Skyve Elementary Bistro & Bar II – Fixing what isn’t broken

21 05 2013

This is going to be a really long review as it will combine a review of their 2-week old new menu, in addition to snippets of their former menu (back when I dined there in March’13 for my 24th birthday).

al fresco dining

I have been a fan of Owner/Chef Vincent Teng since his days at Table 66, where I was officially introduced to sous vide style cooking. I still remember the lamb shank I had back in June 2010, which felt like butter as my fork pierced through it. Table 66 has since ceased operations but in its place, Chef Vincent has reincarnated his cooking concept within a more casual and light-hearted environment that many fondly now know of as Skyve (an apt name to emphasize the shift towards casual dining).

the restaurant

Prior to this review (covering 2 of my dinner visits), I had been to Skyve only once for brunch. That was when R and myself still had the luxury of time to indulge in regular weekend Sunday brunches. Apart from the more pricey brunch menu, there’s an ongoing $6 nett breakfast promotion set (Toast, 2 Eggs, Sausage, Ham & Baked Beans) which is available between 10am-11.30am on weekdays too. That’s about the same price as a Mcdonald’s Breakfast, how awesome is that!

the lounge

There are 3 separate areas to the restaurant, which are the al fresco section (probably more for brunches), the restaurant section (for lunches and dinners in the comfort of aircon) and the lounge area (for light bites and booze). The lounge area in particular is really intimate and a perfect place to relax after work, knocking back a glass of wine while indulging in half a dozen oysters.

Review of the New Menu

Instead of having the mindset of “Why fix something that isn’t broken?”, Chef Vincent decided that it was time for a facelift of Skyve’s menu. While feeling a bit sad to see some really commendable items ceasing to exist, I was simultaneously rather eager to see what new creations were being introduced next.

We commenced the tasting with the a sampler of raw oysters, prepared in various styles. Of the lot, the one with the most distinctive taste was the ‘Escargot’ Style Oyster, which was gratinated in nori butter and topped with shaved bonito flakes and toasted sesame seeds. In my mind, while the taste is quite similar to an escargot, this definitely trumped a regular escargot by virtue of the desirable soft fleshy texture absent from a cooked snail. Truth be told, apart from aesthetics, there wasn’t much separating the Compressed Watermelon Oyster (topped with diced compressed watermelon, pickled watermelon rind and extra virgin olive oil) from the Lychee ‘Saketini’ Granita Oyster (topped with lychee & sake sorbet, seaweed “caviar”), as the natural creamy taste of the fresh oysters came across as most evident. Oysters of a single style are priced at $34++ for 1/2 dozen, or $38++ if you desire a mix of styles.

From left – Compressed Watermelon Oyster, Lychee ‘Saketini’ Granita Oyster, ‘Escargot’ Style Oyster ($34++/half dozen)

Another signature from Skyve’s new menu would be the Sous Vide Egg & Spaghettini ($18++). It was definitely tasty but also came across as slightly heavy for an appetizer, especially with so many flavors like the truffle salsa, iberico ham, hollandaise sauce and egg yolk all vying for attention. I must admit though, that if a sous vide egg could be labelled as a poached egg, it would probably have been the best poached egg I have had so far.

The thin crust Vegetarian Pizza ($34++) was garnished with pumpkin, carrots, potatoes, radish, all prepared in sous vide style, with grilled asparagus & capsicums, arugula leaves, truffle salsa and shaved parmesan cheese. Sous vide style involves cooking the vegetables (or meats) under relatively low temperatures in a vacuum under prolonged periods of time. Relative to simply boiling the vegetables, sous vide expands the time frame where the vegetables are cooked to a proper doneness, allowing the chef to get the texture and consistency right almost 100% of the time. In addition, the natural sweet flavors of the vegetables are less likely to be leeched out as well since it is cooked in a sealed vacuum bag, allowing for a more intense and concentrated flavor. That said, I would still prefer a pizza smothered in cheese with loads of seafood and meat.

The duck confit was one of my favourite dishes the last time I was here so I was so looking forward to the reworked version. The Asian Inspired Confit of Duck Leg ($36++) was done sous vide style and marinated in Asian five spice, served with pickled fennel and orange segment salad, polenta fries & orange sauce. The first thing that drew my attention to this dish was the robust aroma from the five spice marinade, which engulfed the entire restaurant. I’m sure it must have drawn some jealous looks from other diners who didn’t order it. Taste and texture-wise, it was also close to perfect in my view, especially the savoury crisp duck skin. Another plus point is that Skyve doesn’t scrimp on its portions and 2 duck legs are served per order. Downsides to this dish were that the Orange sauce didn’t quite complement the duck and I took to eating the duck in its unadulterated form, and while the polenta fries was novel with an internal texture similar to cous cous, I would have preferred just regular fries.

It was difficult to decide which was better, the duck or the Sous Vide Pork Shoulder ($36++) that had been braised in root beer and spice and served with savoury crackling skin, pineapple and pomegranate salsa, toragashi pepper & plum salt. The texture of the pork was really tender, similar to a well-executed Cantonese braised pork dish. It was also hugged by a sweet glaze and thoroughly marinated with the root beer whose flavor comes as a light aftertaste. I didn’t have much issues with the crackling but one of the other diners I was with felt that it was a little dry.

The Callebaut Warm Chocolate Molten Cake ($14++) was nicely done. They got the timing down right so the cake benefited from a lovely viscous core of warm chocolate. Funnily enough, the maple walnut gelato reminded me of po chai pills (保济丸) used for diarrhea relief because of an initial deep pungent taste from the maple. The other diners only drew this association after I mentioned it and had all found ice cream amazing initially. They reasoned that my sense of taste was acute because of food blogging but the real reason was because I choked on a fish bone and swallowed a whole mentos before, which resulted in my fear of swallowing tablets in general. So when I was in primary school, I had a case of diarrhea and chewed on po chai pills. The taste was so repulsive I vomited after and the taste of po chai pills has been etched into memory since then.

My favourite dessert was the Mango & Cheese Semifreddo ($12++). Think of a semifreddo as a creamier, more mousse-like version of ice cream. This one was really delectable, tasting much like cheesecake ice cream. The frozen lime foam perched on the semifreddo did well to balance the creaminess, thus avoiding running the risk of an over-cloying dessert.

