For pictures and full review, please visit:

http://madamechewy.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/ps-cafe/

Queued for about 30 mins to get a table on a Sunday afternoon.

We had:

Green goddess pesto pasta: seasonal melange of green garden vegetables tossed with whole-wheat penne and their homemade blended herb pinenut pistou

PS lasagna: baked layers of homemade pasta, gingered lamb mince, chargrilled eggplant, mozzarella and bechamel with the house dressed green salad

PS Caesar with rosemary-honeyed dijon chicken: complete with poached egg, smoked crispy bacon, baby cos lettuce and baked croutons tossed in the chef’s dressing and freshly shaved Parmesan. The chicken was quite dry, quite disappointed as it spoilt my whole dining experience at PS café

I feel there are better places to dine for the amount of money we spent at PS cafe.

For pictures and reviews, pls visit:

http://madamechewy.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/coffee-stars-by-dao/

I wanted to try Mille Crepe cake and I found that Coffee Stars by Dao serves it. Coffee Stars by Dao at Wisma Atria, is a popular coffee chain from Thailand. The menu boasts a wide variety of Thai and Western Dishes.

There was nothing fantastic about the food, but the Mille Crepe Cake was a total let down. The Thai waitress who served us was attentive but she did not have a good grasp of English, making it difficult for us to convey requests. For example I wanted to reserve the Mille Crepe cake in case it ran out when I finished my dinner, she misunderstood and served the cake before the mains arrived. >_<

Vanilla Mille crepe cake with raspberry sauce. From the pictures I view from the internet, Mille Crepe cake usually have about 25 or more layers. But Coffee Stars by Dao only has 7 layers…and too much cream.

For pictures and full review (can't fit everything here), pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2016/03/25/arteastiq-new-afternoon-tea-and-menu-updates/
Arteastiq has recently unveiled a brand new afternoon tea lineup, as well as tweaked their main menu. This time, the focus is on local produce, and items are also made fresh daily, in-house.
Known for its sophisticated elegant setting, artisanal teas and art jamming, Arteastiq is a stunning venue to relax over a meal or exquisite teas.
Arteastiq’s refreshed afternoon tea set, presented on a 2-tier bird cage stand, is certainly Instagram-worthy, and also perfect for a tête–à–tête.
Savory morsels include Vol Au Vent (mushroom capers pastry), Panini Morsi (foie gras with pommery mustard spread, sandwich between toasted brioche), Viva Duck (smoked suck with argula salad and horse radish mayo wrapped in tortilla) and Smoked Salmon with micro salad, cream cheese mousse, topped with fried shallots. My favorite was the Vol Au Vent, where fragrant mushrooms sit in buttery puff pastry, enhanced with arugula spears and extra virgin olive oil.
Nibble on dainty sweet treats such as Arteastiq’s unique Salted Egg Macaron with chewy coffee macaron shell or Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, which is essentially vanilla sponge with caramelized pineapple and maraschino cherries. The deconstructed Matcha Cheesecake could do with more intense green tea flavours; it’s other components, such popping candy and cookies crumble, inject an element of surprise and texture into the otherwise average dessert. Another highlight is the Chocolate Truffle, where a whole macadamia nut lies hidden within valrhona dark chocolate ganache
What really impressed me is the Afternoon Tea Set’s quality and affordability. Its only $48++ for 2 pax, and that price includes 2 beverages, which are worth $11 each.
We also sampled a couple of new inclusions that recently joined the collection of tantalizing offerings in Arteastiq’s main menu.
To start, munch on Atlantic Dance, a hearty salad of fresh sautéed octopus and mesclun, will captivate your taste buds. The salad is further elevated with baby red radish slices, feta cheese and crunchy sweet potato chips. Popping candy makes another appearance here, which lends a hint of sweetness and adds intrigue to this starter.
Carnivores will relish The Fawn And The Wilderness where the original flavors of young deer are embraced. In order to retain the authentic gamy flavors of the venison, the chef approaches take a light-handed approach towards its seasoning, which comprises of salt and rosemary. The tender meat is complemented with classic coriander salsa verde, sautéed cherry tomatoes and broccolini.
If you prefer something lighter, there’s Mermaid’s Blush, a dish of pan seared snapper accompanied with arugula and a medley of 4 different varieties of earthy mushrooms.

Interesting set lunches, relaxing afternoon teas and romantic dinners, there’s something for everyone at Arteastiq. Art enthusiasts can unleash their passions and escape the stress of fast-paced city life at the Art Jamming Studio. Immersing in art is a beneficial activity to conclude a stressful work day or recharge over the weekends.

In such a frantic city and during such fast-paced times, it’s comforting to know that everything can still stop for tea. Located on the tranquil Dempsey Hill, Portico Prime has recently launch an afternoon tea that will engage the senses and revitalise weary soul.
Diners can choose to enjoy their tête–à–tête session in Portico Prime’s gorgeous interior, or at the patio, amongst lush greenery.

Its evident that much dedication has been put into the conceptualisation of the afternoon tea menu, Portico Favourites, a collection of well-loved dishes amongst Portico’s regular customers, staff and owners. Every item is made from scratch in house, using sustainable ingredients. The fresh herbs and edible flowers are harvested from Portico Prime’s gardens.

Right off the bat, Portico Prime wowed us an appetizer trio of fine dining standards. The Chilled Truffle Scented Angel Hair Pasta is utterly divine! Not only is the truffle flavour prominent, the capellini is topped with a generous portion of avruga caviar and a crunchy kawa ebi shrimp. The Crostini of Asian-cured Salmon Gravlax with coriander creme fraiche was a refreshing change to the usual smoked salmon item typically present in afternoon tea sets. Another exceptional starter is the Skewer of Tiger Prawn, where the crustacean’s natural sweetness is highlighted by compressed melon sheet, tobiko roe and brandy sauce.

The rest of the treats are presented on a pretty wooden stand, complete with faux grass.

Savoury morsels include Chilli Crab Meat Eclair with a spicy kick, fluffy Fish Otak Otak Toast with crispy edges and Squid and Salted Egg Croquette that boast a delicious creamy core encased within a well-fried exterior which remained crisps despite a long photo taking session.

Petite sweets are aplenty, in fact, they occupy 3 of the 4 tiers. The soft, yet dense and smooth Chilled Cheesecake comes with dollops of mango gel and mini passion fruit spheres that pop in the mouth. The Mini Deconstructed Blackforest and Baked Apple Crumble Tart with sweet basil cream were delightful too.

Bandung Rose Cream fills up the buttery short crust pastry in the Strawberry and Lychee Tart while the White Chocolate Bark studded with pistachio nuts and cranberry, captivates with it’s dreamy soft consistency. I’m usually not a fan of carrot cakes (encountered too many dry, boring ones in the past) but Portico Prime’s Homemade Carrot Cake won my heart with its light, moist texture, and interesting pairing of maple cream cheese frosting.

The homemade peanut butter and confetti cookies may look ordinary, but took us by surprise with its marvellous buttery and crumbly texture. I certainly wouldn’t mind having this on a daily basis for breakfast! The Marsala Chai Tea Cake with honey ginger cream and orange confit also left a lasting impression.

The freshly baked California Natural Raisins and Citrus Peel Scones were served with homemade Kaya, seasonal preserves and clotted cream. The highlight here would definitely be the sugar-free Kaya, made using honey that is locally produced. I could do with some plain scones though, as the raisins and citrus peel in the scones distract the taste buds from enjoying the Kaya to the fullest.

Portico Prime’s afternoon tea is available from 3pm-5pm daily (except Monday), is priced at $48 per pax (min 2 to dine) and includes free-flow Twinnings Tea or Dutch Colony Coffee Co. Anyone looking for an extra oomph of luxury can opt for a glass of Torresella Prosecco Brut NV Italy bubbly for an additional $10. Reservations are highly recommended as there are only 30 sets available each day. From now till 30th April 2016, book via Chope to enjoy the afternoon tea at only $38 per person.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2016/03/14/champagne-afternoon-tea-buffet-colony-ritz-carlton/
After a grandiose renovation, Ritz Carlton’s Colony opened in September last year, replacing the luxury hotel’s all-day buffet restaurant, Greenhouse. The décor, in hues of black, brown, gold and pops of pastels, is undeniably grand. Dining in such a handsome setting is an experience in itself. You won’t be disappointed with the top-notch service standard here.
Enjoying some leisurely time, albeit temporary can be really therapeutic. Every afternoon from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, sans Sundays, Colony offers 2 types of Champagne afternoon tea: British 3-tiered set where warm pancakes with French vintage caviar take center stage, and smorgasbord high tea. Since both are priced $49++, we went buffet afternoon tea, which we felt gave us more bang for our buck. If you don’t take alcohol, you can swap your flute of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne for a glass of freshly squeezed juice.
The savory buffet table comprises of 5 different varieties of open faced sandwiches and a small selection cooked finger food.
Sandwich selections include: Smoked Salmon, Mozzarella and Tomatoes with Guacamole Spread, Asparagus & Cucumber, Crabmeat atop Sautéed Mushrooms and Tuna. My favorite was the succulent crabmeat and fragrant mushroom sandwich.
Other warm savory nibbles are flaky Chicken Pie, Crispy Seafood Fritters, Chicken Floss and Vegetarian Quiche.
Let’s move onto the riotous collection of desserts~
On this plate, there’s Strawberry Textures, Ricotta Cheese Vanilla Mousse with Cinnamon Apple & Pineapple Compote, Cream Horn and Chocolate Banana Tart.
The next plate features Tiramisu, Vanilla Crème Brulee, Lemon Tart with Meringue, and Mixed Berries Compote with Guanaja Chocolate Cream.
My top pick is the Vanilla Crème Brulee, which was smooth and well-balanced, being neither too eggy nor too sweet. It also possessed an exterior which has a resounding crunch of burnt sugar.
Sweet treat’s I didn’t manage to try (because I too stuffed) were the Brownie with Coffee Cream, Carrot Cake, Green Tea Mousse, Orange Caramel Cake, Champagne with Cassis Mousse, Vanilla Cheese Cake and Lychee Tart. Not pictured in the review, are Scones with clotted cream and various condiments, as well as a selection of Nonya Kuehs.
The house made Earl Grey Gelato stole our heart the moment we took our first lick-its flavor is intense and its silky texture glides down the throat like a dream. This is a must try, DO NOT miss it! Other options to vanquish the heat are Gula Melaka Geleto, Rum & Raisin Ice Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream and Mango Raspberry Sorbet.
Free-flow beverage selections include coffees, hot chocolate and teas from Tea Bone Zen Mind.
Colony is an up-market spot for afternoon tea and I was expecting to be blown away, however only a handful of items made an impression. What’s more, there were no labels on the food items; hence you’ll have to guess what they are based upon their looks. One could ask the staff, but it will be much more convenient if there were tags so that guests could make informed choices and select items according to their taste preferences. In a buffet, I’m sure everyone would prefer to save precious stomach space for items that they like.