Cheap cantonese cuisine is few and far between but Bi Feng Tang seeks to change that. The Century Square outlet opened in December 2004 and has been there ever since, offering Hong Kong style food at semi affordable prices. This is not my first visit here but is my first official blogging visit, does its standard hold up after 3 years? Thats what we are going to find out.
Pickles ($1) - Well, pickles are never free it seems. Not that there's much to complain for a $1 charge on compulsory pickles, but some choice would be appreciated. That said, the pickles are suitably sour but my gf tasted some detergent in them? Either way, it served its purpose of given me a growling tummy for the dishes to follow.
Sze Chuan Spicy Beef ($4) - I actually expected alot more than what was served but i've never tried enough Sze Chuan Spicy Beef enough to know if the dish was a failure or a success. Found in the appetizer section of the menu, i should have realized it would come in small portions and it did. Six slices in all, it was not much to look at and tasted weird. Spicy, sour and extremely salty, this is not what i can recommend. Add the fact that you can't taste the beef and you have something ingrained in your mind never to order again.
Fried Rice With Crab Meat and Roasted Pork (Set menu for 2, $28.80) - Do not be deceived by the way the shot looks, the rice is actually very nicely done. Soft, fragrant and packed with ingredients, this is better then the one i had in Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. This only complaint i have for the rice is how tasteless the crab meat really is, other then that, this fried rice is simply tasty enough for a second visit.
Pineapple Fried With Pork Rib - Honestly, not very well done. The meat was tough and sour due to either the meat being not fresh or the overuse of pineapple, which does not mask the refrigerated taste in the end. Its also overly sweet and oily which just doesn't do it for me.
Braised Tofu With Seafood and Quail Egg - I really liked this tofu, though not comparable to gourmet tofu's like Hai Tien Lo or even Hua Ting, this is decent. What really got me going for it was the generous braised seafood and the nicely done quail eggs and stock. Overall, this goes well with rice or any other accompaniment. Something i can have again when i visit.
Mixed Roast Meat - For this dish, you are given a choice of having duck, Char Siew or San Chen Rou. We selected the Char Siew and Duck meat for more variety and balance. The good news is, we got the balance. The bad news is, the char siew was supremely hard for some reason and the duck meat had a very thick layer of fats under the skin. Suffice to say this is not what i had in mind.
Herbal Chicken - Generous servings of chicken and the option to ask for more herbal soup make this a clear winner. The chicken meat did come across as a tad tough though and the herbal soup a little to light on my palates but otherwise, a simple and good dish that is easily enjoyed.
Sesame and peanut paste - Sesame mixed with peanut in paste form as a dessert is totally new for me. The taste is somewhat familiar yet foreign as you can taste both the items in the mixture. The result is interesting but not something i would try again.
The bill for 3 came up to $37.13 for me, my gf and her mother. I'm the only big eater there though so take your chances if you want to try replicating the feat.
Not too expensive and serving decent cantonese food. The set meal surprised me by being good value for money and actually served 3 people instead of 2. The variety it came with was decent as well though there were still a few hits and misses. For the price though, its difficult to find the same offering elsewhere. Decent, not outstanding but always worth a try.
Lerk Thai literally means "select thai" and is a subsidiary of Select Catering services limited. The executive chef is reportedly a chef that served in the royal thai household before coming to helm the position in Singapore. So how does it fair in comparison the Lemon Grass? Carry on reading then.
During lunch, the place was quiet and had only about 5 patrons. Interior was furnished in a modern Thai style and had a generally clean and comfortable look.
Thai Prawn Crackers ($1) - Nope, the crackers are not free but aren't too expensive either. The crackers were fragrant, spicy and crunchy but did not come with any sauce like those served in Lemongrass. Still pretty good though.
Yam Som O/ Pomelo Salad ($3 each) - For appetizers, we ordered the Pomelo salad to whet our appetites. It came looking simply delightful with a orange peel holder , stuffed to the top with Pomelo in peanut and sweet sauce. The shrimp was fresh as well but only half was served which detracts from the points. Taste wise, it was an interesting blend of sweet and sour with a strong peanut taste which leaves a fresh taste in your mouth. Do try this.
Pineapple Rice ($8.50) - Their rendition had a stronger pineapple taste as compared to Lemongrass's rendition. It was a little sour and had more shrimp even though the portion was smaller. I personally found this version of it better then Lemongrass as it had an abundance of sweet pork floss and dried raisins. Still can't quite compare to the authentic ones i've had in Thailand however. One complaint i'd like to bring up is the use of pineapple casing for the rice, aesthetics aside, the casing only causes the rice to be spilled over when scooped and generally causes a mess.
Beef Hor Fan ($6.50) - I was intrigued by how a Thai beef hor fan should taste like when i ordered this and was promptly disappointed. It doesn't taste any different from our run of the mill hor fan and in fact, tastes a little worse since its too salty. Portions of beef were generous but lacked taste as well. Not recommended to try.
Tom Yam Soup ($2 due to promotion, normal price $8) - The tom yam soup was quite spicy even though all we ordered was the clear version. And at $2, this is quite a steal as the seafood present in it was plentiful and the portion could have filled 4 small bowls. It is readily evident that there are at least, 2 prawns, fish, lemon grass, squid and some mushrooms in it. Their rendition is more spicy then Lemon grass but less sour and less body as well. For the price, however, i'm not really complaining. Last i saw, the promotion has since been taken off though.
Total bill came up to $28.25 for 2 people. Not too expensive and totally suits their vision of being priced for mid range customers.
For a mid ranged Thai restaurant, Lerk Thai has quite a lot going for it. Nice ambiance, relaxed setting, reasonably priced food and is generally decent tasting. The experience i had was pleasant but comparing food wise, Lemon Grass is still the clear winner. Lemon Grass, however belongs to a more up market pricing so do take note. You can view my visit to Lemon Grass here.
I was here 3 years ago when it first opened. That time the staff was very inexperienced and I waited 45 minutes for iced water and 2 hours for my Fish and Chips.
Finally gathering enough courage, I went again recently with another friend. The previous ones were too disappointed the first time to visit with me again.
We were there on a weekday afternoon so we were the only ones in the restaurant. So we were served promptly.
Food Ordered:
Wild Mushroom Soup ($4.90) It's obviously Mushroom Soup, served with garlic toast. It was thick and creamy, which was a nice surprise.
Seafood Platter ($13.90) A good serving of fish, chips, calamari and prawn, served with salad. I liked the fish a lot. The flesh was light and tasted great. The batter was not too heavy so I didn't feel too sick eating it all up. It was quite a large serving for a girl but I was really hungry. Ribeye Steak - Gentlemen's cut ($19.90) It came sizzling and did look presentable. However my companion commented that it was mediocre and was not as done as he wanted it.
The funny thing about it was that we were quite busy chatting when the food arrived so it was left alone a bit then the waiter came back 5 minutes later to remind us to have it while it's warm. so cute.
