photos and more here: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/burlamacco-ristorante-tanjong-pagar/

I came here after reading quite a few rave reviews – decidedly well-deserved – and though I was initially a little apprehensive at the sight of an empty restaurant on a friday night, I can now tell you it’s not from a lack of quality at all; and you really ought to make your way here.

the food is bright and delicious, with clear flavors and vibrant color; and while the meal wasn’t inexpensive – it is billed on par with similar continental restaurants in singapore.

there is something very welcoming about the restaurant’s interiors. the tables are spaced well (so you don’t need to edge in on your neighbors’ conversations), and while the decoration isn’t blatantly composed the way many new places are, it is modern rustic – good lighting in a space that is both intimate and cozy, with furniture that smacks of an italian or french establishment.

we started off with good bread – always a good sign. and asked for more when our starters arrived - these clearly showed kitchen expertise. we shared the uova al pomodoro, essentially an italian version of shakshuka, and the carpaccio di filetto di manzo alla mostarda in grani (such a mouthful) - a thinly sliced beef carpaccio laden with greens and a generous drizzle of mustard dressing. both very good - impressive flavours.

the veal ravioli in a creamy mushroom sauce was incredibly difficult to photography but very tasty. the silky pockets were savoury (in that cheese sort of way), and the sauce well-seasoned.

the food really was good and more than deserves praise. the place really is surprisingly unpatronised though – we stayed till nearly eight and the place was barely filled. I have a feeling it might be a mixture of price (high, though not exorbitant considering the quality – rather worth it) and the fact that the central business district is pretty much a ghost town past working hours. great food, an intimate ambience – very suited to close friends and partners.

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.

photos and more: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/black-angus-steakhouse-town/

great steaks – and for incredible value – in this steakhouse located just outside orchard parade hotel. in a food climate that allows fancy restaurants to masquerade as steakhouses, serving exorbitantly-priced steaks without even the comfort of sides to lubricate the deal (paying for sides that ought to be there is one thing – and what are these double-digit figures for a mound of mash and a few skinny beans), this place is a godsend if you love your meat and have a beef with those newfangled places. it’s a return to true old-school american steakhouses where you sit down to an expertly-cooked slab of meat and sides, no fancy-schmancies.

the restaurant is done up in true old-school american, with a cosiness that belongs in your (american) grandma’s house, and service staff who are both effiient and terrifically friendly. it’s a homey type of place – paper napkins and dim-lit booths, and large plates of beef. I love it.

there are a choice of meats on the menu – different cow cuts, chicken and seafood – all attestably good; but I come for the beef. I’m pretty simple – always a medium-rare sirloin – but there are a range of cuts to suit your fancy. it’s not the sort of restaurant where you get a diagram of a cow from which you pick a favored cut, but what they have will keep most of us happy (finickies aside, of course). the beef is pink as you order it – juicy and beefy and tender and wholly satisfying, the potatoes fluffy and delicious, and the vegetables bright green and simply salted.

we’ve never made it to dessert here – usually too stuffed, but there’s a mud pie and chocolate fudge cake calling my name on that menu.

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: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/al-hamra-holland-village/

great – and almost definitely one of the best places locally – middle-eastern/lebanese food in the expatriate haven of holland village. the food is great, and while expensive, it’s more than good enough for me to return.

the dishes were well-done, and portions generous: the za’atar flatbread warm and fluffy; hummus on the tangy-sour side but very appetising ; and our grilled half chicken came surprisingly in a wrap of naan-type bread, moist and well-seasoned. our fattoush was refreshing with the heavier flavours.

I really liked this meal – we were lucky to have one of those deal vouchers which brought the meal from expensive to reasonable. we couldn’t finish our za’atar bread at the end – we kept trying because it was so good, but it was just too much. decently attentive service, and an open design letting in lots of sunlight, this looks set to be a regular weekend hangout.