For pictures and reviews, pls visit:

http://madamechewy.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/garibaldi/

Lunch at Garibaldi with W during restaurant week, which cost us $40++ per pax. Garibaldi is a stylish and elegant Italian restaurant, using ingredients imported directly from Italy.

The entrée and dessert was fixed and there were 2 choices for the mains. I felt that it would be better be more flexible and have another selection for both the entrée and dessert. The Italian manager was very friendly and chatty, checking on us after every course of the meal.

I was impressed with the manager’s personalised service and restaurant’s food, as I didn’t have high expectations from Garibaldi after reading a couple of negative reviews from Hungrygowhere.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:

http://madamechewy.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/novus/

Pleasant dinner with W during Restaurant week a few months back. I had dinner at Boathouse and Lunch at Galribaldi, I felt Novus served the best meal and had the best service.

Novus is located at the National Museum of Singapore, serving modern European Cuisine with premium ingredients from around the world.


A long bar greeted me upon arrival; a staff was quick to direct me to the adjourning classy restaurant. The food was delectable, portions were satisfying and service was attentive. Novus dessert, Valrhona Chocolate Test was simply divine, creative and a must try!

Novus provides an educational information card of the dish before serving it. A very special touch!

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2016/05/15/man-fu-yuan-dim-sum/
One can’t help but feel cheery upon stepping into InterContinental’s Man Fu Yuan. Unlike most Chinese restaurants decked in dark woods, reds and golds, Man Fu Yuan has romantic yet nostalgic interiors of Peranakan louvered windows shutters, butterfly chandeliers, oriental lattices in light woods and velvet lavender seats. One of the more chic Chinese restaurants, I must say.
Even the fine tableware matches the restaurant’s theme! Now, onto the food. We welcomed the amuse bouche, refreshing Drunken Chicken atop Winter Melon marinated in Orange Juice, with much enthusiasm as we were starving and it took quite awhile for the dim sum to be served as they are only cooked upon order.
Minced Pork Dumpling with Scallops ($6.80/3 pcs). Siew Mai alone is oooo, with scallop, I’d be all ahhhh…Man Fu Yuan also aced the Traditional Prawn Dumpling ($6.80/3 pcs) , which was delectable. Crunchy, juicy prawns bundled up in thin, semi-translucent skin. So, so difficult to resist!
The Honey-glazed Pork Buns ($5.20/3 pcs) scored points for its on-the-spot-sweetness and chunky, tender meat, while the our tongues revelled in the smooth texture of Rice Roll with Fresh Prawns and Yellow Chives ($8.80).
The ooze game is strong in the Steamed Salted Egg Custard Bun ($12/6 pcs). Thumbs up for its fluffy exterior and rich salted egg yolk flavour. Just when you thought that life can’t get any better, Man Fu Yuan raises the bar further with a deep fried rendition! The Deep-fried Salted Egg Custard Bun ($12/6 pcs) is undeniable decadent but, worth every calorie!
Bean Curd Skin Roll with Shrimps ($6.80/3 pcs) didn’t make a memorable impression but was overall alright. The Radish Cake with Preserved Meat ($5.20/ pcs) fared better. The smooth and soft radish cake was generously studded with Chinese Sausage which added textural variation, as well as punches of savoury flavour.
Don’t miss the lusciously smooth congee, which is available with a variety of ingredients-Fish($8), Minced Pork with Century Egg ($8), Seafood ($12) and Bird Nest with Dried Scallops($32).
At the end of the meal, the staff served complimentary mini glasses of Sour Plum Juice, which did a great job of cleansing our palates.
At Man Fu Yuan, you can feel a lot of attention does into every item to offer, plus, their ingredients, execution and service is top-notch. One note to keep in mind though-because the items are freshly cooked, do try to order everything you want at the start of the meal. We ordered the radish cake halfway through our lunch and had to wait 30 minutes for it to be served.
For those who like buffets, Man Fu Yuan offers a la carte Dim Sum Buffet Brunch on weekends at $58++ per adult and $28++ per child.
 

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/10/27/district-10-suntec-city/

Carnivores rejoice! The newly opened District 10 @ Suntec City will satisfy the even the most fussy taste buds, especially when it comes to charcoal-grilled steaks. The restaurant specializes in dry-aged meat, a process that results in exceptional depth in flavor (more on this later).
District 10 @ Suntec City has a spacious alfresco bar replete with cabanas for up to 60 guests and a cozy 30-seater indoor space for gourmet seekers. The restaurant comes complete with a European meat showcase for dry-aged meats, a bespoke butcher’s block for its cleaver-ready cuts and show kitchen for its charcoal-grilled cooking. It interior is chic and stylish, perfect for powwow lunches with business associates and intimate dinner dates.

These days, most beef is aged in a process known as wet-aging. Dry aging, on the other hand, is a slow traditional process of aging fine meats, whereby beef is exposed to air by dehydration. This further concentrates the meat’s flavor when the natural enzymes break down connective tissues in the muscles which soften and tenderize the meat. Through time, the dry-aging technique has developed into a meticulous temperature-controlled process and cross-continent chain managements. District 10 @ Suntec City has invested in an expensive fridge ($22,000 gasps) which controls humidity and temperate, to store premium dry-aged meats.

The dinner commenced with cocktails to ease us into the evening. We were captivated by Fruits of Angel ($18), a delightful concoction of Plantation Original Dark Rum, homemade papaya syrup, dash of lemon juice, jazzed up with thyme and cinnamon notes.

The complimentary warm Sun-dried Tomato Loaf was commendable too.

Puglia Burrata with Organic Italian Tomato-Rocket Lettuce ($24). The first of the 3 starters we sampled was a burrata appetizer which originates from the Italian region of Puglia. The fresh dreamy cheese possessed a thick, rich texture, with a delicate slightly salty, milky flavor. The Italian delicacy was served on a bed of rocket lettuce, and sparklingly fresh cherry tomatoes.

Vitello Tonnato($24)
Veal and tuna? Now this sounds queer! Much to my surprise, Chef Luca Pezzera (co-owner and executive chef), executed this beautifully. Instead of clashing with the thinly sliced roasted veal loin, the tuna sauce is light and allows one to enjoy the true natural flavor of the beef, but at the same time, adds an interesting dimension to the starter. And, I never knew that cherry tomatoes can be so delicious. I had to stop myself from reaching out for more so that my dining companions could have their share of the organic goodies.

Butter Lettuce Salad with Pancetta, Hazelnut, Gorgonzola and Egg ($20)
If you prefer greens as a prelude to a meat-centric meal, go for the fresh salad tossed with crunchy cherry tomatoes, Italian Blue Cheese, egg and hazelnuts, then crowned with tasty pancetta slices.

The highlight of District 10 @ Suntect City is their Charcoal-grilled dry-aged meats. We tried 2 types- 45 Days Dry Aged Corn Fed US Prime OP Rib ($18 per 100g) and 45 Days Home Dry Aged Corn Fed US Prime Traditional Fiorentina Steak ($22 per 100g). The steaks were prepped with salt, pepper, herbs and extra virgin olive oil, then skilfully grilled to achieve a crispy crust which crackles upon biting. Each piece of steak is laced with seductive smoky char.
OP rib is a cut at the rib cut, so it has a generous portion of fat, while the Fiorentina is a T-bone and boasts softer texture. Personally, I prefer my meat with less fat, so my vote goes to the latter. Savour the magnificent meats alone or with a sprinkle of Rosemary Salt. Sheer rhapsody!

If you’re not into steak but love grilled meats, other options include Paradise Valley Free Range Canadian Pork Chop ($34) and Australian Tomahawk Lamb Chop ($38).
To complement the gorgeous steaks, Truffle Fries ($12) and Creamy Truffle Mash ($14) graced our tables. It’s hard to go wrong with truffle!

Unfortunately, Chef Luca was overseas so we didn’t get to meet him. But we did get to meet the talented Pastry Chef, Mr Gerald Chua, who has honed his skills in Australia. Chef Gerard makes it difficult for one to opt for a single favorite dessert!
Profiteroles filled with Chestnut cream, served with Warm Chocolate Sauce ($12). These profiteroles are not only a visual treat, but also hit the sweet tooth in all the right places. Be enthralled by these choux pastries filled with alluring chestnut cream, drizzled with warm chocolate sauce, dressed up with lavender petals. Silver powder is sprinkled for that ethereal touch.

Bitter Chocolate-Marshmallow Fluff with Caramelized Banana ($14). This decadent treat is a mouth-watering symphony of light-as-air marshmallow, dark chocolate mousse atop a crumbly biscuit base. I like how the bitterness of the dark chocolate mousse balances out the sweetness of the marshmallows and caramelised bananas

Double Espresso Panna Cotta with Vanilla Sauce ($12).I’m usually not a fan of panna cotta as the ones I’ve tried so far are on the bland side, but this rendition blew me away. My taste buds went WHAM! The double espresso panna cotta is not only lusciously creamy, but also unabashedly intense. Honeycomb, caramel crunch and crème fraiche completes the striking dessert.
I was impressed with the food, desserts and service at District 10 @ Suntec City and highly recommend this establishment. You can feel a lot of attention is put into every item they offer. During the day, the restaurant serves set lunches that are excellent value. Do note that every District 10 outlets have different concepts and dry-aged meats can only be found at the Suntec City branch.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/10/31/dinner-canton-paradise/

One of the many concepts under the Paradise Group, Canton Paradise aspires to bring the heart-warming essence of Hong Kong to the table. With 7 outlets conveniently situated in shopping centers, quality Cantonese cuisine is readily available to the masses. Here, its happy, easy food with minimal pretences.

In this post, I’ll share our dinner experience and will do up another post on their Dim Sum. Service at the Arc branch was unobtrusive and generally fine.
Iced Yuan Yang ($3.40) was excellent; will order this again if we revisit.

Staying true to Cantonese fondness for soups, Canton Paradise offers an extensive list of nourishing broths, from double boiled chicken to fresh goby soups. We had clean-tasting Fresh Seafood and Tofu Broth ($7.80 per bowl) to warm our bellies.

Our choices for the Combination Platter ($22.80) consisted of Roasted Duck, Roasted Pork Belly and BBQ Pork Belly. The duck had crispy skin and juicy meat but flavor was somewhat lacking, a dollop of plum sauce was required to get it off the ground. Slow-roasted for 4 hours, the Roasted Pork Belly boasts tender meat with thin, crisps (not crackling as I’d prefer it to be) skin. Absolutely gorgeous is the sweet Roasted Pork Belly, beautifully caramelized, moist and tasty, with just the right amount of fat. Skip this and you’re gonna regret it!

One of the specialties here is the Firm Tofu, made from scratch in the kitchen from quality farmed soy beans. Spring water is used to prepare the tofu, as tap water would not give the ideal taste and texture. Pan-seared Hakka Stuffed Firm Tofu ($12.80) was so fresh, that we could taste the soy beans.

Drench in tomato sauce, the satiny Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes ($8.80) is simple, yet appealing. The chef certainly did not sting on the crunchy, plump tomatoes, which provided textural balance.

We unanimously agreed that the best dish that night was Wok-fried Pork Shoulder Meat and Chinese Lettuce in Prawn Paste ($14.80). Served in a sizzling hot pot, the well-marinated slices of tender meat was bursting with flavor while the crunchy greens were done just right, coated evenly with enticing sauce.

Desserts sadly failed to shine. Not that they were awful, but I’d preferred options with more creativity. Chilled Red Bean Yam Pastry ($4.20) was smooth enough, with bits of broken beans embedded within. Subtle sweetness from the yam lingered after the former fades.

Stewed egg custard ($5) is light and easy to eat. However, I find it too bland and monotonous.

Generally, all the dishes we tried were decent; I especially like the fact that the dishes were not loaded with overwhelming flavors. However, price is on the high side for such tiny portions.