Service has improved tremendously. It cost $43.60 for both of us... so it was alright I guess. I'll visit again just not order the steak. :)
Ever since the previous visit to Waraku, i've been pining for the next outing to reconfirm my impressions of the place. This time, i brought my entire family there for dinner since its my sister's birthday and was hoping for the same treatment of good Japanese cuisine as my first visit. You can view my first impressions here.
Parking space was abundant when we arrived at approximately 6pm but was soon taken up as the dinner crowd came in. The same goes for space within the restaurant as there were plenty of space which was quickly filled up within minutes after we arrived. The place looks decidedly grander since it occupies a themed building all by itself and is finished with wooden furniture for an authentic Japanese feel. However, it was also more cramped then the cuppage branch and somehow did not project an image of being a relaxing venue.
Iced Coffee ($3.80) - I've said it before and i'll say it again. Never order drinks in a restaurant unless you want to order wine or feel as though you have too much money. The coffee was tasteless at best and is a wonderful example of wasting money.
Tonkatsu Set ($15.50) - My father and sister had this set but he said it wasn't anything special. The Japanese curry and sticky rice did not appeal to him as he prefers his curry spicy. The katsu was juicy, lightly battered and tender but otherwise a tad too oily. My sister enjoyed it but said it could have been better.
Yasai Curry Udon ($10.80) - My mother's a vegetarian and so this suited her perfectly. The Udon came in a huge bowl and was filled with mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes and assorted greens to go with the slightly thin udon. I found it quite sour and mildly spicy which makes for an appetizing meal. My mom was quite taken with it as well.
Gyu Yanagawa Wazen with Cold Soba ($16 2) - This is the reason why i returned to this restaurant and this time, the experience is somewhat muted due to the fact that the table was packed with food but they still kept adding our orders when they should have waited. That aside, the beef was as tasty as ever and the stock is still sweet. The cold soba however, was an unworthy introduction as it just doesn't taste authentic enough. I still prefer Cha Soba instead.
Ebi Cheese Curry Udon ($10.80) - My gf took a surprise turn this time around and chose to have udon instead of Katsu. I must say she makes interesting and good choices as the Ebi Cheese curry udon turned out pretty good. The ebi (or prawns/shrimps) were big, crunchy, fresh and sweet which complemented the cheese curry well. The curry was thick and tasted of garlic and cheese with a little sour vinegar taste to add variety. Nicely done but portion could be bigger.
Potato Mentai ($8.80) - This item drew lots of heat on me as nobody seemed to liked it. Everyone felt that the fish eggs (the pink little dots you see) gave the cheese and potatoes a fishy and revolting smell and taste. It is indeed so after the first few bites and the smell lingers long after the dish is finished. Its basically just potatoes heated in a pan with oil, fish eggs and cheese. Not worth the money nor agony involved in finishing it.
Salmon Teriyaki ($8.80) - This was ridiculous when it was served. The serving was terribly small and felt like a rip off from the start. Upon the taste test, it did have the usual teriyaki trappings but i felt the meat was too dry. Overall, my money is better off ordering other stuff.
Soft Shell Crab ($6.80) - I can sum up the soft shell crab in two words: Overly Fried. It was so crunchy i couldn't make out the taste of crab at all. Not something i will try again here, the Ichiban Boshi rendition is a little better since it comes in bigger portions.
Salmon Cheese with Tartar Sauce ($6.80) - Thin, crisp bread batter with 2 slice of salmon and cheese in the middle. Deep fry it and serve with lemon and tartar sauce. This is hardly worth the money to eat given that its such a simple dish. Nonetheless, its tastes like fishy Mcnuggets and wasn't too bad. Just not worth an order.
Agedashi Tofu ($6.80) - I guess you just can't go wrong with tofu. Soft, silky and hot. The tofu was as good as the cuppage branch as well. Portion size is still a problem though as this works out to be close to $1.75 a tofu which is darn expensive.
Renkon Chips ($4.80) - Lotus root in thin slices deep fried in oil. Somehow, deep frying seems like a popular way of cooking these days. Anyway, this was surprisingly nice and light. The chips literally melt and disappear the moment you chew or bite on it, leaving a taste of lotus on your tongue. However, you really can do this on your own at home, so save the money and just get on with it yourself.
Surprisingly, after all those orders and food, the bill only came to $139. I wouldn't call it a fulfilling meal but it got the job done.
Though it goes by the same name and cuisine, the experience i had here was much less pleasurable due in part to the constantly shouting serving staff and the really small table we had. The food was still decent but i did realise that if you are not a beef lover, do stay away as the value drops considerably when you order the non beef items. The only items i found decent this time round was the ebi cheese and the yasai curry udon, obviously my beef dish was still good but everything else was mediocre. The serving staff also needs to learn that when the table is full, stop bringing orders out. I would say the place is still good but i'm not returning to this branch ever again. It was a much better experience at cuppage.
Cafe de Amigo relocated to Funan in 2006. Chef Foo Wah Ann is the man behind this very nice place. Having heard about him when he was at the renown La Brasserie (Marco Polo Hotel), we thought a visit to this place was a must. The ambience is pretty cosy. There is a live band singing jazzy tunes throughout the night. The crowd there is consists largely of those working in the area.
Food Ordered:
Deep-fried Cheese - 3pc ($16.50) 3 types of cheese melted together and deep fried, served with fresh basil and tomato sauce. I like the cheese which was firm and not oozing out of its shell. Soft Shell Crab ($13.50) The batter was a little too light and it was too oily for my taste. Small serving just enough for one person.
Escargot A la Bourguignon (6 for $16.50) Served in a garlic and butter sauce, I found nothing spectacular about this dish. If anything, the serving was really small. Lobster Bisque ($9.50) "Bisque of Bisques" was its description in the menu. Thus we had to try this. It was flavourful however it's pretty hard to find lobster nor taste any lobster in this dish.
Not the same Potato ($7.50) It is actually supposed to be creamy potato soup but the taste of potato was weak and overpowered by the cheese that was blended into it.
Salad de Amis ($14.50) A huge serving of salad which you'll be able to see anywhere, served with olive oil vinegar dressing. Which I think wasn't enough as it was dry and a little bland.
Chicken chop ($20.50) Grilled boneless chicken drumstick served in black pepper sauce and fries. Sadly you can get a good taste of this dish at hawker centres at a quarter of its price. Although boneless, the chicken had a fair share of fatty bits and it wasn't as succulent as I had expected. The black pepper sauce wasn't thick enough too.
Ox-Tail ($24.50) One of the inhouse specialties. A generous serving of stewed oxtail served with boiled potato and broccoli. My companion commented that it was very tender and juicy. I did think that it was the one of the best dishes on the table that night Duck Breast ($26.50) Also one of the recommended dishes. Roasted duck slices in red wine sauce, served with boiled spinach. The combination seemed a little odd to me at first. But my companion has full of compliments for it so I guess it was really good.
