The Sqaure located on the 7th floor of Novotel Clarke Quay and in fact inter-connected with Liang Court is pretty accessible. The setting of the restaurant is that of simple yet sleek and exudes scents of classiness. One of the highlight to the restaurant is that they offer a couple of round table seating too!We were honored to have the first taste of their Peranakan line before their launch in August! The Square at Novotel Hotel has their buffet line menu changed on a monthly basis, last month was Sweet Indulgences which showcased Chef Sin Siak sweet creations in the cakes and dainty dessert cups and upcoming in the month of August is Peranakan Style by Chef Kishen. Here’s an insight to what you can expect from the Peranakan Style in the Month of August.Kueh Pie Tee – Crispy kueh pie tee cup filled with light tasting mixture of diced eggs, prawns and turnips. Indeed this appetite stimulating Kueh Pie Tee will make a good appetizer to kick start a meal.Bakwan Kepiting traditionally is meatballs made of pork and crab in a light yet appetizing soup base. Instead of crab, Chef Kishen has decided to make a twist to it and replace crab with chicken. The meatballs were very firm but with a little sourish and salty note to the soup though.Nonya Style Assam Fish (Deep fried and Steam Style) with grouper steamed / deep fried before adding the sauce on to it. The taste is a little light and fall short of the assam flavor, instead i thought it tasted more like sweet and sour fish. Nevertheless, the fish meat itself was real fresh and sweet.Chicken Devil Curry -note the keyword Devil! Don’t underestimate an un-intimidating looking curry as it can brings you wonders and surprises to your palette. Fresh herbs and chilli padi were used in this curry concoction to bring about a powerful tingling hot sensation to your taste bud. I’m someone who can and definitely love taking very spicy stuff, the kick and shiok-ness is way beyond words! Not for the faint-hearted! But control of heat could be done better here to ensure that all the chicken meats are cooked evenly and not some being undercooked or overcooked.A rendition was made to the traditional Ayam Buah Keluak. Instead of stuffing the fillings into the Buah Keluak, the chicken meat was cooked separately. It was my first time eating Buah Keluak, it’s another love-hate relationship, either you’ll like it or you’ll not like it, there’s no co-existence. The Buah Keluak has a strong nutty harsh taste which did not quite click well with me. But the gravy of the sauce was commendable.Babi Pongteh – Stewed pork with fermented soya beans. Second twist was made to this dish was the replacement of usual pork belly with a healthier choice of pork ribs and for better flavors. Usually the dish comes with companions like the black mushrooms and potatoes. The pork ribs were really tender and easily detached from the bones. Flavors were well absorbed into the ingredients, thick savory gravy yet not too salty. One of my favorite for the night!Here’s a special creation by chef Jimmy – Oysters Fritters! Oyster was fat and juicy in a coat of tempura-alike light and fluff batter. So crisp and one bite into it, with the juice bursting in your mouth.
Other than that, we are lucky to not only have a glimpse of what was included in their buffet line but also give it a go to all these delicious and yummy looking delicacies! I’m glad to share that this is one of the buffet with a good variety and included food of different categories and cooking methods. They strive not to serve repetitive food which just differs in cooking method. Here are some of the selection you can look forward to
Seafood on IceMay not be a wide selection but their seafood are definitely fresh and succulent with milky and creamy Oysters being their signature.
Live Cooking CounterThere are 4 dishes available for ordering – Laksa, Mee Rebus, Pasta and lastly Risotto. A good mix of Asian and Italian flavors. I’ve tried their Mushroom Risotto, it was creamy yet grainy. Surprisingly the rice wasn’t like the soft kind yet the dish was still able to bring out the creaminess and taste of a risotto.
Roast Deli CounterRoast of the day was Korean Chilli Rub Roasted Lamb. Very innovative use of condiments, the lamb is first marinated with sake and korean chilli before it is roasted to a coat of golden brown lustrous color with the meat within staying pinkish!
Cooked DishesAssorted dishes brimming with either their own local flavors or filled with fusion nuance. Among all, i like their Fried Kway Teow, not too soggy and salty and Clams in White Wine Broth, light yet meaty and succulent the best. But their fishes and crabs generally falls on the saltier side which was quite disappointing. With their Chilli Crabs being the signature, on certain days, other flavor such as Black Pepper or Salted Egg might be served instead. Despite the crab claws with decent size, the meat within have actually shriveled and one bite into it is nothing but overwhelmed with saltiness.
Desserts CornerYou will definitely be spoilt for choice! Welcome to the galore of desserts ranging from cakes to Dainty dessert cups, Durian pengat, Chocolate fondue, Ice cream and Fresh fruits! Their handmade cakes are filled with distinct flavors with each of them bringing a different taste and experience to your palette. If you prefer something lighter in taste, you should go for their Mango Mousse Cake, Lemon Meringue Tart (with the unsolved mystery of what i tasted it to be like melted marshmallow instead of what was suppose to be meringue) and Orange infused with Earl Grey, whereas if you are up for something heavier and intense, their Nutty Chocolate Cake is a must try followed by Chocolate Pineapple Cake and Devil Chocolate. Among the dainty dessert cups, Deconstructed Cheesecake filled with cookie crumbs as topping is praise-worthy while the Lemongrass Aloe Vera is one that you can give it a miss as the lemongrass was overpowering leaving a very bitter astringent taste on the palette.
Without the following chefs, there will be nothing as what you seen above. Once again, it’s my pleasure to meet these chefs and enjoy the delicacies they have prepared for us! Their buffet prices were quite reasonable given the ambiance and selections – Weekday Lunch Buffet: $38++, Weekend Lunch Buffet: $48++ and Daily Dinner Buffet: $58++. https://poohlovesfood.wordpress.com/2015/08/02/food-tasting-peranakan-buffet-line-at-the-sqaure-novotel-clarke-quay/ for the full review.

