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Food & Beverage
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1=SGD 0.0587
Had dinner over there on Sat with a fren of mine. Was expecting a crowd as we went during dinner time but was surprised to see that it was almost empty with only a few tables occupied only. Maybe after Octoberfest, everyone need a rest.
We were led to a table and immediately I find the service very on the ball alr. Hee.... Within 5 mins after I was seated, I was asked 2 times by 2 different waiters for my order. Maybe too free, as there is no one else alr. Haa....
In the end we ordered a sauage platter, a pork knuckle and 2 x 0.5l light beer.
After ordering, the waiteress brought out some bread, in fact it is slices of different kind of bread with butter.
Food also came pretty fast, like after a 5 min wait.
1. Pork Knuckle, have to say that after tasting the pork knuckle @ Marche last weekend, I am a bit disappointed with this version. It is not as crispy as I expected to be, and it appeared to be smaller as well. However, it is still consider one of the better onces I have tasted. It also came with the usual side dishes as well.
2. The sausage platter came with 5 different types of sauage. All tasted good, the flavour is there and juicy as well. Haa... I like it a lot.
3. I also like their beer, like Brewerks, their beer does not have a bitter after taste.
Whenever I think of German food, I would go there to settle my craving and have to say that it is one of my fav drinking hole as well.
As The BIG MATCH is going on when we are having dinner, thje bar downstairs is packed with people and can hear their cheers going on as well. Haa...
Rating given:
Hua Ting. An authentic cantonese cuisine restuarant located on the second floor of Orchard Hotel. Getting to the location doesn't prove to be a problem but finding and entering its extremly small carpark does bring a sneer onto my face. This was my 3rd monthly meal with a bunch of people i eventually got to know with each successive meal outing. And to say the least, i had fun for this one.
The simple and somewhat grand chinese theme of the restuarant says it all. Its all about cooking and they have the prizes to show it off. Headed by Master Chef Chan Kwok, the moment we stepped in, we did not expect to leave unsatisfied, but did it live up to its name and numerous prizes? Read on to find out.
Rose Tea - Given the choice of what to drink, everyone opted for something different on this and my choice is the less adventurous and more simple rose tea. It was fragrant but tasted bland and the lack of a filter really started to irk me after about 2 sips because you can't get any tea in without leaves accompanying it. Great presentation, bad execution.
Hua Ting Deluxe Platter - This serving for 5 came with char siew (roasted honey pork), fried silverfish, jellyfish, soy chicken and prawn wrapped in beancurd. I found it decent though not outstanding. The prawn was fresh and crunchy and i enjoyed the small but surprisingly tasty fried silverfish. However, it does get to taste too salty after a while. The roasted pork was normal, as is the soy chicken and jellyfish.
Crispy Homemade Beancurd with Seasonal Greens Topped with Assorted Eggs - This wierd looking tofu is made simply of egg tofu and egg. It looks out of this world but taste wise, i can't really find anything special about it. The spinach was simple and tasted a little like Hai Tien Lou's three egg spinach combincation. Otherwise, it doesn't warrant much attention apart from looks.
Crispy Roasted Duck - Crispy roasted duck. It more or less a staple for us to have this dish in any chinese restuarant we step into to compare the quality of the restaurant offerings. This one was more or less a must order dish for anyone who visited Hua Ting. The skin was crispy and lightly sweet from the gravy while the meat was tender and had a slightly salty aftertaste. Compared to Hai Tien Lou's rendition, i felt the former tasted better but it seems even Hua Ting has a good enough rendition to recommend. So do try it.
Sautéed Dried Cod Fish with Egg White - This dish looked interesting from the outset and certainly is a different way of cooking the precious fish its based upon. I personally found this dish decent while the rest of my friends shunned it due to the tasteless blending of egg white and cod fish. The end result is a rather tasteless dish that tastes too much like eggs and covers the freshness and sweetness of the cod. I do have to comment that the cod melts in your mouth and since no one else would have more of it, I had the privilege of finishing most of this dish.
Deep Fried Scallop Bacon Roll topped with Conpoy - This dish again had mixed reactions as some found it too salty for their liking. Maybe they weren't eating it right because i found that mixing a bite of the bacon with the Conpoy served to lessen the salty taste and allowed me to enjoy the sweetness of the scallop as well. I'd even go so far as to say i enjoyed the dish for as long as the veg lasted. After it however, its a different story. The bacon and sauce was simply too salty a combination to enjoy.
Fish Paste Noodle Soup with Seafood - Fish paste noodles was awesome. If we had more space this would have been the perfect ending dish which sadly, we did not have. The scallops and prawn were simply huge and very fresh. The soup base was actually really good, tasting nether salty nor oily and the noodles served to fill you up real quick. We did manage to get one bowl of noodle and all the prawn and scallop down but never managed to finish this sadly. I believe this could have been a meal all on its own. I recommend having it before anything else.
In the end, the above cost the 5 of us $370 which is pretty absurd as it didn't feel justified given the quality of the food.
It was honestly quite a decent meal but i suppose its understandable that paying an amount as steep as this. Decent is not what we should be getting. It was excellent or bust and from my point of view. This will not bring me back for a second try. Service was attentive and good but the food needed some work to justify its price. Try it for the duck and fish paste noodle alone.
Rating given:
Zambuca is an authentic Italian experience which also served as a beginning to my little foray in food blogging and fine dining. As such, i hope it explains why most or almost all my photos here are taken from FatPig. During this initial meal, which is before even Xi Yan, i was introduced into a world which i never did step into much before. And honestly, it was a rather memorable and good start.
Personal thoughts: The moment i stepped into the restaurant, i felt out of place and in a totally different country of sorts. Everything inside was totally authentic and very fitting to its Italian theme. There was a wine cellar encased in glass right smack in the middle of the restaurant and the view from the windows, though only on the third floor, allowed me to feel like i was in an Italian country. The place was quite dark though and we were given a round table seat which though served our purpose well, i felt totally tested the capabilities for the waiter because it was incredibly difficult for the poor man to set.
Bruschetta - We began the meal with this as a starter. The bread was finely toasted and came still warm despite the rather cold air conditioning. The tomatoes were nicely diced and tasted great with the warm bread. A good appetiser that managed to whet my appetite for the main course to come.
Linguine Tandoor - This was ordered by my friend. I personally didn't get to taste it but judging by the fact that he still raves about the dish to anyone he meets who likes fine dining, i'd say it was a satisfying dish. I found the portion acceptable though it could have been better if there had been more. The tandoori combition served to work surprisingly well according to him, and if i remember correctly, the chicken it came with was also delicious.
Snapper Lombata - This right here is mine. Pan fried baby snapper loin with deep fried soft shell crab and grilled caviar crusted langoustine served in a pool of mirin and wasabi broth. I found this dish very nicely done. Everything in here is out of the aquarium fresh and very appetising indeed. The snapper was great with the sauce and since its the first time i had this, i'll say its like a cross between prawns and lobsters, but the meat holds more similiarities to the latter family. I do however have a problem with the serving size for this dish, given the money i'm paying, this is still way too little despite the quality of the serving. I came away wanting and still hungry after this dish unlike my buddies. So try this at your own discretion.
The bill for this romantically ambienced and nice meal amounted to $160.85. Not too demanding and pretty worth its price.
This is a great place to bring your friends or your romantic partner for a good meal. Your choice and understanding of Italian food is necessary however in making good food decisions. In terms of wine selection, this place has it in spades for both new and old world wines. Also, wine by the glass is available and i recommend trying the cellar for private wine tasting functions if you have a significantly wine loving group. Service is impeccable even given the trying table setting and always comes with a smile. I recommend trying this place if you are in the vicinity.
Rating given:
Iggy's is voted 60th in the world by the prestigious British Magazine, Restuarant, and is only 1 of the 3 to make it into that list from Singapore. So expectations were naturally high when we sourced it out for the meal. To know how it fared in our minds? Read on.
The interior of Iggy's is rather small but cosy. Attendants were practically standing next to you as you feast but never intrusive which is a plus. Other than that, we had a reasonably good time and felt at ease in this setting.
The complimentary bread deserves some mention simply because i had in excess of 5 of this before i felt that it was enough. It is definately not available outside and it simple tastes wonderful. The butter provided also doesn't feel overwhelming as i gulped down one after the other. IMHO, this is already a great start. (or so i felt at the time anyway) Have as much of this as possible before the actual meal. You'll thank me for this advice if you are having lunch here.
Pumpkin Puree with Soy - Another complimentary item. This tasted nothing out of the ordinary to me though so i wasn't very impressed.
Prawn croquette with watercress and soy tarragon butter - The middle leaves were rocket leaves that Jeremy hated with a passion. Its actually quite fragrant though of course, its an acquired taste. The thing about this is the taragon butter served to make the leaves very palatable indeed. Personally, i found the prawn croquette's a tad too small. Taste wise, the butter still covered up a huge portion of it. I couldn't much taste the prawn in its pasty form but its good nonetheless. A decent start.
Breaded Kurobuta pork Schnitzel with tarragon salad - Well, my main course, as is Jeremy's. Kurobuta pork is the pork equivalent of Kobe beef in the pork hierarchy. Maybe that explains the ridiculously small serving we had for the meat. It came with an equally small terragon salad (ie. rocket leaf) which only served to vex us abit. However, taste wise, the pork is indeed succulent. Even the ultra thin version we had managed to absorb its seasonings and exhibited a smooth, tender and chewy texture that is otherworldly. I wouldn't have expected it from such a small piece. It is that good, but pity about the small portion.
Champagne jelly and sorbet with elderflower foam - This is my dessert and to quote taste tests from my buddies: "it tastes like eating toothpaste!"
Well, almost but not quite. I found the champagne jelly hidden beneath the elderberry foam served to give the dessert a very nice complementary taste that refreshes as well as intoxicates. You could taste the champagne but it wasn't overwhelming. Quite nicely done.
