Went there for set lunch today on recommendation from my friend. Soup for the day was pumpkin, add another drink and main course and it only cost $9.90 each person without additional GST or service charge. Since we ate lunch at a rather late timing, there are hardly any other guests around. Hence we got rather prompt service.
We ordered seafood aglio, chicken aglio and Carbonara (?). The aglio dishes, though not superbly fantastic, is reasonably good tasting considering its price. Not as oily as other restaurants, I kind of liked mine with the linguine well cooked. Cabonara was great too, tasty creamy sauce and the penne not too soft.
Drinks and soup are quite normal and the coffee smelled nice. We had a full stomach for this lunch. Don't expect any frills though, its just a simple cafe which I don't mind since the price is quite low. Set lunch hours 1-3pm and set dinners hours 6-9pm.
I remember the time when I received free trials by True Yoga. The vicinity did entice me and I was attracted to the facilities in True Yoga. It was situated near Lido. I dragged my mother to one of the Yoga classes, it was fun, initially. But, after all the talks with the promoter from True Yoga. Prices were hefty for me, being a 17 year old. I didn't signed up for any of the package. Last year, they called me up asking me to come down as I was told I won more FREE Trials. So, I did went down. But, guess what? I wasn't entertained by any of the staff. Believe it. It was then I decide, never to sign up for anything under TrueYoga. I personally think that they are some kinda fraud and they deserve to be sued! I support the sued file case against TrueSpa. Is a lucky thing AMORE fitness know how to work their way to their customers! ;)
Sakura, sakura.. I got to know about it first at Ginza Plaza. Man, it was quiet and romantic, back then.. My boyfriend and I use to patronized that store and have our meals there. Now, I'm not sure whether Sakura is there in the new West Coast Plaza. The last time I went to Sakura Clementi Woods was to celebrate my boyfriend cousin's birthday. It was nice. We went a few rounds. It was about SGD$25 for adults.. Children are a lot cheaper than that. They go by height too, for kids. Okay, they do have a lot of food selections. From Japanese, Western, Chinese, Malay, Thai,..etc. You will be spoilt for choices. :) I was super full the last time I ate there. It lasted me for two days. Well, for those who have bigger appetite, I bet you can eat Sakura for two days in a row! A very relaxing and quite place, unless if it's peak hours.. Other than that, you should come and have your meals here, only available during Lunch and Dinner time only, with your family.. Lunch:12-2.30pm Dinner:6-9.30pm
I have been for one TRIAL Tanning session. It lasted for 11 minutes. It was kinda scary at first. You know it reminded me of the Final Destination 3 tanning session trailer; if you guys saw the movie. After the session, I feel like I was roasted in the machine. Some ground rules that FabulousTan have, you have to use their tanning lotions priced at SGD$12. You are not allowed to use your own tanning lotion or else you you will be banned from the place. So be careful. When tanning is recommended that you don't wear anything at all. Do look out for cameras lurking in anywhere. Heh! ;) Okay, anyway, I didn't have any changes after the tanning session. I do look a little darker than usual. But, the peeling proccess and the itch start only a few days later. It was a normal process. You know, I risked myself to be tanned in the machine without tanning lotion. My skin was so dry. It was peeling. So, so bad. So don't ever do that okay. Just a tip from me. Ohh! They have other services too, so don't fret to try it out!
I would reccomend Amore Fitness to every single ladies who are determine to lose some weight and stay fit with a little bit of discipline. At Amore, facilities are "a girl's dream" home gym. When you arrive, there is a spot to put all your belongings. (You gotta bring along your own lock and jeys though!) Towels, for bath and face, are supplied and free-flow! You can choose from an array of classes listed in their member's pamphlet. If you do not feel like exercising with other people, you can "solo-exercise"in the gym. The gym have almost everything you need for that slim and fab figure that you've always dream of. Even if you are not sure of how to start exercising, not to worry, you can get a personal trainner. After all the fast-paced activities? You can hit the sauna for FREE! It is available in Amore. Oh yeah, the SPA is awesome as well, you should check it out too.. I applied for a fitness package. Paid an approximate SGD$660 for a year's membeership, consist of 45 lessons. My membership will expire this coming October and I still got a lot more lessons to go! :) So, anyone interested in AMORE, should PM me. I could refer you and you would be able to enjoy the benefits of an AMORE Member, just like I do.
