Yuletide Feasting

Merry Christmas everyone! After all the merry-making of the holiday season, I’ve finally found the time to update you on the festive feasting. I’ve had an abundance of lamb, turkey, canapes and such at various abodes…but today’s entry will be about a simple Christmas dinner I cooked for my close friends. Now let me tell you the story behind my dinner…this year, I thought of giving my friends something different from the usual presents and such, so I devised a question to ask them on the pretext of it being for Charlinary.com:

“What is the 1 thing you could eat every day for the rest of your life?”

These were their answers:

• KIS: Masala Chicken from Samy’s Curry
• KW: Apple Pork Rib Soup
• KY: Boon Tong Kee’s Chicken Rice
• R: Vegetarian Bee Hoon from a Whampoa hawker centre stall

I actually had a fifth guest, but asking her the same question out of the blue would’ve roused suspicion, so I decided on prawns for her. Chicken rice and vegetarian bee hoon were excluded from the menu and replaced by Cajun Fish and Bangers & Mash respectively in order to suit the festive menu. Here’s my menu for the night:

Appetizer
Gambas a la Plancha

Baby Spinach Salad with Cherry Tomatoes & Bacon Bits

Soup
Apple Pork Ribs Soup with Sliced Pear

Entrées
Masala Chicken & Papadum from Samy’s Curry

Bangers & Mash

Cajun Fish Fillet

Dessert
Gingerbread Boy & Girl from Chocz (image taken from Chocz)

It has always been my wish to have a nice quiet dinner with my friends, and I’m glad we managed to have one this Christmas. Thank you all for being present and I hope dinner was to your liking. Rest assured that there’ll be more dinners to come…to my other friends out there, you’ll certainly get a taste of my cooking (once I’ve improved). You can expect recipes from me this 2009 so happy reading! May you all have a awesome year ahead!

/ the images above were taken by KIS & KY.

Simpang Bedok I

This was actually my second trip to Simpang Bedok, the first was a lunch visit with D to Spize The Supperclub (uh-huh, didn’t occur to her – it’s ok I still love you D). So to make things right, we made our first official visit to Spize for a late dinner over the weekend. Therefore, the following will be a review of Spize and Badoque (where we had dessert).

For the record, Simpang Bedok is a hotspot for halal food with places like Tang Tea House [357/359 Bedok Road (Opp. Simpang Bedok Post Off) Tel: 6445 9100], Asian Fare & Grill [282, Bedok Road, Tel: 6445 9987] and Badoque among others. And those of you who are wondering where Foo House Cafe & Bar (the place with wonderful Irish-Hainanese food prev. at Jln Pari Burong in Simpang Bedok) has moved to, they are now at Tanjong Katong next to Full House (a Korean restaurant/cafe).

Without further adue, we’ve got Spize’s Chicken Shawarma ($5) [***.] in a warm tortilla wrap (there’s also the option of pita bread) served with wasabi chips. Value for money I must say. The chicken was very tender and juicy, but they could’ve cut back a little on mayonnaise. The wasabi chips were an unusual addition, but I like them because they go well with the wrap.

D had Spize’s signature Bullet Pepper Steak ($14.90) [****] pictured here. Served on a grill plate, there was mashed potato, a corn cob and vegetables accompanying the very very juicy piece of steak. Each morsel of beef oozed savoury goodness…yums. Grilled meats are definitely one of their specials as they claim. Our food was so good it didn’t matter that we were seated at a table by the road across the petrol station. Spize actually has a front and back seating area, but we were out front because we wanted to avoid the human congestion out back.

Our next stop after our leisurely post-dinner walk around Simpang Bedok was Badoque for dessert. With celebrity chef, Rizal, who writes for Berita Minggu fortnightly at the helm, we wanted to get a taste of their desserts (I’d like to try their tapas & main courses another time).

They close around 11 pm on saturday nights, so we were pretty lucky dessert was still on the cards when we got there around 10 plus. We ordered their Ice-cream and Cakes Sundae ($8.50) [***] - a sweet combination of 3 scoops of ice-cream and 3 cakes – to share. All in all there was a summer berry topping, raspberry ripple, caramel, strawberry, marquise cake, oreo cake and chocolate banana cake. As a whole, what we selected complemented each other, but when I tasted each individually I wasn’t impressed. It seemed that their ice-cream wasn’t made in-house (perhaps I’m wrong but it’s taste suggested otherwise), while their cakes were at best fairly good. Therefore, I thought it was smart of them to offer a mix & match.

/all prices stated above are nett (no service charge & GST)

The I-wanna-know[s]:
Taste – refer to individual ratings above
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 6/10
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

Tel: +65 6445 3211 (Spize) | +65 6446 6928 (Badoque)

Website: http://spizeconcepts.com | Badoque’s Facebook Page

Address:
(Spize The Supperclub) 336 Bedok Road, Singapore 469512
(Badoque) 298 Bedok Rd – behind Shop & Save

Opening hours:
(Spize) – Weekdays: 2pm – 4am | Weekends: 2pm – 4.30pm
(Badoque) – to be confirmed

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Tanah Merah

Buses: 9, 10, 2…

OrganiCafeXperience

My friend S brought me to OrganiCafeXperience on friday night for a nice organic dinner. I must admit that I had reservations about how tasty organic food could be, but this place pretty much dispelled them. Helmed by Chef Colin (previously from Hotel Phoenix), OrganiCafeXperience prides themselves in serving up thoroughly healthy fare with 100% fresh organic condiments. Located on the ground floor of Novena Square’s Velocity (in a corner next to MOS Burger), seating capacity ia about 20-ish. They have an interesting selection for their set meals ($17.90). But I only had eyes for the Seafood Aglio Olio ($13.90) [****] which was highly recommended by S. It’s common knowledge among my friends that aglio olio is my ultimate pasta favourite. I love it in any form, purist or not.

These are the main criteria to pass my aglio olio taste test:
1) how well the pasta is done al dente
2) quantity & quality of olive oil
3) combination of ingredients

I’ve had my fair share of sloppy aglio olio, so I’m rather stringent with compliments. Spagheddies serves a great chicken primavera and a decent bacon & ham aglio olio, Food Addict Cafe has one that’s cheap and relatively good, My Secret Garden has an abundance of succulent seafood, and Basil Alcove’s was passable. Before Turquoise Room closed their shutters, they were 1 of my favourites…now, I’ve added Organicafe’s to my list.

Spruced with alfafa sprouts, this aglio olio on the left has ample portions of prawns, mussels, scallops, mushroom, and even ham guaranteed to leave you satisfied. The spaghetti was good on its own with the right al dente texture, there was adequate olive oil, and the overall combination was harmonious.

Thereafter, we shared a wonderful Raspberry Yoghurt with very healthy (presumably organic) ingredients – plum & green apple slices, sunflower seeds, strawberries, raspberries and raisins atop a very light plain yoghurt. Mmmm….

Organic food isn’t ‘just vegetarian’, ‘plain’, or ‘oatmeal & wheat grains’…In fact, there’s meat and many others that our tastebuds are accustomed to. Next time you’re thinking of having a healthy meal, check out OrganiCafeXperience which has 3 outlets (Tampines, Novena & a third which I can’t recall) and let me know your impression! In the meantime, I intend to try their set meal on my next visit…

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $$
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 6/10
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

Address:
238 Thomson Road
#01-53 Velocity, Novena Square

Tel: +65 6352 7837

Opening hours:
11am – 9.30 pm (last order) daily

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Novena

Buses: 21, 131, 56, 57, 166, 980, 54…

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

Food Addict Cafe | now defunct

Food Addict Cafe

Food Addict Cafe first joined the Toa Payoh Central neighbourhood in 2007. They are situated along a row of shophouses facing the library, next to a florist. I’ve tried their desserts some time back, but yesterday was the first time I tried their food. B and I were there for his belated birthday lunch, so we decided to get their cake set (+$6) in addition to our main courses. For an additional $6, you’ll get any slice of cake on the menu or that’s on display, plus a drink.

When we were going through the appetisers, Little Miss Toadstool ($5) stood out, but it was a pity that they sold out. Since it’s highly recommended by B, I’ll try it another day. B decided on one of Food Addict’s popular mains – Hot Chix ($9) [***.], a blueberry soda, and Dark Chocolate Cake [***] for his lunch. After much deliberation (I was torn between fish, spaghetti pesto and prawn aglio olio), I settled for the Prawn Aglio Olio ($8.50) [***]- mainly because B wanted my opinion on how good it was. For my choice of cake and drink, I had a strawberry soda and Mango Mousse Cake [***.]. I must say it’s tough picking a cake when you’re faced with a revolving display like the one you’re looking at now.

Hot Chix

After a relatively short wait, Hot Chix arrived first. The piping hot oven-baked chicken breast smelled really good. The flesh was tender and juicy with minimal oil. After a few morsels of B’s chicken, I established somewhat that the marinade had a light teriyaki tinge to it. Hot Chix makes a hearty, healthy meal I’d say.

I must also commend Food Addict for their wonderful service. The waiters were very attentive, topping up our glasses of water frequently, and were pretty helpful in their dessert recommendations. It’s a small place so their staff recognise regulars like B.

Prawn Aglio Olio

My Prawn Aglio Olio came shortly after, so the wait wasn’t long at all. Presentation-wise, I felt that the pasta could’ve been tossed better. But I’ve learnt from experience not to judge a dish by its looks, so I picked up my fork, twirled it, and took my first bite.

The first thing I tasted was the tabasco sauce, followed by the olive oil. Food Addict’s version has onions, garlic, chillis, mushrooms, and prawns. Do ask them to adjust the spiciness of the dish, because aglio olio typically has chilli flakes or cut chilli added to it. I asked for mine to be slightly spicier, so there were chilli seeds aplenty. The aglio olio would’ve tasted better with a little more garlic, but the overall taste was flavourful. I’m difficult to please when it comes to this particular pasta simply because it’s my favourite. They did nail the al dente portion though, so kudos for that.

Mango Mousse Cake

Food Addict’s desserts are value-for-money and utterly scrumptious. I love their mudpies that come oozing with sinful chocolate sauce, vanilla ice-cream and chocolate chips. The Mango Mousse Cake is very light, with a great sponge cake base, mango filling and mango jelly layer. Perfect after a filling meal. Their Dark Chocolate Cake is worth a try too.

/ No GST and Service Charge.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 7/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 9/10
Ambience – 6/10
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

Tel/Fax: +65 6259 4218

Address:
Blk 185 Toa Payoh Central, #01-324, Singapore 310185

Website: http://foodaddictcafe.blogspot.com

Email: addictedtoit@gmail.com

Opening hours:
Mondays: 12pm – 5pm
Tuesday to Sunday: 12pm – 10pm

Dress code: Casual
Buses: 238, 142, 31, 26, 8, 88, 159, 90…

Nearest MRT: Toa Payoh

Franky’s Kaffe Kitchen (now defunct)

Originating from the U.S., founder Frank Y. expanded his delicatessen in California to downtown Seoul in 2002. Since then, Franky’s Kaffe Kitchen has reached our sunny shores in February 2008, and now resides at Millenia Walk Mall. Enjoy a selection of gourmet bistro food with a traditional Korean touch and a warm cuppa. Expect great fries, a special weekday/weekend menu, generous portions, and friendly service! They deliver to nearby offices too with a minimum order of $30. Their Chicken Noodle ($11.90) [***] consists of juicy charbroiled chicken breast in teriyaki sauce with bell peppers over stir-fried noodle, onions and carrots, accompanied by a house salad and radish pickle. Good news is: this is really filling and the chicken oozes charbroiled tenderness with slightly charred edges…I love my meat that way. The Steak Burrito ($10.50) [***.] on the other hand, was a chockful of grilled beef, bell peppers, onions and lettuce, and sour cream all rolled-into-one with a zesty house salsa to dip into. 

Weekend specials include their Beer-battered Fish & Chips ($9.90) amongst others. Franky’s also offers hot and cold sandwiches ($8.50-$14)with a delectable range of salads and sides to go along with it. Some interesting sandwich offerings are Bulgogi ($11.60) which has charbroiled marinated beef and provolone cheese, Stromboli ($8.50) with pepperoni and melted mozzarella cheese in marinara sauce rolled into a tortilla. Their sides include their awesome French Fries ($3.50) [***.] that are served hot, crispy, and less oil compared to other fries out there. For those who want to order a variety of finger food or sides, try Franky’s Sampler ($15) which includes an assortment of calamari, jalapenos cheddar cheese, Mozzarella sticks and whole mushrooms.

Franky's Club

I’d suggest you pop by Franky’s this coming Labour Day to sample their brunch menu that’s only available on weekends and public holidays. Fancy a Beef Taco Salad, Turkey Roll, Asian Pancake, or a Steak Burrito? Head on down for a leisurely brunch to kickstart your day. This is a great place to bring your vegetarian friends as well because Franky’s has a vegetarian selection – Grilled Vegetable Hot Sandwich ($10.90), Po San Cold Sandwich ($8.90), and Vegetarian Avocado Cold Sandwich ($9.90) that looks tempting to even meatlovers like myself. If you find yourself at Franky’s with friends after-dark and would like to grab a couple of beers…they’ve got a 5-bottle Carlsberg or Corona Bucket ($34/$36) for sharing!

/ no service charge

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 8/10
Ambience – 8/10
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

Tel: +65 6336 7641

Fax: +65 6336 7642

Address:
9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-55/56, Millenia Walk Mall, Singapore 039596

Email: frankyskitchen@gmail.com

Opening hours:
8:00am – 10:00pm daily

Dress code: Casual
Buses: 56, 77, 75, 14, 171…
Nearest MRT: City Hall

Basil Alcove

I have long heard of the modest and affordable food served by Basil Alcove - a tiny bistro facing the main road at Middle Road. And I decided to have dinner there with my parents recently. But to my disappointment, the service was awful. For a small eatery with about 12 tables max., 2-3 waiters on hand, and only 3 occupied tables, I sure expected better service from them. At times, a warm greeting and smile go a long way. Service aside, I shall introduce our dinner for the night. Their Soup of the Day, a Mushroom Soup ($4.50) [***.] was a creamy blend with a tinge of flavoured oil, topped with their signature basil leaf. I’d say it’s definitely worth ordering.

The Roasted Lamb Rack with Mango Chutney ($18.90) [***] had a great chutney and yoghurt with light tangy notes that complemented the lamb, but the lamb could’ve been better. The meat was a tad too dry for my liking, lacking a rush of juicy tenderness that I usually look out for with my meats.

Portions were decent with sides like tomatoes, french beans, mashed potato and basil leaves for accompaniment.

For pasta, the Shrimp Aglio Olio with Orange Basil Sauce ($10.50) [***] had an interesting fusion of tastes. The orange sauce was light and sweet, infusing the spaghetti with zesty burst of flavour. Shrimp lovers would love the generous servings of fresh shrimp (about 10 in total), but the down side was the overload of shredded cheese. For a simple pasta like aglio olio, less is more. Personally, the pasta would’ve been good enough on its own, and cheese should be optional.

/ all prices are nett.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 7.5/10
Price – $$
Service – 5/10
Ambience – 7/10
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: 6336 1318 (call for reservations)

Address:
190 Middle Road, #01-07, Fortune Centre

Opening hours:
Lunch: 12.30-3.30pm
Dinner: 6.30pm onwards
/Closed Mondays

Dress code: casual
Buses: 56, 133, 145…
Nearest MRT: Bugis

Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie – Paragon

Canelé Pâtisserie is fast-becoming Bakerzin’s biggest rival with a new outlet in Paragon in addition to their main one at Roberston Walk! This June, the guys behind Canelé have also opened a new dessert restaurant named Macaron located next to Canelé at Robertson Walk. So who’s the man behind Canelé’s continued success? He’s Executive Pastry Chef Pang Kok Keong

Not many people know this, but I’m a huge fan of Canelé’s breads. Those who know me even better will know that I’m a picky bread-eater. So that must say something about their breads right?

I’d recommend that you try their Croque Madame ($11.50) [****]. It’s a home-made white toast bread with ham & Swiss gruyere cheese, sunny side up and salad with house dressig on the side. Great sandwich.

On our right we’ve got the Club Honey Baked Ham ($12) [***.], another white toast bread sandwich with yummy honey baked ham, omelette, mayonnaise, juicy tomato, chips & greens with house dressing on the side! These aren’t exactly bite-sized and they sure pack quite a mouthful into it. Loved the chips. They make great nibbles for in-between chatting and waiting for friends.

Now if there’s 1 thing you absolutely have to try at Canelé, it’s gotta be their crepes. ANY CREPE. This one over here is their Savoury Crepe
with smoked salmon ($13.50) [****], with red onion, capers and dill cream cheese. Generous portions of smoked salmon, and the cream cheese didn’t overpower the overall taste of the crepe. I’d say this one’s awesome for smoked salmon lovers out there.

If you’re looking for something a little lighter or grabbing a quick bite for lunch, get the Chicken Stew ($11.50) [****] with leek, carrot, button mushroom, onion, perfumed with Provencal herbs. Served with Bread Basket. This “little” stew is deceptively simple in appearance, but it’ll satisfy your hunger pangs real quick.

Last but not least…Canelé’s specialty: Dessert!

Meet my personal favourite: The Strawberry Tart. [****.] I believe this image over here can speak for itself. Don’t forget to try their humble Nutella Pie [****], you won’t regret it. There’s way too many good desserts at this place, so feel free to take your pick at the display counter. I’m not keen on their chocolates though, as I felt that the chocolate couvertures were not great. For chocolates I’d still prefer Prestat Fine Chocolates or Laurent Bernard’s chocolates at The Chocolate Factory.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $$
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:
Robertson Walk

11 Unity Street, #01-09
Robertson Walk
Singapore 237995

Email : pang@lesamis.com.sg
Telephone : (65) 6738-8145
Facsimile : (65) 6738-8146
Dress Code: : Casual

Opening Hours
Monday to Wednesday : 10 am – 8 pm
Thursday to Saturday : 10 am – 11 pm
Sunday : 10 am – 6 pm

Paragon

B1-25 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road

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

The Book Cafe

The Book Cafe is my choice for a lazy breakfast or a nice cuppa on a rainy day. You can curl up with a good book on comfy sofas, check your emails on your laptop, grab some food & drinks…and have a bite. I’ve got friends who have fallen head over heels with the place after I brought them there. This cozy hideout is at the edge of Robertson Quay, away from the maddening crowd. Regulars over here include residents from the area and other fans from around. I must say that they’ve got a rather impressive selection of magazines. They also sell ice-cream from The Daily Scoop at Sunset Way in Clementi! Fabulous stuff.

[above] from left to right: Their Sourdough bread [***.] was a crisply-toasted slice, topped with fluffy egg white (low-cholestoral!), seasonal mushrooms and salad on the side. The sourdough was a tad too dry for my liking, but the mushrooms had a robust flavour that complemented the scrumptious egg white. Next up, a mouthwatering bowl of Salmon Noodle Soup [****], perfect for keeping warm on rainy days. Pieces of fried salmon are hidden in a bowl of flavorsome broth, enriched with a tinge of cooking wine. This is one of my favourites, and I never fail to polish off every last drop of soup. Another favourite of mine is the Chicken Aglio Olio [****] with colourful bell peppers, lime, and other spices. It had just the right amount of extra virgin olive oil, a zesty burst of lime that balanced off the spiciness of the peppers. Yummylicious! Last but not least, we’ve got a hearty steak served with 2 sunny-side ups, fries, and a juioy grilled tomato.

To top it off, their drinks are a must-try too! The strawberry lemonade is an awesome combination of carbonated lemonade and fresh strawberry bits, and their quirky lychee drink makes a refreshing thirst-quencher.

Do drop by this lil cafe while you can, cos great places like this don’t remain hush-hush for long in our sunny lil isle as…

/prices stated not incl. GST (7%) & CESS (1%). No Svc Charge.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 9/10
Price – $$ to $$$
Service – 8/10
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: 6887 5430

Address:
20 Martin Road
Seng Kee Building, #01-02
Singapore 239070
(near Butter Factory at Robertson Quay)

Opening hours:
Sun-Thu: 8.30am – 10.30pm
Fri-Sat: 8.30am – 12am

Dress code: casual
Buses: 123, 143, 64..
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay Stn (NEL)

My Secret Garden

Are you someone who craves for an intimate dining experience in a quiet, idyllic environment? If the answer is a resounding YES! then this place is perfect for you. Contrary to what the owners of My Secret Garden may think, their lil secret nook isn’t that much of a secret anymore now that they’ve been featured on the locally telly. However I’m certain that discerning foodies who’ve long discovered this hidden location have counted themselves as 1 of their regular clientele. To your left, we have the alfresco dining area. For the benefit of those who require a smoking area, I’m afraid there isn’t one. Their indoor seating capacity is able to accomodate approx. 60 pax, but I wouldn’t count on it if I were you. Make a reservation!

The Seafood Aglio Olio ($20) [****.] came with generous portions of succulent scallops, mussels, prawns, squid & clams. Each strand of pasta was coated with just the right amount of olive oil. Personally this is something that I look out for whenever I taste an aglio olio pasta. Some restaurants tend to drench the pasta in olive oil, treating it like a sauce. A good aglio olio should be lightly coated with it and done al dente with a hint of garlic & parsley.

If you are a fan of white meats, do give the Pan-seared Cilantro Chicken ($18) [****.] a shot. It is a refreshing change from your typical chicken chop with a tangy-sweet mango dressing, topped with bell peppers and zucchini. Select from a choice of chicken thigh or chicken breast, accompanied by mashed potatoes. I must add that the mashed potatoes make a very yummy side! Very healthy main course we have here. If you’re someone who loves their staple main course such as the Ribeye Steak ($25) [****], theirs will not disappoint. The delicious sauce that tops your steak is a house blend made with red wine & a savoury brown sauce, grilled to perfection. I would recommend that you order the house red wine ($12/gls), a malbec that’s selected specially to complement your steak.

Now let’s introduce dessert! In my opinion, the desserts on the menu outshine most of the items on the menu. The Blueberry Cheese Cake ($7) [*****] is an absolute must-try! It is by far THE BEST blueberry cheese cake I’ve tried, ever. The biscotti crust is thick, and the cheese is light and fluffy. You will not taste any whipped cream, and their homemade blueberry dressing is made with the freshest blueberries. This lovely dessert you see on your right is Berry in Love ($8) [*****] - only available during dinner. It is fresh strawberries with mascarpone cheese, mint, sugar icing mixed with a raspberry vinaigrette. ++Mascarpone is a triple-creme cheese, made from a generally low-fat (25%) content fresh cream. It’s made from the milk of cows that have been fed special grasses filled with fresh herbs and flowers. A dessert that’s simply divine, it will tease your tastebuds and make you want more…

Need I say more? Visit this joint anytime you need a place to celebrate a special occasion!

//prices stated not inclusive of +++

++definition taken from http://www.heavenlytiramisu.com

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8.5/10
Price – $$ to $$$
Service – 9/10
Ambience – 9/10
Accessibility – 7.5/10

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: 6334 8334

Address:
161 Middle Road Singapore 188978

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

Opening hours:
Sun-Thur / 11am – 11pm
Fri & Sat / 11am – 1am
P.H. days / 6pm – 11pm

Dress code: smart casual
Buses: 857, 162, 171, 77, 174, 56, 16, 124…

Crab Shack

Don’t be fooled by this place by day just because it resembles your typial kopitiam. By night, the tables will line the corridor and they’ll look exactly like what you see here:
That quirky wooden table plaque has a different fast fact about crabs carved at the bottom. It reminded me of Snapple bottle caps…and rest assured, your table will also be stocked with all the crab-shelling tools you’ll need for your meal!

Crab Shack has a very enticing menu in store for crab aficionados. The ONLY non-crab dish happens to be a Chef’s Recommendation, and that would be their 1/2 dozen Gratinated Oysters ($8.90) – topped with mayonnaise & breadcrumbs then baked. However how was I to be tempted by that when I could order the Crab Au Gratin ($3.20) [****.] and the 6-pc Crab Croquettes ($2.95) [***.] amongst MANY MANY other mouth-watering steals?! The Crab Au Gratin was an interesting appetiser that consisted of flower crabmeat with creamy mayo, waterchestnut & cheese grilled to perfection. The grilled cheese formed a thin slightly crisp crust, juxtaposing the deliciously creamy centre within. Check it out in the picture below: Next up, their Crab Spaghetti ($7.50)! [***] This dish didn’t give me a good first impression. But we all know that first impressions hardly matter these days…and it turned out better than I expected taste-wise. What I didn’t particularly like about the spaghetti sauce was that it was a tad too sweet, but great nonetheless because I’m a fan of sundried tomatoes. There were rather generous portions of crabmeat in the spaghetti too. If you have the chance, do give their 2-pc Softshell Crab ($5.80) [****] a try: it’s topped with chicken floss, a rather interesting combination I must say. For those who love their rice, tease your tastebuds with the Crab Baked Rice ($6.50) [***.].

At this point, I was flipping through the part of the menu where it all started to resemble a MacDonald’s Value Meal selection, only better. Choose from an option of a 2-pc ($5.95), 3-pc ($7.95) or 8-pc ($21.95) value meal – complete with a selection of sides such as crinkle-cut fries, corn on a cob & baked beans. The 8-pc set comes with a choice of 2 sides + croquettes to boot. The picture below features their 3-pc set.
The crabs are indeed very sweet & fresh, steamed and drizzled with a hint of lemon to bring out the taste of the meat. Their self-made tangy-sweet chilli sauce will complement your value meal rather well in my opinion. Kudos to the owner Mr Elger Kua, 26, who catches the flower crabs for your dinner from a kelong off Pasir Ris Park, near Pulau Ubin every other day.

Go ahead, visit this place at least once. It’s got my thumbs up.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 7/10
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)

Tel: +65 9451 9040

Address:
Crab Shack in the City – 12 Prince Edward Road, Bestway Building

Opening hours:
Dinner only: 5 pm – 12 midnight daily

Dress code: casual
Buses: 162, 167, 410, 163…

Myke’s Oven

This is for all the west-siders who are on a constant search for great chill-out places on your end of town. Let me give you a hint – you can eat a croissant & play cards at this place. This lil nook is named Myke’s Oven, and I found it sometime in Feb 2007. This petit bakery-cafe was first opened on 21 May 2006, by Mike, as he is affectionately known by his customers. What’s special about this place is their HUMONGOUS industrial-size oven that they use to bake everything you see on the shelves, every single day. That thing can bake a person. No, make that 2 persons. I ain’t kidding. I absolutely love this place for a lazy afternoon tea session with friends. Whatever they serve is not only very good, but also very affordable. The only setback I’d say about the place is the lack of air-conditioning. But then again, it would be impractical for them due to space constraints and their desire to create an alfresco laidback feel.

While you’re pondering about what you should eat at Myke’s Oven, I’d suggest you follow your nose and your gut instinct, because you can’t be far wrong. The freshness of their assortment of danishes, croissants, cakes & rolls are never compromised. This was something I observed while dining there – they bake at the start of the day AND during the day. Some of the bestsellers at the shop include their Japanese biscuit tea set ($3.50) [***.], Pandan Chiffon in-a-cup ($1) [***.] and all their croissants! Their tea sets are available from 2-6pm.

Don’t fancy tea specials? Fret not, they’ve got Full-day set meals at only $3.80! You can order a Tuna/Chicken/Egg mayonnaise croissant [****] with a drink. I personally like their chicken mayo croissant – where a perfect balance of sweet & savoury is attained through a combination of sweet pastry, zesty onions and savoury chicken mayonnaise.

++ some images taken fr. http://www.mykesoven.com

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 7.5/10
Price – $
Service – 8/10
Ambience – 7.5/10
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 6763 7790

Address:
88 Jalan Jurong Kechil
Singapore 598595
/opposite Toh Yi Estate near Beauty World

Website: http://www.mykesoven.com
Opening hours:
Mon-Sat / 8am – 9.30pm
Sun / 8am – 3pm

*Last order at 9pm.

Dress code: casual
Nearest MRT: Clementi MRT
Buses: 61, 985 & 985W, 157…

Miss Clarity Café

Honestly, my first impression of this place was simply put – a jaw-dropping one. I did not take too well to their more-than-cheery decor, and by this I’m referring to highlighter-coloured walls, tables & chairs. However I’ve learnt never to judge at first sight…so I was won over by their delectable menu and in my opinion, very cheap prices. As Miss Clarity says, it is the place “where happy people meet” – hence the colour scheme of the place…trust me it’s quite difficult to feel sad where there’s an added bonus of free wireless broadband. I must thank my best friend B for introducing Miss Clarity Café to me.

Are you a fan of Western food? If you are, this is the place where you can find it CHEAP. Over here you can have a Steam-Baked Sea Bass fillet with smoked bacon sauce [***] for $9 nett. Something like this would cost at least $14 elsewhere. Add a soup/salad+drink+dessert to each main course for only $3! or select from a variety of Set Lunches at $8. Bite into their Chicken Ballotine ($8) [****] and taste the crisp oven-baked chicken thigh, breaded & stuffed with shitake mushroom…feel the delicious mushroom sauce oozing with each bite.

For those who have a ferocious appetite that’s not easily satisfied with 1 main course AND still have room for dessert, Old MacDonald Had A Farm ($15) [****] is your answer! Picture this: a platter of steak, lamb chop, crispy breaded chicken, chipolata sausage, bacon, ham, potato wedges & egg. Chipolata sausages are tiny coarse-textured pork sausages are highly spiced with thyme, chives, coriander, cloves and sometimes hot red-pepper flakes.

After this, proceed to order their Chef’s Recommendation Mud Ooze ($4.50) [***.]- soft chocolate cake brimming with chocolate lava, topped with vanilla ice-cream. This seemingly innocent cup of cake is a yummy dessert not to be missed!

++All definitions were taken from http://www.epicurious.com
© Copyright Barron’s Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER’S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

//photo credits to dee & location map taken fr. Miss Clarity Café

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 7/10
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 6339 4803

Address:
5 Purvis Street, #01-04
Singapore 188584

Website: http://www.missclaritycafe.com
Opening hours:
Mon-Sat / 11am – 11pm
Closed on Sun
P.H. days / 5pm – 11pm

Dress code: casual
Nearest MRT: Bugis MRT & City Hall MRT

Hooked! (moved to Upp Thomson)

Last Monday I had dinner at Hooked! at The Rail Mall in Upper Bukit Timah Rd. For those of you who don’t have a clue about what this place looks like, don’t worry…look below. I’ve been wanting to visit this place for quite some time..glad I finally got the chance.

Please remember that Hooked! is in the next building tht looks similar to this one..walk in the direction of the bus stop you see in the picture above. I took this whilst standing on the overhead bridge.

What you see here is their entrance and the interior of the place..nice cheery feel. Puts you in the mood for fish I felt haha. That day we had the intention of trying out Rocky’s Pizza next door..but decided against it because we liked the way Hooked! looked. Rocky’s paled in comparison with a very dull appearance..but I do intend to visit them sometime in the near future. Heard their pizza is great.

While I poured through their brightly-coloured menu peppered with interesting facts about fish, their Panfried Linguine with Mackerel Otah ($9.50) [****] screamed “Pick Me!” So how could I resist right? The dish was served with my favourite tri-coloured peppers, mushrooms and a wonderful homemade mackerel otah. The linguine was done aglio olio, with just the right amount of olive oil. I ordered a Value Top-up ($3.60) with this. It includes a soft drink and soup-of-the-day. I must say that otah coupled with aglio olio linguine tasted really good..those who can’t take chilli & spice might find this dish a tad spicy.

My boyfriend had a Value Top-up as well together with the Panfried Fish Fillet ($7.90) [***.] which was a Tilapia fillet dressed with butter, peppercorn & basil leaves and linguine & steamed veg on the side. Be forewarned, the fillet had a fair bit of bones. The skin was nicely panfried, but a lil too oily for my liking..I had to pat dry the oil before trying it. Just so you know, you can opt to add herbed potatoes ($0.80) as a side. It was a generous portion which complemented our main course well. It was a pity that we didn’t order their appetiser specialty Otah Toast ($4.80). We were too stuffed…the meal was value-for-money. Hooked! also has daily promotions (2.30-5.30pm), so check out their board while you’re there. If my memory serves correct…it’s 1-for-1 Fish & Chips on Thursday. For Fridays it’s 1-for-1 pasta!

//Prices are subjected to GST, no svc charge.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 7/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 5/10
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

Tel: +65 6765 5336
Address: 390 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, The Rail Mall

Opening hours: 12pm-10pm daily except Tuesday.

Getting there: Buses 171, 170, 67, 75

Mint Café

Meet my personal 5-star rated café, the only one to date. MINT is more than just a café, in fact it’s a Café-Restaurant-Wine bar in the basement of a 5-storey building that houses the World’s first purpose-built museum for toys. This contemporary building was designed by well-known Singapore architectural firm SCDA Architects. MINT (Moment of Imagination & Nostalgia with Toys), opened in Singapore in May 2006. The museum showcases an extensive collection of vintage & collectors’ toys from the mid-19th century to mid-20th century. You’ll see toys like Peter Rabbit, Felix the Cat and a James Bond board game amongst many others.

What’s really unique about this place is that they offer a variety of dining options accompanied by a delectable menu. MINT caters for Corporate Events, Birthday Celebrations, Wedding Anniversaries etc. including complimentary entry to the Museum. For holidays like Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve & other special occasions, all 4 floors of the Museum will be opened for dining among the toys.

I had dinner there with my best friend B earlier because the building piqued my interest when I passed by on Tuesday. The interior of the building was FMAZING. You’ll need to descend a flight of stairs to reach what you see in the picture above. Frankly speaking, their seating capacity is limited to what you see here plus a lil bit more. But that further enhances the quaint dining experience you’ll experience. We got the opportunity to have a chat with Chef Ronson Lim and their Manager Marcus, who gave us a complimentary tour of the 3rd floor of their museum AND 30% off our total bill.

I’ve got fifteen 30% discount passes valid for multiple visits UP FOR GRABS so ask me!

They’ve also got Set Lunches ($13.80) that include a Soup-of-the-Day, Main course, Beverage & Cake-of-the-Day.
Main course options are – Chicken Lasagna, Beer Battered Fish & Chips, Primavera Sandwich, Spaghetti Bolognaise, Beef Stew Spaghetti & Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Dinner consisted of the Seafood Arrabiata ($16) [****.] as shown here. I strongly resisted the urge to order my pasta favourite so that I can be unbiased as a food reviewer. Good thing I did too, because it was 1 of the best arrabiattas I’ve tried so far. The arrabiatta sauce was light & it tasted nothing like canned tomato puree, and the fresh seafood included mussels+prawns+squid+fish. I must say that the natural flavour of the prawns was not lost despite it being dressed with arrabitta sauce.

Ben ordered the Penne Al Funghi ($16) [***], which he found good because the cream sauce wasn’t overly rich. However he felt that the penne tasted a lil plain. I had a taste of it and I liked how the cream sauce slid down my throat without me feeling jelak- malay for squeamish after consumption of excessively oily/rich food. It also complemented the mushrooms well.

Then came dessert…drum roll please.

Chef Ronson Lim shared with us that although they do create their own desserts, some of their desserts are outsourced from Les Amis, 1 of Singapore’s Top French Restaurants. This is due to constraints like their kitchen size. But fret not, dessert was a gastronomical affair.

On your right is the Missisippi Mudpie ($5.80) [****]which is from Les Amis. There was nothing ‘muddy’ about it surprisingly, since it didn’t ooze chocolate from its pores. On the contrary, it had a cheesecake-like biscuit base with a layer of hardened dark chocolate, topped off with chocolate meringue (crisp & chewy chocolate rich in cocoa) and complete with vanilla whipped cream on the side.

B’s Pecan Pie ($5.80) [***] was 1 of Mint’s dessert creations. He had a hard time deciding between this and their Nutella Pie, but a pretty waitress persuaded him otherwise. For many, this Pecan Pie will taste familiar…it’s got a slight local flavour to it but you won’t be able to place it. We couldn’t place it until we asked Ronson, but I shall not tell you what it is..taste it for yourself & let me know. Although I do not have a penchant for nuts & such, I found the pie delightful.

//All prices are subjected to ++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 8.5/10
Price – $$ to $$$
Service – 9.5/10
Ambience – 9.5/10
Accessibility – 8/10
/you might wanna call beforehand in case they’re booked for functions.

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 6266
Address: 26 Seah Street, Singapore 188382

Opening hours:
MINT Museum Opening hours / 9.30am to 6.30pm daily
MINT Café Opening hours / 9.30am to 10.30pm daily

Getting there:
Take the MRT to City Hall Station (NS25/EW13) and walk towards Raffles Hotel or Bras Basah Complex. The Museum is next to Raffles Hotel and opposite Bras Basah Complex.

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.

The Turquoise Room (now defunt)

This place is a quiet sanctuary away from town. It’s perfect if you feel like being alone, or if you want a romantic setting for that special dinner you’ve got planned..What impressed me about the place was the excellent service I had that night. We had the owner’s lil girl bidding us goodbye at the door and attentive waitresses all night. Aside from that, I also loved the way they painted the walls and put together that laidback, breezy feel..the restaurant is kept cool by fans because the area is very breezy. There’s also alfresco dining available on a wooden patio outside, complete with trees in the background. I’m a tree-lover, don’t mind me.

The Turquoise Room also has a sister outlet known at The Turquoise Bistro located at 902 East Coast Parkway, Tel: 6247 7677 (now defunct). I haven’t had a chance to visit it yet, so do let me know how your visit goes if you check it out. Now let’s introduce the food…

I couldn’t resist the urge to order something familiar yet different..so I tried their Prawn & Arugula Linguine [*****] as shown here

Arugula is actually a.k.a Rocket in the US..it’s an aromatic salad green that tastes bitter on its own. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised to taste how well it complemented my pasta! yums. A combination of aglio olio pasta with almost anything goes wonderfully well I suppose. Yes yes, I’m a Purist when it comes to my pasta.

Over here we’ve got the Chicken Pesto with sundried tomatoes [****].

If you’re one who thinks that pesto pasta is always creamy, you’ll be surprised to find out otherwise. This chicken pesto pasta has juicy tender chicken with a mixture of sundried tomatoes that lent the dish a mild sweet-sour note that balanced out the overall taste. I can safely say that these 2 pastas we ordered are very different from what most Singaporeans are used to, so I’d say give it a shot.

Other than pasta, The Turqoise Room also serves up thin-crust Italian-style pizzas and specialities like their Lamb Rack ($29). Oh yes, how can I forget. They’ve got great Strawberry Smoothies ($6)…and amazingly, their Bellini was affordably priced at $10.

//All prices are subjected to ++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 8/10
Price – $$ to $$$
Service – 8/10
Ambience – 9/10
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

Tel: (65) 6473 3655

Address:
7 Lock Road, Gilman Village

Opening hours:
12pm-11pm / Mon-Thur
12pm-2am / Fri-Sat
10am-10pm / Sun
*Brunch: 10am-12pm

Dress code: casual
Getting there: Nearest MRT is HarbourFront transfer to bus 97 or 100.

Timbré at Substation

I cannot believe that I took more than a year to stumble upon this place. Timbré is a bistro music bar that was started in July 2005. The place features local bands as part of their music line-up. On Wednesday nights they’ve got EIC! -cue huge grin- Juan & I were lost in their music just a while ago..they did songs by Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Hootie & the Blowfish, Barenaked Ladies, Red Hot Chilli Peppers & Augustana. For that alone, you ought to visit the place. For weekends, we have been forewarned: you should make reservations at http://www.timbre.com.sg

Their drinks menu looked decent enough, though their Cosmopolitan wasn’t strong. I tried their champagne cocktail Sweet Lady ($12) and their Red Ruby Martini ($10) their martini special for tonight. Kudos to them for a great champagne cocktail!

Inevitably, Juan & I got hungry after all the drinks..so I ‘grudgingly’ agreed to compromise with Ms. Carnivore & order Timbré’s Chicken Fingers ($8) [***.]. The portion was enough for 2. The chicken was encrusted in a lightly spiced batter. yums.
I’d check out their webby for their ongoing promotions..cos they’ve got pretty good deals for those dining in groups. Last but not lease, Timbre’s thin-crust pizzas are not to be missed! [****.]

//prices are subjected to +++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 8/10
Price – $$ to $$$
Service – 8/10
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)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address: 45 Armenian Street, Singapore 179936 (Substation Garden)
Email: info@timbre.com.sg

Opening hours: open daily from 6pm except Sunday
Dress code: casual
Buses: 16, 147, 857, 162..

Hemispheres Café (menu has been revised)

For those of you who haven’t already heard about or seen this cafe that also has it’s own boutique of local designers…you should DEFINITELY head down there soon!
It’s an awesome place for chilling out with friends on a lazy afternoon, or at night for a first date. I’ve been a loyal regular since 2003 when it was formerly known as Latitude. The place will be a lil difficult to find at first, especially since it’s located in the most unlikely place -in a corner of the children’s department of OG. So if you fancy the likes of cement benches with cushions, sofa chairs, glass walls & a wall dedicated to magazine cut-outs…this is the right place for you.
Personally I’ve always favoured their house specialities, namely their brownie with ice-cream ($6.90) [***.] and their waffles with ice-cream & fruit toppings [****].

If you’re hungry at Tea Time, they’ve got a Tea Special that consists of scones, cakes & mini sandwiches with coffee/tea for $9.90++ daily Dinner Specials are also available.
I tend to crave the strangest things at different times of the day, so normally when I visit them in the afternoons..I never fail to order 2 things -their creamless Potato Soup ($3.80) [****.] & Sloppy Joes ($5.90) [*****]: crinkle-cut fries topped with mushrooms, minced beef and others in a tomato-based sauce, as seen here.

These 2 items on their menu are a MUST-HAVE if you wanna grab a light bite. Their baked rice is pretty good as well if you want something heavier. Oh yes, do try out their drink concoctions if you want variety other than coffee/tea. The staff at Hemispheres are warm & friendly, but do be understanding if your food takes a little more time to arrive because they’ve got a small kitchen and limited staff.

//Prices are subjected to ++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 7/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6.5/10
Ambience – 8/10
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

Tel: (65) 6238 2135

Address:
OG Orchard Point
160 Orchard Road, Orchard Point (Level 3)
Singapore 238842

The Naked Fish Shoppe

For those of you who are fish lovers, I would recommend The Naked Fish Shoppe at the Grassroots Club next to Yio Chu Kang MRT station for their wide selection of fish – Halibut, Shark, Barramundi, Ocean Perch, Cat Fish, Flounder and Trout. Aside from these they also have your staple Snapper, Norwegian Salmon & Dory which are more common. All of the above are affordably priced from $9.90 to $18.00. Club members are given 10% off their total bill & PAssion card members get a complimentary Scallops Mornay with any order of a main course priced at $9.90 or more.

Do visit the place on Fridays for lunch because their Set Lunches are value-for-money: Soup-of-the-day, Main course, Set Dessert, Coffee/Tea. I know this all sounds like your standard set lunch, but don’t underestimate what they’ve got to offer. I’ve tried their Shark Fillet with Sambal & Seasonal Vegetables ($12.50++) [****], and I must say, I was impressed. Before my meal arrived, I was already getting increasingly concerned about how it’d turn out to be. After all, sharks aint the friendliest marine life around & their meat has always been tough to cook AND eat. It’s funny how that does not seem to be the case for sharks when it comes to us.

The shark fillet was surprisingly tender and the edges of the fillet was crisp from a light egg batter. The fillet wasn’t drowned in the batter, which was a good thing I felt, because shark meat tastes better when it’s not over done. Their seasonal vegetables consisted of leafy greens, carrots and thinly-sliced potatoes in a light sauce that complemented the fish. The sambal wasn’t the belachan-type with dried prawn paste and chilli padi, but the taste was good enough and it wasn’t too sweet. Some sambal pastes tend to be sugar-loaded, to the extent where it’s way too sweet for chilli and the intended spiciness is overpowered by it. This wasn’t the case, not to worry.

Another main course that a friend ordered was their Australian Whole Flounder [***.], pan-fried with butter sauce & a slice of lemon.
A word of warning though:
Don’t try it if you’re lazy to remove the bones. This one has many bones, but you know how it is with fish – the more bones it has, the sweeter its flesh. Initially it looked a tad too charred, but after the first morsel, my friend proclaimed it safe for consumption. Remember, looks can be deceiving..especially when it comes to food.

//They also have student set lunches priced from $6.80++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 6.5/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 7/10
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)

Tel: (65) 6457 8223

Address:
The Grassroots’ Club, (next to Yio Chu Kang MRT Station)
190 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8, #01-02
Singapore 568046

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

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm daily
Dress code: casual

Disclaimer: Image of food taken from The Naked Fish Shoppe’s website