Closed
As for the food, well, on the first visit, I only get to try the set lunch (there is update below on subsequent visits), so the fresh seafood may send me over the moon, but for now, I am not totally wooed by the offerings of the set meals. The oysters are without a doubt exceedingly fresh, but the raspberry vinaigrette is too sweet and not tangy enough to go well with the briny flavours of the oysters. Takujo gets it so right with the ponzu sauce for the oysters, so I am surprised that this restaurant, whose focus is on seafood, does not hit the sweet spot with the accompaniment condiments. My suggestion: skip the raspberry vinaigrette and add the lemon only to enjoy the freshness of the oysters.
The Clam Chowder looks very good, but the taste seems muted, with nary the taste of the sea. While the Mushroom Soup looks messy, to the point that I did not take a photo of it, but is bursting with the woody aroma of mushrooms.
The Roasted Chicken suffers from the same problem as similar chicken main courses of other establishments, and the problem is that the breast meat is too dry and tasteless. Few restaurants can get this right, and Umi + Vino is not one of them.
The Spaghetti with Hokkaido Scallops is done right. The scallops are fresh and succulent, being lightly grilled to imbue the springy meat with a hint of charred flavour. Well, it is hard to go wrong with quality scallops. The spaghetti is prepared to the style favoured by Asians: thoroughly cooked instead of al dente. So take note.
When dessert time comes, a tray of a beautiful array of cakes will be brought out for the patrons' pickings. I recognize those to be from Kohi-Koji. No complaints here since the cakes from this cafe are of great quality. Soft, moist texture paired with very creamy cream, they get thumbs-up from me.
Actually, given that the set lunches are only $26, they are value-for-money and worth a try. Though I cannot say I love this place to the bits. Maybe the seafood platter may convert me into a fan, until then, I say I prefer the other restaurants of Emporium Shokuhin.
Update: I visit this place for the second time, and I see huge improvements made, to the point that I tag this restaurant as one of the "Highly Recommend". In fact, this restaurant is my favourite, along with Burosu Honten, among Emporium Shokuhin's offerings.
Now this place have toned down the sweetness of the raspberry shallot sauce, so it tastes just right now.
Umi salad features crunchy fresh vegetables topped with tangy sauce and pine nuts, which make this a pleasant bite.
The grilled spring chicken is what surprises me the most. Tender, succulent chicken grilled to perfection, I don't expect the chicken to be so well-prepared in such restaurants, since the chicken dishes tend to be on the dry side in European themed restaurants.
Grilled silver cod is packed with fresh omega goodness. The smooth, oily flesh of the fish, peppered with the aroma of grilled meat, is a joy to savour.
One of the big highlights of menu is the lobster, prawn and scallop burger. The charcoal black bun is fresh and fluffy, which serves as a great complement to the super fresh seafood. Lobster is perfectly grilled to retain the delightful flavours of the sea and that slightly chewy texture. Scallop, as with the ones I have in the set lunch, is a hit. Prawn patty is more nuanced in flavour as compared to the lobster and scallop, but in its form, it makes for big hearty bites, which I enjoy. And I like the very flavourful sauce drizzled onto of the fresh raw vegetables.
I am impressed. Loving this place more. Definitely going back!
My Thoughts: It is one of my Favourite Haunts!
Well, cannot go there any more since this restaurant is currently not in operation. And there is not much reason to visit Marina Square anymore.
