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The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC)
it is rather unconventional that we talk about a restaurant chain store in our posts, but a recent birthday treat promotion special brought us to visit The Connoisseur Concerto (formerly known as The Coffee Connoisseur) for the first time in a very long time. The chain has been around since 2003 and has several outlets islandwide. Despite the name change, its bright yellow TCC logo is still very recognizable, and our visit turned out to be a pleasant surprise because there was a wide selection of pretty good food. this probably explains the restaurant's popularity till today.
TCC today has moved beyond just being a coffee place. In fact, we inferred that the name change was probably the chain's move towards being a bistro or a restaurant serving a much broader range of food. we also noticed several reviews mentioning that the store changes their menu quite periodically and it seems like the focus now is towards fusion food with a European twist. coffees are still available, but there are a much wider variety of ice-blended or mocktail drinks that go pretty well on the camera too. Members enjoy 50% off their total bill for their first visit and 30% off their next visit on their birthday month (which explained why we were there)... 
their carb meals are quite interesting these days. We tried the Scallop & baby crayfish baked rice which was really quite good. generous portions of scallops and crayfish bits, served with Shimeiji mushrooms and mixed into a very cheesy plate of Japanese rice, turns out to be a very fragrant dish. this is one of TCC's best sellers and we hope that it would stay on their menu because it was definitely worth another go. 
the spaghetti dishes here were not bad as well. we went for the Baby crayfish spaghetti which again had ample servings of crayfish, wasabi tobiko and normal roe tobiko, a very unique crispy crumbed poached egg mixed with spaghetti in tomato cream sauce. it had the right mix of flavour and spice, with portions that make for a very filling meal. Another pasta dish worth checking out was the Clam & Hotate Mentaiko Spaghetti which is essentially pasta with lots of Hotate clams, seaweed, runny egg served with spaghetti in Mentaiko sauce. this is new on the menu and we found the aroma very appetizing. 
another thing to note is TCC's shift towards healthier food choices. branded as an Omega 3 boost, this Grilled Salmon with Shiro Miso cream comes with a combination of healthy greens and proteins. It comes complete with a grilled Norwegian salmon in Shiro Miso cream, salad, Onsen egg and even with a choice of red Quinoa or brown rice. They also have a locally inspired chicken Rendang version but this certainly looks alot more guilt-free. The coffee at TCC is still good, but more Instagrammable versions such as the Ice-Blue Latte has been created. we enjoyed our visit to TCC very much, and this unexpected trip there has given us alot of new perspective to this household name. We certainly recommend TCC for gatherings and family outings. 
The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC) 2 Orchard Turn #B2-49 ION Orchard, S238801 (amongst many other outlets) Opening Hours Daily: 10 am to 10 pm where beauty and sophistication of art blends with chic elegance... Labels: #bakedrice, #coffeeplace, #crayfishspaghetti, #icebluelatte, #ionorchard, #singaporerestaurantchain, #TCC, #theconnoisseurconcerto Noodle Bar by Tokyo Latte
covering one of my favourite topics today even though it is basic comfort food - instant noodles! and even when it is something that can be easily prepared for supper at home or a late night in the office, specialty shops serving variations of instant noodles have been gaining some ground. Take Su Superstar (which specialises in Korean Ramyeon) at SCAPE for example and this store, which prides itself in serving customised noodle dishes.
Noodle Bar by Tokyo Latte is located at JCube in Jurong East. Popular amongst students and the working faithful in the area, this store is able to customize your favourite noodle dish in a mix-and-match format, allowing patrons to select from the noodle type, to the soup base to the ingredients to add on. the combinations are reasonably priced with a selection of sides and other signature dishes to go with their mains. we went nostalgic by trying the Nisshin noodles with old school chicken soup base. we propped a Ponzu roast chicken to add on and viola, a heart-warming meal. there are also dry noodle bases that one can go for, such as stirring the noodles with yakisoba or going fusion and doing it aglio olio style. 
beside noodles, the store has other signature dishes such as this baked sunrise seafood rice, which is one of their specialties. the cheese baked rice is very fragrant and topped with an abundant portion of seafood. other popular Western choices offered here include the signature gourmet beef burger and the classic Tokyo Latte french toast. many of these noodle and rice dishes also come in red enamel pots or baking pans, which the restaurant believes will help to create that homely feeling that ought to come with these dishes. 
and as the store's name suggests, Tokyo Latte represents Japanese fusion with European cuisine, hence on top of Nisshin instant noodles, customers can select from ramen, udon or cha soba. another popular combi is this ramen served with roasted tomato basil and seafood soup base. its abit like seafood pasta but with ramen instead. and although Tokyo Latte itself is a drink on a menu, the thirst-quenching favourites here are the green island lemonade or the pineapple gunner crush. In all, the noodle bar is a cosy comfort-food hideout that is good for quick-fix lunches or for group gatherings as well. 
Noodle Bar by Tokyo Latte 2 Jurong East Central 1 #02-03, JCube Singapore 609731 Opening Hours Daily: 11.30 am to 10 pm to make casual dining a gastronomic experience.. Labels: #bakedrice, #instantnoodles, #japanesefusion, #jcube, #jurongeast, #noodlebarbytokyolatte |
..ThE lEgEnD..
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Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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