A Makansutra Legend that hails from the old Wayang Street hawkers from the 70's, my family and I have been eating at Ah Kow for as long as I can remember. Reckon to be the authentic Teochew Minced Pork & Dumpling Noodle, one who enjoys an extra dash of black vinegar will appreciate their unrestrained use of black vinegar on the noodles that is purportedly a special brand of traditional black vinegar from China.
For a bowl of noodles that costs $3.50 (they have upped their price), the portion of noodles is paltry. Not as Q as I can remember, the noodles that day were average if not for the saving grace of the black vinegar that was not overwhelming, the slice of Ti Po (Crispy Fried Sole Fish) and the free helping of Crispy Pork Lard – that was fresh and crunchy.
And for an additional of $4, one can delight in the bowl of Teochew Keows (Dumplings) that comes with a generous helping of minced pork, slice pork, and my favourite vegetable - Tang O (Garland Chrysanthemum). Sadly, the soup was slightly lacklustre and bland that day, but the dumplings were still as good.
One might noticed that fried sole fish was added to give it an extra oomph. For $4 a bowl, one will get eight big pork filled dumplings.
However overall, I think Ah Kow’s standard has dipped slightly from the numerous times I have tried. One might also find a bowl of $3.50 minced pork noodles (without dumplings) expensive.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
This place is very much hidden, but I’m glad I managed to find them through Yebber.
There were 2 other customers when I reached. I sat down and was immediately served by Tim. We discussed about the type of haircut I want and he gave his suggestions and views.
Overall I like the service and the final look managed to “WOW” me. Tim gives very good head massage too! If you’re tired and needs a little boost in the head, you can pop by just for wash and blow service. It’s well worth it! I will be going back in a month or two to cover up the highlighted part and chop off more hair!
After getting cuts from female stylist all this while, its refreshing to get my hair done by a male stylist. And in fact, I find the guys more careful and he pays more attention to little details when cutting, washing and styling. Surely a plus for this!
During my 3 hours at Flhair Salon, I saw many other customers coming in with either messy hair or hair that’s way too long for their look. But they all left with great hair and better look! Being guy stylists themselves, they sure know what’s in and best suitable for the men. Many customers that came today were guys too.
They’re having a 20% discount now! (Till when I’m not sure. Can call them to check it out ya.)
Seoul Yummy, another casual dining place that serves Korean food with its entrance hidden at the corner of third floor.
First up was the Hotplate Spicy Octopus – it comes with a good bite and was crunchy. The gravy is quite spicy to eat it on its own but pair it with a bowl of sticky white rice should do the trick.
The Shrimp Roe Beef Hotpot Mixed Rice was one of my favourite dishes – akin to claypot rice, the bottom of the rice was crisp and the shrimp roe adds a nice twist to this dish.
Steamed Kimchi with Pork Dumplings was quite a disappointment – there wasn’t any hint of kimchi in it and we found the meat too overwhelming. The skin of the dumpling is also not the best we have tried.
Everyone’s favourite for the day belongs to the Special Trio Bingsu, or Yoghurt Ice Cream with Kiwi, Strawberry & Red Bean Toppings. The dessert was served on a bed of ice shavings thus every spoonful was delightfully chilled. Ice cream comes with a tint of sourness that should be the way a natural flavoured yoghurt ice cream should taste like (Yoguru might wish to take heed).
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Zhou’s Kitchen - 周 (Zhou) is the family name of Andrew Tjioe, Tung Lok Group’s Founder and Executive Chairman and Zhou’s Kitchen is a welcome shift from the high end Tung Lok restaurant to a casual Chinese dining restaurant that caters to the palates and pockets of diners from all walks of life.
The décor is a mixed of Eastern influence of bamboos and jade and Western influence of clean and bright modern lighting.
Each table was served with delightful Prawn Crackers as we waited for our first dish - Young Sweet Potato Leaves Sautéed with Sambal Belachan. A straightforward dish that is a close substitute to Sambal Kang Kong, some might dislike the subtle bitter aftertaste.
The Xing Hua Traditional Homemade Noodle is a bowl of Udon-like noodles served in slightly gluey gravy. The gravy is light on the palate but noodles tend to be starchy towards the end.
