Chef Chan's restaurant, decked in expensive antiques which make up his very own private collection and located within out very own Art Museum, the place screams of taste and posh before you even step into it. And we were there during his anniversary to try out his signature dishes done out in a set menu for 8. Expectations ran high for this chef who touts himself as a top chef in his Chinese namecard, Shen Chu San Jue but is it really that good?
Well, first of all the place is interesting. Not quite what i was expecting with all the bells and whistles and highly provocative name. In fact, the place was quite the opposite, sublime, quiet and very much bare. This is true for the door that greets you to the interior which had a very minimalist approach apart from the gilded plates, jade set ornaments and glaring antiques. Each item within is painstakingly collected by the Chef, Mr Chan Chen Hei over the years and it shows. Simply refer to the pictures to understand.
Flashy stuff in terms of the decorations i would say. The place is also weird in that each table of guests had their own partitioned room and there were no open tables on the outside. In fact, it felt like an intimate gathering of friends in a mutual friend's place as opposed to a restaurant. Next up, on to the food.
Cashew Nuts Coated With Honey - The cashew nuts were good though. Exceptionally so, i could go for seconds and thirds of those cashew nuts easily. Crunchy with a finely roasted fragrance and honey sweet. Yep, its something i would want right now actually.
Melon Strips Enlivened With Orange Juice - The first dish to adorn our tables is a rather normal looking item. Cut melon pieces, the difference lay in the color and taste which strangely resembled a crunchy orange. Our guess is that it was soaked in orange juice or extract but wasn't sure how to explain the crunchiness it retained. Still, it was normal when the dust settled.
Prawn Balls Stuffed With Pate and Wine - I was actually looking forward to this particular dish. Pate and prawn and wine. How could it not be a winner? Well, in truth, it wasn't a winner nor was it totally bad. The prawn paste stuffing was springy and fragrant, the wine was minimal but could be tasted while the pate was a really small piece which didn't quite get its taste across due to the multitude of other flavors. The thing about this is that each of us got....1 miserable serving...which is rather miserly if you ask me
Stir Fried Shark's Fin with Eggs, Bean Sprouts And Spring Onion - This was good. Period. Fragrant, tasty and crunchy. It embodies all the elements within to good effect. The shark's fin actually tasted like vermicelli but it was more fine and lighter. The complaint here is going to follow through for the entire post. There just wasn't enough to go around. One plate is all we got and shared among each other. I would have loved more of this but that didn't happen.
Sauteed Lobster With Garlic - The lobster in garlic is another of those dishes which came a little too little. For the price, i would have expected to be served an entire lobster but i only got half of it. A good half nonetheless. Sweet springy meat in glorious garlic. The taste reminds me of the garlic prawns in Hai Tien Lo but with a little more meat. Good stuff, if there was more.
Steamed Red Garouper in Superior Soy Sauce - To be honest, i don't know much about fish. So i can't differentiate between a red garoupa and from the same species of another color. And i can't tell you the price of this fish as well as the difference between superior soy sauce and normal ones. Having said all that, this fish tasted just like the ones my mother does at home. Slightly salty and juicy with a smooth texture.
Chef Chan's Famous Crispy Roast Chicken - Ah yes, the legendary Chef Chan's crispy roast chicken. I'm happy to report that this at least, lives up to its name. Crispy, well roasted skin with hints of salt and other marinates tantalizes your taste buds while juicy and tender meat sit beneath it just waiting to be tasted. Its definitely something worth trying at least once.
Sauteed Vegetable With Shredded Mushroom - Normal sums it up pretty well. I don't even know how this could have made the list but it disappoints pretty badly. Its not bad per se mind you, just not something i would expect to see on my table during an expensive meal.
Glutinous Rice With Mango and Gui Ling Gao - We gave feed back in the restaurant and we'll give the same feed back here. This combination simply does not work. Not one bit. The glutinous rice is sweet, the mango is sour and the gui ling gao is bitter. Throw them all together and the result is still a bad idea.
White Fungus - This dessert however, was good. Sweet, clear, light and warm. It served to calm the senses a fair bit after the meal.
The final bill worked out to be $860.15 after a 10% discount. A hefty sum to pay for the meal on display though.
