Cafe 2000 - Better than ever with Ala Carte Buffet

While I had written about Cafe 2000 before, it was during the time where all food was displayed out for patrons to grab. Yes, I use the word “grab” because it was Wild Wild South where everyone was scrambling to get their fill of seafood. The variety was awesome, and the seafood made the buffet very value for money, but I didn’t appreciate the ambience, too chaotic. I want to enjoy my food instead of stuffing my face with food to get the “value” back. Thus I am wowed by the concept of ala carte buffet here. The variety is great, with less seafood featured though, and the place has become way cleaner.

The appetizers here are awesome, with most being European variety. If I want to enjoy local food, I will prefer to go to kopitiams instead. So the appetizers definitely meet my expectations. Super fresh, plump, succulent prawns, buttery quiche with the goodness of cheese, well-seasoned fusilli pasta, refreshing potato salad with shredded egg and scallion plus the good old pizza and coleslaw, I love the choices of appetizers available here. The best part is all are served in bit size, so we get to try a little bit of everything without overeating.

Though I am not really into local delights in restaurants, but still got to order some satays since I love satays. And one of the things I love about ala carte is I can definitely get some satays if it is available in the menu and I want to enjoy some. If it is a no holds barred kind of buffet, I will never get to touch even a stick of satay because I don’t like to wait while watching the person in front of me grabbing twenty freshly cooked satays to put into his or her plate, leaving none for the next person. Yup, satays can bring out the worst in people at any settings. The same thing happened at my corporate events.

The soup of the day is very creamy and flavourful, a nice distraction from the solid food. It is cool that the eggs for breakfast set can be cooked in three different ways, depending on one’s preference. While my companion orders the congee and laksa to accompany his breakfast set as mains, I order Spaghetti Forest Mushroom Aglio Oilo, which get the thumbs-up from me due to the generous helpings of mushrooms.

The festive charcuterie is a nice addition for this Christmas season, but the huge slab of turkey meat does not really appeal to me. The gamey flavour is too strong to my liking, and I have never been into meat served in huge chucks anyway. What I like is the tangy mustard sauce served with the potato wedges, and I add it to the prawns to get the oomph out of it.

The cake selection is less than that of the previous style of buffet, but the quality is better now. Signature Durian King Cream Puff has my companion raving over it. He even said, “This is what I come here for.” As for me, I love odeh odeh cake and the warm, moist Chocolate Soufflé served in a coffee cup. There are other varieties of cakes, butter milk waffles with different toppings and ice-creams to satisfy the sweet tooth.

The service is pretty good, being prompt in responding to requests. And the setting has improved a lot. In fact, after the first visit, I have been planning on going there again soon!

My Thoughts: Thumbs up!

Nearest car park: M Hotel's car park

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

M Hotel Singapore
81 Anson Road
Singapore
Contact No: 65006112

Yumi’s Dip

 

This is rich and flavourful, yet so healthy because this dip is loaded with the goodness of vegetables and spices. And the small crunchy bits of vegetables give a nice variation to the texture. Even a meat eater loves this dip! It can definitely compete with butter on yumminess. And best of all, it helps me to maintain my weight. I’m having the best of both worlds.

Country of Origin: Australia

Where to buy this: Cold Storage

Gochi So Shokudo - Value for Money Premium Black Pig Feasts

Iberico pork is renowned for being the best due to the rarity of the breed, high level of oleic acid, the marbling and the nutty aroma resulted from the pigs’ unique diet. So naturally, it will cost an arm and a leg to savour this premium pork. So imagine our excitement when the new kid on the block of Nihon Street at Millenia Walk, Gochi So Shokudo, offers Iberico set meals at a very affordable price range of $15 onwards.

Secreto Belly Don immediately got my attention when I was flipping through the menu full of all kinds of Iberico pork dishes, being prepared in various ways: from stir fried, charcoal grilled to deep fried. For one, it is not often that I can find in other Japanese restaurants pork prepared this way: chargrilled till the exterior is imbued with strong aroma of roasted meat while retaining the succulent texture in the middle. It is a bit like char siew meat actually, except that it is more premium. Needless to say, it tastes very good. The marbling makes the meat tender and juicy. And it helps that the rice is well-cooked, being firm and starchy.

Bellota Iberico Katsu features, again, fresh, succulent, juicy meat, wrapped in a layer of crispy deep fried breadcrumbs. This, of course, gets the thumbs-up from us.

Teriyaki Bellota Iberico Loin Donburi set is oh-so-good too. And for obviously the same reasons as Secreto Belly Don and Bellota Iberico Katsu. The meat in this dish is like katsu being grilled and then being drizzled with the flavourful teriyaki sauce. And it works. Though this dish is seasonal, so if you see it, gonna try it before it disappears from the menu.

For the price I’m paying for Iberico pork, I know the ambience of the place will not be fancy and posh. And I’m right, in fact, it is like atas foodcourt setting, but I’m not complaining. I will take premium goods with great pricing any time over fancy setting.

And yes, I am a regular of this place already.

Thoughts: Must try! For the sake of your palates and wallet.

Nearest car park: Millenia Walk's car park
Nearest MRT: Promenade

Millenia Walk #02-16
9 Raffles Boulevard
Singapore

La Scala Ristorante - Rustic Good Food

Despite knowing nothing about La Scala, I jump at the chance to dine at here upon invitation. I guess the craving for European cuisine strikes again since I hadn’t been indulging in it for quite a while. And a meal here definitely satisfies that craving. And it helps that the place has this rustic, European vibe, completed with vendetta and faux windows, it feels like one is enjoying the meal in a cafe at a quaint European neighbourhood.

Champagne is lovingly served in cold champagne glasses, which is a nice touch to things.

Things got off to a great start with Baked Cheesy Mushroom Crostone & Crispy Parma Ham. The woody aroma of mushroom, soaked in the creamy, springy melted cheese and peppered with the intense flavours of parma ham, simulates the senses and covers a wide range of harmonious flavours. It sure makes me look forward to the next dish.

Egg Tagliolini Prawn has me cleaning up the plate real good because of the springy al dente tagliolini, the sweet taste of the sea from the fresh prawns, completed with the tangy, slightly sweet taste of tomato sauce.

Being very satisfied with our meals, we decide that we need to try more dishes here before the desserts come, thus the order for Calamari Fritti. And we are not disappointed. Thin crispy, not oily, fried dough coats every piece of squid that is of the right texture: slightly chewy but easy to bite off. The garlic dip completes this cool little snack with a splash of creaminess and spiciness.

Liquid Chocolate Panna Cotta is a decadent treat with silky texture that will please most palates. Fans of coffee will be pleasantly surprised by the strong taste of coffee foam that reminds one of tiramisu. Though I’m no fan of coffee, which is why is I prefer another dessert on the restaurant week special menu instead.

Rich buttery lemon cake and whipped cream makes Caprese “Al Limone” is a very sinful dessert that I love to indulge in. I love the strong aroma of butter in the cake, which is perked up by the zest of lemon, and the light whipped cream is like of a wash of refreshing dairy goodness that makes the taste of the cake more nuanced.

Service is good, the staffs are full of passion for their work, being fast to response to requests and bring a certain positive energy to the table.

I like this quaint little restaurant. It has a unique vibe that I appreciate. It is like the place I can visit often, since it feels casual, yet at the same time, proper, making it an ideal place to have a sumptuous, nicely crafted meal with that special someone, family or friends while still feeling at ease.

Love to visit it again when the chance arises.

Thoughts: Perfect place to hang out at

Nearest car park: Funan Mall car park (this is my main gripe with Capitol Kempinski: there is no car park in this hotel! Either that or it is very difficult to find the entrance to it)

Nearest MRT: City Hall

13 Stamford Road #01-86

Arcade @ Capitol Kempinski

Singapore

Contact No: 6715 6877

Lola’s Cafe - Cool Little Backyard Cafe

This is a long overdue post actually. I was bowled over by what Lola’s Cafe has to offer, but I was so busy in my new job role that I couldn’t find the time to write about this cafe. Nonetheless, I was determined to pen down my thoughts about this heartland gem, and here it is!

Pulled Pork and Avocado Eggs Benedict is loaded with a myriad of strong flavours that work well together. The pulled pork is as intensely flavoured as our favourite BBQ pork, minus the sweetness and add in the spiciness. And the texture of shredded meat is somewhat fluffy, going perfectly well with the bread base, eggs and avocado. The hollandaise sauce spread on top of the egg has that hint of tanginess to impart dimension to the overall taste. The egg and the avocado add a wholesomeness and creaminess to this hearty meal while balancing the strong flavours. This is a must-try of Lola’s Cafe.

Lychee Rosewater cake is a creation that actually fits right in that backyard cafe vibe. The cake sponge is of the butter cake type, thus being dense, full of buttery goodness and very old-school. I actually like the cake sponge and the butter cream adds the extra creaminess that I appreciate. As for the taste of lychee and rose, the good part about this cake is that it is au naturale, thus the flavours are muted. But I can’t help feeling that this is a nice butter cake, not a Lychee Rosewater cake. All in all, still a nice cake to order for sharing, just don’t expect to be blown away by the flowery aromas of lychee and rose.

Bacon and Mushroom Truffle Cream Linguine has such smooth texture and awesome woody aroma, thanks to the truffle cream added. While my companion is not into mushroom and pasta, he loves this creation so much.

Ambience wise, this is really like that backyard cafe, being very rustic and casual. It is like the cool place to hang out at to enjoy good food and good company. Service is pretty okay, but the staff are very busy, so got to be proactive in getting their attention.

After the first visit to this cafe, I am so hyped about going back, while tagging my companion along this time, because the Pulled Pork and Avocado Eggs Benedict is so good and unique. Actually, the Bacon and Mushroom Truffle Cream Linguine mentioned above is tried on my second visit. Yes, this is the cafe that definitely worth checking out.

Thoughts: Wholesomely good

Nearest car park: Parallel parking along Simon Road

Nearest MRT: Kovan

5 Simon Road

Contact No: 62840349

Appleby Farms Ice-cream

I had actually noticed this brand of ice-cream before when shopping at Cold Storage since it is hard to ignore the cartoonish drawings on the tubs. I was tempted to get a tub but since I am more into exotic flavours, I ended not getting one. Fast forward to now, I eventually still snag a tub of boysenberry variety as it is impossible to resist the temptation anymore and boysenberry flavour is still pretty rare. And at the first spoonful, I know I made the right choice. In fact, I am shocked by how good it is.

It is incredibly smooth and creamy, most probably the smoothest and creamiest ice-cream one can get from supermarkets. Just when I thought no other supermarket-brought ice-creams can be better than my current favourites, Appleby Farms come in to change my mind. Cold Storage sure knows where to get the premium ice-cream lol

Despite refraining from getting those usual flavours of ice-cream, I am making an exception for Appleby Farms to go down to grab a tub of their old-school vanilla ice-cream.

Country of Origin: New Zealand
Where to get this: Cold Storage Supermarkets