La Fondue @ Dempsey

Last Saturday was Halloween, so some friends and I went to La Fondue at Dempsey for dinner. It was a very rainy night, with torrents of rain splashing down. Most people would be late, and by the time we reached the restaurant, it was five minutes past the stipulated time. Luckily my friends are the ones who keep promises, so rain or shine, they turned up and we had a blast of a time!

It was the first time I entered the restaurant. Initially, we were supposed to go to White Rabbit, but that was closed for a private function, hence we settled for La Fondue instead. The set meals consist of cheese fondues (what else?), with meat, vegetables, appetizers and a dessert of chocolate fondue!

The set meals range from a three-course to a sumptuous six-course, so the price is dependent on what one orders. Personally, for just two people, a normal three-course is already filling enough! Since we have about twelve, we ordered three different meals and all had a sumptuous feast!

The interior of the restaurant looks cosy and quaint. It is situated in an colonial house (like most of Dempsey), so the space is not that big. The restaurant can seat about twenty the most. Still, it is great for big groups and yet cosy enough for just two.

Interior of the restaurant - hanging chandelier of sorts

I am not sure if it was due to Halloween, or the restaurant itself has a mystic feel to it, but we saw masks, different kinds of masks, hanging at every wall, next to candle stands.

Different kinds of masks

Table setting

The appertizers of caesar salad, garden salad and shrimp cocktail

The blue cheese fondue

The brie cheese fondue

The pure cheese fondue

Vegetables sides

The bread

Dipping the bread into the fondue

The different varieties of meat (beef, fish and chicken)

Cooking the meat (cooked by my dear!)

Dessert - chocolate fondue

Platter of fruit
(bananas, strawberries, kiwis, pineapples, marshmallows and vanilla ice-cream!)

Dipping banana into the chocolate fondue

Dipping the strawberry into the chocolate fondue

Dipping the marshmallow into the chocolate fondue

After our fondue feast, some of us adjourned to Brewerkz for drinks. We saw many people in costumes along the way, there was a Count Dracula, two monsters from Scream, even a Twitter guy! All in all, it was a great get-together, filled with fun, laughter and cheers!

Cuisine : Mediterranean
Food : 3.5 out of 5

Ambience : 4 out of 5

Price : 3.5 out of 5

Black Coffee Dessert Bar @ Caltex House

He loves coffee. But I am not that much a coffee person. So whenever we go to a cafe, he will always drink coffee and I will always drink hot chocolate or tea. In any case, it is hard to find good coffee here. The coffee overseas is another story altogether. The aroma is so strong that I can never resist it. Hence I always drink coffee whenever I am overseas, but not here.

Whenever my Aussie relatives come, they will look for nice coffee. But I have no place to recommend them. I do not mean the coffee from coffee shops, I mean gourmet coffee. So when I came across the Black Coffee Dessert Bar in Caltex House, I was intrigued. With reviews that the coffee there is up to standard, I decided to bring the dear along.

The interior decoration is pretty cosy. When we were there last evening, the staff was in the midst of decorating for Halloween. It is just a small space that can cater to fifteen people, no more than that. What I like is the menu - the menu is written on a black board with different coloured chalk. Somehow I have always liked this concept!

The menu

The interior decoration - does it not reek of nostalgia?

I wanted to order coffee, but the variety is about the same as any other cafe - normal coffee, espresso, mocha, cappuccino, au lait. Where is Blue Mountain? Hence I decided to get molten chocolate, which is stated as their specialty.

And molten chocolate it is. It is thick chocolate that is melted down, put into a small cup with a marshmallow on top. One taste and it is heavenly! Kudos to the molten chocolate!

My molten chocolate with marshmallow

His mocha espresso (I like the leaf shape on top!)

We also shared a Shepherd's Pie between us. But frankly speaking, the pie is not that fantastic. I have tasted the best Shepherd's Pie in England, that somehow the local ones here do not cut it.

Our Shepherd's Pie

I do not mind going back there again though. I saw a variety of cakes on display which look really yummy. Perhaps next time I shall order the oreo chocolate cheesecake, and a cup of coffee!

Food : 2.5 (for food), 3.5 (for coffee) out of 5

Ambience : 3 out of 5

Price : 3.5 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!)

Morton's Of Chicago @ Mandarin Oriental Hotel

I was at this restaurant at the Oriental Hotel for a birthday dinner last night. He is so thoughtful, he made a reservation, telling the staff it was my birthday. When we stepped in, the lady at the counter greeted me happy birthday and we were ushered to a table decorated with stars and little hearts.

The table setting was really good! What I really like is the personalised menu, with the words "Happy Birthday" on it. It made me feel really special!

The table setting

The menu

My personalised menu

Everything there are in big portions. The roll with butter was served first, but frankly speaking, the roll could feed at least ten people!

The big roll with butter

My friend recommended us the Prime Cut, but that is only available on Fridays and Saturdays. In the end, we settled for a Ribeye Prime. My friend has already cautioned on the big servings, so she told us to order one steak and split it into two for us to share. Then order two sides. So we did just that, with macaroni and cheese and spinach and mushrooms as the sides.

For appetisers, I ordered French Onion Soup and he Lobster Bisque. Dessert was on the house, compliments of the restaurant. It was chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, with a candle too! When dessert was served, the staff crowded around our table and sang happy birthday to me! The lady at the counter even took a photo, put it in a special album with all the staff signatures on it for me! Now this is really special!

My French Onion Soup

His lobster bisque

The main course - USDA Prime Ribeye, medium rare,
with macaroni and cheese and spinach and mushrooms

His portion of the steak

Dessert on the house

Candlelight effect

The special birthday album

With the staff signatures

It was a really enjoyable dinner! This is definitely a place I am coming back again!

Cuisine : American
Food : 4.5 out of 5
Ambience : 4.5 out of 5
Service : 4.5 out of 5
Price : 3 out of 5 (it is a bit steep, but every cent is worth it!).

Stuart Anderson's Black Angus @ Orchard Parade Hotel

We went to Stuart Anderson's Black Angus at Orchard Parade Hotel for dinner on Monday. Black Angus is famous for its steaks. We can order the set meal consisting of a choice of appetiser, main course, and a side with vegetables. All of us ordered steaks. My parents shared a ribeye steak with garden salad amongst themselves, my first brother had a New York strip loin with baked potato, I had a sirloin steak with mashed potato and he had a sirloin steak with baked potato.

The meal is really good! Even my parents were happy with it, and they are normally not that receptive to Western cuisine as they normally prefer Chinese food.

The menu at Black Angus

The ribeye steak my parents ordered

The New York striploin my brother ordered

My dear's sirloin steak, medium rare

My sirloin steak, medium

My brother's New York cheesecake, with raspberry sauce

This is a place which I will definitely go again!

Cuisine : American
Food : 4 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Service : 3 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

The French Kitchen @ Central Mall

We tried this new restaurant on Friday afternoon. Not so new actually, but new as in we have never tried it before. Since there was a promotion on a Julia Child set lunch, we took the opportunity to try it.

And I must say, the food is heavenly! Kudos and compliments to the chef! The beef is so perfect! I have never tasted a juicier and more tender beef than this! And the creme brulee, it is just so sweet and just the right texture!

The ambience is great too! Nice interior decoration makes for a cosy meal, the service is pretty good, and the pricing is not too bad for lunch!

If you have not tried that place, I will highly recommend it!

The French Kitchen (entrance to the restaurant)

Table setting

Part of the interior decoration

Raisin and rye bread with butter

Pre-Appetizer : Consomme Ambassadeur

My appetizer : French Onion Soup
(how can I not have this in a French restaurant?)

