2am:dessert bar - Be marveled.

This is one popular dessert spot. Why? Coz even when we reached at 11pm, it was still almost fully packed. The reclining sofa seats were all taken up and we were given the bar seats instead. A staff named Celest(not sure if that's the correct spelling) was most helpful, she promised to give us the sofa seats once it's available. And had excellent product knowledge too - she then proceeded to explain their menu to us; elaborated on each and every dessert that they offer and gave us her recommendations too. 

I liked that their menu was simplistic and neat. Zilch pictures as well. You'll just have to rely on your imagination to determine if the dessert is to your liking.

Desserts were classified into Classic and Contemporary. Wines had more: Crisp, Dry, Fruity, Sparkling, etc... Very nice, helps in decision-making; perfect for fickle-minded ppl like moi :)

(pictures courtesy of claireofalltrades.blogspot.com)

Being in the bar seats has its perks too. We could see the chefs in action; very interesting to see them crafting the little pieces of art on a plate.

(pictures courtesy of claireofalltrades.blogspot.com)

I heeded Celest's recommendation and chose Purple ($14) which is made up of goodies like purple potato puree, blackberry parfait, leather, lavender marshmallows, and fruits of the forest sorbet artfully displayed on a transparent slab.

The purple potato puree was salty(surprise!) and tasted exactly like mashed potato, but it went so well with the tiny domes of different berries parfait and sorbet. I liked how I could mix and match the different components of the dish to create different combinations of tastes. This was simple and nice, perfect for dessert-ers who tend towards the fruity side.

 My boyf had the Chocolate tart ($14) with blood orange sorbet and salted caramel.

This is not your usual chocolate tart. It's more like a chocolate fondant on a tart. We relished spooning out the velvety, intense dark chocolate, and eating it with the tart base or the tangy sorbet, or both.

 Its molten innards.

 Hot chocolate with churros ($9; +$4 for extra churros)

Succeeded in persuading the boyf into ordering a serving of this to try. *twists* Hehe. Seems like 2am likes to deviate from the norm.. Not only the colour was significantly darker, the texture was totally not churro-istic at all. Instead of being slightly chewy, it was totally soft and pillowy, just like donuts. They were very generously dipped in sugar, and it went so well with the thick sore throat-inducing hot chocolate.

Yummeh~~

At 2am Dessert Bar, it's all about attention to detail. Their desserts are so petite that you feel inclined to pay more attention every little ingredient on the plate and savour it slowly.

Because of their sheer size, it is incredibly light and just makes you want to order more to satiate your dessert craving, or you can just fill that remaining stomach void with more booze(they have a pretty wide selection of wines and bubbly).

My boyf told me that he can foresee that this wouldn't be my sole visit here, and he is so goddamn right. I'll be back for many more dessert-lovin' & chillax sessions! And only with you :)

21A Lorong Liput
Holland Village
62919727
Nearest MRT: Buona Vista


Open Mon-Sat 6pm-2am
Closed Sun

Japanese Gourmet Town @ Vivo City

Japanese Gourmet Town is a 3-in-1 concept which houses 3 brands - Ajisen, Botejyu and Yoshimi. Each offers their own specials of ramen, okonomiyakis, and curry rice from their respective Jap regions.

Do note that these were 2 separate visits, and there is a slight revamp in their menu - I've noticed in my recent visit they no longer offer omu-rice.

 Moonlight Okos ($14.80) from Botejyu

One of their specialties, it's essentially an okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) with pork and prawn fillings, generously sprinkled with bonito flakes and topped with a sunny side up.

Sweet teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise gave it a sweet flavour with a punch, while the pancake itself is soft and rather thick in texture. I would recommend this for sharing, as the floury slab of it can get too jelak after a few bites. This is interesting, but not outstanding imo.

 Japanese curry with chicken

Looking watery and deceivingly mild, this hunk here is flavorful and packs a spicier punch in every slurp. Appetizing much, and totally more-ish. Throw in a tender chicken leg with a medley of vegetables like cabbage, pumpkin, carrots, and half a boiled egg and you get a comforting, stomach-warming, and sweat-inducing meal.

 Chicken kimuchi hot stone rice ($15.90)

This made a smoking grand entrance and it arrived smelling plenty delicious. Mix them all up and you get a spicy and flavourful bowl of rice with veggies(including kimchi), chicken cubes, and a sunny side up. Enjoyed scraping the charred bits of rice that stuck to the edges of the stone bowl. Yummms.

Dory fish katsu with curry

Generously coated with panko crumbs resulting in a nice and crisp batter, the dory fish was nicely soft inside. Curry was pleasant, savoury sweet with a little mild spiciness and its creaminess went perfectly with the accompanying mound of rice. This was non-fanciful yet a safe and tasty choice.

Conclusion: Jap Gourmet Town would be a good choice for affordable and decent Jap food, and for those seeking variety too. Fairly nice place for a quick dinner, but not one that I would specially make a trip down for.

Japanese Gourmet Town
Vivocity
1 Harbourfront Walk
62249690
Open daily: 10am-10pm