"I am Amore."~
Dozo - the upscale sibling of Tao's Restaurant that dabbles in fine modern Japanese cuisine. Dozo, which means please in Japanese, operates very much like its little sister, offering only 6 or 7 course set menus with no ala carte option.
Located on the 2nd level of Valley Point along River Valley Road, Dozo's interior oozes sublime chic and sophistication with mainly red velvety plush chairs amidst a black backdrop. Floor to ceilings windows offer a somewhat muted view of the surroundings. Apparently the 3 window side seats on the elevated wooden platform is a hot favourite amongst couples so be sure to make your reservations early.
Flour Sticks & Drink Shots - The flour sticks were, well, flour sticks dusted with chilli flakes and the likes. Nothing too fancy here. As for the 2 shots of mango juice with tons of crushed ice, lets just say I had a hard time trying to get a reasonable amount of liquid into my mouth initially.
Appetiser - You don't get to choose the first course and everyone gets the same thing - scallop, foie gras and smoked salmon, which wasn't too bad really. The scallop was nicely seared with a crisp layer atop but lacked the firm texture that I was looking for. Apart from the foie gras being really small, I thought it was decent but could have been more quivery. I thought that the smoked salmon was quite well done though. Not mind blowingly salty with a nice taut texture sans the raw fishy aftertaste.
Infusion of Cepes Mushroom and Truffle & Crab Bisque - The mushroom soup had bits of mushroom in it and 1 lone black truffle served on a little flat tea spoon by the side, which you can choose to plonk it into the soup or nibble on it individually. I chose the former, which didn't seem to make much of a difference to the soup. Overall still quite decent though but a tad too watery for my liking. I thought that the crab bisque was rather watered down as well and tasted rather limp even though there were signs of crab meat in the soup.
Tempura Battered Soft Shell Crab on Galette of Mash - The tempura batter was decently thin but lacked any flavour, which made it really bland. On the upside, the crab wasn't too oily and the sesame vinaigrette alongside helped alot in ensuring its palatability.
Gratinated Escargots Topped with Yuzu Butter - A group of 3 escargots came with cheese and Yuzu butter while a solitary one was presented with garlic. Personally I preferred the ones in the cheese as it came across as creamy with a slight chewy texture. The garlic one needed a stronger dose of garlic in my humble opinion.
Beef Tataki with Shaved Parmesan and Truffle Mayo Mosaic - The beef tataki certainly didn't do itself any favours with its dryness but interestingly, a few slices of the beef were wrapped around a crispy flour cylindrical cone which was something different, especially with the truffle mayo. But I can't say that I enjoyed it very much as the beef was bland and relied on the mayo to give it flavour.
Succulent King Crab Claw Salad Drizzled with Sesame Vinaigrette - Freshly succulent, the crab meat (purportedly from Alaska) was complemented by chopped onions and sweet mango, which made it sweet and "oniony" (for lack of a better word) at the same time. With such a delightful centrepiece, who needs vegetables?
Baked Atlantic Cod Fillet on Puff Pastry - This dish is interesting in the sense that the cod fillet is literally stuck onto the puff pastry, which can be a pain if you don't wish to have the pastry, especially when its rather tough and unyielding to begin with. However, I've got to give the fish credit for being fresh and firm with a nice crispy layer of skin to boot.
Beef Tenderloin on "Pu Ye" & Granite Hot Stone - To be honest, I am unable to make an accurate judgment on the beef as by the time I was done taking my lousy shots, the 200 degrees celsius slab of granite stone had already cooled considerably and the beef just wasn't sizzling anymore. Maybe due to that, the beef slices turned out soft but still juicy and rather tasteless. A shame really, especially with the excellent asthetics.
