For full review and photos: http://gninethree.com/2013/10/28/bacchanalia-singapore-23a-coleman-street/

Made famous by their monthly Bacchanalia Brunch Series which took Singapore by storm in 2012, Bacchanalia Singapore has since found a permanent home in the main hall of the historical Masonic Club on Coleman Street. The space which holds up to 150 pax is decidedly intimate with dark wood paneling, a mix of plush burgundy-red lounge chairs and long communal turquoise leatherette couches, heavy drapes and ambient lighting, while a canopy of 400 handmade illuminated glass 'bubbles' that hang overhead takes center stage.Neatly divided into four sections- Vegetable, Seafood, Meat and Dessert, the menu here at Bacchanalia is fluid and dynamic, as reflected by the effervescent natures of the young team that heads the kitchen. The trio- all previously trained at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck represent what the food here at Bacchanalia really is- innovative, creative and refreshing.

From the Vegetable section of the menu, we tried the Amaretti Di Saronno $19, a classic Italian Butternut Squash and Amaretti pairing usually found as a ravioli filling. Visually arresting, the dish was a delightful mishmash of sweet and savory notes with an added acidic dimension from the drizzle of balsamic vinegar and pumpkin oil. And while it may appear dry, the sauce for the dish is actually deceptively encased in sumac powder- a beautiful yolk cooked precisely at 63 degrees.Still from the same section, the French Onion Soup $20 (serves 2), takes an unusual turn from the regular look with the thick layer of melted gruyère on top. Instead, crispy cheddar nuggets, bite-sized homemade rye bread, ricotta cheese and of course caramelized white onions fill the bowl. The broth is served in a small teapot, allowing diners to have a more interactive experience with their food. And keeping to Executive Chef Ivan's detail to precision, the onions used in the stock of the broth is first caramelized at exactly 80 degrees for 3 whole days. The result is a tingling sweetness and depth of flavor with every sip.From the Meats, Executive Chef Ivan pays tribute to our Singapore culture with his fusion dish of Foie Gras Satay $30. Bending boundaries once again, the sous vide Foie Gras is a myriad of textures and flavors from the first layer of tamarind gel with lemongrass and ginger before the final explosion of peanut satay sauce that has a hint of spice. Ingenious and indulgent, this one marries a well-loved French classic with our local delicacy.Moving onto Seafood, the HD Scallops $36 was one of the most intriguing dishes to me that evening. While the succulent fresh scallops gently seared on the plancha was nothing out of the ordinary, presenting it in a bed of sous vide borlotti beans with a dust of cocoa powder was definitely a territory I have yet to venture into. And the composition worked. Somehow.The last of our mains was a 48 HR Pork Belly $30 cooked in its brine for yes, 48hrs. Slow cooked till tender and later fried for a crisp crackling skin, the acidity of the braised red cabbage and pickled apples served alongside cut through the fattiness of the pork nicely, enlivening and balancing out all the elements.

Reaching the Desserts, our pick that night was the Pineapple Tatin $17 made from slow cooked Sarawak Pineapples in caramel. Exquisitely plated, this dessert had savory components of coriander fromage blanc and cardamom infused in the Vanilla ice-cream to counter-balance the intensely sweet thick pineapple caramel.In short, the dining experience at Bacchanalia was nothing short of charming and captivating. Every dish was an adventure and a visual feast, the young 29 year old Executive Chef Ivan Brehm has befittingly earned his position.

Mandarin Gallery welcomes a new addition to their brood of elegant and swanky tenants with the launch of gourmet label- The Providore's flagship cafe on the second floor. From the same people who brought you Jones the Grocer, founders Bruce Chapman and Robert Collick's latest gourmet F&B venture involves both a concept retail store in a 3,000 square foot warehouse in Tan Boon Liat that carries over 500 private label items and this cafe which serves up western food with an Australian influence.Diners will never get bored with a myriad of offerings available at different times of the day. Breakfast from 9am-12pm on weekdays and extends till 3pm on weekends showcases primarily artisan breads such as Sourdough Toast and the Open Faced Breakfast BLT all freshly baked from BAO Bakery and free range eggs in their English Breakfast and Spanish Baked Eggs.

Lunch from 12-3pm is straightforward with offerings of gourmet sandwiches and salads from $14.50 while the transition into evening from 3pm onwards is all about Sharing Plates and a choice of Small $14.50, Medium $18.50 and Large $22.50, ideal for communal dining.Organic Muesli Parfait $12.50

For the health conscious, start your day with The Providore's toasted muesli with shaved coconut. Topped with natural yoghurt, fresh fruit and crunchy roasted almonds, healthy never tasted this good. The cinnamon honey brought it home for me with its thick consistency, sweet yet not cloying aftertaste and full-bodied richness. But the trick ironically is in stirring it all up with the milk and letting it sit for a bit before digging in so that the muesli absorbs all that flavor.Ricotta Pancakes $17.50

The first item on the menu to catch my eye, pancakes with bananas are almost impossible to resist, especially when those bananas are caramelized and walnuts are candied. Using the label's Yellowbox Honey, which I believe was the same one used in the Muesli Parfait, it was a refreshing change from the usual Maple Syrup.

Pancakes were fluffy and ridiculously light despite its thickness and lapped up all the honey we poured with its pockets of air. Do not be afraid to ask for more honey if your jar runs empty, in fact, we recommend it for a heightened sense of satisfaction with your pancakes.The entry of The Providore into our brunch scene gives places like Wild Honey a good run for its money. With such a strategic location, I can foresee crowds flocking here especially on the weekends though we hear that it is now already difficult to find a seat if you do not come early. While prices may come across as a little steep, one has to understand that you are paying for its rent in the heart of Orchard Road and the quality produce that goes into every dish on the menu.

So the next time you are in town, you know where to go for some delicious and Instagram-worthy food.

For full review and photos: http://gninethree.com/2013/10/15/theprovidore-cafe-mandarin-gallery/

For full review and photos: http://gninethree.com/2013/10/11/common-man-coffee-roasters/

The hottest collaboration in town at the moment is none other than the one located at 22 Martin Road. Two month old Common Man Coffee Roasters upped the ante by pulling out the big guns, bringing together Spa Esprit Group, Harry Grover from 40 Hands and Five Senses Coffee (Australia) for the trendiest concept cafe of the season.Setting itself apart from other specialty coffee places, CMCR instead serves up a bevy of Middle-Eastern influenced all-day-breakfast items such as the Common Man Full Veggie Breakfast which features halloumi & free-range organic eggs, and the Turkish Common Man Breakfast with phyllo-wrapped soft boiled eggs, crispy feta with hummus and pita bread. Lunch options too are exotic with the likes of Baked Beetroot with feta cheese or Quinoa Salad with yoghurt & mint.

Our Common Man Burger $28 from the Lunch menu stood tall and was packed with layers of provolone, grilled tomatoes, caramelized onions and of course a 100% ground rib-eye patty. The flavors were spot on with the fluffy brioche bun pulling all the elements together with a single bite, a huge one of course. And while I personally thought that the patty could be a tad less tough and a little less well done, that would just be me being fussy. Served with a cup of crisp and salty fries for a complete picture.Next was the highly raved about Organic Eggs Benedict $24 which came with braised ox cheeks instead because slices of ham are simply too pedestrian. And boy oh boy did it live up to expectations. Every single bit of it. For starters, the two organic eggs were poached so perfectly that not only did the yolk ooze out but the whites also had great consistency and texture. The ox cheeks were plain flavorful and so beautifully tender, it just melted in our mouth. And that lovely butter chive hollandaise made it all too easy to enjoy with the sourdough.The space itself is spacious with a long communal table taking centre stage and plenty of room between smaller tables to have conversations that do not cramp your style. Bar counter seats are also available for those who wish to watch the barista pull their coffee. Overall, ambiance is great and food surprisingly good, just come prepared to spend a little more than a common man would for a meal.

Japanese Matcha has long been associated with many heath benefits. Reputed to be an amazing natural metabolism booster, a great way to reduce your cholesterol and even said to hold more antioxidants than berries, dark chocolate and spinach, this fine ground high quality green tea from Japan is indeed a superfood for anybody and everybody!

Nana's Green Tea Cafe, one of Japan's pioneer Matcha cafes, with 32 outlets all over the country and even earning the status of 'Japan's Starbucks' has recently opened its flagship store in Singapore at the Plaza Singapura extension. This Singapore branch offers an extensive menu of Matcha- based desserts such as crepes and parfaits, drinks and even savoury options of Donburi and Udon soup with the chefs flown directly from Japan so that you can experience and enjoy the true authentic taste of Nana's Green Tea.Locomoko Don $15.80

That sunny-side up egg with its glowing yolk definitely caught my attention first as it simply brightens up the overall demeanor of this Locomoko Don with its presence. Somewhat like a deconstructed hamburger with its beef patty, lettuce and tomatoes, I personally thought the patty was a tad dry and could be a little juicier but the sweet tomato sauce did its job by adding some succulence to the warm Japanese sticky rice. And coupled with some florets of broccoli, this overall combination did work out in the end.