The bill came up to about $52 per pax for a nice tasting but not fulfilling meal.
To be fair, the food on this highly acclaimed restuarant is indeed above average and decent. However, i tend to like having meals that actually fill me up instead of leaving me wanting and Iggy's did just that, leaving me wanting more food. This was solved by having yet more food at cheaper establishments and in my opinion, that is not the way a $50 lunch should have left me. Try the place for the experience knowing you had a meal in one of Singapore's finest restuarant, but unless i am insanely rich in future, i will probably not be back for another non-filling meal. (If i'm insanely rich however, i will be back for more.)
Rating given:
Xi Yan was one of the first few places i went to ever since my foodie journey began. It's safe to say it was the first step i took into seriously considering doing blogs on food and such. So it would always be an interesting memory in my book.
Thats not to say its a good experience though.
This first thing to note about Xi Yan is rather simple. Reservations only.
Also, minimum of 6 people to a table to have dinner. And the dinner (supposedly) starts at 730pm sharp. I suppose the age old adage of people "Always wanting what they can't have" is the gimmick behind this exclusive restuarant. As is the reason for its exclusivity and high price, which i will rate after i've presented the dishes in full below.
Dish 1: Greenhouse Tomatoes in Sesame Sauce - The first dish of the day came as a little bit of a surprise. The greenhouse tomatoes were pretty big and it actually allowed each of us to have about 2 pieces each, which is good. I enjoyed this dish quite a bit because it was fresh and the sesame sauce had traces of wasabi in it as well. This all complimented well for this dish to allow it to be a pretty good start to the meal.
Dish 2: Cold Tofu Pork Floss - The second in the appetizer series. The tofu honestly wasn't too great as it wasn't silky smooth nor held much taste to warrant this dish holding its own weight. In fact, i felt the addition of the pork floss dumbed down the dish somewhat, making it feel like a Breadtalk creation despite its rather complicated ingredients of pork floss, salted egg yolk and dried shrimp.
Dish 3:Shrimp and Crab Paste on Baguette Toast - Despite the rather nice name and presentation, this was something i felt should never have been a part of the evening. The shrimp and crab paste tasted simply like something you could find in any chinese market and the baguette combination simply didn't work for me.
Dish 4: Sichuan Pickles in Spicy Sauce - This to me was another lacklustre appetiser. The pickles and raddish were soaked in some sichuan sauce that gave them both an extremly, read: EXTREMLY sour taste. Maybe it is suitable for some who love sour stuff but it certainly didn't work for me. It did however, make me feel more hungry for a good actual meal though.
Dish 5: Deep Fried Prawns in Salted Egg Yoke - Being the first main course to arrive after our 4 appetisers, i'd expected great things from this dish. The prawns were suitably fresh but not excellent though. The salted egg yoke it came with did however, give it a pretty special taste. Still, i believe its possible to get this in a coffeeshop setting at less than half the price.
Dish 6:Stewed Beef Shin with Tangerine Peel - Now this dish finally allowed me to heave a small sigh of relief. I quite liked the beef shin as it was tender and tasted sweet with the tangerine peel. This goes well recommended in my books but as with the rest, is not excellent so far.
Dish 7: Sichuan Salivating Chicken - This is the main deal for the day. Supposedly THE dish that everyone comes to Xi Yan for. I would describe this as a cross between Hainan Chicken rice and Korean cold noodles. Ingredients found in this dish included chicken, yam noodles, peanuts, chilli, coriander and century egg. The preparation is such that everything would be given a good mix and then served to its patrons. I found this to be an interesting dish but not exactly award winning stuff. The chicken was tender but nothing special. I did find the initial smell that arose prior to mixing very pleasing though. And also, its a good choice to seperate the chilli oil if you can't take hot stuff. It is very punishing.
Dish 8: Fried Lemongrass Shrimp Paste Grouper - As adviced by the waiter, Grouper is usually steamed at most outlets to preserve its freshness and to bring out its taste. However, Xi Yan has to be different so they deep fried the grouper which is coated with lemongrass shrimp paste. The result? A fish that is moist, succulent and full of freshness on the inside and crispy, fragrant and pretty on the outside. The accompaniment you see are pomelo bits which actually helped to complement its taste. I liked this dish pretty much even though i felt that it would have been much better had the fish been steamed instead.
Dish 9:Basil Sorbet Intermezzo - The sorbet was refreshing and sweet. There's still a tinge of sour to its taste but i found the combination to be rather wierd when mixed together.
Dish 10: Furong Chicken Soup - The chicken soup was supposedly boiled for 4 hours but i couldn't really taste a difference in it from other chicken soups i've had before. I found the meat inside easy to break apart and quite palatable without being overly salty. Overall, its a passable dish.
Dish 11: Young and Old Happy News (Jiu Xing Huan Xi) - The entire group was guessing what this dish would turn out to be given the interesting name. What came however, was what you see here. Its basically a combination of dou miao and preserved vegetables fried together. Nothing really special about it and it didn't really come across as a surprise per se, but more of a shock. It did taste decent though.
