http://sparklette.net/food/ku-de-ta/ http://sparklette.net/food/ku-de-ta/#comments Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:00:38 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=1183 Perched at the rooftop of the Marina Bay Sands casino resort, KU DÉ TA boasts one of the most impressive views you can get in Singapore. Whether stopping in for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a leisurely round of drinks, you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the city.

Located at the Sands SkyPark, KU DÉ TA is an all-in-one dining and clubbing destination with a restaurant, club lounge, open-air sky deck and bar.

The restaurant serves modern Asian cuisine. Despite the luxury destination, the ambience is casual and puts diners at ease, setting you in a holiday mood instantly.

Breakfast
S$42++ per adult; S$21++ per child (aged 5-12 years)
7am – 11am daily

For breakfast, you have a buffet selection of starters, hot dishes that are cooked to order, and free-flowing drinks such as coffee, tea, smoothies and milkshakes.

Breakfast buffet starters

Begin your day here with the selection of assorted cheese, pastries, and salmon starters.

Breakfast hot dishes

The hot dishes include your usual suspects such as porridge, waffles and eggs done any way you like, as well as the most excellent chicken fried steak.

Congee

The congee (porridge) is served with spring onions, grilled you tiao (fried dough sticks), soy sauce, ikan bilis (dried anchovies), peanuts and ginger.

Eggs baked in claypot & Shakshouka sauce

For more intense flavours, the eggs baked in claypot and Shakshouka sauce should hit the spot. The eggs are paired with oven-roasted vegetables and potatoes in a Shakshouka sauce, with a taste reminiscent of Japanese curry.

Waffle served with spicy duck sausage

The waffles can be served plain or “inspired”, the latter referring to a savoury version that is paired with bacon or spicy duck sausage patties. Don’t worry, you still get your maple syrup.

Chicken-fried steak & eggs

Nothing quite tops the chef’s incredible chicken-fried steak and eggs, consisting of a slab of sirloin steak fried in seasoned flour that gives it a taste like fried chicken.

Coco lychee smoothie

You can have your regular coffee and tea. But if you are game for something more tropical (you’re at a holiday destination remember?), then allow me to recommend the coco lychee smoothie. The mixture of lychee, yoghurt and beautifully sweet coconut milk will totally put you in a sunny mood.

The View

From the KU DÉ TA premises, this is the view you get of the Singapore skyline and waterfront.

The tall building in the distance is Swissôtel the Stamford, where you can indulge in the lovely pink champagne brunch from one of its top floors.

Apart from the stunning view, what I really like about KU DÉ TA is its all-in-one dining concept that makes repeat visits very likely. The experience you get here in the day is remarkably different from what you get by night. Be it a business lunch, after-work dinner, or a chill-out time with good friends over drinks, this is the place for that.

While the service can be friendlier and more personal to give guests a truly well-rounded resort-like experience, the prices are moderate and the experience is downright unforgettable. Even before leaving, I am already planning my next trip here.

Have Your Say!

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

KU DÉ TA
Marina Bay Sands SkyPark
1 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018971
Tel: +65 6688 7688 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
Breakfast – 7am – 11am
Lunch – 12noon – 3pm
Dinner – 6pm – 11pm

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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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In some ways, TAB reminds me of 15 Minutes at Laselle, another venue that brings live music into a restaurant.

The Food

While enjoying the music, you can tuck into a variety of bar bites and main courses.

Chicken Parmigiana
S$18++
Rating:

The chicken parmigiana is a generous portion of oven-baked breaded breast meat, chaperoned by a layer of luscious marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Generic mashed potato is served by the side. While the meat is a little tough, the robust flavours make this a hearty eat nonetheless.

Fish & chips
S$16++
Rating:

The fish and chips is a relatively ordinary dish of dory fillet battered with Mexican dark ale, served with fries and a curry mayonnaise dip. As I taste the dip, a feeling of familiarity washes over me — and I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing — the curry tastes very similar to the McNuggets curry sauce!

TAB burger
S$16++
Rating:

And, if you are in the mood for burgers, chow down on the TAB burger. This house speciality is teamed with cheddar cheese, cornichons and caramelised onion, and comes with salad and fries on the side.

The Cocktails

Wanna kick it up a notch? Sip on one of these fancy schmancy cocktails.

Passionfruit Caipirinha
S$18++
Rating:

The classic caipirinha — a national cocktail of Brazil — is given an extra dose of tropical flavour with fresh limes and passionfruit.

Charlie Brown
S$18++
Rating:

My favourite cocktail at TAB is Charlie Brown, a sweet harmony of smooth peanut butter and vanilla, with an added tinge of vodka. This is the first cocktail that I have tried that can probably be classified as a dessert!

Hansel & Gretel
S$18++
Rating:

The Hansel & Gretel cocktail is an unusual assortment of fruits, jam, cream and vodka. The mishmash union of these ingredients sure seem odd, but is surprisingly palatable.

The comfortable and cosy ambience makes TAB a perfect spot for the music fans. P.S. They offer Foursquare specials, too!

Do you enjoy live music? What do you think of live music performances at a bar or restaurant? Are there any specific places you like to go for live music? Share with us in the comments!

TAB Singapore
Orchard Hotel
442 Orchard Road #02-29
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 6493 6952 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
Tue – Thu 5pm – 1am
Fri & Sat 5pm – 3am
(Closed on Sun & Mon)

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]]> 2 http://sparklette.net/food/cafe-del-mar/ http://sparklette.net/food/cafe-del-mar/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:24:04 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=989 Things are getting interesting at Café del Mar, one of Singapore’s hottest beach bars.

The restobar at Siloso Beach, Sentosa, has unveiled a brand new food menu with an extensive range of Mediterranean and international cuisine. Apart from sunbathing and sipping on a Mojito at the swim-up bar, you can now enjoy a sumptuous seafood meal while admiring a panoramic view of the sea.

Photo by Café del Mar

The indoor dining area is decked out in blue, white and pink. A huge bar counter dominates the centre of the restaurant, with the tables spilling outdoors by the kidney-shaped swimming pool.

Photo by Café del Mar

The menu features a selection of starters and salads followed by pastas and main courses such as baked Pacific dory.

Starters

Bruschetta
S$6++
Rating:

We start with a half dozen bruschettas. These are rather filling, with mozzarella cheese, chopped tomatoes and olive oil served atop grilled French loaf. Great when you need a quick bite!

Classic Caesar salad
S$12++
Rating:

The classic Caesar salad is a mix of bacon bits, croutons and romaine lettuce. We dig the delicious dressing and the toasted cubed croutons!

Pastas

Linguine Pescatora
S$20++
Rating:

I love a perfectly cooked pasta in a tomato-based sauce, so I find the Linguine Pescatora very enjoyable. Pescatora is Italian for “fisherman’s style”, which means that it is done just the way the fishermen like it, with chock full of seafood and a succulent, flavoursome tomato sauce. How very satisfying!

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with seafood
S$12++ (top up S$3 for ham, chicken or seafood)
Rating:

The spaghetti Aglio e Olio is cooked al dente, not too bland or overpoweringly garlicky. You can choose to add on ham, chicken or seafood. Check out the load of seafood that includes mussels, whole scallops, clams and prawns. Not bad at all!

Children aged 12 or below can order smaller portions of the pastas at half the price.

Mains

Baked Pacific dory
S$24++
Rating:

The chef’s specialty of baked Pacific dory is quite inventive. The fish arrives on a bed of mashed potato, drizzled with a garlic butter sauce and baked to perfection. The potato bears a slight hint of wasabi that lends some spice, yet is mild enough to not burn the nostrils. Coupled with the thick, tasty butter sauce, it is hard not to enjoy this dish. So it’s a good thing that it comes in a good-sized portion.

Marisco Paella
S$28++
Rating:

For something even more substantial, go for the Marisco Paella. In this Spanish rice dish, saffron rice is baked with seafood morsels and tomatoes. The rice is fragrant and savoury with herbs and spices.

Rib-eye steak
S$28++
Rating:

Meat lovers have the options of roast chicken, pork ribs, lamb chops or the rib-eye steak. A medium order of the steak turns out firm on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and drenched in a sweetish red wine sauce. Perhaps it is the chorus of delicious seafood before, we find this dish rather forgettable.

Cocktails

Bailey’s Comet
Rating:

Don’t forget to wash down all the goodies with one of Café del Mar’s signature cocktails!

Photo by Café del Mar

If you are yearning for a meal away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you now have a wonderful dining option right by the beach. Coming here at night would be even more memorable and enchanting, with the cool sea breeze and a resort-like setting under the stars.

Have Your Say!

Does dining by the beach appeal to you? Are there any more of such seaside restaurants that we should know about? Share with us in the comments!

Café del Mar
Sentosa
40 Siloso Beach Walk, Siloso Beach
Singapore 098996
Tel: +65 6235 1296 | Website | Menu
Service:

Opening hours:
Mon – Thur, Sun: 11am – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 2am

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The interiors here are just as charming. Seating is a choice between the indoor dining area, and an alfresco area by the sea with a view of the Resorts World Sentosa.

Photo by The Queen & Mangosteen

Apart from Queen, the other bars and restaurants along the same stretch, such as Brotzeit the German bar and Serenity the Spanish bar next door, also offer the same waterfront view.

Queen’s snapper fish & chips
S$24++
Rating:

Our main reason for coming here is to try out the much hyped Queen’s snapper fish and chips. The beer-battered fish is served with mesclun salad, a lemon wedge and tartar sauce. The twist lies in the sauce itself, which is yellow and curry-flavoured! It is very tasty, and goes delightfully well with the fish and chips.

Without the unique curry tartar sauce, the dish is otherwise quite ordinary. At that price, it would be nice if they offer a bigger portion than just two rather skimpy pieces of fish. So for now, I still prefer Fish & Co‘s cheese-stuffed fish and chips.

Photo by The Queen & Mangosteen

Still, I wouldn’t mind going back to The Queen. The drinks are priced more reasonably than the food. With the lovely ambience and sea view, it is a wonderful place for chilling out.

What is your favourite place for fish and chips? Share with us in the comments!

The Queen & Mangosteen
VivoCity
1 Habourfront Walk #01-106/107
Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 6376 9380 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
Sun – Thu: 11am – 11pm
Fri, Sat & PH Eve: 11am – 1am

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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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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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It was at Tony Roma’s where I had my first rack of perfectly barbecued baby back ribs. Eventually Jerry’s, with their tender and meaty ribs that ooze flavour with every bite, became the first place I recommend for ribs.

Lately I have been hearing rave reviews about the ribs at Dallas and they got me curious enough to check it out. The name also reminds me fondly of my trip to the actual Dallas!

So, is the food as good as what people say?

Baby back pork ribs (full rack)
S$28++
Rating:

Ahh… The baby back pork ribs that everyone is raving about. We have ordered here a full rack of the fiery flavour. These ribs come in three flavours — fiery, berry and the new caribbean dry rub.

It is a little baffling that the ribs don’t seem spicy or even peppery, as the name “fiery” suggests. But that’s okay. No biggie. What’s more important is that they are sweet and flavourful, braised to melt-in-the-mouth tenderness.

Now tell me: are you the type that throw caution to the wind and eat the fatty bits in your meats because they taste so good? If you are, then you would so enjoy Dallas’ ribs. The fatty layer is thick and prominent beneath the charred skin!

I know many people actually love these fatty pieces. In fact, one Japanese restaurant deliberately serves a version of their pork katsu with the thick fatty layer intact. That dish has remained one of their bestsellers.

For me, I would go for Jerry’s seemingly fat-free ribs any day! At Jerry’s, they use a special preparation method to ensure the fats are all melted away in the grilling process. Plus, the ribs are meatier and saucier.

I like the fact that instead of the usual French fries, the ribs come with a big heap of thick fluffy potato wedges by default. Still, if you prefer, you can request for the Dallas fries instead.

Not every dish turns out to be a success, however.

Dallas Platter
S$14++
Rating:

To get a taste of their various appetisers, we order the Dallas platter that comprises of:

• chicken wings
• chicken and cheese quesadillas
• salt and pepper calamari
• guacamole, sour cream and chilli dips

Just the thing for people that like variety! However, our first sentiment on seeing the platter is dismay. What small portions!

Perhaps we have been too accustomed to the generous portions of appetisers offered at similar restaurants. After eating Jerry’s huge buffalo wings and Tony Roma’s huge calamari rings, the Dallas platter seems miserably small! I’m talking 4 skimpy winglets, a handful of rather tough chopped calamari and 2 skinny slices of quesadillas. They barely warm the stomach! Frankly, the two other restaurants offer much more, and at lower prices, too.

One consolation is that the winglets taste pretty good with the chilli sauce. Are they worth the price? You decide.

When you’re tucking into fiery ribs, you probably wanna do it in an air-conditioned setting. There’s the second-floor dining area for you, fully air-conditioned with tables set like a fine-dining restaurant. But if you don’t mind being seen tearing chicken wings apart with your bare hands, alfresco dining by the river is also available.

For now, we’re still sticking with jerry’s and Tony Roma’s for the tastier food, bigger portions, quicker service and lower prices. They have won our hearts long ago :)

But hey, it’s always good to have another alternative for ribs, right?

Dallas Restaurant & Bar
31 Boat Quay
Singapore 049820
Tel: +65 6532 2131
Service:
dallas.sg

Bus services: 1N, 2N, 3N, 4N, 51, 5N, 61, 63, 6N, 80, 124, 145, 166, 174, 197, 851, 961, NR1, NR2, NR3, NR5, NR6, NR7, NR8, 174E, 961C
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place

Opening hours: 11:30am – 2.30pm, 6 – 10:30pm (Closed on Sundays

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Photo by Street Directory

This casual bar is decked out in yellow, from the round-topped tables and the motif-decorated walls right down to the glossy menus. Even though the interior looks chic, my favourite spot there is definitely in the outdoor, among the high stools along the river. Drinking beer by the waterfront is the perfect way to spend a weekday evening!

Besides the dozens of different beers available, there is also an extensive selection of mussels and meat dishes to choose from.

We thought it would be clever to go for the Brussels Sprouts’ Platter. That way we would get to sample a bit of everything, including frites, mussels and prawn croquettes.

Grey shrimp croquette
Rating:

Even though the filling wasn’t much, the Grey shrimp croquette was quite delicious. But then again, anything deep-fried would be yummy right? It’s almost a rule!

Clockwise from top left: Meatloaf with Gherkin Dressing, Ham, Caper and Gherkin Salad on Toast, Chilled Slow Braised Pork Belly with Mustard
Rating:

Half of our platter was filled with pork in different forms! And I don’t even take pork! My dinner partner (actually more like drinking partner) isn’t exactly a big fan of pork either. Had we bothered to read the menu carefully, we would have ordered a pot of pure mussels instead of the platter.

Mussels Marinated in Vinegar
Rating:

Thankfully, the mussels were awesome! Succulent and plump, it was tempting to keep popping them into my mouth one after another. Slurp! Even if it wasn’t for the beer, the mussels alone would keep me coming back for more!

Mussel lovers get to choose from 14 cooking styles, be it European, such as the classic wine-and-butter combo, or Asian. Spicy tom yum, anyone? And that’s not all — each pot of mussels comes with free-flowing fries and creamy mayonnaise! Yum!

Of course, the perfect way to wash it down is with… Belgian beer!

Ahh…! I had just a pint of Leffe Blonde. But I’m going back for more! An interesting point to note is that all beers are served in their respective glasses of varying shapes, designed to bring out their best flavour.

These are the different Belgian beers that I had in Tokyo. I’m so glad to be able to find them in Singapore too!

One more thing — kids aged 10 and below (one for every paying adult) get to eat for free too (weekend lunches only)! Okay, I’m pretty sure none of you would qualify. It’s still useful information nonetheless.

What are you waiting for?

Brussels Sprouts
The Pier@Robertson
80 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-12
Singapore 239013
Tel: +65 6887 4344 | Website
Service:

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Credit

Seriously, nothing beats having a stress-free day drinking beer by the sea. Since then, Brotzeit has become one of my favourite places to sit down for a cold beer, besides Brewerkz. The atmosphere here is great! In case anyone is curious, Brotzeit can be directly translated to bread time, which simply means snack time.

Credit

Besides the alfresco dining area, the indoor dining is pretty nice too, with all the chic designer leather furniture. The contemporary design employs a large use of white and brown tones. One side of the wall is decorated with interesting murals of animals drinking — what else — beer! Haha! They look kind of Egyptian to me.

I was there again recently, to have beer and some food. Their pork knuckles and sausages appeared to be hot-sellers. But since I don’t take any meat other than chicken, we went for their seafood platter instead.

Fischplatte
S$27.90++
Rating:

The seafood platter, or Fischplatte as they call it, was meant for two persons. All the food was spread out nicely on the plate, consisting of prawns, salmon, crabmeat, tuna and anchovies, plus an ample amount of vegetables such as cucumber, olives and tomatoes. Still, the overall portion was pretty little for a two-person share.

Deep-fried prawn
Rating:

The prawns were slightly breaded before being deep-fried. They weren’t exactly the juiciest thing. Personally I prefer prawns to be grilled or steamed. That way, they retain more of their natural seafood taste and moisture.

Smoked salmon
Rating:

I’ve always been a fan of salmon, especially when it’s sashimi. But the smoked salmon here was pretty ordinary. There’s nothing particularly memorable about it.

Marinated tuna
Rating:

To my surprise I found myself enjoying the tuna much more than the smoked salmon, despite the fact that I’ve never been fond of the former. Just look at how fresh it is!

Crab Salad
Rating:

Strangely enough, the tasty crab salad turned out to be my favourite! So there wasn’t exactly a lot of crabmeat. Nonetheless, it was bite after bite of pure delight! I liked that it was all creamy and colourful, the result of a wonderful blend of mayonnaise and vegetables.

White anchovies
Rating:

Lastly, the white anchovies. Okay, I don’t like anchovies. Never can, never will. But the white anchovies here were just bursting with flavour!

About the beer here, they have three drafts by Paulaner, specially imported from Munich. (Apparently these aren’t available at the Paulaner bar in Millenia Walk.) Usually I would go for the very light-coloured Weissbier (white beer). But next time round I’m trying out the Salvador, which has a higher alcohol content and a slight tinge of chocolate!

Something new that I just learned today: Paulaner brews its beer in accordance to the German purity law that came about in 1516. What this means is that only certain natural ingredients may be used in the brewery, ensuring that the beer would be pure. Pretty awesome eh?

Prost!

VivoCity outlet

VivoCity
1 Harbourfront Walk #01-149/151
Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 6272 8815
Service:

Raffles City outlet

313@Somerset outlet

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Comparing Rochester Park in daytime and night time, there is a stark contrast. In the day, this place seems almost lifeless with few customers even during lunch hours. The alfresco dining areas at graze and Da Paolo are not even open, with chairs flipped over and tables blanketed with canvas. My advice is to visit Rochester Park only at night, because that’s when it becomes much sexier and livelier.

But for now, let’s just take a look at Da Paolo Bistro Bar.

This isn’t the first Da Paolo restaurant. It has a few other branches including Club Street and Holland Village. But the Rochester Park branch definitely has the winning design. Like the other restaurants at Rochester Park, it is housed in a restored colonial bungalow. The courtyard has been converted into a charming alfresco dining area, and the old swimming pool is now an outdoor bar!

Besides the huge expanse of space dedicated to outdoor dining, the bungalow itself offers indoor dining with its own bar so that people may wine and dine in comfort.

Bruschetta con Melanzane e Acciughe
(Braised eggplant, garlic and anchovies on grilled bread)
S$10++
Rating:

We had a few appetisers, with this bruschetta con melanzane e acciughe being the most interesting one. The bread had been grilled just right and the eggplant, garlic and anchovies combined to form a nice topping.

Melanzane alla Parmigiano
(Eggplant layered with mozzarella, tomatoes, parmesan cheese and basil)
S$14++
Rating:

Okay I’m pretty sure I got the name of this dish wrong, but it looked and tasted pretty much like lasagna. It was very flavourful and rich in cheese.

Calamari
S$17++
Rating:

As for the fried calamari rings, I feel that it is a staple dish in all Western meals. This particular one was unfortunately too chewy and rubbery in texture. And to add salt to the wound, the miserly portion of calamari cost a hefty $17! It was more expensive than most of the main courses in the menu! What’s up with that, da paolo? Were those famous squids or something?

Lasagne alla Bolognese
S$15++
Rating:

The main course I ordered was the lasagna bolognese. This is one of those dishes that can’t go wrong. (no wonder it’s garfield’s favourite food!) but because of the generous amount of mozzarella cheese, I felt full pretty quickly. And yes, I know it’s minced beef and all and I’m no longer eating beef. But I couldn’t find any vegetarian, chicken or seafood dish that I liked on the menu. This is the first time I had eaten beef in a year, or perhaps even longer.

Tuna Spaghetti (fish of the day)
S$?++
Rating:

The fish dish of the day was tuna spaghetti. Now, I’m extremely picky when it comes to fish, and the only ones I eat are cod, salmon and dory. Tuna has never been a personal favourite. So it was rather surprising that I actually kind of liked the tuna spaghetti.

Cannelloni con Spinaci e Ricotta
(Home made pasta rolled with spinach and ricotta)
S$16++
Rating:

Okay this is another dish that I’m pretty sure I got the name wrong. I apologise but I really struggle with long dish names especially when they aren’t in a familiar language. Anyway when it was served we all commented that it looked like one huge tofu with gravy! Also, it kind of looked like my lasagna don’t you think?

The fusilli pasta turned out to be the most pricey dish of the day. Who would have thought?

Tiramisu
S$10++
Rating:

After an ensemble of starters and mains, it’s time for desserts! The tiramisu was a little on the bland side.

Torta al Cioccolato (Flourless chocolate cake)
S$10++
Rating:

But fortunately, the flourless chocolate cake fared way better! The flourless part sounded rather intriguing — great news for all the atkins and South beach dieters! As it turned out, this chocolate cake was marvellous and for me, it was the best part of the entire meal.

So the food at the bistro bar didn’t fare exceptionally well, which is understandable since it appears to be more of a bar than a restaurant. For those who want a reprieve from work, over some nice wine and candlelight, this would be the perfect place. But if you’re looking for a good and satisfying meal, any of the other da paolo restaurants would probably be a much better option.

Da Paolo Bistro Bar
3 Rochester Park
Singapore 139214
Tel: +65 6774 5537
Service:
Website

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]]> 17 http://sparklette.net/food/the-blooies-roadhouse-bar-grill/ http://sparklette.net/food/the-blooies-roadhouse-bar-grill/#comments Tue, 13 Jun 2006 06:18:12 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=398 I have never actually been to Science Park before until a recent job assignment gave me the opportunity. When my client suggested lunch, I was expecting a café or a canteen. I did a double take when I found ourselves at The BLooiE’s Roadhouse Bar & Grill, tucked at the first level of the Aquarius in Science Park II.

The restaurant appears to cater primarily to the working crowd, as there was hardly any customer when we were there on Saturday afternoon. Sports games and world cup matches were shown on a number of television screens. Some of the staff were playing a few leisurely games of pool or chilling out at the bar counter. From the simple but tasteful design of the place, which includes a casual alfresco dining area, everything exudes a warm and upbeat atmosphere.

Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers
S$7+++
Rating:

For starters we had stuffed jalapeño peppers. The jalapeño was super hot and tangy and didn’t taste too good. Obviously jalapeño is something that doesn’t suit all tastebuds. That was my first time eating jalapeño and it would quite positively be my last; I didn’t like it one bit!

Fish & Chips
S$14.80+++
Rating:

Opting for a safer option for the main course, I ordered a fish & chips. It was a humongous serving of crusted fish fillet topped with lemon, served with an equally large portion of chips and a mound of salad and mayonnaise on the side. I couldn’t finish the whole thing on my own! A pity the fish didn’t taste as enticing as it looked; it was just all right for me. The chips had been cut pretty thick, and were less crunchy on the outside, fluffier on the inside. They were also less oily, and a healthier rendition of regular French fries. It’s a good thing, although I would have liked them crispier.

Crusted Salmon Fillet
S$20+++
Rating:

I must rave about the crusted salmon fillet. Once again it’s another huge serving of fish that occupied the plate. Served with creamy mashed potato and greens, the fish was nicely seared on the outside, and pink in the centre. There was no evidence of any fishy smell and the salmon tasted so juicy and sweet! It was sublime, and certainly the best salmon I have ever eaten.

Oh yeah this is also the second place (I have noticed) that charges an additional 1% CESS.

Although the place is a little remote, The BLooiE’s Roadhouse Bar & Grill would be a neat place to check out if you happen to be in the vicinity. There are three roadhouses spread across Singapore.

Science Park outlet

Science Park II
The Aquarius
21 Science Park Road #01-01
Singapore 117628
Tel: +65 6775 0446
Service:

Bus services: 10, 30, 51, 143, 183, 188, 200
Nearest MRT: Harbourfront

Opening hours:
11am – 12am (Mon-Fri)
11am – 1am (Sat, Sun & PH)

Siglap outlet

Rail Mall outlet

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]]> 4 http://sparklette.net/food/giraffe/ http://sparklette.net/food/giraffe/#comments Sun, 07 May 2006 13:45:25 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=373 So, I finally got a chance to dine at the Giraffe Restaurant and Bar over at Istana Park. It’s not the food that draws me, but the chic look of the place. Housed in a double-storey glass building amidst water and greenery, diners are nicely isolated from the bustling weekend crowd in town.

You enter the restaurant on a raised glass platform with water flowing beneath your feet. Right away the first impression shouts modern chic. You would notice that the sleek decor encompasses a large use of glossy glass. There’s both indoor as well as alfresco dining that overlooks a pool of water. On the second storey there are a couple of lounges and a small darkened balcony area. Perfect for couples.

The non-alcoholic drinks menu isn’t an extensive one since it’s more of a chill-out bar than restaurant. I simply ordered a coffee.

Coffee
S$5.90++
Rating:

As for the food, they had some chicken, meat, seafood and pastas. I had chicken schnitzel which is herb crusted chicken fillet served with preserved lemon, mushroom and mornay sauce. It’s really just a more ostentatious form of the Western chicken cutlet.

Chicken Schnitzel
S$18.90++

It took three waitstaff to serve each dish. They would bring the two plates of food along, set up this makeshift stand right beside our table, set the two dishes of food atop the stand, before finally bringing the food over from the stand to our table and dismantling the makeshift stand. I didn’t mind waiting the extra thirty seconds, but I really didn’t see the point of it.

After a belly full of chicken I almost left the place with my sweater left on my seat, if not for the alert staff. Giraffe definitely boasts a striking ambience with wonderful service to boot.

Giraffe Restaurant and Bar
Istana Park
Orchard Road
Singapore 238823
Tel: +65 6334 4653
Service:

News updates

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

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