Atout Singapore - Fine Groceries and Delicious Food

What leads me to discovery of this gem of Atout is actually Kampot Pepper! It is one of the best peppers in the world with hints of floral aroma amid the distinct spiciness of black pepper. A search on the web for this, and voila, I found Atout, one of the few grocers who carries this product. And being very happy with my stash of groceries brought online from here, I figure that I should try dining at this place.

Smoked Salmon Rilette with Mixed Greens & Pickles is full of colours and flavours. The tanginess of zucchini and carrot refreshes the palates while the greens is crunchy and full of flavours due to zesty seasoning oil drizzled over it. I'm not exactly a salad person but this salad wins me over. Salmon rilette has that subtle distinctive flavour of cooked salmon, and this subtlety is exactly how I like it. The pink peppercorns sprinkled over this spices things up. A well-executed dish.

One of the perks of dining here is that bread and French butter are included in the set lunch because the warm bread with soft fluffy interior is delicious. I can actually finish the whole lot of them, whether with butter or on its own. What is even better is that the French Conviette butter given is oh so amazingly good. Within the buttery, super creamy goodness, there is a very light hint of citrus, which refreshes the whole taste of the bread. This is so good that it is totally worth it to come to this restaurant to dine just for this butter.

And extra information: this butter is certified AOP (Appellation D'Origine Protégée), meaning that it is a unique quality product produced with au naturale ingredients, strict standards and specific methods.

Marrennes-Oleron Oysters Super Special Jerome Miet is fresh, fleshy, succulent, nutty and milky in taste. Very good oysters. And they are interestingly paired with lime vinaigrette, which has a bit of Thai influence. This vinaigrette actually goes very well with the milky taste of the oysters. I love this new surprising combination. Though one thing of imperfection is that the shucking process is not meticulous, so there are bits of shell and sediments left in the oysters. If this is improved, I say this is highly recommended.

US Kurobuta Pork Cheek braised in Red Wine, Carrots, Mushrooms and Potatoes is such a hearty treat. Generous portions of tender, gamey meat and potatoes will delight Braised Meat fans. The pork is so tender that I can use a spoon to lightly scoop out a chunk of pork. Unbelievable. Obviously, lots of effort is put into making of this dish to make the meat so tender.But I have to admit that I regret ordering this because I’m not into braised stuff, and this does not change my mind about it.

I love Valrhona Dark Chocolate 'Nougat Glacé, Almond Tuile because not only it is good, full of the intensity of quality dark chocolate, and the texture is so unique. It is slightly sticky and chewy, just like chocolate nougat. I'm surprised by how good chocolate can be when in chewy form. To make it even better, after a few chews of the chocolate, it melts into chocolatey goodness in the mouth. This change in texture is interesting and for practical purposes, it does not leave chewy bits in the teeth. Almond Tuile is a nice complement to the chocolate to add the crunchiness texture and nutty flavour to it. This creation is another one of those desserts that I think deserves a special trip down to try out.

The place is of stylish interior with dark wood framing the full length windows overlooking the lush greenery outside. One will really feel the peace and serenity of nature here, with the comfort of air-conditioning. This is perfect for an idyllic day out for families, couples, friends and even solos, like me. The service is very good. They are very attentive, without my prompting, they automatically come up to clear the plates, fill up my glass with still water and even clean up the water spilled by me immediately. Extra compliments to two young service staffs: an Indian guy and a Chinese gal, I didn't get their names though. All of them are very friendly, and the dining experience here ends on a good note with the guy at door bidding farewell.

I like this restaurant a lot. In fact, I prefer this place over another one of similar concept (dining + grocer) due to the extensive menu, unique creations, the value-for-money set lunch and good service. This is a great place to recommend for gatherings and yes, even for solo outing to just enjoy nature with the good food.

Thoughts: Lots of Greenery + Good Unique Food + Quality Groceries + Good Service = Win

40C Harding Road

Singapore

Nearest MRT: Napier

And of course, I go to the grocer after this to get my hands the Conviette Butter,

Got some quality milky white chocolate to make white chocolate lava cakes.Country of Origin: FranceYes, the Kampot pepper! I also got some pink peppercorns which is more fruity in aroma.Country of Origin: Cambodia

Why are all my posts about how good the restaurants are?

Simply because I have no interest in writing about bad restaurants. I am even cutting down on writing about mediocre ones. Life is too short to dwell on the bad experiences, but don't forget because these serve as good reminders not to make the same mistakes.

Not to mention that I had passed the stage where I want to accumulate lots of posts, especially those on Michelin Star restaurants, like when I first started out to gain some sort of exposure and "credibility". Now it's totally about my passion and giving credit to the restaurants that make these good memories possible.

Amid my busy schedule of juggling between my hobbies, keeping myself in shape, learning new things such as languages, and doing my job well, I wish to only use the spare time to write down cherished memories and doing what I like instead of gaining attention. And most importantly of all, complaining is no longer my hobby! Positivity rules!

Bread and Hearth - Fine Breads and Cosy Space

Keong Saik Road is so full of surprise finds, definitely a place worth exploring, and Bread and Hearth is one of them.

I love the rustic cosiness of this place, lots of brick walls and lots of selection of breads. And they even have a nice space at the back just for chilling out. Perfect for gathering with friends or loved ones.

The Cheese Croissant is buttery and flaky, exactly what a good croissant is all about. And the sweet cheese cream makes it even better by adding the extra creaminess, cheese flavour and sweetness. No butter is needed. My suggestion is to spread the cheese cream all over the croissant.

The croissant is so good and value for money that I decide to get the Bacon Ciabatta to try too. The bread part of the Ciabatta is soft, fluffy and wholesome. But the centre part filled with cheese and bacon is a tad too salty. Still, I like the quality of this place's bakes and the cosy space, so will check out this place again.

Thoughts: Quality Bakes!

18 Keong Saik Road

Singapore

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

Olivia Restaurant & Lounge - One of the Best Places to enjoy Español Food

After the amazing meal at Santi, I had always been on a lookout for great Español restaurants. And Olivia is exactly one of my few fruitful finds where I find meticulously prepared, awesome, authentic Español food and great service.

Bikini "Barcelona" is taste and texture done to perfection. The slight char of the bread, the melted stretchy cheese, the earthy aroma of truffle and the nutty aroma plus saltiness of the Ibéricó ham all work so well together to yield a harmonised flavours from all spectrum. And I like the thickness of the bread: thick enough to introduce the wholesomeness of wheat and thin enough to let the other ingredients shine through and maintain the moist texture. A must-try here.

Jovial Martini is a lovely creation due to the aroma of vanilla and sparkling wine. The egg white foam at the top makes for interesting texture. It sure packs a punch due to Volka added.

'Secreto Ibéricó' Pork is amazingly good. When I have my my bite of this, I go, "Wow, this meat is so creamy! I never had such creamy pork before." Okay, the creaminess comes from the rich oils interwoven with the meat. What I love about this pork is that the oils make the meat moist, juicy and filled with delicate nutty aroma, and the oils, not in plain sight, is only released from within the meat when I bite into it, producing that creaminess effect. So each bite of this is rewarded with a burst of the acorn goodness.

The sauce is done just right to add bits of extra flavour to the pork while letting the meat's flavour comes out fully. It tastes even better when paired with the cubes of tomato since the fresh refreshing tangy juices contrasts very well with the creaminess of the meat. The Padrón peppers, which has a mild distinctive pungent taste of peppers, is good eaten on its own and with the pork.

Olivia's Creamy Homemade Cheesecake is unbelievably good. The cheese filling is like creamy cheese cloud! One spoonful to taste the distinctive strong savoury flavour of blue cheese and then poof, just like a cloud, it melt off to leave off a lingering taste of the cream, cheese and almond. I love havinf this with the almond stable since its light sweetness balances up with the saltiness of the cheese filling.

The interior of the place is cool, chic and rustic all at the same time. I like the warm lights, rattan chairs and brick walls that induce a mood for chilling out and just enjoying good food. And the arched windows that one can peek through to see the lush green foliage outside add on to laid back vibe of the place. Service here is excellent and impressive. Upbeat, enthusiastic, friendly and attentive, Saroj and team, including the bartender of course, always make sure we patrons are well attended to. It's so easy to get their attention. Sometimes, just a turn of the head, the service staff, especially Saroj, will come up to help already. When I'm finished with my course and set up my cutleries to indicate so, one of them will come up soon to clear the plate while asking about how is the food. This level of attentiveness is awesome.

With a visit to Olivia, I finally found my favourite Espanõl restaurant in this place. Everything is so well-executed. I look forward to going back to enjoy more of the good food here.

Thoughts: Awesome Espanōl Food and Awesome Hospitality

55 Keong Saik Road

#01-03

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

Kei Hachi - Traditional, Authentic yet Refreshing, Unique Omakase

After several attempts to reserve a Saturday spot at Kei Hachi one week prior and failed due fully booked status, I decided to go on a weekday instead.  And I finally get to enjoy the treasures of the sea where every serving moment is full of anticipation because I don't what is on the menu for omakase. We just trust the chef to serve the best to us. And I decided to go all full out to order most luxurious Kei Hachi course on the menu.

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The first appetiser is a huge surprise in a tiny dainty bowl: Shirako aka Fish Sperm! And it's good. The taste is is like custard with light umami. The mozuku su, which is thin strands of seaweed soaked in vinegar, complements the milky shirako well to inject bursts of refreshing flavours. A well-executed dish.

Okay, I have to admit that I don't really like cooked fish, so it's with slight trepidation that I take a bite of the second appetiser: cooked hamachi, and oh boy, trepidation immediately turns into delight and surprise at that moment the creamy, succulent flesh of the fish breaks up in my mouth. And there is zero fishy taste. Yes, this is way better than the cooked fish I once had in a Michelin Star establishment. The accompanying vegetable is oh so good too. I'm so surprised to find it super crispy. Drizzled in the sauce, it becomes a real tasty treat.

Sashimi of Blue Fish, Hamachi and Otoro is very fresh, and the otoro, which is tuna belly, is of course of melt-in-your-mouth texture–it is so decadently good. What sets this sashimi apart from the quality sashimi I had at other establishments is the spongy cubes of soy sauce. Yes, the two cubes of tamago-lookalike are actually soy sauce. The taste of the soy sauce is mild with hints of mirin–good soy sauce does develop unique taste profile like wine. The good part about it in solid form is that its taste in released in bursts when biting into it, which is refreshing.

A fresh, succulent prawn perching on top of the chawamushi loaded with mushrooms and chopped vegetables definitely looks very appetising. Yes, generosity of adding lots of goodies into this! And the taste is as good as its looks.

It is another moment of trepidation setting in when cooked hamachi cheek is served. But after the surprising awesome appetiser of cooked hamachi, I tuck in with anticipation too. The cheek flesh is so moist and creamy ~~~ So good that I actually finish it. And the pickled lotus root is a refreshing accompaniment to cut through the creaminess of the fish in between bites.

My impression of Fried Sakura Ebi is concentrated umami in dry, a bit hard, and sometimes sharp, package. But the Fried Sakura Ebi here is different. It still has the concentrated umami that I love, and the texture is souffle-like in the centre with crispy exterior. This is amazing. Probably the best Sakura Ebi I ever have for now.

First Sushi of the meal: Crisp Clean Tasting Flounder with a hint of sweetness plus some tangy taste to perk things up. A great start to refresh the palates.

Baby Snapper, slightly firmer, also features clean taste that is spiced up by a dash of sea salt. Very well-executed.

Shima Aji is more intense in flavour. I like the change in taste profile in this sushi from the Flounder and Baby Snapper to have that variation in the meal. The bursts of nutty goodness of sesame seeds and the umami of the seaweed flakes go very well with this fish.

One of my favourites. I always love Amaebi and the ones here are exceptionally plump, sweet and juicy. I'm so happy after eating this one.

New adventure for the palates when aburi Kimedai is served. The seared fish introduces a very thin layer of char to get that intensity in taste.

Hokkaido Hotate is so luxuriously awesome. It's impossible not to love the plump, succulent, mildly sweet scallop topped with caviar and gold flakes. This is like a blanket of sweet, creamy, mild umami layered with tiny bursts of refreshing, sweet, intense umami.

When I go for omasake, I always wait for Aji with great anticipation because there is potential to create something special with this mackerel fish. And at this place, Aji is uniquely prepared to add the taste of crisp freshness of the greens. it actually works to harmonise with the stronger taste of the fish. A surprisingly good treat.

The chef decided to shake things up by adding the slice of truffle on top of the Akami. First time I try truffle with sushi and it works beautifully. The earthy aroma adds dimension to the taste of this sushi.

What's a Omasake without Uni? And this restaurant does not disappoint to serve up the Uni sushi that has so much Uni that the nori has to be folded into a U shape to hold all that Uni. Savouring creamy ultimate umami is pure enjoyment. The uni here does have stronger metallic taste though.

I have a nice comfy miso soup to wind down after the exciting time of enjoying the sushi, which are all very fresh and have this almost melt-in-your-mouth texture.

The Japanese Melon ends things on a sweet note because it is unbelievably sweet, and refreshing. This is like floral honey water condensed into solid form. Yes, it's that sweet, and I had mentioned the word "sweet" three times in a paragraph about a fruit, a quality fruit that is.

Like most authentic Japanese restaurants that serves Omakase, the place is of Zen influence: clean, minimalistic and wood-theme. I can feel the calm in here when steeping inside. And the service helps to reinforce that calm by being attentive yet not intrusive. But what makes this restaurants stands out from the rest is the little unique ways the chef prepares the sushi. I always like an adventure and into exploring new combinations of flavours (not to the extend of eating weird stuff though), and Kei Hachi exactly does just that for me. I like every dish I have here, which is quite a feat, especially for the cooked fish dishes. In fact, I enjoy the food here more than the ones at Michelin Star restaurants I had few years ago. Personal opinion though, take note.

I definitely look forward to going back again. This is one Omasake I will recommend to my loved ones and friends.

Thoughts: Awesome Omasake that I love every part of it.

8 Keong Saik Road

Singapore

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

Lou Lou French Cuisine & Wine Bar - Lured by the Floral Decor and Impressed with the Food and Friendly, Warm Service

I walk along Keong Saik Road often since I love the atmosphere and the restaurants here. Though I may not notice the new restaurants popping up here. With exception to Lou Lou French Cuisine & Wine Bar. The beautiful flowers and vines twirling around beams above the wooden high tables immediately caught my attention while I was strolling on the opposite side of the road. I googled search this restaurant–that was more a month ago–and found no reviews on it yet. Ah, a new restaurant! Should I take the plunge to try out the food here? I decided to trust my gut feelings and just go.

I'm immediately greeted by the friendly, easy-going staff when arriving at the wide entrance, decorated with pretty white chiffon curtains, that feels like an open concept restaurant. The interior has this cozy yet chic feel. It is like being ushered into a classic French private party in a vineyard.

The Charcoal Grilled Grill is very interesting in the sense that patrons can customise the dish by choosing the side and sauce. Quite unheard of in lots of French restaurants, and I absolutely love this concept. I'm definitely very happy with my choice of French Pilaf Onion Rice for side dish. The tasty fragrant rice is perfectly cooked to ensure the grains remain separate from each other and is yet super fluffy and light, thoroughly soaked with the broth it was cooked in.

The well-seasoned Grilled Pork Secreto is so juicy and flavourful, with a very thin layer of char to perk things up. Firm in texture but very easy to cut and bite. Savouring this is one of those few times where I have no problem finishing the whole slab of meat by myself. When paired with Garlic and Parlsey sauce, the pungent flavours really brings up the taste profile a notch. I highly recommend this dish. Maybe I can try this with white wine sauce next time.

Deconstructed Lemon & Meringue Pie looks so pretty. The taste really packs a punch, lots of lemons are added to the custard and sorbet. When eating these with the sweet cookie and meringue, the whole taste comes together well. I like it a lot but I do think more cookies added will be even better for more harmonious taste and varied texture.

Free Flow Frose has the kick of alcohol and the refreshing zest of real strawberry, perfect for summer.

It is so easy to feel very comfortable dining at this place due to its coziness, open concept and the great service. Raymond and his team are very warm, friendly, meticulous, always on the go and respond to requests fast. In fact, they look so cheerful that this cheerfulness rubs off the patrons. I'm really impressed.

While this is a new restaurant, the operations looks to be smooth and the food is really good. I'm glad I decided to be adventurous and found this gem. Definitely look forward to going back.

Thoughts: Delighted to be part of this "private party in the vineyard"

6 Keong Saik Road

Nearest MRT: Outram Park