The Xing Hua Dumplings served in a bowl of MSG-laden soup was disappointing. The dumpling tasted of strong pork smell and the skin was not the best I have tasted.
The best dish was the Grandma's Braised Pork with Toufu that was doled out in a claypot. Pork was soft and flavoured but a pity that the toufu was not braised along with it, as it was hard and hardly soaked in the gravy.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Secret Recipe, a lifestyle café chain that has become a household name following its debut in Malaysia since 1997. It has since successfully established its brand name in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.
The Lamb Stew served with Mashed Potatoes is one of their signatured dishes. The meat was very soft and yielding that a lightest tug of the fork will cause the meat to be easily separated from its bone. However, the meat could be better infused with the gravy and the mashed potatoes could be slightly salted for better flavour - we find it slightly cold and hard as well.
The Pan Grill, or Grilled Dory Laden with Lobster Gravy and served with Fries was the other main we sampled. On its own, the lobster gravy is strong with lobster tang, but we find the pairing with the fish a slight mismatch. Dory being a fresh-water fish also comes with a slight muddy taste.
The highlight of Secret Recipe belongs to its award-winning Chocolate Banana Cake. Crowned as the "Most Original Chocolate Cake" award winner in Malaysia 1999, the cake is pretty addictive. Loads of Thick Banana Slices on a Bed of Chocolate Cream with Chocolate Cake, this cake doesn’t come across as chocolaty as Awfully Chocolate’s version, and would bring a nice finale to a meal, however, we would prefer the cake to be slightly more moist.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Last July, I took Cathay Pacific Airlines to Hong Kong with a friend. The seats were clean and comfortable, and the food served later on was really delicious and good. :)
The service however, was just average.
On the journey there, I think it was the HK crew and...they were not really friendly or helpful when it came to their service attitudes.
Some of them did not service with a smile, and most of them were obviously very hurried while serving the passengers. Food were asked to be cleared within a short period of time, and I even saw an air stewardess grabbing a cup off a passenger's table without asking, as she walked down the aisle.
Hmm. Shouldn't she ask the passenger if she could clear the cup away, before grabbing it off so suddenly like that?
However, the service standards on the return trip to Singapore was much better. The air stewardess and stewards were all much friendlier and serviced with a smile.
To me, service matters a lot in the airline industry. Quality, comfort and other factors may be in the consideration of passengers while choosing their favourite airline to travel with, but above all, a friendly smile and good service is what keeps consumers coming back for more. :)
Yes 933 has been a constant companion since my late primary school days, staying up with me through late mugging nights and lazy weekend afternoons.
Not stating that it's an old and passe radio station, but all along, it has been an excellent radio station that produces sincere works and entertainment for all listeners. :)
Used to love Dasmond Koh's radio programs, but after he left the radio industry, the new batch of DJs have not let the listeners down either. Cruz Teng (丁志勇), Siau Jia Hui (萧嘉蕙) and Lim Peifen (林佩芬) are all my current favourites as not only do they have likeable personalities, their hardwork can be seen through their performances over the years. :)
For best mandarin pop music and updated entertainment news, Yes 933 is still my top choice. *thumbs up* :D
Walking through Arab Street, the most familiar restaurant name that jumped out at me was Ambrosia. I've read many reviews on the Internet, with praises for it's atmosphere and food. And so, I went there with my friends to try out the food.
It turned out to be a big disappointment.
True, Ambrosia had great atmosphere, no matter if it was dining at the Mediterranean Restaurant or the Mediterranean Lounge. It was really cosy and relaxing, romantic even. I cannot deny this positive aspect of the restaurant as it was simply fabulous.
As for the food, I had their Doner Chicken Kebab, and it was really good! I like it alot, whether it was the grilled chicken or the pita bread. They were like a total perfect combination~ My friends loved this dish too. :)
We were adventurous and also tried out one of their main courses, which was also chicken, but baked with rice and some other dried fruits/spices and ingredients. It was not that good though, as the rice was dry and average. I preferred the kebab much much much more than this main dish.
Drinks wise, we had Lime Laban, Apple Laban, Lychee Freeze, Longan Freeze and they were all quite nice. I had Lime Laban, and it actually tasted like the lime&milk ice lolly that you can find in the convenience stores. x)
With all that said, what actually caused the unhappy disappointing experience? -- The service.
