Located at ground floor of StarHub Building, off Orchard Road behind Centrepoint and Cuppage Terrace lies one among the five outlets of Waraku. The name "WARAKU" consists of two Chinese characters, "wa" meaning "harmony" and 'raku" meaning "enjoy".
What the establishment probably wish for is for their customer to relax, and enjoy the harmony of their dining experience. Opened in year 2000, the Waraku Orchard branch launched their “New Grand Menu” in the beginning of 2007.
Looking at the menu, I could not resist ordering the Kaminabe Wazen, despite it sounding a smidgen naughty. The set consists of Sliced Beef & Vegetables in Paper Hotpot, Salmon Sashimi, Vegetables and Prawn Tempura and a bowl of rice – and if you think it sounds good. It looked even better in real. The ingredients were plentiful and packed close to the brim of the paper hotpot, that it made cooking the beef in the soup broth difficult.
Both the salmon sashimi and tempura was good as well. Overall, a pretty satisfying experience considering that the price was reasonable and there are hundreds of choices to choose from the menu – excellent for some who cannot make up their minds.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
I decided to pay a visit to Marutama Ramen to try out its Holy Grail – the Aka Ramen. Describe as Marutama original ramen, the soup base is made of Seven Kinds of Nuts topped with Coriander.
As compared to their chicken soup base, by far Aka Ramen’s broth won effortlessly. The rich brew is flavoursome enough, even before sprinkling the Fried Garlic Chips and Sesame Seed. What’s more a wring of the Lemon gives an invigorating twist to the soup. Although the Meatballs are nothing to shout about, Marutama’s springy noodles are a reminder why I came back for in the first place. We also ordered the Yaki Char Siu, or Grilled Sliced Roast Pork as a side.
A slightly thicker version of those that came with the noodle, the pork slices were mouth-watering, especially when you sink your teeth and nibble at the meat along with the layer of fats that came with it.
Marutama Ramen also finally offers their version of Gyoza as well - and I must say it is pretty good.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
In Chinese, "hot pot" is often called 火鍋; where huǒ means "fire" and guō refers to "pot", whereas in Japan, it is known as Shabu-shabu.
Unlike our Chinese Steamboat where the emphasis is the broth – which is made up of lots of ingredients to make the soup tasty – in Shabu-shabu the emphasis is on relishing the original flavour of the meat, so only clear water is used to cook the meat.
Having brought my parents to Marutama Ramen for dinner, we chanced upon Tom Ton, located just two units away, which specialise in Kurobuta Shabu-shabu.
Kurobuta, which is Japanese Black Hog, is 100% pure all-natural Berkshire pork.
Regarded as the highest quality pork in the world, the meat is said to be a combination of a sweet, rich flavour, and its delicate texture, unbelievable level of juiciness, and its excellent marbling, will really have you begging for more.
The hot pot is accompanied with Soba, and a "special dipping sauce" (as quoted from the waitress) which somehow taste like Miso.
Instead of the familiar sesame dip that my family is used to when we eat at home, we were instructed that everything from the vegetables to the meat, as well as the soba, goes into the dip - no wonder it is special, it is a multi purpose dip! Since they specialised in pork, our sides are both pork dishes as well.
The Miso-topped Grilled Pork was aromatic and tender, and each time you sink your teeth to it, juices from the meat overflow from within - a pity the serving was pretty pathetic. The other side we tried was the Tonkatsu Kurobuta.
Although their version was good, I felt their sister outlet at Tampopo served a meaner and fattier version of it. Overall, the food was good and the ambience - overlooking the Singapore River was fantastic, however the odds of us returning are very slim.
We felt that it was not valued for money, as the serving was pathetic for the price we paid (we had to stuff ourselves silly with bowls or rice and soba), and service was also found wanting as we waited for ten minutes for our table even though reservation was made. Also tough luck that the view did not bowled us over since our family stayed at Clark Quay for a good 20 years before we relocated!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
After a long deliberation, I finally decided on the Chirashi Sushi & Wakame Soba Set, or the Vinegared Rice topped with Fresh Raw Seafood and Thin Egg Slices, along with a bowl of Buckwheat Noodles Soup garnished with Seaweed.
Although the Soba was extraordinary lacklustre – as it tasted like any other instant noodles, but with a softer texture, the Chirashi was up to scratch. Not only was the presentation of the dish enthralling, the ingredients were fresh.
