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Located in the middle (almost) of Purvis Street which is teeming with eateries, you might just miss out on Garibaldi if you are unaware because the exterior is rather plain and discreet, save for the vertical signboard hanging by the side of the building. Now this is the first time that I've been to a restaurant which utilizes heavy sliding doors in favour of push/pull doors and that really says something about their target market - well heeled individuals/executives. The sliding doors act as a natural filter to "sieve" out your average Joe. Well lets just leave it at that. As you are being ushered into the small main dining area, which can probably seat about 30 people or so, the solemness of the interior weighs down on you. Decor is sombre and minimalistic, with racks of wine displayed prominently in the foreground. Seats are plush and comfortable, but can be taxing on your back if you don't lean backwards.
I certainly feel that the complimentary servings of bread warrant a section all by itself. The bread was fragrant with a slightly crispy exterior that belied its soft and fluffy interior. However, what sets it apart from other breads is its taste. It had this slightly cheesy aftertaste which would melt the hearts of even the most ardent detractors. I attribute this great taste to the bits of Mozzarella cheese that I noticed on the bread crust. It would be a shame if you visit Garibaldi and not have second or third servings of this bread.
Compared to the veal I had at PaPi, which was laden with sauce, Garibaldi's Roast Veal in Tuna Sauce exercised more constrain and the tuna sauce was used sparingly. The result? A much better tasting veal with more bite which didn't look lost in a sea of sauce. However, having said that, I find it rather sad because tuna was the dominant flavour instead of veal.
Its funny how you order chicken in an Italian restaurant and wonder how its going to turn out. Well, my Chicken Breast with Zucchini Smoked Cheese and Spicy Tomato turned out just fine. The chicken breast was extremely tender and had some sort of buoyancy in it, which tasted a wee bit unnatural. Come to think of it, the chicken was so smooth and tender that I couldn't detect any fibrous shreds. Work of a master or something else? Taste wise, it was great, with the chicken absorbing the smoky flavours perfectly and with lots of succulent juices to boot. But it did tend towards the salty side. The zucchini with cheese was done right, as evidenced by the grill marks on the zucchini.
There wasn't a choice with the desserts, so everyone had the same thing, which was a scoop of Pistachio ice cream and one of Hazelnut. Personally I prefered the Hazelnut ice cream as it tasted familiarly like Ferraro Roche chocolates. The Pistachio ice cream, on the other hand, didn't taste quite like Pistachio and had a slightly creamy taste. Both ice creams were quite smooth, but I detected ice chips in them, which might have been due to poor handling.
Set lunch with a bottle of still water came up to about $38.50/pax, which is rather expensive for the quantity of food. Honestly, we wouldn't have been full if not for the multiple servings of the wonderful bread. Quality wise, it is commendable and I find it comparable to Senso. However there is a sense that Garibaldi's food offers more finesse, albeit in smaller portions. Service is very professional and attentive but lacks friendliness.
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Rating given:
As you stroll through Ritz Carlton's grand lobby, hotel staff greet you affably and even offer to show you to the door of the restaurant. Once inside, a moderate sized room with floor to ceiling windows greet you, with a view of a typical ancient Chinese garden complete with walls and bamboo shoots on one side and the magnificent lobby entrance on the other. And let me assure you that it is nothing short of breathtaking, especially when you get a table thats flanked by both the lobby and the garden. Well we were lucky enough to get such a table.
The only other place that I had the delectable appetiser of Deep Fried Yam Slices was Li Bai. Crisp yet fragrant, a great way to start off any meal.
Now when I ordered the Double Boiled Shark's Fin Soup with Chicken, Ham and Chinese Cabbage, I was expecting it to be full of anything but Shark's Fin for its price ($16). Boy, was I wrong. It had enough Shark's Fin in it to put other restaurants $30 rendition to shame. And mind you, the fins were of very decent quality. The soup was light, not too starchy and flavourful due to the addition of chicken, ham and Chinese cabbage which also gave it that extra chew. But I did find the ham a little weird tasting though.