His appetizer : Foie Gras de Canard a la Plancha

His main course : Boeuf Bourguignon
(which later ended up as my main course)

My main course : Cabillard En Nage
(which later ended up as his main course)

My dessert : Moelleux Au Chocolat

His dessert : Creme Brulee

Cuisine : French
Food : 4.5 out of 5

Ambience : 4 out of 5

Service : 4 out of 5

Price : 3 out of 5

To Julia And Julie

Thought of dedicating this space to two great cooks - Julie and Julia, of a certain great cooking project which Julie Powell started and actually stuck with.

Many people have said it is a food and eating paradise here. True, we have great comfort food, which overseas locals always miss and crave for whenever they return. However, I find this place lacking of real gourmet food. Hence, the movie Julie And Julia is really good and inspiring. At least, it inspired me to try my hand at mastering the art of French cooking!

Imagine all I need is to cook one meal per day. Or make it two. Can I really finish five hundred and twenty-four recipes in three hundred and sixty-five days? Well.... Julie did it. With ups and downs along the way. What better way to learn to cook than to get guidance and trials and errors? Since I love food, why not create something which people like too?

Of course there are things which I will not do, like kill a lobster, or a crab. Or learn how to bone a duck. Perhaps that is why I am still not capable of making big meals, instead of simple dishes. One of these days I must learn how to whip up a mean stew! Beef stew, or oxtail stew!

Meanwhile, I am sourcing for the book. If and when I ever get the book, it is back to the cooking pot again! Hopefully one day I can whip up a variety of dishes instead of just the few I know!

The Penny Black @ Boat Quay

I have heard about this olde Irish pub for ages, and finally had a chance to go there last night. The interior decoration is reminiscent of a typical Victorian era pub, with wooden seats, bars, and even a mailbox as a table!

Even the doors and windows were reminiscent of that era. In short, I like it! For someone who always likes things from the old English era, the pub is really fitting for me! The music is not too loud, the people not too noisy, and it is not too crowded too! Again, perhaps it is mid-week during a weekday, or perhaps I went relatively early, hence the crowd has not arrived.

Apparently the place serves a mean Erdinger White. How different does beer taste anyway? People know I am not a beer person, I am a wine person, but last night I could hardly see any trace of wine. My favourite cocktail was not on the menu either, so in the end I settled for a pint of orange juice.

I am sure to go back again, at least to try the food! Hopefully the next time I am there I can venture upstairs where I think the decoration is nicer!

Food : no comment
Ambience : 4.5 out of 5
Price : no comment

Once Upon A Milkshake @ Tanjong Pagar

There is a new milkshake place near Tanjong Pagar. Yesterday when my colleague and I were out for lunch, there were fliers being distributed. I was fascinated by the creativity of the name and the menu, so we decided to go there to check out the place after lunch. The place is situated in quite a nice location, directly in front of a carpark, so people going there will be able to see it.

It is called Once Upon A Milkshake, with flavours like Vainilla Pot (vanilla milkshake), Cerious Maple (maple syrup), Agent Strawberry, Grumbling Raisins (rum and raisin), Spooky Mocha, Nutty Peanut Butler, Sir Cookies and Cream and Chocolate Truffle Castle to name a few. As I said, the names are pretty innovative indeed!

There is the mini size and regular size. We ordered a regular size each, he the rum and raisin flavour and mine the vanilla flavour. It is really heavenly! The milkshake is so thick and sweet! Thank goodness it is just the vanilla flavour, imagine if I had taken the chocolate flavour I would have a sweet overdose (if that is even possible)!

I will highly recommend this place for desserts. Even if anything, the interior decoration itself is nice and cosy. I really salute the owner of this place for being innovative and creative, and I think the business may just start to boom!

Food : (desserts) 4 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

Aston's Specialities @ Cathay

A few months back, I was at Astons Prime and ate a mean cut of beef. A few weeks back, I was at Astons Specialities for dinner, and I ate fish. Now, it is not a place for fish, but I was not that hungry for beef, so I ate fish instead. Still, the food is good.