It was especially pure pleasure for the Large Reddish Salmon Roe to go with the rice – each bite produces an amazing explosion of saltiness (due to a method handed down from the Taisho Period (1912-1926) of using salt to preserve the salmon roe) – simply bringing me back to memories lane of my last Chirashi Bowl in David Jones Basement, Perth.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Tucked at a quiet corner of a mega shopping mall, Vivocity, you will find a small café – Fre(n)sh. Shouting at the top of their entrance reads “Authentic French Café & Restaurant”.
French cuisine considered to be one of the world's most refined and elegant styles of cooking, and is renowned for both its classical or grande cuisine and provincial styles. Many of the world's greatest chefs are, or were masters of French cuisine. Although this French café is not some fanciful fine dining restaurant, they do served traditional French cuisine known as Tartines, or Open Sandwiches. I tried the Smoked Salmon with Avocado Tartine, and it was good.
But however it would have been better if the avocado was not in the form of a spread, but slice pieces from the fruit instead. The Crème Brulee was nevertheless outstanding – touched freshly only when you ordered; the layer of sugar coating was thin and burned to perfection.
Just a simple knock with the back of the spoon enables you to enjoy the sugar coated dessert – unlike others I have tried that comes thickly coated. If you wish to have a simple meal in a quiet environment, this is the place to be.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
A farewell dinner for a fellow colleague brought us to her much-loved dining place before her departure – known as the only Tonkatsu Specialty chain restaurant in Singapore that serves authentic Tonkatsu – Tonkichi has 3 outlets in Singapore, Ngee Ann City, Suntec City and Isetan Scotts. We were at the Ngee Ann City outlet.
The interesting thing at Tonkichi is that while waiting for the food to come, they made you work for your food.
Each of us is given a bowl of sesame seeds to grind and pound, until it is fine enough to mix it with the thick Japanese Worcestershire Sauce called Tonkatsu Sauce.
While waiting, we also ordered the Chawanmushi, which was pretty delicious I must say.
The ingredients were generous, unlike many others who often take their customer for a ride, and the egg was soft and silky – easy for the throat. The Hire Katsu, or Deep Fried Pork Fillet along with the Ebi Furai, or the Fried Breaded Prawns, were the first to arrive.
Highly recommended by my colleague, the prawns were fresh and crunchy, being firm and yet providing contrast to the texture of the Panko, or Japanese Bread Crumbs. However, I was not impressed by the Hire Katsu, preferring the one I had at Tampopo. I felt that the meat though tender, lacked the texture and taste of pork. For a dollar lesser, I actually preferred the Rosu Kastu, or the Deep Fried Pork Loin.
Though the texture being slightly tougher, I like the bite of the meat – what a real piece of pork should taste like! What’s more they also give you unlimited refills of a finely shredded lettuce to lessen the guilt in your conscience after eating all that fried stuff.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Boldly claimed to be the Most Authentic Indonesian Grilled Chicken you can find in Singapore, Ayam Bakar in the Malay language simply means “Grilled Chicken”, while Ojolali when translated from Javanese to English means “Do Not Forget”.
In short, once u tried their chicken, it will leave you with an unforgettable experience – and dare I audaciously say a reverberating YES! In fact it was so good that I was kinda reluctant and hesitant to share this place with you guys, as the place is already so crowded with customers every time I frequent there. For starter, we tried the Pempek, or the Traditional Palembang Fried Fish Cake.
Unlike the normal fish cake that we, Chinese, are familiar with – salty and full of bite, their version was slightly bland and funnily chewy. This was the only dish so far that I have tried in the restaurant that failed to win me over. Of course, when the main arrived it was a totally different story. Original Chef Specialty, the Ayam Bakar was succulent and deeply enriched by the special spices.
Accompanied by the Sambal Ulek (Oelek) and Sambal Kecap, or Dark Sauce with Chili Padi and Onions, the combination is simply godsend. Paired it up with my favourite sugar-high Happy Soda, a Rose Syruped Drink Downed with Excess Condense Milk. It is so sweet that you are literally happy, or high with sugar rush.
Other recommendations to go for are their Ikan Bawal Bakar or Grilled Pomfret, their Rawon, or the Indonesian Beef Stew, and their Sup Buntut, or the Oxtail Soup. Sedup!!!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Over at The French Stall, French expatriates dine alongside locals as everyone sits elbow to elbow in this quaint corner coffeeshop, chattering above the droning whir of wall-mounted electric fans. Oversees by Mr Xavier Le Henaff, who was a chef with a 5-star hotel (presently a Relais Chateau) in Madina, all of us went with high expectations but alas it was not meant to be. For starters, we had the French Onion Soup.
