Today limbeh is introducing a new place for brunch in the CBD. Harry's bar, better known for its bar grubs and alcohol, has recently launched their breakfast and brunch menu (available from 8am to 10.30am daily). This is definitely good news for office workers who might want a switch from their usual kaya toasts and soft-boiled eggs at nearby kopitiams. If that is not a good reason to attract you, how about its location at boat quay with a 5-star view of the Singapore river matched with some river breeze on a hot day. Oh yeah.Okay, their Croissant Croque-Monsieur (S$12) is new to my dictionary. Isn't croque monsieur usually consist of sandwich? Screw that shit. At Harry's Bar, a heavenly combination of ham and grilled cheese are encrusted within a nice, crispy croissant, that is topped up with another layer of cheese. Needless to say, this French beauty is baked to perfection. Oh, damyyyum.Fry-Up consists of two sunny-side up, fried together with either veggies and mushrooms (S$12, below) or ham, bacon and mushrooms (S$13), and topped with cherry tomatoes. The eggs were nicely done with firm whites and a slightly runny yolk, which is a great complement to the toasted sour-dough. However, the steep price might be a huge turnoff for many.Luscious Soft-boiled eggs paired with Marmite soldiers (S$7) are your atas version of the typical kopitiam breakfast - just that there is no pepper or dark soy sauce. These are soldiers that definitely pack a salty punch, but apparently, one of the food bloggers, praised it to the high heavens. For me, I felt like I needed a dialysis. I got to confess that I am not a fan of marmite though. An acquired taste, I supposed.Assorted Muffins (S$2.90) which comes in a variety of flavours, such as Oatmeal Apple, Raisin Walnut, Raspberry, and Banana Peanut Butter. They are baked freshly at Harry's Bar itself to ensure a tiptop quality of freshness - crumbly exterior coupled with a moist and fluffy texture within. Banana PB was my favourite amongst the four. Everything goes well with PB (and Nutella), no?Would you just look at these beautiful muffins? For that price, I would say their muffins are good for value, plus they are available for takeaway as well. Perhaps, you can tabao a couple for the beautiful office ladies you fancy? (insert cheeky smile here)All in all, Harry's Bar is definitely a great place to hang around and chill out with friends whilst enjoy the breeze and picturesque landscape. Their breakfast menu is pretty decent for a start, but improvements can definitely be implemented. Last but not least, I want to thank Reka from Openrice, as well as, Harry's Bar for organising this food tasting event, it's always a pleasure to meet like-minded individuals.Harry's Bar

Tel: 6538 3029

28 Boat Quay

Singapore 049818

(~3 mins walk from Raffles MRT)

Located right next to Seattle Pike Chowder with the same management is Giovanni L., brought in directly from Germany and decorated in Singapore. It is hard to turn down a scoop of delicious and fresh gelato!Giovanni L. is owning a repertoire of 102 international ice cream varieties. Most of them are made with our own recipe. Each year 2 to 3 new flavors of ice cream will be created and several of their gelato flavours are international award winners!Here are some of my my favourite flavours, after trying almost all their flavours. They also have very westernized flavours such as Eggnog, and instead of having it just during thanksgiving, they will be serving it all year round!There were several flavours that had alcohol in them, but were no signs to indicate, the staff just had to ask if we could take alcohol. The eggnog gelato was one of them, and it was my favourite, the tinge of alcohol sweetness was just perfect with some chocolatey bit goodness. I just wish they made eggnog milk shakes out of this, then my life would be complete!The Pistachio was very rich and not as creamy as you would expect, it had a slightly rough texture which would indicate the pistachio bits embedded into the gelato.As with any ice cream parlour in Singapore, they melt fast! Especially in areas that have al fresco dining. Having a wide range of gelatos gives me a feeling they are out to fight the already concentrated gelato market.They do not offer typical flavours such as matcha or cookies and cream, but rather very specific flavours like Amorena which is a vanilla gelato with amorena cherries. It will blow your mind! Think of a super awesome raspberry ripple!Their peanut butter gelato is also superb, a simple and yet well made gelato.The bella stracciatella gelato was also one of my favourites, chocolate ice cream studded with white chocolate chunks and toasted hazelnuts!

The Sqaure located on the 7th floor of Novotel Clarke Quay and in fact inter-connected with Liang Court is pretty accessible. The setting of the restaurant is that of simple yet sleek and exudes scents of classiness. One of the highlight to the restaurant is that they offer a couple of round table seating too!We were honored to have the first taste of their Peranakan line before their launch in August! The Square at Novotel Hotel has their buffet line menu changed on a monthly basis, last month was Sweet Indulgences which showcased Chef Sin Siak sweet creations in the cakes and dainty dessert cups and upcoming in the month of August is Peranakan Style by Chef Kishen. Here’s an insight to what you can expect from the Peranakan Style in the Month of August.Kueh Pie Tee – Crispy kueh pie tee cup filled with light tasting mixture of diced eggs, prawns and turnips. Indeed this appetite stimulating Kueh Pie Tee will make a good appetizer to kick start a meal.Bakwan Kepiting traditionally is meatballs made of pork and crab in a light yet appetizing soup base. Instead of crab, Chef Kishen has decided to make a twist to it and replace crab with chicken. The meatballs were very firm but with a little sourish and salty note to the soup though.Nonya Style Assam Fish (Deep fried and Steam Style) with grouper steamed / deep fried before adding the sauce on to it. The taste is a little light and fall short of the assam flavor, instead i thought it tasted more like sweet and sour fish. Nevertheless, the fish meat itself was real fresh and sweet.Chicken Devil Curry -note the keyword Devil! Don’t underestimate an un-intimidating looking curry as it can brings you wonders and surprises to your palette. Fresh herbs and chilli padi were used in this curry concoction to bring about a powerful tingling hot sensation to your taste bud. I’m someone who can and definitely love taking very spicy stuff, the kick and shiok-ness is way beyond words! Not for the faint-hearted! But control of heat could be done better here to ensure that all the chicken meats are cooked evenly and not some being undercooked or overcooked.A rendition was made to the traditional Ayam Buah Keluak. Instead of stuffing the fillings into the Buah Keluak, the chicken meat was cooked separately. It was my first time eating Buah Keluak, it’s another love-hate relationship, either you’ll like it or you’ll not like it, there’s no co-existence. The Buah Keluak has a strong nutty harsh taste which did not quite click well with me. But the gravy of the sauce was commendable.Babi Pongteh – Stewed pork with fermented soya beans. Second twist was made to this dish was the replacement of usual pork belly with a healthier choice of pork ribs and for better flavors. Usually the dish comes with companions like the black mushrooms and potatoes. The pork ribs were really tender and easily detached from the bones. Flavors were well absorbed into the ingredients, thick savory gravy yet not too salty. One of my favorite for the night!Here’s a special creation by chef Jimmy – Oysters Fritters! Oyster was fat and juicy in a coat of tempura-alike light and fluff batter. So crisp and one bite into it, with the juice bursting in your mouth.
Other than that, we are lucky to not only have a glimpse of what was included in their buffet line but also give it a go to all these delicious and yummy looking delicacies! I’m glad to share that this is one of the buffet with a good variety and included food of different categories and cooking methods. They strive not to serve repetitive food which just differs in cooking method. Here are some of the selection you can look forward to
Seafood on IceMay not be a wide selection but their seafood are definitely fresh and succulent with milky and creamy Oysters being their signature.
Live Cooking CounterThere are 4 dishes available for ordering – Laksa, Mee Rebus, Pasta and lastly Risotto. A good mix of Asian and Italian flavors. I’ve tried their Mushroom Risotto, it was creamy yet grainy. Surprisingly the rice wasn’t like the soft kind yet the dish was still able to bring out the creaminess and taste of a risotto.
Roast Deli CounterRoast of the day was Korean Chilli Rub Roasted Lamb. Very innovative use of condiments, the lamb is first marinated with sake and korean chilli before it is roasted to a coat of golden brown lustrous color with the meat within staying pinkish!
Cooked DishesAssorted dishes brimming with either their own local flavors or filled with fusion nuance. Among all, i like their Fried Kway Teow, not too soggy and salty and Clams in White Wine Broth, light yet meaty and succulent the best. But their fishes and crabs generally falls on the saltier side which was quite disappointing. With their Chilli Crabs being the signature, on certain days, other flavor such as Black Pepper or Salted Egg might be served instead. Despite the crab claws with decent size, the meat within have actually shriveled and one bite into it is nothing but overwhelmed with saltiness.
Desserts CornerYou will definitely be spoilt for choice! Welcome to the galore of desserts ranging from cakes to Dainty dessert cups, Durian pengat, Chocolate fondue, Ice cream and Fresh fruits! Their handmade cakes are filled with distinct flavors with each of them bringing a different taste and experience to your palette. If you prefer something lighter in taste, you should go for their Mango Mousse Cake, Lemon Meringue Tart (with the unsolved mystery of what i tasted it to be like melted marshmallow instead of what was suppose to be meringue) and Orange infused with Earl Grey, whereas if you are up for something heavier and intense, their Nutty Chocolate Cake is a must try followed by Chocolate Pineapple Cake and Devil Chocolate. Among the dainty dessert cups, Deconstructed Cheesecake filled with cookie crumbs as topping is praise-worthy while the Lemongrass Aloe Vera is one that you can give it a miss as the lemongrass was overpowering leaving a very bitter astringent taste on the palette.
Without the following chefs, there will be nothing as what you seen above. Once again, it’s my pleasure to meet these chefs and enjoy the delicacies they have prepared for us! Their buffet prices were quite reasonable given the ambiance and selections – Weekday Lunch Buffet: $38++, Weekend Lunch Buffet: $48++ and Daily Dinner Buffet: $58++. https://poohlovesfood.wordpress.com/2015/08/02/food-tasting-peranakan-buffet-line-at-the-sqaure-novotel-clarke-quay/ for the full review.

This is the first buffet I have been to with a memorable range of cooked food, and the awesome desserts were absolutely delectable as well. The Square brings you oysters on ice, and their oysters are pretty big, creamy and plump, just the way I like it. You may find some bits of shell, so when you are slurping down the oysters, do be careful. The prawns are sweet and if you like prawn heads like me, you will find it flavourful, which means that they were not soaked in ice. The mussels were not to my liking, though, as they don't remove the "beard", which is why they only got 4 stars from me, instead of 5. Though fresh, I found myself having to remove the "beard".
Moving on to the sashimi, they serve Tuna sashimi, which is pretty unusal, as Tuna Sashimi is often pricer than Salmon. For those looking for Salmon, they have smoked salmon instead. The salads were well tossed and I like the way the salad leaves are still crisp though they were so well coated with the dressing. My favourite salad however, was the seafood salad. The mussels had their "beards" removed, and the crunch of the cucumber contrasted rather nicely with the chewy octopus. If you don't like beard in your mussels, go for the salad instead of the chilled seafood.

The Square at Novetel is known for their crab, which happened to be fried with black pepper on the day I was there. The crab I had wasn't to my liking as the flesh was a little powdering, but everyone else's was firm and sweet. 

Stars of the buffet has to be their carving station, chicken sharwama, the risotto and for me, their range of cheeses and olives. Though we were invited to try their new dishes for August, they gave us free rein to head to the buffet as well. These are available during most months, but do call ahead to find out, as every month features a different theme while they are revamping their menu.

Now, on to the main dishes we were there to taste!The Hits
I've arranged the dishes in the order of my preference, and the Ayam Buah Keluak is my absolute favourite. I can't get enough of the chicken which slides off the bone easily and the nutty Buah Keluak! Even though I was so full, I had several helpings of this. 

The Babi Ponteh was also really good, with the pork cooked to tender perfection in the black bean sauce. 

I was also really impressed by the Devil's Curry, which is super spicy but extremly addictive. Do you know The Square grows their own spices and they are harvested for the dinner table daily? You can't get any fresher than that!

Till now, I am still thinking of their Kueh Pai Tee as their shells were really crisp and not at all soggy. It was a one bite affair which left us hoping for more, so when the Chef brought out more, several of us had a second round.

The Misses
Nonya Styled Assam Fish wasn't so good as the super fresh grouper was cooked before the sauce was added. I felt the sauce could have been more sour, and perhaps cooked with the fish so that it would absorb the flavour. The fried version tasted better, but the sauce was still not sour enough for me.

Bakwan Kepting was a terrible disaster as it tasted like someone emptied the whole canister of salt into the soup while the chef wasn't looking. Not a soup I enjoyed, though the pork and chicken balls were soft and juicy.

The MRs
The three chefs, Kishen, Jimmy and Sin Siak were really friendly and shared how they made the different dishes. All the yummy desserts are created by Sin Siak who is La Vie magazine's Chef of the month in July. The roast lamb was rubbed in a special dry chili rub concocted by Sous Chef Jimmy and served with a spicy Korean sauce in addition to the usual mustard and mint jelly. Head Chef Kishen mentioned that he was trained by a famous Peranakan Chef, which is one of the reasons why August's theme, to coincide with SG50, is Peranakan. 

Besides the dishes on showcase, you will be able to check out peranakan kuehs and the dessert spread. Unfortunately I can only upload 12 photos here, so do check out the full review on my blog http://www.chanchop.com/food-porn (Will edit the full link in a few days)

(Procacci has three restaurants worldwide in Vienna, Florence and Singapore. Procacci Singapore is the only restaurant in Asia & outside Europe.)

Attended a food tasting session hosted by OpenRice x Procacci last Saturday. The tasting was set amidst my finals but despite having two papers right after that weekend, I still went ahead. Well, because I just had to. You can't say 'no' to good food.The purrrr-fect life on a Saturday morning. All I can think of - Tranquility. Not sure about you but I have a thing for quiet places and Procacci fits the bill. Indoor or al fresco, either way you're located right opposite Singapore's iconic Marina Bay Sands!

If you're unfamiliar with the place (It's located at Customs House by the way), there's a slight chance that you may get slightly lost. Do type 'Customs House' instead of 'Procacci' if you're using Google maps. Yes, the location of 'Procacci' on Google maps' not quite right & I was lost (for a moment) too.This is why you don't have to give up that amazing view for the air-conditioned indoor dining area.

The view is as good from the inside!Proccaci has recently launched their Saturday Brunch Menu (vegetarian dishes available). You heard me right, ONLY on Saturdays. We were served a total of eight dishes, which means we tried almost the entire brunch menu! Some visuals to bring you through.First up, Uova Strapazatte con Funghi ($20) - Scrambled Eggs, Saute mushroom, Rustica Toast, Saute Spinach.

The Saute Spinach wasn't available that day so we were served brocolli instead. Opt for this only if you like the earthy taste of mushroom! A pity that the Rustica Toast was too hard for my liking.Next, Fritattate al Tartufo ($22) - Egg Frittata, Ciabatta Toast, Truffle Cream.

This is amazing, my favourite out of all the dishes! I'm not a big fan of truffle, really neutral but this dish caught me by surprise. You know how some places sell truffle dishes but the truffle taste is so mild & almost non-existent? No such problem at Procacci, truffle IS truffle. We even requested for a second serving of this.Pollo Grigliato ($20) - Grilled Chicken Breast, Fried Egg, Crispy Bacon, Ciabatta Toast.

A healthier dish, minus the bacon maybe? But brunch dishes with bacon are definitely more satisfying than those without, at least to the foodies who were at the tasting. Everyone loves bacon! Although I don't prefer chicken breast (I find it dry compared to thigh meat), this dish appealed to a few others. I guess, go with what suits your preference!Next on the menu, Fumo Salmone ($20) - Smoked Salmon, Fried Egg, Ricotta Cheese, Ciabbata Toast.

If you know me personally, I don't eat raw salmon but I took a piece of it during the tasting. Not sure how to review it without comparison.... I can only say they are pretty generous with the thick slices of smoked salmon. The Ricotta Cheese paired with the salmon lightens the overall taste! Make sure to read other reviews to find out because I don't think my review on this dish is a good nor an accurate gauge of the standard of smoked salmon served.Another favourite of mine, Salsiccia Italiano ($26) - Grilled Spicy Italian Sausages, Rustica Toast, Fried Egg, Arrabbiata Sauce. There's an oomph factor in this dish, the arrabbiata sauce. Each bite leaves you wanting more!The last dish of the tasting (supposedly), Procacci Delizia ($30) - Mortadella, Parma Ham, Taleggio Cheese, Scrambled Eggs, Rustica Toast. The Big Breakfast of Procacci, a tad luxurious to have artisan-cured meat for breakfast. The price may be on the higher end but this is actually big enough to be able to feed two. Do your calculations, that means $15++ per person. Worth it?! Not to mention that their scrambled egg is really well done, look at how creamy it is!We also tried Uovo Benedetto ($22), an addition to our already very extensive tasting menu. It consists of Poached Egg, Rustica Toast, Crispy Bacon, Hollandaise Sauce, Caviar. This came across to me as a normal egg benedict. Although not the best, it's also far from the worst.A pleasant surprise from Procacci! Prosecco wine from Antinori Wineyard owned by Procacci (Italy) to complete the brunch. Thank you for the hospitality!Procacci is currently having a promotion. Enjoy free flow prosecco on Saturdays (limited period only) at just $25 per person. And for $35, you get to enjoy free flow beverages inclusive of Prosecco, Peroni beer, soft drinks and juices. For the non-alcoholics, opt for free flow of soft drinks and juices for just $15. Procacci also offers other beverages such as tea and coffee on their menu.

Don't forget to check out the giveaway on the Facebook page of Openrice & Procacci, here and here respectively & stand to win brunch vouchers for two (worth $130++)! Winner will be announced on 27th May 2015.

Cheers to better Saturdays with Procacci, x

Thank you for hosting us, Openrice x Procacci!