Singapore’s National Day falls on 9 August, next Tuesday!

Together with my list of Romantic Restaurants with the best views, this post on the Waterfront dining restaurants in Singapore will provide you more options on where to dine at.

Here are some of the best places to watch fireworks in Singapore.

Waterfront Dining Restaurants at Customs House, Esplanade Mall, Fullerton Bay Hotel, Marina Bay Sands, Marina Bay Link centre and One Fullerton are easily the best places to watch fireworks during National Day Parade, Chinese New Year and New Year’s Eve.

Al Dente Trattoria

Besides Orgo Bar, Al Dente Trattoria is perhaps the next best spot in Esplanade Mall to watch fireworks (without squeezing with the crowd).

8 Raffles Avenue
#01-13 Esplanade Mall
Tel: +65 6341 9188

Akari Dining & Bar

Akari Dining & Bar at Marina Bay Link Mall is under the same management as Tomo Izakaya. The al fresco area of the Japanese restaurant has an unobstructed view of the Marina Bay – shall we watch fireworks while eating sushi and sashimi?

8A Marina Boulevard GP
#01-02 Marina Bay Link Mall
Tel: +65 6634 0100

Bazin Restaurant

Bazin restaurant is one of the latest additions to the Marina Bay Sands Promenade. Guests can enjoy drinks at the outdoor dining area and choose from a selection of pizzas and kebabs at this waterfront dining restaurant.

10 Bayfront Avenue
#L1-84 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 7375

Boathouse

Boathouse at The Fullerton is easily one of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore. Prelude, the rooftop bar on the third floor, has a stunning view of the Marina Bay area. Enjoy a nice dinner at Boathouse before heading up the bar for some drinks.

#03-01 The Fullerton Waterboat House
3 Fullerton Road
Tel: +65 6538 9038

Brawn Steakhouse

Like its neighbours Akari Japanese Dining Bar and Harry’s Bar at Marina Bay Link Mall, Brawn Steakhouse has a few outdoor dining tables with a nice view of Singapore’s downtown.

8A Marina Boulevard
#01-01 Marina Bay Link Mall
Tel: +65 6634 8060

Caffe B

From Sunday till Thursday, Caffe B is opened for post dinner drinks till 10:30pm. The Waterfront Wine Bar is opened till 12 midnight on Friday and Saturday. The Marina Bay Sands Promenade location makes Caffe B an ideal place to watch the National Day fireworks.

10 Bayfront Avenue
#L1-83 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6887 3311

Clifford Restaurant

The outdoor dining area of Clifford Restaurant offers a marvellous view of the entire Singapore skyline. This waterfront dining restaurant is the perfect place to watch fireworks!

80 Collyer Quay
The Fullerton Bay Hotel
Tel: +65 6597 5288

Forlino Italian Restaurant

Forlino recently introduced a Gourmet Weekend Brunch at $58++. Start with 5 of Forlino’s signature appetisers and antipasti served family-style at the table; continue with a duck leg confit or wagyu beef cheek; and end with a dessert of the day.

Sorry I digress. But I am sure all of you know about the fine dining Italian restaurant at the swanky One Fullerton, what else can be said? Romantic restaurant, good Italian food, excellent view of Marina Bay — please call and reserve a table for National day and Singapore Formula one!

1 Fullerton Road
#02-06 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6877 6995

Jing Restaurant

Jing Restaurant by Chef Yong Bing Ngen (who also runs Majestic Restaurant) has a pretty good dim sum buffet on weekends. The al fresco dining area gives you a fantastic view of the waterfront.

Jing Restaurant
1 Fullerton Road
#01-02/03 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6224 0088

Kinki Japanese Restaurant

The Customs House is clearly one of the latest see and be seen places in Singapore. Kinki Japanese Restaurant offers a panoramic view of Marina Bay Sands, enough said.

