again, I let my cravings take over the drive home. Stopping halfway with my bf at the thai noodle house to grab a simple thai meal.

We had the seafood phad thai, thai green curry, thai ice tea and a simple chinchow. Of all the fare, the thai green curry emerged victorious once again! With the aromatic flavor of spices and coconut milk wafting thru the delicate dish, it was a sure winner. Large chunks of chicken strewened all over had readily absorbed the flavors of the curry and were wonderfully tenderised. And of course, the addition of brinjal was excellent in the dish, providing a mushy and soft component to the otherwise rich dish.

The thai ice tea was authentic as well, similar to the ones I had in thailand.

Overall, a rather simple place with unadulterated thai foodfare. If you don't mind the rather uninteresting ambience and yearn for some authentic thai food at reasonable prices. Then this would be a safe bet!

Visited this place together with a bunch of my dessert kakis after reading a few articles on Karen Charlotta's debut as head pastry chef of the pastry bar at one rochester. Not that I've been a huge fan or anything, but her feature on the Sunday times 'FOodie confidential' proved to be a major draw factor to her dessert creations. With that, I and my brave dessert kakis gamely ventured into the darkness and well forested areas of Rochester to get a slice of the cake.

Upon arrival, I was enchanted by the grounds. The entire feel of it completed with an old-school colonial bungalow, billowy drapery, candle lightings, moving streams of water and stone-paved walkways. It was like walking through time.

When we asked the serving staff to be directed to the pastry bar, we were brought upstairs to the less crowded and definitely more bright seating area which used to be the 'library' linked to the balcony. The floor was a mish-mash of styles. Tropical forests painted the walls on one side with leopard and tiger skin printed pillows stacked up. The other side was filled with heavy looking grandfather leather chairs and lit by dim lightstands. Extremely charming.

We ordered the chocolate souffle with poached peach in Rioja Sangria, Bailey parfait with coffee gelee and cocoa nibs foam, some sort of berries with fresh raspberry sauce and croquante. and lastly chocolate mousse and hazelnut praline served with chai poached pears. that was already 4 out of the 6 desserts on their menu. Still, I and my dining companions found none to be satisfying or intriguing. For me, I thought the chai poached pears were brilliant, but paired with a chocolate mousse just fumbled the entire equation.

Overall, i feel that perhaps the desserts should be altered a little to suit the tastes of the general public. With the pastry bar, it's a case of trying too hard to pair flavors together that makes it almost unpalatable for most. oh well.. definitely won't be going back there for desserts!

That's what Japanese curry is to me.. a source of needed comfort especially whilst the midst of a string of exams. Up to my neck in catching up games, I was elated when I recieved the invitation from Hoongy to attend my 2nd HGW food tasting session at curry favor.

I had previously visited the stamford branch at least thrice and had always found their curry to be of a certain standard. Good of course except for the dwindling then diminished carrot chunks in the curry served in the pouring cups. *groanz*

Between the 2 branches, I much prefer the atmosphere exuded in stamford, mainly because of the darker decor, high rise walls and location.. (i sound like some sort of fashionista.. argh). But I guess, with it's functionality towards attracting the family oriented crowds in on weekends, the more friendly, less chic atmosphere was called for.

So let's go on to the food! We ordered 3 starters to share amongst us. The stuffed mushroom with prawn and scallop was gorgeous! fried to a crisp, the creamy innards burst out with much intensity and heat as soon as you bit through the crispy shells. The beef yaki was mediocre... don't count on me ever giving good reviews on beef. I'm no beef expert. Unless you're talking about the $300 wagyu beef steak we had the last time..*thoughts drifting*. Dammit. FOCUS! the soft shell crab was a tad too oily for my liking too.

Moving on, we came to the mains. Each ordering our preferred course. I had the cheese katsu curry with slightly spicy curry. The katsu portions were rather big but the rice portion was even LARGER. no way i could ever finish that! So to all the petite eaters out there, be relieved to know that they now serve a half-portion. No more bursting seams! The made to scratch curry was indeed one of a kind, incomparable with any that I've eaten before here in Singapore. Every bit reminiscnent of the truck loads full of veges and love poured into it.

We ended the meal with some having desserts. Then again, that wasn;t on my agenda so i gave it a miss. Otherwise the coffee was delightful and gave a perfect round-up to the delightful meal we indulged in.

