Don Quijote is a charming man of ingenuity and chivalry in a fictional Spanish novel - which probably speaks the same for the restaurant that has adopted his name for its own. Good ambience and service are definitely a couple of traits of Don Quijote Spanish Restaurant, as well as a wide range of authentic, delectable dishes from tapas to soups to paella and desserts etc. Ken believes in quality and thus only the freshest ingredients are being used.Besides that, standards are being ensured and the team visit Spain on an annual basis to gain cultural infusion and exposure. All the framed photographs on the restaurant walls were taken by Ken and / or his team during their Spain visits. Even the music they play here comes from CDs bought from their Spain visits too.The tasting session commenced with some tapas dishes. Gambas al Ajillo (SGD$18.00) - garlic-friend fresh shrimps in olive oil was a great start, fresh shrimps retaining its springy texture very well, and the sweetness of the shrimps was sealed nicely with hints of garlic's stronger flavour.Next, we had Grilled Squids (SGD$16.00), softly saccharine, crispy around the edges and very tender; another appetiser that pleased the palate greatly.After that, the Asado de Cochinillo (SGD$89 / $169 / $329) - roasted Spanish-style suckling pig which comes in 3 different portions and you'd need to order at least 2 days in advance, subject to availability. The skin here was wafer-thin, crispy and melty, sheltering succulent, moist flesh. There was no gamey hint to it, just the gentle sweetness of the pork flesh.Following that, we had Fideua Negra (SGD$33 / $48 / $65) - a panful of shrimps, squids and pasta, cooked in squid ink sauce. The fine thin lines of pasta was a refreshing creation, and every mouthful was richly-flavoured with the luscious squid ink taste, with smoky hints penetrating the sweetness. The angel hair pasta strands were almost crispy in texture, light and easy on the palate. I enjoyed this tremendously, especially the slightly-charred pasta that stuck to the side of the pan.Next, it was Paella Especial Don Quijote (SGD$53 / 82 / 98) filled generously to the brim with an assortment of seafood, totally canopying the bed of rice beneath. Expect to be wowed by this dish comprising crispy rice, springy fresh seafood such as scallops, shrimps and shellfish, coming together to form a strong flavours burst. Seafood lovers would go crazy over this (indeed) special dish.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/09/media-invite-dinner-at-don-quijote.html

1 Tyrwhitt Bistro & Bar is a 3-months' old new bistro on the block.  A rustic restaurant / bar / bistro with minimalistic decor - bare bulbs suspended from ceilings, simple furniture, and sliding metal grille gates preserved in style - 1 Tyrwhitt Bistro is Karen and Paul's first venture into the F&B scene. The couple is really affable, down-to-earth and made us feel like home literally, bringing us from the kitchen to the dining areas.Then food happened, starting with Crispy Mid Wings (SGD$10.00), living up to its name accurately, being ultra crispy on the exterior - it reminded me of KFC's crispy chicken somehow. There was a slight tinge of spiciness to the wings, firing up the flavour perfectly - what an awesome way of kickstarting the food tasting session.The Black Ttuffle Egg Pizza (SGD$23.80) was a wonderment in itself. The base crust was crackling around the edges but puffy towards the centre; truffle oil was strong and aromatic. Karen shook the poached egg into a golden mesh spreading over the truffle and cheese infused pizza, resulting in a burst of rich flavours.Then Aglio e Olio (SGD$16.80) joined the table, being devoured almost as quickly as it came. The portion was good - not too dainty or overwhelming; just nice for small to medium eaters. The garlic and chilli flavours teased the palate, but nothing too spicy; mushroom lent more aroma and tiger prawns added texture as well as a touch of sweetness that made this pasta so scrumptious.Seafood Marinara (SGD$17.80) was up next, rich in ingredients and taste. The tomato sauce was slightly sourish, seeping gently into the beautiful taste of mussels, fish, prawns, squids and scallops. There was so much seafood surrounding the springy strands of pasta, seducing the palate boldly.Then we had Chicken Chop (SGD$16.80), a generous slab of chicken which was nestled in a pool of brown sauce, served with grilled vegetables and sauteed mushrooms. The chicken had a very tasty, very familiar taste that I could not put my fingers on....but I loved it of course, from the taste to its succulence.Lastly, Tiramisu (SGD$8.80), the homemade dessert I had to try - the diners at the next table were having it, and I could smell the coffee aroma from my end! The spongy layers were soft and moist, soaked luxuriously in amaretto; the dessert melted in the mouth deliciously in a mush of coffee, cream and alcohol, like a dream. It was one of the better tiramisus I've had, truly!

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/09/invited-tasting-dinner-at-1-tyrwhitt.html

"Eat Green, Feel Good" sounds catchy, and that is exactly what Greendot aims for its diners. Greendot was founded by Justin and Yong Hong, the former who is a vegetarian and used to find it difficult to get good vegetarian meals outside of home. So they decided to start their own eatery, and Greendot currently has 3 outlets, namely in Westgate, Paya Lebar Square and Bedok Mall.  Greendot has a wide range of delicious dishes prepared with fresh and quality ingredients and through working with nutritionists, to satiate the health and palate at the same time.We started with some tea and an array of blended beverages. For the blended drinks, we had Soy Caramel Latte (SGD$6.50), which is also available in hot version; Mocha Frappe (SGD$7.50), Avocado Milkshake (SGD$6.50) which tasted a little less than ideal because of the yogurt infusion, Passion Dragonfruit Green Tea (SGD$5.50), easily a favorite of many of us due to the refreshing flavour; and Strawberry Banana Green Tea (SGD$5.50).The Laksa (SGD$5.90) was coloirful, hearty and robust - tasting exactly as the menu described it to be, with thick ginger and chilli gravy, aroma of laksa leaves, and springy noodles. The dried beancurd (taupok) was bursting with laksa gravy and the Konnyaku prawns were saccharine.Next, the Herbal Noodles (SGD$7.90) is nourishing and made up of real herbal ingredients such as wolfberries, licorice and angelica. Besides the springy noodles, bouncy Konnyaku "sotong balls" and soy "beef" chunks making up for great bites, the strong herbal taste whetted the appetite greatly, and every spoonful felt precious.Moving on, we had the Mushroom Mini Hot Pot Set for 4 (SGD$59.90), consisting of a basket of greens and mushrooms, mini starters, mixed fruits and salad, 4 brown rice and a pot of premium tea - very value for money.  The first pot we tried was with Herbal Soup Base, filled with rich flavours of angelica, wolfberries and licorice, the same soup as the Herbal Noodles. Sometimes all the ingredients infused with herbal aroma just tasted so good, so if you are a lover of herbal soups, this is definitely for you.We also tried the Laksa Soup Base, a simmering pot of spicy but tantalising laksa gravy. Needless to say, all the ingredients soaking in the sumptuousness of the laksa were bound to taste great too - laksa lovers will not be able to resist this mini hot pot of goodness. On a sidenote, I also dug the "cereal prawns" side dish very dearly, because they simulate the real deal too well. There are 5 types of rice and we got to try 3 of them that night - emperor, sesame and five treasure.Then we had the Lion's Mane Mushroom Burger (SGD$8.90), looking and tasting like McDonald's McChicken Burger in its entirety. The wholemeal burger bun was studded with sesame and the bun was crusty on its own; the soya patty was crispy and had a mild saccharine taste to it; going well with the refreshing load of vegetables clamped between the buns.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/08/invited-tasting-dinner-at-greendot-paya.html

Beyond Veggie Restaurant is located at Bukit Timah area, and is another new concept dining restaurant by the well-known Secret Recipe. They hope to serve delicious, healthy vegetarian fare that caters to different diners' preferences, and are priced very reasonably.Mushroom Satay (SGD$7.90) was simply that - no fuss, no muss, but it was very good to the palate, with its crispy exterior, firm and springy interior, as well as sapid flavour. The gravy was good, but I finished most of the battered-mushrooms satay on its own (sans gravy) because it was that good.The Assam "Fish" was very tasty as well - strong, distinctive flavours of spicy-and-sour assam were all intact; the gravy had the right level of thickness as well. The highlight was the mock fish, of course. Instead of the usual flour filet - the usual case in alot of vegetarian fare - they use beancurd skin here. The result was a crunchy, springy and tasty slab of "fish" that easily makes one forget that it wasn't exactly the real deal.The Fortune Yam Basket (SGD$18.90), a popular dish at Chinese restaurants, has made its way into the menu here as well. Save for the absence of shrimps, this dish was able to hold a candle to the non-veg version - mashed yam ring was crumbly and indulgent yet non-greasy; and the rest of the diced ingredients added bite and crunch to the dish.Following that, another favorite of mine - Stir-fry Lion's Mane Mushrooms (SGD$15.90). Don't be fooled by the simple name - this dish packed punch, being a simulation of salted egg prawns. The chunky mushrooms were bouncy; the infusion of this special "salted egg yolk" sauce and curry leaf added tinges of aroma that left a rather deep impression because of its flavour.I also enjoyed the Ube Yam Cake, also known as "purple yam". It is incredibly pretty, almost fluffy in appearance; light and fluffy in texture - and most amazing of all, it contained tiny cubes of yam within the layers, adding bite and taste to this cake!The Azuki Green Tea Cake had a fine, chiffony texture to it despite the glazed top; it is redolent in green tea flavour but one could detect hints of red beans between bites as well; making it another great dessert for lovers of Japanese desserts.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/07/media-invite-dinner-at-beyond-veggie.html

The chosen venue tonight is Equinox @ Swissotel Stamford, for its magnificent cityscape views, high floor-dining and elegant ambience.We chose a Windows Seat so that we could dine with this kind of view looming in front of us. Yes, the night seemed to come alive, and the view is breathtaking - I believe Singapore's sensual night views have overtaken many urban cities' in recent years. The glowing Singapore Flyer making its rounds against the dark nightskies, the colors of the various skycrapers flanking the iconic MBS, and the Laser Shows etc were all worth the extra SGD$20.00 we paid for the windows seat.The Beau had a starter of Duck Consomme, Braised Duck Leg, Truffle Ravioli (SGD$20.00) . The consomme broth was herbal in nature, but strangely warm instead of hot, hence the grease was illuminated. The ravioli melted in the mouth, and the braised duck leg was crispy around the edges; the pairing was excellent.For mains, The Beau had the Slow-cooked Pork Cheek and Belly, Mushroom Escabeche, Coriander (SGD$58.00). The pork cheek was not cooked to a tenderness as I had hoped it to be, but instead was crisp and delicious in a chewy manner. The pork belly flanked some fatty parts and was an overall texture tease of tender flesh and bouncy parts.For desserts, we shared a Poached William Pear (SGD$18.00)- with scented Rooibos tea, honey, lemongrass sorbet and served with a lovely dash of dry ice, making the place so beautifully misty. The lemongrass sorbet was utterly refreshing, and paired with the grainy-textured sweetened pear, made this dessert an excellant choice.

For full review and more photographs, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2014/12/dinner-at-equinox-swisshotel-stamford.html