Mushi – Dori Goma Dare Udon $13.80

While I am not really a fan of cold noodles, I did however warm up to this cold Udon variation served with Nana's special sesame sauce. And oh I have to talk about that creamy and nutty texture of the sauce, which was quite compelling and simply the highlight. Topped with healthy steamed chicken fillets that complemented the bouncy consistency of the specially imported Udon noodles, this was quite special.Moving onto the desserts section!

Matcha Shiratama Parfait $11.80
Banana Chocolate Parfait $12.80

These layers of ice-cream, syrup, cornflakes, whipped cream, mochi and kanten jelly are absolute showstoppers. The best part always about parfaits is that they are piled on top of each other so all you really need is a tall spoon is get a bit of that goodness. What I really appreciated most was that these towering heights of ice and cream were almost exact replicas of their photogenic counterparts printed in the menu. The last thing you want is to get excited over the pictures and be disappointed when the actual one arrives. This was definitely not the case here.So if you have yet to jump onto the Matcha bandwagon yet, Nana's Green Tea cafe is a great place to start. The overall decor of the place with its cute wooden framed partitions and warm yellow lighting makes it an excellent choice to spend the afternoon just sipping tea and eating ice-cream. Now doesnt that sound ideal and lovely?

When &MADE first opened in July this year, it became the talk of the town. Throngs of people flocked to this casual dining restaurant helmed by Chef Bruno Ménard. It was exciting because this establishment was opened by the first ever Michelin-starred chef that was to be based in Singapore permanently. The concept was a winning recipe- a well accredited chef with a convenient and accessible location, serving up comfort foods of gourmet burgers, fries, toastoos and interesting desserts. This burger bistro soon found its fans who raved over the amazing beef patties and detractors who thought it was overrated. 6 months later after all the excitement had died down, I decided to make a trip down myself to see what the fuss was all about.The design of the place was charming and whimsical. I immediately warmed up to the low-hanging light bulbs, graffiti sticker-ed glass windows and bold colours of blacks and reds used to spruce up the decor. The feel was inviting, casual and relaxed with a chorus of 'Welcome!' by the chefs in the open concept kitchen each time a new customer walked in.The 3 Little Pigs $23

The burgers come served in a platter with fries and homemade &MADE BBQ sauce dip. Top up an additional $3 for truffle fries which we both could not resist doing so.

Layers of shitake mushrooms, Japanese cabbage, Shibazuke pickles with a thick patty of bacon, pork filet and chorizo that was amazingly moist and tender, this burger had some great flavours going for it. And bringing it to the next level was the yuzu-kosho mayo dressing that tied it all together. Loved the toasted buns that was fluffy and crisp all at the same time. Truly memorable.DD $22

Unaccustomed to not seeing my duck leg confit not in the form of a duck leg, this burger initially did not look too enticing especially since it appeared quite flat compared to The 3 Little Pigs. Nonetheless, I took a bite and was quite impressed. The red cabbage pickles were so crunchy and fresh, sweet shredded green apples, the citrusy green pepper lime mayo and of course that tender saltiness of the duck confit. Very interesting blend of textures. Very unique.White Chocolate $12

The trick to eating this sundae is to use the tall spoon provided to dig right to the bottom of the cup. Much like a trifle, you need to get a bit of all the layers for that complete sugar rush sensation. A clever use of sweet and sour, the white chocolate sauce was paired off with a passion fruit coulis that tapered off so well that even those who may find white chocolate a tad too sweet, can and will finish this sundae. Topped with the caramelized coconut shavings, this dessert had a nice Hawaiian feel to it.

Hot Caramel Lava Cake $15

The menu states that this lava cake will take 15 min to prepare. But dont let that deter you even if you were in a rush. Just order it when you are almost done with your burger and it should arrive as you are about to begin digesting your food.

Coupled with a little theatrics, the waiter will cut the cake for you at your table so that you can watch that thick caramel sauce ooze out. And after you try it, chocolate lava cakes would have become a thing of the past because this hot caramel lava cake just changes the whole game. The cloyingly sweet caramel sauce was still warm and I ended up eating my nougatine ice-cream with it because it was just so good. I did find the cake to be a little too dense though and you are definitely better off sharing this one or it might be too much towards the end.Overall, &MADE certainly exceeded my expectations. The service was flawless, with regular changes of serviettes and cutlery between courses and checks to make sure we were happy with the food. A feel good place with comfort food and great service- I am definitely sold.