Full Yan Ting review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2013/10/yan-ting-tasting-session.html

Inspired by the Chinese Imperial courtyards of the Ming Dynasty, where influential movers and shakers of the empire would gather for lavish banquets, Yan Ting restaurant in the St. Regis hotel exudes an elegant and sophisticated class befitting royalty. Helmed by master chef Mak Kip Fu, Yan Ting restaurant elevates traditional Cantonese fare into fine dining status, while retaining the soul of using only the freshest seasonal produce and showcasing natural flavours.

Ambience at Yan Ting restaurant is opulent. The grandeur of the interior exudes a classy elegance, without being too over the top. The tastefully arranged layout is suitable for business or private dining, and the decor enhances the overall ambience without being too loud. I also like the bright ambient lighting, which isn't too harsh or dim.

Service at Yan Ting restaurant is professional, discreet and polite. Staff may not make much conversation, but they are attentive and observant, and barely get in the way of dining, or conversations. The discreet yet efficient manner of staff at Yan Ting means you'll barely notice they're there! Tables are set, and cleared, with finesse. Communication in English however, is slightly below par.

Food at Yan Ting follows the Cantonese / Guangzhou philosophy of freshness of ingredients, little usage of herbs, and well balanced dishes that are naturally flavourful but not greasy. Yan Ting restaurant prepares classic Cantonese dishes according to time-honoured receipes, but presents them in beautiful contemporary style. Yan Ting restaurant is most well known for their weekend Dim Sum buffet brunch, considered to be among the best Dim Sum in Singapore. Despite the price of SGD $98 ++ per person, the Dim Sum buffet brunch at Yan Ting restaurant is very popular.

Since chef Mak Kip Fu joined Yan Ting restaurant in September 2013 as their executive chef, he has designed seasonal set menus which showcase the best of Cantonese cuisine. He has also introduced several of his signature dishes which have helped his previous restaurants earn Michelin stars.

The Pan-Seared Crab Claw Stuffed With Shrimp Mousse is chef Mak's signature dish. Fresh shrimp is pounded to a paste, wrapped around a freshly de-shelled crab claw, lightly fired, and then cooked in a broth with 10 different Chinese herbs and spices. The result is a fragrant, juicy, and succulent dish, enhanced with crisp texture from the asparagus and fried shallots.

An extremely uncommon Cantonese dish, and also a signature item of chef Mak, the Double-Boiled Duck With Cordyceps Flowers And Wolfberries won much praise during the tasting session. Easily the best dish on the menu, the soup has robust flavour, is well balanced, and very comforting. The wolfberries and raisins added a hint of sweetness, while the duck meat was tender without being stringy. Excellent!

Full Picotin review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2013/05/picotin.html

Birthday celebration for the BFF (Best Female Friend)! She wanted French, so I decided to take her to Picotin. A casual, homely bistro, set in picturesque surroundings, Picotin serves simple, uncomplicated European food.

Service at Picotin befits a fine dining restaurant. Staff are very polite and efficient, but also show initiative and are observant. However, the junior staff are not very knowledgeable about food ingredients or wine pairings. We experienced a slight hiccup with a missing order, but decided to cancel it as we were too full, but otherwise, I would say the service at Picotin deserves top marks.

The most popular pizza on the menu, the Banker Pizza consists of honey baked ham, bacon and pepperoni on a 12 inch, thin crust pizza with mozzarella cheese and home made tomato sauce.

The Classic Beef Bourguignon With Mushrooms, Bacon, Pearl Onions And Mashed Potatoes is a traditional French dish of Beef Bourguignon from Burgundy, France. It is a stew prepared with beef slow braised in red wine, traditionally red Burgundy, and beef broth, then flavoured with garlic, onions, and bacon. It is garnished with baby carrots, pearl onions and braised mushrooms, and served on a bed of smooth mashed potatoes. This results in a flavourful, tannic, earthy taste to the beef, and also renders it very tender and soft. The sauce has notes of bitter, savoury and salty, and complements the meat well. However, this taste profile may not appeal to everyone.

The Pan Fried Sea Bass Fish, Lemon Thyme Risotto, Parmesan Emulsion is an Italian style dish. The fish has soft, flaky meat, but cooked till the skin is flavourful and crispy. The risotto is wonderfully creamy and smooth, with the correct thickness in texture and consistency, and a fresh tangy taste due to the lemon and herbs.

The Lemon Tart With Vanilla Ice Cream dessert (Tarte Au Citron) is prepared in the traditional French style of a thin, low tart with a semi-gelatinous, soft lemon curd sitting on a buttery and crumbly biscuit base. It's both sweet and sour at the same time, with a refreshing tangy taste and creamy texture. Served chilled, it's accompanied by fresh berries and fruits and a small scoop of ice cream, though these are just sidekicks to the main hero / star.

As the in-house dining restaurant of the 5-star One Farrer Hotel, Escape Restaurant & Lounge offers a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ala-carte dining. But perhaps they're best known for their extensive international buffet spread, a formidable feast spanning 9 live stations and 8 static stations, with dozens of dishes prepared by chefs in open theatre kitchens. Since opening their doors in September 2014, Escape Restaurant & Lounge has quickly become one of the most popular hotel buffets around, creating gastronomic experiences with their daily rotating buffet themes.

Ambience at Escape Restaurant & Lounge is lovely. The wide open, spacious dining hall with high ceilings and warm lighting is so inviting, and the comfortable cushioned wooden furniture is nicely laid out, so it's not cramped. A large, circular bar sits at one end of the dining hall, with beautiful bottles of wine displayed. At the other end, the 17 live and static stations are bustling, piled high with all manner of attractive food. Each dish is clearly labelled, and I'm amazed at the extensive variety of dishes they've managed to display in this area. A cursory pass isn't justified, you'll have to walk slowly to observe all the different items on display!

Service at Escape Restaurant & Lounge is above average, befitting of a 5-star hotel. Staff behave professionally and politely, observant and attentive to diners, creating a personalised feel. They come around regularly to check if they can clear away empty / dirty plates, always an important thing in a buffet. I also note that staff have some basic product knowledge on the various dishes on the menu, though you can also interact with the chefs at the various live stations if you have specific questions on the food. But though the service is good, I feel it's not particularly memorable.

Food at Escape Restaurant & Lounge is good, featuring an International selection of cuisines. What stood out for me here, was their Chinese cuisine, Indian cuisine, and seafood. Perhaps because they're said to specialise in homey, comfort food, these associated dishes were well executed and delicious! Their team of in-house pastry chefs and bakers also produce some excellent butter cakes and breads. Prices are reasonable and comparable for their buffet, per person costs SGD $30 ++ for breakfast, SGD $45 ++ for lunch, and SGD $60 ++ for dinner. If going for their ala-carte, budget about SGD $35 per person.Highly recommend the Roti Prata Plain, which is also a favourite of the chef, for its super crisp, buttery texture! Pairs well with the mild savoury Dhal Tadka lentil curry! The Chicken Tikka was outstanding as well, tender and moist, with good savoury flavour, pairing well with the fluffy, fragrant Naan Plain. The Mutton Korma was tender and decent in taste, though I would have liked it to be more spicy instead. Vegetarians can also go for the Mattar Paneer, which has paneer cheese cubes and peas in a mild savoury curry, or the Aloo Baingan, which has tender eggplant and potatoes in a savoury dry style curry. Overall, very good Indian cuisine here!Highly recommend the Braised Beef Brisket With Tendon, for its smooth, fork-tender texture, and savoury flavour with full taste of the spices! I would visit again just for this, it's a must try! The Braised Broccoli With Mushroom is executed to a decent Zi Char standard, with crunchy florets of broccoli, soft carrots, and tender earthy shiitake mushrooms in a tasty oyster sauce gravy. The Fish Curry is decent, with fresh firm white dory fish which flakes apart nicely, and tender okra / lady's fingers slices. The Chicken Rice isn't too oily, but nicely fragrant with a slight buttery texture, while the Prawn Crackers have a crisp outside that cracks to reveal the meaty sweet fresh shrimp inside. Overall, very good Chinese cuisine here!Full Escape Restaurant & Lounge review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/05/escape-restaurant-lounge-tasting-session.html

Founded in July 2014 by chefs Mr. Sean Lim and Ms Jerraldine Chen, Sin Lee Foods is a nostalgic cafe throwback to simpler days. While appearing hipster, the cafe owners kept the original signboard, and the overall look and feel, due to their landlord's request, who places a great deal of sentimental value on the place. This 50-seater cafe located in the sleepy Bukit Ho Swee neighbourhood offers modern fusion breakfast / brunch dishes, albeit at slightly higher than average prices.

Ambience at Sin Lee Foods is casual, with an industrial rustic vibe, a classic hipster cafe. Think rough, exposed red brick and grey concrete walls, with functional, industrial wooden furniture in a variety of styles. There is barely any decor here, and the indoor seating area exposes diners to cooking from the kitchen. However, they win points for the tranquil, sheltered outdoor seating, which offers views of the sleepy, quiet neighbourhood and surrounding greenery.

Service at Sin Lee Foods is partial self-service, and there is minimal interaction with the mostly young staff. Ordering and payment is done self-service over the counter, but staff do serve orders to your table. Engagement is limited to asking about dishes, with staff able to answer queries, and willing to accede to requests for changing ingredients in dishes. Orders are fulfilled within 10 minutes, and I also note that staff are fairly quick in clearing empty / dirty tables. Not particularly memorable.

Food at Sin Lee Foods is modern fusion breakfast / brunch fare, with strong influences from American and Japanese cuisine. In particular, they have an emphasis on waffles, due to the owner's background, and they also refuse to serve eggs benedict. Taste is generally decent, and potions sizes are large, suitable for sharing. They're also priced more expensively than other cafes, budget about SGD $30 per person for a meal here. Overall, Sin Lee Foods is a good choice only if you're in the area, and willing to spend. But I feel it's not worth making the effort to travel here.

The Coconut Slushie (SGD $9) is a refreshing chilled beverage, a smooth, thick, delicious blend of crushed ice, coconut milk, and coconut water. Topped with nata de coco / coconut jelly and toasted coconut flakes, which lend a fragrant, appetizing aroma! Nice, loved this drink!The Aburi Broccoli Salad (SGD $13) is among the best salads I've had, and definitely the best broccoli dish I've eaten! Fresh, crunchy broccoli florets are quickly torched aburi style, making them take on a savoury smoky flavour. A bed of sharp sour white balsamic vinegar and creamy mayonnaise, along with garnishes of sweet red sugar and crispy papadum chips complete this delicious salad dish. Addictive, delicious, and well worth visiting just for this. Highly recommended!While The One And Only (SGD $21.90) is essentially a chicken and waffles dish, they're among the earliest in Singapore to popularise this modern fusion dish. The version here remains a pretty solid contender, with a large, crisp, iron waffle, though it's slightly dry. This is greatly helped by the large, juicy har jiong / prawn paste marinated boneless chicken leg. With a crispy skin, a thick layer of fat (which locks in the natural juices), and savoury, tender chicken meat, it's so tasty! A small but savoury sweet sesame gomae / sesame sauce coleslaw lends a fragrant, nutty flavour. The melted herb and maple syrup butter was outstanding, with a hint of sweetness, it paired really well with the chicken. Good!Full Sin Lee Foods review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/05/sin-lee-foods.html

Founded in September 2013, Caveman Food is a casual eatery offering dishes based on the Paleo diet / Paleolithic diet. The 1st such concept stall in Singapore, the wholesome dishes at Caveman Food are based on food groups eaten by our hunter-gatherer cavemen ancestors. And because the Paleo diet is said to aid weight loss, and aid the body's natural defences against cardiovascular disease and diabetes, Caveman Food has naturally attracted fitness enthusiasts, doctors and nurses from nearby hospitals, and casual diners who want healthy food.Ambience at Caveman Food is simple and casual. Functional, white painted wooden furniture is closely packed within the cramped floor space, and the brightly lit, open air concept lends a rustic feel. The open kitchen with its appetizing display of food draws the eye, as does its large, clear menu outside. However, the place can get warm, as there is no air-conditioning.

Service at Caveman Food is completely self-service, as ordering, payment, and collection of orders is done over the counter. You're also encouraged to clear your own trays and disposable cutlery! However, staff do display good product knowledge, able to describe how dishes are made, and they'll offer you recommendations if asked. Orders are also quickly fulfilled, typically within 10 minutes.

Food at Caveman Food is styled after the Paleo diet, which is a diet based on the type of foods eaten by early humans, such as natural, grass-fed meat, fish, fresh vegetables, fish, and fruit. This means excluding / not eating items such as dairy products, processed foods, fried foods, sugar, gluten, cereal grains, or legumes / soy products. As such, the food here is rather natural and healthy, and only light sauces are used. Portions are sufficient for individuals, though prices are slightly higher than the average food court, budget about SGD $10 per person for a meal here.

The Italian Chicken With Sweet Potato, Apple Salad (SGD $8.90) is delicious! The tender, moist, savoury, fall off the bone chicken meat, is rendered incredibly fragrant from the use of Italian herbs such as rosemary and thyme. The apple salad is fresh, with juicy chunks of sweet apple garnished with raisins, and the skin-on sweet potato is tender and sweet with a nice starchy texture. Excellent! The thin Italian inspired gravy is rather messy and weak though.The Beef Stew With Green Salad, Pumpkin (SGD $13.90) features chunks of meaty beef, savoury salty in flavour, some with fat, and some lean. I personally prefer the beef chunks with fat, because the texture is moist and tender. Sadly, the lean beef chunks have a semi-firm and dry texture. It's stewed together with tender carrots and sweet caramelised onions. The lovely sweet mashed pumpkin soaks up the delicious beef gravy, and the fresh, crunchy green salad of rocket leaves / arugula, lettuce, and lemon wedge is healthy and satisfiying.Full Caveman Food review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/05/caveman-food.html