Home-cooked Basil Pesto Sauce
During one orchestra rehearsal, a chorister made pesto sauce and spread it over cream crackers as a break-snack. It was so good I couldn’t forget the taste and had an urge to make it! I went to ask her about the making process and googled and youtubed.
So I went to buy the ingredients one day after work. Boy, basil leaves are expensive! It cost about $3.50 for just 30g! Pine nuts were expensive too!!! That packet cost me $11.50! Other ingredients include garlic, olive oil and cheese.
I washed the basil leaves, strained them and throw them into the blender together with the rest of the ingredients. Add in some pepper and salt.
Here’s my pesto sauce – less than 100g of basil leaves makes just a little sauce.
This is the pesto sauce spreaded on cream crackers by the chorister.
Though I had good reviews from my relatives, I am not satisfied with it. It didn’t taste the same as what I ate! I posted on FaceBook and many friends gave me comments on what I could improve on. I will make some adjustments and test it out again soon.
Comments:
– roast the pine nuts… more garlic….more basil
– use Parmesan cheese
– Use Parmesan, and roast the pine nuts in a pan first until a bit golden brown or when you see the oil or smell it. Add some salt and pepper to taste
Bistro 1855
I was loitering around Suntec City one evening and had to decide on a dinner place before my next appointment. I was craving for some meat and I walked into this nice restaurant.
This Australian beef patty topped with onion jam and guacamole was really tender, juicy and utmost delicious. The guacamole was a little bland compared to the onion jam. The fries were crunchy and yet not oily. The patty was really so good I could devour another one any moment!
1855 Burger $22
Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Restaurant: Bistro 1855
Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City, Tower 4 #01-643, Singapore 038983
Opening Hours: Sat-Tue: 11am to 11pm; Wed-Fri: 11am to 12am
Tel: 6836 5994
Website: http://onionrestaurant.sg/bistro1855.html
PODI
Met up with my orchestra good friend for afternoon tea but the menu and food looked really appetising that we ended up having dinner there.
This place serves all-day brunch. The food we ordered was quite a big portion and we will be back for more!
Eggs Benny $20
Basil Pesto Chicken Burger $16
Mushroom (add-on) $3
Bratwurst (add-on) $3
Earl Grey Tea (Pot) $6
Lemon Verbena Tea (Pot) $6.50
Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Restaurant: PODI
Address: 252 North Bridge Road, #B1-45, Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103
Tel: 63365648
Website: http://www.podifood.com
Saveur
So much hooha about this budget fine dining fusion French restaurant! Finally got a chance to try out at the Far East Plaza branch. Not a big fan of French food but some of the food did leave an impression.
The foie gras with lentils was so good that we did not hesitate to order a second one. It was firm on the outside but soft inside and the taste was not too “liver-y”. The truffle mash was good too but I thought the one I had at Poulet was better. The tenderloin was seasoned very well and cooked to how I liked it. Yummy!
Mushroom Soup $4.90
Pasta (main size) $7.90
Foie gras with lentils $7.90
Duck confit $13.90
Seabass $15.90
Beef Bourguignon $17.90
Tenderloin $24.90
Gratin $3
Mushroom ragout $5
Truffle mash $4
Salmon $19.90
Pork belly
Pierre Jean Merlot Bottle $35
I had another occasion to dine at Concetto (also by Saveur) at The Cathay (2 Handy Road) and ordered the pan-seared wagyu shoulder tender served with roasted portobello mushroom, foie gras and beef jus. I must say the taste still lingers in my mouth.
It’s deconstructed tiramisu was also worth a try!
Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Restaurant: Saveur
Address: Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Road, #01-07B, Singapore 188584
Tel: 67361121
Website: http://www.saveur.sg/
The Marmalade Pantry
A sweet cafe located in the quiet side of ION Orchard, this place serves a quiet get-together with your close buddies. I like the cafe’s decorations and it’s open concept. If you’re looking for a place to rest your feet while shopping in Orchard or want to get out of the bustling crowd, this is a really good choice.
Marmalade Party
Seared Scallop Linguini
Steak Sandwich
Seasalt Caramel Cheese Cake
Seared Scallop Linguini $24
Steak Sandwich $24
Seasalt Caramel Cheese Cake $8
Berries Smoothies $9
Flat White Coffee $6.50
Peony Jade White Tea $7
Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
DBS credit card gets 10% off.