Freshly Baked Warm Chocolate Cake Served with Ice Cream - Puny would probably be one of the adjectives to describe the chocolate cake. The crust was nice but a tad thick while the molten chocolate was of the runny kind. Decent but not really outstanding.
Dozo's "Mo Cha" Creme Brulee - The sugar layer on the creme brulee was a tad too burnt but I appreciated the rather evident green tea taste of the creme brulee. A welcome change from the usual vanilla ones.
Dinner cost $59.80 /pax ($70.40 after taxes), which did come across as a tad steep even though service and ambience were top notch. Food quality wise, there is still ample room for improvement in my humble opinion and if Dozo can work on this, I'm sure it will be a hit.
Swirl, a boutique that brings you back to those days of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Grease! Vintage clothings, timeless classic and dresses! With such welcoming staff, you feel like you can never get out of the boutique! The boutique is worn by all those homely furnishing. Perfect to don all the ranges of clothings SWIRL provides. The most awesome thing about SWIRL is the "SWIRL Swap Swop" Event. The best time to clear your closet and share your passion for fashion with the ones in need of help. You will get to choose clothings from others who participate and the rest will head on to charity. How delightful! :) Check out their Events on their website or sign up for email updates!
I bought 4 items from American Eagle Outfitters, AEO. My date of purchase was on the 28.01.09 and I received the items on the 11.02.09, 2 weeks. When you shop online you might worry about the sizes but AEO sizes are like the ones you've tried on here in Singapore. Shops like RiverIsland, Mango,Zara, you can relate the sizes here at AEO. I have no problems with the shirts, except the irritating thing that it is made in China! The shirts are made of a thinner fabric and comfortably hugs your body. Which is quite flattering, I must say. The sandals and wedges are awesome. I would shop at AEO again, definitely. I must add on to this one bit, they have payment by Paypal, VISA, Mastercard, Debit Card as well! Also I recommend you sign up an account with them so that you will be able to track down your items just in case, your items took longer than expected... :)
The distinguished Desire voted one of Wine and Dine Singapore’s Top Restaurant in 2008 is sited at The Scarlet, a charismatic boutique hotel that oozes a sense of stylish elegance.
Not without its own accolades, the hotel is crowned one of 2008 Singapore Tatler’s Best Boutique Hotels and Singapore Tourism Awards 2008 for Best Accommodation Experience under the Best Superior Hotel category.
Hidden at the side of the hotel, the restaurant’s alfresco area is one of affectionate charming ambience.
Upon seated, the restaurant further seeks to tease one’s sensory experience with its element of naughtiness by presenting a menu, 'book of Desire', full of suggestive sexual connotations – the appetiser section, for instance, is labelled ‘foreplay’ while the entrees are titled under ‘main affair’.
However, ordering ala carte was not the order of the day as Executive Chef Vincent Teng, previously from My Dining Room in Club Street, specially created a $100 menu for each of us that evening.
The Complimentary Bread served set the right tone immediately for that evening. Between the Olive and Walnut Bread (or was it Almond?), it was a tough choice – but the service staff came to the rescue by suggesting “Why not both?” and both it was. Both bread were served warm and tasted wonderful with its own merits. Coupled with the extravagant Truffle Butter, HFB certainly didn’t look back. HFB rates this experience a tad better than Morton’s Onion Loaf.
The appetiser was Iberico Ham & Sous Vide Egg with Truffle Salsa, and the soft poached egg was only achieved through modelling after the French method of cooking using vacuum bags placed in hot water.
A dish that at first glance seemed detach between the two ingredients, one is however encouraged to fuse the dish together by breaking the egg yolk and eating it with the ham and the salsa. However, who could resist the wobbly egg yolk and HFB took a naughty nibble at it, before letting the yolk oozed all over. On its own, the Iberico ham, imported only from Spain, was velvety in texture. Coupled with the egg yolk, the harmonious combination was such a joy to consume. HFB certainly rates the ham better than the Italian's Prosciutto.
