#8 Prego

Prego Level 1, Fairmont Singapore 80 Bras Basah Road Tel: 64316156 Lunch: 11.30AM – 2.30PM (Mon-Sat) ; Dinner: 6.30PM – 10.30PM (Daily)

PS: It’s winter truffles season@ Prego! From 1 November to 16 December 2012, Prego has actually launched a truffle menu for all truffle lovers.

Diners can choose a starter, main course and a dessert if they opt for the Prego’s Truffle Set Menu ($60). Otherwise, items are available in ala-carte as well. Prego has also an antipasti bar which serves freshly daily-made antipasti at $5 each.

The décor of Prego mainly consists of oak wood and gives the whole atmospheres a rustic countryside feel.

Wine trolleys are pushed to each table by a wine sommelier, recommending wines to diners to pair with their main courses. A rosemary and herbs-filled bagel is served to each diner before meal, accompanied by an olive and cheese spread.

The 2 out of 3 starters for the truffle set menu consist of Lobster Bruschetta and Crusted Scallops on Half Shell. The other starter which is not included here is the Veal Carpaccio. The lobster bruschetta has only a small piece of lobster tail meat on top of the racket salad and asparagus, drizzled with truffle vinaigrette. I can taste a tinge of truffle, not much though.

The crusted scallops on half shell have a truffle butter crust on it. The scallops are thick and moist. Same thing, not much truffle can be tasted from the crust.

The 2 out of 3 main courses consist of Truffle Risotto and Stuffed Agnolotti. The other main course which is not included is the Taglierini Pasta. The truffle risotto is decent and comforting. You can see the black truffle slices on top of the risotto. The portion is definitely filling. The forest mushrooms are fresh and the truffle taste is much stronger in this dish. I had a white Riesling to go along with my dish.

The stuffed agnolotti has roasted meat stuffings in it, accompanied by black truffle slices and an ample amount of truffle cream sauce. I do not really like the taste of the meat stuffings, just tasted a lil bit weird somewhere.

There are only two desserts on the menu which is the Housemade Tiramisu and the White Chocolate Hazelnut Cake. The housemade tiramisu is soft and airy but not moist. The taste of coffee is not very strong but it is nice to eat it with the sour berries served alongside. I did not taste any hints of truffle in the gold-colored truffle stones.

The white chocolate hazelnut cake is so nice! The cake is accompanied with chocolate truffle sauce and strawberry gelato. I can taste the rich truffle taste in the sauce and it went well with the cake. The white chocolate mousse is very light and sweet as it is white chocolate. The best part is the hazelnut cake, it is so dense and nutty! I love this dessert so much!

Overall, it was nice dining at Prego and the kitchen was not in haste to serve the dishes. The arrival and waiting time of the dishes was just aptly.

#7 Rich & Good Cake Shop

Rich & Good Cake Shop 24 Kandahar Street Tel: 62943324 Monday – Friday: 8.30AM – 5PM ; Saturday: 8.30AM – 4PM

PS: So far, I have only tried the Durian Swiss Roll, Pandan Kaya Swiss Roll and the Blueberry Swiss Roll. I have been spoilt by their swiss rolls after eating them for the first time few years back.

This is just part of the boxes the uncle has to fold every day. The swiss rolls are freshly made daily.

When you slice the swiss rolls, you can see the real stuffs in it! The pandan kaya swiss roll ($7.50).

Durian swiss roll ($7.50).

They also baked almond squares whole year round ($16/box). The almond squares are not that sweet. The baker puts some generous amount of almonds in it as you can see from the pictures. Fyi, the plastic container is re-usable.

#6 Ayam Penyet Ria

Ayam Penyet Ria Lucky Plaza, #01-45 Tel: 62356390 Daily: 11am – 9pm PS: Located at the back row of Lucky Plaza. It was not difficult finding this shop. You have to tick your orders on the order’s list before paying upfront at the cashier; only then the order will be processed. Ordered the Nasi Ayam Penyet, Fried Catfish Set, Tauhu-telor, Fried Enoki Mushrooms, Es Campur (Ice with mixed fruits) and an iced milo. In total, the bill was around $30. $15/pax is reasonable.