Restaurant: The Marmalade Pantry
Address: ION Orchard, #03-22/28, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Tel: 67342700
Website: http://www.themarmaladepantry.com.sg/
The Coastal Settlement
Visited this lovely place decorated with retro items – old typewriters, phones, bicycles, thermos flask, kettles, hair dryer, rattan chairs, luggage bags, etc. The big restaurant had many customers despite being a weekday night and location being out of the way.
They have big tables and is a very suitable place for gathering of friends.
I ordered the perfect roast chicken that comes with broiled vegetables and truffled fries. If you order soup, it comes served in mess tins or the retro light green metal container. It reminded me of the older days when I was still a little kid eating at my grandma’s house.
The rest of the pictures are what my friends had.
Truffled fries – $15
Mushroom Soup – $14
Fish and Chips – $26
Ribeye Rosti – $32
Tuna Tortilla – $17
Perfect Roast Chicken – $25
Prices exclude 10% service charges and 7% GST.
Restaurant: The Coastal Settlements
Address: 200 Netheravon Road Singapore 508529
Tel: 64750200
Fax: 64720200
Opening hours: 10.30am till 12 Midnight. Closed on Mondays.
Website: http://www.thecoastalsettlement.com
Freshness Burger
Following the burger craze, my colleague and I went to try this out. The classic cheese burger was not bad at all. However it was a little small in size and expensive. Probably due to the fresh ingredients they used. The cup of lemon cranberry was small. The only good thing about the burger chain is their choices of sauces – mustard, chilli, ketchup, Tabasco green pepper sauce and some other sauces which appear alien to me. The onion rings tasted nothing near to onions.
Served in small portions, we had:
Fish Burger – $3.50
Classic Cheese Burger – $6.90
Lemon Cranberry – $2.80
Onion Rings – $3.20
Chicken Nuggets – $3.50
How about going to BK or MOS burger?
Prices inclusive of 7% GST.
Stall: Freshness Burger
Outlet: 2 Tampines Central 5, #01-37, Century Square, Singapore 529509
Tel: 6785 3436
Website: http://www.freshnessburger.com.sg/
The Century Square outlet has closed down in June.
Wild Honey
Wild Honey serves all-day breakfast originating from many different countries such as Yemen, Japanese, Mediterranean and Tunisia – exotic and rare choices. The interior is very cosy. Definitely a place to imagine yourself having breakfast at some exotic country. However, not for me. (Read on… to know why)
It was a day off-in-lieu for CP, JH and I (for the GE). So we decided to go early in the morning for brunch and catch a movie later. I have heard from my colleagues that the place is usually crowded and have to wait for hours to get in. So we went there at about 10 am (recommend you to go at 8 am on weekends). The restaurant was already full but we were lucky in a way that we were first in the queue.
We didn’t have to wait really long to get in. Lucky us. We put down our bags and went over to the counter to place our orders. They have iPads for you to browse through their menu! Then you order and pay at the counter first before going back to your seats. I would have preferred if someone could come over and take our orders having to pay 10% for service charges.
I had a cup of cuppuccino ($6) and a Stephanie’s steak sandwich ($24)- 120g grass fed Australian ribeye, shaved onion, beetroot, parmesan cheese, grain mustard and fresh horseradish on toasted ciabatta. It was served on a small chopping board which I had to cut REALLy carefully with a blunt knife so that my food does not drop onto the table. Can’t they serve it on a bigger board or a plate? And since I was having steak sandwich, shouldn’t I be given a proper knife? The steak was so-so, not too much beef taste and the ciabatta was hard and dry.
CP had cinnamon lemon tea and the Canadian set – A stack of classic pancakes served with wild berry and hibiscus compote, Canadian maple syrup and bacon.
JH had mocha cafe latte and the European set – Wild Honey’s version of Eggs Benedict. Two perfectly poached eggs, sauteed mushrooms and prosciutto on toasted homemade brioche and hollandaise sauce.
There was a long queue outside by the time we finished and a waitress came over to hint us to leave so that a family could have our big table. I thought that was inappropriate since we were also customers. It should be a place for customers to relax and unwind.
My friends and I decided that we will not go back again given the poor service and expensive (yet normal) food.
