While Chinese-style restaurants serving this popular dish are aplenty, Western ones have not exactly ventured into the chili crabs’ territory. Casual Western restaurant, Eighteen Chefs, surprisingly offers it in the form of cheese baked chili crab. Doesn’t that sound enticing?

Only limited sets are available daily. So if you want to enjoy your favorite chili-spiked crab done with a twist, you would have better chances coming here earlier in the day.

Cheese baked chili crab
SGD18.90+

A whole crab is served swimming in the trademark spicy sauce and topped with cheese. Then, there’s the crab cracker. If you are like me and don’t know how to handle it properly, it’s a good idea to watch DIY videos on Youtube ask friends on Twitter ask the staff to crack the shell for you.

The sweet and sour gravy is the real winner here. Many places make it mildly spicy to cater to a larger group of people, but that doesn’t lend much of a kick does it? Thankfully the one here is spicy enough to make you wanna reach for that iced lemon tea every 5 mouthfuls. Apart from the spice, it is also thick, ribboned with egg and utterly flavorsome. Hot stuff! The only gripe is that there really isn’t much crab meat. Maybe we just got a skinny crab.

To make sure you don’t leave any of that spicy, saucy goodness behind, you can mop it all up with crispy mantou (Chinese buns). These sweetish buns come in a cute size and go really well with the gravy, traditionally speaking.

Cream of corn soup

The cream of corn soup of the day, which unlike the cream of mushroom soup we had the other time, is pretty decent too. We slurp down every last bit!

Baked Rice and Pasta

What if chili crab isn’t really your thing? Go for the baked rice or pastas. You can customise each dish with any of the 8 sauces and 12 ingredients. Check out our earlier Eighteen Chefs review on those! (Hint: They’re good!)

Have Your Say!

Chili crab – yay or nay? What is the most unusual incarnation of chili crab that you have come across? Where can we find the best chili crab in Singapore? Share with us below!

Eighteen Chefs ( Halal certified)
- Eastpoint Mall
- Fusionopolis
- Yishun 10
- Tiong Bahru Plaza
Website | Food menu | Drinks & desserts menu

Posted by Veron in Food category | Halal, seafood, Tiong Bahru, Western

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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 center 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
SGD6++

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
SGD12++

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
SGD20++

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, flavorsome tomato sauce. How very satisfying!

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with seafood
SGD12++ (top up SGD3 for ham, chicken or seafood)

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
SGD24++

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
SGD28++

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 savory with herbs and spices.

Rib-eye steak
SGD28++

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

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 below!

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

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

Posted by Veron in Food category | alfresco/outdoor dining, bar, International, Mediterranean, pasta, restobar, salad, seafood, Sentosa, waterfront

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The first thing that strikes you about Queen & Mangosteen is probably its memorable name. So how did it come about? There is a legend about Queen Victoria offering a reward of 100 pounds to anyone who could deliver to her the fresh fruit. Also, did you know that the mangosteen is known as the queen of fruits?

Photo by Queen & Mangosteen

The next time you visit a British pub, don’t forget to check out its sign. You may notice that it is represented by pictures. In olden times, customers who were unable to read would recognise the establishments by these pictorial signs. That explains the prominence of the crown and the fruit in the logo!

Photo by Queen & Mangosteen

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 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
SGD24++

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-flavored! 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 Queen & Mangosteen

Still, I wouldn’t mind going back to 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.

Have Your Say!

What is your favorite place for fish and chips? Share with us below!

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

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

Posted by Veron in Food category | alfresco/outdoor dining, bar, beer, English, restobar, seafood, Vivocity, waterfront, Western

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Ever since stumbling upon the Rendezvous buffet dinner quite by chance a few years ago, I have returned at least twice every year to feast on the goodies.

While the buffet is international style with both Western and Asian dishes tossed in the mix, what I love most is the seafood. If I could use one word to sum up the dinner buffet, it would be quite simply “crayfish” — loads and loads of it!

Over here, the staff always refill the trays once the food runs out. You can be sure to get a bellyful of the shellfish each time!

Of course, apart from that you can also indulge in other seafood such as baby octopus, crab legs and scallops. These go especially well with the Thai sweet chili sauce provided, among other dips.

Look, the canapé is topped with a slice of bak kwa (sweet barbecued pork)! These days, bak kwa sure is showing up in many unconventional dishes, including mooncakes!

Spot a running theme here? Yes, the crayfish is omnipresent on every dinner plate. That is my single most favorite item in the buffet spread.

As for desserts, a few durian specialties are offered. The blended durian purée is melt-in-your-mouth goodness. If you love durian mochi, you would absolutely enjoy this!

Then there’s also the hotel’s well known durian fudge cake that is filled with layers of soft durian pulp, minus the durian stench. Yum!

Perhaps what is lacking in this buffet is a nice chocolate fountain and more ice cream flavors.

Love the colorful picks!

International buffet
Lunch 12noon – 2:30pm: SGD37++ per adult
Dinner 6:30-10pm (Weekday/Weekend): SGD44++ / SGD47++ per adult

Promotion

This June, every child dines free with each paying adult. Wow! Check out the buffet promotion. Don’t forget to join our Facebook Page to get fresh updates of new dining deals!

Have Your Say!

Where is your favorite hotel buffet in Singapore? Share with us below!

Straits Café
Rendezvous Hotel
9 Bras Basah Road Singapore 189559
(65) 6335 1777 | Website
Service:

Bus services: 7, 14, 16, 36, 77, 106, 111, 124, 128, 131, 147, 14E, 162, 166, 167, 171, 174, 175, 190, 502, 518, 587, 590, 598, 700, NR7, 162M, 174E, 502A, 502B, 518A, 518B, 700A, 857
Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut

Posted by Veron in Food category | buffet, International, Rendezvous Hotel, seafood

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Hawkers have also taken to adding XO cognac to soup, so much so that the XO fish head bee hoon (rice vermicelli) soup has become a dish that can stand on its own.

One place where you would find it is the Ming Kitchen Seafood Restaurant at a Holland Drive coffee shop (near Holland Village). If I’m not wrong, it occupies the former premises of Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hun.

XO fish head bee hoon soup
SGD7* (serves 2-3 persons)

Although this dish has been around for some time, it’s only my first time sampling it. To be frank I initially thought that the XO is simply a gimmick and there wouldn’t really be much of the liquor. Many Chinese dishes have XO in their names to add that wow factor, but the only “XO” in them is XO sauce.

That is why when the big bowl of soup arrives reeking of the strong smell of cognac, I get so impressed! Does anyone know what is the brand of XO that they use? They have a bottle of Remy Martin on display, but something tells me that’s not it.

The milky soup tastes just wonderful. It looks that they use quite a lot of the spirit. Even with that much soup, you can totally taste the XO, but without its bitterness. The only minus point is that the snakehead fish has way too many fine bones, and I happen to be terrified of choking on one.

(* I can’t remember the price of the soup. Sorry! My pitiful memory tells me it’s 7 bucks for a big bowl for two, but that just seems too… cheap, doesn’t it? Friend says it MIGHT have been $15. If anyone knows the price, please drop a note in the comments section. Thanks!)

Fried “five spices” prawn roll
SGD8

One dish that gets the perfect score is the fried “five spices” prawn roll. With the fragrant and succulent filling underneath a thin crisp skin, these deep fried rolls are just a pure delight to eat. Plus, they come with a wonderful sweet sauce dip that complement the taste. Very nice!

Have Your Say!

What do you think of using liquor in cooking/baking? Does it enhance the dish? What food would you most like to see with a liquor twist? Share with us below!

Posted by Veron in Food category | Chinese, coffee shop, Holland Village, seafood, Zi Char

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Update: Hotel Re! has updated the price along with these new additions to the buffet spread.

Over the weekend, we were invited to a “simulation brunch” for media partners. Having enjoyed their permanent themed set meals and that unforgettable wine pairing dinner, we are definitely eager to try this out! The spread pictured here is less than the actual thing, but should give you an idea of what type of food to expect.

Right off the bat, we spot a varied selection of cuisines ranging from the Japanese sushi…

… to Chinese dim sum that include the ever popular dumplings!

These “pouches” are glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf.

At this station, you can watch the chef whip up bowl after bowl of piping hot laksa.

Yum! Unfortunately the laksa does not come with hum (cockles), perhaps due to the recent shortage of the shellfish.

Of all the food I sampled, my favorite is the pasta which comes in a kickin’ bolognaise sauce. The meat skewers are too salty for my liking. The spring rolls and fried chicken, on the other hand, are delicious.

When it comes to pastries and desserts, the variety is much larger. These go extremely well with the coffee and tea provided, and fruit juices, too.

The mini sandwiches come with colorful picks!

Waffles are omnipresent at breakfasts and brunches! After all, it’s hard to say no to waffles.

These jello shots remind me of those colorful jellies from my childhood that come in conical plastic containers. Sweet stuff! Does any of you remember those?

More goodies abound in the form of swiss rolls, layered cakes and puddings.

The buffet brunch takes place at the new Re!Joice Ballroom, which is housed in a permanent outdoor marquee (fully air conditioned, of course!).

$2 Promotion

As the hotel is celebrating its second anniversary, it is also introducing an unbeatable promotion. The first 100 walk-in customers on 15 May, Saturday, get to enjoy this buffet brunch at just SGD2! Take full advantage of this promotion!

Have Your Say!

Are you a brunch person? What is your favorite spot for brunch? Let us know below!

Posted by Veron in Food category | brunch, buffet, International, Outram, seafood

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If you have visited the newest malls in town, Tampines One and 313@Somerset along Orchard Road, you probably have already seen this new fish! Let’s check out what it has to offer.

Salad Bar

Salad bar buffet
SGD12.90++ (or SGD5.90++ with any main course)

The salad bar buffet is one big draw that would appeal to the increasing health-conscious crowd. People who have dined at any Sizzler restaurant would find the concept familiar.

The line of selections include Shiitake and Enoki mushroom salad, papaya salad, salmon salad, Romaine lettuce salad, Japanese cucumber salad and even Nachos, along with various dressings and dips. Our unanimous favorite is this:

Chili crab salad

The chili crab salad, which is sweet and delicious, and works great as an appetiser! Just the SOUND of that alone is delicious, isn’t it?

Starters

For starters, we sample the crispy silver fish and the egg toast.

Crispy silver fish
SGD6.90++

The tiny fishes are batter-coated and deep-fried. Tossed with salt and served with a dip, this is a simple dish that brings no surprises.

Shrimp & egg on toast with rocket
SGD5.90++

The toast is served in a colorful array of shrimp, sunny side up eggs and rocket leaves. What you see is what you get. A healthful and nutritious combination, but again, tastes just ordinary.

Notice that all the dishes served so far come with greens, a pattern that would repeat throughout this food-tasting session.

Main Courses

Chicken Cacciatore
SGD10.90++

The chicken Cacciatore is so-called as it is prepared “hunter-style” — seared on both sides and accompanied by tomatoes, herbs and baby potatoes.

Baked seafood spaghetti
SGD8.90++

The prices here are mostly very reasonable, such as the baked seafood spaghetti done al cartoccio. Through this manner of preparation, the pasta retains its moisture and juicy flavors. We only wish there is more seafood in this as the prawns and squid are rather scarce.

If you like pasta wrapped and baked in a similar way, Pasta Inc does a great rendition of it, too.

Feathers & Fins Platter
SGD39.90++

For an all-in-one dish, go for the Feathers & Fins Platter. This is a pan filled with an impressive galore of calamari rings, prawns, Barramundi fish and — the best part — two large pieces of chicken thigh!

The grilled chicken is covered in the most succulent sauce, whose secret ingredients our hosts refuse to divulge ;) Whatever it is, it tastes flavorsome and makes you want to have more of it, yet doesn’t induce a sore throat like the famously delicious Indonesian grilled chicken at Plaza Singapura.

Teriyaki ribeye steak
SGD16.90++

Ribeye steak arrives in the form of long marbled strips, soaked in a teriyaki sauce. The meat is tender and juicy, although the sauce does not taste like the conventional Japanese sweet soy sauce that we are familiar with. Perhaps this is the Western version.

Desserts

A nice selection of cakes are available for desserts, shipped in directly from the United States. Wow! Talk about huge portions!

Strawberry Daiquiri Colossal
SGD6.95++

The Strawberry Daiquiri Colossal sports pretty strawberry swirls. I’m not a huge fan of fruit-flavored cakes myself, so it is the following cake that gets me excited:

Chocolate Pecan Cluster
SGD6.95++

Just one look at the Chocolate Pecan Cluster cake is enough to make me salivate! Think layer after layer of chocolate topped with caramel. Beware: This is so sweet that it will send the sweet tooth in you right to the moon!

Beverages

Passion fruit / Kola tonic
SGD3.90++ each

The passion fruit soda and kola tonic stand out on the beverage menu. I like the fact that these aren’t carbonated, and are thirst-quenching and very satisfying!

Perhaps it’s the appeal of Fish & Co., even for this new concept restaurant, it has gotten many people curious. At the 313@Somerset outlet we visited, the line was so long that some eager customers had to wait more than half an hour for a table!

Have Your Say!

How do you find the new F.I.S.H.? Is it a whole lot different from Fish & Co.? Share with us below!

F.I.S.H. ( Halal certified)

2 Restaurants

Posted by Veron in Food category | salad, seafood, Somerset, Tampines, Western

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The Manhattan Fish Market is running a 1-for-1 deal for its Lob-Xi Fatt Cai seafood meal. Who doesn’t like 1-for-1 dealies right? Each platter includes a half lobster and fried calamari rings amongst other goodies. Don’t they look tantalising?

This promotion runs from now all the way ’til March 7, 2010 at their 8 restaurants. Check it out (click to enlarge):

You can also fish out 4 lucky numbers (Uh, where from?) and claim a sure-win prize! What fun!

Oh yes, they will be open on the first two days of Chinese New Year, too! Here’s our earlier review of The Manhattan Fish Market.

For those of you who might prefer something more traditional, we have just the right place for you to indulge in Chinese New Year food.

Posted by Veron in Food category | Chinese New Year, promotion, seafood, Western

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Are you still looking for a restaurant to dine at this Chinese New Year? Do you fancy having great seafood and customary festive goodies with wonderful-sounding names like “好事发财” or “步步高升” that actually taste as good as they sound? Welcome to Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant.

For more than half a century, the restaurant has been serving delicacies from the sea. From their first home at East Coast to their present premises at the scenic and tourist-favorite One Fullerton, the restaurant has evolved with the times, bringing innovative dishes to our seafood-loving population.

During this most important Chinese festival of the year, you can enjoy an array of festive dishes here with your loved ones or colleagues ;)

Alaskan King Crab Yu Sheng 鱼生
SGD58++ / 88++

The Yu Sheng (raw fish salad) has become quite a staple for this occasion. Here’s a very good write-up on the history and tradition behind it. Typically eaten as an appetiser, this is the one dish that would usually elicit the most oohs and ahhs at the table.

A kaleidoscope of colors is created from the various types of shredded ingredients that include red pepper, carrots, ginger, chopped peanuts, vegetables, jellyfish and raw salmon amongst others. Over here, it even comes with pitaya (dragon fruit) slices! By the way, did you know that this fruit comes from a cactus plant?

To up the posh factor you can even have shredded Alaskan King Crab or lobster added to your salad. The crab meat is extremely succulent and sweet. What a great way to pamper oneself!

And that’s the aforementioned majestic Alaskan King Crab. Executive Chef Andy Lau (yes, exactly like the Hong Kong starlet) amusingly informs us that at times, the crab manages to make its escape out of the tank! I don’t know about you, but I sure wouldn’t want a mega-huge crab like that to be freely crawling ’round my feet!

Amazingly, the Alaskan King crab is nowhere near as big as the Japanese Spider Crab.

The Japanese Spider Crab is the largest crab in the world, boasting a leg span of almost 4 meters!

Oysters with Prosperity vegetables 好事发财
SGD48++ / 68++

The Chinese, as a group, like to hear auspicious sayings and anything that sounds remotely like an auspicious saying. So when you have a dish with a name like 好事发财 (good fortune), we lap it up like crazy. Can you tell why oysters + black sea moss = 好事发财?

What intrigues me the most is the black sea moss. While this is apparently a very common ingredient in Chinese dishes, I have never had it in my life! My Mom never cooks it because it “looks gross”. Really, this peculiar vegetable (or weed) from the sea looks just like human hair! Or as the Cantonese would call it, “Fatt Choy!”

Taste-wise, the hair-like moss actually goes down very well. It suffices to say that I like it. Apparently it doesn’t make an appearance aside from Chinese New Year, just like the God of Prosperity.

Nian Gao (Chinese New Year cakes) 步步高升
SGD18++ / 28++

Next, we have the Nian Gao that have just the cutest Mandarin name of all: 步步高升! What this means in English is, uh, improving step by step? Can someone offer a better translation? Basically, the 高 character sounds exactly like pastry in Chinese.

The “small” portion comes with a dozen pieces of the pastry evenly divided between deep-fried or coated in coconut shavings. Both are yummy but our favorite is the deep-fried one.

Rather than being wholly Nian Gao, it also features a layer of yam and a layer of sweet potato. This way, it does not get too cloyingly sweet. Yum!

Have Your Say!

As you may already know, two important occasions happen to be on the same day this year. We’re curious to know: which would you be celebrating?

Do you intend to dine in style at a fancy restaurant this Chinese New Year, or would you prefer a quiet reunion dinner at home? What are your must-have food during this time of the year? Share with us below!

(Hint: If you are still racking your brain on where to bring your sweetheart this Valentine’s, check out our review of an Italian Valentine’s Day dinner!)

Many thanks to Karin and Gail for hosting us at Palm Beach.

Posted by Veron in Food, Holidays category | alfresco/outdoor dining, Chinese, Chinese New Year, Fullerton, holiday food, seafood, waterfront

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The restaurant takes up a spot in a row of shops along Jalan Besar. It is run by chef-owner Keith, a boyish-looking 28 year old entrepreneur who worked at other restaurants for many years before striking out on his own.

The vast experience has certainly provided him with a firm grasp of the cuisine. Our meal here comprises of well-executed Italian gourmet food, including the exquisite squid ink pasta, that do not disappoint.

Portobello mushroom
SGD12.90++

We start with Portobello Al Forno, a large-sized baked mushroom that is topped with mixed cheese and a dash of tomato sauce. It is very fresh, oozing juices and flavor with every bite. Oh, they also serve bread with olive oil before each meal.

Crayfish pasta in tomato based sauce (Cartoccio style)
SGD21.90++

As a huge fan of crayfish, or seafood in general, I must give a thumbs-up to the crayfish gourmet pasta. It is done al cartoccio, a technique of cooking gourmet pasta that involves wrapping it in paper and baking it. Not only does the end product look mighty impressive, there is also that sense of anticipation as you watch the waiter carefully unwrap it before your eyes.

The tomato based sauce is dreamy, with none of the tartness you get from inferior sauces that come in a jar. The baking also helps lock in the moisture and flavors, resulting in a pasta that is succulent and delicious. I am most delighted at the generous serving of crayfish. There is not one, not even two, but altogether three crayfish halves! Magnifico!

Fresh assorted seafood pasta in squid ink based sauce
SGD18.90++

Your experience here is not complete until you have tasted the house specialty — squid ink gourmet pasta. This dark and mysterious dish is served chock-full with clams and prawns, and topped with a mussel, all of which help lend extra seafood flavor. That said, the most appealing (or perhaps unappealing to some) quality of this pasta has to be its dramatic appearance.

Black as sin itself, the squid ink sauce is surprisingly pleasant and mild, with none of the pungency that I had prepared myself for. It is cooked al dente with a hint of tomato flavoring. A must-try for squid ink fans, as well as the people who are curious about squid ink but have yet to muster enough courage to taste it.

Tiramisù
SGD8.90++

I always feel that the mark of a good Italian restaurant can be measured not only by the pastas, but the tiramisù as well. Perhaps the most famous Italian cake, a trip to an Italian restaurant or café should always end with this dessert. Here, new batches of tiramisù are freshly made in-house everyday.

My verdict? It is one of the lightest versions I have ever had. The intersecting layers of creamy mascarpone cheese and airy sponge cake are so light and smooth, the cake seemingly melts in the mouth. This is a stellar example of the Italian dessert.

Creme brulee
SGD9.90++

There is also the creme brulee dish that is off the menu for now, but I reckon it wouldn’t stay that way for long. The crack of the hard, burnt caramel top layer releases the wonderful aromas of the rich custard base. It is silky and creamy without being too heavy and sweet. I love it!

Aside from the food, one thing that I must commend about Pasta Inc is the excellent service. Our waiter is dedicated and furnishes useful information about the dishes. He also offers to split our pastas into smaller portions for sharing. I find such attentiveness and product knowledge a rarity in Singapore restaurants.

I have worked out an agreement with Pasta Inc for all Sparklette readers. If you’re visiting Pasta Inc, look for Keith and let him know that Veron recommended you. This way, you get your second pasta at half price! I swear I am not benefiting from this, but I know a promotion like this definitely sweetens the deal for many of us that would like to try out good gourmet pasta.

Pasta Inc
279 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208943
(65) 6297 7515

pastainc.sg

Bus services: 21, 23, 64, 65, 66, 130, 139, 147
Nearest MRT: Lavender / Farrer Park

Opening hours: 12-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

Posted by Veron in Food category | dessert, Italian, Jalan Besar, pasta, promotion, seafood

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With the affordable and delicious seafood served at the aptly named Mariners’ Corner Restaurant, that perception can be easily changed. Lobster, anyone?

This place is one hidden gem. It is tucked within Maritime House, an aged pink building home to the Singapore Mariners’ Club. What most people wouldn’t know of is the wonderful restaurant that has been serving steaks and seafood ever since 1984!

There is certainly an old-school charm to this place. The interior is decked out like a ship, with wooden panels and naval-themed decor. The feel and ambience is a cross between the Manhattan Fish Market and Naked Fish Shoppe.

One attractive deal offered here is the $4.80 upgrade of a main course to a set meal. It gives you the additional:
- free flow of salad
- garlic bread
- soup of the day
- dessert
- coffee or tea

The best part of the deal has to be the free-flowing salad that allows you to have your fill from the salad bar. It is a similar concept as sizzler. Over here I have tried to create a healthful, colorful and delicious salad. I think I succeeded!

Buffalo wings
SGD5++

Done with the salad, garlic bread and soup, we start with the appetiser of buffalo wings. It’s basically six deep fried chicken wings and drumsticks accompanied by a sweet Thai chili dip. The chicken has not been cooked thoroughly; the reddish blood is still very much visible when you get to the innermost part of the flesh. Ugh. It’s a disappointment because I want to love this restaurant, I really do.

Lobster (250 grams) & chicken fillet combo
SGD22++

Fortunately, the main courses are good! I order the lobster combo that comprises a 250 gram lobster plus a choice of steak, chicken, fish or oxtail. For a chicken lover, the pan-seared chicken fillet is a natural choice.

Lobster has a reputation as a luxury food in the same class as foie gras and caviar. Instead of paying exorbitant prices at posh restaurants, you can indulge in it at a much fairer price range here. It is no less satisfying, too, with headily sweet flesh that is so tender, it slips out easily from the tail half at the slightest tug of the fork. I truly enjoy every precious morsel of my grilled shellfish.

As for the meat item included in the combo, chicken in my case, you can further pick your sauce from black pepper, mushroom or barbecue. I go for barbecue. It is a curious shade of orange-red that resembles sweet and sour sauce, and tastes like sweet and sour sauce. No complaints from me though. It is deee-licious.

This is one dish I would order again the next time I visit Mariners’ Corner. With both lobster and chicken, what’s not to love?

King prawn & chicken fillet combo
SGD18++

Another item that would appeal to the shellfish fans is the king prawn combo. It comprises two king prawns, again with the choice of meat and sauce. This time round, you get to also select the way you want your prawns — thermidor or garlic butter. We go for the latter.

The prawn tastes pleasant, although lacking the same splendid sweetness as its bigger cousin. If I didn’t already have the lobster for comparison, I would easily award this dish 5 drumsticks.

For both combos, you get a huge slab of chicken fillet. As though all that shellfish and meat isn’t enough, the combo also includes vegetables and mashed potato. Excellent, excellent value!

By the end of the main course, we are too stuffed to swallow another ounce of food. It’s too bad, because we would love to have a second helping at the salad bar.

And we still have coffee and cake to go!

The downside is that when it gets busy, the service becomes excruciatingly slow and the waiters seem to be quite forgetful. For every course of our meal, we have to politely ask for our food because it never comes. Hopefully this is a one-off incident because other than that, we can find no fault with the restaurant. The captain, an elderly man in his 60s, is sincerely apologetic and he alone has made our meal that much more pleasant.

One particularly memorable scene is that at the neighboring table, a group of people in their 20s are celebrating a friend’s birthday. Said captain brings out the cake, and sings the birthday song with unrivaled gusto! All the friends and the waiters are singing, but you can clearly hear that one particular guy is singing his heart out. Just imagine a 60 year old man singing Happy Birthday to a bunch of kids! He is obviously extremely dedicated to his work. Kudos.

Will I be back? Definitely. After all, I can never say no to shellfish.

Mariners’ Corner Restaurant
Maritime House
120 Cantonment Road #01-02
Singapore 089760
(65) 6220 6572
Service:

Bus services: 75, 167, 196
Nearest MRT: Outram Park / Tanjong Pagar

Opening hours: 11:30am – 2pm; 6 – 10pm daily

Posted by Veron in Food category | Lobster, salad, seafood, steaks & grill, Western

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I remember there was once when a dozen of us crowded into the restaurant at Plaza Singapura. Shortly after sitting down to look at the menu, we had to make a rather embarrassing escape when we realised that we couldn’t afford the food! Yes, back then a Fish & Co meal seemed unattainable for us.

So, I think it’s great news that they are making their food extremely affordable now! From Sundays to Thursdays between now and October 31, they are reeling in customers with the fabulous Autumn Seafood Sensation promotion. Four seafood dishes are now priced at just $9 each!

Their fish and chips is rumored to be the best in town. With this attractive promotion, it’s a great opportunity for everyone to put it to the test!

I did. So have they passed with flying colors?

Swiss fish & chips
SGD9++

The restaurant chain is famous for their seafood-in-a pan concept, where the dishes are served in little pans (though I’m pretty sure they don’t cook the food in them). Deep-fried to a lovely golden brown and topped with the signature garlic lemon butter sauce, the Swiss fish and chips certainly pass the initial looks test. The ample slab of dory fish helps a lot, too.

Still, none of that can prepare me for how awesome the batter is. It is one of the lightest, crispiest batter I have tasted, comparable to Japanese tempura! As for the flesh, it is tender, lightly salted and savory throughout.

Look, it is even stuffed with Gruyere cheese!

This is, without a doubt, one of the best fish and chips I’ve ever had. (Hmm… I find that I have been using that phrase a lot lately.)

Another place that claims to have the best fish and chips is The Manhattan Fish Market. I haven’t had theirs before, but if it’s similar to the deep-fried fish fillet that they serve in their Flaming seafood platter, then it pales in comparison to Fish & Co’s.

Well, what do you think? Does Fish & Co have the best fish & chips?

Thai’s Deluxe Catch
SGD9++

One very flavorful dish included in the promotion is the Thai’s Deluxe Catch. It comprises of grilled dory fish, served with paella rice and a pile of fresh clams cooked in succulent tomato sauce.

The thing that “Thais” it together is the red curry ladled over the fish. The curry sauce is thick and sour, a very different rendition from your typical sweet Thai curry. I guess this is the tom yam edition. It goes well with the rice, and every bite is bursting with flavor!

With the promotion, both dishes cost just $9++!

Click to enlarge
Terms & Conditions:
- Promotion is not valid at the Paragon and Ion Orchard outlets.
- Seafood baked rice is not available at the Jurong Point outlet.
- Promotion is valid from Sundays to Thursdays excluding eve and day of public holidays.
- Promotion is valid for all day dine-in only.
- Promotion is not valid in conjunction with any other promotions, discounts, privileges, vouchers, and/or offers.

I really like the fact that the promotion is valid on Sundays, too. For your next meal, take advantage of these $9 Autumn Seafood Sensations! You can pick from:

• Swiss fish & chips
• Seafood baked rice
• Captain’s Catch (barbecue sauce)
• Thai’s Deluxe Catch (red curry sauce)

Aside from the food, I also notice that a copy of the restaurant’s newsletter is placed on every table. The quarterly publication contains the latest happenings and promotions at all the restaurants operated by the same company (that includes Giraffe Bar, too). This way, customers have something to read whilst waiting for their food. That’s a very cheap and clever marketing method! Another place that provides such light reads is tcc.

The newspaper-style design and the cute name really appeal to me. Can you catch what the name is?

Posted by Veron in Food category | promotion, seafood, Western

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Despite the uniqueness of the location, it was the name that made me do a double take at first. The kinky-sounding “naked fish” is bound to stick!

While the ocean-themed restaurant may not boast of a sea view, it does offer a nice garden view and a tantalising spread of fish. At very decent prices too! Halibut, flounder, snapper, barramundi and rainbow trout are just some of the fishies you can get here.

Grilled Norwegian salmon
SGD14.50++

One fish that has won me over is the norwegian grilled salmon. Just looking at the sheer size of the fillet on my plate made me so happy :) the inner flesh is moist and has a nice shade of pink. It is accompanied by some boiled vegetables and a wonderful creamy herb remoulade sauce. The cream sauce tastes really good and literally makes this dish the cream of the crop.

You may think that the fish alone isn’t enough to feed a grown adult. But trust me, the portion is really generous and filling, and at the same time gives you a healthy dose of omega-3!

Stingray
SGD9.50++

The sambal stingray is a surprise find. Restaurants rarely have it on their menu. I was a little skeptical initially as this is a dish normally eaten at hawker centers, best shared with 2 or 3 friends, then washed down with a tall glass of sugarcane juice.

Over here the stingray is wrapped in banana leaf and baked. The second surprise is that the sambal is actually good! It is also no-holds-barred spicy and gives quite a kick!

Broiled Australian barramundi
SGD13.50++

For those with milder palates, go for the broiled Australian barramundi. It is very fresh and lightly flavored, so you can taste the natural flavor of the fish. No worries — there’s no fishy stench.

Aside from the largely Western menu, there are also Asian-style seafood like crayfish horfun and the aforementioned sambal stingray. If, for some reason, you aren’t too keen on the fish and seafood, you would also find a number of non-seafood dishes such as chicken wings and sirloin steak.

For all main courses you can top up $3.50 for a soup, small dessert (we got a teeny fruit pie) and coffee. Alternatively top up $5.50 to get an even better dessert — a yummy black forest ice cream sundae. The latter does offer quite good value for money. I would go for that.

The restaurant sports an ocean-themed decor with walls painted in ocean blue and ornaments that have been carefully picked out to match. These include the many life buoys affixed to railings and overhead lamps in the shape of boats. Plastic models of various fish species adorn the walls, clearly labeled as though to educate diners.

There’s even a replica of our Merlion at the entrance, which diners should find pleasantly familiar. I appreciate the fact that the restaurant tries to recreate an oceanic ambience. Such small touches of detail help to complete the whole seafood dining experience, don’t you think?

Naked Fish Shoppe ( Halal certified)
The Grassroots’ Club
190 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 #01-02
Singapore 568046
(65) 6457 8223
Service:
www.thenakedfishshoppe.com.sg

Bus services: 13, 45, 70, 72, 76, 86, 162, 825, 851, 852, 853, 70X, 162X, 853C
Nearest MRT: Yio Chu Kang

Opening hours: 11am – 10pm daily

Posted by Veron in Food category | Ang Mo Kio, Halal, seafood, Western

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Very often, I come across a barbecued stingray that is covered with the most delicious sambal chili paste. But alas, the flesh of the stingray is overcooked and stiff! At other times, the stingray may be grilled perfectly, but the sambal chili simply lacks punch.

When it comes to these two principles, chang ji cooked food at chinatown complex certainly have got both things right.

Sambal stingray
SGD7 onwards

Served on banana leaf, the portion above may look skimpy, but that’s only because we ordered the smallest portion. Come to think of it, most of the barbecued seafood stalls these days sell their stingray from $8 onwards. We seldom see anything cheaper than that.

The stingray is soft, tender and fresh, and comes with a vast amount of that flavorful sambal chili paste! Don’t you just hate it when sellers are stingy with their chili? So when a stingray is served drenched in a heap of yummy sambal, it really perks me up. For me, this is what I call “shiok“!

Oh don’t worry. Despite being caked in a thick layer of the chili, it’s certainly not the tear-inducing hot. Most people would be quite comfortable with the spice level.

My only complaint is that the chili is very oily and really ups the guilt factor when indulging in this dish. Any less oily and it would have been perfect!

Sambal sotong (calamari)
SGD7 onwards

Similarly drenched in the delightful sambal is the sotong (calamari). Again, prices start from $7. For that low price, we got a surprisingly ample portion!

It’s a shame that the sotong is slightly tough. If it had been softer and less rubbery, it would have scored a worthy five drumsticks!

Of course, sambal seafood is always served with lime and the pinkish mixture that I don’t know the name for. Some people stay away from it. But for me personally, it completes the whole stingray-eating ritual. I love soaking a slice of the sambal-drenched stingray into that sweet and sour pink mixture before putting it in my mouth.

There’s really nothing quite like the experience of eating an awesome barbecued stingray :)

Posted by Veron in Food category | Chinatown, Chinese, hawker stall, seafood

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The first of these new restaurants that I have visited is mingles la’ brassarie. Why? One reason — the lobster. The last time I got to enjoy a whole lobster was at the exclusive members-only tanglin club. Lobsters do not come cheap. So the moment I learned that mingles serve linguine with a fresh whole lobster at an affordable price, my heart was already there!

Lobster Linguine
SGD22.90+

Despite the lobster being a baby-sized one, I was pleased with the supremely sweet and succulent taste of its flesh. Yum! Lobsters and crayfish totally make my day! For the sauce, you can choose between white wine sauce and pomodoro sauce. Given a choice, I would go for a tomato-based pasta any day. The tangy taste complements seafood very well.

The linguine pasta, on the other hand, was slightly undercooked instead of al dente. That’s my only gripe with this dish, albeit a major one. I had to leave some of the linguine untouched because I actually had trouble finishing it.

Nonetheless, props to them for the super prompt service and short waiting time though; all our food came within 15 minutes!

Calamari Fritti
SGD9.90+

Another seafood dish that we had was the calamari fritti, served in the form of long strips rather than the usual rings. The squid is tender and nice, while the beer batter is light and crisp. Along with the sides of garden salad and a tartar sauce dip, this dish makes a nice appetiser.

Rösti with Spicy Italian Sausage
SGD16.90+

When ordering a sausage dish, you can specify the type of sausage you prefer from the 8 choices available. We chose a pan grilled spicy Italian sausage with our rösti, served with homemade sour cream. The sausage was overtly salty and didn’t taste very good in our opinion.

To complement these European dishes, the restaurant sports a European theme for its decor. One side of the wall is decorated with murals of famous sights around Europe such as the eiffel tower and london bridge. On the opposite side of the wall are mounted flat-screen television panels playing music performances of andrea bocelli. This choice of music seems rather odd, but maybe that’s just me.

Besides a main area with regular dining tables and chairs, there is also a smaller and funkier dining area with round and bright red chairs. Very cute!

In fact, this is perfect for hanging out during teatime from 3 to 6pm. That’s when they have a $16.90 ice cream buffet with free flow of New Zealand natural premium ice cream (18 flavors), freshly baked waffle cubes and a cup of hot coffee or tea. Doesn’t that sound sinfully yummy? With the sweltering heat these days, this treat sure is sweet relief.

In any case, there are still a number of other new restaurants to check out. I probably wouldn’t be making a repeat visit anytime soon. Meanwhile, recommendations for a sumptuous and affordable lobster dish somewhere are always welcome!

Mingles La’ Brassarie
Playground @ Big Splash
902 East Coast Parkway
Blk B #01-11/12
Singapore 449874
(65) 6346 3055
Service:

Bus services: 13, 16, 196
Nearest MRT: Eunos

Opening hours: 11am – 10pm daily

Posted by Veron in Food category | East Coast Park, Lobster, pasta, seafood, Western

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Welcome to Pier Eleven, a fusion Mediterranean seafood restaurant at the pier.

Marina South Pier opened last year to replace the formerly functioning clifford pier. From here, you can take ferry rides to the Southern islands of Singapore such as kusu island and saint john’s island.

In the photo above (taken at low tide, such a shame!), the brightly lit ground floor is where people would buy their tickets and wait to board the ferry. Pier Eleven sits just above it! Notice the striking white wavelike structure on the rooftop? They have a bar up there too! More on that later.

Pier Eleven opened last December. When you first enter the restaurant, you would find yourself walking through a curtain of translucent black veil at the main entrance. It gives the place a very romantic feel. Pretty, pretty!

What I find rather odd though, is the seemingly random decor. Every single painting hanging on the walls looks to be of a completely different genre from the next. I know the restaurant also functions as a art gallery… But still! There are even a couple of trishaws that seem to look completely out of place. It’s a highly eclectic mix.

Photo by Street Directory

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!)

Photo by Street Directory

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

Photo by Street Directory

Mediterranean Seafood Soup
SGD9+++

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 dining program. 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)
SGD30+++

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 center (it was done medium rare) although overall, he still considered it pretty decent.

Baked Lobster & Medley of Seafood in Roasted Fennel Broth
SGD32+++

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!

Photo by Street Directory

Baked Chocolate with Vanilla Gelati
SGD12+++

Chocolate lava cake! Haha! It is made from scratch and must be ordered 15 minutes in advance. Anyhow, it was marvelous 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
(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.

Posted by Veron in Food category | alfresco/outdoor dining, fine dining, lava cake, Mediterranean, seafood, waterfront, Western

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Despite its humble location, the prices here aren’t exactly cheap. The elderly lady who works at the stall tried to hard sell some of the dishes rather than giving us the chance to look over the menu. Personally, I really dislike it when salespeople try too hard to push their products. It’s kinda… Fishy.

Crispy Codfish Dou Fu (Tofu)
SGD12

Nonetheless, the crispy codfish tofu was a good recommendation. The nice rectangular strips are codfish blended with tofu which are deep-fried. It wasn’t a greasy dish like I expected. Bits of water chestnut in the tofu gave it a very nice and crunchy feel. Of course, the mayonnaise dip that came along was marvelous too.

Baby Kai Lan
SGD6

The second side dish we had was the baby kai lan (what’s kai lan in English?). As with most vegetable dishes, this was sort of plain and nothing spectacular.

Curry Codfish
SGD28

Finally, we got what we came for — the curry codfish! Well, most people actually come here for the curry fish head, which is also the house specialty. But I simply cannot stomach fish heads!

Upon my first sip of the simmering hot curry, I was wowed! I even turned to my dinner partner and exclaimed, “i can drink the whole pot!” it was really, really good! The curry taste was sinfully rich, yet not too spicy. Most people would be able to take it comfortably. A variety of ingredients went into the pot, such as pineapple and lady’s finger (aka okra), lending much flavor to the gravy.

Deep-fried Buns
SGD1 for 3

At a dollar for three, these cute little buns are impossible to resist! They go extremely well with the curry too! Look, how shiny!

Well, well, so the meal didn’t start off on a good note. But I’m glad the food turned out to be excellent! We didn’t have to wait long for the food to be ready too.

Now, if only the prices were a tad lower. The meal for two cost came up to almost 50 bucks, which isn’t exactly the kind of price you are expecting at a neighborhood stall, codfish or otherwise.

Posted by Veron in Food category | Chinese, coffee shop, seafood, Toa Payoh

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“The Mussel Guys”. Ain’t that a cheeky name? Well I did not notice any muscle guys, that’s for sure. Haha! A restaurant specialising in mussels is pretty rare, isn’t it? This isn’t the kind of food that many people would be a fan of. But for me though, I just love mussels! (Okay, muscles too.)

Apart from mussels, the restaurant also serves other seafood, steak, and a few more meat dishes. I go for a pasta with the signature mussels. I don’t have to wait long — the dish is served within ten minutes!

One thing that I notice is that diners are not provided with an extra small bowl to hold the empty shells. Considering that the restaurant specialises in mussels which don’t exactly have small shells, this is something that it definitely should not overlook.

Mussels Pasta
SGD15.90++

My mussels pasta is a Chef’s Recommendation, but what a huge disappointment it is! The menu promised a chunky and thick tomato sauce, but it is really thin and watered down! Frankly, Prego‘s bottled pasta sauces fare much better than this. This is easily one of the blandest pastas I have ever tasted!

That’s not even the worst part. I highly doubt that the five or six mussels in my pasta are even fresh. There is almost no taste to them, as though they have been frozen for a long time.

It’s a real shame that for a restaurant that prides itself as being “The Mussel Guys”, it can’t even manage something as simple as mussel pasta. In fact, the mussels and clams pasta at Pastamania is way more satisfying at just half the price. And they provide the little bowl for your shells, too!

Give this one a miss, folks!

The Mussel Guys
VivoCity
1 Harbourfront Walk #02-123
Singapore 098585
(65) 6820 1800 | Website
Service:

Posted by Veron in Food category | seafood, Vivocity, Western

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Sambal Stingray
SGD8-14 dependent upon serving size

Sambal stingray is their must-try dish. For a while over the past few months their standards seemed to have dipped as the sambal chili they used was not as fragrant or robust as previously. When we were there yesterday, I was delighted to find that the chili I have loved so much is finally back! Served on banana leaf, the stingray was as usual soft, tender and fresh, as though it had just been caught from the sea. I only wished it had come with more chili!

Sambal Kang Kong (Chinese Kale)
SGD5-8 dependent upon serving size

As most of my friends (and blog readers) would know by now, I’m someone who hates eating vegetables. Whenever I go to any zi char (home-cooked fare) stall, the only vegetable dish I would order, if any, is sambal kang kong. Needless to say, I have eaten a good number of this dish at various stalls. But at Rong Guang, it was only my first time. And I absolutely loved it! The belachan (fermented ground shrimp) was so delicious you could still taste the shrimp!

This would be the second best sambal kang kong I have ever eaten. The absolute best comes from Gu Zao Ren Seafood Taiwan Porridge. I’m gonna review that place as soon as ABC Market finishes revamping, and the porridge stall moves back to where it belongs.

Sambal Sotong (Calamari)
SGD8-12 dependent upon serving size

As long as the sotong (calamari) is fresh, this would be a five-star dish. But more often than not, the sotong tends to be a little stiffer than what I desire. The sambal chili used for this dish is different from that of the sambal stingray. It’s a little sweeter, a little yummier. Come to think of it, different kinds of sambal chili are used for all three sambal dishes. Each one has its own distinctive taste and tastes just as good, if not better than the previous.

Except on Tuesdays when the stall closes, it is always full house at Rong Guang. But somehow the friendly lady always magically finds a table for her customers. The customers range from families, to white-collar workers coming after work, to large groups of Caucasian tourists. Yeah the food is that good!

Update: With the revamp of the Alexandra Village Food Centre, the stall has relocated to the neighboring Block 127.

February 3, 2007: My list of Best (& Worst) Restaurants in Singapore for 2006
- Nominated for “Best Hawker Stall”

Posted by Veron in Food category | Alexandra Village, hawker stall, seafood

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I have been very curious about this place for some time. But as mentioned before, I have never dined there until now due to the fact that the queue is always so long! It was really great that I finally got the chance yesterday.

The origins of the restaurant seem quite peculiar to me. Over 180 years ago, the actual Manhattan Fish Market opened under the Brooklyn Bridge over at Manhattan. So eventually, restaurants were started, which I thought would be all over the United States. But surprise, surprise, the restaurants can be found only in Malaysia and Singapore. From the brisk business, I predict the Plaza Singapura outlet won’t be alone here for long. (Update in 2010: 8 outlets in Singapore and growing.)

Soup of the day was cream of mushroom soup, which was rather bland.

We ordered the Manhattan Flaming Platter for two, comprising deep fried fish fillet, calamari, oysters and prawns served with chips and garlic rice. It certainly did not disappoint. True to its name, it came in flames, literally, drawing curious stares from all those queuing outside.

Flaming Platter for Two
SGD29.90++

The platter was a huge serving even for two people. Unfortunately, most of the food was fries and garlic rice. The rice was delicious though, owing much to the garlic cream. I loved the prawns too, which were obviously very fresh. The fish fillet was fresh and tender too, but could have done better with more taste to it. The calamari and oysters were so-so.

Service was very prompt and efficient. The people who served us showed no signs of irritation or impatience despite our frequent requests (“Could you bring us garlic cream?” “Could we have chili sauce?”) on a very busy evening. Our waitress in particular was super helpful and polite.

The decor of the place didn’t seem much at first. But if you look closely, you would find that they paid much attention to their wall hangings. This one says knotical weather guide, which I find is really adorable.

Overall, I enjoyed the food and the service, and would love to go back there again. And I would be sure to make reservations to avoid all the long queuing.

The Manhattan Fish Market
Plaza Singapura
68 Orchard Road #06-07
Singapore 238839
(65) 68359300
Service:

Website

Posted by Veron in Food category | American, Plaza Singapura, seafood, Western

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