The meal in general tasted average, probably due to the fact that this is my first time trying Indonesian food and am not accustomed to the taste.

The Tauhu-telor was good. The peanut-filled gravy is very thick and fragrant.

Es campur is actually shaved ice with bandung syrup and evaporated milk. However, the Es Campur has only one pathetic longan with mixed chin-chow liked jelly in it. Shall try the Ice Chendol next time I visit this place again.

#5 Le Cuisson

French Inspired by La Cuisson 40 Holland Drive Tel: 83320302 Tuesday – Sunday: 11AM – 2PM (Lunch); 5.30PM – 9PM (Dinner) PS: Tucked away in a small stall at a coffeeshop, I have finally lay my tastebuds on Le Cuisson after two futile attempts earlier on in this year, first time being they have moved from Queen St, second time being they are not open on Mondays. However, it was quite a disappointment that their dishes get cold so quickly (or they weren’t very hot to begin with?). Waiting time: 10 – 15 mins.

Ordered the Foie Gras Salad ($10) and the Beef Ragout with Ravioli ($15). The Foie Gras Salad comprises of a small piece of foie gras, caramelized apples and greens including green and purple lettuces drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Sad to say, the greens were not fresh at all. The greens tasted like it has been wash and handled for a period of time.

The portion of the Beef Ragout with Ravioli is really generous. However, for late lunch, I could not finish all the ravioli, and I left half a plate untouched. The beef ragout is not flavorful at all. For the same amount of money, I would prefer to dine at Saveur.

#4 Haagen Dazs =)

Went with my aunt to J8 to catch a movie this evening. We stop by Haagen Dazs for some comforting moments. Belgian Waffle with Chocolate Ice-cream ($10.90)

Love in Belgium: Chocolate Lava Cake with Dark Chocolate Ice-cream ($19)

#3 The Clan Restaurant

The Clan Restaurant 18/20 Bukit Pasoh Road Tel: 62222084 Daily: 11.30AM – 2.30PM (Lunch); 6PM – 11PM (Dinner)

PS: Clan’s creation set menu by Chef Ken Teo is just worth every single cent from my little pocket. As quoted from Chef Ken Teo “Good dining does not have to be expensive.” Same concept like Dozo and Tao’s, you get to choose from a decent range, the starter (fixed), cold dish, side dish, soup, main course to the dessert from the menu. Every dishes served was an eye feast to me. Sitting Area On the 1st floor

On the 2nd floor

The manager and staffs are mostly very attentive and friendly. They are ever ready to refill your glasses when they see them running low. Clan’s manager, Raymond had also briefed me on the concept of the restaurant and the menu. The tables which you can find at Clan are generally bigger in size as compared to other up market players. The spaces in between tables provide enough privacy for their patrons. First: Lime sorbet, citrusy and refreshing to wake my sleeping tummy up.

Second (Starter): (L – R) Salmon Mousse Cone , Pan seared Scallop with Truffle Asparagus , Foie Gras Chawanmushi. It is recommended to start from the right to left, being the least to the strongest taste. The foie gras chawanmushi is just so soft and smooth, which makes me go oomph… However, the foie gras taste is not strong for a fg lover like me. The pan seared scallop is big and it is seared well. Hints of truffle could be found from the asparagus. The salmon mousse cone is powdery and this is the first time I am tasting salmon in a mousse form, creative indeed! The texture of the salmon mousse is smooth and the salmon taste is strong. Not forgetting to mention the cone which is herb-crusted and gives off a nice scent, definitely not the ordinary ice-cream cone which you can get outside.

Third (Cold dish): 1) Oyster in 3 ways. 2) Beef Carpaccio w Truffle Mustard tossed Mesclun Salad in Truffle Teriyaki & horseradish sauce. 3) Earl Grey cured Tuna w Lavender scent Fruit Salsa & Orange Basil Emulsion. The oyster in 3 ways was: Oyster on the rock, Oyster with Tomato Salsa, and Oyster with quail egg yolk soaked in Japanese Wine. I tell you, the oysters were fresh and HUGE. Where to find such dinning perks considering the affordable price you pay?