Two slices of Baguette with Mozarella Cheese were soaked in the soup. However, the soup lacked the overwhelming onion flavour and was watery. We also tried the Demi-douzaine D’Escargots Petit Gris au Beurre a L’Ail, or simply Escargots (half dozen) in Garlic Butter Sauce.
The dish was shameful as I was expecting it to come intact with shells such that the flavour could be trapped and sealed in it, but it was not and the taste was a total letdown. The snails were tasteless, as the sauce was not infused nicely with it. We also sampled the infamous Foie Gras, but however their Pan Fried Foie Gras, Spinach and Balsamic Jus was not up to scratch as well. For a dish priced at $18.80, all we had was two pathetic thinly sliced liver that was overcooked and mushy.
I am a firm believer that Foie Gras, just like a good piece of steak, need not come too big a serving, but it must be thick - a thin slice of liver simply does not do this dish justice! Ended off the night with a main of Duck Confit with Orange Peel sitting on Risotto, and was really disillusioned once again. The serving was small and the meat was way to dry for consumption.
The duck taste was totally overwhelmed by the crispy burnt smell from the cooking process. Service was also found to be wanting at the place as mismatch utensils, or worse, no utensils were provided for some of our dishes. One of their service staff was also rather rude when she spoke to us and blatantly ignored us when she walked past our tables subsequently. Outrageously miserable food that comes in a hefty bill is simply not worth it!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
I was introduced to this Japanese restaurant, Nihon Mura at Revenue House.
Part of the sister chain to Suki Group, who brought in Suki Sushi and Sakura, this new entrant is offering sushi dishes at 99 cents each.
It is made possible, according to their director, Mr Kelvin Ong, because their business strategy is to avoid malls, which are overflowing with other chains, and opt for less expensive venues in suburban areas to keep prices low.
However, despite offering cheap conveyor-belt sushi, the peeve is that none of the tables are located next to it; hence you have to walk over to help yourself to the sushi.
The restaurant also comprises of various sections including: Grills, Tempura, and Noodles, other than the Sushi - which is ready-made - all the other dishes are represented in placards placed in front of the stations, beside a batch of ice lolly sticks etched with the name of the dish.
Interestingly, to order, you collect the sticks of the dishes you want and hand them to a waiter with your table number, or simply drop these lolly sticks into a cup placed at your tables, and the waiter will collect it and take order.
With the amount of variety to choose from, the standard of the dishes were unexpectedly of a high standard.
Even the Sashimi were surprisingly fresh, so much so that we had a second order of the Akagai, or the Red Shell Fish, which is bigger version of what we commonly known as Cockles. The meat was so sweet and the texture was firm.
The other dish I enjoyed was the Salmon Belly Soup. A bowl of piping hot soup served in a ceramic pot with generous serving of vegetables and chunky pieces of Salmon Belly Meat was such a delight that we ordered a second serving as well.
For a lunch of 7 adults and 1 child, the whole meal was $220, which worked out to be slightly over $30 per person. My overall verdict is that for the price we are paying, all the dishes are pretty good. The only regret is that as most dishes are served at one go, such that some of the turned cold before we could have a chance to sample it. Nevertheless, this is definitely a good place to go for family gatherings and friends reunion dinner.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
One of my rare appearances in the East side of Singapore finally brought me to the long awaited Aston Specialities. This Western food eatery started off as a humble hawker stall in a coffee shop a few doors away. Headed by Mr Aston Soon, 34, an ex-Ponderosa chef, this restaurant has already drawn excellent reviews with good steak at affordable prices all over Singapore.
Having heard so many people raving about this establishment, I was very much excited to dine in this place. I opted for the Prime Ribeye XtraCut (Medium Rare) with Potato Salad and Baked Beans as sides, and boy am I captivated! The cut had a slightly higher marbling fat content than the usual Ribeye I have tried, making it juicer and succulent, and the black grill lines produced a charred smoky touch to the tender beef.
It has been a long time since I had such a wonderful piece of steak. The medium rare that I dictated was also well executed giving the meat an extra sweetness and moistness. However, the sides were very much below par – the potatoes were too undercooked for consumption, and the baked beans were just as unappetising. However $34.80 for two slabs of beef and two drinks is definitely worth it, and I would definitely be coming back for their Celebrities Cut – Wagyu Beef priced at $38.90 the next time round!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
1=SGD 0.0587
Located at ground floor of StarHub Building, off Orchard Road behind Centrepoint and Cuppage Terrace lies one among the five outlets of Waraku. The name "WARAKU" consists of two Chinese characters, "wa" meaning "harmony" and 'raku" meaning "enjoy".
