dish was cooked medium rare but maybe due to the thickness of the beef, the middle portion was essentially still rare and might turn off people who prefer their beef more cooked. However, I liked the dish the way it is and as Clement would educate before the meal, he only uses the freshest beef and cuts where i remember would be top side and tenderloin. He also said that this beef could have been eaten raw without any worries. My impression of the meat is that it is thick, succulent and although i could not taste any form of marinating, tasted good. The mashed potato and red wine combination is a first and is excellent. The mash potato compliments well with the red wine concoction and simply spurs you on to in indulge in more of it. Definitely a good thing and a dish worth trying out. Be wary of how raw it is though and advice Clement before the dish to ensure maximum satisfaction.

Rosemary Chicken - Unfortunately, we do not have photographs of this dish. However, this is also another dish i have to recommend heartily to all you readers. Essentially a floral dish, this chicken is excellent. You can detact strong traces of rose with each bite and the texture of the chicken is excellent. Its not too hard and tears easily without being overly soft. Overall, everything was balanced just right and is unique enough to warrant a try from everyone sick of the usual taste of chicken offered elsewhere.

Crème Brûlée - The first dessert of the day came with a performance all its own. Clement personally did the melting of the sugar on top as he informed us that his Crème Brûlée is made of pure vanilla beans instead of essence or extract which is available elsewhere. The melting was done evenly and resulted in a nice layer of sugar on top which was just right, neither too thick nor too thin. This is a very nice dessert to start with and makes the visit worthwhile in my opinion. Do try but note that if Clement does not do the melting himself, results may vary.

Tiramisu - The Tiramisu is available easily outside but i find that Clement's rendition packs more 'Oomph" for the buck. The top layer is made of chocolate which is very unusual and gives it a very dense taste. The cake below is soaked in rum and that could be either really good or really bad depending on how you like your tiramisu. I liked it strong even though my friend's think otherwise. Try and discern for yourself but do note the mxing is different with each rendition thus you might get a thicker or less dense version depending on your luck.

Brandy Chocolate - Our third dessert was essentially brandy chocolate. This is another very flavorful rendition by Clement and the chocolate is really thick and dense. However, i really couldn't taste the brandy so i'm not sure why this was called brandy chocolate. I wasn't really impressed with this particular dessert but its still better than average.

Hisbiscus Cheese Phyllo - The fourth and last dessert for the day is something unique to Eden Cafe at present. The Hibiscus cheese phyllo is looks a little like folded prata with cheese inside but it tastes totally different. As it is made during the visit, it tastes fresh, crispy and warm. The filling of hibiscus gives the cheese a unique sour taste. Take this in moderation as the taste of cheese begins to overwhelm after a time.

Food and value is consistently good at Eden Cafe. Thus, it is highly recommended. As per my previous introduction, do call up early for MTO meals instead of walk-ins as the place is now usually packed.

Visit 3: den Cafe, by now, you should have heard about it from either the television, the newspaper, the radio or from a variety of blogs online. Pioneered by Clement Ng for his passion for floral cuisine, Eden has gotten many rave reviews and some not-so-good ones as well. No matter, Yebber had its little gathering there and many were present to enjoy it. You can view my previous visits here and here.

Clement and Yebber obviously went through some effort to do up the place for a nice Christmas like feeling to suit the season. And i do applaud their effort for providing a nice atmosphere for the event. Complete with mistletoes and door gifts, the feeling was homely and just right.

Rose Petal Brownie with Cookies and Cream Ice Cream ($5.90) - Why is dessert the first dish? Simple, due to miscommunication and some really late comers, we had to settle for something to start the meal. I've an insatiable sweet tooth and that is why this comes in first. It came looking like a winner and it is a winner. The brownie is warm and moist with it being mildly sweet and a tad bitter. Add in rose petals and thick cream filled ice cream and it was enough to satisfy my day. I could have just had this and felt good actually.

Black Sesame Mushroom Pasta - As Clement puts it: "For this dish, you either love it or hate it." I have to say i lean towards the latter. Although i applaud the effort taken to prepare it (you actually see the service staff squeezing it out of some contraption) but taste-wise, it doesn't quite cut it for me. The texture was a mixed bag as well and i found the lemon based sauce and cheese didn't quite complement each other.

Tomato Based Seafood Soup - I was quite surprised this dish didn't receive further attention to its presentation but then again, how well can you make a tomato based soup look? The soup was thick with mashed vegetables and tomatoes and came with 1 mussel and 1 prawn each. Overall, i found it a little bland in taste this time around albeit i'm sure it is a reasonably healthy dish.

Endives With Mushroom and Bacon Canapes - Fresh, tasty and healthy. This is one refreshing appetiser that is easy to enjoy. Tasty fungi is difficult to find i think. Only gripe? Please upsize the serving for this please. One is never enough!

Seedless Grape Chicken - Another signature dish, this time in sampler portions. The dough casing is even harder then before and totally inedible. However, this chicken inside is definitely an improvement with its juices locked in well. As usual, more would have been better.

Rosemary Garlic Beef - I found the beef a little tough this time around, but the rosemary garlic sauce is delectable. Makes the dish still desirable in my books.

Lemon Garlic Snow Fish - Snow fish or Cod with pan fried with lemon and garlic. To me, cod by itself is already a delicacy so additional garnishing either enhance it to super stardom or spoils the dish. This, however, was neither. The cod was a tad dry but sweet nonetheless and the lemon garlic almost overwhelmed the taste of the prized fish. Good but not quite for me.

Balsamic Strawberry Beef - This i loved. Simple. Balsamic beef tastes a little like beef soaked in vinegar before it was cooked. What can i say? I love both beef and vinegar. And the best part? The beef was tender and of a respectable size. Definitely worth a try. The strawberry seems like an after thought though.

Hibiscus CheeseCake And Balsamic Black Pepper Mousse Cake - 've had both of these before so it wasn't too special to me. The balsamic mousse cake was Clement's 'mystery cake' which i had during the mooncake festival. It generally tastes like cheese cake with a little spice added to the taste. The hibiscus cheesecake retains its sourish and sweet taste that still makes it a hit in the restaurant.

Chocolate Brownie And Wine Tea Floral Fruit Jello With Strawberry- Chocolate brownie is the same one i had at the start of the meal but it wasn't heated and it didn't look as pretty. Taste wise, it just doesn't have as much impact as the full item in the beginning. The wine tea jello is pretty interesting, essentially combining the wine tea into a jello form for consumption. I personally didn't find it very appealing however.

The bill for 25 people came to $1100 dollars which is quite a fair bit but does feel justified somewhat since everyone generally had good time. The meal did take 5 hours to pan out though.

Is Eden any good? Yes it is. There are still some winners in the menu and Clement is constantly coming out with new items to add. His service is personalized and friendly as well as long as you are his customers. When all is said and done, Eden is still one of the better restaurants out there. Homely, cheerful, nonplussed and serves good food. Now if only Clement would lower the price and give bigger portions, i'll bring armies there for lunch and dinner.

I liked the fact that the chicken could be shared by up to 3 people and that we received 3 servings of half a chicken which meant the portions were adequate and very satisfying.