A member of the Starling Group of restaurants which include Dragon Gate, Orient Ocean, River City and the 88 Restaurant, this is the choice my dad made after a prior good experience he had with his friends.
Judging by the shots, its obvious to see that the restaurant is geared towards huge banquets and events. It says as much on their website touting their huge capacity and being a 'Perfect choice of perfect venue for any occasion.' The interior also masks the fact that the main entrance of the restaurant is actually at the carpark, convenient but in direct contrast to the posh oldies interior.
The menu we had was the cheapest of 3 sets offered. Standing at $22.80 per head, there were five limited items to order and 45 other items we could try. Everything has to be ticked and ordered and it will be served throughout the buffet.
Deep Fried Breaded Prawn Fritters - The first item i had were these fritters and i must say they tasted good. Lightly breaded, crispy and sweet. It was pretty oily though.
Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab - These crabs were just plain bad. The meat was thin and powdery to the point that even the sauces couldn't enhance its taste. Now i know why the crab was free flow, it simply isn't good.
Sweet and sour pork - This was decent. The meat was slightly crunchy without losing its inner tenderness. It was also lightly sweet and sour without being overwhelming.
Pan Fried Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce - The salmon was overly fried such that the meat tasted too dry. The sauce did not help as it was overly sweet and not appetizing in the least.
Deep Fried Chicken in Beancurd Skin - Crispy, hot and oily describes this dish. The freshness of the chicken is debatable of course but for what its worth. Everyone enjoyed it.
Baby Kai lan and Mushrooms - Bland and tasteless, the only redeeming factor to this dish is the crunchy and fresh baby kai lans.
Japanese Egg Beancurds - You can practically buy and cook this at home. The beancurds are typical supermarket quality with nothing truly special. The serving for this was huge but whats the point of big servings when no one wants to eat it?
Shark's Fin (1 serving per customer) - This is a joke through and through. I could hardly make out the shark's fin and the broth is simply too thick for its own good.
Char Siew (Roast BBQ Pork) - As nice as it looks, the roast pork is simply too dry and tough to chew on for its own good. I'm surprised they managed to mess up on something this widely available actually.
Garlic Steamed Fresh Prawns (1 Serving per customer) -A far cry from HTL but thats unfair to compare here i suppose. Their version was decent and the aroma and sauce does have a certain charm, the only gripe here is the size of the prawns, which were too small to leave a good impression.
Zhi Bao Ji(Steamed Paper Wrapped Chicken)- The meat was tender, sweet and juicy. Pretty nicely done and worth a try.
Cereal Prawns - A staple dish in almost any Chinese eatery. The cereal was strangely lacking the sweet and fragrant taste that is the norm for this dish. The prawns were adequately fresh this time around and was crunchy with the cereal. Taste was overall subdued compared to others i've had before.
Scallops and assorted veggies - To put it simply, we finished all the scallops and left all the greens intact. I'm please to say the scallops tasted fresh and thats about all i can say. =P
Deep fried Buns - A popular dish that night, we went for 3 to 4 helpings of these delectable but oily buns. There is absolutely nothing much special about them. Its your run-of-the-mill deep fried buns available for 50 cents outside but it somehow got us to have seconds and thirds of it. Go figure.
Sze Chuan Fish - This was so salty and spicy that none of us had the stomach to finish. We practically left it untouched and thats quite a waste because beneath the salty exterior, the fish inside was actually fresh.
Honeydew Sago - Pretty much stuffed with food by this point, the sago came as a relief. It wasn't sweet, which is a surprise, as the coconut milk practically robbed it of any other taste whatsoever.
The total bill for 8 people came up to $226.45 which, to me, is not worth the money given the quality of the food.
I suppose taste does vary for each individual, because my dad still felt the restaurant was good value for money while i feel its best if i don't step into it again. The food is passable though hardly memorable and the money could have been spent on healthier and better choices. Buffets that serve good Chinese food is just few and far between.
