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

About these ads

Comments : 2 Comments »

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


Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Australian, Bar, City Hall, Cuisine Type YumYums, Invited Tasting, Location of YumYum, Spanish, Western, Yummy!

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


Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Asian, Buffet, City Hall, Cuisine Type YumYums, French, Location of YumYum, Western, Yummy!

1-TwentySix @ East Coast Park – Think Timbre, with Class

8 03 2013

I first came to know of 1-TwentySix about 3 years back. It was New Year’s Eve then and instead of diving into the mosh pit called The Padang to catch the fireworks display, my friends and I headed down to East Coast Park instead. Where we seated ourselves on the beach, background music was playing to the tunes of Rick Astley, Bananarama and Human League, music legends of days long past. As a mambo jambo fan, it inevitably caught my attention and I was soon drawn to the source of the commotion, finding myself at the doorstep of 1-TwentySix.

They were hosting their New Year party and the place was packed with well-heeled revelers adorned in cocktail dresses and suave outfits, more than occasionally clinking their slender champagne glasses to foster in the new year or more likely, to find an excuse to get wasted. And yes, that lifestyle called to me.

There’s 2 seating areas to 1-TwentySix; the sheltered restaurant area that caters for semi fine-dining meals that are identical to what is available at 1-Rochester and the al fresco area that serves a separate newly launched tapas menu, which explains the rationale for this tasting invitation.

I was there on a Friday night and was entertained by resident band EJS and their impressive array of acoustic tunes, which turned the outdoor restaurant setting into a rather ideal place to just catch up with friends over a cocktail or beer with some tapas.

It seems that the idea of tapas has been catching on in Singapore lately with the openings of relatively new establishments such as Kaixo, Binomio, Los Primos and not to mention the highly hyped about Esquina all holing themselves around the Tanjong Pagar vicinity. 1-TwentySix’s tapas menu proved to be slightly different from the above said Spanish tapas joints though, as the tapas items here weren’t limited to simply Spanish finger food but played on several cuisines like French and Italian as well.

The Tapas Platter ($42++), comprised of Deep Fried Salt & Pepper Squid, Gambas pil pil (aka Prawns in Chili & Garlic), Potato Bravas, Spicy Meatballs and Chorizo with Garbanzo Bean, all very traditional Spanish tapas dishes but nothing that came across as overly exciting.

I much preferred the The Charcuterie Platter ($28++), consisting of Jamon Serrano, Proscuitto de Parma and Contechino Sausages (a type of Pork sausage). Cured hams taste more or less the same to me but there’s a number of distinctions from one another. For example in this platter, a difference between the Jamon Serrano and the Parma ham is where it is sourced from, the former being sourced from Spain while the latter being sourced from Italy. Another difference would be the duration in which the hams are cured. Spanish hams are usually cured for longer durations compared to French or Italian hams and hence gives off a stronger flavour but honestly, it’s really quite hard to tell.

Even within the same country, not all pigs are born equal. For Spanish hams, Jamon Serrano is more or less an entry level breed, relatively affordable and eaten by the masses. In contrast, the Jamon Iberico (aka Iberian pigs), which would be the “wagyu” of Spanish pigs. And even amongst the “wagyu”, there are of varying grades, where there is a type of free-range Iberian pig which feeds on acorns called Jamon Iberico de Bellota, which is the most prized Iberian pigs.

The 126 Sliders ($42++) arrived as a set of 6 burgers; a pair of Beef with Foie Gras & Caramelized Onions, a pair of Beef with Cheese, Tomato, Bacon & Mustard Mayo, and a pair of Beef with Rocket, Tomato Jam sliders. This was accompanied with a dish of Crispy French Beans & Truffle Fries. Weird to hear of Deep Fried French Beans but they actually tasted rather good.

Of the 3 types of sliders, the one with bacon appealed to me most. It was candied bacon after all and the explosive mix of savoury, sweet and creaminess from the mayo and cheese was indeed a rewarding experience. The foie gras sliders were good as well, though the foie gras was less fatty than I would have liked and slightly overcooked.