What the establishment probably wish for is for their customer to relax, and enjoy the harmony of their dining experience. Opened in year 2000, the Waraku Orchard branch launched their “New Grand Menu” in the beginning of 2007.
Looking at the menu, I could not resist ordering the Kaminabe Wazen, despite it sounding a smidgen naughty. The set consists of Sliced Beef & Vegetables in Paper Hotpot, Salmon Sashimi, Vegetables and Prawn Tempura and a bowl of rice – and if you think it sounds good. It looked even better in real. The ingredients were plentiful and packed close to the brim of the paper hotpot, that it made cooking the beef in the soup broth difficult.
Both the salmon sashimi and tempura was good as well. Overall, a pretty satisfying experience considering that the price was reasonable and there are hundreds of choices to choose from the menu – excellent for some who cannot make up their minds.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
I decided to pay a visit to Marutama Ramen to try out its Holy Grail – the Aka Ramen. Describe as Marutama original ramen, the soup base is made of Seven Kinds of Nuts topped with Coriander.
As compared to their chicken soup base, by far Aka Ramen’s broth won effortlessly. The rich brew is flavoursome enough, even before sprinkling the Fried Garlic Chips and Sesame Seed. What’s more a wring of the Lemon gives an invigorating twist to the soup. Although the Meatballs are nothing to shout about, Marutama’s springy noodles are a reminder why I came back for in the first place. We also ordered the Yaki Char Siu, or Grilled Sliced Roast Pork as a side.
A slightly thicker version of those that came with the noodle, the pork slices were mouth-watering, especially when you sink your teeth and nibble at the meat along with the layer of fats that came with it.
Marutama Ramen also finally offers their version of Gyoza as well - and I must say it is pretty good.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
In Chinese, "hot pot" is often called 火鍋; where huǒ means "fire" and guō refers to "pot", whereas in Japan, it is known as Shabu-shabu.
Unlike our Chinese Steamboat where the emphasis is the broth – which is made up of lots of ingredients to make the soup tasty – in Shabu-shabu the emphasis is on relishing the original flavour of the meat, so only clear water is used to cook the meat.
Having brought my parents to Marutama Ramen for dinner, we chanced upon Tom Ton, located just two units away, which specialise in Kurobuta Shabu-shabu.
Kurobuta, which is Japanese Black Hog, is 100% pure all-natural Berkshire pork.
Regarded as the highest quality pork in the world, the meat is said to be a combination of a sweet, rich flavour, and its delicate texture, unbelievable level of juiciness, and its excellent marbling, will really have you begging for more.
The hot pot is accompanied with Soba, and a "special dipping sauce" (as quoted from the waitress) which somehow taste like Miso.
Instead of the familiar sesame dip that my family is used to when we eat at home, we were instructed that everything from the vegetables to the meat, as well as the soba, goes into the dip - no wonder it is special, it is a multi purpose dip! Since they specialised in pork, our sides are both pork dishes as well.
The Miso-topped Grilled Pork was aromatic and tender, and each time you sink your teeth to it, juices from the meat overflow from within - a pity the serving was pretty pathetic. The other side we tried was the Tonkatsu Kurobuta.
Although their version was good, I felt their sister outlet at Tampopo served a meaner and fattier version of it. Overall, the food was good and the ambience - overlooking the Singapore River was fantastic, however the odds of us returning are very slim.
We felt that it was not valued for money, as the serving was pathetic for the price we paid (we had to stuff ourselves silly with bowls or rice and soba), and service was also found wanting as we waited for ten minutes for our table even though reservation was made. Also tough luck that the view did not bowled us over since our family stayed at Clark Quay for a good 20 years before we relocated!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
After a long deliberation, I finally decided on the Chirashi Sushi & Wakame Soba Set, or the Vinegared Rice topped with Fresh Raw Seafood and Thin Egg Slices, along with a bowl of Buckwheat Noodles Soup garnished with Seaweed.
Although the Soba was extraordinary lacklustre – as it tasted like any other instant noodles, but with a softer texture, the Chirashi was up to scratch. Not only was the presentation of the dish enthralling, the ingredients were fresh.