Scandinavian Set – $24. Not bad at all. The salmon was well-cooked and the rostti was very fragrant. Love the big cherry tomato!
Lovely cup of Cappucino
raspberry juice
English breakfast - very big portion!!
Prices exclude 7% GST and 10% service charges.
Restaurant: Wild Honey
Address: 333A Orchard Road, #03-02, Mandarin Gallery, Singapore 238867
Tel: 6235 3900 (No reservations)
Opening Hours: Weekdays 9 am to 1030 pm, Weekends 8 am to 1030 pm
Website: http://www.wildhoney.com.sg/10/index.htm#b
Werner’s Oven
Werner’s Oven is Singapore’s first German bakery and confectionery. It is also a German restaurant that serves delicious breakfast!
These were what we had for our breakfast:
clam chowder
The clam chowder was smooth and clams were sweet and tasty. I love the bun that comes with it! The crust was crispy and the inside was soft and a little moist. Perfect!
beef goulash
My colleague had this beef goulash.
keep it simple - sausage
keep it simple - ham
Keeping it Simple wasn’t really simple after all. It was very filling. The ham was made by the restaurant and I’ve never eaten ham that looked like this. I was expecting the round or square piece of ham we usually buy at supermarkets. But this was thick and juicy and flavourful! Very very yummy! Love the bun so much that I stuffed it into my stomach even when I was feeling really full.
grill it up
My colleague was saying that this pancake was very very fluffy and thick. It went well with the butter and maple syrup. Definitely better than McDees.
pile them up - ham
Pile Them Up is a sandwich with the similar home-made ham piled with tomatoes and egg. The pickles are separately placed on the plate.
Keeping it Simple $7.80
Pile Them Up $6.80
Grill It up $7.50
Clam Chowder $6.80
Beef Goulash $6.80
Lime Soda $4.50
Pineapple Juice $3.50
Their breakfast menu:
Set Lunch – $22.50
Prices exclusive of 7% GST. No service charges.
Breakfast is served from 830 am to 1130 am, Tuesdays to Sundays.
Restaurant: Werner’s Oven
Address: 6 Upper East Coast Road #01-01/02/03 Singapore 455200
Tel: 6442 3897
Email: admin@wernersoven.com.sg
Website: http://www.wernersoven.com.sg
Opening Hours: 830 am to 10 pm (Closed on Mondays)
Jones The Grocer
Jones the Grocer is Australian gourmet food. With it’s first branch at Dempsey Hill, it’s now located more central – at Mandarin Gallery. The ambience is nice, suitable for coffee talk or to read a lovely book.
White Jones Sea Salt Flakes and Pinkish Murray River Salt Flakes
Brunch from 10 am to 5 pm and dinner starts at 6pm. Hence we ordered a “3 to Share” as our starter to wait for 6pm.
For our “3 to Share”, we chose serrano ham from Spain, Perl Las blue cheese and mascarpone stuffed pepperdews. It comes with crusty bread (with balsamic vinegar and olive oil), fig and walnut slices, rosemary jam, crackers.
The cheese was creamy, buttery and salty. It went very well with the bland yet fragrant crackers which we believed was hand-made by Jones the Grocer. The mascarpone stuffed pepperdews were a mix of tastes – sour and a little spicy. They were appetising. The ham was nicely cured but after the second piece, the “pig” smell haunted me again. The jam was very nice.
To many diners who claimed that the Jones wagyu beef burger is a must try on foursquare, I feel that it was only a so-so. Despite being tender (I ordered it at medium rare), this wagyu beef does not have that fragrant “beef” taste. I also didn’t expect it to be a minced into a patty. I would have preferred it steak-style. The sides come with a large slice of roasted tomato and an abundance of rocket salad. The “burger” was only a piece of toast underneath the patty and caramelised onions. The potato wedges were really good with spices and salt! They were hard outside and fluffy inside. Ok, maybe a little bias here for a wedges lover.
JH’s smoked salmon roesti looked more of an appetizer than a main course. MH’s duck pasta was a huge serving but tasted so-so even though the waitress said it was a popular dish. The duck confit pasta from Delicious at 1-Utama tasted so much better.
Overall, the “3 to Share” was a good experience. Will want to try their breakfast menu next time round!