Guy will love this one, the Poultry Platter ($52++), which comes with Roasted Baby Chicken, Duck Leg Confit, Honey Grilled Quail, with sides of Pine Nut & Raisin Stuffing and Sauteed Mushrooms. We hardly find quail in Singapore and the last time I vividly remember eating it was during an orgasmic luncheon at Caprice, a 3-star Michelin French restaurants in Hong Kong. The grilled quail sadly didn’t offer a similar experience here. What I liked in the Poultry Platter however, was the Duck Confit. The meat was slightly dry but the crisp skin was delicious. The sauteed mushrooms were great too!

Alternatively, there’s also the Meat Platter ($68++), which has Grilled Ribeye, Sausage, Pork Belly with Mashed Potatoes & Baked Vegetables. The Western-styled 烧肉 was the highlight of this platter, crisp on the outside with a good balance of tender meat and fats.

The Deep Fried Brie with Red Onion Marmalade ($16++) felt a little steeply priced to me, given that it tasted like the Cheese Sticks from Burger King. Ouch.

The Grilled Octopus was decent, lightly charred yet retaining a moist chewy texture. I don’t understand why octopus tastes the way it is over in Singapore. It’s so much chewier than the ones I had in Spain and Portugal, where the octopus actually boosts a texture similar to a slightly more elastic form of stingray.

After our meal, I got the chance to go into the bar to concoct a drink for myself. It’s something that 1-TwentySix has been experimenting with, where diners can get involved in the cocktail making process and customize a drink for themselves and their friends at a nominal fee (I’m guessing its something like 20 bucks per cocktail?). Of course, the friendly bartenders will be at your side giving advice on which types of alcohols and mixers go well together so that you don’t screw up too badly and set the bar on fire whilst trying to make a Flaming Lamborghini.

Overall, I believe that the attraction of 1-TwentySix lies in its laid back ambience away from town, rather than the glamorized bar food. It has the vibes of Timbre but with more class.

Special thanks to 1-TwentySix for the invitation!

1-TwentySix

902E East Coast Parkway, #01-26 Playground @ Big Splash

Tel: +65 6681 6464


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Bar, Cuisine Type YumYums, East Coast/Katong/Joo Chiat, Invited Tasting, Location of YumYum, So-So, Western

Hippopotamus Restaurant Grill – A Fuss-free & Casual French Steakhouse

24 02 2013

As a typical university student still living with my parents, I neither cook nor do the marketing for my household needs (thankfully). That’s why I have been rather out of touch with the food costs in Singapore lately. I’m quite clueless about how much a kg of beef should cost, much less if we are talking about different cuts or breeds.

Recently however, a couple of friends and I have been organizing quite a few home barbeque parties, to our immense enjoyment. It’s probably a syndrome of getting older and lazier, where one would much prefer to hang out at a friend’s place (and decimate their alcohol stash), rather than fight against the swarms of Orchard Road. Going to town just lost it’s coolness appeal overnight. As the budget for each BBQ session might differ, we have been experimenting with different cuts of beef, consequently gaining a better appreciation for the price-quality level of beef ratio.

I was at Hippopotamus Restaurant Grill a couple of weeks back for a tasting session. It’s a French steakhouse with a huge following in France, with over 100 outlets there. While most Singaporeans perceive the typical French restaurant to give off an air of snootiness, Hippopotamus is really the opposite, a casual restaurant with a friendly ambience.

Their menu is rather varied and while they specialize in steaks, a range of Chicken, Pork and Seafood dishes are nonetheless available as well. Mains here typically come with a choice of 2 side dishes (Fries, Potato Gratin, Green Beans, Steamed Vegetables, Baked Potato, Ratatouille) and 1 accompanying sauce (BBQ, Bearnaise, Homemade Thai Chili, Stewed Shallot, Pepper).

There are several cuts of beef to choose from in Hippopotamus, which might leave one lost as to the difference between each. The Skirt Steak ($18.90++), while not as widely popular as the ribeye, sirloin or tenderloin, would be suitable for those who value flavour over texture. I guess being a restaurant specializing in steaks, Hippopotamus’s order winner is their ability to time the doneness of the steak more accurately compared to eateries like Cafe Cartel whose staff might not be as seasoned, given the wider menu range and lower turnover of steak orders over there.

