http://sparklette.net/food/tobys-estate/ http://sparklette.net/food/tobys-estate/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:00:35 +0000 Melissa Koh http://sparklette.net/?p=1239

Launched in October 2011, Toby’s Estate sits in the picturesque enclave of Robertson Quay. At the forefront of the coffee industry in Australia, Toby’s Estate has finally expanded its empire to Singapore where coffee aficionados have been anticipating its opening.

The casual café introduces a diverse range of coffee, including high altitude Arabica beans from around the globe, and sophisticated brewing techniques. The beans are combined such that their flavours complement one another without losing their individual qualities.

As you enter, you will smell the enticing aroma of freshly ground coffee. What greets you is a gigantic steel roaster that reaches the top of the 6 metre tall ceiling.

The spacious, modern rustic setting allows patrons to feel at ease. The high ceiling makes a visually impressive interior; brightly lit and airy, with natural light illuminating the café through tall windows. Do not miss the large hand-painted mural above the counter that illustrates the coffee journey from the bean to the cup.

If you so wish, you may opt for alfresco seating where you can enjoy the fresh air and occasional river breeze.

Along the long bench where you can have a cuppa with your companions, you will find a coffee tree sprouting from the centre.

Sacks of high quality coffee beans imported from all over the world are stacked up at the side of the café, waiting to be roasted.

Coffee beans are roasted and brewed daily on-site, ensuring freshness and control of the flavour profile of the beans, preventing any loss of their delicate flavours and aromas.

The best seat in the house has to be at the counter bar, where you can witness the coffee action going on behind the counters as the baristas inject passion into every concoction.

All the baristas are technically experienced in coffee brewing and are further trained specially in the field by a highly experienced coffee roaster master. Singapore’s award winning barista, Suhaimie, is the second hire right after Alvaro Sanchez from Australia.

On one side of the counter you will find glass beakers and flasks resembling a chemistry lab set-up. You will discover different extraction methods such as the Chemex and Siphon.

Currently, Toby’s Estate is showcasing three Cup of Excellence Origins from Costa Rica, Guatemala and Colombia.

You can go for the Rodyk blend, named after Rodyk Street, the café’s address in Singapore. This house blend is a smooth coffee with a spicy nose and long lingering berry chocolate after-taste. It tastes great with milk and is very well rounded as an espresso.

Espresso
S$3.50++ / S$5++ with milk

Porcelain mugs are excellent in allowing coffee to taste its best; porcelain maintains the warmth longer which helps preserves the flavour.

Latte
S$5++

If espressos are too intense for your liking, then go for a cup of latte with perfectly frothed milk instead.

Babycino
S$3++

For a kid-friendly beverage, try the Babycino, a hot chocolate drink.

To complement the beverages, a beautiful array of handmade pastries is available, sedulously sourced from local independent bakers.

Artisan pastries
S$6++

As Toby’s Estate is still adjusting the food menu, the following introductory dishes may or may not be available in future.

Fresh fruit salad
Price unavailable

The fresh fruit salad comprises of watermelon, papaya, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries and pears served with a side of yoghurt. It is a healthy and refreshing way to kick-start your day with something light on your digestive system.

Tomato salad with pomegranate
Price unavailable

The tomato salad with pomegranate boasts thick succulent slices of tomatoes, with pomegranate arils adding lovely textures. The acidity in the fruits is well balanced with the liberal drizzle of dressing that is light and overall nicely seasoned.

This salad is great for the heart and throat, providing a rich source of vitamins and a healthful counterbalance to a diet high in sweet-fatty components.

Ciabatta toast with organic jam, marmalade or vegemite
S$4++

Ham and scrambled eggs
Price unavailable

A hearty and nutritious breakfast provides fuel for a busy day ahead! While the ham and scrambled eggs is not yet available on the menu, an interesting alternative is Toby’s Breakfast, a composition of scrambled eggs, back bacon, roasted tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms served with fresh orange juice (S$18++).

Smoked salmon and eggs
Price unavailable

Beans on toast
Price unavailable

Load up on fibres and carbohydrates with beans on toast. The beans are sufficiently soft, with the bread slightly dampened by the sauce yet maintaining its crispy crust.

Green salad with balsamic dressing
S$8++

For the health junkies, you can go for the palate cleansing green salad with balsamic dressing. This low calorie salad is a mixture of fresh greens, composed of both leafy and non-leafy vegetables. Amidst the varying shades of green you will find lettuce varieties, rocket greens, cucumber and long beans torn into bite-sized fragments and tossed with oil and vinegar.

Asian chicken and noodle salad
Price unavailable

The Asian chicken and noodle salad encompasses a magnificent interplay of ingredients, soba noodles, bite-sized chicken pieces, lettuce, cucumber, onions, red bell peppers and a generous sprinkle of crushed peanuts to name a few. The tender chicken has a familiar taste, which I recognise as being somewhat similar to Hainanese chicken. The contrasting blend of tastes and textures is ingratiating and makes a mouthwatering revelation.

If you are inspired to brew your own drink, coffee beans, tea leaves and drinking chocolate are available for purchase, as well as coffee equipment and accessories.

The drinking chocolate is a unique blend of the cocoa with powdered sugar ideal for a rich hot chocolate or a cappuccino dusting.

Toby’s Estate Keep Cup 8oz

The environmentally friendly take-away cup is reusable, unbreakable and dishwasher safe, with a 4-year life span after which it can be recycled.

Also available for purchase is the book Coffee Trails, in which founder Toby Smith spills the beans on his coffee journey across the globe. The book offers a commentary of his travels companied by wonderful pictures captured by photographer Garrett Robinson. Packing 11 countries into their itinerary and documenting their odyssey to the great growing coffee regions of the world; Coffee Trails details Smith’s personal philosophies on different coffee plantations, the harvesting and processing techniques each country employs and how it impacts the end product that lands in his coffee houses.

As Singaporeans are gaining deeper appreciation for quality coffee, Toby’s Estate is a place where coffee lovers can convene for gourmet coffee. Plus, with the free wi-fi to entice the laptop carrying crowd, you may just be tempted to stay here all day long!

Have Your Say!

Where can you sip on the best coffee in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Toby’s Estate
8 Rodyk Street #01-03/04
Singapore 238216
Tel: +65 6636 7629 | Website

Opening hours: 7am – 6pm daily

These posts may be related

• Tinge of Blue at SAFRA Mount Faber – Cafe by the Pool
  1,594
• Chiang Mai, Thailand – Vieng Joom On Teahouse, Possibly the World’s Pinkest Café
  2,767
• Stevo’s Salads n Such – A Good Mix!
  4,244
• Oriole Cafe & Bar Turns Milk into Silky Works of Art
  6,081

---

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/tobys-estate/ | Leave a comment

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net

]]> http://sparklette.net/food/tobys-estate/feed/ 0

Having had a great dining experience at Kha previously, I could not wait to see what delights its neighbour has to offer.

Starters

Bread with white bean and baby carrot dip

The house-baked bread is both earthy and hearty. Paired with a white bean dip and baby carrots, it provides a very interesting taste.

Soy cured snapper with green pea cream
S$20++

Nicely executed, the soy cured snapper has a chewy texture and goes surprisingly well with the green pea cream and spring peas.

Crispy smoked eel
S$21++

Fried till just right, I particularly enjoy the way that the beetroot dressing highlights the freshness of the crispy smoked eel.

Upside-down duck pie
S$22++

The upside-down duck pie is teamed with a side of pickled vegetables, reminiscent of the Asian achar. I find the duck a bit dry and can do with more fat.

Mains

Grilled jumbo tiger prawns
S$34++

The overall combination of tangy grapefruit, crisp frites and sea urchin butter complements the fresh and firm grilled jumbo tiger prawns, de-shelled for your immediate eating enjoyment.

Over-baked sea bass with lemongrass curry
S$32++

Light, sweet and full of spices, the fragrant lemongrass curry gives the sea bass a whole new dimension of flavour.

300g Australian Kurobuta pork chop
S$36++

While the accompanying pear chutney is light and refreshing on the palate, the Kurobuta pork chop can be slightly more tender. Ready yourself for the extremely juicy cherry tomatoes, whose sweet juices will burst out at the poke of a fork.

240g Wagyu rump steak
S$48++

Done till pink, the Wagyu rump steak is extremely succulent and pairs well with the piquant chimichurri. The tempura spring onion also brings a much welcomed crunch.

Desserts

Piña colada
S$14++

A fresh and intriguing take on the classic Spanish piña colada cocktail, this coconut dessert will not disappoint. I especially enjoy the nutty exterior of the coconut parfait and spiced pineapples that lends extra sweetness.

White sherry and strawberry trifle
S$14++

While the sherry adds oomph, the strawberry trifle is only average at best.

Black and White
S$15++

With a lovely sesame snap wafer, rich Valrhona dark chocolate cream, vanilla bean ice cream and a great mix of fresh and freeze-dried fruits, it’s no surprise that the Black and White is the highlight of the meal. A definite must-order!

Graze at Martin No. 38 provides tasty Australian cuisine in a comfortable and airy ambiance, making this a very attractive place to catch up with friends over a meal.

Where can you enjoy the best Australian fares in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

These posts may be related

• Tinge of Blue at SAFRA Mount Faber – Cafe by the Pool
  1,594
• Roast at One Rochester – Let’s Partake in Communal Dining
  14,007
• Marmalade Pantry at the Stables (Fairways Drive) – Bistro Delights with a Touch of Nature
  2,494
• Wave House Sentosa – Making Waves in Singapore
  2,330

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/graze-martin-38/ | 1 comment

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net

Barossa at Esplanade boasts a relaxed waterfront setting, with the staff engaging diners in friendly chatter. The alfresco dining area allows you to enjoy the light breeze that seemingly blows your troubles away. And if it doesn’t, there is always beer.

All-You-Can-Eat Ribs

The all-you-can-eat ribs promotion takes place at Barossa once a week on Thursday evenings.

Braised lamb ribs

If you are fond of lamb, the braised lamb ribs exhibit just the right shade of pink. The meat is very tender, with my knife slicing through easily.

BBQ baby back ribs

The BBQ baby back ribs come smothered in a tantalising barbecue sauce that is so alive with flavour, it literally dances upon the tongue. The restaurant spends 4 to 6 hours making the sauce, reducing it to a thick concentration of flavours.

While these may not be the fleshiest ribs around (like Tony Roma’s but unlike Jerry’s BBQ), I eagerly ask for a second helping nonetheless; the painstakingly-made sauce is simply irresistible.

Grilled Kurobuta pork

For the time being, the grilled Kurobuta pork replaces the oven-roasted pork ribs on the menu due to some health concerns. It is one meaty chunk of white meat, mildly seasoned and great for making full use of the dips.

The ribs are partnered with four dips (from left): tomato jam, honey mustard, red wine sauce and lamb sauce. The tomato jam and honey mustard are certainly the most robust and delicious of the lot. I can’t help but drench all my meats (except for the BBQ ribs) in them.

To cleanse your palate, a selection of four non-meaty sides are served alongside the ribs (clockwise from top left): sautéed mushrooms, mashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables and potato gratin. But let’s face it; who’s really tucking into those when you have the succulent ribs right in front of you?

Barossa salad
S$13++

If you do really love the greens, the Barossa salad is a refreshing and healthful choice, a sweet mix of tomato, pine nut, walnut, bacon bits and avocado dressed in cranberry and mustard.

To wash down the ribs, beer is a perfectly acceptable beverage. You can top up S$10 for free-flowing Archipelago beer. Can’t seem to make up your mind on which beer to go for? Get the beer sampler set which has four types of beer in 30ml glasses: Belgian Wit, Summer Ale, Bohemian Lager and Irish Ale.

If you pride yourself on being a confirmed and committed carnivore, you definitely do not want to miss the all-you-can-eat ribs at Barossa Esplanade every Thursday. Just be sure to go there on an empty stomach.

What are the best dining destinations in Singapore for carnivores? Share with us in the comments!

Barossa Esplanade

Esplanade Mall
8 Raffles Avenue #01-11
Singapore 038981
Tel: +65 6534 5188
Service:

Barossa Holland Village

These posts may be related

• Hippopotamus Restaurant Grill – You’ll Find Quality Meat Here
  8,800
• Dallas Restaurant & Bar – Small Bites
  4,654
• Jerry’s BBQ & Grill – Jerry is My New Guy!
  16,304
• Tony Roma’s – Mouthwatering American Grill
  15,094

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/barossa/ | 5 comments

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net

Hailing from Perth, Australia, owner Stephen Singh was the talented man behind the cooking at Charco’s. After leaving Charco’s, he started Stevo’s, offering an even more extensive range of dishes here. Despite Stephen’s humble attitude (“I’m really not a chef”), we sure are big fans of his excellent cooking.

Salads

The salad bar boasts 8 different kinds of colourful salads that include Greek salad, egg salad and fruit salad amongst others.

Caesar salad
Rating:

With its great-tasting dressing and the crispiest croutons, the ever-popular Caesar salad is easily our favourite.

Seafood salad
Rating:

Seafood fans can indulge in the seafood salad, which comprises morsels of crab stick mixed with juicy prawns.

Fruit salad
Rating:

The fruit salad, a combination of apple and pineapple slices topped with cherry, is fitting as an after-meal palate cleanser.

Mains

Chili mussels
Rating:

If a bunch of plump mussels stewed in a chunky spicy tomato gravy and paired with bread buns sounds good, wait till you try it. We like this so much that not only do we lap up every last bit of the succulent sauce, we even order a second serving for takeout!

Wild mushroom ravioli
Rating:

For something milder, go for the wild mushroom ravioli. The pillows of pasta covered with thick, creamy sauce certainly serve as good comfort food. While the ravioli sheets are silky smooth, they would taste even better if they were thinner.

Lamb ribs
Rating:

To satisfy the carnivore in you, go for the lamb ribs. We first fell in love with these at Charco’s, and are delighted to find them here, too! While these may not be the meatiest ribs around, the great-tasting honey glazed meat helps make up for it.

Spicy chicken
Rating:

The spicy chicken (you can also opt for the non-spicy roast chicken) comes in various portions, and are perfectly marinated with a sweet and spicy sauce.

For both the lamb ribs and the chicken, you can choose to complete the meal by having salads or fries to go along.

Heat Challenge

Think you’ve got the chops to eat spicy food? Take up the Heat Challenge! The buffalo wings come in 5 levels of spiciness, 1 being not spicy at all, 5 being crazy hot!

If you can finish half a dozen of the level 5 wings within 5 minutes, a certificate is yours and you get your photo taken and displayed proudly at the restaurant! Last we checked, a dozen or so customers have successfully completed this feat!

Buffalo wings
Rating:

Not ready to numb our taste buds (yet), we venture into the level 3 wings. Even for the self-professed seasoned spicy food eaters that we are, we still find ourselves gulping down that spice-relieving Esprit drink! Be safe, go for level 2.

The Vibe

The restaurant takes up a corner unit along a row of shops and eateries. The atmosphere here is casual and laid-back, with many tables spilling out into the outdoor seating area. A blackboard hanging on the wall displays the good mix of dishes that also include burgers (with a vegetarian option) and kids’ meals.

A large picture of the rustic outback covers the wall on one side.

Even before leaving this humble restaurant, we are already planning our next trip!

Notes:
- The restaurant is very new and still reviewing menu prices. Please refer to their website for the up-to-date prices.
- There is no service charge or GST.
- No pork, lard or alcoholic beverages are served here. Halal certification would be applied for along the way.

Know of any more hidden gems and promising new restaurants? Let us know!

These posts may be related

• Charco’s – Flaming Goodness!
  17,905
• Tinge of Blue at SAFRA Mount Faber – Cafe by the Pool
  1,594
• Basil Alcove – No Frills Fine-Dining
  12,191
• The Garden Slug – One for the Carnivores
  1,810

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/stevos-salads-n-such/ | 13 comments

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net

For me, that would most certainly be Rochester Park. Whether it is the 1930s heritage colonial bungalows or the lush garden setting, the environment is one-of-a-kind. In terms of unique ambience, I would be hard-pressed to find another place that comes close.

The last time I visited One Rochester, one of the 8 tenants at Rochester Park, it was a wine bar where drinks were the main draw. With the introduction of Roast, a full-fledged restaurant, that is set to change. On invitation, we drop by to try out the food and the communal dining concept.

Dining Areas

Like the other restaurants at Rochester Park, Roast boasts several dining coves, both indoor and outdoor. If you go before sunset, you can watch the sky turn a deeper blue as the light recedes and the fairy lights amidst the foliage come on.

There’s alfresco dining by the candlelight, seating on sofas and lounges. Plus, check this out:

A tent canopy pavilion! In the words of Marilyn Monroe, “I think that’s just elegant!”

Then, there’s also the lounge area that features a bar within the colonial bungalow. It’s less fun but hey, there’s air conditioning! Still, I would definitely opt for the alfresco dining, weather permits. People don’t come to a place like Rochester Park and dine indoor like every other restaurant in Singapore.

Communal Dining

The communal set menu comes with entree platters, pastas, roasts, salads, desserts/cheeses all designed to be shared with good company.

First on the menu is the Nibble Platter, an assortment of quick bites to prep the tastebuds.

Nibble Platter
Rating:

Clockwise from top left: Crudites (raw fresh vegetables) with tapenade and yogurt dips, cured hams and pickles, herb crumbed stuffed olives, foie gras parfait, potato skins with sour cream and ocean trout caviar

The goose liver parfait is extremely rich and creamy with that distinctive, uh, liver taste. I always maintain that it’s a waste to serve foie gras to someone like me because I can neither appreciate the flavour nor the culinary value of this French delicacy. But I can imagine someone else would love it.

Out of the lot, we enjoy the baby potatoes with dots of ocean trout caviar the most.

Braised Wagyu beef brisket with creamy Paris mashed potato
Rating:

For our main courses, we opt for the braised Wagyu beef brisket and scallop risotto. Judging by appearance alone, the beef already looks like it’s gonna be good! Sure enough, the taste test comes back positive! The portion is huge, the flavour is amazing and texture is literally melt-in-your-mouth tender! The picture above so does not do it justice, but that’s all on me.

Friendly head chef Jeffrey Tan, even comes out to mingle with the guests. Because we are so impressed, we decide to ask him about the beef brisket. Turns out that it’s braised over a period of 24 hours and the total preparation time takes a day and a half!

This dish is also available on the ala carte menu, as are most of the other dishes on the communal menu. Highly recommended!

Seared King scallops with smoked sea urchin risotto
Rating:

Seafood fans can go for the seared King scallops risotto. The four scallops are ample-sized and seafood sweet, but the rest of this item is rather mild-flavoured and ordinary.

Cauliflower cheese gratin (rosemary potatoes in the background)
Rating:

Served along with the main courses are the trio of herb leaf salad, cauliflower cheese gratin and rosemary potatoes. Cauliflower is, by default, a no-no for me, so I surprised myself by actually loving the cheese gratin!

One thing I should highlight is that the serving for every dish here is HUGE. This is nothing like those restaurants that serve small portions of pretentious food on huge plates (no offense). Midway through the main courses, we are already feeling quite stuffed!

Petite sized desserts
Rating:

The meal ends with a choice between artisanal cheeses or Grande Assiette, a selection of petite-sized desserts. Having already had a chorus of dishes with cheese, we go for the latter.

As you can see, “petite-sized” may be a little misleading. The dessert portions are hardly petite!

Presentation-wise, we are most impressed with this. The slim slice of decorative candy on top appears to be malt sugar candy, better known in Chinese as Mai Ya Tang. As a matter of fact, the whole dessert looks to be made of sugar, thus giving a literal meaning to the term sugar high.

Our favourite dessert of the night is the flourless chocolate ripple cake, with alternating layers of mascarpone cheese and raspberries atop. The bits of gold are such a meticulous touch of detail!

Fancy a drink or two?

Looking at the drinks menu, we are surprised to find a nice selection of teas from renowned home-grown company TWG Tea. It is the first time we have seen any restaurant serving TWG Tea, aside from TWG itself. Are there any others?

TWG 1837 black tea
S$8++
Rating:

A pot of the signature 1837 black tea never disappoints. The sweet scent of flowers, berries, anise and caramel truly lingers! We like this so much that we order two pots of it to share, all in the spirit of communal dining.

For cocktails, we sip on the Winter Cake. This is a concoction of cognac, butterscotch schnapps, orange and cinnamon. Belying its sweet-sounding name, the drink is pretty stiff!

If one drink isn’t enough, One Rochester has an attractive Martini Mayhem promotion going on daily that promises 3 hours of free-flowing martinis at S$58++. I’m so there!

Note: From the same group, 1 Twenty Six at East Coast Park also offers a similar communal dining concept.

Aside from Rochester Park, are there any other unique dining enclaves in Singapore that you prefer? What is your most memorable dining experience? Share with us in the comments!

One Rochester
1 Rochester Park
Singapore 139212
Tel: +65 6773 0070 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
6pm – 1am (Mon – Fri and Sun)
6pm – 2am (Sat and Eve of Public Holidays)
9:30am – 3pm (Sunday brunch)

These posts may be related

• 1 Twenty Six – Dining at the Coast
  9,912
• Graze at Rochester Park – They Still Amaze!
  15,149
• graze at Rochester Park – Christmas Dinner
  50,424
• Novus Restaurant & Bar at National Museum of Singapore
  2,529

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/one-rochester/ | 15 comments

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net

First it was the wildly popular Botak Jones that started the craze. Then there’s Crazy Ang Mo. More recently, an Australian guy started Charco’s.

Thanks to readers Sheida and Ida who recommended Charco’s to me. We head down one afternoon and found ourselves thoroughly enjoying the chicken and ribs! The food is halal too. Yay for all our Muslim friends!

Coincidentally, Charco’s is situated at the same premises in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 where a Botak Jones stall once occupied. The stall now occupies a much larger floorspace at the coffee shop, with ample seating available both indoor and outdoor.

Update on November 1, 2010: Charco’s has relocated to 89 Marine Parade Central.

We queue up at the counter to place our orders and make payment. Then a big numbered tag is given to us and all we have to do is sit down and wait for our food!

To get a taste of everything, we order the sampler platter consisting of:

• 1/4 lamb ribs
• 1/8 Portuguese chicken
• 1/8 original chicken
• creamed potatoes
• one choice of salad

If you wish to get more taste into your food, help yourself to the ketchup, chilli and barbecue sauces at the sauce and cutlery station. The barbecue sauce is goooood.

Lamb ribs
Rating:

Many Western steaks & grill restaurants like Tony Roma’s and my personal favourite, Jerry’s, serve pork ribs, automatically rendering them unsuitable for Muslims. But Muslims who wanna taste good ribs can go for Charco’s lamb ribs!

The ribs are tender and tasty, with meat that falls off the bone easily. They are coated in a dark sweet sauce that brings out the smokey flavour very well. We actually prefer this to pork ribs as it is far less fattening.

Portuguese & Original chicken
Rating:

When you have the Portuguese chicken and the original chicken side by side, it’s easy to compare the two. The Portuguese is spiced and flavoured while the latter is plain and ordinary. We prefer the first. No surprises there.

Don’t forget to pile on the barbecue sauce for the ordinary chicken as it can get quite bland on the inside.

The salad bar by the counter displays an appealing array of colourful salads such as coleslaw, egg, seafood, Greek, Caesar, etc. The sampler platter comes with a choice of salad, so we go for the seafood salad.

Seafood salad
Rating:

The salad portion is huge! It comprises of sliced crab sticks and a couple of plump shrimps. Nice, and totally my cup of tea. For those of you who are regulars, which other salad is worth trying, too?

Creamed potatoes
Rating:

What we find rather unusual is the creamed potatoes. They have a milky quality and are dusted with red pepper for flavour. However due to the ample servings of meat, we can barely eat any! Given a choice, we would very much like fries or wedges instead.

Perhaps due to the obscure location, the coffee shop isn’t exactly jam-packed during the afternoon chow hours. The food is served promptly too, even for the more complicated sampler platter.

Charco’s ( Halal certified)
89 Marine Parade Central #01-750
Singapore 440089
Tel: +65 6455 3711

Opening hours: 11am – 10pm daily

These posts may be related

• Stevo’s Salads n Such – A Good Mix!
  4,244
• New York New York – Casual American-themed Light Bites
  1,628
• New York New York – Celebrate Valentine’s Day Everyday in February
  976
• Arnold’s Fried Chicken – Best Chicken in Town!
  18,702

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/charcos/ | 29 comments

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net

Photo by zoovee108

This time round, I brought along two very important persons with me — james, the big boss of tomorrow.sg and U-Zyn, the big boss of ping.sg.

Besides the awesome food, ambience and service, I was thrilled that Matthew Lawdorn, the head chef, still remembers me. I spotted him from a mile away and we finally got to have an actual proper conversation!

And boy, does he really take extra care of his customers. Barely after we had placed orders for our food, we were served complimentary oyster shooters!

Photo by graze

Ginger Wine Oyster Shooter
S$8++
Rating:

These oysters were soaked in ginger wine and cucumber oil, with a hint of wasabi when you get to the bottom of it. Nice, small and very tasty. I had never been a fan of oysters (I’m the muscles, I’m sorry, mussels kind of girl). But after sampling these shooters, I was completely sold! All three of us loved it!

What a great way to start a meal. I went for the butter fish as my main course.

Prosciutto Wrapped Butter Fish
S$32++
Rating:

Look at those generous portions of the white fish! Matthew had personally recommended the dish, which I fell in love with immediately. Every part of it was excellent! Whether it was the tenderness of the fish, the salty ham, or the sweet and sour vanilla pear vinaigrette, the different flavours complemented each other perfectly.

There was black olive mash and shaved radish black sesame too. Now, how do chefs come up with these concoctions?

Seared Lamb Loin and Spring Vegetables
S$36++
Rating:

That’s the seared lamb loin served with spring vegetables. U-Zyn felt that the lamb didn’t exactly retain much of its original flavour. Too much seasoning, perhaps? It had parsley mash, tomato, black olive and fetta salad with a mango citrus vinaigrette.

Perhaps the most Asian dish on the menu, the tuna sashimi was another recommended dish. James tried this and said that it was good. But what struck me most was how pretty it looked! With that delicious multitude of colours, it’s practically art on a plate!

The best surprise of the night came when we were presented with a dessert platter after we were done with our main courses. “it has every item on the dessert menu,” said our favourite waiter. Wow!

What was impressive wasn’t just the huge spread of desserts in front of us, but the fact that our waiter knew his stuff so well. He could name and describe each and every single dessert on the platter in detail without faltering.

Every item on the platter was good. And I’m not just saying it because it was complimentary :)

This is my favourite dessert — chocolate lava cake (no surprises there). It forms one half of graze’s popular black and white pudding plate, a dessert that is highly raved about by people who have tried it. Love the dark chocolatey goodness oozing out of the rich chocolate cake. Ahhh…

Matthew said that they would be having special plans for Christmas and new year’s. Last year’s Christmas dinner at graze proved to be one heck of an experience; it made me fall in love with the place, and made Christmas really magical too.

They still amaze.

graze
4 Rochester Park
Singapore 139215
Tel: +65 6775 9000 | Website
Service:

These posts may be related

• Roast at One Rochester – Let’s Partake in Communal Dining
  14,007
• graze at Rochester Park – Christmas Dinner
  50,424
• graze Anniversary Party – Of Champagne & Canapés
  16,296
• B@Rochester – Modern Japanese Restaurant & Bar
  3,880

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/graze/ | 18 comments

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net

As you guys know, I decided to spice things up a little. I wanted a blog reader to be my date at the party and asked you guys to email me if you were interested.

It was fun noting the people who did drop me an email. Out of the 30 odd people, I selected DK!

I thought it might also be fun to rate this date out of 10. The idea came to me only as I was writing this post, and DK sportingly agreed to let me do it! I would start him off with 5 points by default, adding or deducting points throughout the date. Yay! This post is going to be so much fun!

For example, he offered to pick me up before the party [+1]. Unfortunately, he was also 15 minutes late [-1]. Bad start!

From the moment we arrived at graze, we had ushers and waiters serving us. I love the kind of treatment that graze diners get to enjoy! The great service was what made my Christmas dinner perfect last year. Can you tell that I’m totally infatuated with this place?

The event photographer took our picture and even wrote our names down. (That probably meant that we looked good together [+1]!) We’re gonna appear in some magazine!

Credit

Mint is the lounge bar at graze. It has that whole vibe of being very chic, with all the unusual art instalments and paintings. The lounge seats and ambient music make it extra relaxing, although the same dim lighting that makes it cosy also resulted in my lousy camera not taking any good shots.

Besides their first anniversary, the party also celebrated the fact that graze had been listed in the Condé Nast Traveler Hot Tables 2007. Only two Singapore restaurants made it to the list. Well done!

Head chef Matthew Lawdorn made use of this night to roll out the new graze menu. Guests had the rare opportunity to sample his new food items in the form of canapés.

There were crab, tuna, smoked salmon, Turkey satay, scallop, steak and chocolate tartines. For some reason, the chocolate tartines were not too popular, while the rest were pretty darn good! My favourites were the scallop canapés and the affigato!

I swear, the affigato is one of the best things I’ve had in a long time. The thick layer of creamy chocolate at the bottom was irresistible!

Credit

Okay, back to DK and the date! I was pretty impressed that his eyes didn’t wander around the room to check out other babes [+2] (I only caught him once). Other than that he was looking at me the whole time. Good eye contact, this is something that guys must, must, must master, even if there were 100 other beautiful people milling about.

Then there was the free-flowing champagne. I had many to drink, obviously. I’m not sure if he did, but it was good that he didn’t start talking nonsense or acting drunk (okay, it’s just champagne). Guys should know how to hold their liquor [+1]! And he was able to drive me home after that [+1].

So what’s the final score? I lost count! Anyway we were there for the good food and to have a good time celebrating the first year anniversary of my favourite restaurant. We accomplished both things! In fact, DK blurted out midway through the date that he was there simply for the food, not the girl [-10]!

Haha that was fun! Bear in mind that this whole rating thing is done tongue-in-cheek and should not be taken seriously!

These posts may be related

• Roast at One Rochester – Let’s Partake in Communal Dining
  14,007
• Graze at Rochester Park – They Still Amaze!
  15,149
• graze at Rochester Park – Christmas Dinner
  50,424
• B@Rochester – Modern Japanese Restaurant & Bar
  3,880

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/graze-anniversary-party-of-champagne-canapes/ | 13 comments

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net

Photo by graze

This place is awesome. The first thing you would notice is the greenery and water features that run through the place. Waiters dressed smartly in black usher guests right to their table. They have this way of making diners feel like royalty. I felt at home almost immediately.

Photo by graze

Alfresco dining is available at its outdoor pavilion, with candlelights and all. There’s also a long communal table tucked away in a more private area for families and group gatherings. (okay the nice photos were stolen from their website. My camera obviously can’t manage such beautiful pictures.)

We started the night with champagne and canapés. There were mussels, breaded prawns, cheese, etc.

Appetisers included salad, cold cuts, chilled prawns, scallops and more. The prawns were so juicy! Yum!

Seared black cod fillet was my main course. Served along with carrots, mashed peas and baby potatoes, the fish was the most tender and succulent thing! Loved it!

At this point I should probably pause to highlight that the service here is, without a doubt, five stars. All the waiters are so professional, prompt and dedicated. Never rude, never in a hurry, and never intrusive. Napkins are folded back neatly and placed on the armrest whenever a guest leaves the table. At one point a waiter walked past and moved my glass away to make sure I had enough room to eat. How thoughtful!

Desserts were served bar-style. Being a picky eater, I asked if they had chocolate mousse. Yum! Well they didn’t, but the chef gamely suggested chocolate pudding instead. Wow! Had an Australian trifle meanwhile, which was fruity and topped with cream. Very sinful but worth dying for.

And then there was the chocolate pudding that the chef specially made for me. Served with mustard, chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Nice!

Then, we heard the most beautiful and angelic singing. A choir had started singing Christmas carols. Ahhh… Graze really did everything to make this a wonderful and complete Christmas experience. I was at the peak of my Christmasy mood right there and then.

Photo by graze

One very unique concept that graze employs is its alfresco movie screenings. Black and white movies from the 50s can be enjoyed in the comfort of sofas. I asked if they had any Marilyn Monroe movie and according to the head chef they have a whole bunch of it! I am so going back!

Loved the Christmas tree too. It was towering right beside our table. The best part is that it’s a real tree, huge and rooted to the soil. It had been elegantly decorated for Christmas, complete with a star on top! I was so charmed!

This was a fabulous dining experience throughout, and certainly my best restaurant experience for the year 2006. It’s clearly a night to remember! Thanks mate!

graze
4 Rochester Park
Singapore 139215
Tel: +65 6775 9000 | Website
Service:

February 3, 2007: My list of Best (& Worst) Restaurants in Singapore for 2006
- Winner of “Best Restaurant of the Year”
- Winner of “Best Service”
- Nominated for “Best Ambience”

These posts may be related

• Roast at One Rochester – Let’s Partake in Communal Dining
  14,007
• Graze at Rochester Park – They Still Amaze!
  15,149
• graze Anniversary Party – Of Champagne & Canapés
  16,296
• B@Rochester – Modern Japanese Restaurant & Bar
  3,880

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/graze-at-rochester-park-christmas-dinner/ | 23 comments

Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter | Download free iPhone app

© 2011 Sparklette.net