.

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed in this blog are based entirely on personal tastes and preferences. Please do not take them as professional interpretations.

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

7ateNine (Eaten!)
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

Canele
Cugini
Kuriya
Le Figue
LivinGreens
Nanbantei
Ootoya
Original Sin
Pasta Brava
Sage
Tetsu
Valentino

PAST ENTRIES

April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
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June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009

Labels
Monday, July 13, 2009

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:

6:58 PM

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WELCOME!

In ancient Greek mythology, sirens are creatures which have the body of a bird and the head of a woman. They have such sweet voices that sailors who heard their songs were lured into grounding their boats on the rocks on which the nymphs sang.

To me, food are like the sirens in so many ways. Intoxicating, wonderful, beautiful and yet, so very deadly if you let them get the better of you. Food is a big part of my life and it’s meant to be appreciated and savored slowly. I admit that I am extremely particular about what I eat. If it’s not something I want to put in my body, I’d rather not eat. Some people eat to live while others live to eat. I’ve yet to discover which side of the camp I’m in… What about you?

I hope that you will enjoy reading about my food adventures as much as I like writing them. And many thanks to my family and friends who always wait patiently for me to take photos before digging in!

LOCAL FOODIES' BLOGS

Ate Too Much
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