The Grilled Game Hen ($21.90++) is one of their more popular items as well. Interestingly, contrary to it name, a game hen (aka Spring Chicken) does not only refer to a female. It is a young chicken, slaughtered when it is just 30 days old and is priced slightly higher than a regular chicken, given that the meat is considered more tender than regular chickens.

Skirt Steak (top left), Game Hen (middle)

I really like the Grilled King Prawns ($22.90++) which has a slightly charred flavour. A few measly prawns can hardly be a meal for a big eater though so would appreciate if a surf & turf option presents itself on the menu.

There are 2 options for Fish, the Cod Fish ($36.90++) and the Barramundi Fillet ($22.90++), both nicely grilled to derive a blanket of crispy skin. I prefer the Cod but for those who prefer a less fatty texture, go for the Barramundi. Portions are slightly underwhelming though imo.

Cod Fish

The US Pork Chops ($19.90++) was a bit too lean and unseasoned for my liking but I guess that’s where the sauces come in.

A host of desserts can be found here as well, such as the Warm Chocolate Cake ($11.90++), Roasted Pineapple ($7.90++), Lemon Meringue Pie ($10.90++), Chocolate Hazelnut Cake ($8.90++), Creme Brulee ($7.90++) and Chocolate Mousse ($7.90++).

While I found most of them run off the mill, the Chocolate Mousse did tug at my heartstrings. The bittersweet chocolate is sinfully good, making a stopover for tea here worthwhile. In fact, I think this was probably what I enjoyed the most during the tasting.

Warm Chocolate Cake ($11.90++)

Roasted Pineapple ($7.90++)

Lemon Meringue Pie ($10.90++)

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake ($8.90++)

With the exception of the Chocolate Mousse, honestly, nothing else was very much different from the standards you get of Jack’s Place or Astons. It’s food that is meant to be fuss-free and casual after all, something I might grab for a quick lunch or while waiting for a movie.

Special thanks to Hippopotamus for the invitation and organizing the tasting.

Hippopotamus Restaurant Grill

6 Raffles Boulevard, #01-204/205 Marina Square

Tel: +65 6338 5352


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, City Hall, Cuisine Type YumYums, French, Invited Tasting, Location of YumYum, So-So, Western

Barnacles @ Rasa Sentosa – In the Running for Best Sunday Lunch Buffet

9 02 2013

Short of doing a staycation to enjoy beach resort treatment, Barnacles @ Rasa Sentosa has come up with a fantastic idea. Diners at Barnacles’ Sunday Garden Party Lunch buffet will be allowed access to the pool facilities at Rasa Sentosa, where one can just relax and enjoy the end of the week after the meal. It’s a day to be enjoyed by the whole family as activities are also organized for kids just outside the restaurant where a performer does stuff like balloon sculpting, juggling and a magic show to entertain the children, while the adults can continue indulging in the buffet spread and immerse into their conversations without any distractions.

Priced at $138++ per pax, diners get to indulge in an array of seafood (hence the name Barnacles), charcoal grilled meats, cooked dishes, an impressive French cheese platter and desserts. The buffet is made more affordable for diners who come with their kids, as one child under the age of 12 gets to dine for free with each paying adult (subsequent children will be charged $38++).

It might be a little warm in the afternoon but if it’s a cloudy day, you should definitely try sitting outdoors, which boasts a tranquil waterfront view.

The assortment of food here isn’t varied as some other buffets but they make up for it with quality.

Singapore lacks an oyster culture. Most of us harbour myopic views on what raw oysters should taste and look like, derived from our multiple experiences at the various International buffets we have been to. So when we stumble across an oyster that tastes unfamiliar, we tend to think that something is wrong with that oyster. That was my view not long ago too but it all changed after I visited Blue Water Café & Raw Bar, one of the best seafood restaurants in Vancouver. There was a selection of about 20 different species of oysters to choose from, leaving me totally lost. From the province of British Columbia alone, there were already more than 12 types of oysters on the menu, and the oyster descriptions on the menu (eg “small cup, firm flesh, light brine, lettuce-like finish”) sounded like wine notes more than anything else.

