Founded in November 2014 and operated under the umbrella of The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC) group, Kuvo Singapore is a multi-concept restaurant and bar located on the 2nd floor of Orchard Shopping Centre, which is directly beside 313@Somerset mall. Offering 4 different dining concepts in a 9,500 sq ft place, Kuvo Singapore, whose name is derived from the French word 'cuvee', which means 'to blend', serves a variety of modern fusion dishes in a plush yet casual setting.Ambience at Kuvo Singapore differs depending on which of the 4 concepts you're at. The Kuvo Singapore Gift Shop primarily caters for takeaway, but also doubles as a patisserie and dessert counter, with its brightly lit, attractive glass display case, and shelves of the sweet stuff. The Ambrosia I and II is a brightly lit, casual, 88-seat, all-day dining restaurant, with modern cushioned wooden furniture and plush couches, a comfortable, modern setting. The Elixir Bar is a bespoke cocktail and tapas area, with high bar tables and stools, set in a dark ambient atmosphere, with a live band on weekends. The Vine Lounge is a 32-seat wine lounge with rows upon rows of bottles, over 140 wine labels, and a wine dispenser! Overall, very good ambience no matter which of the 4 dining concepts you choose!Service at Kuvo Singapore is professional, efficient, and courteous. Befitting of bistro quality sevice, the staff speak quietly, and carry out requests quickly. They're rather knowledgable on the menu, able to make astute recommendations, and can even inform you about off-menu selections, of which Kuvo Singapore has a few! I also like that they offer to change plates between courses, something usually done only at fine dining restaurants. However, I do feel there isn't much memorable engagement from the junior staff, the level of service provided is good, but not outstanding. The more senior staff however, are very engaging, seemingly enthusiastic about their work, and can even describe the various dining concepts and history of the place!Food at Kuvo Singapore is modern fusion, a combination of Western presentation and ingredients with Asian flavours. The kitchen produces dishes of generally average quality in taste, though some are above average. Rather decent, consistent execution, which is good. The sharing portions are nicely sized for sharing between 2 - 4 people, though it's possible for an individual to finish it all by themselves. Menu options at Kuvo Singapore are extensive, and prices are pegged to bistro standards; higher than a cafe but lower than a restaurant. Budget about SGD $14 - $22 per tapas dish, and SGD $21 per cocktail. Generally, a small meal with 2 drinks here will set you back about SGD $80 per person, I personally feel it's rather expensive.

Head Bartender of Kuvo Singapore, Mr. Yutaka Nakashima, has over 16 years of experience in mixology, with several international accolades under his belt. On top of this, he's also a licensed chef in Japan! His bespoke cocktails suit the theme of modern fusion at Kuvo Singapore, intriguing and unique beverages that blend East and West, teasing and exciting the palate with each sip!Among the best dishes we had here, the Brandy Flambéed Beef Cube (SGD $22) features tender, savoury chunks of beef, flash seared and flambéed with brandy, glazed with an earthy red wine sauce, and served with sauteed, smoky garlic cloves and chili. Love how the little bit of heat tickles the palate, and each beef cube has a meaty, satisfiying chew. Excellent!The Kuvo Coffee Hot Wings (SGD $14) with baby carrot crudites and blue cheese dip was pretty good! The chicken wings have moist, tender meat which comes off easily, and the thick sauce glaze is savoury, with hints of roast
coffee, and a good kick of spicy heat! Cool off with the Cocktail Brewski Yen (SGD $21) pairing, or the tender baby carrots and blue cheese dip, which is surprisingly mellow and pleasant, lacking the characteristic sharp pungent taste of typical blue cheese.The Cocktail P & L (SGD $21), named for the corporate business financial term of 'profit and loss', is made with Bankes London dry gin, house made apple and cinnamon syrup, peanut butter, coconut cream, and laksa leaves. Unique and creative, this rich, creamy beverage is earthy, sweet, and nutty, with hints of spice notes. Highly recommended!
Full Kuvo Singapore review: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/01/kuvo-singapore-tasting-session.html

A passion for Japanese cuisine and quality grilled meat led Chef Jeremy Han to open The Burning Oak in March 2015, as part of the revamped Simpang Bedok Market Place. Specialising in premium Japanese style kushiyaki (known to some as yakitori), or grilled skewers, The Burning Oak uses Binchotan / Japanese charcoal to grill all their skewers. This use of this high quality charcoal made from Japanese oak wood, results in skewers with an even caramelized browning on the outside, while the inside remains moist and succulent.Ambience at The Burning Oak is similar to the rest of the stalls here, on account of the shared casual seating, and clean, bright atmosphere. The stall itself is decked in an understated black, with clean, straight lines. The open kitchen allows one to watch Chef Jeremy Han working the sous vide machine, or grilling skewers over the charcoal grill while flames leap from time to time. You can also sit at the high bar stools which are available in front of the stall.

Service at The Burning Oak is completely self-service, with ordering, payment, and collection of orders done over the counter. A buzzer is provided to alert you when your order is ready. Waiting time for order fulfillment is pretty short, about 10 minutes or so, considering that everything is grilled to order!

Food at The Burning Oak is Japanese style grilled items, mostly meat (chicken, beef, pork), along with several vegetables items. I find quality and taste of items to generally be excellent, each individual skewer is grilled to order, and contains good flavour on its own. You can taste the smoky flavour imparted by the flames, yet without any burnt parts! Portions are sized for individuals, and prices are affordable, budget about SGD $10 per person for a meal here.Beginning today (5th January 2016), Chef Jeremy Han is expanding his menu! Over the next few weeks, he'll be introducing new items into his menu, gradually changing The Burning Oak from a pure kushiyaki stall, to a sharing platter concept stall. He's still retaining all the items on his old menu though, which is good news!

Of the vegetable items, the Cherry Tomato Skewer features juicy cherry tomatoes, which burst with sweet, fruity flavour in the mouth. It has a hint of smoky aroma, and pairs well with the savoury meat items. The Quail Eggs Skewer is decent, with a slight sweetness from the teriyaki sauce glaze, and a eggy, earthy taste, but is ultimately the most unremarkable skewer offered here.

Of the meat items, the Chicken Thigh (Negima) Skewer features savoury, tender, moist chunks of chicken thigh, alongside crunchy leeks. The Pork Shoulder Skewer has a thick yet moist cut of pork shoulder, savoury and sweet, with a good amount of fat, and a beautiful smoky caramelisation. With the Beef Short Rib Skewer, you get a thick yet tender and moist beef short rib, marinated / sous vide for 72 hours along with red wine, until the meat tastes sweet, savoury, and earthy, with a slight hint of tannin!

The Chicken Meatball (Tsukune) Skewer has tightly packed, chicken meatballs that are juicy within, with an intense savoury salty flavour that is rather pleasing. Overall, the skewers were all well executed, incredibly tasty, and very satisfiying. Total price for all these skewers is SGD $15.20. Highly recommended! Full The Burning Oak review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/01/the-burning-oak.html

Founded in August 2014 by ex-banker turned restauranteur Lawrence Ngan, Bridge Restaurant & Bar along Seah Street offers well crafted, Modern European fine dining at value for money prices. Head Chef of Bridge Restaurant & Bar, Sky Chan Wai Khang, draws on his years of experience in various fine dining restaurants, such as Joel Robuchon and JAAN, to create dishes that delight and dazzle the senses.Ambience at Bridge Restaurant & Bar is inviting and relaxing. Styled like a modern bistro, with low ambient lighting, a wide floor space, modern furniture with clean, curved lines, in colours of wood, yellow, white, and black. A long, open bar sits at one side, over which guests can converse with the bartender. The atmosphere lends itself well to long, lingering meals and laughter with friends. There is a small al-fresco outdoor dining area as well, though this is exposed to the elements, and rather uncomfortable being next to the road.Service at Bridge Restaurant & Bar is professional and efficient, living up to the standards of a bistro, but falls short of restaurant quality. Staff greet diners, and seat them quickly, though I notice they don't engage people who stop to look at their menu outside. They're also quick to clear empty / dirty plates or tables, setting it for upcoming courses, or the next sitting of diners. However, I do wish they had changed the sharing plates as well, at least mid-way through the meal. Beyond this, there is very little engagement with staff, and I feel the service is functional, but not memorable.

Food at Bridge Restaurant & Bar is Modern European, artfully and beautifully plated dishes prepared with French cooking techniques, featuring largely Western influenced flavours. Head Chef Sky Chan Wai Khang believes in a "less is more" approach, each dish is thoughtfully crafted around 1 main ingredient, with accompaniments that highlight it. Fresh, quality ingredients are sourced, resulting in food that's delicious, bursting with flavour and colour. Portions are rather large for individuals, and can be shared. Despite the use of premium ingredients and restaurant fine dining concept, prices are affordable, comparable to bistro pricing. Budget about SGD $60 per person for a 4 course meal during dinner, which is incredible value for money! The menu here is regularly changed every 3 - 4 months, making repeat visits worthwhile!The Octopus (SGD $16) dish features thinly sliced, marinated octopus, chewy kombu seaweed, crunchy frisee / endive salad and radish, with a sharp shallot chutney and colourful tobiko / flying fish row. The plate is finished with a silky Yuzu sorbet from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan! Taste is lovely, a blend of freshness, cleaness, sweet, zesty, sour, briny, and earthy. Akin to a really good carpaccio.Loved the Blackfin Paimpol (SGD $22), with a large, tender fillet of pan-seared blackfin seabass fish, served on a bed of soft, tender coco de paimol (24 hours soaked black-eyed peas / beans stew), finished with a warm, white wine foam. Closely resembles the classic French dish of 'Sea Bass Fish With Coco De Paimpol Beans In Butter Sauce', which hails from the city of Paimpol, in the Brittany region of France. The fresh seabass fish has a crisp, slightly salty skin, which gives way to a tender, flaky, sweet white flesh underneath. The black-eyed peas / beans are soft and tender, not mushy, with a savoury sweet, buttery taste. Really good!Full Bridge Restaurant & Bar review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/12/bridge-restaurant-bar-tasting-session.html

Housed within the former shophouse premises of the very 1st OCBC bank in Singapore, CATO is a modern Asian restaurant and bar with an extensive list of craft beers, spirits, and quirky tapas / bar bites. Opening their doors in July 2015, CATO has gained some traction with its novel and creative Modern Singaporean cuisine.Ambience at CATO has an old-world, bespoke allure. The rustic historic facade, rough brick walls, distressed steel beams, dark stained wood flooring, and low ambient lighting call to mind the sailing ships of old. Along with the tongue-in-cheek posters, jumping music beats from the resident disc jockey, and comfortable lounge / bar / restaurant furniture, the overall atmosphere is very inviting, the sort of place where you linger while time just slips away. Excellent!Service at CATO is unobstrusive, professional, but slightly forgettable. Staff are efficient, quietly and quickly going about their duties, be it taking orders, clearing empty / dirty tables, or arranging the table to serve dishes. While I have nothing to fault with the good service, there is very little rapport, and thus, little to tie diners to making a connection.Food at CATO is modern Asian / modern Singaporean, with a small menu that changes regularly to keep repeat visits interesting. The culinary team behind the kitchen has over 30 years of experience, and serves up contemporary food, combining international flavours on the plate. This also means that taste can be hit or miss, depending on personal preference. Portions are decently sized, and may be shared. Prices are reflective of most other restaurants, budget about SGD $47 per person for a meal here.The extensive list of craft beers and spirits at CATO is their main highlight. The eclectic beer selection varies seasonally, with edgy labels such as Crew Republic, Modern Times, or Schlenkerla, and includes 14 curated selections on taps. Artisinal spirits from over 20 renowned boutique distilleries are available as well, featuring labels such as KOVAL, or High West. Drinkers won't lack choice here, but I notice they don't have cocktails. They also don't serve still water / tap water at all, you can't even order it. Also, their non-alcoholic drinks menu is largely limited to soft drinks or juices.

The Beer Modern Times - Black House (SGD $16) is an oatmeal coffee stout brewed by Modern Times Brewery in San Diego, California, United States Of America. Brewed along with coffee beans that are roasted on-site, this black ale / beer with a brown foam head has a robust, complex taste. It starts out with a toasted grain and caramel notes, which leads into a coffee / espresso, chocolate, and hazelnut taste. Unique and creative! Highly recommended!The Prawn Bisque With Home Made Cod Fish Ball & Coriander Leaf (SGD $12) has a medium intensity to the crustacean soup / broth, with a medium thickness in terms of texture. Decent enough, I understand it can be ordered as either a soup / broth course, or as a shot. More interesting was the cod fish ball, tasty with the aroma of spices, slightly crunchy outside yet soft inside. I would totally order this on its own as a bar snack!The Crispy Squid In Thai Style Glaze (SGD $12) is possibly the best bar snack I've eaten here. Fresh, whole baby squid, coated in a savoury flour and spice batter, seasoned with fish sauce, then deep fried till crisp and golden brown on the outside, yet still tender and meaty inside. Excellent, completely unstoppable. Highly recommended!The house special is Aunty Jasmine's Fish Curry (SGD $25), featuring tender, flaky, milky-white New Zealand Ling fish, surrounded by okra / lady's finger, eggplant / aubergine, carrots, yellow squash, olive infused caviar, chunks of bread, and garnished with fried onions. The star is the secret family recipe fish curry, thick in texture with a solid savoury spicy hit, when poured over the dish, enhances the entire flavour. The only let-down in this dish for me was the rather tasteless bread, though it's meant to be dipped in the flavourful curry, so it still balances out. Likely the standout main dish here, highly recommended!Full CATO review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/11/cato-tasting-session.html

Located in old Tanglin Post Office off Tanglin Road, Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar is well known for many things, in particular, their delicious, freshly baked French bread and pastries, communal tavern atmosphere, and being able to tap your own beer!

Ambience at Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar is styled to resemble a medieval European / German tavern, with colourful stained glass windows, globule lamps, large and sturdy oak wood dining tables, and a communal marble counter with beer taps at the end. While there are bright spotlights throughout the interior, these are often kept off, lit by natural lighting during the day, and low, warm ambient lighting at night, lending a feeling of serenity and intimacy, though it makes photography difficult. The buzzing, friendly atmosphere is welcoming, and the aromatic smell of baking perfumes the place. Great!Service at Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar is decent / average. The relatively young staff are cheerful and friendly, offering greetings / goodbyes, and seating guests quickly. Product knowledge is lacking in the junior staff, they cannot describe dishes, nor make confident recommendations, although they are up-to-date on current promotions. Thumbs up for efficiency, they came around regularly to clear and change empty / dirty plates. Lacking in attention to details, as they did not top up our cutlery, I resorted to taking it from the empty table next to ours after every course.Food at Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar is modern bistro quality, with primarily French and Italian influences. In particular, their bread and dessert pastries, which are freshly baked / prepared each day, is the speciality here. They also feature a rather extensive menu of appetizers and entrees, with hits and misses. Portions are large, and suitable for sharing. Prices are reflective of a high-end bistro / gastrobar, budget about SGD $50 per person for a proper meal here. If you're just getting cakes / bread / pastries, budget about SGD $8 per person.The unique Cheddar Cheese Bacon Waffles (SGD $19) is worth ordering, because it combines bacon and waffles. BACON & WAFFLES! With cheddar cheese and bacon bits baked directly into their waffle batter, served with rashers of bacon, and a chive sour cream on the side. The waffle texture is the thin and crisp version, and my only minor complaint is that it's slightly dry, though this is helped by the fragrant chive sour cream. Worth ordering, because... bacon & waffles!This is among the best Chili Crab Pasta (SGD $25) I've had in Singapore thus far. The spaghetti is done al-dente, with some bite, the chili crab gravy is thick, with alternating notes of sweet, savoury, tangy, and spicy, and there is some lingering heat. The generous portion of fresh, deshelled crab meat, and spicy chili padi complete this dish. Highly recommended!

Full Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/08/nassim-hill-bakery-bistro-bar-tasting.html