I expected more from this place. More atmosphere, more variety and most importantly, more food. Sadly, it didn't live up to expectations with the misses in the menu. Service was good overall and the items that were well done, were definitely worth trying. Still, i won't return for a second try anytime soon.
Friends is a restaurant i've passed by plenty of times during my tenure in the bank at Serangoon Garden. It always appealed to me but never did entice me to go inside due to the mostly al fresco dining concept which i detested. How wrong i was when i finally tried and went inside for a quiet meal with a friend.
Complimentary Bread - Complimentary bread was served warm and covered in a rather tastily chosen basket with red cloth. The bread itself is normal though.
The exterior of the place belies the sheer space that adorns the inside of the restaurant. Once inside, i was astonished to see how big spacious the restaurant was and it came with comfortable short legged seats, wine glass and rectangular wooden tables. Lighting was dim and relaxed with a primarily laid back atmosphere to the place. It was also rather quiet that night which thus gave me the impression that no one will chase you away if you chose to have a quiet or rowdy night there with friends.
Tasmanian Apple Wood Smoked Salmon/Tea Smoked Tuna with Fennel Salad - For the above 2 appetisers, i managed to have a fair bit of both as my friend apparently doesn't like anything raw. The apple wood smoked salmon was pretty good, its possible to taste the smoke in the salmon rather strongly and it was quite salty as well. The taste grows on you after awhile but tends to overwhelm pretty soon. The tea smoke tuna was also smoke but to a much lesser extent. The taste was mild and lacked the strength the salmon version had.
South Australian Duo Of Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops - The lamb shoulder chops was rather good. Done medium rather and served with garlic, shallots and mint jus, the overall concoction was light and sweet. The meat was tender and slightly bloody as well which was made to my order. Simple yet enjoyable.
Pan Seared "Sakura" chicken breast stuffed with macadamia & Bitter Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Campote - I had a piece of the chicken breast and it had a honey taste to it along with it being extremely tender and chewy. The bitter chocolate mousse was served with a strawberry and raspberry which turned out to be very sour. The chocolate mousse itself was not truly bitter and had some small chunks in it which was rather different. Not too bad really.
The meal came up to $47 after gst and service charge and a one for one meal offer. Expect to pay $100 for the above if you came without a Citibank card.
First off, thank you Max for the meal. Its fun catching up. The meal was pretty decent for me on this one but the best thing about it was the one for one offer which cut the bill in half. Upon further examination, i would not pay $39.90 for the meal per person as it strikes me as not value for money. However, for this round where the bill is basically $20 per head, its good enough to recommend. I repeat, bring a Citibank card. Go at your own peril without it.
Country Mana restaurant used to be one of my favorite restaurants during my younger years as it was more affordable then most and was easily found in the eastern end of Singapore. However, time has passed and now, there are only about 2 to 3 of this restaurant still running and it was this thought that i brought my gf to the branch at Serangoon Gardens.
The restaurant is located on the second floor along a group of shop houses which include Sushi Tei, Guardian Pharmacy and a chinese eating house. The interior is true to form with its country style wooden furnishings and dim lighting complete with a small counter.
Country Mana Soup ($4.99) - The country mana experience is never complete until you've tasted the soup. That used to be the case but not anymore unfortunately. In my memory, the soup was filled to the brim with chicken, vegetables and excellent broth but this version i got was lacking in precisely that. What it did retain was the nicely done pastry covering which was fragrant with a strong butter taste and still went well with the soup overall. Still, its difficult not to feel shortchanged when i've had the more full bodied version in ages past.
Whole Roasted Spring Chicken in Special Herbal Spices ($17.49) - After a bittersweet soup, we weren't holding much hope for the chicken to follow but we were sorely mistaken. The chicken was served cut in half and came with a baked potato sprinkled with some bacon bits and sour cream, a salad and some mango pieces. It looked pretty appetising to say the truth. The potato could have done with more sour cream and bacon bits and could be hotter when served but nothing devastating. The chicken is the real star. Cooked "home style" according to the menu, it was roasted to a nice golden brown with a thin crispy skin and well marinated meat. The meat itself was tender and contained minimal visible fat which was a big plus. The marinate probably contained ground pepper which gave it a light spicy taste. Otherwise, the chicken tasted strangely sweet with juices and slightly smokey. The only downside would be that it did come across as a tad too oily but otherwise, it was enjoyable.
Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream ($5.99) - After a good main course, we were looking forward to a good finishing to wrap up the night. That was sadly not completed as the brownie was too dry and simply did not have the gourmet taste and texture it should. The ice cream was simple vanilla which i liked but still, the dessert was average at best.
The bill came up to $39.39 for 2 people.
To say the food was excellent is a lie but i can't deny that the main course was good. In fact, its the place's only saving grace that night apart from the wonderful service rendered. I wouldn't write the place off yet, partially due to nostalgia and partially due to the main course which gave me some hope that the other mains might be as good. Try it yourself to see if it fits your bill.
Green tea has been an obsession of Singaporeans since the introduction of it being a product for health began some years ago. How good it really is? Nobody really knows, it can be a myth, such as milk being really a by product which was overstocked and hence the "Got Milk?" campaign or maybe it does have wonderful healing properties. The bottom line is, nobody lives long enough to really understand it, do we? Anyhow, sorry for rambling, i met up with LIC one night for his first ever food outing which he organized. And the following is what we had.
First off, thank you LIC for organizing the event. Though there is still room for improvement, the general idea was a success. Good stuff.
O Cha cha is a green tea concept cafe located in the basement of Raffles City shopping center. Given its prime location, the cafe itself is rather small with a definite emphasis on space maximization. Tables and chairs were the generic plastic version with a clean overall look, there were cushion seats as well but as usual, its in short supply.
Complimentary chips - Seaweed crackers, always a welcome sight. I suspect they are Calbee potato chips but i may be wrong.
Matcha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar will sum this up. Its light and too sweet for my tastes. Can't imagine paying a premium price for this actually.
Ochacha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar and milk. Now why didn't i think of this item myself? Anyway, it has a heavier taste compared to its prior cousin and is also too sweet as well.
Shiitake Mushroom soup - The shittake mushroom soup reminds me of renditions in Eden cafe with the exception that there's cream thrown into the mix. The result is a soup reminiscent of campbells but with more mushroom bits thrown in. To its merit, the soup was filled with mushroom bits however, to its detriment, it was too salty.
Sakura Egg Sandwich ($4.80) - The size of this sandwich is rather consoling given the price. In fact, i'd gladly pay the money for it. The egg was done nicely and had a slight sweetness given off by the egg. Light and easily likable. Who can resist a simple egg sandwich? Not I says me.
Azuki Freezie ($6.90) - When i saw the drink, i was thinking: " oh my, another green tea?" But thankfully, this one was pretty good. Green tea with sugar/milk and crushed ice. Creativity never fails to amaze me. Either way, the drink was freezing cold and hit the spot for my sugar tooth this time around.
Salad With Orange Dressing - Something the boss added as a last minute item to the menu. Going for the same price, i'd normally rake in the praises for something free and healthy but would have to refrain from it this time. The salad itself is no contest, after all, how bad can salad be? The dressing is another story. Sour, saltish and totally unapalatable, it made me miss how normal salads should taste like. This is something no one should order....period.
Wasabi Tuna Sandwich ($5,90) - Furikake Salmon Sandwich ($5.90) - More sandwiches! The bread is the same, lightly toasted and buttered on the inside and soft on the outside. The only difference is in the stuffings which are basically wasabi laced tuna and smoked salmon. For what its worth, i liked them both. The wasabi with tuna is a no brainer winner because i simply love sniffing from the wasabi. The salmon was salty and smoked enough to leave a distinctive aftertaste which was enjoyable.
Macha Financier ($2.90) - The financier is simply a fancy name given to a simple dessert. It tastes like green tea tutu kueh with a crispy crust. There's a thin layer of sugar coated atop each financier to add to the taste but i didn't find anything noteworthy.
Macha Azuki ($4.90) - This dessert is significantly better then the Financier. Of particular mention is the red bean paste layer which made the otherwise green tea overloaded dessert bearable. Somehow, the red bean managed to contrast enough and add texture to the dessert for a more satisfying mouthful.
Macha Cotton ($2.90) - Another green tea cake dessert with an additional layer of whipped cream given. Nothing much else i can say apart from the cake being exceptionally fluffy and soft.
Macha Panna Cotta ($4.90) - By this dessert, i've had enough green tea to swear off it forever but still soldiered on to finish it. Smooth, soft and creamy with a balanced green tea taste, this turned out to be rather pleasant.
Macha Latte ($4.80) - Finally, the last item is a macha latte. Hot green tea with sugar and milk which surprisingly, turned out to be the best item i had that night simply because, its hot and served to wash everything down that came before it.
Too much of a good thing really does ruin the taste. Green tea taken by itself is decent but add all te additional stuff and it loses its purpose. The true green tea experience is one that borders on the art of serving and drinking. This version is more towards the younger fast food and Starbucks generation which probably likes the sugar in it. The sandwiches weren't half bad though.
One Twenty Six is a relatively new and swanky restaurant located at the now half year old rejuvenated Big Splash. Run by the same team behind One Rochester, the waterfront restaurant has a lot to live up to if it is to impress. Situated directly in front of the East Coast coastline, One Twenty Six boasts 2 seating arrangements. One alfresco seating and the other which is the usual fine dining establishment. In other words, the place is chic and demands at least a visit to see what the woo ha is a all about.
First off, let me apologise for the badly taken photos of the restaurant, the place definitely looks much better when you actually see it. And it is advisable to visit it at night when it is cooler since afternoons tend to heat the primarily glass made restaurant up quite a bit.
Complimentary Bread - To its credit, the place serves good bread which is made in house. They are all served warm and definitely gives the impression of being in a fine dining restaurant with its soft, fluffy and fragrant bread. Some had hazelnuts baked into them while others had raisins and hints of coffee. Add a dash of butter and its practically a meal on its own, if you are here for lunch, my advice is to ask for as much bread as possible if you are a big eater. That's my advice, take it if you like, ignore it at your own peril.
Salmon Roll/Seasoned Baby Octopus On Bed of Mesclun Salad with Japanese Dressing/Mediterranean Caprese Salad - All of the above starters had a fresh and satisfying taste about it to usher in the actual meal. The seasoned baby octopus was soft and sweet while the salmon was light and fresh. The caprese salad tastes like a cross between fish cakes and cheese with its tangy texture and milky taste but is still pretty good in the grand scheme of things.
Capellini Arrabiatta With Prawns - This main course packs quite a punch as it is very spicy albeit still maintaining a sweet tomato taste. The pasta itself tastes like a cross between chinese bee hoon and pasta with its fine strands but is definitely softer and more springy then the usual bee hoon strands. The prawns are juicy, sweet and crunchy as well. Overall, its a good filling course for people who like it spicy.
Oven Roasted Spatchcock, fork mash potato with sage jus - Spatch cock actually refers to the way the chicken is prepared. In this sense, it means the chicken is spread flat and roasted. A taste reveals an aromatic peppery taste and tender juicy meat. Pity the serving size was rather small though.
Pan Fried Sea Bass with potatoes and foam - In all honesty, the sea bass was rather thin and small. It was pan fried rather well despite the small serving. Crispy skin with a cheesy tasting foam around it. The meat itself retained much of its natural flavors and was sweet.
Roasted Lamb Loin - The lamb was done medium rare and very nice indeed. My tasting reveals well marinated and juicy meat which went well with the stew-like bed of greens below. Due to some technical issues, the waitress accidentally gave too much pepper to the dish but still, it turned out to be my favorite item at the restaurant so far.
Tiramisu/Rum and raisin nougat - While the main courses and starters might be hit or miss items, the desserts definitely had no such issue. Made fresh and sold on the day, the desserts differ daily for the lunch menu. The tiramisu had a good balance of cheese, rum and cake which helped bring out the flavors of each section. One of the better tiramisu's i've had but thats my opinion while the nougat was an interesting mixture of raisins, rum and ice cream which is very different. Nougat being nougat, i'd expected a cake or cookie like texture but this tasted more like ice cream and it melts albeit slowly. The taste of rum is strong but thats the way i like it.
All set lunches come with a choice of coffee or tea and i must say, they serve rather good coffee. Without the sourish taste that accompanies most gourmet coffees, this one was sightly bitter, strong and quite high on the acidity scale if i'm not wrong. I had the impression that it was also smooth and its something i wouldn't miss ordering if i'm here.
Portion size aside, the lunches offer a nice variety of choices to choose from and differs weekly so you'll rarely get the same choices twice. Judging by the way the restaurant cooked the lamb, i'll brave the storm and say that they probably do good in their meats (lamb and beef) but thats to be decided after i do try their 200 day old aged wagyu beef. The view and location is nice but slightly warm during noon. The service is good and friendly and their desserts are above average. Looking forward to try their degustation menu.
1=SGD 0.0587
Well, first of all the place is interesting. Not quite what i was expecting with all the bells and whistles and highly provocative name. In fact, the place was quite the opposite, sublime, quiet and very much bare. This is true for the door that greets you to the interior which had a very minimalist approach apart from the gilded plates, jade set ornaments and glaring antiques. Each item within is painstakingly collected by the Chef, Mr Chan Chen Hei over the years and it shows. Simply refer to the pictures to understand.
Flashy stuff in terms of the decorations i would say. The place is also weird in that each table of guests had their own partitioned room and there were no open tables on the outside. In fact, it felt like an intimate gathering of friends in a mutual friend's place as opposed to a restaurant. Next up, on to the food.
Cashew Nuts Coated With Honey - The cashew nuts were good though. Exceptionally so, i could go for seconds and thirds of those cashew nuts easily. Crunchy with a finely roasted fragrance and honey sweet. Yep, its something i would want right now actually.
Melon Strips Enlivened With Orange Juice - The first dish to adorn our tables is a rather normal looking item. Cut melon pieces, the difference lay in the color and taste which strangely resembled a crunchy orange. Our guess is that it was soaked in orange juice or extract but wasn't sure how to explain the crunchiness it retained. Still, it was normal when the dust settled.
Prawn Balls Stuffed With Pate and Wine - I was actually looking forward to this particular dish. Pate and prawn and wine. How could it not be a winner? Well, in truth, it wasn't a winner nor was it totally bad. The prawn paste stuffing was springy and fragrant, the wine was minimal but could be tasted while the pate was a really small piece which didn't quite get its taste across due to the multitude of other flavors. The thing about this is that each of us got....1 miserable serving...which is rather miserly if you ask me
Stir Fried Shark's Fin with Eggs, Bean Sprouts And Spring Onion - This was good. Period. Fragrant, tasty and crunchy. It embodies all the elements within to good effect. The shark's fin actually tasted like vermicelli but it was more fine and lighter. The complaint here is going to follow through for the entire post. There just wasn't enough to go around. One plate is all we got and shared among each other. I would have loved more of this but that didn't happen.
Sauteed Lobster With Garlic - The lobster in garlic is another of those dishes which came a little too little. For the price, i would have expected to be served an entire lobster but i only got half of it. A good half nonetheless. Sweet springy meat in glorious garlic. The taste reminds me of the garlic prawns in Hai Tien Lo but with a little more meat. Good stuff, if there was more.
Steamed Red Garouper in Superior Soy Sauce - To be honest, i don't know much about fish. So i can't differentiate between a red garoupa and from the same species of another color. And i can't tell you the price of this fish as well as the difference between superior soy sauce and normal ones. Having said all that, this fish tasted just like the ones my mother does at home. Slightly salty and juicy with a smooth texture.
Chef Chan's Famous Crispy Roast Chicken - Ah yes, the legendary Chef Chan's crispy roast chicken. I'm happy to report that this at least, lives up to its name. Crispy, well roasted skin with hints of salt and other marinates tantalizes your taste buds while juicy and tender meat sit beneath it just waiting to be tasted. Its definitely something worth trying at least once.
Sauteed Vegetable With Shredded Mushroom - Normal sums it up pretty well. I don't even know how this could have made the list but it disappoints pretty badly. Its not bad per se mind you, just not something i would expect to see on my table during an expensive meal.
Glutinous Rice With Mango and Gui Ling Gao - We gave feed back in the restaurant and we'll give the same feed back here. This combination simply does not work. Not one bit. The glutinous rice is sweet, the mango is sour and the gui ling gao is bitter. Throw them all together and the result is still a bad idea.
White Fungus - This dessert however, was good. Sweet, clear, light and warm. It served to calm the senses a fair bit after the meal.
The final bill worked out to be $860.15 after a 10% discount. A hefty sum to pay for the meal on display though.
I expected more from this place. More atmosphere, more variety and most importantly, more food. Sadly, it didn't live up to expectations with the misses in the menu. Service was good overall and the items that were well done, were definitely worth trying. Still, i won't return for a second try anytime soon.
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Complimentary Bread - Complimentary bread was served warm and covered in a rather tastily chosen basket with red cloth. The bread itself is normal though.
The exterior of the place belies the sheer space that adorns the inside of the restaurant. Once inside, i was astonished to see how big spacious the restaurant was and it came with comfortable short legged seats, wine glass and rectangular wooden tables. Lighting was dim and relaxed with a primarily laid back atmosphere to the place. It was also rather quiet that night which thus gave me the impression that no one will chase you away if you chose to have a quiet or rowdy night there with friends.
Tasmanian Apple Wood Smoked Salmon/Tea Smoked Tuna with Fennel Salad - For the above 2 appetisers, i managed to have a fair bit of both as my friend apparently doesn't like anything raw. The apple wood smoked salmon was pretty good, its possible to taste the smoke in the salmon rather strongly and it was quite salty as well. The taste grows on you after awhile but tends to overwhelm pretty soon. The tea smoke tuna was also smoke but to a much lesser extent. The taste was mild and lacked the strength the salmon version had.
South Australian Duo Of Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops - The lamb shoulder chops was rather good. Done medium rather and served with garlic, shallots and mint jus, the overall concoction was light and sweet. The meat was tender and slightly bloody as well which was made to my order. Simple yet enjoyable.
Pan Seared "Sakura" chicken breast stuffed with macadamia
&
Bitter Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Campote - I had a piece of the chicken breast and it had a honey taste to it along with it being extremely tender and chewy. The bitter chocolate mousse was served with a strawberry and raspberry which turned out to be very sour. The chocolate mousse itself was not truly bitter and had some small chunks in it which was rather different. Not too bad really.
The meal came up to $47 after gst and service charge and a one for one meal offer. Expect to pay $100 for the above if you came without a Citibank card.
First off, thank you Max for the meal. Its fun catching up. The meal was pretty decent for me on this one but the best thing about it was the one for one offer which cut the bill in half. Upon further examination, i would not pay $39.90 for the meal per person as it strikes me as not value for money. However, for this round where the bill is basically $20 per head, its good enough to recommend. I repeat, bring a Citibank card. Go at your own peril without it.
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17 Jul 2008 at 1:07 am
The restaurant is located on the second floor along a group of shop houses which include Sushi Tei, Guardian Pharmacy and a chinese eating house. The interior is true to form with its country style wooden furnishings and dim lighting complete with a small counter.
Country Mana Soup ($4.99) - The country mana experience is never complete until you've tasted the soup. That used to be the case but not anymore unfortunately. In my memory, the soup was filled to the brim with chicken, vegetables and excellent broth but this version i got was lacking in precisely that. What it did retain was the nicely done pastry covering which was fragrant with a strong butter taste and still went well with the soup overall. Still, its difficult not to feel shortchanged when i've had the more full bodied version in ages past.
Whole Roasted Spring Chicken in Special Herbal Spices ($17.49) -
After a bittersweet soup, we weren't holding much hope for the chicken to follow but we were sorely mistaken. The chicken was served cut in half and came with a baked potato sprinkled with some bacon bits and sour cream, a salad and some mango pieces. It looked pretty appetising to say the truth. The potato could have done with more sour cream and bacon bits and could be hotter when served but nothing devastating. The chicken is the real star.
Cooked "home style" according to the menu, it was roasted to a nice golden brown with a thin crispy skin and well marinated meat. The meat itself was tender and contained minimal visible fat which was a big plus. The marinate probably contained ground pepper which gave it a light spicy taste. Otherwise, the chicken tasted strangely sweet with juices and slightly smokey. The only downside would be that it did come across as a tad too oily but otherwise, it was enjoyable.
Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream ($5.99) - After a good main course, we were looking forward to a good finishing to wrap up the night. That was sadly not completed as the brownie was too dry and simply did not have the gourmet taste and texture it should. The ice cream was simple vanilla which i liked but still, the dessert was average at best.
The bill came up to $39.39 for 2 people.
To say the food was excellent is a lie but i can't deny that the main course was good. In fact, its the place's only saving grace that night apart from the wonderful service rendered. I wouldn't write the place off yet, partially due to nostalgia and partially due to the main course which gave me some hope that the other mains might be as good. Try it yourself to see if it fits your bill.
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First off, thank you LIC for organizing the event. Though there is still room for improvement, the general idea was a success. Good stuff.
O Cha cha is a green tea concept cafe located in the basement of Raffles City shopping center. Given its prime location, the cafe itself is rather small with a definite emphasis on space maximization. Tables and chairs were the generic plastic version with a clean overall look, there were cushion seats as well but as usual, its in short supply.
Complimentary chips - Seaweed crackers, always a welcome sight. I suspect they are Calbee potato chips but i may be wrong.
Matcha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar will sum this up. Its light and too sweet for my tastes. Can't imagine paying a premium price for this actually.
Ochacha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar and milk. Now why didn't i think of this item myself? Anyway, it has a heavier taste compared to its prior cousin and is also too sweet as well.
Shiitake Mushroom soup - The shittake mushroom soup reminds me of renditions in Eden cafe with the exception that there's cream thrown into the mix. The result is a soup reminiscent of campbells but with more mushroom bits thrown in. To its merit, the soup was filled with mushroom bits however, to its detriment, it was too salty.
Sakura Egg Sandwich ($4.80) - The size of this sandwich is rather consoling given the price. In fact, i'd gladly pay the money for it. The egg was done nicely and had a slight sweetness given off by the egg. Light and easily likable. Who can resist a simple egg sandwich? Not I says me.
Azuki Freezie ($6.90) - When i saw the drink, i was thinking: " oh my, another green tea?" But thankfully, this one was pretty good. Green tea with sugar/milk and crushed ice. Creativity never fails to amaze me. Either way, the drink was freezing cold and hit the spot for my sugar tooth this time around.
Salad With Orange Dressing - Something the boss added as a last minute item to the menu. Going for the same price, i'd normally rake in the praises for something free and healthy but would have to refrain from it this time. The salad itself is no contest, after all, how bad can salad be? The dressing is another story. Sour, saltish and totally unapalatable, it made me miss how normal salads should taste like. This is something no one should order....period.
Wasabi Tuna Sandwich ($5,90) - Furikake Salmon Sandwich ($5.90) - More sandwiches! The bread is the same, lightly toasted and buttered on the inside and soft on the outside. The only difference is in the stuffings which are basically wasabi laced tuna and smoked salmon. For what its worth, i liked them both. The wasabi with tuna is a no brainer winner because i simply love sniffing from the wasabi. The salmon was salty and smoked enough to leave a distinctive aftertaste which was enjoyable.
Macha Financier ($2.90) - The financier is simply a fancy name given to a simple dessert. It tastes like green tea tutu kueh with a crispy crust. There's a thin layer of sugar coated atop each financier to add to the taste but i didn't find anything noteworthy.
Macha Azuki ($4.90) - This dessert is significantly better then the Financier. Of particular mention is the red bean paste layer which made the otherwise green tea overloaded dessert bearable. Somehow, the red bean managed to contrast enough and add texture to the dessert for a more satisfying mouthful.
Macha Cotton ($2.90) - Another green tea cake dessert with an additional layer of whipped cream given. Nothing much else i can say apart from the cake being exceptionally fluffy and soft.
Macha Panna Cotta ($4.90) - By this dessert, i've had enough green tea to swear off it forever but still soldiered on to finish it. Smooth, soft and creamy with a balanced green tea taste, this turned out to be rather pleasant.
Macha Latte ($4.80) - Finally, the last item is a macha latte. Hot green tea with sugar and milk which surprisingly, turned out to be the best item i had that night simply because, its hot and served to wash everything down that came before it.
Too much of a good thing really does ruin the taste. Green tea taken by itself is decent but add all te additional stuff and it loses its purpose. The true green tea experience is one that borders on the art of serving and drinking. This version is more towards the younger fast food and Starbucks generation which probably likes the sugar in it. The sandwiches weren't half bad though.
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17 Jul 2008 at 1:08 am
First off, let me apologise for the badly taken photos of the restaurant, the place definitely looks much better when you actually see it. And it is advisable to visit it at night when it is cooler since afternoons tend to heat the primarily glass made restaurant up quite a bit.
Complimentary Bread - To its credit, the place serves good bread which is made in house. They are all served warm and definitely gives the impression of being in a fine dining restaurant with its soft, fluffy and fragrant bread. Some had hazelnuts baked into them while others had raisins and hints of coffee. Add a dash of butter and its practically a meal on its own, if you are here for lunch, my advice is to ask for as much bread as possible if you are a big eater. That's my advice, take it if you like, ignore it at your own peril.
Salmon Roll/Seasoned Baby Octopus On Bed of Mesclun Salad with Japanese Dressing/Mediterranean Caprese Salad - All of the above starters had a fresh and satisfying taste about it to usher in the actual meal. The seasoned baby octopus was soft and sweet while the salmon was light and fresh. The caprese salad tastes like a cross between fish cakes and cheese with its tangy texture and milky taste but is still pretty good in the grand scheme of things.
Capellini Arrabiatta With Prawns - This main course packs quite a punch as it is very spicy albeit still maintaining a sweet tomato taste. The pasta itself tastes like a cross between chinese bee hoon and pasta with its fine strands but is definitely softer and more springy then the usual bee hoon strands. The prawns are juicy, sweet and crunchy as well. Overall, its a good filling course for people who like it spicy.
Oven Roasted Spatchcock, fork mash potato with sage jus - Spatch cock actually refers to the way the chicken is prepared. In this sense, it means the chicken is spread flat and roasted. A taste reveals an aromatic peppery taste and tender juicy meat. Pity the serving size was rather small though.
Pan Fried Sea Bass with potatoes and foam - In all honesty, the sea bass was rather thin and small. It was pan fried rather well despite the small serving. Crispy skin with a cheesy tasting foam around it. The meat itself retained much of its natural flavors and was sweet.
Roasted Lamb Loin - The lamb was done medium rare and very nice indeed. My tasting reveals well marinated and juicy meat which went well with the stew-like bed of greens below. Due to some technical issues, the waitress accidentally gave too much pepper to the dish but still, it turned out to be my favorite item at the restaurant so far.
Tiramisu/Rum and raisin nougat - While the main courses and starters might be hit or miss items, the desserts definitely had no such issue. Made fresh and sold on the day, the desserts differ daily for the lunch menu. The tiramisu had a good balance of cheese, rum and cake which helped bring out the flavors of each section. One of the better tiramisu's i've had but thats my opinion while the nougat was an interesting mixture of raisins, rum and ice cream which is very different. Nougat being nougat, i'd expected a cake or cookie like texture but this tasted more like ice cream and it melts albeit slowly. The taste of rum is strong but thats the way i like it.
All set lunches come with a choice of coffee or tea and i must say, they serve rather good coffee. Without the sourish taste that accompanies most gourmet coffees, this one was sightly bitter, strong and quite high on the acidity scale if i'm not wrong. I had the impression that it was also smooth and its something i wouldn't miss ordering if i'm here.
Portion size aside, the lunches offer a nice variety of choices to choose from and differs weekly so you'll rarely get the same choices twice. Judging by the way the restaurant cooked the lamb, i'll brave the storm and say that they probably do good in their meats (lamb and beef) but thats to be decided after i do try their 200 day old aged wagyu beef. The view and location is nice but slightly warm during noon. The service is good and friendly and their desserts are above average. Looking forward to try their degustation menu.
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22 Jun 2008 at 12:13 am
*snigger snigger*
16 Jul 2008 at 7:36 pm