For Barnacles’ Sunday buffet, French Fine de Claire Oysters are served, which will appeal to folks who love briny, less fleshy oysters. It was fresh but I’m definitely one who prefers my oysters sweet and creamy.

Apart from oysters, there’s also Lobsters, Alaskan King Crab, poached Prawns, Periwinkle (a type of small sea snail) & Bulot (large sea snail) for seafood lovers.

Most of the cooked food are placed outdoors. Apart from the cooked lamp chops, grilled chicken and roast beef, there’s also a live BBQ station which grills your Chicken Steak, Sausages, Salmon, Prawns, Beef and Lamb ala minute.

I piled up my plate full of grilled meats and seafood, of which the ready cooked lamb was frigging awesome. Possibly one of the most tender lamb chops I have had to date, unexpected that I would experience it at a buffet. The salmon and sausage were good too, whose meat was moist. Different sauces such as the Mushroom Sauce, Brown Sauce of caramelized onions, Mint Sauce, Mustard was also provided to complement the meats.

Most buffets leave their cooked food out in the open for hours on end but Barnacles employs a different strategy. A tray might hold as little food as 6 scallops but refilled with fresh ones often, ensuring that diners always get food that is fresh and just out of the kitchen. The gesture is much appreciated and the Seared Hokkaido Scallops wrapped in Bacon was certainly one of the highlights for this buffet, worth having seconds for which I did.

The Crab cooked in Chinese Herbs was great as well and the crab meat was really sweet and delicate.

Instead of the ready cooked Bee Hoon, I would recommend going for the Risotto (choice of mushroom, shrimp or salmon but as kiasu Singaporeans, an “everything” risotto seems more likely) instead, which is made to order. I found it more delicious than most of the risottos I have had in ala carte restaurants.

The quality of the desserts on the dessert line was the most impressive one I have encountered so far at a buffet. Special mention has to go to the Apple Pie, Pavlova and Macarons. I’m sure there are other noteworthy desserts as well but I was far too stuffed by this juncture to try everything.

Warm Chocolate Cakes (no lava included)

The Pavlova (bottom of pic) is a meringue-based dessert that has a marshmellow-like core

What we see here are Macarons and not macaroons. I used to think that it was just a UK vs US spelling difference but they actually refer to different types of pastries.

The spread of 8 different types of French Cheese was simply amazing. I’m no cheese connoisseur (most of my cheese knowledge comes from Mousehunt, a Facebook game I used to play) but I guess my favourites were the milder tasting ones and one that was rum & raisin flavoured, which had a subtle saccharine flavor that goes well with the crackers.

Kids being entertained while parents go wild at the buffet line

Parents need entertainment too

For a buffet, one usually finds one or two dishes that are worth going for seconds. At Barnacles, every other item was deserving of such honour, especially the lamb chops, seared scallops, chilled seafood, dessert & cheese line.

I dislike buffets in general because I tend to overeat, crappy food at that. This time, I was glad to have overeaten yet disappointed that there wasn’t any room in me for more. It’s one of the few times I have felt this way about a buffet, so Barnacles definitely has my stamp of approval. The premium paid for this buffet…justified.

Special thanks to Rasa Sentosa and Barnacles for hosting the tasting.

Barnacles

101 Siloso Road, Rasa Sentosa

Tel: +65 6371 1966


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Buffet, Cuisine Type YumYums, International, Invited Tasting, LEGEN...wait for it..DARY!, Location of YumYum, Sentosa, Western

Private Affairs – A Raffles Place Gem

3 01 2013

Despite being relatively quiet on the online scene, I found myself back at the highly underrated Private Affairs on 20th December 2012 for a final round of hedonistic pleasure, just in case the world really came to an end the next day. Currently, Private Affairs is run by Chef Kelvin Lee of the now defunct Le Figue @ Camden Medical Centre, but he has stuck to the concept of his predecessor, serving up quality Modern European food at relatively affordable prices.