Ambience wise, of course Astons Prime is better. After Astons Prime, I have wanted to try Astons Specialities for ages, ever since my friend told me about it. Astons Prime is the upmarket restaurant, whereas Astons Specialities is for the general public - heartlanders, students, people who are not as affluent as others.

My friend and I were at the outlet at Cathay. The first time I wanted to go there, the queue was so long that I had to change the venue. The thing is that the place does not take in reservations, so it is on a first-come-first-serve basis. With the place being a favourite haunt for students and movie crowd alike, the restaurant is always crowded.

Furthermore, when my friend reached earlier and went to queue, he had to call me and ask what I would like, since the waitress was taking orders for those who were queuing up in order to save time. Hmmm... good idea! But it would be easier if the table was reserved, is it not?

Still, when I reached there, I could sit down immediately thanks to my friend! The orders were already taken, but the waiter waited until I arrived before he served. How nice of them! The food was not too bad, but the ambience is not as good as its more upmarket sister restaurant. It is a small outlet, which explains why the queue is always so long!

By the time we finished our dinner, the queue still had not subsided. It was still a long queue outside the restaurant! I think the waiter was glad we went off when we did so he could free up our table for others. I think the outlet recently opened a stall called Aston's Express at a coffeeshop near my place, one of these days I must go check it out!

Food : 3.5 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Price : 4 out of 5

Picotin @ Turf Club Road

I was at Picotin at Turf Club Road last Saturday for dinner. A friend introduced me to this place when we were wondering where to have a gathering. According to him, it is a nice place with good ambience, perfect for casual dates! Thus, I checked it out.

The chef Sebastien is really nice! I sent him an email asking about a personalised menu, and he actually replied! In the end, due to the varying tastes of the group, I decided it would be better to choose from the a la carte menu instead, which is already pretty good in variety!

The place is along the stretch of the old Turf Club. It is a bit inconvenient to get there without a car, but at least it is not too far from the main road, so is still within walking distance from a public bus stop. Of course, there are also free shuttle services from certain designated train stations, but the shuttle buses come only once in a while.

The restaurant itself is cosy, even when we dined alfresco. There are two alfresco areas - a normal and a tented one. The normal alfresco area is sheltered, next to a fence with creepers and leaves. At night there is dim lighting by candlelight. Really a cosy place for dates!

We ordered Demi douzaine d’escargots de Bourgogne au beurre d’herbes (escargots), Crevettes grillées, salsa a la mangue et réduction de betterave (king prawns with salsa sauce) and a salmon bruschetta dish which I cannot remember the name for appetisers. The appetisers were shared amongst all eight of us.

For the main course, mine was spaghetti bolognaise (yes, not a good choice, considering it is a French restaurant so I should order something more special), while the rest had Tagine d’agneau (lamb shank), Cote d’agneau pane, champignon et pommes amandine, sauce a l’ail confit (lamb chop), Mignon de porc farci aux prunes et sauce au cidre (pork chop) and oxtail. The lamb shank was good - it consists of a big piece of bone. Needless to say, my friends had a hard but enjoyable time partaking and sucking the bone dry!

Dessert was ice cream and sorbet (with eight flavours), and a couple of them ordered Crepe suzette et glace à la vanille and Crumble a la canelle et aux pommes (apple crumble). There was also a big screen with a rugby match. We seemed to be the only Asian table around as the rest of the tables consisted of Caucasian families, friends, couples and a few hunks too, all enjoying the rugby match!

It was a wonderful dinner! I will definitely go back there again! The menu looks so tempting that I want to go back as many times as possible to try everything on the menu! This place is definitely highly recommended for those who want to try something new and want a cosy ambience to be in, as well as special occasions for couples. The ambience is good, the food is better, and the chef gives personalised service! What can be better than that?

Cuisine : French
Food : 4.5 out of 5
Ambience : 4.5 out of 5
Service : 4.5 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5