http://sparklette.net/food/1-altitude/ http://sparklette.net/food/1-altitude/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 03:00:22 +0000 Melissa Koh http://sparklette.net/?p=1220

Perched high above the bustling city, 1-Altitude spans the 61st to 63rd floors of the One Raffles Place building, offering diners a view that is nothing short of spectacular.

Stellar restaurant on level 62 serves international dishes with a sophisticated touch. Here, you can appreciate creative fine dining cuisine. The diverse food options ranging from Japanese to European cater to a wide audience.

You dine in an elegant, chic and spacious restaurant with minimalist interior design. The posh setting, boasting crisp white tablecloths and modern metallic furniture, lends a classy vibe without being intimidating, thus making it an ideal spot for romantic dates and marriage proposals.

Overlooking the Singapore skyline, the stunning view only gets better as night falls.

Drinks

An extensive drinks menu with unique cocktails is available.

Orange juice
S$10++

For a start, you can enjoy a tall glass of orange juice. Be prepared to wait a little while, as the juice is freshly squeezed rather than coming straight out of a carton.

Monster Mojito
S$18++

The Monster Mojito is concocted from white rum, lime juice and mint. While it is nothing inventive, the alcohol content is pretty potent for an aperitif.

Food

Warm rustic breads with olives, radishes and French butter
S$8++

Served with an olive oil dip and creamy French butter, the warm bread makes a comforting prelude to the meal.

Gruyère soufflé
S$20++

Cheese fanatics must not miss out on the Gruyère soufflé. The soufflé is nicely moist, and simply irresistible! It is a different take on traditional soufflés that are often sweet.

Served with two cheese sauces, yellow frisée and truffle salad, the soufflé is twice baked, with mozzarella that stretches and pulls apart as you lift a morsel-piece into your mouth. On top of that, you can choose to pile the already cheese-laden soufflé with more cheese sauce, blue cheese and Gruyère cheese.

If the cheese soufflé sounds too rich for you, then go for the lighter seared Hokkaido scallop and octopus.

Seared Hokkaido scallop and octopus
S$24++

Slightly charred, the succulent scallops are perfectly caramelised; you can taste the briny tang. The saltiness of the caviar and the sweetness of the steamed ginger custard give the dish a good balance of flavours. The custard is so smooth it slides down the throat easily. I also like that the thick bite-sized tentacles of the octopus aren’t too tough and chewy.

The sashimi Omakase taster and sushi rolls make a stunning entrance.

Sashimi Omakase taster
S$55++

The sashimi is pristinely fresh and devoid of fishy stench. Each piece is sliced to the right thickness, showcasing the deft skills of the chef.

Served with pearls of caviar, the sparkling bubbles explode in your mouth with juices of the ocean.

Lobster roll with flying fish roe, avocado and moro miso
S$28++

The lobster roll is an interplay of textures and complementary flavours from lobster meat, flying fish roe, avocado and moro miso. The sweetness of the lobster lingers in the mouth, and tastes great without the need for wasabi or additional condiments.

Swordfish roll with fresh crabmeat, prawns and aka miso (left)
S$20++

Spicy tuna roll with bonito flakes and spring onion (right)
S$18++

The chef is doing well again with the layering of textures and flavours in the swordfish roll with fresh crabmeat, prawns and aka miso. You will enjoy the savoury and slightly charred swordfish.

The spicy tuna roll with bonito flakes and spring onion is spicy enough to tickle your taste buds, but comfortable for most people.

Ocean trout and swordfish tataki
S$28++

The beautifully plated ocean trout and swordfish tataki are perfectly seared with a rare centre. Taking a more sophisticated stand, the fish is paired with a completing thick miso citron sauce.

For those who are more adventurous, you can try the Charcuterie taster that includes a selection of meats for sharing. This is served with pickles, quince compote and rustic bread. As a relatively unfamiliar food to the typical Singaporean’s palate, the acquired taste of cured meat may not be readily accepted by most. If the thought of raw ham puts you off, you may find it gamy and bizarre.

Charcuterie taster
S$48++

On the other hand, for those who appreciate this European delicacy, you’ll be thrilled upon seeing the grand presentation. The top-grade jamon ham is thinly sliced and has a slightly chewy texture.

A standout dish from the platter is the Foie gras parfait. It has a mousse-like consistency that makes the dish so appealing.

Slow roasted suckling pig and Kurobuta pork belly
S$48++

And yet more meat. The slow roasted suckling pig has an Iberico jamon and fig stuffing. Though not quite melt-in-your-mouth tender, the caramelised apples atop create a lovely texture in contrast to the minced meat stuffing. The crackling pork is crispy and addictive. In fact, the only thing you’ll hate about this is the amount of calories it has.

Served with an enticing pear and apple jelly sauce, the Kurobuta pork belly is yet another exemplary work from the kitchen.

Grain fed Tomahawk rib eye (800g)
S$140++

The Tomahawk rib eye is roasted over imported woods that impart a distinctive smoky character to the meat. Though short of seasoning, it enables you to taste the freshness of the beef. The accompanying red wine sauce gears towards a watery consistency but is tasty and goes very well with the beef. The steak is served with horseradish-crusted marrow.

Portobello with morel cream, smashed peas and mint, and truffled kipfler potatoes

Smashed peas and mint, Portobello with morel cream and truffled kipfler potatoes are the side dishes that you can have with your steak. The Portobello mushrooms are tender and gratifying, oozing out delicious juices as you bite into them. The sauce is heavenly; you may find yourself licking the bowl dry!

Truffled risotto with poached Maine lobster
S$48++

The truffled risotto with poached Maine lobster is another highlight. Expect a deftly cooked risotto, infused with shellfish stock and topped with truffle shavings that exude a potent fragrance. The risotto is cooked till perfection with the right consistency — neither mushy nor undercooked. Chunks of lobster meat are visible in every spoonful. This dish is top-notch in every aspect — certainly a must-try!

Desserts

After your main course, expect desserts to be of the same high quality as the rest of the meal. The desserts, made by another of the 1-Rochester Group, 1 Caramel, are known to be exquisite and creative. Get ready to indulge your inner sweet tooth.

Tropical vodka trifle
S$16++

The tropical vodka trifle is a refreshing dessert comprising pineapple gazpacho jelly, pineapple sponge cubes and crystallised baked almonds topped with refreshing coconut sorbet. The acidity from the pineapple adds a nice balance to the sweet coconut sorbet.

Trio Fraise
S$16++

The Trio Fraise includes three desserts served on a long platter. Seen here is the refreshing berry jelly and strawberry compote on pavlova.

And on the same platter, there is the strawberry shortcake layered with fresh strawberries, vanilla genoise and strawberry mousseline coated with golden brown puff pastry flakes.

Tropical Teaser
S$16++

In the Tropical Teaser, the mascarpone cheesecake is made very light, with a fragrant coconut crumble base, and topped with fresh juicy mangoes. The mangoes are a tad too sour for my liking; you definitely won’t end up with a sugar rush from this dessert.

Served with a tangy lemon sorbet with a lemon macaron, the lemon sorbet is thoroughly refreshing and enjoyable.

