this place is known more for their well-reasonable set lunches – but that’s paltry. sweets! we came here for desserts-only after lunch at al hamra; and it did us well enough, even if it was nothing too special.

they have a menu of typical italian desserts – we settled on the lemon meringue tart and a pannacotta, the latter of which really is indicative of the skill of the restaurant. the tart had a great crust – buttery lemon curd (though slightly gelatinous) and sufficiently-fluffy meringue on top, and it tasted the way it ought (average food truly don’t make for descriptive adjectives).

that pannacotta, though – I’m still on the lookout for a great rendition. this one is a little on the stiffer side, but still creamy enough not to offend. it didn’t have those beautiful black seeds though – so I’m guessing extract in this one.

it’s difficult to be more descriptive – but if you’re skipping it all to the last line – this place is alright if you’re in the area, though I wouldn't travel for it.

photos and more: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/la-nonna-holland-village/

photos and more: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/extra-virgin-pizza-novena/

I had high hopes for this place after reading quite a few rave reviews, but it was probably just a tad better than average. but it was a tepid, anticlimatic sort of meal – the pizzas were acceptable, the portions reasonable; but there was a little sticker shock when our order was rung up, and the wait rather too long to encourage repeat visits.

the place is done up all pretty – it could easily be a standalone pizzeria in new york or london, with clear glass windows proudly showcasing the filled tables and large arty menuboards; and service was friendly if harried, and not really able to cope. we were directed to a manager who was busy flitting about chatting with diners and even serving – which meant we had to wait to get our names down on a waiting list. and wait it was, forty minutes that seemed interminable after a long work day. it’s a small menu – and between the four of us, we got the baked chicken wings and oven-fired clams, as well as three pizzas.

the clams came in a small clay-pot, done simply in white wine, but in a tiny portion. the chicken was less successful; the skin flabby and seasoning a floury sort of incongruous coating. my dad didn’t finish the first wing he picked up.

the pizzas were actually pretty alright. at least the crust showed proper cooking, with charred blisters and suitable browning. what could do with the most improvement were the toppings. they were pretty pedestrian and rather sparsely laid out. everything here seemed to fade into a rather indistinct picture because they didn’t hold much flavour, and there just wasn’t enough volume to help with injecting more.

I don’t think the place is terrible by any means. if there isn’t a queue, and you have a craving for pizza, then this place would do you pretty decently. bear in mind though that the bill runs up very quickly and steeply.as it is, I’ll be returning to mozza for my pizza-cravings – there’s a queue I’m willing to wait in (though they very gratifyingly take reservations), and the prices are only slightly higher for more impressive food.

average brunch food at rochestor park. if you're looking for brunch options in this area - I'm going to have to point you to graze. this place was really rather meh, with uninspiring food and an ambience that made nothing of its gorgeous surroundings. if the other places around here are packed up, then perhaps you could come here - but otherwise I'm not sure there's any point.

on hindsight (which this is, of course), there was nothing really wrong with the place so much as it was pretty boring. it isn't very expensive, the food wasn't bad - serviceable, really - and the place wasn't run down. it just felt like it had so much more potential to be fantastic! but alas.

the eggs florentine came with its requisite runny yolk and sufficiently smooth hollandaise on toasted crumpets, with a side of dressed salad, and my caesar salad had romaine and a poached egg. I did like the poached egg - but I had taken up the option of chicken, and that came as minuscule pieces that did nothing for the salad.

the desserts fared a little better, with stronger flavours and more impression of skill. the soufflé was sufficiently risen but held no clear hazelnut flavour; I give them kudos for a decent chocolate ice cream though. the platter of three desserts weren't too bad neither: the sticky date pudding was a better rendition than at jones the grocer, the praline a deep and not-too-sweet slice. I thought the pannacotta was the weakest - I can't even remember now what it was.

that's the problem with the meal - it was rather humdrum. I certainly didn't dislike it - I wouldn't raise any issue if someone suggested coming here, but I almost definitely wouldn't be coming back on my own. not too expensive, and we were stuffed at the end of the meal - there's conceivably a mild recommendation hiding somewhere in this if you'd like one.

photos and more here: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/the-retrospective-chinatown/

decent european-american-westernish food in the hipster part of chinatown. I say western in the colloquial way it’s used in singapore to refer to any sort of food belonging to those regions – fusion just doesn’t nearly have the same ring – the menu is rather typical of a modern bistro. I was drawn to this restaurant by their rather lovely graphic logo – and the way the place was done up, all retroesque (obviously) and bistro-like.

it’s pretty decent food, and I’ll give it a lukewarm recommendation if you’re in the area – but given the other offerings there, and the fact that chinatown is a veritable treasure box of food findings, I don’t think I’ll return anytime soon.

we started off with a scotch egg, the sausage coating on the outside had far too much breadcrumb/binder as it tasted a little doughy and stodgy, which was a pity. the pickles on the side rather helped lift the slightly-underseasoned flavours of the dish.
the mains faired better – I had a niçoise salad which was topped with a seared slab of raw tuna. there was great char on the fish, but it was served really rather cold, and the greens doused in a fair bit of olive oil (which was taste-y, at least). my sister truly enjoyed her burger though. it came very, very red – so be aware of this if you do order it – but also very juicy, so much that it started spilling over the wooden board when cut. it’s a standard soft sesame-topped bun and melty american cheese concoction with a large side of well-cooked fries.

standardly-average fare at inflated-hipster-prices (though likely only about competitive with the other options in the area), and I think the best thing to get might be the burger – though the next table did have a rather intriguing mac-n’-cheese that looked worth trying.

photos and more here: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/mels-drive-in-sentosa/

this place is just adorable beyond words – the decoration of the place, the little stage outside for apron-donning waitress-pretending performers to dance, the whole thing reminded me of a scene out of my childhood hanna-barbera cartoons.

you gotta eat at these places with a pinch of salt (not literally) – be aware that theme park food is often expensive and measly, and more akin to standard american fair food than high dining, and so adjusting your expectations will help you enjoy it.

serviceably crisp leaves and a large – truly generous by any regard – mound of heated chicken in my salad, as well as well as chicken and beef burgers “like macdonalds or better”, upsized chips and drinks that provided respite from the sweltering afternoon.

I didn’t get the chance to try the other eating places – we tried to get in at the KT’s grill but it was full, with a long waiting list – and I don’t want to say it’s much better than I expected (though it was) since that’s rather putting it down, but this was a good option in itself.