70 Collyer Quay
#02-02 Customs House
Tel: +65 6533 3471

Lantern Rooftop Bar

The Lantern Bar, one of the best rooftop bars in Singapore, is an extremely popular after work drinks venue in Singapore. Getting a reservation there on National day can be quite tricky. Good luck!

80 Collyer Quay
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6597 5299

Nueva Cuba

Another new restaurant at Customs House, Nueva Cuba is a Cuban-themed restaurant that serves great drinks and of course, dining by the waterfront.

70 Collyer Quay
#01-03 Customs House
Tel: +65 6535 0538

One on the Bund Restaurant

Restaurants at One Fullerton and the Esplanade area that offer the romantic view to couples are a dime a dozen, but it is at Clifford Pier that you would feel truly special – there’s only one restaurant in the whole pier.

One on the Bund is a gorgeous restaurant. Understandably, beautiful restaurants come at a price. Be prepare to pay for the food, and in return, you would get an amazing view of Marina Bay and of course, the fireworks on National day.

80 Collyer Quay
Clifford Pier
Tel: +65 6221 0004

Orgo Bar Esplanade

Perched on top of The Esplanade, Orgo bar has a great view of the Singapore skyline. Prices are rather steep for the drinks, but hey, you are paying for the view!

1 Esplanade Drive #04-01
Roof Terrace Esplanade Theatres on the Bay
Tel: +65 6336 9366

Oyster Bar

Located beside the Fullerton Bay Hotel, the Oyster Bar is a gorgeous standalone building with full-length glass windows that overlook the Marina Bay waterfront. Oyster Bar is one of the best places to watch fireworks in Singapore while sipping champagne and eating oysters.

#01-01 Customs House
70 Collyer Quay
Tel: +65 6534 5534

Paradise Pavilion

I went to Paradise Pavilion for dim sum recently, and I love the restaurant! It has since replaced Taste Paradise (under the same group) in my top 3 favourite dim sum restaurants in Singapore.

Paradise Pavilion on level 2 of Marina Bay Link Mall has an excellent view of the Marina Bay area – definitely the place to go to watch fireworks on National Day, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year.

8A Marina Boulevard
#02-01 Marina Bay Link Mall
Tel: +65 6509 9308

Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant

Eating Singapore’s famous Chilli Crabs while watching fireworks on National Day? I don’t know about you, but I think that sounds like a great idea!

1 Fullerton Road
#01-09 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6227 2332

Southcoast

One of the newest restaurants at Marina Bay Sands Promenade, Southcoast is an Australian bistro that offers salads, pizzas steaks or the traditional fish and chips. The late night dining restaurant is quite the ideal place to watch fireworks on National day.

10 Bayfront Ave
#L1-85 The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 7600

The Landing Point

The majestic bar at the lobby of Fullerton Bay Hotel is the ideal place to see and be seen. It serves a pretty good afternoon high tea, and come National day on the 9th August, you can go there for a drink and enjoy the fireworks with a group of friends.

80 Collyer Quay Lobby Level
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6597 5277

The Moluccas Room

The Moluccas Room is probably one of the few fine dining Indonesian restaurants in Singapore. The modern interior is chic and spacious – a lovely place to have dinner.

2 Bayfront Avenue
#01-81 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 7367

Yu Champagne Bar

Yu Champagne bar offers an additional venue for evening drinks and light bites. There are fine Cantonese cuisine offerings such as BBQ Roast Platter, Soft Shell Crab and Crispy Eel. Looking for a nice bar to enjoy some drinks after work? Yu Champagne Bar is the place to go!

10 Bayfront Ave
#L1-82 The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 7318

I hope this list of restaurants on waterfront promenade in Singapore will help you decide on a nice place to dine at. For more recommendations on where to watch fireworks in Singapore, please read my list of Romantic Restaurants with the best views.

Where will you be watching the fireworks on National Day? Which waterfront dining restaurants do you want to check out next?

I have never been shy to declare my undying love for breakfast. Be it a simple breakfast of kaya toast & soft-boiled eggs, or the Western All Day Breakfast; I love to explore and discover new breakfast places in Singapore.

OverEasy at One Fullerton is an American restaurant that serves comfort favorite food. The menu is refreshingly simple. It consists of popular choices like burgers, sandwiches, pastas, breakfast food, and milkshake — all done the American style.

Scanning through the menu, my eyes immediately locked onto three words: All Day Breakfast.

On its own, the sausages and eggs are probably not worth a second look. But when you have both of them together, the sausages and the eggs somehow blended together effortlessly; the salty bacon enhanced the taste of the fresh and creamy eggs, while the eggs provided the counterbalance to the otherwise over-salty bacon — the resulting combination was something very simple, yet sophisticated.

We were barely aware that there’s the bacon, potatoes, tomato and the delicious sauteed mushrooms in the hotplate too. I didn’t see the crispy and crackly bacon streaks by the side of the plate, nor the slightly tanned & toned hash browns – together with the cherry red grilled tomato and the juicy sauteed mushrooms – they would have to wait till later.

The perfect choice for all day breakfast – OverEasy’s Eggs Skillet ($15).

I am a very superficial guy. Size does matter when it comes to burger!

While OverEasy’s “To-die-for” Burger ($19) wasn’t exactly ‘big’, it was pretty satisfying with the beef patty done medium. Other than the distasteful deep-fried buns (too sinful), the burger was decent with the aided of the flavorful (salty) fries. The presence of pickles reminded me of the McDonald’s cheeseburger. Other than that, a glass of coke, or a pint of beer would be excellent to go with the OverEasy’s burger.

Okay, so the to-die-for burger at OverEasy wasn’t really to-die-for. While it was decent, I had better burgers that were cheaper elsewhere — I’d probably order the breakfast food over the burger on my next visit.

Cool vibe, reasonable prices, decent food – I can definitely see myself coming back to OverEasy at One Fullerton again. Especially when they offer all day breakfast on the menu.

A couple of my friends were at OverEasy for drinks at night, and they mentioned that it’s one of the chill out bars in Singapore that they frequented. Will you come to OverEasy at One Fullerton for food, drinks, or both?

Restaurant Review
OverEasy One Fullerton
1 Fullerton Road
#01-06 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6423 0701

It’s easy to fall in love with dining in the Marina Bay District. Superb view overlooking the Marina area and there’s the up and coming Marina Bay Sands at the heart of the area.

Restaurants at One Fullerton and the Esplanade area that offer the romantic view to couples are a dime a dozen, but it is as Clifford Pier that you feel truly special- there’s only one restaurant in the whole pier.

One on the Bund is a fine dining Shanghainese restaurant in Singapore that is located at Clifford Pier, an area that visitors to Kusu island will be familiar with. Gone is the ferry terminal, and in place is the current One on the bund.

Despite taking over the whole pier, it has retained the old architecture and added an oriental yet contemporary vibe to the whole dining area. Stepping inside the restaurant, it feels like you’ve been transported to a giant museum with high ceilings and exquisite adornments.

I heard about One on the Bund from all the media hype when it started operations back in 2008. Unfortunately there wasn’t much reviews online and I wasn’t really keen to venture here without any indicator on the prices of the food.

They have this huge main walkway leading all the way to the al fresco area at the back. Personally, that will be the best bet if you want to enjoy the night breeze over some desserts. The main dining hall uses traditional dining furniture, and there’s also a noodle bar, private dining area and a small dessert bar area.

With such a grand setting, I had a feeling that it’s gonna be good.

In every way, having Peking duck is like falling in love. I’d watch the chef slice the roasted duck skin one by one, and the anticipation always make my mouth water. Butterflies will gather around my stomach, and it reminds me about the feeling of guessing what the other party is thinking; more fats, thicker skin, more fats, thicker skin.

