Crystal Jade Dining IN - Dim Sum with a fantastic view

This posh branch of the CJ chain is way cool.

Walking through the grand hallway into the restaurant's dining area made us feel like VIPs. Hehe. Their floor-to-ceiling windows ensure you a panoramic view of Sentosa island no matter where you sat(well of course, the nearer the better).

picture courtesy of FortheLoveofFood

Other than the stylish decor, the menu here is also different from what you get in the usual outlets. Finesse is the adjective to describe its dishes; and on top of that, it offers interesting dishes like ostrich meat as well. Be expected to pay a little more than the usual. After all, this is a 'fine-dining' restaurant(as stated on their website).

Char Siew Cheong ($5-6++)

This is done Cantonese-style― steamed rice rolls (aka chee cheong fun) with BBQ pork fillings sitting in a pool of sweet soy sauce. 

Skin was of appropriate thickness, this is best eaten hot as the skin gets rather chewy and floury when cold. Sadly, I thought that it got rather monotonous after awhile. Would have preferred if the char siew fillings were moister and more gooey.

But hey, that's just me. I've always preferred prawn/scallop fillings in my cheong funs.

  Fried XO Carrot Cake ($10-12++?)

Greasy stuff, but that's how it's meant to be.

The XO sauce lended a kickass flavour to the slightly crispy carrot cake cubes that were pillowy-soft inside. Crunchy beansprouts not only provided a contrasting texture, but also added a tinge of sweetness to the dish. If only there were more eggs here and there :P

Salted egg yolk custard bun ($3.60++)

Nothing spells L.O.V.E more than these babies. And I actually have a 2-step ritual for eating them.

1) I break the bun into two equal halves; it excites me to no end whenever I witness the molten custard lava flowing out..

2) I savour the two halves, one by one.

I can never forget the taste of these; a blissful marriage of creamy custard accentuated with pungent salted egg yolk. Sweet and savoury, slightly grainy. Gimme another basket now.

 picture courtesy of aromacookery

 Egg tarts ($3.30++)

The tantalizing fragrance exuded from the wobbly, eggy custard tart was already a good sign; tasting it further confirmed my suspicions. I appreciated its light and flaky crust too, as soggy ones are such turn-offs.

Ee fu noodles with seafood ($19++)

Littered with goodies like prawns, scallops, fish slices, this were more than decent. Each bite is punctuated with a delicate sweetness from the addition of yellow chives. Also, thumbs up to the slick noodles that were springy with bite.  Flavourful and well-braised, I found myself wanting for more.

Conclusion:  With 3/4 hits, I generally have no qualms coming back again. Just imagine yourself having a leisurely afternoon dim sum while gazing at the stunning sea views. I would recommend this place to not only dim-sum lovers, but also to avid fans of Cantonese fare.

However, prepare yourself with slight service waits as lunch time here is almost always fully-packed, even on weekdays. I found it quite hard to get the attention of the wait staff as:

1) They were obviously very busy

2) The restaurant is too big and they can't seem to see us flailing our hands helplessly

3) Shortage of manpower during peak periods.

1 Harbourfront Walk

#01-112 VivoCity, Singapore

6278 5626

Opening Hours

Mon–Fri: 11.30am–3pm, 6pm–10.30pm 

Sat: 11am–3.30pm, 6pm–10pm 

Au Petit Salut - Classic French nosh done good

Dempsey again. This time, Au Petit Salut.

The moment I walked into the restaurant, the number question on my mind was, where to sit? 

Inside?

 Or outside?

The external dining area looked good for some privacy, while the interior looked really elegant.

We eventually decided on dining inside as we wanted to enjoy our meal air-conditioned =)

 Complimentary bread platter was served and it didn't leave much of an impression.

 Lobster bisque with tarragon and lobster ravioli ($16)

We had a soup to share; our first dish and star of the night! We immensely enjoyed this. It was slightly creamy, savoury much, and we could also taste the natural sweetness of the crustacean. The soup was nicely perfumed with tarragon; and it was..bowl-licking good!

They very kindly portioned it into two for us. At that moment, I thought. "Why did we had to share? I don't want to share!" Every mouthful was pure pleasure.. Sigh..I only had one grouse; that they could have been more generous with the shredded lobster meat innards.