Dish 12: Tofu Ice Cream on Pandan Glutinous Rice - I would probably have to say that this is without a doubt, the best dish of the day. When it came at the end of the barrage you saw above, we were actually quite adament about how it would taste since nothing before it managed to wow us. The toufu ice cream was nicely done and suitably smooth although i wasn't sure where the toufu taste was supposed to be found. The pandan glutinous rice was sweet and none too filling either. The result of having both together resulted in a wonderful combination that somewhat gave us a good ending to the mediocre offerings before it.
Honestly speaking, i really can't recommend this place due to its absurd price and under performing dishes which simply did not provide enough to justify its cost. Simply looking at the dishes is enough to tell you that there's only one feeling to be had after the meal. The feeling of being ripped off. The ingredients were normal and hardly expensive and the cooking was sub par. Its only saving grace was the company i had that day and even that is pushing the envelope for acceptance. Given this price, i'd be better off dining at a Buffet like "The Line" at Shangri La. Not recommended to try unless they dropped the price to 50 per pax.
Rating given:
Hai~Tien~Lo is a chic restuarant located at the top floor of Pan Pacific hotel. Its classy, authentically chinese and offers a pretty good view of the sunset or Singapore skyline regardless of the time of the day
Dish 1: Hai Tien Lou Trio of Treasures - The trio of treasures simple consisted of Fried Prawn in Japanese Sesame Sauce, Sliced Skin of Beijing Duck and Pan Fried Scallop with minced Ginger. Given the price, i really would have expected a whole lot more than the serving we were given. Minor gripe aside, the prawn was quite big, albeit its only one prawn. It tasted fresh and juicy, however, i really couldn't remember the taste of the japanese sesame sauce at all. The sliced skin of Peking duck didn't leave much impression on me either. The scallop with minced ginger also tasted fresh but i felt the ginger taste a tad bit overpowered. So i suppose only the prawn was good in this dish, quite a disappointment really.
Dish 2: Peking Duck - Now this dish was good. The skin was thin and didn't contain much fat at all so its good for the weight conscious (maybe in denial) i suppose. But the importance of it all is that the skin tasted absolutely fragrant and the white eggless crepes simply compounded the already superb dish. We had the whole duck to ourselves for this one and happily so too. Like the skin, the meat itself was cooked just right, resulting in it tasting sweet, succulent, tender and juicy at the same time. A definate must try dish here.
Dish 3: Braised Homemade Spinach Beancurd with accompaniments of Pork and Pine Mushroom Sauce - Another great dish. The beancurb was silky smooth and literally melts in your mouth. The accompanying spinach layer left a slight aftertaste but a welcomed one at that and pork/ pine mushroom sauce only served to add to its already great taste. I remember each of us having only one piece of beancurd each though, which was good, but i won't complain if more was served though.
Dish 4: 3 Egg Spinach - Now this dish is a mixed bag, literally. It contains 3 different types of eggs and spinach in a strangely soggy concoction which i could not take to no matter how i tried. The spinach was overly soaked in sauce and i really couldn't taste anything positive about it. Its passable but hardly recommendable. Give this a miss if you are there.
Dish 5: Steamed Prawns with Mashed Garlic - Garlic prawns served in a bamboo brisket anyone? Well, this dish was good. The prawns were big, read BIG, so even though there were about 6 prawns in total, it still felt like the dish was worth it. Add the fact that the prawns were very crunchy, juicy and fresh and you got yourself a winner. Some of my friends felt the garlic was a tad too much but i felt it was great, just don't snog after this dish.
Dish 6: Coconut Seafood Fried Rice - Well, i felt the rice was nice but tasted too much like nasi lemak fried rice. The coconut taste was pretty strong but the rice was nicely done. Soft and spongy such that you could almost taste each one. Its a decent dish but i wouldn't recommend having it while there are obviously better choices.
Dessert: Crushed Peanut Tang Yuan - I honestly couldn't remember too much about these little round balls. So it says something about the dish. Go figure.
The bill totaled to be $313 for a group of 5. A pretty good dinner considering there were a few hits and a few misses. However, the service and ambiance does make up for the minor misses and in the presence of great company, many things can be forgiven.
Given the location and quality of food, i'd say this is a good place to visit given the money and time to sit down and comfortably enjoy a good meal with either that special someone or a group of like minded friends. Choice of food however, has to be considerably careful on that aspect so that one can eliminate the less than spectacular renditions that is offered. Overall though, this is still a place that can be heartily recommended to everyone with a penchant for good chinese food.
Rating given:
Orchid Country Club is located near the outskirts separating Yishun and Yio Chu Kang. More known for its golf courses and expensive membership fee, this place also houses a small albeit relatively well-known Zi Ca restuarant by the name of the picture you see below.