Any 3 to Share – $29
Cheese Accompaniment – $4.50
Pasta with braised duck – $28
Jones Wagyu Beef Burger – $26.50
Salmon Roesti – $16.50
Prices inclusive of service charge and GST.
Restaurant: Jones The Grocer
Address: 21-23 Mandarin Gallery, 333 Orchard Road, Singapore 238837
Tel: 64761512
Opening Hours: 9:00am – 11:00pm daily
Email: mandaringallery@jonesthegrocer.com
Website: http://www.jonesthegrocer.com/
Note: Another outlet at Dempsey Road
Block 9 #01-12 Dempsey Road, Dempsey Hill
Singapore, 247697
Tel: +65 6476 1512
Fax: +65 6476 1518
e-mail: dempseyhill@jonesthegrocer.com
Hatched
Hatched is the place for EGG lovers! They have eggs baked, boiled, fried, poached and scrambled! This is the place where no matter what time you wake up, eggs and toast are always available!
The ambience is good for gathering with friends. I love Sir Benedict and Oozy Baked Egg very much. The mashed potato that comes with Sir Benedict and Go Fish were good. The mushroom gravy that comes with it enhanced its flavour.
I would have preferred if the staff could refill our iced water more readily.
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- dipped toast into oozy baked egg yolk
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- Go Fish
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- Latte $5
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- oozy baked egg
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- Sir Benedict $10
Make sure to make your reservations as the cafe is a little small.
Restaurant: Hatched
Address: 26 Evans Road #01-06 Evans Lodge Singapore 259367
Tel: 6735 0012/6735 0013
Opening Hours:
Tues – Thurs: 8 am to 10 pm
Fri – Sat: 8 am to 11 pm
Sun: 8 am – 10 pm
Email: info@hatched.sg
Website: http://www.hatched.sg/contact.html
Seremban Roasted Pork Bao
I usually have this whenever I’m in Seremban. However the quality seems to have dipped over the past 10 years and it has lost its “home-made” taste. Nevertheless, I still like this as it’s very flavourful, lotsa pork fillings and most important of all, no fatty meat. RM$1.30 for one. Expensive for a local, isn’t it?
Stall name: Seremban Kee Mei Siew Pow Sdn Bhd 芙蓉奇美烧包有限公司
Address: 1849, Jalan Tok Ungku, 70100 Seremban Negeri Sembilan, D.K., Malaysia
Tel: +60 06 631 6348
Fax: +60 06 632 3442
With A Pinch of Salt
Was with a friend at Gramercy sales and headed here for dinner. Heard about this place from my colleague who plays the piano here on some occasions, so decided to check it out.
A simple decorated interior that gives a cosy and homely feeling. It’s like a big house dining hall. However it was full that day, so we had to take the al fresco area. A pity the dim exterior was near the drain, with a rainy evening to add on, my friend and I felt mosquitoes gleaming with joy at our legs.
Here’s what we ordered:
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- Esther Escargots
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- fish and chips
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- Mrs Snapper Pesto
Esther Escargots – $8.90 for half dozen
Mrs Snapper Pesto – $15.90
Fish and Chips – $8.90
Total Bill: $33.70. No service charges and GST.
The escargots were pretty tasty. However not so with the fishes. We thought they were just average. Nothing fancy about the food we ordered. We were glad to be greeted and served with friendly waiters and waitresses.
Cafe: With A Pinch of Salt
Address: 297 Tanjong Katong Road Singapore 437080
Tel: 63482297
Email: eat@withapinchofsalt.com.sg
Opening Hours: 11 am to 11 pm (closed on Mondays)
Website: http://www.withapinchofsalt.com.sg
Dann’s Daily Pescetarian Cafe
Introducing super healthy, low calorie meal! Housed in a modern black and white setting, you will feel relaxed once stepped in, and mood lightened by the greetings of the friendly owners.
The kitchen is visible from some of the seats. To my delight, it feels just like home! Clean, neat and warm bright light just so apt to have your orders prepared in! Love their kitchen totally!
Adapted from http://pescetarianlife.com/ , a pescetarian diet excludes land animals and birds, but includes fish, mollusks, and crustaceans in addition to fruits, vegetables, plants, legumes, nuts, and grains. Eggs and dairy may or may not be present in the pescetarian’s diet. The pescetarian lifestyle is often adopted by people in transition to becoming vegan or by those interested in a healthier, more ethical, and environmentally friendly way of life.
