Chinois by Susur Lee

This happened a couple of months ago but since i just reviewed Palio, I thought I should also share my experience at the other RWS restaurant I patronised. A group of us were supposed to go catch Voyage De La Vie (which was quite a visual feast) at RWS and we thought we should live it up and enjoy a nice meal before the show. We settled on Chinois (by celebrity chef Susur Lee partnered Tung Lok Group).

Where is it?
It is located in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). More specifically, it is located within Hotel Michael of RWS, next to Palio.



What we had
Its fine dining so I accepted that the portions wouldn't be that generous but to make sure it was worth our while, we settled on a special set menu they had which I thought would be appropriate for the 10 of us. The menu included;

a. 脆炸软壳蟹伴芥末猴头菇 (Crisp-fried Soft Shell Crab with Wasabi-mayo Monkey Head Mushrooms)

b. 时日精选炖汤 (Double-boiled Nourishing Soup of the Day)

c. 豉味蒸带子豆腐 (Steamed Beancurd and Scallop with Fermented Bean Paste)

d. 辣子蟹汁炸顺壳鱼 (Crisp-fried Marble Goby Fish with Singapore style Chilli Crab Sauce)

e. 菠萝京酱烤骨排 (Roasted Pork Ribs with Pineapple Sauce)

f. 瑶柱扒酿节瓜莆 (Steamed Hairy Gourd stuffed with Conpoy)

g. 生虾蛋白蒸面线 (Steamed Mee Sua with Egg White and Live Prawns)

h. 桂花鲜果冻 (Assorted Fruit Gelo with Osmanthus Flower)

Price we paid
It was about S$75 per head (nett) so the damage came up to $750

Was it good?
True to form, the way the food was presented was visually very pleasing, and some of the dishes, like the Crisp-fried Marble Goby Fish with Singapore style Chilli Crab Sauce blew us away with how a traditional dish was given a Singapore Twist. The Pork Ribs was tender and well prepared while the ladies were absolutely enchanted by how pretty the dessert was (Assorted Fruit Gelo with Osmanthus Flower)

It was certainly a pleasant experience and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't one that I would consider unforgettable.

Palio

It was an early lunch to celebrate Mum's birthday and she requested that she wanted to have it at Palio, an Italian restaurant which features authentic Tuscan cuisine. I've never eaten there before so I thought, why not?

Where is it?
It is located in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), the Integrated Resort on (where else?) Sentosa. More specifically, it is located within Hotel Michael of RWS, just before Chinois by Susur Lee.

What to eat + What we had
The portions are generous, and the bread they provide to start the meal with is fragrant, moist and piping hot. Dipped into a mixture of balsamic vinegar & olive oil, the way the bread melted in my mouth it helped set the tone for the rest of the lunch.


We ordered the a serving of Green Salad, Bruschetta, Hotel Michael's signature wood fired pizza (topped with fresh mediterranean seafood) and the Linguine all'Aragosta but instead of a spicy tomato base, we requested for it to be prepared with a cream sauce base.

Price we paid
For 3 person, it came up to $142.42. This included a cup of latte, cuppacino, and a free flow of still & sparkling water but MasterCard holders get a 10% discount which helped kept the bill under $130.

Was it good?
The thing that caught my attention was how fresh the food tasted. Every item arrived piping hot, artfully presented. Couple that with lovely service, it added up to a nice experience for all of us. Some may deem it a tad pricey but for the ambience, freshn ingredients that were well prepared, I am thought it was within reason.

A trip back in time

After watching Royston Tan's documentary "Old Places", we were inspired to pay a visit to Chin Mee Chin, a quaint confectionery/kopi-tiam (coffee-shop) located on the east side of our lovely island (I think I have visited the east side more often this week than the past 3 years put together!). A long weekend came along and I decided it would be an opportune time to visit.

Where is it?

Located in Katong, it's exact address is: 204 East Coast Road. Exuding old world charm, this Hainanese Kopi-Tiam seats about 20 comfortably and the entire time I was there, a queue was ever present, with at least 6 person in line, waiting for a table.

You may be asked to share a table but don't be shy. Most people here don't bite. A friend who stays in the east side confided that this place isn't that big a of secret but through the years, have retained a certain timeless-ness about it.


What to eat + What we had

The custard puff, the raisin bun (with bits of orange peel - artfully pointed out by the missus), luncheon meat wrapped in puff pastry(!) & the curry puff were down right authentic, bringing back fond memories of the days when my grand-father would walk me to classes in YWCA.



There was also the lovely kaya buns with butter which is prepared over a charcoal grill, complete with burnt bits & all, rounding up a very satisfying brunch (or a very late breakfast).

To wet my whistle, I ordered the de-facto beverage, which is the coffee. While I enjoy the excellent brew prepared by the lovely people at Papa Palheta (I'll blog about them another time), the coffee here certainly hots the spot. Milky enough and without a hint of acidity, it was so good, I had 2 cups! =D

Price we paid

For 3 pax, it was under $30 which was reasonable seeing how we ordered almost everything and also bought extra pastries and custard puffs for home. =D

Was it good?

Yes, Yes, Yes and erm... YES! :)

So for those of you who enjoy a good cuppa, enjoy a quaint (but not exactly quiet), old skool coffee shop for your morning munchies, head over but expect to wait in line. Your patience, however, will be rewarded. :)