Normandy Apple Pie ($7.50) One of the recommended desserts. It was served with wild honey and vanilla ice-cream. I loved the crumbly crust which was light and tasty. One would find it hard to be sick of this. The inside was not overly sweet. Frezzie Tiramisu ($7.90) It was a regular ice cream cake. Certainly not worth the money.
The presentation of the food was not good. More like they were all haphazardly put together. The service is alright. I don't think I will be back anytime soon...
Was searching for a decent caterer for the first party Yebber is throwing. And recalled the great spread of food catered at my previous workplace, so I decided to give them a try.
These were served at the Yebber's party... Tossed Garden Greens with Baby Potatoes Butter Tiger Prawn with Oatmeal Hawaiian Chicken Cutlet with Pineapple Thai Style Mango Fish Fresh Broccoli with Assortment Pacific Clams Sausages & Papadem with Cheese & Thai Dip *HOT Sunny Pilaf with Cashew Nuts Petite French Pastries *HOT Festive Punch
I'm posting these up with photos first tonite. Will review it when I'm sober. Time to crash...
Review to be continued...
Let me get down to business with this caterer's review... First the presentation - Its one of the better ones that I've seen. Instead of placing everything on the same level with simple plain white table cloth, Harvest has got boxes below the cloth to make the presentation nicely, placing dishes on different levels. And they created a feel of class with the gold and silver cloth. Their sauces was also served in nice white soup bowl instead of plastic bowls. Food was nicely placed and the presentation is welcoming. Makes you want to grab more food.
The Food - This was a Season special menu at $16/pax. Tossed Garden Greens with Baby Potatoes Just like any other salads. Fresh greens and nicely halved baby potatoes. If they'd provided more sauces, it'll be even better. The one that came with it was Thousand Island. Not so friendly for those ladies watching the diet.
Butter Tiger Prawn with Oatmeal - Photo This was the one that looks the most appetizing. While the man was setting up, everyone was eyeing on the prawns! It looks big and delicious. When we finally get our hands on the prawns, its was good. But it would have been better if it was warm. You can taste the butter and the oatmeal was kinda soggy after being wrapped up in foil. This was one of the better dish that night.
Hawaiian Chicken Cutlet with Pineapple - Photo The looks of this dish makes one want to give it a miss. The pineapple dressings on the chicken has almost blended into the used-to-be-crispy chicken skin. The chicken skin was soggy and the taste of the supposed to be Hawaiian taste wasn't present. Kind of disappointed with this one.
Thai Style Mango Fish After the entire night, than I realised one thing. We should have poured the bowl of salsa sauce lookalike onto the fish before we eat them! I was puzzled when there's this extra bowl of vegetables on the table, but thought it could have been complimentary or something. Hope some of you did know that the sauce was for the fish and had put some over the fish before you eat it. So silly of me!
The fish (w/o the salsa sauce) tasted plain. There was a little fishy smell and again the fish was soggy. But still edible. Guess the caterer should try to find a way to prevent their food to turn soggy during the delivery process. The warmer provided was insufficient to really heat up the food. Perhaps an additional warmer per dish might help better.
Fresh Broccoli with Assortment Pacific Clams - Photo Nicely cooked broccoli with not-so-fresh pacific clams. It might just be my taste bud, but the clams had a strong smell. I love clams but this one I didn't even wanted to have a second helping. Still this dish was well presented. I still enjoyed the broccolis and mushrooms.
Sausages & Papadem with Cheese & Thai Dip *HOT - Photo This must be the hottest item that night. Nacho Papadem with cheese! I can't imagine eating this combi before that night. But now I'm craving for it! The Papadem was fresh and crispy. Dipped into the cheese dip and yummy! Perfecto! Love it! The sausages were normal chicken sausages, as usual, this is the easiest to eat finger food. The thai dip and cheese makes it even better.
Sunny Pilaf with Cashew Nuts As usual, the rice for all catering is always the least favorite. There were plenty left after that night. Not sure if anyone else notice, there were shrimps cooked with the rice. We should have mixed the rice a little before eating, cos I think most of the shrimps were hidden at the bottom of the rice. The obvious ingredients was the cashew nuts and raisins. This one still not bad, rice was a little fragrant and the shrimps used was fresh. Definitely better than most of the fried rice I had at other catered meals.
Petite French Pastries *HOT - Photo Too little of these were served! Pastries were nicely made and it was not too sweet. Chilled at the right temperature that doesn't cos the pastries to become too soft. Didn't get to try the cream puffs as they were gone when I went back wanting to try one. Had couple of the chocolate ones, and it was gone when I wanted more. Will surely order this again the next time.
Overall, I still like and enjoyed the food by Harvest. Will probably order from them again for my future events. Value-for-money.
On a sidenote, you might want to get them to set-up an hour prior to your event. That night, the guy came late and he took quite awhile to set-up on his own. I was quite nervous when guests started coming in when he was still setting up. And the food had to be heated up before consuming. So it's advisable to plan way ahead for them to set-up and allow sufficient time for the food to heat up.
Its been a long time since i had Claypot Rice, somehow, it seems to have disappeared from mainstream cuisine so much so that its difficult to locate a decent place to have this old tradition. I have, however, long heard of a shop that specializes in claypot cuisine somewhere along East Coast Road and that's where we went.
Simple, unassuming and boring would most probably describe the restaurant. The tables were sparsely located using a yellowish color scheme and round tables of different sizes. Clearly a place designed for big gatherings and get-togethers as there were only a handful of tables designed for less then 4 people. The impression was also not helped by the fact that at dinner time, there was only a handful of patrons in the restaurant, a clear sign of decline? Nevertheless, we pressed on.
Pickles ($1) - Complimentary starters or should i say compulsory starters? Either way, the pickles were sour and did their job of whetting my appetite. Paying for it didn't help my impression though.
Handmade Beancurd with Seaweed, Mushrooms and Vegetables ($8) - The bean curb was soft but not smooth on the inside, it didn't help that the only taste it had came from the soy sauce base below which made it extremely salty. The same goes for the tasteless mushrooms and horribly cut vegetables. Its pretty obvious they did not spend alot of time getting this to the table.
Yam Ring ($12) - Yam rings are one of my favourite dishes when its done right and their rendition is the perfect example of a yam ring done seriously wrong. The cashew nuts were a little soggy, prawns were not fresh enough to be sweet nor crunchy and the chicken meat was tasteless. However, mediocre fillings aside, the greatest disappointment of the day is the yam ring itself. Notice the second shot depicting the insides of the yam ring? The was no yam. The ring has obviously been fried so many times that the yam has charred and disappeared, even then, they dared to serve it to the customers. Horrible.
