Roland's is always a safe choice for crabs and seafood. What I like most about it is that you don't have to jostle with crowds or contend with rude food Nazis. It's just good food and good service in a simple but comfy air-conditioned environment (although occasionally the hazards of karaoke come in). The decor is starting to look a little dated but somehow this adds to the restaurant's charm, given its long history.
I prefer the black pepper crab to the chili version. We shared one meaty and sweet Sri Lankan crab (about $38/kg) and it came drenched in lots of coarse peppery sauce. Underneath that shell was a ton of roe! Which I'm normally not fond of. But here, I found that it paired well with the sauce and I ate almost half of it. Some good "wok hei" kept the crab hot for a long time too.
Also had fish maw soup with sea treasures, and stir-fried mixed vegetables to complete the meal. Both competently done.
Ayam penyet - that Indonesian flattened fried chicken that seems to have taken Singapore by storm. Personally, I'm not a big fan, even though the concept appeals to me. My few encounters with it so far have been disappointing. From Ayam Penyet Ria in Lucky Plaza which left a grease-laden anchor in my belly to hawker stall renditions that were no different from dried out versions of Malay fried chicken.
So it's taken me a year to check out Waroeng Penyet, just opposite the Marine Parade polyclinic. I was skeptical when they first opened but hey, they're still in business, so they must be good to some extent.
I must say I was quite happy with my first bite of their Ayam Penyet (S$5.50, rice not included). The chicken is a generous portion with an interesting and flavoursome crunchy batter. You also get a piece of fried tempe and fried tofu along with the token cabbage and cucumber pieces.
The real highlight is their delicious sambal chili that is an explosion of flavours beyond just spicy hot. Oh, they have two versions - go for the HOT one. The mild one is a wimpy, tomato-ey shadow of it. The only downside of the hot version is...your tongue is numbed after a while and you can barely taste your food thereafter. Ah sigh. Food joy for only a few minutes.
Oh yes, piping hot chicken wings, with crunchy skin and plump, juicy flesh. One is not enough! I would eat it a lot more often if I wasn't staying on the other side of the island!
I've been to the new Kallang Leisure Park quite a few times since its reopening. There's a cinema, a KBox, a supermarket, an ice skating rink as well as some other shops. The place still seems quite dead when I went to the Kbox there a couple of weeks back. But the place has potential when the new kallang stadium is completed. Question remains to be seen if the tenants can last that long in the first place.
I was very happy to find out that Spizza does delivery islandwide. Their pizzas have been so well-praised by so many but I have yet to go to any of their outlets. So one fine day when we had to stay home, we rang them up. We chose the Olivia and the Ursula (over 20 pizzas all named after girls), each S$22.
Unfortunately they were a bit disappointing. The Ursula (description reads: Tomato, Mascarpone, Spinach, Smoked Salmon, Capers) had a very strong fishy smell when we opened the box. The smoked salmon had mostly been cooked through, so it released its "aromas". I could still eat it, but hubby nearly fainted at the smell.
The Olivia (Tomato, Mozzarella, Salami, Fresh Chili) was a bit bland, strangely. Probably one of the thinnest crust pizzas I've tried but something is missing tastewise. The spinach leaves (given in a separate plastic box) were for the Ursula pizza but I felt they belonged on the salami one better.
Perhaps, as with Artz Pizza, they taste better when eaten fresh out of the oven. But now I'm not sure I can convince hubby to even go near Spizza shops.
We finally visited Baraonda and I am glad for it. Yes, this is the eatery that the original Al Forno guys have set up at the East Coast Parkway, oddly at a golf driving range and sharing premises with a Chinese seafood restaurant. Originally a casual eatery called Artzpizza (which now seems to be their pizza delivery branch), Baraonda is a full-fledged restaurant with over 100 items on its menu.
We did not have too good an experience with the Artzpizza delivery some time back (the pizzas had some strange smell), so we were crossing fingers hoping for a better experience here. We took a salamino pizza (S$18.50).
And oh what a difference dining in makes! I am wowed. This is the best pizza I've had in ages. Firstly, pizza is best eaten piping hot out of the wood-fired oven. Secondly, the taste is wonderfully assembled from a light tomato base, generous cheese and pepperoni salami atop a great thin crust. We polished it off in record speed.
