For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/08/22/riders-cafe/
Concealed somewhere behind the lush greenery in Bukit Timah, Riders Cafe is thriving despite its inaccessibility. The cafe’s location is unique, situated among the facilities of a saddle club. In hopes of catching a glimpse of a pony, we requested for a table along the balcony, however after a few minutes the heat was too unbearable, so we moved.
I love cafes but due to space constraints; most cafes in Singapore are too cramped and uncomfortable. Rider’s Café is spacious, however, rather noisy, so after a while we gave up talking as it was too tiring to raise our voices all the time. As Riders Café is not air-conditioned, do dress light.
The aroma of the Chilli Lime Fried Squid ($13) with dill tartar hit our senses before it reached our table. However, its batter was not evenly coated, and wasn’t as crisps as we’d have liked. Not the best but not the worst fried squid I’ve tried but for $13, one would have expected better execution and a bigger portion.
Prepared with roasted sweet peppers, the Cheese and Forest Mushroom Omelette ($15) was moist and luscious, but taste-wise underwhelming and one-dimensional. I had hopes that the spuds could save the day but alas the potato hash was too dry.
Fried Chicken BLT ($17) fared much better. It’s constructed with well-marinated and perfectly fried chicken, savory bacon and purple slaw sandwiched between sesame buns, with kimchi mayonnaise to cut through the oiliness. The accompanying fries could have been better with a drizzle of truffle oil but they were nevertheless satisfying with a sweet chilli dip (you’ve to request for it). Super comfort food I must say.
This was what attracted me to Riders Café; was practically drooling at the monitor when I read the menu description. The Salted Caramel Brioche ($12) comes with crumbled honeycomb, butterscotch and vanilla ice cream. What a beautiful mess! It started off being superb. The toasted brioche soaked up a little ice cream and salted caramel sauce-the crumbly texture and combination of sweet and salty was irresistible! The homemade honeycomb was spot on- neither overly sweet nor hard. As we chowed along however, the dessert gets overwhelming saccharine as there was insufficient vanilla ice cream for balance.
Other dessert options (all made in-house) include Freshly Baked tea Scone ($9), Death by Chocolate Cake ($13) and Pound Cake Cinnamon Churros ($10).
Hits and misses with the food, but Riders Café’s one-of-a-kind ambiance and excellent service made up for it. As the venue is popular brunch spot during weekends, reservations are recommended to avoid disappointment. Brunch is available on weekends from 8am to 9pm.

For pictures and full review pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/08/19/may-may/
Keep your eyes peeled opened for May May’s white panel glass doors and purple signboard while locating the Asian fusion restaurant along the shophouses on Tras Street. Yes, it’s easy to walk pass May May without realising it *guilty here*.
Inside, one will find a little piece of oasis that makes you forget that you’re in hectic city. Service is polite and efficient.
The menu is a simple one pager (A5 size), but we had no trouble finding something that appealed to our taste buds.
Get your dose of Omega-3 from the Butter Poached Cod ($18), with wakame, oven roasted tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, pickled wasabi sprouts and wobbly soft centred egg as accompaniments. The chucks of cod are almost ethereal in its silkiness and softness, stealing my heart the moment I took the first bite.
Bestie’s Red Chilli Chicken ($16) unfortunately, didn’t fare as well. While the fried chicken pieces were well-seasoned and crispy with just the right amount of heat, the meat’s texture was too tough. Other components that make up this rice bowl are caramelised onions, toasted cashews, grilled mushrooms, oven roasted tomatoes and soft centred egg.
Buried beneath the avalanche of toppings in each donburi, lies fluffy Japanese rice. They were so good and comforting, we finished every single grain. You can top up $2 to swap the rice for quinoa and $3 for a lunch combo (available on Mondays to Saturdays) which includes a salad and beverage (soft drink, coffee or tea).
The highlight of our meal was the Liu Sha Custard Donuts ($7). Each fluffy donut has a core of warm salted egg yolk custard, which oozes out with every bite. Sinfully indulgent but worth every calorie! If you’d like to try this, visit May May during the day. We came once during dinner and were informed that May May stops serving this at 6pm.
If you prefer a lighter dessert, go for the Apple Lime Parfait ($8). It’s essentially diced apple cubes encased in lemongrass jelly on creamy lime parfait sitting atop a pile of muscovado crumble, which adds texture to the refreshing dessert. I love how sharp notes of the lemongrass jelly and zesty lime invigorate the senses.
Two thumbs up to May May’s lunch offerings, which we felt were prepared using wholesome quality ingredients in a un-fussed approach. Do note that May May is closed on Sundays and the nutritious rice bowls are only available during lunchtime as the restaurant runs a different menu during dinner.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/08/08/tao-seafood-asia/
If you’re after affordable seafood in a setting of chic refinement, look no further! TAO Seafood Asia, located Asia Square Tower 2, is currently my family’s favourite venue to get our crab fix. Apart from crabs, the family-run restaurant offers some excellent seafood items that almost made it seem like you’re dining straight from the sea!
My first visit to TAO Seafood Asia was during a media tasting event. I was so impressed, I took my in-laws there for dinner and they too, fell deeply in love with the quality ingredients and skillful execution.
We kicked start our meal with a plate of delectable Crispy Fish Skin with Salted Egg($10) . Ahhh, its melody in the mouth! Unlike some restaurants that just coat the fried fish skin with salted egg yolk, TAO rendition includes curry leaves and chilli padi, which add depth and dimension to the flavour profile. This certainly did a good job of whetting our appetites!
All of TAO’s sauces are whipped up in-house and the most outstanding is definitely theThai-Teochew Green Chilli Sauce, which goes well with all of the dishes in the menu.
The mere thought of the White Pepper Crab ($6.80/100g) sets my heart aflame! The heavily guarded recipe is a sure winner and we were all overwhelmed by how delectable the dish turned out. Peppery and robust, this succulent crab is guaranteed to jump start your senses! Do note that this item is off the menu, but is readily available upon request.
Singapore Chilli Crab ($6.80/100g) is another popular order. We alternate devouring the luscious white flesh and dipping the fried mantou into the sweet, tangy and spicy tomato chilli sauce. Lip-smackingly yummy!
TAO takes pride in cooking each pot dish individually, to lock in and maximise flavours (no mass cooking). The Pot Roasted Prawns with Glass Noodles ($32) was absolutely stellar. We opted for fresh river prawns instead of sea prawns, as we prefer the former’s crunchy texture. The vibrant orange crustaceans rested on a bed of springy glass noodles, elevated by TAO’s seafood essence and cloves of garlic (hidden underneath).
For a something healthier and light, go for the Pot Roasted Cod ($38), a saccharine melt-in-the-mouth fish roasted with garlic, coriander root and TAO seafood essence.
The Pot Roasted Chicken Caramelised in Rice Wine ($20) is nothing fancy. Simple and genuine, it goes well with a bowl of piping hot rice~
There’s something intrinsically satisfying about TAO’s Traditional Stir Fried Sambal Morning Glory ($16), aka Kang Kong. I suppose its the concoction of chillies, prawn paste, shallots, ginger and sambal, that makes this well-loved vegetable so enticing.
As for sweet endings, we had smooth-textured Traditional Yam Paste with Gingko Nuts ($6) and refreshing chilled Sea Coconut with Longans ($6).
There’s no doubt we’re looking forward to our next visit!
 

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/08/02/jpot/
JPOT, part of the Jumbo Group, was founded in 2009 and in my opinion, is one of the best steamboat restaurants in Singapore. Even though Hai Di Lao service standards and frills are absent, service is nonetheless polite and efficient and the food standards are comparable.
JPOT employs the use of technology to speed things up and free staff for other tasks. When you arrive, get your queue number from an automated machine. A wait staff will lead you to your table once your number appears on the screen. Upon seated, you can proceed to browse and order from the electronic menu on the iPad affixed to each table. The system will calculate the total spending (excluding GST and service charge) which we find helpful to curb overspending due to over-zealous ordering.
Condiments are displayed a la buffet style and include chilli padi, fried garlic, fresh garlic, ground peanut, roasted sesame, chilli oil, garlic oil, sha cha sauce, sesame oil, sesame peanut sauce, garlic chilli sauce, soya sauce, Chinese parsley, spring onion and leek.
What we like about Jpot is how hygienic everything is- individual pots and thongs are provided for each diner. Unlike large sharing pots where you can opt for 2 soup bases, at JPOT, you only get one. However, with individual pots, you have total control, and do not have to coordinate cooking times with your dining companions. Soup base choices include Superior broth, herbal bak ku teh, silky porridge, laksa, tom yam and vegetarian. I hope that they’ll have Mala soon!
The quality of the soup bases are excellent, and the ingredients sparkling fresh. I had the Herbal broth ($5.80), a calming, comforting soup with layered flavors. It didn’t take long for the food to arrive; we had Seaweed ($2.50) and Tang-O ($4.80).
Fishballs ($5), Sliced Toman Fish ($7.80), Vermicelli ($2) and Sea Cucumber ($9.80).
Grain-Fed Ribeye ($12.80) and Prawns ($10.80) deshelled and deveined for convenience.
Fried items and dim sums are also available to give your palate a break from hotpot food. Spinach Beancurd ($4.80) and Fried Shrimp Dumpling ($5.80) never fail to grace our table when we are at JPOT.
Not only does JPOT have a wide variety of offerings, the food is utterly scrumptious too! We could eat here again and again, without getting tired of it. To stretch your dollar, go for the set lunches which start from an incredible value-for-money $16.80++. The Vivocity outlet is particularly crowded on weekends, hence do make reservations well in advance!

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/07/25/bottura/

There’re no lack of Italian restaurants in Singapore, but newly open Bottura sets itself apart by combining wallet-friendly, homely dishes with quality and finer details you’d expect from much more expensive places.

The casual Italian resultant, conveniently located in Suntec City, is opened by Luca Bottura, a 5th generation descendant of a family that runs restaurants, pizzerias, bakery shops and a catering business in Bologna. The decor is modern and can accommodate 144 diners at one time.
The menu features a spectrum of Italian classics and traditional homemade Italian recipes from the Bottura family’s kitchen. You can be sure of the restaurant’s authenticity when its dry ingredients, used in the making of fresh pastas, bread and pastries, along with kitchen equipment are imported from Italy. Oh, and did I mentioned that the chef and pastry chef are from Italy too?
We started the meal with a generous platter of antipasti, Cold Cuts and Cheese Platter ($22), comprising of appetizing cold cuts from Emilia Romagna, premium cheese, stracchino and orange marmalade. This is my first encounter with stracchino and I adore it. The delicate cheese is made in house and tastes sparklingly fresh. Even hubby, who is adverse to cheese, gave 2 thumbs up.

Have a glass of red wine to accompany the antipasti. Bottura’s house pour, Chianti ($8.50/glass), is smooth and it’s quality is way above average compared to house pours served at most establishments. Seriously bang for buck!

Stracchino makes another appearance in Parma Ham Piadina ($12) along with rocket leaves. An obscure Italian flatbread in Singapore, Piadina has a smoky aroma, crisps texture, and goes well with a multitude of ingredients. Made in house, the Piadina at Bottura is absolutely commendable.

I usually avoid lasagna because I find them too rich and heavy, hence was pleasantly surprised by the Polenta Lasagne ($18). Made with thin polenta sheets that melt in the mouth, traditional ragu and béchamel sauce, this rendition has light texture, but full flavor. Its comfort food at its finest, without the guilt!

Pastas here are freshly made with a rustic handmade element. The Egg and Squid Ink Tagliolini ($16) with shrimp and zucchini, twirled it way into my heart. Cheese fans will love the Four Cheese Gnocchi with Rocket Pesto($14), chewy nuggets doused in sauce that is not at all cloying. Do note that pasta pictured in this blog post are of tasting portions.

Clocked in cream sauce, the Ravioli with Ham and Mushrooms ($14) were expertly crafted- each parcel is constructed with thin pasta sheets, unlike the usual overly-thick suspects. The Tagliatelle with traditional ragu ($15) is another gratifying dish-crumpled ribbons of homemade pasta tossed in hearty minced meat sauce.

For the fickle-minded, the Degustation Set ($18) of 6 pastas, including a glass of Italian red or white wine, will be most suitable. It’s available on weekdays after 5pm on all day during weekends.
We could not wait to sink our teeth into this enticing pizza. Set your taste buds ablaze with Arrabbiata Pizza ($18 for 12 inch) with elements of tomato, capers, chilli padi, mozzarella and rocket. For something refreshing, go the Rock Melon, Parma Ham and Mozzarella Pizza ($24 for 12 inch). The pizza base is outstanding- nicely blistered and paper thin, boasting crusts that crackles with each bite. Luca, who has a diploma in pizza making under this belt, spent several months experimenting to perfect the pizza base recipe. It’s evident his efforts paid off.

Moving onto sweets, the alcohol-free Tiramisu ($8) is children-friendly and has airy mascarpone while Fresh Mignon Pastries ($2.50/ piece) with Marsala come in bite size portions.

Moving onto sweets, the alcohol-free Tiramisu ($8) is children-friendly and has airy mascarpone while Fresh Mignon Pastries ($2.50/ piece) with Marsala come in bite size portions.

To ensure freshness, Gelato ($5/scoop) is made in-house by the pastry chef every couple of days. With 16 flavors to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Coffee here is excellent as well, prepared with Italian beans and a coffee machine revived from the 60s.

On weekdays, take advantage of the value-for-money set lunches which start from $14.50++.

Cooking enthusiasts will be thrilled by the retail corner, which stocks award-winning olive oils truffle oils and balsamic vinegar from Italy. A selection of wines and coffee beans are also available. All items are imported directly (no middle-man cost) and are exclusive to Bottura.