Original Sin #3
Blk 43, #01-62,
Holland Village, Chip Bee Gardens
6475 5605

Citibank had a 1-for-1 main course promotion which was a really good deal. Thinking that Elaine is probably the only who would truly enjoy a meal here, I asked her out for lunch today. Both of us had the Bosco Misto ($25++) which is my absolute favourite! Spinach, feta and tofu patties are served with sautéed button mushrooms in a plum sauce and topped with asparagus. Awesome!

Hands down, this is one of my favourite restaurants around. Not only does it uses the freshest ingredients, Original Sin creates the best vegetarian Mediterranean cuisine which is simple yet creative! I've yet to be disappointed by a meal here and doubt I will be in future.

Labels: Mediterranean, Vegetarian

12:30 PM

Original Sin #2
43 #01-62 Jalan Merah Saga
6475 5605

Praga and I went back to Original Sin again, for lunch this time.

We started with a Principessa salad ($16++). There’s an abundance of ingredients—pumpkin, avocado, asparagus, marinated button mushroom, tomato, bocconcini, French beans, mesclun and croutons. I like the classic and flavorful balsamic vinaigrette dressing which is very light.

The Bosco Misto ($25++) is fantastic! It features 2 thick discs of spinach, feta and tofu patties coated with crushed almonds and sesame seeds, and a generous pile of arugula, asparagus and succulent button mushrooms. Thankfully, the feta taste was very subtle and not overwhelmingly strong. The rich plum sauce was sweet and complemented the patties very well. Even as I’m writing this, my mouth is watering and I can’t wait to eat it again!

I tried a little of the Porcini Polenta ($28++) and I like what I tasted. The polenta was firm and had a crisp texture. It’s accompanied by a porcini, button and Portobello mushroom ragout, and grilled Australian asparagus in a pesto cream sauce drizzled with truffle oil.

The food here never fails to impress me and is just excellent, excellent and excellent. This may very well be my favourite restaurant!

Labels: Mediterranean, Vegetarian

1:05 PM

Original Sin #1
43 #01-62 Jalan Merah Saga
6475 5605

I am going to rave because dinner was so lovely! Praga and I went to this Mediterranean vegetarian restaurant hidden along the stretch of road off Holland Village.

We started with an Avocado Salad ($16++).

Avocado, French beans, fresh beetroot, carrot, apple, cucumber mesclun and pine nuts are tossed with citrus mustard vinaigrette. I like the tangy dressing which complements the creamy but bland avocado very well.

The menu for mains is quite limited but I still took a rather long time to decide. All the items sound so interesting!

The Moussaka ($24++) is a vegetarian version of the lasagna. Layers of char-grilled eggplant, potato, tomato and lentils are baked and infused with Middle Eastern spices, topped with a white sauce.

I was confused by the mish mash of different flavors when I took the first bite but after awhile, the different bold and hearty flavors came through. It’s really quite amazing that something this messy can taste so good! Thankfully, the spices were not overwhelmingly strong and did not cover the natural flavors of the vegetables.

The Sicilian Pizza ($22++) was tasty too. Bocconcini (small unripened and mild cheese), mozzarella, parmesan, semi-dried tomato, Kalamata olives, caramelized onion are topped with arugula leaves. The thinness of the pizza dough was just nice and crispy enough.


Service was excellent as the waitress was very attentive. They even gave me a copy of their menu after Praga requested for it. The ambience was great too! The interior was candlelit with dim and soft lighting (not conducive for photo taking though).

I would definitely come back here again! Their creative and innovative menu makes me want to try everything.

Labels: Mediterranean, Vegetarian

7:11 PM

Serenity Restaurant & Bistro
#01-98/99 VivoCity
6376 8185

Lunch was with Mom at this mere week old Mediterranean restaurant which I discovered on my last visit to VivoCity. Mediterranean food is one of my favourite cuisines since a liberal amount of olives and nuts (both of which I like!) is usually used.





We started with a small Caesar Oriental Salad ($6++) which was really good. This is a twist of the classic caesar salad with achar, salted fish, julienne omelette, wolfberries and cos leaves. If you are wondering, to julienne means to cut into thin and narrow matchstick size. The mixture of flavors was wonderful! The salted fish was cleverly fried together with the egg and the sweet wolfberries gave a nice balance to the savory egg. Note to self: Ask for less dressing on the next visit.

Our next appetizer was Hoi Sin Chicken Quesadillas ($12++)—a tapa which is a kind of hors' d'oeuvres in Spanish cuisine. Chicken juliennes are roasted with the Chinese barbecue sauce, capsicums, onions and mozzarella. These are then baked between flour tortillas and served with tomato salsa.

This is very good too! The sweet sauce balances the tangy salsa very well. I like the salsa so much that the waiter gave me more upon my request. My only complaint is that this is a little pricey for four quesadillas.

Mom and I decided to order just one main course to share since we were not very hungry. The Dory Athenian ($16++) turns out to be a wonderful choice! The dory fillet is pan sizzled with creamy garlic and pepper sauce, served with green onion mash potato and ratatouille. The fish was cooked perfectly—soft and tender in the middle with crispy sides.

The mash potato had small cubes of potatoes embedded in it and the ratatouille was awesome too! This humble farmer’s dish (made famous by the self titled movie) is a kind of French seasoned vegetables stew. The vegetables here were not overly soft and lumpy, but still retaining their original flavors. I almost forgot to mention the little cherry tomatoes! They are brushed with olive oil and grilled—the result being a bursting of sweet flavor when these plump gems are popped into the mouth. Delicious!

Service was excellent here, perhaps due to the lack of customers at this off-peak hour. The waiter always approached with a smile and even volunteered to change our side plates and cutleries. This place is quite huge and has a lovely ambience with floor to ceiling glass paned windows providing a view of the sea.

There is also a stage where I suppose a band will perform when night falls.

The restaurant is very spacious and even houses a well-equipped bar.

Enough said! I will definitely come back here to try their other delectable offerings.

Labels: Mediterranean

4:27 PM