For pictures and more reviews, visit my blog at http://www.ms-skinnyfat.com

Esquina is a haute tapas boutique where patrons perch precariously on weirdly shaped metal stools that will seriously damage some nuts. Not a place for large groups because you can hardly converse farther than your immediate left/right.

Ham Croquetas ($10) is my must order. 4.5cm tall balls filled with creamy bechamel and chunks of what is possibly iberico ham (i expect no less) left us wanting for more. The ham was a little salty but i love it.

The Smoked Haddock, spring onion and Manchego omelette ($18) was the fluffiest eggs i've tried in a while. I would liken it to a souffle but firmer. The taste was light; simply flavored with the natural sweetness of the smoked haddock. I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

Do order the Sauteed gambas, chili garlic, potato dumplings and bisque sauce ($24) even though it doesn't look spectacular. The prawns were fresh and bouncy and i love the rich bisque sauce so much i could inhale it. Gnocchi were meh.

And oh.. the Beef Tartare.. simply divine... Extremely flavorful and smooth tartare, especially after you scoop the confit egg yolk onto it....

Read more on my blog.

For reviews and more pictures, visit my blog at http://www.ms-skinnyfat.com

The cosy first floor of the shophouse houses the Bistro, which has been opened for 17 months. A little more about Betel Box- it started out as a backpackers hostel 10 years back, providing a good night's rest and activities for their guests. What started as just dinner with backpackers, eventually became a 7 hour tour of the Joo Chiat; consuming over 30 dishes of food and learning of the Peranakan lifestyle and culture. Their tours got more popular and they are licensed as a travel agency, providing walks for tourists and Singaporeans alike. The restaurant venture is a natural progression of the mission to promote heritage and conservation of the area.

Kacang Botol ($6) is a Peranakan favorite: Four angled beans tossed with Betel Box Bistro's spicy sambal sauce. Very refreshing cold salad with a light bitterness from the vegetables and acidity of the piquant chili.

My favorite fish dish was the Ikan Sumbat (market price). Our $20 stuffed red snapper fish with meat and prawns fed the entire table and left us craving for more. The meat was really dense and juicy. The stuffing has the fragrance of otah without the spice and is also lighter on the coconut milk.

Dry Beef Curry Ribs ($15 onwards) is Uncle Ben's specialty. The braised beef ribs are seasoned in a dry curry sauce aka rendang. Our $35 9inch rib was absolutely tender and the meat fell apart with the tug of a fork. The rendang was a little mild, possibly due to the creamy coconut milk but it was still fantastic.

For more reviews, visit my blog at www.ms-skinnyfat.com

A cold rainy day calls for the Brazilian Nutty Pumpkin Soup with Roasted Garlic ($4 for cup, $6 for bowl). I believe the pumpkin is pureed with chicken stock. I like that it's not overly creamy and you can still taste the grainy pumpkin in it. Pine nuts are thrown in to give it that nuttiness and crunch. The bowl is more than enough for sharing between 2. We didn't finish this.

For variety, we ordered the Plato Mixto for Two ($16)- 6pcs of mini cheese quesadillas, 4pcs el toro's special bbq wings and 2pcs jalapeno poppers. S loves the cheese quesadillas but i thought it to be too plain. Some meat would be nice. Then again, i'm too much of a carnivore. The wings are meh but the cheese stuffed jalapeno poppers are really interesting with the spicy vinegar kick.

The Cuban Chimichanga ($16 with chicken, $18 with beef) was what i went to El Toro for. As you can see, it's fully stuffed with the minced Beef. This is the ultimate comfort junk food. The meat is really juicy and well flavored. I can't believe i'm saying this but there's a little too much meat. The juices from the meat made the fried tortilla soggy and i didn't get that flaky and buttery texture that i so crave. A little more of that cheese would be awesome too. Nice dish nonetheless.

Is El Toro good? Sure it is. I would come here instead of Margaritas anytime (terrible service and expensive food that is mediocre). I shall make it my mission to review all the Mexican restaurants in Singapore.

For more reviews and pictures, visit my blog at www.ms-skinnyfat.com

This 90-seater semi-alfresco restaurant has taken over the now-defunct Britsh gastropub The Jackson Plan, and the menu revolves around 11 variations of fresh mozzarella, each served with a contrasting side ($20-30). These creamy and milky bundles of joy are imported twice weekly from Italy.

Frankly, a mozzarella bar sounds kinda intimidating even for a cheese lover like i am but there are non raw dairy dishes available as well. Our couple friend invited us along for their Restaurant Week booking. For $35, we had a 4 course meal from their actual menu. Here is what we ate.

Our starter of Crab & Stracciatella Cheese Salad with Roasted Zucchini ($20). I love the shredded rags of cow's milk mozzarella and fresh cream. It is delightfully rich but not too heavy. The crab meat lent a light and fresh seafood sweetness to the mix and i love the juicy roasted zucchinis at the base of the tower. The red wine balsamic reduction lifted the dish with the slightly bitter sweet acidity. Nicely done.

Next up, the Smoked Scamorza & Porcini Mushrooms Risotto ($25). Smoked Scamorza has a more dominant in taste than the mozzarella and i like how its natural saltiness flavored the risotto cream broth. I would say this is more of a wet risotto but it's nicely executed nonetheless. Would be a good dish to share.

I was surprised at the size of the Grilled Beef Sirloin Steak Tagliata with Rucola & Truffle Sauce ($35). This is a full size steak, grilled simply and served on rockets. The steak was tender and done medium rare like we like it. Love the truffle sauce too. I could hardly finish my dishes.

For desserts, it was the Lemon Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries ($15). The pudding is slightly more curdled and firm but i love the thick milky smooth texture which is perfumed by the refreshing lemon. This is a match made in heaven. (No picture because the lighting is pretty bad and i think using the flash is rude.)

Enjoy their 3 course weekday set lunch at only $28++. You don't have to wait till Restaurant Week to do that.

For pictures and more reviews, visit my blog at www.ms-skinnyfat.com

I suppose by now everyone has heard of IKYU (Tiong Bahru) by now. It's a high end Japanese dining joint opened by Executive Chef Takuma Seki, former chef-de Cuisine of Hide Yamamoto at Marina Bay Sands. And it is the only Japanese restaurant in the hippie coffee zone in Singapore- Yong Siak Street.

The interior is a futuristic industrial jungle made with stunning pieces of brass, bronze and concrete. Definitely an atypical Japanese restaurant and i'm not quite sure how it relates to fine dining or the Zen that IKYU tries to achieve. It's not that i don't like the decor, it's just that i feel it works better for an izakaya bar instead.

Food wise, the prices are on the high side as IKYU takes pride in using quality ingredients. The fish is flown in three times a week from Tsukiji and so, sashimi prices start from $15.50 for 5pcs of Salmon/Squid/Engawa to $68.50 for 5pcs of Blue Fin Otoro tuna. Sadly, the fish didn't come close to the Tsukiji sort that i've had.

The lunch menu on the other hand is a lot more affordable ($25/35) and i'm glad i tried this before even considering their ala carte menu. 4 sets are available and each comes with appetizer, salad, soup and dessert. Pardon the bad quality pictures as it was a spontaneous lunch and the lighting is not the most ideal for food photography.

I enjoyed the crab meat appetizer that was served that day. Sweet and juicy shredded crab meat with some sesame dressing.

The IKYU sushi set ($35), assorted sushi 6 pieces and roll, is the most pricy of the lot because of the expensive fish from Tsukiji. If you have eaten at Tsukiji before, these sushi are like half the size of what you get there. I was perhaps 50% filled after eating this and i don't consider myself to be the biggest eater around (just look at my size). I found the fish to be on the dry side as well.

S had the IKYU Chirashi set ($25) which is the same Bara chirashi on the menu ($28 ala carte). Little cubes of sashimi?! You've got to be kidding me. The only other place that i see cubed sashimi is at Sushi Tei and they serve it on their salads. Honestly there are way better chirashi-dons around and i would direct you to my favorites- Chikuwatei and Tomo Izakaya. They give you fresh, chunky, sliced sashimi. Not diced ones.

I have no idea what to make of this orange milk pudding that they served us for desserts.

Perhaps the seven-course omakase menu ($128) would provide you with a better idea of the quality of the food served at IKYU, but honestly, i would rather take the money somewhere that can actually fill me up. IKYU is just average to me. I think i would be happier eating at Sushi Tei in fact. Maybe i'm biased; a hungry girl is an angry one. It makes me hungry just thinking about this one. :/

Would IKYU work for the Tiong Bahru crowd? I can't speak for the others but it's not my cup of coffee. Pop over to the other bakeries for your brunch instead.