It was especially pure pleasure for the Large Reddish Salmon Roe to go with the rice – each bite produces an amazing explosion of saltiness (due to a method handed down from the Taisho Period (1912-1926) of using salt to preserve the salmon roe) – simply bringing me back to memories lane of my last Chirashi Bowl in David Jones Basement, Perth.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Tucked at a quiet corner of a mega shopping mall, Vivocity, you will find a small café – Fre(n)sh. Shouting at the top of their entrance reads “Authentic French Café & Restaurant”.
French cuisine considered to be one of the world's most refined and elegant styles of cooking, and is renowned for both its classical or grande cuisine and provincial styles. Many of the world's greatest chefs are, or were masters of French cuisine. Although this French café is not some fanciful fine dining restaurant, they do served traditional French cuisine known as Tartines, or Open Sandwiches. I tried the Smoked Salmon with Avocado Tartine, and it was good.
But however it would have been better if the avocado was not in the form of a spread, but slice pieces from the fruit instead. The Crème Brulee was nevertheless outstanding – touched freshly only when you ordered; the layer of sugar coating was thin and burned to perfection.
Just a simple knock with the back of the spoon enables you to enjoy the sugar coated dessert – unlike others I have tried that comes thickly coated. If you wish to have a simple meal in a quiet environment, this is the place to be.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
A farewell dinner for a fellow colleague brought us to her much-loved dining place before her departure – known as the only Tonkatsu Specialty chain restaurant in Singapore that serves authentic Tonkatsu – Tonkichi has 3 outlets in Singapore, Ngee Ann City, Suntec City and Isetan Scotts. We were at the Ngee Ann City outlet.
The interesting thing at Tonkichi is that while waiting for the food to come, they made you work for your food.
Each of us is given a bowl of sesame seeds to grind and pound, until it is fine enough to mix it with the thick Japanese Worcestershire Sauce called Tonkatsu Sauce.
While waiting, we also ordered the Chawanmushi, which was pretty delicious I must say.
The ingredients were generous, unlike many others who often take their customer for a ride, and the egg was soft and silky – easy for the throat. The Hire Katsu, or Deep Fried Pork Fillet along with the Ebi Furai, or the Fried Breaded Prawns, were the first to arrive.
Highly recommended by my colleague, the prawns were fresh and crunchy, being firm and yet providing contrast to the texture of the Panko, or Japanese Bread Crumbs. However, I was not impressed by the Hire Katsu, preferring the one I had at Tampopo. I felt that the meat though tender, lacked the texture and taste of pork. For a dollar lesser, I actually preferred the Rosu Kastu, or the Deep Fried Pork Loin.
Though the texture being slightly tougher, I like the bite of the meat – what a real piece of pork should taste like! What’s more they also give you unlimited refills of a finely shredded lettuce to lessen the guilt in your conscience after eating all that fried stuff.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Boldly claimed to be the Most Authentic Indonesian Grilled Chicken you can find in Singapore, Ayam Bakar in the Malay language simply means “Grilled Chicken”, while Ojolali when translated from Javanese to English means “Do Not Forget”.
In short, once u tried their chicken, it will leave you with an unforgettable experience – and dare I audaciously say a reverberating YES! In fact it was so good that I was kinda reluctant and hesitant to share this place with you guys, as the place is already so crowded with customers every time I frequent there. For starter, we tried the Pempek, or the Traditional Palembang Fried Fish Cake.
Unlike the normal fish cake that we, Chinese, are familiar with – salty and full of bite, their version was slightly bland and funnily chewy. This was the only dish so far that I have tried in the restaurant that failed to win me over. Of course, when the main arrived it was a totally different story. Original Chef Specialty, the Ayam Bakar was succulent and deeply enriched by the special spices.
Accompanied by the Sambal Ulek (Oelek) and Sambal Kecap, or Dark Sauce with Chili Padi and Onions, the combination is simply godsend. Paired it up with my favourite sugar-high Happy Soda, a Rose Syruped Drink Downed with Excess Condense Milk. It is so sweet that you are literally happy, or high with sugar rush.
Other recommendations to go for are their Ikan Bawal Bakar or Grilled Pomfret, their Rawon, or the Indonesian Beef Stew, and their Sup Buntut, or the Oxtail Soup. Sedup!!!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Over at The French Stall, French expatriates dine alongside locals as everyone sits elbow to elbow in this quaint corner coffeeshop, chattering above the droning whir of wall-mounted electric fans. Oversees by Mr Xavier Le Henaff, who was a chef with a 5-star hotel (presently a Relais Chateau) in Madina, all of us went with high expectations but alas it was not meant to be. For starters, we had the French Onion Soup.
