Tampopo Grand (Ngee Ann City) - Very Good Mid-Range Restaurant

Given that this restaurant is of mid range type, the service and food are considered as very good.

I like the light savoury soup base for the shabu shabu, the fresh thin slices of pork and the crisp vegetables. In fact, I can't stop drinking the soup once started. The ponzu sauce is an excellent condiment to go with the shabu shabu. 

As for the soba, it is great in texture, being smooth yet not soggy, and refreshing.

The teriyaki chicken is so excellently cooked. The charcoal taste is distinctive, but there is hardly any charred bits on the chicken. So the aroma is there, without the bitter taste of charred meat—best way to enjoy grilled meat.

Best of all, these dishes go so well with the pearl-like Japanese starchy rice. As I had said before, I am very fussy about the quality of rice. And the rice here meets my expectations to the point I have no problem finishing them. 

The sashimi are fresh and very well-cut, not top of the tier but better than majority of its competitors. And at $33 only, completed with two slices of chutoro and a otoro sushi, this is exceedingly value for money. It is a real steal.

The staff are very friendly and helpful, especially the Chinese guy manager.  They even said farewell to the leaving patrons which is a pleasant surprise since staff of some restaurants in the higher range do not even do that.  Ambience is decent also.

A nice choice to have lunch at if shopping in Takashimaya. Besides, Ginza Kuroson, this restaurant is our top choice to visit when at Ngee Ann city.

My Thoughts: It is one of my Favourite Haunts!

Nearest car park: Ngee Ann City's car park

Nearest MRT: Orchard

#04-28 Ngee Ann City

391A Orchard Road

Singapore
Contact No: 67352959

Hokkaido Chou á la Créam

Another quality product from Hokkaido! Pretty crisp pastry shell, and the filling is incredibly rich that it tastes more like cream than ice-cream. Best enjoyed after thawed for ten minutes or longer.

Country of Origin: Japan
Where to buy: Emporium Shokuhin

Shio & Pepe - Quaint Little Restaurant

Closed

Another new dining concept is opened in Emporium Shokuhin! As a regular of this Mini Japan, I, naturally, will check out this new kid on the block, which is a hybrid of Italian and Japanese cuisine.

The interior of the restaurant is the highlight. A peek at the inside of the restaurant to see the high ceiling, white wooden garden chairs, cream brick walls and scattered floral decorations, and it is hard to resist going in to try out the food there. There is this quaint charm in place, where the idyllic vibes of Italian setting and Japanese brand of cosiness and attention to details are moulded together.

I like this place's Bacon Carbonara because the smooth pasta is cooked to almost Al Dente texture. The pasta is firm, but is thoroughly cooked, which caters well to Singaporeans' preferences. The cream sauce has that distinct aroma of cream while being light enough not to overwhelm our tastebuds. Though they could have been more generous by adding more bacon. The bacon cubes, which are lightly grilled to release the flavour of the bacon and imbued the meat with taste of grilled meat, are pretty sparse.

As for the fries, the highlight is the rich inherent flavour of potatoes packed within the fries. They still taste great without the mayonnaise. In fact, I had mentioned before in another post that fries made from quality potatoes will have their own aromas while GMO ones commonly used in fast food restaurants only taste decent if paired with chili sauce, ketchup and mayonnaise.

Parma ham on Pizza tastes good because it is hard to go wrong with Parma ham. But the crust is too dry and hard.

Service is okay. Nothing special to make mention of.

While this restaurant does not provide any unique dining experience, this is still a place for consideration when wanting to have a casual meal in nice, chic ambience.

My Thoughts: Not Bad

Note: This restaurant is no longer in operation.

Corner House - One of the Cornerstones of Local Culinary Scene

Dining at Corner House can be defined as a Singaporean experience. The reasons: this restaurant is located in the heart of Singapore's World heritage site, and the chef is a local one who incorporates local influences into European cuisine. Now it is obvious how the title of this post came about. In fact, I had been wanting to visit this restaurant since the first Michelin Guide for Singapore had been revealed. I had dined in quite a number of "not Michelin Star restaurant then but it is now" restaurants, but not counting in Osia—my regular haunt, this is the first Michelin Star restaurant I visited after the guide was out. And I was not disappointed.

Location wise, this restaurant takes the top spot in Singapore. On our way from the carpark to the restaurant nested in lush greenery, we are constantly surrounded by beautiful tropical flora of different kinds. I consider the journey through Botanic Gardens part of the dining experience, and this is a good start. The entire restaurant is seeped in Old World charm, from the exterior, the staircase to the casement windows. And when stepping into veranda, we are treated to the amazing panoramic view of the dense greenery surrounding the restaurant. In Singapore, the concrete jungle, the sight of such verdure is so refreshing and awe-inspiring. In fact, no fanciest building can compete with the beauty of nature when it comes to the feast for eyes.

Basking in such wonderful ambience, we find it so easy to truly indulge in the goodness of the freshly baked, warm croissants. The numerous thin layers of dough is so crispy, and every bite yields the homely aroma of homemade bread. We would prefer to have French butter to go with these croissants, but the homemade jam, which is not too sweet, does very well to complement the bread. The molten chocolate in the chocolate croissant makes the bread taste so heavenly with its rich flavours of cocoa butter and toasted nuts. While the croissants are absolutely delightful to tuck into, the French loaf is the weak link since it is too rock hard, making it a challenge to finish the bread.

Though we have no time on dwell on that loaf when the mouth-watering assiette of appetizers are served. I love how pine nuts, a scattering of Parmesan cheese, a splash of chef's concocted light sauce and crisp, fresh vegetables are combined to create a salad that tastes like no other salads and features multitude of flavours. The little balls of fish coated in batter is reminiscent of the fish n chips Singaporeans are familiar with. But of course, the ones here are far more flavourful and have better texture due to use of choice fish and soufflé-like batter.

The huge slab of foie gras is incredibly creamy, yet not oily, and the grapefruit served with them adds that bit of subtle zest and a lace of bitterness to balance the creaminess. The generous serving of duck rilette is packed with intense flavours, and the texture is very smooth. This is so good that it can be eaten on its own or used as spread.

62 degrees farm egg is toned down in taste with butter squash, and sprinkles of truffle, bacon and wild rice—all of which are earthy in taste. It is like the comfort food that one will like.

Egg Benedict is the more flamboyant version of the egg dishes. The tangy Vin Jaune hollandaise sauce, smoked salmon and spoonfuls of tobiko—flying fish roe introduced strong and exciting flavours to the beautifully set egg that holds a runny yolk. One ingredient I must call out is the rice cracker. The wholesome aroma of the rice is so pronounced in the cracker. Plus the crispy texture, this is one excellent artisanal cracker that I cannot get enough of.

The main course continues the great momentum the croissants, appetizers and eggs have generated. With his Singaporean, or should I say, East Asian roots, the chef knows how to prepare the fishes to eliminate the fishy smell while bringing out inherent flavours of the sea sealed in the pliable, creamy flesh of Atlantic cod. The lightly seared surface of the fish retains the soft texture of the fish and adds a hint of the aroma of grilled seafood. And paired with the salty squid ink, this is fish very well-done.

The Obsiblue prawn that goes with the cod deserves a paragraph dedicated to it. This is most probably the best prawn I ever have. Partially cooked, the flesh of the prawn has the perfect firmness—firm enough for a good bite while soft enough for the flavours to be released soon after tucking into it. It is absolutely saturated with the sweet flavours of the ocean, nuts, butter and brine. No other prawn can come close, for now.

This restaurant exceeds my expectations by getting the desserts absolutely right also. Speculoos not only looks pretty, it tastes delightful also. The milk roll is blissfully creamy, completed with nuanced fragrance of vanilla. And it goes very well with the snack bar-like chocolate. The dollops of milk chocolate cream and caramel all taste good on their own and do great when savoured together. And the mandarin orange sorbet refreshes the palate in between bites of the rich chocolate.

My interpretation of Kaya Toast is specially prepared for my guy since he has intolerance towards peanuts, and I am glad to be able to get a taste of this very Singaporean dessert, dished out in European style. The gula melaka foam, the well-set cylindrical cream of coconut and pandan simply burst with strong nonya flavours. As a fan of nonya cakes—I love the milky, nutty taste of coconut, the sweet smell of pandan and the unique smoky caramel flavour of gula melaka—this dessert definitely get the thumbs up from me. The best part is every component of the dessert is added in moderation instead of overwhelming the senses with truckloads of them, so we can appreciate every bit of it. The pineapple sorbet is like the mandarin orange sorbet, refreshing and mildly tangy—one of the few sorbets that impress us.

Service is wonderful because the friendly, professional staffs really make the effort to accommodate to our dietary restrictions. If I need to nit-pick, it will be the lack of warmth in the demeanour of the manager.

While I have raved about the setting of the restaurant, I do find that my dining experience is somewhat marred by a group of loud ladies at the table beside us. Due to the layout of the place, we feel like their voices are being blasted into our ears. I can catch every single detail of their conversation, and frankly speaking, I do not wish to know at all. On the hindsight, we should have requested to change tables. So for a quiet and enjoyable experience, which you wish to indulge in with that special someone, opt for the private room. Do take note that the charges are higher. Alternatively, hope for the best.

Despite this gripe, I still love this place. The food aims to please instead of dazzling one's taste buds. I do find that the chef tends to play it safe when it comes to experimenting with different tastes. What I appreciate about this place is that the standard across the different courses is consistent. I love to go back again to enjoy the food and scenery.

My Thoughts: Awesome!

Nearest car park: Car park A or B near Nassim Gate

Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens

1 Cluny Road
Singapore Botanic Gardens
EJH Corner House
Contact No: 64691000

The Clan Restaurant - Fancy dining at Affordable Price

Closed

Dining at those fancy restaurants have always been perceived as a formal affair that invokes images of smart casual dress code, high price tag and the need to make reservations. These factors do contribute to my recent infrequent visiting of such restaurants since my guy and I like to dress very casually and are impromptu in going to our favourite establishments for our weekend lunches. The clan is thus a good choice to enjoy cuisine of European influences without the frills and formality. The best part is, of course, the price. A set lunch can be $19 only, but take note that supplements of around $10 are required for certain main courses and appetizers.

The amuse bouche of Duck Rillette is a good indication of what are to come. The finely shredded duck meat has strong flavours that serve to excite. But the biscuit base is a meh since it does not have the aroma of wheat, and the texture is too hard and lacks the crunchiness.

The Snapper Carpaccio is very fresh, which is winning half the battle already. To top it off, those pretty thick slices of raw fish were drizzled with condiments of exciting tastes. Very tangy, slightly salty, a lace of clean spiciness, and doses of herbs—these complement the flavours of the fish so much. The fresh small tomatoes and dollops of avocado cream taste great on their own and add extra texture and dimension to the dish. The only minor gripe I have with this is the texture of the snapper is a bit chewier, but still, I like this appetizer a lot.

Angel Hair pasta features perfect springy texture that I love in all pasta and noodles. With olive oil and herbs added, and paired with tobiko for bursts of flavours of the sea, this appetizer is a crowd-pleaser.

Chicken Roulade is done right in the sense that the fats and the chicken flesh at the thighs are rolled together to be grilled to yield succulent and juicy meat. Most chicken dishes have the issue of being too dry, and the Chicken Roulade here impresses me by overcoming this. The sauce will appeal to Singaporeans' palates since it is the lighter and more exotic version of top notch sauces used in our Singapore Style Western Food. Though I have to admit that I prefer breast meat, so this dish did not blow me away.

Panna Cotta is quite a let-down after the oh-so-appetizing appetizers and nice mains. The consistency of the pudding is just that of a ... pudding. Nothing wrong with that, but I want to be surprised with something new when going to fancy restaurants. The berry compote is the one that ruins it all. It tastes like there is prune or preserved fruits inside, and I can't stand the smell and taste of either.

Service is decent, but not noteworthy. One thing the staff did very right is to open the door for us and bade farewell. This actually puts a great ending note on the dining experience. To me, this can negate quite a lot of minus points on the service side.

Ambience is posh and chic, great for dates or gathering in an upclass environment, without hurting the wallet.

For casual dining at a nice fancy restaurant, this place definitely is an excellent choice.

My Thoughts: Nice!

This restaurant is no longer in operation.