Italian restaurants usually leave a bad taste in my mouth due to the fact that we are paying an awful lot for a paltry amount of food. Still, one does not deny that when Italian food is done well, the results very are often worth it. Romano Ristorante is strangely billed as a casual dining place for Italian fare which is a paradox of sorts since, casual and Italian are seldom used in tandem. Nonetheless, me and a recently promoted executive braved bad traffic and horrible directions to find this little corner for our little get together.
Located immediately to the right of Madam Q's, i'd say the 2 restaurants are direct competitors since they are both offering the same type of cuisine. However, i hope their level of offerings are not similar since my impression of the former was not something to shout about, you can read my impression of Madam Q here. The interior of Romano is bright, warm and cosy with an equally nice lady who offers wonderful service by providing small talk and general information about the food offerings. Simple but comfortable.
Bruschetta ($6.90) - Having read in my friend's blog about the bruschetta, i was tempted to try it out myself. And honest to goodness, it was very well done. Garlic based bread, lightly toasted till its crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, sweet juicy tomatoes complimented with peso sauce and assorted spices. The serving was generous but still felt as though it wasn't enough, always a good sign. Very nicely done.
Beef Lasagna ($14.90) - My order for a main course that day was none other then a lasagna. I've heard that if you wanted to know what the soul of an Italian restaurant is, you have to try out their lasagna. And so i did. My impression is that their soul is *drum roll* ----salty! I could barely make out the taste of the tomatoes as everything is overshadowed by a thick layer of salted beef. The cheese also seemed non present in this rendition and it basically seemed like they tipped the entrie bottle of salt into the dish. We did not get halfway through before we had to give up. Not recommended.
Fettucini Alfredo ($11.90) - The second best item that night after the bruschetta. The cream base was well done and had a good balance of cheese present in them. The turkey ham was slightly salty but was balanced by the sweet tasting cream base while the spaghetti was springy and chewy. Enjoyable but nothing outstanding.
Parmesan Ham Pizza ($13.90) - This pizza embodies the soul of the restaurant as well, which means its darn salty yet again. A good thing to note is that the crust was thin, pizza size was huge for the price and the parmesan cheese was fragrant. Other then that, its salty salty salty.
Tiramisu ($7.90) - Having had an excess of salt by now, we figured we'd give the place one more try at redemption since the lady was offering wonderful service. The tiramisu we ordered looked exactly like the one we had from Madam Q, but was decidedly better. The cake was readily apparent and sweet tasting. The cream was soft and fluffy but i couldn't taste the rum at all. Thus, the entire experience felt like i was eating a simple cake instead of Tiramisu. Passable but could be better.
The bill came up to $61.05, which is about $30 per person. Its not very expensive but not really value for money either.
I like the service rendered and the generally cheap price. We came away very full but felt overwhelmed with salt which seemed to be the main order that day. Overall, the experience was pleasant but the food was average. There may be a few more gems in the menu along the league of the Bruschetta or Fettucine which may warrant a revisit to try, but the bad items are truly something i wouldn't want to go through again. Mixed feelings about the restaurant but i'll probably brave it again to find the gems amidst the sea of salt.
Wild Rocket is the brainchild of lawyer turned chef, Mr Willin Low. After his stint as a lawyer, he promptly gave it up to take court in a different field, the kitchen. Singaporean at heart, his dishes are simple yet with a Singaporean twist. And this was our choice location for a lazy Sunday brunch.
Nestled on the top of Mount Emily, accessibility is a matter of driving the right vehicle up as walking is a terrible option when factoring the uphill climb with the ever growing sun. Parking was also a problem as the Wild Rocket carpark had only 4 to 5 lots which were easily taken up and the pathway is so narrow that certain vehicles simply cannot turn in them.
Complimentary Bread - The bread was served without much fanfare and tasted bland. It was served warm but not soft enough and was overly porous, giving it a fluffy and spongy taste that was not pleasing. Still, the place is not known for fine dining so this came as a surprise.
The Wild Rocket Burger ($17.80) - Signature dish that bears the restaurants name. This is billed as one of the must-try dishes at Wild Rocket and i'm inclined to agree. The beef burger is mashed well and comes at a decent size (approximately 3 mouthfuls for 3 people). The accompanying tomato salsa adds a tinge of sweet, sour and spicy to the fresh beefy taste, making it all the more delectable. I could complain about the fries though, which was served in little cubes which seems overly fried and had salt crystals easily apparent on the sides. Overall, the patty is of a pretty good quality though.
Ricotta Jack Fruit Pancake ($8.50) - n case you were wondering, no, this is not taken after we ate. This was taken the moment it arrived and yep, we paid $8.50 for a fried jack fruit and 2 pancakes. (ouch!) This came as quite a shock to me as the website shows a towering tray full of pancakes covered in savory cranberry sauce. Astonishment aside, the pancake was nicely done with small slices of jack fruit mixed into the pancake for added taste. It was also soft and emitted a fragrant aftertaste in your mouth. Pity about the portion size though.
Laksa Pesto Linguine with Tiger Prawns and Quail Egg ($17) - An interesting twist to a simple dish. As mentioned, Willin is a Singaporean and so, voila! this creation. By adding corianda and chilli flakes to bring out a decidedly laksa flavor, the dish was foreign yet familiar at the same time. However, the dish only came with 3 prawns and 1 and a half quail eggs which is rather miserly. An interesting deviation but overly pricey for its portion.
Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Beef Sausages and Toast ($15.50) - This can be summed into 2 words: Salty Mistake. We ordered this after noticing other tables with generous portions of the item but i suppose perceptual errors are evident here. The sausages were small and very salty as is the eggs. I can't quite agree with the word "fresh" beef sausages as well because it certainly didn't seem that way. Will i order this again? Well, i believe you know the answer.
Kueh Buloh Tiramisu ($8.50) - I'm unsure as to whether the Kueh Buloh refers to the ice cream beneath but this was pretty well done. A layer of cream, cake and ice cream all piled on top of the other. Surprisingly, i wonder how this can be called a tiramisu because i've certainly never seen the like of this before. That aside, the ice cream was flavorful and sweet with the cake (kueh?) layer adding needed texture to each spoonful.
Chocolate Gateau with Ice Cream ($13) - The dark chocolate gateau came across as expensive to me since its $13 a pop for a pretty small sized cake. This however, seems justified after the taste test because the cake had a slightly crispy outer shell and a thick molten chocolate core for added effect. The chocolate was just right being neither too sweet nor too bitter while the simple vanilla ice cream balanced out the overall experience.
The bill came up to $94.50 for 3 people which is rather expensive for the portion sizes of most of the items.
Nice, relaxed and laid back environment makes it a great place to just sit back and enjoy a simple decent meal. Price wise, it does strike me as a little too expensive and some items not worth the try but the overall quality of offerings are better then most i've had elsewhere. The Singaporean twist also adds variety which may warrant future visits but maybe after a significant raise in salary? =P
My Humble House, part of the prestigious Tung Lok Group and helmed by celebrity chef Sam Leong, is also one of the few restaurants in Singapore that made the top 100 list of British Food Magazine "Restaurant". The hype alone made a visit to the place necessary and we finally conquered the management to grant us photo taking rights during their 5th Anniversary celebration held recently. The celebration promised free flow buffets of Foie Gras, Scallops, Lobsters, Wagyu beef and wine which sounded way too tempting to decline, and so, we went.
The interior was impressive and nicely designed in a chic and slick way. Prepare for an assault on your visual senses as you step into a totally different environment filled with soft lighting, mainly white and black furniture and a combination of sensual candlelight with moving, colored displays. Relaxed would have been the word if not for the fact that the cocktail reception method required us to stand throughout our meals. The place was also packed with people as they mingled and networked throughout the reception, more interested in connections then the actual food prepared. That said, the reception was done such that portions were served for almost all items except dessert, which is either a boon or a bane depending or personal preferences, for this reviewer, it was a bane as the portions served were minuscule and requests for more servings were met with strange looks.
Peking Duck - I found the pancake tasting too much of egg and the skin a little too fatty for my tastes. Its also practically tasteless since i did not return for subsequent helpings and the long queue did not help one bit.
Shrimp, Chicken Meat and Pork - The moment you enter, you'll notice young ladies carrying trays of food asking you to try one of the items above. Each item was well made and tasted wonderful in bite sized portions. However, you need to be quick to catch them before they walk off again to serve others.
Foie Gras (Goose liver) - The item with the longest queue was the Foie Gras. Somehow, i was expecting a steady flow of this item from the kitchen but that was not to be. It was prepared piece by piece on a small grilling plate in plain view and everybody queued up for this. It also frequently ran out of stock and people had to wait even longer for them to prepare the item again. Taste wise, its average at best with the pan frying and batter being unevenly cooked at parts and the foie gras itself less smooth then other offerings i've had before. Decent but not worth waiting for.
A picture of the wines offered - Do not be deceived. You do not get to bring bottles of wine home. The 'free flow' is indeed true but limited to only small tastes at a time. There were a few really good wines distributed among the 6 counters, each touting wines of different origins but these were mostly commercial ventures instead of free providers. Basically, each tasting session is accompanied by a brief introduction of the wine and where you can get it, asking for more is possible but still nets you less then half a glass which may or may not be a good thing. For me, i love wine, be it red or white and i love champagne, so when i ask for more, i mean more. Not another few drops in my already diminishing glass. Nonetheless, i do not deny they had a few pretty good offerings.
Wagyu Beef - The wagyu beef, one of the main draws for attending the celebration. Its served in bite sized pieces yet again and done medium well. The above actually shows the beef in super zoom and after asking for bigger portions twice. It is that small and i'm not kidding. The counter also happens to be one of the least occupied which meant our group frequented it the a lot. I counted at least 10 trips to that counter alone and still it did not fill me up. Taste wise, i could not discern if it was indeed wagyu because the texture and meat quality seems average. The thai sauce also took plenty of focus away from the meat, leaving us wondering if it was beef or pork we just had. Its decent but debatable.
Chocolate Fondant - One of the few desserts prepared on the spot as the rest were cakes (Badly made ones too.) The fondant was nothing special as the cake was tasteless and quivery. The molten chocolate also felt rather tasteless as it was neither sweet nor bitter.
Space @ My Humble House - We adjourned to the second location after much disappointment wishing for a glimmer of hope and a glimpse of the promised lobster.
Crispy Chicken Rice - One of the better items for the day, the crispy chicken rice used rice crispies akin to Kellog's corn flakes and added chicken shreds with an assortment of wolfberries and greens. Soup was then added to the concoction and served. I've never had this before so it came as a surprise, a pleasant one at that. Crunchy and fragrant with the usual Hainanese chicken rice taste. Worth a try.
Lobster Po Piah - Wondering where the lobster was? Its right here! In the popiah. It didn't surprise me in the least that the portion of lobster meat present in them was pathetic since it seems to be the order of the day at Humble House so far. The popiah was nicely done but i could not taste much of the lobster even after we took out the lobster meat itself. Another attempt at cost cutting? Bravo!
After the event, all i could feel was the pinch at having spent $80 for this 'celebration'. Sure, we were full but i'm sure we didn't even come close to covering our cost for eating here. At best, the portions i had could have been $35 worth of food. Perhaps the hype was too much and we expected more from this prestigious place, but judging on this event alone, the food was average at best and the servings were meager and stingy. Also, having to queue for food when i've paid $80 is unheard of and silly. To be fair, i've heard that the normal offerings are of a higher quality and usually, mass production simply does not produce good results in terms of food. However, that does not change the fact that the event could have been managed better and the guests taken better care of. Portions should have been bigger and given more readily when asked and seats should have been given. And although, everything promised by the marketing department was given, the should not give the impression of trying to scrimp and save on the offerings by cutting corners and making people wait. The overall experience has not been a good one and i will be hard pressed to find a reason to return.
claudsaid: Wow! Jon u got still alot of reviews haven't post ah? This came so late. :P 02 Jan 2008 at 9:24 pm
Lucardiasaid: Ya lor. Very late indeed. Don't worry. I'm getting there already... i count about 12 more than will be up to date liao. hehe 02 Jan 2008 at 9:30 pm
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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.
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.
1=SGD 0.0587
Located immediately to the right of Madam Q's, i'd say the 2 restaurants are direct competitors since they are both offering the same type of cuisine. However, i hope their level of offerings are not similar since my impression of the former was not something to shout about, you can read my impression of Madam Q here. The interior of Romano is bright, warm and cosy with an equally nice lady who offers wonderful service by providing small talk and general information about the food offerings. Simple but comfortable.
Bruschetta ($6.90) - Having read in my friend's blog about the bruschetta, i was tempted to try it out myself. And honest to goodness, it was very well done. Garlic based bread, lightly toasted till its crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, sweet juicy tomatoes complimented with peso sauce and assorted spices. The serving was generous but still felt as though it wasn't enough, always a good sign. Very nicely done.
Beef Lasagna ($14.90) - My order for a main course that day was none other then a lasagna. I've heard that if you wanted to know what the soul of an Italian restaurant is, you have to try out their lasagna. And so i did. My impression is that their soul is *drum roll* ----salty! I could barely make out the taste of the tomatoes as everything is overshadowed by a thick layer of salted beef. The cheese also seemed non present in this rendition and it basically seemed like they tipped the entrie bottle of salt into the dish. We did not get halfway through before we had to give up. Not recommended.
Fettucini Alfredo ($11.90) - The second best item that night after the bruschetta. The cream base was well done and had a good balance of cheese present in them. The turkey ham was slightly salty but was balanced by the sweet tasting cream base while the spaghetti was springy and chewy. Enjoyable but nothing outstanding.
Parmesan Ham Pizza ($13.90) - This pizza embodies the soul of the restaurant as well, which means its darn salty yet again. A good thing to note is that the crust was thin, pizza size was huge for the price and the parmesan cheese was fragrant. Other then that, its salty salty salty.
Tiramisu ($7.90) - Having had an excess of salt by now, we figured we'd give the place one more try at redemption since the lady was offering wonderful service. The tiramisu we ordered looked exactly like the one we had from Madam Q, but was decidedly better. The cake was readily apparent and sweet tasting. The cream was soft and fluffy but i couldn't taste the rum at all. Thus, the entire experience felt like i was eating a simple cake instead of Tiramisu. Passable but could be better.
The bill came up to $61.05, which is about $30 per person. Its not very expensive but not really value for money either.
I like the service rendered and the generally cheap price. We came away very full but felt overwhelmed with salt which seemed to be the main order that day. Overall, the experience was pleasant but the food was average. There may be a few more gems in the menu along the league of the Bruschetta or Fettucine which may warrant a revisit to try, but the bad items are truly something i wouldn't want to go through again. Mixed feelings about the restaurant but i'll probably brave it again to find the gems amidst the sea of salt.
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Nestled on the top of Mount Emily, accessibility is a matter of driving the right vehicle up as walking is a terrible option when factoring the uphill climb with the ever growing sun. Parking was also a problem as the Wild Rocket carpark had only 4 to 5 lots which were easily taken up and the pathway is so narrow that certain vehicles simply cannot turn in them.
Complimentary Bread - The bread was served without much fanfare and tasted bland. It was served warm but not soft enough and was overly porous, giving it a fluffy and spongy taste that was not pleasing. Still, the place is not known for fine dining so this came as a surprise.
The Wild Rocket Burger ($17.80) - Signature dish that bears the restaurants name. This is billed as one of the must-try dishes at Wild Rocket and i'm inclined to agree. The beef burger is mashed well and comes at a decent size (approximately 3 mouthfuls for 3 people). The accompanying tomato salsa adds a tinge of sweet, sour and spicy to the fresh beefy taste, making it all the more delectable. I could complain about the fries though, which was served in little cubes which seems overly fried and had salt crystals easily apparent on the sides. Overall, the patty is of a pretty good quality though.
Ricotta Jack Fruit Pancake ($8.50) - n case you were wondering, no, this is not taken after we ate. This was taken the moment it arrived and yep, we paid $8.50 for a fried jack fruit and 2 pancakes. (ouch!) This came as quite a shock to me as the website shows a towering tray full of pancakes covered in savory cranberry sauce. Astonishment aside, the pancake was nicely done with small slices of jack fruit mixed into the pancake for added taste. It was also soft and emitted a fragrant aftertaste in your mouth. Pity about the portion size though.
Laksa Pesto Linguine with Tiger Prawns and Quail Egg ($17) - An interesting twist to a simple dish. As mentioned, Willin is a Singaporean and so, voila! this creation. By adding corianda and chilli flakes to bring out a decidedly laksa flavor, the dish was foreign yet familiar at the same time. However, the dish only came with 3 prawns and 1 and a half quail eggs which is rather miserly. An interesting deviation but overly pricey for its portion.
Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Beef Sausages and Toast ($15.50) - This can be summed into 2 words: Salty Mistake. We ordered this after noticing other tables with generous portions of the item but i suppose perceptual errors are evident here. The sausages were small and very salty as is the eggs. I can't quite agree with the word "fresh" beef sausages as well because it certainly didn't seem that way. Will i order this again? Well, i believe you know the answer.
Kueh Buloh Tiramisu ($8.50) - I'm unsure as to whether the Kueh Buloh refers to the ice cream beneath but this was pretty well done. A layer of cream, cake and ice cream all piled on top of the other. Surprisingly, i wonder how this can be called a tiramisu because i've certainly never seen the like of this before. That aside, the ice cream was flavorful and sweet with the cake (kueh?) layer adding needed texture to each spoonful.
Chocolate Gateau with Ice Cream ($13) - The dark chocolate gateau came across as expensive to me since its $13 a pop for a pretty small sized cake. This however, seems justified after the taste test because the cake had a slightly crispy outer shell and a thick molten chocolate core for added effect. The chocolate was just right being neither too sweet nor too bitter while the simple vanilla ice cream balanced out the overall experience.
The bill came up to $94.50 for 3 people which is rather expensive for the portion sizes of most of the items.
Nice, relaxed and laid back environment makes it a great place to just sit back and enjoy a simple decent meal. Price wise, it does strike me as a little too expensive and some items not worth the try but the overall quality of offerings are better then most i've had elsewhere. The Singaporean twist also adds variety which may warrant future visits but maybe after a significant raise in salary? =P
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!You had a significant raise in salary my friend. How does brunch sound this sat? LOL :p
02 Jan 2008 at 10:38 pm
erm....not significant enough for that ATM. lol
02 Jan 2008 at 10:55 pm
The interior was impressive and nicely designed in a chic and slick way. Prepare for an assault on your visual senses as you step into a totally different environment filled with soft lighting, mainly white and black furniture and a combination of sensual candlelight with moving, colored displays. Relaxed would have been the word if not for the fact that the cocktail reception method required us to stand throughout our meals. The place was also packed with people as they mingled and networked throughout the reception, more interested in connections then the actual food prepared. That said, the reception was done such that portions were served for almost all items except dessert, which is either a boon or a bane depending or personal preferences, for this reviewer, it was a bane as the portions served were minuscule and requests for more servings were met with strange looks.
Peking Duck - I found the pancake tasting too much of egg and the skin a little too fatty for my tastes. Its also practically tasteless since i did not return for subsequent helpings and the long queue did not help one bit.
Shrimp, Chicken Meat and Pork - The moment you enter, you'll notice young ladies carrying trays of food asking you to try one of the items above. Each item was well made and tasted wonderful in bite sized portions. However, you need to be quick to catch them before they walk off again to serve others.
Foie Gras (Goose liver) - The item with the longest queue was the Foie Gras. Somehow, i was expecting a steady flow of this item from the kitchen but that was not to be. It was prepared piece by piece on a small grilling plate in plain view and everybody queued up for this. It also frequently ran out of stock and people had to wait even longer for them to prepare the item again. Taste wise, its average at best with the pan frying and batter being unevenly cooked at parts and the foie gras itself less smooth then other offerings i've had before. Decent but not worth waiting for.
A picture of the wines offered - Do not be deceived. You do not get to bring bottles of wine home. The 'free flow' is indeed true but limited to only small tastes at a time. There were a few really good wines distributed among the 6 counters, each touting wines of different origins but these were mostly commercial ventures instead of free providers. Basically, each tasting session is accompanied by a brief introduction of the wine and where you can get it, asking for more is possible but still nets you less then half a glass which may or may not be a good thing. For me, i love wine, be it red or white and i love champagne, so when i ask for more, i mean more. Not another few drops in my already diminishing glass. Nonetheless, i do not deny they had a few pretty good offerings.
Wagyu Beef - The wagyu beef, one of the main draws for attending the celebration. Its served in bite sized pieces yet again and done medium well. The above actually shows the beef in super zoom and after asking for bigger portions twice. It is that small and i'm not kidding. The counter also happens to be one of the least occupied which meant our group frequented it the a lot. I counted at least 10 trips to that counter alone and still it did not fill me up. Taste wise, i could not discern if it was indeed wagyu because the texture and meat quality seems average. The thai sauce also took plenty of focus away from the meat, leaving us wondering if it was beef or pork we just had. Its decent but debatable.
Chocolate Fondant - One of the few desserts prepared on the spot as the rest were cakes (Badly made ones too.) The fondant was nothing special as the cake was tasteless and quivery. The molten chocolate also felt rather tasteless as it was neither sweet nor bitter.
Space @ My Humble House - We adjourned to the second location after much disappointment wishing for a glimmer of hope and a glimpse of the promised lobster.
Crispy Chicken Rice - One of the better items for the day, the crispy chicken rice used rice crispies akin to Kellog's corn flakes and added chicken shreds with an assortment of wolfberries and greens. Soup was then added to the concoction and served. I've never had this before so it came as a surprise, a pleasant one at that. Crunchy and fragrant with the usual Hainanese chicken rice taste. Worth a try.
Lobster Po Piah - Wondering where the lobster was? Its right here! In the popiah. It didn't surprise me in the least that the portion of lobster meat present in them was pathetic since it seems to be the order of the day at Humble House so far. The popiah was nicely done but i could not taste much of the lobster even after we took out the lobster meat itself. Another attempt at cost cutting? Bravo!
After the event, all i could feel was the pinch at having spent $80 for this 'celebration'. Sure, we were full but i'm sure we didn't even come close to covering our cost for eating here. At best, the portions i had could have been $35 worth of food. Perhaps the hype was too much and we expected more from this prestigious place, but judging on this event alone, the food was average at best and the servings were meager and stingy. Also, having to queue for food when i've paid $80 is unheard of and silly. To be fair, i've heard that the normal offerings are of a higher quality and usually, mass production simply does not produce good results in terms of food.
However, that does not change the fact that the event could have been managed better and the guests taken better care of. Portions should have been bigger and given more readily when asked and seats should have been given. And although, everything promised by the marketing department was given, the should not give the impression of trying to scrimp and save on the offerings by cutting corners and making people wait. The overall experience has not been a good one and i will be hard pressed to find a reason to return.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Wow! Jon u got still alot of reviews haven't post ah? This came so late. :P
02 Jan 2008 at 9:24 pm
Ya lor. Very late indeed. Don't worry. I'm getting there already... i count about 12 more than will be up to date liao. hehe
02 Jan 2008 at 9:30 pm
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.
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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.
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