Garage offers one of the best risotto I've ever had! Was contemplating whether to order the Wagyu Beef/Beef Cheeks or try something new! Glad that I made the right choice and ordered the Squash Risotto $23.

The Gratinéed goat cheese perfectly complement otherwise subtle umami flavour of this creamy rice dish! Pleased that the short grains were not undercooked and loved how the baked pine nuts and thyme added depth to this smooth creamy-textured dish. Lovely. I could so imagine myself finishing 3 plates of this unknowingly. It's a little addictive.

It goes well with both beer and wine. Yup I had both! Oh if you are are a fan of tapas dishes just like me, try the Mini Wagyu ‘n’ Foie Burgers . It's awesome. I stole a piece from my pal. Ah will definitely be back to try more stuff from their new menu! Lovely!

Went for Halloween sky dining with the BF and it was fun. I love how the dishes had creative names.

First up, our Halloween cocktail! The Spicy Dracula! It contains vodka, celery stick and chilli padi bits served in salt-rimmed glass. It was a really quirky drink but I couldn’t finish it! There was some Tabasco sauce in it. Felt like I was sipping pizza. lol.

For appetizer, we had the Maggoty Pumpkin Soup served with ghoulish fingers. The soup was creamy and rich in flavour but… where were the maggots? Can’t find any gross maggots swimming in my soup.

Our main entree, Chucky’s Bloody Eye was ribeye on a bed of eyeball salad and roasted pumpkin. The steak was so tender I could cut it with a fork.

So after 2 rotations, we were escorted by our friendly butler, Grace to the VIP Lounge where we enjoyed dessert. Witches’ Hat was served with a choice of freshly brewed coffee or specialty tea.

Overall, we enjoyed the view and fine dining. It was a unique and romantic Halloween! $199 for a date with full butler service is pretty reasonable.

We had 4 chicken, 2 buttermilk biscuits, 6 popcorn shrimp, 1 regular mashed potato, 1 regular corn and 2 regular sjora juice. We could have the choice of New Orleans Spicy or Louisiana Mild for the chicken flavors but the staff don’t really care. We had to let them know and not wait for them to ask. Yes the service is pretty awful.

If not for Popeye's signature soft, crumbly, buttery biscuit and mashed potatoes which have the richest gravy with small chicken bits in it, I think no one would patronise Popeye due to it's super turn off service. Counter staff were slow and slow in comprehension. Tables were not cleared promptly. I think they lack training and is understaffed. We ordered Cajun Fries too but the evil counter/kitchen staff served them cold.

All in all, I still loooove Popeye’s chicken because it is so crispy yet not too dry. The skin is much better, fresher, and it seems like it used better spices than KFC’s! Come on Popeye, hire more competent staff and open a branch in the west!

I love the Chef’s Special (Sashimi platter) $25.00. It’s very fresh! And the thick chucky slices of shashimi spells H-E-A-V-E-N.

Was there with a bunch of friends and we had the Nigiri platter that has Maguro $2, Sake Toro $2, Hamachi (a type of yellowtail) $4, Aburi Hotate $4 and Shime Saba (Mackerel) $3. Out of the five, I like the Saba (Mackerel) best! Special instructions from the chef to eat from the lighter taste to the stronger taste fish and not to dip the Aburi Hotate (Scallops)/the one with pinky paste on top of it on soy sauce. It was very useful to have the chef checking on us all the time to see if we are treating the sushi right.

Must-try item is the Anago $6! This perfectly simmered salt-water eel is slightly less rich and oily than the unagi!

The deep-fried chicken nuggets, Tori Karaage $6 had a good crispiness to it and I was also pleased that the Agedashi Tofu $5 had a slight crispiness before giving way to a sogginess as it absorbed the Dashi Broth which had light notes of the Kombu (Kelp) and Shoyu (Soy Sauce).

But my favourite has to be the Mix Kinoko Foil Yaki $10 was AWESOME! Mushrooms lovers alert! A good mix of Shitake, Enoki and Shimeji mushrooms glazed in a secret special sauce which the chef won’t tell and we just can’t figured out what is it. This is also a must-try.

My vote for drink of the day goes to the cool and smooth Asahi beer! SLurps Aaaaaaah. Goes really well with the California roll $6.

Kampai!

Well, we tried 6 dishes in total excluding Pierside’s homemade bread.

We started with the Smoked Camembert and Manuka Honey on dark rye. I’ve never tasted Camembert and it’s now officially my favourite cheese! The smoked Camembert was soft with a fragrant aroma and earthy flavor. It went so well with the honey and crusty dark rye that I’ve died and gone to heaven.

YES that killed me! That piece of cheese (which looked a little like bits of salted fish) totally rawks with the layer of honey it was resting on and it was accompanied by Christmas Jones Cocktail. A sweet blend of strawberries, pineapple and vodka topped with lemon-lime soda, I thought that it is a rather refreshing festive cocktail. I had fun stirring the peppermint walking canes which made the drink mintier as it melts.

I was also pleased with these 2 goodies from Pierside’s Santa Bar Menu! This festive season, Santa’s Bar is available at Pierside from Mondays to Saturdays with DJ Matt Wainwright spinning every Fridays and Saturdays. That’s the best time to unwind to the beat and chow down festive inspired bar snacks and drinks. Must try the Smoked Camembert!

We also tried 3 dishes from the Truffle Menu ($180++ per person). First up it the chilled capellinni, yellow mushrooms with shaved truffle and soft quail’s egg. We were impressed by the bouncy texture of this very thin, rod-shaped paste that was a just slightly thinner than vermicelli. You know how soggy pasta always ruins a spaghetti dinner? Well, this one is perfectly al dente!

Were kinda shocked after tasting the dish because it looked so simple, yet the taste was so amazing. On my first bite, the paste gave of a really light, cool and refreshing feel. Then the mushrooms. Apparently yellow mushrooms highly prized for their exquisite flavor, color, and texture. It gave the otherwise tame paste a wild flavor with a hint of pepper.

Although Quail eggs are considered as a delicacy, I’ve never had anything special for it. The last time I had eggs from this edible game species, was bro’s birthday at New Lucky Restaurant. We had Chinese-style fried hard boiled Quail eggs that looked like cheese fried fish balls. Although Chef Robin’s version looked less exotic, it was wayyyy tastier because somehow, the gooey yolk was so flavoursome.

All in all, the chilled capellinni, yellow mushrooms with shaved truffle and soft quail’s egg was an unpretentious, full-toned entrée. How he managed to infuse such complex flavours into dainty dish? I have no idea. Nevertheless, I shall appreciate Chef Robin’s culinary skills by making sure nothing’s left on the plate.

Next from the Truffle Menu is the braised 300 day grain fed beef cheeks with artichoke barigoule, fried parsnips, truffle mash and Madeira sauce. That’s from the New Year’s Eve Dinner Menu. OK barigoule is actually a traditional Provençal dish of braised artichokes in a warm and slightly tangy white-wine broth. The artichoke barigoule beautifully dresses up the braised beef with a rich earthy flavor. Goodness. The beef cheeks were so tender the meat was like butter and melted in my mouth.

Oh if you’re wondering what’s Madeira sauce, it is a rich peppery sauce which is traditionally made with a Madeira wine. It is one among a group of traditional French sauces which are known as brown sauces and is typically served with meats like roast beef and chicken. On the other hand, Madeira wine is not just any other wine. This wine has been made in Portugal since the 1400s and has a particular distinct flavor because of the way in which it is fermented and handled.

As for the pan roasted maine scallops with caramelised belgium endive tarte tartin, preserved meyer lemon salt and micro basil, it’s from the New Year’s Eve Dinner Menu ($108++ per person inclusive of a glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV). Well, I thought that it was a nice fusion of Japanese and French cuisine. The scallop was sweet and juicy. Got my taste buds going with the zesty dressing that was like a mix of miso and vinegar. Then there was the Tarte Tatin, a delicious French favorite, an upside-down apple tart! Can you see it?

Last but not least, it’s the caramelised fine apple tarte tartin with almond dragee and white truffle ice cream (also from the truffle Menu). Loved the almonds but I’m not too fond of apples. The ice cream had a distinct hint of truffle but I got a little overwhelmed by the pricey fungi that day so this exquisite dessert didn’t quite worked for me.

An evening at Pierside spoilt me with delights and of course, truffles truffles and more truffles. Haha. Btw I will be back to try the Sunday brunch (Adults $40++ Kids $15++)! Heard that it’s really good. Since when weekend brunch on the waterfront ever sounds bad? I’m so keen to get cooked-to-order eggs, pasta and risotto for brunch! Not to mention the huge variety of bread: organic sour dough, brioche, waholemeal, ciabatta, lavosh & grisinni with homemade jams, dips, olive oil and butter. Yes I haven got started on the soups, salad, short orders and sweets.