kinara is a place so magical it's almost a restaurant that no one knows about. i had such a fantastic experience there — the service crew was excellent and proud of what they offer. they're so exquisite and detailed, even the pillars are vintage pieces from india and cost more than $10k to ship the special piece over.my camera skills ain't good enough to capture the beautiful outlet.i love this sort of lantern lights — very enchanting. they also had ipads for us to key in our dishes, and we could order from the ipad as well. they had photos and description for each food.we had a complimentary starter, and i didn't know what is called but it was crispy and really good.we had various sauces served to us as well, such as the minty basil sauce and some special in-house sauce. the tandoori bharwan aloo (grilled stuffed potatoes) was really yummy!! i totally loved the texture and flavours coming together.the chicken wasn't too spicy. it was thoroughly marinated wiht lots of spices but i felt that the portion was too tiny to share among two people. it's as if its a single portion only.the naan was really huge!!! loved the herb sprinkles. could be shared among three people.this was overly sweet — i felt like i was eating concentrated syrup. wouldn't recommend you trying this dish at all as it will send shivers down to your spine.

Previously, I have tried BERGs and was really satisfied with the sumptious burgers. Now i'm back for another round — fresh gourmet burgers at affordable prices just wont' come by easily.the outlet looks pretty casual and neat — almost like a tuckshop. to some, it may be plain but comfortable... for me, i just thought it looked too boring. no frills, that kinda thing.menu is clear cut, title is too fanciful for burgers but that's alright.i tried the Crikey Too... the fluffy muffin tops with lots of ingredients sandwiched between just made me want antoher bite.. and another, and another. before long, i've finished the entire $16+ burger. a hefty price, some would say, but i think it's worth it for the quality.really fresh.. would love it if they presented it on a plate without the paper. looks so cheap-looking (but appearance is deceiving in this case).the patty is made from scratch, i'm not sure if they have a central kitchen but you can tell that it's put together quite recently because of the tenderness, juiciness!!! YUMMY!i hate bacons, but this was really almost without fats (making me love it more).I also ordered and would recommend Brekky Berg. Sounds like a morning kind ofmeal, but the Edam Cheese, Bergs special in-house sauce and aioli made it work so well that you can even eat it for supper. I mean it! the only downside of the meal was the fries — i've neverl iked thick cut fries and it got cold really quickly. really difficult to eat that much carbo. would appreciate if they had options of other side dishes.

If you're looking for something authentic, you might want to consider Chef's Noodle. As part of the Korean food street, the dishes offered are uniquely and authenticly korean. I know this because I had the privilege to meet the Head Chef behind the restaurant, who had flown in from Korea to impart his skills.the menu is pretty and presented various specialties that provides a homely feeling.from black to white pages, the restaurant offers a wide variety of healthy food with protein selection.the menu is also pretty detailed, so you don't have to ask what the name means or refers to.the portion was exactly what i saw in the menu and i loved the egg. it was sweet, a lovely addition to the dish!the potato croquettes are made up of yam paste and potato. it's contrasting flavours of sweet and savoury is very well-balanced, and crispy at the same time. would definitely recommend this dish.this is the first signature that you'd see in the menu... they are so generous with their ingredients that i think the hearty bowl could be shared among two people.lots of varieties and ingredients — i could hardly tell what i was eating because all was yummy!

Stepping into ParaThai is akin to walking into a modern art gallery, with pieces ranging from pottery to paintings to photography. This new restaurant concept debuted in early November, and the novelty factor is indeed evident. I was greeted with a resounding "Sawadee ka' (Thai for hello) before being ushered to my seat. A landscape photo of a Thai lady with her hands clasped together in a wai is displayed near the kitchen, and handicraft such as Thai pots are neatly shelved to enhance the Thai dining experience. Read till the end to find out how to receive a $20 dining voucher.Led by Chef Meaw, the team stays true to the rich Thai culinary culture and its ancient flavours. After previous media tastings with Paradise Inn, Paradise Dynasty and Canton Paradise, I was excited to try out Paradise Group Holding's new Thai food concept at One KM mall!Really excited to try out their new Thai concept!

The technology-savvy restaurant has an e-concierge at the entrance, featuring its Facebook page as well as membership enquiries.E-Concierge at ParaThai

The menu consists of a hard-cover purple booklet. I loved how they kept it simple with only one booklet, thus making the ordering process so much easier and smoother.Appetiser section of the menu

* denotes my recommendations

1. Hor Mok Pla (Thai Style Otak-otak)* — S$10.90Thai Style Otak-otak

The portion is huge enough to share amongst four people. I was there with my family and all of us thoroughly enjoyed this brightly-coloured dish. Each portion was warm, thick and mildly spicy. Furthermore, the mackerel was really fresh and juicy!

2. Tom Yum Goong (Tom Yum soup with Sea Prawns)* — S$7.90Super spicy Tom Yum soup with Sea Prawns

Tucking into this bowl of Tom Yum soup, I felt like a bomb went off in my throat. It was SUPER shiok (Singaporean slang for extremely delicious)! I have never been fond of sour foods, but this was somehow refreshingly tasty. An entire prawn was dunked in the soup (complete with head and shell) and the juices made the soup a wholesomely appetising one.Menacing-looking prawn

Brace yourself for each gulp! I would suggest you take small sips because I ended up coughing when I drank an entire spoonful. If you think you have a high threshold for spiciness, take up this challenge! Let me know if you are able to conquer it!

3. Suer Rong Hai (“Crying Tiger” BBQ Beef Steak served with Homemade Sauce)BBQ Beef Steak with Homemade Sauce

These thick cuts of beef had a softer texture at both ends, but were harder towards the centre. "Crying tiger" certainly calls for some stretch of the imagination to interpret; its name actually derives from the flame rising as the beef fat drips onto the charcoal (resembling a crying tiger). The meat was juicy and didn't require much sauce to pep it up. I felt the homemade sauce didn't do justice to the cow which sacrificed its life for this dish.

4. Phad Kha Na pla Kham (Stir-Fried Kailan with Salted Fish) — S$10.90Stir-Fried Kailan and the invisible salted fish

Without looking at the name of this dish, I wouldn't have known there was salted fish in it. Although the kailan (Chinese kale) was fresh and tasty, I was sorely disappointed by the extremely tiny pieces of salted fish. Furthermore, the portion was too small for the price.

5. Gai yang Para Thai (ParaThai style Grilled Chicken served with Green Papaya Salad)Gai yang Para Thai

This tasted like grilled chicken chop with nasi lemak. My family and I were quite disappointed with this dish as the rice was dry and the chicken was not served hot enough. The green papaya salad was very difficult to chew and a tad too sour.

6. Thai Green Curry Chicken — S$12.90 The Thai Green Curry Chicken was disappointing in terms of size and flavour. It came in a really small bowl and was only quarter-filled with curry. In fact, it didn't taste like green curry but seemed more like a gravy. The portion of chicken was really small as well, but the thick texture was comforting and satisfying!

7. Steamed Seabass with Lime* — S$29.90The gorgeous steamed seabass came in a food warmer tray. It was so huge that we attracted stares from other tables. I thought it looked like a submarine! Unfortunately, the fish looked pretty flat and I would prefer that the chefs prop up the head of the fish by placing some ingredients below. The gravy was uniquely Thai, with lots of lime and spices.The fish came with most of the bones removed, and was already cut into several slices for easy distribution. This is my personal favourite!

8. Thai Iced Tea — S$4.20

 

The Thai Iced Tea was pretty sweet. It seems as though a considerable amount of condensed milk (or sugar syrup) was used, while I prefer my tea to be more natural-tasting.Overly sweet Thai Iced Tea

Although I'm extremely sensitive to caffeine, I had no trouble falling asleep after having this at dinnertime. Interestingly, a mysterious brown substance was spotted at the bottom of the glass. It tasted like a chocolate-based syrup or malt-like liquid candy.

9. Thai Chendol* — S$5.80 Refreshing Thai Chendol

I have a sweet tooth and thoroughly enjoyed this! It had sufficiently large amounts of red beans and green starched noodles with pandan flavouring. The only drawback is that it was quite difficult to thoroughly mix the shaved ice and coconut milk.Prices are subject to 10% service charge and prevailing GST.

From now till 30 Jan 2015, receive a $20 dining voucher when you dine at ParaThai if you are a ANZ, OCBC or PGR Cardmember.

Are you a die-hard fanatic of all things Korean? You now get to experience a new casual dining experience with SYNC Korean Fusion Bistro. Opened in January, the bistro remains a relatively hidden gem as it is situated at a corner of Westgate. As the name suggests, SYNC desires to synchronise Korean and Western food, technology and lifestyle. The brand is powered by Samsung as part of its diversification strategy. 1. Okonomiyaki — S$12.00I gasped when I saw this dish on the menu. I had always thought of Okonomiyaki as a Japanese savoury pancake, and that Pajeon is a Korean version of it. Both the kimchi and seafood pancakes had their own merits. The seafood pancake was more flavourful with the bonito flakes on top, while the kimchi pancake was more plain, yet fragrant.I expected crispiness in each bite, but discovered an interesting thin and doughy texture instead. This portion is good for sharing among four, as an appetiser.

2. Bibimbap — S$12.90I loved how SYNC actually used a poached egg instead of a soft-boiled egg in the bibimbap. The five ingredients used were in perfect balance, and this definitely caters to diners looking for a fuller meal. The sauce had a slightly sour note, and this somehow accentuated the flavours of the other ingredients.

3. Gamja Tuikim — S$6.90One of the more noteworthy offerings at SYNC Korean Fusion Bistro was this plate of fries topped with kimchi nacho cheese. I felt like several flavourful expressions were going on in my mouth at once — there was a hint of spiciness from the kimchi, and a lightly sourish and salty flavour from the nacho cheese. This is definitely recommended for cheese lovers.

4. Smoked Duck Ramyun — S$13.90Mildly spicy, this Korean noodle soup features curly noodles with tofu, wakame, smoked duck and a soft-boiled egg. I must confess my initial disdain for this dish - "Isn't this instant noodles?" This has long been my perception of Korean ramyun, but this heartwarming bowl of noodles differentiates itself well from the 3-minute-to-prepare meal. The soup broth was very rich and flavourful, and the springy noodles were certainly a far cry from instant noodles.

5. Topokki — S$7.90Koreans have their own version of Lontong. These rice cakes are glazed with a spicy-sweet sauce and accompanied by fish cake slices, bacon, spring onion and a soft-boiled egg. They are extremely chewy and taste divine with that thick, sweet and savoury sauce. This dish is best shared with others, allowing you to sample the various ingredients without getting too stuffed.

6. Yangnyeom Tongdak — S$6.90How can chicken be this crispy?! This was the prevailing thought on my mind as I dug into these sweet and spicy winglets. The meat was really tender and the savoury juices oozed out to mix with the sweetness and spiciness. Every bite of this chicken is sophisticated because of the elaborate science that goes on in the cooking process. SYNC differentiates their chicken by adding a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

7. Matcha Lava Cake — S$7.90If you are able to order only one dish, make it the Matcha Lava Cake. This is probably the most satisfying dessert I have ever eaten in my life! I usually have a disinclination towards any dessert made with green tea, but this is extremely well-executed. Mere words fail to express how awfully delicious and tantalising this is! Watch the following video and you will know exactly what I mean.Last but not least, SYNC does not impose any service charges. However, you can rest assured that their service standards are comparable to those of many establishments with that ubiquitous 10% charge. 

Full review available at http://www.littletinysun.com/2014/10/7-must-try-korean-dishes-at-sync-korean.html

Supplementary Information:

SYNC Korean Fusion Bistro

Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive #03-01/01A

Singapore 608532

Mon - Thu: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

Fri - Sat: 11:00 am - 12:00 am

Sun: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

 

Recommended Dish(es):  Yangnyeom Tongdak,matcha lava cake,Topokki,Smoked Duck Ramyun,Gamja Tuikim,Okonomiyaki

 

Table Wait Time: 15 minute(s)

Spending per head: Approximately $16(Dinner)

Dining Offers: 信用卡優惠

Other Ratings:

Taste

 5  |  

Environment

 5  |  

Service

 2  |  

Clean

 4  |  

Price

 3

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