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Showing posts with label Mandarin Oriental. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mandarin Oriental. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Cherry Garden - The Brunch is Great

The ambience is so classy and the service is so immaculate. It is easy to be impressed with this place based on these alone.

As for the food, there are hits and misses. The dim sum items are just ordinary lacklustre stuff that lack the variety, creativity and depth, not exactly what I expect from a high end restaurant. Exception being the steamed bamboo and prawn dumpling with gold powder (luxurious) and conpoy dumpling (full of fresh seafood flavours), as seen in my photos. 



Brunch is good value, in which one can try many of their signature dishes (kurobuta pork is flavourful and good, drunken prawns soaked in herbs and wine infused soup, are extremely fresh) in the brunch (avoid the Patin fish though, it tasted fishy), which are really tasty and not bad. Not to mention, there is free flow of dessert, which is the best thing about this brunch since the avocado dessert is so heavenly good. Talking about the avocado dessert, it is served in a mist of dry ice, 100 points for presentation on this one! The taste is very refreshing and unlike any other dessert I had tasted, so actually, I like it quite a lot.

Worth to go for the brunch.

My Thoughts: Very Nice!

Nearest car park: Marina Shopping Mall's car park, free valet parking at Oriental Hotel for patrons of Cherry Garden
Nearest MRT: City Hall

5 Raffles Avenue Marina Square
Level 5 Mandarin Oriental Singapore
Singapore
Contact No: 68853538

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Dolce Vita - Glorious array of pure Italian dishes

It is easy to find restaurants offering brunches in Singapore, but it is not that easy to find one offering pure spread of authentic European dishes (Somehow I hardly have any liking for those with international spread, most of them cannot meet the basic expectations). I can only name a few like Basilico, OsiaGarbiardi and you guess it, Dolce Vita!



All dishes are served to the table instead of the "pick all you want" style, all of them are free flow but there are so many dishes that I only have the stomach for one round for all. I absolutely love the appetizers here, from crab timbale, burrata mozzarella cheese stuffed in cherry tomato, port wine marinated foie gras terrine (the trio of appetizers in my photo) are refreshing, simulating and multi-dimensional in taste.  The piping hot soups of mushroom, and those of cauliflower served in shot glasses respectively are sublime, being overflowing with flavours and having the right consistency (creamy but not overly so).  The ham and oysters are good also, though I prefer Osia's condiments for the oysters.

The mains are not really my type since I find that the core of the pasta to be uncooked (but take note that this style of cooking pasta is actually the preferred type for Europeans, considered as perfect in texture).  The fishes are good and fresh though not as great in taste as the appetizers. The star of the mains is the risotto with black truffle which is a aromatic comfort food. My main problem is that the main courses are free flow also, which proves to be too much for a small eater like me. Another thing: after eating the salad loaded with lots of seafood, which is great actually until they served the pasta tossed with exactly the same type of seafood, causing me to feel great dilemma. It was a waste not to finish up such a dish filled to brim with the treasures of the sea, but faced with a similar dish where my full stomach was stretched beyond threshold, it was impossible to take more than three bites off it. It will be better if there is an option to choose one main course only at a lower price for the brunch.

The desserts are extremely sinful; silky smooth in texture and rich in taste, high points for them.  I love the gold flakes on the tiramisu and chocolate, adding the luxurious touch to the already decadent treats.  The panna cotta is unbelievably good with its custard being the smoothest and most refreshing one I ever had. Ricotta Cheese berries tart is very light, yet creamy at the same time, an absolute must try.

The ambience is very modern with a bit of the resort feel due to its location besides the swimming pool surrounded by lots of flora.  The view outside of the restaurant is breath taking, where one can see MBS and the flyer.  The service is very attentive, professional and friendly, absolutely faultless.

Will like to go back again to try the set meals or if there is an option not to go for free flow of main courses or for special occasions.

My Thoughts: Very Nice!

Nearest car park: Marina Mall's car park
Nearest MRT: City Hall

Mandarin Oriental Singapore L5
5 Raffles Avenue
Singapore
Contact No: 68853500