Claypot Rice ($10) - The star of the day, the claypot rice i came for. This was at least decent. Fragrant and soft rice cooked in claypot and stirred in our presence. The chicken was also decidedly tender and sweet which helped ease my unhappiness a little. The best part of the rice is the wok hei present near the bottom of the claypot. Unhealthy yet delectable. This dish is at least worthy of the commercial review it garnered.
The bill came up to $34 for 2 people which is alot more then i was willing to pay for given the horrible quality of the initial offerings.
I would have enjoyed the meal if all i ordered was the claypot rice. In fact, i would say going for the rice alone is worth it but anything else is a serious waste of money. That said, my recommendation is still, not to visit because the money is better spent elsewhere.
Sakae sushi recently branched out to the Teppenyaki business in their first all out table top cooking outlet at Tampines Century Square. Boasting 33 outlets all over Singapore, the green frog logo has more or less solidified its presence and made a handsome profit. So how does the Teppenyaki outlet fare?
Located directly opposite Sakae sushi, the new outlet is surrounded by tanks carrying live lobster, oysters and crayfish. There were about 3 cooking counters which can hold up to 24 customers at any one time. Everything looks clean and well distributed.
Classic Juice ($4) - Ordering drinks usually come across as a big no-no for me when i visit restaurants due to cut-throat prices and generally bad tasting drinks. Not this time though, the juice is delightfully refreshing with the stronger taste of peach complimenting the lighter tasting apple juice. I have been scouring department stores ever since for this beverage, anyone with information on this please let me know.
Vegetable salad with crab meat, seaweed and assorted greens - The complimentary appetizer was light and fresh with crunchy greens like lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage. Not too bad but nothing special either
Normal Japanese Rice - This is just simple sticky Japanese rice. However, it is possible to ask for garlic fried rice which would prove to be a much better choice as we witnessed it fried with butter, garlic, bean sprouts and eggs. The result was pretty pleasing for the nose but we unfortunately did not have that. Oh! This is at additional charge of course.
Pan Fried Salmon and Garlic Fried Beef Tenderloin, Mayonnaise Oyster and Pan Fried Foie Gras (Goose Liver), Chawan Mushi and Toufu, Pan Fried Chicken Cubes in Teriyaki Sauce and Wild Shittake Mushrooms.
The Completed Chicken Set ($17.90) - My gf had the chicken set and basically, i got to try almost everything. The chicken cubes were sweet and fragrant but a little on the tough side when chewing. The salmon is really hard and hardly held much taste which is a stark contrast from the toufu which was a tad too salty and the oyster, which is the most delightful of the lot, fresh and sweet. The mushrooms compensated the lack of bean sprouts and were soft, fragrant and chewy at the some time.
The Completed Beef Set ($19.90) - The beef set came with a generous helping of beef which i perceive as tenderloin since there is a distinct layer of fat present in it. The goose liver is smooth and evenly pan fried to goodness but compared to Humble house and Zambuca, they have a long way to go. Toufu and mushrooms are the same as the above and the Chawan Mushi was very good. It was smooth, fresh and sweet because we saw the ingredients as it was prepared. Nicely done.
A rather satisfying Teppenyaki meal if i do say so myself only came at the cost of $51.32. Not too expensive but if the location could be improved on a little more, this might be worth another look.
The variety it offers in the set meals are a refreshing take on a tired Teppenyaki menu. Still, you can't fault them for being innovative. I would describe this as a fusion of old school cooking with new world tastes. The question to be had is whether this gives them an edge over the competition who relies on not changing to meet demands. My answer to that is: Wait and see. I can't say i didn't enjoy the meal but somehow it still feels like something is lacking. Probably the posh feeling or maybe i just prefer ala carte ordering. Still, worth a look for budget consumers.
I love The Soup Spoon! The last time I went was a few years ago and I was happy to go again recently to find that it has expanded! There's more seating area now although it's really cramped cos they tried to put as many seats as possible. On weekday evenings, the place was absolutely brimming with people! It was sheer luck that my friend and I managed to get a table!
Food Ordered: Seafood Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls - 2 servings Tuna Mayo Sandwich A bottle of Snapple
I love the clam chowder ($8.20) because it's so thick and flavourful! And it's fun eating up the whole bowl with it. One serving of this is actually enough for two people so my friend and I were absolutely full after...
The Tuna Mayo Sandwich was tasty but not extraordinarily. Serving is just right for one person, provided you don't order anything else much.
The total bill came up to about $25, which I find very reasonable since we ordered enough to feed 3 people. Definitely worth many more visits!
Having heard about this place being good for its desserts, naturally being a dessert-lover, I was drawn to it. My friend and I went on a quiet weekday afternoon so there wasn't anyone, which is great! I was awed by the selection of desserts and simply didn't know which to pick! After a long long time we managed to decide.
As it was tea time, there was a tea time special. A choice of dessert and a drink for $9.50.
Food Ordered: Arabella Sweet Pleasure Strawberry Italian Soda Iced Lime Mint Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich
Arabella is the dome-shaped chocolate cake with Jivara mousse with caramelised bananas, fruity ginger and passion fruit puree. I'm not a fan of caramelised bananas but was attracted to the presentation of the cake... the taste of bananas wasn't as strong as I thought it would be so that was good for me. I loved the outer covering.
Sweet Pleasure was made of layers of hazelnut praline dacquoise, Jivara milk chocolate ganache with fleur de sel, topped with chocolate mousse. I loved this cake. Except for the fact that it was difficult to eat, thanks to the hard top layer, it was delicious. Not overly sweet, the hazelnut taste was strong and made it really different from other cakes.
The Lemon Mint was a strange unappetizing green colour but nonetheless it was good. You can taste both flavours nicely.
The only one that disappointed was the Italian Soda. All Soda no strawberry. Made me extremely bloated after that.
The Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich was adequate in taste. It was quite big and more than enough for a lady like me. The ingredients were sufficient. It wasn't fantastic but at $12.50 I guess it's alright.
The bill came up to $36.40 for five items between two of us. Really a good deal I must say. Please note that this price is only during Tea time Specials.. weekday afternoons only.
On Christmas Day .... a second trip, we tried: Macarons - Chocolate with Raspberry Macarons - Chocolate with Lemon Forest Noir Ambrosia Lychee Tea
To keep it short, the macarons are good but not fantastic. You really have to pick the flavours carefully. The Chocolate and Lemon one was too sticky for me whereas the Raspberry one was good in texture but slightly too sweet in taste.
Forest Noir was very much your average Blackforest cake but the Ambrosia was fantastic. lol my friend kept stealing mine!
And the Lychee tea is definitely a huge improvement from the Italian Soda I picked the last time. Good Drink.
This time we spent about $30 for 4 items. (See the difference minus the tea time special? Pity we're not all tai-tais.)
Anyway I'll definitely be back for more desserts and Lambourghini/Ferrari-watching. :)
1=SGD 0.0587
Cheap cantonese cuisine is few and far between but Bi Feng Tang seeks to change that. The Century Square outlet opened in December 2004 and has been there ever since, offering Hong Kong style food at semi affordable prices. This is not my first visit here but is my first official blogging visit, does its standard hold up after 3 years? Thats what we are going to find out.