I've been told quite a few times that there was a nice restaurant in the middle of bishan park but i've never personally been there. Upon arrival, i noticed there were 2 such restaurants side by side and was forced to make a choice, feeling a wee bit exotic, i opted for the Green Room cafe instead of the Acacia which i will revisit at a later time. The Green Room cafe is a concept cafe from Asmara Spas to promote healthy eating habits which inexorably links back to the spa treatments they offer. How good is the food there though?
The location in the middle of the park is reminiscent of Bliss which is located a Punggol Park. Its interior was decent and casual with the exception of 2 rather large trees located right smack in the middle of the restaurant, making it an interesting decoration of sorts.
Vegetarian Mutton Curry with organic brown rice ($12.80) - Vegetarian mutton curry has been done many times and i have never had a good opinion of it since i perceive such foods to be filled with artificial flavorings and being totally unhealthy. This rendition was quite decent however, with the flavorings kept to a minimal and still having slight hints of mutton in it. It was not very spicy despite the use of curry leaves, cinnamon and ginger but complimented the organic brown rice really well. That said, the rice is very different. Thick, moist and chewy, this is akin to japanese rice only bigger. Interestingly good.
Indochinese Spring Rolls ($6.80) - Spring rolls. Why did i order this? Well, i figured they simply can't go wrong with spring rolls in vegetarian cuisine and i was proven right. Served piping hot, with a tangy lime, ginger and red chilli dipping sauce, this was easily enjoyable as finger food. Crunchy vegetables, spicy and sourish sauce, whats there not to like?
Portebello Field Mushroom ($12.80) - Ever since my first introduction to this big fungus, i have grown quite fond of it and its various permutations. This time, it was served with aged balsamic vinegar, homemade potato relish on a warm baked bun. The nachos went well with it as well along with the fresh salad that gave it an sweet, raw and healthy feeling experience. I was only disappointed with the size of the mushroom which really could have been bigger.
The bill for this meal came up to $38.13 which is quite a big sum to pay for the amount of food we had.
After all the good things i have said about the place, why is the score so low? Well, the fact that the food is easily prepared and the contrast between the offerings and the price is the reason, it simply doesn't feel like value for money even though the food is actually quite nicely done. Reduce the price by 30 or 40% and i'll probably return. Moving forward, if anyone wants to try the place, it might be a good idea to go during noon to enjoy the casual surroundings better.
Hong Kong food in Singapore is more or less dominated by a few names which i feel personally, still have not done the subject matter much justice. Wan Zhai Hong Kong Tea Room is a new addition which has yet to be highly commercialized but is it any good or does it fall into the same trappings as all its predecessors?
Peanut Ginseng Soup (Free with Baked Rice) - I have to say, i'm totally surprised at how tasty this soup is. It doesn't look like much but its packed with taste. The ingredients inside are plentiful (peanuts and some chicken meat) for a free item. No points for presentation but looks can be deceiving indeed.
Wasabi Seafood Baked Rice ($8.20) - The serving of baked rice is reasonable though hardly big. The reason i ordered this was because i've never tasted wasabi baked rice before so it was a novel concept for me, plus the fact that i quite keen of wasabi. The ingredients used are exactly the same as the HK Signature Hor Fan featured below, 2 mussels, 2 prawns and a smattering of fish. The unfortunate thing is that the ingredients definitely did not taste fresh to me. Prawns were powdery and lacks any crunch whatsoever, fish wasn't sweet and the mussels were a tad rubbery. The rice was normal and the wasabi was toned down for local tastes so it didn't have the kick i wanted. Average at best.
HK Signature Hor Fan ($6.30) - As mentioned above, the ingredients are the same 2 mussels, 2 prawns and some fish and the freshness is still below average. Taste-wise, the hor fan looked blackish and had a lot of pepper in it. My gf didn't finish this so thats a testament of how 'good' it is. To me, it wasn't worthy of the word 'signature' at all with its not-too-fresh ingredients, bad looks and worst of all, simple inadequate, salty and overly oily taste. The baked rice was better and that was already only an average offering.
The bill came up to $14.50 for 2 people but somehow, i still found it too expensive. The only good thing for this place is the soup sadly.
Hong Kong food is just not getting the attention and franchises over in sunny Singapore. To date, i've tried a few Hong Kong cafes and honestly, they are either too expensive, food offerings average or just plain bad. If anybody knows of a good place i can review, please let me know. Till then, my word on Hong Kong food in Singapore is that there is yet to be one worthy of the name yet.
Phin's beerhaus and grille is an unassuming, open concept eating place set on the 4th floor of Tampines mall. First looks did not impress and honestly, i've passed by this place so many times but never had the urge to try it till today. An offshoot of its bigger upmarket cousin, Phin's steakhouse, how does this lone restaurant fare? Read on.
The first thing i need to say about this restaurant is the service. We were served by a waiter jovial and professional waiter who required nothing to jote down our orders while being able to tell us exactly what they had and did not have for the day. He was also kind enough to introduce a different cut of meat which turned out rather well in my opinion. If only waiters in other establishments could be as good as him, i'd gladly pay service charges. (La Noce is another place where the service staff is simply excellent.)
Australian Grain Fed Tenderloin ($28.90) - As recommended by the waiter, i took the Australian grain fed tenderloin which was a time limited offer. According to him, the meat is superior, better marbled and contains less fat as compared to the normal offerings. I don't presume myself an expert on this matter, but i must say the meat was pretty good. Done medium rare, slightly charred on the edges with a small lump of butter sizzling atop, this reminds me of the good days when Jack's place was still making good food. That said, the meat was juicy and the butter added much to the already succulent and tasty steak. Pity about the portion size which i felt was rather small (even though it took me 15 minutes to finish.)
Soup of the Day, Garlic Bread and Salad ($19.90 set meal) - My gf's set meal, which means i got to try everything a little again, no prizes for guessing if my girth is increasing. The salad was fresh, sweet and crunchy while the garlic bread fragrant and went well with the accompanying creamy mushroom soup. A good starter.
Seafood Pesto Carbonara - This came as a surprise. The serving was quite generous with 2 huge scallops, 1 pan fried dory fillet and half slipper lobster set atop a bed of fettucinne cooked with pesto carbonara and mushrooms. The serving alone is worth commending and this is further accented by the fact that it tasted pretty good. It was quite spicy and tasted simple at the same time, allowing for an appetizing feeling without being overwhelming. The ingredients used were also equally fresh and everything tasted juicy and sweet. Nicely done.
Brownie Surprise ($8.90) - The brownie surprise really did come as a surprise because i saw more ice cream on the dish then brownies which were actually cut into small pieces and served as an accompaniment rather then the main draw. The ice cream was creamy and and smooth. The flavors served were cookies and cream, mocha and one which i can't quite make out. The brownie was rather dry but the melting ice cream made up for that oversight.
Dessert of the day (Mango Pudding with sugar icing) - The final part to the set meal was this mango pudding. Light, refreshing and sweet, this was a good ending for the meal.
The final bill came up to $67.90 for 2 people, its not cheap but the service and food quality made up for it.
I'm really quite surprised with how good this place is. I went in with very little expectations and was pleasantly surprised with the service and quality of food given its unassuming and rather small outlet. The lack of customers was also a plus for me since i dislike jostling with people when i dine, and that is difficult in a place like Tampines mall. Nonetheless, i'd recommend a try for people in the vicinity. Try it once to see if you like the place. (Though i'll say it first, the place definitely needs a cosmetic makeover and location change. *winks*)
Another long belated post, this chain of restaurants have been around since 1998 ever since a group of entrepreneurs decided to mine the niche that is the mid-level casual diners. Positioned as a casual and fun eating place at mid-level prices, Fish and Co has since opened multiple outlets throughout Singapore and overseas with new franchises such as "The Simple Life" opened to further boost their business. The question is, is the food really that great? I finally got this answered when my boss brought the crew out for a birthday lunch for a fellow team member. Thanks Boss!