Also good but less spectacular are their pastas. We tried the aglio olio e peperoncino (S$12.50) - a dish that is so simple and yet not easy to master. Well, the spaghetti is done right, al dente. Interesting taste from bits of burnt garlic and dried chili - not sure if it's really chili padi (bird's eye) as it wasn't spicy at all.
On the whole, it was still a bit bland and a tad heavy on the olive oil (the squeamish may want to look away from the grease puddle that remains on the plate). Ah sigh, we're still seeking the peppery hot peperoncino experience we had in, of all places, Kyoto.
The spaghetti alle vongole (S$25) came in a huge portion. Loads of clams, minced garlic and parsley with a light hint of white wine. The robust flavour will have you licking the clam shells. By the time we were done, we were too full for dessert.
It's quite lovely dining here, with the cool sea breeze and beach resort-like ambiance. The whole place with the driving range has a stuck-in-the-'70s feel about it, which gives it some character.
Baraonda also seems to have scaled down its prices a little since opening. Service on the whole is fairly decent and they serve plain water here (unlike many joints that force you to purchase a drink). But kick back with a cool beer and enjoy that pizza. After that you can literally walk to the beach if you wish.
Werner's Oven is really doing well for itself. We were glad we came early this evening. By 7pm it was full house - if you had no reservation, it would have been pretty hard to get a seat. Food must be good. Hubby went for the grilled cheese sausage. The hot cheese bubbles out as you cut into the sausage. Very good but extremely rich and satiating. The sauerkraut is more sweet than sour, but that is apparently how they do it in Germany (hubby has spent considerable time there). The mashed potatoes were very smooth and fluffy but I still prefer mine a little more dense.
Knusperiege Schweinehaxe: This is the reason I am here. Mmmh, finally got my fix of crispy "ter kah" - pork knuckle. There was one order of this on almost every table there. This dish is remarkably similar to really crispy Chinese roast pork. How I love the fragrant, crackling skin! Those who quibble about eating pork lard should stop reading right now. Again, this portion can be easily satiating, so two small eaters can easily share.
Werner's does a good job of keeping the inner meat really tender and juicy. The flesh melted like butter under my knife. I still remember one of my very first taste of crispy pork knuckle at Marche - the meat was much harder and more chewy there. But both there as well as here, I enjoyed gnawing at the bone for crispy parts and bits of meat. This was such a large portion, it was hard to finish though. I also left behind a small mound of subcutaneous fat dissected from between the skin and meat.
Wash all that down with a good glass of beer. They serve Paulaner here. Hefe-Weissbier is a "golden, naturally cloudy wheat beer with a delicate fruity aroma" and is indeed delicious with a hint of caramel. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed this.
All in all, a fairly satisfying meal an a fairly authentic German experience but also one so rich in cholesterol and fat that it should be an infrequent treat. Oh, and the bakery has nice breads too. You can check out their full menu available online.
Been hankering for some good bak chang (of the salty variety), so I grabbed a few from Kim Choo when I was in the Joo Chiat vicinity. At S$2.50 each, they were not cheap but each one was fairly sizeable and of good quality.
The smooth glutinous rice is steamed just right (not too soggy nor undercooked), and seasoned well. I could eat the rice on its own. Ingredients in the dumpling include chunks of lean meat (a little too heavily spiced, in my humble opinion), a sliver of pork fat, a couple of mushrooms and a chestnut.
I love bak chang but unfortunately they almost always leave a very full, satiated feeling. They wreck havoc on your blood sugar for hours! Almost uncomfortable. But a good bak chang is hard to resist! And I like to eat them cold out of the fridge! A more solid bite than if steamed (too sticky). I have to go try Ho Kee's someday.
I also sprung for their onde onde just out of curiosity. Unfortunately they were quite ordinary and did not justify the S$2 price for the box of six tiny bite-size desserts.
Just look at these yummy chunks of ribeye, seared very quickly with teriyaki sauce. From Ya Kwang Dai Pai Dong in Geylang. Yes, I finally got to go there! Run by an affable young chap (Jason), this eatery will whip up all kinds of dishes, some with a nouveau touch or unusual twist.
But back to the ribye. Yes, yes, some pieces were rather large, making it a chewy mouthful. But for the most part, it was tender, juicy and flavourful. The beefy succulence briefly called to mind Aburiya's cubes of yakiniku heaven. We did a "tarpao" (takeaway) so mom at home could try. She, too, pronounced it divine.
Not everything was a hit though. I wanted some fish maw soup but Jason says he doesn't serve two persons as the portion is too big. So we settled for cereal prawns (S$12). When it came, we were a little taken aback. The dish was soaked in oil and had greasy, charred Nestum flakes (?) dumped on top. It tasted oddly chocolatey or coffeelike. Even the garlic bits tasted like they'd been soaked in honey or syrup. Too sweet. Prawns were fresh and succulent though. Pity the execution didn't do them justice.
I have heard raves about the Penang char kway teow, so it was also a must-try. It looks really good, eh? Well, it certainly had good "wok hei" and was a generous portion for S$4. But it still tasted a little too bland for me. I seem to be seeking that elusive tasty version that I had eons ago in Penang and elsewhere, which I'd mistakenly assumed I could easily get again.
Halfway through our meal, Jason said he could do a sambal kangkong for us instead of his "usual" sprouts stir-fry. I'm glad we took his revised suggestion, because it was the most intensely flavoured dish for the evening. Wicked sambal sauce, salty and umami. I imagine it would go well with sotong (cuttlefish) too. Heck, it even paired well with the bland kway teow.
This is the old Cafe Vienna at Royal Plaza on Scotts, given not only a facelift but upgrade in terms of food (and prices) as well. It's halal Continental and Asian in a chic, new environment. See my review at Camemberu.com for full set of photos (a lot!). I'm leaving in the captions below (italicised) to explain the paragraphs.
We liked the new decor, and thought the place was well thought out in terms of managing large buffet crowds. The food is split up into two sections - cold stuff and appetisers out in the front, warm food and mains at the back. Desserts were along a perpendicular wall linking both sections.
There are at least three dessert alcoves. This is the first one. The second one is completely dedicated to a 4 or 5 tier chocolate fountain with skewered fruits ready for dipping, and ice cream in three flavours. Third one has fruits and warm desserts.
Chic cutlery stand - they replenish every utensil you use, the moment you take it out!, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
I have to say the service is very much improved. Staff are alert, quick, attentive and polite. Constantly but discreetly paying attention to your table, replenishing water AND cutlery (every time you use something, you get a fresh set put in your holder!). They are always on hand too, to attend to needs or help with spills (which are prone to happen when you bring naughty babies along).
Sashimi and sushi, originally uploaded by Camemberu.All right, on to the food! Unfortunately I didn't capture on camera all the food we ate, and on top of that, we weren't able to sample half of what was available in this huge buffet. So what you see is just a small representation.
I began with the sashimi (salmon, tuna and sea bream, I think) and sushi (inari, salmon and unagi). I skipped the futomaki and forgot about handrolls. Although reasonably fresh, the sashimi didn't look too well-cut but at least did not taste bad or sinewy. The sushi was decent.
Cold seafood platter - blue swimming crab, slipper lobster, boiled tiger prawns, steamed sweet clam, scallop, poached green lip mussel and Spanish black mussel, originally uploaded by Camemberu.Carousel now boasts a large spread of seafood and indeed, a whole counter of ice proudly sports various fruits of the ocean. All succulent and sweet. Have them with lemon, tabasco, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, shallot mignonette or just plain. Wish I had gone for a second round. Oh, and the waiters, or butlers as they are called here, serve you moist towelettes after you are done. Nice touch.
Cold appetisers - DIY Thai salad, mushroom terrine, cured salmon in spiced lime vinaigrette, marinated prawns with avocado tomato salsa, smoked duck breast, originally uploaded by Camemberu.There is a nice Thai salad station where you can put together your own green mango/papaya/pomelo salads (recipe cards on display to help with ingredient choice). I didn't get to try the other cold prepared salads, just the appetisers, which were okay but not spectacular.
Sirloin from the carvery, originally uploaded by Camemberu.The rotisserie featured black pepper chicken (which I skipped) and oven roasted grain-fed beef which I thought was quite yummy, although hubby didn't like it. Team it with Yorkshire pudding and jacket potatoes, along with condiments (so many to choose from!). The professional pasta station next to the rotisserie looked enticing but it would have been too much carbo for me.
