A charming, beautiful dining spot that’s a surefire way to impress a date, POLLEN Terrace astounds with its lush botanical surroundings, stellar service and delicious French-Mediterranean food that presents itself in the most vibrant of colours.

POLLEN Terrace takes up a large space in the Flower Dome at Gardens By The Bay and you can get there by hopping onto a personalised buggy ride at the arrival plaza—how fun is that?!

All POLLEN’s guests are also given complimentary access to the flower dome so you really do get so much more out of your meal there!

While the main draw of POLLEN is the restaurant at level one that offers multi-course dining, the terrace bar on level two is equally worth visiting too. Unlike many open bars in Singapore where you will have to bear with the midday heat, the temperatures at POLLEN will always remain at a cool 20 degrees Celsius.

It is always a great time to have a tipple at POLLEN; the curated beverage menu comprises their signature cocktails, wines and beers from both international and local brands.

Have a starter to whet your appetite. POLLEN’s couscous, duck ham, date and pomegranate salad (S$19++) is a visual feast that is refreshing and palatable on the taste buds as well.

One of our favourites on the menu, the Saffron risotto with beef cheek (S$34++) came with a chunk of juicy beef cheek placed on a bed of creamy saffron risotto that reminds us of the Spanish paella. We would, however, recommend this only for the light eaters or for sharing with other mains as the serving size is not substantial.

POLLEN’s 1,000 Guineas Shorthorn Beef (Striploin – S$38++, Ribeye – S$48++) is a treat for the senses.

From the perfectly seared edges to the medium pinkish interior, this one is for all the meat lovers. Accompanied on the side is a serving of fluffy, buttery mashed potato and a grilled portobello mushroom.

Pollen Terrace
18 Marina Gardens Drive
#02-09 Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
Singapore 018953
Tel: +65 6604 9988
Daily: 9.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bayfront

No surprises here—Fresh Fruits Lab (FFL) is our favourite cafe in the East of Singapore. This has never changed since our first visit in 2015.

The themed cafe has seen a revamp recently and it is nothing short of amazing. Still keeping their core laboratory theme and incorporating fruits into their menu, FFL now boasts a colourful, pastel interior that is both whimsical and photogenic.

It has also become a kids-friendly dining outlet with a play corner for your little ones as well as a low-salt kids menu that is so reasonably priced.

How can a cafe make us fall in love so much? FFL always does it best. Here are some of our favourite dishes from its current menu. You need to bring your squad here for your next gathering!

So you think the cafe only looks pretty?

FFL has always been consistent with their food. No effort is spared to serving only the best—from their dedicated culinary team (most of the chefs have years of experience cooking and baking in top hotels in Singapore!) to the freshness of ingredients.

The menu goes beyond a typical cafe’s standards. It has a wide range of appetisers, salads, mains, desserts, coffee and juices; basically everything that attributes to a good meal. And as its name and theme suggest, FFL incorporates fruits as much as possible into everything for that healthy and refreshing touch.

FFL SIGNATURE FISH & CHIPS

If we had to pick only one dish to love at FFL, it would be their Signature Fish & Chips. Fish & Chips may sound boring but wait till you’ve tried FFL’s version!

For just S$19, you get a huge piece of beer-battered pacific dory fried to a golden perfection. As if the generous serving is not filling enough, it comes with a larger portion of fruits salad, a mountain of fries and homemade tartare.

This is comfort food for the soul, guys.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB PASTA

Also at S$19, this pasta is our favourite among the four choices on the menu.

Featuring a huge and crispy soft-shell crab sits atop al dente spaghetti, the Soft-Shell Crab Pasta is a slightly spicy rendition that is not for the faint-hearted. The chilli crab sauce is homemade, by the way.

FFL DA BOMB BURGER

Need your burger fix but don’t want your wallet to take a beating? The FFL Da Bomb Burger (S$19) will make your trip to FFL worth the while.

This beauty is everything a burger should be—juicy beef patty (200g) that is grilled to medium well, fresh romaine lettuce for the crisp,

SALMON STEAK

A healthier option for the ladies (and even the kids) is the Salmon Steak (S$26). This dish is set on fire (literally) as it is served to you and the end result is a sweet piece of pink salmon that boasts a subtle smoky flavour.

It is accompanied by asparagus purée, mashed carrots, arugula and a homemade grape sauce served in a cute onion cup! That is a fair bit of greens if your skinny jeans are getting a little tight but you still need good food in your life.

SPARKEY THE DOG

This is probably the cutest item on the kids’ menu. At only S$10, this is a pancakes dish that is prepared with low-salt bacon and ham. It is completed with fresh blueberries.

BOO-BOO BEAR

This is too cute, even the adults might not be able to resist the Boo-Boo Bear (S$13)!

And it tastes as good as it looks. We wouldn’t want to cut the bear up but the fried sweet potato cake is too yummy to pass. Stuffed with chicken, zucchini, mushroom and tomato, the sweet potato cake is wrapped with an egg—yes, the bear’s blanket.

LIGHTNING CARS

The perfect dish for your boys (or girls who love cars!), the Lightning Cars (S$12) is a simple yet hearty grilled chicken that is tender and flavourful despite the fact that no salt is used in cooking.

This chicken main is served with purple sweet potato purée and mixed fruit skewers for a more balanced meal.

CREEPY-CRAWLY

Fancy something more filling for the older kids? The Creepy-Crawly (S$13) is a wholesome tortilla wrap that is jam-packed with yummy smoked duck, onion, lettuce and carrots.

There is also a side of homemade fruit yogurt—blueberry, strawberry, granola, honey yoghurt.

ULTIMATE PEANUT BUTTER CHOC CAKE

FFL has a dedicated pastry chef and he bakes the prettiest French-style sweets. The one that we really love is the Ultimate Peanut Butter Choc Cake.

Priced at S$7.50, this decadent treat is our newfound guilty pleasure. Every mouthful of the dense cake is so rewarding; the taste of the rich peanut butter lingers on.

TEA BY LUPICIA INFUSED CAKE

For a lighter but no less satisfying cake option, this doll is your best bet. The Tea by Lupicia Infused Cake is also priced at S$7.50 and it totally reminds us of sweets we’d see in French patisseries.

The whiff of the aromatic tea will first enrapture you, and as you take a bite, you’d realize just how well balanced the sweet and bitter notes of the tea are.

EMERALD GREEN APPLE TEA

The Emerald Green Apple Tea (S$12) may not sound like much, but just wait until you see it in real life. Served in a test tube, the Emerald Green is made of butterfly pea tea, green apple juice and soda water. Get your phone ready and watch as the staff adds in edible dry ice for a mini explosion. We won’t spoil it for you; make sure you order the drink when you are at Fresh Fruits Lab!

COLOURED LATTES

Just when you thought coloured lattes are so gimmicky, you might want to consider trying FFL’s versions. These 4 pretty colours are all achieved using natural ingredients.

There is the Beetroot Latte which boasts a shocking shade of pink, the Sweet Potato Latte which is the gorgeous lavender-coloured cup, the Butterfly Pea Latte which spots a dreamy blue hue, and the Matcha Latte in the usual green.

Because zero artificial colouring is used for these lattes, you shouldn’t expect a super sweet cup with strong flavour notes. Instead, think good old latte with nuances of sweetness and aroma.

Fresh Fruits Lab
351 Changi Rd, Singapore 419818
Tel: +65 6677 6741
Tue to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Eunos/ Kembangan

This post is brought to you by Fresh Fruits Lab.

Jalan Kayu is a well-known street in Singapore, and apart from roti prata, it is also home to many established cafes and restaurants. An up-and-coming bistro in the row of shophouses that you should know about is Savoury.

For all our Muslim friends and those who are bringing their Muslim friends out for tea or a meal, Savoury offers Halal-certified mains and homemade gelato!

The bistro opens till late and there is no service charge. And most of the mains are affordably priced below S$20. This is a place where you can have a hearty meal without breaking the bank.

From now until 15 January 2017, our readers can quote ‘ladyironchef’ to get a free Crème Brûlée (worth S$11.50) when you order a main course. This promotion is limited to one redemption per table.

From the spacious interiors of the bistro to the elaborate decorative details on the walls, Savoury in Jalan Kayu has got it all right. It is the kind of place that makes you feel instantly at home, even if it was your first visit.

Their premium coffee comes from Common Man Coffee Roasters, which is famed for its coffee roasts so you know you must not leave without having a cuppa. Now, moving onto the best part—the food!

Since Savoury is a Halal-certified cafe, our Muslim friends can have anything they desire from the menu.

Expect to see a wide variety of options on their menu offering Western delights such as pasta, seafood and meat. Visitors have the option of topping up S$5 to complete their meal with mushroom soup and a drink when they purchase a main course.

PASTA

The Vongole Spaghetti (S$13.80+) is a light, yet flavourful pasta dish that had us digging our forks into it for more. It may look like a simple recipe put together but perfect timing, temperature and an experienced chef makes all the difference. This Italian classic is garnished with garlic chilli, parsley and extremely generous portions of freshly dug clams.

With the truffle trend not dying anytime soon in Singapore, we have been seeing an increase in various types of food choices being paired with it. You can imagine how excited we were when we found out that Savoury has also hopped on the bandwagon too!

For those who prefer something heavier on their taste buds, the Beef Truffle Linguine (S$16.80+) will not disappoint. The aromatic truffle smell hit us before we even took a bite, building up our expectations.

We are glad to say that everything from this dish turned out to be what we had hoped for—mouthwatering slices of beef tenderloin enveloped in rich brown sauce infused with truffle oil.

Other pasta choices on the menu include Black Pepper Chicken Aglio Olio Spaghetti (S$11.80+), Seafood Alfredo Linguine (S$14.80+) and Marina Linguine (S$14.80+).

MEAT AND SEAFOOD

Nothing called out to us more than the Lamb Shank (S$26.80+), looking all glorious while lying on a bed of creamy mash and doused in dark brown sauce.Lamb shanks can be tough if they are not well done but that was not the case at Savoury, for the meat was tender and tasted divine, especially when paired with the sauce. It was a clear winner for us.

Lamb shanks can be tough if they are not well done but that was not the case at Savoury, for the meat was tender and tasted divine, especially when paired with the sauce. It was a clear winner for us.

Fans of duck confits can look forward to this timeless French classic here at Savoury. The duck leg is fragrant and juicy, hiding underneath a coat of golden brown crispy skin.

This delicious Duck Confit (S$15.80+) sits atop warm buttery mash potatoes and was served with an appetising orange-brown sauce.

The pan-fried Salmon (S$18.80+) had a very crispy skin and we heard a crunch as we dug into it with our knives—an indication of a chef’s expertise at whipping up a well-done salmon.

The Chicken Thigh (S$14.80+) features a pan-fried boneless chicken—tender when served warm to the table, and spiced up significantly with the lemon pesto cream sauce.

DESSERT

No one can say they made a visit to Savoury without ordering their Signature Waffle. You can choose to have one (S$14+) or two (S$18.50+) scoops of their iconic gelato on top of the waffle.

The fluffy waffle is made on the spot and served warm, complete with Chantilly cream, chocolate sauce and various fresh fruits that have been cooked in cinnamon sauce for an extra boost of sweetness!

Apart from the waffle, their dessert menu also encompasses the Mao Shan Wang Lava Cake (S$13.80+), Brownie (S$11.80) and Crème Brûlée (S$11.50+ for one scoop and S$16+ for two scoops of gelato).

And last but certainly not the least, anyone who steps in to Savoury would totally be drawn to the massive gelato counter. All gelato are handmade in house, and the recipes are created by the boss himself. They are definitely worth a special trip down to Savoury!

From now until 15 January 2017, our readers can quote ‘ladyironchef’ to get a free Crème Brûlée (worth S$11.50) when you order a main course. This promotion is limited to one redemption per table.

Savoury
246 Jalan Kayu
Singapore 799470
Tel: +65 6752 9288
Mon to Fri: 6pm – 11.30pm
Sat: 12pm – 1.30am
Sun: 12pm – 11.30pm
Nearest Station: Sengkang

This post was brought to you by Savoury.

Located in the heart of Kovan—just a stone’s throw away from Kovan MRT Station—is Ice Edge Cafe.

The cafe-cum-restaurant has been around for a decade and has gained a huge following over the past years with its hearty savouries and stellar sweets. Dishes served here are very affordable and generously portioned; there is even a perpetual one-for-one lunch promotion* on weekdays!

You might have heard of their legendary Mao Shan Wang Lava Cake, Waffles and Homemade Brownies, but Ice Edge Cafe is more than that. It offers a menu of wallet-friendly dishes (most mains are priced under S$20). If you haven’t been, you are missing out, dude.

From now until 15 December 2016, quote “ladyironchef” to get a FREE Waffle with a scoop of gelato when you spend S$20 per table. This offer is valid during dinner daily.

#1 BUFFALO WINGS

Ice Edge Cafe’s Buffalo Wings (S$9.80+) come in a platter of six.

Each deep-fried chicken wing is coated in a hot peppery buffalo sauce that is infused with vinegar and butter, and garnished with herbs and spices. If you can’t handle spices well, steer clear of this.

The Buffalo Wings are part of Ice Edge Cafe’s 1-for-1 menu.

#2 CALAMARI WITH THAI MAYO

We absolutely love the Calamari with Thai Mayo (S$12.80++) that is on the starters menu. Green salad and Thai mayonnaise dip are served alongside succulent, deep-fried battered squid rings.

#3 JAPANESE BONITO PRAWN SALAD

If calories matter, then the Japanese Bonito Prawn Salad (S$12.80++) is for you. This is a salad of assorted leafy greens, Japanese seasoning, fresh prawns and crispy wakame. Pretty simple, but no less fresh and healthy.

The Japanese Bonito Prawn Salad is part of Ice Edge Cafe’s 1-for-1 menu.

#4 SEAFOOD AGLIO OLIO SPAGHETTI

The Seafood Aglio Olio Spaghetti (S$16.80+) is an Ice Edge classic. Served with clams, juicy prawns and squid, the pasta is served al dente and tossed with chilli padi and garlic. It comes in a very generous portion too!

The Seafood Aglio Olio Spgahetti is part of Ice Edge Cafe’s 1-for-1 menu. Each pasta works out to be just S$8.4+ during lunch!

#5 TOM YAM SEAFOOD LINGUINE

Tom Yam Seafood Linguine (S$17.80+) is an interesting East-meets-West pasta invention which has successfully incorporated the traditional Thai soup into an Italian classic. The pasta is cooked firm to the bite and enhanced with the garlic’s aroma. It is then complemented with clam, squid and prawn.

And it is very spicy. But that is precisely how we like it to be. Definitely our favourite pasta in the entire menu!

#6 BUTTER CREAM SALMON

Over at Ice Edge Cafe, salmon fillets are cooked to perfection—think crispy skin and runny flesh. The fish flakes easily when pierced through with a fork, and topped with a slap of buttery herbs cream and pink peppercorn. The Butter Cream Salmon (S$19.80+) is also served with grilled asparagus and a house salad.

It honestly looks like nothing, but it is the kind of comfort lunch you’d wish for on a boring workday.

#7 PESTO CREAM CHICKEN

The chef-recommended main course Pesto Cream Chicken (S$17.80+) looked pretty messy but this plate packs a punch. It comprises a juicy chicken thigh pan-fried till golden brown, then topped with fresh pesto, and accompanied with carrots, cream, herbs, potatoes and spices.

The Pesto Cream Chicken is part of Ice Edge Cafe’s 1-for-1 menu. S$8.90 for a main course? Lunch doesn’t get any better than this.

#8 CORDON BLEU

By now, you would have noticed that the menu is comprehensive; from American, Italian to Swiss, you can expect a myriad of cuisines.

Ice Edge Cafe’s take on the Cordon Bleu (S$18.80+) is a beautiful one. Slice into the deep-fried breaded chicken and you will see the intersection of bacon and bursting nacho cheese. This is actually our favourite main, for it was satisfaction in every bite.

#9 PIZZA PRAWN MENTAIKO

The Pizza Prawn Mentaiko (S$16.80+) is a work of art and damn, ain’t it photogenic?! The pizza comes with a thin crust. Herbs, prawns and mozzarella cheese are scattered all over the flat dough, before Japanese mayonnaise and mentaiko cream are drizzled in circular motions.

#10 MAO SHAN WANG LAVA CAKE

The divine Mao Shan Wang Lava Cake (S$14.80+) is a must-order when at Ice Edge Cafe. And we’ve heard many stories of how people from all over Singapore travel to Kovan for this legendary dessert. It is safe to say the folks at Ice Edge Cafe pioneered the durian lava cake trend.

The King of Fruits has been integrated into a dense lava cake and warm molten durian will ooze out upon forking it. No efforts have been spared in the making of this signature dessert, and the end result is a robust, divine dessert that bursts with aroma. The lava cake comes with a scoop of gelato of your choice.

#11 WAFFLE

Super crisp on the outside and featherlight on the inside, the Waffles here are superb. Choose to top your waffle with one, two, three or four gelato scoop(s). Prices are S$10+, S$14.50+, S$19+ and S$23.50+ respectively.

There are many flavours to choose from for your gelato (which is also what Ice Edge Cafe is well-loved for), and unique flavours include Salted Egg, Japanese Yuzu and Cotton Candy.

