Eve

Garage offers one of the best risotto I've ever had! Was contemplating whether to order the Wagyu Beef/Beef Cheeks or try something new! Glad that I made the right choice and ordered the Squash Risotto $23.

The Gratinéed goat cheese perfectly complement otherwise subtle umami flavour of this creamy rice dish! Pleased that the short grains were not undercooked and loved how the baked pine nuts and thyme added depth to this smooth creamy-textured dish. Lovely. I could so imagine myself finishing 3 plates of this unknowingly. It's a little addictive.

It goes well with both beer and wine. Yup I had both! Oh if you are are a fan of tapas dishes just like me, try the Mini Wagyu ‘n’ Foie Burgers . It's awesome. I stole a piece from my pal. Ah will definitely be back to try more stuff from their new menu! Lovely!

SGD 40(Dinner)

Well, we tried 6 dishes in total excluding Pierside’s homemade bread.

We started with the Smoked Camembert and Manuka Honey on dark rye. I’ve never tasted Camembert and it’s now officially my favourite cheese! The smoked Camembert was soft with a fragrant aroma and earthy flavor. It went so well with the honey and crusty dark rye that I’ve died and gone to heaven.

YES that killed me! That piece of cheese (which looked a little like bits of salted fish) totally rawks with the layer of honey it was resting on and it was accompanied by Christmas Jones Cocktail. A sweet blend of strawberries, pineapple and vodka topped with lemon-lime soda, I thought that it is a rather refreshing festive cocktail. I had fun stirring the peppermint walking canes which made the drink mintier as it melts.

I was also pleased with these 2 goodies from Pierside’s Santa Bar Menu! This festive season, Santa’s Bar is available at Pierside from Mondays to Saturdays with DJ Matt Wainwright spinning every Fridays and Saturdays. That’s the best time to unwind to the beat and chow down festive inspired bar snacks and drinks. Must try the Smoked Camembert!

We also tried 3 dishes from the Truffle Menu ($180++ per person). First up it the chilled capellinni, yellow mushrooms with shaved truffle and soft quail’s egg. We were impressed by the bouncy texture of this very thin, rod-shaped paste that was a just slightly thinner than vermicelli. You know how soggy pasta always ruins a spaghetti dinner? Well, this one is perfectly al dente!

Were kinda shocked after tasting the dish because it looked so simple, yet the taste was so amazing. On my first bite, the paste gave of a really light, cool and refreshing feel. Then the mushrooms. Apparently yellow mushrooms highly prized for their exquisite flavor, color, and texture. It gave the otherwise tame paste a wild flavor with a hint of pepper.

Although Quail eggs are considered as a delicacy, I’ve never had anything special for it. The last time I had eggs from this edible game species, was bro’s birthday at New Lucky Restaurant. We had Chinese-style fried hard boiled Quail eggs that looked like cheese fried fish balls. Although Chef Robin’s version looked less exotic, it was wayyyy tastier because somehow, the gooey yolk was so flavoursome.

All in all, the chilled capellinni, yellow mushrooms with shaved truffle and soft quail’s egg was an unpretentious, full-toned entrée. How he managed to infuse such complex flavours into dainty dish? I have no idea. Nevertheless, I shall appreciate Chef Robin’s culinary skills by making sure nothing’s left on the plate.

Next from the Truffle Menu is the braised 300 day grain fed beef cheeks with artichoke barigoule, fried parsnips, truffle mash and Madeira sauce. That’s from the New Year’s Eve Dinner Menu. OK barigoule is actually a traditional Provençal dish of braised artichokes in a warm and slightly tangy white-wine broth. The artichoke barigoule beautifully dresses up the braised beef with a rich earthy flavor. Goodness. The beef cheeks were so tender the meat was like butter and melted in my mouth.

Oh if you’re wondering what’s Madeira sauce, it is a rich peppery sauce which is traditionally made with a Madeira wine. It is one among a group of traditional French sauces which are known as brown sauces and is typically served with meats like roast beef and chicken. On the other hand, Madeira wine is not just any other wine. This wine has been made in Portugal since the 1400s and has a particular distinct flavor because of the way in which it is fermented and handled.

