Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The Courtyard @ Fullerton Hotel


Our quest for high tea continues with Fullerton Hotel. Although the high tea here is very popular (especially Japanese customers), but there are ample seats available and making a reservation 2 to 3 days in advance should not be a problem.

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Although the high tea is situated within the courtyard, but the entire area is air-conditioned.

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The menu. English Afternoon Tea here costs S$42, including a pot of tea.

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We had the Alfonso tea, which was infused with mango and Mediterranean fruits and flowers. From TWG.

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Presenting the English Afternoon Tea (portion for 2). Good thing about the afternoon tea here is that everything can be replenished again and again.

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A selection of sweets and desserts

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More sweets

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English tea sandwiches. We really like the Otah sandwich a lot

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More sandwiches. Love the black sesame cone with caviar.

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Their famous homemade Kueh Lapis was indeed one of the best we tried. Comes with prunes.

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Homemade Scones

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Clotted Cream and Jam

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More refilles of the caviar cones.


The Courtyard
1 Fullerton Square
Level 1
Fullerton Hotel

Sunday, November 25, 2012

The Kitchen Table @ W Singapore


When overseas friends now ask where is the hottest and coolest hotel in Singapore, I used to wonder if there is even one in Singapore. But now, I think we can say that W Singapore, is indeed the leader in that category.

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The hotel opened its doors about 1 to 2 months ago. And with the opening of the hotel comes 2 new restaurants. Today, we went to the all day dining buffet restaurant for a weekday ala-carte lunch as it was too late for the buffet.

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As with the designs of W hotel, The Kitchen Table also contains some elements of "coolness" and "quirkiness".

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For example, the water flask looks like something out from a science lab.

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Started our lunch with a Spicy Korean miso, silken tofu, roasted pork and scallops (S$32)

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This was followed by another soup of the Parsnip and white bean bisque, roasted marron tails (S$24)

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This is something you don't often see in Singapore: Braised lamb shank broth, pearl barley, truffle and rosemary (S$24)

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For starters, we shared the Brioche and Parmesan crumbed king prawn cutlets with aioli (S$16)

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The have some Asian style dishes to share, such as the "Phad Thai" stir-fried rice noodles tiger prawns tamarind sauce (S$37)

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Meat lovers who would like to try out the different cuts should order the Mixed grill : wagyu skirt steak, Iberian pork belly, spiced chipolata sausages, foie gras and lamb chops. Rough cut chips, fried onions (S$72)

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The mixed grill came with different condiments: BBQ sauce, whole grain mustard, English mustard, chilli sauce

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For carbo, we had the King crabmeat rissoni, chilli, fennel and mascarpone (S$38)

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A twist in the all-familiar Chinese dim sum: Foie gras and scallop dumplings served with ginger + Worcestershire sauce (S$27)

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Here at The Kitchen Table, their desserts are rather unique too. Starting with this Sweet chocolate parfait, honeycomb, kulfi inspired pistachio ice cream (S$18)

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and Black mission fig cassata roasted hazel nuts double cream (S$18)


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Even the one scoop strawberry ice cream was served with a cutesy spoon with soft silicon handle (S$6)

Conclusion is that the food here is rather average. A few weeks later, we tried out its sister restaurant Skirt which serves grilled meats. And Skirt was a far more better restaurant with pocket friend prices but good quality cuts. Shall update on Skirt in the weeks to come.


The Kitchen Table
W Singapore
Sentosa Cove
21 Ocean Way

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Waterfall Cafe @ Shangri-La Hotel


A few months back, Shangri-La Hotel opened a brand new restaurant around the swimming pool and waterfall area, named Waterfall Cafe. It's not the same Waterfall Cafe in the hotel back in the late 90s, but the brand new Waterfall Cafe dishes out mostly organic treats and is seen as slightly more wholesome and healthier.

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Waterfall Cafe started a Sunday Brunch not too long ago (S$78++ per person), and this Sunday brunch consists of  one bottle of organic soda, one breakfast item, and one main course, plus all the appetizers and entrees places around the restaurant.

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Each diner gets to choose one bottle of organic soda. Here we have the Organic Sparkling blackcurrant and cream soda

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The beautiful buffet display

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The seafood section

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A variety of bread is presented to each table. Comes with French butter.

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Here, we have a selection of salad, compressed watermelon, cherry tomato and chicken breast with fig.

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What is a brunch without a serving of Joselito Iberico jamon?

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Alaskan crab, prawn, salmon. Sandwiches

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For the breakfast item, we had the Poached eggs on rye bread, smoked salmon trout, spinach, Portobello, fennel hollandaise

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Do try their yummy chilled carrot and orange soup, baby carrot confit with fresh mango, and the warm mushroom velouté, wild mushroom and chestnut fricassee. The chilled soup is perfect for a warm afternoon.

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The 3 different mains we chose. The first is this Oven baked lamb leg with thyme jus, roasted spicy tomatoes and vegetable fricasee

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Second is the Roasted chicken breast, mushroom & spinach, roasted fig, hazelnut chicken jus

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OAnd the 3rd is this rather unique oven baked iberico pork with creamy polenta & mushroom

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Desserts are presented in the form of a Dessert Platter

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End your wonderful Sunday brunch with a serving of either coffee or tea.


Waterfall Cafe
22 Orange Grove Road
Garden Wing,
Level One
Shangri-La Hotel

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Tong Le Private Dining @ OUE Tower


We are back at our favourite Chinese restaurant Tong Le Private Dining. With such a beautiful location and great food, it's not surprising to see us return so many times. For tonight, we had the set Dinner (S$180 and S$120).

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This appetizer of Honey and plum pickled cherry tomatoes was sweet, juicy and refreshing.

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We had an extra order of Shinji's sea urchin rice with fatty tuna, salmon roe and freshly grated wasabi (S$80), and this become one of our favourites here. A must order.

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Had 2 orders of their mocktail made from freshly squeezed fruits. First was the Melon and passion fruit mocktail (S$15)

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And the second mocktail is this melon and lavender, mint and lemon (S$15)

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Baked crab meat with wild cep served in crispy sesame nest. The whole appetizer looks like a bird's nest.

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The creativity of the chef was challenged in this dish - Alaskan crab prepared in 2 way : baked with salted egg yolk & steamed with vintage "Hua Diao" wine almost like chawanmushi silken texture

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We had 2 soups from the set dinner. First was this Double boiled superlative shark's fin with wild bamboo pith fungus and cabbage heart

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And second is this exquisitely presented Double boiled superlative shark's fin with black truffle in chicken broth. The soup had a really potent taste to it. Thumbs up.

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Tung Lok always does good steam fish dishes, and we were happy with their Traditional style steam wild ocean star grouper served in lotus leaf.

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Also good was the Quick fried wild ocean star grouper.

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Palate cleanser : lychee mint sorbet

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Next up was this luxurious item: Braised South African live abalone with pan seared wild cep

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Stewed sliced Australian Green Lip abalone with goose web. The abalone was tender and had absorbed all the delicious stew.

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Fried and puffed rice with minced Kagoshima wagyu beef. Here, you get to enjoy the crisy rice and also the fried rice texture with juicy beef cubes.

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Braised lobster with spicy fish mousse noodle. The noodles are made from real fish paste.

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Their desserts are also quite special, starting from this Chilled mango accompanied with homemade mango sorbet, blood orange, pomelo and sago

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Warm chocolate lava cake with walnut crispy rice ice cream


Tong Le Private Dining
OUE Tower,
Level 4 and 5
60 Collyer Quay