For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/06/04/island-cafe/

Oooo, Tangs Member Sales! MIL and I shopped for hours, and it was time for refuelling. I was craving for laksa, so MIL suggested Island Cafe, well-known for their crayfish laksa and Asian fare.
Located on level 4 in Tang Orchard, the cafe is a great for taking a break from all the shopping. While the hawker fare at Tangs Market in basement 1 is very yummy, we were simply too tired to wait around for a table. It’s much more comfy to rest your tired legs (and aching body) at the spacious (and less crowded), resort-styled Island Cafe.

Emphasis is placed on Asian dishes, such as Hor fun and Kuey Tiao. If you prefer western fare, salads and sandwiches are also available.
Refreshing Summer Passion mocktails ($6.50) to rejuvenate exhausted shoppers.
A sight to warm any laksa lover’s heart, no?
Island Cafe’s signature, crayfish laksa ($20), a rich and spicy coconut gravy with thick rice vermicelli, prawns, quail eggs, fish cafe, cockles and crayfish. Comes piping hot, so be careful as you dig in! I recommend putting the apron provided on to prevent stains on your clothes.
Hainanese Pork Chop Rice ($16) was decent too. The breaded pork chop had a crispy exterior, yet most and tender on the inside. Drizzled with Hainanese style tomato sauce.
We ended our meal with a complimentary birthday cake. Carrot cake was ok, nothing to shout about.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/05/27/lolla/
Situated along Ann Siang Road is an unpretentious restaurant seeking to not merely to please, but excite your taste buds. Lolla’s small plates focus on fresh produce and fine ingredients. Their special menu updates often, reflecting seasonal produce.
Step inside and you’ll find an industrial chic setting, with a bar counter and open kitchen. The basement houses a long communal table. We were lucky to get seats at the bar counter, where we could watch the chefs work their magic.
Much-raved-about Sea Urchin Pudding (half portion $21, full portion $40) my friend dragged me there for. To be honest, I am not a fan of sea urchin. It tasted kind of strange to me at first, but I grew to like it. Served chilled, this decadent pudding has a strong creamy seafood punch, with a generous hunk of Hokkaido Sea Urchin perched atop. Take a bit of everything in one spoon and let it mingle in your mouth-UMAMI!
From the specials board, Chilean King Crab with Alio Cream ($30) highlights the exceptional quality of ingredients with its uncomplicated style of cooking. The leggy supermodel crustaceans are served conveniently opened, so that one will not have to waste precious time struggling with them, and instead, dive straight into the delicacy. The crab meat was juicy, succulent and sweet. Very delish and satisfying, you’ve got to try it yourself to know how good this is.
Whoever said vegetables are boring should check out this beautifully seasonedJerusalem Artichokes with Rosemary ($18). Love the crunchy texture and nutty flavour texture of this vegetable. Also from the special menu.
The bill was already $69, but our tummies were still rather empty (portions are tiny). We scanned for a dessert on the menu and Steamed Dark Chocolate Pudding ($15) caught my eye (chocolate is my weakness). Although chocolate pudding and ice cream isn’t particularly creative, its nevertheless a warm comforting sweet to wrap up a meal. Luxuriously rich, dense and moist (steaming makes it extra moist) pudding, sprinkled with cocoa nibs, served with Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Best enjoyed with tangy fresh strawberries (with compliments of the chef) .
Although prices veer towards the higher and, the quality ingredients and cooking technique is worth the price. Follow their Facebook page to be kept updated on the special menu selections. I’m waiting for the Chilean King Crab to be featured again, which I plan to have it all to myself!

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/05/24/putien-vivocity/
Expanding from a single coffee-shop styled eatery to 9 restaurants , Putien is certainly doing very well. The chain specialises in Heng hwa cuisine, a sub-category of Chinese cuisine with roots linked back to a coastal town located in the Fujian province of China. It’s hard to go wrong where the food philosophy is to serve uncomplicated, quality dishes at reasonable prices. The healthy-tasting, home-cooked fare satisfied our stomachs and touched our hearts.
Generally good vibes at the Vivocity branch-brightly lit, modern, classy decor and warm service.
My passion fruit drink ($4.90) was way too sweet while hubby’s Barley and Winter Melon($3.50) was satisfactory.
On every table, you’ll find a pot of Putien’s homemade chilli. Its prepared daily, hence the freshness is unmistakeable.
We kicked start the dinner with a soup to warm our tummies. Braised Bean Curd with Chinese Cabbage (small $17.50, med $25.90) is a light broth flavoured with seasonal calms, dried shrimps and dried scallops, homemade bean curd and Chinese cabbage. A bowl of rice paired with this lovely, nutritious soup can be a meal in itself.
A snack dating back to the 1920s, Putien Jian Bao ($7.20 for 4 pieces) is a popular order. Pan fried on both sides to a glistening brown, it’s packed with minced pork, radish and mushrooms. Dip them in the specially concocted sauce for maximum flavour.
Deep fried duck with yam (small $16.50, large $31.80). Both fil and I love yam, plus I am a big fan of duck. Duck meat is enveloped with smooth yam paste, followed by a light crispy crust which was not too oily or thick. Because the duck meat was bland, we found ourselves splashing quite a bit of the accompanying sauce to lift the flavour.
Putien Sweet and Sour Pork with Lychees (small $12.50, med $18.50) intrigued me. Lychees? We didn’t regret this order and will eat this again and again. Tender pork wrapped with deep fried batter, coated evenly with familiar sweet and sour sauce lightened by lychees.
I can’t say no to anything crispy, so Deep Fried Squirrel Fish ($38) was another highlight. Live sea bass is deboned, leaving its fillet still attached to its tail. Fried perfectly, it crispy on the outside while remaining soft and flaky on the inside. The dish is enhanced with tangy sweet gravy and garnished with chopped vegetables.
Putien style oyster omelette (small $16.90, med $23.90) was decent, with heaps of oysters.
The last dish to grace our table was Putien Mee Sua (small $8.90, med $17.80, large $26.80) with a milky broth cooked from pork ribs and bones. The Longevity noodles are handmade using traditional methods, which ensures that they don’t turn soggy when cooked.
I was keen to try the Purple Sweet Potato with Pumpkin Cream dessert but was almost at the brink of bursting. It’ll have to wait till next time.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/05/17/chui-huay-lim/
Teochew cuisine sets itself apart from most other Chinese cuisines by being light-handed on flavourings, salt and oil. Commonly regarded as being very healthy, cooking methods often involve poaching, steaming and braising, depending much on the freshness and quality of ingredients for taste and flavour. FIL is a Teochew and Chui Huay Lim is currently our go-to-place for authentic and classic Teochew dishes.
Located at the Chui Huay Lim clubhouse, the 4000 square foot restaurant prepares delicate and heart-warming dishes. You do not need to be a club member to dine here. Enjoy discounts if you are a Jumbo member as Chui Huay Lim is part of the Jumbo Group. The restaurant itself is tastefully decorated with oriental influences; nice place to have family celebrations/gatherings/dinners. Reservations recommended as its packed most of the time.
To be honest, the food is good, but not mind-blowing. Plus prices are on the steep side. Service is similar with most other popular Chinese restaurants, efficient but rushed and soulless.
Pretty strong Gongfu Tea to cleanse the palate. This was our first visit, we were unsure of what to order, hence we picked a set meal the staff recommended ($368++ for 4 pax). I will be doing another post on our ala carte dinner visit soon which features the classic steamed pomfret.
Duo of chilled Lobster and Cold Crab Platter. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Freshness allowed the sweet succulent meat of the crustaceans to shine. And my oh my, look at the crab roe! Pair it with Teochew chilli, garlic and vinegar dipping sauce for the extra oomph!
I don’t eat shark’s fin, but for those who are keen, here are the pictures of the Double-boiled Superior Shark’s Fin Soup which is part of the set meal.
A winning combo of braised whole abalone and fish maw with oyster sauce. The 10 head abalone were huge, hence it was quite difficult to pick a piece up with chopsticks. Despite using a spoon at the same time, I found it arduous manoeuvring it so that I could take a bite (imagine if it dropped and bounced onto the floor, crys). A fork and knife would have come into handy to cut it into small pieces so that diners can savour the delicacy slowly. Same goes for the large silky and chewy mushrooms lying underneath.
Tender and flavorsome Teochew Braised Duck, slices of warm comfort lying atop silky tofu. We devoured it in 2 blinks. Blink blink…gone!
TeoChew Seafood Fried Mee Sua had a generous portion of seafood (you can tell they didn’t skimp at all) and is not too oily. Love the “wok hei” flavor of this dish.
Despite my exploding tummy, I couldn’t resist the Sweet Yam Paste with Hashima dessert.
 

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/05/08/mad-for-garlic/
A couple of months back, Hubby and I checked out Mad for Garlic at Clarke Quay. Hubby is a fan of garlic and when I noticed the Groupon deal, I bought it in a snap ($17.50 for $40 worth of food).
Originating from Korea, Mad for Garlic is a garlic-themed restaurant dishing out Italian fare. The Clarke Quay branch also boasts a full service bar and an extensive selection of wines. Apart from the restaurant, you can choose to dine alfresco too.
I have an unabashed love affair for mussels, especially when they are doused in tomato-based sauce. My eye zoomed at the Sautéed Fresh Mussels in chunky tomato sauce and coarsely chopped garlic ($32.40). Alternatively, you can have it cooked in garlic cream sauce.
It was yummy and certainly very fresh, but could have been better if some chilli was included to add another dimension to the flavour. I ordered white bread ($3) to mop up every single drop of the delicious garlic tomato sauce. Dracula will not stand a chance with my breath, haha!
Hubby’s Clam and Seafood Pasta ($23.50) with white wine sauce. It comes with prawns but because Hubby has prawn allergy, we requested for clams and squid instead. While the springy pasta was commendable, the broth was mediocre- garlic and white wine flavours were not prominent enough.
Would have love to try their signature Garlic Berry and Ice cream, but alas we ran out of time. What a pity.