Food

Ash & Elm in Intercontinental Singapore

April 15, 2016 by Bino 2 Comments

Ash and Elm is the newest dining concept to open at the Intercontinental Singapore. Taking over what was once Olive Tree, the new restaurant is a stylish venue that easily transitions itself from hearty breakfast buffets to sumptuous multi-course meals for lunch and dinner. Entering the restaurant for the first time, I immediately knew I was in for a treat when I saw that Ash and Elm has its own charcuterie room. I was also pleasantly surprised when the restaurant staff invited me over to inspect the kitchen which was deliberately built for diners to come in and inspect.

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Seafood From the Heart Dinner Buffet at The Kitchen Table, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove

March 23, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

The Kitchen Table at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove competes within a dining scene where seafood buffets are becoming a dime a dozen affairs. Thankfully, they’ve managed to put a twist into this ever popular buffet theme. I’m not talking about the sustainable sourcing practices of this property though that’s one thing you’re bound to remember after reading their marketing collaterals. To be honest, I came in expecting a run-of-the-mill buffet with the usual cold and grilled seafood items but left pleasantly surprised. Due to the restaurant’s collaboration with celebrity chef Peter Kuruvita, Seafood From the Heart is not your typical seafood buffet. During my staycation at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove, I found out exactly why.

The design concept of the F&B outlets of any W hotel is always quite decadent and it was no exception when I entered The Kitchen Table. I didn’t even notice what the “concept” was exactly until a staff member pointed me to look upwards and see how the ceiling was actually designed as an upside down kitchen!

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SKIRT at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove: Steaks and Seafood

March 19, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

SKIRT at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove is a restaurant that can’t be found in other W properties. With a concept that is tied to the life cycle of a cow (it is a grill after all), SKIRT serves up prime cuts of steak and seafood that come from sustainable sources.

The first thing I noticed when I entered the grill were the cozy ambience and excellent décor, with overhead accents to create a dreamy effect especially in the evenings. The restaurant’s centerpiece is the parilla grill which they use to cook their steaks. They are one of the few steakhouses with this type of machine in Singapore. The aging cabinet filled with different types of meat is also hard to miss as diners make their way to their tables.

I started the meal with a refreshing serving of Hokkaido Scallop Ceviche ($23++). While fish is usually used for this Peruvian dish, I found scallops to be a superior choice for this tangy interpretation. Instead of being garnished with lots of onions and vinegar, the ceviche at SKIRT was fruity, with citrus sauce and topped with chunks of oranges. This created a sweet-sour taste to the ceviche which enhanced the sweetness of the succulent scallops. Don’t judge me but I liked the sauce so much that I was still having a go at it even after gulping down the scallops.

Next came the Confit Duck Leg ($23++) which in contrast, was more earthy compared to the traditional confit. Topped with a slow-cooked egg and vegetables, this dish had a very homey feel to it, like comfort food. That being said, it was excellent with the duck being tender without being mushy.

A meal at SKIRT would perhaps not be complete without having a go at their steaks. For those who are particular with their steaks, SKIRT offers a myriad of cuts, with beef hailing from various parts of the world. I had the F1 Grain-Fed Wagyu ($118++) which hailed from Victoria, Australia and had a marbling score of 6 – 7. I chose to have my steak done medium rare, which is just about the right amount of done-ness for such a good piece of meat. The 250gram rib eye looked quite large upon serving but my ravenous self had no problems in devouring the juicy steak which was succulent at every bite.

Alongside the steak, I had Sauteed Broccolini with Sakura Ebi ($15++) and Truffle Mash ($15++) as my sides. What is a good steak after all without some mashed potatoes to go along with it? The broccolini was an interesting side, with the ebi giving it a bit of a more local hae bee feel.

We ended the meal with Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate – a name which could only pass in a W property. In retrospect, it was an apt name as the dish consisted of exactly three types of chocolate – fudge, ice cream and bar. There was a fourth type also if you consider the sprinkling of chocolate powder.

Overall, I enjoyed every dish I had for dinner which doesn’t happen very often. This was compounded by the good service from the staff who displayed impressive product knowledge, as was the case during my staycation at W Singapore the week prior.

