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Otto Ristorante
Nestled in a quiet corner of the refurbished Maxwell Chambers building, Otto Ristorante provides the Italian option for corporate lunch within the CBD of Singapore. not quite a Zafferano, even though this institution has been around since it was originally located at the nearby Red Dot building, only moving over to this new premises in 2015. In all, Otto makes it a convenient place for business set lunches within the Tanjong Pagar area..
placing quite abit of emphasis of liquor to go with their meal offerings, the new design of the restaurant comes with a wine bar that carries a good selection of wines and spirits. the set lunch menu appears to be extremely popular amongst the office workers within the area as it comes in a 3-course set at very reasonable prices. 
kicking off the set lunch menu, popular choices would be their crab meat with avocado salad, or the daily soup. we had cauliflower soup on the day of our visit that turned out just right, freshly prepared and served warm to accompany a wide selection of bread that formed part of the starters. 
the choice of mains come in very ample portions, of which the lamb shank and the grilled Japanese squid came out as regular preferred choices. the grilled Japanese squid comes with Borlotti bean and onion salad, the texture of the squid is grilled well to ensure it is not overly chewy and seasoned to make it really flavourful. the lamb shank came with mash potato and seasonal vegetables, though the meat could have been a little bit more tender and the rich taste of lamb better masked. 
the desserts were pretty good with their very own interpretation of sorbet served with white chocolate and jelly a very popular choice. judging from the daily turnout especially during weekday lunches, advanced reservations should be made before visiting the restaurant. overall, Otto Ristorante whips up pretty good Italian fare and its set lunch menu would be a good choice to assess some of their main dishes at a very reasonable rate. 
Otto Ristorante 32 Maxwell Road #01-02/03 Maxwell Chambers Singapore 069115 Opening Hours Mondays to Fridays: 12 pm to 2.30 pm; 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm Saturdays: 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm (closed on Sundays) quality Italian food and amicable service in a sophisticated environment.. Labels: #italianfood, #maxwellchambers, #ottoristorante, #setlunch, #sgitalianfood Jamie's Italian (Singapore)
there was a certain degree of excitement when the news broke that Jamie Oliver's famous Italian restaurant from Oxford, UK is coming to Singapore and more certainly, a victory for Singapore retail as its first outlets opened within shopping malls. then came the challenge of living up to Singapore's more illustrious institutions for Italian food such a Amarone, Pasta Brava or La Nonna, and whether the Singapore version of Jamie's Italian turned out more normal than it's celebrity status..
we visited the outlet at Vivocity to find out, and found the demographic of the weekend crowd largely made up of tourists. it was certainly not as busy as when the store first opened in 2013, especially now that it has 2 outlets. the store is designed to recreate one of Jamie Oliver's kitchen settings, bar-top counters overlooking either the baking of fresh pizza or the preparation of pastas. there are also al-fresco dining areas (overlooking Sentosa) and normal table dining as well. we heard from other reviews that the restaurant service ought to have included checking with the patrons on how they'd like their pasta texture to be, or any other dietary requirements, but that somehow didn't happen during our visit. 
pastas are a must when visiting an Italian restaurant, so we tried the Spaghetti Vongole. it turned out to be a petite serving of pasta but with an ample portion of clams, sprinkled with chopped red chilli and garnishing. it wasn't bad pasta with the right amount of spiciness. we also tried a Ravioli Con Carne or beef-ragu stuffed ravioli dashed with brown butter and lemon. the texture was fairly crispy and for beef lovers, the stuffing was generous. 
checking out some of the restaurant's other mains, we ordered a serving of the Venetian fish stew, which came with fish, clams and mussels, prepared in a tomato based sauce with white wine. i actually loved this dish the most, where the sauces really soaked into the seafood, giving it a very rich flavour. the non-pasta mains generally don't come cheap though, and one should expect to spend at least $50 per pax for a visit here. 
the drinks were kinda blah unless you'd go for a fairly conventional selection of red or white wines. we went for some non-alcoholic cocktails which came in really huge mugs but was largely more sparkling water than juice. for a celebrity restaurant, this place brings with it a great ambience with food that won't go wrong. perhaps not too authentic as compared to other Italian establishments in Singapore, but i guess it is still a close representation of a British chef's interpretation of Italian fare, which earned it top accolades in the UK. you'd probably visit Jamie's Italian, if you'd want to be part of that experience. 
Jamie's Italian (Singapore) 1 HarbourFront Walk #01-165/167, Vivo City Singapore 098585 Opening Hours Mondays to Thursdays: 12 pm to 10 pm Fridays: 12 pm to 11 pm Saturdays: 11 am to 11 pm Sundays: 11 am to 10 pm tradition combined with current, innovative ideas and a Jamie twist.. Nanjing Impressions (Singapore)
with Chinese New Year around the corner, we decided to talk about some Chinese fare where you could probably have your reunion dinner. carrying a reputation of over 40 stores in China, this new-to-market store from Suzhou is bringing traditional Nanjing street food to Singapore, and have set-up-shop in Plaza Singapura. we went to check out this newly opened store to see what many bloggers and newspaper reviews have been fussing about recently..
Nanjing Impressions is designed like a medieval Chinese tavern from a swordsman's movie. it's rave popularity has led to a queue system that would greet you upon arrival (abit similar to the situation at Hai Di Lao). when it is your turn, a costumed usher will bring you to your seat greeting you with auspicious Chinese wishes. the multiple reviews helped us to make our food selections based on their signature dishes. 
we kicked off with the signature Jinling salted duck, which was tasty and well marinated. they've got to work on their consistency of cuts though, because we certainly had alot more bones than the meaty portions we saw from the food reviews. the same can be said about the shredded beancurd, which although takes much skill, since the beancurd is diced to look like noodles, the presentation for VIP guests looked alot better.. 
a specialty dish that we found very good was the poached "lion's head" meatball, which has a very soft texture and served with some clear soup. the meatball was lightly salted and went very well with rice. another dish that we liked very much was the sliced fish with sour-cabbage broth. the soup had a sour and spicy taste, with the fish bringing out the flavourful spices that went into preparing it. this dish has fairly long waiting time, so order it first. 
we went for the dessert that everybody talked about and were in for a pleasant surprise. The osmanthus-scented sponge cake was really chewy, not overly sweet and made a nice closing dessert after a pretty savoury meal. in all, we enjoyed the food at Nanjing Impressions, the wait was about 30 mins long on a weekend and while the food portions were adequate, the dishes were a tad pricey (just like every other International brand that comes into Singapore, wonder what taxes are levied onto them).. Nonetheless, if you're looking for a reunion dinner option, you could consider this place.. 
Nanjing Impressions (Singapore) Plaza Singapura 68 Orchard Road #04-46 to 51 Singapore 238839 Opening Hours Daily: 11 am to 10 pm It's also called Nanjing DaPaiDang.. Labels: #nanjingdapaidang, #nanjingimpressions, #nanjingimpressionssg, #plazasingapura, #sgchinesefood Mad About Sucre
and suddenly it's 2017, Happy New Year everybody and hope the festive period had some joyous feasting for you. we had our recent Christmas lunch at Mad About Sucre, the French influenced pastry and cake shop which has since evolved into a French gourmet restaurant. priding itself for using generally fresh ingredients and having a new seasonal menu every quarter, this is the place to come for a slow, enjoyable dining experience.
located along Teo Hong Road, at the heart of the Bukit Pasoh Conservation area, Mad About Sucre lines itself with several new modern and stylish restaurants that has taken root here. the classic interior reflects the creative colour and unique ideas that the team here serves up. entering the shop, you'd be greeted by a dessert and pastry bar displaying their cakes for the season. the restaurant is also popular for ordering customised cakes to celebrate occasions, and they all look really pretty. 
the crew absolutely takes pride in their creations and have a keen eye for detail. they would patiently introduce their menu and recommend suitable combinations of starters and mains. cake orders comes with complimentary tea pairings to best go with the food and the dessert. We started with a salad dish, that came with smoked wild salmon. grilled prawns with some lemon and honey dressing. the flavours were distinct and i think that helps to build some appetite for the next few dishes. 
a French influenced meal cannot do without Duck Confit, so we tried their version that was served with gratin potatoes and an orange sauce. the meat was tender, with softer rather than crispy skin which soaked up the condiments better. we had it together with linguine in pesto sauce and a sashimi-grade wild Norwegian salmon. the fish was served really fresh and sprinkled with saffron together with paprika, giving it a tinge of spice. the team introduced every dish to us when serving, carefully explaining how they were made, and how best to savour them. we noted that they placed special emphasis on freshness and using organic ingredients, which is another hallmark of this place. 
the cakes all looked very intricate, and we actually ordered quite a few to try. special mention to this Petitte France which is essentially a yoghurt mousse with French Mascarpone and almonds. the taste of whiskey and drops of honey is evident, making this our favourite dessert. another cake we liked was called Amour, made up of mainly Yuzu and white chocolate. the Yuzu taste is pretty strong but went well with the soft layer of white chocolate and biscuit crumb base. we enjoyed it so much that we even ordered a whole log cake of this flavour for an office party later on. in all, Mad About Sucre is a place for quality French cuisine, their pastries are note-worthy and the staff will give you a good appreciation of their culinary art. a unique dining experience indeed. 
Mad About Sucre 27 Teo Hong Rd Singapore 088334 Opening Hours Tuesdays to Saturdays: 12.30 pm to 10 pm Sundays: 12.30 pm to 5 pm (closed on Mondays) with natural goodness and without any artificial flavors, modern pre-mixes and preservatives... Labels: #bukitpasoh, #duckconfit, #frenchfood, #madaboutsucre, #singaporefrenchcuisine, #teohongroad Gudetama Cafe (Singapore)
there are usually a few question marks surrounding thematic cafes, from their food quality to the sustainability of the concept. this is even more so for Gudetama, the Japanese egg character with pretty much single dimensions. Nonetheless, the throngs of crowds since they opened their doors at Suntec City seem to prove otherwise, and more importantly, food reviewers actually praised the food..
the whole store is designed around this character - who represents a lazy egg literally. besides the instagram-worthy food itself, there are a few photo opportunities within the store from the cushions, the seats to some life-sized figurines. we kinda liked the egg-shaped pods for family dining, thought it was rather cute. after a 30 min wait (on a Monday evening) and an overdose of the theme song played from its video wall, we finally got into the cafe. 
there is effort for every dish served to showcase the character itself. right from the get-go with appetizers and this Gudetama Lobster Onsen, a rich lobster bisque served inside a crispy bread. the soup is actually not bad, though not many patrons were game enough to finish the bread. the mains were a little bit off colour on our visit, although we know that they could do better from the blog reviews online.. 
we tried the Lazy Surfer, which is essentially a platter of seafood dripped in a spicy sauce and served with pineapple rice. there's a 'Bo Chup' tag on the rice (could be explaining the chef's mood) to represent the laziness but the overall portions and quality of the clams, squids, prawns and fish was normal. the other dish we tried was the Eggcited Cajun Chicken with Waffles, which was a tad disappointing due to the soft texture of the waffles. the sauce turned out to be the same one as the lobster bisque which was somewhat repetitive, overall a pretty bland dish. 
the drinks were also themed and turned out to be pretty refreshing cocktails. there's also a whole line of desserts from their cake bar, to their signature Shoyu Ramen dish (it's actually a pastry) that is worth a try. The overall thematic experience at Gudetama Cafe (Singapore) is probably memorable, but do come prepared for a fairly long wait, and a slightly pricey meal. We probably shouldn't complain when an operator creates an eggciting new concept to liven up our otherwise drab retail scene, so thumbs up for effort and certainly something worth a visit. 
Gudetama Cafe (Singapore) #01-61 Suntec City Mall 3 Temasek Blvd, Singapore 038983 Opening Hours Mondays to Thursdays: 9 am to 10 pm Fridays to Sundays: 8 am to 10 pm the food is freshly prepared using quality and natural ingredients without any MSG and preservatives.. Labels: #gudetamacafe, #gudetamacafesg, #sunteccity, #thematiccafe D'Good Cafe (Ngee Ann City)
recalling the good experience we had some time at the start of this year visiting D'Good Cafe at Holland Village, we were somewhat happy that the creators of this concept opened a second store within the town area. like the first cafe, the store carries a strong influence on religious faith and good service. the theme of custom blend coffees also revolve around the ethos of D'Good cafe.
the design inspiration for the outlet at Ngee Ann City carries elements of the London Tube. from the metro station icons, the ceiling arches to the cobbled walls, the unit carries a British feel. the target crowd is diverse, just from the short time we were there, we saw patrons on a quiet date, a group of girlfriends having their get-together, lunch gathering for a young family with children etc. judging from the range of food that the cafe offers, this is no surprise. 
this joint carries some very good quality mains. not too big in portions, but with greater emphasis on texture and taste. we tried the "Ling" cod fish and chips, which has a very good batter, with fresh chewy fish on the inside. i'm not quite sure the purpose of serving the dish on a mesh tray though, because despite having a drip tray at the bottom, there's bound to be a rectangular oil mark left on the table. 
some very good pasta is also whipped up here. i recalled having seafood arrabiata at the Holland V outlet, and decided to go for Fresh sea prawn Aglio Olio today. the pasta is very flavourful, with a tinge of spice and generous servings of prawns. apart from these mains, one can expect traditional pancakes (served on a pan) and other bite-sized snacks to be available here. a tie-up with dessert chef Aki Watanabe for this outlet also means a great selection of cheesecakes to whet the after-meal taste-buds. 
finally, not forgetting coffee, which plays a big part to this cafe's reputation. you can check out our previous post which discusses abit on the custom made coffees, but we again went for the "surprise-me" option of taking their D'Unknown cold brew. this time, it turned out to be an iced-latte with some rose syrup, quite a refreshing mix. the main ambience of both D'Good cafes places emphasis on homely and casual dining, and maybe its a coming of age, but that's the way i'd like to spend weekends these days. 
D'Good Cafe (Ngee Ann City) 391 Orchard Road #B1-56 Ngee Ann City Singapore 238872 Opening Hours Daily: 10 am to 10 pm Experience goodness the moment you enter and bring a smile with you when you leave.. Labels: #coldbrew, #dgoodcafe, #fishandchips, #ngeeanncity, #pastaplace, #weekendcafe |
..ThE lEgEnD..
Last Movie: Ad Astra
Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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