Certainly enjoyed my experience with the HGW groupies and the meal of course! If you haven't try Japanese curry yet, put away your inhibitions and whatever preconceptions of it, and hurry down to try a bowl of Curry Favor's made from scratch curry! Trust me, once you've sampled it, you'll be hooked, just like I am. *=)*

Upon setting foot into the dining area, I was at first struck by the size of the restaurant. It was small and crowded. However, I was also impressed by what they had managed to achieve with that small space. Reproducing a chic dining experience in that tiny space, surrounded by posh furniture and not to mention upmarket cutlery (steak knives especially!). I was a bit edgy about the heavy leather covered chairs as they were so bulky it made moving about a difficult task. Thank God they were comfortable though. Pardon my finicky comments.


We proceeded to ordering our foods soon after seating. The menu was an interesting mixture of fusion dishes showcasing bold pairings of flavors and meats. One thing that interests me the most was the relative size of the appetiser section to the mains. The former was almost as long as the latter!? oh well.. In the end, I had the pan seared scallops wrapped with parma with a side of citrus salad (appetisers), the Chilean Seabass, mushroom and smoked bacon ragout with truffle-yuzu butter sauce sauce (main) and finally the warm banana tart with homemade lavender ice cream (dessert). Whereas the others ( ZH, Mum, Dad and Weiquan) covered the various courses such as foie gras, pork belly, beef tenderloin, apple tartin, warm chocolate cake, wasabi soft shell crab. Whilst waiting, we were immediately served water, our wines and the compliementary bread; This deserves special mention as it was so good, it sent my brother on an eating frenzy. Laden with oregano and other herbs, the bread was irresistible when served warm with a generous slice of softened butter. An excellent start to the meal.

The foods were soon served and the entire dinner service a whirlwind romance with food and its arty-farty presentations yet holistic value. The verdict: This place was a gem.. serving up some of the best mains I've eaten ever.

The best of the lot and definitely the most memorable was the chilean sea bass. The truffle yuzu butter sauce serving as an excellent companion to the buttery flaky fish that perpetually melted once convened in the mouth. The carpet of bacon and mushroom ragout that the fish sat on was divine as well providing textural contrast to the entire composition. I was taken by the freshness of the fish, it's succulent flesh studded with tiny bits of crispy skin that had been perfectly scored prior to cooking for the effect. A MUST-HAVE!

The others traded in for a fare score. my mum claims the foie gras here to be the best of the 3 eateries, Brown sugar, the universal bar and bistro and Ember. I guess with all her acquired taste 'experience' in the field, she was most apt to judge. However, i felt that Brown Sugar dealt better with the pork belly than Ember; producing a juicier feel, richer in flavor than Ember. The Pan seared sea scallops wrapped in parma got a thumbs up from me as well; however ZH felt that the addition of the wrapped bacon somehow stole a little of the characteristic flavor of the scallop. It's all subjective than again. The beef tenderloin was nothing out of the ordinary and definitely won't be trying that again on the next visit.


Desserts department, the apple tartin scored the highest followed by the much coveted warm banana tart with lavender ice-cream and last of all the warm chocolate cake which i suggest everyone not to have (Brown sugar does a much better rendition of this classic.. nothing lost here if you don't order it).


Total damage done $417 for the 5 of us including corkage fees for 2 bottles of wine. (in case u might be wondering, the corkage fees are $20 per bottle (red/white) and $25 for champagne; note that the cheapest wine sold in house is at least $80 so do consider B.Y.O).


Ember, a place definitely to be seen and also a dining location worth the splurge. With spectacular cuisine and fresh and bold flavor combinations, it's hard just resisting the urge to pop your head into the kitchen to sneak a peek at the chefs in charge.

For the full review and more photos please visit my blog!

It all started with some careless flipping of the newspapers. Hmph.. Twelve + One @ Rochester Park? I contemplated for a while, weighed the pros and cons between the two choices, Laurent Bernard's Cafe and Chocolate Bar and Twelve + One. Since I were to be making the trip together with Fen and Evan, I thought it would be nice to try out the newly opened establishment at rochester instead since Fen had already visited Laurent's upon a few occasions. Aren't I sweet and thoughtful?

Honestly, the truth is that I've never had a penchant for chocolate pastries. I, to suffer from a chocolate overload was nothing that I desired at that moment.. haha.

The four of us, Fen, Yuan, Evan and I then ventured into rochester on a lovely saturday afternoon. The sweltering heat and harsh lighting somehow just made the experience a whole lot better as we retreated into the comforts of a cottage-like colonial bungalow.

As we took our first midget steps into the cafe, we were greeted by blasts of lovely pastel pink and white motifs. Shelfs of bottled homemade jams and other goodies lined the walls. Dainty pastries and packed biscuits sat in pretty little wicker baskets on the other side. And a centralised glass case showcasing the artfully tasty desserts of the day. It was certainly a sight for sore eyes. (For more photos please go to Evan's site!)

