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Food & Beverage
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1=SGD 0.0587
An opportunity to try out Cocotte's (which is actually a small casserole used in French cooking) newly launched brunch menu came by way of an invitation to dine there one Sunday afternoon. At the helm of this one and a half year old French restaurant is Chef Anthony Yeoh, who used to one half of the "Funky Chefs" cooking duo that offered private chef services.
Holed up on the ground level of Wanderlust Hotel along Dickson Road, Cocotte takes quite an effort to get to if you are driving. There are major constructions going around in that area and some streets are no through road or one way. Parking is a nightmare as street lots are limited and the unofficial extension of the Sungei Road flea market spills over.
The restaurant itself isn't big (probably 40 - 50 diners tops) and has a strange welcoming feel to it. I wouldn't describe it as homely but it had this certain appeal to make you want to just sit back and enjoy your meal in a very measured sort of way. Guess they don't want you to get too comfortable and hog the tables haha.
Croissants ($9) & Pain Au Chocolat ($10) - I can't begin expressing how good the croissants and pain au chocolat were. Served up warm, both pastries boasted a crusty exterior with puffy layers of soft, chewy goodness. Although I love chocolate, I personally preferred the croissant as it had a nice buttery finish to it. If you prefer it a little sweet, help yourself to the bottles of Alain Milliat jam that comes alongside. And I kid you not. It's probably one of the best I've had in Singapore so far. The secret behind it? The pastries are imported directly from France and baked to perfection in Cocotte's ovens.
Nicoise Salad ($18) - Fresh crunchy greens with a generous topping of tuna chunks and a smattering of anchovies, olives and hard boiled eggs - the answer to the problem of kids refusing to eat their greens. The anchovies were a little too salty though so make sure you eat them together with the greens.
Roast Herb Potatoes ($6) & Slow Roasted Vine Tomatoes and Garlic ($8) - Both of these were sides and although I didn't quite take to the tomatoes, I have to admit that they were pretty good - sweet yet mildly tart. My gf loves them though; that and the herb potatoes, which were infused with a slight herb taste and didn't come across as too soft.
Toulouse Sausages ($10) - Coming across as relatively thick, the sausages were a mixture of chicken and pork. Very flavourful and rather juicy. Only downside is that it's really quite oily and consuming too much will not only make you nauseous but send your cholesterol levels soaring.
Scrambled Eggs ($5) - Simplicity at its best. The eggs were nice with a hint of milkiness sans the wateriness. Now if only I had kept some of the croissant to go with it.
Creamed Leeks and Scallops Crepe ($22) - Honestly I'm not a big fan of the savoury crepes, being more partial towards it's sweet cousin. So this didn't quite work for me though I liked the huge piece of seared scallop atop.
Croque Madame ($18) - The croque madame ranked a close second to the croissants in my list of favourite dishes that afternoon. Crisp brioche heavy on the buttery goodness and topped with ham and a runny egg. Simply decadent! And not to mention unhealthy. But hey, for something so good, health concerns can always take a back seat for the moment ;)
See all my pictures here.
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We decided to drop by Turf City one Sunday evening and have dinner at one of the seafood restaurants. How we ended up at Ah Yat, I have no idea, especially when my last dinner at the Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim outlet turned out to be a disaster. To be fair, that was quite a few years ago so things might have improved?
The interior of the restaurant was a stark contrast to its surroundings. Soothing but a little gaudy versus partially smashed bare concrete, displaced steel wires/nails and loud drilling noises. Yes, the entire Turf City is under renovation and only a handful of units remain open ( I counted 3 - Owen Seafood, Ah Yat & Giant).
Shark's Fin Soup - Decently sized with slivers of shark's fin and crab meat, the broth was a little too starchy and salty for my liking. Thankfully the serving of fried, albeit overly oily bean sprouts helped to alleviate this dish by introducing water content as well as a wonderful crunch to it. It's interesting how sometimes the humblest of produce can help turn a dish around.
