Wood Restaurant & Bar, a newly opened upmarket restaurant that offers food cooked only by wood and charcoal - the old fashioned method before gas came about and certainly an interesting concept.
Hidden on the ground floor in one forsaken corner of Vivocity, Wood's chef is none other Jake Klein, whose stepfather, Steven Raichlen, is the creator of Barbecue University and known as America's grilling expert. From the facade to the interior, Wood oozes unadulterated class in itself. A short walk through the wooden tunnel from the entrance leads to a magnificent glass wine cellar and the sublimely chic seating area with its posh booth seats, floor to ceiling windows and the huge open concept kitchen. One gripe though. The windows don't face the sea directly, unlike most of the other restaurants at Vivocity.
Complimentary Bread - Its the first time I'm eating focaccia that comes in pizza slices and it was something different. It almost tasted like pizza sans the toppings except that the bread was a little burnt and dry. I still liked it enough with the olive oil though to gobble it all up and yearn for seconds, which unfortunately was never offered.
Smoked Chicken Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Toasted Peanut - Aesthetically pleasing, the salad portion was small, no doubt about it. What I liked about it was the lightly smoked chicken slivers which went well with the savoury Hoisin vinaigrette and toasted grounded peanuts. It helped that the vegetables were fresh as well.
Roasted Asparagus, Baby Greens and Poached Egg - I personally found this dish a little lacklustre as compared to the smoked chicken salad. But having said that, it was still quite good. For starters, this has got to be the biggest asparagus I've seen (not that I've been around much though) and it was well seasoned with salt and pepper. The poached egg wasn't anything special though but the greens were fresh and crunchy.
Wood Roasted Spring Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Parsley - The chicken looked a tad charred when served. However it was very fragrant and juicy with a lingering herb taste in every bite. I did find it a little too salty at certain parts though, probably due to the heterogeneous seasoning distribution. But all in all a most delightful dish.
14 Days House Aged Ribeye, Rosemary, Garlic & Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I honestly can't taste the difference between a 14 days aged ribeye and a normal ribeye or a 90 days aged ribeye for that matter, so its just a name to me. The ribeye was done medium instead of the medium rare that I had requested, but it was still good. Succulent and juicy with a strong hint of herbs that didn't threaten to overpower the inherent beefy taste. Not the best I've tried, but certainly in a league of its own. Watch out for the small portions though. The beef is probably around 5-6 oz (just a rough guess).
Valhorna Chocolate Pudding with Lavender Croutons and Sea Salt - The chocolate pudding didn't come across as too sweet and very smooth with the dried lavender providing a nice floral complement to the chocolate. The croutons provided a nice crunchy texture to the whole dessert.
Thyme Roasted White Peach with Yogurt Ice Cream - I can't help but profess my liking for this dessert. A didn't taste like it was roasted piece of peach sitting atop chunks of biscuit crumbs with buttery overtones and topped with a nice creamy and sourish yogurt ice cream. Most delightful if you ask me.
An excellent lunch for 2 cost an almost princely sum of about $95 ($10 goes to the bottled water. They don't serve iced water by the way). Good things definitely don't come cheap and the 4 course set dinner starts from $75 per pax ($120 with wine pairing) with slightly bigger portions and a larger variety of dishes to choose from. Service is good as well and for those who prefer privacy, there are private rooms to cater to various group sizes. There's even a romantic private room for 2 complete with a private entrance, if you can afford/are willing to chalk up $300 in bills that is.
I'll definitely be back, but probably only for lunch. The small portions and steep prices for dinner are a little bit too much for me to swallow. For now.
Executive Chef Dennis Sim teamed up with Culinary Director Angelo Sanelli, of Michelangelo’s distinction, presented us with selections of original and contemporary Italian dishes balances with a well though out selection of conventional delights.
Zambuca happens to be a bar as well as a restaurant that features a magnificent wine cellar. Specially set to the temperature of 18°C and use mainly for wine dinners, this cellar is a definitely an enchantment for all wine enthusiasts.
Appetisers were soon served as we were still busy deciding on what read like mouth-watering dishes from the menu.
However, the pretty dreadful Bruschetta they serve as a complimentary were pretty stale toast and even staler toppings of Italian Sausage and Mushy Beef Spread or Egg Mayo with Caviar. Thankfully, the sampler starters were dished out in succession not long after and I have to say I am quite impressed. First up was the Carpaccio di Manzo, or Beef carpaccio with parmesan cheese and quail eggs, lightly drizzled with extra virgin oil.
The thinly sliced beef melts in your mouth and the parmesan adds zest to the otherwise bland dish. This was soon followed by Parma Ham with Rockmelon.
In terms of presentation, I thought this was one of the best that night. The chef was even generous enough to give us a huge chunk of the melon wrapped around with a wedge of ham. The Gamberi con Aglio Olio e Crema, or Tender tiger prawns with sliced garlic, finished with Devon cream and placed on a bed of shredded spinach served in a hot iron terrine, as put simply - Divine.
The prawns were gigantic and fresh, and the cream sauce was purely mouth-watering, so good that we were scooping the sauce straight from the iron bowl and gulping it. The Mussels topped with Tomato-based Sauce though were ordinary.
Although the flesh of the mussels was big and juicy, I suspect that they were cooked separately from the sauce as the mussels lacked taste and flavouring from the gravy. The gravy also was not the best I have tasted as compared to the many mussels dishes I have tried in Perth. However, the biggest disappointment of the night was that of the Calamari Fritti.
The Squid rings were too salty and the coating of the flour was done badly such that we end up eating the squid separately from the flour. Thankfully the last starter of the night, Foie Gras, or Seared duck liver served on toasted brioche topped with Granny Smith apple, peppered fig and port wine redeemed it all.
Consider one of the greatest delicacies in French Cuisine, the liver was juicy and the fatty oil that oozes out from it is simply blissful. It was simply so delicious that I decided to have more servings of duck for my main.
And thus it ensures that I also have a whole serving of Foie Gras to myself along with the breast of the duck – pretty sinful I must say, but for occasional indulgence, I reckon that it was all worth it. Known for their lamb dishes, I would also highly recommend the Agnello Marinato alla Griglia, or grilled and marinated rack of lamb served with asparagus and mushroom ragout, parsnip puree and drizzled with chili chocolate sauce - done in medium rare.
The tenderness of the meat along with an exotic sauce simply tops all the dishes for the night.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Ever since I have started working near Serangoon area, the temptation of sampling Indian food never stopped. From Roti Prata as morning breakfast to Nasi Biryani for lunch, I am surrounded by these delicious Indian cuisine (North or South Indian, Indian Muslim or what not) everyday. Finally, it took a nudge from my Indian colleague and there I was in front of an Authentic North Indian (Punjabi) Cuisine Restaurant in the heart of Little India. With so many dishes to choose from, we were spoilt for choice.
Finally, my colleague from India volunteered to choose a few dishes that she deemed to be her favourite and that begins my little food adventure for the day. We opted for the Butter Naan, or a type of bread made from dough and butter (almost similar to prata) instead of the usual rice for a change.
The Palak Paneer, or Spinach with Cottage Cheese was a tad too authentic though for me. Pretty bland and a bit too “greeny” for me, it was almost as good as eating a Broccoli raw! The Aloo Gobhi, or Potatoes with Cauliflower though was slightly better.
I love my potatoes and this dish had definitely more taste than the Spinach. This veggie is mushily good to go with the Naan, but however, if eaten with rice, I would think that it’s too starchy. Perhaps being a fellow potatoes lover, another dish she ordered was the Baked Potatoes with Capsicum.
This is the first time I have seen this combination and I must say I am pretty impressed with it. A hint of burnt flavour from the baking and the crunchy texture from the capsicum was a great complement. But the accolade truly belongs to the Butter Chicken that day.
The rich gravy made from yoghurt and cream, was a sinful yet delectable one, which I simply couldn’t resist dipping in my spoon again and again for another sip. The last time I had this dish was in Perth's Chutney Mary's and I never remembered it to be so delicious.
A pity though that the Mango Lassi was not as good as I thought it would be, as it was much too sweet for my taste bud.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Guys like me think Japanese are sweet and seductive, but just in case your mind start wandering to those kawaii Japanese schoolgirls, let me just share with you that I am talking about food (I am a foodie, what else can I be talking about!?), but more precisely, their dessert. Making quite a buzz since its opening in Marina Square in the month of June 2006, Azabu Sabo, follows an original teahouse philosophy and serves authentic Japanese desserts. Its selection of desserts and Hokkaido Ice Cream, available for the first time in Singapore, has made itself especially popular with female clientele.
It is said that they directly imports the main ingredients from Japan, such as the top grade red beans, produced from Hokkaido, which are not overly-sweet. However, I beg to differ. I ordered by far the most popular and highly recognised Matchazen, or Green Tea Ice-Cream in a Bowl of Dumplings & Red Bean Paste, and was overwhelmed by the sweetness of the mushy red bean paste.
Thank goodness the strong bitter after-taste of the ice cream was able to neutralise it. The dumpling though tasteless was soft in texture and chewy, unlike those you bought off the supermarkets. Unlike the immaculate service that is found everywhere in the humble land of the rising sun, the service standards of this outlet was found lacking. The service staffs that day were mostly foreigners who did not seemed to have a good grasp of English. They had problems trying to understand my questions when I tried to find out more about the desserts, and they were particularly non-existent when I tried to settle the bill. What a pity though, if only they could import the sweet Japanese service culture as well.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Island Creamery is an ice cream parlour that offers unique local flavours for both young and old – think Teh Tarik and Tiger Beer sorbet and not your typical boring chocolate or vanilla flavours. I tried the Pulut Hitam and I have to say that it kinda reminded me of the days in NS, where it was one of the favourite desserts among the field ration.
However, the texture of the ice-cream is a bit rough as compared to the ice cream from Venezia, at Guthrie House, Sixth Avenue.
Despite that, it is still a chic place for teenagers to hang out with, and it even encourage people to take photos, print out, and leave their wonderful memories behind, pasted on the wall. So who says all sweet stuffs leave you with a bad aftertaste?
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Do you remember the days when Ah Hock would be ringing his bells selling ice cream and kids would rush down from their HDB blocks after dinner just to satisfy their sweet tooth? Well, I was one of those kids. Then, the flavours were only Vanilla, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip and Raspberry – with the choices of having it on two pieces of soft and fluffy bread, or in between biscuits. Now these Ah Hocks can only be found in the middle of Orchard Road and instead, swanky new ice cream parlours sprung out all over Singapore.
On top of the flavours of the old, you get fanciful names like Tartufo, and ice cream are refined and repackaged as Gelato from Italy. Call it whatever they wished, but the child in me can never resist the temptation of a smooth and soft Italian ice cream after work, at Venezia.
Beware though when you wished to takeaway, as the gelato is made fresh everyday with no preservatives, the quality will dipped after 3 days, and also, gelato is served from a different freezer than American style ice cream - a forced air freezer - which is usually held at about -15°C. This allows the gelato to be served immediately after being extruded from the gelato machine - the "forced air" maintains the product at a steady temperature. Therefore, you may serve ice cream from a gelato freezer but you may not serve gelato from a freezer at home, as the gelato would become too frozen, and texture too flaky for liking.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Held at the mint museum of toys, the event was to house 50 individuals from Yebbers to sponsors and major holders of interest with the beloved website we've all grown to love and grow with.
The mint museum was an extremely interesting choice to have an event as first of all, i've never heard of it before and secondly, who would have thought the museum actually served decent food??? (thats a post ill save for later though. Muahahaha!)
Back to the event, loads of prizes ranging from creative zen stones to a 4gd zen player (which i wanted badly but didn't win in the end. Sigh) to webcams and optical mice. Its definitely a wonderful plethora of prizes which entices and keeps the interest of the people when it came to the games. Well done, loved bingo but the winner always seems to be that extremely lucky girl!?!? Nevertheless, never say die i suppose.
I did have a few gripes which were basically small ones about the very limited space for activity and lack of seating in the place but its mostly minor.
The architecture of the museum is pretty interesting with its second place hanging glass exhibition hall directly above our heads which was surprisingly suspended by the ceiling instead of having pillars for support. (Thank you PB for this piece of info.) The selection of old school toys were also astonishing but my gf wasn't quite comfortable with some of the scarier looking ones. I would be frightened too if i had to spend the night with that load of antique toys staring at me. Still, interesting place.
The venue staff were great and helped solve whatever questions or needs that arose.
......i need to talk about the food, it was good. Particularly the bruschetta and the chicken potato hybrid which i've had multiple servings. Nice work on Yebber's part to source out great places for events.
Finally, the best part was learning more about the people present that made the system work. Great stuff, lets keep them coming!!!
Pasta Fresca is an Italian restaurant chain that has a presence in China and Singapore, with 4 outlets currently operating in the latter. Managed to have a quick dinner with my friend at its Siglap outlet one evening when the crowds were still slowly trickling in.
The interior was rather simplistic yet cosy through the injection of earthly tones into its colour scheme and overhanging pieces of cloth (or whatever you call them). Coupled with warm lights and Italian style painting panels, it made for a lazy and somewhat sleepy dinner.
Alfredo Fettuccine - One of the more decent renditions around, the fettuccine was al dente with the cream based sauce not too heavy on the palate. The toppings of diced chicken, ham and garden peas were quite generous as well, which made this dish quite bang for the buck.
Quattro Stagioni - Bearing the same name as Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the Quattro Stagioni was quite decent with the exception of the crust, which could have been thinner and crispier. Although we only ordered a small pizza, it was already quite a size. Ingredients were generous as well, with the olives, ham, mushrooms and artichokes scattered throughout.
Mousse Al Cioccolato - I'm pretty sure chocolate fanatics will like this dish - chocolaty rich and gooey but not overwhelming. Served chilled, it made for a nice and sweet, albeit heart stopping dessert. The funny thing was that it was supposedly flavoured with orange peel, something that I couldn't make out at all.
Tiramisu - For the price, I honestly didn't expect much. The tiramisu looked good but was let down by quite a few factors. First of all, there was the glaring absence of the liqueur taste. Secondly, the mascarpone cheese came across as more creamy then light or fluffy. But having said all that, it was still very palatable.
I was stuffed at the end of it and so was my friend. Food quality in general was a notch above average but the best part was, it didn't cost an arm or leg, standing at about $46 for 2 mains & 2 desserts. Service was quite good and I would be inclined to drop by if I was in the area and craving for a hearty Italian fix.
Dubbed the “Bohemian enclave” of Singapore, Holland Village is a curious mix between old and new. Traditional coffee shops and a wet market jostle for space aside swanky wine bars and fine dining restaurants. And in the space of one week, I was fortunate to take part in this dining culture twice. And in both occasions, I was indulging in the pleasure of the rich Italian cuisine. Situated at the corner among a cluster of shophouses is Al Dente Trattoria.
At Al Dente, one can choose to dine al fresco or indoors. Unfortunately, although the candlelight adds an amorous atmosphere for the diners, frequent passer-by walking along Lorong Mambong seeks to blemish it, thus our choice to venture indoors.
We were served by an over-enthusiastic service staff that we felt pressured to order more than we should (apparently ice water was a choice of sprinkling or still, and I ended ordering the ice-peach tea instead). He was also quick to note down the order of the Antipasti Sampler Platter – which we haven’t agreed upon – but felt obliged to since he already wrote it.
Thankfully, the appetiser turned out to be pretty fine. A platter of premium salami slices, grilled mushrooms, tomatoes with mozzarella cheese, ham with melon & cold seafood cuts on fresh garden greens was a harmonious dish that suited all three of us. While both my friends went for the Linguine Marinara, or the seafood of lobster, shrimps, clams, mussels & cod fillet tossed with linguine pasta in a wine seafood stock, finished with a robust herbed tomato stew, I was encouraged yet again by the service staff to go for the Penne with Scallops, or the tube pasta with fresh Australian scallops & zucchini slices, sautéed in a light cream sauce, infused with brandy.
The scallops were indeed juicy and fresh, and the taste of zucchini was refreshing as I haven’t had it since my Perth days. The only fault that I would pick on would be that the cream sauce was too rich, such that one cannot taste the hint of brandy in it.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
I attended the Party held at the Mint on Friday and I loved it. I love the place, with all the quirky toys. It never fails to amaze me, this place.
Richard, the curator, was also very nice to help us out although it was past the time for him to knock off. He even offered to take us up to the balcony to see another area they have for a gathering. It was open air and I can see the makings of a BBQ there!
Anyways back to the party, lots of people were there, Yebbers and Pingsters and other bloggers... We were suitably entertained, though I have to agree with some that we needed a mic or a gong to get people's attention at least. :) The bingo game sure got lots of people's attention!!!
Also the prizes were great though I din win any. But I'm sure many appreciated the prizes. :)
The food also also pretty good though I'd prefer to have seats when I eat but it was alright too. I was too excited to eat wor. Nonetheless the people made sure we had all we need for the party to go on and I think that's one of the most important things when choosing a venue - having the support from the venue staff. :)
1=SGD 0.0587
Wood Restaurant & Bar, a newly opened upmarket restaurant that offers food cooked only by wood and charcoal - the old fashioned method before gas came about and certainly an interesting concept.
Hidden on the ground floor in one forsaken corner of Vivocity, Wood's chef is none other Jake Klein, whose stepfather, Steven Raichlen, is the creator of Barbecue University and known as America's grilling expert. From the facade to the interior, Wood oozes unadulterated class in itself. A short walk through the wooden tunnel from the entrance leads to a magnificent glass wine cellar and the sublimely chic seating area with its posh booth seats, floor to ceiling windows and the huge open concept kitchen. One gripe though. The windows don't face the sea directly, unlike most of the other restaurants at Vivocity.
Complimentary Bread - Its the first time I'm eating focaccia that comes in pizza slices and it was something different. It almost tasted like pizza sans the toppings except that the bread was a little burnt and dry. I still liked it enough with the olive oil though to gobble it all up and yearn for seconds, which unfortunately was never offered.
Smoked Chicken Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Toasted Peanut - Aesthetically pleasing, the salad portion was small, no doubt about it. What I liked about it was the lightly smoked chicken slivers which went well with the savoury Hoisin vinaigrette and toasted grounded peanuts. It helped that the vegetables were fresh as well.
Roasted Asparagus, Baby Greens and Poached Egg - I personally found this dish a little lacklustre as compared to the smoked chicken salad. But having said that, it was still quite good. For starters, this has got to be the biggest asparagus I've seen (not that I've been around much though) and it was well seasoned with salt and pepper. The poached egg wasn't anything special though but the greens were fresh and crunchy.
Wood Roasted Spring Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Parsley - The chicken looked a tad charred when served. However it was very fragrant and juicy with a lingering herb taste in every bite. I did find it a little too salty at certain parts though, probably due to the heterogeneous seasoning distribution. But all in all a most delightful dish.
14 Days House Aged Ribeye, Rosemary, Garlic & Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I honestly can't taste the difference between a 14 days aged ribeye and a normal ribeye or a 90 days aged ribeye for that matter, so its just a name to me. The ribeye was done medium instead of the medium rare that I had requested, but it was still good. Succulent and juicy with a strong hint of herbs that didn't threaten to overpower the inherent beefy taste. Not the best I've tried, but certainly in a league of its own. Watch out for the small portions though. The beef is probably around 5-6 oz (just a rough guess).
Valhorna Chocolate Pudding with Lavender Croutons and Sea Salt - The chocolate pudding didn't come across as too sweet and very smooth with the dried lavender providing a nice floral complement to the chocolate. The croutons provided a nice crunchy texture to the whole dessert.
Thyme Roasted White Peach with Yogurt Ice Cream - I can't help but profess my liking for this dessert. A didn't taste like it was roasted piece of peach sitting atop chunks of biscuit crumbs with buttery overtones and topped with a nice creamy and sourish yogurt ice cream. Most delightful if you ask me.
An excellent lunch for 2 cost an almost princely sum of about $95 ($10 goes to the bottled water. They don't serve iced water by the way). Good things definitely don't come cheap and the 4 course set dinner starts from $75 per pax ($120 with wine pairing) with slightly bigger portions and a larger variety of dishes to choose from. Service is good as well and for those who prefer privacy, there are private rooms to cater to various group sizes. There's even a romantic private room for 2 complete with a private entrance, if you can afford/are willing to chalk up $300 in bills that is.
I'll definitely be back, but probably only for lunch. The small portions and steep prices for dinner are a little bit too much for me to swallow. For now.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Executive Chef Dennis Sim teamed up with Culinary Director Angelo Sanelli, of Michelangelo’s distinction, presented us with selections of original and contemporary Italian dishes balances with a well though out selection of conventional delights.
Zambuca happens to be a bar as well as a restaurant that features a magnificent wine cellar. Specially set to the temperature of 18°C and use mainly for wine dinners, this cellar is a definitely an enchantment for all wine enthusiasts.
Appetisers were soon served as we were still busy deciding on what read like mouth-watering dishes from the menu.
However, the pretty dreadful Bruschetta they serve as a complimentary were pretty stale toast and even staler toppings of Italian Sausage and Mushy Beef Spread or Egg Mayo with Caviar. Thankfully, the sampler starters were dished out in succession not long after and I have to say I am quite impressed. First up was the Carpaccio di Manzo, or Beef carpaccio with parmesan cheese and quail eggs, lightly drizzled with extra virgin oil.
The thinly sliced beef melts in your mouth and the parmesan adds zest to the otherwise bland dish. This was soon followed by Parma Ham with Rockmelon.
In terms of presentation, I thought this was one of the best that night. The chef was even generous enough to give us a huge chunk of the melon wrapped around with a wedge of ham. The Gamberi con Aglio Olio e Crema, or Tender tiger prawns with sliced garlic, finished with Devon cream and placed on a bed of shredded spinach served in a hot iron terrine, as put simply - Divine.
The prawns were gigantic and fresh, and the cream sauce was purely mouth-watering, so good that we were scooping the sauce straight from the iron bowl and gulping it. The Mussels topped with Tomato-based Sauce though were ordinary.
Although the flesh of the mussels was big and juicy, I suspect that they were cooked separately from the sauce as the mussels lacked taste and flavouring from the gravy. The gravy also was not the best I have tasted as compared to the many mussels dishes I have tried in Perth. However, the biggest disappointment of the night was that of the Calamari Fritti.
The Squid rings were too salty and the coating of the flour was done badly such that we end up eating the squid separately from the flour. Thankfully the last starter of the night, Foie Gras, or Seared duck liver served on toasted brioche topped with Granny Smith apple, peppered fig and port wine redeemed it all.
Consider one of the greatest delicacies in French Cuisine, the liver was juicy and the fatty oil that oozes out from it is simply blissful. It was simply so delicious that I decided to have more servings of duck for my main.
And thus it ensures that I also have a whole serving of Foie Gras to myself along with the breast of the duck – pretty sinful I must say, but for occasional indulgence, I reckon that it was all worth it. Known for their lamb dishes, I would also highly recommend the Agnello Marinato alla Griglia, or grilled and marinated rack of lamb served with asparagus and mushroom ragout, parsnip puree and drizzled with chili chocolate sauce - done in medium rare.
The tenderness of the meat along with an exotic sauce simply tops all the dishes for the night.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Ever since I have started working near Serangoon area, the temptation of sampling Indian food never stopped. From Roti Prata as morning breakfast to Nasi Biryani for lunch, I am surrounded by these delicious Indian cuisine (North or South Indian, Indian Muslim or what not) everyday. Finally, it took a nudge from my Indian colleague and there I was in front of an Authentic North Indian (Punjabi) Cuisine Restaurant in the heart of Little India. With so many dishes to choose from, we were spoilt for choice.
Finally, my colleague from India volunteered to choose a few dishes that she deemed to be her favourite and that begins my little food adventure for the day. We opted for the Butter Naan, or a type of bread made from dough and butter (almost similar to prata) instead of the usual rice for a change.
The Palak Paneer, or Spinach with Cottage Cheese was a tad too authentic though for me. Pretty bland and a bit too “greeny” for me, it was almost as good as eating a Broccoli raw! The Aloo Gobhi, or Potatoes with Cauliflower though was slightly better.
I love my potatoes and this dish had definitely more taste than the Spinach. This veggie is mushily good to go with the Naan, but however, if eaten with rice, I would think that it’s too starchy. Perhaps being a fellow potatoes lover, another dish she ordered was the Baked Potatoes with Capsicum.
This is the first time I have seen this combination and I must say I am pretty impressed with it. A hint of burnt flavour from the baking and the crunchy texture from the capsicum was a great complement. But the accolade truly belongs to the Butter Chicken that day.
The rich gravy made from yoghurt and cream, was a sinful yet delectable one, which I simply couldn’t resist dipping in my spoon again and again for another sip. The last time I had this dish was in Perth's Chutney Mary's and I never remembered it to be so delicious.
A pity though that the Mango Lassi was not as good as I thought it would be, as it was much too sweet for my taste bud.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Guys like me think Japanese are sweet and seductive, but just in case your mind start wandering to those kawaii Japanese schoolgirls, let me just share with you that I am talking about food (I am a foodie, what else can I be talking about!?), but more precisely, their dessert. Making quite a buzz since its opening in Marina Square in the month of June 2006, Azabu Sabo, follows an original teahouse philosophy and serves authentic Japanese desserts. Its selection of desserts and Hokkaido Ice Cream, available for the first time in Singapore, has made itself especially popular with female clientele.
It is said that they directly imports the main ingredients from Japan, such as the top grade red beans, produced from Hokkaido, which are not overly-sweet. However, I beg to differ. I ordered by far the most popular and highly recognised Matchazen, or Green Tea Ice-Cream in a Bowl of Dumplings & Red Bean Paste, and was overwhelmed by the sweetness of the mushy red bean paste.
Thank goodness the strong bitter after-taste of the ice cream was able to neutralise it. The dumpling though tasteless was soft in texture and chewy, unlike those you bought off the supermarkets. Unlike the immaculate service that is found everywhere in the humble land of the rising sun, the service standards of this outlet was found lacking. The service staffs that day were mostly foreigners who did not seemed to have a good grasp of English. They had problems trying to understand my questions when I tried to find out more about the desserts, and they were particularly non-existent when I tried to settle the bill. What a pity though, if only they could import the sweet Japanese service culture as well.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Island Creamery is an ice cream parlour that offers unique local flavours for both young and old – think Teh Tarik and Tiger Beer sorbet and not your typical boring chocolate or vanilla flavours. I tried the Pulut Hitam and I have to say that it kinda reminded me of the days in NS, where it was one of the favourite desserts among the field ration.
However, the texture of the ice-cream is a bit rough as compared to the ice cream from Venezia, at Guthrie House, Sixth Avenue.
Despite that, it is still a chic place for teenagers to hang out with, and it even encourage people to take photos, print out, and leave their wonderful memories behind, pasted on the wall. So who says all sweet stuffs leave you with a bad aftertaste?
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Do you remember the days when Ah Hock would be ringing his bells selling ice cream and kids would rush down from their HDB blocks after dinner just to satisfy their sweet tooth? Well, I was one of those kids. Then, the flavours were only Vanilla, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip and Raspberry – with the choices of having it on two pieces of soft and fluffy bread, or in between biscuits. Now these Ah Hocks can only be found in the middle of Orchard Road and instead, swanky new ice cream parlours sprung out all over Singapore.
On top of the flavours of the old, you get fanciful names like Tartufo, and ice cream are refined and repackaged as Gelato from Italy. Call it whatever they wished, but the child in me can never resist the temptation of a smooth and soft Italian ice cream after work, at Venezia.
Beware though when you wished to takeaway, as the gelato is made fresh everyday with no preservatives, the quality will dipped after 3 days, and also, gelato is served from a different freezer than American style ice cream - a forced air freezer - which is usually held at about -15°C. This allows the gelato to be served immediately after being extruded from the gelato machine - the "forced air" maintains the product at a steady temperature. Therefore, you may serve ice cream from a gelato freezer but you may not serve gelato from a freezer at home, as the gelato would become too frozen, and texture too flaky for liking.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Yebber's 1st Year Anniversary went with a Bang!
Held at the mint museum of toys, the event was to house 50 individuals from Yebbers to sponsors and major holders of interest with the beloved website we've all grown to love and grow with.
The mint museum was an extremely interesting choice to have an event as first of all, i've never heard of it before and secondly, who would have thought the museum actually served decent food??? (thats a post ill save for later though. Muahahaha!)
Back to the event, loads of prizes ranging from creative zen stones to a 4gd zen player (which i wanted badly but didn't win in the end. Sigh) to webcams and optical mice. Its definitely a wonderful plethora of prizes which entices and keeps the interest of the people when it came to the games. Well done, loved bingo but the winner always seems to be that extremely lucky girl!?!? Nevertheless, never say die i suppose.
I did have a few gripes which were basically small ones about the very limited space for activity and lack of seating in the place but its mostly minor.
The architecture of the museum is pretty interesting with its second place hanging glass exhibition hall directly above our heads which was surprisingly suspended by the ceiling instead of having pillars for support. (Thank you PB for this piece of info.) The selection of old school toys were also astonishing but my gf wasn't quite comfortable with some of the scarier looking ones. I would be frightened too if i had to spend the night with that load of antique toys staring at me. Still, interesting place.
The venue staff were great and helped solve whatever questions or needs that arose.
......i need to talk about the food, it was good. Particularly the bruschetta and the chicken potato hybrid which i've had multiple servings. Nice work on Yebber's part to source out great places for events.
Finally, the best part was learning more about the people present that made the system work. Great stuff, lets keep them coming!!!
Happy Birthday Yebber!
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Pasta Fresca is an Italian restaurant chain that has a presence in China and Singapore, with 4 outlets currently operating in the latter. Managed to have a quick dinner with my friend at its Siglap outlet one evening when the crowds were still slowly trickling in.
The interior was rather simplistic yet cosy through the injection of earthly tones into its colour scheme and overhanging pieces of cloth (or whatever you call them). Coupled with warm lights and Italian style painting panels, it made for a lazy and somewhat sleepy dinner.
Alfredo Fettuccine - One of the more decent renditions around, the fettuccine was al dente with the cream based sauce not too heavy on the palate. The toppings of diced chicken, ham and garden peas were quite generous as well, which made this dish quite bang for the buck.
Quattro Stagioni - Bearing the same name as Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the Quattro Stagioni was quite decent with the exception of the crust, which could have been thinner and crispier. Although we only ordered a small pizza, it was already quite a size. Ingredients were generous as well, with the olives, ham, mushrooms and artichokes scattered throughout.
Mousse Al Cioccolato - I'm pretty sure chocolate fanatics will like this dish - chocolaty rich and gooey but not overwhelming. Served chilled, it made for a nice and sweet, albeit heart stopping dessert. The funny thing was that it was supposedly flavoured with orange peel, something that I couldn't make out at all.
Tiramisu - For the price, I honestly didn't expect much. The tiramisu looked good but was let down by quite a few factors. First of all, there was the glaring absence of the liqueur taste. Secondly, the mascarpone cheese came across as more creamy then light or fluffy. But having said all that, it was still very palatable.
I was stuffed at the end of it and so was my friend. Food quality in general was a notch above average but the best part was, it didn't cost an arm or leg, standing at about $46 for 2 mains & 2 desserts. Service was quite good and I would be inclined to drop by if I was in the area and craving for a hearty Italian fix.
See all my pictures here
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Dubbed the “Bohemian enclave” of Singapore, Holland Village is a curious mix between old and new. Traditional coffee shops and a wet market jostle for space aside swanky wine bars and fine dining restaurants. And in the space of one week, I was fortunate to take part in this dining culture twice. And in both occasions, I was indulging in the pleasure of the rich Italian cuisine. Situated at the corner among a cluster of shophouses is Al Dente Trattoria.
At Al Dente, one can choose to dine al fresco or indoors. Unfortunately, although the candlelight adds an amorous atmosphere for the diners, frequent passer-by walking along Lorong Mambong seeks to blemish it, thus our choice to venture indoors.
We were served by an over-enthusiastic service staff that we felt pressured to order more than we should (apparently ice water was a choice of sprinkling or still, and I ended ordering the ice-peach tea instead). He was also quick to note down the order of the Antipasti Sampler Platter – which we haven’t agreed upon – but felt obliged to since he already wrote it.
Thankfully, the appetiser turned out to be pretty fine. A platter of premium salami slices, grilled mushrooms, tomatoes with mozzarella cheese, ham with melon & cold seafood cuts on fresh garden greens was a harmonious dish that suited all three of us. While both my friends went for the Linguine Marinara, or the seafood of lobster, shrimps, clams, mussels & cod fillet tossed with linguine pasta in a wine seafood stock, finished with a robust herbed tomato stew, I was encouraged yet again by the service staff to go for the Penne with Scallops, or the tube pasta with fresh Australian scallops & zucchini slices, sautéed in a light cream sauce, infused with brandy.
The scallops were indeed juicy and fresh, and the taste of zucchini was refreshing as I haven’t had it since my Perth days. The only fault that I would pick on would be that the cream sauce was too rich, such that one cannot taste the hint of brandy in it.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
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I LOVE YEBBER! heh heh
Happy Birthday to Yebber! Whoohoo!
I attended the Party held at the Mint on Friday and I loved it. I love the place, with all the quirky toys. It never fails to amaze me, this place.
Richard, the curator, was also very nice to help us out although it was past the time for him to knock off. He even offered to take us up to the balcony to see another area they have for a gathering. It was open air and I can see the makings of a BBQ there!
Anyways back to the party, lots of people were there, Yebbers and Pingsters and other bloggers... We were suitably entertained, though I have to agree with some that we needed a mic or a gong to get people's attention at least. :) The bingo game sure got lots of people's attention!!!
Also the prizes were great though I din win any. But I'm sure many appreciated the prizes. :)
The food also also pretty good though I'd prefer to have seats when I eat but it was alright too. I was too excited to eat wor. Nonetheless the people made sure we had all we need for the party to go on and I think that's one of the most important things when choosing a venue - having the support from the venue staff. :)
Looking forward to the next one!!!
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