Pumpkin veloute with truffle hint, originally uploaded by Camemberu.Oh this was nice! A simple-looking soup but it had a savoury, umami richness I can't describe. Hubby, again, didn't really like it (it's okay, we always differ). There were also some other soups - the seafood tom yum was done more Malay-style than Thai, and the morsels within overcooked.
Hot mains - potato and onion tortilla, stewed black mussels in fennel and tomato broth, saffron rice with achar and fish crackers, mutton rendang, lamb koulet with mint sauce and beef scallopini with kalamata and anchovies, originally uploaded by Camemberu.There are so many main dishes, it's almost impossible to try everything. One really good one was the mutton rendang - even hubby who avoids lamb/mutton, thought it was more than edible. The mussels were in a very strong fennel and tomato broth - think I prefer them cold with tabasco and lemon.
It was a pity I had no space for most of the Asian mains, much less the breads and cheeses. Oh, and I really liked that the hot dishes were elegantly presented on ceramic/electric stove tops rather than in those clunky, metallic chafing dishes.
Desserts - (top to bottom) pecan and walnut tart, raspberry cheesecake, coconut creme brulee, mango delice, mousse of exotic fruits, originally uploaded by Camemberu.Real dessert fanatics may not be overwhelmed by the range or variety here but I thought it was adequate (mainly because I was too full to eat anything more). The coconut creme brulee is a must-try here - simply sublime! Nadine loved the cheesecake!
Sweets in shooters - (left to right) lychee and raspberry agar-agar, semolina pudding with redcurrant coulis, strawberry crumble (not sure what green mousse is) , originally uploaded by Camemberu.Somehow all the shooters I chose had this sourish fruity accent, something I'm not big on. Should have gone for the mini tiramisu! Ah, the bread and butter pudding with vanilla sauce was comforting, as was the cherry clafoutis. Didn't try chocolate pudding or the chocolate fountain.
In all, we had a very happy meal. Quite good value for S$35 per person (weekend lunch). This place can almost challenge Melt at the Oriental, which is slightly pricier. I'd be quite happy to come back to Carousel.
1=SGD 0.0587
Roland's is always a safe choice for crabs and seafood. What I like most about it is that you don't have to jostle with crowds or contend with rude food Nazis. It's just good food and good service in a simple but comfy air-conditioned environment (although occasionally the hazards of karaoke come in). The decor is starting to look a little dated but somehow this adds to the restaurant's charm, given its long history.
I prefer the black pepper crab to the chili version. We shared one meaty and sweet Sri Lankan crab (about $38/kg) and it came drenched in lots of coarse peppery sauce. Underneath that shell was a ton of roe! Which I'm normally not fond of. But here, I found that it paired well with the sauce and I ate almost half of it. Some good "wok hei" kept the crab hot for a long time too.
Also had fish maw soup with sea treasures, and stir-fried mixed vegetables to complete the meal. Both competently done.
Rest of photos and review here.
Rating given:
Ayam penyet - that Indonesian flattened fried chicken that seems to have taken Singapore by storm. Personally, I'm not a big fan, even though the concept appeals to me. My few encounters with it so far have been disappointing. From Ayam Penyet Ria in Lucky Plaza which left a grease-laden anchor in my belly to hawker stall renditions that were no different from dried out versions of Malay fried chicken.
So it's taken me a year to check out Waroeng Penyet, just opposite the Marine Parade polyclinic. I was skeptical when they first opened but hey, they're still in business, so they must be good to some extent.
I must say I was quite happy with my first bite of their Ayam Penyet (S$5.50, rice not included). The chicken is a generous portion with an interesting and flavoursome crunchy batter. You also get a piece of fried tempe and fried tofu along with the token cabbage and cucumber pieces.
The real highlight is their delicious sambal chili that is an explosion of flavours beyond just spicy hot. Oh, they have two versions - go for the HOT one. The mild one is a wimpy, tomato-ey shadow of it. The only downside of the hot version is...your tongue is numbed after a while and you can barely taste your food thereafter. Ah sigh. Food joy for only a few minutes.
Full review and scanned menu here.
Rating given:
Crispy fried chicken wings!
Oh yes, piping hot chicken wings, with crunchy skin and plump, juicy flesh. One is not enough! I would eat it a lot more often if I wasn't staying on the other side of the island!
The beehoon is rather bland though.
Full review and photos here!