As for the pan roasted maine scallops with caramelised belgium endive tarte tartin, preserved meyer lemon salt and micro basil, it’s from the New Year’s Eve Dinner Menu ($108++ per person inclusive of a glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV). Well, I thought that it was a nice fusion of Japanese and French cuisine. The scallop was sweet and juicy. Got my taste buds going with the zesty dressing that was like a mix of miso and vinegar. Then there was the Tarte Tatin, a delicious French favorite, an upside-down apple tart! Can you see it?

Last but not least, it’s the caramelised fine apple tarte tartin with almond dragee and white truffle ice cream (also from the truffle Menu). Loved the almonds but I’m not too fond of apples. The ice cream had a distinct hint of truffle but I got a little overwhelmed by the pricey fungi that day so this exquisite dessert didn’t quite worked for me.

An evening at Pierside spoilt me with delights and of course, truffles truffles and more truffles. Haha. Btw I will be back to try the Sunday brunch (Adults $40++ Kids $15++)! Heard that it’s really good. Since when weekend brunch on the waterfront ever sounds bad? I’m so keen to get cooked-to-order eggs, pasta and risotto for brunch! Not to mention the huge variety of bread: organic sour dough, brioche, waholemeal, ciabatta, lavosh & grisinni with homemade jams, dips, olive oil and butter. Yes I haven got started on the soups, salad, short orders and sweets.

2009-12-07

SGD 60(Dinner)

Had this delicacy with 3 other of my friends. CROCODILE PAW, $40/claypot! AWESOME! Never expect this reptile to taste so delicious! The broth was exceptionally herbie just the way I like it. The flesh has the chicken-like texture but slightly softer and it also has a slight flaky quality like fish! Very very interesting. I love the skin the most. It is thick, rubbery and wobbly. Well besides crocodile paw, they also have other cheaper dishes but all cooked with crocodile meat only. ME LIKEY! WILL BE BACK AGAIN FOR MORE CROC-CY DISH.

SGD 10(Other)

I love the Chef’s Special (Sashimi platter) $25.00. It’s very fresh! And the thick chucky slices of shashimi spells H-E-A-V-E-N.

Was there with a bunch of friends and we had the Nigiri platter that has Maguro $2, Sake Toro $2, Hamachi (a type of yellowtail) $4, Aburi Hotate $4 and Shime Saba (Mackerel) $3. Out of the five, I like the Saba (Mackerel) best! Special instructions from the chef to eat from the lighter taste to the stronger taste fish and not to dip the Aburi Hotate (Scallops)/the one with pinky paste on top of it on soy sauce. It was very useful to have the chef checking on us all the time to see if we are treating the sushi right.

Must-try item is the Anago $6! This perfectly simmered salt-water eel is slightly less rich and oily than the unagi!

The deep-fried chicken nuggets, Tori Karaage $6 had a good crispiness to it and I was also pleased that the Agedashi Tofu $5 had a slight crispiness before giving way to a sogginess as it absorbed the Dashi Broth which had light notes of the Kombu (Kelp) and Shoyu (Soy Sauce).

But my favourite has to be the Mix Kinoko Foil Yaki $10 was AWESOME! Mushrooms lovers alert! A good mix of Shitake, Enoki and Shimeji mushrooms glazed in a secret special sauce which the chef won’t tell and we just can’t figured out what is it. This is also a must-try.

My vote for drink of the day goes to the cool and smooth Asahi beer! SLurps Aaaaaaah. Goes really well with the California roll $6.

Kampai!

2009-11-30

SGD 25(Dinner)

This is where Baby and I go when we want to find ourselves a good treat. Most of the time ,we know what we want when we enter this restaurant. However, when in doubt, we’ll look out for signature dishes! The menu is very friendly and the recommendations are good.

MUST TRY: Tom Yum Goong garnished with coriander leaves! Thai Accent offers 2 version. The thick broth or the clear soup. We got the thick one which is spicier! They are very generous with the use fragrant herbs as we can smell the aromatic lemongrass and lime leaves as soon as the soup is served on the table. Extremely appetizing. Oh and this soup dish goes extremely well with the fragrant white rice. Yes, rice is free flow here! Don’t you love restaurants that are generous? *applauds*

The last time we came, we ordered the Green Curry Chicken. Zany of us to do that because just like the Tom Yum, we enjoyed having it with rice. So this time, we got smarter and got ourselves the Baked Honey Pork Ribs which was absolutely titillating!

Seriously, this is the best thai restaurant in SG.

SGD 20(Dinner)

Went for Halloween sky dining with the BF and it was fun. I love how the dishes had creative names.

First up, our Halloween cocktail! The Spicy Dracula! It contains vodka, celery stick and chilli padi bits served in salt-rimmed glass. It was a really quirky drink but I couldn’t finish it! There was some Tabasco sauce in it. Felt like I was sipping pizza. lol.

For appetizer, we had the Maggoty Pumpkin Soup served with ghoulish fingers. The soup was creamy and rich in flavour but… where were the maggots? Can’t find any gross maggots swimming in my soup.

Our main entree, Chucky’s Bloody Eye was ribeye on a bed of eyeball salad and roasted pumpkin. The steak was so tender I could cut it with a fork.

So after 2 rotations, we were escorted by our friendly butler, Grace to the VIP Lounge where we enjoyed dessert. Witches’ Hat was served with a choice of freshly brewed coffee or specialty tea.

Overall, we enjoyed the view and fine dining. It was a unique and romantic Halloween! $199 for a date with full butler service is pretty reasonable.

2009-11-02

SGD 100(Dinner)

I love this place! OMG it's not overly crowded on a public holiday and the ambiance was lovely like a japanese village. order the Hokke lunch set that cost about $11+. Totally worth it. The fish was excellently prepared and a squeeze of lime did the trick in making it extra appetising. Will definitely be back again to try out more unique authentic japanese offerings.

I went nuts over the Pan Roasted King Scallops with French Beans and Hazelnuts. Amazing. This tasted better than the scallops I had at Pierside. The scallops were cooked to the right texture and degree of done-ness. The sides of the scallops were beautifully panfriend with cocoa butter and were served with a light tasty sauce made by homemade fishstock with white wines, spices and hazelnut oil. I enjoyed this very very much! Being a big fan of light dishes, this dish was excellent!

The Homemade Spaghetti with Black Cod, Baby Artichokes and Mint was commendably al dente. The black cod tasted a little like Chilean sea bass but had salmon-like texture. The pasta was dressed with aunique artichoke sauce. According to Genevieve from Forlino, the sauce was prepared by sauteeing the artichokes with shallots, garlic, white wine, peppermint, italian parsley and spices before blending all to get a smooth cream! No wonder the dressing was so flavoursome.

The only course which disappointed me was the Roasted Pigeon with Goose Liver Sauce, Chanterelle Mushrooms and Wild Chicory. Though it was fresh ‘Bresse’ pigeon all the way from France, we didn’t finished it.The meat was a little tough and my partner complained that the wild chicory was too bitter. But I think it was pleasantly bitter. Our difference in taste explains why I adore bittergourds and he hates them.

SGD 50(Dinner)

I love the Braised Duck Pizza $18! Shared this enormous duck pizza with bf. love the luxurious truffle mayo. Perfect comfort food for a greedy couple like us. BTW business is good so be sure to call up and reserve a table beforehand. They are only open for dinner. Food is good. Dessert? Awesome. Get the apple crumble. Ambiance at the al-fresco dining area is suited for dreamy chats and mojitos. Will come here for future dates!

SGD 40

We had 4 chicken, 2 buttermilk biscuits, 6 popcorn shrimp, 1 regular mashed potato, 1 regular corn and 2 regular sjora juice. We could have the choice of New Orleans Spicy or Louisiana Mild for the chicken flavors but the staff don’t really care. We had to let them know and not wait for them to ask. Yes the service is pretty awful.

If not for Popeye's signature soft, crumbly, buttery biscuit and mashed potatoes which have the richest gravy with small chicken bits in it, I think no one would patronise Popeye due to it's super turn off service. Counter staff were slow and slow in comprehension. Tables were not cleared promptly. I think they lack training and is understaffed. We ordered Cajun Fries too but the evil counter/kitchen staff served them cold.

All in all, I still loooove Popeye’s chicken because it is so crispy yet not too dry. The skin is much better, fresher, and it seems like it used better spices than KFC’s! Come on Popeye, hire more competent staff and open a branch in the west!

2010-04-11

SGD 9(Dinner)

Had a wicked time at Cafe del mar with OpenRicers. Check out the video of OpenRice Calvintimo downing a quick fuck. Anyway I had a mojito and it's totally refreshing. More about the food.

Not sure if you are aware of it but hey, Cafe Del Mar serves lip-smacking food besides a unique range of cocktails. My top 3 picks have to be Classic Caesar Salad, Penne Carbonara and Baked Pacific Dory!!!

I think caesar salads are still very tasty though, and underappreciated! Love the light and tangy flavor. Cafe Del Mar's version of this staple salad was just delicious with a simple tasty dressing, bacon bits, toasted cubed croutons and romaine lettuce.

As for the Penne Carbonara? I'm lost for words. Once I savoured this simple but highly satiating penne carbonara, I can't stop. As a true pasta fan, I loveeee rich creamy stuff like this that makes a rich, tasty supper! I could so imagine myself taking ENDLESS servings of this. Cafe Del Mar presented a really comforting version of the carbonara served piping hot tossed with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh prawns. Sigh. Anyway who doesn't love carbonara? Nothing can go wrong with this dish that's on virtually everyone's (everyone I know at least) list of comfort food. N-I-C-E

Another fav was the Baked Pacific Dory. Served with simple mashed potatoes and beans, alfalfa sprouts and thick, tasty butter sauce, the freshness of the fish really stood out! Am impressed by the remarkable flavor and texture of the fish

SGD 35(Dinner)

had a salad and soup for lunch and it's really tasty. Extra love for the ceaser salad's cheesy crust which doubled up as a bowl for the greens. Smoked salmon is ok and the greens were fresh/crunchy. Whatever space that's left in my tummy was filled to the brim with a bowl of seafood goodness. i could taste the ocean. Anyway point it, Coffee Club's soup is wayyyy better than the lumpy mushroom soup I had at Swensen's the other day. urgh. BTW good news for Citibank card holders! 15% discount!

SGD 25(Lunch)

I love the black pepper steak here! It had a thin layer of chewy fats that added a depth of flavour to the otherwise flat piece of meaty beef slab. Sauce is perfect. Tangy and heavy. Side veg were cooked to perfection. Not too soft and still retained a slight crunch. I love crunchy vegs. Anyway, this is one of my fav place for lunch though there's always a queue of hungry ppl, the efficient staff always manage to clear the crowd fast. Only problem is there are limited seats so always go with a friend so he/she can RSVP the seats while you grab the grub.

SGD 10(Lunch)

Cuzzie recommended this place and we went there to rest our feet a couple of time after shopping at Far East. We ordered a bibimbap aka. “rice in stone cattle” each. The bibimbap looked really good. It is actually a bowl of warm white rice topped with mixed vegetables, a raw egg, sliced meat (we ordered beef) and gochujang (chili pepper paste)! We need to stir all these ingredients thoroughly before eating! Fun! BTW it’s great that the side dishes were refillable as I really don’t mind having extra servings of kimchi. 2 bibimbap + 5 refillable side dishes = happy moods, happy feet and happy tummies

SGD 15(Dinner)

I lovet the Tea Room! It's such a cosy space decorated with chandeliers, mirrors and paintings, as well as flanked by a six-metre cake showcase. This snug cafe is perfect for girlfriends to enjoy a cup of tea while updating themselves on the latest gossip.

All the pastries, coffee, cakes and chocolates at COVA looked exquisitely divine! But I wasn't there for high tea. Came by to try the festive menu. Fell head over feels for the Cappesante Avvolte nella Pancetta con Asparagi Verdi e Caviale di Barbabietole (woah that’s a really long name) aka seared sea scallops wrapped in pancetta served with green asparagus and beetroot caviar.The lead character of this dish is a juicy Hokkaido Scallop wrapped in pancetta and lightly seared. OMG the chubby scallop is so naturally sweet and it goes perfectly with the boiled asparagus and beetroot ‘caviar’! Haha yes the purplish ‘caviar’ is actually boiled diced beetroot. I like the colour of this dish. It looks so feisty. Love it. Hope they gonna have it on the menu again.

SGD 20(Lunch)