Over at Ohsho, you get to indulge in simple Japanese-fusion fare and I was overwhelmed. We tried the Tori-Kara-age, or the Japanese Deep-Fried Chicken, and boy was it good! A wrench of the lemon and you have the perfect combination of sour, salty, crispy and intense flavour of the chicken with each greasy bite – served fresh when ordered.
Added chunky delights came in the form of Funky Potato – a dish of Tori-Kara-age with Crinkle Cut Fries dose in Chilli Sauce, although I would have to add that this dish reminded me more of my good old primary school days than a Japanese fare.
We also ordered a serving of Chahan, or the Japanese Fried Rice. Of course, we all know that the difference between the Japanese version and its Chinese cousin lies in its grain. Japanese grain tends to be shorter and the rice – stickier, and therefore the art to cook it well lies in the emulsion process - the combination of eggs first emulsifying together with the oil in the pan, and then adding the rice later into the semi-cooked eggs, created the best tasting sensation.
And I have to say they did a pretty good rendition of it. The Wok Hei flavour was captured in the dish, but the dish could do even better with another dash of salt. Lastly, the Gyoza was also delectable. The skins are so different from the mainstream ones where it's all thick and starchy!
Although Yaki-Gyoza, or pan-fried preparation method is usually first fried on one flat side, creating a crispy skin, then, stock is added and the pan sealed with a lid, until the upper part of Gyoza is steamed, Ohsho’s version seemed to be a little too dry. However, the fact that the Gyoza’s skin is so well pan-fried makes up for it.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Many of my friends and readers have came back telling me that I have yet to complete my ramen research till I am done sampling ramen from Sapporo Ramen Miharu. Eager to complete my findings, I persuaded my buddy Sharon for a late Sunday lunch.
It was said that a good bowl of steaming hot ramen is to be slurped away within 10 minutes – for if it is left too long, the noodles would lose its texture and springy nibble. This is precisely why Miharu does not allow takeaways. Miharu uses fresh Sapporo Nishiyama noodles imported from Hokkaido, which is fatter in texture. Being the first outlet in Singapore - the original shop in Chiba, Japan – the restaurant also made an effort to import stock ingredients from Japan so that their noodles are not localised.
Their popular Miso Tonkotsu is well liked for a reason – the soup broth was rich in flavour from the chicken and pork bones (although I find it a bit oily), and pretty salty – similar to those found in Japan, and the corn and the dash of spring onions was surprisingly delectable. However, the Char Siu was good but not as tender and soft as those from Marutama. I also tried their Gyoza, but I was not overwhelmed with it.
The skin was a tad too dry and many locals would probably find the overpowering taste of the Chives too strong for their liking. Overall, a quality place for ramen especially for the soup broth, but personally I would still prefer the Char Siu and noodles from Martutama.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
I was there for their Tonkutsu Ramen that my friend has been bugging me to try. Located at the corner of Robertson Quay close to the hip-hop club, The Buttery Factory, This Japanese family restaurant serves a mean bowl of ramen.
The soup broth was rich and creamy, and the Soy Egg is one of the better ones I had in town – semi-boiled egg with runny yolk that also captures the essence of the soy marinate. The noodles are pretty similar to those from Miharu, slightly fatter and springy – call me prejudiced but I still prefer the thin noodles served in Marutama, which comes with a better bite, or the Italians will call it Al-Dente.
The Char Siu served was a generously thick slice, second only to Marutama. Despite being so, their soup-based is the best I have tried so far, trouncing even Marutama’s legendary Aka Ramen by a wide margin (I have since went back to Marutama to confirm it).
The Gyoza though came very charred, probably to capture the burnt flavour within when the stock is added over it, but presentation wise I think it will prove a turn-off to many ill-informed patrons.
Their Gyoza is differently a notch better to Miharu.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
I have heard about this place from my colleague and such a coincident that one of my friends was nice enough to suggest Ikoi as the venue for my birthday treat (yes I know, I have been procrastinating about it). Apparently, this place is so well known that bookings have to be made 1-2 weeks in advance – talk about Kiasu Singaporeans! Located at the ground floor of Hotel Miramar, the outside of the entrance looks impressive, but a step into the restaurant revealed a cramped seating arrangement – definitely not a decent place to have your meals if you are the sort who wish to have conversation over dinner.
It did not help also that we were assigned to counter seats, as there were inadequate space for all the dishes we had ordered. Service was pretty inefficient that night as the place was packed with tons of hungry and noisy souls, and waiting time for certain dishes were slow as I suspect orders were consolidated before the food were prepared.
It was said Ikoi is the place for people who craves for Sashimi, as the serving they dished out was indeed generous.
However, I was not blown away by it. In fact I was left so unimpressed with the quality that I did not even ordered a second helping. Other dishes that left me indifferent were the Tempura and Shisamo.
Even though it was served hot, the batter for the Tempura was rough – not the best you would expect from a Japanese restaurant.
The Shisamo was dried up when it was served, and this I am pretty sure that they were prepared earlier and re-grilled when orders come in - the inside was also cold and the outside full of smoky flavour. The Yakitori was also slightly chewy for consumption.
To be fair, they have a decent number of dishes to order from but none really make an impression except for the Stewed Salmon Head that I ordered by accident.
Foodies would know that the flesh from the Salmon Head close to its belly is of course the most tender and delicious.
Occasionally, they would also dished out complimentary dishes like the Kaminabe and Salmon Sashimi – items that we did not request for.
However, only one out of many items that was of standard is just not good enough.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
After hearing much fanfare about Shangri-La’s The Line buffet – formerly the old Coffee Garden – a hip eatery designed by US-based Adam Tihany, my family and I finally set foot at this chic white restaurant set against orange lighting for Daddy’s birthday dinner.
Well-known as the mother of all buffets, The Line is famous for the variety of food it dishes out. However, it is often the display of yummy, succulent cold seafood counter that captures the heart of the patrons.
From Lobsters to Oysters, Prawns to Mussels, Crabs to Sushi, Yabbies (fresh water crustacian found in Australia) to Sashimi (remember to request for Salmon Belly), almost each and every serving was fresh and of high quality.
So much so that I have an extended appetiser, that went on...and on...and on...and on...and on...And if you are counting, I gobbled down 20 frisky oysters that night, and boy, were they excellent! Besides that, they also had the grilled and carving stations where you could see the chefs grilling behind a big glass enclosure.
This is the place where the Grilled Fish and Prawns were served, as well as the very tender cuts of the Roast Beef were sliced up.
Other stations include the Asian counters such as the Indian and Chinese cuisine, where you could find yummilicious Satays that were tender and slides off the satay sticks effortlessly with a gentle pull.
While many considered the dessert station the highlight of the restaurant – with its 1 metre tall Chocolate Fountain for its fondue and many other cakes and pastries – I was personally not overwhelmed with it. The filling for the Crêpe was way too sweet/sour for consumption and the 3 desserts that I picked up were not fantastic either.
Overall, paying $65 per pax to stuff yourself silly (simply because you have the tendency to try all the varieties available) is not worth it.
But if I were to come back again, I would be sure to find a table next to the cold seafood counter, and do the extended appetiser all over again.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Being tucked in the secluded top of Dempsey Road, I finally found my way to PS Café for a dinner. A café it might be, it is housed in a standalone pretty colonial bungalow away from the main thoroughfare.
PS, which stands for Project Shop - a local mid-market casual clothing chain, attracts a surprisingly upmarket crowd. It is perhaps the glass façade and high ceiling that adds a touch of grandeur to the already nice ambience you get whilst sitting inside the restaurant. The staffs were also friendly and approachable.
However, the food did not seek to impress me that very night. The starter of salad was merely greens and some roasted eggplants that were zealously drizzled in olive oil – straightforward, nothing fanciful, nothing captivating.
The Thick Fries were surprisingly the best dish for the night. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, it went well with the 2 dips that came with it – a BBQ flavour and the other, I perceived to be Sour Cream based.
The Tubular Pasta though was the letdown of the night. It seriously lacked flavour and was under-cooked – a couple more minutes would have achieved the Al-dente texture. However I would admit that I am beginning to like the idea of having snow peas in my pasta dish.
The dessert was also tortuously too rich for me. Profiteroles, or Small Cream Puffs filled with Ice Cream; served with Thick, Dark, Chocolate Syrup, is just not my kind of dessert after a heavy dinner.
Overall, a nice place to go for a first date, but skipped the pasta if you have to and go for the seafood and their famous brownie for dessert instead.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
That’s right. Friends and colleagues working near my area have been telling me about this particular supposedly famous chicken rice stall – Wee Nam Kee – lined up along Thomson Road @ Novena Ville.
Read a few food reviews and indeed some were raving about it. Make a trip there and there was a crowd during lunchtime – surely this is a good sign! Alas, everything else went downhill from there onwards. The rice was fragrant enough, but a tad under-cooked, making it difficult to shallow.
The Roasted Chicken was pretty dry and tough as well and nowhere near the standard of Tian Tian Chicken Rice @ Maxwell Food Centre, which is known for it’s smooth and tender meat (although I have to highlight that they only serves Hainanese-styled Steamed Chicken).
We also order the side dishes like the Stir-fried Dou Miao with Garlic and Deep-fried Toufu and I was not impressed at all. The Dou Miao were seriously under-cooked, and chewing the stem of the veggies proved to be a struggle.
The Toufu was just as bad, as it came thickly coated with flour – more like toufu fritters to me, unlike those find in Boon Tong Kee – that comes in small cubes that is easy to eat. Along with drinks, the meal added up to $25.40, miscellaneous included – definitely not good value for money for 2 people.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Themed as the café “where happy people meets” – Miss Clarity Café certainly lives up to it, with its loud and colourful interior décor, along with the tinge of ambience with candles on every table.
There is a wide range of food selection to choose from – Shelled Appetisers, Sides, Pasta, Risotto, Mains, Burger, Pizza, and more recently, Black Angus Prime Sirloin & Ribeye, as well as the prized Wagyu Beef. My group of friends order a few dishes to share and we had the NZ Mussels immersed in Tomato Gravy as appetiser.
The mussels were big and juicy but regrettably the gravy was thin and lacked in flavour. The Glutton’s Platter was just an assortment of Spicy Wings, Chicken Nuggets, Onion Rings, Crispy Wedges and Chipolatas – straightforward deep-fried finger food.
For my main, I had the chef-recommended Whole Roasted Chicken Leg, served with mouth-watering Mushroom & Potato Fricassee. I had to say for $9.80, this is the best Roasted Chicken Leg that I have even tried. The flavour was captured nicely in its meat and despite not being a big fan of potato – I was won over by the aromatic starch.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Ma Maison, which means “My Home” in French serves Japanese-style Western food, is done up to look like an English cottage – the quaint ambience is coupled with weathered wooden beams and panels, with racks of plates and crockery.
The windows are curtained with floral curtains giving it a charming vintage look. On a personal note, I love the look and feel of the menu - which what feels like leather.
We specifically came for its famed Hamburger Steak, which sits on a sauce that is simmered for 28 days – fully flavoured and very enriching. Topped with a Fried Egg and Moreish Potato, the beef patty is grounded nicely and finely grilled.
Sink your teeth into a thick cut and you will marvel how tender the meat is. The Potatoes also came with a bite – a nice contrast to the soft beef. The other celebrated dish is the Cuttlefish Ink Pasta, a dish that is shunned by many girls as the squid ink stained lips, teeth and tongue.
The pasta was done al dente, but I find the Cuttlefish pronounced flavour a tad too “fishy” for me. I also find the ink roughly coated – a touch of butter might enhance the dish better – and the serving of thinly sliced Cuttlefish and Mushrooms were pretty pathetic in my opinion.
When it was time to ask for the bill, you get a heavy brass key and key ring – a fitting end to make you feel at home.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
After some good navigation skills, we finally located Seafood Paradise, right smack among the factory buildings.
And be prepared to make a reservation when you wish to visit this place as Singaporeans really travel for their food - the place was fully packed on a weekend, and some even had to wait for a table even though they make a booking.
To satisfy our hunger, we started with the Salted Fish with Fried Rice and what a great start it was! Each grain was coated evenly with eggs and fried thoroughly, such that no grain sticks to another. The flavour of the salted fish also brings out the best in this dish. My only fuss is that the rice was pretty oily and a bigger serving would probably kill the appetite for what is to come.
The only dish that we wished we did not order that night was the Frog Legs with Chicken Essence. It was a pretty straightforward steamed frog legs with the chicken essence poured over it – plain and pretty tasteless. This is the only dish we did not finish that night.
One of the original dishes we tried that night was the Broccoli with Scallops topped with Sunny-side-up. At first I have doubts about this combination but the twist of the egg white really did bring out a totally different savoury experience to this normal dish.
A must have dish for every visit has to be the Homemade Tofu with Assorted Seafood. The tofu is so smooth and silky and the pork floss combination heightens the dish. You will also be wooed by the prawns and diced sea cucumber found in the pool of sticky gravy with every dip of your tablespoon!
The Fried Beef was pretty flavoursome but I am not a big fan of tenderised beef. My take is that all good food should come in natural texture and “fake” tender beef is just taking the easy way out to achieve a standard.
The Cereal Prawns definitely beat those served from Mellben – it did not come as dry and each delightful spoon of cereal was scrumptious. The prawns are also not over-fried as the shell peel off cleanly – a sign that the prawns are fresh!
Saving the best for last is the signature Creamy Butter Crabs, served with delectable deep-fried man tous to mop up the gravy. The man tous in itself is another winner - so good that you can eat it on its own.
The gravy was richer and not as sweet compared to Mellben, and topped with fried coconut bits, another original rendition from them (although some disputed that it is topped with fried crab roe, or crunchy oat bits instead), this dish was definitely the highlight for the night.
The crab is also fresh and its flesh does not stick to the shell – another sign of a well workout crustacean.
Other signature dishes that you might indulged in are the Crab in Superior Stock with Vermicelli, as well as the Baby-back Ribs in Honey-pepper Sauce. This place is highly recommended!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
1=SGD 0.0587
Over at Ohsho, you get to indulge in simple Japanese-fusion fare and I was overwhelmed. We tried the Tori-Kara-age, or the Japanese Deep-Fried Chicken, and boy was it good! A wrench of the lemon and you have the perfect combination of sour, salty, crispy and intense flavour of the chicken with each greasy bite – served fresh when ordered.
Added chunky delights came in the form of Funky Potato – a dish of Tori-Kara-age with Crinkle Cut Fries dose in Chilli Sauce, although I would have to add that this dish reminded me more of my good old primary school days than a Japanese fare.
We also ordered a serving of Chahan, or the Japanese Fried Rice. Of course, we all know that the difference between the Japanese version and its Chinese cousin lies in its grain. Japanese grain tends to be shorter and the rice – stickier, and therefore the art to cook it well lies in the emulsion process - the combination of eggs first emulsifying together with the oil in the pan, and then adding the rice later into the semi-cooked eggs, created the best tasting sensation.
And I have to say they did a pretty good rendition of it. The Wok Hei flavour was captured in the dish, but the dish could do even better with another dash of salt. Lastly, the Gyoza was also delectable. The skins are so different from the mainstream ones where it's all thick and starchy!
Although Yaki-Gyoza, or pan-fried preparation method is usually first fried on one flat side, creating a crispy skin, then, stock is added and the pan sealed with a lid, until the upper part of Gyoza is steamed, Ohsho’s version seemed to be a little too dry. However, the fact that the Gyoza’s skin is so well pan-fried makes up for it.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Many of my friends and readers have came back telling me that I have yet to complete my ramen research till I am done sampling ramen from Sapporo Ramen Miharu. Eager to complete my findings, I persuaded my buddy Sharon for a late Sunday lunch.
It was said that a good bowl of steaming hot ramen is to be slurped away within 10 minutes – for if it is left too long, the noodles would lose its texture and springy nibble. This is precisely why Miharu does not allow takeaways. Miharu uses fresh Sapporo Nishiyama noodles imported from Hokkaido, which is fatter in texture. Being the first outlet in Singapore - the original shop in Chiba, Japan – the restaurant also made an effort to import stock ingredients from Japan so that their noodles are not localised.
Their popular Miso Tonkotsu is well liked for a reason – the soup broth was rich in flavour from the chicken and pork bones (although I find it a bit oily), and pretty salty – similar to those found in Japan, and the corn and the dash of spring onions was surprisingly delectable. However, the Char Siu was good but not as tender and soft as those from Marutama. I also tried their Gyoza, but I was not overwhelmed with it.
The skin was a tad too dry and many locals would probably find the overpowering taste of the Chives too strong for their liking. Overall, a quality place for ramen especially for the soup broth, but personally I would still prefer the Char Siu and noodles from Martutama.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
I was there for their Tonkutsu Ramen that my friend has been bugging me to try. Located at the corner of Robertson Quay close to the hip-hop club, The Buttery Factory, This Japanese family restaurant serves a mean bowl of ramen.
The soup broth was rich and creamy, and the Soy Egg is one of the better ones I had in town – semi-boiled egg with runny yolk that also captures the essence of the soy marinate. The noodles are pretty similar to those from Miharu, slightly fatter and springy – call me prejudiced but I still prefer the thin noodles served in Marutama, which comes with a better bite, or the Italians will call it Al-Dente.
The Char Siu served was a generously thick slice, second only to Marutama. Despite being so, their soup-based is the best I have tried so far, trouncing even Marutama’s legendary Aka Ramen by a wide margin (I have since went back to Marutama to confirm it).
The Gyoza though came very charred, probably to capture the burnt flavour within when the stock is added over it, but presentation wise I think it will prove a turn-off to many ill-informed patrons.
Their Gyoza is differently a notch better to Miharu.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
I have heard about this place from my colleague and such a coincident that one of my friends was nice enough to suggest Ikoi as the venue for my birthday treat (yes I know, I have been procrastinating about it). Apparently, this place is so well known that bookings have to be made 1-2 weeks in advance – talk about Kiasu Singaporeans! Located at the ground floor of Hotel Miramar, the outside of the entrance looks impressive, but a step into the restaurant revealed a cramped seating arrangement – definitely not a decent place to have your meals if you are the sort who wish to have conversation over dinner.
It did not help also that we were assigned to counter seats, as there were inadequate space for all the dishes we had ordered. Service was pretty inefficient that night as the place was packed with tons of hungry and noisy souls, and waiting time for certain dishes were slow as I suspect orders were consolidated before the food were prepared.
It was said Ikoi is the place for people who craves for Sashimi, as the serving they dished out was indeed generous.
However, I was not blown away by it. In fact I was left so unimpressed with the quality that I did not even ordered a second helping. Other dishes that left me indifferent were the Tempura and Shisamo.
Even though it was served hot, the batter for the Tempura was rough – not the best you would expect from a Japanese restaurant.
The Shisamo was dried up when it was served, and this I am pretty sure that they were prepared earlier and re-grilled when orders come in - the inside was also cold and the outside full of smoky flavour. The Yakitori was also slightly chewy for consumption.
To be fair, they have a decent number of dishes to order from but none really make an impression except for the Stewed Salmon Head that I ordered by accident.
Foodies would know that the flesh from the Salmon Head close to its belly is of course the most tender and delicious.
Occasionally, they would also dished out complimentary dishes like the Kaminabe and Salmon Sashimi – items that we did not request for.
However, only one out of many items that was of standard is just not good enough.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
After hearing much fanfare about Shangri-La’s The Line buffet – formerly the old Coffee Garden – a hip eatery designed by US-based Adam Tihany, my family and I finally set foot at this chic white restaurant set against orange lighting for Daddy’s birthday dinner.
Well-known as the mother of all buffets, The Line is famous for the variety of food it dishes out. However, it is often the display of yummy, succulent cold seafood counter that captures the heart of the patrons.
From Lobsters to Oysters, Prawns to Mussels, Crabs to Sushi, Yabbies (fresh water crustacian found in Australia) to Sashimi (remember to request for Salmon Belly), almost each and every serving was fresh and of high quality.
So much so that I have an extended appetiser, that went on...and on...and on...and on...and on...And if you are counting, I gobbled down 20 frisky oysters that night, and boy, were they excellent! Besides that, they also had the grilled and carving stations where you could see the chefs grilling behind a big glass enclosure.
This is the place where the Grilled Fish and Prawns were served, as well as the very tender cuts of the Roast Beef were sliced up.
Other stations include the Asian counters such as the Indian and Chinese cuisine, where you could find yummilicious Satays that were tender and slides off the satay sticks effortlessly with a gentle pull.
While many considered the dessert station the highlight of the restaurant – with its 1 metre tall Chocolate Fountain for its fondue and many other cakes and pastries – I was personally not overwhelmed with it. The filling for the Crêpe was way too sweet/sour for consumption and the 3 desserts that I picked up were not fantastic either.
Overall, paying $65 per pax to stuff yourself silly (simply because you have the tendency to try all the varieties available) is not worth it.
But if I were to come back again, I would be sure to find a table next to the cold seafood counter, and do the extended appetiser all over again.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Being tucked in the secluded top of Dempsey Road, I finally found my way to PS Café for a dinner. A café it might be, it is housed in a standalone pretty colonial bungalow away from the main thoroughfare.
PS, which stands for Project Shop - a local mid-market casual clothing chain, attracts a surprisingly upmarket crowd. It is perhaps the glass façade and high ceiling that adds a touch of grandeur to the already nice ambience you get whilst sitting inside the restaurant. The staffs were also friendly and approachable.
However, the food did not seek to impress me that very night. The starter of salad was merely greens and some roasted eggplants that were zealously drizzled in olive oil – straightforward, nothing fanciful, nothing captivating.
The Thick Fries were surprisingly the best dish for the night. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, it went well with the 2 dips that came with it – a BBQ flavour and the other, I perceived to be Sour Cream based.
The Tubular Pasta though was the letdown of the night. It seriously lacked flavour and was under-cooked – a couple more minutes would have achieved the Al-dente texture. However I would admit that I am beginning to like the idea of having snow peas in my pasta dish.
The dessert was also tortuously too rich for me. Profiteroles, or Small Cream Puffs filled with Ice Cream; served with Thick, Dark, Chocolate Syrup, is just not my kind of dessert after a heavy dinner.
Overall, a nice place to go for a first date, but skipped the pasta if you have to and go for the seafood and their famous brownie for dessert instead.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
That’s right. Friends and colleagues working near my area have been telling me about this particular supposedly famous chicken rice stall – Wee Nam Kee – lined up along Thomson Road @ Novena Ville.
Read a few food reviews and indeed some were raving about it. Make a trip there and there was a crowd during lunchtime – surely this is a good sign! Alas, everything else went downhill from there onwards. The rice was fragrant enough, but a tad under-cooked, making it difficult to shallow.
The Roasted Chicken was pretty dry and tough as well and nowhere near the standard of Tian Tian Chicken Rice @ Maxwell Food Centre, which is known for it’s smooth and tender meat (although I have to highlight that they only serves Hainanese-styled Steamed Chicken).
We also order the side dishes like the Stir-fried Dou Miao with Garlic and Deep-fried Toufu and I was not impressed at all. The Dou Miao were seriously under-cooked, and chewing the stem of the veggies proved to be a struggle.
The Toufu was just as bad, as it came thickly coated with flour – more like toufu fritters to me, unlike those find in Boon Tong Kee – that comes in small cubes that is easy to eat. Along with drinks, the meal added up to $25.40, miscellaneous included – definitely not good value for money for 2 people.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Themed as the café “where happy people meets” – Miss Clarity Café certainly lives up to it, with its loud and colourful interior décor, along with the tinge of ambience with candles on every table.
There is a wide range of food selection to choose from – Shelled Appetisers, Sides, Pasta, Risotto, Mains, Burger, Pizza, and more recently, Black Angus Prime Sirloin & Ribeye, as well as the prized Wagyu Beef. My group of friends order a few dishes to share and we had the NZ Mussels immersed in Tomato Gravy as appetiser.
The mussels were big and juicy but regrettably the gravy was thin and lacked in flavour. The Glutton’s Platter was just an assortment of Spicy Wings, Chicken Nuggets, Onion Rings, Crispy Wedges and Chipolatas – straightforward deep-fried finger food.
For my main, I had the chef-recommended Whole Roasted Chicken Leg, served with mouth-watering Mushroom & Potato Fricassee. I had to say for $9.80, this is the best Roasted Chicken Leg that I have even tried. The flavour was captured nicely in its meat and despite not being a big fan of potato – I was won over by the aromatic starch.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Ma Maison, which means “My Home” in French serves Japanese-style Western food, is done up to look like an English cottage – the quaint ambience is coupled with weathered wooden beams and panels, with racks of plates and crockery.
The windows are curtained with floral curtains giving it a charming vintage look. On a personal note, I love the look and feel of the menu - which what feels like leather.
We specifically came for its famed Hamburger Steak, which sits on a sauce that is simmered for 28 days – fully flavoured and very enriching. Topped with a Fried Egg and Moreish Potato, the beef patty is grounded nicely and finely grilled.
Sink your teeth into a thick cut and you will marvel how tender the meat is. The Potatoes also came with a bite – a nice contrast to the soft beef. The other celebrated dish is the Cuttlefish Ink Pasta, a dish that is shunned by many girls as the squid ink stained lips, teeth and tongue.
The pasta was done al dente, but I find the Cuttlefish pronounced flavour a tad too “fishy” for me. I also find the ink roughly coated – a touch of butter might enhance the dish better – and the serving of thinly sliced Cuttlefish and Mushrooms were pretty pathetic in my opinion.
When it was time to ask for the bill, you get a heavy brass key and key ring – a fitting end to make you feel at home.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
After some good navigation skills, we finally located Seafood Paradise, right smack among the factory buildings.
And be prepared to make a reservation when you wish to visit this place as Singaporeans really travel for their food - the place was fully packed on a weekend, and some even had to wait for a table even though they make a booking.
To satisfy our hunger, we started with the Salted Fish with Fried Rice and what a great start it was! Each grain was coated evenly with eggs and fried thoroughly, such that no grain sticks to another. The flavour of the salted fish also brings out the best in this dish. My only fuss is that the rice was pretty oily and a bigger serving would probably kill the appetite for what is to come.
The only dish that we wished we did not order that night was the Frog Legs with Chicken Essence. It was a pretty straightforward steamed frog legs with the chicken essence poured over it – plain and pretty tasteless. This is the only dish we did not finish that night.
One of the original dishes we tried that night was the Broccoli with Scallops topped with Sunny-side-up. At first I have doubts about this combination but the twist of the egg white really did bring out a totally different savoury experience to this normal dish.
A must have dish for every visit has to be the Homemade Tofu with Assorted Seafood. The tofu is so smooth and silky and the pork floss combination heightens the dish. You will also be wooed by the prawns and diced sea cucumber found in the pool of sticky gravy with every dip of your tablespoon!
The Fried Beef was pretty flavoursome but I am not a big fan of tenderised beef. My take is that all good food should come in natural texture and “fake” tender beef is just taking the easy way out to achieve a standard.
The Cereal Prawns definitely beat those served from Mellben – it did not come as dry and each delightful spoon of cereal was scrumptious. The prawns are also not over-fried as the shell peel off cleanly – a sign that the prawns are fresh!
Saving the best for last is the signature Creamy Butter Crabs, served with delectable deep-fried man tous to mop up the gravy. The man tous in itself is another winner - so good that you can eat it on its own.
The gravy was richer and not as sweet compared to Mellben, and topped with fried coconut bits, another original rendition from them (although some disputed that it is topped with fried crab roe, or crunchy oat bits instead), this dish was definitely the highlight for the night.
The crab is also fresh and its flesh does not stick to the shell – another sign of a well workout crustacean.
Other signature dishes that you might indulged in are the Crab in Superior Stock with Vermicelli, as well as the Baby-back Ribs in Honey-pepper Sauce. This place is highly recommended!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
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