Dish 1: Deep Fried Chicken Wings with Sweet Sauce - This dish looks very simple but is special in the sense that it consists of only the portion of wings which contain the most tender meats. If you look closely, you'll find that you can eat the meat very easily without fussing too much about the bones due to the special care taken in preparing this dish. This is a great starting dish. The meat was tender and juicy and sweet at the same time with a tinge of sour. Its a hit with the kids and adults in the family alike. Definately try it.
Dish 2: Abalone with Spinach - This is abalone with some spinach hidden beneath. The taste here is awesome. Being the second dish, it really serves to whet your appetite. Minor gripe about the dish is on the abalone. It tasted fake for some reason or maybe i've had too many whole pieces to like sliced pieces now. The veggie and sauce was well done though, not too salty and quite crunchy even under all that thick tasty sauce.
Dish 3: Fried Tofu with Top Shell Clam - This is fried tofu with some top shell clam thrown together. Very delectable dish. The tofu was crispy and the accompanying clam and veggies totally decked out the dish. There's a little sour and sweet taste making it taste a little thai. The tofu was nice and hot throughout and was finished very quickly. A good 3rd dish.
Dish 4: Lobster Porridge - The star of the day. Lobster Porridge. This is a must try dish @ this place regardless of your budget. The serving we had was HUGE. We couldn't finish it. I counted and found there were 6 full sized lobsters thrown into this pot. The soup tasted superb and the lobster was fresh and simply delicious. I personally gulped down 4 bowls of the porridge and 2.5 lobsters. My dear girl also had a great time with this dish and had in excess of 3 bowls of the soup. Everyone else in the family also ate at least 2 bowls each. Its that good and even better, if you can't finish, bring it home. Heat it the next day, and it'll taste as good as it is now. Must try this dish.
Dish 5: Stir Fried Venison - This dish came after the porridge. So what this means is that everyone is pretty much stuffed by then. This dish is very normal tasting not unlike most run-of-the-mill stalls that serve the dish. The meat is tender and very chewy, a little too chewy perhaps. I felt it was acceptable but nothing special.
Dish 6: Sambal Sauce Mussels - Mussels in sambal sauce. The mussels were very fresh and very tasty but given the fact that we were too stuffed, we couldn't give it much attention. I only managed to get 4 down before i stopped on this dish. Still, the sambal was nicely done. I figured it wasn't too spicy nor too salty. Thus its a good dish IMHO.
Dish 7: Steamed Grouper - This fish came last. Its an awesomely big fish. You can practically see the freshness and the meat is just oozing out of the fish. Note: this is only half the fish. The other half was on another plate. My uncles had gripes about the fish being overcooked and thus making the meat very springy and less tender. Basically, they wanted fishes that melt (literally) in their mouth. So this failed according to them. To me, its a FISH! I love fish! And the meat tasted good enough for me. The salty base soy sauce enhanced the taste considerably as well. So i liked it.
I forgot to mention service and ambience in the above. Actually, its located next to a golf driving range. So unless your like me, who loves golf. Its not much of a view. The service isn't up to par either. You gotta scream and shout and remind for them to remember but it gets to you either way. Food is what this is all about and good seafood is what you get. If you prefer posh stuff, check my previous blogs. I'm still looking for a better posh eating establishment and the search will go on. For beer garden, please try it for the porridge. I'm sure you will not be disappointed.
Rating given:
Eden cafe is located along the chic little alley of 54th club street. Nestled in a small inconspicuous corner is a little culinary treasure that is helmed by an equally inconspicuous and unassuming man by the name of Clement Ronald Ng. Incidentally, he is also the head chef and owner of Helio cafe located at Marina Square.
Appetiser: Mushroom Soup with Otak - simple as this dish may sound and look. It actually contains a blend of 5 different mushrooms and contains no cream at all. The result is a surprisingly fresh concoction that fills your tastebuds with all things mushroom. Before my tasting i'd already heard good things about this dish from friends but i have to say, it does underwhelm a little maybe because i'm too used to cream mushroom soups. This is definitely the healthier choice though.
The accompanying otak is very nicely done. The
bread was toasted beforehand and was nicely crisp. The otak was not too spicy and had just enough 'oomph' to its taste to set it apart from normal run-of-the-mill otaks. The only complaint was that there was too little of it.
Main Dish 1: Lavender Rosemary Pastry Wrapped Seedless Grape Chicken - the first dish after appetisers to grace our table. This is actually one of chef Clement's Signature dishes and i've been pining to have a taste since the previous visit because my initial impression with Clements other chicken creation was very positive.
The chicken was very tender and you can definitely taste the lavender and rosemary albeit a lot less significant then before.
The lemon which was inside the chicken along with the grapes kinda gave the chicken a very uneven sour taste but i understand from my friends that the parts like the wings and breasts had the taste spread more evenly and was very good. Personally, i got the sour parts so i cannot speak for the rest.
The pastry was surprisingly hard but had soaked up the taste of chicken and lemon and lavender pretty well. The verdict on that was that some liked it and some didn't. I liked it though.