Casual and slick best describes the interior of this restaurant with its soft lighting and wooden separators. Our group managed to get a personal function room all to ourselves which would have been great had the walls been soundproof. Unfortunately, that was not the case and the function room served little purpose in insulating our little gathering from the crowd that thronged outside.
Prawn Fettucini ($13.90), Salmon Cajun ($16.90), Grilled Seasonal Fish ($14.90), Swordfish Collar ($14.90), Mussels Penne ($12.90) and Peri Peri Prawns ($14.90) - The above are items had by my colleagues and boss. The food seems alright to me though a little too generic in preparation and the serving size has shrunk since i last remembered it. I did not get to try most of it so i'll be reserving my comments on these items. There is, however, a service issue with the company on this day. We kept getting wrong orders coming into our "private" room due to the fact that the entire of Fish and Co seemed to be booked by another company for their lunch function. Major points deducted on that hiccup because it didn't happen once, nor twice but as many as 4 times.
Seafood Platter for 1 ($18.90) - Aha! Finally something i had the honor to try. (In all honesty, i had a go at the fried calamari ($8.90) before this but i did not take any pictures. The calamari was pretty nicely fried and lightly battered but wasn't quite chewy nor fragrant as it should be. Decent, nothing more) This platter contained grilled herbal calamari, a healthy smattering of chips, grilled prawns, a dory fillet and rice. High points for variety and the fact that most of its items were grilled and not fried. I liked the calamari for its strong peppery taste and chewy texture but it chilled quickly in the strong air conditioned room. The prawns were quite forgettable while the dory tasted sweet but nothing too special. Overall, the seafood platter is passable but somehow did not quite satisfy my craving for good seafood.
Total bill for 7 people came to an astonishing $166.40. This is a shock to me as it certainly did not feel like we ordered enough to fill that amount.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to try out this restaurant but its probably going to be the last time i visit it or maybe second last since my gf has yet to try it. Service and room problems aside, i simply wasn't impressed with the food that was brought to the table. It came across as a underwhelming on many points. My previous impression of Fish and Co was years ago when my mom brought me there and i remembered bigger fish and smaller prices. Better yet, the fish tasted good. Guess i'm simply not "hooked" by their food anymore.
Judging by the shots, its obvious to see that the restaurant is geared towards huge banquets and events. It says as much on their website touting their huge capacity and being a 'Perfect choice of perfect venue for any occasion.' The interior also masks the fact that the main entrance of the restaurant is actually at the carpark, convenient but in direct contrast to the posh oldies interior.
The menu we had was the cheapest of 3 sets offered. Standing at $22.80 per head, there were five limited items to order and 45 other items we could try. Everything has to be ticked and ordered and it will be served throughout the buffet.
Deep Fried Breaded Prawn Fritters - The first item i had were these fritters and i must say they tasted good. Lightly breaded, crispy and sweet. It was pretty oily though.
Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab - These crabs were just plain bad. The meat was thin and powdery to the point that even the sauces couldn't enhance its taste. Now i know why the crab was free flow, it simply isn't good.
Sweet and sour pork - This was decent. The meat was slightly crunchy without losing its inner tenderness. It was also lightly sweet and sour without being overwhelming.
Pan Fried Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce - The salmon was overly fried such that the meat tasted too dry. The sauce did not help as it was overly sweet and not appetizing in the least.
Deep Fried Chicken in Beancurd Skin - Crispy, hot and oily describes this dish. The freshness of the chicken is debatable of course but for what its worth. Everyone enjoyed it.
Baby Kai lan and Mushrooms - Bland and tasteless, the only redeeming factor to this dish is the crunchy and fresh baby kai lans.
Japanese Egg Beancurds - You can practically buy and cook this at home. The beancurds are typical supermarket quality with nothing truly special. The serving for this was huge but whats the point of big servings when no one wants to eat it?
Shark's Fin (1 serving per customer) - This is a joke through and through. I could hardly make out the shark's fin and the broth is simply too thick for its own good.
Char Siew (Roast BBQ Pork) - As nice as it looks, the roast pork is simply too dry and tough to chew on for its own good. I'm surprised they managed to mess up on something this widely available actually.
Garlic Steamed Fresh Prawns (1 Serving per customer) -A far cry from HTL but thats unfair to compare here i suppose. Their version was decent and the aroma and sauce does have a certain charm, the only gripe here is the size of the prawns, which were too small to leave a good impression.
Zhi Bao Ji(Steamed Paper Wrapped Chicken)- The meat was tender, sweet and juicy. Pretty nicely done and worth a try.
Cereal Prawns - A staple dish in almost any Chinese eatery. The cereal was strangely lacking the sweet and fragrant taste that is the norm for this dish. The prawns were adequately fresh this time around and was crunchy with the cereal. Taste was overall subdued compared to others i've had before.
Scallops and assorted veggies - To put it simply, we finished all the scallops and left all the greens intact. I'm please to say the scallops tasted fresh and thats about all i can say. =P
Deep fried Buns - A popular dish that night, we went for 3 to 4 helpings of these delectable but oily buns. There is absolutely nothing much special about them. Its your run-of-the-mill deep fried buns available for 50 cents outside but it somehow got us to have seconds and thirds of it. Go figure.
Sze Chuan Fish - This was so salty and spicy that none of us had the stomach to finish. We practically left it untouched and thats quite a waste because beneath the salty exterior, the fish inside was actually fresh.
Honeydew Sago - Pretty much stuffed with food by this point, the sago came as a relief. It wasn't sweet, which is a surprise, as the coconut milk practically robbed it of any other taste whatsoever.
The total bill for 8 people came up to $226.45 which, to me, is not worth the money given the quality of the food.
I suppose taste does vary for each individual, because my dad still felt the restaurant was good value for money while i feel its best if i don't step into it again. The food is passable though hardly memorable and the money could have been spent on healthier and better choices. Buffets that serve good Chinese food is just few and far between.
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The location in the middle of the park is reminiscent of Bliss which is located a Punggol Park. Its interior was decent and casual with the exception of 2 rather large trees located right smack in the middle of the restaurant, making it an interesting decoration of sorts.
Vegetarian Mutton Curry with organic brown rice ($12.80) - Vegetarian mutton curry has been done many times and i have never had a good opinion of it since i perceive such foods to be filled with artificial flavorings and being totally unhealthy. This rendition was quite decent however, with the flavorings kept to a minimal and still having slight hints of mutton in it. It was not very spicy despite the use of curry leaves, cinnamon and ginger but complimented the organic brown rice really well. That said, the rice is very different. Thick, moist and chewy, this is akin to japanese rice only bigger. Interestingly good.
Indochinese Spring Rolls ($6.80) - Spring rolls. Why did i order this? Well, i figured they simply can't go wrong with spring rolls in vegetarian cuisine and i was proven right. Served piping hot, with a tangy lime, ginger and red chilli dipping sauce, this was easily enjoyable as finger food. Crunchy vegetables, spicy and sourish sauce, whats there not to like?
Portebello Field Mushroom ($12.80) - Ever since my first introduction to this big fungus, i have grown quite fond of it and its various permutations. This time, it was served with aged balsamic vinegar, homemade potato relish on a warm baked bun. The nachos went well with it as well along with the fresh salad that gave it an sweet, raw and healthy feeling experience. I was only disappointed with the size of the mushroom which really could have been bigger.
The bill for this meal came up to $38.13 which is quite a big sum to pay for the amount of food we had.
After all the good things i have said about the place, why is the score so low? Well, the fact that the food is easily prepared and the contrast between the offerings and the price is the reason, it simply doesn't feel like value for money even though the food is actually quite nicely done. Reduce the price by 30 or 40% and i'll probably return. Moving forward, if anyone wants to try the place, it might be a good idea to go during noon to enjoy the casual surroundings better.
claud said: Polarbear said: claud said: - 1 more comment »
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!The Portebello looks small leh. All are organic food? Perhaps that's the reason for the price?
17 Jan 2008 at 9:38 pm
Hmm... 4 stars low rating meh?
17 Jan 2008 at 11:06 pm
So if price was lower, it'll get 5 stars loh.
17 Jan 2008 at 11:52 pm
Peanut Ginseng Soup (Free with Baked Rice) - I have to say, i'm totally surprised at how tasty this soup is. It doesn't look like much but its packed with taste. The ingredients inside are plentiful (peanuts and some chicken meat) for a free item. No points for presentation but looks can be deceiving indeed.
Wasabi Seafood Baked Rice ($8.20) - The serving of baked rice is reasonable though hardly big. The reason i ordered this was because i've never tasted wasabi baked rice before so it was a novel concept for me, plus the fact that i quite keen of wasabi. The ingredients used are exactly the same as the HK Signature Hor Fan featured below, 2 mussels, 2 prawns and a smattering of fish. The unfortunate thing is that the ingredients definitely did not taste fresh to me. Prawns were powdery and lacks any crunch whatsoever, fish wasn't sweet and the mussels were a tad rubbery. The rice was normal and the wasabi was toned down for local tastes so it didn't have the kick i wanted. Average at best.
HK Signature Hor Fan ($6.30) - As mentioned above, the ingredients are the same 2 mussels, 2 prawns and some fish and the freshness is still below average. Taste-wise, the hor fan looked blackish and had a lot of pepper in it. My gf didn't finish this so thats a testament of how 'good' it is. To me, it wasn't worthy of the word 'signature' at all with its not-too-fresh ingredients, bad looks and worst of all, simple inadequate, salty and overly oily taste. The baked rice was better and that was already only an average offering.
The bill came up to $14.50 for 2 people but somehow, i still found it too expensive. The only good thing for this place is the soup sadly.
Hong Kong food is just not getting the attention and franchises over in sunny Singapore. To date, i've tried a few Hong Kong cafes and honestly, they are either too expensive, food offerings average or just plain bad. If anybody knows of a good place i can review, please let me know. Till then, my word on Hong Kong food in Singapore is that there is yet to be one worthy of the name yet.
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The first thing i need to say about this restaurant is the service. We were served by a waiter jovial and professional waiter who required nothing to jote down our orders while being able to tell us exactly what they had and did not have for the day. He was also kind enough to introduce a different cut of meat which turned out rather well in my opinion. If only waiters in other establishments could be as good as him, i'd gladly pay service charges. (La Noce is another place where the service staff is simply excellent.)
Australian Grain Fed Tenderloin ($28.90) - As recommended by the waiter, i took the Australian grain fed tenderloin which was a time limited offer. According to him, the meat is superior, better marbled and contains less fat as compared to the normal offerings. I don't presume myself an expert on this matter, but i must say the meat was pretty good. Done medium rare, slightly charred on the edges with a small lump of butter sizzling atop, this reminds me of the good days when Jack's place was still making good food. That said, the meat was juicy and the butter added much to the already succulent and tasty steak. Pity about the portion size which i felt was rather small (even though it took me 15 minutes to finish.)
Soup of the Day, Garlic Bread and Salad ($19.90 set meal) - My gf's set meal, which means i got to try everything a little again, no prizes for guessing if my girth is increasing. The salad was fresh, sweet and crunchy while the garlic bread fragrant and went well with the accompanying creamy mushroom soup. A good starter.
Seafood Pesto Carbonara - This came as a surprise. The serving was quite generous with 2 huge scallops, 1 pan fried dory fillet and half slipper lobster set atop a bed of fettucinne cooked with pesto carbonara and mushrooms. The serving alone is worth commending and this is further accented by the fact that it tasted pretty good. It was quite spicy and tasted simple at the same time, allowing for an appetizing feeling without being overwhelming. The ingredients used were also equally fresh and everything tasted juicy and sweet. Nicely done.
Brownie Surprise ($8.90) - The brownie surprise really did come as a surprise because i saw more ice cream on the dish then brownies which were actually cut into small pieces and served as an accompaniment rather then the main draw. The ice cream was creamy and and smooth. The flavors served were cookies and cream, mocha and one which i can't quite make out. The brownie was rather dry but the melting ice cream made up for that oversight.
Dessert of the day (Mango Pudding with sugar icing) - The final part to the set meal was this mango pudding. Light, refreshing and sweet, this was a good ending for the meal.
The final bill came up to $67.90 for 2 people, its not cheap but the service and food quality made up for it.
I'm really quite surprised with how good this place is. I went in with very little expectations and was pleasantly surprised with the service and quality of food given its unassuming and rather small outlet. The lack of customers was also a plus for me since i dislike jostling with people when i dine, and that is difficult in a place like Tampines mall. Nonetheless, i'd recommend a try for people in the vicinity. Try it once to see if you like the place. (Though i'll say it first, the place definitely needs a cosmetic makeover and location change. *winks*)
ladyironchef said: Lucardia said:
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Cool! so the phins at liang seah and this one has diff menu? u been to the liang seah one before?
15 Jan 2008 at 9:12 pm
Actually, not yet. Lol. I understand that Liang Seah is the steakhouse and this is the beerhaus.
15 Jan 2008 at 10:09 pm
Casual and slick best describes the interior of this restaurant with its soft lighting and wooden separators. Our group managed to get a personal function room all to ourselves which would have been great had the walls been soundproof. Unfortunately, that was not the case and the function room served little purpose in insulating our little gathering from the crowd that thronged outside.
Prawn Fettucini ($13.90), Salmon Cajun ($16.90), Grilled Seasonal Fish ($14.90), Swordfish Collar ($14.90), Mussels Penne ($12.90) and Peri Peri Prawns ($14.90) - The above are items had by my colleagues and boss. The food seems alright to me though a little too generic in preparation and the serving size has shrunk since i last remembered it. I did not get to try most of it so i'll be reserving my comments on these items. There is, however, a service issue with the company on this day. We kept getting wrong orders coming into our "private" room due to the fact that the entire of Fish and Co seemed to be booked by another company for their lunch function. Major points deducted on that hiccup because it didn't happen once, nor twice but as many as 4 times.
Seafood Platter for 1 ($18.90) - Aha! Finally something i had the honor to try. (In all honesty, i had a go at the fried calamari ($8.90) before this but i did not take any pictures. The calamari was pretty nicely fried and lightly battered but wasn't quite chewy nor fragrant as it should be. Decent, nothing more) This platter contained grilled herbal calamari, a healthy smattering of chips, grilled prawns, a dory fillet and rice. High points for variety and the fact that most of its items were grilled and not fried. I liked the calamari for its strong peppery taste and chewy texture but it chilled quickly in the strong air conditioned room. The prawns were quite forgettable while the dory tasted sweet but nothing too special. Overall, the seafood platter is passable but somehow did not quite satisfy my craving for good seafood.
Total bill for 7 people came to an astonishing $166.40. This is a shock to me as it certainly did not feel like we ordered enough to fill that amount.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to try out this restaurant but its probably going to be the last time i visit it or maybe second last since my gf has yet to try it. Service and room problems aside, i simply wasn't impressed with the food that was brought to the table. It came across as a underwhelming on many points. My previous impression of Fish and Co was years ago when my mom brought me there and i remembered bigger fish and smaller prices. Better yet, the fish tasted good. Guess i'm simply not "hooked" by their food anymore.
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