For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/07/media-invite-dinner-at-brewerkz.html

Always happy to be back at Brewerkz, serving good-portioned American-styled food and making high quality craft beer. They have incorporated some Asian dishes into the menu, especially for the upcoming Jubilee SG50.Anyway, since we could not decide on which beer to have, we decided to go for the Beer Sampler set (SGD$13.00 for 4 glasses x 90ml). Amongst them, there were Golden Ale, Hopback Ale, Wheat Beer, Jubilee Lager, Pilsner, Lemondrop Pale Ale, Steam Beer, Irish Red Ale, Black Raspberry Ale, Brown Ale, India Pale Ale, Oatmeal Stout, XIPA and Black Pig. I know, what interesting names, right?We started with Soba Noodle Salad (SGD$23.00) which consisted of lots of greens, cherry tomatoes, teriyaki chicken, wanton skin and Asian Vinaigrette dressing, all tossed in a large glass bowl. The vinaigrette was great - all the right notes of sour and sweet flavours perking the crisp greens up; the teriyaki chicken strips were tender, and I absolutely dug the wanton skin topping the salad.Next, we were treated to the Chipotle Pork Belly Satay (SGD$ ), holding a class of its own, with succulent meat balanced by its wobbly faty parts, giving the satay a chewy-ness that was both tantalising and pleasing to the palate. Dipped into the traditional satay sauce, this made for a very tasty "atas-version" of good Chinese roast-pork (燒肉) on a skewer.Moving on, the Tasmanian Mussels (SGD$25.00), served in cream sauce and served with warm, crispy Focaccia Bread. Fresh, springy mussels extracted from their shells, soaked nicely with the scrumptious cream sauce that made it nearly juicy; swishy upon contact with the teeth.For mains, we dug heartily into the 3 Big Pigs (SGD$90.00), the ideal platter for pork lovers, to go along with Beers with. This serves up to 4 pax, consisting of Kielbasa sausage, baby back ribs and crispy pork knuckle, with mashed potato by the side. Whether you are looking for some crunch, a touch of tenderness or crackling delight, this platter has it all.Now, onto my favoritest of the evening - Satay Seafood Angel Hair Pasta, a limited time only item, comprising of red snapper and soda cuttlefish in rich homemade satay gravy. You know, the tangy and thick peanut gravy used in satay beehoon or for dipping satay? This was marvellously spicy, flavour infusing deeply into the seafood items as well; tossing the springy strands of pasta in, made this an incredibly delicious dish, fulfilling all criteria of textures and taste.The first dessert was Warm Brownie (SGD$14.00) - a large square of rich, indulgent and sweet brownie topped with vanilla ice-cream and honeycomb, slushed with hot stout-fudge sauce. The texture reminded me of mud totally - every bit as sticky and firm, only smoother, and a thousandfold more palatable. The use of honeycomb added a refreshing touch, though I am unsure if the brownie needs anymore sweetness to it.Next up, Oreo Ice-Cream Cake (SGD$14.00), hard on the fork but melty on the tongue. Fans of cookies-and-cream flavour will find this completely delightful. Not only did I enjoy every morsel of this darling, I thought it was very gratifying to find the layers of chocolate coating on top, and beneath the ice-cream cake too, holding it intact and adding to the taste.

It was my third attempt at Black & Ink Cafe, and finally managed to catch them OPEN! Located at a commercial building and standing out rather distinctly, it is just a stone's throw away from Eunos MRT. I passed it enroute for meetings at another nearby building, and wanted to check this hidden gem out. Too bad I was always here on Mondays or Tuesdays - the days they are closed.When I spotted the OPEN sign today, I popped in gaily. I totally dug the vintage chic settings of this monochrome-themed cafe, right down to the old-fashioned "coffee shop" chairs and white marble-topped tables. The quilted mirrored-wall added a touch of elegance, as well as length to the sparkly interior.I started for an Iced Mocha (SGD$6.00), served in a thick glass that gives it a translucent outline in photos. I love the bittersweet flavour of this coffee, tinged with chocolate tones lurking amongst the tastiness of roasted coffee beans.Then I had my Earl Grey Lavender Cake (SGD$5.00) and ate it too. Crispy on the outside, with a solid, yet soft texture within, exuding strong notes of lavender and earl grey in every bite. In this unique creation, it was surprising to note (and I noticed it subsciously - emailing away on my tablet while eating) - the nose was able to smell the fragrance of the cake all this while too. The lingering fragrance never wavered, even as the cake was already being chewed into a messy pulp by the eager molars.Next, the Salted Egg Yolk Muffin (SGD$4.80), which Roy personally recommended, but I had already set my sights on it the moment I came in, because I love all salted egg yolk dishes / pastries. Do not be deceived by the seemingly innocent exterior - the muffin retained crunch, and tasted like digestive-biscuits crumbs, delicious on its own.Prying apart the top revealed a very pleasant surprise - the pool of yellow, which in Chinese dimsum, we recognize it was "liu sha" (cascading lava custard) in a healthy golden tone. The sandpaper-textured liquid gold flowed over the tongue slowly, settling in nicely - a very lovely muffin overall, and the most special I have ever tried.

For full review and more detailed information, please refer here:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/07/tea-tine-at-blank-and-ink-cafe-eunos.html

Greenwood Fish Market & Bistro holds their very own "World Oyster Festival" , and this is the 3rd year already! Every year, over 20 types of oysters are sourced, procured and airflown from all over the world in for this event. Some will even be flown in 2-3 times a year to ensure freshness and a wide array of choices for you oysters lovers out there! For this year, the Oyster Festival commences from 27 June 2015 to 25 July 2015.The first platter of Oysters was served - encompassing 7-8 different types of fresh, juicy oysters. The pinkish dip in the middle was a special concoction comprising of raspberries, shallots and vinaigrette. While it has a fabulous flavour, true oysters lovers are encouraged to abstain from using (too much) of it so that we are able to taste the natural flavours of the oysters.We started with NZ Pacifics oysters - light creamy texture with delicate and clean flavour with a sweet finish. I really enjoyed this large and juicy oyster.Then we tried the Tsarskaya oysters - firm to crunchy texture with flavours of iodine, almond and hazelnut - one of my favorite oysters of the night. It felt almost like chewing on crunchy black fungus when I nibbled on this oyster.Next, we attacked the Kumamoto oysters - very sweet with a honeydew finish, another absolute palate pleaser.Besides fresh seafood, Greenwood Fish Market & Bistro also does some pretty fabulous meats and sandwiches as well. Here was a sampler, encompassing the crackliest bread I've ever eaten on any sandwich, thus gaining lots of points instanteously.   On the left, there were the Mashed Egg with Mackerel, Pulled Pork, Spicy Octopus and Smoked Mussels. The mashed egg with mackerel was a favorite of mine, encompassing the fragrance of mashed hard-boiled egg with mackerel's umami taste. I also enjoyed the chewy and smokey hints of the fresh mussels - never thought these delicacies could be encompassed into sandwiches, but I would certainly love that.Finally, time for desserts! This Cherry Tart was so pretty and fluffy-looking with its mount of fresh cream. The crust was buttery, crunchy and very delectable; but what I loved more were the plump fresh cherries hidden underneath the mount of fresh cream and bursting with sweetness when bitten into. It was the perfect dessert to conclude an evening of seafood with.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to refer here:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/06/invited-tasting-world-oyster-festival.html

Tuxedo Cafe is a loving tribute to European coffeehouse culture, embodying definitive style and elegance. The immaculate decor complete with glossy floorboards and black-bowed chairs, brings out the touch of class in utterly comfortable settings tended by a service crew that brings service up to top notch.We started with a Quiche (SGD$6.00) filled with mushrooms and cheese, with an incredible crust that was solid and soft at the same time, retaining a lovely buttery flavour so it held its own perfectly well. Each bite held a subtle crunch to it, connecting well with the smooth custard-like texture of the cheese.The Mini Cakes (SGD$2.50 for 3 pieces) were too tempting and affordable to resist, so we succumbed, selecting a trio to try - namely the Chocolate one, the Chocolate Truffle one and the Cheesecake one. Don't underestimate the power of these small cake minions - their allure is by lingering in the mouths deliciously after you get over their soft, velvety sweet flavours, so that you keep yearning to go back for more, or wishing they'd come in regular slices.Following that, we had some very fluffy Waffles by the name of "Strawberry Shortcake" (SGD$15.00), an excellent recommendation by the lady who tended to us. Upon taking the first bite, we knew what they meant by watching out for the "texture" when we commented on its beauty. The waffles were extremely fluffy! - so light and crispy and melty, literal food-falls treading upon the tongue like a dance. The pairing of cream and raspberry ice-cream completed this dessert perfectly. We were wowed, that's all I could say.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/06/afternoon-tea-at-tuxedo-cafe-carlton.html

Having heard of this charismatic dining place with its spectacular views, the Beau and I decided to celebrate our 9th year anniversary at Stellar @ One Altitude this year.We were given a window seat so that we could take in the panoramic views while we enjoyed the meal.For the first course of the set meal, we had the Scallops 'Carbonara' (SGD$28.00) - parmesan cheese, bacon ash, egg yolk, milk skin. The bouncy fresh scallosp was seared to a smokey sumptuousness, going very well with the creamy cheese broth surrounding it.The next course was the Caramelized Foie Gras (SGD$28.00) served with fragrant chicken broth, cepes, garlic cream and toast. The foie gras was lightly paired with the aromatic sweetness of caramel, penetrating well into the rich buttery texture of the slab of foie gras. The chicken broth was delicate but flavourful; giving a lovely bite with each mouthful of cepes.The fourth course was Yellow Fin Tuna (SGD$44.00), a generous chunk of wood fired yellow fin tuna with rissoni, broad beans, petit pois and mint, fromage blanc and picked cucumber. I loved the texture of this block of tuna, fired to an excellent texture between sashimi and smoked tuna. I also enjoyed the taste of this sweet fish, surrounded by saccharine vegetables.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/06/dinner-at-stellar-one-altitude.html