Main Dish 2: Dory Fish Potato Gratin - The second main dish to appear on our table. I've tasted various potato gratins before but never a dory fish melded version. This dish disappeared within seconds of its appearance as everyone quickly took a piece. The greens were superb with their salad dressing, as is with all the greens in Eden Cafe, i'll make a statement: "All greens in Eden Cafe are fresh and taste totally great!"
Paired with the gratin, i'd say most of the taste was solely on the potato more then the fish. I couldn't really tell where the dory fish taste came in but the gratin was good nonetheless. It was cooked just right which gave it a nice texture of being soft on the inside and firm on the outside.
Main Dish 3: Pork Wraps In Wild Pepper Leaves - This is one dish i can easily recommend. Clement was introducing it to me before we dug into the dish and apparently, the way to enjoy this dish is akin to having Peking Duck. And yes, its wrapped with the pepper leaves. This is a totally enjoyable dish because everything complements so well.
The pork is nicely cooked and there are faint traces of spices in it. The leaf is surprisingly tasty. The four other ingredients you see here are actually, sugar syrup, sliced lime, i think its ground nuts and little dried salty shrimp.
To enjoy this dish, put all the ingredients and wrap it with the pork and leaf. You can control how you want this dish to taste by moderating the portion of each ingredient.
Comments from my friends include it having a slightly thai taste to being simply delectable and light. A side note is that the shrimp was used as turtle food sometimes but thats beside the point. Its great enjoyment to have this dish since everybody has a great time eating and having fun with this dish. Of course, its also simply delicious and light.
Main Dish 4: Saffron Cream Sauce Salmon and Portebello - undoubtedly the star of the day in the main course department. This dish was simply great.
The saffron sauce does not overwhelm and complements well with the salmon and portebello mushroom accompaniment. For people who do not like salmon for its fishy taste, please rest assured that you will have no such problem with this dish. As Clement would reiterate during the meal, he uses only sashimi grade salmon for his dishes and it shows.
If you were to just enjoy the salmon, you would be missing out on one of the best things about this dish, the portebello mushroom. I say this with much conviction because EVERYONE including the previous group i came with loved the mushroom to bits. It is succulent, juicy and oh so tasty its a must try even from reviewers in the Today paper on June 18th Monday 2007. Definitely a must-try dish at Eden or Helios if they offer it.
Main Dish 5: Tomato Based Spaghetti With Fresh Mussel - as Clement puts it, this dish was meant as a backup dish if our group was not full after the delightful dish before.
The tomato base is specially made and blended by Clement himself and if my memory does not fail me. He quoted using mushrooms in his concoction as well for the base.
The result is a well balanced base that does not overwhelm the taste buds and is just right. The accompanying spaghetti is well cooked and easily palatable, complementing the tomato base well. The mussel is fresh and sufficiently marinated by the base while still retaining its very own wild freshness. For lack of a better term to describe the feeling, you can actually taste the freshness of the sea from that one single mussel. A good ending to the main course department though not exactly spectacular but worthy nonetheless.
Dessert: Hibiscus Cheese Cake - A star dessert and best seller at Eden. This Hibiscus cheese cake is specially made so its much lighter on the tummy then regular cheese cakes sold outside.
The cake had a smooth texture that allows it to easily melt in your mouth. Its not too sweet and the hibiscus gives it a slight sour taste from the layer above while the other cheese layers contain a distinct sweetness that offsets and balances everything.
I've heard nothing but praises for this dish from my friends and even the newspaper reviewer of Today took to this dessert with nothing but delight. Add to the fact that it is Eden Cafe's bestseller dessert and you know you gotta try it at least once. Be warned not to expect flavors that burst in your mouth as i've already said, this is a light dish and the taste is balanced, not overwhelming.
Visit 2:
The following is a reminiscence of my first visit with pictures taken from my friend's blog and thus the watermarks. Do pay his site a visit as well since it currently contains much more then mine.
horts of the signboard and interior. As you can see, its not necessarily big but its not the size of the restuarant that matters, its the food, service and also, for this particular restuarant, its spirit.
Starters: Jumbo Prawns Wrapped In Bacon - As a starter, this was rather disappointing if attention was focused on the prawn and bacon alone. The prawns were rather small and the bacon was quite salty when both were paired together. I also detect a slight powdery texture in the prawn which does not bode well for this dish.
The tomato salsa salad on the other hand is a wonderful starter. Everything inside is totally fresh and very appetizing. This would have sufficed as a starter if paired with something other than the prawns we had.
Saffron Cream Sauce Salmon - As I've already said in my "Eden Cafe Revisited" post, this is a must try dish no matter what the situation. The freshness of the salmon and the combination of the mushroom with saffron sauce and salad. Its a great dish that everyone can enjoy.
Beef & Mashed Potato in Red Wine - As the second main course of the day, this was excellent. I myself am an avid lover of beef and meat. Thus this hit the spot for me just right. General complaints for this dish from my friends were that the beef was too raw. This is actually a very valid complaint since the dish was cooked medium rare but maybe due to the thickness of the beef, the middle portion was essentially still rare and might turn off people who prefer their beef more cooked.
However, I liked the dish the way it is and as Clement would educate before the meal, he only uses the freshest beef and cuts where i remember would be top side and tenderloin. He also said that this beef could have been eaten raw without any worries.
My impression of the meat is that it is thick, succulent and although i could not taste any form of marinating, tasted good.
The mashed potato and red wine combination is a first and is excellent. The mash potato compliments well with the red wine concoction and simply spurs you on to in indulge in more of it. Definitely a good thing and a dish worth trying out. Be wary of how raw it is though and advice Clement before the dish to ensure maximum satisfaction.
Rosemary Chicken - Unfortunately, we do not have photographs of this dish. However, this is also another dish i have to recommend heartily to all you readers. Essentially a floral dish, this chicken is excellent. You can detact strong traces of rose with each bite and the texture of the chicken is excellent. Its not too hard and tears easily without being overly soft. Overall, everything was balanced just right and is unique enough to warrant a try from everyone sick of the usual taste of chicken offered elsewhere.
Crème Brûlée - The first dessert of the day came with a performance all its own. Clement personally did the melting of the sugar on top as he informed us that his Crème Brûlée is made of pure vanilla beans instead of essence or extract which is available elsewhere. The melting was done evenly and resulted in a nice layer of sugar on top which was just right, neither too thick nor too thin. This is a very nice dessert to start with and makes the visit worthwhile in my opinion. Do try but note that if Clement does not do the melting himself, results may vary.
Tiramisu - The Tiramisu is available easily outside but i find that Clement's rendition packs more 'Oomph" for the buck. The top layer is made of chocolate which is very unusual and gives it a very dense taste. The cake below is soaked in rum and that could be either really good or really bad depending on how you like your tiramisu. I liked it strong even though my friend's think otherwise. Try and discern for yourself but do note the mxing is different with each rendition thus you might get a thicker or less dense version depending on your luck.
Brandy Chocolate - Our third dessert was essentially brandy chocolate. This is another very flavorful rendition by Clement and the chocolate is really thick and dense. However, i really couldn't taste the brandy so i'm not sure why this was called brandy chocolate. I wasn't really impressed with this particular dessert but its still better than average.
Hisbiscus Cheese Phyllo - The fourth and last dessert for the day is something unique to Eden Cafe at present. The Hibiscus cheese phyllo is looks a little like folded prata with cheese inside but it tastes totally different. As it is made during the visit, it tastes fresh, crispy and warm. The filling of hibiscus gives the cheese a unique sour taste. Take this in moderation as the taste of cheese begins to overwhelm after a time.
Food and value is consistently good at Eden Cafe. Thus, it is highly recommended. As per my previous introduction, do call up early for MTO meals instead of walk-ins as the place is now usually packed.
Visit 3:
den Cafe, by now, you should have heard about it from either the television, the newspaper, the radio or from a variety of blogs online. Pioneered by Clement Ng for his passion for floral cuisine, Eden has gotten many rave reviews and some not-so-good ones as well. No matter, Yebber had its little gathering there and many were present to enjoy it. You can view my previous visits here and here.
Clement and Yebber obviously went through some effort to do up the place for a nice Christmas like feeling to suit the season. And i do applaud their effort for providing a nice atmosphere for the event. Complete with mistletoes and door gifts, the feeling was homely and just right.
Rose Petal Brownie with Cookies and Cream Ice Cream ($5.90) - Why is dessert the first dish? Simple, due to miscommunication and some really late comers, we had to settle for something to start the meal. I've an insatiable sweet tooth and that is why this comes in first. It came looking like a winner and it is a winner. The brownie is warm and moist with it being mildly sweet and a tad bitter. Add in rose petals and thick cream filled ice cream and it was enough to satisfy my day. I could have just had this and felt good actually.
Black Sesame Mushroom Pasta - As Clement puts it: "For this dish, you either love it or hate it." I have to say i lean towards the latter. Although i applaud the effort taken to prepare it (you actually see the service staff squeezing it out of some contraption) but taste-wise, it doesn't quite cut it for me. The texture was a mixed bag as well and i found the lemon based sauce and cheese didn't quite complement each other.
Tomato Based Seafood Soup - I was quite surprised this dish didn't receive further attention to its presentation but then again, how well can you make a tomato based soup look? The soup was thick with mashed vegetables and tomatoes and came with 1 mussel and 1 prawn each. Overall, i found it a little bland in taste this time around albeit i'm sure it is a reasonably healthy dish.
Endives With Mushroom and Bacon Canapes - Fresh, tasty and healthy. This is one refreshing appetiser that is easy to enjoy. Tasty fungi is difficult to find i think. Only gripe? Please upsize the serving for this please. One is never enough!
Seedless Grape Chicken - Another signature dish, this time in sampler portions. The dough casing is even harder then before and totally inedible. However, this chicken inside is definitely an improvement with its juices locked in well. As usual, more would have been better.
Rosemary Garlic Beef - I found the beef a little tough this time around, but the rosemary garlic sauce is delectable. Makes the dish still desirable in my books.