Best Peking Duck in Singapore

The Signature wood-fire roasted duck in Peking style (S$88, order in advance), I decided, didn’t need the Chinese pancake wrap. I found it to be a pity to put the meat and skin into the wrap when it tasted so good on its own. We were told to dip it in sugar, and it was the first time that we actually heard of this manner of eating peking duck. But apparently after some research online, it seems to be a common way of having the peking duck.

The fine sugar struck like glue to the layer of fats, and I don’t care what you say – this is the best peking duck in Singapore! With the presence of the sugar, the usual Peking duck sauce paled in comparison, and I’m really thankful that Ju, Catherine and Julia don’t really have the stomach for this – I finished up almost 3/4 of the whole plate by myself.

Oh my god: this-is-so-good! I am not kidding you!

If the kitchen is the stage, then surely the chef is the actor and we are the audience that will never be satisfied. More food, more food! The Eastern Sea Dragon ($48) or Braised Fish Fillets in a Chilli Broth is all about the showmanship. The stage was set when the staff brought out their tools and placed it on our table, with a rustic-looking stove, they prepared the water-cooked-fish live in front of us.

From afar, we could actually smell the Crispy Lamb Ribs ($48) and I’m not sure if it’s a good thing – with the thick, gamy lamb smell filling the air. What’s the difference between lamb and mutton? We actually debated about this while having the lamb, and from the quick discussion I came up with a conclusion: a) Lamb is a sheep less than a year old b) Older sheep is called mutton c) mutton has a stronger and tougher taste and d) I like lamb > mutton.

As part of the menu that we had, there was some Chinese pastries. But because I still wanted dessert, we ordered additional macarons, chocolate cake and tiramisu. One On The Bund a fine dining Chinese restaurant, but they also have pastry chefs weaving their magic with the lovely Western creations.

The others were astonished by how much tiramisu I had, the whole slab could easily fill 6 people. It probably looks smaller in the picture, but I can assured you that it’s absolutely gigantic! I don’t know about you, but I think $16 for such a big serving of tiramisu is totally worth the money.

* * *

This is the last part of a series that I’m doing on the waterfront restaurants in One Fullerton. I’ll like to thank Fullerton Heritage, and One on the bund for hosting this dinner.

One on the bund is a fine dining Shanghainese restaurant, and understandably there’s a premium price to pay for the lavish settings. If you are not into Chinese food, I’d suggest the unlikely – go to One on the Bund for desserts. Given that it’s a Chinese restaurant, their western desserts are surprisingly quite good. Bring your date to the romantic Clifford Pier, order some sweets and enjoy the view across Marina Bay.

Restaurant Review
One on the Bund Restaurant
80 Collyer Quay
Clifford Pier
Tel: +65 6221 0004

Update: The Cafe is now closed.

I’ve walked past Society Bar at One Fullerton a couple of times when I was dining in the waterfront restaurants there. I know it’s under the same management of The Prime Society at Dempsey, but for some reason I never visited.

Most of the restaurants at One Fullerton can be costly, that’s why the first thing that struck me when I saw Society Bar’s menu – was the affordability of the food.

Society Bar is a bistro version of The Prime Society. There’s no premium meats of course, most of the mains are priced below $20. The food is not spectacular, but I think it’s affordable considering the excellent location of the bistro bar at One Fullerton.

The Tunisian Braised Chicken Leg Pilaff With Brown Rice ($16.50) caught all of us by surprise. The chicken leg was very pleasant, in the sense that every bite was smooth and tender. It was one of our favorites among the main courses.

On paper, the proper definition of a burger is minced meat patty enveloped between two buns, with some tomato, lettuce, and if you are lucky, extra stuff like cheese and bacon to go along. Society Bar’s Beef Burger ($14.50) was pretty decent, not fantastic – but the hearty portion was enough to satisfy our meat cravings

We could smell the Tiger Beer Battered Fish & Chips from afar. Catherine enjoyed the fresh dory fish tremendously, but both Ju and I thought it was slightly too salty.

After having two excellent pasta the previous week, I was still itching for good homely spaghetti. It was either cream or tomato base, we went for the latter as tomato’s always less heavy than cream-base pasta. Well maybe I was pushing my luck too far, but the Spaghetti With Mediterranean Tomato Sauce, Olive Oil and Parmesan ($12.50) was slightly overcooked, and we couldn’t finish it.

I was hoping that there will be Vanilla bean ice cream when we ordered the Baked Apple Tartlet ($7.50). But it came with rum & raisin ice cream instead. Drizzled with toffee sauce, the combination of warm baked dessert with cold ice cream always work.

Looking through the dessert menu, the Warm Sticky Toffee Pudding ($8) caught our attention immediately. For a sticky pudding, it wasn’t sticky and moist enough. I’d probably like it If I didn’t know this was a sticky puddng. The hunt for the best sticky date pudding continues.

This is the fourth part of a series that I’m doing on the waterfront restaurants in One Fullerton. I’ll like to thank Fullerton Heritage, Society Bar and Marina Mathews of Crocmedia for hosting this dinner.

There’s really nothing much to say, if you want a romantic dinner at the swanky One Fullerton, yet somewhere easy-on-the-pocket; I’d say give Society Bar a try. But remember not to expect too much for the food, they are decent – but not wow. Otherwise, drop by for drinks after dinner to enjoy the stunning view overlooking the Marina Bay area.

Here’s the question: Is food more important or ambience?

Restaurant Review
Society Bar
1 Fullerton Road
#01-11 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6423 9689
Daily: 10.30am – 10pm

* The Palm Beach Seafood Giveaway is now closed. The winners are Daniel (29), Chloe (18), HahazZ (57), Vivian (37). Thank you for participating, better luck next time! *

“My all time favorite is chili crab with deep-fried mantou, what’s yours?” I asked on twitter.

Everyone replied enthusiastically, the popular choices are pepper crab, chili crab, crab bee hoon, salted egg yoke crab and butter crab. Even though I just had chili crab and double baked cheese crab at Palm Beach Seafood recently, I find myself craving for  the thick, sweet-and-spicy gravy of the chili crab, with deep fried mantou of course.

While we are at the topic of crab, I realize people like to debate on which restaurant has the best crab in Singapore. Like what I always say: whichever place you like – has the best crab!

HOW TO ENTER THE PALM BEACH SEAFOOD CRAB GIVEAWAY

I totally understand how it feels to be on your end, looking at all the photos and yet cannot get to taste the food; so I’m happy to announce that Palm Beach Seafood has kindly agreed to giveaway $50 vouchers (no minimum spending required) to 4 lucky readers. If you want a chance to win, here is what to do:

1. Leave a comment on this post

Tell us what’s your favorite crab and why. I’m asking for your favorite style of cooking for the crab, it does not have to be from a particular restaurant. Just tell me what style do you like, and if you happen to like an exotic way of cooking crabs which can be anything for example, Double Baked Cheese Crab, let us know! (***updated***)

And ONE entry per person, you are encouraged to get your friends to join the contest but please play fair and do not post multiple comments under different names.

2. Use a valid & contactable email

Please use a valid & contactable email when you post the comment. I will email the winners shortly after the contest ended, remember to check your email on Monday.

3. And the Four lucky Winners . . .

The four lucky winners will be decided by a highly sophisticated method, and I reserve the right to re-pick if there’s any discrepancy or foul-play involved. I know there are folks from the States, Malaysia, Australia, and other countries reading my blog, but unfortunately this contest is only open to those currently residing in Singapore. But all of you are welcome to share your thoughts too!

The closing date for this giveaway is Sunday 28th of Feb 2359 hrs, and so you have exactly forty eight hours before it ends.

I hope you enjoy the little gift I have for everyone!

Remember my suggestion to have Seafood for your Chinese New Year dinner?

Since there’s still a few more days before Chinese New Year ends, if you are still looking for a restaurant to toss Yu Sheng, Palm Beach Seafood restaurant at One Fullerton might just be the place. Instead of the typical salmon yusheng, we had the Alaskan King Crab Yu Sheng (S$58 or S$88).

My weekdays, by and large, are similar to the weekends of most people. I had a fabulous dinner on Monday night, attended my friend’s big night on Tuesday, and now we have a seafood feast on Wednesday. It’s probably going to be Japanese cuisine tomorrow, and Russian food on Friday. Okay, I am muttering to myself.

Anyway, a seafood feast sounds pretty good right? Chili crabs, sashimi, lobster, seafood platter. Have I got your attention? Good. Make yourself comfortable.

Lets try again: air-flown Hokkaido scallop, huge gleaming oysters, live poached prawns, fresh salmon sashimi, and the gigantic bamboo clam. That’s better. I could vaguely recall the oysters that I had, unprocessed and fresh. A wedge of lemon is all you need for the perfect oyster.

I don’t know about you, but I’d definitely order the Seafood Deluxe Combination ($23.00 per person) with a selection of five seafood items.

I don’t know if there’s anything special about Palm Beach’s signature Chili Crab ($4.50 per 100g), but I absolutely love it! My feelings for the Singapore famous dish very much depends on two things: a) thick and spicy-sweet chili gravy, and b) deep fried mantou.

The pincers were long gone by the time I was done with the deep fried buns. It’s easy to choose between crabs and mantou (with gravy) – I’d go for the latter anytime.

The award winning Double Baked Cheese Crab ($4.50 per 100g) reminded me of the baked cheese lobster that I’ve before, with its strong cheesy taste. Baked parmesan cheese and crab? Sounds like a winner! If you do not want to get your hands dirty, ask for help from the staff. Catherine got her crab de-shell the easy way.

I first had lobsters when I was a very young boy. Back then, I had no idea how much a lobster was worth. To me, it looked like a GIANT prawn. But what mattered then, was that it tasted good. As I grew up, I realized that lobsters are very expensive seafood, and they can be prepared in many different ways; baked, steamed, fried, sashimi, salad – whichever ways it pleases your palates.

The one that we had was very different from the ones I’ve before. Usually I’d go for either baked or salad lobsters, but we couldn’t miss out on Palm Beach’s awarding winning Coco Lobo – Australian Lobster with Vermicelli in Superior Stock ($16.80 per 100g). It came piping hot in individual claypot, with the lobster meat and vermicelli absorbing the essence of the flavorful stock.

Sweet and tangy, intense yet refreshing. It’s also not too spicy. The Honey Tangy Marble Goby ($7.50 per 100g) is fried till golden-brown: crispy and soft and appetizing, drizzled with just enough of the terrific sauce. Ju had the blissful look after she finished the dish – it was awesome!

* * *

This is the third part of a series that I’m doing on the waterfront restaurants in One Fullerton. I’ll like to thank Fullerton Heritage, Karin of Palm Beach Seafood and Gail for arranging and hosting this dinner.

From what we observed, most Singaporeans seem to dine in the comfort of the air-condition, while the tourists prefer the al fresco area with the waterfront view. Will you dine indoors or outside at the al fresco area?

Restaurant Review
Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant
1 Fullerton Road
#01-09 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6227 2332

I love a good restaurant. But if there’s one thing I like even more, it’s having good company for dinner together. Dining in a fine-dining restaurant is very nice, but it really depends on the people around you to make it even better. Sometimes we get lucky, it’s an extra bonus when we are dining with nice people, and it happens to be a very romantic restaurant.

Many people always ask me to recommend a romantic restaurant in Singapore, I’d like to tell them: so long you are with your other half, everywhere is romantic. But I can’t possibly do that can I? You want to know a romantic place for your first date, a romantic restaurant for birthday parties, a romantic restaurant for that special occasion, and like today, a romantic restaurant for Valentine’s day; it’s all about the ambiance.

I’m very pleased to ‘stumble upon’ Boathouse, a newly opened Modern European restaurant at Fullerton Water Boat House. Chic decorations that exudes a laid-back and homely feel, gorgeous view that overlooks the Marina Bay area, elegant and simple furniture, oh I love this place.

Fish Chowder Sea Bass Carpaccio ($15)

I had Wagyu beef on a couple of occasions before, but this was the first time that I actually had a Wagyu Beef Ribs. The first bite? It tasted just like pork ribs. The second bite? It’s definitely a lot better than the normal pork ribs. It’s a superior version, no it’s  wrong to even compared it with pork ribs. My dear, you are looking at the Wagyu Beef Ribs with Aged Red Wine Jus ($33).

The meat was so tender that it falls off the bone and melts in your mouth splendidly. Placed together in a plate, the wagyu beef ribs absorbed the aged red wine jus, and in turn the latter captured the essence from the long braising process. How good was it? Catherine wiped the plate clean with bread.

Ju had the Atlantic Pink Snapper ($25) instead of the Wagyu beef ribs. She mentioned that the fish was fabulously fresh, firm, sweet, and didn’t want to share it with us. An excuse to return? I’d think so!

I seems to be having a lot of pasta recently. Boy I’m glad all of them were good quality ones, and the Tagliatelle Wild Mushroom in Truffle Sauce (S$19) was no exception. Every slurp of the tagliatelle was intense, and so flavorful. Some might find it to be too salty and overpowering, but I thought that it was pretty well done.

The Caramel Apple tartlets ($15) were small. Fine, they were tiny. Initially the restaurant told us it was tasting portions, but after confirmation from a few friends who went there for dinner, they were still serve the mini apple tartlets for the full price.

Fifteen bucks for three mini tartlets and ice cream? I wouldn’t pay for this, and neither should you. Please do not order the apple tartlets until the restaurant made changes to it.

The mind is a funny thing. It always play tricks on you, and subconsciously conjured images of things that you wouldn’t want other people to see. Halfway through the meal, my mind decided to play a game with me. Like as though there was a remote control, it pressed the ‘play’ button, and memories of a very good semifreddo that I’ve before started to flash.

Reason #1 why the pastry chef here does not have a sweet tooth.

With the sourish fruit compote to compliment the White Chocolate Semifreddo ($15), it gave the impression of an anti-sweet establishment. Desserts, are after all, meant to be sweet. I tried the semifreddo on it’s own, and it was so good. In order to see the reasoning behind the inclusion of the fruit compote, I reluctantly had a taste of the semifreddo with the tart berries – well it wasn’t so bad, but I’d obviously prefer dessert to be sweet.

In my opinion, a good Panna cotta must have a firm yet wobbly-like texture. This one here was fairly competent, but under the limelight of the excellent semifreddo and creme brulee, the Panna Cotta did not make a statement.

Reason #2 why the pastry chef here does not have a sweet tooth.

The presence of the licorice reduction, with the Creme Brulee. I was told that the evil licorice was planning on taking over the dessert world, in a test-tube-like container.  Okay I exaggerated. You know, the guys (& some girls) who raise their eyebrow at the slightest mention of desserts? The licorice reduction would be perfect for them since it literally reduced the sweetness level, making me wondered why anyone would do that.

Oh well, that aside, I enjoyed the creme brulee very much.

Torched to a magnificent golden-brown, the underlying custard was naturally sweet. The contrasting layer of the cranky caramelized sugar with the beautiful custard: I’m in love with the creme brulee.

My middle name is dessert: apple tart with ice cream, creme brulee, panna cotta, and white chocolate semifreddo.

* * *

This is the second part of a series that I’m doing on the waterfront restaurants in One Fullerton. I’ll like to thank Fullerton Heritage, Sophia and Kannan of Boathouse for arranging and hosting this dinner.

BoatHouse is definitely one of my favorite restaurant now, and I will not be surprised if they are one of the best new restaurants in 2010. There’s a separate rooftop bar on the third floor called Prelude. Stunning, stunning place with an awesome view of the Esplanade and Marina Bay.

Prices range from $20s for pasta to $30s for a main course. For the superb location and wonderful ambiance, Boathouse is offering a very value set lunch; the 2 course set lunch is $22++, while I’d go for their 3 course set lunch at $29++. Most of the items on their set lunches are from the main ala carte menu which make it extremely tempting.

See you at the Boathouse Fullerton.

Restaurant Review
BoatHouse
#03-01 The Fullerton Waterboat House
3 Fullerton Road
Singapore 029415
Tel: +65 6538 9038

Boathouse is listed as one of ladyironchef’s favorite restaurants in Singapore.

It is difficult for a restaurant whenever a chef left, especially for one that bears the namesake of the chef. For the longest time, I have heard about Forlino, an Italian fine dining restaurant at the second level of the swanky One Fullerton, overlooking Esplanade and the new Marina Sands.

Catherine, Ju and I had the chance to dine at some of the waterfront restaurants at One Fullerton, and we were at Forlino for their Valentine’s day six-course dinner (S$128++ per person) which will be available from Feb 12 to 14.

It can be quite a thwarting experience to find Forlino; there was the much-talked-about mysterious flight of steps leading to the restaurant. Black and white tiles, with blue paneled walls lined up the entrance right up to the main dining area – Forlino at One Fullerton is  a stunning restaurant.

Everyone was full of praises for the Jumbo Crab Salad, a garden of wild rockets with strips of crab meat. Alaskan King crab will always sound nicer, and taste better than a Sri Lanka crab.

“Is that Spam (luncheon meat)?” One of us blunted out.

I wasn’t that surprised when I saw that there’s Beetroot cake on the menu, since I just had Beetroot Halwa not too long ago. The texture of the Beetroot Cake had a close resemblance to luncheon meat. Anyway, most of us couldn’t finish this, but the Robiola cheese fondue, made from milk of cow, goat and sheep, was very intriguing – impossibly creamy yet airily light.

I can remember a while back when I tried my first squid ink risotto and I thought that the planet would stop spinning. It was one of those rare moments that made me go ‘awesome’, and I knew life would never be the same again. At Forlino, I had one of those moments again. It was a simple Homemade Squid Ink Tagliolini – or so I thought. While most rendition comes in the black, slimy sauce, the tagliolini here was infused with squid ink, and it was tossed nicely in the flavorful Sea Urchin Sabayon – no hideous black stains on the lips. The semi dried cherry tomatoes were the sweetest tiny things ever, I loved every slurp of the pasta – Awesome!

The medium Angus Prime Beef Tenderloin had a tinge of pink in the middle; subtle hint of blood, slightly charred surface – I’m sure you’d like this. Besides the beef, we also enjoyed the very tasty potatoes but none of us knew how to appreciate the bitter Radicchio.

“Where’s the black cod from?” Catherine asked.

“Atlantic” came the prompt reply.

The Black Cod Fillet was like meat in cod’s disguise. Peeling off layer by layer, I drizzled each piece of the cod and a bit of the asparagus with the Sicilian blood orange sauce. It’s a tough choice for main course: choosing between the beef tenderloin and the black cod fillet, but the Angus prime beef edged out slightly for me.

The Strawberry & Yogurt Mousse was a cliche, with the corny heart-shape sauce of peppermint chocolate sauce. But still, cliche is a cliche because it works, sometimes. I was expecting a highly complex, multi-layers dessert to wrap up the show -  oh well, a dessert’s still a dessert anyway.

* * *

This is the first part of a series that I’m doing on the waterfront restaurants in One Fullerton. I’ll like to thank Fullerton Heritage, and Lyla of Ate Consulting for arranging and hosting this dinner.

Service at Forlino was impeccable, all the staff was equally knowledgeable about the food and wine on their extensive menu. Under the lovely influence of moscato, good food, and stunning overview of the Marina bay; Forlino is definitely a romantic restaurant for Valentine’s day dinner.

Restaurant Review
Forlino
1 Fullerton Road
#02-06 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6877 6995