#12 BROWNIE WITH GELATO

Like the idea of death by chocolate? Well, then you have to get the warm double chocolate brownie with chocolate sauce. This decadent dessert comes with either one or two scoop(s) of gelato; the former is priced at S$9.80+ whilst the latter would set you back S$14.30+.

And it is important to know that Ice Edge Cafe takes pride in their desserts, and this brownie is baked fresh in-house daily.

#13 CHEESECAKE

We can always do with a good cheesecake, yes? There are three flavours of cheesecakes available on a rotational basis, i.e. Blue Berry, New York and Oreo. Each rich cheesecake costs S$6.80+.

Of course, you need to top it off with a scoop or two of gelato.

From now until 15 December 2016, quote “ladyironchef” to get a FREE Waffle with a scoop of gelato (worth S$10+) when you spend S$20 per table. This offer is valid during dinner daily.

*The 1-for-1 Lunch Promotion is available every day on weekdays (excluding eves of and Public Holiday), and it is redeemable from 11.30am to 3pm. The higher-priced item will be charged. 1-for-1 items can be mixed and matched, and no splitting of bills is allowed.

Ice Edge Cafe
2 Kovan Rise
Simon Plaza, #01-10
Singapore 548008
Tel: +65 6858 5729
Daily: 11.30am – 11.30pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

This post is brought to you by Ice Edge Cafe.

Over the years and especially in recent times, a new wave of mod-sin gourmet interpretations have been taking Singapore’s dining scene by storm and we are now seeing more and more unique East-meets-West creations. The terminology ‘mod-sin’ stands for modern Singaporean and refers to the interesting marriage of local delicacies and western classics, and should be a harmonious blend of flavours that complement each other.

With that simple but important focus, redpan at Marina Square – a hidden gem we fell in love with lately – has created a comprehensive menu of fusion inventions that have successfully combined the best of both worlds.

A little fun fact: redpan is an exciting collaborative venture between local architectural company DP Architects and homegrown The Food Explorer Group, who is behind Grub.

From Truffle Floss Fries, Prawn & ‘Hae Bi Hiam’ Pasta and Banana Donuts ‘Milo Dinosaur’, redpan’s menu drove us crazy and we actually cannot pick just one favourite. Well, our lunch was good and these were what we had.

To enhance the theme and celebrate local design, the designers from DP created a multi-functional space that is warm, vibrant and conveys a sense of chic, with its custom-made wooden curves.

Design accents, like the custom-designed hanging glass feature comprising 2,000 glass pieces individually adjusted by hand over weeks, celebrate local creativity and craftsmanship complementing the food.

#1 CHAR SIEW CHILLI FRIES

Why settle for plain old boring French fries when you can have a deluxe version topped with a familiar ingredient? redpan’s Char Siew Chilli Fries (S$7++) is quite a showstopper with its homemade char siew ragout, jalapeño salsa and sour cream toppings. Think of it like the Singapore-style chilli con carne fries.

#2 TRUFFLE FLOSS FRIES

However, it is the insane Truffle Floss Fries (S$8++) that we will return religiously for. This mouthwatering rendition of Truffle Fries is one of the best we ever had. Cooked in truffle aioli and topped with chives and chicken floss, this starter is a blend of contrasting flavours that is totally worth every calorie. Damn, it’s addictive to say the least!

#3 PORK POPS

If fries are not your thing, then order the Pork Pops (S$9++). Presented in a red ceramic dish, the deep-fried marinated pork belly entree is complemented with a refreshing mango sauce that we couldn’t stop dipping our bites in.

#4 STEAK & CHINCHALOK

Chinchalok is a spiced Malaysian condiment made from chilli, lime juice, shallots and shrimp paste. Truth to be told, we were rather skeptical about the unlikely combination of fermented shrimps atop grilled steak. But we were to find out that the combination is an unconventionally brilliant one. The pickled onions might overpower the steak a little, but that was fine. We enjoyed this dish a lot.

#5 PRAWN & ‘HAE BI HIAM’ PASTA

Who would have thought that a Southeast Asian approach to a prawn pasta would produce such an extraordinary outcome? redpan’s Prawn & ‘Hae Bi Hiam’ Pasta (S$16++) is a huge plate of al dente tagliatelle tossed with handcrafted sambal and fresh sautéed prawns. You might want to know that the spicy shrimp paste is prepared with renowned Chef Mervyn Phan’s grandmother’s recipe.

#6 ‘HAR CHEONG’ CHICKEN CUTLET

redpan has extracted the key essence of Singaporeans’ beloved tze char dish prawn paste chicken wings (a.k.a. har cheong gai) and infused its flavours into a succulent chicken cutlet. Yes, that’s right – a plump chicken thigh that has been coated and marinated with aromatic shrimp paste before being deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown. The juicy cutlet is served with fragrant smashed potatoes, and you bet it totally won us over.

#7 100% NATURAL PORK BELLY ‘BAK KUT TEH’*

All hail the 160-gram seared pork belly (S$21++)! This main course is definitely far from what we all know of the local pork ribs soup. Instead, the fork-tender meat is a semi-dry version that is lavishly soaked in a thick, viscous peppery bak kut teh sauce and served with deep-fried crunchy dough fritters.

#8 BEEF SHORT RIB ‘SATAY’*

redpan’s Beef Short Ribs ‘Satay’ (S$32++) is another surprise and what we would totally use as a definition of mod-sin cuisine. Think 400 grams of soft, fleshy beef that has been sous vide to tenderness before being drenched in rich satay sauce and garnished with onions and pickled cucumber. Robust in flavour, and nothing short of delight in every bite.

#9 SALMON ‘KUNING’*

The Salmon Kuning (S$24++) features a generous slab of fish that is wonderfully delicate on the inside and finished off with a grilled crispy skin topped with kaffir lime aioli and curry powder. Not the most exciting dish, but we actually couldn’t stop eating this because it is a simple fish dish that is very comforting.

#10 CORNFED MAGRET DUCK BREAST*

Cornfed Margret Duck Breast (S$26++) is a fancy-looking poultry main that has been glazed with kechap manis (Indonesian sweet sauce), drizzled with cherry compote and decorated with yummy tropical pomegranates. Highly recommended and it is one of our favourites amongst the lot.

#11 RED DATE BUTTER CAKE

Desserts are incredibly pricey these days, so imagine our surprise when we discovered that redpan’s sweet treats cost no more than S$8++.

Red Date Butter Cake (S$8++) is an interesting hybrid between a sticky date pudding and butter cake. Served warm and moist, we love how the caramel date sauce and vanilla ice-cream elevated the richness of the cake.

#12 ‘TEH HALIA’ CREME BRÛLÉE

Teh Halia refers to our local beverage of ginger milk tea, and redpan is possibly the one and only restaurant in Singapore to serve such an exotic creation of ‘Teh Halia’ Creme Brûlée (S$7++). This dessert is really a classic creme brûlée infused with ginger tea. The taste of ginger is actually extremely subtle and the dessert remains sweet overall, so even if you are not a fan of ginger’s spiciness, this dessert is for you all the same!

#13 BANANA DONUTS ‘MILO DINOSAUR’

We actually haven’t met any Singaporean who does not like Milo Dinosaur. Guess what’s new, guys? Banana Donuts ‘Milo Dinosaur’ (S$7++) at redpan! This never-seen-before dessert is made up of banana spherical doughnuts that has a very lovely doughy texture that is slightly sticky. Served with milo crumbs, condensed milk and hazelnuts. Top up S$3.50++ to add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, this is definitely the best dessert in the house!

*These items are only available from 5.30pm onwards.

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redpan
6 Raffles Boulevard
#02-03/04 Marina Square
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 6255 5850
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

This post is brought to you by redpan.

Xperience sits within the luxurious Sofitel So Singapore which is strategically located in the Central Business District (CBD) of Singapore.

The modern European restaurant is helmed by one of Singapore’s youngest and most charming executive chef, Trevor Paulo, who has a flair for recreating western classics with interesting local twists that has surely captured our hearts.

Chef Trevor Paulo’s unique culinary creations have successfully pushed the boundaries of traditional French cuisine, where his dishes have impressed even reputable 3-Michelin Starred Chefs such as Chef Christophe Muller and Chef Hideaki Matsuo. Despite all the glorious achievements, Chef Trevor remains down-to-earth and enjoys interacting with all his guests.

The next time you are in the CBD or need some surprises in your life, head down to Sofitel So Singapore’s Xperience Restaurant to experience Chef Trevor’s new menu. You will be in for a great time, we promise.

With its open-kitchen concept, it allows diners to catch the gastronomic team in action. Of course, Chef Trevor will be there to chat with you about his dishes, or about anything at all!

Xperience Restaurant is also an ideal venue for business luncheons and romantic date nights. We’ve been there on numerous occasions, and our favourite mood has to be dinner time, where the CBD crowd is non-existent, and the whole restaurant transforms into a sexy and intimate space for you to kick off your shoes, and simply relish the night with your date.

Every starter at Xperience Restaurant is truly a showstopper and the Spanner Crab (S$24++) is our favourite one among them all.

The fresh crustacean – integrated with wasabi mayonnaise – is garnished with edible flower petals, green herbs and seaweed crackers. The different textures of flavours had us devouring the entire entrée within seconds.

Poached Sweet Prawns (S$26++) is yet another stunning creation by Chef Trevor. The refreshing layers consist of fresh Granny Smith apple slices alternating with poached sweet prawns that are marinated with homemade ponzu.

Every mouthful packs a satisfying punch and we love how gorgeous it is plated with bonito flakes and pink edible floral petals. The precise ingredients vary according to season, so do expect a few tweaks here and there!

The Home Cured Salmon (S$24++) looks simple, but what do you know! Much effort has been channeled into attaining the fish’s overall superb taste and texture profile. Served with dollops of whipped yoghurt infused crème fraîche, fried capers, tobiko roe coated with gold powder, mirin pickled onions and almond truffle soil-looking earthy crumble, this dish is in fact a complicated one with varying flavours.

Just like that, Chef Trevor has redefined cured salmon. Impressive.

The Grilled Pork Pressa (S$36++) stole all the limelight with its delicious well-marbled meat. The prime pork cut has been marinated in duck fat and roasted over chargrill to medium rare doneness; the meat was so creamy and flavourful that everyone on the table did a double take and thought it was beef instead.

The smoky pork is complemented with asparagus, capsicum honey purée, pumpkin tuile, shallot confit and vanilla pumpkin purée. Such a colourful dish that reflects elements of winter and rusticness of all sorts.

We have two other mains to love and share.

The ‘Curried’ Lamb Shoulder confit (S$35++) utilizes the cut that extends to the neck. Marinated in a myriad of spices, the meat is sous-vide for 36 hours to achieve a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

The lamb main is then complemented with carrot purée, fresh peas and goat cheese crumble. Love the play of flavours and colours using vegetables to tone down the gaminess of the meat.

The Braised Short Rib (S$35++) is another stellar highlight of Xperience Restaurant’s new menu. The fork-tender braised beef short rib is robust in flavour, and is further enhanced with Bordelaise sauce, green tea purée, roasted baby beetroot and three knob celery cubes.

Fun fact about the celeriac in case you are brushing it off already – each celeriac is cooked and presented in a different flavour – namely grilled salt, smoked salt and Vadouvan – so that every bite is a surprise.

Just when you think the show is only on the entrées and mains, wait till you see the desserts. Chef Trevor and his pastry chef will make you rethink Xperience Restaurant’s already popular desserts with his innovation and brilliance; they are works of art to say the least.

The Araguani Chocolate Dome (S$22++) is a theatrical crowd pleaser, where lukewarm pistachio and vanilla bean crémeux is poured over the sphere, and voila! The 72% dark chocolate sphere opens in a dramatic manner, revealing the Madagascar vanilla and hazelnut praline ice-cream inside.

For an exotic tropical dessert, we highly recommend the ‘Flexi’ Coconut Ganache (S$19++).

This visually stunning deconstructed treat features flexible coconut agar-infused gelatine, and is accompanied with chilli-marinated pineapple slices, noisette butter chip and artisanal goreng pisang ice-cream. The ice-cream is made from scratch with local pisang barangan bananas, a local twist done with European flair.

The Tasmanian Pepper Meringue Spike (S$20++) is the prettiest of the lot, and is definitely Vogue-worthy. The dome comprises basil cream, greek yogurt, olive oil sponge, roasted persimmon ice-cream and tomato jam.

Dressed in attention-grabbing blue and white meringue spikes, this dessert stole our hearts and we will totally return to Xperience Restaurant just for it.

These 9 dishes executed with masterly finesse are a great representation of what diners can anticipate at Sofitel So Singapore’s Xperience Restaurant.

Each dish is a photogenic masterpiece that Chef Trevor proudly presents, and if you have the chance to grab Chef Trevor, speak to him. He always has stories about his food and inspirations to share, and his passion for culinary is burning through every word. We are nothing short of impressed by him.

For the latest updates, go to Sofitel So Singapore’s website and like them on Facebook and Instagram.

Xperience Restaurant
35 Robinson Road
Sofitel So Singapore, Level 1
Singapore 068876
Tel: +65 6701 6800
Daily: 6.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place/Telok Ayer

This post is brought to you by Sofitel So Singapore.

Whenever readers ask me to recommend romantic dining places in Singapore, I will always think of the restaurants at Dempsey road. Among the options there, The White Rabbit ranks highly on my list of romantic restaurants in Singapore.

The White Rabbit, owned by the folks behind Loof and OverEasy, is a romantic restaurant housed within a beautiful restored Chapel in Dempsey Road.

I fell in love as soon as I stepped into the place.

Fine dining restaurants are usually not very versatile. I mean they are nice for a romantic dinner, but some of them can be quite intimidating. The White Rabbit, on the other hand, is great for just about any occasion. Be it a romantic date with your partner, a chic business lunch with your clients or a casual dinner with a group of friends.

I wanted to dine at The White Rabbit for the longest time, and I finally came here last week for their 3 course set lunch ($38++ per pax).

Amongst the five starters that were available on The White Rabbit’s menu, we opted for the Caponata and White peach salad. Drizzled with Italian herbs and olive oil, the crispy tiger prawns were accompanied by eggplant, celery and Roma tomatoes.

For our second appetiser, we chose the White Peach Salad over the Grilled Vegetables, Smoked Salmon and Mushroom Soup.

The White Rabbit’s set lunch menu has 5 different choices to satisfy everyone: Pan Seared Salmon Fillet, Pan Roasted Sea Bass, Braised Oxtail, Galantine of Duck, Roasted Lamb Rump and pasta. We eventually settled for the salmon and duck.

Served with Petit Pois Puree (green peas) and carrots, the Salmon was pan seared nicely and we thought that it was pretty well done. But with no substantial sides, the portion might be too small for folks with big appetite.

The Galantine of duck however, came with simple yet tasty potatoes. The herbed minced beef stuffing within the de-boned duck was subtle, and the dish somehow tasted like roasted duck.

Out of the three desserts on The White Rabbit’s lunch menu, we had the Tiramisu and Valrhona Chocolate Tart (with the other option being profiteroles). It is difficult to judge a tiramisu since everyone has different interpretations on what makes a good tiramisu. If you like it with a strong alcohol taste, you will love the one here.

The White Rabbit’s tiramisu had an extremely strong liqueur flavour at the base, which left a bitter after-taste lingering in the mouth for a long time. We did not really enjoy it, and thankfully there was the Valrhona Chocolate Tart to distract us.

Paired with a slightly sourish strawberry ice cream, the chocolate-y Valrhona Chocolate Tart was small in size but huge on flavours. It contrasted hot with cold and sweet with sour perfectly.

The romantic restaurant has a uber-chic watering hole in the al fresco area. The Rabbit Hole is an outdoor bar which is a lovely place for some drinks and finger food. It is definitely a good option for events and parties, but don’t expect it to be cheap.

Hold my hands and follow me down the rabbit hole…

The 3 course set lunch at the White Rabbit is $38++ and they also have a 4 course degustation menu at $98++ per person. For their ala carte menu, appetisers like the tuna carpaccio and steak tartare start from $20. Most of the main courses are in the $30ish range and desserts like the creme brulee and souffle are $16 each.

The White Rabbit restaurant has received mixed reviews so far: there are people who love the Alice in Wonderland theme restaurant, and there are also others who feel that the food is inconsistent and not worth the money.

Whilst the food at The White Rabbit may not be the most spectacular, sometimes food becomes secondary when you are eating at such a beautiful place.

Singapore Food Blog Review
The White Rabbit
39C Harding Road
Dempsey Singapore
Tel: +65 6473 9965

I always get lost in the East. But sometimes, I think it’s a nice feeling to get lost somewhere and you will feel so much happier when you eventually find the place that you want to go.

We passed by Simpang Bedok while on our way to Foo House Cafe & Bar, and someone said that I’m a suaku (country bumpkin) as I have never been to the area before. Anyway, Foo House Cafe is located at Jalan Pari Burong, Picardy Garden off Upper Changi Road. I’m very sure that I will not go to that area unless we are driving, otherwise I will definitely get lost!

We started off with the Veal and Pork sausages from the Banger & Mash ($15.90). The mash potato had a very ‘clean’ taste, so I left that for the others while I attacked the sausages.

“Are the Magic Mushrooms ($13.80) enchanted?”

We had no idea how ‘magical’ the mushrooms were, but the grilled portobello and sauteed shrooms were great in the cream base sauce. It’s a little pricey to pay so much money just for mushrooms though, for the same price we could probably get another main dish.

The Salmon Steak ($18.90) was splashed with the excellent cream base sauce, which complimented the fish perfectly. The tinge of pink was simply irresistible, and I love how the salmon crumbled in my mouth.

The burger from Foo House is a monster! We were blown away by the sheer size of the ‘thing’. The Picardy Monster Beef Burger ($16.90 + $1 for each additional topping) cost twenty bucks after the addition of four toppings (Bacon, egg, caramelized onions and mushroom). Oh yes, I have included it in my list of Singapore’s Best Burgers.

This is a combination of greed and lust.

I preferred the Salmon Steak to the Pan Seared Seabass ($16.90), but the rest enjoyed both fishes thoroughly.

My partner had the Seafood Spaghetti ($19.90), which came with a generous serving of mussels, shrimps, and calamari. The pasta made me really happy. I know this might sound a little exaggerating, but it was like being kissed. Okay, maybe not. Nothing in this world can give you the same feeling as a kiss, but we really like the spaghetti.

We wrecked havoc on the Apple Crumble that was topped with a scoop of cold creamy ice cream. It was disappointing, and thankfully there was another dessert to keep us occupied.

Deep-Fried Mars Bar! OH MY GOD!

Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with your eyesight, you read that correctly. Deep-fried Mars Bar. How on earth did someone come up with this genius invention? Deep-fried food always taste good, and Mars bar is just Mars bar; there’s no need to say how good it is. When you put both of them together, and add another scoop of ice cream beside it — Dear whoever in charge of guilt, I have sinned.

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Foo House serves big portions of Western food at reasonable pricing, if you are looking for good food in the East of Singapore, do give them a try!

Restaurant Review
Foo House Cafe & Bar
6 Jalan Pari Burong Picardy Garden Singapore
Tel: +65 6445 3110

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My fourth, her third, another’s second, and many others first. Our common love for food. That’s how it all began. At the heart of East-Meet-West. Persimmon.

Kopitiam, the symbolic of our local heartlands. The place where everybody grew up sipping their milo & coffee, where everybody settled their three meals when their mother was on strike, and the gateway to many delicious heritage hawker food.

Persimmon is quintessentially a swanky and upmarket kopitiam, retaining the traditional feel by using the classic kopitiam furnitures and floor tiles. The furnishings were a combination between comtemporary and rustic. And not to mention her location is right in the middle of Tiong Bahru, with the shophouses and kopitiam lining side by side.

Choices of desserts pick from a la carte buffet. Bread pudding, carrot cake, mango pudding, panna cotta, chocolate mousse. For the discerning us, perhaps only the carrot cake made the cut.

The kong ba bao (stewed pork belly) was way off my radar. The bun was hard and dry, the meat was not fatty enough, and lacked the delicious gravy. And oh ya, it wasn’t part of our menu, but was under the a la carte buffet offered.

Inspired by NoSignBoard white pepper crab, Persimmon white pepper Crabcake is all about that. Enjoyed the white pepper “crab”, no doubt in the form of crabcake, without any hassle. Under the sunny weather, the crab was toned prefectly brown, with a crisp-cross shell, and savoury meat within. Adiós

The crown of Persimmon. Hainanese Chicken Salad. Featured in almost all the media publications, there isn’t any excuse for you to miss this dish. The concept is simple, Singaporeans loved their chicken rice, but dreaded the calories. So what do you do? Remove the rice, throw in some greens, and voila! Singapore’s very own Hainanese chicken salad. Poach chicken, fresh local herbs & mesclun greens, rise crisps, and special dressing.

Tomato base pasta? Boring! How about our rich cream base instead? I hate cream! Right, why not try our Linguine laksa leaf Pesto? Specially created for your exquisite taste buds, the laksa infused linguine will definitely blow you away with its unique taste. Think laksa, but swop the thick rice noodles with pasta. Some felt that the laksa leaf was too heavy and overwhelm the whole dish. On the other hand, i thought the pasta was perfectly fine. Innovative with a big I.

Mixed blonds (fusion) are interesting in some ways, and the 8 treasures certainly roused my curiosity. Three mushrooms, two nuts, chinese sausage, parmesan cheese and risotto. What happens when Italian Risotto combine with the 8 treasures? You get the 8 treasure Risotto! The intial impression was Glutinous rice, but it was way better. I need to be honest, i couldn’t taste all of you. But in the end, it doesn’t really matter, you are all mine!

Staying true with the principle of fusion food, we have the European-style steak meeting heads on with our Asian carrot cake. The grilled ribeye with “chye tao kueh” carrot cake is bound to make your eyes popped out. The carrot cake was fried with XO and balsamic, with the latter providing a sour taste. A vast contrast with the steak. Not everyone could accepted sour carrot cake with steak though. Aspiring combination, but somehow failed to sizzle with the seemingly weird taste.

Eaten alone, the Slow poached salmon with zuchinni ribbons didn’t come as tender as we thought it will. But dipped in the green curry sauce, the fish went through a make-over in the taste department. There was cucumbers used in the green curry, which caught my attention. Like what one of our fellow friend say, when you don’t understand, just say “fusion!”

Our humble Otak is given a upmarket transformation by going créme brulée. With richly flavoured spicy kaffir lime & coconut used as the main ingredients, there was fish mousse hidden beneath the otak. The otak creme brulee is a very creative fusion dish indeed, but the experiement could perhaps be better. Some of us found the otak to be too watery, and maybe it’s meant to be this way. But is créme brulée ever so soggy?

There was a slight tweak to the menu compared to the one i previously shown. And the cost per person was 20 dollar nett, which everybody agreed was a reasonable price given we managed to try a variety of food. I hope everybody enjoyed their meal, and see you all at the next LIC food outing! We had 27 people for this outing, which was quite a healthy figure.

Well, like what some of you mentioned, it was a case of hits and misses, fusion food is pretty much an experiment between the Asian and Western cuisines, and it was certainly interesting to try some food which we’ll never get to try elsewhere.

And not to forget, LIC outing is all about the fun, joy and laughter during the event, and getting to know more friends. I’ll also like to take the opportunity to thank Helena and Sharon, the co-owners of Persimmon for having us there.

Do add me on facebook, if you missed the links earlier.

Read Jaime-la-nourriture chinese post on the outing here

For those who missed this Persimmon outing, you can get the best discounts when you mentioned ladyironchef while you are at Persimmon. So do go down and give the fusion food a try.

Welcome to LIC Food event II at Tetsu!

Having the experience of organising my own food outing event at OChaCha previously, this time LIC decided to have the second one at Tetsu. The response has been overwhelming, in fact i think its crazy given its a Tuesday night since people have to work and study. A whopping 51, yes 51 friends joined us for this one.

There will be more thoughts about the event in the next post, The Afterthoughts on Tetsu food event. For now, lets go back to LIC main task, food review!

LIC went for a visit to Tetsu previously, there won’t be repeated pictures, so please take a look at my previous review.

I missed this out the last time round, Tetsu has got many media write-ups which you might find familiar while reading the various newspapers and magazines.

The fresh ingredients awaits to play with our taste buds.

Appetizers

To kick-start our multi course meal, we clear our throat with the warm green tea, follow by the Kami Tofu, Kajiki Takaki, after which we have the Yasai Takiawase, salmon sashimi and the consomme soup. All in good time, read on!

Just a note, for our multi course meal dinner, we have everything done in sampling size, which means to say this is not the real size which you will get in a set. I requested for sampling size so that we can actually try out a lot more variety of food.

Kami Tofu

The Kami Tofu, or century egg with tofu, starts off our multi course meal. The tofu is done delicately with the century egg, petite in size, but suffice for the first appetizer.

Kajiki Tataki

Seared swordfish with special sauce is rather light in taste, but coupled with the special sauce it does brings out the flavor of the Kajiki Tataki, not too fishy and taste fresh. But i do find that the special sauce is slightly on the heavy side.

Salmon/Hamachi Sashimi

Hamachi Sashimi is fresh according to feedbacks from most of our guests. A dip with the wasabi completes the fresh salmon sashimi.

Consomme Soup

Some of you might wonder how come it is consomme soup we are having since initially the menu that i put up states miso soup. After some discussion with Tetsu head chef, Kent, we agreed that it will better to have a clear soup than miso soup since the dishes behind are all quite heavy.

The clear soup with wakame, leak and tamago tastes bland, but it helps to clear our palates and prepared us for the main courses to come.

Yasai Takiawase

Daikon, carrot, pumpkin, snow pea with yuzu flavour sauce makes up the Yasai Takiawase. This appetizer is also a healthy way to start our taste buds working, but some feedback find it ordinary, nothing fantastic.

Sushi roll

The sushi roll with salmon, tuna in double layer within the sushi is actually not on the menu. Complimentary from Tetsu, i also find out about the surprise after i got there. The salmon and tuna meat are mixed together, being a fan of both fishes, the sushi roll works magic for me.

Kushi Age style

Soft Shell Crab, Ebi, Hire Katsu, and Hotate from left to the right respectively. Without a doubt the star of the show, Tetsu is renown for their Kushi style Tonkatsu and Tempura, and it certainly hit home, albeit feedbacks its rather dry, but nonetheless still very good.

On my previous visit, i had my Tempura done in Kushi-Tem which i find its slightly disappointing, and like what i suspected, done in the Kushi-Age style the tempura really shines. Or maybe its just my personal liking, either way you got to try them both to find out.

Kushi-Age: Soft Shell Crab

The soft shell crab is nice, i admit i am lazy to shell crabs so i don’t relaly eat crabs often. But hey this is a soft shell crab, done in the Kushi-age, i finish the whole smallish crab.

Kushi-Age: Hotate

The Hotate or scallop is also done in Kushi-Age style, fresh air-flown from Japan.

Hire Katsu (fillet katsu)

Like what i mentioned before, there is the choice of either the Rosu Katsu (pork loin) or the Hire Katsu (fillet katsu). Pork loin is fatter than fillet katsu in nature, which makes it more tender than Hire Katsu. But because with more of our guests from the fairer sex, we decided on Hire Katsu which has a leaner cut, if not we will have our girls screaming fats!

Famed for their Katsu, the Kushi-age style (skewered with breaded batter) certainly lives up to expectations. The breaded style of the katsu is really good, the panko crumbs on it is very light which gives it a melt-in-your-mouth feel.

Kushi-Age: Ebi

Actually for LIC, my personal tempura will always be the lovely fried prawns. I really find that the Kushi-age style for the Ebi is much better than the kushi-tem style which i tried before. Kudos! Just that you can’t really get enough by eating one ebi, i know prawn isn’t as tasty if its too big, but how about a few more ebi? Sounds great right!

Kushi Tem: Lotus root, mushroom, Green capsicium

The tempura batter had nice texture, but again it wasn’t that seasoned enough, so i think the common reaction its quite bland. Nevertheless the batter is very light, not that oily and it didn’t leave any oily aftertaste that mediocre tempuras do.

And just to answer some common questions asked, why isn’t there tempura sauce to go along? I only manage to ask the chef at the end of the session that he actually meant to want us have the kushi tem together with the udon. My apologies for this mistake.

Hot udon

Taste is personal and unique to every each of us, some find this to be really good and finish the whole bowl (you know who you are), while some wondered at the unevenness of the Udon.

Goma Ice cream

We have the goma black sesames ice cream to end off our food outing. Again there’s a difference in opinion for the ice cream, but for me even though i do not really fancy black sesame i find it to be acceptable.

Total bill is $1,530 for the 51 of us, with the cost at 30 bucks nett per head. I think the conclusion of the food is more or less the same as what i mentioned in my previous visit, but i think for this menu that we are getting at 30 bucks, its a very reasonable and worthwhile deal, many thanks to Tetsu, Food Junction and Pris for supporting me in organising this event.

There will be more of LIC afterthoughts on this food event, please watch out for the next post!

Tetsu
163 Tanglin Road
#03-18 Tanglin Mall
Tel: 6836 3112

Tetsu Japanese Restaurant is listed as one of ladyironchef’s favorite restaurants in Singapore

Tetsu, opening its doors at Tanglin Mall on January 17, 2008, pride themselves in serving Kushi-Tempura and Kushi-Katsu. Their concept is based on a “LIVE” preparation in front of you by their chefs, who have intensive training in their Japanese Headquarters.

The first impression upon stepping into Tetsu is really nice decorations. Contemporary yet not too modernize till the extend of losing the authentic Japanese feel. Chic furnishings like the curtains, and decors in the restaurant. The whole place exudes an elegant feel with its classy and clean look.

Tetsu certainly does not fits the bill with association to Food Junction, your local food courts isn’t it? But the truth is, Tetsu is actually owned and operate by Food Junction. Surprise surprise, i was quite astonished by this fact when i first heard of it. But i am pleased Food Junction is finally making full use to leverage on its experience and connections in the Food & Beverage Industry, to provide us the consumers with a wider variety of choices to dine at.

The counter bars in Tetsu are specially designed in such a way that diners can seat in close proximity to the chef, who will prepared their feast up for them, well its not just the stomach feast alone, there’s the visual feast right before you.

I was invited by Miss Pris Yap, who’s the consultant for Tetsu for a food tasting session. Here i will like to put disclaimer first, the review written herein will not be influence simply because this is a food tasting session. Whatever written herein is the Frank and Honest opinions of my friend and i who went to Tetsu for the occasion.

We had the assurance from Miss Yap that they will seek our honest opinion to improve Tetsu, and that every visit to Tetsu will be the same, the food will not look or taste specially good just because this is a food tasting event.

My secret food partner joins me for Tetsu, and she’s a lover of Japanese food, so the review will be a combination of what both of us felt about the meal.

There’s also a VIP room which u can actually make a reservation to book it if you have a certain number of guests, around 10 at least if i’m not wrong.

At Tetsu, there are affordable set lunches from the Jubako, Katsu, Tempura,Sakana (fish) which are in the 20s to 30s price range. I’ll say the set meals are definitely value-for-money.

There is also the designer Kaiseki sets available. Kaiseki is an 5 course set, made up of 4 seasonal appetizers, designer salad, premium kushi-style main course, imported udon from Japan, and dessert at a mere $35. Of course there are more expensive options of the Kaiseki sets going at $45 and $55.

A wide range of Sake, Shoju, and wine are also available to go along with the food. We didn’t had any Sake because it was still early in the afternoon. Perhaps next time!

Salmon Carpaccio ($18)

For appetizer to start off our meal at Tetsu, we had the Salmon Carpaccio with french dressing. Carpaccio originated from Italy, and its usually slices of beef, tuna, or veal traditionally thinly sliced or pounded thin, with olive oil or vinaigrette drizzled over it.

We’ll preferred the carpaccio to be slice thinner, the thick and generous slices of the carpaccio at Tetsu is almost akin to sashimi portions. For people who like sashimi, they will probably have mixed feelings for this dish because usually sashimi lovers like the clean and fresh taste of the fish, and its raw texture on its own, but for this salmon, it has a french dressing on it.

Nonetheless, the Salmon Carpaccio is quite fresh, and with the current Citibank promotion, receive this as a complimentary with a minimum spending of $50.

The Salmon Carpaccio is an interesting take on fusion japanese & italian appetizer (although this is done with french dressing). The french dressing helps to balances the richness of the salmon with the complex sweet and sour taste of the dressing, the contrast between the taste is definitely appealing.

Roll sushi 6 Pieces ($18)

The roll sushi is covered with crunchy sesame seeds, but on the other end the sushis can actually can get quite dry. My friend thought that if the roll sushi comes with some sauce it will be perfect.

Traditionally sushi rolls are supposed to be eaten in one mouthful by putting the whole sushi inside. But the sushi here is a tad too big, so we couldn’t really fit it into our mouth.

Apparently it has salmon and scallops inside, though when mixed together the scallops taste can’t really be felt. The blend of crunchy sesame seeds and tobiko makes its quite yummy though. However at $18 for 6 pieces, it is considered rather expensive. Have this if you have the extra budget to spend on A la carte.

Onsentamago Tofu Salad ($13.50)

Onsen Tamago is hot spring egg. The eggs here are cooked slowly in hot water, so the whites are still soft while the yolks just slightly cooked. Blended together with tofu and sesame sauce, the combination offers a very refreshing approach to the normal salad.

The salad is served by mixing the egg together with the greens and tofu. A good appetizer if you are like us, prefer runny eggs.

Thats all for our A la carte starters, just to recap, we had the Salmon Carpaccio, the roll sushi and the Onsentamago Tofu Salad. All these three appetizers are ordered from the A la carte menu and are not in the set meals which are coming up next.

Rosu Katsu Set ($24.50)

The Rosu Katsu (Pork Loin) set is the actual main course that we are having for our lunch. There are two options for the Katsu set, you can choose from either the Rosu Katsu (pork loin) or the Hire Katsu (fillet katsu). Pork loin is fatter than fillet katsu in nature, which makes it more tender than Hire Katsu.

Another interesting point to note, besides the usual sauce that comes with the Katsu, Tetsu provides an alternative, the curry powder to go along with the pork loin. The curry powder is another option if you are sick of the usual sauce, however the powder here is quite on the salty side, so just dipped into it slightly.

The katsu is specially imported from Japan, lightly fried to produce a crust that is light but yet double the thickness of the usual katsu. The meat is marinated for 3 days to ensure its tasty and succulent texture.

Famed for their Katsu, the Kushi-age style (skewered with breaded batter) certainly lives up to expectations. The breaded style of the katsu is really good, the panko crumbs on it is very light which gives it a melt-in-your-mouth feel.

Furthermore, the katsu here has a generous cut, unlike some restaurants which cut the pork into very thin slices. At $24.50, the Rosu Katsu set is really a steal, definitely good value for money!

Fresh greens

The fresh greens are the appetizer which comes along with the Katsu set. Basically its a run of the mill salad with japanese sesame salad dressing, ordinary but yummy.

My partner likes the dressing for its slightly tangy but yet salty taste, and the texture of the sauce is creamy. But for me, i’m more of a fan for oily italian salad dressings, so this salad didn’t quite work out for me.

Kaiseki Set Course B ($45)

The Kaiseki Dinner course B comes with assorted 4 on a palatte as its appetizer, stick vegetable, Crab sukiyaki for the paper pot, with tempura as the main, and udon or rich, served with a dessert.

The main difference between course A ($35) and B ($45) is 10 bucks, with the addition of the Crab Sukiyaki. And the differiential between B ($45) and C ($55) is that C has an addition tuna carpaccio.

For our main course in the Kaiseki set B, the tempura is done kushi-tem style (tempura). It comes with six tempura, prawn, salmon, pork, beef, scallop and vegetables.

Tetsu is being known for its Katsu and Tempura aspects, and to tell the truth, we found the tempura to be quite a disappointment as we had expected better things from them. Right, the prawn was a bit small, not fat enough for a tempura, we didn’t get the “kick”from eating the prawn.

The Salmon (beside the prawn) was done better than the appetizer in the course.

My partner love the fresh air-flown scallop from Japan.

The seasonal vegetables are zuchinni and okra which my partner found it to be all right, but i didn’t like my vegetables to do it in this way, i prefer them green!

The pork and beef were quite average too. One thing that my partner concluded was if the mains are done in Kushi-age (breaded) rather than the one we had Kushi-tem (tempura), we felt that it will be definitely be better.

We felt that the tempura batter had nice texture, but it wasn’t seasoned enough, so it was quite tasteless for us. Nevertheless the batter is very light, not that oily and it didn’t leave any oily aftertaste that mediocre tempuras do.

The only reason we can conclude for the disappointment in the Tempura is because we had such high hopes for them, so even they are quite good, but they didn’t come out as well as we are expecting. You should try the Kushi-age (breaded) for this main!

Assorted 4 on palette

This is the appetizer for the course B. One thing that i liked about the starters in Tetsu course meal is that they are changed regularly because the chef will always pick the freshest ingredient for the current season.

The appetizer is suppose to comes in the different flavors, sweet, salty, and sour. Specially designed to tantalize your taste buds and “prepared” them for the main course.

I like the zesty chicken too which comes with orange and lemon flavour to provide the sour-ish taste.

My partner didn’t like the Salmon teriyaki, she preferred the tamago and prawn which helps to the sweet flavoring of the salmon.

Cod is done with miso, to give the salty flavor.

Stick vegetables

The Stick Vegetables also comes part of the Kaiseki set B. Its just your normal vegetables, but it comes with a soy-bean like sauce.

Kani-Suki (Crab Sukiyaki)

The prelude to the main, there’s the snow crab legs which are filled with snowy sweet white meat. However we lamented the fact that there is only two crab legs.

The Japanese straw mushroom is always nice in sukiyaki. And the soup base here is nicer than the other sukiyaki we tried before. It tasted sweet but not excessively so till its artificial.

Inaniwa Udon (warm)

The Inaniwa Udon is also imported from Japan. but the warm udon had a nice soup base so it’s good for rainy days.

Inaniwa Udon (cold) ($6.80)

The udon is not the fat kind, and its sort of flat like ipoh hor fun, nice and slippery! One of the udon comes with the Kaiseki set, and we ordered another one to try both the cold and hot udon.

Banana Tempura & Ice ($7.80)

In our frank opinion, the banana tempura is a ripped-off. For two pieces of banana tempura, we can get better ones at the hawker center at 50 cents each. Certainly not worth the price tag of $7.80!

Kisetsu ice & Warabimochi Monaka ($7.80)

This dessert fares slightly better than the Banana tempura. The combination of the Japanese Mochi with one scoop of normal vanilla ice cream is quite good, but still not worth the hefty price that comes along with it.

Kokonatsu Milk Purin ($5.80)

We concluded that the Kokonatsu milk purin, or coconut pudding is the best among the three desserts. This pudding is something new to us, not your usual run of the mill Japanese dessert which you commonly find in Singapore Japanese restaurants even though its supposed to be a classic Japanese dessert.

Coconut flavor wasnt that strong, we like the sublet flavor! hmm it was really pudding not creamy so i dont really like it
The coconut pudding is good to try for novelty, and it comes with the Kaiseki course set anyway, so there’s no need to order additional dessert.

Tetsu is certainly a nice place to try if you are looking for Japanese food. The set meals are really value-for-money, and the Kaisekis course meals, although heavier in price tag, but they provide more in variety and quality also. We felt that if its two person going to Tetsu, you can either order two set meals, or order one Kaisekis Course meals, and something from the A la carte menu.

The reasonable and affordable pricing at Tetsu means that you will no longer need to spend a bomb for your favourite Japanese food anymore. Tetsu offers a really chic environment, quite unlike your traditional Japanese restaurant. Its an excellent place to either bring a date for her cravings of Japanese food, or a group of friends where you can chill out with the selections of Sake, Shoju, and wine.

My secret food partner and i, plus Miss Yap had a great afternoon enjoying and discussing about Japanese food, restaurants, and some off-topic conservations. We were so full from the meal! My thanks to Miss Yap for inviting us to a wonderful lunch experience at Tetsu.

And one other thing which I noticed, when we went in during 12 noon on a Monday afternoon, there wasn’t much people in the restaurant. But when the clock ticks towards two, the crowd starts coming in already. So you will be fine if you go during normal lunch hour, but still better to make a reservation.

I’ll certainly revisit Tetsu to try out their other stuff, maybe i will have the Kaisekis done in Kushi-age style (breaded) the next time! Tetsu’s at Tanglin Mall level 3, and remember to use your Citicard to get the free Salmon Carpaccio!

All in all, the Katsu is excellent! Its really a must-try if you visit Tetsu. The other fame of Tetsu, their Tempura leaves more to be desired, we felt that their Kushi-age style is better than the Kushi-Tem style. Nevertheless, the Kaisekis course meals are still value for quality. The desserts area is the part which i felt Tetsu must really improve on if i were to go back for a revisit. Being a big fan of any dessert, i must have a nice dessert after every meal. And the desserts selection there can’t quite make it for now.

Tetsu
163 Tanglin Road
#03-18 Tanglin Mall
Tel: 6836 3112

” Singapore’s First LIVE Kushi-style Tonkatsu & Tempura restaurant “

Bistro One Zero Three sounds quite interesting right? Being the inquisitive me, i was naturally attracted to the name, and hence the visit to the place. Located at Pasir Panjang, its not a place where you’ll imagine a restaurant like Bistro One Zero Three will be situated. Nevertheless, the ‘ulu’ place makes it fun to go to, as though like we are on a food-hunting trait.

Initially we thought it was near the Haw Par Villa area, so we started looking for it there, but then how wrong we were, Bistro One Zero Three is at the other end of Pasir Panjang Road, quite near to PSA Building. If you are going there by train, i suggest stopping at HarbourFront and take a bus there, its only a couple of bus-stops away from HarbourFront.

The cosy 52 seater bistro is into its tenth-month, and started by the owner Eric, together with his sister and his sister-in-law as the chef. Stepping into Bistro One Zero Three, we felt totally at home, the homely-wood furniture plays a part, but it is the friendly service of the owners who welcomed us enthusiastically, and serving us ice-water while we were going through the menu, that impressed us.

The Menu comprises of sandwiches, gourmet salads, some sides, spaghetti and the mains. They are actually in the midst of introducing more items to the menu, but meanwhile, this are the options available.

Besides dining, Bistro One Zero Three also provides services for birthday-party events, company functions. The previous night they just had a event where guests let their hairs down and party till late night at the bistro. The bistro is a draw for the working crowd during weekdays, and on fridays & saturdays there are people like you and me who specially visit the place.

Well, i like the early-bird feeling, when we got there for a early lunch, we had the whole place to ourselves, totally like what i experienced in Sweet Indulgence! Being hungry people, we went through the menu and didn’t have much problem ordering the food. My dining companion being a Salmon-lover, naturally she’ll order Pan-fried Salmon. My two other mates had Cajun chicken wrap and Salmon & crab meat spaghetti, while i had the bacon, ham, mushroom spaghetti.

Salmon & Crab Meat Spaghetti ($14.50)

We began our meal at Bistro One Zero Three with the Salmon & Crab meat Spaghetti. With two generous piece of salmon on the tomato-based spaghetti, it got our salivary gland working even before we started eating! While slurping down the pasta, we can also taste the crab meat which goes quite well together.

Bacon, Ham & Mushroom Spaghetti ($13.50)

There are tomato, carbonara style and aglio olio options to choose from, I chose carbonara style since the other spaghetti is tomato-based. The carbonara Bacon, Mushroom Spaghetti here at Bistro One Zero Three is slightly different from the usual one you’ll find in other restaurants.

Usually the egg in carbonara style will be mixed together and cook with the heat of the pasta itself, but in this case, the chef put on his thinking cap and played with his creativity by leaving the egg yolk on top of the pasta. This is a pleasant surprise for us knowing the chef actually put in his heart & soul into making something different from the norm.

Well, i’ll preferred the salmon spaghetti to this one, not that this is not good, but after trying both pasta, we come to a consensus that the tomato-based spaghetti here taste better!

Pan-fried Salmon ($16.50)

With Balsamic glaze & acompanied with seasonal vegetables, the Pan-fried salmon is a must-have for all the salmon-lovers out there. Balsamic dressing is a traditional flavoured vinegar commonly used in Italian cuisine, the Balsamic glaze here added a slight twist of Italiano to the salmon.

Cajun Chicken Wrap ($15.90)

Tomato herb Tortilla & Mesclun mix are found inside the Cajun Chicken Wrap. The chicken wrap does give me an oddly feeling of ‘popiah’. The two Cajun chicken wrap serving is rather small, and definitely not enough to serve a grown-up (well depending on the appetite also). My mate wasn’t full after he finished it.

Warm Brownie w/ French Vanilla ice cream ($5)

Who can resist the temptation of desserts after a meal? Not me, there is always room in my stomach for them! For the record, i love my desserts more than my main.

The warm brownie together with a scoop of the cold ice cream seems to match nicely together. The brownie is not too sweet also.

Panna cotta with Mocha ($5)

One thing about Bistro One Zero Three is that they currently have limited desserts selection, only two! So we ordered both the brownie and this one to share. The owners are looking for new additions to the desserts section, so we had to make do with this two for now.

At first glance, we thought that the dessert was a soup, but on second note, it was not! Panna Cotta is actually an Italian Dessert made by simmering together cream, milk and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, and letting it cool until set.

Panna Cotta is usually eaten plained or sweetened with vanilla, chocolate or fruits. But the one we had at Bistro One Zero Three gave a different twist by adding Mocha to flavour the dessert.

Total bill for 4 person (4 mains & 2 desserts) adds up to $82.86 (including GST & service charge). Overall the experience at Bistro One Zero Three is a positive one, and its a good place to chill out & dine with your friends. The place isn’t really inaccessible if you know where it is, just a few bus-stops away from Harbourfront. And the cozy environment and friendly service from the boss definitely makes it a plus for a revisit, but they need to work on their desserts selections if they are to satisfy my desserts-demand.

Bistro One Zero Three
103 Pasir Panjang 118531
Tel: 6476 6373

” Who say guys don’t like their desserts? I do! “

Sweet Indulgence, the petite cafe at Stanley Street is as charming as its name. From the decorations, to the food, to the service, everything just made you feels at home. Your cosy corner, in the hearts of the city. My female companion and i arrive at the place at 530pm, but the restaurant was not opened yet as their kitchen starts at 6. However the staff warmly welcome us in to the place. Being early-birds, we were the only diners there, and we enjoyed every moment there. The feeling was though we had booked the restaurant, and had the whole place to ourselves.

Upon stepping into the restaurant, I felt as if I had transported into another world all together. The bar counter, the simple yet comfortable furnitures under the dim spot-light made us feel totally at ease. The staff was very friendly, and he told us to make ourselves at home. So we heed his words, and literally make it our home.

Pretty is the word to describe the place, cozy is the word to describe the feeling, and indulgencing in the sweetness basically sums up everything else. We took photos, every shot and angles of the whole restaurant. While being overly engrossed in taking pictures, we even forgot to take our orders until we saw the chef sitting behind us.

The menu ranges from appetizer, salad, tapas, to the main course like pasta, fish & seafood, meats, to desserts and wine. Although under each category there might not have a wide range of selections, but for what it lack in variety, it made up for it in the pure quality and the presentation of the food.

And just for your information, the restaurant starts its lunch menu from 1145 to 230pm, dinner is served from 6 to 10pm. Indulge in a sumptuous three course set lunch at an additional $6.80 on top of the main course’s price.

Selections of wine available

The painting of the wall and the furniture colour blends in well together

The cozy corner seats

As we were in quite a rush for time, we didn’t have any appetizer or tapas to start the delightful meal, so we proceed on and begin with our main course. A peek into the menu, we immediately know what we wanted. As my female companion is a fan of spaghetti & also a lover of fish, the spaghetti salmon & mushroom seems to be tailor-made for her. To complete the fish-lover experience, i had the pan-sauteèd salmon steak.

The spaghetti selections come in the price range of $13.90 to $17.90, while the main course starts from $14.90 to $23.90 for its beef tenderloin.

Spaghetti Salmon & Mushroom ($15.90)

Spaghetti tossed with fresh salmon, mushrooms & seasonal vegetables in cream sauce. Being the fan of cream base rather than tomato base, the Spaghetti Salmon & Mushroom suits the tastebud of my companion perfectly. The sauce isn’t very strong, therefore it doesn’t overwhelm the overall taste of the dish. Coupled with the generous helping of fresh salmon & mushroom, every slurp of the pasta seems to exist for your savour of it.

Pan-sauteèd Salmon Steak ($19.90)

Pan-grilled salmon accompany with daily vegetables, serve with vanilla infused cream sauce, finished with balsamic reduction & caramelised cherry tomatoes. First taste into the Pan-sauteèd Salmon steak tell me this is something special, the second bite confirms the truth. The salmon is pan-grilled perfectly, where pan-grilled salmon in the hands of less-skillful chef will becomes hard and dry, this is definitely not the case at Sweet Indulgence.

The Salmon fillet that i had at Friends @ Jelita was slightly different, that one is coated with cripsy cajun crust. In this case, the grilled skin did not prevent me for tasting the soft and freshness of the juicy salmon. Some pepper and salt are sprinkled to add additional flavouring to the salmon, not that it is necessary, the salmon is so good that it can be eaten on its own.

The daily vegetables of broccoli and carrot helps to balance the meal, and the mashed potato together with the vanilla infused cream sauce certainly taste specially good. The only thing that i have to add will be the serving could be better, but i guess good food comes in appropriate serving, too much of a good thing spoils the taste.

Warm Choco Lava Indulgence ($8.90)

To end off our delightful meal, there is no doubt desserts are a must at such a sweet place like Sweet Indulgence. Warm chocolate cake filled with melted dark chocolate, served with tropical fruits and a scoop of ice cream.

Warm Choco Lava Indulgence’s filling very much satisfied the chocoholic in me. As our spoon cuts into the chocolate cake, the melted dark chocolate ooshed out and filled our spoon. Eaten separately, the warm dark chocolate taste like dark chocolate, and the ice cream like any other ordinary ice cream, but combine both together, the result is totally different. The warm dark chocolate seems to fuse perfectly with the cold vanilla ice cream, and the effect is a yummy sensation.

Tiramisu ($7.90)

Dessert couldn’t have been more satisfying than in the form of the popular Tiramisu. Original Italian tiramisu made with mascarpone cheese and Italian sponge fingers soaked in espresso and lots of kahlua, rum & brandy.

The Tiramisu i had at Wild Rocket was creative, but in my personal opinion, this ought to be one of my favourite Tiramisu. The first moment the tiramisu goes inside my mouth, I fell in love with it. Touching the tip of my tongue, the super soft texture of the cake immediately melt and touch my heart. Beautiful is the word, heavenly is the feeling, and falling in love with it concludes the tiramisu. I’ll be back for this one, watch out for it yeah!

Total bill for 2 main 2 desserts for 2 person comes up to $52.60 which is definitely not expensive, given the quality and presentation of the food, the excellent service, the comfy environment, which makes our dinner perfect. Also please be reminded that the restaurant is currently opened during weekdays only, there are plans to open on Sat in the near future.

After we finish our dinner, the boss of the restaurant, Christopher came and we had a friendly conservation, and the restaurant even gave us two complimentary orange juice on the house. The orange juice are some of the ones that they are looking to bring in from new suppliers and are not on the menu as yet.

If you visit the place and may not agree with me that the place is that good even its a small restaurant, hidden in the heart of the city. But the fact is I enjoyed the place very much indeed, and that is enough. We received dining vouchers in the form of $15 discount for every $60 spend in the dinner menu for our next visit. I will definitely be back for more. memorable dining experience – Sweet 2 Indulge

Sweet Indulgence
2 Stanley Street
Tel: 6223 7707

” I fell in love with you “