Brine Restaurant - Contemporary Singaporean Cuisine, Nostalgic and Beautiful Taste

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Upon knowing about Brine, a restaurant helmed by local chef, I immediately note down this place into my Wishlist. I had assumed that the dishes here will be European with a bit of Asian touches, and the dishes totally surprise me regarding this, and in a very good way.

The dishes here are distinctively Singaporean, prepared in European style and elevated with complex flavours. They invoke the nostalgia, yet at the same time manage to be unique in taste. I really love the dishes, they exceed my expectations.

The place, at the first glance, looks more like a nice, modern minimalist cafe. In fact, I asked if it's Brine when I first stepped in 😂. But when I look around the place, I realise that there is a mini art gallery in this! At one side of the place, pottery art pieces and hand made glassware populate the tables and shelves there. This is so cool. All of them were made by the owner and for sale. Needless to say, I take lots of pictures of the art gallery.

The service is very good too. The young lady staff is very friendly and is fast to response to requests.

The second Battered Cauliflower is served, I immediately catch the lovely familiar whiffs of pepper and spices sprinkled over the crispy batter coating each mildly sweet cauliflower. Lots of subtle flavours packed into the cauliflower, and it tastes even more exciting when eaten with the mashed duqqa  for the extra kick in flavour and mashed hummus for the earthy, nutty element. I also love the crunchy roasted brussel sprouts, which is so good to bite on.

Knife Cut Noodles with buttered crab is so delicious. I love the texture of the special knife cut noodles, which is flat, curly and a bit springy. This is different from the usual noodles, and knife cut noodles are not exactly easy to find in Singapore. Hints of spiciness from the chilli and tangy flavour from the lemon juice makes this dish such a delight to savour. And best of all, I find chucks of briny sweet crab among the noodles. Two thumbs-up for the generosity in adding lots of crab meat. Caviar and Ikura are pops of essence of the ocean that add more umami goodness to the dish. A must-try.

Another must-try is Coconut noodles, laksa leaf jelly, kaffir lime meringue. I swoon in pure bliss when tucking into this dessert full of South East Asian flavours. The pungency of laksa leaf actually works beautifully in this dessert, complementing the tart taste of kaffir lim and the mild milky nutty flavour of coconut noddles. And the textures of this dessert is awesome due to the crispy meringue, springy noodles, crunchy sugar-coated peanuts and sorbet+jelly consistency of laksa leaf jelly.

Brine Restaurant is not just any good restaurant, it is a restaurant that serves up very good, unique food that showcases the essence of local food. It is full of passion and vision. I'm so into this place after an outing here. I look forward to come here again.

Thoughts: So Singaporean, So Awesome

This place is no longer in operation

Co Hai Banh Mi & Phở Vietnamese Restaurant - Garden Fresh, Herbs and Vietnamese Tradition

Co Hai Banh Mi & Pho Vietnamese Restaurant, the name of thus restaurant is quite a mouthful. I will just use Co Hai instead since Banh Mi refers to Vietnamese Baguette and Pho is a kind of Vietnamese noodles.

After a lunch at a French restaurant, where I love one of the dishes made with Vietnamese rice paper, it triggered my craving for some Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. I had not eaten it for many  years … for a reason that I will not reveal here. So when I saw how good Co Hai’s fresh spring rolls look, I set my eyes on this place already. I have to say that the fresh spring rolls doesn’t disappoint.

I was expecting food court kind of environment here, given the low price point, but the decor of this restaurant totally took me by surprise. The French influence is evident: lots of colourful flowers, posters and quaint lamps. But there is Vietnamese vibe in there. So it feels like the owner is putting every favourite thing into decorating the place. It works, giving that really cosy, homely vibe. Good thing I’m the first patron of the day, so I have lots of fun snapping photos of the place.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls is like a garden wrapped within the stretchy thin smooth rice paper. It is so fresh and full of herbal aroma. The bits of grilled pork and sliced prawns adds the umami and richness to the taste. When eaten without the sauce, it os flavourful enough to hold it on its own. With the sauce, its zest makes the spring taste even better.

If one does not have any aversion toward a particular plant or herb, this is a must-try. But take note of the hard meat pieces in there.

Frankly speaking, the amount of carbs in the fresh spring rolls is making me pretty full already. I suggest to share it if possible.

So I have less capacity to fully appreciate the Dry Vermicelli ordered. Especially when I ordered the wrong one. I wanted Grilled Pork, but I don't know why I didn't see the word "Minced" and got Vermicelli with Seafood, Minced Pork and Quail Eggs. This is actually very similar to our Bak Chor Mee, except that Vietnamese Vermicelli is used instead for the crabs.

I like this different kind of vermicelli used, it is made of rice and is flat, smooth and thin. I do find the boiled minced pork and seafood aka boiled squid rolls to be a bit too plain. Well, I just dip them into the sauce of fresh spring rolls, and then they taste great lol

Nice cooling and interesting drink of Lemongrass, Ginger and Lemon.

Ambience wise, I like this place a lot. But if one tends to get cold easily, like me, best to get a jacket because besides the air conditioning, there are fans to make the place real cold. Service is well, of brutal efficiency. They cut to the chase and get all things done. Don’t expect general pleasantries here. I have to make a special mention of the nice lady who suggested to me to take a table that is at a more comfortable position instead of the one near the staircase. Thumbs-up to her.

By the way, the restaurant is at second floor. And by 11:30am, the place is pretty full already.

Thoughts: Authentic, good Vietnamese food

359 Beach Road

Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway

Uni Gallery by Ooster Bay - Sweet Uni Dreams Fulfilled

This restaurant is no longer in operation

Since my visit to Sushi Kimura, I had this strong craving for uni. But for the longest time, I could not satisfy that craving, until I come to Uni Gallery, where I do not need to burn a hole in my wallet just to savour one morsel of that sweet uni. I had been to other establishments to try to get my uni fix, but that one little piece in thirty dollars plus or more expensive chirashi bowl is hardly enough to satisfy me. But at Uni Gallery, for thirty dollars plus, I can get a bowl of chirashi filled with six pieces of uni! Imagine my joy when I can finally submerged myself in sweet uni dreams. And best of all, the uni here is super fresh and sweet! Way better in quality than the one piece I got in the chirashi I had ordered in other establishments. More on that later. Let’s talk about my favourite dish first, which I order after I have happily finished my chirashi bowl.

Le Tetsuya is so exquisite in taste, showcasing the nuanced multifaceted flavours of the sea. The combination of the sweetness and umami of bafun uni, hokkaido crab and Serbian sturgeon caviar is unbelievably sublime. So subtle yet so complex in taste. And the flavours of each ingredient is very distinct without eclipsing the taste profile of the others. The appetizer to order for some serious indulgence.

Oyster shot, an all-time favourite of the restaurant, is a decadent treat that fully engages one’s taste buds. This is like the da bomb of the gastronomic journey at this place. The briney flavours of the oyster actually go pretty well with the sweetness of the bafun uni. The ikura gives pops of excitement to the overall taste. As compared to Le Tetsuya, this appetizer seems louder in terms of taste, since both ikura and oyster are stronger in taste than caviar and crab meat, thus creating a strong impression. Though I have to say that I prefer the subtlety of Le Tetsuya.

2 Types of Premium Uni Chirashi is what brings me to this restaurant, and it does not disappoint. I am so delighted to see lots of uni sitting on top of the starchy, smooth, pearl-like rice. Bafun uni is sweeter of the two kinds while murasaki uni is both milder in colour and taste. But I actually prefer murasaki uni since it is more creamy. Nonetheless, I love both types of uni presented here. The shredded egg, fried white bait and flying fish roe add extra textures to the dish. The good part about these additional toppings is that their tastes do not distract one from appreciating the goodness of uni. The half portion is pretty small, but it is enough for me, especially when there are six pieces of uni.

The salad that comes with the chirashi bowl is very flavourful due to generous amount of creamy sesame sauce added. Miso soup is kind of a tad too salty though. But I do not really care for that as long as I get my fill of fresh, awesome uni.

I love this place. It is like the ultimate place to get one’s fill of uni without breaking the bank. It is uni dream comes true. The Plaza is pretty run-down and the basement, where Uni Gallery is located, feels a dungeon, but I sure do not mind as long as I continue to get my uni at affordable price. The place does remind me of Cuppage Plaza, which is one of my favourite, but dingy, place, to get good Japanese food at great price. This kind of buildings is like best place to suss out hidden gens. The interior of this place is cozy though. And the service is great. The staff takes pride in introducing the types of uni and ingredients added to the dishes. There are also other kinds of value-for-money set lunches available, so I can bring my loved ones to here to enjoy the food even if they are not into raw seafood or they want to be real kind to our wallets.

My Thoughts: Awesome!

Nearest car park: The Plaza’s car park

Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway

7500A Beach Road

The Plaza #B1-313

Contact No: 9838 8209