SKIRT
W Singapore – Sentosa Cove
21 Ocean Way Sentosa
Singapore 098374

Sunday Champagne Brunch at Town Restaurant at Fullerton Hotel

March 5, 2016 by Bino 4 Comments

Town Restaurant at Fullerton Hotel has been offering Sunday brunches for some time now but it has recently upped the ante by offering thematic brunches once a quarter. Last Sunday, I was invited to check out the first of these thematic brunches with a focus on Italian gastronomy. Helmed by Executive Chef Sandro Falbo, Chef Carlo Marengoni and Chef Benedet Paolo; we were treated to various regional Italian specialties, from appetizers down to desserts, while some of Fullerton’s other regular Sunday offerings such as fresh seafood and a wide array of sashimi were also available.

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Food Review: LaBrezza at St. Regis Singapore

February 28, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

LaBrezza, the Italian restaurant at St. Regis Singapore recently introduced a new menu to solidify their core offerings, with an overall theme that combines traditional culinary techniques alongside modern inspirations and seasonal ingredients flown in from Italy. I remember eating here for the first time some seven years ago, over New Year’s with family. The menu has of course, undergone a multitude of changes since then so I wanted to check out what they offered this time around.

We started off with Insalata di Mare ($29++), a classic dish meticulously presented in a linear form. The salad featured a spread of prawns, octopus, scallops, mussels, clams and calamari salad interspersed with zucchini, some baby carrots and asparagus tips. Finally, it was topped with lemon zest, capers and oregano salmoriglio – overall a light and refreshing start to the meal.

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Sunday Champagne Brunch at J65 at Hotel Jen Tanglin

December 28, 2015 by Bino Leave a Comment

J65, the all-day dining restaurant in Hotel Jen Tanglin is the latest hotel to roll out a Sunday champange brunch offering, which is increasingly becoming a national pastime in Singapore.

If you recall my stay at Hotel Jen Tanglin, the property at Cuscaden Road has recently undergone a $45 million renovation in order to reposition itself with an unmistakable youthful vibe, complete with room décor that doesn’t look out of place in boutique hotels and a club lounge that seems to have jumped out of a hipster café toolkit. Consequently, the same proposition permeates in just about every aspect of the hotel including the revamped food offerings.

The property officially opened in December 2015 after the completion of its spanking new lobby and the in-house restaurant, J65. I did not have the chance to see both during my stay 3 months back as the area was still being renovated. I must say that I do like the outcome – unique and fun!

J65 is located just behind the lobby and a faux wall separates the two. The name is a mix between “J” which stands for the Hotel Jen brand and +65 which is Singapore’s country code. The restaurant offers buffets daily, alternating in theme with cheaper single serve buffet options for weekday lunch, seafood dinners during some nights and of course, the Sunday champagne brunch. As I entered, I spotted a DJ spinning some house grooves. It was the first sign that this was not going to be like any other brunch I’ve been to.

The brunch buffet extends over several counters. During my visit, I was glad to see that my favorite sections were there. The variety of Japanese food for instance, was quite impressive with several types of rolls and at least three types of sashimi.

Seafood lovers will also have a ball here, with oysters, prawns, crabs and lobsters gracing the counter. I asked the staff to heat up some of the seafood items and top them off with cheese and he gladly obliged.

I normally skip the hot dishes whenever I’m in a buffet as I usually end up having too much sushi and seafood but I made an exception for the Chinese dishes here. I particularly liked the stir fried clams with ginger sauce that prominently featured in my taste buds.

If you’re itching for local food, you can also spot the likes of Singaporean chili crab and even kueh pie tee which I still have fond memories of when I had some at the club lounge during my last stay at Hotel Jen Tanglin three months ago.

The buffet has a separate section for roasts and I was able to find large slabs of prime rib, roast turkey with cranberry sauce and Brussels sprouts on the side! If you’re too intimidated to cut something up from that huge rack of meat, fret not. You can ask any of the staff members nearby to serve you a slice or two.

For a healthier option, there’s some baked salmon as well. This is also located within the carving station.

A feature of the Sunday brunch is the extensive cold cuts selection with various salads, cheeses and cured meats. Though not particularly a cheese person myself, I was amazed with the decadent selection of cheese available which included Edam, Gruyiere, Cheddar and Roquefort as well as some pretty exotic ones.

The dessert station was in Christmas mode as cakes and pastries were decorated with candy-coated snowmen. I found ice cream readily placed in cups with lots of toppings to choose from. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try the durian ice cream!

I have practically tried lunch or dinner buffets across all Shangri-la properties in Singapore and a mainstay is their selection of kueh or local desserts. This is the case as well at J65’s Sunday brunch and they’re all laid out in a basket for diners to choose. I particularly liked the kueh lapis.

The Sunday brunch buffet also comes with free-flow of drinks. Some of these can be readily taken from the spread, such as the “mocktail of the day” which during the time of my visit was fruit punch.

But it is a champagne brunch after all and J65 serves free-flowing Perrier-Jouët for diners to indulge in.

Midway into the brunch, the bloody mary cart stopped by my table and the staff member whipped up a cocktail for me to drink.

Food and drinks aside, I have to hand it over to the staff at J65 for providing impeccable service. Plates were cleared each time I returned from a round at the buffet, champagne (and water) get refilled while more popular items in the buffet get replenished regularly. The service is more in keeping with their sister hotel, the Shangri-la Singapore than a 4-star property.

Price – How to get 15% off on your next buffet at J65
The brunch is available every Sunday from 12noon till 3pm at SGD 118 net with free-flowing Champagne, wine, beer and cocktails and SGD 78 without alcohol. This is relatively good value compared to other Sunday champagne brunches which can go as much as SGD 195++ per person. What’s more, diners who book online get a 15% discount so the effective cost can go as low as SGD 100 with champagne and SGD 66 without. This effectively makes it the cheapest hotel champagne brunch in Singapore! You can book online here.

Aside from the Sunday brunch, J65 also has a seafood dinner buffet from Friday to Saturday evenings which are priced at SGD 68 net, regular dinner buffet from Sunday to Thursday evenings at SGD 48 net and more affordable lunch buffets at SGD 29 and SGD 15 for a single-serving buffet.

Jen’s Kitchen On-the-Go

After my brunch, I had a try at the property’s new cafe, Jen’s Kitchen On-the-Go located just beside the lobby. With such a hipster kind of decor, how could one resist? In any case, the coffee here is as good as in any of those hipster cafes. I tried their matcha latte and nutella latte. My vote goes to the latter – a must try at this cafe!

Despite being housed in a hotel, the prices are comparable to cafes elsewhere in Singapore, at around SGD 5 for a cup of latte.

Aside from coffee, the cafe also serves some craft beers, specialty juices as well as light snacks and sandwiches. I certainly would not mind lounging around all day in the cafe given the great ambiance!

J65
Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore
1A Cuscaden Rd, Singapore 249716
Tel: +65 6831 4374

Christmas Menu 2015 at St. Regis Singapore

November 23, 2015 by Bino 2 Comments

I still recall my first Christmas dining experience at St. Regis Singapore – 2008 in LaBrezza. Throughout these years, the property has consistently come up with imaginative festive delights during the most wonderful time of the year and 2015 is no exception. I was invited to preview some of the Christmas and New Year offerings which are set to color the menus of LaBrezza, Brasserie les Saveurs and Yan Ting in late December and for New Year’s.

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The New Sunday Champagne Brunch at The Line in Shangri-la Singapore

October 24, 2015 by Bino Leave a Comment

One of Singapore’s most established and go-to place for hotel buffets, The Line at Shangri-la Singapore has recently upped the ante by revamping their Sunday champagne brunch offering. I’m amazed at how this place manages to keep itself so popular over the years despite the many competitors that have tried to outpace it in terms of variety, opulence and theme. While The Line can no longer boast of having the most extensive hotel buffet in Singapore, it stays within the minds of diners by offering exciting themes from time to time while maintaining freshness and high quality in the food. I last visited some 2 months back when the restaurant featured creative interpretations of Singapore dishes in the buffet and that was a hit among local diners. Most recently, I was invited to The Line to check out the new food offerings brought in by the recently-appointed chef de cuisine, Vincent Wong.

Regulars at The Line will be pleased to note that old favorites such as the satay counter, wide variety of sushi as well as fresh seafood are still there. But there are many new highlights. Here is a review of what to expect at The Line’s Sunday Champagne Brunch:

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