 Oven baked baby French seabass "butterfly" served with mixed greens and fennel salad, thyme and tomato vinaigrette

I didn't know what "butterfly" means; I just found it interesting and ordered it out of curiousity. And when this arrived, I immediately regretted. It was such a boring choice! Michelle NEVER orders boring food like this. 

What to do! It was my own choice. So simple and clean-tasting(read: plain) that I would have believed if you told me that it was steamed fish. Not that this was bad, I just don't fancy it.

Crispy shredded pork with braised red cabbage, chestnuts, and grain mustard

The boyf's main was a much better choice. This was yummy. I loved the charred, crispy skin and the silky strands of pork which were juicy and flavourful. As this was almost half a year ago, I really forgot what the accompanying sauce was. Madeira sauce, I'm guessing?

But I do remember that the whole dish hit the right notes and there was nothing not to love about.

Orange and Grand Marnier soufflé with chocolate truffle

This was remarkable as well. The exterior was slightly crispy and had a nice caramelized taste, and the innards were ethereally light. The souffle was infused with a little grand marnier, giving it a nice, citrusy taste. I felt..What's that word? Oh yes..Invigorated. And the melted chocolate truffle in the center was a nice touch of sweetness. Chocolate and orange come together just like long-lost best friends.

Warm melted 70% chocolate cake served with 64% dark chocolate sorbet and red currant jam and pistachio nuts

Ubiquitous, but resistance is futile when faced against the sheer indulgence of chocolaty goodness.

APS's rendition had a crispy chocolate crust which when provoked, oozed out a tide of gooey, molten chocolate. Warm chocolate paired with cold ice cream. My, this was ridiculously decadent. The tart jam provided a nice contrast against all the sweetness.

With 4/5 hits, we remember leaving APS with a satisfactory smirk and a champagne-induced high. The big question..Will I ever return again?

Hell yeah.

Au Petit Salut
40C Harding Road, Tanglin Village (Dempsey Road)
Tel: +65 6475 1976
Website

Opening Hours
Mon– Fri 
Lunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm (last order)
Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30 pm (last order)
Sat 
Lunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm (last order)
Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30pm (last order) 
Closed Sundays


Random: We adjoined to PS Cafe for some post-meal drinks. And I have to comment that their Passionfruit martini is really good! It's not passionfruit syrup, mind you. There were more than a couple of passionfruit seeds in the martini glass.

And there was this Sunrise Caprioska or something that was pui, but the boyf insisted on finishing it. Guess who got tipsy in the end? ;)

Pamplemousse - From that moment on, everything changed

Okay, post title has nothing to do with the food nor service. It's referring to something magical that happened which changed the lives of two people ever since ♥


Dempsey Hill is one of my favourite places to dine in due to its secludity(which is sadly diminishing due to increasing popularity) and its peaceful ambience.

I brought my boyf(then-friend) for dinner at Pamplemousse Bistro + Bar, which serves European cuisine with a fusion touch of Jap, Korean, Chinese, Greek, etc here and there. We had the Prix Fix Dinner Menu at $48++ per person, from which diners are given a choice of Appetizer+Main or Main+Dessert. Click here for their menu.

No pictures taken of the warm ciabatta that was served as pre-meal complimentary bread. 

We shared the Pan-seared foie gras, which required an extra $12 supplement. I thought that Pamplemousse's macadamia nut crusted version was an interesting variation but the boyf found it odd instead. Well, to each of his own. I liked how they played up the textures; gritty nuts, soft and curd-like goose liver, and crusty sweet brioche. It was both teasing and pleasing on the palate.

And the Onion soup "Breakfast" was for me only(selfish) :P

Now, this was unlike traditional ones that are served with melted gruyère and croutons, it arrived deconstructed in four parts. The flavourful broth of sweet, caramelized onions came in a generous portion and I felt that I was momentarily transported into a quaint little cottage, enjoying a thick, hearty and comforting bowl of soup.

Sidekicks consisted of cheese croquettes, truffled nori butter, and french toast brioche with caramelized onion fillings which were decent.

For my main, I had my eye on the Uni Tagliolini that was unfortunately not available on that day. Disappointed much :( So my alternative was the Black Cod that was served with caramelized cauliflower, oyster mushrooms, with conpoy and curry leaves sauce.

I was too absorbed in my meal that I forgot to snap pictures of the mains, but I guess you can pretty much imagine how it looks like yeah?

Here's a taste guide: Silky and tender goodness under a crisp skin accompanied with rich and creamy curry sauce(not unlike McD's curry sauce :P). My only gripe was the dry-ish cauliflower. Otherwise, nicely executed but not definitive in any manner that made it truly outstanding.

 Picture courtesy of yumyumtumtum

Boyf's Duck Confit was decent but wasn't spectacular either. It passed the crisp skin test, but would have achieved perfection if the slivers of duck meat were a little moister. It went well with the braised red cabbage which was sweet and slightly sharp in taste, a little along the lines of sauerkraut. The piquant lychee gastrique had a nice caramelized taste and slight sour notes, a perfect counter for the richness of the poultry.

The retrospective overview is that Pamplemousse serves up affordable, new-age European food that are bold in the inclusion of fusion elements(check out their menu and you'll know what I mean) and they're definitely not crappy. Their quiet location and nice Parisian ambience scores them a plus too. Nuff said. A return visit is already on the cards. Hmm.. Their brunch looks nice as well *hint hint* =P

Pamplemousse
Blk 7 Dempsey Road, #01-04 Singapore
Tel: +65 6475 0080

Opening Hours
Tue–Fri: 12pm–2.30pm, 6.30pm–10.30pm
Sat–Sun: 11.30am–2.30pm, 6.30pm–10.30pm
(Closed on Mon)

Big on Small at Gordon Grill

Dragged the makan kaki down to Gordon Grill for a lovely lunch. The initial mindset of having the UOB Chef's Creation was scrapped when the appealing Big-on-Small Lunch Menu caught my eye.

The option of being able to choose 3 items from both the Appetisers and the Soups selection, 1 main course each, and 2 desserts was a godsend for a fickle-minded girl like me.

 Appetisers

 Cold Japanese Noodles with king crab, farm caviar and white truffle oil

The somen noodles sure looked AND tasted like angel hair pasta, albeit not as springy. Tastewise, it tasted rather bland and a stronger taste of white truffle would have done the trick.

Scottish salmon confit with pickled cucumber and sesame shoyu vinaigrette

The well-marinated salmon was totally not fishy at all. It had a firm texture, but it literally disintegrated in my mouth.

Wagyu beef carpaccio with celeriac remoulade and parmesan cheese shavings

Forgettable. And celeriac remoulade, where were you?

Roasted duck foie gras with poached pear and raspberry vinegar sorbet

This was my first encounter with a proper slab of foie gras and I would say that it was less than enjoyable. I disliked its metallic aftertaste; thankfully the raspberry sorbet helped to quell the unctuousness.

Marinated Dublin prawn tartar with tomatoes and virgin mary sorbet

This did not leave much of an impression with me either, as I found the prawn tartar to be lacking in that slight sweetness present in fresh prawns.

Hokkaido scallops with Spanish ham, green asparagus and black truffle dressing

Pan-seared to perfection, this was easily the best appetizer of the lot. Salty parma ham sitting pretty atop of a plump, sweet, and juicy scallop. What's there not to love? And the black truffle sauce was the perfect complement.

Soups

(from left): Lobster Bisque, Mushroom Cappucino, French Onion Soup

My meal was starting to get better when the trio of mini teacup soups arrived. I couldn't decide which I loved more; they were all flavourful, creamy(for the first two), and absolutely titillating.

 Main #1: US Beef fillet and braised cheek in Bordelaise sauce and seasonal mushrooms

Awesome choice my dining partner made. I tried a tiny cube and was instantly won over. Done medium-rare, it was slightly charred on the outside, juicy and succulent on the inside. Bordelaise sauce was able to bring out the depth of flavour in it, and together, it was a match made in heaven.

Main #2: Baked 'fresh catch' with a light seafood risotto and tomato vinaigrette

Crispy skin, check. Firm, tender, nary a taste of muddiness in flesh, check. Cooked in seafood stock, the risotto was flavourful and whetted the appetite. The grains were suitably al dente without being too hard. Simple dish, yet perfectly executed.

Desserts

 Chocolate and hazelnut tart with a light orange ice cream

Finally, to my favourite course of every meal. Velvety rich dark chocolate, followed by a layer of hazelnut praline, encased in a crispy tart base. The orange ice cream was light with a tinge of zest in it. My only lament for this baby was that it was simply not enough!

 Pistachio creme brulee with almond crust

Torched a la minute, it arrived warm on our table, glistening in pride. I enjoyed cracking the sugar crust and scooping up the morsels of custardy goodness into my mouth. Pistachio could be identified, though not overwhelmingly so.

Conclusion
The food here is good, though not mind-blowingly so. But it's GG's attention to detail that impressed me. They actually bothered to garnish with crumbles of almond that provided added texture to the whole dessert.

 We ended off our meal with complimentary teas and left with our stomachs perfectly satiated. 

For their good food and polished service, I'll have no second thoughts about returning to GG. It helps that they add variety by bringing in various specials (white truffle, white asparagus, etc) from time to time.

Gordon Grill

22 Scotts Road

Goodwood Park Hotel

6730 1744

Daily: 12pm-2.30pm, 7pm-10.30pm

Chikuwa Tei

 A quick and simple lunch at Mohamed Sultan, nearby my old workplace.

 Otoshi (which means appetiser): Pickled lotus roots, these were served complimentary.

Sake Sashimi ($10++)

Fresh, thickly-sliced salmon.. So good you can eat it on its own!

*I was thrilled to see Otoro on their menu, but only to be told that it wasn't available on that day! T_T

 Chawanmushi ($5++)

This might just be the best I've ever had. Simmered with fragrant dashi stock, the silky egg custard glides down your throat without any resistance. It's also worth its price tag; just look at the amount of ingredients in it!

Cod & Vegetables Hot Pot Set ($24++)

The set came with an additional miso soup, rice, and fruits (watermelon). I find this rather value-for-money for their generosity with the cod fish slices(boneless!).

The broth was slightly sweet and quite tasty, perfect for people who want something light.

 Warming the tummy and the soul, I would call this comfort food.

My dining partner had the Yaki Udon set with Salmon (I'd forgotten the price)

I tried a little of it and found it quite decent.

This came with the udon set too

Will definitely recommend this restaurant for true-blue Jap food lovers (no fusion nonsense here) for its affordable lunch sets. They serve a wide variety of sashimi and sushi as well. People who'd like a change from the usual Sushi Tei, Ichiban, or Sakae Sushi can venture here for a nice and quiet meal. But be sure to call up to make reservations as this is a small restaurants and seats are limited.


Chikuwa Tei
9 Mohamed Sultan Road
#01-01
Tel: 6738 9395
Daily: 11.30am–3pm / 6pm–10pm

Wild Honey: All-day brunch

I've been to Wild Honey on several occasions, and it is undisputedly one of my favourite brunch spots in Singapore. Opened in late 2009, it brought to us the concept of all-day breakfast (yippee) housed in a warm and cozy joint. Not that this was unprecedented, but other all-day breakfast joints are usually located far away from town, in places where it's out of the way/not easily accessible.

photo credit: HuiYuan89

I love breakfast so much that I can have it at anytime of the day.

photo credit: AccidentalEpicurean

The sofa seats add a cozy and homely touch to the cafe.

 

photo credit: AccidentalEpicurean

I'm sorry that most of the pictures are "out-sourced"; it was unfortunate that I had forgotten to bring my camera out on that day!

photo credit: CrustyPastels

There's no menu for you to flip thru over here. Just a blackboard with its prices written in chalk, and visuals are displayed on the iPad to tempt you.

Oh, and you'll have to place your order at the counter and the food would be delivered to you thereafter.

photo credit: AccidentalEpicurean

Tunisian set, $18++

This is one of the many reasons why I fell in love with this place.

Serving it in an iron cast pan upped its cool factor; it almost felt like I cooked it myself.

Richly-spiced pepper, onion and tomato stew littered with chorizo slices, sounds delicious no?

I enjoyed breaking the two fried eggs and watch the runny yolk spill over the yummy mess, mmm..

It was huge on flavours and tasted even more delicious with the buttery, thick and fluffy brioche toasts provided.

photo credit: CrustyPastels

Mexican Set, $18++

My friend had this set, which consisted of a fat burrito filled with scrambled eggs, cheese, potatoes, and black beans served with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

I felt that this could do with a little more salt, and best eaten with the condiments provided.

But still, it's a hearty and well-balanced meal in one.

Scandinavian set, $22++

I also had this set which consisted of a grilled Norwegian salmon and asparagus nestled on a potato rosti and slathered with hollandaise sauce.

The salmon was grilled to a right texture, not too flaky nor mushy.

And the rosti was ultra crispy, albeit a little oily.

This dish was surprisingly quite filling, which I thought that the Hollandaise sauce had a part to play; it made the whole rich very rich-tasting.

I'll recommend Wild Honey to small groups and couples, or individuals who just want a quiet place to eat and chill. Portions are generous though; people who have small appetites could share the love. I'll definitely be back whenever I'm in town with a craving for breakfast food!

#03-02 Mandarin Gallery

Orchard Road, Singapore

Tel: 6235 3900

Website

Opening hours: 9am-10.30pm (Mon-Fri)

8am-10.30pm (Sat & Sun)

They do not take reservations.

Ember - Great food, Horrendous Service

Heard rave reviews about this place and I brought my friend down to try their 3-Course Set Lunches which are priced at $39.50++. My tastebuds are easily satisfied and I found the food was generally awesome.

Complimentary bread (Sun-dried tomato focaccia)

Served warmed, it was crusty on the outside, soft, fluffy, and a little chewy on the inside. The aroma is simply heavenly, the flavours of sun-dried tomato, basil, and others that I couldn't detect really went well together. We were so tempted to ask for a 2nd loaf, but we exercised enough self-restraint to prevent over-stuffing ourselves.

 Crispy tofu with foie gras-mirin sauce and white truffle oil

The wobbly soft tofu had shiitake mushrooms embedded within and was deep-fried till crispy with nary a sign of oiliness. 

The thick and creamy foie gras sauce is what makes this otherwise-plain tofu so magical. It was unique, intense and pungent, yet so delicious that it just begs you to slurp it all up. Topped with bonito flakes, this was a clever play on textures and tastes.

Not.a.single.drop.of sauce was spared.

 Spiced Crabcake in Oriental sauce

The crabcake was soft and moist, with a slight crispy exterior. I could taste the slight sweetness of the crab meat, and there were hints of wasabi in it, which neither of us could appreciate.

Marinated Cod with Black Miso, accompanied by sweet peas and herbed potatoes

This was generally a sweet dish. The cod was fresh and so tender that it threatened to fall apart at the slightest scrape with a fork. The fish had a slippery and buttery texture, but it did not give me the greasy, unctuous feeling that I hate. The black miso glaze was a little sweet but still had that savoury taste to it.

Pan-seared Chilean seabass with mushroom and smoked bacon ragout in truffle-yuzu butter sauce

The sauce was rich and complex in flavours, and the ingredients (yuzu, truffle, butter) really went well together. Actually, I could only taste more of the truffle and butter but that was enough to make me swoon.

I loved it so much that I practically licked the plate clean. This prized fish came in a generous portion; the thick slab of it definitely satisfies fish lovers like me.

It was tasty enough; like the cod, it was fork-tender but it still retained its bite. I could still chew on the fibrous texture of the flesh.

Sticky date pudding with Grand Marnier ice-cream

This was their dessert of the day. Its more like a cake than pudding, but it was really moist and I could taste the dates embedded within, as well as a subtle whiff of ginger. It was only lightly drizzled with butterscotch sauce, and it wasn't overly sweet, making it easy for one to finish it all without

getting sick of it. The Grand Marnier ice-cream melted very fast due to it being home-made.

Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Vanilla bean ice cream

I just love it when the thick molten chocolate oozes out of the crispy, soft tower of a warm chocolate cake. The ice-cream was dottled with speckles of vanilla beans which I absolutely love it it's subtle taste of sweetness and vanilla fragrance. Similar to the Grand Marnier ice-cream, this melted at a rapid speed as well.

A sweet ending to a yummy lunch.

The service on the other hand, was on the other end of the scale.

1) The wait staff were very rude in their tone and the way they carried their message across. One of them even threw the napkin on my lap and left.

2) What's with the permanent scowl on their faces? I would appreciate if they had spared us their irritated expressions even if they couldn't manage a smile.

3) They literally chased us out of the restaurant, and I lost count of the number of times they told us "we're closing". They even pointed us to the door, which literally meant "Get Out Right Now".

However, if you're able to put aside all the shitty service, I would still recommend this place for its yummy and innovative dishes. 


Restaurant Ember
Hotel 1929
50 Keong Saik Road
63471928
Open Weekdays 11:30am-2pm, 6:30pm-10pm; Sat 6:30pm-10pm