The Seared Foie Gras with Scampi on Toasted Brioche paired with Sliced Mango, Mango Coulis and Balsamic Reduction was up next. Although HFB would prefer the foie gras to be seared crustier, credits could not be taken away from the liver. One could never go wrong with the savoury and sweet combination between the foie gras and the mango coulis, but the scampi was slight over-grilled resulting in a dry and rubbery texture for the shrimp.
And if one thinks the sous vide method of cooking is only meant for eggs, then Chef Vincent seeks to prove you wrong with another dish of Sous Vide of Kurobuta Pork Belly with Crackling Skin, Braise Pork Cheeks on Fennel Salad tossed with Mustard Miso. A distinctive dish that enables one to experience two unique textural in one go – the pork belly was very well tendered being fatty but the skin was so wonderfully seared resulting in a cracking crisp with every bite, although one might frowned on the idea of paying top money for “Roast Pork” in a restaurant. If the pork belly played on texture, then the braised pork cheeks touched on taste. Not denying the truth that it was marvellous simmered till soft, it was the intense flavour, nicely captured by the meat that won HFB over – it was comparable to the Beef Cheek from Sage.
A nice surprise came with the palate cleanser of Tomato Essence. 'Revitalising' is probably the best word to describe the experience as the concoction immediately rids the tongue of any heavy aftertaste. HFB absolutely loves the refreshing tang!
The Grilled Wagyu Beef Tenderloin on Truffle Pomme Puree, Seasonal Vegetables was another delectable meat dish. With a marbling score of 5/6, it was surprisingly still very tender despite being grilled close to medium than medium rare. The Truffle Pomme Puree was another delight – the potato mash was really smooth and the tint of truffle gave it an added lift – this was another symphony of ingredients that worked really well in HFB’s opinion.
The dinner was rounded up with the Hazelnut Mille Feuille, or layers of Hazelnut Mousse, Salted Caramel and Feuilletine Crust. Although HFB felt that the hazelnut option was slightly heavy for a dessert, and would preferred something lighter on his palate, the robust hazelnut cream was something praiseworthy.
Yet Con is a familiar name in the Hainanese culinary scene and is probably the oldest Hainanese restaurant in Singapore, dating back to 1940 when it was founded. Thats a whopping 79 years, even older then independent Singapore itself!
Located along the historic Purvis street, Yet Con's interior takes you back in time to the days when policemen still wore shorts - ceramic tiles on walls with the quintessential wooden frame mirror with Chinese inscriptions and large, albeit dirty wooden tables coupled with dated wooden chairs. Even the signboard fronting the eatery looks like a piece of relic, weathering the sun and rain for countless years. The only modern thing in this place is probably the air conditioning.
Steamboat - The 3 of us ordered the smallest steamboat serving ($8) which came with tiny fishballs, a smattering of pork, squid, prawns , chicken etc and an additional plate of rather unfresh beef ($8). No choices were given for the soup base, which was chicken stock.
Beancurd - I'm inclined to think that most cze char places make this beancurd dish the same way, braised with lots of egg gravy atop. The beancurd wasn't outstanding even though it was placed under the recommended section of the menu. Simple and no frills and something I can easily find at most cze char stalls.
Hainanese Chicken - No trip to a Hainanese eatery is complete without ordering their namesake Hainanese chicken. Yet Con's rendition was void of any oily residue that is known to plague this dish without compromising on the tenderness of the meat. The only gripe I had was that the meat was a wee bit too dry.
The 3 of us chalked up about $43 for this relatively simple and filling meal. If you hanker for a simple, no fuss food at average pricing, then Yet Con would probably work for you.
