“Tonkatsu by Ma Maison at Mandarin Gallery has the BEST tonkatsu in Singapore,” my pal Fred would tell me every time when we meet up for our glutton outings with Beatrice and Velda. After hearing this, how do you expect me to pretend that nothing had happened?
The few of us finally arranged a date to go there for dinner. And after trying it, I have to agree with Fred. Tonkatsu by Ma Maison has one of the best, if not the best tonkatsu in Singapore.
It’s really nice to see so many new cafes sprouting up around Singapore. I’ve been going on a cafe-hopping adventure, and one of the places that I went to is L’etoile Cafe at Owen Road.
The French-themed Japanese cafe is a real hidden gem, so if you are looking for a place to hangout with your friends this weekend, you can consider coming here.
Dining out is getting more and more expensive. Since the opening of many celebrity chef restaurants, a meal at one of the top tables in Singapore can easily go up to $300-400 nowadays.
A few of my friends were just telling me that several reputable Japanese restaurants have been slowly upping the price of their omakase menu. I am sure everyone is feeling the sting of dining inflation. So today, I will like to share with you one of the best kept secrets in town.
Kumo Kaiseki Restaurant at Icon Village offers an extremely value-for-money Omakase. I’d recommend it if you are looking for a place to go for your first omakase experience.
Located at 297 River Valley Road, Five & Dime Eatery is easily one of the prettiest restaurants in town.
Even though Five & Dime has only been around since the start of the year, it has already garnered a strong following, which is no mean feat considering the number of new restaurants and cafes.
Several of my friends were turned away when they went there without any reservations during the weekdays. And for weekend brunch, they offer three different seating at 10am, 12noon, and 2pm – a testimony of their popularity.
After going there for brunch recently, I can understand why they are so popular. While the food is not out-of-this-world good, I love the dining concept, and I had an enjoyable experience there. I am going to go out on a limb and say that Five & Dime Eatery is one of the best new restaurants in 2012.
It’s always nice to visit new restaurants run by young and talented chefs who are truly passionate about their food.
I first learned about Keystone Restaurant at Stanley Street a few months ago through my journalist friends. They told me about the excellent work Chef Mark Richards is doing at the restaurant, and it is one of the few places that use sous-vide cooking for most of the dishes on the menu.
I went there a while back, and ever since my visit, I’ve been recommending it to my friends. I’ll cut to the chase. If you like hearty meals with big portions, Keystone Restaurant is probably not suitable for you. But if you enjoy dining in a classy restaurant that serves refined and sophisticated food, this is the place to go.
Brunetti is a famous Italian pasticceria and coffee joint from Australia. Having heard good things about it from my friends who studied in Melbourne, I was quite excited when it finally opened in Singapore at Tanglin Mall.
After my first visit a few months ago, I went back to Brunetti several times and tried quite a few items. Some of the cakes were good, while others were average.
One of the best parts of my job is discovering new hidden gems. After having a good meal at Yakitori Emmau, I am happy to introduce it to you as I feel that it is one of the few restaurants in Orchard that is worth checking out.
Yakitori Emmau at level four of ION Orchard is the second franchise of the Japan’s No. 1 Izakaya restaurant.
For Mother’s Day 2012, it is offering a special Collagen Tori Nabe set menu for 4 pax at only $120. The set comes with Caesar Salad; assorted Sashimi platter; Kushiyaki (skewers) platter; Tori Nabe soup which has a generous serving of ingredients; and the Enmaru Roll.
Like mentioned in my Guide to Mother’s Day Dinner, the set menu definitely has more than enough food for a family of four, and at just $30/pax, I think it is a fantastic deal.
Through my growing years, teppanyaki has always been a favourite. Even though I often crave for it, I haven’t had it for a long time because there are not that many teppanyaki restaurants around.
In my memory, most food courts used to have teppanyaki counters. But these days, they have disappeared almost entirely, leaving us with very limited options.
When you mention good teppanyaki in Singapore, several places like Keyaki, Tatsu Teppanyaki, and Hill Top Japanese Restaurant come to mind. However, they are not cheap. I certainly cannot afford to eat there on a regular basis. So I did some research on places to go, and I was pointed to Sakae Teppanyaki.