Another dessert I would recommend would be Inspired By Reds ($12++), a strawberry parfait with sous vide strawberry in balsamic vinegar, raspberry sorbet, flower tuile and dehydrated raspberry. Highlights of this dish would be the smooth and balanced strawberry parfait, and the dehydrated raspberry bits which tasted like little bits of sweets with a concentrated sour zing. Apart from being visually stunning, this was also the perfect palate cleanser.

I abhorred the Tiramisu ($12++) becuase of its over-soggy nature but this view wasn’t shared by everyone, as almost all the lady diners present adored it precisely for that same point. One even went further to say that she preferred it soggier. Only today did I realize the vast misalignment in what different individuals would consider a good tiramisu.

The dinner was an invited media tasting and paid for by Skyve. Special thanks to Shasha from FoodNews for hosting the evening. I enjoyed myself tremendously!

A Review of the Old Menu

I was desperately thinking for a place to celebrate my birthday dinner, somewhere that had good food and ambience, wasn’t too obscure for people taking public transport, not too extravagant nor too crowded for a Saturday night. Such a selective filtering procedure lead me to shortlist Skyve.

For my appetizer for this dinner, I had the Seared Foie Gras ($22++), which was actually quite value for money in my book. Saveur fans might start hurling rocks at me saying that Saveur does it for $8 but I reason that the seared foie gras here is thicker, more fatty and tasty. And once you adjust for the size/weight of the foie gras (there’s actually 2 pieces of stacked foie gras in the picture), it all work out. The compressed watermelon, macerated watermelon rind, caramelized almonds, ume compote were pretty much useless adornments though and didn’t contribute much to complementing the foie gras. I ended up eating the foie gras and the watermelon separately.

The Squid Ink Spaghetti ($30++) was also really tasty. While this might potentially be one of the biggest no nos to order on a first date, trust me when I say the one here is worth the risk.

The Lamb Shank ($32++) braised in Red Wine wasn’t as tender as the one I had in June 2010 but still good nonetheless.

Despite being a recommendation by the staff, the Grilled Beef Chateaubriand ($40++) was quite a let down as it was rather lean and tough. There was some redemption from the Potato Rosti, Wild Mushrooms in Veal Jus Reduction and the accompanying Bearnaise Sauce, which added some flavour to the otherwise rubbery steak.

The Sous Vide Crispy Pork Belly ($34++) was a winner. I would say it’s better than the one at Ember, just because the sous vide cooking made the meat incredibly tender. I was sincerely shocked when my fork delved straight into the pork with almost no resistance. It was so jaw dropping and unbelievable that I had to ask my best friend K to poke at my pork as well. It’s just not something you’d encounter everyday. The problem I often encounter with Crackling Skin is that it’s so darn hard to cut it, especially if it gets soggy or overcooked. The crispy crackling here however, broke apart relatively easily to my relief. Tastewise, I think the pork belly was perfect on its own without the prune sauce, which tasted surprisingly savoury rather than sweet (like a mild Hoisin sauce). While I wasn’t a big a fan of the Potato & Apple Gratin and Fennel Salad with Mustard Seed on the side, it does help to cleanse the palate from the unctuousness accruing from the pork.

Confit of Duck Leg ($34++), Sous vide crispy duck leg, Maple caramelized Seasonal Root Vegetables, Sweet tamarind Sauce

Sous vide Petuna Ocean Trout ($34++), Poached warm Ocean Trout in Extra Virgin Oil, Black Olive & Seaweed Crust, Seasonal Vegetables, Potato Pave, Herb Fondue

Textures of Hazelnut & Chocolate Cake ($14++), Hazelnut Mousse, Chocolate Caramel Cream, Feuilletine Crust, Bing Cherry Coulis

Ivory Dome ($14++), Mango & Marscarpone, Passionfruit Jelly, Dark Chocolate Sponge, Mango & Lime Salad

Homemade Maple Ice Cream ($14++), Caramelized Apple infused with Cinnamon, Fleur de Sel, Wafers

Creme Caramel ($12++), Vanilla Egg Custard, Caramelized Orange Caramel, Sauternes Jelly, Sous Vide Pear

Let’s just put it this way, Skyve is currently within my top 5 favourite restaurants in Singapore. It’s a great place to find out more about sous vide style cooking without busting your budget…much.

Skyve Elementary Bistro & Bar

10 Winstedt Road Block E, #01-17

Tel: +65 6225 6690

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Kilo – Doesn’t live up to the hype

11 05 2013

Kilo has been operating for 2 years now and yet still packs a full house on week nights. I still remember a year ago when I tried (twice) making a reservation 2 weeks in advance and got declined due to the place already being fully booked. Something was definitely going for them and I was curious to find out, especially since I was a fan of Raw Kitchen Bar (what Kilo was called before they shifted to the current premise).

The setting of Kilo is of a casual cafe style and since there’s no air conditioning in the eatery, be prepared to sweat a bit if you are coming in formal work attire on a warm night.

We had the Seared Scallops served on White Wine Mushrooms topped with Sweet Mushroom Reduction + Momotoro Tomatoes ($23++) for appetizers. I just love scallops but the highlight of this dish would actually be the robust mushroom cream sauce. If only there was a piece of bread to wipe the plate clean.

Our favourite for the night was the Sesame-Avocado-Wasabi Flavoured Tuna Tatare + Flourchips ($22++). I’m not a fan of tuna sashimi but the ones here feels slightly fattier and doesn’t taste as bloody and as what one might get at a Japanese restaurant. The gentle hint of wasabi was refreshing and the creaminess of the avaocado probably helped to tone down the spice to an optimal level.

While it’s one of their signatures and the better of the two mains we ordered, I wasn’t thoroughly impressed by the Day-night 12 hour Pork Belly with Purple Potato Wedges, Sour Cream & Crackling ($29++). The pork belly wasn’t as tender as I had anticipated and some parts of the crackling were so tough that one might risk breaking a tooth or two.

Balsamic Duck Leg with Butter Parsnip Mash & Sesame Asparagus ($30++). On a spectrum, the mash would be closer to the coarse and chunky side. A bit too dry and not buttery enough for my liking. The texture of the duck wasn’t bad but given that the sauce tasted somewhat similar to the one from the pork belly, we got bored of it quickly.

Truth be told, Raw’s Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream ($15++) was really disappointing, possibly the most overcooked lava cake I have had at a restaurant. There was no lava whatsoever, so it was more of a chocolate muffin. The Ice Creams here are made in house and it was decent. I have attempted (or more like my friends attempted and I watched) making lava cakes at home so I could tell they screwed this one up real badly.

