Justin Quek is arguably one of Singapore's most celebrated chefs and his restaurant, Sky On 57, opened with much fanfare as Singapore celebrated the return of one of its prodigal sons. 5 years on, we were excited to be part of the after party on the occasion of my good friend's visit to Singapore.As the name suggests, Sky On 57 is perched on the 57th level (top floor) of the iconic Marina Bay Sands and plays neighbour to the infinity pool (accessible to hotel guests). The view is naturally awesome, boasting a birds eye view of the marina bay area but only if you are seated in the alfresco area where the bar is. Still, you do get a limited view of the surroundings if you manage to snag a window seat.Complimentary Bread - There were a few different flavours of bread but all came across as average. Well, at least it helps you tide over the hunger pangs until the real food is served.JQ's Signature (+$5) - Chef Justin Quek's signature Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao (小笼包) required a top up of $5++ for a total of five pieces. The skin was a wee bit too thick but I loved the richness of flavours in the soup and filling; a hint of truffle starts off before the taste of foie gras kicks in together with a mild porkiness from the meat, which had bits of chewy fat for that added texture. A beautifully concocted and excellent dish in my humble opinion. Caveat - you must like foie gras to really enjoy this dish.

Jerusalem Artichoke Velouté - The velouté proved to be a great follow up to the xiao long bao; Creamy and rich without coming across as too heavy on the palate. Coupled with mild saltiness from the bacon bits, a crispiness from the croutons and crunchiness of the diced artichoke, it was a delight to consume. I hear the other soup option on the lunch menu, the Pumpkin Infused Superior Broth, was very good as well.Wagyu Beef (+$5) - I'm not sure this was worth the additional $5++ top up. Granted, the boneless wagyu beef was very tender with a tinge of red in the center and a light sweetness from being marinated in hoisin sauce. Finished off with a light sprinkle of salt and two miserable stalks of vegetable. Decent but definitely not wow and rather nauseating after the second piece.

Singapore "Sakura" Chicken Rice - Singapore's national dish, the ubiquitous chicken rice. Sky On 57's rendition boasted succulent meat with mildly crunchy skin and very little fat (through the use of sakura chicken, which is a local product by the way). Coupled with a bowl of fragrant, not overly oily rice that hinted strongly of ginger, this was one of the best chicken rice I've had thus far.

Comparisons with the famous Tian Tian Chicken Rice @ Maxwell are inevitable and although Tian Tian loses out quite a fair bit on the quality of meat, its rice actually tastes better but only if slathered with their "special sauce". In itself, Tian Tian's rice comes across as bland and rather flat. Then there is the comparison of price which is at least a 6x differential but I'm happy to fork out the extra dough for Sky On 57's offering, which also comes with a bowl of delicious corn soup, if that's any consolation.

De Sicilia - The cannoli came across as rather hard and reminded me a little of the crackers you eat with yusheng during Chinese New Year. Smoothly sweet from the mascarpone filling with a nutty finish courtesy of the pistachio topping. No great shakes honestly.

Churros - Fluffy but coated with way too much sugar, the churros came served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dish of viscous chocolate sauce. Very palatable but nothing out of the ordinary.

The 3 course set lunch stands at $55++/head and the 4 course at $65++ (before any optional adders), which is honestly a tad expensive given the overall hit and miss quality of the food (local/Asian fare tend to excel but the western dishes/desserts seem to falter). However, having said that, Sky On 57 does offer a great, albeit very pricey introduction to local cuisine in an uplifting environment with good service. I'll be happy to drop by again, if only for the chicken rice and the foie gras xiao long bao.

See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2016/01/sky-57-atas-chicken-rice-with-view.html

Our last meal at Flutes was at its old premises @ the lovely Fort Canning Park and the food was disappointing to say the least. Fast forward two years, we were due at the National Museum on a Saturday morning and decided to give Flutes another shot at brunch.