Pickles ($1) - Well, pickles are never free it seems. Not that there's much to complain for a $1 charge on compulsory pickles, but some choice would be appreciated. That said, the pickles are suitably sour but my gf tasted some detergent in them? Either way, it served its purpose of given me a growling tummy for the dishes to follow.
Sze Chuan Spicy Beef ($4) - I actually expected alot more than what was served but i've never tried enough Sze Chuan Spicy Beef enough to know if the dish was a failure or a success. Found in the appetizer section of the menu, i should have realized it would come in small portions and it did. Six slices in all, it was not much to look at and tasted weird. Spicy, sour and extremely salty, this is not what i can recommend. Add the fact that you can't taste the beef and you have something ingrained in your mind never to order again.
Fried Rice With Crab Meat and Roasted Pork (Set menu for 2, $28.80) - Do not be deceived by the way the shot looks, the rice is actually very nicely done. Soft, fragrant and packed with ingredients, this is better then the one i had in Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. This only complaint i have for the rice is how tasteless the crab meat really is, other then that, this fried rice is simply tasty enough for a second visit.
Pineapple Fried With Pork Rib - Honestly, not very well done. The meat was tough and sour due to either the meat being not fresh or the overuse of pineapple, which does not mask the refrigerated taste in the end. Its also overly sweet and oily which just doesn't do it for me.
Braised Tofu With Seafood and Quail Egg - I really liked this tofu, though not comparable to gourmet tofu's like Hai Tien Lo or even Hua Ting, this is decent. What really got me going for it was the generous braised seafood and the nicely done quail eggs and stock. Overall, this goes well with rice or any other accompaniment. Something i can have again when i visit.
Mixed Roast Meat - For this dish, you are given a choice of having duck, Char Siew or San Chen Rou. We selected the Char Siew and Duck meat for more variety and balance. The good news is, we got the balance. The bad news is, the char siew was supremely hard for some reason and the duck meat had a very thick layer of fats under the skin. Suffice to say this is not what i had in mind.
Herbal Chicken - Generous servings of chicken and the option to ask for more herbal soup make this a clear winner. The chicken meat did come across as a tad tough though and the herbal soup a little to light on my palates but otherwise, a simple and good dish that is easily enjoyed.
Sesame and peanut paste - Sesame mixed with peanut in paste form as a dessert is totally new for me. The taste is somewhat familiar yet foreign as you can taste both the items in the mixture. The result is interesting but not something i would try again.
The bill for 3 came up to $37.13 for me, my gf and her mother. I'm the only big eater there though so take your chances if you want to try replicating the feat.
Not too expensive and serving decent cantonese food. The set meal surprised me by being good value for money and actually served 3 people instead of 2. The variety it came with was decent as well though there were still a few hits and misses. For the price though, its difficult to find the same offering elsewhere. Decent, not outstanding but always worth a try.
Rating given:
Lerk Thai literally means "select thai" and is a subsidiary of Select Catering services limited. The executive chef is reportedly a chef that served in the royal thai household before coming to helm the position in Singapore. So how does it fair in comparison the Lemon Grass? Carry on reading then.
During lunch, the place was quiet and had only about 5 patrons. Interior was furnished in a modern Thai style and had a generally clean and comfortable look.
Thai Prawn Crackers ($1) - Nope, the crackers are not free but aren't too expensive either. The crackers were fragrant, spicy and crunchy but did not come with any sauce like those served in Lemongrass. Still pretty good though.
Yam Som O/ Pomelo Salad ($3 each) - For appetizers, we ordered the Pomelo salad to whet our appetites. It came looking simply delightful with a orange peel holder , stuffed to the top with Pomelo in peanut and sweet sauce. The shrimp was fresh as well but only half was served which detracts from the points. Taste wise, it was an interesting blend of sweet and sour with a strong peanut taste which leaves a fresh taste in your mouth. Do try this.
Pineapple Rice ($8.50) - Their rendition had a stronger pineapple taste as compared to Lemongrass's rendition. It was a little sour and had more shrimp even though the portion was smaller. I personally found this version of it better then Lemongrass as it had an abundance of sweet pork floss and dried raisins. Still can't quite compare to the authentic ones i've had in Thailand however. One complaint i'd like to bring up is the use of pineapple casing for the rice, aesthetics aside, the casing only causes the rice to be spilled over when scooped and generally causes a mess.
Beef Hor Fan ($6.50) - I was intrigued by how a Thai beef hor fan should taste like when i ordered this and was promptly disappointed. It doesn't taste any different from our run of the mill hor fan and in fact, tastes a little worse since its too salty. Portions of beef were generous but lacked taste as well. Not recommended to try.
Tom Yam Soup ($2 due to promotion, normal price $8) - The tom yam soup was quite spicy even though all we ordered was the clear version. And at $2, this is quite a steal as the seafood present in it was plentiful and the portion could have filled 4 small bowls. It is readily evident that there are at least, 2 prawns, fish, lemon grass, squid and some mushrooms in it. Their rendition is more spicy then Lemon grass but less sour and less body as well. For the price, however, i'm not really complaining. Last i saw, the promotion has since been taken off though.
Total bill came up to $28.25 for 2 people. Not too expensive and totally suits their vision of being priced for mid range customers.
For a mid ranged Thai restaurant, Lerk Thai has quite a lot going for it. Nice ambiance, relaxed setting, reasonably priced food and is generally decent tasting. The experience i had was pleasant but comparing food wise, Lemon Grass is still the clear winner. Lemon Grass, however belongs to a more up market pricing so do take note. You can view my visit to Lemon Grass here.
Rating given:
I was here 3 years ago when it first opened. That time the staff was very inexperienced and I waited 45 minutes for iced water and 2 hours for my Fish and Chips.
Finally gathering enough courage, I went again recently with another friend. The previous ones were too disappointed the first time to visit with me again.
We were there on a weekday afternoon so we were the only ones in the restaurant. So we were served promptly.
Food Ordered:
Wild Mushroom Soup ($4.90)
It's obviously Mushroom Soup, served with garlic toast. It was thick and creamy, which was a nice surprise.
Seafood Platter ($13.90)
A good serving of fish, chips, calamari and prawn, served with salad. I liked the fish a lot. The flesh was light and tasted great. The batter was not too heavy so I didn't feel too sick eating it all up. It was quite a large serving for a girl but I was really hungry.
Ribeye Steak - Gentlemen's cut ($19.90)
It came sizzling and did look presentable. However my companion commented that it was mediocre and was not as done as he wanted it.
The funny thing about it was that we were quite busy chatting when the food arrived so it was left alone a bit then the waiter came back 5 minutes later to remind us to have it while it's warm. so cute.
Service has improved tremendously. It cost $43.60 for both of us... so it was alright I guess. I'll visit again just not order the steak. :)
Rating given:
Ever since the previous visit to Waraku, i've been pining for the next outing to reconfirm my impressions of the place. This time, i brought my entire family there for dinner since its my sister's birthday and was hoping for the same treatment of good Japanese cuisine as my first visit. You can view my first impressions here.
Parking space was abundant when we arrived at approximately 6pm but was soon taken up as the dinner crowd came in. The same goes for space within the restaurant as there were plenty of space which was quickly filled up within minutes after we arrived. The place looks decidedly grander since it occupies a themed building all by itself and is finished with wooden furniture for an authentic Japanese feel. However, it was also more cramped then the cuppage branch and somehow did not project an image of being a relaxing venue.
Iced Coffee ($3.80) - I've said it before and i'll say it again. Never order drinks in a restaurant unless you want to order wine or feel as though you have too much money. The coffee was tasteless at best and is a wonderful example of wasting money.
Tonkatsu Set ($15.50) - My father and sister had this set but he said it wasn't anything special. The Japanese curry and sticky rice did not appeal to him as he prefers his curry spicy. The katsu was juicy, lightly battered and tender but otherwise a tad too oily. My sister enjoyed it but said it could have been better.
Yasai Curry Udon ($10.80) - My mother's a vegetarian and so this suited her perfectly. The Udon came in a huge bowl and was filled with mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes and assorted greens to go with the slightly thin udon. I found it quite sour and mildly spicy which makes for an appetizing meal. My mom was quite taken with it as well.
Gyu Yanagawa Wazen with Cold Soba ($16 2) - This is the reason why i returned to this restaurant and this time, the experience is somewhat muted due to the fact that the table was packed with food but they still kept adding our orders when they should have waited. That aside, the beef was as tasty as ever and the stock is still sweet. The cold soba however, was an unworthy introduction as it just doesn't taste authentic enough. I still prefer Cha Soba instead.
Ebi Cheese Curry Udon ($10.80) - My gf took a surprise turn this time around and chose to have udon instead of Katsu. I must say she makes interesting and good choices as the Ebi Cheese curry udon turned out pretty good. The ebi (or prawns/shrimps) were big, crunchy, fresh and sweet which complemented the cheese curry well. The curry was thick and tasted of garlic and cheese with a little sour vinegar taste to add variety. Nicely done but portion could be bigger.
Potato Mentai ($8.80) - This item drew lots of heat on me as nobody seemed to liked it. Everyone felt that the fish eggs (the pink little dots you see) gave the cheese and potatoes a fishy and revolting smell and taste. It is indeed so after the first few bites and the smell lingers long after the dish is finished. Its basically just potatoes heated in a pan with oil, fish eggs and cheese. Not worth the money nor agony involved in finishing it.
Salmon Teriyaki ($8.80) - This was ridiculous when it was served. The serving was terribly small and felt like a rip off from the start. Upon the taste test, it did have the usual teriyaki trappings but i felt the meat was too dry. Overall, my money is better off ordering other stuff.
Soft Shell Crab ($6.80) - I can sum up the soft shell crab in two words: Overly Fried. It was so crunchy i couldn't make out the taste of crab at all. Not something i will try again here, the Ichiban Boshi rendition is a little better since it comes in bigger portions.
Salmon Cheese with Tartar Sauce ($6.80) - Thin, crisp bread batter with 2 slice of salmon and cheese in the middle. Deep fry it and serve with lemon and tartar sauce. This is hardly worth the money to eat given that its such a simple dish. Nonetheless, its tastes like fishy Mcnuggets and wasn't too bad. Just not worth an order.
Agedashi Tofu ($6.80) - I guess you just can't go wrong with tofu. Soft, silky and hot. The tofu was as good as the cuppage branch as well. Portion size is still a problem though as this works out to be close to $1.75 a tofu which is darn expensive.
Renkon Chips ($4.80) - Lotus root in thin slices deep fried in oil. Somehow, deep frying seems like a popular way of cooking these days. Anyway, this was surprisingly nice and light. The chips literally melt and disappear the moment you chew or bite on it, leaving a taste of lotus on your tongue. However, you really can do this on your own at home, so save the money and just get on with it yourself.
Surprisingly, after all those orders and food, the bill only came to $139. I wouldn't call it a fulfilling meal but it got the job done.
Though it goes by the same name and cuisine, the experience i had here was much less pleasurable due in part to the constantly shouting serving staff and the really small table we had. The food was still decent but i did realise that if you are not a beef lover, do stay away as the value drops considerably when you order the non beef items. The only items i found decent this time round was the ebi cheese and the yasai curry udon, obviously my beef dish was still good but everything else was mediocre. The serving staff also needs to learn that when the table is full, stop bringing orders out. I would say the place is still good but i'm not returning to this branch ever again. It was a much better experience at cuppage.
Rating given:
Cafe de Amigo relocated to Funan in 2006. Chef Foo Wah Ann is the man behind this very nice place. Having heard about him when he was at the renown La Brasserie (Marco Polo Hotel), we thought a visit to this place was a must. The ambience is pretty cosy. There is a live band singing jazzy tunes throughout the night. The crowd there is consists largely of those working in the area.
Food Ordered:
Deep-fried Cheese - 3pc ($16.50)
3 types of cheese melted together and deep fried, served with fresh basil and tomato sauce. I like the cheese which was firm and not oozing out of its shell.
Soft Shell Crab ($13.50)
The batter was a little too light and it was too oily for my taste. Small serving just enough for one person.
Escargot A la Bourguignon (6 for $16.50)
Served in a garlic and butter sauce, I found nothing spectacular about this dish. If anything, the serving was really small.
Lobster Bisque ($9.50)
"Bisque of Bisques" was its description in the menu. Thus we had to try this. It was flavourful however it's pretty hard to find lobster nor taste any lobster in this dish.
Not the same Potato ($7.50)
It is actually supposed to be creamy potato soup but the taste of potato was weak and overpowered by the cheese that was blended into it.
Salad de Amis ($14.50)
A huge serving of salad which you'll be able to see anywhere, served with olive oil vinegar dressing. Which I think wasn't enough as it was dry and a little bland.
Chicken chop ($20.50)
Grilled boneless chicken drumstick served in black pepper sauce and fries. Sadly you can get a good taste of this dish at hawker centres at a quarter of its price. Although boneless, the chicken had a fair share of fatty bits and it wasn't as succulent as I had expected. The black pepper sauce wasn't thick enough too.
Ox-Tail ($24.50)
One of the inhouse specialties. A generous serving of stewed oxtail served with boiled potato and broccoli. My companion commented that it was very tender and juicy. I did think that it was the one of the best dishes on the table that night
Duck Breast ($26.50)
Also one of the recommended dishes. Roasted duck slices in red wine sauce, served with boiled spinach. The combination seemed a little odd to me at first. But my companion has full of compliments for it so I guess it was really good.
