The chosen venue for lunch today was Osteria Art Restaurant and came highly recommended by a colleague. Osteria Art Restaurant is an elegant Italian restaurant led by Beppe De Vito, where quality and fresh ingredients are being valued.  When we first set foot into the beautiful, sophisticated restaurant with dark ornate wood and dazzling lights, we were being greeted warmly with smiles from the various crew members. This brightened our moods instantly, and we had a feeling that service would be efficient and friendly – we were not disappointed.To start us off, there was Bread – piping hot, utterly crispy on the inside and fluffy on the inside; we devoured every bit ravenously dipping in the olive oil and butter provided.My appetiser was the Foie Gras with Pumpkin Cream and Almonds. The first cut into the fatty slice set it wobbling, and it was so buttery, so soft it melted on the mouth deliciously. However, I tried to distance my treasured foie gras away from the pool of thick, saccharine pumpkin cream it was sitting amidst. The taste just did not jibe, the creamy, sweet sauce was a sharp contrast IMHO.For mains, I had the Red Wine Braised Lamb Shank with Potato Puree. Usually I would’ve gone for the fish or lobster (especially during this period that I am supposed to be on my rigid diet), but today I needed some “tonic” so red meat was the right choice – an excellent choice, in fact. The flesh was so tender it fell off the rack upon gently contact of the knife, shedding itself beautifully. Into the palate, the succulent flesh teased ever so lightly yet flavorfully, yet there wasn’t a single hint of the supposed gamey taste most other lamb meat contain. This was a marvellous dish executed well, and the red wine infusion though subtle, was beautiful.Grilled Seabass with Rucola Salad and Pachino Tomatoes was another delightful dish – crackling top layer concealing moistened flakey flesh. The natural taste of fresh fish was distinctive, heightened by the slightly tarty sweetness of tomatoes.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/04/lunch-at-osteria-art-italian-restaurant.html

After the closure of Olive Tree Buffet Restaurant at Intercontinental Hotel, the renovation is finally over and has rather recently re-opened as an entirely new Modern European restaurant, Ash & Elm. The a la carte dining restaurant exudes an intimate, exquisite ambiance with its dimly-lit decor; service was polite and professional as well.Beef Tasting Platter was next, paired with a glass of reds. There were USDA New York Striploin, Australian Rib-Eye Steak and French Bavette D'Aloyau, served with sides of vine tomatoes, asparagus, mashed potatoes, sautéed mixed mushrooms as well as potato wedges. Sauces comprised Bearnaise, Peppercorn and Natural Jus - I enjoyed Peppercorn the best as it added a tangy touch to the meats. The beef were tender, juicy and deliciously-marinated.Mains were served next, starting with this French Free-range Yellow Chicken Supreme, made up of 30 day grain-fed chicken from Savel. Served with it were thyme, rosemary, creamy polenta, sweet corn with bacon and mushroom sauce. Chicken was beautifully-infused with the heavier gravy, and had a delicately tender texture.Seafood Linguine was unlike any other that I have ever tasted in a western / European restaurant. The pasta (made of wheat?) looked and even tasted like the Chinese ee-mian; only smoother, finer in texture. The seafood portions were generous and comprised scallops, shrimps, squid, clams, olives tossed in a basil and crustacean sauce. Palatable was the name of the dish and this dish left a deep impression on me - something to order when I return.We had the Spanish Slow-grilled Iberico Pork Chop next - succulent and well moistened bone-in slab of sweet black pork. The sides had the faintest hint of crisp and smokiness, seeping into the natural flavour gently.Finally, time for desserts. We began with Chocolate-Hazelnut Pizza that contained chocolate brioche, 3 types of chocolates (dark, milk and white), praline, marshmallows, cocoa granite and white chocolate ice-cream. It is a chocolate lover's dream come true, all on a rich, delicious chocolatey cookie base that crunched and melted in decadent pools in the palate. I kept having craving for its unique texture and taste for days thereafter.The Peach Melba was up next - ruby peach parfait, almond strawberry genoa bread, and strawberry tuile looked too pretty to be devoured. Peach parfait was gorgeously flavoured with peach's natural flavour so distinctive, heightening the flavour of the pastry. The berries added a zesty hint to this lovely piece.Finally, Yuzu-Citrus Combination with its colorful presentation, especially the alternating colors of grapefruits as plating. Lemon sable breton was a crunchy pastry base with citrusy notes, tuned up by lemon curd, mandarin orange reduction and yuzu sorbet. This was the perfect ending to a heavier-flavoured dinner, refreshing the palate and senses totally - an invigorating dessert dish.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to refer to:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/03/media-invite-dinner-at-ash-elm.html

Grand Mandarina Chinese Restaurant is lcoated at New Bridge Road, offering Chinese / Cantonese fine-dining concept. Founded and owned by Chef Benson Tong, who gave up his submarine engineer career to operate a roast meat hawker stall, followed by cafes and later, this exquisite restaurant. He has extensive knowledge on the different food and nutritional values, is constantly on the lookout for new food trends and ideas; and strives to customise dishes that may also accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, eggs-free diners.The Steamed Vegetable Dumpling (SGD$4.80) with diced assorted mushroom and vegetables in black pepper. No meat? No fret. These dumplings were bursting with the aroma of mushrooms and black pepper, utterly tasty, and the melty translucent skin is handmade. One of the most flavorful vegetables dumplings I have tasted thus far.Crispy Rice Rolled with Smoked Shredded Duck and Bamboo Shoot (SGD$7.50) - velvety rice roll (think cheong fun) wrapped around crackling smoked duck that had a lovely distinctive duck flavour but was not overly salty; nothing like the usual dry, rough smoked duck we are accustomed to. This is highly recommended.The Pan-fried Buns filled with Pork and Cabbage (SGD$5.00) lined with thin egg sheets. The buns had a lovely crusty texture to them, with succulent minced pork-cabbage fillings within. The minced pork was mildly-sweet, and very delicious - how they managed to ensure the delicate texture of the pork is by buying meat and fats separately to blend themselves; to ensure quality of the minced meat.Deep-fried Chilean Seabass (SGD$26.00) with crispy fish skin served with scrambled egg white and golden broth. Crispiness ranged from the brittle fish skin to the deep-fried golden skin of the Chilean seabass, and while the teeth ran through all of those deliciously, the flakey, snowy flesh of the luscious fish tantalized the palate further. The nectarous golden broth filled with silken scrambled egg white fulfilled the dish with a flourish.Coconut Crustacean Broth with Silken Longevity Noodles in Coconut and King Prawn (SGD$26.00). The exciting presentation piqued the palate's curiosity, and the first sip of the broth was just indescribably good - saccharine and tasty of seafood goodness. The silken strands of noodles were soaked with the tasty broth. Loved the springy freshness of the tiger prawn as well. After slurping all the broth and finishing the noodles, we dug the tender flesh of the coconut off the interior wall of the husks, and enjoyed the seafood-infused fruit.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/03/invited-tasting-dinner-at-grand.html

L'éclair by Sarah Michelle is the first éclairs cafe in Singapore, specializing in beautiful French desserts that inspired them and caught their hearts while they were in Paris. So now they bring a piece of Paris back to Singapore, bringing éclairs to us made of highest quality ingredients. Decor was chic, timeless and elegant, making for comfort and offering an expanse of view of the outside through floor-to-ceiling glass panels.My first éclair was the Roasted Pistachio & Strawberries (SGD$8.00). The pastry puff itself was soft, carrying the weight of pistachio cream and bits as well as strawberries on top of it, giving it a very lovely combination of nutty sweetness, tart and crunch. The cream within was delicate and smooth, making for a
fabulous choice.Next up, it was Ispahan (SGD$8.50) - comprising of rose, lychee and raspberry. The dark red petal was too pretty for me to resist. Look at the layers of lychee chantilly cream sitting so snugly between the rose-coated top and soft pastry bed. Raspberries were inserted between the cream, adding a refreshing tint of zest to the luscious, feminine flavours of this pink pastry - every bite was filled with the beautifully-orchestrated flavours of rose, lychee and raspberry. Needless to say, I was glad I chose this.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/03/afternoon-tea-at-l-eclair-by-sarah.html

Having eaten at Crystal Jade Kitchen at Toa Payoh before, we wanted to return to eat certain items, and was surprised to see that it has become Jiangnan concept. Nonetheless, we proceeded to check the menu and give the food a try. Interior decor was posh and sophisticated, heavy in modern classic Oriental flavor. Service was efficient and professional.The Signature Szechuan Dan Dan La Mian, which came in a huge bowl but fortunately the portion was reasonable. The handmade noodles were springy in texture, tasting undeniably good in the thick, spicy broth filled with ground peanuts. It was amazing how this bowl of noodles barely contained any ingredients but was addictive to feast on.We started with the delightedly colorful Assorted Flavours Xiao Long Buns (SGD$10.80) consisting of 4 in a tray. Since three of us liked Xiao Long Buns and it was hard to share them, we decided to get a tray each. Vegetable flavor - as name implies, the broth-filled buns were pleasantly sapid of vegetable's subtle green taste. Ginseng flavor - lighter in taste, but bursting with the herb's natural sweetness. Salted Egg flavor - thick and redolent of salted egg's aroma and taste; this was easily a favorite amongst us. Chilli Crab flavor - a little spicy, and robust with a familiar local delight's flavour, this rocked our palates too.  We enjoyed our Xiao Long Buns overall, and the flesh of the minced pork within the buns was succulent.evi

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/03/dinner-at-crystal-jade-jiangnan.html