It my very first time trying out Kkongdon Barbeque and I was elated at the opportunity due to a company dinner. I was aware of Kkongdon Barbeque when I passed by Marina Square MRT linkway quite a number of times and have wanted to try out but never really got the chance. I did a search on Kkongdon to find out what it actually means, turn out the translation literally mean “best value for money” cause of its many varieties and Korean barbeque choices to choose from at a reasonable price. The restaurant’s décor is very simple modern hip Korean-ish. There is also a K-pop MTV video playing at the TV adjacent at the back which was pretty cool for K-pop lovers. Every table has a barbeque suction to minimize the barbeque smell from the barbeque. The barbeque plate was also very well thought of, it was titled so that it will drain the oil that came out from barbequing which was pretty smart. Since it is for dinner, I actually went for the dinner set ($20.80++) which comprises of both lamb and pork belly. They have other sets to choose from as well. The pork belly was well marinated and tasted rich and flavourful. I could have more of this. It actually went well with the sesame sauce and spicy red pepper sauce that is meant for the barbeque items. The Lamb was also good too, although it was marinated with a lot of pepper which was overpowering initially. The waiter actually helped to bring it back to wash it to reduce the spiciness. After which I enjoyed the lamb very much. It was actually quality meat, fresh and tasted delicious. You definitely can tell the difference. - Meat set (Lamb & Pork Belly)When you dine there you are also entitled to the Salad vegetable bar which comprises of many authentic Korean vegetables which is very good in complementing the barbeque. There is quite a decent selection to choose from ranging from Kimchi, Cabbage, Kelp, Lotus roots, Lettuce, Bean sprouts and Radish etc. All these were free flow! - Salad Bar - Korean VegetablesThe set actually came with a small plate of Korean Rice Cake and a Chicken Bean paste stew soup (Miso Soup). The Korean Rice Cake was good but I thought the sauce of it was pretty diluted. It would have been perfect if it was less watery. As for the Bean paste stew soup, it came bubbling hot and had many ingredients such as tofu, chicken bites, golden mushroom and some vegetables. There was a tinge of spiciness but it was tasty and warmth with every slurp. - Chicken Bean paste stew soup - Korean Rice Cake

I really enjoyed my time there perhaps because I went with a group. This place is definitely great for group gathering and hangout. Would definitely go back and recommend this place if you are craving for authentic Korean barbeque at affordable price.

Casa Tarfuto actually means House of truffles in Italian as the dishes there are cooked with truffles. Being a Truffle lover myself, I was all excited when the day arrived to dine there during the restaurant week. Upon arriving, the owner actually stood outside to greet us and when entering the restaurant you will feel that the restaurant’s setting and ambience is very elegant, classic Italian, homely with a warmth feel. Near the kitchen was decorated with many wine bottles like a typical Italian restaurant and there were some shelves with books placed on top of it that makes it feel like a little home. The restaurant has imported its truffles from Toscana, Marche and Umbria, all of which were freshly flown from Italy. I tapped on the restaurant week to visit there and the set lunch menu actually comprises of Tartufuta (Porcini Mushroom Soup), Manzo (Char-grilled Striploin that came with Truffle butter & Fries or Fettuccine with truffle cream) and lastly the Gelato (Truffle Ice Cream) for desserts. Since, I went with two other friends; I had the opportunity to share the dessert of the day. The 3-course truffle lunch set cost about $47 during the restaurant week.

So what’s my verdict for the dishes that I have tried?Tartufuta (Porcini Mushroom Soup)
I could taste the strong taste of the Porcini mushroom, the soup was rich, smooth, and velvety with strong fragrance of truffle from the truffle oil sprinkled over the soup. There are also bits of black truffle shavings in the mushroom soup itself that makes it so alluring. I couldn’t have enough of the Tartufuta. Manzo (Char-grilled Striploin that came with Truffle butter & Fries)
The Manzo came in medium rare. It was tender but a tad bit burnt at on the sides and it came with truffle butter at the top which gave it a buttery flavour. It came with fresh green salad by the side and truffle fries which I thought was only average. I did enjoy the beef but thought it can be better if it was not burnt. The truffle fries was not the best that I had. I thought it was a little bit overcooked otherwise it will be perfect.Gelato - Truffle Ice CreamTiramisuPistachio dessert

It was my first time trying Truffle Gelato. I don’t recall it selling in anywhere else that I have know off. The truffle taste was strong and the gelato tasted salty with right amount of creaminess. This was a really nice dessert to end the meal with.
The pistachio dessert was topped with bits of pistachio nuts; it seems to me as a gelato ice cream cake. The taste was so heavenly. The nuts just went well with the ice cream cake which wasn't overpowering. This is a recommended dessert.
I thought the Tiramisu was alright, it wasn’t too sweet and the texture was light and powdery with the coffee powder sprinkled over it. I had a wonderful dessert there all in all. Actually, I love the desserts there.

Music played at the background were Italian songs and you will feel you have been transported to some Italian home for a nice meal. Service was not too bad, waiters were very attentive and they topped up the ice water quite quickly even before we ran out of it.

This place is definitely worth a try, great and good for long conversations, especially dates ;) and one can sit and casually chat over a truffle meal, especially if you are a fan of truffle.

My friend actually introduced me The Black Swan after she went there and bunch of us went there to chill out on a Saturday night. To get there, if you are taking the MRT, you just have to exit via the path to Lao Pa Sat and that gets you to Cecil Street. The restaurant is located on the left and entrance is pretty iconic enough that you will hardly miss it. Although Cecil Street is quiet on a Saturday night as it is a central business district but once you step into the restaurant, you will feel that you have step into life into the Great Gatsby vibe. The counter staff at the entrance will warmly welcome you and usher you to your seats. The Black Swan is grandly embellished with a classic touch of the Jazz age. The bar is elegantly decorated with many different kind of liquors and bartender are busy preparing drinks for the patrons. The restaurant is also decorated with many interesting round balls looking chandeliers which was pretty dim but fits the mood perfectly.

I was there for drinks and light bites so a group of us only ordered Truffle Cut Fries ($9) and Wild Mushroom, Homemade Bacon Jam Mozzarella Crostini ($9) for sharing. I was really disappointed that the Baked Bone Marrow with Chili & Kombu was not available for that night and I would love to try that though but this gave me another chance to go back there again.Truffle Cut Fries ($9) – The fries had a strong truffle aroma, it was crispy and tasted well even with the mayonnaise and tomato sauce that came with it.Wild Mushroom, Homemade Bacon Jam Mozzarella Crostini ($9) – The ingredients actually blended well, the mushroom was fresh and the Mozzarella cheese was chewy. Do eat this while it is still warm once it is served.As for drinks I ordered the Silver Lining Cocktail ($19) which according to the waitress was one of the sweeter cocktails in the menu. It comprises of a velvety mixture of Amaretto (an alcoholic base made of almonds) together with peaches and egg white and was prettified by a twig of rosemary.

The service of this restaurant was perfect. The waiters and waitresses were very warm and attentive, constantly checking and looking if the tables needed anything. So far, this is one restaurant that I can attest to providing such observant service. They were also constantly topping up water which was a plus.

The restaurant indeed has its own charm and character that which is distinctive to other places. I really recommend this place to go so check it out for yourself and let this place wow you. Although the price may be more on the upscale end but I can assure you it is really worth a visit if you want to try out something different.

I was all excited when I heard that Jamie Italian was coming to Singapore and I knew I had to try. I actually had the opportunity to try the one in London previously and I really missed it. I made an online reservation in July for September so it was really a long wait till the day that I finally got to try. However, booking online have it advantages too as we were shown straight to our tables when we arrived. I heard they do allocate certain seats for walk-in customer as well but be prepared for a queue. Restaurant ambiance is pleasant and furnished with contemporary modern style fittings coupled with dim lightings. They have a counter and bread table where they prepare appetizers and what they call it Antipasti. The atmosphere of the restaurant is also somewhat noisy as the music in the background was really too loud in my opinion. It was hard to hold a conversation with my friend and I felt that I was shouting across my table. It will be perfect if the music would have been softer cause apart from appreciating the food at the restaurant, it is also important that some may want to be able to chat while eating. Apart from locals, I realized that the restaurant was also filled with a lot of expats as well.The menu was extensive and have a good selection. In the end, I ordered the Posh Chips ($7.50) as well as the Crispy Stuffed Risotto Balls ($11.50) for the sides. I also ordered the recommended Jool’s Favourite Sicilian Tuna Fusilli ($14.00/$21.00) which has two sizes to choose from and I decided to go with the regular size. I also tried the
Lamb Chop Lollipops ($29.90) and lastly ended with the two tempting desserts of Sour Cherry Bakewell ($9.50) and Tiramisu ($11.50).

So what’s my verdict for the food that I have tried?Posh Chips ($7.50) - The posh chips is actually truffle fries and it came with generous amount of Parmesan sprinkled at the top. This side a little disappointing as the fries was soggy. Risotto Balls ($11.50) - I’ve never seen Risotto Balls before or maybe is just me. But looking at the menu, this side looks interestingly enough to order so I thought I’ve give it a shot. Surprisingly, it was bland and did not have taste at all. It didn’t help even though I dipped this into the salsa sauce that came with it.Jool’s Favourite Sicilian Tuna Fusilli - ($14.00/$21.00) This was actually my favourite of all the food that I’ve ordered. It was filled with Albacore tuna also known as white meat tuna mixed together with tomatoes, garlic, some herbs, cinnamon and it came with one big spoonful of breadcrumbs fragranced with strong taste of herbs.
Lamb Chop Lollipops ($29.90) - This dish name is cute indeed. The lamb chops were grilled and came with crushed creamy artichoke with mint sauce. There were traces of roasted nuts, chilis and fresh mint as well which added tantalizing flavours to this dish.Sour Cherry Bakewell ($9.50) – It is a Berry tart filled with sweet almond filing and topped with what they called it a clementine sour ripped cream (clementine is a kind of mandarin orange citrus). I love this tart, though I do find the almond taste overpowering. The texture of the crust is baked perfectly together with sugary sour and mellow taste.
Tiramisu ($11.50) – The Tiramisu was served in a clay cold pan, interesting concept and topped with heavy cream. I felt that there wasn’t a balance mixture between the rum and coffee. The rum definitely overwhelmed the coffee and I prefer that it will be a good combination of both. However, I can tell that it was freshly made so that was a plus.

Overall, Food was only plausible and service was also only satisfactory in my opinion but I’m usually not very particular. Price is also on the pricey side and was not really worth it for it taste. However, I do enjoy their desserts better. I would probably go back to give it another chance to try their other dishes.

I enjoyed dining at Otto Locanda and it was one of the best Italian that I have tried so far. Not only the food was good but the service was superb. I just can't praise this place enough cause my friend and I really enjoyed my time there. I went on a Monday and there weren't that many people. There was this lady who was there attending and showing us our seat. She was really polite and she managed our orders. Upon seated and ordered, we were served with some ice water and not long after some bread. The bread came together with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was nice eating this way dipping into the olive oil rather than conventional butter. Bread was complimentary and it was really fragrant too. So both my friend and I ordered these few dishes for sharing, which I will share what the taste is like individually. We ordered altogether the Lasagna della Locanda ($23), the Ravioli Toscani ($24), Carnaroli Risotto with mix seafood & fresh basil pesto ($34) and lastly we topped off with a traditional Tiramisu for the finale since we are having Italian food.

This place has also one of the best service. What I noticed was that the waiter will come and check on you regularly if everything is alright and if they can serve the next dish. It is different as they allow you to eat at your on pace comparing to serving all the dishes at one go. This is really commendable cause not many places does that. Also, after our second dish, Chef Marco, the chef also came out and greeted us and check if the food was alright. The attentiveness just makes you feel special and it just makes your dining experience more memorable. Pricing is also affordable and I would say it is really quality food, so its really worth it. Fresh Baguette - This was served with a plate of Olive oil with some balsamic vinegar. The bread was fresh and fragrant. Lasagna della Locanda ($23)
This is a must-try dish! It is an entree dish and it consisted of oven baked truffle together with Porcini mushroom lasagna and what they called a light cherry tomato sauce. It was served hot and you can feel the warm lasagna and the cheese melts in your mouth. It was simply yumz! Ravioli Toscani ($24)
This dish is a Home-made Ravioli with tastes of butter and sage sauce on pureed lentils. It also contains Buffalo Ricotta cheese and Tuscan black cabbage. Black cabbage are not black in colour though. It is a wild cabbage also known as Kale. Anyway, this dish came second and I carefully savour every bite of this Ravioli, it was fresh, creamy and delicious. Carnaroli Risotto with mix seafood & fresh basil pesto ($34)
This was our last main dish. It was a special of the day which you won't find it in their normal menu. I was so glad my friend ordered this. It came with a generous amount of seafood and the Risotto was the best I have tasted. The differences is that this Risotto was softer than the usual ones that I have tasted. The flavours kind of wraps up the Risotto so when you take a mouthful of it, you can taste of all the combination of seafood which makes it so flavoursome. I am really not exaggerating, your really have to try it yourself. And, you can really taste a tinge of pesto which added an extra refreshing taste in this dish. Tiramisu al Caffe’
The traditional Tiramisu is just Wow! It was topped in an Espresso coffee sauce and The mixture of the coffee, alcohol, the texture was just so nice. It was well-done in my opinion. I was so full of joy and mesmerized by it with every bite. Ambience was really soothing with light music playing in the background with decoration of wine since it is an Italian restaurant. Lighting was dim, good for dates or a nice relaxing dinner. Place was also very convenient just next to Tanjong Pagar MRT. Do take the Exit B at Maxwell Chamber building and you will find it.