When we were leaving the restaurant, we realised that one pair of shoes were actually missing! Right there, it just turned the happy dinner into an angry one. The waiters at Ambrosia were quite nice, helping to look for the pair of missing shoe and checking around to see if anyone has seen it.
However, the lady in charge was very unhelpful and unfriendly. She didn't try to placify us, and neither did she try to help. All she did was just to stand at the counter and told us in a deadpanned face and half-irritated voice that she couldn't do anything about the missing shoe. All we could do, was to report the incident to the police, before Ambrosia could compensate us for the shoe.
She then commanded one of the waiters to bring out a pair of slippers for my friend and that's that. No friendly words, no apologies and totally no expression on that stoned face of hers.
What kind of service is that?!
It was honestly not the type of service I expected from a restaurant that is recommended by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Imagine if it was a tourist, would she be as rude and unhelpful? How can customer service from a highly recommended place to tourists, be of such service standards?
I don't understand.
What's more? On our way out, the waiters who were ever so friendly to us during dinner, all either stayed away or treated us as transparent beings. Not a single apology or recognition towards us.
It just made me wonder, were their friendly service beforehand all fake and full of pretence? =/
Of course, my email to Ambrosia never got a reply as well......
The opening of Vivo City has seen many new restaurants/cafes popping up to capitalize on the crowds that throng Vivo City daily. One such new restaurant/cafe is White Dog Cafe.
Located just a few doors away from the much talked about Kim Gary, White Dog Cafe hosts its own steady stream of customers in its simple yet cosy interior with a view of Sentosa to boot. The menu is interestingly done up to mimic the spots of the Dalmatian. Other than that, nothing else seems to suggest why the outfit is named White Dog Cafe.
Soup of the day - This was plain lousy. The soup was way too salty and tasted like cabbage soup with some small balls of meat in it. The accompanying garlic bread was equally bad, coming across as slip shod and bland.
Deep Fried Breaded Beef with Japanese Mayo - This was recommended to me by the waiter and it sort of blew me away with its quality (this is not a compliment in case you are wondering). The bread coating was way too thick and the beef was tasteless. It was no different from eating deep fried crispy bread. Probably the only thing that was still okay was the rice. Ironical isn't it?
Etoile - My dessert of a specialty cake, the Etoile, which is essentially a dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. Sadly, it didn't meet expectations. The outer layer of dark chocolate did look like dark chocolate, but certainly didn't taste like it. I couldn't detect any bitterness or strong chocolate taste for that matter. The chocolate mousse was bland and the cake wasn't spongy. Terribly done if you ask me and I'm very sure the cakes aren't made in house. If they are, its time to change a new pastry chef.
A disappointing lunch for 2 pax cost $28.40. Not really expensive price wise, but factor in the quality of food and you have a no brainer conclusion. I will not be back. I guess that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
Along Club Street lies this quaint little colonial style building that houses one of Singapore's well known Italian Restaurant - Senso Ristorante & Bar. Established in 2000, Senso has received numerous awards and nominations for its ambience, food and wine. So it was imperative that we (my gf and I) tried out this place! Reservations weren't made as it was a rather last minute decision and we didn't think it would be too difficult to get a seat on a Sunday evening (Actually we were torn between eating at Senso and Grand Shanghai, but since the latter didn't answer my calls, we chose the former). We got there at about 645pm and were surprised to find that it only opened for dinner at 7pm. Anyway, it was but a short wait and at the stroke of 7, we were shown to our table in the courtyard. Please let me say this. We didn't opt to sit in the courtyard, but there wasn't a choice as we didn't meet the dress code.
It would be almost criminal not to dedicate at least a paragraph to the very pretty courtyard. From the moment I stepped in, it almost felt like I had been transported right into the heart of a warmly lit Tuscan courtyard in Italy, complete with a Greek statue that adorns the gardens. This is definitely one place you must see! There are strong fans around to help the customers keep cool whilst dining. However, it can get quite sticky because of the humid nature of Singapore's weather. The air conditioned interior was rather pleasing as well, with hues of orange and touches of elegance coupled with dim lighting. Decor aside, we had the Mozzarella for starters and the Frutti Di Mare and the Ossobuco for mains. On a side note, we had the chef divide everything up into 2 individual portions so that we could share.
