Charisma D' Venue (Closed)

I was invited by the wonderful folks from OpenRice to attend a food tasting event held by Charisma D'Venue located within Joo Chiat Place . There is Live acoustic music every weekend, High Tea Buffet and also special Event Menu for all different types of occasions available too!Portebello Crispy Mushroom: Mouth watering Golden Brown Light crispy battered mushroom with a very spicy soya sauce, served with a side-salad with strawberry vinaigrettFried Calamari: Deep fried squid rings taste tender and sweet! Served with 'Arrabiata sauce' (tasted like spicy tomato sauce) and mayo for dripping!Flaming Wings: Deep fried Wings in Spicy sauce! Very spicy for my taste buds!Bandung Pasta: a nicely done poached egg in the mist of linguine pasta with light spicyness mixed with rich tomato sauceOng Bak Pasta: aka Tom Yum Pasta with creamy seafood tom-yum sauce. Very nice and rich creamy saurce!Ocean D'Venue: Fillet is soft and couldn’t bring out the freshness and crispyness of the batter, served with rice and fries with a strawberry mixed mayonaise sauceLamb Shank Briyani: For Laml Shank Lovers! Meat is tenderly braised, served with Basmati rice and a side of Mango Chutney and bowl of Dalncha.Charisma Fondue: For Fondue lovers! With mango, pineapple, rock-melon, strawberries, grapes and marshmellow. With rich chocolate dipping sauce.Waffle with Ice-Cream: This dish is the most beautifully plated. Waffle is soft yet crispy, served with Chocolate Icecream for chocolate Lovers! Can share 3 to 4 Pax!Chocolate Overload Milk Shake: This milkshake is is not very thick and not very rich and is topped with whipped cream, chocolate waffle sticks and chocolate-covered biscuit! continue reading

I was invited to a food tasting event organised by Open Rice last thursday. I was there early so had some time to admire the decor. I like the entire feel of the place: Warm and cosy, nice place for a gathering. There is even a live band.This place was originally (and now still is) used for event to host weddings and the restaurant also does food catering.I will go into the food since this is the main aim of the review. The serving given for the food tasting was pretty generous and by the end of the event, I was really full! The only thing, the lighting for food photography was challenging due to the blue and red lightings, which was to create a romantic mood. First served were the drinks. We were given three to sample: Nojito ($5.50) (non-alcoholic version), Iced Thai Milk Tea ($4) and Charisma Lemon Tea ($3.80), the recommended drinks in the eatery. I only managed to sample the Iced Thai Milk Tea and Lemon Tea, which were both refreshing and not too sweet. But felt the brew a bit on the weak side, again, I am an avid caffeine consumer.The Portobello was a nice starter as I loved mushrooms. The side salad with strawberry dressing (which is common for all the dishes with side salad) was refreshing. The accompanying spicy soya sauce looks harmless, but is pretty spicy. Which is great for me as I love spicy food.The Fried Calamari was a tad bit too blend and dry, if not for the Arrablatta sauce. We got to sample two distinctly different pasta dishes, the Bandung and Tom Yum Pasta. I like how both were flavoured to suit the local taste. I preferredthe Bandung pasta I normally prefer tomato based pasta sauce and I super love the poached egg in it. The Tom Yum pasta tasted not bad too.The other main that was served, Ocean D'Venue (Fish and chips) paled in comparison to the pasta, though I liked the garlic rice. It was not bad, but not fantastic either.My favourite dish for the evening was the Flaming Wings, similar to the Korean fried chicken wings, but more shiok version. It was really spicy, but I really like spicy food, so it was really great for me. The chicken wing is well-seasoned and nicely fried too. Warning: Have to gulp down lots of the lemon tea and for those who do not take spicy food should avoid this.Last but not least, the desserts were served, Charisma Chocolate Fondue, Waffles and Chocolate Overload (chocolate milkshake). Frankly, I felt the winning point of this place is not the desserts, though I felt the waffles was really pretty and a lot of effort done for the deco. The Chocolate Overload, well, think more suitable for the kids with the coloured rice and biscuits. The milkshake, after mixing with the whipped cream, was a bit too sweet, "overload" as the name implies.The only dish I didn't sample fully was the Briyani Lamb Shank, another Chef's recommendation, so it is not fair for me to review it, but the briyani was nice with the curry.The winning point of this place is the price which I felt was quite reasonable and portions were generous. Great care and effort was done for the menu and most of the sides and mains were not bad. Nice place to gather with friends as the ambience is nice. continue reading

I was invited by the wonderful folks from OpenRice SG to attend food tasting event held by Charisma D'Venue. Its is Halal dining restaurant that offers combination of Local, Western, Italian cooking flavours at affordable price and great dinning experience. Located in Joo Chiat area. Has both indoor and outdoor seating capacity up to 150 pax, can cater for special events or menu, pls call to enquirePortobello Crispy Mushroom served with sauce. The deep fried Portobello Mushroom has a thin batter and the mushroom was fresh and chewy. The sauce is very unquie, spicy soy sauce.Crispy battered squid ring with Arrabiata sauce. The squid rings are cut uniformly and larger size squid was used. Tender and thin batter, drip with the spicy tomato puree saurce! Delicious!Tom Yum Pasta aka Ong Bak Pasta is a creamy Tom Yum Pasta! Asian Taste of Tom Yum yet not spicy, comes with the rich creamy saurce, simply delicious!Bandung Pasta was an appealing dish in rich tomato ketchup sauce with a poached egg, nicely done! Taste of Sweetness!Briyani Lamb Shank was pretty well done, meat is tender and savoury, served with Basmatic rice! Must try! Can portion to 2-3 paxFlaming Wings, spicy deep fried chicken wings, large wings were served, doesn’t look spicy but indeed spicy! Spciy Wings Lovers!Ocean D'Venue served with battered fish fillet, fries, salad, and Basmatic rice, served with strawberry flavoured coleslaw. However, the fillet is abit soft but the fries were super! Platting is nice!Charisma Chocolate Fondue , fruits include strawberries, mango, pineapple, grapes, rock melon cubes and marshmellows. Rich chocolate fondue!Waffle with Ice Cream with super platting! Like an Art master piece! Waffle is slightly underdone,i prefer more saltedand slightly overtoast taste! Served with cherries, bananas, spread of chocolate sauce and a Big scoop of chocolate ice cream! Filling!Chocolate Overload is just right. Whipped cream, colorful sprinklers and wafer rolls, chocolate wafer bars and pretzel sticks. Is not just a milkshake! Nice!Thank You Charisma D'Venue for hosting a delicious food-tasting event and thanks to OpenRice for the invitation! continue reading

This was indeed a delectable Halal food experience at Charisma D’Venue introducing interesting dishes with a blend of East Meet West cuisine.Charisma D'Venue is a Halal semi-fine dining restaurant not only offering a unique gastronomy experience for diners but also a Muslim  wedding services provider and catering services.We were served with three different types of signature drinks. Charisma Lemon Tea ($3.80) This drink comes from brewed tea leaves and has the strongest flavour amongst the drinks.On the left of the photo was the Iced Thai Milk Tea ($4.00) was a disappointment  as I expected the tea to be rich in milky flavour unfortunately it was too diluted.The Nojito drink ($5.50) on the right side of the photo was made from fresh squeezed lemon and non alcholic. Though it has a slight minty taste this drink is also too diluted.For starters we were served with Portobello Crispy Mushroom ($7.90)  dipped with Ketchup Manis sauce. Though the Portobello slices were not crispy the sauce made from sweet and spicy soy sauce was savoury.The second starter was the crispy battered squid ring ($8.90) with Arrabiatta sauce.Not crispy as expected but the sauce made from spicy tomato puree complemented the appetizer well.Tom Yum Pasta ($10.90) from the main menu a pretty interesting linguine seafood dish. The sauce has a creamy tom yum base but a little too sourish.  Also known as Ong Bak Pasta.Chef's Recommendation Bandung Pasta ($9.90) was a dish with a twist to Mee Bandung. An Indonesian dish but prepared to cater  our local taste bud with tomato ketchup sauce.The sauteed linguine pasta with ingredients of minced meat and prawns topped with a poached egg was yummy. A combination of sweetness and yet spiciness in one dish.There's definitely no denying the importance of matching a dish with the perfect sauce.Though Briyani Lamb Shank ($19.90) was the most talked about dish of this restaurant and also the Chef's Recommendation, I noticed this dish was not well received.The tender braised lamb shank served with flavoured Basmatic rice and Dalcha was yummy. The meat was soft and the dalcha was tasty. This was the ony dish that I had the opportunity for a second helping.These Flaming Wings ($7.90) from the main course menu was indeed finger licking.A korean version of deep friend chicken wings but much more spicy with the restaurant secret sauce marinade.Two plates were served and we had the opportunity to have a wing each.The Ocean D'Venue ($10.90) served with battered tempura fish, french fries, salad, fluffy Basmatic rice and strawberry flavoured coleslaw.Unfortunately this serving was too small for all of us and I managed to scoop a very small portion to taste inorder to review this dish. The fish meat the main ingredient of the dish was too soft.Accompanied with two dips Arrabbiata sauce and coleslaw mayo sauce.To conclude the dinner, we were served with Charisma Chocolate Fondue ($9.90) with strawberries, mango cubes, pineapple cubes, grapes and rock melon cubes together with marshmellows.Most of the fruits were overiped.The chocolate fondue was a bit too thick.The Waffle with Ice Cream ($9.90) platting was impressive.However, the texture of the waffle was soft and not fluffy. Served with preserved cherries, sliced bananas with generous amount of chocolate sauce and topped with a large scoop of chocolate ice cream.Chocolate Overload ($6.50). Topped with whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles alongside some wafer rolls and chocolate wafer bars and pretzel sticks.The chocolate milk was too light and diluted as I was expecting a richer milky shake. The dishes at this restaurant are reasonably priced and the locality of this place is conveniently located with bus service 33 just opposite this eatery and a spacious carpark across the road.Thank you OpenRice Singapore for this invitation. continue reading

I was invited by the wonderful folks from OpenRice to attend a scrumptious food tasting event held by Charisma D'Venue located within the Joo Chiat vacinity. Charisma D'Venue is both a semi-fine dining restaurant as well as an events venue that caters to one's special event. Be it a Birthday celebration, a Corporate lunch or even a Wedding ceremony, Charisma D'Venue is able to provide a wonderful experience together with great food!After a short intoduction by Ms. Zafikah (aka 'Zee') about the place, its operations and business model, we were served with the drinks and dishes that were to be tested which were the 'reccommended' items from the menu.Drinks:1. Charisma Lemon Tea: This in-housed brewed drink uses tea leafs that are directly supplied from their suppliers. It has a unique taste that infuses both the tea and lemon nicely. (3.0/5)2. Nojito: This drink is made fresh and is a version of the 'Mojito' without the alcohol. There is a lime-lemon kick to it and makes a good summer drink to enjoy! It is also a good drink to 'flush' down all the spices from the food! (4.0/5) -Winner-3. Iced Thai Milk Tea: Like the lemon tea, it is made in house. The tea has a robust sweet yet aromatic flavour and you can taste the bitterness of the tea mixture. This milky condensed-flavoured drink is great for kids with sweet-tooth (3.0/5)Starters:4. Portebello Crispy Mushroom: This crispy-battered mushroom dish is a must-try for all mushroom lovers (like myself)! It comes with a spicy soya sauce condiment which adds a spicy 'kick' to it! Each mushroom slice is dipped with batter and fried to its crispy golden texture whilst retaining the portebello mushroom taste! Perfect for sharing! This dish also comes with a side-salad with strawberry infused vinaigrette splased on it. (4.0/5)5. Fried Calamari: Squid rings were served fresh and fried with batter (like the mushrooms) and tasted good, not rubbery. It comes with a 'Arrabiata sauce' (tasted like tangy tomato sauce that has a mild spicyness kick to it) and mayonaise. You can eat it plain or dip it with both sauce. Also comes with side-salad. Good sharing snack! (3.0/5)6. Flaming Wings: Comes with 4 wings on a platter with a side salad. Crispy mouth-watering wings covered with spicy sauce (aka Charisma secret sauce). It is a 'Must-Use-Hands' kind of dish so please prepare to get your hands dirty! The spicyness of the sauce is just nice for me considering I love spicy food but its NOT for the 'faint hearted'! (4.3/5) -Winner-After the Starters, then came in the Main Dishes:7. Bandung Pasta: An 'Indonesian-inspired' dish consisting of linguine pasta with a spicy tomato sauce mixture of prawns and beef. In addition, there is a poached egg sitting perfectly on the top of the dish. The sauce tasted quite familiar to me as it reminded me of bolognese beef sauce. Delicious nontheless! (3.0/5)8. Ong Bak Pasta: This is a Thai-inspired dish (the 'Ong Bak' is a giveaway!) consisting of linguine pasta covered with creamy seafood tom-yum sauce. To me it was mildly spicy (you can see the chilli flakes) and made me full easily since it was a cream-based pasta. Good for tom-yum lovers! (3.5/5)9. Ocean D'Venue: Some sort of fish and chips with garlic rice dish. The cod fish was fried nicely but felt soft and not flaky. I preferred the garlic rice than the chips (the chips that were sprinkled with red cayenne pepper tasted normal to me) because the flavour of the rice mixture complements the cod fish taste nicely. Additionally there is a strawberry-infused mayonaise sauce that was really good! (3.0/5)10. Lamb Shank Briyani: The STAR of the show! The Showstopper! The Heart-Stealer Dish! This plate is big enough for 2 to share but I can eat 1 plate by myself. You can cut the tender braised lamb-shank easily with your utensils. The spices used to cook the lamb is VERY flavourful and is cooked to (nearly) perfection. The Basmati rice was slightly dry but the lamb shank made up for it. Comes with a side of Mango Chutney and bowl of Dalcha. (4.5/5) -Winner-Last but not least were the desserts!:11. Charisma Fondue: The fondue consisted of sliced fruits like pineapple, rock-melon, strawberries and marshmellow. In-house dark chocolate is used as the fondue-dipping sauce. Nothing fantastic to me but it should be a good sharing dish with the kids! (3.0/5)12. Waffle with Ice-Cream: This dish was beautifully plated. Vanilla Belgian waffles had an 'eggy' taste but was made crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and drizzled with both Chocolate and Caramel sauce topped with ice-cream. Although the ice-cream was not made in-house, it mixes well with the waffles once the ice-cream melts and 'absorbs' into the waffles! The accompanying strawberries and sliced bananas just make this dish look prettier! (3.5/5)13. Chocolate Overload Milk Shake: This milksake is suitable for ALL chocolate lovers. The shake isn't that thick but is topped with whipped cream, chocolate waffle sticks and chocolate-covered biscuit! Once you mix the whipped cream and milkshake together, it'll taste good. The presentation is not over-the-top unlike other milkshakes (like Cake Spade or Benjamin Browns) but taste YummY otherwise! (3.5/5)Verdict: Although this restaurant does not serve many dishes, what I can say is that the dishes are ,IMO (In-My-Opinion), no-doubt value-for-money unlike your regular western restaurants (like Swensens, Fish & Co, MFMS and etc). Service by the friendly staff was tip-top and the atmosphere was nice too. A good place to bring your family and friends and have a wonderful time eating great food! Thank You Charisma D'Venue for hosting a delicious food-tasting event and to OpenRice for the invitation! (Final Verdict: 4.0/5) continue reading