After a bout of snapping and trigger-happy moments, we settled down to our table at the corner of the elongated dining area. The table was certainly a work of art. With its wicker seated chair and its lace cloth lined table tops, it reminded me of a scene out of a Martha Stewert Home Decor Book. The natural light spilled in throught the window panes which were side-drapped with blue curtains. How quaint. Just seating within the premises gave me such a homely feel. I was immediately drawn to the harmony of the lush forested surroundings and the lovely secluded cottage style decor. Definitely fit for a queen! not that i think i'm the queen or anything... heh.

We ordered our drinks first. I had my cappuccino. And boy was it good.. had been craving for one since.. yesterday! hah. The onslaught of desserts followed. Alright now, so lets do a little introduction game.

Morgane ( $7), an entrement made of blackberry, cassis and champagne (as quoted from Evan's Blog because other than the blackberry's presence, I couldn't decipher the rest of the component layers). Well, let's just say this cake is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Pretty on the outside but empty on the inside. Other than the slight tangy kick i got from the blackberry jam layer, I didn't quite like the rest of it.

the petit fours sampler ($7 for 6) comprising of tartlets, macarons and mignardises. These i felt were again not up to standard. Should you be interested in little pastries such as this, please do give Caffe Cova a try, it may be a little pricey though. The most disappointing of the lot were the macarons. The pistachio macarons beared zilch flavor of any pistachios, the shell comprised of a large pocket of air that proceeded to a cracking shell soon after i laid my spoon through it. Furthermore, the pastel shade of green almost close to mint was very unappetising for me. haha. Never try to inject too much color into my diet. It just irks me...


And finally Mistral ($7), my pistachio baby. I really liked this one, the classic combination of apricots and pistachios revisted once. The cake was a delight to nibble at, every bite comprising of almond biscuit joconde layer, a divine pistachio creme and apricot preserves. This for me certainly was a luxury on the palate.

I didn't mention the tiramisu and chocolate tart because of their mediocre status. The Chocolate eclair ($6) however, is a whole different world together. The choux pastry was soft and tender and the chocolate pastry creme rich and velvety. Much like the one I had at Pan pacific a long time back except in skinny mode. And after the disappointing one we had the last time, I hope this experience made up for it Evan!

my gosh, just doing this post makes me want to head back there again! So craving for some afternoon tea yet? please head down to Twelve + One then. Be transported back to a different era with this truely vintage experience.

Thanks Fen, Yuan and Evan for the lovely afternoon! Let's do this again soon... Brad wanna join in?

for more photos please visit my site!

*gulps*.. i hope this review didn't come in too late!

So everything's good when you've recieved a call and an invitation to a food tasting organised by the HGW team.

Centralised location?
CHECK!

Possibility of grabbing drinks?

double CHECK!!! ( i suppose it being a tapas bar would most likely carry a alcohol license)

oh well, what more could i ask for.

So despite the teary eye and a foggy vision, i went ahead with the plans.

To cut the chase short, the resturant certainly left an impression on me. It could have been the tasteful decor with cool shades and some bright strokes of red splashed across the entire premise. Or it could have been the towering glass wine cellar we were seated next too. But more importantly, the food!

It being a food tasting, the courses was fast flowing and came in huge amounts ( the variety i meant). To my benefit of course, since I was somewhat of a finicky eater. But before i dive into the courses, let's talk about the drinks! For me, the drinks menu was hardly inviting, in fact a little intimidating. With long lists of imported beers and cocktails and in-house specials, One just didn't know where to start... FORTUNATELY, with the help of Kenneth's recommandations. I had first, the Wittekerke Rose, a cosmopolitan version of a cocktail in beer form. It naturally oozed girlllpower with every sip. I'm not kidding! Following that, I had Hoegaarden Mixed Orange Juice, "our own unique formula which cannot be found elsewhere." as quoted by Kenneth. And yes, to be truthful, i did like the version of the usual hoegaarden. It was fruity fresh yet maintaining the lightness of hoegaarden. Word of advice, if you're going there and plan to get drinks, please do ask for recommendations from the staff who will be more than happy to assist. Be brave and try the less known, you'll be surprised at what you find..

Back to the food, we started off the meal with a bowl of mixed spanish olives. That didn't do it for me, an acquired taste. The cream of tomato soup followed. I really liked this one, with its tangy sweetness with a slight creamy texture. nice..

the 3 salads, were just the norm fare. My favourite being the Smoked salmon one. But then again, i'm VERY biased when it comes to smoked salmon. The Roasted pimentos salad came out quite well too. With its smoky flavor permeated thru the salad.

Garlic bread. Why would I leave an entire paragraph to this dish? Easy.. because it was so good! The slabs of toasted bread may seem plain until you douse it in the side platter of spicy sauce. It's so freaking addictive.

Moving on, we have the other cold tapas starters. Tuna Tataki, Proscuitto di Parma wrapped Cantaloupe and Oyster Shooters. With the Prosciutto di Parma wrapped Cantaloupe(essentially, parma ham wrapped around rock melon), as soon as i popped the end of the skewer into my mouth, my eyes lit up immediately. The explosion of procrative flavors, salty and sweet were almost unearthing. I was really happy with the that one. The tuna tataki on the other hand was nothing to shout about. I still prefer my tuna sashimi honestly, though the slightly browned sides and daintly pink centres were such a pretty sight. And finally the oyster shooters.. that was sure a shot in the head. Think fresh oyster in a tabasco based sauce followed by a straight up shot of vodka with a teeny weeny bit of tabasco at the bottom of the glass. THat just spells trouble...

gosh.. i'm starting to get full again. But let's continue with this...

other dishes that left an impression were the stir fried wild mushrooms (breakfast food! even served with fried quail eggs!). The tortilla espanola with smoked salmon. I found this pretty interesting with a slight mushy texture due to the addition of potatos to the egg batter. But then again, this was authentically spanish as i remembered from my trip a year back. The best part was the sour cream and cream cheese and smoked salmon topping. That was the bomb.The tiger prawn - bacone-ed was again another wonderful dish with fresh tiger prawn enveloped in a healthy streak of bacon. What more can i say?

As the night drew on, i was wondering whether i would survive thru the dining experience. The mains arrived in a large procession across the dining table. I jaw dropped. Of the 5 mains we had. My favourites were the Bolognese (surprise!) and the spicy chorizo pasta. The former was saucy and generously loaded with meat chunks throughout the bed of pasta. The taste was delectable and spot on.. though it isn't a thing that i would normally call at a resturant. Heed my advice, get yourself a bowl of bolognese when you're at tapas wine bistro! The Spicy chorizo pasta on the other hand was delicious as well, perfumed with the oils that had seeped out from the fiery red slices of chorizo. The pasta could have been done a little more al dente though. But I was too occupied shafting forkfuls of twirled pasta into my mouth to complain.

Others that didn't fare so well were the Arroz Ala Marinera and the
Arroz Negro. I was utterly disappointed that the flavor of the stock had failed to infuse into the rice.

DESSERTS!!! my best friend... i must commend that the lemon gelato (served in an empty lemon shell) was certainly delightful.Refreshing with a strong tang, it provided a much desired light ending to the meal. The coppa tartufo was alright ( not such a big fan of chocolate ice-cream) and lastly the double chocolate shot comprising of a layered white chocolate and milk chocolate concotion in a shot glass that has to gulped down all at one go. That was the bomb!!! *swoons*.. now i'm just craving for one. haha.

Overall, the tapas wine bistro is an excellent waterhole considering its prime location in between the many drinking spots at holland v. But still, the food served up at this joint is sure worth a try! SO next time, if you're in the vicinty, do stop by for a beer and few tapas!

for the oldtown white coffee of course! Had this establishment noted down since god knows when. Ever since I watched the first branch established itself at big splash, and later to my surprise when i spied on a new branch being built in the neighbourhood.

I was ecstatic of course.. reason being that I honestly loved the fresh roasted coffee from those old coffee shops in malaysia. It was just something about traditional well kept secrets about how they roast the coffee combined with the nostalgic feel of the marble countertops and high ceiling fans that attracts me to them. Of course, the oldtown white coffee had the same setup and ambience, with the slight glitch (or should i say bonus) being the comfortable air-conditioning. Singaporeans are so spoilt. But that's beside the point...

After being directed to our seats, by very enthusiastic staff i must say... My bf and I took a quick scan of the menu and decided upon just having drinks and the kaya butter toast (both signatures of the place as identified by the coffee bean side beside its name). THe menu was extensive, providing many dishes similar to those served up in the traditional coffee houses such as curry mee and nasi lemak. Impressive and very delectable looking ( based on the image i capture from the neighbouring table).

The verdict, the iced xi mut tea ($2.30) was overly sweet and left a highly undesirable effect of ge-lartness on the tongue after drinking. The white coffee ($2.00) fared much better... (but word of advice, pls note that you want it less sugar if you're like me.) The kaya toast on the other hand was a total flop!!!! thank god we only called for a single serving ($1.10).. the kaya spread was pathetic and large portions of the bread surface was hardly even covered!!! i was very disappointed...

But still... i will drop by for the nasi lemak.. i think..

definitely not accompanied with a cup of coffee. You're better off drinking a your kopi at a neighbourhood kopitiam instead...

and so my sweet tooth led me to this place...

after having passed by the place on two occasions to stop by the shop next door swirl gelateria to grab a cup of icecream. darn my gluttony. but i must admit the mascarpone geleto is delici-ous! and you must try it if you're in the vicinity. Forget about island creamery! give a chance to this store instead!. i digress.

Okay, returning back to the point of me..no.. i reviewing whisk. Yes.. situated in the less popular crown centre along Bukit Timah road, the little bakery and cafe seemed to recieve little attention despite the many 'full houses' in the resturants nearby. With it's alarmingly red 'finger' cushion chairs and subtle black outlinings, it proved to be a cosy place for a cup of coffee and a dainty pastry to go along. Having passed by here before, i distinctly remember the 3-D Gucci Bag modelled cake in the display window the last time. That was enough to make me come back again, even if to appease my curiousity with regards to the quality of cakes they served up in the tiny eatery.

During my 2nd visit, the cake was gone. However, the other desserts in the were alluring enough with their fanciful chocolate decorations, fans, ruffles, transfer patterns, gold sprinkles and all. The lady staff, whom i reckon could have been one of the operating managers approached us and gave a thorough explanation of the components of the cakes available. In the end, after some tough brain wrecking, my bf and I ordered the autumn passion ( a combination of chocolate and coffee) , a cappuccino and a watermelon juice.


We then proceeded to the sofa seats and settled down with the accompaniment of a fine selection of magazines provided by the cafe. The orders soon arrived. ahh.. coffee.. i relented. The watermelon juice was excellent and very fresh as reviewed by the boyfried. And the cake.. hmph.. how should i put it.. *pondering*..

It was excellent. The deep dark flavor of chocolate in the mousse was heightened by the addition of coffee. Tiny details such as the gold-powdered coffee beans helped to provide an insight to the dessert, the tempered chocolate ball that topped the dessert together with the honey-combed like chocolate biscuit that crowned the cake provided excellent textural contrast to the gentle mousse. The best thing happened when we hit the middle of the cake. What was that? we had struck liquid gold!!! Dark chocolate sauce flavored with hints of coffee liquor encased in a chocolate shell dangling in mid-mousse heaven. How ingenious! and boy was it good.

Now i'm just contemplating going down again soon to try the rest of their creations.. *chuckles*

for more photos please click here

well, so as the title goes.. the icecream from swirl geleteria was nothing short of great. I had the caffe brazil on my first visit and the mascarpone on my second (the day after the first time.. believe it or not?) yes.. that was how good the ice cream was. As for the choice, i much prefer the latter to the former.

I mean mascarpone in ice cream? now that's quite a rare ingredient.. and being a baker myself, I knew that mascarpone on its own was low on flavor and not to mention calories (as compared to cream cheese), however, it could provide a very rich texture. And the icecream itself was an ode to the marvellous ingredient, every bite as creamy and dreamy as ever. It was soooo good.

The caffe brazil could use a bit more work though. It would help if the coffee flavor in there was pushed up a notch.

Will still be heading back to sample the rest of the flavors though... Without a doubt.. though i'll give the durian one a miss. hehe.

what could beat an excellent plate of pasta after a delightful couple massage therapy at the retreat (also situated at the changi village hotel)?

To celebrate our 1st year being together, me and my boyfriend decided to continue the magical night with dinner at La Cantina which was just a stone's throw away from the couple's suite. With a excellent view to boot and the dimming orange tone of the skies overhead. It certainly was an enchanting experience.

Few suggestions though that could have made the experience better. Perhaps they should try to continue their venetian decoration to the 8th level balconies since sitting on white plastic chairs wasn't at all venetian in feeling. Perhaps they shoul install a few overhead fans/ coolers; though i much appreciated the gust of seabreeze, my dining companion a.k.a boyfriend was having a sweaty affair towards the end of the meal. *gulps* Last of all, they should choose a better housepour wine. The wine they provided lacked depth and was void of any characteristics. Even Peter Lehman could have done a better job at a much cheaper price too... *grunts*

The food on the other hand was excellent. No complaints coming from the both of us as we tucked into our plates of steaming glory. It was the linguine al granchio (crabmeat linguine) for me and the seafood risotto (something al fruitti..can't quite recall it now, pardon me...) the crabmeat was succulent and went really well with the creamy tomato sauce. In general, rather generous servings of ingredients for both dishes. Will definitely be back again if i want my good quality pasta!