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Situated right in the centre of Palais Renaissance, you can find this place easily as it's at the foot of the escalator. My galfriend and I went there on a weekday afternoon just before lunch hours so we had the luxury of choosing any seat we wanted. I had expected it to remain quiet save for a few tai-tais but BOY was I wrong. At noon, the whole place filled up.
We sat for quite a bit, chatting and taking a long time going through the menu. Throughout that time, no iced water was served. I thought that this is one of those that refuse to serve water so I commented about it to my friend. She laughed and replied that you have to ASK for it though it's free. That really puzzled me.
Food ordered:
Linguini with crabmeat tomato chllis and pinenuts $22
I had this dish. Don't be fooled but that little lump. It really is quite a filling portion. The pinenuts added a nice crunchy texture to the pasta and the pasta was suitably done. The downside of this dish was the sauce. It tasted fine on the first few bites but halfway I really couldn't stand the fishy taste of the crabmeat anymore. It was also unbearably salty after a while and I didn't finish my pasta.
Scrambled Eggs with Sausage on Toast and Field Mushrooms $18
The description forgot to add that it had fries too. My friend ordered it, thinking it sounded like a great brunch only to be surprised by the large serving of fries that came with it. The combination was a little odd but each item tasted fine on their own. I didn't relish putting them altogether in one mouthful though.
Deluxe Chocolate Pecan Brownie
Again, the description failed to include that there was ice cream served with this brownie (although I do know that most places have ice cream but it's not quite polite to assume.) If I had known this, I would have requested for the ice cream to placed on a separate dish. Not to mention if you take a good look at my picture, the ice cream was already melting when it arrived. Since my friend and I had no intention of having the ice cream in the first place we didn't ask for a change. I found the brownie a little too dry for my taste and the chocolate taste wasn't strong enough. It was more like a cake with a hard crust. We chatted for 3 hours and managed to finish this in the end. No easy feat though.
The staff were quite efficient in taking orders and serving but they lack a certain warmth. I guess that's their style.
Would I go back again? Only if a good friend suggested it.
Rating given:
Positioned units away from the legendary Sik Wai Sin, Ding Feng Ge is a new entrant to the food business found along the eventful stretch of Geylang Road. It is difficult to miss Ding Feng Ge with its dazzling array of red and yellow lanterns hanging outside the eatery and the loud neon signage screaming along the main road. Derived out of true blue passion for food, sisters, Angeline and Christina, discovered various lip-smacking fares during their culinary adventures and decided to unite everything under one roof and offer the best of Steamboat, Chicken Rice and Cooked Food (think Tze Char)!
Reminiscent to 7th Storey Hotel Hainan Charcoal Steamboat, the dinner was set in motion with the Hainanese Steamed Chicken ($25.00 for whole chicken, $13.00 for half chicken). HFB found it slightly overcooked, rendering its flesh a tad tasteless due to the loss of natural juices and sweetness.
Those that enjoy their steamboat dinner with a stronger, robust soup base would enjoy their option of Chicken Herbal Soup or Spicy Tom Yam flavoured broth.
Other flavours include the Mala (a combined flavour of Sichuan Peppercorn and Chili) and the newly introduced Bak Kut Teh soup base. For 2-3 pax, one can opt for the $24.00 set that HFB reckons was very value for money. With a mixture of seafood and meat along with the usual balls of different sorts and what�s not, each and every ingredient was very fresh. In fact, it was so fresh that HFB questioned whether the price was set too low for the quality served.
What's more, HFB's personal favourite items of Cockles and Pig's Liver was offered in the menu as well! But of course one could opt to change the items if they wished to, but you can surely drop that idea if you are dining with HFB � Heh! FYI, HFB finished up all the cockles that evening *smug*.
The cooked food section did well too � the signature dish of Ribs with Fermented Beancurd ($12.00/$18.00) was lip smacking delicious. It was deep fried to a crusty crunch and the layer of fats gave the dish an added luscious touch. That was definitely HFB�s favourite dish that evening!
Another nice surprise was the Crispy Seafood Beancurd ($10.00/$15.00). HFB encountered horrible tofu before, but thankfully their version wasn�t. It was firm on the exterior crust and soft on the inside. The excellent contrasting texture along with the flavoursome core was great to go with the sweet dip.
The Sambal Kang Kong ($8.00/$12.00) wasn�t too overcooked and the sambal was spicy � awesome when you eat it with plain rice (or chicken rice). The generous serving of Dried Shrimps was very much welcomed too!
