Heard of a mini Buddha Jump Over the Wall going for $8.90 with rice, Chinese Tea and dessert? Or perhaps Shark's Fin with steamed egg, rice, tea and dessert going for $5.90? Sounds rather incredulous if you ask me, so it was with much gusto that my colleagues and I sought out the eatery offering such an incredible deal. It wasn't too far from our office, along Circular Road and about a 10 minute walk.
As we got there at about 1205pm, there wasn't much of a crowd to speak of, but by the time we were done, the place was packed to the brim with people, both upstairs and downstairs. A testament as to how good the food is?
I had the Set M, which consisted of Shark's Fin Soup Steamed Egg (Jap style) Rice Chinese Tea - all for a mere $5.90 5% GST. It really seemed too good to be true. Well as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. The Shark's Fin came really small and tasted jelly like instead of stiff like Shark's Fin should. Possibility of imitation Shark's Fin? The steamed egg was way too watery even by Chinese cooking standards, not to mention Japanese style (Chawamushi). I will not even begin to talk about the dessert, which was White Fungus with Red Dates. The syrup was way too starchy and the white fungus was soft and limp when it should have been springy and crunchy. And I've not started being picky yet, or else there would have be more grouses. My take on this one? Don't waste your time. For the quantity and quality of food, I'm better off taking my business elsewhere.
Had lunch with a few of my colleagues at the outlet of Ocean Curry Fish Head along Telok Ayer Street. They have this other outlet along Toa Payoh which packs in the crowds every day.
Fish Head Curry - This was undoubtedly the star attraction which drew us there. Although I don't really take take curry, I couldn't help but appreciate the freshness and sweetness of the fish meat as well as the slightly sourish and appetizing taste of the curry. However, at $26 a pot, its a little pricey.
Stir Fried French Bean - I fancied this dish quite a bit. The beans were fried with dried shrimps and pepper, which gave it a nice slightly salty taste with a tinge of pepper. The beans weren't overcooked or undercooked as well. A great dish!
Sweet and Sour Porkchop - This was normal, but what I liked about it was that unlike normal sweet and sour pork, this cut was different and had little fats in it, making for a healthier eat.
Braised Tofu and Sliced Pork - The Braised Tofu was very normal, to the point that it became forgettable. The Sliced Pork, on the other hand, fared slightly better as the meat was slightly chewy due to the presence of bits of fats and thinly sliced, allowing the flavours to soak in.
Lunch for 6 pax cost $62, inclusive of drinks and rice. A little steep if you ask me, but the food is decent, so you might want to give it a shot.
My family seems to have a penchant for seeking out and dining in the good old restaurants of yester year. Last night was no exception. We set out to find Peng Catering Services & Restaurant which used to be at Lowland Road. With a bit of luck and some research, we found the relocated restaurant hidden amongst the small private estate of Realty Park some few kilometres away. It is easily accessible, but not easily visible unless you look hard enough. The restaurant has been around for more then 20 years and my parents have had fond memories of the food. The owner happens to be an old boy of my primary school.
We got there just after 7 and there were a few families having their dinner in the alfresco area(probably because it rained in the afternoon and it was cooling). We opted to sit indoors and were promptly ushered to an empty table. The interior of the restaurant was quite small with only about 8 tables. The table cloth reminded me of the flowery shower curtains I had when I was a kid. Being greedy, we ordered hotplate tofu with prawns, leather jacket fish with bittergourd, braised goose with tofu, stir fried kailan and topped it off with orh nee - a grand total of 5 dishes for 3 people!
The leather jacket fish with bittergourd was nicely done. The fish was fresh and the gravy was a little spicy. As this is the first time I've eaten this dish, I am not able to give an accurate comparison of it, but I do like it. The gravy for the hotplate tofu with prawns had this slightly smoked taste which I fancy, just that it was a little too salty. The prawns were HUGE, fresh and crunchy, but the tofu was just average. The stir fried kailan looked revitalised with its fresh shade of green, but imagine my dismay when it tasted like a slightly saltier version of the stir fried kailan available at your typical cooked food stall.
A good test of any teochew restaurant would be its braised goose and Orh Nee (To me at least) The braised goose came in a little silver platter and had chopped parsley and sesame seeds sprinkled on top to give it a nice aroma. However, it was just slightly above average, paling in comparison to the one I had at Guan Hin. The meat was thinly sliced, but didn't have much taste. It was also a little too fatty for my liking and the sesame seeds gave it a slightly weird sensation. The Orh Nee came in a small bowl with lots of coconut milk. I had expected the coconut milk to be drizzled onto the Orh Nee, not for the Orh Nee to be literally drowned in it. The paste was a little rough, unlike the smooth goodness I had at Guan Hin. Nevertheless, some credit is due here as the serving of Orh Nee is reasonably big and its not as sweet as some of the other Orh Nee that I have eaten.
It didn't cost us an arm or a leg for our dinner and surprisingly, we managed to polish off all the dishes without too much difficulty. The bill came up to about $58, which was pretty reasonable, considering the quantity and quality of food we had ordered. No service charge is also a plus. Food in general is slightly above average. Try it out if you like value for money food and a homely environment to boot. We will be going back soon to try the other stuff that Peng has to offer(we particularly like the sound of the premium shark's fin soup which must be pre ordered)
The coffeeshops under the solitary block of flats in the Sin Ming Industrial Estate could have easily been passed off as just another neighbourhood coffeeshop that probably sold average food. But that is certainly not the case, for in the corner coffeeshop lies Hup Seng Duck Rice. Hup Seng's claim to fame is its Kiam Chye Arh, or Salted Vegetable Chicken and Braised Duck.
The Kiam Chye Arh was pretty good, but I found the soup a little too salty due to the excessive amounts of Kiam Chye in it. The duck itself was a little chewy and firm, which evidently showed that it was cooked just right. The strong fowl taste was rather evident though , which might be a turn off for some. One of the better Kiam Chye Arh I have eaten, but I prefer the lighter and not so salty version prepared by my grandmother ;)
As with the Kiam Chye Arh, the Braised Duck was firm and chewy, with a rougher texture to boot. The duck was rather lean and the soy gravy was fragrant yet subtle in taste with a herbal tinge. Pity about the excessive oil in the gravy though. The secret to his fragrant and tasty gravy? Not changing the gravy since day one. Water and herbs are replenished with each duck he cooks and the pot is sealed and locked every evening. Multiply that by 25 years. Ewwww. I wish I didn't know.
Heard from a friend that the original Blanco Court Fried Fish Soup had moved to China Square, which was a stones throw away from my office. Seeing an opportunity to try something that I like quite a bit, I joined the long queue which had formed in front of the stall during lunch. Luckily, service was fast and I got my food within 15mins.
$4.50 bought me a bowl of soup choke full with fried fish slices and a bowl of rice. The soup had strips of well beaten fried eggs which is rather rare in such dishes. In all honesty, the eggs, being rather tasteless themselves, didn't add much flavour to the soup. But it was nice to have that something extra. I personally found some pieces of the fish way too salty and some had this funny aftertaste. Signs of fish that weren't fresh? Overall, a rather average offering.
My gf and I spent the day exploring the newly open Vivo City and decided to have dinner at 88 Restaurant @ Harbourfront Tower 2 after looking through their promotional menu. At $19.80 per pax for a 6-course dinner, it seemed like a pretty good deal. The set menu included Chilled Homemade Beancurd with Tobiko and California Maki Combination, Braised Shark's Fin Soup with Crab Meat, Sweet and Sour Chilli King Prawns, Sautéed Salmon Fillet with Teriyaki Sauce, Braised Ee Fu Noodles with Dried Sole Fish and Cream of Red Bean with Gingko Nuts.
The interior of the restaurant was similar to that of a ballroom, with its high ceilings and hanging chandeliers. The wait staffs were prompt and efficient, though they were less inclined to conversations. For a Monday night, it had quite a lot of customers. About half the restaurant was filled by about 1930hrs.
The chilled homemade tofu was essentially a heart shaped egg tofu with a sprinkling of century egg and roe on top. Tasted like chilled egg tofu. Nothing too fancy, but nice nevertheless. The accompanying California Maki was bad. It tasted a little milky and watery. A little gross if you ask me. There were no traces of Shark's Fin in the Shark's Fin soup at all. A chewy substitute was used in place of the Fins. Crabmeat was evident though. The soup itself was too starchy and too much of it made me sick. The Sweet and Sour Chilli King Prawn was ok. Note that it's Prawn, not Prawns, as the menu suggests. Served with a small slice of steamed man tou and deep fried man tou, it was of medium size and crunchy. The gravy was sweet but not too spicy.
I've never been a fan of salmon and the Sautéed Salmon Fillet with Teriyaki Sauce was unpleasant to my taste buds. The fishy taste from the Salmon was overpowering and the only saving grace was the Teriyaki Sauce, which strangely, didn't taste like Teriyaki Sauce. It was sweet nevertheless. The Braised Ee Fu Noodles was simply unappetizing. Soft, mushy and pretty tasteless, it has the dubious honour of worst dish of the night. To round things up, the Cream of Red Bean with Gingko Nuts was still acceptable, but a tad too sweet. Tasted like molten candy in some instances. The Gingko nuts tasted funny as well.
With taxes and tea, the final bill came up to $50.80 for 2 pax. Not worth it at all if you ask me. Food is at best average and portions are not very big. But it's filling if you finish all the dishes. An unsatisfying meal for me, but I'll stop short of recommending that it be avoided because it is still a decent enough place, with its ok service and not bad decor. Take your chances I must say. As for me, I won't be back in a hurry.
Yet another new eatery to have opened up in the dining belt along the popular East Coast/Upper East Coast Road. Etna Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, which has another outlet at Raffles place, boasts Italian food with authentic Sicilian products. Interestingly, Etna also happens to be the name of the highest volcano in Sicily and Europe, standing at 10500 ft.
Located within a short row of shophouses along Upper East Coast Road, Etna is almost impossible to miss with its huge signboard that lights up brightly in the evening. The interior is simply furnished with huge windows to allow sunlight in. Music is high strung which is quite unsettling at times especially if you are there for a relaxing quiet lunch likes yours truly.
Complimentary Bread & Appetisers - The bread looked haphazardly drizzled with olive oil and was hopelessly hard. Biting into one was akin to biting into a dry rag. The appetiser bowl consisted of slices of cheese, pepperoni, olives and figs, which were nothing special honestly. It was still a nice gesture though.
Bruschetta Etna - In all honesty, I've never eaten anything like Etna's rendition of the Bruschetta at any Italian restaurants before and I do not mean it as a compliment. The bread was rock hard and presentation was slip shod. The toppings didn't look fresh as well. How's that for dismal?
Insalata Di Gamberi - Essentially this salad was rocket leaves with prawns and doused in extra virgin olive oil. Fresh and zesty with fresh and crunchy, albeit rather small prawns, the salad was ironically the best dish of the day.
Quattro Stagioni - Quattro Stagioni, otherwise known as the four seasons pizza, is so named because of the 4 different sections of the pizza that offers the diner contrasting tastes. Etna's version had all the ingredients mixed up, which was fine, just that it veers away from tradition. Taste wise, the crust was significantly thicker than the usual Italian pizzas but at least the dough was fluffy, which made eating it quite enjoyable. The ingredients weren't much to shout about and overall the pizza tasted rather mundane.
Bistecca Al Gorgonzola - Grilled ribeye steak with gorgonzola cheese in a light cream sauce. With such a lip smacking description, I had expected something different or special. What I got was a slap in the face. Firstly, we had asked for the steak to be done medium but it looked more medium rare. Secondly, the buttery cream sauce was so overwhelming that I couldn't even make out any beef taste. Thirdly, the beef was sorely lacking in texture - soft and seemingly over tenderized. It didn't help that the accompany mashed potatoes tasted overly creamy as well. Want to know how nausea inducing this dish can get? Try it.
Taglierini Al Pesto Di Bronte - One of the recommended dishes, the Taglierini was purportedly home made and topped with a Sicilian pesto sauce made with Pistachios from Bronte in Sicily. As impressive as that may sound, it was more hype than substance, to me at least. The taglierini was al dente but the sauce didn't impress me very much, subtly sweet with no hint of pistachio whatsoever. And for the price ($22), I had expected it to come with toppings, however meager they might be, but sadly there was none.
Tiramisu Al Pistacchio - Another pistachio dish but in the form of a dessert. Very unique as grounded pistachios replaced the layer of cocoa powder commonly found in Tiramisus. There was also this layer of greenish cream which I assume to be made from pistachio. Sadly, the whole thing didn't taste like Tiramisu at all, coming across as very nutty. Perfectly acceptable as a cake, but definitely not as Tiramisu.
Panna Cotta Etna - Honestly, the Panna Cotta didn't quite do it for me. It was a tad too sticky and coagulated and not to mention bland. Even with the raspberry sauce, it tasted flat.
Torta Al Cioccolato - The chocolate cake seemed to have sat in the fridge for quite an extended period of time as it was undeniably dry. The taste of rum was negligible and overall it tasted very normal. At $8 a pop, I can easily buy a few cakes of similar quality.
$161 for 5 pax is considered relatively cheap for Italian food, but quality really leaves much to be desired. Service is decent but thats not going to be enough to stop me from closing the chapter on Etna.
lo and behold! The new kid on the block, Obolo opened along the popular Joo Chiat Road late 2007, serving up desserts and drinks. It has a small seating area with 3 tables for about 10 people.
I liked the interior decor. Very modern and yet cosy like. They had pastry books for browsing on the coffee tables which was a nice touch. The well-taken pictures of their own cakes adorned the walls.
I happily plonked myself down on the seemingly comfortable chair to discover that it was hard as stone. *ouch* The table was the same height as the chairs so you really have to bend over to have your cake.
Noisette $6.90 Dark chocolate mousse, caramelised toasted hazelnuts, crunchy praline feullitine, chocolate genoise enrobed in a shiny chocolate glaem I wanted to order this at first and regretted that I didn't. My companion did though and I had a taste of it. I like it pretty much. It was quite light and easy on the stomach despite looking so chocolatey but it is mousse you know. I could taste the chocolate nicely but it wasn't too rich. But it wasn't fantastic too.
Guanaja Cheesecake $6.90 Dark chocolate cheesecake, topped with a chocolate macaron This cheesecake was very thick. Not the light and fluffy sort I like. Don't be fooled by the colour, the cheesecake doesn't really taste of chocolate. Only the base is made of a tangy dark chocolate. The macaron on top is SUPER sweet, and this comes from someone with a sweet tooth. It was so sweet it made me cringe for a few seconds, having my companion guess what I was trying to say.
I actually find the privilege programme a little tricky as you can only have the 10% discount if you spend more than $10. Doesn't sound so privileged after all isn't it? AND you have to spend $100 within a month to get these privileges..... mmm
I would be back though. I was intrigued by the rest of the cakes. They did look very nice but I do hope they taste as good as they looked. They had tiramisu in glasses which I'm really tempted to try. Anyone?
Cakes, cakes, cakes. Who can ever get enough of these soft, sweet tasting delicacies that come in a rich variety of flavors and mixed with different mediums? I for one, never feels a cake is enough. This post is a little late of course but hey, better late then never yeah?
After scouring for cakes for Christmas for a long time, and seeing the obscene prices each cake is being touted by in almost all the shops we visited, me and my gf finally settled on something very familiar and almost guaranteed to satisfy. The choice is none other than the Four Leaves cakes that we pretty much swear by for any occasion. Does it disappoint though?
Christmas, a season of giving and sharing. And also a season of eating, partying and generally getting fatter. Well, my success in that field is pretty much legendary i suppose. Back to the cake at hand.
Despite the rather cute appearance, the cake has its roots from an old favorite of mine. The much revered Cocoa Exotica. The main difference is on the icing and cream which adorns the outer layer and a distinctly smaller inner layer in terms of the usage of cream and chocolate. Nonetheless, the cake itself simply melts in your mouth, and the hazelnut cookie layer gives it much needed fragrance and taste. Do not be mislead by the thick icing and cream you see, it never gets overwhelming nor unpleasant as the icing itself is just a tad sweet and is strangely soft that it is easily taken in. I like this cake as much as the Cocoa Exotica, enough said.
So far, in terms of cakes, i haven't had a particularly disappointing experience with Four Leaves yet. And if they keep up the good work, this is one of the better cake shops out there despite its abundance in malls.
Fancy cakes with a strong chocolate twist? Tired of old and run-of-the-mill cakes available everywhere else? Want something reasonably affordable and yet packing in the taste department? Well, welcome to choc-a-bloc. Coincidentally, the word "bloc" actually means blissfully luscious orgasmic chocolate as is positioned on their website. I wouldn't go that far to say their cakes are the best but i do second the fact that they are less common then the rest thus far.
This is a customized version of the "Mom's coco fudge cake". One thing about the cake is that its generously big (though of course you have to pay for it to be big.) The cake is surprisingly simple and expensive. 2 layers of chocolate and 3 layers of sponge cake is pretty much all you get for the price and yet. It feels surprisingly worthwhile. For one thing, the dark chocolate used is tastefully chosen. Being just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness which it balances very well. So much so that despite the big portion, i had no difficulty in finishing the cake at all. Being a fudge cake, it is also nicely soft and filling. One of the simplest and better tasting cakes i've had actually. I have to say its pretty much on par with the renditions even in Secret Recipe and some french gourmet cakes i've had. (Maybe i just have not eaten enough cakes to have a cake that has a higher standard yet but i'm getting there.)
I'm interested in having more actually but i do feel the pricing is abit steep and seems to have increased. Anyone who has tried better cakes out there, do let me know so i can try others yeah?
1=SGD 0.0587
Heard of a mini Buddha Jump Over the Wall going for $8.90 with rice, Chinese Tea and dessert? Or perhaps Shark's Fin with steamed egg, rice, tea and dessert going for $5.90? Sounds rather incredulous if you ask me, so it was with much gusto that my colleagues and I sought out the eatery offering such an incredible deal. It wasn't too far from our office, along Circular Road and about a 10 minute walk.
As we got there at about 1205pm, there wasn't much of a crowd to speak of, but by the time we were done, the place was packed to the brim with people, both upstairs and downstairs. A testament as to how good the food is?
I had the Set M, which consisted of Shark's Fin Soup Steamed Egg (Jap style) Rice Chinese Tea - all for a mere $5.90 5% GST. It really seemed too good to be true. Well as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. The Shark's Fin came really small and tasted jelly like instead of stiff like Shark's Fin should. Possibility of imitation Shark's Fin? The steamed egg was way too watery even by Chinese cooking standards, not to mention Japanese style (Chawamushi). I will not even begin to talk about the dessert, which was White Fungus with Red Dates. The syrup was way too starchy and the white fungus was soft and limp when it should have been springy and crunchy. And I've not started being picky yet, or else there would have be more grouses. My take on this one? Don't waste your time. For the quantity and quality of food, I'm better off taking my business elsewhere.
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Had lunch with a few of my colleagues at the outlet of Ocean Curry Fish Head along Telok Ayer Street. They have this other outlet along Toa Payoh which packs in the crowds every day.
Fish Head Curry - This was undoubtedly the star attraction which drew us there. Although I don't really take take curry, I couldn't help but appreciate the freshness and sweetness of the fish meat as well as the slightly sourish and appetizing taste of the curry. However, at $26 a pot, its a little pricey.
Stir Fried French Bean - I fancied this dish quite a bit. The beans were fried with dried shrimps and pepper, which gave it a nice slightly salty taste with a tinge of pepper. The beans weren't overcooked or undercooked as well. A great dish!
Sweet and Sour Porkchop - This was normal, but what I liked about it was that unlike normal sweet and sour pork, this cut was different and had little fats in it, making for a healthier eat.
Braised Tofu and Sliced Pork - The Braised Tofu was very normal, to the point that it became forgettable. The Sliced Pork, on the other hand, fared slightly better as the meat was slightly chewy due to the presence of bits of fats and thinly sliced, allowing the flavours to soak in.
Lunch for 6 pax cost $62, inclusive of drinks and rice. A little steep if you ask me, but the food is decent, so you might want to give it a shot.
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My family seems to have a penchant for seeking out and dining in the good old restaurants of yester year. Last night was no exception. We set out to find Peng Catering Services & Restaurant which used to be at Lowland Road. With a bit of luck and some research, we found the relocated restaurant hidden amongst the small private estate of Realty Park some few kilometres away. It is easily accessible, but not easily visible unless you look hard enough. The restaurant has been around for more then 20 years and my parents have had fond memories of the food. The owner happens to be an old boy of my primary school.
We got there just after 7 and there were a few families having their dinner in the alfresco area(probably because it rained in the afternoon and it was cooling). We opted to sit indoors and were promptly ushered to an empty table. The interior of the restaurant was quite small with only about 8 tables. The table cloth reminded me of the flowery shower curtains I had when I was a kid. Being greedy, we ordered hotplate tofu with prawns, leather jacket fish with bittergourd, braised goose with tofu, stir fried kailan and topped it off with orh nee - a grand total of 5 dishes for 3 people!
The leather jacket fish with bittergourd was nicely done. The fish was fresh and the gravy was a little spicy. As this is the first time I've eaten this dish, I am not able to give an accurate comparison of it, but I do like it. The gravy for the hotplate tofu with prawns had this slightly smoked taste which I fancy, just that it was a little too salty. The prawns were HUGE, fresh and crunchy, but the tofu was just average. The stir fried kailan looked revitalised with its fresh shade of green, but imagine my dismay when it tasted like a slightly saltier version of the stir fried kailan available at your typical cooked food stall.
A good test of any teochew restaurant would be its braised goose and Orh Nee (To me at least) The braised goose came in a little silver platter and had chopped parsley and sesame seeds sprinkled on top to give it a nice aroma. However, it was just slightly above average, paling in comparison to the one I had at Guan Hin. The meat was thinly sliced, but didn't have much taste. It was also a little too fatty for my liking and the sesame seeds gave it a slightly weird sensation. The Orh Nee came in a small bowl with lots of coconut milk. I had expected the coconut milk to be drizzled onto the Orh Nee, not for the Orh Nee to be literally drowned in it. The paste was a little rough, unlike the smooth goodness I had at Guan Hin. Nevertheless, some credit is due here as the serving of Orh Nee is reasonably big and its not as sweet as some of the other Orh Nee that I have eaten.
It didn't cost us an arm or a leg for our dinner and surprisingly, we managed to polish off all the dishes without too much difficulty. The bill came up to about $58, which was pretty reasonable, considering the quantity and quality of food we had ordered. No service charge is also a plus. Food in general is slightly above average. Try it out if you like value for money food and a homely environment to boot. We will be going back soon to try the other stuff that Peng has to offer(we particularly like the sound of the premium shark's fin soup which must be pre ordered)
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The coffeeshops under the solitary block of flats in the Sin Ming Industrial Estate could have easily been passed off as just another neighbourhood coffeeshop that probably sold average food. But that is certainly not the case, for in the corner coffeeshop lies Hup Seng Duck Rice. Hup Seng's claim to fame is its Kiam Chye Arh, or Salted Vegetable Chicken and Braised Duck.
The Kiam Chye Arh was pretty good, but I found the soup a little too salty due to the excessive amounts of Kiam Chye in it. The duck itself was a little chewy and firm, which evidently showed that it was cooked just right. The strong fowl taste was rather evident though , which might be a turn off for some. One of the better Kiam Chye Arh I have eaten, but I prefer the lighter and not so salty version prepared by my grandmother ;)
As with the Kiam Chye Arh, the Braised Duck was firm and chewy, with a rougher texture to boot. The duck was rather lean and the soy gravy was fragrant yet subtle in taste with a herbal tinge. Pity about the excessive oil in the gravy though. The secret to his fragrant and tasty gravy? Not changing the gravy since day one. Water and herbs are replenished with each duck he cooks and the pot is sealed and locked every evening. Multiply that by 25 years. Ewwww. I wish I didn't know.
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Heard from a friend that the original Blanco Court Fried Fish Soup had moved to China Square, which was a stones throw away from my office. Seeing an opportunity to try something that I like quite a bit, I joined the long queue which had formed in front of the stall during lunch. Luckily, service was fast and I got my food within 15mins.
$4.50 bought me a bowl of soup choke full with fried fish slices and a bowl of rice. The soup had strips of well beaten fried eggs which is rather rare in such dishes. In all honesty, the eggs, being rather tasteless themselves, didn't add much flavour to the soup. But it was nice to have that something extra. I personally found some pieces of the fish way too salty and some had this funny aftertaste. Signs of fish that weren't fresh? Overall, a rather average offering.
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My gf and I spent the day exploring the newly open Vivo City and decided to have dinner at 88 Restaurant @ Harbourfront Tower 2 after looking through their promotional menu. At $19.80 per pax for a 6-course dinner, it seemed like a pretty good deal. The set menu included Chilled Homemade Beancurd with Tobiko and California Maki Combination, Braised Shark's Fin Soup with Crab Meat, Sweet and Sour Chilli King Prawns, Sautéed Salmon Fillet with Teriyaki Sauce, Braised Ee Fu Noodles with Dried Sole Fish and Cream of Red Bean with Gingko Nuts.
The interior of the restaurant was similar to that of a ballroom, with its high ceilings and hanging chandeliers. The wait staffs were prompt and efficient, though they were less inclined to conversations. For a Monday night, it had quite a lot of customers. About half the restaurant was filled by about 1930hrs.
The chilled homemade tofu was essentially a heart shaped egg tofu with a sprinkling of century egg and roe on top. Tasted like chilled egg tofu. Nothing too fancy, but nice nevertheless. The accompanying California Maki was bad. It tasted a little milky and watery. A little gross if you ask me. There were no traces of Shark's Fin in the Shark's Fin soup at all. A chewy substitute was used in place of the Fins. Crabmeat was evident though. The soup itself was too starchy and too much of it made me sick. The Sweet and Sour Chilli King Prawn was ok. Note that it's Prawn, not Prawns, as the menu suggests. Served with a small slice of steamed man tou and deep fried man tou, it was of medium size and crunchy. The gravy was sweet but not too spicy.
I've never been a fan of salmon and the Sautéed Salmon Fillet with Teriyaki Sauce was unpleasant to my taste buds. The fishy taste from the Salmon was overpowering and the only saving grace was the Teriyaki Sauce, which strangely, didn't taste like Teriyaki Sauce. It was sweet nevertheless. The Braised Ee Fu Noodles was simply unappetizing. Soft, mushy and pretty tasteless, it has the dubious honour of worst dish of the night. To round things up, the Cream of Red Bean with Gingko Nuts was still acceptable, but a tad too sweet. Tasted like molten candy in some instances. The Gingko nuts tasted funny as well.
With taxes and tea, the final bill came up to $50.80 for 2 pax. Not worth it at all if you ask me. Food is at best average and portions are not very big. But it's filling if you finish all the dishes. An unsatisfying meal for me, but I'll stop short of recommending that it be avoided because it is still a decent enough place, with its ok service and not bad decor. Take your chances I must say. As for me, I won't be back in a hurry.
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Yet another new eatery to have opened up in the dining belt along the popular East Coast/Upper East Coast Road. Etna Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, which has another outlet at Raffles place, boasts Italian food with authentic Sicilian products. Interestingly, Etna also happens to be the name of the highest volcano in Sicily and Europe, standing at 10500 ft.
Located within a short row of shophouses along Upper East Coast Road, Etna is almost impossible to miss with its huge signboard that lights up brightly in the evening. The interior is simply furnished with huge windows to allow sunlight in. Music is high strung which is quite unsettling at times especially if you are there for a relaxing quiet lunch likes yours truly.
Complimentary Bread & Appetisers - The bread looked haphazardly drizzled with olive oil and was hopelessly hard. Biting into one was akin to biting into a dry rag. The appetiser bowl consisted of slices of cheese, pepperoni, olives and figs, which were nothing special honestly. It was still a nice gesture though.
Bruschetta Etna - In all honesty, I've never eaten anything like Etna's rendition of the Bruschetta at any Italian restaurants before and I do not mean it as a compliment. The bread was rock hard and presentation was slip shod. The toppings didn't look fresh as well. How's that for dismal?
Insalata Di Gamberi - Essentially this salad was rocket leaves with prawns and doused in extra virgin olive oil. Fresh and zesty with fresh and crunchy, albeit rather small prawns, the salad was ironically the best dish of the day.
Quattro Stagioni - Quattro Stagioni, otherwise known as the four seasons pizza, is so named because of the 4 different sections of the pizza that offers the diner contrasting tastes. Etna's version had all the ingredients mixed up, which was fine, just that it veers away from tradition. Taste wise, the crust was significantly thicker than the usual Italian pizzas but at least the dough was fluffy, which made eating it quite enjoyable. The ingredients weren't much to shout about and overall the pizza tasted rather mundane.
Bistecca Al Gorgonzola - Grilled ribeye steak with gorgonzola cheese in a light cream sauce. With such a lip smacking description, I had expected something different or special. What I got was a slap in the face. Firstly, we had asked for the steak to be done medium but it looked more medium rare. Secondly, the buttery cream sauce was so overwhelming that I couldn't even make out any beef taste. Thirdly, the beef was sorely lacking in texture - soft and seemingly over tenderized. It didn't help that the accompany mashed potatoes tasted overly creamy as well. Want to know how nausea inducing this dish can get? Try it.
Taglierini Al Pesto Di Bronte - One of the recommended dishes, the Taglierini was purportedly home made and topped with a Sicilian pesto sauce made with Pistachios from Bronte in Sicily. As impressive as that may sound, it was more hype than substance, to me at least. The taglierini was al dente but the sauce didn't impress me very much, subtly sweet with no hint of pistachio whatsoever. And for the price ($22), I had expected it to come with toppings, however meager they might be, but sadly there was none.
Tiramisu Al Pistacchio - Another pistachio dish but in the form of a dessert. Very unique as grounded pistachios replaced the layer of cocoa powder commonly found in Tiramisus. There was also this layer of greenish cream which I assume to be made from pistachio. Sadly, the whole thing didn't taste like Tiramisu at all, coming across as very nutty. Perfectly acceptable as a cake, but definitely not as Tiramisu.
Panna Cotta Etna - Honestly, the Panna Cotta didn't quite do it for me. It was a tad too sticky and coagulated and not to mention bland. Even with the raspberry sauce, it tasted flat.
Torta Al Cioccolato - The chocolate cake seemed to have sat in the fridge for quite an extended period of time as it was undeniably dry. The taste of rum was negligible and overall it tasted very normal. At $8 a pop, I can easily buy a few cakes of similar quality.
$161 for 5 pax is considered relatively cheap for Italian food, but quality really leaves much to be desired. Service is decent but thats not going to be enough to stop me from closing the chapter on Etna.
See all my pictures here
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lo and behold! The new kid on the block, Obolo opened along the popular Joo Chiat Road late 2007, serving up desserts and drinks. It has a small seating area with 3 tables for about 10 people.
I liked the interior decor. Very modern and yet cosy like. They had pastry books for browsing on the coffee tables which was a nice touch. The well-taken pictures of their own cakes adorned the walls.
I happily plonked myself down on the seemingly comfortable chair to discover that it was hard as stone. *ouch* The table was the same height as the chairs so you really have to bend over to have your cake.
Noisette $6.90
Dark chocolate mousse, caramelised toasted hazelnuts, crunchy praline feullitine, chocolate genoise enrobed in a shiny chocolate glaem
I wanted to order this at first and regretted that I didn't. My companion did though and I had a taste of it. I like it pretty much. It was quite light and easy on the stomach despite looking so chocolatey but it is mousse you know. I could taste the chocolate nicely but it wasn't too rich. But it wasn't fantastic too.
Guanaja Cheesecake $6.90
Dark chocolate cheesecake, topped with a chocolate macaron
This cheesecake was very thick. Not the light and fluffy sort I like. Don't be fooled by the colour, the cheesecake doesn't really taste of chocolate. Only the base is made of a tangy dark chocolate. The macaron on top is SUPER sweet, and this comes from someone with a sweet tooth. It was so sweet it made me cringe for a few seconds, having my companion guess what I was trying to say.
I actually find the privilege programme a little tricky as you can only have the 10% discount if you spend more than $10. Doesn't sound so privileged after all isn't it? AND you have to spend $100 within a month to get these privileges..... mmm
I would be back though. I was intrigued by the rest of the cakes. They did look very nice but I do hope they taste as good as they looked. They had tiramisu in glasses which I'm really tempted to try. Anyone?
**photos up later**
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Cakes, cakes, cakes. Who can ever get enough of these soft, sweet tasting delicacies that come in a rich variety of flavors and mixed with different mediums? I for one, never feels a cake is enough. This post is a little late of course but hey, better late then never yeah?
After scouring for cakes for Christmas for a long time, and seeing the obscene prices each cake is being touted by in almost all the shops we visited, me and my gf finally settled on something very familiar and almost guaranteed to satisfy. The choice is none other than the Four Leaves cakes that we pretty much swear by for any occasion. Does it disappoint though?
Christmas, a season of giving and sharing. And also a season of eating, partying and generally getting fatter. Well, my success in that field is pretty much legendary i suppose. Back to the cake at hand.
Despite the rather cute appearance, the cake has its roots from an old favorite of mine. The much revered Cocoa Exotica. The main difference is on the icing and cream which adorns the outer layer and a distinctly smaller inner layer in terms of the usage of cream and chocolate. Nonetheless, the cake itself simply melts in your mouth, and the hazelnut cookie layer gives it much needed fragrance and taste. Do not be mislead by the thick icing and cream you see, it never gets overwhelming nor unpleasant as the icing itself is just a tad sweet and is strangely soft that it is easily taken in. I like this cake as much as the Cocoa Exotica, enough said.
So far, in terms of cakes, i haven't had a particularly disappointing experience with Four Leaves yet. And if they keep up the good work, this is one of the better cake shops out there despite its abundance in malls.
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Fancy cakes with a strong chocolate twist? Tired of old and run-of-the-mill cakes available everywhere else? Want something reasonably affordable and yet packing in the taste department? Well, welcome to choc-a-bloc. Coincidentally, the word "bloc" actually means blissfully luscious orgasmic chocolate as is positioned on their website. I wouldn't go that far to say their cakes are the best but i do second the fact that they are less common then the rest thus far.
This is a customized version of the "Mom's coco fudge cake". One thing about the cake is that its generously big (though of course you have to pay for it to be big.) The cake is surprisingly simple and expensive. 2 layers of chocolate and 3 layers of sponge cake is pretty much all you get for the price and yet. It feels surprisingly worthwhile. For one thing, the dark chocolate used is tastefully chosen. Being just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness which it balances very well. So much so that despite the big portion, i had no difficulty in finishing the cake at all. Being a fudge cake, it is also nicely soft and filling. One of the simplest and better tasting cakes i've had actually. I have to say its pretty much on par with the renditions even in Secret Recipe and some french gourmet cakes i've had. (Maybe i just have not eaten enough cakes to have a cake that has a higher standard yet but i'm getting there.)
I'm interested in having more actually but i do feel the pricing is abit steep and seems to have increased. Anyone who has tried better cakes out there, do let me know so i can try others yeah?
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