Chocolate Seduction
S$8.90++

The Chocolate Seduction is a 1-Caramel cocoa signature with varying layers of hazelnut chocolate mousse and praline fueilletine, Valrhona orange sauce and warm chocolate almond lava cake. Chocolate lovers will swoon over this dessert. The lava cake however, is a disappointment. As reviewed previously at 1 Caramel, it is once again missing the molten lava centre.

Geisha Blossom tea
S$10++

After a heavy meal, cleanse your palate with a gourmet tea. The Geisha Blossom tea — a blend of green tea and white tea with refreshing southern fruit — is elegant and refined. The scent of fruity essence is relaxing and calming — a great way to end the night!

Be sure to head up to Singapore’s highest rooftop bar, 1-Altitude, to enjoy a breathtaking and unobstructed view of the city skyline, overlooking the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, Singapore Flyer and Esplanade.

Have Your Say!

Where can you dine with the best view in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Stellar
1-Altitude
1 Raffles Place #61-01 – #62-02
Singapore 048616
Tel: +65 6438 0410 | Website

Opening hours:
Mon to Fri: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6pm – 12midnight
Sat, Sun & PH: 6pm – 12midnight

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http://sparklette.net/food/casa-tartufo/ http://sparklette.net/food/casa-tartufo/#comments Sat, 11 Jun 2011 03:00:30 +0000 Jasper Aston Lim http://sparklette.net/?p=1162 Ever since Casa Tartufo (Italian for “House of Truffles”) opened in 2010, I have wanted to try out this Italian restaurant. It promises authentic Italian flavours based on fresh produce of the finest quality — and truffles, of course.

Located at the heart of Forum The Shopping Mall, it is quite easy to miss Casa Tartufo with its boutique-like store front if you are visiting for the first time.

Once you enter, it feels as though you have been transported to an entirely different country. The classic Italian chic décor with soft chandelier lighting and characteristic wooden furniture gives the place a classy, yet homely and warm feel.

The menu here changes regularly depending on the produce and truffles available for the season, which makes Casa Tartufo great for revisits. You can also take advantage of the weekday set lunches and weekend brunch.

Delicious soft bread, along with a choice of garlic or rosemary butter, is served while we peruse the menu. Both choices go very well with the bread, which is promptly replenished by the well-mannered service staff.

House salad
S$22++

What makes the house salad special is the burrata, an Italian cheese with a solid mozzarella outer shell and a mix of mozzarella and truffle cream inside. The interesting blend of textures and artful plating help this salad stand out.

Fettuccine Carbonara
S$26++

The use of a truffle and egg yolk-mix sauce transforms the usual carbonara into a dish that is much creamier and more flavourful. A must-order for cream-based sauce lovers!

Risotto Amatriciana
S$30++

The Risotto Amatriciana, with its base of dried pork cheek, pecorino cheese and tomatoes, is one of the most well-known pasta sauces in Roman and Italian cuisine. An interesting mix of ingredients, although I find the dish a bit too salty, probably due to the use of pancetta (Italian bacon).

Ravioli
S$28++

Packed to the brim with parmesan goodness, each mouthful of ravioli is a burst of flavour with its rich and thick mushroom and truffle sauce.

Truffle Tiramisu
S$15++

Presented in a curved martini glass, the truffle tiramisu boasts a subtle truffle flavour in its mascarpone cheese filling.

Apple Millefoglie
S$16++

Filled with a generous amount of sweet, soft apple chunks and teamed with a scoop of rich vanilla custard ice cream, the apple Millefoglie puff pastry is a great way to end your meal here.

From start to finish, dinner at Casa Tartufo has been a winner on all fronts. The service is impeccable and the ambiance, lovely. It is the perfect spot for truffle-filled Italian cuisine, and a wonderful place to enjoy candlelight dinner with that someone special.

Have Your Say!

Where are the best Italian restaurants in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

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At Oso, you can dive into a range of creatively presented Italian cuisine, from pastas and risottos to seafood and meat dishes.

Spider crab meat with mixed vegetables

You enter Oso through Baretto and head up to the second floor where you are greeted by immaculately dressed waiters. The dining room exudes a classy elegance, courtesy of candlelit tables and use of brown and grey tones in the décor.

An interesting sight: Look out for someone cutting cheeses and cured meats in a little standalone room made of glass!

Bread

The complimentary bread comes in three types: French baguette, thin bread sticks and sun-dried tomato bread, accompanied by olive oil dotted with balsamic vinegar. Don’t get too carried away with the breads though; the antipasti are going to be good.

Starters

Spider crab meat
S$20++

For appetisers, seafood lovers must not miss the excellent spider crab meat. Paired with crunchy mixed vegetables, it arrives in dramatic fashion in a crab shell, sitting within a woven basket. The presentation is certainly memorable, a prelude to the beautiful plating of the dishes to come.

I love how easy it is to eat this thing. No pincers to wrestle with a la chilli crab. The crab meat is conveniently de-shelled so you can enjoy it with maximum pleasure. And what pleasure it is. Sweet, succulent and amazingly fresh, every bite brings on raptures of delight. Totally transporting.

Pan fried foie gras
S$26++

The foie gras arrives on a large white plate kissed by Marsala wine sauce and a smattering of pepper. The lavishly decadent liver is slightly crisp on the surface, velvety on the inside. You get a rather generous slab too!

Mains

Braised veal shank
S$34++

If your preferences run more to meat, the braised veal shank is a good bet. Drenched in a hearty and savoury sauce, the milk-fed veal is so melt-in-your-mouth tender that it falls off the bone easily.

Roasted cod fillet
S$34++

Not all dishes are aces though. The lightly roasted cod fillet in Balsamico sauce is teamed with rosemary potato resting on a thin layer of olive oil. For its price, the portion is minute for an overall forgettable dish.

Dessert

70% hot dark chocolate tart with milk ice cream
S$14++

A perfect closure to an evening at Oso is the sensuous and satisfying dark chocolate tart. Once you break the outer ring of tart shell, molten chocolate oozes out. Fans of lava cake would find this totally familiar. The brush stroke-like embellishment of chocolate sauce on the side adds a very nice touch of detail too.

I hear the tiramisu here is one of the lightest versions out there. If you get to try it, do let me know if it’s that good.

If you are planning to take someone out for an Italian meal, do place OSO Ristorante on your short list. The food is oh, so good, and the service is professional, somewhat formal, but not overbearing. Do make reservations in advance though; this is a hotspot amongst expatriates, and for good reason too.

What is your favourite Italian restaurant in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

OSO Ristorante
46 Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore 089858
Tel: +65 6327 8378 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
Lunch: 12noon – 2:30pm (Mon – Fri)
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sat)

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I first visited Boathouse during the months when it just opened. Then, it struck me with its appealing location while the cooking was good but not exceptional. This time round, with a different chef at helm, I decide to try the restaurant’s new French-style Sunday brunch.

Sunday brunch

The brunch offers traditional country breakfast fares that you can order à la carte. On the other hand if you have time for a long leisurely brunch, then I suggest you go for the S$48++ Sunday brunch set (minimum 2 to order) that includes:

- Bread and pastry basket
- Salad or soup
- Eggs or pancakes
- Dessert or cheese trolley
- Fresh juice, coffee or tea

Bread basket

Usually, I am not one that would pay much attention to the bread served at a restaurant, preferring to dive straight into the starters or mains and save room for desserts. But in this case, it is hard to resist the soft, warm, yielding breads — served in four different kinds, no less.

Soup

Cream of cauliflower
S$19++
Rating:

The velvety cream of cauliflower is a fabulous opener, although the real winner here is the duo of plump grilled scallops at its epicentre, crowned with a tiara of smoked black caviar.

Salad

Grilled asparagus
S$25++
Rating:

The salad of grilled asparagus, cherry tomatoes, bacon, croutons and cheese is an attractive myriad of colours and textures. The greens are pristinely fresh and the tomatoes succulent. Bacon adds a contrast in flavour, and the splash of truffle vinaigrette proves the perfect culinary catalyst.

Eggs

Egg Benedict
S$18++
Rating:

As for the eggs, you can have them in any way you fancy. Poached, scrambled, baked, sunny side up, you name it. For the eggs Benedict, the poached eggs are teamed with cured Petuna ocean trout and dressed with truffle hollandaise sauce on a bed of toasted brioche bread. Accompanied by a salad of greens and tomatoes on the side, I feel like I’ve had enough vitamin C for a week!

Pancakes

Pancakes with spicy sausages
S$19++
Rating:

The savoury pancakes are served with either spicy sausages, bacon or ibérico de bellota, a certain type of cured ham. The spicy sausages are, strangely, not spicy at all, at least in not the way that we Asians know it. For a main course, the portion is also rather small.

If you like your pancakes sweet, those are available as well, paired with blueberries, apple or banana.

Cheese

Selection of cheeses of the day
S$23++
Rating:

The assorted cheeses arrive along with toasted nuts, dried fruits, crackers and a certain type of salad that goes well with cheese.

Dessert

The desserts are made in-house and should be ordered at the start of the meal. Go for the gold by treating yourself to the Grand Marnier soufflé.

Grand Marnier soufflé
S$18++
Rating:

Soufflés often deflate the moment they hit the table and reach flat-as-a-pancake status within the minute. That’s a nightmare for snap-happy bloggers like myself who frequently show off our gastronomic conquests. Thankfully, there are no such worries here. The kitchen turns out an ethereally light soufflé that is benchmark in every respect. The cake is a uniform blonde colour, with a rich eggy flavour that has been invigorated with a generous splash of Grand Marnier. I would happily eat this again any time.

Other dessert possibilities include crème brûlée, pear tarte tatin and dark and white chocolate that is served with toasted bananas and cocoa ice cream.

Cocktails

Cocktails are available at the restaurant as well as the rooftop bar, Prelude, that opens in the evening. Some of these sport interesting Singapore-inspired names such as the Merlion Punch, a refreshing mix of passion fruit, white peach and pineapple jazzed up by vodka. The Orchard is a concoction of apricot, apple, cinnamon, lemon and vodka.

Credit

Tucked away at the picturesque Fullerton Square, Boathouse attracts a clientèle that ranges from locals, expatriates and tourists that have the common passion for lovingly prepared and well presented European cuisine.

Where would you go for Sunday brunch in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Boathouse
The Fullerton Waterboat House
3 Fullerton Road #03-01
Singapore 049215
Tel: +65 6538 9038 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
Lunch – Monday to Friday, 12noon – 2pm
Dinner – Monday to Saturday, 6:30pm – 11pm
Brunch – Sunday, 11am – 3pm

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Such is the case of Novus Restaurant & Bar, ensconced in the colonial building of National Museum of Singapore. I remember my first visit to the museum when it reopened in 2006. The architecture is breathtaking with glass ceilings and façades, ghostly moving chandeliers and one particular spiral staircase that is rumoured to be haunted. In the opening weeks I caught Kurt Wenner the master street artist here and was totally in awe of his work.

And Novus has been here from day one, quietly accumulating culinary accolades ever since. The New York Times endorsed Novus as a recommended stop in Singapore, while Forbes Traveller listed it as one of the best museum restaurants in the world.

The 48-seat contemporary European restaurant lures diners with its innovative fine food, stylish ambience and plush interiors. Feel free to gaze at framed art pieces on the walls whilst tucking into a carefully prepared meal. I did not notice it before, but there is a neat museum within a restaurant within a museum thing going on here.

Starters

Austrian head chef Stephan Zoisl describes his cuisine as “innovative French-based cooking with influences of modern techniques using the best and freshest available products”.

You begin with an amuse-bouche, which changes daily, and then move on to the starters.

Shellfish bisque
S$24++
Rating:

The soup course is quite ample. The shellfish bisque, swimming with whole scallops, plump prawns and crab meat, exhibits a fabulously funky shellfish flavour.

Duck tea
S$16++
Rating:

Seeing duck tea on the menu left me kinda baffled. Doesn’t it sound like an herbal dish from a Chinese restaurant? But once the waiter breaks out the teapot, it all makes sense. Nestled in the centre of the soup plate is a quail egg, trumpet and brown enoki mushrooms, smoked duck breast and slivers of precious black truffle. Then, from the teapot, the crystal clear duck consommé flows into the mix. It is hard to pinpoint what I like about this soup; I guess I can only chalk it down to its comforting home-cooked taste.

Foie Gras parfait
S$24++
Rating:

The cold Foie Gras parfait is a bold composition of flavours and textures with pear cubes, sour cream and a dusting of crushed pistachios juxtaposing with the rich foie gras flavour.

Apart from the artful plating, Novus also demonstrates their attention to detail through the use of placards. Each time a course is brought to the table, it is paired with little placards that are printed with nuggets of interesting information on the ingredients. On the back is the map and useful details of the restaurant. Guests are free to take these wallet-sized cards with them.

Mains

Crisp duck
S$32++
Rating:

The crisp duck is served with potato purée with pommery mustard. The moisture and flavour of the duck leg confit is enhanced through hours of slow-cooking in fat, resulting in a meaty and juicy texture.

Snow cod & olive
S$38++
Rating:

Among the mains, the olive-coated snow cod is rather pedestrian in taste and in need of dressing up. The low fat content and mild flavour would appeal to those with lighter palates.

Desserts

Desserts boast creative options as the deconstructed mango, a visual feast of mango purée, white nougat ice cream, yogurt wafers and a bed of black Oreo dust. With that gorgeous plating, I can only imagine the amount of meticulous work that the chef has put in in the kitchen.

Tell me, can you spot the twist here?

Deconstructed mango
S$16++
Rating:

The usually hard nougat and the usually soft yogurt now have their textures reversed!

Chocolate Test
S$16++
Rating:

For you chocolate fans, the chocolate test is pure delight with its chorus of Valrhona soufflé, Lindt crème brûlée, Barry Callebaut espuma (foam) and vanilla sorbet. The espuma is almost as light as air, instantly collapsing in the mouth leaving a hint of chocolaty sweetness. Like mousse, only way, way airier. What a wonderful finale.

As I leave the restaurant, I am surprised with a little farewell gift — a cupcake in a box! That’s just icing on the cake for an evening of great service. Whether dining for business or pleasure, or if you happen to swing by the museum, a visit to Novus Restaurant & Bar is highly recommended.

Aside from Novus Restaurant & Bar, are there any other museum restaurant that you recommend? Share with us in the comments!

Novus Restaurant & Bar
National Museum of Singapore
93 Stamford Road #01-02
Singapore 178897
Tel: +65 6336 8770 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
11:30am – 2:30pm; 6:30 – 10:30pm (Closed on Sundays)

Complimentary museum parking coupons are provided for diners.

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Restaurant Ember at one of Singapore’s pioneer boutique hotels, Hotel 1929, has achieved a cult following for its set lunch offerings. Set lunches tend to gravitate towards lesser known dishes, giving the impression that restaurants are clearing out their refrigerators. Not Ember, which has come up with the winning formula of offering their star courses and packaging them in a sweet set, at an equally sweet deal of S$39.50++ per person.

Photo by Hotel 1929

The restaurant maintains a minimalist yet posh design with the use of a modern, elegant colour palette of dark chocolate brown and white. Like the current trend of branded bags that opt for classy subtlety over outlandish monograms, Ember chooses to focus on their cooking and let their dishes do the talking.

The expansive choices for each of the three courses will stump you. Warning: This wide array of selection may cause some internal dilemma and conflict as you go about wondering what you would finally order.

Curb your hunger pangs with the complimentary warm sun-dried tomato bread, which has been lauded by many as being soft and fragrant.

Starters

For starters, you can opt for those that have won over many fans, namely the homemade crispy tofu with foie gras-Mirin sauce and white truffle oil or pan roasted scallop with Parma ham, citrus and tarragon vinaigrette.

If ethics don’t get in the way, go for the foie gras. Just by topping up S$6++, you get to enjoy a well-made one that would cost much more outside of the set lunches. The pan seared foie gras with fresh orange segments, orange and passion fruit reduction is a flirty play of sweet and savoury all at the same time. The caramelized and crusty browned exterior, coupled with the soft and tender interior gives a melt-in-your-mouth sensation. The orange and passion fruit packs a zesty punch that cuts through the fats, providing a nice balance to the dish.

The same high standard applies to the foie gras with caramelized apples and clove, port and raspberry glaze. I personally think that matching foie gras with citrus keeps the dish refreshing on the palate.

Mains

The Chilean sea bass, a prime recommendation of the restaurant, is pan seared to perfection. The flesh is so tender it can be cut like a hot knife through butter. The sea bass is sweet and fresh on its own but when complimented with the mushroom and smoked bacon ragout and truffle Yuzu butter sauce, it adds a layer of richness that evolves the entire dish to another dimension.

The pork belly with Savoy cabbage is artfully plated. The apple puree and spiced Calvados sauce come in a little test tube that you can drizzle over the pork belly for full-on flavour or be used as a dip.

The crackling skin is a sharp contrast to the soft fats and tender interior. Take one bite to taste its original flavour, and do try another that is coupled with the fresh greens to enjoy the various textures.

By that time, you are already filled to the brim. But who can say no to desserts?

Desserts

The crispy caramelized pear tart is fabulous in its buttered, fruity and sweet glory, while the dollop of homemade Bailey’s ice cream adds icing on the cake.

We can’t resist the warm Valrhona chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream, an overdone but lovely dessert that is derived from the easy formula of hot chocolate and cold ice cream. Three words sum it up – rich, dark and sinful.

Everyone recognizes a good deal and here at Ember, there is no shrinking of dish sizes or cutbacks to make up for the reasonable prices. All dishes are well-proportioned to leave you truly satisfied. Another key difference between Ember’s set lunches and that of other restaurants is the fact that you are simply spoilt for choice for every course, from appetizers all the way to desserts. This is probably a good sales tactic, since you will be tempted to go back and sample the other equally attractive offerings you have yet to try. I know I will!

Photo by Hotel 1929

Joyce Ler derives joy in discovering the new and niche and rambles about almost anything under the sun on her blog, www.wildrocketing.blogspot.com. She seeks the little things in life, appreciates timeless aesthetics and usually over-indulges in food and retail therapy.

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If this sounds familiar, that’s because its sister, Roast at One Rochester, first introduced this dining concept where parties of two or more can share a lovely meal together.

Apart from an indoor dining area, 1 Twenty Six is mostly a restaurant without walls. That means no air-conditioning, but you do get a nice sea breeze blowing in.

We love the tent canopy pavilion at One Rochester, and are pleased to see it here, too. With the surrounding foliage, outdoor pavilions and the sea nearby, this place boasts a resort-like ambience that makes a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Communal dining

The menu comprises entree platters, main courses, salads and desserts/cheeses.

Nibble Platter
Rating:

The Nibble Platter is an assortment of clams, cod brandade, soft shell crab, potato skins and Crudites (raw fresh vegetables).

The baby potato skins come with sour cream and ocean trout caviar. These are delightful!

The seafood items are even better. The soft shell crab is light and crispy, and goes perfectly with the chilli mayo dip. These steamed Vongole clams come with an interesting garlic and herb crumb. It’s the first time I have seen clams prepared this way, and they taste slightly sweet and delicious.

Grilled cod fillet
Rating:

To tie in with the seaside location, all the main courses are seafood. The grilled cod fillet is accompanied by a fresh fennel and blood orange salad. The boneless fillet tastes good drizzled with the sweet Beaujolais sauce, but is rather forgettable.

Spiced lamb shank
Rating:

For our other main course, the waitress allows us to go for the spiced lamb shank which is not on the communal dining menu. The meat is very tender and falls off the bone easily. The generous portion and the nice sauce makes this an extremely satisfying dish for meat lovers.

French fries, Broccolini and herb leaf salad
Rating:

Next comes the trio of French fries, Broccolini and herb leaf salad. These are not much to shout about, and kinda make me miss the cauliflower cheese gratin from One Rochester.

Artisan cheeses
Rating:

In the mood for some rich and moist cheese? End the meal with a platter of artisan cheeses served with muscat grapes. Alternatively, you can opt for the Grande Assiette, which is a selection of petite-sized desserts.

Fancy a drink or two?

There is a nice selection of wines here. Ladies would like the Jabolet rosé wine that has a nice shade of salmon pink and tastes of berries.

For the TWG Tea, they are served in single cups rather than pots, which seems to contradict the whole idea of communal dining.

What do you think of coastal dining? Are there other restaurants you would recommend for dining by the sea? Share with us in the comments!

1 TwentySix
Playground @ Big Splash
902 East Coast Parkway #01-26
Singapore 449874
Tel: +65 6348 2126 | Website
Service:

Opening hours: 6:30 – 11pm daily, 10am – 3pm (Sunday brunch)

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It is hard to miss this iconic building due to its eye-catching shape. Built in 1919, the Waterboat House was once occupied by the Port of Singapore Authorities to supply fresh water to ships anchored offshore. Today it is home to a few restaurants, including Boathouse, which serves modern European cuisine.

On invitation, we come by for a food-tasting session at this promising new restaurant. The dining area is small and cosy, perfect for an intimate meal. Being the history aficionados that we are, we find the old photographs of Singapore hanging on the walls, some which are browned with age, particularly intriguing.

Amuse-bouche
Rating:

We start with the amuse-bouche — a shot of sweet fruity blend with a dash of mint. It is the first time we have something this refreshing to start a meal. While it tastes very good in the thirst-quenching sort of way, it does not do much in prepping the taste buds. I personally feel that this works better as a dessert to end the meal on a sweet note.

Fish chowder
S$15++
Rating:

A striking white bowl arrives with a morsel of sea bass carpaccio at the centrum; the hot chowder is then administered by the server, cooking the fish right before our eyes.

Tagliatelle wild mushroom
S$19++
Rating:

While the tagliatelle wild mushroom is also a signature dish, we’re not too wild about this pasta. The portion is ample, with assorted wild mushrooms tossed in truffle cream sauce. It will probably appeal to mushroom fans. But for us, the salty flavour is a tad monotonous and gets tiresome after a while. Give us a plate of Aglio Olio over this anytime!

Braised Wagyu beef ribs
S$33++
Rating:

What impresses is the braised beef ribs, soaked in a flavoursome aged red wine jus that complements the meat very well. The ribs are juicy, meaty and saucy, while the slices of poached pear on the side provide a nice reprieve.

White chocolate semifreddo
S$15++
Rating:

Our dessert arrives as a duo of white chocolate semifreddo and fruit compote. We are fans of white chocolate AND gelato, so it is easy to like this semi-frozen dessert. The fruit, not so much though.

While there are some hits and misses with this meal, the unique location of Boathouse is a clear winner.

Rooftop bar

The Boathouse operates a rooftop bar that goes by the name Prelude.

The bar opens only at night. At this prime location, you get a magnificent view of the river and the surrounding landmarks. Another place that offers an equally spectacular view is Forlino, the Italian restaurant across the road.

Where is the most unique place you have ever dined at? Share with us in the comments!

Boathouse
The Fullerton Waterboat House
3 Fullerton Road #03-01
Singapore 049215
Tel: +65 6538 9038 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
Lunch – Monday to Friday, 12noon – 2pm
Dinner – Monday to Saturday, 6:30pm – 11pm
Brunch – Sunday, 11am – 3pm

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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)

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Picture this: The two of you are enjoying a wonderful dinner. The panoramic view of the illuminated skyline, the Singapore Flyer and the Marina Bay Sands integrated casino resort are spread out before your eyes. Soft ambient music plays in the background while you and your sweetheart sip on red wine into the night. Picture perfect?

This is why we feel Forlino is one of the most romantic places to dine in Singapore.

Credit

Designed by JP Concept, the same interior design firm behind eateries like il Lido and Claypot Fun, the decor here is done in the quaint Victorian style. Walls in baby blue with gold rims line the corridor leading up to the dining area.

Credit

Floor-to-ceiling glass panels offer a stunning view of the surrounding Marina Bay and Esplanade area, undoubtedly Singapore’s most photographed skyline.

Valentine’s Day Dinner

Check out their Valentine’s Day dinner promotion for 2010.

The Valentine’s Day dinner comprises 6 courses, including a choice of main course. We food-taste all the dishes and here’s the scoop on what you can expect.

The Italian flat bread Focaccia is first served, lightly salted and brushed with olive oil.

Amuse-bouche (Scallop carpaccio)
Rating:

The Amuse Bouche (love the way it’s pronounced!) is a dish of razor-thin slices of scallop soaked in a tangy and salty sauce, topped with Osetra caviar and a hot pink berry sauce on the side. This one really wakes up your taste buds for more to come.

Jumbo crab salad
Rating:

One of my favourite items on the menu is the Jumbo crab salad. Shreds of succulent crab meat sit on a bed of rocket leaves with cantaloupe sauce around. It should easily become a crowd favourite.

If you love crab meat, you can check out another restaurant’s take on the Alaskan King Crab in the form of Chinese Yu Sheng.

Beetroot cake with Robiola cheese fondue
Rating:

What follows next is beetroot cake. Our first thought is, oh how cute! The texture is dense and rich, thicker than mousse. Nice colour, too. The little yellow flower on top provides the icing on the cake. This is one of the few edible flowers around. Does anyone know what is the name of this flower?

Interestingly, the moat of Robiola cheese fondue is made from the milk of three animals: sheep, goat and cow.

To be frank, this is rather heavy on the palates and I’m surprised it is served so early in the meal, especially with a pasta following right after.

Squid ink tagliolini
Rating:

I am most looking forward to the squid ink pasta, which is perhaps the most novel item on the menu. Squid ink gives me a little high. Whether it is pasta or pizza, squid ink lends it that unusual look and actually tastes good at the same time, even if it makes your mouth as black as Tia Dalma‘s from Pirates of the Caribbean.

The squid ink pasta here is served with tagliolini (made in-house) with sea urchin sauce and the sweetest cherry tomatoes. Praba, the assistant manager, explains that the squid ink is added while the pasta is being made rather than after. This way, the ink does not stain the teeth, and you will still look attractive to your valentine. The downside is that the natural seafood flavour is somewhat diminished.

Black cod fillet with asparagus and Sicilian Blood Orange sauce
Rating:

For the main course, you get to choose between fish or beef. The fish comes in the form of a chunky black cod fillet, served with asparagus and Sicilian Blood Orange sauce. The sauce is light, almost foamy, with a sweet and mellow taste to it.

Angus Prime beef tenderloin with goose liver
Rating:

The other option is the Angus Prime beef tenderloin. This comes with goose liver on the side, and a wonderfully sweet and rich red Port Wine sauce. Personally I feel it is quite a waste to serve this dish to someone like myself as I can appreciate neither good beef nor foie gras. I really like the sauce though.

Strawberry & yogurt mousse with peppermint chocolate sauce
Rating:

Mamma Mia! Look at that! The strawberry and yogurt mousse dessert is the highlight of the meal. Every part of it is meticulously done up to look gorgeous. And there’s that edible flower again. What’s its name?

Scattered around are little pink and chocolate candies that taste like Nerds candy. The two intersecting hearts perfectly sum up what the night is about. Of course, we spend about ten minutes oohing and ahhing over it before wolfing it down, nerds and flower and all.

Coffee & petit four
Rating:

To round up the sumptuous and very filling meal, coffee and petit fours are served.

What is your ideal way of spending Valentine’s Day? Share your romantic ideas in the comments section!

(Hint: If you’re celebrating Chinese New Year, you may wish to check out the festive dishes at the seafood restaurant, also at One Fullerton.)

Forlino
One Fullerton
1 Fullerton Road #02-06
Singapore 049213
Tel: +65 6877 6995 | Website | Regular menu | Valentine’s Day menu
Service:

Bus services: 10, 57, 70, 75, 97, 100, 107, 10E, 128, 130, 131, 162, 167, 196, 700, 97E, NR2, NR5, NR7, NR8, 196E
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place

Opening hours: 12noon – 2.30pm, 6:30pm – 10pm daily

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The conventional degustation meal consists of multiple courses, with each course fixed by the chef. But in Dozo’s case, with the exception of the chef’s platter for starters, diners can select from a few dishes for each course. The menu is chiefly Japanese with a deep infusion of French and European influences, similar to the design of the restaurant.

The restaurant is elegantly designed with a luxurious ambience and soft lighting. In some ways, it’s almost like a club, complete with a bar area! Upon entering, you would be led through a dark corridor to the communal dining area, or the private rooms if you have a bigger party (no additional charges!).

One of the segregated private rooms is a ladies’ room with floral motifs on the walls and chairs in plum and purple.

Once you’re ready to start your six or seven-course meal, waiters would take your order for all the courses. No worries if you’re feeling lost as to which dish to pick. The waitstaff who are well-acquainted with the menu would be most eager to help.

Chef’s Seasonal Assorted Platter
Course: Starter
Rating:

The meal kicks off with the chef’s seasonal assorted platter. It serves three canapés on a long dish. The canapés change from time to time and in this case, it was foie gras with bread, scallop with cream sauce and greens, and smoked salmon wrapped in avocado.

The waiters informed us that there’s a specific order to eat the three which, if I remember correctly, would be the scallop first, foie gras second and salmon finally. My favourites are the scallop, which is plump and fresh and goes well with the light miso cream sauce, and the salmon, which comes with a little tuft of cream with a sweetness that complements the fish nicely.

Side dishes follow next, for which I had the tempura soft shell crab and my partner had the steamed egg custard.

Tempura Battered Soft Shell Crab on Galette of Mash
Course: Side dish
Rating:

The soft shell crab was deep-fried to a light, perfect crispness. Eat it alone or dip it into the delicious dark sauce of a sweet, sour and spicy combination. I didn’t exactly care for the accompanying mash and other tempura and only focused on enjoying the crispy crab bit by bit.

Steamed Egg Custard with Scallop and Foie Gras topped with Caviar
Course: Side dish
Rating:

The egg custard with scallop and foie gras was really nothing to shout about. The plating was excellent though, a testament of the importance that the restaurant pays to aesthetics and presentation of food. I always appreciate such attention to detail, and thought the little yellow chrysanthemum flower too pretty to be thrown away.

Seafood Bisque
Course: Soup
Rating:

For soup, the seafood bisque is clearly a winner, and easily the best seafood bisque I’ve ever had. It has the most robust flavours of the ocean, with bits of seafood in it such as crab meat and scallop. I finished every last bit of it.

Notice the little chrysanthemum flower and real crab claw by the side? Whether it’s the taste or the presentation, this dish is just perfect. I simply can’t find any fault with it. With each slurp, I just want more!

Infusion of Cepes Mushroom and Truffle
Course: Soup
Rating:

While enjoying the wholesome seafood bisque, I felt guilty that my partner had to go for the cepes mushroom cream soup. A little slice of truffle is served on a spoon by the side with a brilliant purple orchid. The layout looked beautiful, but the soup itself was pretty much forgettable.

Beef Tenderloin on "Pu Ye" & Granite Hot Stone
Course: Main
Rating:

The restaurant is particularly proud of its beef tenderloin main course. I can see why. It certainly has that wow factor. Slabs of raw beef are served over a sizzling hot granite stone. The idea is that you can decide how well-done you want your meat.

Notice that the meat is laid out on a “pu ye” leaf to prevent overcooking. The aroma of the leaf also seeps into the meat. It comes with a tasty dark sauce dip and pebbles by the side as decor. The whole shebang.

This leaf-shaped thingy in light yellow comes with each main course. I missed out the part where the waiter explained what it was as I was busy digging into my food. Does anyone have an idea?

Gratinated King Prawn completed with Risotto
Course: Main
Rating:

Yet another winner is the king prawn with risotto. The prawn is baked in au gratin style with browned breadcrumbs and butter, giving it a nice crunch.

I really loved the fragrant and fresh prawn, with its loads of precious sweet flesh.

Even though the food portions are designed to be small and go easy on the stomach, I was surprised to find that at this point, I was already feeling full. It was just as well anyway; there’s only a drink and a dessert to go!

Iced Grapefruit Glory
Course: Drink
Rating:

Iced fruity drinks are served in cute glass teapots and dainty cups. The grapefruit drink is a strong citrus drink that’s great for digestion, despite tasting a little weird. Then we looked into the pot and saw these:

Pretty little flowers! I’m not a tea drinker. Are those tea flowers or something? It was a little unexpected to see them floating around in a fruity drink.

Iced Fruity Refresher
Course: Drink
Rating:

The iced fruity refresher fares much better. It’s an assorted blend of honey and various fruits such as lime, peach and apple. In fact, chunks of fruit can still be seen in the drink. It was refreshing alright.

Japanese Mochi Ice Cream with Red Bean
Course: Dessert
Rating:

Desserts are served last. The red bean mochi ice cream is wonderfully arranged and practically art on a plate. It has a wonderful texture and tastes good and delightful with a slice of strawberry on top. Certainly something that girls would enjoy.

Freshly Baked Warm Chocolate Cake served with Ice Cream
Course: Dessert
Rating:

But my all-time favourite dessert has to be the warm chocolate cake with the gooey molten chocolate centre. It’s been god-knows-how-long since I last had this dessert (I’ve been keeping myself from all the calories). But once it’s presented to me on the menu, I just can’t resist!

The cake is freshly baked and warm throughout. It warms my heart just to eat it! This particular one even comes with white chocolate melted and hardened onto the plate. So you can scrape it off with a spoon and eat it with the vanilla ice cream and chocolate. Marvelous combo!

Well, I was almost sad to see the meal come to an end. It had been extremely satisfying and I felt as though I had tasted and loved every flavour of the dishes. Plus, the ambience and service were both excellent. If the menu changes frequently enough, I wouldn’t rule out returning for another degustation meal!

Dozo
Valley Point Shopping Centre
491 River Valley Road #02-02/03
Singapore 248371
Tel: +65 6838 6966 | Website
Service:

Bus services: 14, 32, 65, 139, 970
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru

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But small oddities like these can be set aside. Most people would prefer dining outdoor anyway, overlooking the shimmering sea! This brings to mind another place — Brotzeit at VivoCity. Waterfront dining sure is getting increasingly common these days! (about time too. We are, after all, surrounded by water!)

Credit

You can even opt to sit at (or lie down on) these daybeds!

Credit

Mediterranean Seafood Soup
S$9+++
Rating:

We had soup for starters. The Mediterranean seafood soup, as indicated by the red round icon, is part of the Health Promotion Board’s Healthier Diningprogram. This means that it would be cooked in a healthier way with less oil, salt and sugar. It didn’t taste particularly like a health dish (and I mean that in a good way), and fared much better than the crunchy mix mushroom cream soup.

Pan Roasted Choice Tenderloin with Portabella Mushroom & Pearl Onion Sauce (medium rare)
S$30+++
Rating:

I generally stay off red meat. But somehow, every guy I know loves his steak! (you do too, don’t you?) each time, I would get to try a little bit of it when someone orders.

I found this particular steak extra chewy and not too tender. It reminds me a little of the chewy steak sandwiches they give away free during happy hour at Morton’s Steakhouse. My friend remarked that it was a little raw towards the centre (it was done medium rare) although overall, he still considered it pretty decent.

Baked Lobster & Medley of Seafood in Roasted Fennel Broth
S$32+++
Rating:

As for me, I had been hungering for lobster ever since having that excellent lobster thermidor at the Tanglin club. Out of the three lobster items on the menu, my pick was the baked lobster with a medley of seafood. And by “medley”, they mean mussels, prawns and scallops — two of each — with half a stick of burnt bread thrown in for good measure. It’s not a lot, but that’s what you get at a place like this.

The tomato fennel broth was slurpilicious! I found myself enjoying it very much. The lobster flesh was expectedly lacking in quantity because as far as lobster dishes go, that’s usually the case. The flesh didn’t separate easily from the shell too. But overall, I liked what I had.

As for dessert, no prizes for guessing what we had!

Credit

Baked Chocolate with Vanilla Gelati
S$12+++
Rating:

Chocolate lava cake! Haha! It is made from scratch and must be ordered 15 minutes in advance. Anyhow, it was marvellous and well worth the wait. ’nuff said. It made me a happy girl :)

Oh, and before I forget, the service here is friendly and excellent. The waiters are always around but never intrusive. Of course, it helped that there was only a handful of customers on a weekday evening. Yay!

Pier Eleven Restaurant
Marina South Pier
31 Marina Coastal Drive #02-07
Singapore 018988
Tel: +65 6532 6950
Service:

The Edge Bar & Bistro

After dinner, a great place to chill out would be at the rooftop bar, The Edge Bar & Bistro.

Up there, you can sip on a nice cocktail, enjoy the night scenery with the sea breeze gently blowing in your face, and bask in the blue fairy lights on the wooden deck.

Sounds nice? It really is.

I just realised that both restaurant and bar are run by Singapore explorer, the same folks behind the unforgettable Olive Ristorante at Labrador Park. They share these common traits — good food, great lava cake, excellent service and ambience.

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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:

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]]> 18 http://sparklette.net/food/wild-rocket/ http://sparklette.net/food/wild-rocket/#comments Tue, 22 May 2007 10:26:28 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/archives/wild-rocket-at-mount-emily-fly-me-to-the-moon/ Let me just begin by saying that Wild Rocket is one awesome, awesome restaurant. My main purpose in going there is to try out the desserts, more specifically, the warm chocolate lava cake. Whether the main courses are any good is of secondary importance to me. But boy, do they impress!

Despite its rather remote location nestled at the top of Mount Emily, there is quite a crowd at this 40-seater restaurant on a Friday evening. That must say a lot about the quality of the food!

Wild Rocket is run by Chef Willin Low, who was previously a lawyer. He loved cooking so much he eventually stopped his practice to open the restaurant at Hangout Hotel, naming it after his favourite salad leaf (not the space missile!).

Even during the evening chow hours when the restaurant is brimming at full capacity (with mostly yuppies and stockbrokers), our orders arrive swiftly.

Crab meat linguini with chilli tomato cream
S$18.80+++
Rating:

Off the pasta menu, I have chosen the crab meat linguini with chilli tomato cream. It is perfect. Not just excellent, but perfect. The cheery bright orange speckled with green simply makes the dish so colourful and inviting!

It’s hard to find the right words to describe the unusual taste. Okay, intriguing, that’s the word! I have never really enjoyed cream-based pasta, but for the first time I am actually loving it! There is just so much flavour and spice in the chilli tomato cream. I slurp down every last bit of the pasta which, by the way, is of an ample portion that would satisfy any full-grown man.

White Wine Sauce Atlantic cod linguini with lime zest
S$19.80+++
Rating:

The other pasta we have ordered is the Atlantic cod linguini cooked in white wine sauce. It is quite spicy and has a very peculiar sourness due to the lime zest. Like the crab meat linguini, it has been cooked to al dente perfection. It sure looks like you can’t go wrong with pasta at Wild Rocket!

Finally, the desserts, the primary reason why Wild Rocket is in my list of “restaurants to check out” in the first place. I have a soft spot for warm chocolate lava cake. Just give me a mound of it and I’ll be as happy as a bouncy 3 year old!

Dark lava chocolate gateau with vanilla ice cream
S$13+++
Rating:

The dark lava chocolate gateau comes with two options. You can have it with either vanilla ice cream or flambé banana. Vanilla ice cream is the way to go (at least for me)!

Dark lava chocolate gateau with flambé banana
S$10+++
Rating:

As for the flambé banana, which we have thought would have an actual flame somewhere, it’s basically just grilled banana. The thin cake layer holds the delectable warm chocolate lava that oozes out as you slice a fork through it. Wow, my entire mouth just filled with saliva!

A cup of black coffee would have gone perfectly with the chocolate cake, putting an end to a very cosy dining experience at Wild Rocket. Even with its slightly posh slant, the restaurant still exudes a sense of homeliness and comfort.

I rarely visit the same restaurant more than once unless it is really, really good. Wild Rocket definitely fits into this category. When it comes to food, service, decor and ambience, Wild Rocket has certainly gotten all of it right — a rarity.

Wild Rocket at Mount Emily
Hangout Hotel
10A Upper Wilkie Road
Singapore 228119
Tel: +65 6339 9448
Service:
www.wildrocket.com.sg

The good things do not end here. Chef Willin has opened a bar next door by the name of Wild Oats. Judging by the standards of Wild Rocket, Wild Oats definitely looks promising! Is anyone intrigued yet?

Also check out burger restaurant, Relish, another endeavor by Chef Willin.

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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!

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]]> 13 http://sparklette.net/food/sho-u/ http://sparklette.net/food/sho-u/#comments Sun, 08 Apr 2007 09:06:49 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/archives/sho-u-show-of-food-and-aesthetics/

At Sho-U, one of the newest Japanese restaurants in town, the thing that strikes visitors the most would probably be its unique design.

Don’t get me wrong though, the food at this contemporary Japanese fine-dining establishment is nothing short of excellent. But being a sucker for aesthetics (something that Singapore restaurants aren’t particularly known for), I am glad for this new place that has a décor I can finally rave about!

You are first greeted by the striking red entrance decorated with (red) fabric art installations of sakura (cherry blossoms) on the wall. Then you enter the restaurant through a (red) passageway that leads to an all-black dining area. Here, there are a few black private dining rooms that cater to larger groups.

Beyond this all-black dining area, the interior design takes on a dramatic turn as you walk into an all-white dining hall.

Again, there are those pretty sakura art installations on the walls. The use of sakura is a recurring theme in this restaurant. In each of the three different coloured areas — red, black and white, the sakura decorations would follow the respective colour scheme!

Sho-U boasts a very sleek design that screams modern chic with a tinge of tradition. Tucked into the third storey of the new (wannabe) Japanese mall, The Central at Clarke Quay, this restaurant also offers diners a nice view of the Singapore river.

I would enjoy dining there in the day, with clean, natural light pouring in and bathing the dining hall in white. (of course, it also means that I can take great pictures of the food with my lousy camera!)

By the way, besides the interior design, dramatic colour schemes and sakura decorations, even the uniforms that the waitresses wear have been designed by esteemed designers!

“Enough of all this boring design talk already!” Okay, I hear ya! You wanna know about the food so here it is!

Sho-U Mocktail & Heaven’s Dew
S$10.80 & $7.80++
Rating:

Waitresses are on hand to recommend the restaurant’s best drinks and dishes. We had a couple of the mocktails. The Sho-U mocktail (in pink) is a mixture of strawberry, milk and a variety of other fruits. I loved the sweet and milky taste to this one.

The Heaven’s Dew (in orange) is one glassful of surprise. It arrives at our table looking all orange and… safe. But once you give it a good stir (notice the blue layer at the bottom), the drink turns to a somewhat vile and yucky-looking green! In spite of that, it did taste pretty good with the mixture of orange and other assorted fruits.

Scallop and Prawn in Creamy Sauce
S$16++
Rating:

With Japanese head chef, Tommy Ueda-san at its helm (the man has 15 years of experience), the food here definitely looked promising. The first dish we had was the scallop and prawn in creamy sauce. On first impression, the portions looked to be pretty small. But upon tasting it, I began to understand why. The creamy dressing was so rich that anything more than this, I would probably have gotten a little queasy!

Yet, the smooth creamy sauce was also the best part of the dish. The chef added a subtle touch of wasabi to the sauce. That gave the succulent scallops and tempura prawns a really exciting taste. I loved it!

Unagi Tofu Steak
S$16++
Rating:

When it comes to Japanese food, I like to have something with unagi (freshwater eel) and teriyaki sauce in it. The unagi tofu steak appeared to be a good match. Cooked in sweet teriyaki sauce, it had the unagi sandwiched between two slabs of soft silken tofu, with grated Japanese yam poured over it. My, what a healthful dish! But perhaps due to the tofu, I thought it was slightly lacking in taste.

Foie Gras Brown Rice in Stone Pot
S$22++
Rating:

Another dish that was strongly recommended to us was the foie gras (fat liver of, in this case, goose) brown rice. I am neither a fan of foie gras or brown rice so naturally I was a little apprehensive of this one. Despite myself, I ended up loving it! The brown rice was the most fragrant thing, due largely to the little bowl of foie gras blended black sauce that was drizzled over it.

Even now, I am still not a fan of foie gras (the thought of eating an animal’s internal organ turns me off), but I have to be honest: The foie gras brown rice was good. Besides, foie gras fans would love the generous slices of goose liver that came with this dish.

Sho-U falls under the same management as Sakae Sushi, the more familiar and ubiquitous restaurant chain. Foodies, as well as those of you who like interesting and unique dishes, you may want to add this place to your list.

On a final note, I have to say that while I really do admire the sleek design and layout of Sho-U, I do have one gripe — it looks too clean and clinical for a restaurant! It’s probably just me, of course. Damn, there is no pleasing me, is there?

Sho-U
The Central
6 Eu Tong Sen Street #03-85/102/108/109
Singapore 059817
Tel: +65 6534 8066
Service:

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]]> 16 http://sparklette.net/food/basil-alcove/ http://sparklette.net/food/basil-alcove/#comments Sun, 11 Mar 2007 15:37:59 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/archives/basil-alcove-no-frills-fine-dining/ Most foodies would have heard of this little dining establishment at Middle Road called Basil Alcove. This is a place known for its no frills fine-dining in a coffee shop environment. Unlike most fine-dining restaurants that charge astronomical prices for food that come in small portions, basil alcove charges much more reasonable prices for the same kind of cuisine.

Look, how nice! Wouldn’t this roasted rack of lamb fit right into any classy French restaurant?

Roasted lamb rack (medium rare)
S$16.80
Rating:

Although the meat was found to be slightly on the tough and chewy side, my dinner partner said that on other days when he had the same dish, it was never the case; that day was just the rare exception. The seasoning had been done very nicely. I am no meat eater but taste-wise, I thought it was pretty good.

Shrimp with orange and basil sauce
S$8.80
Rating:

The shrimp pasta was such a huge serving that we had trouble finishing it! I’m not complaining though. The chef had been very generous and sprinkled the dish with many fresh shrimps and a lot of cheese (I think)! It was certainly very filling and satisfying.

Pan baked cod with beetroot caviar and balsamic onions
S$16.80
Rating:

I retain my best compliments for the pan baked cod with beetroot caviar and balsamic onions. The photo simply doesn’t do it justice (we didn’t use the flash and had only candlelight). It was the softest, juiciest, tenderest and most succulent thing. I’m definitely going for the same dish again the next time I head back. Hopefully it would still be there since the menu changes every few months.

Basil Alcove
190 Middle Road
#01-07 Fortune Centre
Singapore 188979
Tel: +65 6333 1461
Service:

Bus services: 56, 131, 147, 166, 857, 980, NR6
Nearest MRT: Bugis

Opening hours:
Lunch: 12 – 3pm (Closed for lunch on Sundays)
Dinner: 6:30 – 10pm

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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”

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]]> 23 http://sparklette.net/food/sun-with-moon-japanese-dining-cafe/ http://sparklette.net/food/sun-with-moon-japanese-dining-cafe/#comments Sun, 21 May 2006 18:17:45 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=383 On the third level of Wheelock Place lies a restaurant, named rather curiously, the Sun with Moon Japanese Dining & Café. We were there on a Friday evening and it wasn’t easy to get seats since we did not have any prior reservation. We were put on a waiting list and thankfully, the waitress managed to get us a seat within half an hour.

Ambience-wise, this place is definitely top notch. It spans a spacious three units with seats that range from regular dining chairs and lounges, to counter seats and small café tables. We were seated at this table with an L-shaped bench and comfy cushions, separated from the next table by a translucent grainy curtain. Due to the odd bench, I wasn’t facing my dinner partner throughout.

The signature dishes offered here include the kamameshi, which is traditional steamed seasoned rice pot. In the local context, this is rather similar to our claypot rice. It is served steamily hot. The little hourglass on top supposedly indicates when we may lift off the wooden lid to start our meal. Rather gimmicky in my opinion, but I did like the cute little widget.

Unagi & Asagi Kamameshi (Grilled Eel & Clam)
S$16.50++
Rating:

The unagi was tender and soft, lightly drizzled in teriyaki sauce. While I did like the unagi, I wish they had been more generous with their serving. As I dug to the bottom of the aluminium pot using my chopsticks, I realised to my chagrin that most of the pot was filled up with rice! The clams also seemed slightly chewy and overcooked.

The star of the night has to be the dessert. Japanese put a lot of thought into aesthetic value. Hence it is no surprise the desserts look great! A must-have to give the meal a sweet finishing would be one of their colourful parfaits.

Marron Chocolate Parfait
S$9.80++
Rating:

The marron chocolate parfait makes one delightful dessert. It consists of many different layers that come in a tall glass tinged in blue. Topped with chocolate whipped cream and a yummy white chocolate candy stick, the parfait is made of sinful chocolate ice cream sprinkled with yellow Japanese chestnuts. What makes this dessert most unusual is its bottom layers of chocolate sponge cake and crunchy cornflakes. One of the best around!

Compared to its counterparts, the Sun with Moon Japanese Dining & Café charges slightly astronomical prices considering its food portions. Probably part of the costs goes into the presentation of the food. Despite our peculiar seating arrangement, the ambience and designer layout gave me a good feeling, with the delicious parfait ultimately sealing my overall great impression of this place.

Wheelock Place outlet

Wheelock Place
501 Orchard Road #03-15/16/17
Singapore 238880
Tel: +65 6733 6636
Service:

The Central outlet

The Central
6 Eu Tong Sen Street #01-70/71/72
Singapore 059817
Tel: +65 6534 7784

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