Alkaline Anti-oxidant water – neutralizes the harmful effects of free radicals in the body, slowing down the ageing process.
Steamed sandwich – warm and moist. Looks so delicious and soft!!
Set Meal $10 – consists of brown with wild rice tossed with sprout, soup of the day and curry/stew of the day.
The rice is steamed and not fried! You will not expect it to be this tasty and full of texture!! I like the long wild rice!!! Very chewy! The toufu and pumpkin curry is light yet full of flavour. The papaya soup is clear and light and surprisingly tasty.
The cafe can improve in their fume hood. I don’t really like my hair and clothes getting smoked.
Who says healthy food are not tasty? 🙂
Restaurant: Dann’s Daily Pescetarian Cafe
Address: 20 Eastwood Road, #01-06, Eastwood Centre, Singapore 486442
Telephone: 64491355
Email: enquiry@danndaily.com
Opening hours: 9 am (Closed on Mondays)
Website: http://www.danndaily.com/Danns_Daily/Home.html
Everything with Fries
“The One Egg soup as the name suggests is made up of only 1 egg… The egg white is the fried one on top… and the egg yolk is added to the chicken broth, to make the soup…
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- Breaded Salmon ($13.90)
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- Cheese Burger ($9.90)
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- Eclair (coffee or vanilla)
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- Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich ($8.90)
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- Grilled Pork Chop ($13.90)
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- Mille Crepe ($3.90)
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- Nutella Tart ($4.90)
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- One Egg Soup ($3.90)
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- Pork Cutlet Sandwich ($8.90)
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- Tandoori Chicken Sandwich
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- tandoori sandwich
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- nutella crepe
Try the Pork Cutlet Sandwich! You’ll be surprised at how thin it is, an it’s SOOOOOO crispy and tasty… Topped with sinful mayo dressing… and I think it’s okay to be sinful occasionally…
As for the Mille Crepe, it’s not recommended if you are already very full, or if you hate eating too much flour. It’s basically made up of alternate layers of crepe and cream or nutella, depending on your choice of flavour…”
Photos and food evaluation courtesy of Susan Ng.
My comments will follow this after I’ve tried. ^^
2nd December 2010:
Finally had the chance to visit this place with CP. We waited quite a long while for our food to come. They seemed to be understaffed at the Lorong Mambong branch. We had the Tandoori Chicken Sandwich ($10.90) and nutella crepe ($5.90). As for drinks, we had sparkling apple and fizzy orange ($2.90). For the fries, we chose garlic and herbs and curry flavour. Both of which was quite mild. The Tandoori was quite well done and tender sandwiched between 2 slices of thin crispy butter-toasted bread. The nutella crepe was disappointing despite the much “wow” from my colleague earlier on. Although the crepe was thin and soft, there wasn’t any nutella taste!
tandoori sandwich
nutella crepe
The friendly waiter greeted us “Thank you, please come again!” on our way out. “Well, maybe not”, both of us thought.
Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Stall name: Everything With Fries
Address: 40 Lorong Mambong Singapore 277695
Tel: 6463 3741
Opening hours: Sun, Tue – Thur – 12 noon to 11 pm
Fri and Sat – 12 noon to 1 am
Closed on Mondays
First Store Address: 458 Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427 671
Tel: 6345 5034
Opening Hours: Tue – Sun – 12 noon to 10 pm
Website: http://www.everythingwithfries.com/
Oriole Cafe & Bar
“Diners can also expect a quality and concise selection of global favourites on the food menu. Try the Chicken tikka – chicken cubes marinated in aromatic spices and served with cucumber-mint raita, or the Garlic prawn bruschetta. Other comforting bistro-style choices include the range of gourmet sandwiches and hearty salads like the Portobello mushroom, parmesan, rocket, pinenut and the latest addition of potted Black Pepper Crab.
For main courses, must-tries are Oriole’s signature battered Fish & Chips, Oriole Burger, Bangers & mash with caramelised onions, and the fork-tender Beef cheek tagliatelle pasta. There are also delicious desserts like Eton mess featuring meringue with fresh cream, berries and almond flakes, and Bread & butter pudding with warm vanilla sauce to go with the great coffee.
Don’t miss the new Grilled lemon cake topped with mascarpone cheese and vanilla poached apricot – great with a cuppa of tea or coffee!
Don’t miss the happy hour offer of $6.50++ for house pours, draft beers and wines from 5pm to 8pm from Sunday to Thursday. There are also many unique cocktails including the ultimate Oriole Submarine featuring a shot of espresso in a pint of draft beer, and Ristretto Martini laced with double ristretto coffee, vodka,butterscotch schnapps & tia maria!”
— Quoted from Oriole’s website.
The ambience was great! Once you stepped in, you can smell the strong aroma of coffee beans. I was glad that I had made a reservation as the tables had a “RESERVED” sign on them. It was dimly-lit, and the air-conditioned was not too cold. The seats were comfortable and the interior designs made you feel cosy.
We ordered beer and wine ($6.50++) as it was still Happy Hour, and our food – those recommended by their website.
Our food came a little slower than expected. However the portions were quite substantial.
Spicy Calamari
Appetizers first! Spicy Calamari. It had a refreshing and spicy flavour that I’ve never tasted before. The calamari rings were not too chewy, and you could quite easily bite them into half. The spiciness of the calamari rings “opened” up your stomach for your main course later. An appetizer indeed.
Oriole Burger
I had Oriole Burger with Pierre Jean Colombard Chardonnay (white wine) which really went well together. The wine was smooth. The 100% angus beef patty was chosen to be well-done, and it came out quite nice. Not dry at all. They could have grilled it to give it more “smoky” or the “chao-da” taste. The cheese melted on top of the patty went well with the crispy burger. Instead of french fries, the side dish was wedges – my favourite!
Fish and Chips
The fish and chips came in a basket, which my friends mistaken them for a basket of wedges. My friend let me try a little of his fish, and I must say that the snapper was quite flavourful! The batter was well deep-fried and not too thick.
Chix Casserole
The Chix Casserole was chicken meat in smoked paprika and grilled baguette. It tasted like it was a fusion of chinese flavours cooked westernly. The gravy was good.
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Our desserts: Chocolate fudge cake – a small brownie coated with a thick layer of smooth dark chocolate and honeyed almonds on the top. Yummy.
Fresh Bake Warm Brownie
The prices:
Spicy Calamari – $13
Fish & Chips – $17
Oriole Burger – $24
Chix Casserole – $20
Chocolate Fudge Cake – $6
Fresh Bake Warm Brownie – $5.50
All prices are subject to 10% service charge and 7% government GST.
Our total bill came up to $174.20.
Many thanks to my friend, Mic, for his treat for his promotion. ^^
Definitely a good place for food and to chill and wind-down with your friends.
Updated 23rd June 2010:
On another occasion, I visited this cafe with a friend. We had the Garlic Prawn Bruschetta ($10), Beef Cheek Tagliatelle ($16) and Tagliatelle Salmon Escalope ($19). My friend finished the beef cheek tagliatelle, and I supposed it was good. Should have tried a little of that when he offered. Haha. The salmon I had was good, but the tagliatelle I had was a little too creamy and it got quite “gelat” after a while.
Cafe: Oriole Cafe & Bar
Address: 96 Somerset Road, #01-01, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, Singapore 238163
Tel: 6238 8348
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat – 11 am to 11 pm; Sun – 1030 am to 11 pm
Website: http://www.oriole.com.sg/
Do You Know?
Tagliatelle [tah-lyuh-TEHL-ee]
Are long, thin, flat strips of PASTA about 1/4 inch wide. “Tagliatelle” is the name used in northern Italy for FETTUCCINE.
Bruschetta [broo-SKEH-tah, broo-SHEH-tah]
From the Italian bruscare meaning “to roast over coals,” this traditional garlic bread is made by rubbing slices of toasted bread with garlic cloves, then drizzling the bread with extra-virgin olive oil. The bread is salted and peppered, then heated and served warm.
Barracks Cafe @ Dempsey Hill
Have been wanting to go to this place for very very long!! And finally got the chance to go today! It will be my first time up onto Dempsey Hill!
Online recommendations were to try out their skinny pizza – thinnovation of the crackiest kind, corn and crab soup, American Sliders, squid ink Paella and House Proud Bay Prawn Capellini. Their online menu: http://www.dempseyhouse.com/pdfs/Barracks/Menu/Barracks%20Main.pdf already made me drool. The prices are also affordable considering that this cafe is located at Dempsey Hill.
Their desserts menu: http://www.dempseyhouse.com/pdfs/Barracks/Menu/Dessert&Drinks%20Menu.pdf. Me will try their Mango Marshmellow Melt – mini Mango Pavlova. ^^
CP picked us from Buona Vista MRT. We reached the place at around 7:15pm and the place was still quite empty. There was already a hen party going on. We sat down and ordered the recommendations I read online.
Corn Crab Soup - $9
A very rich and thick soup. Not very corn-y. Pepper is freshly-grounded by the waiter. See that little bit of crab meat? Generally, the corn soup lacked the “seafood” taste. It was really filling after finishing the soup.
Bay Prawn Capellini - $22
The texture of the capellini was quite good. Luckily it wasn’t too dry. The prawns were fresh and succulent.
Fish and Chips - $27
Fish and Chips! This, I must say, was the best out of what we ordered. The Fish and Chips were cod fish, which made them good. It wasn’t dry and their batter was thin and crispy. Their salty fries had a funny taste to it. Upon reading the menu, I realised the fries were truffled. No wonder. And see the two dips? The red one is malt vinegar, which tasted something like satay sauce to us, and the white one is their homemade tartar sauce. I really like this dish.
Wild Truffled Mushrooms Skinny Pizza - $22
This roasted mushrooms were way too salty. It was a generous serving of mushrooms topped on REALLY thin and crispy pizza crust. It’s like eating biscuits! The crust was really delicious.
What amazed us was also the 1-metre long sausage under the Appetizers menu. We didn’t order that, as it was suggested to be shared amongst 4 people. We saw the groups around us ordering. It came in an aluminium tray just the size for the 1-metre long sausage. It seemed pretty fun to be cutting the sausage and eating it along the length of the dining tables.
When we were finished with the mains, we asked for the desserts menu. It was not the same as what I read online. There wasn’t the Mango Marshmellow Melt. They had a variety of cakes from bitter chocolate to coconut pudding cake. However, none of them interests us. We called for the bill and left the place for Island Creamery at Serene Centre for ice-cream.
We decided that we won’t re-visit this place. The salty food just didn’t suit our palates.
Reservations are recommended. It was full house!
Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST. UOB credit card holders will get a 10% return visit voucher for a minimum of $50 spent. (fully redeemed)
Our total bill of 3 came up to $115.35.
Restaurant: Barracks Cafe
Address: 8D Dempsey Road #01-01 to 06 Tanglin Village (Dempsey Road) Singapore 249672
Tel: 6475 7787
Opening Hours: Lunch (Mon–Fri) – 12pm – 3pm; Dinner (Mon–Sun) – 6pm – 10.30pm; Tea (Mon–Fri) – 3pm – 6pm; Tea (Sat–Sun) – 4pm – 6pm; Brunch (Sat–Sun) – 11am – 4pm
Website: http://www.dempseyhouse.com/
Al Dente Trattoria
The Al Dente Trattoria is an Italian restaurant featuring Italian pastas and pizzas. The food is not considered pricey considering its location. They had good customer service and the place is quiet and clean. The waiter kept promoting to us their aragosta risotto – slipper lobster & confit tomato where they are having their promotion at $58, serving enough for the two of us.
The restaurant is available for private dinners and events with a capacity of 40 pax and 100 pax for the 1st and 2nd level respectively.
A pity that my friend wasn’t that hungry, so we only ordered one fired-wood pizza (12″) – crispy pizza with foccacia with melted mozzarella, ricotta, parma ham, spring onion and drizzled with truffle oil. Otherwise we would have ordered the lobster risotto too.
Fired Wood Pizza $18
Our dessert to finish the meal: torta di cioccolato – bitter chocolate torte with fresh berries and vanilla gelato
Bitter Chocolate $14
A pity that their food is only so-so. The Makansutra Gluttons Bay (local foodfare) beside it have much more appealing powers for its food.
Address: Blk 8, #01-13, No 8, Raffles Avenue, Colour on the Bay, Singapore 039802
Tel: 63419188
Email: mail@createries.com
Catering line: 64114999
Opening Hours:
Lunch:
Mon-Sun: 11.30am to 3pm
Dinner:
Mon-Thu: 6pm-10.30pm
Fri, Sat, and public holidays: 6pm-11.30pm
Website: http://www.aldente.com.sg/index.htm
Ma Maison Restaurant (Japanese-French fusion food)
Ma Maison is the French word for “My Home”. The ambience is cottage-like, with country-style curtains and furniture. The place is dimly lit so it is definitely not like any other Japanese restaurants with tatami.
Our orders:
Escargot Baked with Garlic Butter ($9.50 for half dozen) – extremely aromatic garlic and flowing butter that makes you crave for more snails. Very well baked and it has been the best I’ve eaten so far. We ordered a dozen of these!
Cheese Fritter $9.20 – deep fried cheese coated with batter. Not cheesy so you won’t feel sick after two bites.
Scallop Carpaccio $9.80 – a must-eat appetizer. The sauce that comes on top of each scallop is so refreshing and cooling. It literally opens up your stomach for your main course! How would I describe it? Cool, a little sour, a little sweet topped with orange fish roes and onions. Lost for words.
Cuttlefish Ink Spaghetti $15.90 – Share this with your friends. It gets a little dry and sick after a few mouthfuls. There is very few pieces of cuttlefish. Such a pity. How I wished they would add some seafood to the dish to make it more worthy of the fragrant cuttlefish-inked black spaghetti.
Italian Hamburger Steak with Cheese (160g) $16.90 – A whole piece of cheese topped on top of your thick hamburger steak with some greens as sides. The hamburger steak is not dry inside, and the cooking was good as the steak which was almost 2 cm tall was cooked thoroughly in.
Chilled Red Wine (Prom Mama) $12.30 per glass – My friend commented that it is not the best red wine in town. It is “sting-ing”. Oh well, nothing beats our favourite at The Wine Company. Throughout the course, we were discussing when to visit The Wine Company again for some nice wine and their seared black pepper tuna. AAAAAAAHHHH!!!!
Their specialties are Special Beef Stew, Original Hamburger Steak and Paella. Their menu also include the traditional katsu curry rice. Well, it does serve some Japanese food. However, a pity there wasn’t much variety of food to choose from in their menu.
Reservations is a must as their restaurant is small and usually packed with diners.
Prices exclude 7% GST and 10% service charges.
Restaurant: Ma Maison Restaurant (Akinori Singapore Pte Ltd)
Address: 200 Victoria Street, #02-51 Bugis Junction, Singapore 188021
Tel: 6338 4819
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 11.30am–3pm, 6pm–10pm; Sat & Sun: 1130 am – 10 pm
Email: mamaison@singnet.com.sg
Website: http://www.ma-maison.co.jp
Other branches:
1. 6 Eu Tong Sen St @ CENTRAL. #03-96. Singapore 059817. Tel: 63278122
2. 9 Raffles Boulevard. PARCO Marina Bay Stall P3-03. Singapore 039596. Tel: 63389391
Red Dot Bake House
Recommend their coffee swiss rolls and banana cakes. They sell pies, cakes, sandwiches and bread. They cater to babies’ Full Month, Party packs, birthday cakes and wedding cakes too.
Delicious cakes can be bought and catered from:
Shop name: Red Dot Bake House
Address: Block 6001 #B1-64 Golden Mile Tower Singapore 995819
Tel: 85226037
Salmon Sandwich
My colleagues and I were so sick of the canteen food that we decided to buy our own food and make sandwiches. Hence we headed to IKEA to get their sausages and mustard sauce. And also pre-packed ready-to-eat herb salmon pieces there! It’s cheaper than that of NTUC! Another colleague got pumpkin and nuts loaf from Cedele. We toasted the bread before putting on the salmon pieces. It’s totally an indulgence on Fridays, rewarding ourselves after working hard for four days.
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- sandwich
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- salmon
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- pumpkin bread
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- sausages
On another occasion, we also bought The Soup Spoon’s Boston Clam Chowder and ate that with loaf.
Any other ideas for a super indulgent Friday? Keep me posted!
starhealer
Next Food Stop 