Shark cartilage soup is supposed to be good for the bones and old people like me need quite a bit of it. The Double Boiled Shark's Cartilage Soup with Fish Maw looked and tasted milky with a slightly salty aftertaste. But somehow I found it a wee bit too heavy on the taste. Certainly not the best shark's cartilage soup I've ever tried, but certainly a very commendable offering.
The Wok-Fried stuffed King Prawn in Japanese Style came as the surprise of the night. When it was first served, both my gf and I thought that it was fish, but upon closer inspection, it was actually a gigantic prawn covered in thick gravy. For us to erroneously believe that it was a slice of fish, you can imagine how huge it was (its called king prawn for a reason). The prawn was covered in a garlic infused gravy and tasted very fresh and crunchy, with the garlicky taste complementing the natural sweetness of the prawn very well.
For those who have never tried fish noodles, Summer Pavilion gives you a reason to try. The Poached Fish Noodle Soup with Lobster have a very springy and chewy texture, allowing for more sensation as you chomp through it. The soup tastes suspiciously like that of prawn noodles, albeit a much lighter and soothing version, with little chunks of lobster meat swimming around in it. Best of all, it doesn't cost you an arm or a leg for a bowl ($8).
You might be wondering, whats zucchini doing in a Chinese restaurant? Well, as the name suggests, the Steamed Zucchini Flower stuffed with Prawn, Chicken and Mushroom is a whole zucchini flower stuffed with prawn, chicken and mushroom and then steamed. The result? A nice crunchy stem and a rather delightful paste of prawn, chicken and mushroom with a slight zucchini taste. Interesting dish to say the least and I fancy it quite a bit. Pity about the single flower serving though.
The Baked Marinated Silver Cod Fish with Champagne Sauce was excellently executed. The cod fish was very fresh, soft and tender, with the Champagne sauce being a little strong and sweet. Certainly not strong enough to knock your socks off, but strong enough for you to appreciate its presence. Savour the richness of the champagne and the delicate flesh of the fish with every mouthful. Certainly a dish to tantalise your tastebuds.
The Red Bean Paste Pancake came slightly different from the usual ones that I've tried. The crust wasn't flaky and looked like it had been deep fried instead of pan fried. The difference is obvious from the first bite. The deep fried crust is very thin and crispy and certainly ups the enjoyment factor (for me at least). The red bean paste isn't too sweet, but other than that, comes across as normal. I personally find this one of the best, if not the best Red Bean Paste Pancake that I've ever tried. If you are a fan of this dish, be sure not to miss it.
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Rating given:
Italian food was on the cards on Saturday night as my gf had a craving for pasta. Settling for OSO Ristorante along Tanjong Pagar Road, we were dismayed to discover that it was full when I called in to make reservations. Nevertheless, some kind soul gave up his/her seat and we managed to squeeze our reservation through. Just a little insight into OSO. They fall under the same umbrella as PaPi, but prices are higher and food is decidedly finer.
From the moment you step in, the staff at OSO treat you with due respect. The interior is kept simple and modern, but rather haphazard if you ask me, owing to the dabs of Chinese New Year decorations around. But all in all a rather nice and comfortable place except for the fact that the tables are way to close to each other. It's still alright if there's no one seating beside you, but unfortunately for us, there were these 2 guys who were literally too close for comfort. Anyways, on to the food.
The Pan Fried Eggs "Tegamino" with Black Truffle Puree and Mixed Cheese Fondue was a rather interesting dish and came served up in a hot pan. It certainly didn't look the least bit appetising due to the huge portholes on the surface of the egg. Taste wise, I found it pretty unusual due to the mixture of the cheese, egg and black truffle. It tasted eggy and cheesy with a slightly salty and bitter presence due to the black truffle, which was not too bad actually. My gf found it gross though, so the verdict's still out.