Rating given:
I've been to the new Kallang Leisure Park quite a few times since its reopening. There's a cinema, a KBox, a supermarket, an ice skating rink as well as some other shops. The place still seems quite dead when I went to the Kbox there a couple of weeks back. But the place has potential when the new kallang stadium is completed. Question remains to be seen if the tenants can last that long in the first place.
Rating given:
I was very happy to find out that Spizza does delivery islandwide. Their pizzas have been so well-praised by so many but I have yet to go to any of their outlets. So one fine day when we had to stay home, we rang them up. We chose the Olivia and the Ursula (over 20 pizzas all named after girls), each S$22.
Unfortunately they were a bit disappointing. The Ursula (description reads: Tomato, Mascarpone, Spinach, Smoked Salmon, Capers) had a very strong fishy smell when we opened the box. The smoked salmon had mostly been cooked through, so it released its "aromas". I could still eat it, but hubby nearly fainted at the smell.
The Olivia (Tomato, Mozzarella, Salami, Fresh Chili) was a bit bland, strangely. Probably one of the thinnest crust pizzas I've tried but something is missing tastewise. The spinach leaves (given in a separate plastic box) were for the Ursula pizza but I felt they belonged on the salami one better.
Perhaps, as with Artz Pizza, they taste better when eaten fresh out of the oven. But now I'm not sure I can convince hubby to even go near Spizza shops.
Rating given:
We finally visited Baraonda and I am glad for it. Yes, this is the eatery that the original Al Forno guys have set up at the East Coast Parkway, oddly at a golf driving range and sharing premises with a Chinese seafood restaurant. Originally a casual eatery called Artzpizza (which now seems to be their pizza delivery branch), Baraonda is a full-fledged restaurant with over 100 items on its menu.
We did not have too good an experience with the Artzpizza delivery some time back (the pizzas had some strange smell), so we were crossing fingers hoping for a better experience here. We took a salamino pizza (S$18.50).
And oh what a difference dining in makes! I am wowed. This is the best pizza I've had in ages. Firstly, pizza is best eaten piping hot out of the wood-fired oven. Secondly, the taste is wonderfully assembled from a light tomato base, generous cheese and pepperoni salami atop a great thin crust. We polished it off in record speed.
Also good but less spectacular are their pastas. We tried the aglio olio e peperoncino (S$12.50) - a dish that is so simple and yet not easy to master. Well, the spaghetti is done right, al dente. Interesting taste from bits of burnt garlic and dried chili - not sure if it's really chili padi (bird's eye) as it wasn't spicy at all.
On the whole, it was still a bit bland and a tad heavy on the olive oil (the squeamish may want to look away from the grease puddle that remains on the plate). Ah sigh, we're still seeking the peppery hot peperoncino experience we had in, of all places, Kyoto.
The spaghetti alle vongole (S$25) came in a huge portion. Loads of clams, minced garlic and parsley with a light hint of white wine. The robust flavour will have you licking the clam shells. By the time we were done, we were too full for dessert.
It's quite lovely dining here, with the cool sea breeze and beach resort-like ambiance. The whole place with the driving range has a stuck-in-the-'70s feel about it, which gives it some character.
Baraonda also seems to have scaled down its prices a little since opening. Service on the whole is fairly decent and they serve plain water here (unlike many joints that force you to purchase a drink). But kick back with a cool beer and enjoy that pizza. After that you can literally walk to the beach if you wish.
Rating given:
Werner's Oven is really doing well for itself. We were glad we came early this evening. By 7pm it was full house - if you had no reservation, it would have been pretty hard to get a seat. Food must be good. Hubby went for the grilled cheese sausage. The hot cheese bubbles out as you cut into the sausage. Very good but extremely rich and satiating. The sauerkraut is more sweet than sour, but that is apparently how they do it in Germany (hubby has spent considerable time there). The mashed potatoes were very smooth and fluffy but I still prefer mine a little more dense.
Knusperiege Schweinehaxe: This is the reason I am here. Mmmh, finally got my fix of crispy "ter kah" - pork knuckle. There was one order of this on almost every table there. This dish is remarkably similar to really crispy Chinese roast pork. How I love the fragrant, crackling skin! Those who quibble about eating pork lard should stop reading right now. Again, this portion can be easily satiating, so two small eaters can easily share.
