Alati Restaurant is a newly-opened Greek restaurant located in the CBD area, amongst a row of shophouses filled with restaurants, cafes and bars. "Alati" means "salt" in ancient Greek, and the restaurant is named so because of the fresh wild-caught seafood from the Aegean waters, bringing the taste of the sea right to your table. Ambience here is spatial, classically Greek in the bold tones of blue and white, spacious, chic. One feels exactly like they have stepped through the borders and crossed continents, and have landed at the Cyclades region easily. Comfort and excellent service are other qualiites this restaurant posess.The Dolmadakia (SGD$19.00) - vine leaves wrapped with rice and pine nuts, always one of my favorite dishes on the table. They were steamed till soft, and the leaves lent a subtle fragrance to the rice. The pine nuts added crunch to the simple but delicious dish.The Fyllo-wrapped Feta (SGD$15.00) was exactly that - a thin puff pastry encrusting feta cheese and deep-fried, drizzled with honey and seasme. The ingredients sounded simple, but the combination made for a tasty delight blend of flavours and textures, gentle without overpowering each other. I especially revelled in the touch of honey against the heavier flavour of the feta.The Dips were next - they are traditionally sold in individual flavours and portions, but for tasting purpose we had a platter of different dips. These dips are best served with a slice of their warm, handmade Pita Bread (SGD$4.00). The pita wowed the palate on its own, even before we coated it with dip.
Fava (SGD$13.00) is Santorini's bean puree with onions, tasting like chickpeas, with the same earthly tones and "sandy" coarse texture. Tzatsiki (SGD$15.00) is Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill and garlic - complete with hints of tart and saltiness. Taramosalata (SGD$16.00) aka cod roe cream was my favorite- like the Japanese mentaiko, creamy and sapid with roe's flavour. Melitzanosalata (SGD$16.00) is made of smoked eggplant with walnuts, smooth and thick in texture, with the light sweetness of eggplant.Then Lavraki (SGD$9.80 per 100g) aka Seabass, beautifully grilled and de-boned, served with lots of grilled vegetables. Dips were provided on the side, but the fish on its own was moist and tender; saccharine with freshness. One may choose to add SGD$10.00 to salt-bake the fish.Finally, Galaktoboureko (SGD$14.00) - lemon and cinnamon flavoured custard in phyllo pastry. This was beautifully decent- not too sweet despite its appearance. The dessert itself was satin smooth, a light hint of savoury broken through by zesty pierce of lemon. Some may not like it at first bite, because of the exotic taste; but the flavour grows on you, and it becomes addictive after that. I would choose to have this again when I return to the restaurant for my meals.
For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/01/media-invite-dinner-at-alati-divine.html
 

Exterior

 

Nestled along the row of shophouses at Keong Saik Road is The Daily Roundup, a cosy cafe / crêperie serving heavy brunches, aromatic coffee as well as delicious desserts. For their crêpes, they even collaborated with one of Singapore's most prestigious French chefs to come up with distinctly light yet immensely satisfying crêpes for dessert lovers.The Daily Roundup is also founded by the owner of The Working Capitol, which explains why it sits in TWC's foyer. Just for your information, TWC is a shared co-working and event space, constantly filled with networking attendees as well as entrepreneur types. Sidney had the usual Skim Latte (SGD$5.00), which he said was very good.I chose the Cappuccino (SGD$5.00), reveling in the aromatic flavour of the foamy coffee, a medium-bodied coffee beverage topped with pretty latte art.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/01/afternoon-tea-at-daily-roundup-cafe.html

Two Men Bagels House was started by two blokes, Jerome and Jereborne Lim in 2014, through their fascination and love for bagels, and to bring the goodness of bagels with fresh ingredients to Singaporeans. This simple, casual cafe is located in a small corner in Icon Village, Tanjong Pagar, catering to the needs of the CBD crowd and residents nearby. As the name goes, Two Men Bagels House only serves bagels, but there's quite a few types of varieties of ingredients.*Jalpeth chose the one with the Smoked Salmon with Dill Cream Cheese. He enjoyed the delicious concoction and succulence of the salmon.I chose the Salted Beef Brisket - doughy chewiness of the bagels, flanking flavourful gherkins and the juiciest and tender beef brisket slices. The combination of taste and texture was brilliant, and even me as a carbo-avoider finished my lovely bagels - every bite of this bagel-wich!

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/01/lunch-at-two-men-bagel-house-tanjong.html

Adding on to the healthy foodstyle and bustling food scene in Singapore, is Aloha Poké (pronounced "pok-kay"), Hawaiian staple and choice food of surfers. This traditionally Hawaiian salad bar is the first of its kind in Singapore, ensuring that diners will be transported to Hawaii's Wakiki Beach with the well-seasoned fish and crisp vegetables, bringing a whiff of the refreshing breeze of Hawaii's beaches.I visited with *Katherine and *Mira, and appreciate the latter for recommending this awesome, beautiful place designed with a rich Hawaiian style - simple, yet rich with Hawaiian flavour. Coconut husks are used as decor, so is a surfboard in the corner (not photographed). Service was very friendly and all smiles, despite the CBD-lunch crowd frenzy.I had Kale for my salad base, and had salmon, dried grapes, edamamme beans, pomegranite etc.The salads were undeniably tasty and utterly flavourful in every bite. The ingredients were very fresh and appetising. It gave that kind of feeling, you know, after eating it you'd keep having craving for it again and again. In fact, I might return tomorrow to have it again.For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/01/lunch-at-aloha-poke-salad-bar-amoy.html

Nestled at the far end of Singapore - at Punggol Waterway is a cafe by the river known as Whisk and Paddle. The cafe has expanse of space as well as the luxury of the gorgeous views of the waterway - ponds and lush greenery - all forming part of the natural backdrop. By day or night, it makes chilling out here a pleasant experienceThe Black Sesame Latte (SGD$5.50) was milky, frothy and rich in black sesame's distinctive flavour, a little ashy, yet sweet and thick. It is the kind of acquired flavour you'd either hate or love immensely.For desserts, we chose the Tropical Brûlée (SGD$13.80) - made up of half a chocolate waffle, banana brûlée, crème caramel, almond flakes and chocolate sauce. The presentation was pretty and indulgent; the ingredients rich and appetising. The crispy waffles were rich in chocolate's taste, paired perfectly with the smooth caramel crème or crackling-coated bananas. This waffle was so delicious and filling, one could have it as a meal!Next, Cheesecake with Berries Compote (SGD$6.00) - a decadent slice of New York cheesecake on crumbly base with sweet strawberry compote. The cheesecake was prettily decorated with blueberries; taste was velvety, creamy and cheesey without being overpowering, melting easily on the mouth like a good dream.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/01/tea-break-at-whisk-paddle-punggol.html