For someone like me who orders medium-well steaks usually, this is the first time I am eating the animal raw. I plucked my courage and placed one in my mouth. Surprisingly, it does not taste like beef, but more like thinly-sliced sashimi. There was no smell or funny taste. In fact, when it goes along with the truffle teriyaki sauce, it’s yummy.

*Complimentary from the good people of Clan: Earl Grey cured Tuna w Lavender scent Fruit Salsa & Orange Basil Emulsion.* Notes of earl grey can be tasted from the freshly cured tuna. Scents of earl grey and lavender still lingers in my palate after completing the dish. The fruits from the fruit salsa were sweet enough for the bee to find me. I poured the orange basil emulsion onto the salad and both compliments well.

Fourth (Side dish): Deep Fried Foie Gras, Balsamico Reduction & Cheese Focaccia. Caramelized apples were lined under the foie gras. However, no trace of cheese could be tasted from the focaccia. Needless for me to say anything. Just Eat It!

Fifth (Soup): Crab Bisque Cappuccino w Truffle Foam & Prawn Twister The crab bisque is served warm to me in glass. The crab bisque is foamy and smooth to drink. The crab bisque is rich and I like it as it warms my tummy. I can see the prawn fillings in the prawn twister, but nothing to wow about it.

Sixth (Main): 1) Kurobuta Pork Jowl in Pistachio Puree w Pickled Zucchini & 64degrees Egg Yolk. 2) 48Hours Beef Short Ribs on Hoba Leaf w Lava Stone. The kurobuta pork jowl is very soft and has an herb crust on top of it. It is recommended to break the egg yolk and mix it with the pistachio puree. This serves as a sauce to the pork jowl. After awhile, the dish can be a bit jelak due to the sauce. So, I took the sweet and sour pickles to ease the jelak-ness. And it helps. This dish is special and filling.

I can hear the sizzling sound of the beef short ribs when it arrives. The aroma and taste of the hoba leaf is infused into the ribs. Every piece of the meat is soft and tender. I do not really like the taste of the sauce; I would rather do away with the sauce.

Seventh (Dessert): 1) Mandeira Cheese Panna Cotta. 2) Clan Signature, Chocolate Fudge. 3) Chocolate Lava w Homemade Gelato. The mandeira cheese panna cotta differs from the pic on Clan’s website. I was waiting for a berries-filled layer on top of the panna cotta. However, there were only watermelon bits on top. The thin slice of caramelized pineapple on top of the panna cotta gives a contrasting taste to the panna cotta as it is a lil sourish. But, I could hardly taste any cheese flavor in it.

The chocolate fudge cake is tdf! No doubt for being Clan’s signature dessert. The whole block of chocolate fudge is just so comforting. It just brought me to cloud nine.

*Complimentary, again from the good people of Clan: Chocolate Lava w Homemade Gelato.* The lava cake is another tdf dessert on Clan’s menu. The lava cake is decent and satisfying. It is of a right size after having a heavy dinner. The hazelnut gelato is not too sweet, which is good because the chocolate lava is very rich itself. Yummies.

It will cost you $42.80 for a 5 course lunch and $62.80 for a 6 course dinner. Prices are subjected to 7% GST and 10% service charge.

#2 The Library

The Library 47 Keong Saik Road Tel: 62218338 Monday – Saturday:6.30PM – 1.30AM

PS: Play the open sesame game by asking the ‘password’ from KSS next door. Note: Password changes every week. =)

The bar maid at the door isn’t very friendly when I was pacing outside the door taking pics. She asked if I wanted to go in w/o a smile on her face. The menu.

How can you miss The Library after visiting KSS? A whole new dimension was unraveled when I pushed through the mirrored doors. The dim-lilted bar gives me a very cozy and relaxing feeling even though it is a new concept bar in the local scene. Copper table lines the bar area with Victorian style lamps. I like the double leather seats which can sit two to three people. There are some quiet corners in the bar. The patrons all behaved themselves and do not talk rowdy. Thumbs up!

Ordered the Wonkey Donkey (right,$18) and a creation by the Indian bartender ($20) which is not on the drinks menu. KS snacks can be ordered through the bartender and bring into the bar for consumption.

With compliments from the friendly Indian bartender.

The restroom is a total 180degrees contrast with the Library and that anyone drunk will be sober when they are out as people can listen to cantonese opera inside! Hahs...