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

The Refinery Singapore is a cafe / restaurant by day and bar by night, situated in an industrial area at the front of Jalan Besar / Lavender area, an unlikely spot for a lovely dining spot to be expected, but here it is - prettily monochromatic in its neat, clean-cut design complete with high ceilings and organised rows of seating arrangement. It double as a "workspace" in which one could rent a workspace for white-collared professionals to co-work together. How neat is that.... a co-working space mooonlighting as a cafe/ bar / restaurant.For food, we shared an appetiser of Salted Egg Onion Rings (SGD$12.00) - the idea was interesting and refreshing, since everyone is wild about salted-egg items these days. The battered onion rings were crispy and one could easily spot the generous strips of onion within the rings; however the salted egg flavour was light to non-existent. Maybe it wasn't dipped with the salted egg before being deep-fried, since the Salted Egg Custard was served on a separate side saucer? We doused it over the onion rings and could thereafter taste the creamy salted egg coating.The Spicy Mee (SGD$12.00) with pulled pork, pork balls, homemade sambal chilli, sesame seeds, pork lard and signature 72 degree onsen tamago egg. The menu description reminded me of Kin Kin Dry Chilli Pan Mee (review here), and to be frank, it did not differe much in appearance and taste - as déclassé as this may sound. Don't get me wrong, I love the Kin Kin Pan Mee a great lot, so this was utterly delicious to me - the curly noodles were springy in texture (aka "QQ"), the chilli was substantial so flavours exploded deliciously in the mouth; the pulled pork strips were tender and saccharine in flavour. The onsen egg was tossed evenly into the noodle adding a velvet touch as well as sweetness to the dish - even for a carbo-avoider like me, I kid you not when I tell you I finished every single bite of this dish.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/02/brunch-at-refinery-restaurant-bar-jalan.html

The Carvery at Park Hotel Alexandra came to mind because of 4 reasons: (i) it is relatively new (ii) recommendation from fellow blogger friend (iii) poolview (iv) value for money set meal for Valentine's Day.Sadly, the poolview was not all that visible because there's no alfresco poolside dining, and the reflection of the glass at night erased the pool view outside. Nonetheless, we appreciated the service crew's efforts at putting us as close to the pool as possible, under the circumstances.... if I stare out hard enough and squint, I could still glimpse the crystal blue of the 24-hour pool as well as swimmers roaming about.A walk around the restaurant reaped in all the visionary rewards of all food available for the taking - salad bar, array of seafood, the carving board consisting of Salmon Wellington, US Black Ribeye Angus, Duck a l'Orange, and Pork OP Ribs with apple sauce, and of course the desserts section.We roamed the restaurant to garner our own main courses from the buffet counters. I started with more Seasonal Oysters, some very scrumptious Cod Fish in Fruit Honey Broth, a small scoop of deliciously unique Duck Confit Rice, a small piece of Beef and Seafood Velouté.The Seafood Platter - freshly-shuckled seasonal Oysters, Red Claw Crab, Tiger Prawns, and Salmon Sashimi, served with shallot oil dressing, Maldon sea salt dressing, Horseradish and Chilli Cream on the side. The seafood was fresh and delightful; especially the springy salmon sashimi and tiger prawns.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/02/valentines-dinner-at-carvery-park-hotel.html

Jim Thomspon Thai Restaurant offers a definitive menu with more than 80 classic Thai dishes. The menu does not contain any pork items at all, and even features some dishes suitable for vegetarians, therefore it is suitable for anyone to dine here. They go by an "Absolutely Thai, Thompson-style" approach - many recipes have been tested by the chefs to refine classical Thai dishes to what they believe would be delicious even to experienced palettes; and the culinary, menu and interior decor all reflect an alluring mix of tradition and innovation that is inspired by Jim Thompson the founder. The kitchen is helmed by executive chef Mr. Jarutus Aumpha and an expert team of Thai nationals. They also have an extensive wine list as well as interesting array of flavoured Mojitos and Martinis etc.The Tom Yum Goong (SGD$24.00 for single portion / SGD$46.00 for family portion) - hot and spicy soup with prawns, mushrooms, galangal, lemongrass, shallots and bird's eye chili. The piping hot soup was served in a tiny bowl complete with lid, for single's portion; I liked it as I thought it was a very elegant and personalised gesture. The soup was thick and spicy, and I loved the fresh springy texture of the prawns.The Pineapple Fried Rice (SGD$22.00 for single portion / SGD$60.00 for family portion) - fried rice served in a pineapple husk with cashew nuts, onions, black raisins and prawns. The rice had a good texture, almost al dente, not too soft; well-oiled yet not greasy. The pineapple bits added zest to the rice dish; a satisfying staple made sumptuous.For desserts, the Classic Thai Coconut Ice-Cream (SGD$16.00) served in coconut husk and decorated with cempedek / jackfruit strips and fresh orchid flower. What a pretty little dessert that was nectarous in taste defining coconut's distinctive flavour. The cempedek / jackfruit strips added a significant improvisation to the lighter taste of the ice-cream. The coconut flesh in the husk were juicy, cottony-soft and incredibly beautiful though.Next, Mango Sticky Rice (SGD$20.00) drizzled with coconut milk is a classical Thai dessert loved and welcomed by many. The ripe mango slices were juicy, saccharine and velvety soft; the sticky rice surprised us with its smooth, light texture unlike the usual denser, stickier versions we are accustomed to.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/02/media-invite-dinner-at-jim-thompson.html

It would be tough for anyone to walk past AEIOU Cafe and not take a second glance, because of its vintage settings, the furniture and decoration leaning heavily on antiques and collectibles. While the decor is largely interesting - vintage crockery, marble-tiled counter, old Scientist's lamp, Tin Tin & Scarecrow etc, there is also a large patch of grass mounted on the wall - giving the cafe some greenery? I don't know, but it felt kind of cluttered and messy. I had the Avocado Coffee (SGD$8.00) with came in two separate parts - a tall glass of creamy, thick avocado blend and a small cup of black coffee. Before I mixed them together, I picked a spoonful of each to test out, and liked the flavour, therefore I took the brave move to pour the entire cup of black coffee into the avocado. The result was a smooth, creamy concoction of coffee that was luscious with avocado's buttery flavour. I was glad I came to experience this for myself.The Yuzu and Lime Cheesecake (SGD$7.00) - rich and indulgent but not so thick that it got "greasy", like how some cheesecakes are. This satin-smooth slice was sweet with a touch of zest from its fruity components, and melted in the mouths lusciously; the biscuit base added bite to the dessert.The Classic Tiramisu (SGD$8.50) was served in a huge Vodka glass, with layers of mascarpone cream, coffee curd and raspberry compote. It was redolent with coffee fragrance but light in alcoholic (if any) flavour; the fruit added a touch of tart which actually perked the typical tiramisu-in-a-jar up.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/02/afternoon-tea-at-aeiou-cafe.html