Quenino by Victor Liong - Beauty of Rich Southeast Asian Flavours

I’m back again at Quenino by Victor Liong! I have been wanting to come back as I love the myriad of Asian flavours featured in meticulously prepared dishes that were presented in European dining style. In fact, I went to all the restaurants in Artyzen due to how impressed I was with the food, luxurious Southeast Asian ambience and excellent service at Quenino.

As the meal progresses, the unique and beautiful taste of the dishes actually acutely reminds me why I love dining: To experience gastronomic surprises and be spellbound. I can feel the lots of care and love put in the food here because of the sheer number of exotic ingredients added to yield a medley of hamonised distinctive balanced tastes.

The service is as top-notch and outstanding as ever.

This restaurant is definitely of Michelin standard. A must-try for foodies and anyone who wants to experience the best of Southeast Asian cuisine.

Amuse Bouche looks so pretty and tastes so refreshing and unique with pickled root vegetables.

Pumpkin Egg Tart Sambal Belado features the beautiful creamy umami taste of Southeast Asia that is just so magical. The tart base adds a good texture and base to complement the creaminess. I’m spellbound at first bite.

Ama-Ebi Cracker with Malayan Pasembur, Macadamia and Calamansi is the lovely marriage of the sea and earth. Lots of mild flavours, from zest, savoury kick to sweetness, contained within for a complex, well balanced taste. Excellent texture too where crispness juxtaposes so well with the springy texture of the raw prawn.

Baby Cucumber with Caramelised Lemongrass Chilli, Kaffir Lime and Finger Lime is vegetarian but can rival any meat dish. So earthy, so intense and so refreshing.

Raw Spencer Gulf Kingfish with White Fungi, White Radish, Burnt Garlic, White Soy Cream is unbelievably good. My first thought at first mouthful is "How can it be this good?" It is so, so good that I swoon silently in delight. And I marvel at the uniqueness of the taste. The fish tastes creamy, tangy and fresh at at the same time. And there is a spark of pure sweetness hidden within that surprises and tantalises the palates.

I do wonder if House-Made Flatbread, Full-Blood Wagyu, Green Chilli will be too gamey in taste due to the description of “Full-Blood”. The dish turns out to be so well-balanced in taste. Meaty flavour of waguy is balanced by the spiciness plus pungency of green chilli, tangy flavours and super fluffy flat bread. Another outstanding dish.

Indonesian mango with chilli oil is unique and refreshing, full of floral creaminess. Mosr unique and best palate cleanser.

Threadfin with Kokum Pearl Meat (meat of a kind of pearl producing clam), Garlic Shoots, Shrimp Floss Samphire Garam Masala is so full of goodies. Indonesian mangosteen is uniquely added to balance the creaminess with its mild zest so as to highlight the sweetness of the fish. The crunchiness of the vegetables makes it even better.

Dry Aged Lacquered Duck has a crispy honey glazed skin that juxtaposes so well with the succulent flesh. Experience duck with four different flavours by wrapping with different ingredients in the thin fermented Rice Pancakes. The gamey taste of duck is cut through and rendered sweeter by the pungency Coriander Seed and other herbs, plus the zest and spiciness of Sambal Ijo. Superb combinations.

This is the most unique and best duck dish I ever have. Another must-try here.

Taro Ice Cream Sweet Potato and Roselle has lots of textures, creamy and earthy flavours. Fermented Rice Wine introduces an exciting kick to the taste and hold together the different flavours. Most outstanding Ice Cream I ever have.

Petits Fours astound me too with the unique creations such as Glutinous rice Cake with Coconut Cream, Tamarind Caramel and Dark Chocolate with a special Ganache.

Excellent recommendation of sparkling 100% Pinot Noir. I totally love it.

Wine from China for the adventurous me. It's actually good!

Got a tasting of the rare Ice Wine. It is fruity and sweet, and more intense in taste.

Thoughts: Southeast Asian Gastronomy at its Best

9 Cuscaden Road Level 4

Tomidou - Amazing Beautiful Surprises

Japanese Omakase has always been one of my favourite dining experience because of the excitement of letting the chef decide the entire course of meal for me, and usually, the experience is sublime, and is better than the meals where I choose what I want to eat. In addition, it is a joy to watch the chef meticulously prepared the dishes with curated premium ingredients. Another reason is simply because I love to eat seafood.

So yes, I come to Tomidou with great expectations. And my expectations totally exceeded! Rooted in traditional Edomae sushi, Chef Akira Horikawa adds little extra touches or twists to elevate the food to develop unique complex flavours that amaze and delight me. All dishes here evoke that feelings of happiness and warm satisfaction. Definitely one of the best omakase I have.

With the hinoki wood counter, shelves decked with sakes, bonsai, different types of wood surfaces adorning the walls and furniture, the interior has the upmarket Zen vibe that fills one with a sense of calm. I actually love the subtle floral print on the smooth glossy metal finishes.

The service here is exceptional: professional, meticulous and warm. It’s perfection. Chef Horikawa also shakes things up with punchlines and his showmanship. I’m totally in love with this place. So is this restaurant a must-visit? A definite yes!

The beautiful platter of Botan Ebi, Uni and Hotaru Ika is like delightful gathering of the treasures of the sea. Briny sweet, springy raw botan ebi with its head grilled to crispy goodness is such a joy to savour. I’m so happy to have the rarer sweet, creamy Murasaki uni alongside with the umami packed Bafun uni. Hotaru ika is full of the essence of the ocean contained with the bouncy flesh. I love this platter so much.

I never know I can go “wow” when tucking in to sashimi, but that is what exactly happens when I pop Kinmedai and Amadai sashimi into my mouth. The aroma of lightly charred surface of the fish adds so much to the flavour while enhancing its sweetness that it is amazing.

Otsukuri of Hatsu Katsuo and Sakura Masu continues the wave of surprises and delight. The sweetness of the fishes is imbued with the rich smokiness of rice straw and perked up by the zest of sudachi and pungency of Okinawa shallots plus garlic. So exciting and oh-so-good.

Kani Doraku is a wonderful marriage of the garden and the sea. The crunchy, juicy, fresh, sweet vegetables from Japan add the extra earthy, floral dimension to the light oceanic umami of the chucks of crab meat. Another lovely dish.

Nodoguro Shioyaki surprises me by how good cooked fish can be. The flesh of Nodoguro is firm and smooth, going perfectly with the deep-fried potato and lotus. The intense earthy sweetness of these root vegetables elevates the taste of Nodoguro from very good to amazing. Bonito injects bits of savoury kick to the dish, making it even better.

Kani Shinjo is so amazing too. I was expecting the crab meat ball swimming in the bonito broth to have its most of its flavour seeped to the light yet unbelievably flavourful broth. But the first bite of the meat ball took me by surprise. Because it is packed with so much briny sweetness that it literally tastes sweet!

Chef Akira Horikawa preparing the shari right in front of the patrons

Being a good show man, Chef poses with the huge slab of tuna at my request.

Signature Sushi Chutoro features that lovely melt-in-your-mouth texture. An excellent sushi.

Sushi Aori Ika is king squid chopped up many times to yield that perfect easy to bite texture while retaining the unique creamy briny taste of squid. Best ika sushi.

Beautiful Sushi Akami Zuke is also good.

Sushi Torigai, a rarity in restaurants, is served with gusto as Chef Horikawa smacks a flat piece of torigai, a kind of Japanese cockle. and then voila, the torigai changes its shape! Visuals aside, I love its texture and taste too. It is so crunchily good!

Signature Sushi Otoro here is different from other otoro sushi. This is like otoro in served in millefeuille style, where three thin slices of otoro stacked on top of shari, aka sushi rice. So smooth, so melty, so sweet .. perfect!

Sushi Uni is decked with lots of uni, and Chef Horikawa makes it even more awesome by generously putting more uni on top 😍 in front of me. This is the best uni sushi. Sweet creamy umami overload, and pure happiness overload.

Sushi Awabi, yes abalone sushi, impresses too with a a mix of textures and falvours. The slight chewy texture and light salty, buttery taste of abalone goes so well with creaminess and sweetness of murasaki uni plus the fluffiness and touch of tangy sweetness of the shari. This is one very well-executed dish that exemplifies the unique characteristics of abalone.

Signature Sushi Unagi (Sous Chef Kenjirou Special) is unique in which the refreshing element of the sliced cucumber lifts up the intense smoky taste of unagi and its creamy texture. A delightful piece.

Gyoku is made from Japanese egg and shrimp paste. It is so fluffy and sweet. I love it even better when it is paired with the savoury elements of the shari.

Shijimi clams yields sweet, lovely, flavourful soup.

Cherry Blossom Pudding’s earthy taste juxtaposes so excellently with the refreshing Strawberry jelly. I love this dessert that packs layers of flavours and textures.

This awesome meal is rounded up with refreshing yet enchanting citrus dessert soaked in champagne and a traditional Japanese dessert of mochi dunked in red bean paste. The eclectic pairing of Eastern dessert meets Western dessert is interesting and works well.

Sake recommended by the staff, which is perfect for going with omakase.

Thoughts: One of a Kind, Amazing Experience

1 Nassim Road #01-01

The Roof Garden - Splendid Rooftop Dine and Wine

After an invite to The Roof Garden post dinner at the restaurant Quenino by Victor Liong and loving the idyllic and exclusive atmosphere here, I knew I had to especially come here for a dinner to just soak in that atmosphere while enjoying great food and drinks.

So after an online reservation, here I am, at early evening, surrounded by lush greenery, admiring the unblocked view of the city landscape around me, enjoying the cool gentle breeze, sipping on drinks and munching on delicious bar food.

Since the rooftop garden is more for enjoyment of the facilities and the view, the menu consists of selected light Bar Snacks, Flatbeard for sharing, Special Fried Chicken and lots of choices of drinks. Despite the limit on choices for food, the food options here are so good, it is still worth it for foodies, and of course more so for bon viviants like me who love enjoying great food with great ambience.

The long pool, the beach beds, stylish black and white rattan chairs with matching tables, yellow lights illuminating the surrounding plants and the beautiful landscape of the city as backdrop, this place feels so relaxing while having that upmarket vibe. I can just sit here for hours.

By the way, if you are not a guest of the hotel, like me, there is a need to make reservations to gain access to this exclusive rooftop bar.

New England Lobster Roll got me swooning in delight at first bite. It is so amazingly good. Half a butter-poached briny sweet lobster is soaked with the richness of melted butter. The slightly chewy texture of lobster juxtaposes in perfection with the crispy surface and soft moist interior of the toasted milk slider. Watercress and mayonnaise add that extra light kick to the taste. The pickled shallots is a brilliant addition to this dish. The refreshing zest and slightly crunchy texture plus a touch of vegetal pungency of the pickled shallots elevate the whole taste profile. This is a must-order because it is the best lobster bun.

Chorizo and Prawn Flatbread decked with paprika spiced chorizo, chopped local prawn and coriander is a very hearty treat. The main star is the local prawn, which is fresh and springy in texture, and marinated with local spices to hold so many harmonised flavours within.

Lemongrass tumeric Kombucha

Basil Berry Floralison featuring a refreshing mix of London No 3 Gin, citrus, basil, rhubarb and hibiscus tonic.

Thoughts: Love enjoying life here!

9 Cuscaden Road

Nearest MRT: Orchard Boulevard