Taste paradise is run by none other then the Paradise group of restaurants and has been raved by my friends in their blogs as well as commercial reviews. See here and here. My wife-to-be was having her birthday as well and that's when i decided to bring her there for a meal. Its a risk since i've never personally tried their food and seafood paradise wasn't exactly mind blowing but its what she has been asking for, so i figured it would be a good birthday present.
The interior is slick with heavily carpeted floors, padded leather chairs and corner booths for comfort and intimacy. Its also one of the more colorful restaurants i've been to with emphasis mainly on red, yellow and white. Lighting was dim and sleep inducing with mild instrumental chinese music in the background for added ambiance. Everything felt perfectly synchronised and well thought. Service is personalized and impeccable. The staff will remember you by name and provide commentaries and recommendations on the food if you are lost. Advise them on your preferences and they will remember it for you next visit. Simply outstanding.
Signature XO Carrot Cake ($7) - For a $7 carrot cake, it arrived with little fanfare. However, pop a piece in your mouth and you'll be treated to an explosion of taste and texture unlike any $3 carrot cake could ever dream of giving. Crispy and clear wok hei taste on the outside and quivery smooth on the inside with a fragrant XO aftertaste. This is definitely something everyone should try.
Peking duck: Fragrant herb taste, crispy and minimal fats make this a winner. Wasabi Mayonaise Prawn: The prawns is generally big, juicy and well battered with a subtle wasabi mayo coating. The wasabi is strong enough to exert its presence, yet mild enough to not overwhelm. Add the fact that the prawn is crunchy and sweet and pair that up with a palatte cleansing watermelon and this is simply perfect. Pan Seared Foie Gras: Having heard good thing about the foie gras, i'm glad to report that it is at least as good as they say. Soft and quivery on the inside and seared to a crisp on the outside. It doesn't feel overly oily as well but still, take in moderation.
Double Boiled Shark's Fin with Bacon Onion Roll - Designed to be another signature dish by the restaurant, this traditional Beijing broth is double boiled to perfection and served in a japanese claypot to keep the broth warm all the way to the last drop. The broth is light and not starchy with generous amounts of shark's fin, scallops and dried conpoy. The accompanying bacon onion roll is also worth a mention as it is extremely crispy, fragrant and goes really well with the broth. This is most definitely the best item we had that day.
Baked Rack of Lamb in Lamb Stock - Smooth tender, medium rack of lamb with a delectable sauce. I'm not really into lamb but this is very very good.
Baked Cod Fish with Chef's Recipe - Sweet, soft cod fish marinated in chef's special sauce. The sauce gave the impression of being a little like teriyaki and honey which gave the fish its golden color. Its also lightly charred on the outside and still moist and quivery on the inside. Wonderful.
Baby Abalone, Hoshimeiji mushrooms and hand made noodles - I was pleasantly surprised when this final dish was served, to find a decent sized abalone sitting atop the noodles. The noodles were very springy and yet surprisingly soft just as the abalone is and the sauce it was done in reminded me of Sze Chuan spicy soup which is perfect since we were already pretty stuffed by this time. Excellent.
The desserts were nothing short of excellent as well. Especially so when one of them was given free via the recommendation of the captain. Sweet, sourish and palate cleansing, its the perfect ending to a wonderful meal.
The total bill for this meal came up to $222.45.
Ambiance: 8/10 Service: 9/10 Food: 8.5/10 Value for money: 7/10 Overall Score: 8/10
Last word: Good food, good service, new experiences and good ambiance. To me, this place has won me and my girl over quite simply and i'll definitely be back. No doubt about it. If i really need to complain about something, it would be the location. Driving is very much recommended to hae a meal here. To those who have not tried it yet, i heartily recommend giving it a chance. Go in with an open heart and it will warm up to your expectations.
Had been itching to try out this new cafe - Spruce, after seeing quite a few reviews of it online as well as in various publications. Apparently their chef was from Wine Garage, which made really good burgers. Reservations were a pain though as the place was almost always full, till I got lucky one evening and managed to squeeze in a reservation for an outdoor table.
Outdoor seating probably isn't the best idea especially when Spruce is located just up a tiny hill next to lush greenery along Tanglin Road. But hey, if bugs are your best pals, then by means go ahead. Read. The bugs are suicidal. They do kamikaze stunts like crashing into your drinks, table and food. After a couple of minutes, we surrendered and requested for a seat indoors, which was promptly given to us (Whatever happened to the reservations?).
Roasted Mycofarm Mushrooms with Herbs - We initially wondered if mycofarm was some special type of mushrooms but after googling, it turned out to be the name of a farm in Singapore. On hindsight we probably shouldn't have ordered this side dish. The mushrooms tasted very normal but were literally drenched in oil. And it was definitely not olive oil.
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese - Now this side dish fared much better. Simple comfort food for the masses. Small macaroni shells evenly coated with a nice smooth creamy and cheesey layer. Not too overwhelming. The bits of burnt mozzarella cheese on top provided a nice crisp texture.
Seared Tuna with Steamed Bok Choy, Carrot and Ginger Broth - Make no mistake. This was a main. 5 slices of tuna tataki with a clump of bok choy going for $22. The tuna was disappointing to the say the least. Not pan seared till lightly charred on the outside while uncomfortably limp on the inside. Being less then generous on the salt didn't exactly help matters as well.
The Spruce Burger with Hand Cut Chips - The burger was good though a tad small. The beef patty crumbled with ease when I poked my fork into it, leading to us coin it "burger crumble". Corny I know. The patty was probably one of the best I've had in a long while. A little moist without the beefy taste overwhelming. Simple and unadulterated. I thought the buns could do with a little more toasting though. There is an option of topping up $2 for a slice of bacon to go along with the patty.
Cranberry, Blueberry and Coconut Tart Ala Mode - I thought this tart sounded really interesting and healthy with all the berries so I had a go at it. Well I wouldn't say it was fantastic but at least it was decent. I could make out the taste of blueberries and cranberries and strands of coconut in between. Lightly sweet. Unfortunately, the accompanying scoop of ice cream melted really fast and was your run off the mill vanilla ice cream.
Yogurt and Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Seasonal Fruit - This dessert was actually more yogurt then panna cotta, smooth and semi liquid. The layer of blueberry was sweet and complemented the yogurt quite well. It was topped with this brownish looking muesli bars that stuck to my teeth when I chewed on it. Nice but majorly irritating.
Generally speaking, prices aren't really over the top but food quality could be improved quite a bit in general. Service in general was good but there was this young waiter that stood out with his earnest attitude and attentiveness. Pity I didn't catch his name. Spruce is worth a try, just for the burger, but probably not worth a return. By the way, parking is free.
For all your Golfing needs.. Nike by B.I.R.D is one of the best choice you can get in terms of style, user friendliness, range of items and most importantly, its endorsed by the famous world No.1 Golfer.... Matter of fact.. they had an entire range of merchandisers named after him...
I like NIKE GOLF stuffs.. They are really chich and stylo-milo..... I mean.. apart from looking good, these apparals and comfortable to wear and very breathable.... Its important to have good airy clothes yet can shield some UV rays as well as block some wind when it gets a little chilly out there in the course....
I went to this shop the other evening to do some shopping and i came across the beautiful cap that i've decided to buy almost immediately.. Seldom do i do that.... but this cap is just so special... Made of a silky light material.. this cap comes in 3 colours.. Light Blue, Black and Brown... The design of the cap is most thrilling.... The outside is just a simple smooth solid black colour with a durable short velcro for that pony tail of mine... Most importantly.. underneath the tongue of the cap.. is covered with a checked printed fabric in which made the cap totally sleek with a tinge of retro....
Its a beautiful cap.. though not cheap, however.. I love it alot.. The service is pretty ok.. though the shop is not huge, but it does hold alot of stuffs... The lady serving me is nice and gave me a new piece when i asked.... I love the fact that she gave me space to shop.. instead of hanging so close to me wherever i go and try to delibrately strike conversation with me.
My shopping ritual is that.... "IF i need something I will ASK... Please don't hog me or disrupt my thoughts with your irritating Questions" :)
We're all farmiliar with the brand Timberland.. We see it all the time and it pratically grew up with me....
I am most amazed by its LOGO.. A TREE on a SLOPE..... It simply represents ECOFriendly..... and I believe that Timberland products are environmentally friendly - judging by this name card i hold... is printed specially on the front that its 100% Recycled Paper...
Expect Recycled Tags, Paperbags, Packaging as well as bottled water....
Talk about bottled water.. I simply love the idea of them giving away TIMBERLAND bottled water to every customer that walks into their shops.. Its a clever idea to make me feel indebted to them somehow and I simple love the attentive gesture.... I mean who is not thirsty.... Moreover you could also recycle the bottles and it also act as free advertisements..... How SWEET :)
Lets talk about the merchandises now.. The clothes are great for trekking, fishing and other outdoor sports. Made of great range of materials with breathing fabrics... I would especially recommend the Jackets.. I love the jackets.. they are user friendly.. does not stink with time and most importantly.. some repels water and keeps you warm and cosy on the inside.... Even its winter on the outside... You are sure its always summer on the inside....
The leather boots are the next best thing you can ever find in this shop. Timberland are almost mainly famous for their boots.... Made of leather of different kinds as well as breathable technology and sturdy soles.. These shoes are pratically to die for.... What more.. You could design your own shoe.. customizing every part of the shoe with the colour coding you want yourself for just a mere $299. There is a assembler's desk where u can mix and match every single part of your boot with the demo sets there.. both fun and intriguing...
Its a nice place to go to.. and nice merchandises to buy :)
Was introduced to this place by my colleagues and was there for a celebration for "da boss" on this weekday noon. Porta Porta apparently has 2 outlets, one in Changi and the other in Stanley Street, we went to the Changi branch since it was nearer to our office. Its location is somewhat obscure and according to a friend, the buildings have already been enbloc so i'm not too sure about the fate of this restaurant as of now. The following is a rather late post of my previous visit there and my thoughts on the food.
Despite the rather lacklustre appearance of the shop front, this restaurant exudes a laid back and quiet charm which is easy to like. Cozy sofas adorn the 2nd level and simple tables in a soft lit dining level. All this gives it a rustic and homely feeling which is both comfortable and relaxing.
Bruschetta - This was served hot and straight out of the oven. Its a little different then the usual bruschetta in that the tomato is not chopped and served as a whole slice on top of the focacia bread. This results in a squishy texture and might not be for everybody since you really need to like tomatoes to enjoy this. For me, i prefer the diced tomatoes version.
Complementary bread with Olive Oil and Vinaigrette - Simple, serviceable and nothing extraordinary. The only thing worth mentioning is the dip which is still an appetising treat with its sourish and saltish taste.
Tomato and Crab Meat Pasta - Despite the small portion size, this was nicely done. I liked the strong crab taste and tomato combination and the pasta was done al dente. The problem with this is that the tomatoes were watery and thus resulted in a visually less appetising presentation.
Calamari - The calamari is probably the best thing i had at the restaurant that day. It was lightly battered and retained most of its springy texture without the overwhelming taste of batter. The batter itself is rather salty but went well with the calamari which is lightly sweet.
Tiramisu - This was.....average at best. There was too much cream and not enough cake. Also, instead of a chocolatey taste, it had a strange strawberry-like taste instead and there was no rum.
Service: 7.5/10 Ambiance: 6.5/10 Food: 6/10 Value for money: 6/10 Overall Score: 6/10 (not an average)
Last word: I can't quite confirm if the restaurant is certified halal but my Malay colleagues were able to enjoy the food without worry. I can thus say safely that our Malay compatroits should be able to enjoy the food here without incident. Service is good and the ambiance is decent but the food and value for money-wise could do better for me. Overall, still an enjoyable meal but i'd not bet on it being a hit with everybody.
No introductions needed for this group of restaurants. Basically met up with a group of friends over the weekend to have some dim sum and was recommended this because it is known to be kind to the wallet and serve quality dim sum as well.
Simple carpet floors and wide open spaces are the order of the day. Tables are spaced well and give plenty of leg room without the claustrophobic trappings of other Chinese restaurants. Orders are taken ala carte style and it is recommended to order as many as possible because they do take some time before the food is served.
Buffets buffets, always a little difficult to comment on since everything is en mass. So i'll just split this into the usual categories: Service: In terms of service, the staff are proficient and fast but has a slight attitude edge to them. Maybe its due to the good turnout of people and their reputation, the impression i got was that they are always in a rush and will not wait around for our orders proper. And my group of people are big eaters, so we had many mutliple orders which were met with looks of frustration and impatience. Not a very good experience on this part. Food: The food is as you see above. We ordered quite a decent selection from the $19.80 menu and in terms of overall quality, the best i can give is average. For the usual items like shrimp dumplings and char siew bao, i've had better from the likes of Yan Ting , Royal China and even Imperial Nan Bei Restaurant. From the entire selection that day, the items that caught our tastebuds were the Ji Bao Gai, which was surprisingly fragrant and tasty, fried chicken wings in shrimp paste, we liked the size and how it was served piping hot, the sweet and sour diced sea perch, which was crispy, sweet and warranted 2 orders and the egg tarts, which were small, bite sized and had an extremely crispy and flaky crust. The other items were forgettable and average IMHO. Value: When the bill came, it actually totalled up to be about $26-30 per person. Although we ate alot, the quality of most of the food wasn't really up to par. The feeling we got at the end was unsatisfactory.
Ambience: 5.5/10 Service: 5/10 Food: 6/10 Value for money: 6/10 Overall score: 5.5/10 (not an average)
Last word: I'd expected a little more from this restaurant since it belongs to quite a prestigious group. So far in my journey, i've only eaten at Tung Lok Seafood, Zhou's Kitchen and My Humble House and honestly, i have to say that i'm not impressed yet with any of their offerings. Maybe its just me but everytime i try their stuff, the only words that surface in the end is "overpriced" "bad service" and "could be so much better". I really want to like them but i'm sorry, it hasn't happened yet.
We are all old friends, yet we never met before. We visit each other on the web, that is how we “meet” everybody. Food brings us together, finally we can put a face to each other instead of just a nickname. From online, to offline, our food blogger outing.
While waiting for everybody to arrive, we ordered some fried dim sum for the photo shoot first. Hua Ting have more steamed items than fried ones, and the baked chicken & mango tart ($3.90) headed the list. This reminded me of the one that I had at Man Fu Yuan, and personally I felt it was well executed with the sweet mango zing and crust pastry.
I am not a big fan of bean skin roll dim sum, but since this was one of the few fried item and came highly recommended by the staff, we ordered the Deep-fried bean skin with prawn ($4.80).
Oh, the prawns were fresh. Yes they were. But, but the skin was too thick, and well they are not the best Steamed crystal prawn dumpling ($4.80) I had before.
There was the option of doing it steamed or pan-fried. But who could resist yummy-sinful fried food? Not us, we went for the pan-fried carrot cake with canopy ($3.90). Eat first, worry later! For some unknown reasons that continue to evade us, we are seeing restaurants not frying their carrot cake enough. Is it for the health conscious customers, or is it because it requires more oil? I wished they will just pan-fried it longer.
The first page of the menu comprises of the signature dim sum Hua ting serves, yet i was surprised not to find the Steamed siew mai with shrimp roe ($4.80) there. I felt that it was better than their har gau. And oh yes, there was also mushroom mixed within the siew mai.
There was nothing to fault for their Steamed BBQ pork bun ($3.90). I love my char siew bun, and when there was no char siew sou, I comforted myself by indulging in every moment of this.
Drum roll! Announcing the award for the best performer for the meal, I presented to you, Deep fried scallop pastry with onion and garlic ($4.50). My personal favourite out of the 12 dim sum that we tried that day. The pastry literally melted in my month when I took a bite. And I simple love the strong garlic taste within.
I will also like to mention the good service of the staffs at Hua Ting. While I was causally asking my friend what was inside the Steamed dumpling in Teow Chew style ($3.90), one waitress who was walking by overheard us and stopped to explain. While she couldn’t get all the ingredients in it, she went to the kitchen to ask and came back to tell us. So here it is, peanut, turnip, mushroom & celery.
You definitely will have tried char siew and prawn cheong fun before. Okay, how about scallop? Aye most restaurants have that too! All right, I give you Steamed cheong fun with sliced fish ($4.80). Now that’s something new isn’t it? It was a unique and bold creation, and while personally I still preferred char siew and prawn for my cheong fun, you need to give credits to the chef for trying something new.
Steamed soya bean skin rolls with chicken and mushroom in superior oyster sauce ($4.20). With such a long name, I was caught dumbfound and the staff had to kindly explained a few times what it was. It was actually the same as the deep fried bean skin we had earlier. But somehow I like this one more, the oozing out of the oyster sauce when I took a bite into the bean skin rolls. Oh my.
The others wanted lo mai gai, but there was none. We just have to make do with the Steamed glutinous rice with abalone ($5.20) and it was competent enough. There was the grimicky tiny abalone on top to up the prestige level, but I felt it would be better to give me Taiwanese sausages instead of that.
Not many restaurants use duck for their dim sum, it is always like what I mentioned, char siew, prawn & scallop. Therefore we chose the Pan fried shredded duck rolls ($4.20) out of curiosity.
I never like ordering Steamed pork ribs ($3.90) in dim sum restaurants. I felt they were overpriced, and under-portion. Honestly I will rather order another steamed char siew bun to give me more meat. I’m a carnivore!
Total bill was $120 after a 15% credit card discount for 6 person. We tried 14 out of the 20 dim sum available, and that’s quite a lot! I was confused between Orchard hotel with Orchard Parade hotel, so do check your maps before going down. In my personal opinion, the staffs at Hua Ting merit the good service tag, all of them were friendly and knowledgeable. Thank you!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Atlantic dining room resides within the prestigious and exclusive Tower Club on the 62nd floor of Republic Plaza. The club itself deserves mention as its members are only allowed to register "by invitation" only. Its rather simple to sum up the criteria though, millionaires, CEOs and ministers would probably fall within the invitation list. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who had access to the premises and was thus able to attend a special dinner this night. The chef's at the helm for the night are worth mentioning as well, Chef Edward Voon and Chef Paco Roncero (the king of olive oil and Chef Voon's mentor). In any normal circumstance, a meal by Paco Roncero would have meant flying to Spain and being on a waiting list for 3 months. As such, i chose this night to propose to my fair lady as well but only food will be shown here. And without further ado, let us move on...
The waiting area and the first view that greets you at Tower Club is a rather intimidating one. Perched on the 62nd floor, you'll get an unimpeded view of the work-in-progress Marina Bay Sands project and the sea. The club spared no expense for the decor as well, you'll notice art pieces, comfortable sofas and splendid carpets that will awaken the monarch in you.
One of my favorite shots that night, outlining the setting sun in the background with the lamps and tables in view.
To start off, this special dinner was prepared and designed by the collective efforts of Chef Paco and Chef Voon. Both of which has won a special place in my heart after this meal. The service is impeccable and attentive for the waiting staff and in particular, the floor manager who helped in the final proposal. So here's a big thank you for everyone that night.
Frozen Daiquiri - The first item to be served is well liked by the ladies but received a lukewarm reception by the guys. The frozen daiquiri has a layer of warm egg white outlining the top with the cool daiquiri itself settling below it. The daiquiri itself is very sour, albeit refreshingly so when taken together with the egg white which itself has a very smooth texture not unlike smooth beancurd. The end result is it gets you very hungry for the main meal, which is its sole duty.
Complimentary Bread - Before our next dish, the much talked and praised complimentary bread is served. I took an instead liking to one particular version which on first bite, tasted like pizza bread with a little spicy tinge to it but slowly gives off an aromatic mint aftertaste which is unlike any bread i've had before. Needless to say, the four of us managed to clear 3 baskets worth of bread.
Olive oil butter, Foie Gras with Red Wine, Sesame Sponge with Miso, Liquid Chicken "croquette", Raspberry Fondant with Wasabi, Tomato Biscuit with Basil - The dish had a particular sequence for finishing beginning with the Liquid Chicken "Croquette" with bread crumbs which was fantastic. The moment you pop the entire ball into your mouth, it literally melts and leaves a taste of chicken in your mouth which is further enhanced by the fried bread crumbs. Superb! The tomato biscuit had a very very strong tomato taste but i couldn't taste the basil. Next up, the raspberry fondant with wasabi is strange to me because the raspberry fondant has a caramelized layer over it which crackles and pops when you bite into it while the wasabi gives it an added kick of surprise. The sesame sponge with miso is a fluffy concoction that gives the impression of eating solidified miso soup with sesame. Foie gras with red wine is surprising in that the red wine is the thin layer surrounding the foie gras and this layer will melt in your mouth to produce a strong fragrance of red wine. I didn't quite like the taste of foie gras in it though because it tasted pretty raw and i prefer my goose liver cooked and hot. The final item is a simple biscuit with olive oil butter served in a tub. The butter is smooth and rich but nothing else i could say about it. Overall, this starter was very interesting indeed with loads of stuff i've never tried before.
21st Century Spanish Omelette - I was surprised when another liquid item was served up and was stumped when i was told it was a spanish omelette from the 21st century no less. True enough, it was very interesting with its foamy layer of egg white and even more so when you mix it with the yellowish tinge which was salty and the layer of onions which really did give it the impression of being an omelette. Its pretty good but i still prefer my omelettes in solid form.
Lobster, Grapefruit and Virgin Olive Oil Soup - The grapefruits in this were surprisingly sweet and very satisfying while the lobster was sweet and springy. The olive oil soup was subtle and a little bland but otherwise served to bring out the sweetness of the lobster even more. I enjoyed this.
Brittany Sea Bass in "Salmorejo" - I don't know what Brittany sea bass means but this is one of the best fish dishes i've had. Pan seared to perfection with its superbly crispy outer layer which is still not over cooked and a wonderfully hot (read: hot!) and soft meat on the inside. I'm amazed at how they managed to cook the fish so thoroughly and keep the dish so warm on the inside when served. Not to mention as well, the seemingly simple dressing you see on the sea bass is awesome. Sweet and slightly sourish with pepper overtones, it just works. Perfectly executed in my book.
Wagyu Beef with Lemon Puree - Another perfectly executed main dish. The wagyu is soft, chewy and done medium rare throughout. The lemon puree is sourish with some red wine (i think) and works really well with the already perfectly executed beef. I was fortunate enough to have 2 servings because my gf was already rather full and for the record, i finished all of it. It's just something you need to try.
Orange Sorbet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Once again, olive oil is used in ways i cannot fathom. The sorbet, however, is moderately sweet and once again, a little sour but is suitably refreshing after the heavy meal we just went through. The nuts and jelly-like items (which is suspect are infused with red and white wine) only serve to refresh the palatte even more.
Fizzy Sweets and Virgin Olive Oil Gummies - This really reminds me of childhood with the popping and crackling of the fizzy sweet chocolates in my mouth. The gummies were also very interesting as they taste more and more like lychee as you chew on them. A suitable and light ending to a wonderful meal.
Of course, after all the wonderful food, its time to face the music and it doesn't come cheap. A superb meal for 4 made us $602.62 poorer altogether.
Ambience: 8.5/10 Service: 8.5/10 Food: 8.5/10 Value for money: 7/10 Overall score: 8.5/10 (not an average)
Last word: The food is excellent. The service is great and the ambience is wonderful. At the end of this meal, a new couple is born. Apart from that, a new respect and admiration for the chefs that concocted this meal was also born. Do give this a try if you can. Cheers and this will always be a happy memory for me.
The soft patter of raindrops. Light jazz music amidst the soft incessant buzz of the place. Sipping tea with finger food at a leisurely pace while time flittered by. This was the life I had envisioned at Marmalade Pantry and the dream proliferates at TWG.
Cleverly perched on a "suspended" standalone area within Republic Plaza, you have to walk up a short flight of stairs from the first floor which will lead you to the sales area with its shelves of gourmet tea as well as the restaurant. TWG can only take about 30 people or so and oozes cosy warmth with its intimate dining area, huge glass windows with translucent curtains coupled with a glass ceiling.
Imperial Rose - I am honestly not a tea connoisseur but the Imperial Rose, which is a specialty brew of TWG, tasted very much like a Chinese tea, 铁观音.
Sandwiches - This came as part of my tea time "Celebration Set". 8 half slices of bread sandwiching prawns, crab meat, foie gras and smoked salmon respectively, it appealed to my visual senses with its presentation. However, even though the bread was nicely toasted, I didn't quite take to them. The crab meat and prawns sandwiches were passable but the smoked salmon was way too salty and the foie gras just didn't come across as appetising, both in smell and taste.
Salmon A La Russ - I can't say much about the smoked salmon except that it was salty and came topped roe. However, the brioche that was served alongside was interestingly good. It actually tasted like croissant - flaky and buttery.
Macarons - Another component of my tea time set, we chose praline, lemon and napolean tea macarons from the 6 or so varieties TWG carries. Personally I still prefer their vanilla macaron, something which they didn't have at that point in time.
Strawberry Tart - Insipid as it looked, the strawberry tart came highly recommended by the staff. And I was rather impressed. It was essentially vanilla bean creme brulee sans the caramelised layer with bits of strawberries sandwiched in between and served on a tart base. A stellar example of never judging a book by its cover. Best of all, it was part of my set as well.
Crumble - I didn't have much of the crumble so I shall reserve my comments. The ice cream sounded interesting though - Napolean Tea cheesecake ice cream, which was apparently very well received by the aspiring tai tai who sat across from me.
A 3.5 hr tea session cost us about $82, which probably isn't the cheapest place to chill out but for the delightful ambience and earnest service, its probably worth it to dig deep into your pockets just for a relaxing afternoon at this place with your partner or alone with a book. As the first signs of dusk seeped through the windows and I played observer to the throngs of working people frantically crossing the street to catch the next train home, I was reminded of my own reality - one that had no affinity with this almost surreal lifestyle.
Putien is named after a certain Chinese Province in China which reflects bountiful harvest and abundance of nature. The reason for this namesake is to reflect the simplicity and sincerity of Putien cuisine which is simple yet rich in flavor. Currently, Pu Tien group of restaurants has already expanded to 4 outlets in Singapore and one in Jakarta Indonesia. Question is, Chinese restaurants are a dime a dozen, does this succeed in setting itself apart?
The Tampines Mall outlet occupies a sizable amount of space in separate units. One is along the corner and features big round tables with modernized feel while the other unit resembles an open food court concept with a counter as the service area. Both areas are reasonably spacious which is a plus for me.
Bamboo Herbal Prawn ($3.80 for 2 prawns) - The prawns were of a decent size and literally seemed to pop out of the bamboo after you. The soup consisted of a strong herbal taste and was a little salty but otherwise light and enjoyable. The prawns, though looks good, is hit or miss in freshness as out of 4 prawns, 2 were scrumptious, crunchy and fresh while the other 2 were beginning to get powdery. Overall, if they could keep the consistency of freshness, this is a pretty good order.
Pu Tien Lor Mee ($6) - I'd describe this as interesting and pretty good. I like the generous portion size and the pork and vegetables that came in it. The broth is starchy like its black counterpart but at the same time, less overwhelming in the taste department. The noodles were also springy and soft which makes this well worth the investment.
Xing Hua Stir Fried Bee Hoon ($6) - The bee hoon came with lots of ingredients as well, clam, mushrooms, nuts, slices of pork and some vegetables all mixed into one package. The fact is, it was light and enjoyable. The only gripe is on the bee hoon being smashed. Its as though the bee hoon is made shorter on purpose.
Shredded Meat with Bun ($5.60) - The meat actually looks lke wroms to me but rest assured it isn't. Its just stir fried pork that has been diced till its fine and string-like. It came with some lettuce and fried buns with sesame to good effect. The buns were hot and soft but oily. Couple that with the lettuce and pork which is a little salty and you get sinful combination thats hard to resist.
Service: 5.5/10 Food: 6.5/10 Ambience: 5/10 Value for money: 7/10 Overall Score: 6.75/10 (not an average)
Last Word: All in all, the food was decent with generous portions. Some came with fresh ingredients and some a little less in that respect. I can't say i did not enjoy the meal but service could be improved upon with a little more attentiveness from the waitresses. The thing that got me quite unhappy about was the supervisor whom we got her attention from, refused to take our orders and asked another waitress to do it despite there being only 3 customers including ourselves. She was more interested in walking around aimlessly and talking to her other colleagues which is rather unprofessional. Other then that, the food and value for money is on par and definitely worth a try at least.
1=SGD 0.0587
Taste paradise is run by none other then the Paradise group of restaurants and has been raved by my friends in their blogs as well as commercial reviews. See here and here. My wife-to-be was having her birthday as well and that's when i decided to bring her there for a meal. Its a risk since i've never personally tried their food and seafood paradise wasn't exactly mind blowing but its what she has been asking for, so i figured it would be a good birthday present.
The interior is slick with heavily carpeted floors, padded leather chairs and corner booths for comfort and intimacy. Its also one of the more colorful restaurants i've been to with emphasis mainly on red, yellow and white. Lighting was dim and sleep inducing with mild instrumental chinese music in the background for added ambiance. Everything felt perfectly synchronised and well thought.
Service is personalized and impeccable. The staff will remember you by name and provide commentaries and recommendations on the food if you are lost. Advise them on your preferences and they will remember it for you next visit. Simply outstanding.
Signature XO Carrot Cake ($7) - For a $7 carrot cake, it arrived with little fanfare. However, pop a piece in your mouth and you'll be treated to an explosion of taste and texture unlike any $3 carrot cake could ever dream of giving. Crispy and clear wok hei taste on the outside and quivery smooth on the inside with a fragrant XO aftertaste. This is definitely something everyone should try.
Peking duck: Fragrant herb taste, crispy and minimal fats make this a winner.
Wasabi Mayonaise Prawn: The prawns is generally big, juicy and well battered with a subtle wasabi mayo coating. The wasabi is strong enough to exert its presence, yet mild enough to not overwhelm. Add the fact that the prawn is crunchy and sweet and pair that up with a palatte cleansing watermelon and this is simply perfect.
Pan Seared Foie Gras: Having heard good thing about the foie gras, i'm glad to report that it is at least as good as they say. Soft and quivery on the inside and seared to a crisp on the outside. It doesn't feel overly oily as well but still, take in moderation.
Double Boiled Shark's Fin with Bacon Onion Roll - Designed to be another signature dish by the restaurant, this traditional Beijing broth is double boiled to perfection and served in a japanese claypot to keep the broth warm all the way to the last drop. The broth is light and not starchy with generous amounts of shark's fin, scallops and dried conpoy. The accompanying bacon onion roll is also worth a mention as it is extremely crispy, fragrant and goes really well with the broth. This is most definitely the best item we had that day.
Baked Rack of Lamb in Lamb Stock - Smooth tender, medium rack of lamb with a delectable sauce. I'm not really into lamb but this is very very good.
Baked Cod Fish with Chef's Recipe - Sweet, soft cod fish marinated in chef's special sauce. The sauce gave the impression of being a little like teriyaki and honey which gave the fish its golden color. Its also lightly charred on the outside and still moist and quivery on the inside. Wonderful.
Baby Abalone, Hoshimeiji mushrooms and hand made noodles - I was pleasantly surprised when this final dish was served, to find a decent sized abalone sitting atop the noodles. The noodles were very springy and yet surprisingly soft just as the abalone is and the sauce it was done in reminded me of Sze Chuan spicy soup which is perfect since we were already pretty stuffed by this time. Excellent.
The desserts were nothing short of excellent as well. Especially so when one of them was given free via the recommendation of the captain. Sweet, sourish and palate cleansing, its the perfect ending to a wonderful meal.
The total bill for this meal came up to $222.45.
Ambiance: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Food: 8.5/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall Score: 8/10
Last word:
Good food, good service, new experiences and good ambiance. To me, this place has won me and my girl over quite simply and i'll definitely be back. No doubt about it. If i really need to complain about something, it would be the location. Driving is very much recommended to hae a meal here. To those who have not tried it yet, i heartily recommend giving it a chance. Go in with an open heart and it will warm up to your expectations.
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Had been itching to try out this new cafe - Spruce, after seeing quite a few reviews of it online as well as in various publications. Apparently their chef was from Wine Garage, which made really good burgers. Reservations were a pain though as the place was almost always full, till I got lucky one evening and managed to squeeze in a reservation for an outdoor table.
Outdoor seating probably isn't the best idea especially when Spruce is located just up a tiny hill next to lush greenery along Tanglin Road. But hey, if bugs are your best pals, then by means go ahead. Read. The bugs are suicidal. They do kamikaze stunts like crashing into your drinks, table and food. After a couple of minutes, we surrendered and requested for a seat indoors, which was promptly given to us (Whatever happened to the reservations?).
Roasted Mycofarm Mushrooms with Herbs - We initially wondered if mycofarm was some special type of mushrooms but after googling, it turned out to be the name of a farm in Singapore. On hindsight we probably shouldn't have ordered this side dish. The mushrooms tasted very normal but were literally drenched in oil. And it was definitely not olive oil.
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese - Now this side dish fared much better. Simple comfort food for the masses. Small macaroni shells evenly coated with a nice smooth creamy and cheesey layer. Not too overwhelming. The bits of burnt mozzarella cheese on top provided a nice crisp texture.
Seared Tuna with Steamed Bok Choy, Carrot and Ginger Broth - Make no mistake. This was a main. 5 slices of tuna tataki with a clump of bok choy going for $22. The tuna was disappointing to the say the least. Not pan seared till lightly charred on the outside while uncomfortably limp on the inside. Being less then generous on the salt didn't exactly help matters as well.
The Spruce Burger with Hand Cut Chips - The burger was good though a tad small. The beef patty crumbled with ease when I poked my fork into it, leading to us coin it "burger crumble". Corny I know. The patty was probably one of the best I've had in a long while. A little moist without the beefy taste overwhelming. Simple and unadulterated. I thought the buns could do with a little more toasting though. There is an option of topping up $2 for a slice of bacon to go along with the patty.
Cranberry, Blueberry and Coconut Tart Ala Mode - I thought this tart sounded really interesting and healthy with all the berries so I had a go at it. Well I wouldn't say it was fantastic but at least it was decent. I could make out the taste of blueberries and cranberries and strands of coconut in between. Lightly sweet. Unfortunately, the accompanying scoop of ice cream melted really fast and was your run off the mill vanilla ice cream.
Yogurt and Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Seasonal Fruit - This dessert was actually more yogurt then panna cotta, smooth and semi liquid. The layer of blueberry was sweet and complemented the yogurt quite well. It was topped with this brownish looking muesli bars that stuck to my teeth when I chewed on it. Nice but majorly irritating.
Generally speaking, prices aren't really over the top but food quality could be improved quite a bit in general. Service in general was good but there was this young waiter that stood out with his earnest attitude and attentiveness. Pity I didn't catch his name. Spruce is worth a try, just for the burger, but probably not worth a return. By the way, parking is free.
See all my pictures here.
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For all your Golfing needs.. Nike by B.I.R.D is one of the best choice you can get in terms of style, user friendliness, range of items and most importantly, its endorsed by the famous world No.1 Golfer.... Matter of fact.. they had an entire range of merchandisers named after him...
I like NIKE GOLF stuffs.. They are really chich and stylo-milo..... I mean.. apart from looking good, these apparals and comfortable to wear and very breathable.... Its important to have good airy clothes yet can shield some UV rays as well as block some wind when it gets a little chilly out there in the course....
I went to this shop the other evening to do some shopping and i came across the beautiful cap that i've decided to buy almost immediately.. Seldom do i do that.... but this cap is just so special... Made of a silky light material.. this cap comes in 3 colours.. Light Blue, Black and Brown... The design of the cap is most thrilling.... The outside is just a simple smooth solid black colour with a durable short velcro for that pony tail of mine... Most importantly.. underneath the tongue of the cap.. is covered with a checked printed fabric in which made the cap totally sleek with a tinge of retro....
Its a beautiful cap.. though not cheap, however.. I love it alot.. The service is pretty ok.. though the shop is not huge, but it does hold alot of stuffs... The lady serving me is nice and gave me a new piece when i asked.... I love the fact that she gave me space to shop.. instead of hanging so close to me wherever i go and try to delibrately strike conversation with me.
My shopping ritual is that.... "IF i need something I will ASK... Please don't hog me or disrupt my thoughts with your irritating Questions" :)
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We're all farmiliar with the brand Timberland.. We see it all the time and it pratically grew up with me....
I am most amazed by its LOGO.. A TREE on a SLOPE..... It simply represents ECOFriendly..... and I believe that Timberland products are environmentally friendly - judging by this name card i hold... is printed specially on the front that its 100% Recycled Paper...
Expect Recycled Tags, Paperbags, Packaging as well as bottled water....
Talk about bottled water.. I simply love the idea of them giving away TIMBERLAND bottled water to every customer that walks into their shops.. Its a clever idea to make me feel indebted to them somehow and I simple love the attentive gesture.... I mean who is not thirsty.... Moreover you could also recycle the bottles and it also act as free advertisements..... How SWEET :)
Lets talk about the merchandises now.. The clothes are great for trekking, fishing and other outdoor sports. Made of great range of materials with breathing fabrics... I would especially recommend the Jackets.. I love the jackets.. they are user friendly.. does not stink with time and most importantly.. some repels water and keeps you warm and cosy on the inside.... Even its winter on the outside... You are sure its always summer on the inside....
The leather boots are the next best thing you can ever find in this shop. Timberland are almost mainly famous for their boots.... Made of leather of different kinds as well as breathable technology and sturdy soles.. These shoes are pratically to die for.... What more.. You could design your own shoe.. customizing every part of the shoe with the colour coding you want yourself for just a mere $299. There is a assembler's desk where u can mix and match every single part of your boot with the demo sets there.. both fun and intriguing...
Its a nice place to go to.. and nice merchandises to buy :)
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Was introduced to this place by my colleagues and was there for a celebration for "da boss" on this weekday noon. Porta Porta apparently has 2 outlets, one in Changi and the other in Stanley Street, we went to the Changi branch since it was nearer to our office. Its location is somewhat obscure and according to a friend, the buildings have already been enbloc so i'm not too sure about the fate of this restaurant as of now. The following is a rather late post of my previous visit there and my thoughts on the food.
Despite the rather lacklustre appearance of the shop front, this restaurant exudes a laid back and quiet charm which is easy to like. Cozy sofas adorn the 2nd level and simple tables in a soft lit dining level. All this gives it a rustic and homely feeling which is both comfortable and relaxing.
Bruschetta - This was served hot and straight out of the oven. Its a little different then the usual bruschetta in that the tomato is not chopped and served as a whole slice on top of the focacia bread. This results in a squishy texture and might not be for everybody since you really need to like tomatoes to enjoy this. For me, i prefer the diced tomatoes version.
Complementary bread with Olive Oil and Vinaigrette - Simple, serviceable and nothing extraordinary. The only thing worth mentioning is the dip which is still an appetising treat with its sourish and saltish taste.
Tomato and Crab Meat Pasta - Despite the small portion size, this was nicely done. I liked the strong crab taste and tomato combination and the pasta was done al dente. The problem with this is that the tomatoes were watery and thus resulted in a visually less appetising presentation.
Calamari - The calamari is probably the best thing i had at the restaurant that day. It was lightly battered and retained most of its springy texture without the overwhelming taste of batter. The batter itself is rather salty but went well with the calamari which is lightly sweet.
Tiramisu - This was.....average at best. There was too much cream and not enough cake. Also, instead of a chocolatey taste, it had a strange strawberry-like taste instead and there was no rum.
Service: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 6.5/10
Food: 6/10
Value for money: 6/10
Overall Score: 6/10 (not an average)
Last word:
I can't quite confirm if the restaurant is certified halal but my Malay colleagues were able to enjoy the food without worry. I can thus say safely that our Malay compatroits should be able to enjoy the food here without incident. Service is good and the ambiance is decent but the food and value for money-wise could do better for me. Overall, still an enjoyable meal but i'd not bet on it being a hit with everybody.
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No introductions needed for this group of restaurants. Basically met up with a group of friends over the weekend to have some dim sum and was recommended this because it is known to be kind to the wallet and serve quality dim sum as well.
Simple carpet floors and wide open spaces are the order of the day. Tables are spaced well and give plenty of leg room without the claustrophobic trappings of other Chinese restaurants. Orders are taken ala carte style and it is recommended to order as many as possible because they do take some time before the food is served.
Buffets buffets, always a little difficult to comment on since everything is en mass. So i'll just split this into the usual categories:
Service: In terms of service, the staff are proficient and fast but has a slight attitude edge to them. Maybe its due to the good turnout of people and their reputation, the impression i got was that they are always in a rush and will not wait around for our orders proper. And my group of people are big eaters, so we had many mutliple orders which were met with looks of frustration and impatience. Not a very good experience on this part.
Food: The food is as you see above. We ordered quite a decent selection from the $19.80 menu and in terms of overall quality, the best i can give is average. For the usual items like shrimp dumplings and char siew bao, i've had better from the likes of Yan Ting , Royal China and even Imperial Nan Bei Restaurant. From the entire selection that day, the items that caught our tastebuds were the Ji Bao Gai, which was surprisingly fragrant and tasty, fried chicken wings in shrimp paste, we liked the size and how it was served piping hot, the sweet and sour diced sea perch, which was crispy, sweet and warranted 2 orders and the egg tarts, which were small, bite sized and had an extremely crispy and flaky crust. The other items were forgettable and average IMHO.
Value: When the bill came, it actually totalled up to be about $26-30 per person. Although we ate alot, the quality of most of the food wasn't really up to par. The feeling we got at the end was unsatisfactory.
Ambience: 5.5/10
Service: 5/10
Food: 6/10
Value for money: 6/10
Overall score: 5.5/10 (not an average)
Last word:
I'd expected a little more from this restaurant since it belongs to quite a prestigious group. So far in my journey, i've only eaten at Tung Lok Seafood, Zhou's Kitchen and My Humble House and honestly, i have to say that i'm not impressed yet with any of their offerings. Maybe its just me but everytime i try their stuff, the only words that surface in the end is "overpriced" "bad service" and "could be so much better". I really want to like them but i'm sorry, it hasn't happened yet.
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We are all old friends, yet we never met before. We visit each other on the web, that is how we “meet” everybody. Food brings us together, finally we can put a face to each other instead of just a nickname. From online, to offline, our food blogger outing.
While waiting for everybody to arrive, we ordered some fried dim sum for the photo shoot first. Hua Ting have more steamed items than fried ones, and the baked chicken & mango tart ($3.90) headed the list. This reminded me of the one that I had at Man Fu Yuan, and personally I felt it was well executed with the sweet mango zing and crust pastry.
I am not a big fan of bean skin roll dim sum, but since this was one of the few fried item and came highly recommended by the staff, we ordered the Deep-fried bean skin with prawn ($4.80).
Oh, the prawns were fresh. Yes they were. But, but the skin was too thick, and well they are not the best Steamed crystal prawn dumpling ($4.80) I had before.
There was the option of doing it steamed or pan-fried. But who could resist yummy-sinful fried food? Not us, we went for the pan-fried carrot cake with canopy ($3.90). Eat first, worry later! For some unknown reasons that continue to evade us, we are seeing restaurants not frying their carrot cake enough. Is it for the health conscious customers, or is it because it requires more oil? I wished they will just pan-fried it longer.
The first page of the menu comprises of the signature dim sum Hua ting serves, yet i was surprised not to find the Steamed siew mai with shrimp roe ($4.80) there. I felt that it was better than their har gau. And oh yes, there was also mushroom mixed within the siew mai.
There was nothing to fault for their Steamed BBQ pork bun ($3.90). I love my char siew bun, and when there was no char siew sou, I comforted myself by indulging in every moment of this.
Drum roll! Announcing the award for the best performer for the meal, I presented to you, Deep fried scallop pastry with onion and garlic ($4.50). My personal favourite out of the 12 dim sum that we tried that day. The pastry literally melted in my month when I took a bite. And I simple love the strong garlic taste within.
I will also like to mention the good service of the staffs at Hua Ting. While I was causally asking my friend what was inside the Steamed dumpling in Teow Chew style ($3.90), one waitress who was walking by overheard us and stopped to explain. While she couldn’t get all the ingredients in it, she went to the kitchen to ask and came back to tell us. So here it is, peanut, turnip, mushroom & celery.
You definitely will have tried char siew and prawn cheong fun before. Okay, how about scallop? Aye most restaurants have that too! All right, I give you Steamed cheong fun with sliced fish ($4.80). Now that’s something new isn’t it? It was a unique and bold creation, and while personally I still preferred char siew and prawn for my cheong fun, you need to give credits to the chef for trying something new.
Steamed soya bean skin rolls with chicken and mushroom in superior oyster sauce ($4.20). With such a long name, I was caught dumbfound and the staff had to kindly explained a few times what it was. It was actually the same as the deep fried bean skin we had earlier. But somehow I like this one more, the oozing out of the oyster sauce when I took a bite into the bean skin rolls. Oh my.
The others wanted lo mai gai, but there was none. We just have to make do with the Steamed glutinous rice with abalone ($5.20) and it was competent enough. There was the grimicky tiny abalone on top to up the prestige level, but I felt it would be better to give me Taiwanese sausages instead of that.
Not many restaurants use duck for their dim sum, it is always like what I mentioned, char siew, prawn & scallop. Therefore we chose the Pan fried shredded duck rolls ($4.20) out of curiosity.
I never like ordering Steamed pork ribs ($3.90) in dim sum restaurants. I felt they were overpriced, and under-portion. Honestly I will rather order another steamed char siew bun to give me more meat. I’m a carnivore!
Total bill was $120 after a 15% credit card discount for 6 person. We tried 14 out of the 20 dim sum available, and that’s quite a lot! I was confused between Orchard hotel with Orchard Parade hotel, so do check your maps before going down. In my personal opinion, the staffs at Hua Ting merit the good service tag, all of them were friendly and knowledgeable. Thank you!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Atlantic dining room resides within the prestigious and exclusive Tower Club on the 62nd floor of Republic Plaza. The club itself deserves mention as its members are only allowed to register "by invitation" only. Its rather simple to sum up the criteria though, millionaires, CEOs and ministers would probably fall within the invitation list. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who had access to the premises and was thus able to attend a special dinner this night. The chef's at the helm for the night are worth mentioning as well, Chef Edward Voon and Chef Paco Roncero (the king of olive oil and Chef Voon's mentor). In any normal circumstance, a meal by Paco Roncero would have meant flying to Spain and being on a waiting list for 3 months. As such, i chose this night to propose to my fair lady as well but only food will be shown here. And without further ado, let us move on...
The waiting area and the first view that greets you at Tower Club is a rather intimidating one. Perched on the 62nd floor, you'll get an unimpeded view of the work-in-progress Marina Bay Sands project and the sea. The club spared no expense for the decor as well, you'll notice art pieces, comfortable sofas and splendid carpets that will awaken the monarch in you.
One of my favorite shots that night, outlining the setting sun in the background with the lamps and tables in view.
To start off, this special dinner was prepared and designed by the collective efforts of Chef Paco and Chef Voon. Both of which has won a special place in my heart after this meal. The service is impeccable and attentive for the waiting staff and in particular, the floor manager who helped in the final proposal. So here's a big thank you for everyone that night.
Frozen Daiquiri - The first item to be served is well liked by the ladies but received a lukewarm reception by the guys. The frozen daiquiri has a layer of warm egg white outlining the top with the cool daiquiri itself settling below it. The daiquiri itself is very sour, albeit refreshingly so when taken together with the egg white which itself has a very smooth texture not unlike smooth beancurd. The end result is it gets you very hungry for the main meal, which is its sole duty.
Complimentary Bread - Before our next dish, the much talked and praised complimentary bread is served. I took an instead liking to one particular version which on first bite, tasted like pizza bread with a little spicy tinge to it but slowly gives off an aromatic mint aftertaste which is unlike any bread i've had before. Needless to say, the four of us managed to clear 3 baskets worth of bread.
Olive oil butter, Foie Gras with Red Wine, Sesame Sponge with Miso, Liquid Chicken "croquette", Raspberry Fondant with Wasabi, Tomato Biscuit with Basil - The dish had a particular sequence for finishing beginning with the Liquid Chicken "Croquette" with bread crumbs which was fantastic. The moment you pop the entire ball into your mouth, it literally melts and leaves a taste of chicken in your mouth which is further enhanced by the fried bread crumbs. Superb! The tomato biscuit had a very very strong tomato taste but i couldn't taste the basil. Next up, the raspberry fondant with wasabi is strange to me because the raspberry fondant has a caramelized layer over it which crackles and pops when you bite into it while the wasabi gives it an added kick of surprise. The sesame sponge with miso is a fluffy concoction that gives the impression of eating solidified miso soup with sesame. Foie gras with red wine is surprising in that the red wine is the thin layer surrounding the foie gras and this layer will melt in your mouth to produce a strong fragrance of red wine. I didn't quite like the taste of foie gras in it though because it tasted pretty raw and i prefer my goose liver cooked and hot. The final item is a simple biscuit with olive oil butter served in a tub. The butter is smooth and rich but nothing else i could say about it. Overall, this starter was very interesting indeed with loads of stuff i've never tried before.
21st Century Spanish Omelette - I was surprised when another liquid item was served up and was stumped when i was told it was a spanish omelette from the 21st century no less. True enough, it was very interesting with its foamy layer of egg white and even more so when you mix it with the yellowish tinge which was salty and the layer of onions which really did give it the impression of being an omelette. Its pretty good but i still prefer my omelettes in solid form.
Lobster, Grapefruit and Virgin Olive Oil Soup - The grapefruits in this were surprisingly sweet and very satisfying while the lobster was sweet and springy. The olive oil soup was subtle and a little bland but otherwise served to bring out the sweetness of the lobster even more. I enjoyed this.
Brittany Sea Bass in "Salmorejo" - I don't know what Brittany sea bass means but this is one of the best fish dishes i've had. Pan seared to perfection with its superbly crispy outer layer which is still not over cooked and a wonderfully hot (read: hot!) and soft meat on the inside. I'm amazed at how they managed to cook the fish so thoroughly and keep the dish so warm on the inside when served. Not to mention as well, the seemingly simple dressing you see on the sea bass is awesome. Sweet and slightly sourish with pepper overtones, it just works. Perfectly executed in my book.
Wagyu Beef with Lemon Puree - Another perfectly executed main dish. The wagyu is soft, chewy and done medium rare throughout. The lemon puree is sourish with some red wine (i think) and works really well with the already perfectly executed beef. I was fortunate enough to have 2 servings because my gf was already rather full and for the record, i finished all of it. It's just something you need to try.
Orange Sorbet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Once again, olive oil is used in ways i cannot fathom. The sorbet, however, is moderately sweet and once again, a little sour but is suitably refreshing after the heavy meal we just went through. The nuts and jelly-like items (which is suspect are infused with red and white wine) only serve to refresh the palatte even more.
Fizzy Sweets and Virgin Olive Oil Gummies - This really reminds me of childhood with the popping and crackling of the fizzy sweet chocolates in my mouth. The gummies were also very interesting as they taste more and more like lychee as you chew on them. A suitable and light ending to a wonderful meal.
Of course, after all the wonderful food, its time to face the music and it doesn't come cheap. A superb meal for 4 made us $602.62 poorer altogether.
Ambience: 8.5/10
Service: 8.5/10
Food: 8.5/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall score: 8.5/10 (not an average)
Last word:
The food is excellent. The service is great and the ambience is wonderful. At the end of this meal, a new couple is born. Apart from that, a new respect and admiration for the chefs that concocted this meal was also born. Do give this a try if you can. Cheers and this will always be a happy memory for me.
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The soft patter of raindrops. Light jazz music amidst the soft incessant buzz of the place. Sipping tea with finger food at a leisurely pace while time flittered by. This was the life I had envisioned at Marmalade Pantry and the dream proliferates at TWG.
Cleverly perched on a "suspended" standalone area within Republic Plaza, you have to walk up a short flight of stairs from the first floor which will lead you to the sales area with its shelves of gourmet tea as well as the restaurant. TWG can only take about 30 people or so and oozes cosy warmth with its intimate dining area, huge glass windows with translucent curtains coupled with a glass ceiling.
Imperial Rose - I am honestly not a tea connoisseur but the Imperial Rose, which is a specialty brew of TWG, tasted very much like a Chinese tea, 铁观音.
Sandwiches - This came as part of my tea time "Celebration Set". 8 half slices of bread sandwiching prawns, crab meat, foie gras and smoked salmon respectively, it appealed to my visual senses with its presentation. However, even though the bread was nicely toasted, I didn't quite take to them. The crab meat and prawns sandwiches were passable but the smoked salmon was way too salty and the foie gras just didn't come across as appetising, both in smell and taste.
Salmon A La Russ - I can't say much about the smoked salmon except that it was salty and came topped roe. However, the brioche that was served alongside was interestingly good. It actually tasted like croissant - flaky and buttery.
Macarons - Another component of my tea time set, we chose praline, lemon and napolean tea macarons from the 6 or so varieties TWG carries. Personally I still prefer their vanilla macaron, something which they didn't have at that point in time.
Strawberry Tart - Insipid as it looked, the strawberry tart came highly recommended by the staff. And I was rather impressed. It was essentially vanilla bean creme brulee sans the caramelised layer with bits of strawberries sandwiched in between and served on a tart base. A stellar example of never judging a book by its cover. Best of all, it was part of my set as well.
Crumble - I didn't have much of the crumble so I shall reserve my comments. The ice cream sounded interesting though - Napolean Tea cheesecake ice cream, which was apparently very well received by the aspiring tai tai who sat across from me.
A 3.5 hr tea session cost us about $82, which probably isn't the cheapest place to chill out but for the delightful ambience and earnest service, its probably worth it to dig deep into your pockets just for a relaxing afternoon at this place with your partner or alone with a book.
As the first signs of dusk seeped through the windows and I played observer to the throngs of working people frantically crossing the street to catch the next train home, I was reminded of my own reality - one that had no affinity with this almost surreal lifestyle.
See all my pictures here.
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Putien is named after a certain Chinese Province in China which reflects bountiful harvest and abundance of nature. The reason for this namesake is to reflect the simplicity and sincerity of Putien cuisine which is simple yet rich in flavor. Currently, Pu Tien group of restaurants has already expanded to 4 outlets in Singapore and one in Jakarta Indonesia. Question is, Chinese restaurants are a dime a dozen, does this succeed in setting itself apart?
The Tampines Mall outlet occupies a sizable amount of space in separate units. One is along the corner and features big round tables with modernized feel while the other unit resembles an open food court concept with a counter as the service area. Both areas are reasonably spacious which is a plus for me.
Bamboo Herbal Prawn ($3.80 for 2 prawns) - The prawns were of a decent size and literally seemed to pop out of the bamboo after you. The soup consisted of a strong herbal taste and was a little salty but otherwise light and enjoyable. The prawns, though looks good, is hit or miss in freshness as out of 4 prawns, 2 were scrumptious, crunchy and fresh while the other 2 were beginning to get powdery. Overall, if they could keep the consistency of freshness, this is a pretty good order.
Pu Tien Lor Mee ($6) - I'd describe this as interesting and pretty good. I like the generous portion size and the pork and vegetables that came in it. The broth is starchy like its black counterpart but at the same time, less overwhelming in the taste department. The noodles were also springy and soft which makes this well worth the investment.
Xing Hua Stir Fried Bee Hoon ($6) - The bee hoon came with lots of ingredients as well, clam, mushrooms, nuts, slices of pork and some vegetables all mixed into one package. The fact is, it was light and enjoyable. The only gripe is on the bee hoon being smashed. Its as though the bee hoon is made shorter on purpose.
Shredded Meat with Bun ($5.60) - The meat actually looks lke wroms to me but rest assured it isn't. Its just stir fried pork that has been diced till its fine and string-like. It came with some lettuce and fried buns with sesame to good effect. The buns were hot and soft but oily. Couple that with the lettuce and pork which is a little salty and you get sinful combination thats hard to resist.
Service: 5.5/10
Food: 6.5/10
Ambience: 5/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall Score: 6.75/10 (not an average)
Last Word:
All in all, the food was decent with generous portions. Some came with fresh ingredients and some a little less in that respect. I can't say i did not enjoy the meal but service could be improved upon with a little more attentiveness from the waitresses. The thing that got me quite unhappy about was the supervisor whom we got her attention from, refused to take our orders and asked another waitress to do it despite there being only 3 customers including ourselves. She was more interested in walking around aimlessly and talking to her other colleagues which is rather unprofessional. Other then that, the food and value for money is on par and definitely worth a try at least.
Rating given: