Boldly claimed to be the Most Authentic Indonesian Grilled Chicken you can find in Singapore, Ayam Bakar in the Malay language simply means “Grilled Chicken”, while Ojolali when translated from Javanese to English means “Do Not Forget”.
In short, once u tried their chicken, it will leave you with an unforgettable experience – and dare I audaciously say a reverberating YES! In fact it was so good that I was kinda reluctant and hesitant to share this place with you guys, as the place is already so crowded with customers every time I frequent there. For starter, we tried the Pempek, or the Traditional Palembang Fried Fish Cake.
Unlike the normal fish cake that we, Chinese, are familiar with – salty and full of bite, their version was slightly bland and funnily chewy. This was the only dish so far that I have tried in the restaurant that failed to win me over. Of course, when the main arrived it was a totally different story. Original Chef Specialty, the Ayam Bakar was succulent and deeply enriched by the special spices.
Accompanied by the Sambal Ulek (Oelek) and Sambal Kecap, or Dark Sauce with Chili Padi and Onions, the combination is simply godsend. Paired it up with my favourite sugar-high Happy Soda, a Rose Syruped Drink Downed with Excess Condense Milk. It is so sweet that you are literally happy, or high with sugar rush.
Other recommendations to go for are their Ikan Bawal Bakar or Grilled Pomfret, their Rawon, or the Indonesian Beef Stew, and their Sup Buntut, or the Oxtail Soup. Sedup!!!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Over at The French Stall, French expatriates dine alongside locals as everyone sits elbow to elbow in this quaint corner coffeeshop, chattering above the droning whir of wall-mounted electric fans. Oversees by Mr Xavier Le Henaff, who was a chef with a 5-star hotel (presently a Relais Chateau) in Madina, all of us went with high expectations but alas it was not meant to be. For starters, we had the French Onion Soup.
Two slices of Baguette with Mozarella Cheese were soaked in the soup. However, the soup lacked the overwhelming onion flavour and was watery. We also tried the Demi-douzaine D’Escargots Petit Gris au Beurre a L’Ail, or simply Escargots (half dozen) in Garlic Butter Sauce.
The dish was shameful as I was expecting it to come intact with shells such that the flavour could be trapped and sealed in it, but it was not and the taste was a total letdown. The snails were tasteless, as the sauce was not infused nicely with it. We also sampled the infamous Foie Gras, but however their Pan Fried Foie Gras, Spinach and Balsamic Jus was not up to scratch as well. For a dish priced at $18.80, all we had was two pathetic thinly sliced liver that was overcooked and mushy.
I am a firm believer that Foie Gras, just like a good piece of steak, need not come too big a serving, but it must be thick - a thin slice of liver simply does not do this dish justice! Ended off the night with a main of Duck Confit with Orange Peel sitting on Risotto, and was really disillusioned once again. The serving was small and the meat was way to dry for consumption.
The duck taste was totally overwhelmed by the crispy burnt smell from the cooking process. Service was also found to be wanting at the place as mismatch utensils, or worse, no utensils were provided for some of our dishes. One of their service staff was also rather rude when she spoke to us and blatantly ignored us when she walked past our tables subsequently. Outrageously miserable food that comes in a hefty bill is simply not worth it!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
I was introduced to this Japanese restaurant, Nihon Mura at Revenue House.
Part of the sister chain to Suki Group, who brought in Suki Sushi and Sakura, this new entrant is offering sushi dishes at 99 cents each.
It is made possible, according to their director, Mr Kelvin Ong, because their business strategy is to avoid malls, which are overflowing with other chains, and opt for less expensive venues in suburban areas to keep prices low.
However, despite offering cheap conveyor-belt sushi, the peeve is that none of the tables are located next to it; hence you have to walk over to help yourself to the sushi.
The restaurant also comprises of various sections including: Grills, Tempura, and Noodles, other than the Sushi - which is ready-made - all the other dishes are represented in placards placed in front of the stations, beside a batch of ice lolly sticks etched with the name of the dish.
Interestingly, to order, you collect the sticks of the dishes you want and hand them to a waiter with your table number, or simply drop these lolly sticks into a cup placed at your tables, and the waiter will collect it and take order.
With the amount of variety to choose from, the standard of the dishes were unexpectedly of a high standard.
Even the Sashimi were surprisingly fresh, so much so that we had a second order of the Akagai, or the Red Shell Fish, which is bigger version of what we commonly known as Cockles. The meat was so sweet and the texture was firm.
The other dish I enjoyed was the Salmon Belly Soup. A bowl of piping hot soup served in a ceramic pot with generous serving of vegetables and chunky pieces of Salmon Belly Meat was such a delight that we ordered a second serving as well.
For a lunch of 7 adults and 1 child, the whole meal was $220, which worked out to be slightly over $30 per person. My overall verdict is that for the price we are paying, all the dishes are pretty good. The only regret is that as most dishes are served at one go, such that some of the turned cold before we could have a chance to sample it. Nevertheless, this is definitely a good place to go for family gatherings and friends reunion dinner.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
One of my rare appearances in the East side of Singapore finally brought me to the long awaited Aston Specialities. This Western food eatery started off as a humble hawker stall in a coffee shop a few doors away. Headed by Mr Aston Soon, 34, an ex-Ponderosa chef, this restaurant has already drawn excellent reviews with good steak at affordable prices all over Singapore.
Having heard so many people raving about this establishment, I was very much excited to dine in this place. I opted for the Prime Ribeye XtraCut (Medium Rare) with Potato Salad and Baked Beans as sides, and boy am I captivated! The cut had a slightly higher marbling fat content than the usual Ribeye I have tried, making it juicer and succulent, and the black grill lines produced a charred smoky touch to the tender beef.
It has been a long time since I had such a wonderful piece of steak. The medium rare that I dictated was also well executed giving the meat an extra sweetness and moistness. However, the sides were very much below par – the potatoes were too undercooked for consumption, and the baked beans were just as unappetising. However $34.80 for two slabs of beef and two drinks is definitely worth it, and I would definitely be coming back for their Celebrities Cut – Wagyu Beef priced at $38.90 the next time round!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Over at Ohsho, you get to indulge in simple Japanese-fusion fare and I was overwhelmed. We tried the Tori-Kara-age, or the Japanese Deep-Fried Chicken, and boy was it good! A wrench of the lemon and you have the perfect combination of sour, salty, crispy and intense flavour of the chicken with each greasy bite – served fresh when ordered.
Added chunky delights came in the form of Funky Potato – a dish of Tori-Kara-age with Crinkle Cut Fries dose in Chilli Sauce, although I would have to add that this dish reminded me more of my good old primary school days than a Japanese fare.
We also ordered a serving of Chahan, or the Japanese Fried Rice. Of course, we all know that the difference between the Japanese version and its Chinese cousin lies in its grain. Japanese grain tends to be shorter and the rice – stickier, and therefore the art to cook it well lies in the emulsion process - the combination of eggs first emulsifying together with the oil in the pan, and then adding the rice later into the semi-cooked eggs, created the best tasting sensation.
And I have to say they did a pretty good rendition of it. The Wok Hei flavour was captured in the dish, but the dish could do even better with another dash of salt. Lastly, the Gyoza was also delectable. The skins are so different from the mainstream ones where it's all thick and starchy!
Although Yaki-Gyoza, or pan-fried preparation method is usually first fried on one flat side, creating a crispy skin, then, stock is added and the pan sealed with a lid, until the upper part of Gyoza is steamed, Ohsho’s version seemed to be a little too dry. However, the fact that the Gyoza’s skin is so well pan-fried makes up for it.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Many of my friends and readers have came back telling me that I have yet to complete my ramen research till I am done sampling ramen from Sapporo Ramen Miharu. Eager to complete my findings, I persuaded my buddy Sharon for a late Sunday lunch.
It was said that a good bowl of steaming hot ramen is to be slurped away within 10 minutes – for if it is left too long, the noodles would lose its texture and springy nibble. This is precisely why Miharu does not allow takeaways. Miharu uses fresh Sapporo Nishiyama noodles imported from Hokkaido, which is fatter in texture. Being the first outlet in Singapore - the original shop in Chiba, Japan – the restaurant also made an effort to import stock ingredients from Japan so that their noodles are not localised.
Their popular Miso Tonkotsu is well liked for a reason – the soup broth was rich in flavour from the chicken and pork bones (although I find it a bit oily), and pretty salty – similar to those found in Japan, and the corn and the dash of spring onions was surprisingly delectable. However, the Char Siu was good but not as tender and soft as those from Marutama. I also tried their Gyoza, but I was not overwhelmed with it.
The skin was a tad too dry and many locals would probably find the overpowering taste of the Chives too strong for their liking. Overall, a quality place for ramen especially for the soup broth, but personally I would still prefer the Char Siu and noodles from Martutama.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
I was there for their Tonkutsu Ramen that my friend has been bugging me to try. Located at the corner of Robertson Quay close to the hip-hop club, The Buttery Factory, This Japanese family restaurant serves a mean bowl of ramen.
The soup broth was rich and creamy, and the Soy Egg is one of the better ones I had in town – semi-boiled egg with runny yolk that also captures the essence of the soy marinate. The noodles are pretty similar to those from Miharu, slightly fatter and springy – call me prejudiced but I still prefer the thin noodles served in Marutama, which comes with a better bite, or the Italians will call it Al-Dente.
The Char Siu served was a generously thick slice, second only to Marutama. Despite being so, their soup-based is the best I have tried so far, trouncing even Marutama’s legendary Aka Ramen by a wide margin (I have since went back to Marutama to confirm it).
The Gyoza though came very charred, probably to capture the burnt flavour within when the stock is added over it, but presentation wise I think it will prove a turn-off to many ill-informed patrons.
Their Gyoza is differently a notch better to Miharu.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
I have heard about this place from my colleague and such a coincident that one of my friends was nice enough to suggest Ikoi as the venue for my birthday treat (yes I know, I have been procrastinating about it). Apparently, this place is so well known that bookings have to be made 1-2 weeks in advance – talk about Kiasu Singaporeans! Located at the ground floor of Hotel Miramar, the outside of the entrance looks impressive, but a step into the restaurant revealed a cramped seating arrangement – definitely not a decent place to have your meals if you are the sort who wish to have conversation over dinner.
It did not help also that we were assigned to counter seats, as there were inadequate space for all the dishes we had ordered. Service was pretty inefficient that night as the place was packed with tons of hungry and noisy souls, and waiting time for certain dishes were slow as I suspect orders were consolidated before the food were prepared.
It was said Ikoi is the place for people who craves for Sashimi, as the serving they dished out was indeed generous.
However, I was not blown away by it. In fact I was left so unimpressed with the quality that I did not even ordered a second helping. Other dishes that left me indifferent were the Tempura and Shisamo.
Even though it was served hot, the batter for the Tempura was rough – not the best you would expect from a Japanese restaurant.
The Shisamo was dried up when it was served, and this I am pretty sure that they were prepared earlier and re-grilled when orders come in - the inside was also cold and the outside full of smoky flavour. The Yakitori was also slightly chewy for consumption.
To be fair, they have a decent number of dishes to order from but none really make an impression except for the Stewed Salmon Head that I ordered by accident.
Foodies would know that the flesh from the Salmon Head close to its belly is of course the most tender and delicious.
Occasionally, they would also dished out complimentary dishes like the Kaminabe and Salmon Sashimi – items that we did not request for.
However, only one out of many items that was of standard is just not good enough.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
After hearing much fanfare about Shangri-La’s The Line buffet – formerly the old Coffee Garden – a hip eatery designed by US-based Adam Tihany, my family and I finally set foot at this chic white restaurant set against orange lighting for Daddy’s birthday dinner.
Well-known as the mother of all buffets, The Line is famous for the variety of food it dishes out. However, it is often the display of yummy, succulent cold seafood counter that captures the heart of the patrons.
From Lobsters to Oysters, Prawns to Mussels, Crabs to Sushi, Yabbies (fresh water crustacian found in Australia) to Sashimi (remember to request for Salmon Belly), almost each and every serving was fresh and of high quality.
So much so that I have an extended appetiser, that went on...and on...and on...and on...and on...And if you are counting, I gobbled down 20 frisky oysters that night, and boy, were they excellent! Besides that, they also had the grilled and carving stations where you could see the chefs grilling behind a big glass enclosure.
This is the place where the Grilled Fish and Prawns were served, as well as the very tender cuts of the Roast Beef were sliced up.
Other stations include the Asian counters such as the Indian and Chinese cuisine, where you could find yummilicious Satays that were tender and slides off the satay sticks effortlessly with a gentle pull.
While many considered the dessert station the highlight of the restaurant – with its 1 metre tall Chocolate Fountain for its fondue and many other cakes and pastries – I was personally not overwhelmed with it. The filling for the Crêpe was way too sweet/sour for consumption and the 3 desserts that I picked up were not fantastic either.
Overall, paying $65 per pax to stuff yourself silly (simply because you have the tendency to try all the varieties available) is not worth it.
But if I were to come back again, I would be sure to find a table next to the cold seafood counter, and do the extended appetiser all over again.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Being tucked in the secluded top of Dempsey Road, I finally found my way to PS Café for a dinner. A café it might be, it is housed in a standalone pretty colonial bungalow away from the main thoroughfare.
PS, which stands for Project Shop - a local mid-market casual clothing chain, attracts a surprisingly upmarket crowd. It is perhaps the glass façade and high ceiling that adds a touch of grandeur to the already nice ambience you get whilst sitting inside the restaurant. The staffs were also friendly and approachable.
However, the food did not seek to impress me that very night. The starter of salad was merely greens and some roasted eggplants that were zealously drizzled in olive oil – straightforward, nothing fanciful, nothing captivating.
The Thick Fries were surprisingly the best dish for the night. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, it went well with the 2 dips that came with it – a BBQ flavour and the other, I perceived to be Sour Cream based.
The Tubular Pasta though was the letdown of the night. It seriously lacked flavour and was under-cooked – a couple more minutes would have achieved the Al-dente texture. However I would admit that I am beginning to like the idea of having snow peas in my pasta dish.
The dessert was also tortuously too rich for me. Profiteroles, or Small Cream Puffs filled with Ice Cream; served with Thick, Dark, Chocolate Syrup, is just not my kind of dessert after a heavy dinner.
Overall, a nice place to go for a first date, but skipped the pasta if you have to and go for the seafood and their famous brownie for dessert instead.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
1=SGD 0.0587
Boldly claimed to be the Most Authentic Indonesian Grilled Chicken you can find in Singapore, Ayam Bakar in the Malay language simply means “Grilled Chicken”, while Ojolali when translated from Javanese to English means “Do Not Forget”.
In short, once u tried their chicken, it will leave you with an unforgettable experience – and dare I audaciously say a reverberating YES! In fact it was so good that I was kinda reluctant and hesitant to share this place with you guys, as the place is already so crowded with customers every time I frequent there. For starter, we tried the Pempek, or the Traditional Palembang Fried Fish Cake.
Unlike the normal fish cake that we, Chinese, are familiar with – salty and full of bite, their version was slightly bland and funnily chewy. This was the only dish so far that I have tried in the restaurant that failed to win me over. Of course, when the main arrived it was a totally different story. Original Chef Specialty, the Ayam Bakar was succulent and deeply enriched by the special spices.
Accompanied by the Sambal Ulek (Oelek) and Sambal Kecap, or Dark Sauce with Chili Padi and Onions, the combination is simply godsend. Paired it up with my favourite sugar-high Happy Soda, a Rose Syruped Drink Downed with Excess Condense Milk. It is so sweet that you are literally happy, or high with sugar rush.
Other recommendations to go for are their Ikan Bawal Bakar or Grilled Pomfret, their Rawon, or the Indonesian Beef Stew, and their Sup Buntut, or the Oxtail Soup. Sedup!!!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Over at The French Stall, French expatriates dine alongside locals as everyone sits elbow to elbow in this quaint corner coffeeshop, chattering above the droning whir of wall-mounted electric fans. Oversees by Mr Xavier Le Henaff, who was a chef with a 5-star hotel (presently a Relais Chateau) in Madina, all of us went with high expectations but alas it was not meant to be. For starters, we had the French Onion Soup.
Two slices of Baguette with Mozarella Cheese were soaked in the soup. However, the soup lacked the overwhelming onion flavour and was watery. We also tried the Demi-douzaine D’Escargots Petit Gris au Beurre a L’Ail, or simply Escargots (half dozen) in Garlic Butter Sauce.
The dish was shameful as I was expecting it to come intact with shells such that the flavour could be trapped and sealed in it, but it was not and the taste was a total letdown. The snails were tasteless, as the sauce was not infused nicely with it. We also sampled the infamous Foie Gras, but however their Pan Fried Foie Gras, Spinach and Balsamic Jus was not up to scratch as well. For a dish priced at $18.80, all we had was two pathetic thinly sliced liver that was overcooked and mushy.
I am a firm believer that Foie Gras, just like a good piece of steak, need not come too big a serving, but it must be thick - a thin slice of liver simply does not do this dish justice! Ended off the night with a main of Duck Confit with Orange Peel sitting on Risotto, and was really disillusioned once again. The serving was small and the meat was way to dry for consumption.
The duck taste was totally overwhelmed by the crispy burnt smell from the cooking process. Service was also found to be wanting at the place as mismatch utensils, or worse, no utensils were provided for some of our dishes. One of their service staff was also rather rude when she spoke to us and blatantly ignored us when she walked past our tables subsequently. Outrageously miserable food that comes in a hefty bill is simply not worth it!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
I was introduced to this Japanese restaurant, Nihon Mura at Revenue House.
Part of the sister chain to Suki Group, who brought in Suki Sushi and Sakura, this new entrant is offering sushi dishes at 99 cents each.
It is made possible, according to their director, Mr Kelvin Ong, because their business strategy is to avoid malls, which are overflowing with other chains, and opt for less expensive venues in suburban areas to keep prices low.
However, despite offering cheap conveyor-belt sushi, the peeve is that none of the tables are located next to it; hence you have to walk over to help yourself to the sushi.
The restaurant also comprises of various sections including: Grills, Tempura, and Noodles, other than the Sushi - which is ready-made - all the other dishes are represented in placards placed in front of the stations, beside a batch of ice lolly sticks etched with the name of the dish.
Interestingly, to order, you collect the sticks of the dishes you want and hand them to a waiter with your table number, or simply drop these lolly sticks into a cup placed at your tables, and the waiter will collect it and take order.
With the amount of variety to choose from, the standard of the dishes were unexpectedly of a high standard.
Even the Sashimi were surprisingly fresh, so much so that we had a second order of the Akagai, or the Red Shell Fish, which is bigger version of what we commonly known as Cockles. The meat was so sweet and the texture was firm.
The other dish I enjoyed was the Salmon Belly Soup. A bowl of piping hot soup served in a ceramic pot with generous serving of vegetables and chunky pieces of Salmon Belly Meat was such a delight that we ordered a second serving as well.
For a lunch of 7 adults and 1 child, the whole meal was $220, which worked out to be slightly over $30 per person. My overall verdict is that for the price we are paying, all the dishes are pretty good. The only regret is that as most dishes are served at one go, such that some of the turned cold before we could have a chance to sample it. Nevertheless, this is definitely a good place to go for family gatherings and friends reunion dinner.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
One of my rare appearances in the East side of Singapore finally brought me to the long awaited Aston Specialities. This Western food eatery started off as a humble hawker stall in a coffee shop a few doors away. Headed by Mr Aston Soon, 34, an ex-Ponderosa chef, this restaurant has already drawn excellent reviews with good steak at affordable prices all over Singapore.
Having heard so many people raving about this establishment, I was very much excited to dine in this place. I opted for the Prime Ribeye XtraCut (Medium Rare) with Potato Salad and Baked Beans as sides, and boy am I captivated! The cut had a slightly higher marbling fat content than the usual Ribeye I have tried, making it juicer and succulent, and the black grill lines produced a charred smoky touch to the tender beef.
It has been a long time since I had such a wonderful piece of steak. The medium rare that I dictated was also well executed giving the meat an extra sweetness and moistness. However, the sides were very much below par – the potatoes were too undercooked for consumption, and the baked beans were just as unappetising. However $34.80 for two slabs of beef and two drinks is definitely worth it, and I would definitely be coming back for their Celebrities Cut – Wagyu Beef priced at $38.90 the next time round!
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Over at Ohsho, you get to indulge in simple Japanese-fusion fare and I was overwhelmed. We tried the Tori-Kara-age, or the Japanese Deep-Fried Chicken, and boy was it good! A wrench of the lemon and you have the perfect combination of sour, salty, crispy and intense flavour of the chicken with each greasy bite – served fresh when ordered.
Added chunky delights came in the form of Funky Potato – a dish of Tori-Kara-age with Crinkle Cut Fries dose in Chilli Sauce, although I would have to add that this dish reminded me more of my good old primary school days than a Japanese fare.
We also ordered a serving of Chahan, or the Japanese Fried Rice. Of course, we all know that the difference between the Japanese version and its Chinese cousin lies in its grain. Japanese grain tends to be shorter and the rice – stickier, and therefore the art to cook it well lies in the emulsion process - the combination of eggs first emulsifying together with the oil in the pan, and then adding the rice later into the semi-cooked eggs, created the best tasting sensation.
And I have to say they did a pretty good rendition of it. The Wok Hei flavour was captured in the dish, but the dish could do even better with another dash of salt. Lastly, the Gyoza was also delectable. The skins are so different from the mainstream ones where it's all thick and starchy!
Although Yaki-Gyoza, or pan-fried preparation method is usually first fried on one flat side, creating a crispy skin, then, stock is added and the pan sealed with a lid, until the upper part of Gyoza is steamed, Ohsho’s version seemed to be a little too dry. However, the fact that the Gyoza’s skin is so well pan-fried makes up for it.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Many of my friends and readers have came back telling me that I have yet to complete my ramen research till I am done sampling ramen from Sapporo Ramen Miharu. Eager to complete my findings, I persuaded my buddy Sharon for a late Sunday lunch.
It was said that a good bowl of steaming hot ramen is to be slurped away within 10 minutes – for if it is left too long, the noodles would lose its texture and springy nibble. This is precisely why Miharu does not allow takeaways. Miharu uses fresh Sapporo Nishiyama noodles imported from Hokkaido, which is fatter in texture. Being the first outlet in Singapore - the original shop in Chiba, Japan – the restaurant also made an effort to import stock ingredients from Japan so that their noodles are not localised.
Their popular Miso Tonkotsu is well liked for a reason – the soup broth was rich in flavour from the chicken and pork bones (although I find it a bit oily), and pretty salty – similar to those found in Japan, and the corn and the dash of spring onions was surprisingly delectable. However, the Char Siu was good but not as tender and soft as those from Marutama. I also tried their Gyoza, but I was not overwhelmed with it.
The skin was a tad too dry and many locals would probably find the overpowering taste of the Chives too strong for their liking. Overall, a quality place for ramen especially for the soup broth, but personally I would still prefer the Char Siu and noodles from Martutama.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
I was there for their Tonkutsu Ramen that my friend has been bugging me to try. Located at the corner of Robertson Quay close to the hip-hop club, The Buttery Factory, This Japanese family restaurant serves a mean bowl of ramen.
The soup broth was rich and creamy, and the Soy Egg is one of the better ones I had in town – semi-boiled egg with runny yolk that also captures the essence of the soy marinate. The noodles are pretty similar to those from Miharu, slightly fatter and springy – call me prejudiced but I still prefer the thin noodles served in Marutama, which comes with a better bite, or the Italians will call it Al-Dente.
The Char Siu served was a generously thick slice, second only to Marutama. Despite being so, their soup-based is the best I have tried so far, trouncing even Marutama’s legendary Aka Ramen by a wide margin (I have since went back to Marutama to confirm it).
The Gyoza though came very charred, probably to capture the burnt flavour within when the stock is added over it, but presentation wise I think it will prove a turn-off to many ill-informed patrons.
Their Gyoza is differently a notch better to Miharu.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
I have heard about this place from my colleague and such a coincident that one of my friends was nice enough to suggest Ikoi as the venue for my birthday treat (yes I know, I have been procrastinating about it). Apparently, this place is so well known that bookings have to be made 1-2 weeks in advance – talk about Kiasu Singaporeans! Located at the ground floor of Hotel Miramar, the outside of the entrance looks impressive, but a step into the restaurant revealed a cramped seating arrangement – definitely not a decent place to have your meals if you are the sort who wish to have conversation over dinner.
It did not help also that we were assigned to counter seats, as there were inadequate space for all the dishes we had ordered. Service was pretty inefficient that night as the place was packed with tons of hungry and noisy souls, and waiting time for certain dishes were slow as I suspect orders were consolidated before the food were prepared.
It was said Ikoi is the place for people who craves for Sashimi, as the serving they dished out was indeed generous.
However, I was not blown away by it. In fact I was left so unimpressed with the quality that I did not even ordered a second helping. Other dishes that left me indifferent were the Tempura and Shisamo.
Even though it was served hot, the batter for the Tempura was rough – not the best you would expect from a Japanese restaurant.
The Shisamo was dried up when it was served, and this I am pretty sure that they were prepared earlier and re-grilled when orders come in - the inside was also cold and the outside full of smoky flavour. The Yakitori was also slightly chewy for consumption.
To be fair, they have a decent number of dishes to order from but none really make an impression except for the Stewed Salmon Head that I ordered by accident.
Foodies would know that the flesh from the Salmon Head close to its belly is of course the most tender and delicious.
Occasionally, they would also dished out complimentary dishes like the Kaminabe and Salmon Sashimi – items that we did not request for.
However, only one out of many items that was of standard is just not good enough.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
After hearing much fanfare about Shangri-La’s The Line buffet – formerly the old Coffee Garden – a hip eatery designed by US-based Adam Tihany, my family and I finally set foot at this chic white restaurant set against orange lighting for Daddy’s birthday dinner.
Well-known as the mother of all buffets, The Line is famous for the variety of food it dishes out. However, it is often the display of yummy, succulent cold seafood counter that captures the heart of the patrons.
From Lobsters to Oysters, Prawns to Mussels, Crabs to Sushi, Yabbies (fresh water crustacian found in Australia) to Sashimi (remember to request for Salmon Belly), almost each and every serving was fresh and of high quality.
So much so that I have an extended appetiser, that went on...and on...and on...and on...and on...And if you are counting, I gobbled down 20 frisky oysters that night, and boy, were they excellent! Besides that, they also had the grilled and carving stations where you could see the chefs grilling behind a big glass enclosure.
This is the place where the Grilled Fish and Prawns were served, as well as the very tender cuts of the Roast Beef were sliced up.
Other stations include the Asian counters such as the Indian and Chinese cuisine, where you could find yummilicious Satays that were tender and slides off the satay sticks effortlessly with a gentle pull.
While many considered the dessert station the highlight of the restaurant – with its 1 metre tall Chocolate Fountain for its fondue and many other cakes and pastries – I was personally not overwhelmed with it. The filling for the Crêpe was way too sweet/sour for consumption and the 3 desserts that I picked up were not fantastic either.
Overall, paying $65 per pax to stuff yourself silly (simply because you have the tendency to try all the varieties available) is not worth it.
But if I were to come back again, I would be sure to find a table next to the cold seafood counter, and do the extended appetiser all over again.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Being tucked in the secluded top of Dempsey Road, I finally found my way to PS Café for a dinner. A café it might be, it is housed in a standalone pretty colonial bungalow away from the main thoroughfare.
PS, which stands for Project Shop - a local mid-market casual clothing chain, attracts a surprisingly upmarket crowd. It is perhaps the glass façade and high ceiling that adds a touch of grandeur to the already nice ambience you get whilst sitting inside the restaurant. The staffs were also friendly and approachable.
However, the food did not seek to impress me that very night. The starter of salad was merely greens and some roasted eggplants that were zealously drizzled in olive oil – straightforward, nothing fanciful, nothing captivating.
The Thick Fries were surprisingly the best dish for the night. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, it went well with the 2 dips that came with it – a BBQ flavour and the other, I perceived to be Sour Cream based.
The Tubular Pasta though was the letdown of the night. It seriously lacked flavour and was under-cooked – a couple more minutes would have achieved the Al-dente texture. However I would admit that I am beginning to like the idea of having snow peas in my pasta dish.
The dessert was also tortuously too rich for me. Profiteroles, or Small Cream Puffs filled with Ice Cream; served with Thick, Dark, Chocolate Syrup, is just not my kind of dessert after a heavy dinner.
Overall, a nice place to go for a first date, but skipped the pasta if you have to and go for the seafood and their famous brownie for dessert instead.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
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