My friends and I were out on the 2nd day of CNY and looking for a dinner venue. We stumbled upon the place as we were keen to explore the places found in Orchard Central.
We were bewildered by the seating/menu arrangements, as we were told that only the fine dining menu applied to indoor (read: air-conditioning) seating, whereas the normal menu of pasta/pizza applied to the outdoor dining area. The fine dining menu only featured 2 set meals (of which the courses were interchangably between one another), so we kind of felt that was kind of restrictive.
However game on trying 'better' food (and air conditioning), we opted for indoor dining. (That saying, the outdoor area was well ventilated and cool given the light breezes at the top of Orchard Central, and the adequate ceiling fans of the restaurant.)
We were not disappointed by the quality of the food.
The Hokkaido scallops were cooked to the right degree, with the middle being slightly raw, such that it did not lose its natural flavours. Me being a fan of risotto, the risotto was well-matched by the flavorful duck pieces, that were well-salted. The lemon ice sorbet lifted our appetites in the middle of the 6-course dinner, nicely timed for a succulent beef sirloin. The beef was a bit hard, as we requested for a 'middle'-done beef instead of the suggested 'middle rare', so as not to appear too 'bloody' for CNY.
Some improvements that could be done:a) the fettuccine was a bit bland, and more could be done to bring out good flavors of the crab meatb) while the fish was fresh, the mango thyme vinaigrette failed to bring out the best of the fish, nor itselfc) the berry salad semifreddo lacked depth and interest in flavors, and thus tasted as a poor cousin of ice-cream
My friends and I did not pick the cheese antipasto and so cannot comment upon it here. The price quoted here includes a bottle of prosecco.
Altogether, the whole act of the restaurant could have been better conceived so as not to demarcate so clearly the difference between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. As a new-comer, the restaurant has potential to attract a loyal clientele, especially based on its affordable set menu, which I feel gives good value. It needs to iron out a few kinks here and there (including service that is not well consistent and attentive all the time), but it is a place that is worth exploring.