For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/09/18/forest-%E6%A3%AE/

Restaurant week is just around the corner, I’m sure most of you foodies are just as excited as I am. From 25th Oct to 22nd Nov, top restaurants shall offer 3 course lunches and dinners at $25++ and $35++ respectively. For some restaurants, an additional charge of $15++ for lunch and $20++ for dinner is applicable. For American Express card holders, priority booking begins on 22nd Sept while booking for the public starts from 27th Sept.
During Restaurant Week earlier this year, Hubby and I visited Forest 森, and opened by local celebrity chef Sam Leong. Every aspect, from the ambiance, service and food, were excellent.

After some manoeuvring in RWS massive car park, we finally arrived at Equarius Hotel. The tranquil lobby fitted with a towering screen displaying a running waterfall, sets a calm tone to our afternoon.

Upon stepping into Forest, one cannot miss noticing the ornate “theatre” kitchen. We immediately feel at ease in this restaurant; absolutely loved dining under a forest canopy inspired ceiling, amongst lush greenery with an abundance of natural light streaming in. We felt in touch with nature, sans the sweltering Singapore heat and creepy crawlies.

The dishes at Forest blossom with Asian flavours, each one skillfully executed. Our amuse bouche was a tangy cherry tomato, plum and osmanthus sauce teaser which whet our appetites for more to come.
Duo Magnificent features huge, fresh prawns, prepared in 2 different ways. The burn in the Wasabi Mayo Prawn was just right, preserving the sweetness of the succulent fried prawn under the crisps golden coat. The Butter Lemon Prawn didn’t achieve full marks unlike its Wasabi Mayo counterpart. While its flavor is more unique compared to the wasabi mayo, the lemon so overwhelming that we could not detect any hints of butter.

With meat so well marinated I could taste the flavour right in the middle, the slow-cooked Pork Rib drenched in Sweet Vinegar sauce was divine! Adding contrasting texture to the fork-tender meat were crunchy rice pops glittered atop.

Braised Rice Vermicelli with sliced fish and preserved vegetables fared well too. Arresting our senses was the prominent ‘wok-hei’ flavour. We added in some chilli padi for mild heat and savoured each strand with delight.

Although the 3-course set lunch ($40++) didn’t include a dessert, it was still great value. As I was famished that day, we picked another 2 items from the ala carte menu.
The star of the XO Vietnamese Rolls ($18) was undoubtedly the XO sauce. Our taste buds reveled in the abundance of flavor from robust sauce. Perch prettily atop were small slices of lobster, which were so paltry that they failed to provide bite amongst the vegetables.

To end off on a sweet note, we had chilled Cream of Avocado ($13)- a play of textures consisting of silky smooth soya bean curd pudding, walnuts, sago and red beans. I could have seconds of this elegant and healthy dessert without feeling any guilt!

A couple of months back, my family visited Cherry Garden for dim sum brunch to celebrate Mother’s Day. Located at Mandarin Oriental, this sophiticated Chinese Restaurant offers Cantonese Cuisine with an artistic modern touch. It’ impossible not to be impressed by the decor of this place. The entrance itself is very grand while the main dining area is classically designed with charcoaled teak panels to resemble an Oriental courtyard. We loved the tranquil ambience as well as the warm, attentive service.

Most buffets think they can get away with quantity and neglect quality. Cherry Garden sets itself apart by using fresh premium ingredients to elevate the standard dim sum fare. In addition to their drool-worthy morsels, the dim sum buffet brunch offers a selection of appetizers, soups, mains and desserts. It takes a while for dishes to arrive, so do exercise caution when ordering in between dishes to prevent over-ordering.

For quality dim sum in an exquisite setting, Cherry Garden is your best bet! My In-laws, hubby and myself enjoyed ourselves immensely. While prices a veer a little towards higher end, the ingredients, cooking skills and technique is well worth the $68++.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/08/06/cherry-garden-dim-sum/

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/04/28/gunthers/
I have a soft spot for French Cuisine, so I was absolutely delighted when M mentioned she wanted to check out Gunther’s. After more than 5 years at helm at Les Amis, award winning chef Gunther Hubrechsen is now the chef-owner of Gunther’s, located at the swanky Purvis Street.
Service is professional but warm in this classy, unpretentious fine dining establishment. Nice place to have a business lunches, catch-ups and romantic dates. After serving freshly baked baguettes, the staff gave a presentation on the food available. I wasn’t paying much attention because I was distracted by the baguette. It was very well done, crisps with just the right amount of hardness.
The 3-course Set Lunch is great value. At $38++, you’ll get 3 selections for both appetizers and desserts, and 4 main course options. Because we both wanted to try Gunther’s signature Cold Angel Hair pasta with Oscietra Caviar, we topped up $25 each.
M was pleased with her Mushroom cappuccino with Grilled Scallops. It’s hard to go wrong with comforting mushroom soup and smoky, tender scallops.
Roasted Tiger Prawn cocktail salad. I can never get enough of salads and this was refreshing with a touch of sweetness and tanginess. The succulent prawns were fresh and the portion generous.
The highlight of our leisurely lunch- Cold Angel Hair Pasta withOscietra Caviar. My oh my, what a gem! It’s no wonder why this is Gunther’s signature dish. Tossed in black truffle oil, every strand of pasta tantalized my taste buds. The rich, nutty, creamy flavor of the prized Oscietra Caviar was to die for. RAVE ALERT!
Excellent Crème Brulee with a nice crunch of burnt sugar and smooth custard. My only grouse was that the portion was too small, which made it look unattractive.
Coffee and home-made petite fours rounded up our meal. While most restaurants offer plain black coffee as part of their set lunch (these days some don’t include hot beverage at all), you can enjoy a cup of cappuccino or latte at Gunther’s.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/03/18/u-u-cook/
Last week, Hubby and I enjoyed a very scrumptious and value for money ala carte buffet at UU Cook. It’s a new air-conditioned BBQ steamboat restaurant which recently opened in November last year. I bought the 50% Groupon deal with a bit of skepticism, but was pleasantly surprised with the standards. The Groupon deal ends in 2 days and you can get it here
The menu…if you wish to have Tom Yum or Hot and Spicy soup, a top up of $3 is required.
Right at the back, there is a shelving displaying various condiments eg peanut sauce, sesame oil, freshly chopped garlic, chilli padi, soy sauce etc etc. Feel free to mix up your favorite dipping sauce combo!
Vegetables, meat and seafood were very fresh, with the exception of the prawns which were reasonably fresh. Meats were well marinated and very tasty. For $12.90 (Groupon) per head, this was a steal for the quality as well as quantity of what we consumed.
Service was great as well. Staff members respond quickly and topped up soup at regular intervals. I made a terrible mess when I dropped a whole bowl of soup and food on the floor, but they were good-natured about it and cleaned up promptly. Thumbs up!

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2013/08/02/1872-clipper-tea-and-co-teas-and-tea-snacks/

MIL and I enjoyed a satisfying afternoon tea at The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. At this tea bar and boutique, customers can sample teas, purchase freshly brewed hot or iced drinks, and nibble on exquisite afternoon snacks.

The retail area displaying tea gifts and accessories.

Teas are showcased in a unique fashion-portholes! Patrons can sample and experience the flavors and freshness of teas here.

It’s time to sample the teas! Chilled teas are brewed using cold water for 30 minutes to draw out full aroma of the tea. Because cold water extracts fewer catechins and caffeine from tea leaves, the tea tastes sweet, smooth, and less bitter.

The teas we sampled were…

Blissful berries ($5, add $2 for strawberry sorbet): caffeine free mix of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries.

Summer Passion fruit ($5, add $2 for mango sorbet): Refreshing blend of passion fruit and black tea. Love the tangy and fruity taste of the drink, which was not masked by the black tea.

Milky Wave: A twist on our local iced milk tea. Robust flavored beverage which can be served hot ($5) or cold ($5, add $2 for milk tea ice cream).

Healing Garden ($4): A soothing and relaxing infusion of ginger, lemongrass, liquorice and orange peel. This tea has a light herby taste, with a touch of citrus flavor and is good for sore throats. After drinking a cup of this, I can feel my body warming up, which is most likely caused by the ginger. My MIL and I agreed that we will be buying some of these to warm our bodies up when we vacation in Har er’bin later in the year.

I love passion fruit so it’s no surprised I chose Summer Passion fruit tea from 1872 Tropics range to enjoy with tea-inspired, handcrafted snacks.

Savour in a ship: a tasting platter of 3 tea snacks with a choice of hot drink ($12/set or $18 for 2 sets) Top up $1 to switch the hot drink to an iced beverage, or $2 for an iced drink with float .

Pastries are baked weekly to ensure freshness. Melt-in-your-mouth earl grey tea cookies ($5 for pack of 5) are soft, buttery and crumbly with a distinct earl grey aroma. Enjoy a spongy and moist alcohol fruit cake ($3.50/pc) with black tea, as alcohol goes well with the notes of black tea. Chew on crunchy chocolate coated almond flakes, nestled in a chocolate tea cup.

Mini choco cup comes in milk, white or dark chocolate and retails for $4/pc or $10 for 3 pieces.