Had a bottle of their Gewurztraminer (a type of White Wine). Alongside Rieslings, it’s probably one of the easier wines to drink given its high sugar content.

Left the place feeling slightly perplexed as the experience was short of the dinner I had at Raw Kitchen Bar. However, given all the rave reviews I have read online about Kilo and constant stream of customers, I think a reassessment is in order.

Kilo

66 Kampong Bugis

Tel: +65 6467 3987


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Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Cuisine Type YumYums, Fusion, Italian, Japanese, Lavender / Kallang, Location of YumYum, Western, Yummy!

Salt Tapas & Bar – Pairing Churros with Sangria

13 04 2013

It was only when Salt Grill & Sky Bar commenced operations did I realize that Ion’s top most floors (level 55 & 56) were open to the public. I paid them a visit last year for a Restaurant Week lunch and left with a positive impression. Following the success of Salt Grill, Australian celebrity chef Luke Mangan must have gained an epiphany that Singaporeans love gourmet food but are rather sloppy when it comes down to dressing for meals and hence launched Salt Tapas & Bar last year, a tapas bar where no one will judge you (much) if you and your girlfriends started giggling and banging tables after a couple round of drinks.

While the restaurant has been operating for a while now, the recent appointment of Chef Matthew Leighton as head chef in March 2013 has resulted in a major revamping of the menu. At only 26 years of age, he has served in the Glass Brasserie in Sydney, as well as The Palace in Melbourne, both reputable restaurants by Luke Mangan. Guess we can call him Mangan’s protege of sorts.

The interior of the restaurants gives off a charming rustic vibe, thanks to the red brick walls and wooden furnishings. The tables are spaced out sufficiently and coupled with the high ceilings, I was pretty oblivious to the noise level and could carry out conversations without straining my voice despite the full house on a Tuesday evening.

Now that I see a picture of the bar, I’m reminded that Salt Tapas & Bar has a Ladies night on Wednesdays too. I believe the current promotion is that on every order of a tapas, ladies get 2 drinks FREE (choice of Sangria or Lychee Martini). That’s seriously a good deal, given that a glass of sangria costs $17 bucks here. Oh and the sangria tastes great by the way, would recommend ordering it even without Ladies night. It’s on the sweet end and doesn’t compromise too much on the alcohol.

The menu here is divided into 6 sections, namely “Nibbles”, “Butcher”, “Garden”, “Sea”, “Paddock” and “Sweets”. The sections are more or less quite self-explanatory, so items in paddock would be your meats dishes, items in garden your salad dishes and so forth.

We started off dinner with the Fried Potatoes (Potatas Bravas), Spicy Sauce & Garlic Aioli ($9++), a traditional Spanish tapas dish. Rather tasty and came in a pretty generous serving too.

The Beetroot, Asparagus, Egg, Radish, Rocket, Tarragon Dressing ($12++) wasn’t quite as good. It’s greens after all though objectively, the sweet beets does go quite well with the bitter rockets.

The Pork Sliders, Pickled Cucumber & Chilli ($13++) consisted of a trio of mini burgers filled with pulled pork and pickles. Instead of a solid patty, the pork patty had a consistency which was more of a paste, similar to that of the tuna you find in your subways. Cute as it may be, I thought it was pretty forgettable taste-wise.

Parmesan Truffle Fries ($10++) tastes more or less the same everywhere but the ones here loses its crispness rather quickly so must 趁热吃.

The Roasted Barramundi with Squid, Tomato & Chorizo ($32++) is something I would recommend here. The Barramundi is pretty bland on its own so the zesty tomato base does well to add some much needed flavour to it.

For a tapas bar, I expected better from the Paella of Prawns, Mussels, Chorizo & Chicken ($38++). It was too dry and the rice was unappetizing, very must like soggy clumpy fried rice. A good paella in my view would have the rice absorb a fair bit of the seafood broth and be palatable enough to eat on its own.

Interestingly enough, the star of the Lamb Rumb with Crumbed Zucchini & Salsa Verde ($34++) was the zucchini. The batter was really light and the deep fried zucchini reminded me, in a good way, of the cheese sticks from Burger King which I used to get as an add-on every time I dined there. The lamb was decent and I was impressed by how well the Salsa verde complemented the meat. Salsa verde is a green sauce generally made using parsley, vinegar, capers, garlic, onions, anchovies and olive oil. The one here had a nice mild minty taste.

After a heavy meal, I was thankful for the Berry & Custard Cream Mille-feuille with Elderflower Sorbet ($12++), which was a relatively light dessert made using a layer of of cream filling between 2 layers of puff pastry. I especially liked the elderflower sorbet which was had a nectarous flavour that cleansed the palate.

If you have no time for a meal, do still consider dropping by for the Churros & Chocolate ($11++). Deep fried dough, coated with sugar, dipped in cream and dark chocolate. Sinful as it may be, I think it’s definitely worth the calories.

I like the fun vibes at Salt Tapas & Bar. It’s a great place for meet-ups and you don’t have to be too hush for fear of disturbing other customers. A fair share of hits and misses food-wise but nibbles like the Potatas Bravas and Desserts are worth dropping by for…and not forgetting the Sangria.

Special Thanks to Salt Tapas & Bar for the hosting the dinner invitation!

Salt Tapas & Bar

252 North Bridge Road, #01-22A Raffles City Shopping Centre

Tel: +65 6837 0995


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Michelangelo’s – 17 Years Young and Counting

25 03 2013

With the rapid succession of comings and goings in the Singapore food scene, few establishments can boost about having a 17-year track record like Michelangelo’s. Even its next door sister restaurant Original Sin has been around for 14 years. To  be in business for that long, they had to be doing something right, right?

While some eateries have centralized kitchens to save cost, Michelangelo’s takes it to a whole different level with their wine cellar. Many people have commented about their extensive wine list and to hoard such a range, the restaurant group actually owns a semi-detached house just across the restaurant. So, don’t be surprised if you suddenly see the sommelier walking across the road and coming back with a bottle of wine. He didn’t just run to NTUC to get it.

The Carpaccio di Manzo ($22++), “Beef tenderloin, arugula, Parmesan, truffle oil”, is a safe choice, unless you aren’t a fan of raw beef.

The Caprese alla Michel ($22++), “Oven-baked portobello mushroom, mozzarella, tomatoes, salami chips”, was a tad boring. While I love the idea of salami chips (think of it as thinly sliced deep fried luncheon meat), the dish in its entirety seems like something I could whip up at home rather easily and really doesn’t justify the price tag in my view.

We were all taken by the Risotto al Fungi ($24++), “Confit of pork belly, forest mushroom, white wine, Parmesan”. The texture of the risotto was perfect to me, especially since I prefer it on the wet side with the rice grains not overly chewy. I detected the use of some truffle oil as well, which certainly enhanced the savoury cheesiness of the risotto. However, while the dish was really tasty on the first bite, the law of diminishing returns quickly set in, as subsequent mouthfuls tasted increasingly salty and the cheesiness exceedingly cloying for a single person to bear. Now that I think of it, my guess to why the risotto felt increasing salty is because the briny pork belly had a higher probability to sink to the base of the dish. My advice is to share this amongst 3 people for an optimal experience.

My favourite was the Penne Sambuca e Gamberi ($24++), “Prawns, semi-dried tomatoes, rose cream sauce, 50ml Italian Sambuca”. The tanginess of the tomatoes was what caught my attention first. Not as overwhelmingly tangy as the usual tomato-based pasta due to the addition of rose cream. Instead, what I felt was a light fiery aftertaste. Initially I thought I had bitten into some chilis but soon realized it was the Sambuca, a sweet flamable liquer that forms the base of a Flaming Lamborghini. Thumbs up for the progression of flavours.

The Tuscan Rosticciana ($34++), “Full rack of Tuscan style grilled pork rib”, is suitable for those who love their ribs with a little bit of bite, instead of fall off the bone tender. Personally, I’m a fan of the latter but still had an enjoyable time gnawing around the bones. The portion is rather huge so again, sharing is recommended!

As one of my favourite desserts, I never fail to try out a Sticky Date Pudding ($12++) if it’s on the menu. The one here is competently done and just a little less dense than a fruit cake. The Vanilla Ice Cream is of a good quality too and pairs well with the warm pudding that is drenched in sweet butterscotch sauce.

While I had some trouble finishing the Tiramisu ($12++) at Michelangelo’s sister restaurant Original Sin, the one here is clearly lighter in both the espresso flavours and consistency of the sponge cake. I also like how the sponge isn’t soggy and goes down the palate easily.

While some dishes bordered on mediocrity like the Portobello Mushroom and Ribs, no dishes I tried left negative impressions and I thought dishes like the Penne Sambuca really shone.

Special Thanks to Michelangelo’s for hosting this lunch tasting!

Michelangelo’s

Blk 44 Jalan Merah Saga, #01-60 Chip Bee Gardens Holland Village

Tel: +65 6475 9069


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Equinox @ Swissotel – Restaurant Week Lunch

21 03 2013

It’s Restaurant Week again and as usual, I went into a rabid booking frenzy when seats were released. It’s not like I have the time to eat 4 Restaurant Week meals but guess I’m still a true blue Singaporean at heart, scared to lose out when there’s a queue. So while I had rather hard-to-get reservations at Basilico, Brasserie les Savuers and Keystone Restaurant over the course of the week, I had to drop them all, leaving me with just a sole lunch date at the highly acclaimed Equinox @ Swissotel.

Just a bit of advice from me. While the goal of Restaurant Week is to allow would-be diners to sample restaurants’ offerings at more affordable prices, not all restaurant week menus are value for money, so it pays to do some basic research first. For example during the Oct 2012 installment of restaurant week, I actually noted a restaurant that charged $40++ for their restaurant week lunch menu, which was just a truncated version of their normal set lunch menu, meaning diners had to pay more for less choices of appetizers, mains and desserts! Thankfully, that same restaurant isn’t guilty of that this time around (but that’s because they increased the price of their normal set lunch).

Equinox is probably one of the more value for money restaurant participants for restaurant week as the restaurant week menu ($40++) doesn’t deviate much from their usual set lunch ($59++). Their lunch menu comes in the form of a semi-buffet, meaning that appetizers and desserts are buffet style while diners can order 1 main (from 3 choices) off the menu.

Given that my expectations of the buffet was along the lines of a salad bar in Pizza Hut (I do exaggerate sometimes), I was pleasantly surprised by the spread. There were appetizers like Shrimp Cocktail, Cold cuts, Proscuitto, Mediterranean dips like Hummus and Baba Ganoush, Smoked Salmon, Roast Duck Salad, Chilled Seafood (Fresh Oysters, Chilled Crabs, Clams, Mussels & Prawns), Sashimi (Salmon & Tuna), Assorted Sushi (featuring interesting ones like Hokkigai aka Surf Clam Sushi and Herring Sashimi) and unlike some buffets where the food is left in the open for long periods of time, I noticed that food refills here were carried out fairly regularly which is a good sign.

The dessert and cheese line was pretty decent too. Apart from an assortment of cakes, there’s also the chocolate fondue fountain and Ice Cream!

The sushi with bright yellow roe at the bottom of the plate is a Herring Sashimi, something not so commonly found at buffets.

M liked the Watermelon with Feta (plated on the small saucer below) so much that she took 5 servings of it.

There were 3 choices of mains available from the restaurant week lunch menu.

M got the vegetarian option of Wild Mushroom Raviolo with Vegetable Linguine & Mushroom Dressing. Raviolo is simply an oversized Ravioli and this one was filled almost entirely with Mushrooms that tasted excruciatingly sour from the excessive use of vinegar. The faux linguine made from grated vegetables didn’t help alleviate much of M’s suffering either.

I didn’t try the Pan-seared Barramundi with Sauteed Green Beans, Shitake Mushrooms & Herb Broth but G didn’t have any complaints about it.

For myself, the choice of main was a simple one, the Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Curried Sweet Potato, Roast Onion & Zucchini in Cider Sauce. It was the most unhealthy dish I could find on the menu and going by my assumption of equivalent exchange, this would prove to be the most tasty dish.

While it’s probably the best imo of the 3 mains available, it fails to impress, falling short by quite a bit relative to some of the Roasted Pork Bellies I have had. The meat wasn’t as tender as expected and slightly on the dry side. Didn’t favour the mash either since it was more chunky than smooth and the curry flavour didn’t complement the pork well.

For good roasted pork bellies, try Skyve Elementary Bistro & Bar (which does it sous vide style) or Ember Restaurant (my favourite place for set lunch).

Just for restaurant week, diners can also opt to add on a Pan-seared Foie Gras for an additional $10, which I did. It didn’t turn out too well though as it was unsalted (intentionally as I clarified later) and overcooked, which saddened me a little especially since it was M’s first time trying Foie Gras and I always believed that your first time is supposed to be special. Shall bring her to somewhere with decent foie gras next time to atone for this atrocity.

Sadly the pretty desserts didn’t taste as good as they looked. The more palatable ones include the Creme Brulee and the light Ivory Dome White Chocolate Cake.

Coffee/tea is included within the set lunch and Equinox uses TWG tea in case you are wondering.

I guess word on the street is right. Food doesn’t seem to be the main draw of Equinox. The experience of dining 70 floors up with a panoramic view of the Marina area however, is another story.

Equinox

2 Stamford Road, Level 70 Swissotel The Stamford

Tel: +65 6837 3322


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Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Asian, Buffet, City Hall, Cuisine Type YumYums, French, Location of YumYum, Western, Yummy!

Original Sin – Going Vegetarian for Once

12 03 2013

While I’d like to think myself as a rather adventurous foodie, I always chose to steer away from one particular type of cuisine; vegetarian. I guess the perception that vegetables taste bad still holds true for most people. For me at least, my daily intake of vegetables is purely for the sole purpose of playing the role of roughage. My recent visit to Original Sin however did make rethink the validity of such a loosely accepted notion.

Having been around for the past 14 years, Original Sin has established itself as one of the most well-known vegetarian eateries around. It offers Mediterranean cuisine that surprisingly rivals even non-vegetarian Mediterranean restaurants I have been to in both tastiness and quality.

We started off with the Mezze Platter ($22++), which is a typical Middle Eastern selection of dips, in this case consisting of Hummus (a dip made from chickpea), pumpkin & carrot dip, Baba Ganoush (an eggplant dip), Yogurt tzatziki, Falafal balls (A deep fried patty made from chickpea), served with pita bread. On the whole, it was pretty good, especially the Baba Ganoush that had a heavier than usual garlicky taste that I liked and the pita bread which was served freshly baked and crisp.

The Magic Mushroom ($18++) was a baked Portobello mushroom with ricotta cheese, spinach, pesto, topped with a tomato basil sauce and mozzarella. It came across as more Italian than Mediterranean but still made for a simple delightful starter.

The pan fried Haloumi ($18++) served with salad greens, roasted capsicum, lentils, cucumber and mint salad was my favourite dish of the meal. Haloumi is a type of Cheese and tasted similar to savoury fried fish roe, both in terms of taste and texture and went well with the starchy lentils.

For Mains, we had the Vegetable Tandoori ($26++), which was a dish of char-grilled button mushroom, brinjal, capsicum, onion and tofu marinated in tandoori spices served with yoghurt, mango chutney and rice. Pretty decent with a moderate spice level.

The Bosco Misto ($26++) was very tasty as well. It was basically spinach, feta and tofu patties, coated with crushed almonds and sesame seeds, served with asparagus in a button mushroom plum sauce. The patties reminded me of flavourful crispy croquettes and I loved it.

My least favourite was the Capsicum Quinoa ($26++), or roasted capsicum stuffed with spiced quinoa, carrot, chickpea and mint with tzatiki, pickled grape, onion, cherry tomato and olive salad. Compared to the other mains, the flavours from this dish was a lot more subdued, with the yoghurt more or less drowning out most of the other flavours. Having had the tzatiki from the mezza platter earlier on, this felt rather boring.

The Hazelnut Chocolate Cake ($12++) came highly recommended from our host. It was a good recommendation indeed and despite using dark chocolate, the cake boasted a familiar taste that I likened to Kinder Bueno, probably because of the crispy hazelnut base that felt similar to the crunch you get when you bite into a Kinder Bueno.

The Tiramisu ($12++) didn’t fare quite as well. It wasn’t unpalatable but personally, I found the bitterness accruing from the coffee to be a little too intense.

The meal felt totally atypical for a vegetarian meal. I was surprisingly stuffed and honestly if I had a blindfold on, it would have been difficult to tell that no meat was used in the making of the meal with the highly interactive textures and flavours of the various ingredients used. I guess for once, I wouldn’t mind going vegetarian.

Special thanks to Original Sin for the invitation and hosting the meal.

Original Sin

43 Jalan Merah Saga, #01-62

Tel: +65 6475 5605


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Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Cuisine Type YumYums, Dempsey / Holland V, Invited Tasting, Location of YumYum, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Vegetarian, Yummy!

Etna Italian Restaurant (East Coast)

27 01 2013

Etna Italian Restaurant’s East Coast outlet has been around for the longest time. I still remember my first time there back in junior college, more than six years ago. It wasn’t an overly memorable experience and I never went back (I actually did try going to the Duxton outlet once but it was full house). As time went by, more and more people started raving about Etna and I wondered if I had been too quick to judge, only having had their crabmeat pasta and pizza back then. This time around, I was back under the guise of a tasting session hosted by Mr Gianluca Impemba, one of the partners of Etna, who shared with us a bit more about Italian cuisine and the concept behind Etna.

I guess one of Etna’s main selling points is that about 70% of the ingredients used here are imported from Italy, so as to preserve the authenticity and quality of its dishes. Despite this, Etna positions itself more as a neighbourhood family joint rather than a fine dining establishment. I guess to be a little more specific, there are 3 main categories of Italian eateries. The Osteria; traditionally taverns or inns that also served simple food and wines, the Trattoria; typically family-run establishments that are slightly more pricey than the osteria, and lastly the Ristorante; full-service restaurants that serve up sophisticated dishes. Etna lies somewhere between the Trattoria and the Ristorante in this respect.

These traditional definitions might not be that closely followed nowadays however, as we have seen with Osteria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands, which is a fine-dining establishment.

Unlike the outlet at Duxton whose clientele is made up of mostly corporates, the East Coast outlet is relatively more family friendly. The restaurant boosts a dining hall and an al fresco area that sits a total of about 50-60 pax but reservations are recommended as it can get packed, especially during weekends.

We started off the tasting with the Grilled Calamari topped with crispy garlic & chili, served with homemade aioli sauce ($18++). The highlight of this dish would be the aioli sauce, which has a very robust hint of garlic amidst the richness of the mayo. Without it, the grilled calamari would have come across as slightly bland.

The Baked Eggplant with Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese & light Basil Pesto in a Tomato Sauce ($18++) was excellent. The eggplant flesh was delicate and while some people might find the taste of eggplant repulsive, much of it had taken a back seat to the tangy tomato sauce.

As usual, my favourite appetizer was the fresh Burrata with Rocket Salad, Pachino Cherry Tomatoes & Parma Ham ($32++). It’s a wad of creamy sinfulness that is worth taking on as a starter for every Italian meal and Parma ham just goes so well with it. Just think about the last time you washed down briny slices of ham with a cup of full fat milk. Burrata with Parma Ham is even better! The only downside is that Burrata can be quite fattening, as about 1/4 to 1/3 of its weight is comprised of fats. Tell your girl friends only after they have eaten this and sit back to watch the drama unfold.

In addition to the main menu, Etna does from time to time update their chalkboard on daily specials. The Mussels topped with Pistachio that we had was just one such example. It’s a pity that it hasn’t found its way into the main menu yet because it was one of the finest mussels I have ever eaten. Not only were the mussels fresh, springy and sweet, but the choice of pistachio and possibly mayo to complement the mussels was a bold and creative option that worked (the usual tomato or wine white sauces do get a little boring over time). From the looks of things, the pistachio must have been seared lightly before serving, resulting in an encrusting layer of savoury nuts that was reminiscent of the texture of brittle breadcrumbs.

The Linguine with Scallops in a Prawn Cream Sauce ($25++) was possibly my favourite main. I liked it because the cream sauce had a nice bittersweet tinge to it, which I’m guessing was derived from the prawn or scallop juices. If you are lucky, you might also find the orange roe sac of the scallops tossed in this pasta.

The Linguine with Crab Meat in Lobstear Cream Sauce ($25++) was quite similar to the scallop pasta (sans the bittersweetness), but it felt somewhat heavier because the sauce tends to cling to the generous chunks of crab meat. Very enjoyable nonetheless.

The Slow-cooked Braised Veal Shank with chopped herbs and Indian Saffron Rice ($34++) was cooked in a Mediterranean style, where light flavours were employed. Not my favourite dish that night given that I prefer heavier sauces for my veal shanks.

The Roasted Pork Knuckle with Potatoes ($48++) was slightly different from the German ones I’m so used to having. Instead of being deep-fried, the knuckles here are marinated in beer first, braised and then roasted to get that nice golden exterior. The benefits of cooking the knuckle in this way is that the meat still remains really moist and tender, at the expense of having a slightly less crispy skin. Personally, I’m still on the fence as to which style I prefer, but I would guess that the execution risk of a deep fried knuckle is definitely a lot higher, where you might just end up getting a disappointingly dry meat and soggy skin.

The Home-made Semolina paste in a Cream Sauce of Porcini Mushrooms, Pork Sausage & Italian Truffle Cream ($28++) seemed to be the crowd favourite that night, with me being the only contrarian. To our delight, there was a discernible scent of truffle in the sauce but I found the cream sauce was just a little too rich and dense for my liking. The texture of the semolina paste was something like the hand-cut noodles in 刀削面, slightly more chewy and having a bit more elasticity as what one might find in other pastas like linguine.

Good lasagna in Singapore is hard to find and Etna’s Oven-baked Lasagna with Bolognese Ragout, bechamel sauce, Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese ($19++) is perhaps one of the better ones I have had to date. Just to sidetrack a bit, in French cuisine, there are 5 mother sauces which are Sauce Tomate, Sauce Hollandaise, Sauce Veloute, Sauce Espagnole and Sauce Bechamel. The Bechamel sauce (which is also widely used in Italian cuisine) is a white sauce that is used to layer between the sheets of lasagna pasta to give the buttery creamy taste.

The Fresh Sabayon with Pantelleria Moscato Wine – right of picture  ($14++) wasn’t something I took to. It is most often made by whipping eggs yolks (sometimes with the whites too), sugar and a sweet wine over gently boiling water, so that the egg thickens to form a light custard.

While the Bi-colored Panna Cotta with Mango & Mixed Berries ($14++) tasted very refreshing, the taste of the vanilla scented Panna Cotta tends to get lost in the array of fruity flavours.

My favourite dessert was the Tiramisu with Pistachio Cream ($14++), which wasn’t too strong on the liqueur, in fact I could hardly taste it.

Before we hit the road, we helped ourselves to some Italian liqueur to help digest our food (definitely going to kiv this reason for future drinking sessions). Anyway, I just found out something new today. The difference between liquor and liqueur! I had always thought that it was just an American vs UK spelling deviation but apparently not. “A liquor is an alcoholic drink that is distilled from grains or plants, such as rum, vodka, gin or whiskey. A liqueur is a sweet or herbal alcoholic drink that is made from fruit, herbs, flowers, nuts or spices plus (usually) sugar and a spirit such as grain alcohol, vodka or rum.”

I tried 3 types of Italian LIQUEURs that were recommended by our host. The yellowish Limoncello is a rather popular Italian Lemon Liqueur that is around 25-30% alcohol by volume (ABV). It was rather sweet but still retained much of the bitterness of the lemons, great for cleansing the palate after a heavy meal. The reddish liqueur was a almond flavoured one that was about 25-30% ABV. I swore I heard our host say it was Amaro but based on the almond flavour, it might have been Amaretto and I possibly misheard. Didn’t really take to this though. The colourless Grappa was the strongest of the lot at 45% ABV, made from the fermentation of grape pomace (the leftovers skin, pulp, stem and seeds after the grapes have been pressed during wine-making). Despite being the strongest, it was also my favourite amongst the 3 liqueurs as it had a very clean taste and remarkable smoothness to it, going down very much like a high quality vodka.

Overall, I would rate Etna as an Italian restaurant worth checking out, especially for their appetizers and pastas. Prices are really reasonable and portions are hearty. I believe they are planning to participate in the next Restaurant Week so this might just be a perfect excuse to pay them a visit.

Special thanks to Gianluca from Etna for hosting the great meal and Hungrygowhere for coordinating the tasting.

Etna Italian Restaurant (East Coast)

110 Upper East Coast Road

Tel: +65 6444 9530


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Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Cuisine Type YumYums, East Coast/Katong/Joo Chiat, Invited Tasting, Italian, Location of YumYum, Yummy!

Ito Kacho – A Japanese-Korean styled BBQ that promises to salivate

21 01 2013

Having spent a white Christmas and New Year’s in Korea, I must have gone through quite a few BBQ meals but being on a budget, sad to say I didn’t get to have much premium fare this time round and I was craving some good quality wagyu and kurobuta badly (the black pigs in Jeju Island just isn’t the same as the ones from Japan). So the invitation to dine at Ito Kacho, a Japanese-Korean styled restaurant that specializes in BBQ meats, arrived at the perfect moment.

Barely a month old, it seemed that there were already a few who were in the know of this joint when I dined there on a Thursday night, unperturbed by the relatively extravagant fare (they specialize in wagyu after all). I guess Ito Kacho clearly illustrates the distinction between affordability and value, where an average meal costing $100 while unaffordable by normal standards, might still be considered to be of great value given the premium ingredients used. Of course, it’s possible to dine at Ito Kacho whilst on a budget to, if you stick to items such as their Kurobuta Ramen ($15.80++) but if you are planning to go for their signature BBQ, do be prepared to spend more as they offer mainly premium cuts of meat.

They take their meats really seriously at Ito Kacho. Nothing is left to chance and their Wagyu is air-flown in chilled rather than frozen, ensuring that the nice marbling doesn’t get damaged during the thawing process.

I’m not a fan of kimchi so I would personally avoid ordering the Kimchi Moriawase ($9.90++) aka Assorted Kimchi – Chinese cabbage, cucumber, white radish or the Namuru Moriawase ($8.90++) – Cinnamon fern, white radish, spinach, beansprout. The notion of paying for something that is usually given out free at Korean restaurants just doesn’t seem all that appealing.

The Dashimaki Tamago ($6.90++) wasn’t as sweet as how most Japanese joints do it so it’s great for those who love a mild eggy flavour. Personally however, I would rather save the stomach space for the noteworthy BBQ.

From bottom right clockwise: Kimchi Moriawase, Namuru Moriawase, Dashimaki Tamago

Likewise, the Jikasei Potato Salad ($11.80++) or Homemade Potato Salad was nothing to shout about, very much similar to all the other more affordable potato salads available elsewhere.

Here’s where the fun begins. For beef, we sampled the Wagyu Tomobara ($36/$49++ for 80g or 120g) which is the short ribs also known as kalbi (in korean) or karubi (in japanese), the Wagyu Kainomi ($22/$29++ for 80g or 120g) which is the flap or bottom sirloin, and the US Jo-Karubi ($22/$29++ for 80g or 120g), listed in order of decreasing preference. Wasn’t as charmed by the US Jo-Karubi as it was a little too chewy compared to the wagyu.

What’s so different about wagyu from other types of beef you might ask? I guess there’s many answers to this because they are really worlds apart. Some might metaphorically coin wagyu as beef foie gras, supple and delicate because of the substantial amount of fats that interlace between the lighter than usual colour of beef. For “normal” types of beef, you have a choice to cook it rare all the way to well done but the same cannot be said for wagyu. Given the high fat content, the fats start melting really quickly upon cooking and medium rare should be the furthest you should grill it for so as not to lose the luster of the fats. Personally, I guess when I do go for wagyu, I’m looking for the melt-in-your-mouth feel while for “normal” beef, I go for the immense meaty flavour that materializes when you begin to chew on a piece of steak.

From bottom left clockwise: Wagyu Tomobara, US Jo-Karubi, Wagyu Kainomi

It’s always a joy to eat wagyu but thread carefully, as many restaurants are guilty of sullying the name of the almighty wagyu by using a cheaper cut of cross-bred wagyu, which I believe does not offer the same flavour and texture as the pure breed ones from Japan. The commandment in George Orwell’s  Animal Farm stating that “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal” than others holds true for wagyu as well. Apart from the issue of being fullblood (aka cross-bred) or purebred, another issue one contends with when ordering wagyu is the Grade and Beef Marbling Score (BMS), which both relates to the quality of the wagyu. The Grade (scored from 1-5 with 5 being best) is scored based on marbling, shine & colour, texure & grain and sheen & quality of fat, while the BMS is scored from 1-12 (with 12 being best) and this quality gauge is a key determining factor on how wagyu is priced.

A separate matrix is used to score USDA (US Department of Agriculture) beef, which is usually categorized as “prime”, “choice” or “select”, in order of decreasing quality. The “prime” grade would be the Japan equivalent of a minimum of a Grade 3 or Marbling Score of at least 5.

The Kaisen Moriawase ($36++) is catered for seafood lovers, where you get a good mix of King Crab, Giant Tiger Prawn, Hokkaido Scallop and Squid. Not a fan of King Crab but definitely took to the grilled prawns and hokkaido scallops which were fresh, evident from its sweet flavours and firm textures.

The Boneless Chicken Leg ($9/$12++ for 80g or 120g) is worth ordering as well, which was naturally tender and made even more flavourful with the marinade.

We also tried the Tsubo-Zuke Kurobuta ($19++ for 180g), which is a cut from the collar or neck of a pig. Unlike the beef we had earlier, the pork collar had been marinated for a more pronounced flavour. I wouldn’t have thought that anything would come close to the wagyu earlier but I think that this grilled kurobuta was definitely on par in terms of palatable-ness and tenderness.

We had the Ishiyaki Bibimbap ($15++) as a staple. Nothing extraordinary, just the usual rice mixed with minced Meat, vegetables  dried Seaweed and sesame. I would actually recommend skipping this and just opt for white rice to go with the grilled meats since you can find better Bibimbaps elsewhere.

We ended off the tasting with a simple scoop of Ice Cream ($5.80++). There’s 4 flavours to choose from such as Black Sesame, Matcha, Vanilla and Chestnut (in descending order of preference) and I would suggest sticking to either the Sesame or the Matcha.

What Ito Kacho specializes in, it does really well. Other peripherals might not shine but that’s easily overlooked as you distract yourself with the ooohs and ahhhs of the sizzling BBQ meats.

Special thanks to Ito Kacho for hosting the tasting and Hungrygowhere for coordinating the event.

Ito Kacho

333A Orchard Road, Mandarin Gallery #04-08

Tel: +65 6836 0111


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Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Cuisine Type YumYums, Invited Tasting, Japanese, Location of YumYum, Orchard, Somerset, Yummy!