1=SGD 0.0587
Went there for set lunch today on recommendation from my friend. Soup for the day was pumpkin, add another drink and main course and it only cost $9.90 each person without additional GST or service charge. Since we ate lunch at a rather late timing, there are hardly any other guests around. Hence we got rather prompt service.
We ordered seafood aglio, chicken aglio and Carbonara (?). The aglio dishes, though not superbly fantastic, is reasonably good tasting considering its price. Not as oily as other restaurants, I kind of liked mine with the linguine well cooked. Cabonara was great too, tasty creamy sauce and the penne not too soft.
Drinks and soup are quite normal and the coffee smelled nice. We had a full stomach for this lunch. Don't expect any frills though, its just a simple cafe which I don't mind since the price is quite low. Set lunch hours 1-3pm and set dinners hours 6-9pm.
Rating given:
I remember the time when I received free trials by True Yoga. The vicinity did entice me and I was attracted to the facilities in True Yoga. It was situated near Lido. I dragged my mother to one of the Yoga classes, it was fun, initially. But, after all the talks with the promoter from True Yoga. Prices were hefty for me, being a 17 year old. I didn't signed up for any of the package. Last year, they called me up asking me to come down as I was told I won more FREE Trials. So, I did went down. But, guess what? I wasn't entertained by any of the staff. Believe it. It was then I decide, never to sign up for anything under TrueYoga. I personally think that they are some kinda fraud and they deserve to be sued! I support the sued file case against TrueSpa. Is a lucky thing AMORE fitness know how to work their way to their customers! ;)
Rating given:
Sakura, sakura.. I got to know about it first at Ginza Plaza. Man, it was quiet and romantic, back then.. My boyfriend and I use to patronized that store and have our meals there. Now, I'm not sure whether Sakura is there in the new West Coast Plaza. The last time I went to Sakura Clementi Woods was to celebrate my boyfriend cousin's birthday. It was nice. We went a few rounds. It was about SGD$25 for adults.. Children are a lot cheaper than that. They go by height too, for kids. Okay, they do have a lot of food selections. From Japanese, Western, Chinese, Malay, Thai,..etc. You will be spoilt for choices. :) I was super full the last time I ate there. It lasted me for two days. Well, for those who have bigger appetite, I bet you can eat Sakura for two days in a row! A very relaxing and quite place, unless if it's peak hours.. Other than that, you should come and have your meals here, only available during Lunch and Dinner time only, with your family..
Lunch:12-2.30pm
Dinner:6-9.30pm
Rating given:
I have been for one TRIAL Tanning session. It lasted for 11 minutes. It was kinda scary at first. You know it reminded me of the Final Destination 3 tanning session trailer; if you guys saw the movie. After the session, I feel like I was roasted in the machine. Some ground rules that FabulousTan have, you have to use their tanning lotions priced at SGD$12. You are not allowed to use your own tanning lotion or else you you will be banned from the place. So be careful. When tanning is recommended that you don't wear anything at all. Do look out for cameras lurking in anywhere. Heh! ;) Okay, anyway, I didn't have any changes after the tanning session. I do look a little darker than usual. But, the peeling proccess and the itch start only a few days later. It was a normal process. You know, I risked myself to be tanned in the machine without tanning lotion. My skin was so dry. It was peeling. So, so bad. So don't ever do that okay. Just a tip from me. Ohh! They have other services too, so don't fret to try it out!
Rating given:
I would reccomend Amore Fitness to every single ladies who are determine to lose some weight and stay fit with a little bit of discipline. At Amore, facilities are "a girl's dream" home gym. When you arrive, there is a spot to put all your belongings. (You gotta bring along your own lock and jeys though!) Towels, for bath and face, are supplied and free-flow! You can choose from an array of classes listed in their member's pamphlet. If you do not feel like exercising with other people, you can "solo-exercise"in the gym. The gym have almost everything you need for that slim and fab figure that you've always dream of. Even if you are not sure of how to start exercising, not to worry, you can get a personal trainner. After all the fast-paced activities? You can hit the sauna for FREE! It is available in Amore. Oh yeah, the SPA is awesome as well, you should check it out too.. I applied for a fitness package. Paid an approximate SGD$660 for a year's membeership, consist of 45 lessons. My membership will expire this coming October and I still got a lot more lessons to go! :) So, anyone interested in AMORE, should PM me. I could refer you and you would be able to enjoy the benefits of an AMORE Member, just like I do.
