Marcy's - Of Delicious Food with Robust Flavours and 1950s Aesthetics

Part of the reason I love dining is the opportunity to get transported to another world for the night or afternoon. And Marcy’s, a seafood bistro specialising in cuisine with Peruvian, Japanese, Mexican, Chinese and Italian influences, is exactly what I need to enjoy great food in a posh restaurant reminiscent of the stylish romantic 1950s bar.

The food here features robust, exciting flavours that tease and please the palates. And I love the generous amount of fresh seafood added to each dish, totally satisfying my cravings for the treasures of the sea.

The place is like a hip, lush, swanky old world bar scene of the 50s with the high chairs with florid patterns and golden tassels, lots of ornate retro lamps such as Tiffany lamps and Flower vintage lamps, lush curtains embroidered with golden threads, retro music playing in the background, and shelves of alcohols highlighted with red light. I love the ambience here so much. It is so different from any other places. And with the soft yellow lights lighting up the place, the vibe is so soothing and romantic, and everyone looks like a million dollar here with this lighting 😉

And I also gush over the various beautiful porcelain plates with retro floral patterns.

The service here is stellar, especially the bartender, who takes good care of the patrons at the bar counter.

MARCY'S CRAB TOAST immediately impresses at first bite. Anchovy Mascarpone, Umami Butter, Brioche with loads of moist, briny sweet crab meat is packed with essence of the sea, intensified by buttery goodness in core of toast. This lush dish has the root vegetables added for that refreshing crunchy element. Definitely a star dish here.

MAFALDINE with Raw Prawn Crudo, Fried Spot Prawn, Lime Leaf is a pasta dish full of textures and like no other pasta dishes. It’s the first time I’m trying Mafaldine pasta, which is like ribbon with curly edges. And I love it for that unique texture. Yes, the shape of the pasta does affect the eating experience.

The sauce the mafaldine is soaked in has this warm, briny sweetness that is intense yet light at the sane time. The rich taste is made exciting by the tart pungency of laksa leaf . The raw prawns are crunchy and succulent while deep fried prawn is crispy, an excellent feature of two types of prawns in one dish.

SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA CRUDO topped witg Escabeche Granita, Yuzu, Seagrapes packs lots of robust flavours. It is refreshing and simulating in taste. I like the crunchy cold granita that juxtaposes very well with generous slabs of tuna.

A BETTE NOIR CAKE Valrhona Chocolate Cake, Passionfruit Coulis, Cherry has a smoky rich intense chocolatey taste, complemented so well by the crispy and tart coulis. The cake itself is moist and rich 👍🏻

Complimentary drink after the dessert. This is good!

Thoughts: Awesome Experience of getting transported to the Cool Swanky Scene of the 1950s

39-40 Duxton Road

Canchita Peruvian Cuisine - Glorious South Amercian Gastronomic Delights

After trying Mexican food for the first time is like discovering a treasure trove of South American gastronomic delights. After this, I’m on journey to suss out places serving South American cuisine. This brings me to Peruvian restaurant Canchita! And yes, yes, I love this gem of a restaurant because it totally satisfies my carving for South American food and brings something new and unique to the table.

The food here is robust and simulating in taste, surprising, refreshing and teasing the palates. And there is an extra unique savoury sweetness that gives the distinctive South American flavour to the dishes. There are lots of seafood dishes featured on the menu, so as a seafood lover, I'm so happy with the sheer number of options available.

It really feels like I'm in Amazon when here due to the foliage covering the entire ceiling, lush flowers and leaves of the topics adorning the wall at the entrance and the full length windows showing the dense topical forest outside the restaurant. It's no wonder that this place is full house on a weekend afternoon.

Service is friendly and casual in vibe. And kudos to one of the male staff who gives very good suggestion like dipping the free flow bread into the soup and boxing up the dessert if I can't finish it.

Peruvian Ceviche is a must try here because it features the freshness and natural sweetness of the ingredients perked up and highlighted by the zest of citrus juice.

I got Christmas Special of Cocktail Rosado Mexicano because I'm in a celebratory mood 2 days before New Year. This dish is decked with so much Lobster meat and prawns marinated in tomato creamy Tiger's milk. The lobster and prawn both have the lovely briny sweetness and that excellent bouncy, succulent texture with middle tenderness. The citrus goodness of the Tiger's Milk, coupled with the spiciness of Habanero Chilli Oil and the freshness plus light pungency of Pico de Gallo (finely chopped tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime), makes this dish oh-so-flavourful. I love it so much.

Light fluffy bread drizzled with Olive Oil peppered with an extra hint of special savoury sweetness. It goes very well with the soup too.

Hidden within Parihuela, the traditional seafood soup, is lots of goodies of Fish, Crab Claws, Clams, Prawns, Potato Confit, Cherry Tomatoes and Canchita Corn.

One of most hearty soups filled with so many ingredients that it is hard to rival it.

Whole crab claw added to the soup, and there is three of them! The generosity of the addition of premium ingredients gets the thumbs-up and lots of hearts from me. The seafood is so fresh and sweet that a feeling of bliss welled up in me as I savour the fleshy crab claws and the prawns.

The soup, despite the appearance, tastes more like clear soup with very robust flavours, ranging from tanginess, sweetness, savoury to spiciness. I love this too.

Tres Leches is Traditional Moist Coconut Cake topped with Mixed Berries and light as air Vanilla Cream. The cake is moist and filled with the nutty aroma of coconut, which tastes even richer and better with the cream and the sweet evaporated milk sauce. This cake tastes so sinful and so good.

Stairways to Amazon Room

It is so exciting to dine here because the food here really simulates and pleases the palates at the same time. I'm so eager to introduce this place to my family and friends for them to be surprised by the unique tastes, to let know them how good South American food is and just to enjoy the feeling of dining in the Amazon.

Thoughts: Exciting, Fun and Flamboyant

#9A/9B Dempsey Road

Nearest MRT: Napier