My gf was all applause for the "Spaghetti" with Mixed Seafood, Garlic, Peperoncino and Tomato Sauce and I tend to veer in that direction too. The spaghetti was cooked to perfection - chewy and firm with a wonderful tomato sauce which didn't come across as too overwhelming. Pepperoncino adds that tinge of spiciness and garlic brings out the aroma. Add in fresh seafood and viola, you have a dish which speaks true to your tastebuds. Honestly, this is probably one of the few tomato based pastas that I have eaten and not feel overwhelmed by the tomato taste.
With the rather impressive quality of food so far, I had high hopes for the Ossobuco, having had the chance to experience a wonderful rendition at Senso some months back. My expectations were probably over the roof and OSO's Ossobuco didn't quite match up. Sure the meat was soft and fall off the bone tender, but it lacked that firm texture. Ironically, the star of this dish was not the veal, but the potato puree. The puree tasted so smooth that at a certain point, I was wondering if it was butter or puree.
The Oven Baked "Banana" Cake and Cardamom Caramel was a decent effort, but I found it a little under baked as the cake was still a little too moist and sticky. Real bananas were used in the making, not essence, which was definitely a plus. However, I wonder about the type of bananas used as the taste was a little flat. Using Ang Ba Jio would probably have been better.
I like the Hot Dark Chocolate Tart "Crostata" with Milk Ice Cream. Period. The semi molten dark chocolate is enclosed by a ring of fresh oven baked tart which is gloriously baked till golden brown and crumbly with a strong oven baked taste. Once the enclosure is compromised, the dark chocolate wobbles out and is best eaten together with the sweet milk ice cream and tart. The amalgamation is one step short of stupendous (alright I might be biased because I like chocolate and I like tarts).
A very filling dinner for 2 pax cost $99.05 (after 15% discount), which is rather reasonable for Italian restaurants of this calibre. Service is good, but can be less uptight at times, which would make for a relaxing dining experience. But then again, they are probably trying to portray an image that is in line with OSO's semi fine dining concept. I'll probably revisit if and only if they do something about the lack of personal space. My gf and I certainly do not appreciate being gawked at when we are eating or trying to have a conversation nor are we interested in hearing other people's conversations. Oh and yes, if you do want to visit during the weekends, please please please make reservations.
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Rating given:
Desire - to wish or long for; crave; want. It also happens to be the name of the flagship restaurant at the recently opened The Scarlet Hotel, which serves up European food with an Asian influence. I popped by for lunch with my colleague on a lazy Friday afternoon to check out the food.
I guess exhilarating best describes the Victorian theme of the restaurant. Decked out in shades of red and black, the interior oozes old world charm and solemn antiquity. Soft fluffy cushion seats and colonial style windows complete the journey back in time.
From my conversation with the waitress, I came to understand that Desire serves up 3 types of complimentary bread, rotating each on a daily basis. What I got was the tomato bread, which I found to be rather pleasing with bits of dried tomato entrenched in it. Not quite the flavourful with bursts of tomato juice bread that I had expected, but decent enough with a soft, fluffy and warm interior.
Escargot. Don't you just love them? Well at least for me, I like them enough to order this chef's recommendation of Cream of Escargot drizzled with Truffle Oil. It was quite good as the soup was not too dense and tasted rather light on the palate. However, the escargots didn't have much taste and the texture was similar to that of chicken, albeit slightly more chewy. Another grouse I had was that there was too much sweet corn in the soup, making it a tad too sweet for my liking.
Crisp Romaine with Sesame Glazed Barbeque Chicken in Three Mustard Dressings - The vegetables were crisp and green with freshness. Together with the chewy and slightly charred Char Siew taste alike Sesame Glazed Barbeque Chicken, it proved to be a hit. But unfortunately, I couldn't quite make out the three mustards dressing, whatever that may be.
I liked the Oven Baked Tenderloin of Beef with Rosemary Jus, Vanilla Scented Roesti Potatoes with Asparagus and Roma Tomato Confit tremendously. The tenderloin was done just right, with the exterior slightly charred and the interior tender and chewy. Experience the juiciness and sweetness of the steak with every bite. The Rosemary Jus went very well with the steak, giving it that smooth overall taste, yet bringing out the essence of the meat. I didn't think too much of the sides though.
I only had a mouthful of the Char Grilled Atlantic Cod with Courgette Tarlet, Baby Carrots and Shiraz Jus, but it was enough. One bite is all it takes to gauge the quality. The cod was rather well done with the skin blackened from the grilling and the flesh soft yet firm. The sweetness of the flesh strikes you with every mouthful and slowly dissipates, leaving behind a lingering taste of the ocean.
Banana Fritters with Gula Melaka and Walnut Ice Cream - Now this is high class Goreng Pisang and it tastes a lot better in my personal opinion. The flour coating around the banana wasn't too thick and carried itself very well with a slightly sweet taste. However, I couldn't quite make out the Gula Melaka taste unless it was referring to the miserable streak of Gula Melaka on the plate which looked more for decoration purposes. The walnut ice cream was pretty impressive, not overwhelmingly sweet and with chunks of walnut within.
In all honesty, the Dark Chocolate Tart with Marinated Raspberries and Pistachio Ice Cream was not bad, but nowhere near outstanding. The dark chocolate tart wasn't too sweet, but the chocolate lacked richness. The biscuit wafer like base was a tad too dry and crumbled a little too easily. On a positive note, raspberries were laid inside the chocolate itself, which I felt was a nice touch, both taste and presentation wise.
Lunch for 2 pax came up to $74.59/-, inclusive of a cup of tea, coffee, latte or cappuccino. Reasonable if you ask me. The service is great, ambience is great and though the quality of food isn't excellent, it is still leagues above average. This is the perfect place to bring your date, but do remember to make reservations for those lovey dovey cushion seats.
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Rating given:
Had dinner with my parents at Borshch Steakhouse, a Russian restaurant run by a Hainanese (How weird) and just a mere 10 minute walk from our house. Not much is known about Borshch (I tried googling!) except for the fact that its been around since god knows when. I probably wasn't even in existence then!
Going to Borshch for a meal is akin to stepping into an air conditioned grilling area as you walk out of it reeking strongly of cooking fumes. It certainly doesn't help that the place is rather small and crampish which only serves to contain the fumes.
Whats a meal without soup? The cream of mushroom soup was thick and starchy and tasted exactly like the can of Campbell soup I have sitting in my kitchen cabinet. In the same vein, the garlic bread was unremarkable and was merely slices of unevenly toasted but crispy baguettes spread with a thin layer of butter atop.
Shrimp Cocktail - I honestly don't know what to make of this appetiser as the shrimps were really tiny! Not that they tasted fresh either, masked by the overwhelming and over generous salad dressing.
Grilled Pork Chop - For a Hainanese run eatery, I would have expected a reasonably good dish of pork chop and Borshch didn't disappoint. The grilled pork chop was evenly grilled with a nice slightly chewy texture to boot. I did find the slab of meat to be a little too fatty though
Sirloin Steak - I was rather skeptical about ordering a steak in such a place, especially when Astons was just next door. However, skepticism soon turned to mild appreciation as I subjected the steak to the taste test. First of all, the steak was done as per my request, medium rare. Second, the meat was fibrous and a tad tasty even without the accompanying gravy. Portions were also quite respectable for the price. I also personally like this dish for the fact that a small mold of butter was allowed to sizzle in the hotplate to give the meat an added boost in terms of taste and smell.
Fancy Pancake and Peach Melba - The desserts were lousy. I couldn't see or taste what was so fancy about the pancake save for a tiny slice of banana wrapped up in the middle. The ice cream in the Peach Melba had ice chips in it and tasted familiarly like Wall's tub ice cream. Four words. I can do better.
Baked Alaska - No visit to a Russian eatery is complete without an order of the famous Baked Alaska, which is essentially ice cream and sponge cake encased within a thick layer of meringue which is then briefly placed in an extremely hot oven to firm the meringue. Borshch's rendition was a slight variation of the original concept, opting to pour a small quantity of rum onto the meringue and flambéing it till it turned a shade of burnt. I personally found it quite good, with the meringue frothy and blending well with the sponge cake and ice cream. Then again, not many places in Singapore do up this dish so its hard to form any basis for comparison. Please note that this dessert is meant to be shared.
A decently satisfying dinner for 3 cost almost $60, which isn't too expensive to pay considering that the mains were decent and so was the Baked Alaska. Service is practically nonexistent though so please do not expect any. Now, they really should do something about the ventilation.
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Rating given:
Xi Yan first opened in Singapore in 2005, bringing along a whole new concept of dining to Singapore with the introduction of private dining whereby tables are extremely limited (think 3-5 tables), reservations are definitely necessary and the chef decides what you eat for that day. It does sound draconian, but the upside is that the menu changes daily, save for a few specialties and dining is exclusive!
Nestled amongst the old shop houses along Craig Road, Xi Yan, as mentioned earlier, is by reservations only and you need a minimum of 6 pax to dine there (exceptions can be made if you do not meet the required number of people, but you need to order the pricier menu. Rule of thumb is - You need to spend about $500-$600/table). The entrance to Xi Yan is discreet, without even a hint of its presence (That explains the difficulty we had in trying to locate it). Here's a clue though. It shares the premises with Sui Japanese Restaurant.
The interior is cosy and modernly furnished with hues of red and brown. Abstract paintings don the sides and ambient lighting is practised. Simplicity at its finesse .
Greenhouse Tomatoes in Sesame Sauce - As the name suggests, the tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse aka organic tomatoes and are much bigger than your average tomato. Not to mention that they cost ridiculously more as well. According to the waiter, these organic tomatoes are juicier and taste better. I am inclined to agree. The tomatoes were juicy and full of bite. With the wasabi infused sesame sauce, the tomato was refreshing and truly an appetizer.
Cold Tofu Pork Floss - Interesting dish with the tofu topped with pork floss, salted egg yolk, dried shrimps and deep fried shallot.A nice combination with the saltiness of the dried shrimp complementing the sweetness of the pork floss with the shallot to give it fragrance. However, the tofu which was supposedly imported from Japan, lacked the silky smoothness which good tofu should have.
Shrimp and Crab Paste on Baguette Toast - A fanciful presentation and preparation method, but tasted nothing out of this world. It is Hong Kong's version of our Heh Bi Hiam. I did find it weird eating bread during a Chinese dinner, but maybe thats just me.
Sichuan Pickles in Spicy Sauce - This dish came with pickles (or jerkins if thats what you know them by) and radish soaked in a spicy concoction of Sichuan peppercorn and a wee bit of sugar. I took a bite of the radish and sweared off it as it was way too sour for my liking. If you like sour and spicy stuff, then this might suit your tastebuds.
Deep Fried Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk - A few grievances about this dish. First of all, the prawns were only averaged sized. For the price we were paying, I had expected huge prawns. Second, the prawns weren't cleaned properly. The innards(or shit if you prefer) could still be seen. The good thing was, the salted egg yolk coating on the prawn shells tasted better with every mouth. It did come across as a little too mild at first though, but the more you suck at the shell, the better the taste.
Stewed Beef Shin with Tangerine Peel - The beef shin was quite good, soft and tender from simmering in the pot for 2 hrs. I could detect a tinge of sweetness as well, probably from the tangerine peel. However, the raw beef taste can be quite overwhelming at times and thats coming from someone who likes steak medium rare.
Sichuan Salivating Chicken - Please do not be mislead by the odd sounding name of this dish. The chicken does not salivate. The sauce is supposed to be so good that it makes the consumer salivate. Quite an audacious claim I must say. Ingredients in this dish are quite interesting actually, with chicken slices, yam noodles, roasted peanuts, chilli, coriander and century egg. I personally found everything normal except for the yam noodles which were surprisingly chewy and full of bite. I've never tried anything like it. Just for the record, this dish did make me salivate, but not from the goodness of the sauce, but from the chilli in it. An underhand method? You decide.
Fried Lemongrass Shrimp Paste Grouper - According to our waiter, many other restaurants would actually steam a good fish in order to exhibit its freshness. But not Xi Yan. What they have done is to deep fry the fish first till its 70% cooked and then coat it with the lemongrass shrimp paste and then deep fry again. The result? A crispy exterior with a soft and moist interior. I laud the skill in the preparation of this dish, but denigrate the quality of the fish. The flesh came across as rather bland, not sweet as I would have expected it to be.
Furong Chicken Soup - This soup was supposedly boiled for 4 hrs before serving. Though relatively long, it still doesn't qualify as double boiled soup and it certainly can't match the other superior soups that I've tried. But still very decent without a doubt.
Young and Old Happy News - Interesting name, uninteresting dish. The young referred to the Dou Miao while the old referred to the preserved vegetables. Lightly fried and beautifully presented, but nothing outstanding.
Tofu Ice Cream on Pandan Glutinous Rice - This was probably the best dish of the day. The ice cream was quite well done but in no way reminded me of tofu. The base of pandan glutinous rice was not too sticky and just right on the texture, tasting pleasantly of pandan. Does this remind you of the Thai style mango atop glutinous rice?
The 6 of us chalked up a hefty bill of $630, which we felt was grossly expensive given the quality of food and ingredients used. Sure its an exclusive novelty, but novelties can only last so long. Service was excellent though and the cooking process of every dish was explained to us by our waiter in great detail. However, that alone is not enough to entice us to return. Not unless the price drops to about $50-$60 per pax down from the $88 .
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Rating given:
Hidden in an obscure corner on the third floor of the hotel, Wan Hao doesn't look like much from the outside. However, step in and be wowed by the luxurious and solemn interior which exudes pure unadulterated sophistication and charm. If dining in a party of 4 or less, do try for one of the 4 cosy corner tables that come complete with curtains.
The Wok Fried Fresh Scallop Cubes with Tropical Mango in Fresh Milk and Egg Topped with Crab Roe served on a bed of Vermicelli tasted uncannily like the excellent Shredded Scallop with Fish & Egg White from Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant, except that it was smoother and richer in taste due to the fresh milk. However, the scallop cubes were rather bland and didn't add any life to the dish. Not that this dish wasn't good though. In fact I like it enough to want to order it again when I return.
The Poached Live Prawns came deshelled, with the exception of the head. The prawns were bigger than your usual ones and were extremely fresh, crunchy and juicy. Add that to the fact that they were perfectly cooked and drenched in a garlic concoction which served to complement the natural sweetness of the prawns. Definitely a winner! But at $90/kg, you might want to think long and hard before placing your order.
The Homemade Seaweed Beancurd Topped with Shredded Abalone, Dried Seafood and Vegetables didn't quite meet expectations. The tofu, though soft, was flat in taste and lacked the natural wholesome goodness of the one I had at Li Bai. The vegetables were cooked in a way that I personally dislike - soft with thick gravy.
The Crispy Boneless Chicken Stir Fried with Fresh Strawberry in Honey and Lemon Sauce was a bummer. I thought this dish would be interesting with the use of fruits to enhance the taste of the chicken, but oh boy, was I wrong. The chicken tasted exactly like Sweet and Sour Pork, albeit of a softer texture. The sweetness from the honey didn't exactly go well with the chicken. It tasted a little too strong and the strawberries didn't really make much of an impact on the dish. But having said that, its still an above average dish.
With a name like Chilled Coconut with Sea Coconut, I had expected fresh chilled Coconut meat served with Sea Coconut, but that was not to be. It is actually a layer of Coconut jelly and a few slices of Sea Coconut served in a small Coconut husk on a bed of ice. This is one dish that would score high marks for presentation. I guess you can tell why just from looking at the picture. And it was rather pleasing to boot. The coconut jelly had a strong coconut taste and coupled with the thick and sweet syrup, it was a pleasure to consume. The Sea Coconut tasted rather normal though.
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Rating given:
I remember visiting the now defunct Haw Par Villa when I was still a kid in primary school. At that time, Haw Par Villa had opened with much fanfare and I remember paying an exorbitant amount (in the $20 range I believe) just to gain entry. Those days are long gone and all that is left of the sprawling theme park are the forgotten statues and a recently opened Chinese restaurant called Made In China which is managed by the Singapore Explorer group, the very group that manages Pier Eleven. Now who in the right mind would open a restaurant in the middle of a deserted theme park that is not really accessible without a vehicle?
Parking is a breeze because you can literally park anywhere you want along the slope that leads up to the restaurant. It all depends on how much you are willing to walk. As I stepped into the restaurant compound, everything seemed so surreal. The building and its surroundings seemed to have come out straight from some ancient martial arts flick that I used to watch. The interior of the restaurant brought me back to reality though. Sparsely furnished, this is one place that believes in spacing out its tables for the comfort of its guests and I appreciate it.
The Peking duck was both good and bad. The skin was crackling crispy and had minimal fats under it. This is probably the crispiest Peking duck skin that I've ever eaten. Such a delightful skin was only let down by the rather lacklustre skin which was thin but tasteless. The meat on the other hand, was a total letdown. A tad dry and not as tender as I had expected. There was also a discernible, albeit faint, fowl taste.
For the price ($25) , the shark's fin and fish maw soup was good. First looks, it actually reminded me of curry because of the yellowish soup base. The soup was rather intense in flavour and came across as thick and starchy while the fins and fish maw were aplenty and pretty decent. According to the waitress, the soup base is boiled for 42 hours using old chicken, old duck (literal translation) and some other stuff that are supposed to be beneficial to the body.
The Fried Golden Butter Prawns came looking rather messy and not the least bit like prawns, more like chunks of fried stuff. The batter was lightly salted and crispy with a lingering buttery aftertaste while the prawns were fresh but none too succulent. I did find this dish a little disappointing because the butter batter came across as bland, unlike the egg yolk variations I've eaten before which were decidedly more savoury. But then again, its quite decent.
Pan Grilled Miso Marinated Beef Tenderloin - Honestly, I didn't think too much of this dish. It looked like it had been drenched in oil and the black pepper taste was overwhelming, so much so that I couldn't really make out if it was beef or pork. The doneness of the beef didn't help either.
Desserts weren't fantastic but decent nevertheless. The crust of the Red Bean Paste Pancake was a little too thick for my liking and the red bean filling seemed a little runny and low on the sugar content. The Yam Paste in Coconut fared better. It's actually Orh Nee served in a coconut. The yam was very smooth, not too coagulated and mildy sweet. Only bone I had was that too much coconut milk was added and it didn't gel very well with the yam paste. The Black Glutinous Rice with Ice Cream derived its sweetness from the scoop of vanilla ice cream in its midst but was average tasting.
I'll be lying if I said that I could walk up straight after such a hearty meal because I simply couldn't, try as hard as I might. And it didn't exactly cost me a bomb either. Standing just shy of $120 for 2 pax, it's certainly not cheap but definitely a notch or two down the price scale relative to restaurants that serve up a similar quality of food.
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Flutes at the Fort - a modern Australian restaurant housed within an old refurbished colonial bungalow and set against the historical backdrop of Fort Canning Park. Amidst the lush greenery and idyllic setting, one would hardly expect to find anything but birds and trees here, much less a restaurant, a swanky one at that.
Getting there can be quite a hassle as the route to the restaurant is quite complicated unless you drive and park at the complimentary valet carpark. But even then, you will have to make your way up a flight of stairs just to get there. But its all worth it. The old bungalow is beautifully restored with modern finishes yet retaining its rustic charm. Ambient lighting is practised and the windows overlook Fort Canning's lovely foliage. There is an option of sitting indoors in the cosy air conditioned area or outdoors at the veranda, with the latter being ideal for cool evenings.
The complimentary sourdough bread was quite good - served warm with the crust lightly crackling and the interior soft and fluffy. Definitely a welcome dish to temporarily stem our hunger pangs. Just don't get carried away and stuff yourself with it or else you are not going to be able to enjoy your other food (aka the ones that cost money).
Carpaccio of Hokkaido Scallops - The only thing that I found interesting about this dish was the breadstick which was served alongside. It was extremely brittle and came coated with a layer of seaweed, giving it a nice salty taste. The thinly sliced scallops, which were supposed to be the main draw, were a little too soft and tasteless for me. Not that my other friends disagreed also.
Double Baked Alaskan King Crab Soufflé - "Where's the king crab?" was my initial reaction to this dish. Clearly that was top of my list when I ordered this dish. After a few prods and scoops, the elusive king crab was still nowhere to be found. Not that this dish tasted bad anyway (It was cheesy with a slight hint of crab). In fact, it was so good that I had the urge to order another serving, but at $25 a pop, it was a no brainer really.
My main course, the Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly. Just to reiterate that Kurobuta Pork is akin to Kobe beef in the pork hierarchy, therefore making it highly prized and expensive. The Kurobuta pork belly was nothing short of excellent, with the fats literally melt in your mouth tender and the meat fibrous yet retaining a certain firmness. Did I mention anything about the skin being crackling crispy as well? The accompanying Sauteed Portobello mushrooms were juicy and soaked up the wonderful Star Aniseed Jus, making for a wonderful and flavourful side. Please be warned that this dish is definitely not for the health conscious.
The warm Pur - Caraibe Chocolate Fondant was slightly different from the usual renditions offered by other places. There was no molten chocolate in the centre to ooze out when I broke open the shell. Instead, molten chocolate was generously poured over the entire cake and allowed to cool, resulting in a gleaming black chocolate coated cake. Taste wise, I couldn't have asked for more. The cake was moist and spongy and I could detect teeny weeny pockets of chocolate within the cake that would burst forth as I bit into it.
The Fresh Peach and Vanilla Creme Brulee kinda lowered the standards a little. Granted that the pudding was smooth and not too sweet, but the layer of charred sugar atop was way too thick. Thick enough to get stuck in your teeth and irritate the hell out of you with every bite. The accompanying Chempedak and Mint ice cream was good though, mildly sweet with a tinge of the familiar chempedak flavour. Best of all, the ice cream is placed atop a base of slightly burnt Gula Melaka and coconut shavings which only serve to enhance the taste.
Excellent food, excellent ambience, excellent company. I'm a happy man (Not so happy after I got the bill amounting to almost $520 for 7 pax). I personally feel that the price isn't too steep for the quality of food you get here and especially the fantastic ambience. Service is great to boot. On a side note, thanks to all who turned up for the dinner!
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Raffles Creamery is yet another ice cream outlet that offers the create your own ice cream plus toppings option. The other two places that I know of are Ice Cream Chefs and Cold Rock Ice Creamery at East Coast Road and Holland Village respectively.
Located at the courtyard of Raffles Hotel just behind Seah Street Deli, Raffles Creamery is the latest "culinary" offering from the grand old dame. A brightly lighted counter adorned with glass jars filled with various condiments greet you in the middle of the courtyard in accompaniment to 2 smiling waitresses who seem to get really flustered with the sudden influx of customers.
I had the Rocky Road ice cream with toppings of Banana Jelly and Oreos. To my surprise, they didn't offer to mix it up for me nor did they ask me if I wanted it mixed up. It was simply take a scoop of ice cream, put some banana jelly and oreos by the side and there you go. Honestly, I was shocked. So much for offering a mix in option. That aside, the ice cream was really creamy and smooth but thats not exactly a compliment as the taste of milk was quite overbearing. And the so called "imported from Germany" banana jelly tasted like chewy candy with a banana taste. Now how special is that?
I paid almost $6 for a scoop of ice cream with 2 seperate condiments. It isn't expensive but without the novelty factor, I could have gotten better ice cream from Ben & Jerry's for the same price. Last I checked, no revisits are in my schedule.
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