feizhu's Reviews
1=SGD 0.058735 Yebbers Online!
Double Yebber Dollar Category for April:
Arts & Entertainment
Click here for future month
WELCOME TO YEBBER
You can use your Facebook Account to register in Yebber and start reviewing your favourite or least favourite businesses
Please click the login button below and proceed to create a new Yebber ID at the next step.
Hidden along a row of shophouses along Mosque Street in the traditional Chinatown area, Taste paradise sets itself apart with its classy glass facade. Through the doors onto the lighted walkway that leads up to the dining area, the interior oozes chic in a very subtle way. The dining area is divided into a few sections by means of partitions in which there are a couple of tables and a captain to oversee each section. Heavily carpeted floors coupled with a low ceiling and a rather limited floor area meant that conversation tones had to be kept to a low for fear of disturbing the other customers (not that we did though).
XO Carrot Cake - One of Taste Paradise's signature dishes, the humble XO carrot cake. It honestly wasn't impressive when served, looking more like your usual stir fried rendition from the hawker centre than a $7 plate of carrot cake. But pop a piece into your mouth and you will understand why it is truly one of the signature dishes. Chunky yet smooth and soft carrot cake with a discernible wok hei taste fried with beansprouts, egg, Chinese sausages and other condiments. Lightly spicy and sweet and not to mention fragrant. Nothing short of excellent.
Combination of Pan Seared Foie Gras, Wasabi Mayonnaise Prawn and Slice of Beijing Duck with Condiments - I was actually wondering how did foie gras get onto the menu and initially skeptical if a Chinese restaurant could pull it off. Just for the record, Taste Paradise is a Chinese fusion restaurant, which explains why foie gras is listed on the menu. As for my initial skepticisms, they were unfounded. The foie gras was very good, crisp on the outside yet soft, quivery and smooth on the inside. No overwhelming taste or sediments.
The wasabi mayonnaise prawn was quite good as well, with the wasabi not overpowering and the prawns fresh and crunchy. I personally liked it together with the watermelon as the sweetness from the watermelon permeated through.
The only bummer was the peking duck which didn't seem memorable. Sure the skin was crispy but the crepe tasted bland and limp.
Double Boiled Superior Shark's Fin with Dried Conpoy in Traditional Beijing Broth accompanied with Bacon Onion Roll - Another recommended dish, the shark's fin soup, was served up in a pre heated Japanese stone pot which can remain hot for 20 minutes, thus ensuring that the soup remains hot till the last drop. The fins were decent and plentiful while the soup was flavourful and thick. A little too starchy and heavy on the vinegar though, which made it a little sharp. The bacon and onion roll was crispy but other than the novelty, didn't seem to complement the dish very well. On a side note, there are 3 variations in prices for the shark's fin. $38, $58 and $68 (which isn't on the menu). You get what you pay for. The quality of the fins improve as the prices tend upwards.
Braised Homemade Beancurd with Shredded Scallop and Japanese Mushroom - Tofu has always been a staple at most of my Chinese dinners and this one was no exception. The tofu was very smooth and silky but the skin was a tad too hard and it lacked the smokey savoury taste that I personally like. Even the sauce was rather bland. And for $6 a person, it was 1 piece of tofu each.
Spinach Fried with Garlic - The low point of our meal, the quintessential vegetable dish. Very average tasting but at least the diced garlic was fried till golden brown, which gave the vegetables a nice slightly crunchy texture.
Szechuan Style Roasted Chicken with Homemade Crispy Crumbs - We ordered this on the recommendation of the captain and also because it sounded interesting. Honestly the only interesting part was the crispy crumbs, which I believe were rice crisps. They were coated with a Szechuan sauce which gave them a myriad of flavours - sweet, sour and spicy, all in one tasting. The roasted chicken didn't taste out of the ordinary but the execution was commendable. Crispy skin with moist and tender meat.
Mashed Taro with Almond Cream Served in Fresh Coconut - My dessert and no, it wasn't complimentary (only chilled desserts were accorded that privilege). Its the first time I've seen mashed taro or Orh Nee served up in a coconut and predictably, the coconut smell was very strong. Not that it mattered anyway as there wasn't a hint of coconut taste in both the almond cream and mashed taro. I usually don't like almond cream but this one wasn't too strong on the almond taste which suited me just fine. The mashed taro was smooth and not too sweet but more interestingly, it contained bits of chestnut, which added a nice crunchy texture and is used predominantly used in Teochew cooking. The only gripe was that the taro was a little too sticky and I had problems licking if off my spoon. Oh and there's the almost exorbitant price as well ($6.50).
An excellent dinner for 5 set us back by about $454, which is really quite steep. However I'll be the first to admit that food quality is top notch and so is the personalised service extended by the captain and his team. I can see why Taste Paradise is rated as one of the top restaurants in Singapore. And I agree.
See all my pictures here.
- 1 more comment »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Arggh really that good? I want to go! Anyone treating? Hmm...
09 Apr 2008 at 11:35 pm
Wow 5 stars from boss!
10 Apr 2008 at 10:12 am
hahah then you know how 5 star it is. :)
10 Apr 2008 at 2:53 pm
Situated on the second floor (right above Da Paolo) of a charming colonial bungalow along Bukit Timah Road, Relish boasts an uncluttered no frills interior with wooden furniture and wacky murals on the wall. Everything about the place screams casual.
Bacon Cheese Burger - Now who can resist a thick beef patty topped with slices of cheese and bacon sandwiched between a roasted sesame bun? The beef patty was finely chopped and I liked the semi rough texture. A pity it was a wee bit too overcooked but at least it retained its juiciness. The sun dried tomato salsa tasted a little weak this time round. Still a great burger nonetheless, just that it reminded me Wild Rocket's signature burger with an addition of cheese and bacon.
Char Siew Burger - This is the first time I've actually seen such a burger and its actually quite interesting. Lean meat covered with a special home made sauce on a toasted bun. Personally I found the sauce way too sweet for my liking and because it was quite coagulated, consuming too much of it made me nauseous. The meat was very lean and fibrous though, making it a joy to chew on. All in all, it tasted like a fat free version of Kong Ba Pao. Did I mention that the bread was a little too charred?
Wild Rocket Signature Cheesecake - A Wild Rocket signature dessert, the deconstructed cheesecake had a layer of cracker crumbs topped with sweetened strawberries and then topped again with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and cream cheese. The cream cheese was lightly sour and complemented the sweet ice cream and cracker/biscuit base perfectly. Personally I felt that the cracker/biscuit base could have been more buttery for a smoother aftertaste.
A high carbohydrate dinner for 2 cost about $55 which is rather average pricing. The burgers are good without a doubt and filling (they come with lots of fries). Service is good as well so the next time I'm craving for expensive burgers, I'll know where to look.
See all my pictures here.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!eh, i tot u told me the burger quite average? haha
13 Apr 2008 at 10:09 am
its not bad la.. just overpriced.. so overall average lor
13 Apr 2008 at 11:47 am
hmm.. ya burger is not bad, but after eating feel like over-paying.
13 Apr 2008 at 1:00 pm
Complimentary Bread - I honestly don't remember much about the bread except that it came served with a mini platter of sauces, namely olive oil, vinegar and chilli sauce. I remember it didn't come warm and that it was rather dry.
Burrata Parma Ham - Stiff Chilli flies in the Burrata, a fresh cheese, from southern Italy every week. I personally didn't quite take to it as it was rather bland and akin to eating cold tofu with a milky texture. The parma ham balanced out the blandness, but unfortunately there wasn't enough to go around.
Pasta all'Inchiostro - The squid ink pasta was actually quite good, lightly sweet and al dente without the light smoky cream sauce being overpowering. It could seriously do with more ingredients, but for the price I can hardly complain.
Cassata - From what I understand, Cassata is a traditional dessert from Sicily which is essentially a layered cake, with sponge, ricotta cheese and candied peel. Stiff Chilli's rendition was all ice cream and tasted like the mudpies from Burger King. And it certainly didn't look home made or freshly made for that matter. Fresh from a box in the freezer more like it. $6 for this dessert is really pushing it in my humble opinion.
A sweaty dinner with 1 appetiser, 1 main and 1 dessert cost about $45, which isn't exactly cheap given the quality of food and the whole dining in a crumbly shophouse experience. Once is enough.
See all my pictures here.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Environment humid, wall painting cracking, decor simple, service staffs chatting loudly while we consuming our meals. Ants crawling from the black poles attach to the seating area. One time i was chat
21 Jun 2008 at 1:51 am
Hidden on the ground floor in one forsaken corner of Vivocity, Wood's chef is none other Jake Klein, whose stepfather, Steven Raichlen, is the creator of Barbecue University and known as America's grilling expert. From the facade to the interior, Wood oozes unadulterated class in itself. A short walk through the wooden tunnel from the entrance leads to a magnificent glass wine cellar and the sublimely chic seating area with its posh booth seats, floor to ceiling windows and the huge open concept kitchen. One gripe though. The windows don't face the sea directly, unlike most of the other restaurants at Vivocity.
Complimentary Bread - Its the first time I'm eating focaccia that comes in pizza slices and it was something different. It almost tasted like pizza sans the toppings except that the bread was a little burnt and dry. I still liked it enough with the olive oil though to gobble it all up and yearn for seconds, which unfortunately was never offered.
Smoked Chicken Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Toasted Peanut - Aesthetically pleasing, the salad portion was small, no doubt about it. What I liked about it was the lightly smoked chicken slivers which went well with the savoury Hoisin vinaigrette and toasted grounded peanuts. It helped that the vegetables were fresh as well.
Roasted Asparagus, Baby Greens and Poached Egg - I personally found this dish a little lacklustre as compared to the smoked chicken salad. But having said that, it was still quite good. For starters, this has got to be the biggest asparagus I've seen (not that I've been around much though) and it was well seasoned with salt and pepper. The poached egg wasn't anything special though but the greens were fresh and crunchy.
Wood Roasted Spring Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Parsley - The chicken looked a tad charred when served. However it was very fragrant and juicy with a lingering herb taste in every bite. I did find it a little too salty at certain parts though, probably due to the heterogeneous seasoning distribution. But all in all a most delightful dish.
14 Days House Aged Ribeye, Rosemary, Garlic & Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I honestly can't taste the difference between a 14 days aged ribeye and a normal ribeye or a 90 days aged ribeye for that matter, so its just a name to me. The ribeye was done medium instead of the medium rare that I had requested, but it was still good. Succulent and juicy with a strong hint of herbs that didn't threaten to overpower the inherent beefy taste. Not the best I've tried, but certainly in a league of its own. Watch out for the small portions though. The beef is probably around 5-6 oz (just a rough guess).
Valhorna Chocolate Pudding with Lavender Croutons and Sea Salt - The chocolate pudding didn't come across as too sweet and very smooth with the dried lavender providing a nice floral complement to the chocolate. The croutons provided a nice crunchy texture to the whole dessert.
Thyme Roasted White Peach with Yogurt Ice Cream - I can't help but profess my liking for this dessert. A didn't taste like it was roasted piece of peach sitting atop chunks of biscuit crumbs with buttery overtones and topped with a nice creamy and sourish yogurt ice cream. Most delightful if you ask me.
An excellent lunch for 2 cost an almost princely sum of about $95 ($10 goes to the bottled water. They don't serve iced water by the way). Good things definitely don't come cheap and the 4 course set dinner starts from $75 per pax ($120 with wine pairing) with slightly bigger portions and a larger variety of dishes to choose from. Service is good as well and for those who prefer privacy, there are private rooms to cater to various group sizes. There's even a romantic private room for 2 complete with a private entrance, if you can afford/are willing to chalk up $300 in bills that is.
I'll definitely be back, but probably only for lunch. The small portions and steep prices for dinner are a little bit too much for me to swallow. For now.
See all my pictures here
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Whoa sounds yummy!!
03 Apr 2008 at 6:04 am
I always wanna to give this place a try!
03 Apr 2008 at 9:09 am
A five star from FZ? Woah, must try sia.
03 Apr 2008 at 9:30 am
The interior was rather simplistic yet cosy through the injection of earthly tones into its colour scheme and overhanging pieces of cloth (or whatever you call them). Coupled with warm lights and Italian style painting panels, it made for a lazy and somewhat sleepy dinner.
Alfredo Fettuccine - One of the more decent renditions around, the fettuccine was al dente with the cream based sauce not too heavy on the palate. The toppings of diced chicken, ham and garden peas were quite generous as well, which made this dish quite bang for the buck.
Quattro Stagioni - Bearing the same name as Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the Quattro Stagioni was quite decent with the exception of the crust, which could have been thinner and crispier. Although we only ordered a small pizza, it was already quite a size. Ingredients were generous as well, with the olives, ham, mushrooms and artichokes scattered throughout.
Mousse Al Cioccolato - I'm pretty sure chocolate fanatics will like this dish - chocolaty rich and gooey but not overwhelming. Served chilled, it made for a nice and sweet, albeit heart stopping dessert. The funny thing was that it was supposedly flavoured with orange peel, something that I couldn't make out at all.
Tiramisu - For the price, I honestly didn't expect much. The tiramisu looked good but was let down by quite a few factors. First of all, there was the glaring absence of the liqueur taste. Secondly, the mascarpone cheese came across as more creamy then light or fluffy. But having said all that, it was still very palatable.
I was stuffed at the end of it and so was my friend. Food quality in general was a notch above average but the best part was, it didn't cost an arm or leg, standing at about $46 for 2 mains & 2 desserts. Service was quite good and I would be inclined to drop by if I was in the area and craving for a hearty Italian fix.
See all my pictures here
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!