Abof Cafe and Restaurant @ Millenia Walk

We had North European food earlier on. Actually Western food is about the same everywhere, thus the Scandinavian restaurant we were in serves pretty normal Western food. The place itself looks rather classy, but quiet. We seem to be the only four customers there!

We ordered a set meal each. There are two sets, a cheaper one and a more expensive one. The cheaper set consists of a soup, sorbet, choice of main course, dessert and coffee or tea. The more expensive set consists of all the above, with the addition of foie gras, and caviar garnishing for one of the main courses.

All of us ordered the cheaper set. The servings are just right, not too big, as compared to other Western restaurants. Two of us (including me) had Norwegian Salmon, Onion Soup, Tea and Carrot Cake. All my favourite dishes! The salmon is good!

The other two had Ribeye Steak, Onion Soup, Coffee and their own choice of desserts. His steak is just right, medium rare, unlike the medium-but-turned-out-rare steak we had in Hooters the night before.

It is a good place to recommend for anyone looking for a cosy dining experience. The place is called Abof Cafe and Restaurant at Millenia Walk, somewhere near Outback Steakhouse. The food and ambience is good, be it for two people, or a small group.

Cuisine : Scandinavian
Food : 3.5 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

HOOTERS @ Clarke Quay

Finally I got to try out Hooters after thinking of going there for ages. I am not sure whether it was because we chose a seat outside the restaurant next to the river, but the overall experience is not that fantastic. Perhaps inside the restaurant the ambience may be better?

Of course, Hooters is famous for the waitresses in their scantily-clad attire. The waitresses are heavily made-up, with sleek and silky hair, wearing tight tank tops and mini shorts. But the service left much to be desired. The waitress serving us made a face when our friend asked her a few more questions pertaining to his order. She looked so grumpy as if she could not be bothered to take our orders!

The food is not that great as well. Hooters is famous for its chicken wings, so we ordered two plates of ten chicken wings each, one with the normal Teriyaki sauce, the other with the Medium buttery spicy sauce, as appetizers.

The drinks are good too. I had two glasses of Hooty-fruity, a mocktail, consisting of orange juice, soursop juice, calamansi juice, grenadine and blended milk. Sweet and delicious, just like drinking a thin milkshake!

We ordered a New Zealand Sirloin Steak, Medium, to share. Our friend ordered crab's legs and his girlfriend a grilled chicken with spaghetti carbonara. The crab's legs are not that fresh, so they were not that delicious, and our steak turned out more rare than medium.

Overall, it is not a good experience for me. With so much hype over Hooters, it is a rather disappointing experience. Perhaps it is a good place to chill out over drinks and finger food, but not for dining.

Cuisine : American
Food : 2.5 out of 5
Ambience : 2.5 out of 5
Price : 3 out of 5

Portobelle @ River Valley

There is this little restaurant called Portobelle Cafe somewhere in the River Valley area. The few times I went around that area, I overlooked that place. Honestly, it is rather easy to overlook if no one knows it exists, because it is a very small place, just a few tables inside, and a few outside. If I did not come across a restaurant review recently raving about the food at this place and the address, I would never have noticed it as well!

The interior is pretty cosy, with a Mediterranean feel, considering the place sells Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine after all. No rabbit meat though. I ordered a Moussaka, which is essentially a Greek dish consisting of eggplants and beef stew of sorts. I must say, the food is yummy, and the service is good too!

Just as well we went for an early dinner, otherwise there would be no more places later on as the seats were all reserved. I guess for such a small place with limited seating, it will be almost impossible to get a seat without any prior reservation. Next time I shall go there later on in the night, so I can eat in candlelight!

Cuisine : Greek / Mediterranean
Food : 3.5 out of 5
Ambience : 3 out of 5 (think the rating will be higher if I did manage to dine by candlelight)
Service : 4 out of 5 (personalised service)
Price : 3.5 out of 5