Two slices of Baguette with Mozarella Cheese were soaked in the soup. However, the soup lacked the overwhelming onion flavour and was watery. We also tried the Demi-douzaine D’Escargots Petit Gris au Beurre a L’Ail, or simply Escargots (half dozen) in Garlic Butter Sauce.
The dish was shameful as I was expecting it to come intact with shells such that the flavour could be trapped and sealed in it, but it was not and the taste was a total letdown. The snails were tasteless, as the sauce was not infused nicely with it. We also sampled the infamous Foie Gras, but however their Pan Fried Foie Gras, Spinach and Balsamic Jus was not up to scratch as well. For a dish priced at $18.80, all we had was two pathetic thinly sliced liver that was overcooked and mushy.
I am a firm believer that Foie Gras, just like a good piece of steak, need not come too big a serving, but it must be thick - a thin slice of liver simply does not do this dish justice! Ended off the night with a main of Duck Confit with Orange Peel sitting on Risotto, and was really disillusioned once again. The serving was small and the meat was way to dry for consumption.
The duck taste was totally overwhelmed by the crispy burnt smell from the cooking process. Service was also found to be wanting at the place as mismatch utensils, or worse, no utensils were provided for some of our dishes. One of their service staff was also rather rude when she spoke to us and blatantly ignored us when she walked past our tables subsequently. Outrageously miserable food that comes in a hefty bill is simply not worth it!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
I was introduced to this Japanese restaurant, Nihon Mura at Revenue House.
Part of the sister chain to Suki Group, who brought in Suki Sushi and Sakura, this new entrant is offering sushi dishes at 99 cents each.
It is made possible, according to their director, Mr Kelvin Ong, because their business strategy is to avoid malls, which are overflowing with other chains, and opt for less expensive venues in suburban areas to keep prices low.
However, despite offering cheap conveyor-belt sushi, the peeve is that none of the tables are located next to it; hence you have to walk over to help yourself to the sushi.
The restaurant also comprises of various sections including: Grills, Tempura, and Noodles, other than the Sushi - which is ready-made - all the other dishes are represented in placards placed in front of the stations, beside a batch of ice lolly sticks etched with the name of the dish.
Interestingly, to order, you collect the sticks of the dishes you want and hand them to a waiter with your table number, or simply drop these lolly sticks into a cup placed at your tables, and the waiter will collect it and take order.
With the amount of variety to choose from, the standard of the dishes were unexpectedly of a high standard.
Even the Sashimi were surprisingly fresh, so much so that we had a second order of the Akagai, or the Red Shell Fish, which is bigger version of what we commonly known as Cockles. The meat was so sweet and the texture was firm.
The other dish I enjoyed was the Salmon Belly Soup. A bowl of piping hot soup served in a ceramic pot with generous serving of vegetables and chunky pieces of Salmon Belly Meat was such a delight that we ordered a second serving as well.
For a lunch of 7 adults and 1 child, the whole meal was $220, which worked out to be slightly over $30 per person. My overall verdict is that for the price we are paying, all the dishes are pretty good. The only regret is that as most dishes are served at one go, such that some of the turned cold before we could have a chance to sample it. Nevertheless, this is definitely a good place to go for family gatherings and friends reunion dinner.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
One of my rare appearances in the East side of Singapore finally brought me to the long awaited Aston Specialities. This Western food eatery started off as a humble hawker stall in a coffee shop a few doors away. Headed by Mr Aston Soon, 34, an ex-Ponderosa chef, this restaurant has already drawn excellent reviews with good steak at affordable prices all over Singapore.
Having heard so many people raving about this establishment, I was very much excited to dine in this place. I opted for the Prime Ribeye XtraCut (Medium Rare) with Potato Salad and Baked Beans as sides, and boy am I captivated! The cut had a slightly higher marbling fat content than the usual Ribeye I have tried, making it juicer and succulent, and the black grill lines produced a charred smoky touch to the tender beef.
It has been a long time since I had such a wonderful piece of steak. The medium rare that I dictated was also well executed giving the meat an extra sweetness and moistness. However, the sides were very much below par – the potatoes were too undercooked for consumption, and the baked beans were just as unappetising. However $34.80 for two slabs of beef and two drinks is definitely worth it, and I would definitely be coming back for their Celebrities Cut – Wagyu Beef priced at $38.90 the next time round!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given: