For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2013/12/13/ocean-restaurant-by-cat-cora/

Opened by world renowned Iron Chef Cat Cora, Ocean Restaurant is her 7th restaurant and the 1st in Asia. It offers a one of a kind dining experience. Guest can dine right next to the world’s largest aquarium-spectacular 18.2 million litre Open Ocean Habitat which houses more than 100,000 marine animals from over 800 species, including huge manta rays.

We made reservations a few weeks in advance. Upon requesting for a table next to the aquarium, I was informed that tables will be allocated on a first come first served basis. We arrived early and were glad that our efforts were rewarded!

Mirrors are installed on the other side of the restaurant so that diners can still enjoy the view (albeit it’s a reflection) should their backs face the stunning aquarium.

Ocean Restaurant features seasonal, light and sustainable seafood with Californian and Mediterranean accents, with Asian influences. Most of the service staff seemed pre-occupied, perhaps because of the closed door event that was going to take place in the afternoon. The sweet and friendly waitress who attended to us assisted with picture-taking eagerly. She informed us that Ocean Restaurant changed the set lunch menu recently. Her command of English was not very good so we communicated in Mandarin. Each course was served at a tortoise-slow pace. We welcome this as it gave us ample time to admire the magnificent view. I get the feeling that this is deliberate.

Set lunch cost $60++ for a starter, main and dessert. Choices are limited but well-selected. Diners can choose from 6 starters, 6 main courses and 3 desserts. If do not wish to have the set meal, the minimum spend per pax is $38+. Drinks are on the high side- $8 for still or sparkling water and $6 for a glass of soft drink or bottled juice (no tap water).

I expected a bread basket but there was none. Usually fine dining places always have complimentary bread. Oh well. Perhaps the restaurant should look into this because food servings are petite; we didn’t feel full at the end of the meal.

Cabbage and Bacon Soup with Chicken liver mousse, toasted brioche and truffle oil ($18). The creamy, savory soup went well with the toasted brioche in the middle, adorned with onions and spring onions which gave a nice crunch.

42°C Sous Vide Salmon ($24) served with textures of lemon and dukkah spice. Dukkah is an Egyptian spice mixture blended from nuts, seeds and tasty spices. The most distinct flavours I detected were peppercorn and cumin. The right way to enjoy this dish was to get a bit of everything into one bite. Flavours combined beautifully- subtle smokiness from the soft and fresh salmon, lemon textures provided sour and zesty flavours while dukkah spice added a wow factor. A must-try signature dish!

Cooked for 12 hour hours, the tender and well-marinated Miso braised Kurobuta Pork Belly ($35) with crispy skin blew us away. Served with sautéed wakame, fermented bean curd and rice cracker.

Slow Cooked Salmon, creamed cauliflower, Hazelnut and Cauliflower Tempura ($34). Although it’s thoroughly cooked, it tasted a bit too raw for me. But this is my personal opinion as I dislike raw meat. Hubby loved it though; to him it was heavenly. Just barely cooked tenderness retained oils of the fish, coupled with bursts of flavour from the caviar; it was the best salmon dish he ever had. The cauliflower tempura added a special touch to the dish, I have never tried it before and am glad to say it was well fried. It didn’t feel oily and was satisfying.

Mont Blanc ($22). Smooth chestnut paste with hints of alcohol atop crunchy hazelnut meringue, with vanilla ice cream. An excellent dessert.

Chocolate, passion fruit and banana combinations can never go wrong! My Chocolate Passion ($18) consisted of banana stew, 68% Cocoa Ice cream and Passion fruit espuma. I loved the small sponge cake underneath the ice cream; it was great for mopping up the plate. Don’t wish to waste a single bit! Fresh rosemary herbs added a unique flavour to the dessert.

Athough the food was not filling, I felt the hefty price is justifiable as the quality of the food is good, while the ambiance is breathtaking and romantic. I appreciated the peaceful setting. One can comfortably admire the marine animals without being disturbed by screaming children or getting shoved over by unruly people (common occurrences in SEA Aquarium).

Attention seeking Stingray which swam past our table more than 20 times, lol!

Oh look, here come the manta rays! They remind me of Batman’s car…cool and sleek!

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2013/12/07/gu-ma-jia/#more-6499

Looking for scrumptious and healthy home cooked food? Gu Ma Jia is the place to visit. Opened in 2009, Gu Ma Jia (姑妈家) has built a reputation for whipping up palatable, hearty dishes which are full of warmth. This casual Chinese restaurant has even won an award at the Singapore Food Festival 2010!

The friendly and bubbly owner is affectionately known as Gu Ma (aunt in Mandarin), as she is the eldest among her siblings. Her family and friends love her cooking and persuaded her to open a restaurant to share her appetizing home-cooked goodness. The family-run restaurant is adamant on serving serve fresh food; they visit the wet-market daily to select seafood and ingredients. Dishes have a special touch thanks to Gu Ma’s personal recipes!

Assam Fish Head ($28) is a must try! This is till date, the freshest fish head curry I tried. Most places tend to cook curry dishes using older fish because the strong spices can mask fishy smell. Gu Ma’s Assam gravy is light on the tongue, which highlights the freshness of the fish. She shared that her fish heads are picked daily to guarantee freshness. The spicy, tangy and sour gravy was addictive, how I wish I could have more!

Gu Ma’s culinary team grinds white pepper from Sawarak to produce their own white pepper sauce. In this White Pepper Crab (seasonal price) dish, Sri Lankan crabs are cooked to perfection. The meat separates from the shell readily, so easy to eat! The sweet crab meat and savory sauce was a match made in heaven.

Salted Egg Yolk Crab (seasonal price) is finger-licking good. Lick the creamy salted egg yolk off the shell and dig into the sweet, firm and juicy meat inside.

We were quite excited when this flaming hotplate was served; rose wine was sprayed onto the aluminum foil and lit up. Ah…so this is the popular Kyoto Pork Ribs ($20), drench in sweet tangy sauce. Gu Ma’s pork ribs are served in aluminum foil to retain the juiciness and natural flavor of the meat. The moist and tender meat is well-marinated; I could even taste the flavor right in the middle of each piece.

Ling Zhi Mushroom Bean Curd ($12/24) was healthy, yet enticing. The home-made tofu blocks had a crispy skin, plus a soft and silky texture.

Treasure Vegetables ($12/$18/$24) consists of 8 different vegetables and ingredients: lotus, black fungus, carrot, celery, vegetarian abalone, lingzhi mushroom, cashew nuts and snap peas. Loved the unique taste and crunchy texture!

Prawns with Superior Sauce ($20/$30/$38) was another delight! Who can resist fresh, succulent prawns in tasty superior sauce?

Kang Kong with Garlic ($9/$14/$18) was done just right; we enjoyed the crunch with each bite.

The final dish in our feast was stirred fried Beef with Bean Sauce Bitter Gourd ($16/$24/$30). Soft and tender beef slices were well-marinated while the bean sauce went well with both the beef and the bitter gourd. Bitter gourd is full of nutritious benefits, rich in vitamins, minerals and folic acid. But because of the taste, it’s not an easy vegetable to like. Gu Ma cooks with younger gourds, which are less bitter, plus the bean sauce masks the bitter flavor

We rounded off the meal with sweet beverages and a wholesome dessert. MIL had Ice Lychee Tea ($3) while I chose warm Home-made Barley ($2) as I was having a sore throat. The barley drinks here is prepared fresh daily. Usually a 30 minute simmer is the standard, but Gu Ma simmers her barley for 2 hours. Longer simmering times gives a more viscous liquid which contains soothing properties and vitamins.

Auntie’s Dessert ($3.50/serving) is packed ingredients with health benefits. Gingko aids memory and concentration, lotus seeds detoxify, white fungus strengths the immune system while wolf berries improve eyesight. I love that the dessert is not too sweet, in line with Gu Ma’s pride of serving healthy food.

By the way, Gu Ma Jia’s second floor has a seating capacity of 70 pax and is equipped with an over-head projector, which is ideal for family celebrations, company networking or team-building events. Gu Ma Jia also provides catering services with a wide variety of dishes at affordable prices.

While exploring Marina Bay Sands, I walked past Caffe B, which looked really posh. I am not a big fan of Italian cuisine and the prices were quite high, so I gave it a miss. A few weeks later, there was a lunch deal on Groupon, haha, now I had the perfect excuse to try Caffe B!

Don’t be mislead by the word “Caffe”; this establishment is a nouveau Italian fine dining restaurant. The owner is Japanese while the chef is Italian so you will notice some dishes marrying Italian and Japanese flavors.

The swank exterior was impressive, so I was surprised by the change in décor inside the restaurant, which I would describe as rustic European.

Caffe B has a no children policy so if you are looking for a place to have quiet dinner date, this is an ideal choice. While making reservations, we were also informed that shorts and slipper were not allowed. Service was courteous and not over-the-top friendly.

The Groupon lunch menu ($39.50 nett) consisted of a starter, a main from a choice of veal, Italian meat platter, venison or seafood, and a dessert accompanied by coffee or tea.

The food was a hit and miss (I was sorely disappointed with the dessert). Portions were too small; we were still hungry after the meal.

Upon seated, we were served fluffy Focaccia with Tapenade, a paste made with finely chopped olives and olive oil.

Mushroom soup with truffle, Extra virgin Olive oil and foie gras. I like the thick, creamy and smooth texture and intense flavor of this soup, but can’t seem to catch any foie gras flavor.

Hubby was very pleased with his Italian Delicacy Platter- Parma ham, Cured beef, and Italian salami with Rock Melon, served with Mozzarella, fresh Picacadilly Tomatoes, crunchy garden vegetables and homemade Focaccia. Well-plated, simply authentic Italian food. It was so good that Hubby wish he could have another platter.

Snapper with sea bass fillet, mussels, clams, prawns squid broiled in tomato broth, served with homemade garlic bruschetta bread. The star is undoubtedly, the spicy and slightly zingy tomato broth, which went very well with the fresh seafood.

Dessert was not in line with what I expected- it was simple and the serving was so small that it makes it hard for anyone to be excited. You have a choice from 3 flavors the Silician Sorbet: Coffee, Fresh Amalfi Lemon or Sicilian Almond.

For full review and pictures, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2013/11/03/caffe-b/

For full review and pictures, pls visit:

http://madamechewy.com/2013/10/21/12-inch-pizza-and-records/

Located on the 4th floor of V hotel above Lavender MRT Station, there is a pizzeria with electric interior with the feel and groove of the classic 12-inch records. This F&B establishment, opened by the Timbre Group, serves a wide range of savory and sweet dessert pizzas, appetizers, salads, main courses and pastas. You can choose to dine indoors or alfresco in the huge outdoor seating area. Indoor seats are limited so you may wish to make a reservation to secure it.

We visited on a Saturday night, but the pizzeria very quiet as only 3 tables were occupied. After the all the food arrived, I understood why.

We had 4 different flavors of pizza, but only one of them was good.

Roasted Duck with Hoisin Sauce ($19): Sliced roasted duck, hoisin sauce, shiitake mushroom and mozzarella cheese on a thin crust. Topped with crispy popiah skin and drizzled with hoisin sauce. This fusion pizza was the saving grace. The duck meat was soft and tender while and sweet hoison sauce complemented the popiah skin very well. I expected the star of the dish to be the roasted duck, but no, the hoisin sauce and crispy popiah skin stole the limelight! I wish there was more duck meat though….

Next we had a combination of 2 flavours: Goodfellas and Triple Mushroom. These pizzas cost $19 and $16 respectively for whole pizzas.

Goodfellas consists of plump shrimps, sweet garlic butter, curry leaves and mozzarella cheese spread on a thin crust. It’s topped with egg and cereals. It was quite bland and tasted empty….

Triple Mushroom fared better. Sliced shiitake mushroom with tomato pomdoro sauce and mozzarella cheese spread on a thin crust. Topped with thin strips of crispy enoki and button mushrooms. I love the harmonious flavours from the fragrant mushrooms and tomato sauce, but felt that the fried enoki mushroom toppings somewhat spoils this dish as it has a bland, powdery after taste which none of us liked.

Garlic Shrimp Pizza ($17): Plump shrimps, sliced onions with bordelaise sauce, garlic lemon butter and mozzarella cheese spread on a thin crust. Topped with chopped cilantro.

We were all looking forward to this pizza and it was such a letdown. Not only was it sorely lacking in garlic flavour, the small serving of 7 dry shrimps on was a dismay. The pizza looks like it has 14 shrimps because they are all sliced into halves. This is bland, tasteless and a waste of ingredients!

Brought mummy for a gourmet Chinese meal at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant because there was a Groupon deal. In the set meal, there was abalone, soft shell crab and lobster soup- all are mummy’s favorites. The price is reasonable at $56.80++ (2pax) for a seafood meal, so why not?

The first Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant in Shanghai dates back more than a century ago. Its famed for its gigantic King Size Nanxiang Crab Roe Steamed Bun Soup, where diners slurp up the savoury broth with a straw.

Most people would associate Groupon food deals with “meh”. But I have to admit I was very contented with the dished we tried. Everything was competently executed, except for the Lobster soup which was way too salty.

Ambiance is cheery and service is politely brisk. I can see why this place is packed with families on weekends.

We had:
Chilled Poached Sliced Abalone on Cucumber Salad
Spicy Lobster Steamed Bun Soup
Soft Shell Crab served with wasabi vinegar sauce and a spicy cream made of chardonnay(grape)
“Lion Head” with Crab Roe contains water chestnuts and carrots, which adds a crunch and otherwise dull lump of meat.
Golden Fried Rice
Chilled Double Boiled White Fungus with Red Dates

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2013/10/27/nanxiang-steamed-bun-restaurant/