Gin Khao is one of the newest addition to the F&B scene along East Coast Park joining Long Beach Seafood, Ju Shin Jung and the others. Gin Khao is yet another familiar phrase to me, when i first came across it during my OCIP trip, bringing back so much fond memories. It basically means ‘To Eat’ in Thai. It has a vintage hut looking appearance which open its door to a brightly lighted modernized rustic dinning corner with dining tables adequately spaced out.We decided to place our order for drinks first while waiting for the dinner to begin. Instead of the usual Thai iced milk tea, i decided to go for something different – Coconut Mojito ($6.80). I was pretty excited and looking forward to it, but it turns out to be quite a disappointment. The coconut taste though was thin due to the numerous ice cubes but somewhat was still overpowering which makes the drink seems to be lacking of the mojito flavor.Soon after, our dishes started to arrive one after another. First up was one of their Thai Street Delight – Prawn and Green Mango Relish served with Thai Rice Cracker ($7.80). The relish that was a little sourish with piquant sensation from bits of chilli padi is a total appetizer to whet ones’ appetite. It goes pretty well with the Thai Rice Cracker which was light and crispy.The intriguing flavors did not seems to stop at the appetizer, somehow the flavor begin to build up one on top of another. The tangy Tom Yum Talay ($12.80) was up next. First mouthful of soup brings about the sourish note followed by the picante note at the aftertaste. What you will need now probably is a bowl of rice to go with this tantalizing soup base filled with fresh succulent seafood.I find this Clams steamed and simmered in Thai Beer Broth ($12.80) quite an interesting dish. It’s more of a love or hate dish as it has an invasive strong taste of beer, so if you neither like beer nor alcohol, you probably will not take a liking for this dish. I myself was pretty surprise how strong the beer taste was and how it lingers around your taste buds for quite a while. I guess i still prefer my clams to be in white wine broth instead. Nevertheless, the mussels were really fresh, sweet and succulent!Gai Tod Had Yai ($7.80) – Deep fried golden chicken chunks with the fragrance from the toasted garlic topped with bonito flakes accompanied with sweet chilli sauce. Meaty yet not oily, makes it a good dish to go with a glass of beer.Stir Fried Squid with Runny Salted Egg ($14.80) was the gem for the night. The golden yellow runny sauce filled with bits and remnants of the salted egg coupled with it’s fragrance makes it such a delightful pairing with the soft squid. The dish has totally hit the right notes of taste, flavor and color!Another surprise find was this Ka Nah Phat Pla ($8.80) which is basically stir fry kai lan in oyster sauce with salted fish. Simple it may sound but tasted well beyond its looks. Thick gravy filled with the aroma of oyster sauce and flavors enhanced with the salted fish giving the veggie a stronger overall taste. Kailan was fresh, crisp and flavorful. A dish that was refreshing to the taste buds from all the other taste stimulating dishes.Phat Neua ($13.80), a plate of spicy stir fry slice beef. What attracted me most to the dish is none other than the smooth, tender and flavorful beef slices that have pretty much absorb all the gravy of the dish.Phat THAI Kung ($13.80) – wok fried tang hoon with fresh river prawns. Lavish servings of 5 big and fresh prawns on a bed of tang hoon. Tang hoon was first stir fried with various spices, herbs and their secret sauce and after which cooked with the prawns to absorb and lock in the essence. Good that the tang hoon has a wok hei flavor but it has an over-sweet aftertaste when i was expecting something more savory instead.After a round of hearty mains, it’s time for some mind-blowing and provocative desserts creations. First round was 2 scoops of ice cream – Palm Sugar and Tom Yum! Yes, you had it right, Tom Yum flavor! Tom Yum flavor may sounds a little shocking and heavy to many, and that’s pretty true. Instead of the usual sweet or light flavored ice cream,what we are having here is something a little salty, a little sour and a little spicy all concentrated into this tiny ball of ice cream. Palm sugar on the other hand is more manageable, sweet but not too overwhelming. Both scoops of ice cream melts pretty fast due to it being a little airy and icy.Green Curry Gelato with Sticky Rice ($8.80) & Mango with Black Sticky Rice ($6.80) are another two enthralling fusion style desserts served to us that night entailing the burst of different flavors. The green curry gelato resembles that of an actual bowl of green curry but at a milder tone. The black sticky rice on the other hand was rather appealing with the right texture to chew on. Unlike the usual white glutinous rice, this black sticky rice is a little more grainy and gives a better mouth feel. For Mango with Black Sticky Rice, there’s a choice of traditional or fusion and what you are seeing here, is the fusion version. Instead of the usual chunk of glutinous rice that accompany the mangoes, it has transformed into a ball of glutinous rice ice cream. But the glutinous rice ice cream has failed to entice me as the sticky rice that was mixed within the ice cream was a little too hard to chew on. I guess i will prefer the pairing of sweet mangoes to the black sticky rice instead!Last but not least was another different from the norm dessert – Thai Tea Molten Lava Cake ($8.80). The cake was moist and dense with subtle taste of thai tea. I was expecting thai tea lava to be oozing out but to my surprise, it was condensed milk instead. The condensed milk sweetens the overall taste of the lava cake but did little to bring out the taste of thai tea though. I find it special, but more could be done to perfect it!
If you’re looking for traditional Thai food served with a twist and novelty, Gin Khao is the place for you!

https://poohlovesfood.wordpress.com/2015/07/26/food-tasting-gin-khao/

Nestled in a corner of Science Park 1 Oasis, Diamond Kitchen welcomes you into their spick and span dinning area through their grand sparkling crystal white entrance. The big dining area they have makes it ideal for big groups gathering. Diamond Kitchen offers chinese food fares at affordable prices but be prepared to splurge and indulge on their seafood specialties!The whole ambiance of Diamond Kitchen emanate traces of elegance and classiness.They have a couple of Media Recommendations and a Set Menu in addition to their Ala Carte Menu. Their 7-course Dinner Set Menu is priced at $88++ per person with a minimum of 4 people consists of Shredded Chicken with Abalone, Garlic Steamed Bamboo Clams, Hongkong Steamed/Superior Claypot Giant Grouper, Lobster porridge, Stir Fry Potatoes Leafs with Salted Fish, Diamond Gan Xiang Crab and Lemongrass Jelly. Otherwise you could go for their Ala-carte dishes, just like what we did!Lobster Porridge (~$120) is at seasonal price. We were quoted $12 per 100grams and 1 lobster weighed around 400-500 grams. What a hefty price we paid for, but i must admit every penny is well spent. The porridge broth is filled with essences and sweetness from the long hours cooking of lobster and various seafood. Each and every grain of rice is separated and has well absorbed the flavor of the broth. Instead of literally a porridge, it’s more of like rice and broth i would say. The main limelight of the dish is definitely none other than the Lobster, the freshness and crunchiness of the lobster meat which was cooked to the right texture has easily caused my heart to skip a beat. How I wish i could devour one after another!Superior Stock Clam Bee Hoon ($14) is definitely another of my favorite! I like how the stock is rich and brimming with flavors of Asari clams leaving an umami taste on the palette. Lavish servings of Asari clams with each Asari being fat, meaty and juicy, simply irresistible! A tip to not leave this dish untouched for too long as you will slowly see the depletion of the soup stock due to it all being soaked up by the bee hoon.Through a common and simple dish like Giant Grouper Slice Hor Fun ($12), we can determine if the standard of the restaurant is really up there. Dish served up to the table seen with pretty egg swirls and generous servings of grouper slices in addition to the super smooth hor fun. I find the ratio of sauce to the amount of ingredients is just nice and taste is not too salty.Lychee Sweet & Sour Pork ($14) with crunchy exterior and subtle balance of sweet and sour taste, not too overpowering and sauce is not too overwhelming. I like the mouth feel of these pork cubes, very meaty.The cereal of Cereal Sotong ($14) is really addictive due to its fragrance, crispiness with tinge of sweetness. However, i find some of the sotong a little overcooked resulting it to shrivel a little and a little too dry, tough and chewy.All in all, they provided a wonderful experience with the various seafood indulgences and kept the common dishes up to the standard. The staffs were rather attentive and helpful too. Highly recommended if you’re willing to spend and pamper yourself with these good food indulgences!

https://poohlovesfood.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/diamond-kitchen-science-park/

The Wicked Garlic should not be an unfamiliar name to many who are working in the CBD area. Prominently located near one of the side entrance into the International Plaza and just situated right opposite the UOB bank has attracted many of the working crowds during the lunch hour. Deck in a full coat of black with nothing too fanciful decorations, just simple seating arrangements with tables and chairs to sit the lunch crowd and satisfy their hungry stomach.The Wicked Garlic are known for their pasta and thin crust pizza. Besides an ala carte menu, they have a lunch set menu which varies daily and it consists of a pre-determined soup and main and a drink of your choice for just $12.70 nett. Their lunch menu slightly differs from the dinner menu, where they have additional dishes like risotto and one of their popular ones will be the Grilled Large Prawn in Curried Risotto. I’ve been there twice during my lunch hour. The first time i went, i ordered the Lunch Set ($12.70) – Cream of Mushroom Soup, Linguine tossed with Beef Ragu & Bacon in Pomodoro Sauce and Iced Lemon Tea. Decent food served at reasonable price. Good consistency and flavor for their mushroom soup with bits of wild mushrooms. Linguine were cooked to al dente with hint of sweet and sour flavor to the pomodoro sauce. Nothing too spectacular but instead it resembles that of a simple bolognese pasta dish.The second trip there, i decided to go for their Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Prawns ($11.70). Their Spaghetti Aglio Olio on its own will be $5.70, and you have the choice to add like mushrooms(+$1), bacon(+$2), squids(+$4) or prawns(+$6) at their respective prices. Spaghetti tossed in garlic, chilli, parsley, anchovies and extra virgin oil turns out to be extra flavorful and aromatic. I like their use of garlic which enhances the overall taste of the dish. Though i felt that the prawns fell a little short in the quality between crunchy succulent and a tad of softness but nevertheless, it is still rather fresh i would say. I much prefer this Spaghetti Aglio Oli with Prawns to the Linguine tossed with Beef Ragu & Bacon in Pomodoro Sauce in terms of flavor and taste wise.
Service was quite friendly and waiting time for the table was not too long which make it a good alternative to the hawkers food. But one bad thing about it, is the ventilation. As the area is quite cramp, they could not have a proper enclosed kitchen, so their kitchen follows the open top concept, so after a meal there, you will never fail to walk out without smelling like a dish of pasta.

https://poohlovesfood.wordpress.com/2015/07/17/the-wicked-garlic/

Contrary to the image, when the clock strikes 7pm, the snaking queue takes over to welcome you into their humble sushi bar! You will only get to see this side of The Sushi Bar before 7pm. If you do not wish to queue, it is highly advisable for you not to just make 1 week of reservation in advance but at least 2 weeks in advance because they kind of kept a fixed number of tables available for reservations which is pretty small.Similar to what an authentic Japanese restaurant does, apart from the fixed menu, it usually comes with another Daily/Catch of the Day Menu stating what are the fresh catches from the sea they have on that day itself. These Sashimi usually come at a much higher price due to its freshness and some being seasonal too.First appetizer to kick start the dinner is none other than the traditional Chawanmushi ($2.80). I guess it’s kind of hard to come across awful tasting Chawanmushi since it’s such an easy to make dish, and nothing too fanciful is needed to give it the finishing touch. But what makes this dish stands out the most it’s the smooth and silky egg with a touch of light seafood flavor to it.Next up was the Scallop Mentaiyaki ($13.90). Thinly sliced fresh scallop which are light in taste paired with the creamy mentaiyaki sauce and tiny fish roes under the quick glaze of fire brings the flavor to another height. It was simple yet an impressive dish.First gem of the restaurant is their Chirashidon. We went for their Normal chirashi-don ($24.90) which consists of 3 thick slices of each sashimi that were full of lustre – Salmon, Aburi Salmon, Tuna, Swordfish, Yellowtail and Scallop topped with Ikura (salmon roe). The cut of fish falls between common and something more premium. They are selfless in their ingredients, each slice of fish is that thick, fresh and succulent with the Swordfish having the extra bite in particular. Their generosity of sashimi has definitely surpass the proportion with the rice and way exceed my expectations for the price i’m paying for.Second gem of the night that we couldn’t miss was this Salmon Aburi Roll ($14.90). I love how the taste and texture of each ingredient has complement one another. The crunchy crispy battered prawn with buttery avocado wrapped around with sweet japanese sushi rice and half grilled salmon aburi goodness that literally melts in your mouth. It’s such a delicate delicacy.
The Sushi Bar definitely makes a good place to satisfy your japanese cravings at pocket friendly price yet not comprising on the quality in the food served. Despite the crowd, attentive and prompt service was rendered to us while we were there too. Highly recommended place!

https://poohlovesfood.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/the-sushi-bar/