Oyster with Garlic - For our set, we had a choice of Bamboo Clam or Oyster and I chose the latter. And honestly, I couldn't quite make out any taste other than garlic because it was just so overwhelming.
Braised Abalone with Sea Cucumber - I am usually not a big fan of abalone and Ah Yat's well known dish just wasn't about to convert me. The abalone was of decent size (6 head) and a little chewy, though I did find it a little on the salty side. The accompanying sea cucumber and mushroom were decent but failed to leave much of an impression.
Peking Duck - The peking duck was an additional order we craved meat. And it didn't turn out to be a very wise decision. Though the skin was crisp, both the meat and crepe were too dry. Felt very much like eating roast duck - nothing special.
Fried Rice - Although the lack of ingredients was apparent (there was only egg yolk and dried scallop slivers), this dish had a nice wok hei to it and each individual grain was evenly coated and didn't come across as too oily. Be warned that the dried scallops should be eaten together with the rice as the salt content is rather high and might prove unbearable if eaten alone.
Overall the meal wasn't fantastic and even the more expensive ingredients didn't quite justify the price, at about $210 for 3 pax. Service was decent but I highly doubt I will ever return.
See all my pictures here.
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Had dinner at Tung Lok Seafood @ Arena Country Club, a rather obscure club (if you even call it a club) just opposite SAFTI MI. Strangely enough, the same stretch of low rise buildings also host a go karting track and a huge burger king outlet.
The place is quite a size and can easily fit up to 200 people. However, the interior is a little dated but still presentable nonetheless. Definitely more suited to family dining than business meals.
Homemade Beancurd with Spinach - Sitting on a bed of spinach and topped with mushrooms, this dish lacked consistency. Some pieces of beancurd had a nice savoury taste but some were just outright bland. Pity really.
Sweet and Sour Pork - While I will admit that the sweet and sour pork had a nice smoky taste to it, the meat to flour proportion was greatly skewed in favour of the flour, which was a real bummer. Not to mention that portions were tiny for $18 .
Stir Fried Kailan - Drenched in light, mildly salty gravy without being overcooked. Very decent.
Roast Chicken - Served with the de facto crackers, the roast chicken boasted razor thin crisp skin coupled with tender flesh and a generous splashing of salt. Only gripe I had was that the meat could have been juicier. Still good though but nothing compared to what I had at Lung King Heen of course.
Deep Fried Prawns with Wasabi Mayo Sauce - Apparently Tung Lok came up with this dish many years ago. I am not sure how accurate this piece of information is but the prawns were really quite good. Huge, crunchy and coated in a thin layer of flour with a mild tolerable level of wasabi. But it's $52 for a large serving for 9 pax.
Horfun with Prawns - Although each of us managed to snag a huge prawn each, the hor fun itself lacked wok hei but I did like the not too starchy gravy with generous amounts of egg. But at $40 for such a small portion, I'm inclined to think that it's quite overpriced.
Total bill for the 9 of us stood at $238 with a 20% discount. Sure, we were all stuffed at the end of it (courtesy of the ever reliable bowls of rice) and food quality was generally above average, but I wouldn't term it value for money. Portions were less than generous and honestly, none of the ingredients in our dishes were anywhere near expensive. But still, if a family dinner is at hand and you would like an "established" brand name with decent food and prices that won't break your bank, Tung Lok Seafood may just appeal to you. See all my pictures here.
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Ambience
Bologna has a very generic restaurant layout with standard fittings and honestly doesn't come across as an Italian restaurant in my humble opinion. The sole redeeming factor is that one side of it faces the pool, which offers a temporary respite from the usual hustle and bustle. That's provided you manage to snag a table by the window.
Variety
I kid you not. The buffet variety during lunch was limited with about 6-8 cooked dishes, 2 varieties of pizza, a couple of cold appetisers/salads and another 5-6 types of dessert (mainly pastries).