Lemon Garlic Snow Fish - Snow fish or Cod with pan fried with lemon and garlic. To me, cod by itself is already a delicacy so additional garnishing either enhance it to super stardom or spoils the dish. This, however, was neither. The cod was a tad dry but sweet nonetheless and the lemon garlic almost overwhelmed the taste of the prized fish. Good but not quite for me.
Balsamic Strawberry Beef - This i loved. Simple. Balsamic beef tastes a little like beef soaked in vinegar before it was cooked. What can i say? I love both beef and vinegar. And the best part? The beef was tender and of a respectable size. Definitely worth a try. The strawberry seems like an after thought though.
Hibiscus CheeseCake And Balsamic Black Pepper Mousse Cake - 've had both of these before so it wasn't too special to me. The balsamic mousse cake was Clement's 'mystery cake' which i had during the mooncake festival. It generally tastes like cheese cake with a little spice added to the taste. The hibiscus cheesecake retains its sourish and sweet taste that still makes it a hit in the restaurant.
Chocolate Brownie And Wine Tea Floral Fruit Jello With Strawberry- Chocolate brownie is the same one i had at the start of the meal but it wasn't heated and it didn't look as pretty. Taste wise, it just doesn't have as much impact as the full item in the beginning. The wine tea jello is pretty interesting, essentially combining the wine tea into a jello form for consumption. I personally didn't find it very appealing however.
The bill for 25 people came to $1100 dollars which is quite a fair bit but does feel justified somewhat since everyone generally had good time. The meal did take 5 hours to pan out though.
Is Eden any good? Yes it is. There are still some winners in the menu and Clement is constantly coming out with new items to add. His service is personalized and friendly as well as long as you are his customers. When all is said and done, Eden is still one of the better restaurants out there. Homely, cheerful, nonplussed and serves good food. Now if only Clement would lower the price and give bigger portions, i'll bring armies there for lunch and dinner.
I liked the fact that the chicken could be shared by up to 3 people and that we received 3 servings of half a chicken which meant the portions were adequate and very satisfying.
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I’ve been to Robertson Walk many times, but this was my first at the second level. With so many pubs and resturants on the ground floor, one might not discover what’s hidden at the upper floor. Sage, The Resturant is the product of the determination of husband and wife team Jusman So and Kimberly Chew. With Jusman cooking up delicious creation and Kimberly’s warm service, Sage is warm and welcoming.
We had a special dinner menu designed for us. It includes Scallops, Foie Gras, Cod & Bouillabaisse and Creme Brulee.
The scallop was fresh and well-packed. Its different from the ordinary one where the meat splits up when you cut into it. The squid ink capellini was something that I would want to try again. Cavier was alittle too saltish for my liking. The leek and potato vichyssoise was very yummy. Everyone was asking for more bread so that they can clean off the very last drop of it from their plate.
This was my second time having foie gras. As compared to the one I ate at My Humble House anniversary cocktail dinner, this was so much better. In fact, this was heavenly (and super sinful too!). The pistachio crust makes the entire experience different. Crispy exterior with moist and soft interior. However, after the entire piece, I could feel the fats wrapped around my entire heart! Yes! It was that sinful!
The Cod & Bouillabaisse was the best for the entire night! Cod was cooked to perfection. It melts immediately when it reaches your tongue. I could still remember the feeling and taste of the cod in my mouth as I typed this. The sauce complimented well with prawns and vegetables. The toast was again used to clear the plate. I would love to have this again, but sadly, its not on their menu. This was specially created just for our dinner that night.
The dessert was a sweet-sour-sorbet with not-so-well-received-jelly. I had just half of the serving and gave up. I’m not a sour sorbet fan, so I sure not comment much. However, the Lavender creme brulee and Navel orange meringue was nice. Although a little too sweet, but I finished them both eventually. The meringue tasted like hard and crispy candyfloss. The creme brulee was a great ending for the night.
Overall the dinner was nice and quite an experience for me. However, due to the setting and the many new faces around, I didn’t quite enjoy it as much as I hope to. The food was nice but not something which I would return for more, due to the price. (Total for 10 of us came up to $1022, incl. a bottle of New Zealand Red wine.)
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For those who have lived in Siglap long enough you would know that this is the old family-run cake shop next to old Siglap Market (which is now NTUC). It boasts of award winning cakes, namely their Chocolate Truffle Cake and Tiramisu.
They closed at their original location months ago, to reopen as a cafe in the basement of Siglap Centre. It now has a small seating area for 6-7 patrons and is tastefully designed with a chic modern look.
I bought a 500g Chocolate Truffle Cake off the shelf for $20. The price has increased and I'm not surprised. However the quality has dropped. The cake does not have that strong chocolate taste it used to have. It's now a lot of cake and less chocolate. It's still fine just not award winning anymore.
I also bought a few chocolate chip cookies and regretted it. The cookies are just flat pieces of plain sugar. It took me, a junk foodie, a long time to finish it. And they weren't cheap at $2.50 each.
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