Al Forno

My friend and I decided to have an Italian lunch around the East Coast area.  We decided to head to Al Forno as she really likes the place and I have not been there in a very long time.

Fortunately, it was a weekday, so we managed to find a parking spot about 200m away.  Otherwise, it's really hard to find a parking area around here.

She ordered the Pescatore but with pasta instead of risotto while I requested to have a Calzone with Bolognese sauce instead.  It wasn't on the menu but they were able to do it, which shouldn't be too hard really.  Anyway, I was happy that they obliged.

We skipped the appetisers as we were not sure if we can finish everything.  When the food arrived, the portions were very decent.  Just say that it would fill up an adult man really well.  The pasta was good.  The tomato was rich and tangy at the same time.  It was tasty and there was a good portion of mussels, squid and prawns.  The seafood was fresh and not overcooked.  My friend who loves her food spicy, added more chilli flakes on it.  For me, it was fine as it is but I put loads of parmesan as I love it that way :)

Spaghetti Pescatore $26

My Calzone looks like a huge Asian curry puff.  It was tasty and there's lots of cheese with the bolognese filling although I would like it even more if they had more beef.  The dough was freshly made and it was really hot when it arrived.  It was flavourful but some parts didn't have any beef in it.  The tomato sauce on it was good too.

Calzone with Bolognese filling ($24)

The staff were polite and the service was good.  There's a smoking table outside but it's on a high chair for those who doesn't mind.  They shut after lunch hours and open again later for dinner.  

Rating:

Spaghetti Pescatore  8/10
Calzone with Bolognese  7/10

400 East Coast Road
Singapore 428996

Tel: +65 6348 8781
Email:
contact@alfornoeastcoast.com.sg

Lunch: 12 pm - 2 pm
Dinner: 6.30 pm – 10.30 pm
Open daily

Sarang (Korean Cuisine)

Hi friends!  Been a while since I updated my blog.  Partly because I've been rather busy and partly due to not discovering new "makan" places that's worth mentioning.

Anyway, I found one recently that I would like to share with you.  One of my BFFs suggested we have a Korean food appreciation evening and the rest of us thought what an excellent idea!  We headed to Sarang at Orchard Central.

We were greeted by their friendly staff and I left the ordering to my friends as I am no connoisseur of Korean cuisine.

We started with the Ojingeo Bokeum.  It was a tad spicy for me but it was very nice.  It's baby squid cooked in the chef's special sauce.  It's slightly tangy and has a good balance of sweet, sour and spicy combination.

Ojingue Bokeum ($9.80)

As we are meat lovers, we decided to focus on the meat dishes.  The Bulgogi ($16.80), marinated beef slices, Galbi Sal (19.80), marinated short ribs slices and the Dak Galbi ($16.80), marinated chicken slices.  I must say, it is all delish!  The meat was tender and marinated with just the right amount of sauce.  I lost count how many portions we ordered as we kept asking for more!

Uncooked marinated beef and chicken

You do your own cooking with this hot pot in front of you.  So, it is up to you how you would prefer the doneness of your meat.  It's served with lettuce and other condiments but I prefer mine straight up :)
 

The accompaniment to our meal was Makgeoli, a milky rice wine and of course Soju.  Unfortunately, I had forgotten to take any photos.  Soju is traditionally made from rice but it can be from potatoes, barley, wheat or other starch.  It tastes slightly like vodka but a little sweeter.

We were really stuffed to have any dessert but we relented as we decided to share.  The Pappa Pancake or Hotteok was superb!  The filling was not too sweet and the pastry was delightful.  It's a sweet cinnamon pancake and it's rather thin.  So, it was just right for us.

Hotteuk $5.80

We also decided to try the plum wine Bokbunja.  It's almost like a lighter version of port wine.  It's slightly sweet and very easy to drink.  Like the Soju, it's consumed neat.

We had a lovely evening and it helps when you are with friends who know more about Korean food than you do.  This family friendly venue is worth checking out if you would like to try or fancy a Korean (the food, I mean :).  Gun Bae!

Ratings:

Ojingue Bokeum: 8/10
Bulgogi: 9/10
Dak Galbi: 8/10
Galbi Sal: 9/10
Hotteuk:  9/10

Sarang

181 Orchard Central #07-01
Orchard Central Singapore 238896 

Reservations: +65 6773 1322

ask@sarang.com.sg

Sarang's Opening Hours
12pm - 10pm on Sunday to Thursday
12pm - 11pm on Friday and Saturday

 

The Ship

This casual restaurant is always full.  While killing time before going to see a movie in Nex, we popped into The Ship for something to eat. 

I ordered the set lunch that came with soup, main course and ice cream.  The soup of the day was carrot soup.  To be honest, I did not have any expectation.  Surprisingly, it was not bad at all.  It was seasoned well and the consistency was neither too thick nor too runny.  I thought it was pretty decent.

Carrot Soup

My friend ordered the fish noodles.  I had a taste and thought it was good.  The broth was tasty without being overpowering.  The fish was served on the side and it was crispy.  I will order this the next time.

My sirloin steak came with fries, carrots, corn with mushroom sauce.  I asked for medium and it was just right.  The steak was quite good too.

The Ship is a casual steakhouse.  They have two outlets.  The other is in Shaw Centre.  On the whole, I enjoyed my meal (but then again, it could be the company :)) and I will return if I am looking for somewhere casual to have a meal...

Ratings:
Carrot Soup 7.5/10
Sirloin  7.5/10
Fish Noodles 8.5/10

23 Serangoon Central, nex #01-61/62 Singapore 556083

Tel: 6834 3833

1 Scotts Road, Shaw Centre #04-34/36 Singapore 228208 Tel: 6235 8189

Le Parisien Bistro (2nd review)

Foie Gras

Second Review

This restaurant has introduced foie gras to its menu.  Naturally, I had to try it.  The foie gras was well cooked on the inside, smooth and buttery.  The apricots that came with it was lovely to cut the richness flavour from the foie gras.  Personally, I would like the foie gras to be more seared on the outside but it was fine.

Veal

The veal came in a generous portion.  It was tender and cooked very well.  The gravy was rich and tasty though the veal should be seasoned just a little more.  Though it's better to be slightly under than over salty. 

Creme brulee

I tried the creme brulee and definitely has improved on the texture since I was there the last time.  It is soft but firm, just the right texture.  It's tasty, creamy and what I like most is that I could see the tiny vanilla pods in it, delicious...

Ratings:
Foie gras 8/10
Veal: 8/10
Creme Brulee: 9/10

10 Haji Lane

Tel: 6396-6383

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun 11am-11pm

No Sign Board Seafood

Had some friends visiting Singapore and she wanted to have Chill Crab before heading back to Houston.  I decided to take her to No Signboard at East Coast.

When we got there, it was drizzling so we didn't manage to sit by the outdoor area.  We ordered the food and it didn't take long for the first dish to be served.

The Crispy Squid ($18) was good... crispy and slightly sweet. 

Oyster Sauce Kailan ($12) was crisp and as expected.  Seafood Fried Rice ($15) was well done.  I must say chinese restaurants really know how to make good fried rice.

I like the Mango Chicken ($20).  It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and it was very tasty.  The batter was not oily and well seasoned.

The Salad You Tiao ($15) was average... I tasted better ones.  It was not awful but it could've have been more crispy.

The Chilli Crab ($153) was nice though the sauce is a little bit "curryish" in taste.  I would prefer it to be more "chilli-tomatoey" tasting.  The crab was flashy will ample roe.  Nevertheless, we polished up the plate.  The mantou that we ordered could be a little more crispy.  I like it when it's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

The staff was helpful and it's great when the waitress understands what you are saying.  After adding the chinese tea, towels, peanuts, service tax, GST, it came to $322.65.  I know they always do this but I still do think it's cheeky when they charge for peanuts that you didn't ask for...

Ratings:
Chilli Crab 7/10
Baby Squid: 7.5/10
Mango Chicken: 8/10
Seafood Fried Rice: 8/10
You Tiao: 6.5/10

Service: 8/10

1202 East Coast Parkway 

Tel: 6448 9959

Gulf Beach Restaurant and Cafe

I was actually walking around Arab Street to look for very good briyani (my fave) one afternoon.  Saw what looks like could be an ok place and I was hungry, so decided to give this place a shot even though there's no briyani here.

