Good friend and tennis mate, Glad's birthday falls in January and she had wanted to try out Ristorante da Valentino whom she has heard good reviews about. So off we headed to the placid suburbs of Bukit Timah for some highly authentic Italian food at the restaurant helmed by owner and executive chef Valtulina Valentino.Step into the restaurant and you will be instantly hit by the homely and cosy settings of the place that reminds you more of a family's dining room instead of a high end restaurant. Framed pictures of their who's who clientele and multiple accolades adorned the walls. The warmth and amiability of their staff whose cheerful bantering sets you at ease and paves a comfortable mood. You'll see them freely mingling with their customers as if everyone were old friends. We also caught a glimpse of Mr. Valentino himself who came out to speak to a customer or two. That is probably the beauty and speciality of a family business where that personal touch differentiates them from the corporate bigwigs.We got started on a bottle of sweet and sparkling Muscat and warm crusty loaves that comes accompanied with pesto. I wonder if it was due to my hunger but the pesto was so good that we went for seconds.

We got the wait staff to provide recommendations and he cheekily mentioned that their recommended dishes are not in the menu. On his suggestion, we picked a starter of assorted mushrooms sauteed in butter. The fungus were served warm in a butter-laced brown sauce, which was slightly salty on its own but was good for mopping up with more bread. Alv mentioned if they laid off the butter slightly and served this with red cut chilli, this could passed off as a Chinese dish.

I was torn between risotto and pasta but decided on the latter. One of the specials was Linguine with Mussels, which came with a generous heap of the shellfish. 36 to be exact and yes, I counted. The mussels were small but naturally sweet and were definitely given a good scrub and wash-down as I didn't detect a single grain trapped in any of them. Glad chose the Linguine with Monkfish, where the fish was sliced and cooked to a soft and tender bite. Monkfish isn't a common type of fish; at least not one that I eat often so that was a pleasant experience. Coupled with juicy olives halves, I find this dish an intriguing one.Alv went for the grilled seabass, which the waiter promptly deboned for him when it arrived. It was an entire fish which was grilled whole that yielded a crisp golden browned skin. It was just lightly seasoned with salt to allow the natural freshness of the fish to come through. That is what I call being back to basics.

We were joking that Jeff's orders always come in a pot. This time round, he ordered a chicken stew, which was rich without being stodgy. The chicken flesh fell easily from the bone with a gentle swipe of the knife, an act that was probably achieved through slow simmering. The meat was soft and nicely moisten with the thickened gravy. The supplements of potatoes chunks and olives further liven up the dish. I especially adored the olives, which after absorbing the essence of the stew, explodes when in your mouth.

And the Tiramisu came accompanied with a lighted candle and a birthday song! The staff burst into melody with gusto, that got the entire crowd clapping their hands and joining in spontaneously! Apparently, this is the restaurant's tradition for anybody celebrating their birthday there. It was a pleasant gesture for Glad that made her grin from cheek-to-cheek and once the candle was blown off, our spoons moved in fast succession. The soft and creamy texture of this ubiquitous Italian dessert possessed an airy and light feel to it, putting a perfect end to our dinner celebration.

I'm not usually a fan of buffet, where the pressure to stretch beyond your usual capacity is unavoidable so as to justify the high cost per pax. But when my sis-in-law told me about how sought-after the Weekend High Tea Buffet was at Regent's - a point proven by the long line of reservations, I thought maybe it was time to give my stomach a workout (yes, that is an understatement given that I binge all the time).The Tea Lounge, tucked at the end of the ground floor by a stretch of full-length windows, was a vision of contemporary cum elegant, English-library look. The choice of the sofa seating to promote cozy, intimate gatherings or the sit-down dining setting for ease of polishing off the spread offered customers options on their preferences to spend a luxurious afternoon there. Live piano music in the background enhanced the ambience further.

The spread wasn't extensively grand but there were a couple of interesting selections that differentiated themselves from the plethora of similar versions in the market. I especially favoured the Scallops and Seared Tuna salad, which was a fantastic starter. The Duck Pate and Caviar made for savoury bites on thin, crisp bread slices. What is a High Tea Buffet without the cakes, pastries and desserts? This one covered some of the regular favourites. A Waffle and Crepe station was also on stand-by should more carbs be craved. As a Macaron fiend, I was delighted to spot them in their jewelled colours and knew I would wallow in self-regret if I didn't try all of them. The citrusy Lemon was my most-loved and was a decision echoed across our table. Another pet choice was The Dark Chocolate Truffles that possessed bitter and rich depth. Everything was drenched down with sips of hot Rose Bud tea to lift all that sweetness....and possibly, aid digestion at the same time.Now, will I come back again? I seriously doubt so - a decision primarily due to the lack of choices that resulted in this being an extremely exorbitant tea session. I have to admit though, the environment was perfect for weekend languidness and lazing, along with pals or families. Service was excellent as well, with empty plates cleared and teapots filled in a timely fashion. It was indeed a great way to bust the stress of the earlier work week, even though I will now have to incorporate high intensity cardio exercises in the next one to work off the expanded waistline! *Burp*

After our ride on the Singapore Flyer, we proceeded to enjoy the "view" of food at our dinner table. Seafood paradise is our choice for that evening, since my family comprises of several fanatic seafood lovers. Make that all seven of us.

We were spoilt for choices when we were going through the menu...everything looked good. It was painful having to choose. Should we go for the cod fish or the tenderloin?

The beef tenderloin won the poll and after the first bite, our hearts as well. Its wellness was done to such medium perfection that results in this soft, tender and succulent munch.I'm so in love with anything that comes with salty egg yolks! These are prawns fried with salty egg yolks, but has thankfully retained their "Q-ness". I gladly smeared the nuggets of yolk on my rice...oooh.Ha Cheong Kai or prawn paste chicken wing. No doubt about its crispiness and I was rather impressed at the fact that it wasn't oily. The only issue is the taste of the prawn paste or the lack of it. It is sorely missing in this dish; not much of a difference from the regular fried chicken.

The Asparagus with scallops was ordered in our bid to reduce our carnivorous "sins". Crunchy, indeed. Dongpo meat - not for the fainthearted. A generous jelly of fat tops the lean meat, but the combination gives rise to a contrasting but otherwise, excellent texture. One downside - the Chef has been too generous with the sugar, leading to a too-sweet gravy.How can any discerning seafood fan go without the ubiquitous seafood dish - crab! We weren't that adventurous and opted for the regular black pepper and chilli crab. The black pepper was not bad but not exactly memorable. However the chilli crab deserves a mention. With generous amounts of roe within the crab, it held a strong and piquant flavour. The gravy is good for dipping mantou or drowning your rice with. It does has this slight tinge of curry, which I would prefer to do without, but that probably sets it apart from the variations out there. Yum.Seafood Paradise has served up some really impressive dishes, ending our Flyer ride and our family gathering on a pleasant and perfect note. Well, if the owner can upgrade and grow from its Zi Char stall at Defu Lane (still existing, btw), he should be doing something right there.

Dear Alv's birthday falls in the month of August and of course, we had to celebrate it by trying out one of the hottest restaurant in town. I am a fan of Oriole, where I love their food - their mouth-watering desserts, coffee and their oh-so-hip-it-hurts decor. We'll leave the gushing of Oriole to another post since my focus is not on it today. Anyway, it’s no surprise that I turned to its upmarket sister restaurant, Bedrock for this special occasion.

The interior looks nothing like a caveman's abode but a classy NY steakhouse. Lightly dim and cozy but in a non-intimating way, it is versatile for a quiet dinner for two or a friendly group gathering. We decided on a lunch instead of dinner, since it offers a highly economical set lunch at SGD 35++ per pax, with a good selection to choose from.We started off with their nicely warmed flat bread that is accompanied with a fragrant garlic clove and butter. It is like garlic bread but in a deconstructed way. Kudos to them for deviating from the regular olive oil and balsamic vinegar combi. The bread is a worthy mention by itself - soft and fluffy, it is easy on the jaw. I can eat this everyday for breakfast. Next, we warmed our tummies with the Bedrock Smoked Tomato Soup. Made with Roma tomatoes, it definitely lives up to its name with that smoky and tangy flavour, that whets your appetite for more to come. Basically, comfort food at its best. The Panko Caesar comes with a nicely poached egg, bacon strips and large flakes of Parmesan cheese. It could get slightly salty after one too many bites though.

Alv chose the Steak Frites, which was a tender portion of striploin that comes with a thin rim of fat for added texture and done to our medium-rare liking. Love the fries, which have this truffle tinge to it.

I went with the Crispy Skin Seabass. Crackling on the outside and sweet on the insides, it was coupled nicely with the tomatoes chunks and olives underneath it. The waiter recommended Red Wine Pear and Bedrock Ice Cream Sandwich for desserts and they definitely rocked! The former was an interesting dessert with flavours that fully compliment each other. The latter was salted caramel ice cream sandwiched between macadamia nut biscuit, which was a truly beautiful combination. I am a fan of salted caramel to begin with, so I’m sold on it. The staffs there are extremely professional and possess good knowledge of their dishes, which aid in offering recommendations or when introducing their menu. Their friendliness and warmth provides this personalized touch, which at times may be lacking at good restaurants. I am amazed with Keith Loh’s offerings, where so far none of them disappoint. Alv and I want to try out Whitebait and Kale one of these days.

A lovely meal with lovely company and I'm just glad Alv enjoyed this as much as I did.

We were out running some errands around our neighborhood and in the blistering afternoon heat, I was in desperate need for a pit stop. I was just about to settle for my usual bubble tea until Alv brought up, "didn't you mention there was a cafe around here that you wanted to check out?". Yes, I have trained him well.

Thanks to his ingenuity and a few quick checks on the iPhone, we found ourselves at Dominic Khoo's 28th Fevrier. Located amidst warehouses and light industries within the matured estate of Bukit Merah, the shop enjoys the absolute luxury of wide, open space. The owner, Dominic Khoo, who is a celebrity/ lifestyle photographer by profession, adorns the white walls with his photos as you advance within the space. It is a combination of a cafe cum photo gallery cum a bespoke tailor cum leather shoes boutique corner. Don't expect much from the cafe - it is limited to just drinks and an even more unimpressive selection of pastries. We were however just thankful to quench our thirst and for a tranquil, undisturbed spot to indulge in some reading. Oh and yes, they have a good playlist on as well.Believe it or not, these lounge chairs, which we rested our bums on are actually made of recycled paper! Though it is considered to be highly durable given that it has to withstand humans' weight, but it is already showing signs of wear and tear. Maybe bum fatigue. With this place located off the beaten track, you can probably expect little walk-in. We spotted only two to three customers at any one time but then again, we were there on a weekday afternoon. It was however, a welcoming respite from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind within our densely populated city. Feels good to not have another person infringing on your comfort zone, doesn't it? Without any distractions, it really forces you to slow down and focus on whatever you are doing there and then, whether it is to read, chat or work.

Just that my bum probably can't take sitting on recycled paper for too long.