feizhu's Reviews
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Hidden in a quiet corner of the colossal shopping mall, FRE(N)SH is interestingly named, from which I infer to be a short form for French & Fresh or vice versa. I may be wrong, but I deserve some marks for trying? The place in itself is tiny, as evident by the bar counter seats which take up the majority of the place. There are 4 tightly packed tables in a corner as well but they shouldn't even be an option unless you seriously don't mind sitting about 20cm away from the next table.
FRE(N)SH Chicken Tartine - How could I resist ordering a Tartine with the same name? (I'm assuming its their signature dish.) The bread was nicely toasted with extremely generous amounts of chicken, sliced potatoes and mustard. Personally, I couldn't quite stomach the mustard as it made me tear involuntarily but the chicken and potatoes were good. Probably next time round I'll ask for mayonnaise instead.
Chicken Tartine - This was very similar to the FRE(N)SH Tartine except that it had anchovies and it came with mayonnaise instead of mustard. As with the former, ingredients were generous and this dish had a slight fishy overtone which generally went well with the chicken taste. However, any stronger and it would have been revolting (at least for me).
Crème brûlée - Served in an aluminum foil container, the layer of sugar atop looked a tad charred but broke easily with the slightest effort. Didn't find it to be quivery smooth though. But I could make out the vanilla beans in it, which probably means that its home made. Thumbs up to that!
Tiramisu - Looking more like a chocolate cake than anything else, the Tiramisu had a nice amaretto liqueur taste to it, which is different from the usual Kahlua infused ones. However, I did find the layer of sponge a little too excessive, so much so that it reminded me of eating a slice of cake. On that note, the Mascarpone cheese was a little lacking. But overall rather smooth and decent.
No GST, no service charge, what more can I ask for? Well maybe a mint to cleanse my breath. I'm just being corny here but $32 for 2 set meals is a rather good deal if you ask me. A drink, a Tartine and a dessert - a complete meal without busting your wallet.
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Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!10/10 for typing FRE(H)SH. Kinda get stuck at the N part. :)
22 Oct 2007 at 10:54 pm
You typed it wrongly lol.
22 Oct 2007 at 11:37 pm
yes. that;s why you get 10/10. I get 0/10. haha.
22 Oct 2007 at 11:40 pm
Tucked away on the third floor of Raffles The Plaza and just next to Szechuan Court, Szechuan Kitchen very much resembles a small teahouse with its wooden furniture and paneling. Not that I'm complaining though. The teahouse look gave it a humble and down to earth feel. Only quirk was its table placement, which had a passageway in the middle for passers by to walk through.
Deep Fried Prawn and Banana Wrapped in Bean Curd Skin Roll - I've never ordered this dish before and to be honest, I sort of regretted it. The bean curd skin was crispy but oily and I couldn't quite taste the banana taste, probably due to the minuscule amounts present. The prawns were fresh though, but had their sweetness curtailed by the taste of the bean curd skin.
The steamed pork dumpling aka Siew Mai was quite well done - tasty yet light on the palate. No oily residue or overwhelming pork taste to contend with. Definitely one of the better Siew Mais that I've tried.
Steamed Bun with BBQ Pork - A rather average rendition of the Char Siew Bao. The pastry was a little too thick and the Char Siew filling a little too sweet. Luckily it was served piping hot, which served to cover up most of its flaws (It helped that we were starving too).
Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Century Egg and Pink Ginger - This has got to be one of the weirdest Har Gao that I've ever eaten, with the addition of ginger and century egg. I appreciate the sense of innovation, but I really dislike ginger, especially when it comes in a sizable piece! That aside, the skin was relatively thin and not too starchy, with the prawns being fresh and crunchy. If only they would do something about the ginger. Oh and did I mention that there was no taste of century egg whatsoever?
My personal favourite, the Deep Fried Bacon Roll with Golden Mushrooms. As the name suggests, the golden mushrooms are wrapped with a layer of bacon and then coated with flour before deep frying it to a crisp. The result? A nice crispy layer of batter complementing the slightly salty bacon roll with the added crunchy texture of the golden mushroom. Even my colleague liked it!
Pan Fried Carrot & Radish Cake with Chinese Sausage and Dried Shrimp - Disappointing sums this dish up. True, it was softer and silkier than your average carrot cake but it was so soft that it became a little gross. Nowhere close to the likes of Royal China or Wah Lok.
Baked BBQ Pork Pastry with Pork Floss & Cheese - Another innovative dish from Szechuan Kitchen - Char Siew Sou with cheese. The pastry had a distinct hearty oven baked taste but the Char Siew filling was a little bland. However, this was where the pork floss came into play, breathing a light sweetness into the whole dish. I could detect the presence of the cheese as well, but in a more subtle milky variant. All in all, an innovation well done.
The bill came up to just over $40 (before discount, $20 after discount) for a non filling dim sum lunch for 2, which in my opinion, is relatively expensive for the quantity and merely above average quality of food. Service was generally faultless but could have been friendlier.
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Spacious with high ceilings and huge windows that look out to the pedestrian walkway just outside, Prego doesn't strike you as an Italian restaurant in any way. And certainly not one which practices the fine dining concept.
Bruschetta - A stunning piece of art, a most aesthetic presentation of this humble Italian dish in all its glory. Pity such stellar comments couldn't be extended to its taste. For one, the bread was way too toasted and hard, marring the whole should have been crispy on the crust yet soft on the inside experience. I couldn't detect any olive oil taste on the bread as well, which made this dish as good as eating dried croutons with diced tomatoes.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara - A most common Italian dish, but to do it well takes quite a bit of skill. Prego's rendition was certainly not the best that I've tried but I dare say its probably one of the better ones. The pasta was al dente while the gravy wasn't too dense, going well with the very generous servings of bacon bits. Salty yet creamy, my personal favourite.
Calzone Farcito - This is honestly the first time I've tried a folded pizza and frankly, it definitely will not be the last time. Gimmicks aside, it reminded me of a huge curry puff with loads of stuffing in it. The dough was nice and chewy while the stuffings guarantee more than a mouthful. Only gripe I have was that the dough was a tad too oily, as evident by the dabs of oil on the exterior. I still like it though!
Crema Bruciata al Basilico, Composizione di Frutti di Bosco - Though the Creme Brulee didn't look the least bit appealing with its a little too charred sugar layer, it was quite good if I may say. The layer of sugar was thin and didn't stick to my teeth while the pudding was soft and quivery with a nice tinge of basil. Coupled with the contrastingly sour raspberry and hibiscus sherbet, it was really a pleasure to eat.
The Tiramisu was 70% Mascarpone cheese and 30% sponge, resulting in a dessert that was as light as air. Adding to the delightful equation was the slight taste of kahlua, which I believe came from soaking the sponge fingers in the liquor. However, it did seem a tad watery at the bottom.
Well $52 for 2 pax (after discount) is a steal for the quantity and quality of food. If this dinner is anything to go by, I'll definitely be back for more.
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Sitting pretty alongside East Coast Road, just further down from Hong Kong Cafe, Ice Cream Chefs is rather easy to miss unless you maintain a look out for its purple sign board. Add in the fact that the location shares the same address as Ocean Park Condominium and you get a really confusing road trip. Tip: You have to make a right into the private carpark just after you make a right turn from East Coast Road into the road leading up to Ocean Park Condominium. There you press the red button followed by the code 0106 and politely request for the person on the other line to open the barrier for you. Do note that parking spaces are limited though.
The folks at Ice Cream Chefs take pride in hand making their ice cream. According to what I understand from the very short conversation I had with one of the guys, the process of making the ice cream involves leaving flavoured milk to harden on a flat pan like surface and flipping it over when one side hardens (something to that effect. Please dont berate me if I get it wrong).
Step 1: Scrape the ice off the hard top and plonk down a set amount of the ice cream of your choice.
Step 2: Flatten the ice cream with the provided set of huge metal spoon lookalikes (whatever those are called)
Step 3: Place desired toppings on the flattened ice cream and drizzle the complimentary chocolate syrup over it.
Step4: Use the spoons to forcefully crush the toppings to blend in with the ice cream and with a little mixing, your customised ice cream is ready to be served!
Disclaimer: The steps are based on what my experiences first hand and it may or may not represent the actual set of steps.
A regular scoop of ice cream goes for about $3 if I remember correctly and a medium scoop goes for $4 ( Please pardon my poor memory, but its all around that price range). For the ice cream lovers, there's a bigger tub option as well. Novelties aside, I personally liked my creation quite a bit (no I'm not narcissistic) and the quality of ice cream was comparable to that of Ben & Jerry's, albeit a little less robust. Would like to see more basic flavours though. Maybe banana? Mangosteen?
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Located in a bustling small town centre deep within Taman Jurong, Kotobuki's unassuming presence is marked by 3 overhanging paper lanterns near the doorway and a quaint Japanese stand lamp with its name. Thats not to say its shabby or anything. Walk in and be comforted by the snug homely feeling complete with wooden tables, chairs and of course a small comics corner. The place can probably seat about 30 odd people with its 8 or so tables.
I was wondering if Kotobuki's ramen would be as "sweet" as Marutama's initially but my fears were laid to rest when I took a sip of the soup. It wasn't artificially enhanced one bit. In fact, it was so bland that I couldn't really make out anything much. Ironically it looked the part. The noodles were of the egg variety and were definitely not hand made as they weren't springy and came clumped together. Did I mention that the soup was a little too oily too?
The additional pieces of char siew weren't fantastic either. They weren't melt in your melt for sure but at least there were minimal fats and taste wise was still acceptable.
For $3.50 a stick, I didn't expect much from the Asparagus Bacon. But I certainly didn't expect the puny portions. I could stuff 5 such rolls down my mouth at any one time, no problems! Taste wise was rather lacklustre as well. The bacon was a tad too dry and so was the asparagus. Couldn't really make out much taste as well.
A rather normal rendition of the staple Agedashi Tofu. Bang for the buck though, as $6 netts you quite a few pieces of soft silky tofu with rather elastic skin. A pity we left our tofu to soak in the sauce for too long, rendering the skin soft and mushy by the time we took to eating it.
First looks, the California Maki looked every bit impressive with its aesthetic arrangement and mounds of fish roe atop glimmering in the light. However, thats where the positive comments end. The roe was mind blowingly salty and lacked the burst in your mouth feeling when I bit into one. Actually the rice itself was salty as well, which made the whole dish too salty for words.
A must order dish everytime I step into a Japanese restaurant, the Ebi Tempura's batter was a little too thick but I derived consolation from the fact that at least it had a wee bit of taste, unlike the one I had at Sun with Moon. The prawns were reasonably sweet but the batter could use a little sprucing up on colour though as it did come across as a little pale.
Finally an all meat dish. The Chicken Teriyaki was decent enough with the chicken being well grilled and the Teriyaki sauce not too sweet. Taste wise, it did falter a little though, coming across as less robust than what I would have liked.
Average food, higher than average prices. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out whether its worth it. Only plus point is the decent service and cosy environment. There's another outlet at Liang Court, but I've never tried it so I shall not comment.
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