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

Popped by Canton Paradise @ I12 Katong one weekday afternoon for some dim sum to chase away the weekday blues. I honestly would have preferred Wah Lok but didn't quite fancy jostling with the CBD crowd and it definitely helped that the porridge at Canton Paradise had a certain allure. Just for the record, as at time of writing, I've been to Canton Paradise a total of 9 times in 3 months, but this is probably going to be my only post on Canton Paradise (I am usually too famished during lunch to bother taking photos). And yes, I'm that crazy about dim sum.

The place is huge and sports a rather "ancient Chinese" decor with its uneven brick walls and wooden decorative panels. If you can stand the cold air conditioning, ask for a booth seat (2-4 pax) because the other tables are spaced a tad too close for comfortable conversation.



BBQ Combination - We had the combination platter of BBQ pork belly with honey sauce and roasted pork, of which the former was sinfully better with a high fat to meat ratio and smothered in gooey honey marinade. I personally like to eat the BBQ pork belly with the salted peanuts that are served alongside. Makes for a nice contrast in both areas of taste and texture. Unfortunately, the BBQ pork's skin wasn't crisp enough and I think they need to add in a wee bit more salt for flavouring.



Steamed Cheong Fun with BBQ Pork - The cheong fun featured translucent but rather limp skin with a reasonable amount of BBQ pork filling. Decent but no great shakes. And remember to eat immediately when served, lest it turns cold and clammy.

Steamed Prawn Dumplings - Fresh, crunchy prawns coupled with translucent but mildly elastic skin. Pretty decent.

Steamed Pork Dumplings - The "porkyness" of the siew mai wasn't too overwhelming and the fat to lean meat ratio was reasonable. As with most dim sum items, eat them while they are hot.

Century Egg Porridge with Lean Meat - I personally think the porridge, especially the 皮蛋瘦肉粥, at Canton Paradise is quite good and this is one of the main reasons why I keep coming back. Consistently sticky with visible rice grains and a subtle, savoury aftertaste. And that's coming from someone who doesn't take century egg. The meatball porridge is nice as well but a little on the bland side.

Baked BBQ Honey Pork Bun - This is reminiscent of the one I had at Tim Ho Wan in HK. Unfortunately, the standards did not quite match up. For starters, the base was overly oily and the BBQ pork wasn't gooey enough. Decent but try the real thing from Tim Ho Wan when it opens in Singapore!

If my memory serves me correct, the bill for this lunch came up to around $50, which is pretty much the range you pay for decent quality dim sum these days. However the staff did seem a little overwhelmed with the place running at almost full capacity, which naturally led to slower service and forgotten requests.

See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2013/03/canton-paradise.html

It was a pretty last minute decision to have lunch at Ember and that explained the less than ideal seats (and photographs) we got. But nonetheless, lunch at Ember is always a happy time as the restaurant has never failed me in terms of consistency and service.

Complimentary Bread - What can I say? Excellent as usual. But as I was nursing a sore throat, I limited myself to seconds.

Pan Roasted Scallop with Parma Ham, Citrus and Tarragon Vinaigrette - Good, but still a little soft in my humble opinion. Would have ordered my usual foie gras but wasn't in the mood for any liver.

Pan Seared Chilean Seabass with Mushroom & Smoked Bacon Ragout, Truffle Yuzu Butter Sauce - Although the Marinated Cod with Black Miso, Sweet Peas and Herbed Potatoes is the one that usually runs out, I personally prefer the Chilean Seabass for its technique and outstanding flavours. Never fails to put brighten up my day although I'm not much of a fish lover.

Crispy Caramelized Pear Tart with Homemade Baileys Ice Cream - It was a toss up between the apple tart and the pear tart for desserts but we ordered the latter as we preferred a flaky, buttery ending to our meal as opposed to a flaky, caramelized one. I just wish they made this available in ala carte for lunch.

$93 for a great meal for 2. Worth every cent. I'll definitely remember to make my reservations early.

See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2012/12/ember-part-vi.html

We were itching for a nice brunch place without your usual weekend crowd and decided on Flutes, having dined there for dinner a couple of years back (when Francois Mermilliod, owner and chef of Absinthe, was still head chef).

Dining in the day offers a much better view of the lush greenery surrounding the restaurants as compared to dining at night. It also gives a notion of serenity and escapism from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. But maybe it's just self delusion. Haha.

U.S. Asparagus with poached egg, smoked salmon, hollandaise sauce - Both of us started off with the asparagus with poached egg and smoked salmon which was honestly quite decent though the asparagus did come across as a wee bit too soft. I did appreciate the buttery aftertaste though. Another gripe I had was that the poached egg wasn't runny enough but at least the hollandaise sauce had a nice savoury kick to it.

Beer Battered Snapper with fries, mixed leaf, malt vinegar or tartare sauce - I'm no fan of fried fish, especially those that come coated with flour and deep fried. But I must say this was quite palatable. The fish wasn't exactly very sweet but the flesh was firm without the flour being overly thick. And there was a tingling beer aftertaste. Best eaten with a dash of lemon and tartar sauce.

Beef Burger with sunny-side egg, lettuce, tomatoes, mustard, kikorangi - I happened to be in a burger mood that day so naturally I perked up when I saw it on the brunch menu. I wouldn't say it was great but it was decent enough to satisfy a craving. The patty was a little overdone (read. Dry) but surprisingly flavourful. I could make out the unevenness in the patty so it was likely to have been hand chopped. I did think the buns could have been toasted a little longer though.

Earl Grey Crème Brûlée with black sesame ice-cream, strawberries - Aesthetics (or lack of) aside, the creme brulee sported a nice thin layer of burnt caramel atop smooth, earl grey tinted custard. The scoop of black sesame ice cream was seriously quite a turn off especially when it started to melt but to be fair, it was quite rich and probably more suited to people who like black sesame. Tar anyone?

Belgian Waffle with strawberries, fresh cream, butter and maple syrup - To round up, we had the belgian waffles, which were light but nothing exceptional. Served up with butter cubes and rather diluted maple syrup. Disappointing.

A peaceful brunch for 2 cost us to the tune of about $45/pax. Standards seem to have plummeted since the departure of Chef Mermilliod. I probably won't be back unless food quality picks up.

See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2012/08/flutes-at-fort-ii.html

As luck would have it, we found ourselves at RWS once again and decided to drop by Chinois for some quiet time (and food!) on a Saturday afternoon. It was probably one of the few places that wasn't jam packed with visitors and we were (un)lucky to snag a window seat (do know that your back is clearly visible from the outside of the restaurant if you sit next to the window).

Kurobuta Pork Rib with Vinaigrette - We started off with the customary roast pork dish and I must say that some pieces were a little too fatty for comfort this time round. I liked the crisp skin and moderate quantity of salt though.

Oven-baked “San Xian” Gyozas with White Wine Cream Cheese Sauce

- I'm no big fan of gyoza so naturally I didn't quite take to this dish, although I must admit that it was quite different from what I had expected. The gyoza was soft and dipped into a concoction of cheese and tomato sauce. And honestly, that was all I tasted. Not a bad combination I must say... with bread that is.

Tofu with Crab Meat - This was a simple yet delicious dish. The tofu was mildly savoury and silky, drenched in a not too starchy gravy that boasted copious amounts of shredded crab meat and roe. And then there are the obligatory stalks of vegetable of course.

Braised Boston Lobster with Homemade Noodles - At the time of my visit, Chinois had a promotion for this dish as well as a couple of their signature dishes going at only $18++ - apparently a "very good deal" as our waitress candidly put forth. And I took her word for it. The truth be told, the noodles were a little too sweet (from the black sauce) for my liking. That aside, I appreciated the springy texture of the noodles and the fresh (and generous!) serving of fresh lobster.

Ramen with Live Prawn and Minced Meat Sauce - This was essentially zha jiang mian but with the addition of prawns. The noodles were springy while the accompanying meat sauce had a tinge of spice in it, making for a rather appetising eat. And not to forget about the huge duo of fresh, crunchy prawns that straddled both ends of the noodle roll. Simple yet satisfying.

After a 50% discount, the bill for lunch came to a very manageable $65 for 2, inclusive of drinks. Food quality was decent and ambience, relatively good. Service, though good, could be a little less uptight though, seeing that RWS is a family destination after all? One question though. What's the point of a smart casual dress code when lots of people still turn up in shorts and flip flops?

See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2012/07/chinois-part-ii.html