Werner's does a good job of keeping the inner meat really tender and juicy. The flesh melted like butter under my knife. I still remember one of my very first taste of crispy pork knuckle at Marche - the meat was much harder and more chewy there. But both there as well as here, I enjoyed gnawing at the bone for crispy parts and bits of meat. This was such a large portion, it was hard to finish though. I also left behind a small mound of subcutaneous fat dissected from between the skin and meat.
Wash all that down with a good glass of beer. They serve Paulaner here. Hefe-Weissbier is a "golden, naturally cloudy wheat beer with a delicate fruity aroma" and is indeed delicious with a hint of caramel. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed this.
All in all, a fairly satisfying meal an a fairly authentic German experience but also one so rich in cholesterol and fat that it should be an infrequent treat. Oh, and the bakery has nice breads too. You can check out their full menu available online.
Rating given:
Been hankering for some good bak chang (of the salty variety), so I grabbed a few from Kim Choo when I was in the Joo Chiat vicinity. At S$2.50 each, they were not cheap but each one was fairly sizeable and of good quality.
The smooth glutinous rice is steamed just right (not too soggy nor undercooked), and seasoned well. I could eat the rice on its own. Ingredients in the dumpling include chunks of lean meat (a little too heavily spiced, in my humble opinion), a sliver of pork fat, a couple of mushrooms and a chestnut.
I love bak chang but unfortunately they almost always leave a very full, satiated feeling. They wreck havoc on your blood sugar for hours! Almost uncomfortable. But a good bak chang is hard to resist! And I like to eat them cold out of the fridge! A more solid bite than if steamed (too sticky). I have to go try Ho Kee's someday.
I also sprung for their onde onde just out of curiosity. Unfortunately they were quite ordinary and did not justify the S$2 price for the box of six tiny bite-size desserts.
Rating given:
Just look at these yummy chunks of ribeye, seared very quickly with teriyaki sauce. From Ya Kwang Dai Pai Dong in Geylang. Yes, I finally got to go there! Run by an affable young chap (Jason), this eatery will whip up all kinds of dishes, some with a nouveau touch or unusual twist.
But back to the ribye. Yes, yes, some pieces were rather large, making it a chewy mouthful. But for the most part, it was tender, juicy and flavourful. The beefy succulence briefly called to mind Aburiya's cubes of yakiniku heaven. We did a "tarpao" (takeaway) so mom at home could try. She, too, pronounced it divine.
Not everything was a hit though. I wanted some fish maw soup but Jason says he doesn't serve two persons as the portion is too big. So we settled for cereal prawns (S$12). When it came, we were a little taken aback. The dish was soaked in oil and had greasy, charred Nestum flakes (?) dumped on top. It tasted oddly chocolatey or coffeelike. Even the garlic bits tasted like they'd been soaked in honey or syrup. Too sweet. Prawns were fresh and succulent though. Pity the execution didn't do them justice.
I have heard raves about the Penang char kway teow, so it was also a must-try. It looks really good, eh? Well, it certainly had good "wok hei" and was a generous portion for S$4. But it still tasted a little too bland for me. I seem to be seeking that elusive tasty version that I had eons ago in Penang and elsewhere, which I'd mistakenly assumed I could easily get again.
Halfway through our meal, Jason said he could do a sambal kangkong for us instead of his "usual" sprouts stir-fry. I'm glad we took his revised suggestion, because it was the most intensely flavoured dish for the evening. Wicked sambal sauce, salty and umami. I imagine it would go well with sotong (cuttlefish) too. Heck, it even paired well with the bland kway teow.
I also went back a second time - see the review here - and had a great vongole ban mian or lala pasta!
Rating given:
This is the old Cafe Vienna at Royal Plaza on Scotts, given not only a facelift but upgrade in terms of food (and prices) as well. It's halal Continental and Asian in a chic, new environment. See my review at Camemberu.com for full set of photos (a lot!). I'm leaving in the captions below (italicised) to explain the paragraphs.
We liked the new decor, and thought the place was well thought out in terms of managing large buffet crowds. The food is split up into two sections - cold stuff and appetisers out in the front, warm food and mains at the back. Desserts were along a perpendicular wall linking both sections.
There are at least three dessert alcoves. This is the first one. The second one is completely dedicated to a 4 or 5 tier chocolate fountain with skewered fruits ready for dipping, and ice cream in three flavours. Third one has fruits and warm desserts.
Chic cutlery stand - they replenish every utensil you use, the moment you take it out!, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
I have to say the service is very much improved. Staff are alert, quick, attentive and polite. Constantly but discreetly paying attention to your table, replenishing water AND cutlery (every time you use something, you get a fresh set put in your holder!). They are always on hand too, to attend to needs or help with spills (which are prone to happen when you bring naughty babies along).
Sashimi and sushi, originally uploaded by Camemberu.All right, on to the food! Unfortunately I didn't capture on camera all the food we ate, and on top of that, we weren't able to sample half of what was available in this huge buffet. So what you see is just a small representation.
I began with the sashimi (salmon, tuna and sea bream, I think) and sushi (inari, salmon and unagi). I skipped the futomaki and forgot about handrolls. Although reasonably fresh, the sashimi didn't look too well-cut but at least did not taste bad or sinewy. The sushi was decent.
Cold seafood platter - blue swimming crab, slipper lobster, boiled tiger prawns, steamed sweet clam, scallop, poached green lip mussel and Spanish black mussel, originally uploaded by Camemberu.Carousel now boasts a large spread of seafood and indeed, a whole counter of ice proudly sports various fruits of the ocean. All succulent and sweet. Have them with lemon, tabasco, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, shallot mignonette or just plain. Wish I had gone for a second round. Oh, and the waiters, or butlers as they are called here, serve you moist towelettes after you are done. Nice touch.
Cold appetisers - DIY Thai salad, mushroom terrine, cured salmon in spiced lime vinaigrette, marinated prawns with avocado tomato salsa, smoked duck breast, originally uploaded by Camemberu.There is a nice Thai salad station where you can put together your own green mango/papaya/pomelo salads (recipe cards on display to help with ingredient choice). I didn't get to try the other cold prepared salads, just the appetisers, which were okay but not spectacular.
Sirloin from the carvery, originally uploaded by Camemberu.The rotisserie featured black pepper chicken (which I skipped) and oven roasted grain-fed beef which I thought was quite yummy, although hubby didn't like it. Team it with Yorkshire pudding and jacket potatoes, along with condiments (so many to choose from!). The professional pasta station next to the rotisserie looked enticing but it would have been too much carbo for me.
Pumpkin veloute with truffle hint, originally uploaded by Camemberu.Oh this was nice! A simple-looking soup but it had a savoury, umami richness I can't describe. Hubby, again, didn't really like it (it's okay, we always differ). There were also some other soups - the seafood tom yum was done more Malay-style than Thai, and the morsels within overcooked.
Hot mains - potato and onion tortilla, stewed black mussels in fennel and tomato broth, saffron rice with achar and fish crackers, mutton rendang, lamb koulet with mint sauce and beef scallopini with kalamata and anchovies, originally uploaded by Camemberu.There are so many main dishes, it's almost impossible to try everything. One really good one was the mutton rendang - even hubby who avoids lamb/mutton, thought it was more than edible. The mussels were in a very strong fennel and tomato broth - think I prefer them cold with tabasco and lemon.
It was a pity I had no space for most of the Asian mains, much less the breads and cheeses. Oh, and I really liked that the hot dishes were elegantly presented on ceramic/electric stove tops rather than in those clunky, metallic chafing dishes.
Desserts - (top to bottom) pecan and walnut tart, raspberry cheesecake, coconut creme brulee, mango delice, mousse of exotic fruits, originally uploaded by Camemberu.Real dessert fanatics may not be overwhelmed by the range or variety here but I thought it was adequate (mainly because I was too full to eat anything more). The coconut creme brulee is a must-try here - simply sublime! Nadine loved the cheesecake!
Sweets in shooters - (left to right) lychee and raspberry agar-agar, semolina pudding with redcurrant coulis, strawberry crumble (not sure what green mousse is) , originally uploaded by Camemberu.Somehow all the shooters I chose had this sourish fruity accent, something I'm not big on. Should have gone for the mini tiramisu! Ah, the bread and butter pudding with vanilla sauce was comforting, as was the cherry clafoutis. Didn't try chocolate pudding or the chocolate fountain.
In all, we had a very happy meal. Quite good value for S$35 per person (weekend lunch). This place can almost challenge Melt at the Oriental, which is slightly pricier. I'd be quite happy to come back to Carousel.
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