I went for the 4-Course Festive Set Lunch ($46++), which included 2 appetizers, a main, dessert and a glass of Astoria Prosecco, an Italian sparkling white wine to add to the festive cheer. Their usual set lunches are priced at $36++/$40++ for 3 or 4 course set lunches, which comes without the prosecco.

The setting of the restaurant is chic, catering mainly to the corporate crowd around the Raffles Place area.

Appetizers were the stars of the show. The Bamboo Clams with Mantako Sauce were extremely tender compared to the ones I have had at Chinese restaurants, tasting very much like sweet tender squid bathed in a briny sauce made from pollock roe.

One of the anchor dishes that hardly goes wrong at Private Affairs is their Pan Seared Foie Gras, Caramelized Cinnamon Apple with Calvado Sauce (Calvados is a type of Apple Brandy). The foie gras was seared well, leaving a gorgeous thin crisp outer shell. The sweet salty combination doesn’t get old either.

The Hokkaido Scallop & Baby Octopus, Coco Bean with Truffle Ponzu Emulsion was well executed too, much to the delight of the scallop lover in me. The Truffle Ponzu emulsion was a savory cream-based sauce that enhanced the sweetness of the scallops further. I found the side of coco beans unnecessary though, as upon chewing, its powdery rough texture didn’t complement the smoothness of the scallop.

Feeling a little heaty, I ordered the Atlantic Cod Fish, Fennel & Zucchini with Saffron Porridge as my main. While most of us might be more familiar with Black Cod, which goes by the name of 鳕鱼 in Chinese restaurants or Gindara in Japanese restaurants, the Atlantic Cod is slightly different, whose texture is more lean and less buttery, though still a relatively fatty fish. The flavours of this dish were rather subtle, with the porridge tasting of lobster bisque with fragrant seafood flavours, and not masking the refreshing nature of the fish.

I was rather impressed by the Crispy Duck Leg Confit, Honey Onion Marmalade, Bacon & Poached Egg, mainly because of the consistency in the moistness of the duck. The duck was also not overly salty, which is an issue frequently encountered at numerous restaurants. The poached egg felt a little out of place though.

For desserts, R and myself both had the Baileys Banana Trifle, made using Vanilla Ice Cream, Raisins and Chocolate Cake. Awfully delicious.

Thus concluded another memorable meal at Private Affairs, with no regrets if the world had ended.

Private Affairs

25 Boon Tat Street

Tel: +65 6220 2005


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Chichi, Cuisine Type YumYums, French, LEGEN...wait for it..DARY!, Location of YumYum, Raffles Place, Western

The Big Sheila – “Inspired food. Life made easier.”

8 12 2012

It’s been a 3 week hiatus from blogging, as I became a social recluse to prep for my SMU finals. Finally emerging from my cave, my first stop was at The Big Sheila, a new restaurant just slightly over a month old located in the vicinity of Siglap.

I was first introduced to The Big Sheila by Janice, a food PR consultant, and one thing I have learnt over the years is to trust their judgments when it comes to food. After all, who else would be more in the know about local F&B happenings? A week after Janice’s recommendation, Tan Hsueh Yun published an article about The Big Sheila on The Sunday Times. “Drat, it was going to be more difficult to secure a seat now”, I thought to myself.

The Big Sheila is the brainchild of Fleur Glover, an Aussie who courageously set aside her career in IT to pursue what she was truly passionate about – food no less. Her establishment houses 3 tables outdoors and 2 indoors (not including the large indoor communal table), with a capacity of about 30 people based on my estimates. Hence, reservations are recommended should you want to dine in. Of course, there’s the option of ordering online and getting the food delivered conveniently to your doorstep as well.

There are 2 seatings for dinner and even as my party arrived at 830pm for the 2nd seating, the place was still packing a full house (on a weekday night). Impressive.

I liked the vibes here. It felt less of a restaurant and more like a friend’s place, very much like the feel I got from Bistro Soori and it does help that the staff are passionate about what they do, hyping up each dish with a detailed explanation of where the ingredients are sourced from and how each dish is prepared.

The food menu takes the form of a conspicuously displayed blackboard, allowing for flexibility and evolving nature of Fleur’s craft.

To complement our meal, we got a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Tinpot Hut, New Zealand ($39 + $15 corkage), which came as a recommendation by the staff. It’s a light bodied white wine with quite a long finish (aka aftertaste) and a crisp texture, going pretty well with the light, natural tasting dishes here.

The Chicken Caciatore ($20++) consists of chicken pieces slow cooked with olives, orange, lemon, bay leaf, white wine & button mushrooms. Some might find the flavour a little on the bland side but personally, I believe that this was tastefully done, adhering to their concept of home-cooked western fare, where the emphasis lies in natural flavours and healthy living.

The Beef Bourguignon ($20++) is a typical French dish made by slow braising beef, bacon, shallots, mushrooms, carrots & celery in a red wine sauce. The staff asserted that the accompanying baguettes were brought in from France, though I wonder how that was done given that they tasted fresh, perhaps she meant the ingredients for the baguettes helm from France. It is rare for me to finish up a whole roll of bread but this was so crisp and toasty that I found no trouble at all, not when there’s a hearty tangy stew to dip the bread in as well. My only gripe was that the cut of beef was slightly too lean for my liking.

I have never been a fan of chicken schnitzel and have never come across one that has made me sit up and take extra notice. The Chicken Schnitzel ($16++) here, a Deep Fried herbed crumbed Chicken Breast with Apple Mint & Baby Caper Slaw & Aioli, didn’t change my beliefs.

I loved the Beef in a box ($14++), which is a dish of Aussie ribeye, Caramelized Onions & Mustard. Although the beef is prepared beforehand if I’m not mistaken, it still remained tender and moist. Plus, who doesn’t love caramelized onions right?

Desserts were fairly decent too. The Tim Tam Cheesecake with Caramel Ganache (can’t remember what the actual names for the desserts but this should be fairly close) found favour with all my friends. The mild-tasting cheesecake is sandwiched between a biscuit base that is reminiscent of tim tams and the glaze on top tastes of lightly salted caramel, with the combination working surprisingly well.

However, I was the sole person who preferred the Chocolate Truffle with Almonds and Whiskey Soaked Prunes, which is made using rich Valrhona chocolate. It’s a bit heavier and drier than the cheesecake but it tastes great, ending off a memorable experience at The Big Sheila.

Before leaving, K ordered an additional cake to go. I’m not sure how it tasted but I was definitely impressed with the take-away packaging. Very glam indeed.

In a nutshell, what one can expect at The Big Sheila is food that is hearty, ambience that is chic yet homely, service that is friendly and attentive, and prices that are extremely reasonable.

The Big Sheila

15 Swan Lake Avenue

Tel: +65 6645 4422


Comments : 6 Comments »
Tags: , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Australian, Bedok, Brunch, Cuisine Type YumYums, Location of YumYum, Western, Yummy!

Two Fat Men – Not your Everyday Neighbourhood Pub

9 11 2012

Pub food rarely has to be good. After all, they are served to customers who probably won’t remember a thing by the next day. That’s why I find Two Fat Men an interesting discovery. It operates along a similar concept as Bar Bar Black Sheep, offering excellent Thai and Western food at an affordable price point. Another plus point is that they have my favourite beer, the very light and fruity tasting Kronenbourg Blanc on tap at $6.50/$12 for half or full pint!

It was pretty quiet when I visited last weekend, probably because of the light drizzle. For that I’m thankful as well, as we hardly waited 5 minutes before our first dish arrived.

The Grilled Pork Neck with Tamarind Spicy Sauce ($9.90++) is a signature dish here and comes highly recommended. Interlaced with sufficient fat, the texture of the pork is kept moist and tender even upon grilling. I love the dipping sauce too, which isn’t exactly spicy but still leaves a tongue numbing effect from the tinge of sourness present. The sourness and spice also helps to moderate the unctuousness. Definitely a great accompaniment for booze!

Perhaps one of the most underrated burgers around is Two Fat Men’s rendition of a classic beef burger aka Plain Joe ($8.20++). Retaining a slight pink hue, this beef patty was definitely far better than the dry ones from our favourite fast food chains. It was tasty and had just enough bite, not too rubbery from overcooking nor too soft from the liberal use of fats in making the patty.