We were given the menu and after placing our order, the waitress came back to inform me what I've ordered wasn't available on that day.  I ordered another dish and was told that wasn't available too.... So I ordered another dish and that was not available as well!!!  So I asked them what's available as it seems almost half of their main course selection was not available.  Anyway, decided on something they actually have and was observing the serving staff. 

The hummus was good... well, how can one go wrong with hummus?  The lamb that came with it was decent in taste,  even though it was a tad dry, but when you mixed it together with the hummus and the olive oil, it was palatable.

My main course of lamb and came with basmati rice was a disappointment.  The customers that afternoon were 90% middle easterners so one would expect it to be decent.  Unfortunately, it wasn't.  The lamb was very dry, not seasoned well and the basmati rice was rather tasteless.  I ate it as I was hungry.  As you can see, there's no slight "glisten" on the rice that have been cooked with ghee...  I am not suggesting that it has to be mega oily but it has to "look" the part.  Plus, when I saw chilli sauce being served, I knew they are not serious about their food.  Fine and well to have some available in case you have a customer asking for it, but to serve it as part of your condiment tells you a lot about the chef.

Well, the restaurant was full.  The Filipino servers were not well informed of what is available on the menu and kept going back and forth checking with the other staff.  There were not so many seats but the servers couldn't cope.  It is such a shame when you can pull in the crowd and doubt they will be back...

Ratings:
Hummus: 6.5/10
Lamb with Basmati Rice:  3/10

41 Arab Street
Tel: 292 2330

Service: 4/10

Le Bistro Parisien

Went for a lunch meeting and my friend suggested this new place.  This charming little french restaurant is around the Arab Street area. 

When we got there, we were greeted by the friendly and vivacious owner, Jean Francois Nordin.  Apparently, I heard that he was living in France a long time ago for 12 years working in the restaurants there and he got started by being a dishwasher to get himself into the kitchen.  I guess that's part of the reason that he speaks fluent french too.  We got our seats and was given the menu.  I like the way it was written.

The Onion Soup ($12) was baked well, along with the lovely crusty cheese on top.  The sweetness came from the onions, like how it should be.  It was very tasty.

The Carrot Soup ($8) was really lovely too.  It was creamy but not too much cream that makes you feel sick.  It had the right consistency to it. 

The cod baked with cream was very nice.  Again, it was just right and not too creamy.  The cod pieces were perfectly baked in the sauce.

Ahhhh... the next dish is my personal favourite.  I would come here just for this!  It is a marrow dish   ($21)  and I am so sure my eating kakis would LOVE it!  The marrow was baked and the gravy was glazed on top of it.  This dish is definitely not for the faint-hearted.  It is not oily as I could tell they didn't add any oil....only the oil that came from the natural fats of the marrow.  It was served with some saute mushrooms.

It is superb as you can see the marrow goodness here :P  The marrow was done perfectly well.  The marrow was smooth, rich and simply succulent.  It is like having the equivalent of our local soup tulang minus the knocking and the sucking :D

As you can see, I polished off the whole plate!  In my opinion, this is a must try! YUMS!!!  I don't think you should have this everyday but hey, some fats will do you good...  This is definitely a dish for someone who lives life with a passion :)

We ordered two different steak to taste the difference.  The US Black Angus Ribeye ($48)  was really tender and tasty.  It came with a 2-4 marbling.  It was well seasoned and extremely tasty.

My Australian Wagyu Ribeye ($98) came with a 8++ marbling.  There's fatty goodness in every morsel.  Delicious, extremely tender and is slightly sweeter than the US ribeye, I think due to the fatty content.  Both were perfectly done medium, pink without being "bloody".  It is indeed a superb cut.  However, I always find Wagyu to be a bit rich for me.  I couldn't finish it, not because it was not good, but because I have a relatively small stomach :D.  But I decided to pack it home to make a fab steak sandwich for dinner later.

Dark chocolate dessert

The dessert (again, I can't remember what's the name) is lovely.  I tried 3 different flavours. The dark chocolate, the raspberry and the coffee and chocolate.  I think it is perfectly executed.  All wasn't too sweet and simply delicious.

Raspberry dessert

Coffee and chocolate dessert

The sponge is soft and goes well with the various flavours.

We also tried the creme caramel.  The soft layer of creme caramel on top was nice.  Again, it's not too sweet though the consistency should be just a tad firmer.  But it was tasty.

This unpretentious restaurant has good quality ingredients and top grade meats.  I heard they will be renovating the upstairs bit during Hari Raya as currently the upstairs deco is not too French.  They also offer set lunch menu at a fab price of $18.90 nett.  That would include a soup, a choice of beef stew or a lamb or chicken dish and a coffee.  All meat are halal.  I realised as well that there's no GST nor service charge here.  They do not sell alcohol but you can BYO.  I will definitely visit this restaurant again.... especially for the marrow! :P

Ratings:

Onion Soup: 8.5/10
Carrot Soup: 8/10
Baked cod dish:  7.5/10
Marrow dish:  9.5/10
US Rib Eye: 9.5/10
Australian Wagyu: 9.5/10
Sponge 3 flavour dessert:  9/10
Creme Caramel: 7.5/10

Service: 8/10

10 Haji Lane
Singapore 189203
Tel: 6396 6383
Tel: 6396 6383
(11am to 11pm)
www.bistroparisien.com.sg

Jacob's Cafe

I haven't been catching up with this friend of mine for at least seven months.  We decided to meet up for dinner on a Friday night and we were planning to head to Porta Porta.  When we got there, it was full so we had to find another restaurant.  We drove around Changi Village and saw a restaurant that looked ok, Jacob's Cafe.  Parking is a nightmare here but we were lucky to find the last spot at the public carpark behind it.  The cafe was rather full when we got there.

The food came and we noticed that the French Onion Soup does not come with the crusty cheese on top.  The soup was slightly watery and not as tasty as how we would like it to be.  When we were done with our soup, our main course was served, but our soup bowl was still on the table...

The Lamb Cutlets ($33.90) were seasoned well and tender.  It was indeed a safe choice.  It was served with some boiled vegetables and mashed potato.  The mashed potato could do with a bit more seasoning though.

The oxtail in the Oxtail Stew was tender while the soup was very thick.  My friend was saying that the sauce tasted "floury" and does not really have the "broth" flavour.  He did not finish his plate.

Oh! By the way, my lamb dish is a set and it includes the soup and a choice of coffee or tea.


French Onion Soup: 5.5/10
Lamb Cutlet: 7.5/10
Oxtail Stew: 6/10

Service: 6.5/10

#01-2049, 5 Changi Village Road
(S) 500005

Tel: 6542 7500

Vivitalia

I decided to try this restaurant after they posted their restaurant on my Singapore Restaurants, Singapore Food Facebook wall.  They are also a halal Italian venue.  I was curious so after picking my daughter up from school, I "conned" her into having lunch here because she does not really like to eat out as she prefers my cooking :)

Vivatalia must be rather new as they still have a few kitchen utensils on the table by the entrance.  It looks more like a casual cafe instead of a restaurant.  There are a few tables by the outdoor area/ balcony.  Some contractors were also seen doing some finishing touches.

My daughter ordered the Cream Chicken Spaghetti ($10.90) as she likes cream sauce pasta.  It was creamy and tasted ok.  Although they could have put a little bit more chicken as I had to look for it.  The ginger and mint drink was a tad sweet as they use cordial mint instead of fresh mint.

My Fish & Chips came in a rather big plate.  It was one big piece of fish and I was pleasantly surprised that the quality of the fish was good.  It was coated with a thin batter and it was not soggy.  The batter could do with a little more salt but it was fine as the fish was nice.  However, the coleslaw that came with it was too little. 

We were halfway through our meal when our order of garlic bread arrived.  They were bits of garlic and I must say it is good. 

When we were nearly done with our meal, a server came with two bowls of mushroom soup.  It was complimentary from the restaurant.  I find the mushroom soup a bit runny.  I think it's the first time I had main course- bread- soup in that order. 

I honestly think they could put some effort on presentation.  The food does not look appealing and looks like it's just slap on the plate.  It reminds me more of a canteen. Tastewise, I think it's not wow but decent.  They are obviously targeting the office lunchtime crowd.  It's also suitable for young children and if I am not mistaken, there's a play area just beside it.  The food should be out in proper order (unless advised otherwise) as I do find it strange finishing my meal with mushroom soup... well, perhaps they are still very new...

Spaghetti Chicken Cream Sauce 6/10
Fish & Chips 6.5/10
Garlic Bread: 8/10

50 Tampines North Drive 2
inside Courts Megastore
Level 2
Singapore 528766
Mon-Sun 10am to 10pm

Tel: 823 283 55

Tanjong Katong Cafe

My girlfriend and I was attending an event and since my English girlfriend does not own a kebaya (understandably so), we decided to head to Tanjong Katong Complex to find a nice piece for her.  To be honest, initially I was not sure where to go but another girlfriend told me there's one shop which could probably be worth a visit.

After we had a look at a couple of shops, we decided to head downstairs to the coffee shop to have a drink and think about it.

I heard from some friends that the food here is ok, although I've never tried.  This cafe had been here since the complex opened many many years ago.  Hence, the ultra retro deco :)... I decided to order myself a plate of Hong Kong noodles as a snack as I had my lunch earlier.  It was freshly fried although initially I thought it was the "gravy" kind.  There were loads of vegetables and it was crispy, just how I like it.  It was decent and rather tasty, very Chinese style.  I think the chefs are from China.  I noticed the the servers are still wearing the same "SQ-like" uniform and somehow, I find that quite funny...

Rating:  6.5/10

Service: 5.5/10

Tanjong Katong Cafe
Ground floor
Tanjong Katong Complex

Bistro Changi

Decided to try out this place by the beach just to have a casual snack.  The place was full and we were lucky to get the last table available. 

My fish & chips were ok, it was fine but I think the batter is not crispy enough.  The portion were decent and it came with some salad.

The Pizza Margarita was full of cheese and it was good.  My daughter was very happy with her choice.  It was fresh, the dough was good and they are not stingy with the toppings.

The place is rather pleasant but the service is not great.  You can come for a light snack or drinks but you should not expect too much attention from the staff.   I saw a sign that states that they serve breakfast as well so I may try that out one day...

Ratings: 

Fish & Chips 6/10

Pizza Margerita 8/10

Service 5/10

260 Nicoll Drive, Changi Beach Carpark 1, 

Tel: +65 6546 5229

Ichiban Boshi at nex

All of us woke up after a very good friend's birthday celebration and was really hungry.  We needed food asap and picked the closest venue where we could walk to.

After trying to decide amongst what seems like 10, 000 food outlets there, we picked Ichiban Boshi before one of us fainted...

We ordered various set meals and while some picked sushi from the conveyor belt cum carousel thingy, my girlfriend and I ordered the same thing and our set came with unagi, tempura, teriyaki salmon, chawan mushi, salmon sashimi, miso soup and rice :)

The unagi was done well, the tempura crispy, the teriyaki salmon was not too sweet and the salmon sashimi was fresh.  Both of us really thought it tasted good.  Another friend of ours ordered a set which consists of chawan mushi, tempura, salmon and unagi fried rice.

It tasted good too though her portion of fried rice was too much for her.  Another friend ordered the  tempura udon noodles.  It's tasty though the portion could be a little bit more.

The salad came in a rather a big portion for 1 person.  Ask for the another salad dressing if you don't fancy the one that came with it.

I think it is a decent place for casual dining with family and friends.  My good friend who had tried all the Japanese eateries in NEX said this is the best one.  Come early for lunch as you may not be able to get any table...  lucky we did!

Ratings:
Tempura Set    8/10
Unagi Fried Rice Set 8/10
Udon 7/10


#B1-04 nex
23 Serangoon Central
Tel: 66340128
Daily: 11:00am -10:00pm
(Last order: 9.30pm)