Normandy Apple Pie ($7.50)
One of the recommended desserts. It was served with wild honey and vanilla ice-cream. I loved the crumbly crust which was light and tasty. One would find it hard to be sick of this. The inside was not overly sweet.
Frezzie Tiramisu ($7.90)
It was a regular ice cream cake. Certainly not worth the money.
The presentation of the food was not good. More like they were all haphazardly put together. The service is alright. I don't think I will be back anytime soon...
Rating given:
Was searching for a decent caterer for the first party Yebber is throwing. And recalled the great spread of food catered at my previous workplace, so I decided to give them a try.
These were served at the Yebber's party...
Tossed Garden Greens with Baby Potatoes
Butter Tiger Prawn with Oatmeal
Hawaiian Chicken Cutlet with Pineapple
Thai Style Mango Fish
Fresh Broccoli with Assortment Pacific Clams
Sausages & Papadem with Cheese & Thai Dip *HOT
Sunny Pilaf with Cashew Nuts
Petite French Pastries *HOT
Festive Punch
I'm posting these up with photos first tonite. Will review it when I'm sober. Time to crash...
Review to be continued...
Let me get down to business with this caterer's review...
First the presentation - Its one of the better ones that I've seen. Instead of placing everything on the same level with simple plain white table cloth, Harvest has got boxes below the cloth to make the presentation nicely, placing dishes on different levels. And they created a feel of class with the gold and silver cloth. Their sauces was also served in nice white soup bowl instead of plastic bowls. Food was nicely placed and the presentation is welcoming. Makes you want to grab more food.
The Food - This was a Season special menu at $16/pax.
Tossed Garden Greens with Baby Potatoes
Just like any other salads. Fresh greens and nicely halved baby potatoes. If they'd provided more sauces, it'll be even better. The one that came with it was Thousand Island. Not so friendly for those ladies watching the diet.
Butter Tiger Prawn with Oatmeal - Photo
This was the one that looks the most appetizing. While the man was setting up, everyone was eyeing on the prawns! It looks big and delicious. When we finally get our hands on the prawns, its was good. But it would have been better if it was warm. You can taste the butter and the oatmeal was kinda soggy after being wrapped up in foil. This was one of the better dish that night.
Hawaiian Chicken Cutlet with Pineapple - Photo
The looks of this dish makes one want to give it a miss. The pineapple dressings on the chicken has almost blended into the used-to-be-crispy chicken skin. The chicken skin was soggy and the taste of the supposed to be Hawaiian taste wasn't present. Kind of disappointed with this one.
Thai Style Mango Fish
After the entire night, than I realised one thing. We should have poured the bowl of salsa sauce lookalike onto the fish before we eat them! I was puzzled when there's this extra bowl of vegetables on the table, but thought it could have been complimentary or something. Hope some of you did know that the sauce was for the fish and had put some over the fish before you eat it. So silly of me!
The fish (w/o the salsa sauce) tasted plain. There was a little fishy smell and again the fish was soggy. But still edible. Guess the caterer should try to find a way to prevent their food to turn soggy during the delivery process. The warmer provided was insufficient to really heat up the food. Perhaps an additional warmer per dish might help better.
Fresh Broccoli with Assortment Pacific Clams - Photo
Nicely cooked broccoli with not-so-fresh pacific clams. It might just be my taste bud, but the clams had a strong smell. I love clams but this one I didn't even wanted to have a second helping. Still this dish was well presented. I still enjoyed the broccolis and mushrooms.
Sausages & Papadem with Cheese & Thai Dip *HOT - Photo
This must be the hottest item that night.
NachoPapadem with cheese! I can't imagine eating this combi before that night. But now I'm craving for it! The Papadem was fresh and crispy. Dipped into the cheese dip and yummy! Perfecto! Love it! The sausages were normal chicken sausages, as usual, this is the easiest to eat finger food. The thai dip and cheese makes it even better.Sunny Pilaf with Cashew Nuts
As usual, the rice for all catering is always the least favorite. There were plenty left after that night. Not sure if anyone else notice, there were shrimps cooked with the rice. We should have mixed the rice a little before eating, cos I think most of the shrimps were hidden at the bottom of the rice. The obvious ingredients was the cashew nuts and raisins. This one still not bad, rice was a little fragrant and the shrimps used was fresh. Definitely better than most of the fried rice I had at other catered meals.
Petite French Pastries *HOT - Photo
Too little of these were served! Pastries were nicely made and it was not too sweet. Chilled at the right temperature that doesn't cos the pastries to become too soft. Didn't get to try the cream puffs as they were gone when I went back wanting to try one. Had couple of the chocolate ones, and it was gone when I wanted more. Will surely order this again the next time.
Overall, I still like and enjoyed the food by Harvest. Will probably order from them again for my future events. Value-for-money.
On a sidenote, you might want to get them to set-up an hour prior to your event. That night, the guy came late and he took quite awhile to set-up on his own. I was quite nervous when guests started coming in when he was still setting up. And the food had to be heated up before consuming. So it's advisable to plan way ahead for them to set-up and allow sufficient time for the food to heat up.
Rating given:
Its been a long time since i had Claypot Rice, somehow, it seems to have disappeared from mainstream cuisine so much so that its difficult to locate a decent place to have this old tradition. I have, however, long heard of a shop that specializes in claypot cuisine somewhere along East Coast Road and that's where we went.
Simple, unassuming and boring would most probably describe the restaurant. The tables were sparsely located using a yellowish color scheme and round tables of different sizes. Clearly a place designed for big gatherings and get-togethers as there were only a handful of tables designed for less then 4 people. The impression was also not helped by the fact that at dinner time, there was only a handful of patrons in the restaurant, a clear sign of decline? Nevertheless, we pressed on.
Pickles ($1) - Complimentary starters or should i say compulsory starters? Either way, the pickles were sour and did their job of whetting my appetite. Paying for it didn't help my impression though.
Handmade Beancurd with Seaweed, Mushrooms and Vegetables ($8) - The bean curb was soft but not smooth on the inside, it didn't help that the only taste it had came from the soy sauce base below which made it extremely salty. The same goes for the tasteless mushrooms and horribly cut vegetables. Its pretty obvious they did not spend alot of time getting this to the table.
Yam Ring ($12) - Yam rings are one of my favourite dishes when its done right and their rendition is the perfect example of a yam ring done seriously wrong. The cashew nuts were a little soggy, prawns were not fresh enough to be sweet nor crunchy and the chicken meat was tasteless. However, mediocre fillings aside, the greatest disappointment of the day is the yam ring itself. Notice the second shot depicting the insides of the yam ring? The was no yam. The ring has obviously been fried so many times that the yam has charred and disappeared, even then, they dared to serve it to the customers. Horrible.
