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DISCLAIMER If you have any comments/suggestions/places you think serve great food, do share with us! Email me at qiuyi_ong@hotmail.com or leave a comment in the tag board. Thanks and cheers to future gastronomical adventures! MY TO-GO LIST Au Jardin (Eaten!) Au Petit Salut Buko Nero (Eaten!) Cugini (Eaten!) Forlino (Eaten!) Gunther's Jaan (Eaten!) La Strada Le Bistrot Nicolas Pasta Brava (Eaten!) Sage (Eaten!) Tatsuya Tetsu (Eaten!) I LIKE Cugini Kuriya Le Figue LivinGreens Nanbantei Ootoya Original Sin Pasta Brava Sage Tetsu Valentino PAST ENTRIES May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009
Labels Australia Buffets Chinese Desserts European French Fusion Hong Kong Indian Italian Japanese Korean Macau Mediterranean Mexican Middle East New Zealand Organic Thai Vegetarian Western
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Bengawan Solo
#B1-78/79, Parkway Parade 6345 6905 I picked up the Pandan Kaya cake ($18.80 for regular) before leaving since the family has been craving for it. It is perhaps the only cake I like from Bengawan Solo since I was a child. The combination of fragrant pandan, soft sponge cake and grated coconut is simply heady.  I can eat a slice for breakfast, another for tea break and not get tired of it!Labels: Desserts 2:20 PM ----------
Swensen's #2
#B1-33/34, Parkway Parade 6346 1886 It's been years since I stepped into any Swensen's restaurants. I remember how thrilled I would be, as a kid, when my family went to Swensen's for a meal. The cool "earthquake" and "firehouse" sundaes never failed to make us kids go wild with glee. Instead of having desserts this time, I had the Grilled Pesto Salmon ($15.90++).  Now that there's a 1-for-1 lunch promotion, portion was understandably small. The salmon was nice though, with tender flesh and crisp skin. There's really nothing not to like about it!Labels: Western 1:01 PM ---------- Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Aroma
GF Intercontinental Hotel 6431 1058 Business at the deli seems to be doing well. The Chestnut Praline Dom ($7+) was the only cake left in the display case when we get there. I liked the chestnut cream but the top layer of praline was too cloyingly sweet.  I'm not so sure of the combination of praline and chestnuts now. It's like mixing chocolate with chestnuts. Weird?Labels: Desserts 8:29 PM ---------- Monday, July 27, 2009
Ice Cream Chefs
520 East Coast Road #01-06, Ocean Park 6446 6355 Is this the only place that serves 'Kaya Lotee' as an ice cream flavour? Probably not, but it's my 1st time trying such an exotic flavour. There's the unmistakable fragrance of pandan leaves but I suppose it can get exceedingly sweet after the 1st few mouthfuls so it's not for me.  We shared a pint ($9.50) which can have a maximum of 3 flavours. I though the Cappuccino was as good as the one from Tom's Palette which was strong and had a bitter aftertaste. The Kiwi Berry Fuz wasn't too sweet and had the added bonus of being low fat. Rum The Raisins was alright but not the best I've had. There wasn't a lot of flavours to choose from as compared to Tom's Palette. Personally, I still prefer Island Creamery the most! Labels: Desserts 10:14 PM ----------
Al Forno
400 East Coast Road 6348 8781 The restaurant is a tad hard to find for those who are not familiar with this area. I got off the bus a stop too late; the birthday girl and her "guide" alighted way too early; and the other 2 are smart enough to google the location before leaving home. Finally, everyone arrived safely in one piece and it was dinner time!  The Linguine all’ Aragosta ($28++) was, hands down, the best dish of the day. It certainly deserved its title of "Chef's Recommendation. Al dente linguine was tossed with half a lobster in cherry tomato sauce and a dash of chilli. This was really delicious! I liked the sauce which had tons of coarsely chopped tomato and the lobster meat which wasn't too tough. The guys loved the Pizza Costiera ($22++) to bits. Tomato, mozzarella cheese, squid and prawns were topped on a thin and crispy crust. The Pizza Tropicale ($24++) was the birthday girl's favourite. Essentially your everyday Hawaiian pizza, there's the usual tomato, mozzarella cheese, ham and pineapple as toppings.  Yours truly's favourite pizza (or rather, toppings) of the day was the Pizza Fresca ($25++) but the guys hated it. There's mozzarella cheese, rocket salad, tomatoes, olives and tuna flakes sitting prettily on a not-too-crispy pizza crust which was a little soggy from the tuna brine. The Tiramisu ($9++) was off the menu and we got it for the birthday girl. Hence the hole in the middle where the candle was poked into. The taste of espresso was overwhelming and the sponge fingers were soaked for way too long. If you like the wet type of tiramisu, this would be it. The guys, being guys, overestimated their eating prowess and we over ordered since they kept saying they can finish the food. Not. Anyway, the portion of pizzas and pastas was huge and very good value for money since there's a DBS 1-for-1 promotion going on!Labels: Italian 8:15 PM ---------- Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Patissier
#01-01, 4 Mohamed Sultan Road 6737 3369 This visit was totally unplanned. Halfway through the curtains shopping trip, we passed by this bakery which has been featured in the papers quite a few times. I've already known which cake I wanted (the mango meringue!) even before I stepped in. Sadly, it was already sold out and there were not many cakes left as it was closing time soon.  Trusting the words of the staff manning the counter, I picked Strawberry Cognac ($7) over Green Tea Bavarian. I was pleased that the taste of cognac and strawberry puree was distinct in the layers of sponge sandwiching smooth mascarpone mousse. This was great as an after lunch treat since it was very light. Without doubt, I'll definitely be back since I want to try the mango meringue very very much!Labels: Desserts 4:48 PM ---------- Monday, July 13, 2009
Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie #2
#B1-81/82, Raffles City Shopping Centre 6334 7377 Friends wanted a great dessert place after that disappointing dinner and yours truly suggested Canele since it is around the area and the quality is always good for a sugar fix.  Recently, I'm smitten with all things chestnut (and sesame!) so Mont Blanc ($6.50++) satisfied my craving perfectly. The chestnut cream was fragrant yet not too sweet while the embedded candied chestnut was a nice surprise. I didn't even mind the almond tart which was used as the base instead of sponge cake. This would be near perfection if only there wasn't any chantilly cream! The Tiramisu ($6.50++) was almost boring. This Italian classic failed to impress me as there wasn't any hint of marsala, rum or brandy. I spotted this cake on other tables and wanted to try it too. Dark chocolate lovers would like the Caraibe ($8.50++). 66% dark chocolate cream and sponge cake is covered with a layer of hazelnut nougatine and almond chocolate glaze. This was fabulous at first but the law of diminishing returns quickly kicked in as this was a rather heavy dessert. This is still one of my favourite places for desserts with its elegantly shaped cakes and pastries! Labels: Desserts 9:00 PM ----------
Basil Alcove
#01-12, Fortune Centre 6333 1461 Basil Alcove made a wave in the local dining scene more than a year ago as the food reviewer from the Sunday Times raved about it offering "fine dining" at "roadside prices". The small dining area is literally located besides the roadside and not wanting to endure the exhaust fumes, we chose to dine at the only table available indoors.  The Salmon & Pickled Red Radish ($18) served with daily greens was simply beautiful. Soft and juicy, this was definitely not overcooked. The peach puree on the side failed to impress me though as it's just pureed canned peaches.  After sampling the succulent salmon, I regretted ordering the Sea Bass & Baked Tomato ($18) once I laid eyes on the dish. The description read "accompanied by saffron veloute" but it was a misnomer. There was no hint of saffron at all and the veloute was more like a watery soup than a sauce (which it was supposed to be!). The baked tomato was topped with a thick layer of hardened cheese and if you know me, you would know cheese is one of my least favourite food. To be fair, the sea bass was cooked just right but paled in comparison to the lovely salmon.  I have to say that the portion of Chicken & Basil Pasta ($10) was extremely generous with shredded cheese atop a bed of spaghetti. We also ordered Pork Loins & Honey ($16) which was disappointing as the meat was very tough and hard. We couldn't get out of this place fast enough. The space was cramped and service was so bad that it was almost laughable. The teenage waitress didn't seem to know the menu at all and had to walk back to the kitchen for help whenever we asked her a question. It's really a shame that with some "fame", the quality of basil alcove has dropped so drastically that I'm not sure whether I'll be back again.Labels: European 6:58 PM ---------- Friday, July 10, 2009
Genesis
1 Lorong Telok 6438 7118 I'm a sucker for any cafe/restaurant that touts to serve healthy meals. And I know I have to try the food at Genesis after reading about it in the newspapers. Luckily enough, this place is quite near my workplace as it's located near the Boat Quay area.  It was a toss up between the lasagna or the 7 Layers Haystack ($7.90). I went with the latter at the waitress's recommendation. It's aptly named "haystack" as raw shredded vegetables, salsa and soyanaise are heaped atop generous amount of organic beans and brown rice done in Mexican style. I thought that this was quite well done as the flavour was interesting with hints of tumeric and there's texture and crunch in every bite.  The Lotus Rice ($7.90) was nicely presented wrapped in a lotus leave and the smell was aromatic. If I didn't remember, this was the special dish of the day. A bowl of chinese soup was served alongside the lotus rice. This is not my cup of tea (or should i say, soup) as I much prefer the thick and creamy version of its western counterparts. Besides the 7 Layers Haystack, I thought the menu was quite boring with the usual rice, noodles and pasta. LivinGreens still remains my favourite with its innovative and healthy renditions of items like quiches and burgers. Labels: Vegetarian 1:51 PM ---------- Thursday, July 2, 2009
Ricciotti
20 Upper Circular Road #B1-49 The Riverwalk 6533 9060 A walk after dinner brought us to this Italian deli for desserts. I'm proud to say that I've tried almost all (if not all) the desserts in their menu! Thanks to a half price promotion on cakes last year which sadly, is no longer available. All of them were pretty good except the tiramisu which is ironic, given that this is an Italian place.  On all my previous visits, I had forsake the colourful gelato in the display case for the mouth watering desserts on the menu. This time, I picked the Red Berries Yogurt ($4.50++ for a scoop) since I was looking for something tart and not too sweet. This homemade gelato fits the bill completely.  The Morbida ($7.80++) was chosen as the cake of honour for the birthday girl as I remember it was good the last time I had it. It's a chocolate mousse cake on a base of chocolate sponge. What makes this special is the ball of liquid dark chocolate in the middle which breaks apart and flows freely when it's cut into. Mop it up with the mousse and sponge and it's as good as it gets! I can't remember whether I've tried the Limoncino ($7.80++) before as it didn't make any lasting impression. And rightly so after my 1st bite into this pie made of lemon custard and meringue. It was quite bland and lacked the fragrance of citrus. I'm definitely not a pie or tart person so this may explain my lack of enthusiasm towards this dessert.  Overall, Ricciotti doesn't disappoint with its wide variety or high quality of desserts. The drinks were also pretty good. Give this a shot if Canele or Bakerzin gets too crowded!Happy 21st birthday, Yee Hweeeeeeee! =) Labels: Desserts 10:24 PM ----------
Togi
11 Mosque Street 6221 0830 My virgin Korean meal in Singapore was at this authentic Korean restaurant run by Koreans. Even though I lived with Koreans for half a year, Korean cuisine is still very much a stranger to me as I've always preferred Japanese food.  If you have ever watched any Korean movies or dramas, you would know that Koreans love their appetisers (or perhaps, I should say Kimchi) as much as Chinese love their rice. Togi serves free flow of 5 or 6 dishes of appetisers, some of which I really enjoyed. The humble bean sprouts is one such dish. The beans are really large compared to the ones I've tried before and as such, they are extremely addicted to bite into. Think Korean version of Japanese edamame! Despite its redish colour, the potatoes tasted more saltish than spicy. The cucumber and carrot slices were very refreshing.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Korean meal without some Kimchi. My 1st foray into Korean cuisine was when I was in Korean many years ago. It seems that this rendition is a little watered down and not spicy enough to me. Perhaps, it's to cater to locals' tastebuds.  I liked the Kimchi Pancake with Seafood ($6+) which wasn't too oily. The proportion of kimchi to batter was well-balanced though the amount of seafood (mostly squid) was wanting. Nevertheless, this was an interesting pancake with its slight chewiness for a first timer like me. Another must try Korean dish is the Stir Fried Spicy Rice Cake ($12+). This brought back fond memories of my Korean flatmates as they were always cooking their own version of rice cake when I was living with them. Certainly, Togi's rendition definitely looked more appetising than theirs! Portion was also generous with many pieces of rice cakes, fish cakes and dumplings. Taste-wise, it was average to me as I don't really have any benchmark to compare to. But I guess if you like starchy stuff, then this is the one to try. No, I didn't post the wrong photo even though this looks similar to the rice cakes. This is actually Spicy Squid and Pork Belly ($17.50+) which was also stir fried. A plate of lettuces was given along to us to wrap the pork belly in. I didn't try it but the birthday girl seemed to enjoy this a lot!  Our last dish was the Tofu Soup with Seafood ($12+). Though it came in a very small pot, do not underestimate it as ingredients used were more than generous. There were huge prawns, very silky tofu and assorted vegetables. I likened this to the Thai Tom Yam soup with its spiciness and red watery broth. By then, our table was completely full and crowded with dishes. We over ordered for the 4 of us as we can't even finished the food at the end. Yet, we kept asking for the free flow of some appetisers as they were so good! The restaurant doesn't take any reservation so do come early or be prepared to wait since the place was packed even though it was a weekday. Finally, Japanese or Korean for me? I'd pick the former any time as I prefer the clear taste and delicate appearance of Japanese cuisine to the more robust and fiery Korean food. Labels: Korean 7:17 PM ---------- WELCOME! LOCAL FOODIES' BLOGS Gastronomic Ruminations She Bakes & She Cooks Singapore Daily Makan Photo Small Potatpes Make the Steak Look Bigger The Orthorexic Foodie The Skinny Epicurean Timeless Facade Food Glorious Food FOOD FOR THOUGHT | |
