A Makansutra Legend that hails from the old Wayang Street hawkers from the 70's, my family and I have been eating at Ah Kow for as long as I can remember. Reckon to be the authentic Teochew Minced Pork & Dumpling Noodle, one who enjoys an extra dash of black vinegar will appreciate their unrestrained use of black vinegar on the noodles that is purportedly a special brand of traditional black vinegar from China.
For a bowl of noodles that costs $3.50 (they have upped their price), the portion of noodles is paltry. Not as Q as I can remember, the noodles that day were average if not for the saving grace of the black vinegar that was not overwhelming, the slice of Ti Po (Crispy Fried Sole Fish) and the free helping of Crispy Pork Lard – that was fresh and crunchy.
And for an additional of $4, one can delight in the bowl of Teochew Keows (Dumplings) that comes with a generous helping of minced pork, slice pork, and my favourite vegetable - Tang O (Garland Chrysanthemum). Sadly, the soup was slightly lacklustre and bland that day, but the dumplings were still as good.
One might noticed that fried sole fish was added to give it an extra oomph. For $4 a bowl, one will get eight big pork filled dumplings.
However overall, I think Ah Kow’s standard has dipped slightly from the numerous times I have tried. One might also find a bowl of $3.50 minced pork noodles (without dumplings) expensive.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Seoul Yummy, another casual dining place that serves Korean food with its entrance hidden at the corner of third floor.
First up was the Hotplate Spicy Octopus – it comes with a good bite and was crunchy. The gravy is quite spicy to eat it on its own but pair it with a bowl of sticky white rice should do the trick.
The Shrimp Roe Beef Hotpot Mixed Rice was one of my favourite dishes – akin to claypot rice, the bottom of the rice was crisp and the shrimp roe adds a nice twist to this dish.
Steamed Kimchi with Pork Dumplings was quite a disappointment – there wasn’t any hint of kimchi in it and we found the meat too overwhelming. The skin of the dumpling is also not the best we have tried.
Everyone’s favourite for the day belongs to the Special Trio Bingsu, or Yoghurt Ice Cream with Kiwi, Strawberry & Red Bean Toppings. The dessert was served on a bed of ice shavings thus every spoonful was delightfully chilled. Ice cream comes with a tint of sourness that should be the way a natural flavoured yoghurt ice cream should taste like (Yoguru might wish to take heed).
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Zhou’s Kitchen - 周 (Zhou) is the family name of Andrew Tjioe, Tung Lok Group’s Founder and Executive Chairman and Zhou’s Kitchen is a welcome shift from the high end Tung Lok restaurant to a casual Chinese dining restaurant that caters to the palates and pockets of diners from all walks of life.
The décor is a mixed of Eastern influence of bamboos and jade and Western influence of clean and bright modern lighting.
Each table was served with delightful Prawn Crackers as we waited for our first dish - Young Sweet Potato Leaves Sautéed with Sambal Belachan. A straightforward dish that is a close substitute to Sambal Kang Kong, some might dislike the subtle bitter aftertaste.
The Xing Hua Traditional Homemade Noodle is a bowl of Udon-like noodles served in slightly gluey gravy. The gravy is light on the palate but noodles tend to be starchy towards the end.
The Xing Hua Dumplings served in a bowl of MSG-laden soup was disappointing. The dumpling tasted of strong pork smell and the skin was not the best I have tasted.
The best dish was the Grandma's Braised Pork with Toufu that was doled out in a claypot. Pork was soft and flavoured but a pity that the toufu was not braised along with it, as it was hard and hardly soaked in the gravy.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Secret Recipe, a lifestyle café chain that has become a household name following its debut in Malaysia since 1997. It has since successfully established its brand name in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.
The Lamb Stew served with Mashed Potatoes is one of their signatured dishes. The meat was very soft and yielding that a lightest tug of the fork will cause the meat to be easily separated from its bone. However, the meat could be better infused with the gravy and the mashed potatoes could be slightly salted for better flavour - we find it slightly cold and hard as well.
The Pan Grill, or Grilled Dory Laden with Lobster Gravy and served with Fries was the other main we sampled. On its own, the lobster gravy is strong with lobster tang, but we find the pairing with the fish a slight mismatch. Dory being a fresh-water fish also comes with a slight muddy taste.
The highlight of Secret Recipe belongs to its award-winning Chocolate Banana Cake. Crowned as the "Most Original Chocolate Cake" award winner in Malaysia 1999, the cake is pretty addictive. Loads of Thick Banana Slices on a Bed of Chocolate Cream with Chocolate Cake, this cake doesn’t come across as chocolaty as Awfully Chocolate’s version, and would bring a nice finale to a meal, however, we would prefer the cake to be slightly more moist.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
The opening of Vivo City has seen many new restaurants/cafes popping up to capitalize on the crowds that throng Vivo City daily. One such new restaurant/cafe is White Dog Cafe.
Located just a few doors away from the much talked about Kim Gary, White Dog Cafe hosts its own steady stream of customers in its simple yet cosy interior with a view of Sentosa to boot. The menu is interestingly done up to mimic the spots of the Dalmatian. Other than that, nothing else seems to suggest why the outfit is named White Dog Cafe.
Soup of the day - This was plain lousy. The soup was way too salty and tasted like cabbage soup with some small balls of meat in it. The accompanying garlic bread was equally bad, coming across as slip shod and bland.
Deep Fried Breaded Beef with Japanese Mayo - This was recommended to me by the waiter and it sort of blew me away with its quality (this is not a compliment in case you are wondering). The bread coating was way too thick and the beef was tasteless. It was no different from eating deep fried crispy bread. Probably the only thing that was still okay was the rice. Ironical isn't it?
Etoile - My dessert of a specialty cake, the Etoile, which is essentially a dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. Sadly, it didn't meet expectations. The outer layer of dark chocolate did look like dark chocolate, but certainly didn't taste like it. I couldn't detect any bitterness or strong chocolate taste for that matter. The chocolate mousse was bland and the cake wasn't spongy. Terribly done if you ask me and I'm very sure the cakes aren't made in house. If they are, its time to change a new pastry chef.
A disappointing lunch for 2 pax cost $28.40. Not really expensive price wise, but factor in the quality of food and you have a no brainer conclusion. I will not be back. I guess that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
ITS THE TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN! THE GREAT SINGAPORE SALE!
The GSS is crazy enough to send all sane women's pulses racing at the thoughts of the crazy deals and the chance to own something so expensive that we will usually not buy. Every single time we women flip over the slashed down price tags, we will squeal silently and let the sales cloud our judgments and purchase the coveted items. (Though the chances of us never ever using them is pretty high too)
For me, I like to think of myself as a pretty rational shopper. (Who wouldn't be now? Look at the inflation going around. The exorbitant price of oil! What is the government going to do? Sorry. Sidetracked. One last question: Don't you feel that this year GSS isn't as happening?) So to avoid overspending on during this very crucial period, (And to avoid eating bread for the next few months...) the smart thing is to choose the right stop to shop in.
On any usual day, one would be able to get pretty good deals at Cotton On already with loads of offers going at 2 for $20 tops and 2 for $30 and more, etc. But during a sale, the prices are much more insane... (To the point where you will suspect whether you are actually in Orchard Road at such prices. XD) I actually bought a pink and aqua cardigan at $10 each and a gray mini dress at $7.50! Plus, the best thing about Cotton On is that they have a wide range of basics to choose from so you wouldn't have to worry about purchasing an item that you wouldn't wear in the future. =)
However, the downside to Cotton On is that you can't expect to have much service in the shop as the shop is usually always crowded with people. The salespeople are too busy maintaining and tidying up the place to help. The structure of the shop is also rather awkward as the fitting room is located at a rather hard to get to location. And with the amount of people in the shop, fitting is always a hassle.
So be prepared to face some inconvenience which at the end of the day would always be offset by the prices. And when you go home with the purchases with a smile on your face, you will know that it was all worth it. (",)
P.S. I sorta of disappeared from Yebber when my school started last semester. I was way too caught up with my schoolwork and after-school activities. Well, its the holidays now - so time to take a break and surf Yebber again! Yeah!
Along Club Street lies this quaint little colonial style building that houses one of Singapore's well known Italian Restaurant - Senso Ristorante & Bar. Established in 2000, Senso has received numerous awards and nominations for its ambience, food and wine. So it was imperative that we (my gf and I) tried out this place! Reservations weren't made as it was a rather last minute decision and we didn't think it would be too difficult to get a seat on a Sunday evening (Actually we were torn between eating at Senso and Grand Shanghai, but since the latter didn't answer my calls, we chose the former). We got there at about 645pm and were surprised to find that it only opened for dinner at 7pm. Anyway, it was but a short wait and at the stroke of 7, we were shown to our table in the courtyard. Please let me say this. We didn't opt to sit in the courtyard, but there wasn't a choice as we didn't meet the dress code.
It would be almost criminal not to dedicate at least a paragraph to the very pretty courtyard. From the moment I stepped in, it almost felt like I had been transported right into the heart of a warmly lit Tuscan courtyard in Italy, complete with a Greek statue that adorns the gardens. This is definitely one place you must see! There are strong fans around to help the customers keep cool whilst dining. However, it can get quite sticky because of the humid nature of Singapore's weather. The air conditioned interior was rather pleasing as well, with hues of orange and touches of elegance coupled with dim lighting. Decor aside, we had the Mozzarella for starters and the Frutti Di Mare and the Ossobuco for mains. On a side note, we had the chef divide everything up into 2 individual portions so that we could share.
The meal started off with a complementary serving of warm bread and bread sticks, with Chick Pea Puree as a dip. I personally found the bread sticks a little too hard for me, but it tasted quite good, especially with the Chick Pea Puree. The wheat bread was a little too dry for me. I couldn't make out the other bread, but it had onions on top and tasted soft and appetising. Following the bread was a tiny serving of Chick Pea Salad, complementary as well. I found this quite good as the chick peas had a tinge of zest coupled with the evident taste of the basil leaf. Small serving, but it sure packs a punch!
Our appetiser, the Mozzarella, was essentially pan fried Buffalo Mozzarella wrapped in Parma Ham, Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar). The huge chunk of cheese was a little chewy, yet didn't have too strong a cheese taste. Wrap a slice of Parma Ham around it and dip in the sauce (I think the sauce comes from the Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico. It tasted a little alcoholic.) and you get nothing short of stupendous. It sure didn't look like cheese though, or anything related to it. Little wonder why this is one of Senso's signature dishes.
With such a wonderful appetiser, we thus looked forward to the mains. The Frutti Di Mare, Carnaroli Risotto with Octopus, Prawns, Mussels, Calamari, fresh Tomato and Basil, was very nicely done without being too heavy on the cream and with the rich texture of the Risotto. It was good, but not fantastic. The Ossobuco, braised Veal shank "Ossobuco" served with mashed Potatoes, Rosemary and Lemon Gremolata was very tender and fibrous, so much so that there was no need to even remove the meat from the bone. The natural Veal taste was very prevalent in this dish, which suited me fine, but people who don't like it might just want to stay away. The accompanying mashed potatoes were soft and had a tinge of butter, but nothing to shout about.
We racked up a total of $93.24 for a very satisfying meal (for me at least). I was stuffed up so much that I could barely walk, which explains the absence of dessert. This is definitely one place you should bring your date or that special someone to. The ambience alone puts many other fine dining restaurants to shame. Service is excellent and so is the food. What more do you need? Do note that prices are quite steep here, but hey, I reckon every dollar is well spent.
Just some background before I begin.. I have ever been to Aston's when it was still in the coffeeshop. I've ever witnessed two mains plus all the sides feeding a family of five with 3 young children. Two mains would stuff me and my friend and there would be leftovers, so you can imagine how large the servings were. The food was also much better than your average western food stall. It was comparable to that of a restaurant. That time I remember that 2 mains would cost less than $20.
Having been to the previous establishment and seeing all the wonderful reviews here (needless to say) gave me great expectations as I walked into the place. It was close to 5pm and there wasn't the usual queue in front of the place. We stood at the *Please wait to be seated* sign. There were two servers just 1 metre away directly in front of us and it still took 4-5 minutes for them to come over as they were finishing their little joke before they did.
We were seated in a booth and there was only one other table occupied then. We checked out the menu and soon decided what we wanted.
I was unhappy when we ordered as the server didn't seem very sure when we asked if the items could be placed separately. We also repeated the sides a number of times as he kept repeating it back to us wrongly. My friend ordered an Iced Latte and the server said ok. But 5 minutes later when my coke arrived, another server told us that they don't serve Iced Lattes but only the hot ones. Urgh
Food ordered: Sirloin Steak (Medium - Well Done) The steak came as per ordered. But it wasn't very tasty. The meat didn't have much taste on its own and there wasn't much sauce too. My friend commented that it had a little too much fatty bits for her liking.
Grilled fish This was tasteless actually. One good thing was that it didn't have any fishy smell to it. If I didn't have my trusty ketchup I don't think I would have been able to finish this. And... we raised our hands trying to get their attention for ketchup but no one noticed us. (Reminder: it was quite empty then) So we got up, searched for it and got it for ourselves.
Fries I'd thought these would be the fat fries... well these were neither fat nor thin. but a little too salty though. I read that there was some spice on others' fries but there wasn't any on mine... mmm
BBQ beans It tasted exactly like baked beans from the Heinz can. We felt cheated.
Steamed Vegetables These were alright I guess but what could go wrong with steamed vegetables?
For some reason I can't remember what the last side order is. We, two girls, managed to clean out our plates so I can't say very much for the servings, can I?
Anyway the bill came up to $27 for two mains and three drinks. It IS cheap if you consider that it's western food served in a respectable looking restaurant. But the food is really average and service was pretty poor considering there weren't many people. I'm just glad I didn't have to queue to try. At least I know I won't ever have to.
I went to this cafe twice. The first time, the table and chairs were placed too close to each other. There wasn't really enough space to sit comfortably without hitting the person behind you.
The second time, the layout and chairs have changed. It's more comfortable. The place can be rather cold for those who cannot stand the cold.
Groups of about 6 can take the tables that are longer. There are about 4 such tables. The orders are written in the order pad given. Although I found it strange that they didn't check their pencils. The one on the table I was sitting at had a broken lead head.
The food took quite a long time to arrive, more than 15 minutes for a basket of potato wedges. The cost is rather reasonable compared to the same basket of potato wedges being sold at Cathay counters. I found more wedges in NEbo than at Cathay.
The staff are very young as this place is catered to the group of ages from 16 - 25. Membership is available to that group age too.
It isn't that bad and more improvements can be made as it is located next to the cinema and the patrons expect the food to arrive fast enough so that they won't enter the cinema late after that.
Ritz apple strudel & cafe has been around for quite some time, but it’s until now then i got the chance to actually try out their strudel which they are famous for.
We went to Ritz apple at Upper Thomson, the outlet is just a stone throw away from Chicken House
The interior of the place is very neat and clean, with simple white furniture.
Durian Strudel mini ($4.80) We made a mistake on this one, Ritz apple strudel is call apple after all, but we had the durian strudel which doesn’t quite make it. The durian is more on the sour side. Period.
Durian Crepe ($4.80) Another mistake since the durian is the same. Actually i heard their apple, or even strawberry is not bad, but my friend likes durian so we ordered durian flavor crepe.
Smoothies ($4.90) The smoothies is quite refreshing, and like the name implies, smoothes the throat!
Cashew Beef ($5.90) Beef isn’t very good when it goes along with nuts, in this case cashew as we find out. The cashew taste is too strong, which clashes with the beef. In the end we take out the beef and eat without the cashew. So much for cashew beef!
Total bill is $20.40 for the desserts. Ritz apple strudel isn’t that expensive considering the mini strudel is $4.80, i guess go for their apple or strawberry flavor and you will be alright, but please leave their durians alone.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
1=SGD 0.0587
A Makansutra Legend that hails from the old Wayang Street hawkers from the 70's, my family and I have been eating at Ah Kow for as long as I can remember. Reckon to be the authentic Teochew Minced Pork & Dumpling Noodle, one who enjoys an extra dash of black vinegar will appreciate their unrestrained use of black vinegar on the noodles that is purportedly a special brand of traditional black vinegar from China.
For a bowl of noodles that costs $3.50 (they have upped their price), the portion of noodles is paltry. Not as Q as I can remember, the noodles that day were average if not for the saving grace of the black vinegar that was not overwhelming, the slice of Ti Po (Crispy Fried Sole Fish) and the free helping of Crispy Pork Lard – that was fresh and crunchy.
And for an additional of $4, one can delight in the bowl of Teochew Keows (Dumplings) that comes with a generous helping of minced pork, slice pork, and my favourite vegetable - Tang O (Garland Chrysanthemum). Sadly, the soup was slightly lacklustre and bland that day, but the dumplings were still as good.
One might noticed that fried sole fish was added to give it an extra oomph. For $4 a bowl, one will get eight big pork filled dumplings.
However overall, I think Ah Kow’s standard has dipped slightly from the numerous times I have tried. One might also find a bowl of $3.50 minced pork noodles (without dumplings) expensive.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Seoul Yummy, another casual dining place that serves Korean food with its entrance hidden at the corner of third floor.
First up was the Hotplate Spicy Octopus – it comes with a good bite and was crunchy. The gravy is quite spicy to eat it on its own but pair it with a bowl of sticky white rice should do the trick.
The Shrimp Roe Beef Hotpot Mixed Rice was one of my favourite dishes – akin to claypot rice, the bottom of the rice was crisp and the shrimp roe adds a nice twist to this dish.
Steamed Kimchi with Pork Dumplings was quite a disappointment – there wasn’t any hint of kimchi in it and we found the meat too overwhelming. The skin of the dumpling is also not the best we have tried.
Everyone’s favourite for the day belongs to the Special Trio Bingsu, or Yoghurt Ice Cream with Kiwi, Strawberry & Red Bean Toppings. The dessert was served on a bed of ice shavings thus every spoonful was delightfully chilled. Ice cream comes with a tint of sourness that should be the way a natural flavoured yoghurt ice cream should taste like (Yoguru might wish to take heed).
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Zhou’s Kitchen - 周 (Zhou) is the family name of Andrew Tjioe, Tung Lok Group’s Founder and Executive Chairman and Zhou’s Kitchen is a welcome shift from the high end Tung Lok restaurant to a casual Chinese dining restaurant that caters to the palates and pockets of diners from all walks of life.
The décor is a mixed of Eastern influence of bamboos and jade and Western influence of clean and bright modern lighting.
Each table was served with delightful Prawn Crackers as we waited for our first dish - Young Sweet Potato Leaves Sautéed with Sambal Belachan. A straightforward dish that is a close substitute to Sambal Kang Kong, some might dislike the subtle bitter aftertaste.
The Xing Hua Traditional Homemade Noodle is a bowl of Udon-like noodles served in slightly gluey gravy. The gravy is light on the palate but noodles tend to be starchy towards the end.
The Xing Hua Dumplings served in a bowl of MSG-laden soup was disappointing. The dumpling tasted of strong pork smell and the skin was not the best I have tasted.
The best dish was the Grandma's Braised Pork with Toufu that was doled out in a claypot. Pork was soft and flavoured but a pity that the toufu was not braised along with it, as it was hard and hardly soaked in the gravy.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Secret Recipe, a lifestyle café chain that has become a household name following its debut in Malaysia since 1997. It has since successfully established its brand name in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.
The Lamb Stew served with Mashed Potatoes is one of their signatured dishes. The meat was very soft and yielding that a lightest tug of the fork will cause the meat to be easily separated from its bone. However, the meat could be better infused with the gravy and the mashed potatoes could be slightly salted for better flavour - we find it slightly cold and hard as well.
The Pan Grill, or Grilled Dory Laden with Lobster Gravy and served with Fries was the other main we sampled. On its own, the lobster gravy is strong with lobster tang, but we find the pairing with the fish a slight mismatch. Dory being a fresh-water fish also comes with a slight muddy taste.
The highlight of Secret Recipe belongs to its award-winning Chocolate Banana Cake. Crowned as the "Most Original Chocolate Cake" award winner in Malaysia 1999, the cake is pretty addictive. Loads of Thick Banana Slices on a Bed of Chocolate Cream with Chocolate Cake, this cake doesn’t come across as chocolaty as Awfully Chocolate’s version, and would bring a nice finale to a meal, however, we would prefer the cake to be slightly more moist.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
The opening of Vivo City has seen many new restaurants/cafes popping up to capitalize on the crowds that throng Vivo City daily. One such new restaurant/cafe is White Dog Cafe.
Located just a few doors away from the much talked about Kim Gary, White Dog Cafe hosts its own steady stream of customers in its simple yet cosy interior with a view of Sentosa to boot. The menu is interestingly done up to mimic the spots of the Dalmatian. Other than that, nothing else seems to suggest why the outfit is named White Dog Cafe.
Soup of the day - This was plain lousy. The soup was way too salty and tasted like cabbage soup with some small balls of meat in it. The accompanying garlic bread was equally bad, coming across as slip shod and bland.
Deep Fried Breaded Beef with Japanese Mayo -
This was recommended to me by the waiter and it sort of blew me away with its quality (this is not a compliment in case you are wondering). The bread coating was way too thick and the beef was tasteless. It was no different from eating deep fried crispy bread. Probably the only thing that was still okay was the rice. Ironical isn't it?
Etoile - My dessert of a specialty cake, the Etoile, which is essentially a dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. Sadly, it didn't meet expectations. The outer layer of dark chocolate did look like dark chocolate, but certainly didn't taste like it. I couldn't detect any bitterness or strong chocolate taste for that matter. The chocolate mousse was bland and the cake wasn't spongy. Terribly done if you ask me and I'm very sure the cakes aren't made in house. If they are, its time to change a new pastry chef.
A disappointing lunch for 2 pax cost $28.40. Not really expensive price wise, but factor in the quality of food and you have a no brainer conclusion. I will not be back. I guess that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
ITS THE TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN! THE GREAT SINGAPORE SALE!
The GSS is crazy enough to send all sane women's pulses racing at the thoughts of the crazy deals and the chance to own something so expensive that we will usually not buy. Every single time we women flip over the slashed down price tags, we will squeal silently and let the sales cloud our judgments and purchase the coveted items. (Though the chances of us never ever using them is pretty high too)
For me, I like to think of myself as a pretty rational shopper. (Who wouldn't be now? Look at the inflation going around. The exorbitant price of oil! What is the government going to do? Sorry. Sidetracked. One last question: Don't you feel that this year GSS isn't as happening?) So to avoid overspending on during this very crucial period, (And to avoid eating bread for the next few months...) the smart thing is to choose the right stop to shop in.
On any usual day, one would be able to get pretty good deals at Cotton On already with loads of offers going at 2 for $20 tops and 2 for $30 and more, etc. But during a sale, the prices are much more insane... (To the point where you will suspect whether you are actually in Orchard Road at such prices. XD) I actually bought a pink and aqua cardigan at $10 each and a gray mini dress at $7.50! Plus, the best thing about Cotton On is that they have a wide range of basics to choose from so you wouldn't have to worry about purchasing an item that you wouldn't wear in the future. =)
However, the downside to Cotton On is that you can't expect to have much service in the shop as the shop is usually always crowded with people. The salespeople are too busy maintaining and tidying up the place to help. The structure of the shop is also rather awkward as the fitting room is located at a rather hard to get to location. And with the amount of people in the shop, fitting is always a hassle.
So be prepared to face some inconvenience which at the end of the day would always be offset by the prices. And when you go home with the purchases with a smile on your face, you will know that it was all worth it. (",)
P.S. I sorta of disappeared from Yebber when my school started last semester. I was way too caught up with my schoolwork and after-school activities. Well, its the holidays now - so time to take a break and surf Yebber again! Yeah!
Rating given:
Along Club Street lies this quaint little colonial style building that houses one of Singapore's well known Italian Restaurant - Senso Ristorante & Bar. Established in 2000, Senso has received numerous awards and nominations for its ambience, food and wine. So it was imperative that we (my gf and I) tried out this place! Reservations weren't made as it was a rather last minute decision and we didn't think it would be too difficult to get a seat on a Sunday evening (Actually we were torn between eating at Senso and Grand Shanghai, but since the latter didn't answer my calls, we chose the former). We got there at about 645pm and were surprised to find that it only opened for dinner at 7pm. Anyway, it was but a short wait and at the stroke of 7, we were shown to our table in the courtyard. Please let me say this. We didn't opt to sit in the courtyard, but there wasn't a choice as we didn't meet the dress code.
It would be almost criminal not to dedicate at least a paragraph to the very pretty courtyard. From the moment I stepped in, it almost felt like I had been transported right into the heart of a warmly lit Tuscan courtyard in Italy, complete with a Greek statue that adorns the gardens. This is definitely one place you must see! There are strong fans around to help the customers keep cool whilst dining. However, it can get quite sticky because of the humid nature of Singapore's weather. The air conditioned interior was rather pleasing as well, with hues of orange and touches of elegance coupled with dim lighting. Decor aside, we had the Mozzarella for starters and the Frutti Di Mare and the Ossobuco for mains. On a side note, we had the chef divide everything up into 2 individual portions so that we could share.
The meal started off with a complementary serving of warm bread and bread sticks, with Chick Pea Puree as a dip. I personally found the bread sticks a little too hard for me, but it tasted quite good, especially with the Chick Pea Puree. The wheat bread was a little too dry for me. I couldn't make out the other bread, but it had onions on top and tasted soft and appetising. Following the bread was a tiny serving of Chick Pea Salad, complementary as well. I found this quite good as the chick peas had a tinge of zest coupled with the evident taste of the basil leaf. Small serving, but it sure packs a punch!
Our appetiser, the Mozzarella, was essentially pan fried Buffalo Mozzarella wrapped in Parma Ham, Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar). The huge chunk of cheese was a little chewy, yet didn't have too strong a cheese taste. Wrap a slice of Parma Ham around it and dip in the sauce (I think the sauce comes from the Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico. It tasted a little alcoholic.) and you get nothing short of stupendous. It sure didn't look like cheese though, or anything related to it. Little wonder why this is one of Senso's signature dishes.
With such a wonderful appetiser, we thus looked forward to the mains. The Frutti Di Mare, Carnaroli Risotto with Octopus, Prawns, Mussels, Calamari, fresh Tomato and Basil, was very nicely done without being too heavy on the cream and with the rich texture of the Risotto. It was good, but not fantastic. The Ossobuco, braised Veal shank "Ossobuco" served with mashed Potatoes, Rosemary and Lemon Gremolata was very tender and fibrous, so much so that there was no need to even remove the meat from the bone. The natural Veal taste was very prevalent in this dish, which suited me fine, but people who don't like it might just want to stay away. The accompanying mashed potatoes were soft and had a tinge of butter, but nothing to shout about.
We racked up a total of $93.24 for a very satisfying meal (for me at least). I was stuffed up so much that I could barely walk, which explains the absence of dessert. This is definitely one place you should bring your date or that special someone to. The ambience alone puts many other fine dining restaurants to shame. Service is excellent and so is the food. What more do you need? Do note that prices are quite steep here, but hey, I reckon every dollar is well spent.
Rating given:
Just some background before I begin.. I have ever been to Aston's when it was still in the coffeeshop. I've ever witnessed two mains plus all the sides feeding a family of five with 3 young children. Two mains would stuff me and my friend and there would be leftovers, so you can imagine how large the servings were. The food was also much better than your average western food stall. It was comparable to that of a restaurant. That time I remember that 2 mains would cost less than $20.
Having been to the previous establishment and seeing all the wonderful reviews here (needless to say) gave me great expectations as I walked into the place. It was close to 5pm and there wasn't the usual queue in front of the place. We stood at the *Please wait to be seated* sign. There were two servers just 1 metre away directly in front of us and it still took 4-5 minutes for them to come over as they were finishing their little joke before they did.
We were seated in a booth and there was only one other table occupied then. We checked out the menu and soon decided what we wanted.
I was unhappy when we ordered as the server didn't seem very sure when we asked if the items could be placed separately. We also repeated the sides a number of times as he kept repeating it back to us wrongly. My friend ordered an Iced Latte and the server said ok. But 5 minutes later when my coke arrived, another server told us that they don't serve Iced Lattes but only the hot ones. Urgh
Food ordered:
Sirloin Steak (Medium - Well Done)
The steak came as per ordered. But it wasn't very tasty. The meat didn't have much taste on its own and there wasn't much sauce too. My friend commented that it had a little too much fatty bits for her liking.
Grilled fish
This was tasteless actually. One good thing was that it didn't have any fishy smell to it. If I didn't have my trusty ketchup I don't think I would have been able to finish this. And... we raised our hands trying to get their attention for ketchup but no one noticed us. (Reminder: it was quite empty then) So we got up, searched for it and got it for ourselves.
Fries
I'd thought these would be the fat fries... well these were neither fat nor thin. but a little too salty though. I read that there was some spice on others' fries but there wasn't any on mine... mmm
BBQ beans
It tasted exactly like baked beans from the Heinz can. We felt cheated.
Steamed Vegetables
These were alright I guess but what could go wrong with steamed vegetables?
For some reason I can't remember what the last side order is. We, two girls, managed to clean out our plates so I can't say very much for the servings, can I?
Anyway the bill came up to $27 for two mains and three drinks. It IS cheap if you consider that it's western food served in a respectable looking restaurant. But the food is really average and service was pretty poor considering there weren't many people. I'm just glad I didn't have to queue to try. At least I know I won't ever have to.
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I went to this cafe twice. The first time, the table and chairs were placed too close to each other. There wasn't really enough space to sit comfortably without hitting the person behind you.
The second time, the layout and chairs have changed. It's more comfortable. The place can be rather cold for those who cannot stand the cold.
Groups of about 6 can take the tables that are longer. There are about 4 such tables. The orders are written in the order pad given. Although I found it strange that they didn't check their pencils. The one on the table I was sitting at had a broken lead head.
The food took quite a long time to arrive, more than 15 minutes for a basket of potato wedges. The cost is rather reasonable compared to the same basket of potato wedges being sold at Cathay counters. I found more wedges in NEbo than at Cathay.
The staff are very young as this place is catered to the group of ages from 16 - 25. Membership is available to that group age too.
It isn't that bad and more improvements can be made as it is located next to the cinema and the patrons expect the food to arrive fast enough so that they won't enter the cinema late after that.
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Ritz apple strudel & cafe has been around for quite some time, but it’s until now then i got the chance to actually try out their strudel which they are famous for.
We went to Ritz apple at Upper Thomson, the outlet is just a stone throw away from Chicken House
The interior of the place is very neat and clean, with simple white furniture.
Durian Strudel mini ($4.80)
We made a mistake on this one, Ritz apple strudel is call apple after all, but we had the durian strudel which doesn’t quite make it. The durian is more on the sour side. Period.
Durian Crepe ($4.80)
Another mistake since the durian is the same. Actually i heard their apple, or even strawberry is not bad, but my friend likes durian so we ordered durian flavor crepe.
Smoothies ($4.90)
The smoothies is quite refreshing, and like the name implies, smoothes the throat!
Cashew Beef ($5.90)
Beef isn’t very good when it goes along with nuts, in this case cashew as we find out. The cashew taste is too strong, which clashes with the beef. In the end we take out the beef and eat without the cashew. So much for cashew beef!
Total bill is $20.40 for the desserts. Ritz apple strudel isn’t that expensive considering the mini strudel is $4.80, i guess go for their apple or strawberry flavor and you will be alright, but please leave their durians alone.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” Apple and strawberry, no durians! “
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