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Sport & Recreation
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1=SGD 0.0587
Vansh is an Indian Restaurant that combines the traditional Indian food with modern dining concepts. With a neon-green open kitchen in the centre that has glass surrounding it, there are even bar seats where you can watch your food being prepared up close. If you're worried about getting "smoked" or smelling like you've just stepped out of a BBQ party, don't worry as the real cooking is done in the regular kitchen nearby. If bar seats are not your fancy, you can choose to have the indoor couches or the al fresco seats. Dimly lit, it's a great place to chill, but not quite for photo-taking. (as you can see from my pictures)
We dropped in without a reservation on Christmas Eve. Luckily we were pretty early and the place was quite empty when we got there. The wierd thing was that it got filled with family-types close to 9pm.
The staff were mostly native Indian and were very polite. I liked the ambience very much. It was cosy and still had an Indian flavour to it.
There was quite a selection of food and we took some time to decide. We were also given complimentary rolls (I don't know what they are called) and a variety of dips as starters. We certainly enjoyed trying all the dips.
Food Ordered:
Honey Kulzza $9
This was a a pizza like bread covered with honey, tomatoes, coriander and onion seeds. I liked it very much. It wasn't overly sweet. This alone could be a meal for a small-eater as it was enough for the two of us to share.
Tandoori Mushroom $13
These are fresh button mushrooms covered in herbed cheese marinade. Honestly? They did look quite ugly on the plate. But once they are in your mouth, it's very nice. Despite looking very dry, the button mushroom is still juicy and chewy, which gives it a different texture from its outer covering.
Chicken Tikka Masala $18
Recommended by the staff, this consists of tandoori marinated chicken cooked with capsicum in a flavourful tomato masala. MMmM I'm still thinking of this one... it was spicy but not the kind to make your hair stand. The chicken was still tender. The masala was perfect for us to dip our naans in.
Plain (X1) and Butter naans (X1) $4 each
The naans were thick and fluffy, served nicely in a basket. Actually the plain one was enough for the two of us. But we had so much masala left we ordered the garlic one too! The Butter one was more oily than the plain one (obviously) and I think I would have rather stuck to the plain one.
Virgin Colada $9
My companion had no complaints about this drink. It was just a little overly sourish but there was a strong coconut flavour which appealed.
Tulsi Sherbet $9
A mix of basil, lemon, ginger and spices all blended to give a delightfully sourish drink. I'd say this drink was a good accompaniment to the food. I wouldn't order this if I weren't eating though.
Good service throughout our time there. When I dropped the naan on my lap the staff was alert enough to hurry over quickly and offer me another napkin. We were also given little party sets since it was Christmas Eve.
So good service, good food and good ambience. All for $78, inclusive of service charge and GST. I wouldn't say it was expensive, but it is above average. I would have given it 5-stars if it were more convenient. But the waterfront location made it quite romantic to have a leisurely walk after dinner. Worth a try definitely.
Rating given:
I watched the restaurant renovate with anticipation, excited that there would be a new place in the area for me to try. That day my companion and I wanted to try another place down the road but it was closed so we trot over to Tuk Tuk which is just across from Aston's Specialties, next to Glory Catering. You can't miss the actual Tuk Tuk (yes the vehicle) outside the restaurant.
Once you step into this bright family restaurant, you'll be greeted by equally bright smiles. The place looks modern and can seat about 70 people.
Settling down, I gladly let my friend have the menu as there were a number of words there that I didn't understand, translations from Thai. There were also English descriptions though and the pictures in the menu were quite enticing I must say.
Food Ordered:
Olive Rice with Cashew Nuts
The rice was very fragrant... and it was more than enough for two of us to share. I enjoyed the crunchy texture the nuts added to the dish.
Thai-Style Otah
I was surprised when the otah came. I'm too used to the conventional style where it is flat and long. This one is like a kueh-kueh, a little cube of otah encased in the leaf. It was less spicy than I had expected but it was also more fishy than normal.
Lemon Chicken with Mayonnaise
This was the dish which was quite disappointing really. There was too much mayonnaise covering the chicken bits. Although the serving was quite big, the chicken was too dry which made it a little too chewy.
Sambal Long Bean
A common dish where you could find anywhere. No complaints about this dish though. It was tasty and not overly spicy. The long beans were not overdone and were still crunchy, retaining all its nutrients so it felt really healthy.
Tapioca for Dessert
About 6 pieces of Tapioca were served for $2. They were a little dry(hard) and milk served with it was not as sweet as I expected it to be.
Lemongrass Drink
Only if you have a sweet tooth. And Luckily I do. I loved the sweetness of the drink and it had a nice tea-like smell thanks for the lemongrass.
The service there is very good and everyone was very polite. Although some of the ladies do seem to have problems with English (they are all from thailand), but they were able to cope.
We spent about $40 for the 2 of us. I'm sorry I can't give the actual amount because I have misplaced the receipt. But the food we ordered could feed three people... so I find it pretty good value for money. Definitely worth another visit. :)
Rating given:
Cheap cantonese cuisine is few and far between but Bi Feng Tang seeks to change that. The Century Square outlet opened in December 2004 and has been there ever since, offering Hong Kong style food at semi affordable prices. This is not my first visit here but is my first official blogging visit, does its standard hold up after 3 years? Thats what we are going to find out.
Pickles ($1) - Well, pickles are never free it seems. Not that there's much to complain for a $1 charge on compulsory pickles, but some choice would be appreciated. That said, the pickles are suitably sour but my gf tasted some detergent in them? Either way, it served its purpose of given me a growling tummy for the dishes to follow.
Sze Chuan Spicy Beef ($4) - I actually expected alot more than what was served but i've never tried enough Sze Chuan Spicy Beef enough to know if the dish was a failure or a success. Found in the appetizer section of the menu, i should have realized it would come in small portions and it did. Six slices in all, it was not much to look at and tasted weird. Spicy, sour and extremely salty, this is not what i can recommend. Add the fact that you can't taste the beef and you have something ingrained in your mind never to order again.
Fried Rice With Crab Meat and Roasted Pork (Set menu for 2, $28.80) - Do not be deceived by the way the shot looks, the rice is actually very nicely done. Soft, fragrant and packed with ingredients, this is better then the one i had in Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. This only complaint i have for the rice is how tasteless the crab meat really is, other then that, this fried rice is simply tasty enough for a second visit.
Pineapple Fried With Pork Rib - Honestly, not very well done. The meat was tough and sour due to either the meat being not fresh or the overuse of pineapple, which does not mask the refrigerated taste in the end. Its also overly sweet and oily which just doesn't do it for me.
Braised Tofu With Seafood and Quail Egg - I really liked this tofu, though not comparable to gourmet tofu's like Hai Tien Lo or even Hua Ting, this is decent. What really got me going for it was the generous braised seafood and the nicely done quail eggs and stock. Overall, this goes well with rice or any other accompaniment. Something i can have again when i visit.
Mixed Roast Meat - For this dish, you are given a choice of having duck, Char Siew or San Chen Rou. We selected the Char Siew and Duck meat for more variety and balance. The good news is, we got the balance. The bad news is, the char siew was supremely hard for some reason and the duck meat had a very thick layer of fats under the skin. Suffice to say this is not what i had in mind.
Herbal Chicken - Generous servings of chicken and the option to ask for more herbal soup make this a clear winner. The chicken meat did come across as a tad tough though and the herbal soup a little to light on my palates but otherwise, a simple and good dish that is easily enjoyed.
Sesame and peanut paste - Sesame mixed with peanut in paste form as a dessert is totally new for me. The taste is somewhat familiar yet foreign as you can taste both the items in the mixture. The result is interesting but not something i would try again.
The bill for 3 came up to $37.13 for me, my gf and her mother. I'm the only big eater there though so take your chances if you want to try replicating the feat.
Not too expensive and serving decent cantonese food. The set meal surprised me by being good value for money and actually served 3 people instead of 2. The variety it came with was decent as well though there were still a few hits and misses. For the price though, its difficult to find the same offering elsewhere. Decent, not outstanding but always worth a try.
Rating given:
Lerk Thai literally means "select thai" and is a subsidiary of Select Catering services limited. The executive chef is reportedly a chef that served in the royal thai household before coming to helm the position in Singapore. So how does it fair in comparison the Lemon Grass? Carry on reading then.
During lunch, the place was quiet and had only about 5 patrons. Interior was furnished in a modern Thai style and had a generally clean and comfortable look.
Thai Prawn Crackers ($1) - Nope, the crackers are not free but aren't too expensive either. The crackers were fragrant, spicy and crunchy but did not come with any sauce like those served in Lemongrass. Still pretty good though.
Yam Som O/ Pomelo Salad ($3 each) - For appetizers, we ordered the Pomelo salad to whet our appetites. It came looking simply delightful with a orange peel holder , stuffed to the top with Pomelo in peanut and sweet sauce. The shrimp was fresh as well but only half was served which detracts from the points. Taste wise, it was an interesting blend of sweet and sour with a strong peanut taste which leaves a fresh taste in your mouth. Do try this.
Pineapple Rice ($8.50) - Their rendition had a stronger pineapple taste as compared to Lemongrass's rendition. It was a little sour and had more shrimp even though the portion was smaller. I personally found this version of it better then Lemongrass as it had an abundance of sweet pork floss and dried raisins. Still can't quite compare to the authentic ones i've had in Thailand however. One complaint i'd like to bring up is the use of pineapple casing for the rice, aesthetics aside, the casing only causes the rice to be spilled over when scooped and generally causes a mess.
Beef Hor Fan ($6.50) - I was intrigued by how a Thai beef hor fan should taste like when i ordered this and was promptly disappointed. It doesn't taste any different from our run of the mill hor fan and in fact, tastes a little worse since its too salty. Portions of beef were generous but lacked taste as well. Not recommended to try.
Tom Yam Soup ($2 due to promotion, normal price $8) - The tom yam soup was quite spicy even though all we ordered was the clear version. And at $2, this is quite a steal as the seafood present in it was plentiful and the portion could have filled 4 small bowls. It is readily evident that there are at least, 2 prawns, fish, lemon grass, squid and some mushrooms in it. Their rendition is more spicy then Lemon grass but less sour and less body as well. For the price, however, i'm not really complaining. Last i saw, the promotion has since been taken off though.
Total bill came up to $28.25 for 2 people. Not too expensive and totally suits their vision of being priced for mid range customers.
For a mid ranged Thai restaurant, Lerk Thai has quite a lot going for it. Nice ambiance, relaxed setting, reasonably priced food and is generally decent tasting. The experience i had was pleasant but comparing food wise, Lemon Grass is still the clear winner. Lemon Grass, however belongs to a more up market pricing so do take note. You can view my visit to Lemon Grass here.
Rating given:
I was here 3 years ago when it first opened. That time the staff was very inexperienced and I waited 45 minutes for iced water and 2 hours for my Fish and Chips.
Finally gathering enough courage, I went again recently with another friend. The previous ones were too disappointed the first time to visit with me again.
We were there on a weekday afternoon so we were the only ones in the restaurant. So we were served promptly.
Food Ordered:
Wild Mushroom Soup ($4.90)
It's obviously Mushroom Soup, served with garlic toast. It was thick and creamy, which was a nice surprise.
Seafood Platter ($13.90)
A good serving of fish, chips, calamari and prawn, served with salad. I liked the fish a lot. The flesh was light and tasted great. The batter was not too heavy so I didn't feel too sick eating it all up. It was quite a large serving for a girl but I was really hungry.
Ribeye Steak - Gentlemen's cut ($19.90)
It came sizzling and did look presentable. However my companion commented that it was mediocre and was not as done as he wanted it.
The funny thing about it was that we were quite busy chatting when the food arrived so it was left alone a bit then the waiter came back 5 minutes later to remind us to have it while it's warm. so cute.
Service has improved tremendously. It cost $43.60 for both of us... so it was alright I guess. I'll visit again just not order the steak. :)
Rating given:
Privé, or private in French, is the latest entry to the rapidly growing waterfront dining scene in Singapore. Opened just a few weeks back, Privé boasts an intimate and exclusive dining experience sans the toll charges (think Sentosa).
Hidden within the exclusive Marina at Keppel Bay which is linked only via a newly constructed suspension bridge, Privé houses a New York style modern fine dining restaurant, an outdoor gastrobar along the marina edge for drinks and a bakery selling pastries and desserts. Decor in the restaurant is simple yet classy and cosy, with its carpeted floors and dark wooden finishings. For those who prefer a view of the sea or the surroundings, the gastrobar would be a much better choice but do note that its solely for drinks only.
The amuse bouche came complimentary and was a cod and potato mussolini. Smooth and hinted more of potato then cod but overall a nice starter, albeit of small proportions.
Bay Scallop Carpaccio - The scallops were thinly sliced and topped with caviar. Very decent without the overwhelming raw taste of scallops. Not exactly bang for the buck though as there was just a few slices for $28.
Striploin - I am not one for praises but the striploin really was excellent. Throughly seasoned and well grilled on the outside yet medium rare on the inside, each bite was greeted with a burst of flavour. You do not have to worry about the serving size as well because it is a respectable 10oz (340g), which is more than enough for the average person. The only minor gripe I had was that it did come across as a tad too salty for my liking.
Chocolate Dessert Platter - This decadent dessert came with 3 items, namely the chocolate fondant, tart and ice cream. I personally found the ice cream quite of a delight due to its smooth texture and chocolate chips within. It did help that it came atop a thin wafer base.
The chocolate souffle was really one of the best I have had in months - a tad hard on the outside, unlike the soft pudding like ones I've had recently and with rich chocolate oozing forth with the breaking of the crust.
Probably the only disappointment in this platter was the chocolate tart. Granted, the chocolate was rich and smooth but the tart itself tasted flat and crumbled too easily. If only the base was a little harder with an oven baked taste. Now that would be nice!
Bourbon Madagascan Vanilla Creme Brulee - Fanciful as it may sound, the creme brulee wasn't exactly out of this world. Soft and quivery with a tinge of bitterness, the interesting thing was that the vanilla beans were grown from plants located in countries in the Indian Ocean, hence the term Bourbon Madagascan. A pity the layer of sugar atop wasn't homogeneously burnt, which resulted in some parts being charred.
$146 for 1 appetiser, 1 main and 2 desserts isn't cheap. Period. However, I am suitably impressed with the quality of food. Service is excellent and reservations are recommended because the place was full by the time I finished my dinner. On a side note, the suspended bridge linking the "main land" to Keppel Bay will be officially opened on 3rd Jan 08 whereas the club will have its launch on the 8th. If you want to beat the crowds, it would be best to visit from now till then.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Ever since the previous visit to Waraku, i've been pining for the next outing to reconfirm my impressions of the place. This time, i brought my entire family there for dinner since its my sister's birthday and was hoping for the same treatment of good Japanese cuisine as my first visit. You can view my first impressions here.
Parking space was abundant when we arrived at approximately 6pm but was soon taken up as the dinner crowd came in. The same goes for space within the restaurant as there were plenty of space which was quickly filled up within minutes after we arrived. The place looks decidedly grander since it occupies a themed building all by itself and is finished with wooden furniture for an authentic Japanese feel. However, it was also more cramped then the cuppage branch and somehow did not project an image of being a relaxing venue.
Iced Coffee ($3.80) - I've said it before and i'll say it again. Never order drinks in a restaurant unless you want to order wine or feel as though you have too much money. The coffee was tasteless at best and is a wonderful example of wasting money.
Tonkatsu Set ($15.50) - My father and sister had this set but he said it wasn't anything special. The Japanese curry and sticky rice did not appeal to him as he prefers his curry spicy. The katsu was juicy, lightly battered and tender but otherwise a tad too oily. My sister enjoyed it but said it could have been better.
Yasai Curry Udon ($10.80) - My mother's a vegetarian and so this suited her perfectly. The Udon came in a huge bowl and was filled with mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes and assorted greens to go with the slightly thin udon. I found it quite sour and mildly spicy which makes for an appetizing meal. My mom was quite taken with it as well.
Gyu Yanagawa Wazen with Cold Soba ($16 2) - This is the reason why i returned to this restaurant and this time, the experience is somewhat muted due to the fact that the table was packed with food but they still kept adding our orders when they should have waited. That aside, the beef was as tasty as ever and the stock is still sweet. The cold soba however, was an unworthy introduction as it just doesn't taste authentic enough. I still prefer Cha Soba instead.
Ebi Cheese Curry Udon ($10.80) - My gf took a surprise turn this time around and chose to have udon instead of Katsu. I must say she makes interesting and good choices as the Ebi Cheese curry udon turned out pretty good. The ebi (or prawns/shrimps) were big, crunchy, fresh and sweet which complemented the cheese curry well. The curry was thick and tasted of garlic and cheese with a little sour vinegar taste to add variety. Nicely done but portion could be bigger.
Potato Mentai ($8.80) - This item drew lots of heat on me as nobody seemed to liked it. Everyone felt that the fish eggs (the pink little dots you see) gave the cheese and potatoes a fishy and revolting smell and taste. It is indeed so after the first few bites and the smell lingers long after the dish is finished. Its basically just potatoes heated in a pan with oil, fish eggs and cheese. Not worth the money nor agony involved in finishing it.
Salmon Teriyaki ($8.80) - This was ridiculous when it was served. The serving was terribly small and felt like a rip off from the start. Upon the taste test, it did have the usual teriyaki trappings but i felt the meat was too dry. Overall, my money is better off ordering other stuff.
Soft Shell Crab ($6.80) - I can sum up the soft shell crab in two words: Overly Fried. It was so crunchy i couldn't make out the taste of crab at all. Not something i will try again here, the Ichiban Boshi rendition is a little better since it comes in bigger portions.
Salmon Cheese with Tartar Sauce ($6.80) - Thin, crisp bread batter with 2 slice of salmon and cheese in the middle. Deep fry it and serve with lemon and tartar sauce. This is hardly worth the money to eat given that its such a simple dish. Nonetheless, its tastes like fishy Mcnuggets and wasn't too bad. Just not worth an order.
Agedashi Tofu ($6.80) - I guess you just can't go wrong with tofu. Soft, silky and hot. The tofu was as good as the cuppage branch as well. Portion size is still a problem though as this works out to be close to $1.75 a tofu which is darn expensive.
Renkon Chips ($4.80) - Lotus root in thin slices deep fried in oil. Somehow, deep frying seems like a popular way of cooking these days. Anyway, this was surprisingly nice and light. The chips literally melt and disappear the moment you chew or bite on it, leaving a taste of lotus on your tongue. However, you really can do this on your own at home, so save the money and just get on with it yourself.
Surprisingly, after all those orders and food, the bill only came to $139. I wouldn't call it a fulfilling meal but it got the job done.
Though it goes by the same name and cuisine, the experience i had here was much less pleasurable due in part to the constantly shouting serving staff and the really small table we had. The food was still decent but i did realise that if you are not a beef lover, do stay away as the value drops considerably when you order the non beef items. The only items i found decent this time round was the ebi cheese and the yasai curry udon, obviously my beef dish was still good but everything else was mediocre. The serving staff also needs to learn that when the table is full, stop bringing orders out. I would say the place is still good but i'm not returning to this branch ever again. It was a much better experience at cuppage.
Rating given:
Cafe de Amigo relocated to Funan in 2006. Chef Foo Wah Ann is the man behind this very nice place. Having heard about him when he was at the renown La Brasserie (Marco Polo Hotel), we thought a visit to this place was a must. The ambience is pretty cosy. There is a live band singing jazzy tunes throughout the night. The crowd there is consists largely of those working in the area.
Food Ordered:
Deep-fried Cheese - 3pc ($16.50)
3 types of cheese melted together and deep fried, served with fresh basil and tomato sauce. I like the cheese which was firm and not oozing out of its shell.
Soft Shell Crab ($13.50)
The batter was a little too light and it was too oily for my taste. Small serving just enough for one person.
Escargot A la Bourguignon (6 for $16.50)
Served in a garlic and butter sauce, I found nothing spectacular about this dish. If anything, the serving was really small.
Lobster Bisque ($9.50)
"Bisque of Bisques" was its description in the menu. Thus we had to try this. It was flavourful however it's pretty hard to find lobster nor taste any lobster in this dish.
Not the same Potato ($7.50)
It is actually supposed to be creamy potato soup but the taste of potato was weak and overpowered by the cheese that was blended into it.
Salad de Amis ($14.50)
A huge serving of salad which you'll be able to see anywhere, served with olive oil vinegar dressing. Which I think wasn't enough as it was dry and a little bland.
Chicken chop ($20.50)
Grilled boneless chicken drumstick served in black pepper sauce and fries. Sadly you can get a good taste of this dish at hawker centres at a quarter of its price. Although boneless, the chicken had a fair share of fatty bits and it wasn't as succulent as I had expected. The black pepper sauce wasn't thick enough too.
Ox-Tail ($24.50)
One of the inhouse specialties. A generous serving of stewed oxtail served with boiled potato and broccoli. My companion commented that it was very tender and juicy. I did think that it was the one of the best dishes on the table that night
Duck Breast ($26.50)
Also one of the recommended dishes. Roasted duck slices in red wine sauce, served with boiled spinach. The combination seemed a little odd to me at first. But my companion has full of compliments for it so I guess it was really good.
Normandy Apple Pie ($7.50)
One of the recommended desserts. It was served with wild honey and vanilla ice-cream. I loved the crumbly crust which was light and tasty. One would find it hard to be sick of this. The inside was not overly sweet.
Frezzie Tiramisu ($7.90)
It was a regular ice cream cake. Certainly not worth the money.
The presentation of the food was not good. More like they were all haphazardly put together. The service is alright. I don't think I will be back anytime soon...
Rating given:
Was searching for a decent caterer for the first party Yebber is throwing. And recalled the great spread of food catered at my previous workplace, so I decided to give them a try.
These were served at the Yebber's party...
Tossed Garden Greens with Baby Potatoes
Butter Tiger Prawn with Oatmeal
Hawaiian Chicken Cutlet with Pineapple
Thai Style Mango Fish
Fresh Broccoli with Assortment Pacific Clams
Sausages & Papadem with Cheese & Thai Dip *HOT
Sunny Pilaf with Cashew Nuts
Petite French Pastries *HOT
Festive Punch
I'm posting these up with photos first tonite. Will review it when I'm sober. Time to crash...
Review to be continued...
Let me get down to business with this caterer's review...
First the presentation - Its one of the better ones that I've seen. Instead of placing everything on the same level with simple plain white table cloth, Harvest has got boxes below the cloth to make the presentation nicely, placing dishes on different levels. And they created a feel of class with the gold and silver cloth. Their sauces was also served in nice white soup bowl instead of plastic bowls. Food was nicely placed and the presentation is welcoming. Makes you want to grab more food.
The Food - This was a Season special menu at $16/pax.
Tossed Garden Greens with Baby Potatoes
Just like any other salads. Fresh greens and nicely halved baby potatoes. If they'd provided more sauces, it'll be even better. The one that came with it was Thousand Island. Not so friendly for those ladies watching the diet.
Butter Tiger Prawn with Oatmeal - Photo
This was the one that looks the most appetizing. While the man was setting up, everyone was eyeing on the prawns! It looks big and delicious. When we finally get our hands on the prawns, its was good. But it would have been better if it was warm. You can taste the butter and the oatmeal was kinda soggy after being wrapped up in foil. This was one of the better dish that night.
Hawaiian Chicken Cutlet with Pineapple - Photo
The looks of this dish makes one want to give it a miss. The pineapple dressings on the chicken has almost blended into the used-to-be-crispy chicken skin. The chicken skin was soggy and the taste of the supposed to be Hawaiian taste wasn't present. Kind of disappointed with this one.
Thai Style Mango Fish
After the entire night, than I realised one thing. We should have poured the bowl of salsa sauce lookalike onto the fish before we eat them! I was puzzled when there's this extra bowl of vegetables on the table, but thought it could have been complimentary or something. Hope some of you did know that the sauce was for the fish and had put some over the fish before you eat it. So silly of me!
The fish (w/o the salsa sauce) tasted plain. There was a little fishy smell and again the fish was soggy. But still edible. Guess the caterer should try to find a way to prevent their food to turn soggy during the delivery process. The warmer provided was insufficient to really heat up the food. Perhaps an additional warmer per dish might help better.
Fresh Broccoli with Assortment Pacific Clams - Photo
Nicely cooked broccoli with not-so-fresh pacific clams. It might just be my taste bud, but the clams had a strong smell. I love clams but this one I didn't even wanted to have a second helping. Still this dish was well presented. I still enjoyed the broccolis and mushrooms.
Sausages & Papadem with Cheese & Thai Dip *HOT - Photo
This must be the hottest item that night.
NachoPapadem with cheese! I can't imagine eating this combi before that night. But now I'm craving for it! The Papadem was fresh and crispy. Dipped into the cheese dip and yummy! Perfecto! Love it! The sausages were normal chicken sausages, as usual, this is the easiest to eat finger food. The thai dip and cheese makes it even better.Sunny Pilaf with Cashew Nuts
As usual, the rice for all catering is always the least favorite. There were plenty left after that night. Not sure if anyone else notice, there were shrimps cooked with the rice. We should have mixed the rice a little before eating, cos I think most of the shrimps were hidden at the bottom of the rice. The obvious ingredients was the cashew nuts and raisins. This one still not bad, rice was a little fragrant and the shrimps used was fresh. Definitely better than most of the fried rice I had at other catered meals.
Petite French Pastries *HOT - Photo
Too little of these were served! Pastries were nicely made and it was not too sweet. Chilled at the right temperature that doesn't cos the pastries to become too soft. Didn't get to try the cream puffs as they were gone when I went back wanting to try one. Had couple of the chocolate ones, and it was gone when I wanted more. Will surely order this again the next time.
Overall, I still like and enjoyed the food by Harvest. Will probably order from them again for my future events. Value-for-money.
On a sidenote, you might want to get them to set-up an hour prior to your event. That night, the guy came late and he took quite awhile to set-up on his own. I was quite nervous when guests started coming in when he was still setting up. And the food had to be heated up before consuming. So it's advisable to plan way ahead for them to set-up and allow sufficient time for the food to heat up.
Rating given:
Its been a long time since i had Claypot Rice, somehow, it seems to have disappeared from mainstream cuisine so much so that its difficult to locate a decent place to have this old tradition. I have, however, long heard of a shop that specializes in claypot cuisine somewhere along East Coast Road and that's where we went.
Simple, unassuming and boring would most probably describe the restaurant. The tables were sparsely located using a yellowish color scheme and round tables of different sizes. Clearly a place designed for big gatherings and get-togethers as there were only a handful of tables designed for less then 4 people. The impression was also not helped by the fact that at dinner time, there was only a handful of patrons in the restaurant, a clear sign of decline? Nevertheless, we pressed on.
Pickles ($1) - Complimentary starters or should i say compulsory starters? Either way, the pickles were sour and did their job of whetting my appetite. Paying for it didn't help my impression though.
Handmade Beancurd with Seaweed, Mushrooms and Vegetables ($8) - The bean curb was soft but not smooth on the inside, it didn't help that the only taste it had came from the soy sauce base below which made it extremely salty. The same goes for the tasteless mushrooms and horribly cut vegetables. Its pretty obvious they did not spend alot of time getting this to the table.
Yam Ring ($12) - Yam rings are one of my favourite dishes when its done right and their rendition is the perfect example of a yam ring done seriously wrong. The cashew nuts were a little soggy, prawns were not fresh enough to be sweet nor crunchy and the chicken meat was tasteless. However, mediocre fillings aside, the greatest disappointment of the day is the yam ring itself. Notice the second shot depicting the insides of the yam ring? The was no yam. The ring has obviously been fried so many times that the yam has charred and disappeared, even then, they dared to serve it to the customers. Horrible.
Claypot Rice ($10) - The star of the day, the claypot rice i came for. This was at least decent. Fragrant and soft rice cooked in claypot and stirred in our presence. The chicken was also decidedly tender and sweet which helped ease my unhappiness a little. The best part of the rice is the wok hei present near the bottom of the claypot. Unhealthy yet delectable. This dish is at least worthy of the commercial review it garnered.
The bill came up to $34 for 2 people which is alot more then i was willing to pay for given the horrible quality of the initial offerings.
I would have enjoyed the meal if all i ordered was the claypot rice. In fact, i would say going for the rice alone is worth it but anything else is a serious waste of money. That said, my recommendation is still, not to visit because the money is better spent elsewhere.
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