Quality
For the most part, food quality was average at best. The chicken came across as dry and so did the seared tuna. Pizzas fared slightly better with a thin base topped with boring ingredients (ie. vegetarian pizza). Desserts were mundane and I gave up after a few nibbles.
Service
Generally attentive and professional but can be a little too attentive at times. Think someone standing beside your table and observing your every move. Uncomfortable.
Value for money
With a 50% discount, the lunch buffet for 2 cost to the tune of $54, which is cheap by hotel standards. But factor in quality and variety of food and it does come across as relatively expensive. I can't speak for the ala carte menu but the lunch buffet in my humble opinion, is a wash out. Definitely not a place I would patronise again, even @ 50% off.
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Had dinner at this latest outlet of Botak Jones since we were in the area. The burger patties tasted machine made and were too dry for my liking. Honestly, I think Carls junior does better and bigger burgers for a slightly cheaper price. The black pepper chicken was decent but run off the mill. You could probably get similar quality chicken at western food stalls at random hawker centres. For the price, I wouldn't return. Service was decent but it was quite difficult to catch the attention of wait staff at times.
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Was staying in nearby Conrad for the weekend but didn't fancy anything too elaborate for dinner so settled for a quick meal at Space @ My Humble House at the Esplanade.
Playing neighbour to it's more illustrious sibling, My Humble House (which by the way didn't quite impress me on my previous visit), Space has a nice modern, minimalistic vibe to it - definitely not some place you would expect to find local favourites like chicken rice, hokkien mee and the likes. But at a premium of course.
Mama Leong's Chicken Rice - Apparently this humble dish was named after Sam Leong's mum. And I thought it was good - tender, moist and seeping with flavour. You have the option of ordering an entire chicken ($32), half a chicken ($18) and single portion @ $12. Rice is an additional $1/head and though fragrant and seemingly prudent with the oil, lacked the fluffiness that I would have liked.
Fried Radish Cake with Freshly-peeled Crabmeat, Whole Prawns, Juicy Scallops and Egg - I loved the extravagance of this dish - huge prawns and scallops coupled with copious amount of egg. However it lacked the slightly charred taste and came across as bland. Somehow everything just didn't seem to meld together. The radish cake wasn't exactly smooth and silky either.
A quick meal of local dishes cost us to the tune of $48 (inclusive of a small cup of watermleon juice @ $6). The chicken rice was good but the radish cake only made it to average based on the merit of the prawns and scallops; without which, it would have languished at the bottom half of the scale. Service was decent but hardly a selling point.
See all my pictures here.
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We were at Robertson Quay on a Saturday afternoon and we were hungry. Brasserie Wolf beckoned with its crowd free premises so we settled for it.
It was a warm day and the sufficiently cooled interior provided a nice respite from the heat and away from the al fresco crowds that littered the establishment next door. The setting is decidedly modern with splashes of retro, depending on which area you sit at.
Traditional French Onion Soup - I liked the richness of the soup but did find it a tad too sweet. The gruyere cheese and toast was great though, with its gooey-ness and mildly charred undertones. Great way to warm up the belly! And if you noticed, the serving bowl is in the shape of a heart. Perfect for those romantic dinners eh?
Traditional Nicoise Salad - The aesthetics were pleasing and the greens were fresh and crunchy. But I didn't quite take to this dish due to my personal opinion that the grilled tuna was overly fishy. I did like the texture though.
Pork Belly - "Extremely fatty" was the first thought that popped into my mind when I had a glimpse of the pork belly. Never mind that it was tender or that the sauce gave it a unique oriental feel (tasted like it had hoisin sauce in it). I just couldn't bring myself to stomach (and savour) that proportionally imbalanced piece of pork, not with the skin mildly crispy and sticking to my teeth with every bite.
USDA Prime Sirloin - The sirloin was more well done than medium well and thus the meat came out a little too dry and tough for my liking. But I did like the natural bovine flavours and the pinch of salt seasoning. What I particularly liked about this dish was the shoestring (irony!) fries and the dip. Free of any rancid oil taste and dipped in creamy goodness with nuances of spring onion - tasty!
Steamed Toffee and Date Pudding - I fell in love with this dessert at Marmalade Pantry @ Palais some years back. And seeing that Brasserie Wolf served this dessert as well, I decided to take my chances. It wasn't half as good as the one as I had at Marmalade but it was decent. The pudding was much less compact and had a spongy, cake like texture. Topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, the whole combination wasn't overly sweet but sans the toffee sauce, it was reminiscent of steamed cupcakes (发糕). Well, the taste at least.
With the palate discount of 50%, 2 of us forked out close to $70 for a filling but not entirely gratifying lunch. Food quality hovered a notch above average but service was decent. Coupled with the lack of crowds, I might just be enticed to pop by again for a quiet meal if I happen to be in the vicinity.
See all my pictures here.
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Taking advantage of a free Saturday evening, we decided to have dinner at Pierside - a rather well established eatery under the Marmalade group of restaurants.
Just across the shore from the towering Marina Bay Sands, Pierside Kitchen occupies a corner of One Fullerton, playing neighbour to Chinese restaurant, Jing. There is an option of alfresco dining or a rather dim air conditioned interior. We opted for the former as the weather held out fine but it was the view that proved to be the deal clincher.
Complimentary Bread - Served piping hot, the complimentary bread was small but simple. And the butter melted effortlessly, which made for a nice stop gap measure against hunger pangs.
Hokkaido Corn Chowder - Smooth and creamy with a light hint of corn and a dash of pepper to accentuate the flavour, the chowder had bits of sweet corn in it to give it that nice crunchy texture. Pretty decent if you ask me.
Pan Roasted Foie Gras - It's been a while since I've had decent foie gras and Pierside didn't disappoint. While I wouldn't go as far as saying that it was great, the foie gras was respectable by many measures. A little crisp on the outside with a relatively smooth and quivery inside sans the overpowering gamy taste. Best eaten with the accompanying prune.
Crispy Duck Confit with Celeriac Puree - Crisp skin coupled with pinkish, chewy meat - no complaints really. But somehow the duck confit came up short in taste, coming across as a little pedestrian. Still a decent eat nonetheless.
300 Day Grain Fed Braised Beef Cheeks - I personally didn't quite take to the risotto that came alongside the beef cheeks, finding it a little too soft for my liking. The beef cheeks however, were reasonably tender and flavourful, with the only issue lying in the small portion size. The obligatory greens came in the form of a single stalk of asparagus chopped into half and topped with pepper and salt. Overall a decent eat.
Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Mousse - What I liked about this dessert was the fact that it tasted like one of my favourite snacks, Reese's peanut butter cups! The mousse had a very strong taste of peanut butter (not so much salted caramel) and sat on a crunchy hazelnut base. Accompanying it was a nice dollop of vanilla bean ice cream and a few slices of caramalised bananas. Only recommended for those who really like peanut butter.
Banana Creme Brulee - The banana creme brulee looked different from your regular creme brulee in a bowl/cup. It was rectangular and flat, with the less than quivery custard sandwiched between 2 layers of perfectly torched caramel. Adding weight to the dish were banana slices that were a little charred along the edges and a scoop of mascarpone ice cream. All in all a rather nice dessert!
With dinner for 2 hitting about $190, I wouldn't say it's anywhere near cheap or reasonable. And I am not sure the quality and quantity of food justifies the pricing. For me, it's probably going to be a one time off meal at Pierside.
See all my pictures here.
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Enticed by the AMEX 1 for 1 set menu at Tung Lok and the prospect of catching up, a couple of us met up for dinner at The Central's Signatures (TLS for short) outlet for dinner one evening. I've actually never been a fan of Tung Lok as I've yet to experience really good food at any of their outlets, including their much touted Humble House.
Located on the 2nd floor of The Central and immaculately done up to exude an air of oriental poshness, Tung Lok Signatures stands out from the crowd of eateries that crowd the area. Tables are spaced at a relatively comfortable distance and full length windows allow a great view of Clarke Quay and the Singapore river.
Flame Traditional-style Boiled Shark’s Fin Soup with Chicken - Gimmicky flames aside (due to the lighting of wax at the side of the bowl), I thought that the broth was excellent - flavourful yet light on the palate. Fin portions were reasonably substantial with bits of chicken to balance out the texture.
Pan-fried French Foie Gras with Crispy Beancurd Skin served on Pancake - Playing on the concept of Peking Duck, TLS's take on the pan fried foie gras involved serving the foie gras (with a layer of peking duck sauce on top) together with a crackling piece of beancurd skin and wrapped over using a rectangular piece of thick crepe. I honestly thought that it was an interesting concept but I did find the foie gras way too gamy for my liking. And that honestly killed this dish for me.
Steamed Soon Hock Belly with Minced Ginger - The soon hock was fresh but a little lacking in natural sweetness. One other gripe too. Being the belly, it had tons of bones which made it a pain to consume.
Crispy Kurobuta Pork Cartilage in Chili Sauce served with Deep-fried Bun - This dish seemed promisingly at the onset but didn't quite dazzle. The pork cartilage was coated with flour, deep fried and drenched in chilli sauce that was similar to chilli crab gravy, just a lot less spicy. The meat was tender but somehow I couldn't get past my psychological barrier to stomach the gelatinous cartilage. I liked the deep fried bun though.
Braised Japanese Handmade Noodles with Lobster Meat and Vegetable - Alongside the shark's fin soup, this was probably the best dish of the evening. Springy and robust noodles with minimal portions of lobster meat and a nice, savoury gravy. And of course, the obligatory 2 stalks of vegetables.
Chilled Grapefruit Shaven Ice topped with Ice-cream served in Pomelo - I was hoping for a sweet ending to my meal. But what I got was a cold, bitter dessert, which pretty much sums up how we felt at the end of the meal. But to be fair to the grapefruit, I'm just not a fan.
With the AMEX 1 for 1 promotion, 6 of us clocked in at almost $352 for dinner. Service was good but food left much to be desired. Even with the promotion, I'm not sure I would want to fork out almost $60 a head for food of such quality and portions. And with this meal, I have officially closed the chapter on Tung Lok, never to return.
See all my pictures here.
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Popped by Cova Pasticceria for dinner one evening since we were in the vicinity and everywhere else was packed. Started in 1819 in Milan and originally patronised by the crème de la crème of society, Cova has expanded to a few countries in Asia to cater to those who seek "the high life" (albeit if only temporary).
And the decor is telling. Dark wood coupled with European style overhanging lamps that throw off warm light and well designed cornices greet you as you step into the cozy space that Cova occupies. Simple yet elegant.
Mushroom Risotto - For $30 , I had expected something more substantial than a miserly thin layer of risotto which I finished in 2 mouthfuls. And to compound matters, the risotto was a little overcooked for my liking.
Seafood Spaghetti - The seafood spaghetti fared a little better though I did think that the spaghetti wasn't al dente. I liked the light tomato based sauce and the fresh seafood but as with the risotto, portions were pathetic.
Lamb Rack - I didn't get to try this but from observation, portions were still small.
Peanut Feuilletine - And for dessert, a tiny piece of peanut feuilletine about a third the size of a regular slice of cake you would get at the likes of Starbucks, Coffeebean etc. To give it credit, the feuillentine was nicely thin and crisp while the chopped peanuts provided a nice crunch to the whole dessert. There wasn't much to go around though.
A miserable meal for 3 cost to the tune of $130, which is ridiculously expensive in my humble opinion. Portions were pathetic and two people with average appetites would have been able to polish off all the dishes with ease (we resorted to MacDonalds after the meal). Food quality hovered around average to slightly above average but the prices (and portion size) definitely do not warrant a revisit. Also, service lacked warmth and I didn't feel invited at times. Maybe we are just the wrong target audience.
See all my pictures here.
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