The meal started off with a complementary serving of warm bread and bread sticks, with Chick Pea Puree as a dip. I personally found the bread sticks a little too hard for me, but it tasted quite good, especially with the Chick Pea Puree. The wheat bread was a little too dry for me. I couldn't make out the other bread, but it had onions on top and tasted soft and appetising. Following the bread was a tiny serving of Chick Pea Salad, complementary as well. I found this quite good as the chick peas had a tinge of zest coupled with the evident taste of the basil leaf. Small serving, but it sure packs a punch!
Our appetiser, the Mozzarella, was essentially pan fried Buffalo Mozzarella wrapped in Parma Ham, Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar). The huge chunk of cheese was a little chewy, yet didn't have too strong a cheese taste. Wrap a slice of Parma Ham around it and dip in the sauce (I think the sauce comes from the Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico. It tasted a little alcoholic.) and you get nothing short of stupendous. It sure didn't look like cheese though, or anything related to it. Little wonder why this is one of Senso's signature dishes.
With such a wonderful appetiser, we thus looked forward to the mains. The Frutti Di Mare, Carnaroli Risotto with Octopus, Prawns, Mussels, Calamari, fresh Tomato and Basil, was very nicely done without being too heavy on the cream and with the rich texture of the Risotto. It was good, but not fantastic. The Ossobuco, braised Veal shank "Ossobuco" served with mashed Potatoes, Rosemary and Lemon Gremolata was very tender and fibrous, so much so that there was no need to even remove the meat from the bone. The natural Veal taste was very prevalent in this dish, which suited me fine, but people who don't like it might just want to stay away. The accompanying mashed potatoes were soft and had a tinge of butter, but nothing to shout about.
We racked up a total of $93.24 for a very satisfying meal (for me at least). I was stuffed up so much that I could barely walk, which explains the absence of dessert. This is definitely one place you should bring your date or that special someone to. The ambience alone puts many other fine dining restaurants to shame. Service is excellent and so is the food. What more do you need? Do note that prices are quite steep here, but hey, I reckon every dollar is well spent.
1=SGD 0.0587
A Makansutra Legend that hails from the old Wayang Street hawkers from the 70's, my family and I have been eating at Ah Kow for as long as I can remember. Reckon to be the authentic Teochew Minced Pork & Dumpling Noodle, one who enjoys an extra dash of black vinegar will appreciate their unrestrained use of black vinegar on the noodles that is purportedly a special brand of traditional black vinegar from China.
For a bowl of noodles that costs $3.50 (they have upped their price), the portion of noodles is paltry. Not as Q as I can remember, the noodles that day were average if not for the saving grace of the black vinegar that was not overwhelming, the slice of Ti Po (Crispy Fried Sole Fish) and the free helping of Crispy Pork Lard – that was fresh and crunchy.
And for an additional of $4, one can delight in the bowl of Teochew Keows (Dumplings) that comes with a generous helping of minced pork, slice pork, and my favourite vegetable - Tang O (Garland Chrysanthemum). Sadly, the soup was slightly lacklustre and bland that day, but the dumplings were still as good.
One might noticed that fried sole fish was added to give it an extra oomph. For $4 a bowl, one will get eight big pork filled dumplings.
However overall, I think Ah Kow’s standard has dipped slightly from the numerous times I have tried. One might also find a bowl of $3.50 minced pork noodles (without dumplings) expensive.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
This place is very much hidden, but I’m glad I managed to find them through Yebber.
There were 2 other customers when I reached. I sat down and was immediately served by Tim. We discussed about the type of haircut I want and he gave his suggestions and views.
Overall I like the service and the final look managed to “WOW” me. Tim gives very good head massage too! If you’re tired and needs a little boost in the head, you can pop by just for wash and blow service. It’s well worth it! I will be going back in a month or two to cover up the highlighted part and chop off more hair!
After getting cuts from female stylist all this while, its refreshing to get my hair done by a male stylist. And in fact, I find the guys more careful and he pays more attention to little details when cutting, washing and styling. Surely a plus for this!
During my 3 hours at Flhair Salon, I saw many other customers coming in with either messy hair or hair that’s way too long for their look. But they all left with great hair and better look! Being guy stylists themselves, they sure know what’s in and best suitable for the men. Many customers that came today were guys too.
They’re having a 20% discount now! (Till when I’m not sure. Can call them to check it out ya.)
Rating given:
Seoul Yummy, another casual dining place that serves Korean food with its entrance hidden at the corner of third floor.
First up was the Hotplate Spicy Octopus – it comes with a good bite and was crunchy. The gravy is quite spicy to eat it on its own but pair it with a bowl of sticky white rice should do the trick.
The Shrimp Roe Beef Hotpot Mixed Rice was one of my favourite dishes – akin to claypot rice, the bottom of the rice was crisp and the shrimp roe adds a nice twist to this dish.
Steamed Kimchi with Pork Dumplings was quite a disappointment – there wasn’t any hint of kimchi in it and we found the meat too overwhelming. The skin of the dumpling is also not the best we have tried.
Everyone’s favourite for the day belongs to the Special Trio Bingsu, or Yoghurt Ice Cream with Kiwi, Strawberry & Red Bean Toppings. The dessert was served on a bed of ice shavings thus every spoonful was delightfully chilled. Ice cream comes with a tint of sourness that should be the way a natural flavoured yoghurt ice cream should taste like (Yoguru might wish to take heed).
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Zhou’s Kitchen - 周 (Zhou) is the family name of Andrew Tjioe, Tung Lok Group’s Founder and Executive Chairman and Zhou’s Kitchen is a welcome shift from the high end Tung Lok restaurant to a casual Chinese dining restaurant that caters to the palates and pockets of diners from all walks of life.
The décor is a mixed of Eastern influence of bamboos and jade and Western influence of clean and bright modern lighting.
Each table was served with delightful Prawn Crackers as we waited for our first dish - Young Sweet Potato Leaves Sautéed with Sambal Belachan. A straightforward dish that is a close substitute to Sambal Kang Kong, some might dislike the subtle bitter aftertaste.
The Xing Hua Traditional Homemade Noodle is a bowl of Udon-like noodles served in slightly gluey gravy. The gravy is light on the palate but noodles tend to be starchy towards the end.
The Xing Hua Dumplings served in a bowl of MSG-laden soup was disappointing. The dumpling tasted of strong pork smell and the skin was not the best I have tasted.
The best dish was the Grandma's Braised Pork with Toufu that was doled out in a claypot. Pork was soft and flavoured but a pity that the toufu was not braised along with it, as it was hard and hardly soaked in the gravy.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Secret Recipe, a lifestyle café chain that has become a household name following its debut in Malaysia since 1997. It has since successfully established its brand name in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.
The Lamb Stew served with Mashed Potatoes is one of their signatured dishes. The meat was very soft and yielding that a lightest tug of the fork will cause the meat to be easily separated from its bone. However, the meat could be better infused with the gravy and the mashed potatoes could be slightly salted for better flavour - we find it slightly cold and hard as well.
The Pan Grill, or Grilled Dory Laden with Lobster Gravy and served with Fries was the other main we sampled. On its own, the lobster gravy is strong with lobster tang, but we find the pairing with the fish a slight mismatch. Dory being a fresh-water fish also comes with a slight muddy taste.
The highlight of Secret Recipe belongs to its award-winning Chocolate Banana Cake. Crowned as the "Most Original Chocolate Cake" award winner in Malaysia 1999, the cake is pretty addictive. Loads of Thick Banana Slices on a Bed of Chocolate Cream with Chocolate Cake, this cake doesn’t come across as chocolaty as Awfully Chocolate’s version, and would bring a nice finale to a meal, however, we would prefer the cake to be slightly more moist.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Last July, I took Cathay Pacific Airlines to Hong Kong with a friend. The seats were clean and comfortable, and the food served later on was really delicious and good. :)
The service however, was just average.
On the journey there, I think it was the HK crew and...they were not really friendly or helpful when it came to their service attitudes.
Some of them did not service with a smile, and most of them were obviously very hurried while serving the passengers. Food were asked to be cleared within a short period of time, and I even saw an air stewardess grabbing a cup off a passenger's table without asking, as she walked down the aisle.
Hmm. Shouldn't she ask the passenger if she could clear the cup away, before grabbing it off so suddenly like that?
However, the service standards on the return trip to Singapore was much better. The air stewardess and stewards were all much friendlier and serviced with a smile.
To me, service matters a lot in the airline industry. Quality, comfort and other factors may be in the consideration of passengers while choosing their favourite airline to travel with, but above all, a friendly smile and good service is what keeps consumers coming back for more. :)
Rating given:
Yes 933 has been a constant companion since my late primary school days, staying up with me through late mugging nights and lazy weekend afternoons.
Not stating that it's an old and passe radio station, but all along, it has been an excellent radio station that produces sincere works and entertainment for all listeners. :)
Used to love Dasmond Koh's radio programs, but after he left the radio industry, the new batch of DJs have not let the listeners down either. Cruz Teng (丁志勇), Siau Jia Hui (萧嘉蕙) and Lim Peifen (林佩芬) are all my current favourites as not only do they have likeable personalities, their hardwork can be seen through their performances over the years. :)
For best mandarin pop music and updated entertainment news, Yes 933 is still my top choice. *thumbs up* :D
Rating given:
Walking through Arab Street, the most familiar restaurant name that jumped out at me was Ambrosia. I've read many reviews on the Internet, with praises for it's atmosphere and food. And so, I went there with my friends to try out the food.
It turned out to be a big disappointment.
True, Ambrosia had great atmosphere, no matter if it was dining at the Mediterranean Restaurant or the Mediterranean Lounge. It was really cosy and relaxing, romantic even. I cannot deny this positive aspect of the restaurant as it was simply fabulous.
As for the food, I had their Doner Chicken Kebab, and it was really good! I like it alot, whether it was the grilled chicken or the pita bread. They were like a total perfect combination~ My friends loved this dish too. :)
We were adventurous and also tried out one of their main courses, which was also chicken, but baked with rice and some other dried fruits/spices and ingredients. It was not that good though, as the rice was dry and average. I preferred the kebab much much much more than this main dish.
Drinks wise, we had Lime Laban, Apple Laban, Lychee Freeze, Longan Freeze and they were all quite nice. I had Lime Laban, and it actually tasted like the lime&milk ice lolly that you can find in the convenience stores. x)
With all that said, what actually caused the unhappy disappointing experience? -- The service.
When we were leaving the restaurant, we realised that one pair of shoes were actually missing! Right there, it just turned the happy dinner into an angry one. The waiters at Ambrosia were quite nice, helping to look for the pair of missing shoe and checking around to see if anyone has seen it.
However, the lady in charge was very unhelpful and unfriendly. She didn't try to placify us, and neither did she try to help. All she did was just to stand at the counter and told us in a deadpanned face and half-irritated voice that she couldn't do anything about the missing shoe. All we could do, was to report the incident to the police, before Ambrosia could compensate us for the shoe.
She then commanded one of the waiters to bring out a pair of slippers for my friend and that's that. No friendly words, no apologies and totally no expression on that stoned face of hers.
What kind of service is that?!
It was honestly not the type of service I expected from a restaurant that is recommended by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Imagine if it was a tourist, would she be as rude and unhelpful? How can customer service from a highly recommended place to tourists, be of such service standards?
I don't understand.
What's more? On our way out, the waiters who were ever so friendly to us during dinner, all either stayed away or treated us as transparent beings. Not a single apology or recognition towards us.
It just made me wonder, were their friendly service beforehand all fake and full of pretence? =/
Of course, my email to Ambrosia never got a reply as well......
Rating given:
The opening of Vivo City has seen many new restaurants/cafes popping up to capitalize on the crowds that throng Vivo City daily. One such new restaurant/cafe is White Dog Cafe.
Located just a few doors away from the much talked about Kim Gary, White Dog Cafe hosts its own steady stream of customers in its simple yet cosy interior with a view of Sentosa to boot. The menu is interestingly done up to mimic the spots of the Dalmatian. Other than that, nothing else seems to suggest why the outfit is named White Dog Cafe.
Soup of the day - This was plain lousy. The soup was way too salty and tasted like cabbage soup with some small balls of meat in it. The accompanying garlic bread was equally bad, coming across as slip shod and bland.
Deep Fried Breaded Beef with Japanese Mayo -
This was recommended to me by the waiter and it sort of blew me away with its quality (this is not a compliment in case you are wondering). The bread coating was way too thick and the beef was tasteless. It was no different from eating deep fried crispy bread. Probably the only thing that was still okay was the rice. Ironical isn't it?
Etoile - My dessert of a specialty cake, the Etoile, which is essentially a dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. Sadly, it didn't meet expectations. The outer layer of dark chocolate did look like dark chocolate, but certainly didn't taste like it. I couldn't detect any bitterness or strong chocolate taste for that matter. The chocolate mousse was bland and the cake wasn't spongy. Terribly done if you ask me and I'm very sure the cakes aren't made in house. If they are, its time to change a new pastry chef.
A disappointing lunch for 2 pax cost $28.40. Not really expensive price wise, but factor in the quality of food and you have a no brainer conclusion. I will not be back. I guess that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Along Club Street lies this quaint little colonial style building that houses one of Singapore's well known Italian Restaurant - Senso Ristorante & Bar. Established in 2000, Senso has received numerous awards and nominations for its ambience, food and wine. So it was imperative that we (my gf and I) tried out this place! Reservations weren't made as it was a rather last minute decision and we didn't think it would be too difficult to get a seat on a Sunday evening (Actually we were torn between eating at Senso and Grand Shanghai, but since the latter didn't answer my calls, we chose the former). We got there at about 645pm and were surprised to find that it only opened for dinner at 7pm. Anyway, it was but a short wait and at the stroke of 7, we were shown to our table in the courtyard. Please let me say this. We didn't opt to sit in the courtyard, but there wasn't a choice as we didn't meet the dress code.
It would be almost criminal not to dedicate at least a paragraph to the very pretty courtyard. From the moment I stepped in, it almost felt like I had been transported right into the heart of a warmly lit Tuscan courtyard in Italy, complete with a Greek statue that adorns the gardens. This is definitely one place you must see! There are strong fans around to help the customers keep cool whilst dining. However, it can get quite sticky because of the humid nature of Singapore's weather. The air conditioned interior was rather pleasing as well, with hues of orange and touches of elegance coupled with dim lighting. Decor aside, we had the Mozzarella for starters and the Frutti Di Mare and the Ossobuco for mains. On a side note, we had the chef divide everything up into 2 individual portions so that we could share.
The meal started off with a complementary serving of warm bread and bread sticks, with Chick Pea Puree as a dip. I personally found the bread sticks a little too hard for me, but it tasted quite good, especially with the Chick Pea Puree. The wheat bread was a little too dry for me. I couldn't make out the other bread, but it had onions on top and tasted soft and appetising. Following the bread was a tiny serving of Chick Pea Salad, complementary as well. I found this quite good as the chick peas had a tinge of zest coupled with the evident taste of the basil leaf. Small serving, but it sure packs a punch!
Our appetiser, the Mozzarella, was essentially pan fried Buffalo Mozzarella wrapped in Parma Ham, Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar). The huge chunk of cheese was a little chewy, yet didn't have too strong a cheese taste. Wrap a slice of Parma Ham around it and dip in the sauce (I think the sauce comes from the Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico. It tasted a little alcoholic.) and you get nothing short of stupendous. It sure didn't look like cheese though, or anything related to it. Little wonder why this is one of Senso's signature dishes.
With such a wonderful appetiser, we thus looked forward to the mains. The Frutti Di Mare, Carnaroli Risotto with Octopus, Prawns, Mussels, Calamari, fresh Tomato and Basil, was very nicely done without being too heavy on the cream and with the rich texture of the Risotto. It was good, but not fantastic. The Ossobuco, braised Veal shank "Ossobuco" served with mashed Potatoes, Rosemary and Lemon Gremolata was very tender and fibrous, so much so that there was no need to even remove the meat from the bone. The natural Veal taste was very prevalent in this dish, which suited me fine, but people who don't like it might just want to stay away. The accompanying mashed potatoes were soft and had a tinge of butter, but nothing to shout about.
We racked up a total of $93.24 for a very satisfying meal (for me at least). I was stuffed up so much that I could barely walk, which explains the absence of dessert. This is definitely one place you should bring your date or that special someone to. The ambience alone puts many other fine dining restaurants to shame. Service is excellent and so is the food. What more do you need? Do note that prices are quite steep here, but hey, I reckon every dollar is well spent.
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