One of their favourite dishes between the two sisters, the Pork Rib with Mayonnaise Sauce ($12.00/$18.00) was another well-executed dish. Nicely coated with mayo on the exterior, the meat was juicy and nicely seasoned. HFB�s only gripe was that a mayo-based dish tended to be too heavy for a meal especially when you coupled it with steamboat and chicken rice.
The Indonesian Curry Prawn Claypot ($18.00) was another iconic fare that night! In fact the gravy was so good that HFB reckoned Ding Feng Ge should fashioned a watered-down version as a soup broth offering for their steamboat set. The gravy was full-bodied and savoury yet surprising light for the palate.
It would be unwarranted if HFB mentioned he didn't enjoyed the Stir-fried Butter Crab with Salted Egg Yolk (Market Price). The truth of the matter was he was too filled at that point in time to truly savour it. Plus by the time HFB got his hands to it, the dish had already turned cold. However, one thing he wished to underline was the crab came choke full of roe!
You can view all the photos here.
Rating given:
Brewbaker's is part of Jack's Place holdings but is an offshoot in the sense that unlike Jack's place, its not halal certified. Its concept is one of escapism and relaxation which is reflected in its rather decent bar selection but holds many similarities to its parent company in regards to areas like its interior design and overall service level. Me and my gf patronized this venue on Valentine's day this year because i found it in a rather decent and new community centre near my house. It took about 35 minutes for us to walk the distance but honestly, we needed the exercise. Was it worth our effort though?
Thoughts on the location and surroundings:
Being in a community centre doesn't necessarily mean its a slipshod location. The restaurant had a rather laidback atmosphere and relaxing buzz as its next to an excellently under utilized yet beautiful public pool and is next to a canal/river which actually is rather pleasing. The interior is spacious but the design reminds me too much of Jack's place to be a good thing.
Its Valentines day, so what better way to celebrate then to have a decent meal with my girl? And there's even a menu that promises a "gift for the ladies" to every couple. Perfect. More on the gift at the end of the post.
Archipelago Travellers Wheat - Self brewed gourmet beer seems to be appearing everywhere these days. Not that its a bad thing. I ordered a complimentary sampler from their menu and honestly, it wasn't too bad. Travellers Wheat tastes like....golden ale from Brewerkz and i simply adore beer with that taste so this is good for me.
Mango Drink - This is definitely not made in house since it tastes just like something you can get from a concentrate with water added. Need some work here.
Terrine of Seafood - This was weird. It tastes like it has milk concentrate in it but dissipates in each taste. There's actual crab and fishcake-like taste in the pasty center as well. Its not a bad dish per se, its just weird.
Garlic Bread and Homemade Clam Chowder - This was a surprise. At first glance, i was thinking: "how dare they serve campbells soup when its stated as homemade clam chowder?" My fears were put to rest once i taste it though. There's actually a generous amount of seafood tucked beneath the surface and it provided a balanced palate for the meal to come. Helps that its not flooded with salt and other such nonsensical tastes as well.
True Love Platter - The "True Love Platter" for 2 feels more like "true fat platter" to me. However, it wasn't bad at all. The grilled salmon steak with dill sauce was a little salty and had a rather strong "fishy" taste which didn't sit well with me. The Sirloin steak did not come with black pepper sauce as per the menu and was well done, which means it was rather tough to eat. The grilled vegetable skewers were pretty good as is the chicken drumlets and potato salad. My gf didn't like the calamari rings due to the thick batter. The potato salad was supposed to be potato wedges but was switched without informing us and the steak was well done without asking the doneness we wanted it in. I attribute this to a service issue though.
Sweet Temptations - The dessert was basically strawberry and chocolate mousse cake with fruits. The white chocolate sticks and fruits were pretty good. Refreshing and sweet while the cake itself....is a little too creamy for our tastes. Otherwise, it was an ok ending to the meal. Coffee was served after this which helped as well.
The final bill for a simple valentine's lunch came up to $70.62. Rather steep for the quality of food served.
Cons: The "gift" mentioned in the menu was never given. We had to ask for it 3 times before being given something and it was not a valentines gift for the lady at all. It was a leftover scratch and win card from Chinese New Year which held no significance whatsoever. Needless to say, i was disappointed. At the very least, if there was no gift, i would have appreciated being warned beforehand and replaced with either an additional dish or a drink would suffice. Not this lame attempt at redeeming themselves with a useless item. The management needs to look into this. Not to mention, the lack of initiative to inform on the change of items and the courtesy to ask about the doneness of my steak.
Final Score: 6/10 (minus 1 due to the service lapses and problems with the "gift" that never was.)
Last word:
I was disappointed with the gift problem and service but the food was actually decent and so was the beer. Actually, the beer and location is probably the only reason i'll consider returning to this place. 50% off beer and 1 for 1 offers for the beer is something i could live with. Otherwise, i'd say try the food sparingly and they really need to buck up on their service training. Oh, its still better then Jack's Place as far as i'm concerned. Just thought i'd end it with that.
Rating given:
Recently, i've been bestowed with a valuable gift of Takashimaya vouchers from my superbly wonderful company. I've thus been thronging Takashimaya with the intention of spending every single voucher away to no avail. Thus, i used it to the most important aspect of my being. My every growing tummy. It so happend that Bakerzin was having an offer for macarons and i just hopped to try it.
First off, a little background into why i wanted to try this.
1: My boss bought a nice sample of the best macarons back from France for the team to try during her trip and i have to say, they were excellent if a little pricey. I mean, 1 small macaron for $8? Ouch.
2: I've been told the Singapore renditions for macarons were no where near the true taste and standard of a France. And being a true blue Singaporean, i felt compelled to see if this was true.
The observation:
The macarons from Bakerzin were smaller and the proportions were different. The original macaron i had was thick in the middle and thinner on the sides. The Bakerzin rendition had a thicker side and smaller middle with a generally smaller size as well.
Taste wise, the Bakerzin rendition i bought had 6 flavors, chocolate, mint, strawberry, cherry, coffee and lemon. They all had a rather strong milky taste which is unusual because the actual french version had no such taste. The sides were are less fragrant and had a different texture and layer of crunchiness as compared to the french version. Overall, i felt this version highly inadequate.
I only had 2 flavors from the ones my boss brought back and i can tell you, the ones you find here are no where near the real thing. For starters, there is absolutely no milky taste. The texture is highly different and the actual fillings were packed full of actual flavor as opposed to the ready made ones you see on offer here.
Last word:
Sure, i may be overly harsh on this. After all, the real thing costs 700% more and has to be flown in but hey, i had more faith in our chefs then to produce this half baked effort. Maybe when the promotion is over the macarons will be of better quality. I wouldn't know for sure but honestly, they need to step up their game so that it tastes like a true macaron instead of looking the part. Just my personal opinion is all.
Rating given:
The distinguished Desire voted one of Wine and Dine Singapore’s Top Restaurant in 2008 is sited at The Scarlet, a charismatic boutique hotel that oozes a sense of stylish elegance.
Not without its own accolades, the hotel is crowned one of 2008 Singapore Tatler’s Best Boutique Hotels and Singapore Tourism Awards 2008 for Best Accommodation Experience under the Best Superior Hotel category.
Hidden at the side of the hotel, the restaurant’s alfresco area is one of affectionate charming ambience.
Upon seated, the restaurant further seeks to tease one’s sensory experience with its element of naughtiness by presenting a menu, 'book of Desire', full of suggestive sexual connotations – the appetiser section, for instance, is labelled ‘foreplay’ while the entrees are titled under ‘main affair’.
However, ordering ala carte was not the order of the day as Executive Chef Vincent Teng, previously from My Dining Room in Club Street, specially created a $100 menu for each of us that evening.
The Complimentary Bread served set the right tone immediately for that evening. Between the Olive and Walnut Bread (or was it Almond?), it was a tough choice – but the service staff came to the rescue by suggesting “Why not both?” and both it was. Both bread were served warm and tasted wonderful with its own merits. Coupled with the extravagant Truffle Butter, HFB certainly didn’t look back. HFB rates this experience a tad better than Morton’s Onion Loaf.
The appetiser was Iberico Ham & Sous Vide Egg with Truffle Salsa, and the soft poached egg was only achieved through modelling after the French method of cooking using vacuum bags placed in hot water.
A dish that at first glance seemed detach between the two ingredients, one is however encouraged to fuse the dish together by breaking the egg yolk and eating it with the ham and the salsa. However, who could resist the wobbly egg yolk and HFB took a naughty nibble at it, before letting the yolk oozed all over. On its own, the Iberico ham, imported only from Spain, was velvety in texture. Coupled with the egg yolk, the harmonious combination was such a joy to consume. HFB certainly rates the ham better than the Italian's Prosciutto.
The Seared Foie Gras with Scampi on Toasted Brioche paired with Sliced Mango, Mango Coulis and Balsamic Reduction was up next. Although HFB would prefer the foie gras to be seared crustier, credits could not be taken away from the liver. One could never go wrong with the savoury and sweet combination between the foie gras and the mango coulis, but the scampi was slight over-grilled resulting in a dry and rubbery texture for the shrimp.
And if one thinks the sous vide method of cooking is only meant for eggs, then Chef Vincent seeks to prove you wrong with another dish of Sous Vide of Kurobuta Pork Belly with Crackling Skin, Braise Pork Cheeks on Fennel Salad tossed with Mustard Miso. A distinctive dish that enables one to experience two unique textural in one go – the pork belly was very well tendered being fatty but the skin was so wonderfully seared resulting in a cracking crisp with every bite, although one might frowned on the idea of paying top money for “Roast Pork” in a restaurant. If the pork belly played on texture, then the braised pork cheeks touched on taste. Not denying the truth that it was marvellous simmered till soft, it was the intense flavour, nicely captured by the meat that won HFB over – it was comparable to the Beef Cheek from Sage.
A nice surprise came with the palate cleanser of Tomato Essence. 'Revitalising' is probably the best word to describe the experience as the concoction immediately rids the tongue of any heavy aftertaste. HFB absolutely loves the refreshing tang!
The Grilled Wagyu Beef Tenderloin on Truffle Pomme Puree, Seasonal Vegetables was another delectable meat dish. With a marbling score of 5/6, it was surprisingly still very tender despite being grilled close to medium than medium rare. The Truffle Pomme Puree was another delight – the potato mash was really smooth and the tint of truffle gave it an added lift – this was another symphony of ingredients that worked really well in HFB’s opinion.
The dinner was rounded up with the Hazelnut Mille Feuille, or layers of Hazelnut Mousse, Salted Caramel and Feuilletine Crust. Although HFB felt that the hazelnut option was slightly heavy for a dessert, and would preferred something lighter on his palate, the robust hazelnut cream was something praiseworthy.
You can view all the photos here.
Rating given:
Situated at Hotel Rendezvous’s lobby level, this dining venue has undergone two months of intensive refurbishment and upgrading works and was reopened in 3 October.
The $1.5 million project is a complete transformation of what used to be traditional, into a modern contemporary interior. Within, random timber strips were cleverly incorporated into the design as accented walls and feature screens to add texture, shadow and depth.
Although the café’s full glass window allows for the integration of the bustling exterior and the vibrancy of the interior space. HFB however felt a slight intrusion of privacy with people peering over his shoulders while he ate, when commuters waiting along the bus stop outside sneaked a quick peek or two.
Enjoyably, the cold seafood counter – the Baby Octopus, Prawns, Mussels and Smoked Salmon, pleasantly surprised HFB. They were really fresh and scrumptious!
Request for the Salmon Belly Sashimi from the Sushi and Sashimi counter and one would also be enthralled by its silky, succulent texture.
A main feature in the dining room are the buffet counters. Showcasing two living cooking stations that offer a variety of freshly prepared and made-to-order cuisine, including oriental wok counter for Stir-fried Vegetables. HFB really loved the Mushrooms that was served that day.
The other cooking station is the Noodle Station for daily noodle of the day – it happens to be their popular and signature Nonya Laksa counter and Bak Kut Teh, or simply Pork Ribs Soup.
Unfortunately, the heightened expectations resulted in HFB noticeably unimpressed by both dishes. Their version of laksa comes with thick coconut gravy, which HFB suspects would be much welcomed by many, but HFB thought it was way too salty. A replacement bowl failed to change his opinion too.
The bak kut teh was much better received with its clearer soup base, but it seemed to leave a lingering aftertaste, which tasted like MSG, but HFB might be wrong.
The craving station offered Roast Beef for that day – although the meat leaned towards the dry side, HFB definitely enjoyed the Grilled Capers and Eggplant that was available next to the meat.
The extensive selection at the dessert counter is sure to tempt those with a sweet tooth.
Highlight of the section was definitely the ‘Durian Corner’ where Durian Cake, Durian Puff and Durian Pengat were served. The latter is definitely a must try!
You can view all the photos here.
Rating given:
As i'm preparing and writing this post, i'm struggling deep inside on whether i should post this or not. Reason being, this is one of my absolute favorites of all time and the fact that already too many people know of this gem of a restaurant. I'll make a statement here: "This is the best Japanese food i've had in Singapore thus far." Not that i've tried alot of the higher end restaurants but given the price and the quality, nowhere in Singapore comes close yet. You do have to get over a few things you may find weird though.
I'll start off with some things to note so that you at least know what to expect:
1: Do NOT put your finished plates on the sushi counter
2: If you order the hotpots, do NOT put your hand near the serving plate when he serves.
3: Your experience will depend solely on the food and not on the service and that the only way it can be.
4: Always order in numbers and prepare your order BEFORE coming into the restaurant.
5: A $2 charge is mandatory for each seat and comes with a drink. There's no service charge or gst.
6: There's no pork or lard here.
7: Be prepared to wait 1 hour at least if you miss the first seating. The restaurant seats only 16 people and if you miss it, you'll just have to queue outside till someone finishes their meal.
8: Do NOT offend the chef.
This is it, the place to look for. Wasabi tei is run by only 2 people, the chef and (if i'm not mistaken) his wife or assistant. She's in charge of serving drinks and taking orders while the chef takes care of everything else. Both of them have quite a temper but otherwise, i think their just nice people making a living.
Amuse Boche - Apart from the drink, your $2 per seat also comes with the appetiser. It looks less appealing then it really is. To describe its taste, its sweet, slightly salty and light. In other words, its an excellent appetiser in my opinion. Not sure if thats beancurd or meat but no matter, its still good.
Chawanmushi ($5) - A picture speaks a thousand words and this chawamushi should tell you how it tastes like quite simply. Its nothing short of superb. The generous helpings of enoki mushrooms, prawn, sharks fin and chicken meat is obvious since its filled to the brim with it. Its also made fresh when its ordered which thus give the chawanmushi its excellent melt in your mouth sensation. Unlike other renditions, this is extremely light and smooth. To date, this dish is unmatched anywhere else in Singapore.
Salmon Sashimi ($9) - I hope this picture tells you that the salmon sashimi comes in a huge portion because it definitely did. 6 thick slices of salmon thats easily 2 servings in similar restaurants for a reasonable price of $9. It also helps that the sashimi is wonderfully fresh and sweet with the natural fat of the fish giving it a nice smooth texture as well. At this price, the quality is just unbelievable. Trust me, this is worth more then all the red plates or whatever plates the sashimi comes in elsewhere.
Mixed Sashimi Rice ($20) - Another shockingly huge portion of sliced fish. My gf ordered this because she's a huge fan of sashimi and honestly, i've never felt it worth my money to eat this until now and thats saying a lot. Salmon, toro, kenpachi, tuna and fish roe rounds up the sashimi selection and each comes in thick slices and generously proportioned. Sashimi is the ultimate test of freshness offered by a japanese restaurant and over here, i would say i've found the winner. What else can i say about the freshness and generousity of the portions at the price? Its just really really good.
Cod Fish Hotpot ($15) - I found this on the menu and was geniunely surprised at this being offered at $15. After all, cod is an extremely expensive fish. However, i'm glad to report that this is also worth every cent. The fish is very smooth and tender while the hotpot is filled with assorted vegetables, mushrooms and vermicelli. It also helps that it is served with rice and a nice concoction of home made chili sauce which goes really well with the fish. In fact, i'd say it enhances the fresh taste of the fish and makes it even better. A worthwhile item as well.
On this visit, my total damage amounted to $52 and i have to say, this is more value for money then any japanese restaurant i've ever been to.
The fabled and legendary chawanmushi - On my second, third and forth visit, the chawanmushi is still something we'll order and never get sick off. There's nothing more to say about it, its just that good. If you've only eaten at say...Sakae or Sushi Tei, this version will change your opinion of chawanmushi for good.
Crab Sushi ($6) - One thing to note about the chef is that he seems to do sushi rolls last after preparing everything else. So if you're here and only ordered sushi, you're gonna need to wait for some time. The sushi we ordered had crab meat, avacado, cucumbers and fish roe and like the rest of the offerings, this was good. However, it wasn't great and the waiting time involved makes me feel that the other items are much better investments.
Sashimi Moriwase ($25) - Sashimi addiction? Yeah, i'd say that's pretty much the case here. For $25, you get generous portions and thick slices of sashimi with the same wonderful freshness and sweetness i've mentioned earlier. At this portion size and quality, i'd say this is easily $40 or more in other restaurants but over here, its a luxury i wouldn't miss to order. The added scallop this time around is excellent to say the least. Its sweetness and texture is something you need to try to understand. I ordered this on subsequent visits as well and i have to say, it never disappoints. Have this and thank me later. It also helps that the chef prepares this as one of his first items to serve so you'll get it pretty quickly.
Unagi Rice ($13) - Look at the unagi and believe it. This is only $13 and the portion he is giving is simply huge. For the same price, you'd probably get only one piece elsewhere but over here, 2 huge portions of savoury, made on-the-spot freshly grilled unagi at an unbelievably reasonable price. It helps that the unagi is also of the melt-in-your-mouth texture with an excellent and balanced sauce which is neither too sweet nor too salty. My order was a little charred at some places but even then, i found this very tasty. I'm pretty much sold for this dish and i simply love it much like everything else i've tried here.
Total bill was a little more this time at $58 for 2 but still more value for money then anything else thus far.
Minus the little gripes about the small space and the sometimes black face of the couple. This place is a treasure little found elsewhere in Singapore. The food is nothing short of excellent and the value for money it provides is second to none. Thus far in my food endevours, nothing matches this place for quality and value quite this much. The only places close to it will be Sage for the quality of its fusion food but the cost is definitely much higher. Wasabi tei is a place i would return to again and again and again and to be honest, i did return with my gf at least another 3 times with more still on the cards. Definitely a winner. Do note its not open on Sundays and public holidays though. You'll probably see me there again real soon as well. Cheers and a special Thank You! to the chef and his assistant for bringing such reasonably priced and good japanese food into Singapore.
Rating given:
Was at Yishun for my gf's friend's baby's one month party yesterday (01112009) and chanced upon this outlet hidden in the newly opened Northpoint wing.
The decor looks better then usual with wide open spaces and was bristling with customers and activity which thus also lead to me consenting to give it a try.
My gf had a coupon for $10 of a main dish with the Xin Wang card and our orders are as follows:
HK Cheese Baked Pork chop spagghetti - This wasn't too bad. The tomato is more sourish then sweet while the pork chop was a little hard. Spaggheti was plentiful however and this was actually quite overwhelming after a while.
Shrimp Dumplings - I found this rather good actually. Fresh, crunchy and sweet prawns basically make this dish good.
Pork Pastry - This was average as the pastry is not fragrant. The pork within is alright however, warm and sweet.
Pork Chop burger - I found this to be the least worthwhile item we ordered. The pork chop had a big layer of fats but was thankfully tender while the "burger" was made using toasted white bread. Overall, get rid of the fats and its acceptable but hardly worth $4.90. Mcdonalds fare better for the price.
Overall bill came to $12.90 after the $10 discount.
Honestly, this branch is better then the others i've tried but i still find it overpriced for the simple fare they provide. Our conclusion for why this is better is because, being a new branch, we theorised that probably the executive chef was on the location which thus resulted in the difference in quality.
Rating given:
Its great to see Manhattan Fish Market in a less centralized area like Pasir Ris because first of all, i'm nearer to the East and second of all, this was one of the first restaurants i tried when i started out.
Straight to the point, the restaurants main competitor will be Fish and Co. Their generally a little different in terms of preparation and so far, my impression of MFM is that it has more fried items.
Fried country mushrooms ($9.90) - 6 button mushrooms covered in batter and deep fried. Its as good as ever but i did find that this time, it cooled a lot faster as well. Probably due to peak hour and the fact that lots of people were there. Which led to it being prepared earlier to meet the demand.
Main Platter for 2($33.90) - The platter for 2 used to go for $29.90 but has since increased their prices since then. You get the usual HUGE piece of fish, fries, garlic rice, flaming prawns, calamari and mussels. Its actually a pretty big portion to be honest and big eaters need apply to finish it. The fish is still one of the better ones, thick, sweet and lightly battered. I could have 2 pieces if given the choice. The prawns are average but the mayo like sauce is excellent with the rice. mussels and calamari were equally well done. To me, this is still a good platter of food.
Overall billed clocked in at $46.40.
A hefty sum to be sure but still under the acceptable range.
However, if it continues its upward trend in pricing, i'd find it hard pressed to find an excuse to return before long.
Rating given:
Au petit salut is helmed by chef Patrick Steuberger from Switzerland. Having garnered various experiences overseas in multiple countries and various michellin star chefs as tutors, Patrick returned to Au petit salut as executive chef in 2005. With such an impressive resume, its no wonder the restaurant was introduced to me by my boss.However, i maintain that reputation remains as reputation until put to the actual taste test. How will it fare i wonder?
Upon entering, you will find that the restaurant exudes a form of rustic charm for its location and the design of it exterior. Seemingly a colonial building that has yet to be teared down and located in the deep recesses of a mildly wooded enclave, its like stepping back in time to a less busy era where life was a little less complicated. In short, i felt relaxed the moment i parked my car.
The restaurant is a rather intimate affair with the interior seating about 30-40 people and the al fresco section seating around the same number of people. When i made my reservation, the restaurant was fully booked due to a corporate function but they made concessions since i only needed 2 seats.Decor wise, minimal is best for this place but i'm quite pleased with the simple and clean approach used.
The restaurant is a rather intimate affair with the interior seating about 30-40 people and the al fresco section seating around the same number of people. When i made my reservation, the restaurant was fully booked due to a corporate function but they made concessions since i only needed 2 seats.Decor wise, minimal is best for this place but i'm quite pleased with the simple and clean approach used.
My choice of starter was the foie gras as usual. For the price, i'm surprised at how big a portion the foie gras was. In short, this would easily have cost more then $30 on ala carte given the size. Quality wise, it was also a surprise since the Xeres vinegar and red onions actually managed to enhance the taste of the foie gras by adding a sourish and sweet taste. The spinach also managed to neutralize the oily taste somewhat. However, make no mistake, this is still a sinful and oily dish but one thats done well in both quality and quantity.
My gf had this soup and i had a taste, i can't remember what vegetable it was but i can tell you it tasted fresh, sweet and appetising.
Half dozen baked Burgundy snails with tomato and garlic butter - Feeling a little adventurous, we ordered an addtional serving for appetiser which was these little critters you see here. Snails. First off, i've never tasted these things before and was warned that they come with a weird and sometimes pungent smell when done wrong. However, this rendition i tried was optimistic. The tomato and garlic butter was baked well into the dish and managed to cover the pungent taste. There was still a hint of the slimey texture of the snail but otherwise, the majority of the taste went to the garlic butter. It was quite alright actually.
Filet de boeuf sauce moutarde et herbes fraîches - Pan seared beef tenderloin of about 150gm served with mashed potato mustard and herb sauce. The beef itself was a little overcooked on the sides but got better towards the middle since my order was for medium rare. The meat near the middle was tender and succulent with a generous smattering of juiciness. The herb sauce fared pretty well but bordered on being too salty. Mashed potato was excellent, supremely smooth and easy on the palate but some may find it too milky.
Guinea fowl and pork sausage served with melted cabbage and bacon, brown jus - My gf's dish, i only had a small taste of this but i found it salty and sourish. Not exactly something i would like. For the record, my gf didn't like this much either.
Fondant chaud au chocolat - Ah....fondants. Something i would soon stop ordering since i now know how to make it myself. Their rendition was pretty good, nice and crispy on the outside while warm suitably flowing on the inside. The chocolate is just right, not too sweet nor too bitter. This went well with the chocolate sorbet but horribly with the reddish fruit (i suspect raspberry).
“Mont-Blanc” vanilla ice cream, chestnut purée and meringue - Well, this didn't go too well. Being my first mont blanc and all, the vanilla ice cream was the only thing passable while the chestnut puree tasted like sweetened yam. Utterly disappointed given the rather flashy name.
Hazelnut tart with orange marmalade and vanilla “Crème Anglaise” - Another disappointment in the dessert department, this hazelnut tart was once again, rather lacklustre in weird in the taste department. Its also warm and the thing that looks like ice cream isn't. It tastes like orange cream and didn't go well with the tart at all.
Total bill came up to $131 for this meal.
In the end, the meal was still satisfactory even though one main dish and 2 of its desserts were rather lacklustre. Service was excellent while the relaxed atmosphere would have been complete if the corporate event was not ongoing while we were there. I did realise that all of the dishes that didn't live up to standard came from the $30 lunch menu while the $58 lunch menu was generally better in standard and taste. Maybe a difference in price means a difference in quality?
Rating given: