Mish Mash - Fantastic Food and Cocktails

This restaurant is no longer in operation.

A look at striking fuchsia pink Logo of Mish Mash and then a scan through the menu with interesting, unique, appetising looking food items, I know I got to come here for a gastro-bar experience, where the food is as much as the focus as the cocktails. And just like its logo, the feel of this place is sassy, cool and stylish, with high tables and chairs beside the whole stretch of full height windows on one side, plush sofas on another side and at the front, a bar counter decked with bottles of concoctions ready to be mixed into a storm of flavours.

To keep up with the ambience, the presentation and taste of the food is an eclectic, awesome mix of European sensibility and sprinkling of Asian intricacies. It actually works wonderfully. I like how unique the taste and texture of the food here is while pleasing or ... teasing the palates.

And this is one of the few places where the cocktails are as much as the stars of the place as the food is. The cocktails taste exciting and intoxicating, yet at the same time, sweet, refreshing and soothing. It's a must to try the cocktails if here.

The service is fantastic. I'm so well taken care of by the service manager, Alex and the bartender. They are amazingly friendly, managing to strike up natural conversations with me, which is a feat in itself lol And very good food and cocktail recommendations made by Alex.

Kurobuta Pork is tender, moist and sweet, with a good measure of firmness for a good, hearty bite. Caramelised king trumpet adds the extra earthy sweetness and bouncy texture.  Dirty rice with charred pineapple is also delicious. It has the top notes of spiciness, and then middle notes of the fragrance of starchy fried rice develops along with the nuanced flavours of fried onion and spring onion.

An interesting assortment of cutleries to choose from. I decide to get the chopper-like knife to "hack" at my kurobuta pork 😜

Lovely Lusty Lemon cocktail made up of möet, chandon champagne, lychee and yuzu. This is so good! So refreshing, so floral, so exciting.

Spanish Manchego is goat's cheese tempura that comes with Italian truffle honey. This is one interesting, addictive bar snack. The tempura is very crispy, whose texture juxtaposes very well with the gooey, stretchy texture of machego cheese.

Squid Ink Totellini is lovingly handmade to be stuffed with diced crunchy, succulent prawns. The magic hiding within the tortellini is the zesty lemongrass for doses of simulating flavours. Lobster emulsion is full of subtle umami that beautifully softens the simulating taste in the dumplings for a more rounded taste. Highly recommend. By the way, the emulsion will taste richer when paired with Lusty Lemon.

Watch the blossoms in the cup turn blue.

Adam & Eve cocktail is interestingly served in a cloud of dry ice. And more interestingly, it is a junmai daiginjo sake cocktail, completed with tomato essence and seedlip garden to make this concoction sweeter and smoother than sake by itself. I love this too.

Strawberry Sensations features strawberries prepared in five ways: snow, mousse, gel, mochi, wedges. This is such a beautiful dessert in terms of taste. The mousse, gel and mochi combined to yield an ice-cream-like texture, without the coldness, that really brings out the aroma of the strawberries. The wedges, with a bit of toasty flavour, add dimension to the overall taste.

Just push open the wooden door located at the back of this counter to get into the restaurant.

I really enjoy my time here due to the fabulous food, drinks and service. It's an awesome place to chill and have fun due to the upbeat vibe here. Reservations is recommended for night time.

Thoughts: Great Time here!

198 South Bridge Road

Nearest MRT: Chinatown

Chapter 1 Wine Bar & Restaurant - Library of Wines, Stash of Good Food and a Touch of Cool Elegance

This restaurant is no longer in operation.

I found a cool new restaurant, Chapter 1, while walking around Outram area and appreciating the  architecture of quaint heritage buildings. This place caught my attention with its cool black modern signboard affixed just below an oriental style roof flanked by thick foliage. This East meets West element is done very well, enticing me to take a peek at what's beyond the entrance. And wow, a nice courtyard that is perfect for party and mingling, an idyllic porch and a classy interior.

Since I also like what's on the menu, I shelve aside my original dining plans and have a nice lunch here. And I made the right choice since the food, the wine and the service here are awesome.

There is a very value for money set lunch of $38, but since I want to try the ala carte menu items instead. So here I go:

Grilled Pork Secreto is so succulent with a nice layer of fat for the buttery richness. This richness is zested up by the lovely pungent aroma of the herbs in Chimichurri Butter. The accompanying Lyonnaise Potatoes is grilled to perfection where the smoky flavour enhance the taste of the potato. They are so delicious. This is one of those few times where I'm absolutely like the potatoes. The accompanying grilled onion is oh-so-sweet that I finish every strand of it. Highly recommend.

The Sauteéd Mushrooms, which is the side dish I had chosen, is soft and flavourful.

Nice super crispy warm bread that comes with generous amount of butter. Recommend to enjoy each bite of the bread with a big cube of butter.

Joselito Iberico Ham, with its beautiful marbling of omega-rich fats, is lightly salted and firm in texture. When chewing on it, the complex flavours of the cured meat and fats released once again cement in my mind that this ham is one of the best hams. Parma Ham doesn't even come close. Unlike most hams with strong taste, this Iberico Ham holds subtle flavours that please the palates.

Sea Bream Crudo with Espelette Chilli, Orange Ponzu Dressing is like sashimi prepared European style, and I love it. The raw fish is very fresh and its taste is perked up by the simulating flavours of the zesty ponzu and nuanced kick of the chilli. And I like the perfectly cut orange slices lol. They tastes good when dapped with a bit of the flavourful oil the sea bream is soaked in.

The Chestnut Tart is a nice sweet treat that can be shared between two persons. Still, I manage to finish it by myself because it is good. I like the earthy aroma of the chestnut cream that complements the milkiness of the whipped cream underneath. The tart base gives a good variation in texture and taste to the dessert.

Domaine Rene Leclerc, Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2017 is smooth and develops a sweet taste when paired with the food. I like this so much.

Not lots of restaurants have courtyards, so I really like the courtyard of this restaurant, which gives a feeling like I'm in a mini castle or an exclusive party. Sitting at the porch and watching the world pass by across the courtyard and through the entrance is quite an experience. The interior is elegant, simple and modern with an open kitchen. And there is a long row of temperature controlled wine cabinet at the inner part of restaurant housing lots of different wines. I like sitting at the place where there are windows above me, for the different experience of sitting under windows yet still enjoying the comfort of air-conditioning and safety of the enclosure.

The service is outstanding, being very attentive, polite and thoughtful. This is a place I will think of when I want to enjoy great wine with great food.

Thoughts: Awesome Food, Wine, Service and Ambience