I harboured ambivalent feelings towards the Fish & Chips ($8.50++). On one hand, it was a joy to eat while still piping hot but I did detect the taste of raw flour in some areas where the batter was thicker.

Don’t expect too much from the ambience though, as it’s really just a neighbourhood pub perfect for catching up with your mates and making a ruckus.

Two Fat Men

376 East Coast Road

Tel: +65 6346 0046


Comments : 6 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Bar, Cuisine Type YumYums, East Coast/Katong/Joo Chiat, Location of YumYum, Thai, Western, Yummy!

The Clan Restaurant – Classy, Lucious & Noteworthy

14 09 2012

Being inconspicuous is the new cool for the dining scene in Singapore, something The Clan Restaurant is trying to emulate but for someone who frequents Bukit Pasoh Road road often enough (for the affordable wines at Magma Restaurant a couple of shops down), The Clan Restaurant sticks out like a sore thumb to me.

There is no shortage of good great food along this stretch, with Oso and Majestic Restaurant just down the road, and Ember, Bistro Soori and Esquina on the adjacent lane. Daring as it might seem in choosing to locate here given the stiff competition, I had little doubt that The Clan Restaurant would be able to pull it off, and fabulously well at that. After all, it is helmed by Executive Chef Ken Teo, formerly of fusion restaurants Dozo and Tao’s Restaurant. Having eaten twice at both these restaurants, I was expectant of a mind blowing meal should The Clan be anything like them.

The Clan Restaurant claims to serve modern European cuisine, though Asian influences are evident within many of their dishes as well. Prices are not cheap per se with 5-Course Set Lunches and 6-Course Set Dinners going for $42.80++ and $62.80++ respectively, but definitely affordable given the quality and quantity of food. Ala carte is available as well, with mains at the $20ish range and all other courses at the $10ish range but I would suggest going for the sets which works out to be way more affordable. You wouldn’t want to miss out on any of the courses anyway.

From the outside, the restaurant doesn’t all look that spacious but once you are in, it feels like a labyrinth. With a seating capacity of 110, I really wonder if the restaurant can handle a full house. There are 2 levels to the restaurant. The 1st boasts an open concept kitchen that allows diners to view the kitchen action whilst enjoying their meals, while the 2nd floor is a little more dim and cosy to cater for more private moments.

1st Floor Seating Area

2nd Floor Seating Area

While waiting for 1 of my friends to arrive, we starting munching on the complimentary bread, which is served with a tasty dip made of sour cream and a hint of truffle oil. With the dips being this good, we weren’t shy to ask for extra helpings.

Before the 1st course, we were served an Apple Sorbet to whet our appetites.

1st Course: Chef’s Starter

Our first course was the Chef’s Starter ($18++), comprising Salmon Mousse Cone, Pan Seared Scallop with Asparagus & Truffle Foam and a Foie Gras Chawanmushi. Apart from the visual appeal, there was nothing fantastic about the powdery salmon mousse as it tasted like it could be bought off the rack from Cold Storage. The Scallop was seared well but I’m not sure if it was prepared some time ago since it didn’t feel as warm as it should be. What I loved most was the Foie Gras Chawanmushi, a smooth steamed egg custard with just enough foie gras blended in to tease the palate.

2nd Course: Cold Dish

The Cold Dish Course is only available for the set dinners, and is the only thing that differentiates the set lunch from the set dinners. C chose the Alaskan King Crab with homemade Karashi Dressing ($20++). The crab was pretty much left unadorned, methinks to allow the natural sweetness of the crab to shine through.

According to the wait staff, one of the more popular cold dishes is the Oyster in 3 Ways ($18++), which I didn’t manage to try since oysters aren’t ideal for sharing.

For myself, I had the Beef Carpaccio, Truffle Mustard Salad, with Truffle Teriyaki and Horseradish Sauce ($16++). I enjoyed the thin slices of marbled raw beef very much, and thought it went well with a light dab of the sweet teriyaki sauce and truffle mustard (which tasted like mayo). Just be sure not to be too liberal with the teriyaki sauce, as The Clan is with its liberal use of Truffle and Foie Gras in naming the dishes on its menu, as it might overwhelm the delicate beefy flavours.

3rd Course: Sides

The Kurobuta Pork Belly Confit with Pork Cracker & Passion Fruit Sauce ($14++) fared well in terms of moist tender meat, but failed in terms of crackling. I initially expected the belly to be slightly fattier, as the slab we had was rather lean. I want my fat meat!

I was rather taken by the Herb Encrusted Mushroom Escargot ($14++) as the snails were nothing short of plump and juicy.

The Deep Fried Foie Gras, Balsamico Reduction and Cheese Foccacia was somewhat a disappointment. I recently had the Deep Fried Foie Gras at Alkaff Mansion and thought a replication of that would have made my night. However, The Clan’s rendition was off by a mile. My main gripe was that the batter was too thick and drowned out the foie gras. A simple pan-seared one would have sufficed.

4th Course: Soup

I perceive mushroom soups in a negative light. To me, it’s usually something watered down that you get, alongside a drink from a $5 add-on upgrade to a set meal. The Cepes Mushroom with Truffle Paste ($9++) from The Clan however, is far from the cheap mushroom soup you find in such places. It’s chock full of flavour yet not overly thick, retaining a smooth consistency that just warms your whole body as you sip on it. It’s heaven in a bowl, one of the best mushroom soups around surely. I would go back just for this.

Not as awesome as the mushroom soup but nevertheless tasty was the Crab Bisque Cappuccino with Truffle Foam and Prawn Twister ($9++). Very airy and big on flavours to the extent that some of my friends found it too rich and sweet, but it agreed with my palate.

5th Course: Main

T had the 48 Degree Poached Salmon with Japanese Broth, Dehydrated Wakame and Leek Confit ($22++). While the salmon is cooked perfectly in a sous vide style, resulting in a fork tender texture, the flavours are awfully subtle, a huge contrast to the previous dishes that took some getting use to.

I had the Kurobuta Pork Jowl in Pistachio Puree, with Pickled Zucchini and 64 Degree Egg Yolk ($24++), reminding me again of the chef’s history at Dozo where a very similar dish in the form of Kurobuta Pork Cheeks is served. By the way, Jowl is just another word for animal cheeks. The marinade encrusting the pork cheeks added depth to what might have otherwise been a mere savoury dish, and coating the meat with egg yolk balances the flavourfulness of the dish.

Another dish reminiscent to that at Dozo’s is the 48 Hour Beef Short Ribs on Hoba Leef, with Madeira Sauce on Lava Stone ($27++). It’s no surprise that Chef Ken brought this idea over with him, especially since it’s a crowd favourite. The boneless beef ribs are served sizzling atop a hot stone that cooks the beef slowly, leaving the extent of doneness up to the individual to decide. The beef is extremely tender so chewing is kept at a minimal.

6th Course: Dessert

I thought the Madeira Cheese Panna Cotta ($9++) was a pleasant ending to the meal, with the smooth custard topped with a syrup made using madeira, a sweet fortified wine.

One of the more boring dishes I had today was the Chocolate Lava with Raspberry and Homemade Hazelnut Gelato ($9++). Not the best chocolate lava cakes I have come across, but it does its job of satisfying a sweet tooth.

As it was my friend P’s birthday, the staff arranged for a complimentary cheesecake. It tastes alright though it’s rather dry but who’s to complain when it’s free right?

95% of the 75 votes on Hungrygowhere gave The Clan recommend ratings, something almost unheard of and makes one question the authenticity of the votes. However, real votes or not, it’s hard not to love this place. They take care of the small details, like holding 6 different brands of sparkling water and that speaks volumes. In essence, The Clan offers fine dining fusion food that works without burning a hole in the pocket, very much living up to its motto of “classy, lucious and noteworthy”.

The Clan Restaurant

18/20 Bukit Pasoh Road

Tel: +65 6222 2084


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : All YumYums in my TumTum, Cuisine Type YumYums, Fusion, LEGEN...wait for it..DARY!, Location of YumYum, Tanjong Pagar / Outram, Western

« Previous Entries


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,185 other followers

%d bloggers like this: