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. :)

Slugging it out

It was another Sunday & brunch was something that I wanted to do to celebrate the end of a terrible week. So i decided to head over to the east side of our sunny island to visit some Slugs.

Where is it?

SLUGS?!

Well, yes, Slugs, or the people who work at The Garden Slug, a delightful eatery located at:

55 Lorong L Telok Kurau,
#01-59/61 Bright Centre,
Singapore 425500

What to eat

Here is a tip. Do not go there hungry because everything sounds so good you would surely be tempted to over-order.

Go with a big group if you can, because that way, you get to sample more! :)



What we had

Breaded Portobello, Wagyu Burger, Half a slab of Ribs, Ugly Salmon Cakes (MUST TRY), One glass of cold Lemongrass Tea and a glass warm Honey Lemon Lime. The breaded portobello was hot & juicy, wonderful as a starter. The Salmon cakes deserves a mention because it was fragant, moist, tender and delish!

Price we paid

For 2 person, it came up to $75.90 which was reasonable seeing how we ordered quite a few dishes between us.

Was it good?

Undoubtedly! :) Sharon, who maintains the twitter account came round to say hi and the staff were attentive & friendly without being intrusive. In fact, I am looking forward to going back again.

Here's one last look at the Ugly (A misnomer, surely!) Salmon Cake:























I dropped by again within the week to sate my pancake cravings and i left feeling ever so satisfied.

A sore throat waiting to happen

A Sunday lunch was called for to celebrate the end of three weeks of madness and so we decided to give this new joint in Holland Village; Everything with Fries a go.


Where is it?
40 Lorong Mambong
Holland Village

What to eat
With such a name, we expected fries and we were not let down with the variety. They had Orginal, Salt & vinegar, garlic & herbs, Sour cream & onions and lastly, Curry.
The fries also came in two variety; Shoestring fries (like those in Mickey D's) or Straight Cut fries (Chunky bits like what you would find in Mos Burger).

We we had
Grilled Pork Chops (succulent, juicy and done just right) and a Cheeseburger (done to medium rare perfection) paired with Curry Straight Cut fries and Garlic/Herb Shoestring fries, 2 glasses of Lemonade and a Nutella Pie for dessert.

Price we paid
The set itself cost S$37.80 which is pretty reasonable for 2 pax.

Was it good?
I loved both the Pork Chops & Burger and the Fries were certainly well prepared. My only grouse is that the Garlic/Hern Fries weren't as punchy as i would have liked it to be but that could be due to my personal perferences?

Curry Wok

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon and we wanted to bring Mum someplace for some simple home cooked fare and we ended up at Curry Wok.


Where is it?

5 Coronation Road #01-04 Coronation Arcade

What to eat

We are talking about the wholesome goodness of home cooked food so most items on the menu is quite yummy indeed.

Home made Otah, Braised Pig's Trotters, Home made Ngor Hiang etc etc... Almost every dish is a winner for me so far. But gushing aside;

There is the a la carte menu, where you can order your sides and such, or you can get the set which would cost you about S$6 (which gives you a decent serving of rice, a side of pork cutlet, curry chicken and chap chai, drenched with curry). There is also the set menu for three to four person (which we ordered).

We we had

The set menu (see photo) for three to four pax consist of a serving of Pig's Trotters, Home Made Ngor Hiang, Chap Chai and Curry Fish head. I ordered the Otah as one of the side dishes.

Price we paid

The set itself cost S$46 which is pretty reasonable while the otah cost S$8 which some may consider it a tad steep but you know what, it's rich, aromatic and filled with chunks of fish meat made it a must have for me. The do no bill you GST or Service Charge.

Was it good?

Most certainly. Anyone who is craving for a little bit of home cooked goodness should give it a go. On a side note, the sambal belachan packs a punch and goes well with most dishes. The service is good with attentive staff and the best bit is how fast the dishes get served.

This was my third visit and I can see myself going back a few more times, especially when I crave for home cooked food.

Enjoy! :)

Standing Sushi Bar

So i found out about Standing Sushi Bar (SSB) through Twitter and decided to join a friend of mine for a quick lunch on afternoon.

Where is it?
#B1-02B OUB Centre

What to eat?
With fresh sashimi flown in daily, one is spoilt for choice. Their daily set lunches are value for money and of course, their popular omakase dinner (where the chef gets to decide the menu) needs you to make a reservation first.

Why do we need to stand?
Because it helps the food go down easier. ;)

We did we have?
We did set lunches which included a very well presented & colourful Chirashi Don as well as sushi and handrolls.

Was it good?
Quite so. Fast, friendly service coupled with fresh and well prepared sashimi made this joint a winner for me.