Located on the ground floor of the museum, Flute's interior is reminiscent of its old location; Wooden flooring coupled with wooden chairs, white table linen and huge windows that allow for direct sunlight. What's different is the noise level. Where the old outfit used to be plagued by noise problems due to the boxed up nature of the building, this new dining area has a higher ceiling and much better sound proofing.A Jar Of Confit Duck Rillette, Smoked Duck Ham, Ginger & Apple Chutney, Toast - The small jar of duck rillette wasn't overly rich but came across as a tad too greasy and could do with a little more shredding. Served alongside were slices of smoked duck that had whiffs of smokiness but could really benefit from more smoking time. Slices of crisp toast and a blob of sweet ginger apple chutney completed the picture. I personally didn't find the chutney very relevant as the sweetness didn't quite help cut through the creaminess of the rillette. Nonetheless still a decent appetiser.

Wagyu Beef Burger, Smoked Bacon, Egg & Truffle Shoestring Fries - This was a marked improvement over the burger I had the previous time. Done to a nice medium well as per my request and juicy with a distinct bovine taste. Topped with cheese, an oozing sunny side up and bacon for that extra sinfulness and runny texture. All sandwiched between two very crisp on the outside, mildly fluffy and sweet buns. A little more butter would have made it even better in my humble opinion. And who could ever say no to truffle shoestring fries?

Prawn Aglio Olio, Spagetthini, Garlic & Sesame Crumbs - The spaghetti was a tad on the soft side but came across light yet flavourful with the garlic and sesame crumbs whilst the prawns, though generous, seemed a tad undercooked. Decent but nothing to shout about.

Queen's Chocolate Perfection Pie - Two tones of milk chocolate neatly compressed within a crisp tart shell and drizzled with tons of white and milk chocolate shavings. Finished off with a strawberry jam and cream. Apparently this is one of Queen Elizabeth's favourite sweet dishes but looking at the royal recipe, I have my doubts that Flute's rendition is modeled after the original. Nonetheless a pretty nice eat if you have a sweet tooth.French Toast, Berries, White Chocolate & Pistachio - The highlight of our meal, the crème de la crème, the aesthetically pleasing French Toast dessert. Boasting a mildly crisp exterior yet soft and pillowy on the inside, this classic breakfast dish came topped with berries, pistachios, strawberries and edible flowers; Drizzled over with warm and sweet white chocolate sauce. Excellent! If I needed any reason to revisit Flutes, this would be it!

Brunch was a much improved affair and coupled with reasonably attentive service and great ambience, made for a pretty positive dining experience. All at a relatively reasonable price of $90 for 2 pax. We are already planning a return trip ;)

See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2015/03/flutes-part-iii-much-improved-brunch.html

It was meant to be a catch up dinner and although my last experience at Cherry Garden was forgettable (due to the less than ideal quality and quantity of food), I decided to give the restaurant yet another chance.I was still very much taken by the classic oriental decor with the dark wooden beams, red lanterns and pavilion like dining corners. Definitely a great place for a quiet and romantic date (that's if your date is into oriental fixtures).

Peking Duck - The 4 of us started off with a side order of half a peking duck; Carved table side with both skin and flesh intact and wrapped in a relatively thin and toasted crepe.Although not exactly the "traditional" way to enjoy peking duck (which usually places emphasis on the skin), I enjoyed it quite a bit thought the skin could have been a little more crisp. Great start!Cherry Garden's Hot & Cold Sampler - We swopped the braised beef in the hot sampler in favour of roasted pork due to religious constraints on the part of my dining partners. Though crackling crisp to a fault, the roasted pork was a tad too salty and porky for my liking. The other hot sampler was a scallop with salted egg yolk which I personally found to be average due to the sweetness of the scallop being overwhelmed by the egg yolk. I like salted egg yolk but I do think its a waste of such a huge scallop.
Drunken Chicken in hua diao and rose dew chinese wine made up the cold sampler and as much as I don't fancy chilled chicken soaked in wine, this was pretty decent. Lightly chilled for a more crunchy texture, the chicken spotted a light alcohol aftertaste which went down pretty smoothly.

Superior Broth with Shrimps, Scallops, Crabmeat, Conpoy, Maitake Mushrooms & Vegetables - Flavourful yet light with a variety of fresh ingredients, the soup was good to the last drop!

Braised Twelve Head Whole Abalone & Sea Cucumber with Premium Oyster Sauce - The twelve head abalone was good for 2 mouthfuls; Chewy and not overcooked. Served up with a piece of sea cucumber on a bed of vegetables. Nicely flavoured from the oyster sauce.

Wasabi-aioli Prawn with Salad of Duck Julienne & Jellyfish - Sporting a thin coat of flour smeared in wasabi, the prawns were deliciously crunchy without the wasabi taste coming on too strongly. The accompanying salad of duck and jellyfish was pretty nice as well; Firm slivers of duck coupled with the crunchiness of jellyfish.Oven Baked Honey Marinated Cod Fillet with Black Pepper - First looks, the cod looked uncannily like a piece of salmon due to the reddish exterior. But it was cod alright, boasting a velvety and naturally sweet flesh accentuated only by the honey marinate and the mildly peppery and aromatic black pepper sauce.

Steamed Marinated Chicken & Wild Rice Dumpling - A smallish rectangular block of mildly sweet, semi sticky rice with a moist layer of chicken wedged between, topped with roe and served in a rich and rather thick, savoury gravy. Tasted very similar to delicious glutinous rice sans the oil. One word. Excellent.

Homemade Organic Black Bean Pudding with Japanese Sesame Ice Cream - In typical Cherry Garden style, our dessert came served atop a container of dry ice submerged in water to give off that mystical, smokey effect. Theatrics aside, the black bean pudding was nicely quivery and immersed in what looked and tasted like a pandan infused broth. Adding to the texture were tiny chocolate balls, which gave it a nice crunch whilst the sesame ice cream added a chilly yet distinctive sesame perspective. Definitely ended the meal on a high (and sweet) note.

4 set dinners and half a duck for 4 hungry diners. The total cost? A cool $553. Sure, that hardly qualifies as cheap in any sense but the food quality has improved significantly since my last visit and is on par with some of the best Chinese restaurants in Singapore in my humble opinion. Service was quite accommodating as well and all in all, it was a great dinner. Looking forward to a return visit soon!

See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2014/05/cherry-garden-part-iv.html

Its been a while since I last stepped into Tao's, with my last visit being about one and a half years ago. Since I was in the vicinity, I couldn't resist dropping by to renew my acquaintance with this small humble eatery.

Occupying a space big enough for about 50 pax at the basement of Paradiz Centre, Tao's retains its clean lines and bright lighting to give the wholesome family dining feel. Tao's dining concept is rather different as the menu is fixed and you get to choose a dish for each course. There are 7 courses in total for dinner (I believe its 6 for lunch) but choices are rather limited.

Mushroom & Cheese Gratin and Toasted Bread - I personally like the gratin quite a bit, tasty yet not nausea inducing. It did come across as a little more watery this time round but portion size seemed to have grown slightly. When eaten with the lightly toasted bread, the combination really got me craving for more.

Curry Yogurt Prawn Salad - The prawn salad was a joke really. 3 thin slivers of prawns covering asparagus, cherry tomatoes and golden mushrooms. I could have easily stuffed all 3 into my mouth at one go. It didn't help that the accompanying curry sauce was rather strong and sweet.

Farm Boy Splendor - Having ordered the farm boy splendor on previous occasions, it certainly didn't impress me very much, coming across as very average. On a positive note, the pieces of chicken in it were sizable and the vegetables were relatively fresh.

Cream of Mushroom Soup - A most decent rendition of the humble cream of mushroom, with bits of mushroom in it and obviously not tasting like a straight out of the can variation. It would have been better if it was slightly more coagulated (less watery) though.

Wild Mushrooms - This has to be the only time that I found the wild mushrooms more enjoyable because they didn't taste too wild for me nor were there the irritating little hard bits present, unlike previous occasions. Not that I really fancy it that much still.

Slow Cooked Pork Back Ribs - The pork ribs is Tao's signature dish which has apparently won an award in some competition. The meat was fall of the bone tender but did come across as a tad too sweet, which made me rather sick after a while.

Tao's Oven Roasted Steak - The steak came almost well done although I had asked for medium rare. The presence of excessive tenderizer was also evident as the meat did seem a little too tender by normal standards. Probably the only positive thing about this dish was the gravy, which was a little peppery and relatively tasty.

Creme Brulee - Good Creme Brulees are made from real vanilla beans, not vanilla extract. Tao's rendition was made from the latter. Not that it tasted bad though, just that the layer of sugar atop was too thin and not even hard. Talk about poor execution.

Home Made Chocolate Mousse - Homemade stuff usually entail a certain standard, but the chocolate mousse was just plain weird by any standards. It tasted like a 2 layer cake with the mousse on top and kueh at the bottom. Definitely not for me.

Ice Grass Jelly Mint Tea - An excellent way to end off dinner, with a choice of teas. I personally like the grass jelly mint tea because its sweet and cool with a dash of freshness from the mint.

Prices at Tao's have not gone up since more than a year back, which is really commendable given the rising costs. $60++ for 2 set dinners is rather reasonable for the quality and quantity of food if you ask me. Service is excellent and friendly as well. I can't find a reason not to return.

Lunch was at Ember, the European restaurant of boutique hotel, Hotel 1929. Dinner there more then 2 years back was decent, but prices were rather steep, hence lunch this time round.

Strangely located at the former red light district of Keong Saik Road, Ember sits just next to the main lobby of Hotel 1929. The interior is smallish, allowing for only a cramp passageway to seperate the tables. Noise level here is still a problem as the ceiling is low and there is no avenue for noise to escape.

Complimentary Drink - I personally liked the bread quite a bit. It contained bits of cheese and sun dried tomatoes with crisp crust and tended a little to the savoury side. This is one bread I wouldn't mind having seconds, but alas time wasn't on my side.

Spiced Crabcake with Tomato Chutney - You get a choice of tomato chutney or oriental sauce for the crabcake and the former was chosen. What I liked about this crabcake was the absence of the overwhelming fishy taste that is rather prevalent in alot of crabcakes. I did think that the crab meat to the tomato/capsicum/herbs ratio could have been higher. ie. more crab meat please.

Pan Seared Scallops with Bacon Beurre Blanc, Mesclun with Hazelnut Vinaigrette - The scallops looked absolutely mouth watering in my humble opinion. Very well seared on the outside (probably a little too well though) yet retaining its tenderness and sweetness on the inside. The bacon beurre blanc (rich butter sauce) was excellent with a nice smooth bacon taste. I might be biased though because I fancy bacon quite a bit.

Pan Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Fricassee of Mushroom, Merlot Reduction - I had the tenderloin done medium rare and found it quite good - succulent and sweet. However, I did find the merlot reduction a little too sweet for my liking.

Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Ragout, Truffle Yuzu Butter - Ember's ever popular cod fish was sold out so we had to settle for the sea bass, which honestly wasn't bad. Sure, the fish was a wee bit fishy but came with crisp skin and tender flesh. The star however, was undoubtedly the sauce, which was just wonderful - a little creamy with hints of bacon and mushrooms.

Warm Banana Tart with Homemade Lavender Ice Cream - I had this the last time I patronised and honestly, I couldn't quite take the "perfumy" taste of the lavender ice cream, which reminded me of eating soap, to a milder extent. Nothing has changed since then and I guess its just a personal preference. The banana tart on the other hand, was very edible. Flaky without the taste of banana coming on too strongly. Goreng Pisang anyone

Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - One of the best chocolate fondants I've had this year. Slightly hardened crust with a moist and soft center that oozed viscious molten chocolate when broken. Paired with vanilla bean ice cream, it's a great way to end the meal.

I must say I enjoyed the food more then I did 2 years back and it cost slightly lesser - $100 for 2 pax. The magic of set lunches. Service was great, except towards the end when the wait staff seemed in a rush to get off work and we felt the pressure to finish up quick. And one thing I noticed, the menu hasn't changed significantly since day 1. I guess practise makes perfect eh