Osia - Modern Aussie cuisine

Osia offers a selection of appetizers, mains, and a dessert at $28++ for 2 courses and $38++ for 3 courses, which is pretty value-for-money given that it features signatures like its Foie Gras and Hot Chocolate Soup.

Love the open-kitchen concept here, gives patrons a feast for the eyes before the actual feast is served =)

Service is acceptable, wait staff are attentive without being intrusive. However, I noticed a particular service staff who seemed a little haughty.

 I did my homework before I visited Osia and found out that the Stonehearth Flatbread here had gathered great reviews.

We ordered both the Black Olive Rosemary and the Roasted Garlic Butter ($9++) in half and half, and it came with a toothpaste-like tube of Garlic Feta Cheese.

The bread was plenty yummy even on it's own. Fragrant, crusty on the outside, soft and chewy inside.  

Both was great, but I personally prefer the Black Olive version for it's earthy and uplifting aroma. Felt that the Roasted Garlic one could do with more crispy garlic flakes.

Appetizer #1 (Polenta Crumbed Foie Gras with Spiced Orange Marmalade and Acacia Honey Sponge)

It's no exaggeration; this is the by far the best foie gras I've ever had. Crumbing it with polenta sets this puny sized darling apart from the usual ones as it adds a crispy, caramelized crust, unveiling a soft and curd-like texture within.

Orange marmalade helped to cut through the grease and added another dimension to yumminess. The accompanying honey sponge, however, seemed out of place here and could be well done without.

Main Course #1 (Australian Beef Hanging Tender with Chestnut Mousseline and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce)

What appealed me was the use of chestnut mousse and balsamic sauce; I absolutely love anything chestnut or balsamic. I didn't have a clue what hanging tender was and I certainly did not know what to expect. With the help of Wikipedia, I've come to know that it is actually derived from the diaphragm of cattle and it prized for its flavor.' It is not particularly tender and is served rare/medium-rare to avoid toughness.

This perfectly describes what was served to me. It was quite chewy, but still relatively easy to masticate. I would say that it was in good hands as it was very flavourful.

Main Course #2 (Barramundi with Roquette Potato Mash and Tangy Vegetables)

Fish was fresh, soft, yet firm. The much-detested muddy taste of Barramundi was absent here. The skin was so crispy that an audible 'krrr' came out of my lips. It was also served with tangy, tiny cubes of zucchini and tomatoes which made it very appetizing.

Dessert (Varhona Hot Chocolate Soup with Black Peppered ice cream and Sesame crisp)

This is pure comfort food for me. The 'hot chocolate soup' had a hard crust which is similar to that of a creme brulee. 

Breaking it reveals a thick chocolate lava that's waiting to be devoured. The gooey lava paired well with the vanilla ice-cream with just a hint of black pepper aftertaste. Oh god, this is so yummy.

Will I return?

For the foie gras & the chocolate soup, definitely.

Osia
Resorts World Sentosa, Festive Walk
6577 6560

Open Mon-Wed,Sun 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm
Thu-Sat 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10:30pm

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