Park Palace @ Grand Park City Hall – A CNY Menu to Consider

19 01 2013

With Chinese New Year quick approaching, a key question on everyone’s mind would be where to hold our reunion lunches and dinners? Initially, I admit that of the many restaurants considered, Park Palace @ Grand Park City Hall was definitely not one of them, but that was before I had a chance to sample their CNY menu last week, where I left the restaurant extremely satisfied. It was the largest scaled tasting I had been to so far, where around 30 curious individuals were gathered and eager to find out what Park Palace had to offer.

Available from 21 Jan 2013 to 24 Feb 2013, their CNY menus are priced at:

·         $78++ per person (a maximum of two persons)

·         $288++ per table (for four persons)

·         $438++ per table (for six persons)

·         $588++ per table (for eight persons)

·         $788++ to $2388++ per table (for ten persons)

Keeping true to the tradition of CNY, we started our meal with the Golden Shunde Yellowtail Yu Sheng ($88++). Literally translated, Yu Sheng (魚生)  means raw fish in Chinese but its pronunciation also functions as a pun to signify abundance (余升). Unlike the usual Yu Sheng which is sweet due to the use of sweet plum sauce, this version was more on the savoury side, as a soy based sauce was used instead. Young kids would definitely adore this as well because crispy fried vermicelli has replaced most of the icky shredded vegetables.

I had 2 favourite items for this meal and the Imperial Suckling Pig ($238++) was one of them. The skin (wrapped in steamed flat man tous) was super crispy yet not overcooked and didn’t feel oily at all. I could have easily polished off the entire pig’s skin if not for social decorum dictating I leave some for others at my table. Do order it in advance (24 hours notice recommended) as prior preparation is required for this dish.

Lazy Less hardworking people might take to the Golden Happiness Crispy Grouper, whose meat was filleted and deep fried, saving us the trouble of having to separate the meat from the fish bones. The batter was light and the accompanying plum vinaigrette sauce added some much needed flavours to the otherwise relatively bland fillets.

The Chinese New Year Flambe Pen Cai ($248/$428++ for 6 or 10 pax) was my other favourite dish. Our dining experience was made a little more exciting as the chef flambeed the Pen Cai in front of us, pouring the ignited brandy into the claypot as a finishing touch, which is supposed to enhance the aroma of the Pen Cai. It’s so ironic that it’s called Pen Cai, which literally means “bucket of vegetables”, when there’s so much seafood treasures to be found inside such as abalone, dried & fresh scallops, slices of sea perch, deshelled prawns, sea cucumber, roast pork & duck, soy sauce chicken, mushrooms, gingko nuts, lotus roots, cabbage and broccoli. A very hearty dish which goes down well with rice.

The Imperial Suckling Pig – Oven Baked with Lemongrass was made using what remained of the suckling pig we had earlier. The meat was pretty tender but given that it had already cooled down by the time this was served, it wasn’t as mind-blowing as the skin we had earlier.

When I saw that we were going to be served the Auspicious Glutinous Rice with Foie Gras and Preserved Meat, I initially thought of a bak cang (glutinous rice dumpling). Guess I was more pleased to see it being presented the way it was, where I could savour the foie gras by itself if I wanted to. Personally, I found this dish to be a little too heavy with a much too high rice-to-foie gras ratio, but it’s definitely a creative play on glutinous rice.

We were served the Steamed Mini Pumpkin Dumpling with Green Bean Paste for dessert. Very cutesy and intricate, so full marks for presentation but taste-wise, it was purely an over-glorified ang ku kueh.

Park Palace had far surpassed all expectations, with each dish I tried displaying a unique quality, be it in terms of taste, execution or simply aesthetics. So if you have not made CNY reunion meal plans yet, Park Palace is definitely somewhere to consider.

Special thanks to Park Palace for hosting this tasting session.

Park Palace

10 Coleman Street, Mezzanine Floor Grand Park City Hall

Tel: +65 6432 5888


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Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Chinese, City Hall, Cuisine Type YumYums, Invited Tasting, Location of YumYum, Yummy!

Pizzeria Mozza – Affordable for MBS Standards

9 01 2013

For students and the hoi polloi, the barriers to entry to gambling in Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa are indeed quite stiff, given the $100 entrance fee for Singapore residents/PRs and not to mention the relatively high minimum bets. I guess that’s where online websites like partypoker come in, which allows for “play” or fake money texas hold em games to micro stakes as low as $0.01/$0.02 to high stakes depending on one’s risk appetite. I’m not advocating gambling but such sites definitely provides good tutorials without posing too much financial risk. Sadly, I haven’t been to either casinos myself, usually going to MBS more for the food and theatre, as I did on this occasion.

A visit to Marina Bay Sands always puts me in a dilemma. On one hand, a meal at the handful of celebrity and fine dining restaurants would surely bust my budget. On the other, paying over $10 for a food court meal isn’t an enticing option either. However, an optimal compromise would be Pizzeria Mozza, a reasonably priced Italian joint that has the backing of Mario Batali, who has appeared on Iron Chef America on multiple occasions.

Despite being a Wednesday, the restaurant filled up quickly and without reservations, one can only be resigned to counter seats, that’s if you are even fortunate enough to get one.

For a pre-theatre meal for 2 pax, a single portion of appetizer, main and dessert is just nice in my opinion, especially if you are thinking of getting a pizza as a main.

The Prawns Al Forno with Potato & Salsa Romesco ($19++) was a good choice for a starter, featuring 2 grilled prawns atop slices of roasted potatoes smeared with Salsa Romesco, which tasted very much like a meat based pasta sauce.

For our pizza main, we ordered the Burrata, Slow-roasted Tomato & Sicilian Oregano Pizza ($30++). The flavour of the tomatoes was pretty concentrated and the tang was a little overwhelming at first bite. After a while however, we quickly got accustomed to the strong flavours and also discovered the function of the burrata in neutralizing the tartness of the tomatoes. On the whole, I think it was a decent attempt, though I would have preferred a thinner outer crust.

For desserts, we got a serving of Gelato – Chocolate Malt, Vanilla & Olive Oil ($17++). Nothing out of the norm for the chocolate malt and the vanilla but this was definitely a first for the olive oil and I know of no other places that serves it. The taste was rather interesting, a little on the savoury side especially with the light sprinkling of salt flakes which was easily detectable.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that this is the best pizzeria in Singapore but based on the 2 meals I have had here, I would say that the quality of both the food and service is pretty consistent.

Pizzeria Mozza

2 Bayfront Avenue

Tel: +65 6688 8522


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Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Cuisine Type YumYums, Italian, Location of YumYum, Marina Bay, Yummy!

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