La Braceria @ Greenwood Avenue

There was a New Year gathering of some friends, which was held at La Braceria at Greenwood Avenue. For someone with no car, it is a little inaccessible, as the restaurant is situated in a stretch of shophouses deep in the Bukit Timah estate. Even the cab driver did not know the exact location and brought us around the shophouses around Greenwood estate.

Finally we alighted in front of one of the shophouses, only to realise that the restaurant is situated in a shophouse at the end of the lane, so we ended up walking the whole stretch to the place. Luckily the host(ess) knows the owner, so we were able to have the restaurant almost to ourselves.

When food was served, I saw that it was communal dining style. The appetizers consisted of mushrooms, clams, asparagus sticks, cheese, ham, crackers, salad, calamari and prawns. Because we happened to be sitting in a table where we did not know anyone, we could only help ourselves to little morsels of the food in case the rest wanted to take more.

The main course consisted of lasagne, pasta and baked rice, together with crackers and bread.

Finally, dessert - mixed fruit salad! I must say, whoever who ordered the food for us knows how to eat healthily and good at the same time!

This was one of the bread served during the appetixer.
Unique and not like the kinds of bread I have seen before in other kinds of restaurants.

If it is not due to a gathering, I would never have known this place existed because I have never been to this area. But upon coming, I realise there are quite a few cosy places and chill-out joints around. Perhaps if I am ever in the mood to wander, I may just come here again and have a meal on my own or with someone.

Not everyone can take communal dining though. So if you prefer individually-plated dishes, and are not comfortable with sharing food, then this place is not for you.

Food : 3 out of 5
Service : (what service?)
Ambience : 2 out of 5 (can be quieter and cosier)

Forlino @ One Fullerton

We had a pre-Christmas dinner at Forlino at One Fullerton, an Italian restaurant by the Singapore River and Esplanade which I have always wanted to try. The restaurant has an entrance that is like a maze because when we went up to the second floor, we had to pass by a long corridor, another flight of steps, and then a narrow alleyway-like corridor before we finally arrived at the actual restaurant itself.

By the time I entered, I was hungry and tired. Luckily we were seated at a place by the glass panel so we could have a good look at the view outside.

View outside the restaurant

Dinner started with a glass of champagne, in my case rose sparkling wine.

The appetizer is small but tasty, followed by the bread, which I felt was unique due to the shape and design.

Main course was pasta and beef, that comes with a mixture of other kinds of vegetables and food thrown into one. The beef is finely done, although nothing can ever beat the steak at Morton's!

Initially I was thinking of ordering dessert, but after the meal, especially the big flat bread, I was so full that I could hardly eat anything else!

Overall it was a normal dining experience. For the price we paid, there are other places that are more worth it with much better food too! This is a place where service counts above all!

Food : 2.5 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Service : 4 out of 5
Price : 1.5 out of 5

La Cantina In Venezia @ Changi Village Hotel

There is this cosy place on the top floor of Changi Village Hotel (formerly Le Meridien Changi) that overlooks the sea. It makes for a fantastic sunset view overlooking the Changi Boardwalk. The restaurant is tucked in a corner facing the swimming pool. It is called La Cantina In Venezia, serving Italian food and wines.

The view is spectacular, especially if you take alfresco seating! We could see the sea on one side, Changi Golf Club on the other side, and perhaps Pulau Ubin too.

View of the sea from the restaurant

Changi Golf Club

The golf course

The serving staff are courteous. A waiter would come to us and recommend us the special of the day. We ordered a pizza to split, and shared two plates of pasta amongst us, as well as bread for starters.

The order came at just the right time - not too long, not too short. The bread basket consisted of three slices of olive bread, with 4 packets of butter and a butter knife at the side. The bread is smooth and soft, just nice!

The bread basket

The dishes were all served together. The spaghetti bolognaise was a tad tasteless and too dry, even though the quantity is just right. The pasta sauce is few and far in between and did not seep into the spaghetti. There was no mined meat in the spaghetti, only sauce and a sprinkling of parsley. I think I can make much better spaghetti!

Spaghetti Bolognaise

The other pasta is an aglio olio. I did not taste that, but according to my friend, it is nothing much as well.

The Crab Linguine

The worst of the lot is the Parma Ham pizza. The pizza looked like a big roti prata, and the ham looked like it was just placed on top of it as an afterthought. The pizza had been sliced, but the ham had not. It looked as if someone forgot the ham and put it on top later on. It was hard to slice, and we ended up slicing more than the required ham pieces, or less than the required ham pieces. And it was quite tasteless too!

The Parma Ham Pizza

My verdict? This restaurant is great for the ambience and good for dates. If you like to experience rooftop alfresco dining facing the sea and just a bit of a nibble, this place will be great to chill out for drinks, that is, if you do not care so much about how the food taste like! For such a price, one would expect worthy food, but the food was indeed a disappointment and not worth the price!

Food : 2 out of 5
Price : 1.5 out of 5
Service : 3.5 out of 5
Ambience : 4 out of 5

Sketches Brasserie @ Hotel Intercontinental

I always wondered why some cafes choose to call themselves "brasseries". After all, that word kind of conjures up something else in my mind. Later on, I realise that the word "brasserie" is French for "brewery" or "a type of restaurant with a relaxed, upscale setting, which serves single dishes and other meals." It can have service staff and printed menus, opens every day of the week and serves the same menu all day.

We were at Sketches Brasserie next to Hotel Intercontinental last Saturday. The last time I was there was a few years back when I had a gathering with some former co-workers. I remember the pizza was pretty good.

However, this time round, I was not happy with their service. The service staff seems quite confused over the menu. Perhaps because the menu is hand-written, and one has to state the preference on what kind of pasta we like.

The standard of the food has dropped a lot too. The pasta is tasteless, the soup is normal Campbells soup, and the garlic bread is not well-toasted. The interior decoration is cosy with a nice ambience, but it is hard to look beyond physical appearance when the food is not up to par. This is one place I am not going back if I can help it!

Interior of the restaurant

The bar counter

The table setting
(I kind of like the wooden table, gives a rather quaint feel)

The menu (see how confusing the menu can get?)

The garlic bread

Mushroom soup

My spaghetti with onions, bolognaise sauce and bacon

His spaghetti with mushrooms, bacon and ham

There was actually some confusion over his order. He does not eat onions and he wants mushrooms, but when my spaghetti came, his came with the same ingredients. Turned out the poor girl was confused over our orders in the menu slip.

So we had to explain that this plate consisted of mushrooms, bacon, ham, bolognaise sauce and NO onions. But at least she was kind enough to bring it back and the chef gave us a new order. Hence three stars for service!

Dessert - Creme Brulee with tea

This was the worst creme brulee I have ever tasted! Firstly, the texture was so hard that I could hardly put my spoon in! Creme brulee may look hard on the outside, but once you dip your spoon inside, the texture is as soft as custard. The hardness is only the top layer, where the sugar coating is. Creme brulee should best be eaten in an authentic French restaurant!

Food : 3 out of 5

Ambience : 3 out of 5

Service : 2.5 out of 5

Price : 2.5 out of 5 (it is not that expensive, but not worth it for the kind of food and service standard!)

SPIZZA @ Club Street

There is a pasta place called SPIZZA, with a few outlets scattered around the island. I was there at the Club Street outlet last night for dinner. What captured my interest was that the pizza menu is arranged from A to Z. There is a name for every pizza using every alphabet.

We settled for Zara pizza, which is chocolate flavoured, topped with bananas and almond flakes. It was a bit too early for dinner, considering we were the first customers (and the last to leave), so I did not wish to have anything too filling or heavy.

The ambience is good, with soothing and nice music, a nice place to hang out and chat. There were a few customers, but by the time it was nine, everyone else had gone, and I suspected the waiters were just hanging around waiting for us to leave, perhaps intending to throw us out but at the same time could not. Wonder if the place is that empty everyday?

The food is not that great though. Maybe the pizza we ordered was not that appetizing, perhaps the rest of the food in the menu would be nice? Still, it was good to explore a new place, then at least I will know whether to patronise it again!

Food : 2.5 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Service : 3 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

Da Vinci Italian Restaurant @ Cuppage

Da Vinci Italian Restaurant is in Cuppage Terrace. That restaurant is shared by a Mexican Restaurant, so it serves both Italian and Mexican food. The place is owned by Indians, with Indian waiters and chefs, but the food is not too bad, although the servings are a bit too large for me. Ever since I lost some weight, my food intake has decreased.

The restaurant is a small cosy place with just a few tables. Honestly, if I was not asked to go there, I would never have known this place exists, because it is such a small place that people tend to miss it even if they pass by it.

The interior of the restaurant is dim and cosy, with a romantic aura around. There is hardly any lights, and the table is lit up by candlelight. Really a perfect place to go for a candlelight dinner with a special someone!

There is a huge portrait of the Mona Lisa hanging on the wall inside the restaurant. There are also framed pictures of Da Vinci's other works, like The Virgin and Child with St Anne, Leda and the Swan, Virgin of the Rocks and the infamous Vitruvian Man of course.

The service is good too. Prompt, efficient and polite. At least I get to know a new dining place which I would otherwise not have discovered. I will not mind going there again, hopefully with someone special, then we can get to enjoy the ambience to the fullest.

Cuisine : Italian / Mexican
Food : 3.5 out of 5
Ambience : 4 out of 5
Service : 4 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

Spageddies @ Paragon

I was recommended this restaurant by the friend I was out with. Italian cuisine is big here, as compared to other kinds of food. I find it easier to prepare Italian food than other kinds of cuisine. Having said that, it is not that easy to actually make nice good Italian food.

When we stepped in, it took a long time for someone to serve us even though there was an indication that our presence was felt. We were ushered to a seat and started reading the menu. Again, it took a long time for someone to take our order. It was not as if the restaurant was that packed, the service staff were just walking around not really noticing anyone!

Finally someone took our orders. I had an aglio olio, which tasted too salty. I think the chef must have overdosed on the olive oil! And it was not quite spicy enough. I kept drinking water and running out of water, but whenever I called for water, the service staff just either ignored or could not be bothered! It took a long time for my glass to be filled up!

For such food and such service, I wonder why there are people who actually recommend this place? I for one would never wish to step in again!

Cuisine : Italian
Food : 2 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Price : 2 out of 5 (not worth it for the kind of food and service standards)
Service : 1.5 out of 5