Claypot Rice ($10) - The star of the day, the claypot rice i came for. This was at least decent. Fragrant and soft rice cooked in claypot and stirred in our presence. The chicken was also decidedly tender and sweet which helped ease my unhappiness a little. The best part of the rice is the wok hei present near the bottom of the claypot. Unhealthy yet delectable. This dish is at least worthy of the commercial review it garnered.
The bill came up to $34 for 2 people which is alot more then i was willing to pay for given the horrible quality of the initial offerings.
I would have enjoyed the meal if all i ordered was the claypot rice. In fact, i would say going for the rice alone is worth it but anything else is a serious waste of money. That said, my recommendation is still, not to visit because the money is better spent elsewhere.
Rating given:
Sakae sushi recently branched out to the Teppenyaki business in their first all out table top cooking outlet at Tampines Century Square. Boasting 33 outlets all over Singapore, the green frog logo has more or less solidified its presence and made a handsome profit. So how does the Teppenyaki outlet fare?
Located directly opposite Sakae sushi, the new outlet is surrounded by tanks carrying live lobster, oysters and crayfish. There were about 3 cooking counters which can hold up to 24 customers at any one time. Everything looks clean and well distributed.
Classic Juice ($4) - Ordering drinks usually come across as a big no-no for me when i visit restaurants due to cut-throat prices and generally bad tasting drinks. Not this time though, the juice is delightfully refreshing with the stronger taste of peach complimenting the lighter tasting apple juice. I have been scouring department stores ever since for this beverage, anyone with information on this please let me know.
Vegetable salad with crab meat, seaweed and assorted greens - The complimentary appetizer was light and fresh with crunchy greens like lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage. Not too bad but nothing special either
Normal Japanese Rice - This is just simple sticky Japanese rice. However, it is possible to ask for garlic fried rice which would prove to be a much better choice as we witnessed it fried with butter, garlic, bean sprouts and eggs. The result was pretty pleasing for the nose but we unfortunately did not have that. Oh! This is at additional charge of course.
Pan Fried Salmon and Garlic Fried Beef Tenderloin, Mayonnaise Oyster and Pan Fried Foie Gras (Goose Liver), Chawan Mushi and Toufu, Pan Fried Chicken Cubes in Teriyaki Sauce and Wild Shittake Mushrooms.
The Completed Chicken Set ($17.90) - My gf had the chicken set and basically, i got to try almost everything. The chicken cubes were sweet and fragrant but a little on the tough side when chewing. The salmon is really hard and hardly held much taste which is a stark contrast from the toufu which was a tad too salty and the oyster, which is the most delightful of the lot, fresh and sweet. The mushrooms compensated the lack of bean sprouts and were soft, fragrant and chewy at the some time.
The Completed Beef Set ($19.90) - The beef set came with a generous helping of beef which i perceive as tenderloin since there is a distinct layer of fat present in it. The goose liver is smooth and evenly pan fried to goodness but compared to Humble house and Zambuca, they have a long way to go. Toufu and mushrooms are the same as the above and the Chawan Mushi was very good. It was smooth, fresh and sweet because we saw the ingredients as it was prepared. Nicely done.
A rather satisfying Teppenyaki meal if i do say so myself only came at the cost of $51.32. Not too expensive but if the location could be improved on a little more, this might be worth another look.
The variety it offers in the set meals are a refreshing take on a tired Teppenyaki menu. Still, you can't fault them for being innovative. I would describe this as a fusion of old school cooking with new world tastes. The question to be had is whether this gives them an edge over the competition who relies on not changing to meet demands. My answer to that is: Wait and see. I can't say i didn't enjoy the meal but somehow it still feels like something is lacking. Probably the posh feeling or maybe i just prefer ala carte ordering. Still, worth a look for budget consumers.
Rating given:
I love The Soup Spoon! The last time I went was a few years ago and I was happy to go again recently to find that it has expanded! There's more seating area now although it's really cramped cos they tried to put as many seats as possible. On weekday evenings, the place was absolutely brimming with people! It was sheer luck that my friend and I managed to get a table!
Food Ordered:
Seafood Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls - 2 servings
Tuna Mayo Sandwich
A bottle of Snapple
I love the clam chowder ($8.20) because it's so thick and flavourful! And it's fun eating up the whole bowl with it. One serving of this is actually enough for two people so my friend and I were absolutely full after...
The Tuna Mayo Sandwich was tasty but not extraordinarily. Serving is just right for one person, provided you don't order anything else much.
The total bill came up to about $25, which I find very reasonable since we ordered enough to feed 3 people. Definitely worth many more visits!
Rating given:
Having heard about this place being good for its desserts, naturally being a dessert-lover, I was drawn to it. My friend and I went on a quiet weekday afternoon so there wasn't anyone, which is great! I was awed by the selection of desserts and simply didn't know which to pick! After a long long time we managed to decide.
As it was tea time, there was a tea time special. A choice of dessert and a drink for $9.50.
Food Ordered:
Arabella
Sweet Pleasure
Strawberry Italian Soda
Iced Lime Mint
Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich
Arabella is the dome-shaped chocolate cake with Jivara mousse with caramelised bananas, fruity ginger and passion fruit puree. I'm not a fan of caramelised bananas but was attracted to the presentation of the cake... the taste of bananas wasn't as strong as I thought it would be so that was good for me. I loved the outer covering.
Sweet Pleasure was made of layers of hazelnut praline dacquoise, Jivara milk chocolate ganache with fleur de sel, topped with chocolate mousse. I loved this cake. Except for the fact that it was difficult to eat, thanks to the hard top layer, it was delicious. Not overly sweet, the hazelnut taste was strong and made it really different from other cakes.
The Lemon Mint was a strange unappetizing green colour but nonetheless it was good. You can taste both flavours nicely.
The only one that disappointed was the Italian Soda. All Soda no strawberry. Made me extremely bloated after that.
The Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich was adequate in taste. It was quite big and more than enough for a lady like me. The ingredients were sufficient. It wasn't fantastic but at $12.50 I guess it's alright.
The bill came up to $36.40 for five items between two of us. Really a good deal I must say. Please note that this price is only during Tea time Specials.. weekday afternoons only.
On Christmas Day .... a second trip, we tried:
Macarons - Chocolate with Raspberry
Macarons - Chocolate with Lemon
Forest Noir
Ambrosia
Lychee Tea
To keep it short, the macarons are good but not fantastic. You really have to pick the flavours carefully. The Chocolate and Lemon one was too sticky for me whereas the Raspberry one was good in texture but slightly too sweet in taste.
Forest Noir was very much your average Blackforest cake but the Ambrosia was fantastic. lol my friend kept stealing mine!
And the Lychee tea is definitely a huge improvement from the Italian Soda I picked the last time. Good Drink.
This time we spent about $30 for 4 items. (See the difference minus the tea time special? Pity we're not all tai-tais.)
Anyway I'll definitely be back for more desserts and Lambourghini/Ferrari-watching. :)
Rating given: