Sha Tin Kitchen

The much-lauded Sha Tin Kitchen is helmed by Hong Kong chef, Tonny Chan, who impresses with his signature Cantonese dishes (Sha Tin has since changed chefs as of July ‘09). Don’t let this air-conditioned restaurant’s nondescript appearance fool you, for what it lacks of in ambience, it more than makes up for with deliciously authentic Cantonese fare.

Prior to our visit with the family, Mum and I prowled their website for signature dishes, and our lunch menu was decided even before we set foot in Sha Tin. We decided to try their famous 臥虎藏龙(Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), otherwise known as lobster & egg white mousse with scallop, Braised Abalone, Braised Crab with Ramen, and Double-boiled Shark Cartilage with Fish Maw Soup.

The Double-boiled Shark Cartilage with Fish Maw Soup ($38) [***.] was the first to arrive, and my hands shook a little as I eyed the shark cartilage suspiciously. One must understand that when it comes to sharks, I’ve not ventured beyond sharks’ fin. The clear broth was rather plain to me, but perhaps this unique soup is an acquired taste. Slightly crunchy and roughly-textured, the shark cartilage took a bit of chewing.

Next on the list is the much-anticipated 臥虎藏龙 (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) ($6/serving) [****.], pictured here in a crisp golden basket teeming with lobster meat and egg white mousse, and garnished with dried scallop and curry leaf. This is something you’ve absolutely got to try.

For abalone-lovers out there, Sha Tin serves 2 types of braised abalone – two-headed/six-headed. We ordered 2 portions of their Two-headed Braised Abalone [****], each costs $48. Their attentive staff promptly cut each portion into quarters for everyone to share. Each morsel of braised abalone was very delish and slid down the throat with ease.

Next up is the Braised Mixed Seafood Claypot ($18) [**.] which surprisingly failed to impress. Though chockful of ingredients, it lacked sapidity and even seemed slightly over-braised for ingredients like the sea cucumber and mushrooms. I’d suggest you skip this dish and make room for other recommendations on their menu.

Thankfully, Sha Tin’s signature Braised Crab with Ramen ($60 | serves 6) [****] fared much better, with ramen in a gravy steeped with the briny flavour of crab roe. The ramen is pictured here in its individual serving, but prior to this the dish is served in a pot with big red crab shells and pincers adorning a pile of ramen. I really liked the taste of braised crab (a Cantonese favourite it seems) which was also a staple for the now-defunct Canton Wok over at Joo Chiat. Chef Kang of Canton Wok used to serve his signature crab dish steamed with glutinous rice. However, his competitor Chef Tonny Chan’s version is typically Cantonese with lots of gravy which really is an egg-based soup all on its own.

Last but certainly not least, is Sha Tin’s Hashima with Red Dice ($6) [*****] which I dare say is the best hashima (a luxurious traditional Chinese dessert made with snow fungus & rock sugar amongst others) I’ve ever had. Their version is made with sweet red dice, rock sugar, snow fungus, and dates…and every mouthful practically melts in your mouth. More importantly, it wasn’t saccharine sweet so one can tell that sugar syrup and artificial flavourings weren’t used. All in all, it was a refreshing end to a scrumptious Cantonese meal.

/ prices stated are subject to 10% svc charge. No GST

The I-wanna-know[s]:
Taste – 8.5/10
Price – $$-$$$$
Service – 8/10
Ambience – 7/10
Accessibility – 6/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address:
8/10 Lorong 3 Geylang
Singapore 388861

Tel: +65 6747 2483 / 6744 7087

Website: http://www.sbestfood.com/shatinkitchen.htm

Opening hours:
Open daily from | 11.30am – 2.30pm & 6pm – 11pm

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Kallang

Buses: 26, 31, 13…

Don Quijote Spanish Restaurant

Today I discovered a different side to the quiet and laidback area of Jalan Jurong Kechil. Lorong Kilat runs a lane before Chun Tin Road (where the homely Sup Sip & Vis-a-Vis resides) and is slowly welcoming new F&B establishments like Don Quijote which I visited for lunch today. Don Quijote has been around since January 2009 and will soon have a new neighbour – U.d.d.e.r.s opening on 19 June 2009. The Spanish restaurant is tucked away behind Shell station and faces Poh Tai Kok Temple on Lorong Kilat. Enticed by rave reviews about their paella and sangrias, K and I made a trip to satisfy our long-overdue paella craving. And I must say, we were not disappointed. Don Quijote has branches in Singapore and Macao, and their menu boasts more than 25 tapas and traditional Spanish fare like Paella Valencia, and the rare Jamón Ibérico (Iberian ham).

While deliberating our already evident choice for lunch, we ordered red and white Sangrias ($12/gls) [****] to accompany our welcome bread which we promptly dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

After placing our order for Don Quijote’s Special Paella [****.] for 2-4 pax ($54), we were told that preparation and cooking will take 20-25 minutes…which is totally understandable because they use really fresh ingredients and paella is always made to order. For a moment I considered ordering some tapas to start us off, but recalled the waitress telling us their medium portion was pretty big. In any case, our waitresses for the day were very attentive and furnished us with another basket of bread the moment we were done. What they said was a 20-25 minute wait was really a lot shorter.

And to my delight, the rice was yellow. Not orange or red, but yellow. Which can only mean that they definitely used saffron. Hence the price tag. If it were tomato-based, the rice grains will be orangey-red which is typical of some of the many variations of this popular staple in the Spanish diet. Earlier on, we could choose to have our rice done al dente or soft, and we picked al dente. However, it turned out rather soft though it was still very good.

I loved the rice which was thoroughly infused with savoury flavours, light spices, and rich broth. Every grain oozed seafood goodness. The assortment of seafood comprised clams, mussels, king prawns, and squid rings. Beneath this pile of seafood you see here, the rice was mixed with small chunks of chicken and yet more prawns. A real hearty seafood meal. The best part for me was the bottom of the pan where the rice grains were slightly charred (not burnt) and the small prawns that absorbed the myriad of flavours. Every mouthful had the succulent taste of fresh seafood.

So despite the price, we were getting great quality paella in generous portions. By the end of the meal I was too stuffed for dessert or more tapas, and I believe I speak for K as well. Don Quijote has 3-course lunch sets and other promotions, so do check out their website for more details. Well, one thing’s for sure – I’ll definitely come back for more.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $$$
Service – 9/10
Ambience – 8/10
Accessibility – 6/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address:
17 Lorong Kilat, #01-09 Singapore 598139

Tel: +65 6465 1811

Website: http://www.don-quijote-restaurants.com

Opening hours:
Open from Tuesdays to Sundays
Lunch: 11.30am to 2.30pm
Dinner: 6.00pm to 10.30pm
Sunday Brunch: 11.30am to 3.00pm

Dress code: Casual or Smart Casual

Nearest MRT: Clementi

Buses: 985, 157, 61…

Halia Restaurant

Last night, I went to Halia Restaurant in the scenic Botanic Gardens for my birthday dinner with the boyfriend. Halia (which means ginger in malay) is a 7-year old restaurant located within the Ginger Garden. Nestled in the heart of lush foliage, Halia’s alfresco area was an idyllic spot for a romantic dinner. With fans overhead and ample greenery, heat and humidity were successfully kept at bay. From the moment we were greeted till the moment we left, we received wonderful service from Halia’s staff – they were friendly and attentive to our needs throughout dinner.

We were recommended Halia’s signature Crisp Black Pepper Soft Shell Crab ($18) [****.], and I was eager to try it after hearing so much about it. This dish was paired with wasabi mayonnaise (decorated here on the plate), and their staff are prompt in offering you more wasabi mayo. In fact, the waitress who attended to us was insistent on it, and for good reason too – it tasted lip-smackingly good. The wasabi taste wasn’t overpowering, and the mayo balanced out the slight spicyness of the black pepper.

Our main courses were up next and my boyfriend had the 200-day grain fed Ribeye Steak ($45) [****.] which was served with french beans, potato and brown mushrooms on the side as pictured here (the cut’s a tad bigger than it looks here). He paired with Halia’s house Cabernet Sauvignon. I pinched a morsel of steak from him and it was juicy. The texture of the meat was consistent in its tenderness, with slightly above-average marbling (in my opinion).

As pictured above, we’ve got the Seafood Bouillabaisse ($42) [****.] which I ordered to go with the Sauvignon Blanc I was having. Halia’s version consists of 3 of each of the following – fresh scallops, mussels, prawns, sea perch fillet and squid infused with Asian spices such as lemongrass and chinese parsley among others.

Bouillabaisse
[BOOL-yuh-BAYZ, BOOL-yuh-BEHZ]
is defined as a celebrated seafood stew from Provence, made with an assortment of fish and shellfish, onions, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, garlic, saffron and herbs. The stew is ladled over thick slices of French bread.

© Copyright Barron’s Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER’S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Dessert was a pleasant surprise because we ended up with not 1, but 2. The Chocolate Torte with kirsch strawberries ($15) [***.] came first. Halia’s menu states that this dessert will take 15 mins’ preparation so do order this some time in advance. Commonly paired with chocolate torte – vanilla ice-cream – together with the kirsch strawberries were a pleasant combination. The torte was crisp on the edges around the bottom, and the warm chocolate oozed out easily.

Our final dessert was Halia’s signature Teh Tarik Halia [****.] – caramel tea crème brulee with ginger sorbet, a dessert specially created in tribute to the Ginger Garden. My favourite of the 2 desserts. I’m not a fan of ginger, but I really liked the lightness of the sorbet, and the crème brulee was really unique because it was infused with tea.

Halia is a fantastic choice for the upcoming anniversary, or a big date…it was a memorable experience for me. I’m certain it’ll be one for you too.

/ prices stated above not inclusive of ++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8.5/10
Price – $$$ to $$$$
Service – 9/10
Ambience – 9/10
Accessibility – 7/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: +65 6476 6711

Address:
1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden
(enter via Tyersall Avenue)
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore 259569

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday
(except public holidays):
11am to 11pm
Saturday, Sunday &
public holidays:
9am to 11pm

Website: http://www.halia.com.sg

Dress code: Smart Casual

Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (soon-to-be Botanic Gardens MRT – Circle Line)

Buses: SBS Transit 7, 105, 123, 174, 502 | SMRT 75, 77, 106

Solace for a persistent cold

Unlike most people who would opt for a warm cuppa or a comforting stew…I go for a rather toxic combination of things to ease my cold. Remember Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie at Paragon? Here’s what I ordered from them that fateful day when I was stranded in Orchard Road with a persistent cold:

Earl Grey Ice-cream with Milk Chocolate Shards & Raspberries ($8.50) [*****] - A perfect infusion of earl grey tea and vanilla ice-cream, leaving a lingering finish of earl grey on the palate. The ice-cream had good ‘longevity’ in my opinion - it took its time to melt – allowing you to savour this delightful dessert. There’s a nice balance of flavours here with a mildly sour tinge of raspberries, sweet milk chocolate, and sufficient earl grey to satisfy tea-lovers.  A definite must-try for ice-cream fans.

A warm, hearty concoction from Canele, this Rustic Bacon & Pea Soup ($8.50) [****.] has pieces of bacon, baby corn, chicken, peas and mushrooms. The essence of each ingredient can be tasted with a mere spoonful of soup. It’s light, definitely no MSG and such, and made with fresh ingredients that makes it a tasty start to a meal. The soup is served with Canele’s bread on the side, so dip away…

Now this is what I’d call a cure to a cold. 

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8.5/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 7/10
Accessibility – 8/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Locations:
Paragon

B1-25 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road

Telephone : (65) 6733-8893
Opening Hours : 11am to 10pm daily

Website: http://www.canele.com.sg

Other branches: Raffles City Shopping Centre | Shaw Centre | Robertson Walk

The Bar at Morton’s

A recent enquiry about good steaks, suggestions about happy hours, and the boyfriend’s love of great steaks led me to Morton’s today. It’s funny how I never thought of visiting them before considering how I’ve long heard of their good reputation. Today’s objective was to celebrate S‘ birthday with some drinks and bar food. It’s something new for us considering how it has always been dinner the past 2 years. It was a refreshing change I must say. We arrived at Morton’s early because it’s pretty difficult to grab a table even if it’s a Tuesday (full house today). For a minute we contemplated going to their restaurant, but decided to postpone that plan because it would’ve been too much of a rush for us.

I love the bar’s “island” concept because it really makes the place stand out. It’s set apart from their restaurant and the other restaurants on the fourth floor. Everything is housed within a circular structure with a chinese roof overhead as pictured below. Look down and you’ll see an art installation, look up and you’ll see a span of floors. Their music’s great too.

 

Mortini Night at Morton’s is from 5 pm to 7 pm (Mon-Fri).

Order their Lycheetini, Chocotini, Classic Martini, Cosmopolitan or Appletini for only $11.95++, and get complimentary Petite Wagyu Filet Mignon Sandwiches with Mustard Mayonnaise [****.] (usually sold at $20++ per plate) from 5.30 pm till 7 pm.

We had a Chocotini, Cosmopolitan, Classic Martini, Colossal Shrimp Cocktail ($11.50++ each) [****], and a total of 10 petite wagyu sandiwiches between the 2 of us. It was more than enough for an early dinner I must say. Each sandwich was thin and lined simply with mayonnaise and a strip of medium rare wagyu filet mignon. Sometimes, simple is best and this was one of those times. On the other hand, the shrimp cocktail was served over a metallic holder chilled by a bed of ice, and was paired with a tomato salsa-based dip that brought out the sweetness of the succulent shrimp (king-sized ones). I must commend Morton’s on their excellent service as well. Their waiters were friendly and efficient, especially a guy named Ully (hope I got that right).

For my next visit I’ve got my tummy set on either their Iceberg Wedges ($16++) with bacon, egg, greens and others, or Blue Cheese Fries ($17++). Another piece of good news is: this bar serves desserts. I’d suggest heading over there with your guys or ladies for a nice chill-out session. But do expect to wait due to limited capacity unless you’re early. Also, do note that Morton’s Bar only admits those aged 21 and above.

 The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 9/10
Price – $$ to $$$
Service – 9/10
Ambience – 9/10
Accessibility – 8.5/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: +65 6339 3740

Fax: +65 6337 3763

Address:
Mandarin Oriental Singapore
Fourth Storey
5 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039797

Website: http://www.mortons.com

Opening hours:
Mon-Sat: 5pm - 11pm
Sun: 5pm - 10pm

Dress code: Smart Casual

Nearest MRT: City Hall

Oh Deli

Oh Deli was another gem I found at the Takashimaya Food Fest. They’ve been around for a number of years, and their first store is located at a shophouse on East Coast Road opposite Magarita’s restaurant. Run by five siblings, the Ohs put the “Oh” in Oh Deli. Their family business sources gourmet foods from various parts of Australia to import to our sunny isle. Meat is 1 of their specialities, especially with 2 family members based in Australia to manage the purchasing. The deli was sparked by the family’s passion for fine foods, and their store items just grew and grew over the years. 2 of the sisters personally find boutique producers and brands – think along the lines of preserves, wines, breads etc.

What intrigued me was their extensive range of products at the food fest. Oh Deli had a larger booth compared to their immediate neighbours, and the siblings put their central location to good use. Their gourmet meats counter was adjacent to their bottled range of products as shown here. What you can’t tell from the pictures is how 1 sister tended to the meats, and another engaged in friendly conversation with customers on the other side. Annie Oh was the sister I spoke to on Thursday. She was attending to the deli’s liquer selection. I decided to stop and take a look when I spotted a boutique selection of wines and liquers I’ve not seen before.

Annie elaborated that they purchase a number of artisanal wines and liquers from Magaret River, Western Australia. The bottles you see here are sold exclusively by Oh Deli, lending them an edge over mass-market brands from the popular wine region sold by other distributors.

While talking to Annie, I had the chance to taste Oh Deli’s strawberry liquer, strawberry port, sparkling strawberry wine, chocolate liquer, and a very light chardonnay (as pictured). All of which was pretty impressive I must say. If you like ice wines, you’ll love their strawberry range. I liked the chardonnay and strawberry liquer in particular – the former had a light, fruity finish that lingered on the palate. The latter was a light liquer that contained about 18% alc. and tasted wonderful on its own. While the strawberry port was a first for me, I’ve always preferred my ports to be more full-bodied, and this one was a tad too light for my liking. But nevertheless you should check out their strawberry range to decide for yourselves. As for the chocolate liquer, it’ll make a sinful treat to add to cocktails (chocolate martinis), cakes, or simply had on its own. Some specific examples of other kinds of products they bring in would be fine teas from Henry Langdon (a fifth-generation business).

I’ll definitely be back to buy their wines as gifts for my family.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – N.A.
Service – 8/10
Ambience – N. A.
Accessibility – 8/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: +65 6440 4409

Address:
421 East Coast Road & soon-to-be Takashimaya Basement 2

Nearest MRT: Kembangan / Orchard

Desire

This is Desire at The Scarlet Hotel. It is one third of the 3 options you have for dining & chilling at the Scarlet Hotel in Erskine Rd. The other 2 are Bold & Breeze. This restaurant bears precious memories of a wonderful birthday spent with the him this year. Not only are their service standards impeccable, the food was fawesome too.

Interestingly, their menus come in the form of black & red leather-bound books: red for the lady, black for the men. When I flipped the 1st page, I saw a toned torso of an unknown male. Anyone wanna venture any guesses on what theme the restaurant has? C’mon, it’s blatantly obvious. Too bad for the men though, their menus aint the same. Each dish on the menu is simply named, but all have a description describing them as aphrodisiacs of sorts..food that will DEFINITELY tantalise our taste buds in other words. Soon I found myself ordering their house specialities: Cream of Escargot, Tenderloin of Beef & Lamb Rack.

The Cream of Escargot ($12) [****] was rich & creamy with generous morsels of escargot. The taste of the escargot wasn’t overpowering so no worries there. Personally, I felt that it was a little to rich for my liking..but then again, I’m just being fussy.

This here is their Tenderloin of Beef ($38) [****]. Although the portion looked small at first..he realised later on that it did it’s job well filling his tummy. The beef was well-done and it’s taste was sealed off with a unique blend of a somewhat tangy-sweet-savoury light sauce.

This Lamb Rack ($38) [****.] my friends, is to-die-for. It won me over with the first bite. Now bear in mind that char doesn’t like lamb. But I gamely decided to order it because it was highly recommended by the nice Filipino waitress who attended to us. The lamb was accompanied by lentils on the side & a serving of mushrooms. It was fmazing, do try it. They’re a worthy rival of the Hyatt’s Mezzanine.

//All prices are subjected to +++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 8.5/10
Price – $$$ to $$$$
Service – 9/10
Ambience – 9/10
Accessibility – 6.5/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)

Tel: +65 6511 3333

Address: 33 Erskine Road, Singapore 069333

Website: http://www.thescarlethotel.com

Dress code: smart casual
Getting there: Up the hill next to Maxwell food centre.