nicolewatson's Profile

I love ramen. Fine, silky strands of noodles bathed in a deliciously thick, creamy broth topped with succulent, fatty pork – what’s not to like?I’ve been to quite a few ramen restaurants in Singapore and was quite impressed with Menya Musashi. Menya boasts three different types of ramen: white (traditional), red (spicy) and black (I think this one is black ink). I love anything spicy so I ordered the "Red" Cha Shu Ramen. Unfortunately, it wasn't fiery in the least but was nonetheless incredibly delicious. I loved how rich and creamy the broth was whilst managing not to be overly oily or salty (great for the sake of my kidneys!) The egg was perfect and maintained a gooey center while the pork was tender and juicy. My husband decided to be adventurous and go for the Akiba Curry Ramen. The ramen was served in a curry infused broth, not just a curry sauce as I'd expected, which was great. The curry ramen was surprisingly good and a refreshing change, although the pork was not as fatty or succulent as those served in the traditional version.Ultimately, I think Menya Musashi has pretty good ramen. If you go, try to head down by 5:30 as it gets pretty packed! You know how kiasu we Singaporeans can be. For full review and more photos, please visit http://www.treatsandmeats.com/blog/menya-musashi…Read More

I've always felt that there was a lack of trendy restaurants in Singapore serving up good Asian fare as well as great cocktails. That is, anyway, until Ding Dong came along. It's conveniently located along Ann Siang Hill (great for people who want to continue boozing after) and has a bright, colorful, playful interior. The menu boasts a "small plates" and "big plates" section which is perfect for those who like to order a few dishes and share. We started off dinner with Vietnamese scotch egg (a hard boiled egg, wrapped in sausage meat & breadcrumbs then baked! Yum!) which was a hit. The yolk was nice and gooey, while the meat was juicy and slightly crisp on the outside. I was also a fan of the calamari which was perfectly battered. The dark soy pork belly with garlic was another hit, though beware it is incredibly garlicky and probably should be avoided on first dates! Don't waste your stomachs pace on the lamb ribs as they were pretty gamey. As for the drinks, they were tasty & refreshing. Definitely get the Pegu Club if you want something that packs a punch!For full review and more photos, please visit www.treatsandmeats.com/blog/dingdong…Read More

I've been to Catalunya twice and found its food rather mediocre. The ambience, on the other hand, is gorgeous and their floor to ceiling windows offer a breathtaking panoramic view of the Marina. I'd definitely recommend checking it out for the atmosphere alone, but only if you're willing to fork over quite a fortune for mediocre food. The first time I went with my husband, the dinner cost us a whopping $500, and the second time I went with my parents it cost around $400. The tapas alone are average priced, but the mains and drinks are what really gets to you! If you end up going, I'd recommend getting the Marinara mussels and Lemon Pie. The Chorizo y estrellados was pretty good as well, while everything else was pretty average. Do try to stay away from their take on paella tapas style, as it ended up being more like rice krispies in a seafood broth! For full review and more photos, please visit http://www.treatsandmeats.com/blog/catalunya…Read More

I had incredibly high hopes for db Bistro Moderne, especially after seeing all the gorgeous photos online of their burgers exquisitely cut down the middle. Unfortunately, the restaurant didn't live up to our expectations. For starters, we ordered the steak tartare. It was delicately plated with a perfectly poached egg on top and some greens and bread on the side. Disappointingly, the taste didn’t match the presentation at all. It was in fact, quite tasteless. For mains we got the New England Casserole with seafood and fennel sausage. I feel like it’s my duty to forewarn you all that the New England Casserole does not, I repeat, does not come with carbs. I clearly am not atas enough to know that casseroles come in different variations and was flabbergasted when we were presented with a huge bowl of seafood in only broth! Anyway, once we got over that surprise, we started enjoying the dish for what it was and it ended up being our favourite of the night! The seafood was nice and fresh, and the soup was incredibly flavourful, yet still light.We also got the Frenchie Burger, which consisted of a beef patty topped with pork belly but was wrongly given the Yankee burger which consisted of only a beef patty. It was pretty dull, but we were too ravenous to bother and ask them to change it. Sadly, the beef was undercooked and not seasoned enough, and overall, the burger was a bit dry.For full review and more photos, please visit http://treatsandmeats.com/blog/2013/8/22/ioicbzvmmkn9ux1mltovx6xfkqkiek…Read More

I am a tapas fiend but unfortunately wasn't impressed with what Sabio had to offer. It was an average tapas bar that didn't boast any dishes which would keep me up at night salivating. We ordered a fideau which was basically a noodle paella. I like being adventurous but when it comes to paella I figure it’s much better to stick to the traditional rice version. The fideua basically tasted like spaghetti in tomato sauce. The only consolation was that there were heaps of clams, mussels, squid, shrimps and fish which all went straight to hub’s belly since I’m not a massive fan of seafood.We also got the patatas bravas which tasted like frozen wedges purchased at a supermarket. However, the chorizo al vino, was quite yummy. Then again, can you go wrong with sausages fried in booze??The ambience was this restaurant's saving grace, as it's a cute, vibrant eatery located along the trendy Duston Hill. Find out what I have to say about their unique "paella" dish and the surprise I got when I ordered their marinated capsicums in the link above!For full review and more phoots, please visit: https://treatsandmeats.squarespace.com/blog/2013/7/17/sabio…Read More

I must say I was rather disappointed with my experience at Tippling Club. My husband and I had gone for their drinks and bar snacks, so I can't make a fair assessment on their food considering we didn't have their lauded tasting menu. We'd heard such great things about their drinks but unfortunately didn't find them very palatable. To make matters worse, I wanted a drink with champagne & gin but it wasn't on the menu and the waiter refused to customise one specially for me. A bit rigid for a high class establishment, don't you think? Their bar snacks were definitely the best part of the night. We ordered polenta fries, fried haloumi and bacon croquetas. The bacon croquetas were probably my favourite as the taste of smoky bacon permeated the little, crunchy potato balls and enveloped my mouth as I bit into it.For full review and more photos, please visit my blog at: https://treatsandmeats.squarespace.com/blog/2013/7/15/tippling-club…Read More

I've heard such amaaaazing things about this place from colleagues, friends and magazines that I was absolutely dying to try it. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed and didn't think it lived up to the hype at all. The food was good, but it definitely wasn't mind blowing. The avocado wasabi tuna tartare was definitely the most satisfying dish on the menu as the tuna was fresh and nicely complimented by the creamy texture of the avocado-wasabi mix. However, the crispy squid had way too much batter on it causing it to become soggy really fast. In addition, the 12 hour roasted pork belly wasn't as succulent as I'd hoped it be and the pork cracklings which accompanied it were too big to bit into!I didn't quite fancy the decor which was rather raw and minimalistic and their cocktail menu left much to be desired. To find out more of my thoughts on their dishes as well as what interesting concoction arrived when we ordered the gyoza, please visit my blog above!For full review and more photos, please visit https://treatsandmeats.squarespace.com/blog/2013/7/17/kilo…Read More

I was sceptical about how good the tapas would be at the Disgruntled Chef, but must say that I was pleasantly surprised. Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. My absolute favorite dishes were the lamb short ribs as the outside was crispy but the inside was soft and tender and fell straight off the bone. I also loved the fish skin which was freshly cooked and came out warm and incredibly crispy! Their drinks, on the other hand, were unfortunately not up to par. And the ambience was a bit dated. For full review and more photos, please visit https://treatsandmeats.squarespace.com/blog/2013/7/17/the-disgruntled-chef…Read More

Now I am rarely one to dislike a place, but I think this restaurant disappointed me in more ways than one. Firstly, it hardly qualifies as a bar and their drink list is minimal. Secondly, the food was extremely average and not worth coming back for. The Buffalo mozzarella cheese and prosciutto ham topped with truffle mayo was the worst of the lot. Do not be deceived by the photo, it looks more beautiful than it tastes. The mozzarella was poor quality and I could barely taste any truffle in the truffle mayo. In fact, the mayo was rather liquidy and turned everything into a soggy mess.The Yellowfin tuna chunks topped with lemon avocado was this restaurant's only saving grace. Besides the tasty avocado, there was also a light, sweet sauce coating the tuna which really enhanced its freshness. Lastly, and the biggest disappointment of all, was the awful service which was not what I would expect from a small, new establishment. For full review and more photos, please visit https://treatsandmeats.squarespace.com/blog/2013/7/25/east-8-new-york-fusion …Read More

My husband and I are obsessed with Mozza. Believe us when we say, it offers the best pasta & pizza in Singapore! We even went to Italy recently and were craving Mozza back in Singapore! At Pizzeria, the pizza base is thin and crispy, while the crust is fluffy and light. I'd highly, highly recommend getting the meat lovers pizza which comes piled high with salami, fennel sausage, pancetta, and bacon!At Osteria, the Orecchiette with sausage and Swiss chard is amazing. Both places have impeccable service. For full review and more photos, please visit http://treatsandmeats.com/blog/2013/7/15/uja0igs853qqhi83hv7y1gk6l7e2db…Read More

I'm currently obsessed with tapas, and must say that Esquina never fails to impress. Their dishes are always delicately executed and each one has its own unique, exquisite taste. All their dishes are good, but I'd highly recommend ordering the Crispy baby squids and the Seafood paella. I'm not the only one who thinks Esquina serves up the best tapas in town, so be sure to get there by 6:30 on a weekend if you want to snag a seat by the bar (which is the best place to be!) Unfortunately, they don't take any reservations. We also ordered their clams, Spanish breakfast, roasted beef short ribs, lamb rump and dessert. For full review and more photos, please visit https://treatsandmeats.squarespace.com/blog/2013/7/16/esquina…Read More