"I am Amore."~
Rating given:
Dozo - the upscale sibling of Tao's Restaurant that dabbles in fine modern Japanese cuisine. Dozo, which means please in Japanese, operates very much like its little sister, offering only 6 or 7 course set menus with no ala carte option.
Located on the 2nd level of Valley Point along River Valley Road, Dozo's interior oozes sublime chic and sophistication with mainly red velvety plush chairs amidst a black backdrop. Floor to ceilings windows offer a somewhat muted view of the surroundings. Apparently the 3 window side seats on the elevated wooden platform is a hot favourite amongst couples so be sure to make your reservations early.
Flour Sticks & Drink Shots - The flour sticks were, well, flour sticks dusted with chilli flakes and the likes. Nothing too fancy here. As for the 2 shots of mango juice with tons of crushed ice, lets just say I had a hard time trying to get a reasonable amount of liquid into my mouth initially.
Appetiser - You don't get to choose the first course and everyone gets the same thing - scallop, foie gras and smoked salmon, which wasn't too bad really. The scallop was nicely seared with a crisp layer atop but lacked the firm texture that I was looking for. Apart from the foie gras being really small, I thought it was decent but could have been more quivery. I thought that the smoked salmon was quite well done though. Not mind blowingly salty with a nice taut texture sans the raw fishy aftertaste.
Infusion of Cepes Mushroom and Truffle & Crab Bisque - The mushroom soup had bits of mushroom in it and 1 lone black truffle served on a little flat tea spoon by the side, which you can choose to plonk it into the soup or nibble on it individually. I chose the former, which didn't seem to make much of a difference to the soup. Overall still quite decent though but a tad too watery for my liking.
I thought that the crab bisque was rather watered down as well and tasted rather limp even though there were signs of crab meat in the soup.
Tempura Battered Soft Shell Crab on Galette of Mash - The tempura batter was decently thin but lacked any flavour, which made it really bland. On the upside, the crab wasn't too oily and the sesame vinaigrette alongside helped alot in ensuring its palatability.
Gratinated Escargots Topped with Yuzu Butter - A group of 3 escargots came with cheese and Yuzu butter while a solitary one was presented with garlic. Personally I preferred the ones in the cheese as it came across as creamy with a slight chewy texture. The garlic one needed a stronger dose of garlic in my humble opinion.
Beef Tataki with Shaved Parmesan and Truffle Mayo Mosaic - The beef tataki certainly didn't do itself any favours with its dryness but interestingly, a few slices of the beef were wrapped around a crispy flour cylindrical cone which was something different, especially with the truffle mayo. But I can't say that I enjoyed it very much as the beef was bland and relied on the mayo to give it flavour.
Succulent King Crab Claw Salad Drizzled with Sesame Vinaigrette - Freshly succulent, the crab meat (purportedly from Alaska) was complemented by chopped onions and sweet mango, which made it sweet and "oniony" (for lack of a better word) at the same time. With such a delightful centrepiece, who needs vegetables?
Baked Atlantic Cod Fillet on Puff Pastry - This dish is interesting in the sense that the cod fillet is literally stuck onto the puff pastry, which can be a pain if you don't wish to have the pastry, especially when its rather tough and unyielding to begin with. However, I've got to give the fish credit for being fresh and firm with a nice crispy layer of skin to boot.
Beef Tenderloin on "Pu Ye" & Granite Hot Stone - To be honest, I am unable to make an accurate judgment on the beef as by the time I was done taking my lousy shots, the 200 degrees celsius slab of granite stone had already cooled considerably and the beef just wasn't sizzling anymore. Maybe due to that, the beef slices turned out soft but still juicy and rather tasteless. A shame really, especially with the excellent asthetics.
Freshly Baked Warm Chocolate Cake Served with Ice Cream - Puny would probably be one of the adjectives to describe the chocolate cake. The crust was nice but a tad thick while the molten chocolate was of the runny kind. Decent but not really outstanding.
Dozo's "Mo Cha" Creme Brulee - The sugar layer on the creme brulee was a tad too burnt but I appreciated the rather evident green tea taste of the creme brulee. A welcome change from the usual vanilla ones.
Dinner cost $59.80 /pax ($70.40 after taxes), which did come across as a tad steep even though service and ambience were top notch. Food quality wise, there is still ample room for improvement in my humble opinion and if Dozo can work on this, I'm sure it will be a hit.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Swirl, a boutique that brings you back to those days of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Grease! Vintage clothings, timeless classic and dresses! With such welcoming staff, you feel like you can never get out of the boutique! The boutique is worn by all those homely furnishing. Perfect to don all the ranges of clothings SWIRL provides. The most awesome thing about SWIRL is the "SWIRL Swap Swop" Event. The best time to clear your closet and share your passion for fashion with the ones in need of help. You will get to choose clothings from others who participate and the rest will head on to charity. How delightful! :) Check out their Events on their website or sign up for email updates!
Rating given:
I bought 4 items from American Eagle Outfitters, AEO. My date of purchase was on the 28.01.09 and I received the items on the 11.02.09, 2 weeks. When you shop online you might worry about the sizes but AEO sizes are like the ones you've tried on here in Singapore. Shops like RiverIsland, Mango,Zara, you can relate the sizes here at AEO. I have no problems with the shirts, except the irritating thing that it is made in China! The shirts are made of a thinner fabric and comfortably hugs your body. Which is quite flattering, I must say. The sandals and wedges are awesome. I would shop at AEO again, definitely. I must add on to this one bit, they have payment by Paypal, VISA, Mastercard, Debit Card as well! Also I recommend you sign up an account with them so that you will be able to track down your items just in case, your items took longer than expected... :)
Rating given:
The distinguished Desire voted one of Wine and Dine Singapore’s Top Restaurant in 2008 is sited at The Scarlet, a charismatic boutique hotel that oozes a sense of stylish elegance.
Not without its own accolades, the hotel is crowned one of 2008 Singapore Tatler’s Best Boutique Hotels and Singapore Tourism Awards 2008 for Best Accommodation Experience under the Best Superior Hotel category.
Hidden at the side of the hotel, the restaurant’s alfresco area is one of affectionate charming ambience.
Upon seated, the restaurant further seeks to tease one’s sensory experience with its element of naughtiness by presenting a menu, 'book of Desire', full of suggestive sexual connotations – the appetiser section, for instance, is labelled ‘foreplay’ while the entrees are titled under ‘main affair’.
However, ordering ala carte was not the order of the day as Executive Chef Vincent Teng, previously from My Dining Room in Club Street, specially created a $100 menu for each of us that evening.
The Complimentary Bread served set the right tone immediately for that evening. Between the Olive and Walnut Bread (or was it Almond?), it was a tough choice – but the service staff came to the rescue by suggesting “Why not both?” and both it was. Both bread were served warm and tasted wonderful with its own merits. Coupled with the extravagant Truffle Butter, HFB certainly didn’t look back. HFB rates this experience a tad better than Morton’s Onion Loaf.
The appetiser was Iberico Ham & Sous Vide Egg with Truffle Salsa, and the soft poached egg was only achieved through modelling after the French method of cooking using vacuum bags placed in hot water.
A dish that at first glance seemed detach between the two ingredients, one is however encouraged to fuse the dish together by breaking the egg yolk and eating it with the ham and the salsa. However, who could resist the wobbly egg yolk and HFB took a naughty nibble at it, before letting the yolk oozed all over. On its own, the Iberico ham, imported only from Spain, was velvety in texture. Coupled with the egg yolk, the harmonious combination was such a joy to consume. HFB certainly rates the ham better than the Italian's Prosciutto.
The Seared Foie Gras with Scampi on Toasted Brioche paired with Sliced Mango, Mango Coulis and Balsamic Reduction was up next. Although HFB would prefer the foie gras to be seared crustier, credits could not be taken away from the liver. One could never go wrong with the savoury and sweet combination between the foie gras and the mango coulis, but the scampi was slight over-grilled resulting in a dry and rubbery texture for the shrimp.
And if one thinks the sous vide method of cooking is only meant for eggs, then Chef Vincent seeks to prove you wrong with another dish of Sous Vide of Kurobuta Pork Belly with Crackling Skin, Braise Pork Cheeks on Fennel Salad tossed with Mustard Miso. A distinctive dish that enables one to experience two unique textural in one go – the pork belly was very well tendered being fatty but the skin was so wonderfully seared resulting in a cracking crisp with every bite, although one might frowned on the idea of paying top money for “Roast Pork” in a restaurant. If the pork belly played on texture, then the braised pork cheeks touched on taste. Not denying the truth that it was marvellous simmered till soft, it was the intense flavour, nicely captured by the meat that won HFB over – it was comparable to the Beef Cheek from Sage.
A nice surprise came with the palate cleanser of Tomato Essence. 'Revitalising' is probably the best word to describe the experience as the concoction immediately rids the tongue of any heavy aftertaste. HFB absolutely loves the refreshing tang!
The Grilled Wagyu Beef Tenderloin on Truffle Pomme Puree, Seasonal Vegetables was another delectable meat dish. With a marbling score of 5/6, it was surprisingly still very tender despite being grilled close to medium than medium rare. The Truffle Pomme Puree was another delight – the potato mash was really smooth and the tint of truffle gave it an added lift – this was another symphony of ingredients that worked really well in HFB’s opinion.
The dinner was rounded up with the Hazelnut Mille Feuille, or layers of Hazelnut Mousse, Salted Caramel and Feuilletine Crust. Although HFB felt that the hazelnut option was slightly heavy for a dessert, and would preferred something lighter on his palate, the robust hazelnut cream was something praiseworthy.
You can view all the photos here.
Rating given:
Yet Con is a familiar name in the Hainanese culinary scene and is probably the oldest Hainanese restaurant in Singapore, dating back to 1940 when it was founded. Thats a whopping 79 years, even older then independent Singapore itself!
Located along the historic Purvis street, Yet Con's interior takes you back in time to the days when policemen still wore shorts - ceramic tiles on walls with the quintessential wooden frame mirror with Chinese inscriptions and large, albeit dirty wooden tables coupled with dated wooden chairs. Even the signboard fronting the eatery looks like a piece of relic, weathering the sun and rain for countless years. The only modern thing in this place is probably the air conditioning.
Steamboat - The 3 of us ordered the smallest steamboat serving ($8) which came with tiny fishballs, a smattering of pork, squid, prawns , chicken etc and an additional plate of rather unfresh beef ($8). No choices were given for the soup base, which was chicken stock.
Beancurd - I'm inclined to think that most cze char places make this beancurd dish the same way, braised with lots of egg gravy atop. The beancurd wasn't outstanding even though it was placed under the recommended section of the menu. Simple and no frills and something I can easily find at most cze char stalls.
Hainanese Chicken - No trip to a Hainanese eatery is complete without ordering their namesake Hainanese chicken. Yet Con's rendition was void of any oily residue that is known to plague this dish without compromising on the tenderness of the meat. The only gripe I had was that the meat was a wee bit too dry.
The 3 of us chalked up about $43 for this relatively simple and filling meal. If you hanker for a simple, no fuss food at average pricing, then Yet Con would probably work for you.
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