Straits Cafe @ Rendezvous

Now i know, Rendezvous isn't just about Restaurant Hock Lock Kee (the nasi padang since dad's childhood days) anymore. The 4-month-old Straits Cafe @ Rendezvous reopens like a new-born after an intensive refurbishment project of the hotel.

... where a food tasting session took place.

with compliments.

Well, i thought the traditional-turned-modern transformation was worth the investment. The play of colours worked, and the apt lightings wasn't stripping of comfort or spaciousness.

Toss to the new year. An opening Prosperity Yusheng adorned with chains of auspicious lines to feel hopeful about. Though the dry shreds failed to shine, i found comfort in that luscious salmon morsels and crispy golden crackers pairing.

An extravagant showdown. The Poon Choi ($198 for 5 persons) featured bountiful layers of abalone, shark's fin, scallops, prawns, sea cucumber.... luxurious delicacies vying for every inch of attention. 15 ingredients, 6-hour long immersion, tagged with the chef's efforts and a hefty pricetag. Just a pity blemished by unjust flavour.

Fanciful salads & chilled seafood greeted at the buffet line, adjuncted by a range of condiments and sauces. The DIY Yusheng bar also provided free-flow of supplies for self-assembly. Comes in handy for Lo-Hei addicts who can't get enough of that festive staple.

A couple of them scored. The chicken salad and smoked salmon were adequately seasoned; and i found total delight in those succulently plump and saucey japanese baby octopuses.

Steamed beancurd with prawn mousse in lobster butter sauce was eye-littingly novel to see, yet falling into the love-it-or-hate-it category. Think chilli-less otah paste dressed up in a western suit.

The mediocre chilled somen with unagi and fishy-as-ever tuna maguro sashimi may be worth skipping, but you wouldn't want to miss their salmon sashimi. Voluptuously silky and fatty... it oohs me.

Over to the dessert section, an equal mix of western and asian slices stood. My personal advice: hit the chocolate walnut brownie, tiramisu icecream, then proceed on to the asian players like pandan kaya fudge cake, durian puffs.. or the notably-praised durian penyet.

Steer clear from the 'blueberry cheesecake', big time.

Special thanks to Christina, the marketing communications manager, for her kind hospitality throughout the meal.

Thanks for making my first food-tasting session possible.

Chinese New Year Festive Buffet (28 Jan-9 Feb)

Lunch $38 (adult), $23 (child)

Dinner $48 (adult), $29 (child)

Chinese New Year High Tea (31 Jan, 1.7.8 Feb)

Adult $35, Child $21

Straits Cafe @ Rendezvous

Rendezvous Hotel Lobby Level

9 Bras Basah Road

Da Mario Pizzeria: Moving Soon!

Mario is hero.

My hero who never fails to satisfy my pasta cravings with much glee.

Pasta is everywhere, easily crowned as one of the world's most successfully globalised carbohydrate. Its incredible versatility have been so widely adapted... the Americans saw it, the Japanese saw it, and even the housewives saw it as a dinner convenience.

Various renditions have surfaced, been accepted, and made their marks. But i still believe the best creations come from the hands of the Italians.....Like Mario.

Pastas true, blue, and good.

Mario's kitchen is ran by two chefs hand-in-hand; Mario himself at the pasta stove, and a chinese national working on the pizzas. He creates every dish with sincerity, slogging personally everyday (except Mondays) to ensure quality delievered... now that's the true essence of a passionate chef!

Compliementary Bread

Despite being a small pizzeria as it is, Mario makes no compromises in providing a fine atmosphere for his diners. Little details like classy wine glasses, bright red napkins and italy-imported grissini sticks all reflects the meticulous attention paid. Just recently, he's thrown in a basket of complimentary bread slices into the package as well. Homestyle-ly dense, and rich of olive oil.

Calamari fritti ($14)

There is just something special about his Calamari Fritti. Quoted "Da Mario style", these squid rings are evenly encircled with the lightest batter coat and a gritty dust of herbs. Though not the best of plump bouncy squids used, it is definitely calamari one of a kind.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Costiera ($20)

A new creation under the chef's reccomendation caught our eye. The Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Costiera (pasta w fresh prawns, evoo, garlic n chilli) is more than the simple Prawn aglio to think about. Highly tanged up with tomato puree, i think some extra words need to be fitted into that description.

Spaghetti al Cartoccio ($22)

Mario's Spaghetti al Cartoccio is my perpetual order. It satiates the seafood lover's capacity with a plethora of saute squids, scallops, prawns, clams and mussels.. all bagged up in a light, oomph-filled roma tomato sauce. The handmade spaghetti, always maintaining sufficient al dente-ness, is another mainstay on my 'why-i-love-mario' list.

Panna Cotta ($6)

A regrettable pity, the desserts dropped in lovability.

My usual Panna Cotta, still the creamy white delicate pudding, had suddenly lost its traces of vanilla seeds and furthermore drenched with a new strawberry sauce that's overwhelmingly sweet after a few bites. I miss the angelic version Mario used to serve.

Zuccotto Della Cassa ($7)

The Zuccotto Della Cassa (homemade sponge cake with almond & pistachio cream fillings and chocolate coating) remained nuttily flavourful of its pistachio almond components, but now with an slight punch of artificiality.

My hero approached for a casual chat while we tucked into our mains.

2 breaking news uncovered:

Farewell to Mario's Spaghetti Vongole,

Farewell to the cosy-compact Pizzeria.

Due to some intolerable complaints from 'fussy' customers regarding his clams, Mario have decided to remove Spaghetti Vongole from the menu in order to avoid such intermittent (false)claims. (but for his loyal vongole fan aka my daddy, he had offered a special order upon pre-requests! three cheers to Mario.)

and... Da Mario is moving!

not too far away, just over to the empty shop space across...

Renovation works for this planned expansion have been in progress. Da Mario Pizzeria will temporarily stop operation for a short period until the reopening on 13 January 2009, Tuesday. Can't wait to witness the new facelift!

As for the warm old location, you'll always be remembered.

Da Mario Pizzeria Ristorante Bar

60 Robertson Quay

#01-10 #01-05/06 The Quayside

6235 7623

TCC: The (stunning) Coffee Connoisseur

I will never forget that one time i fathomed in amazement.

A few months back i was greeted by a freshly revamped menu at Funan IT Mall's TCC, eagerly admiring the novel food illustrations and new inviting cakes on display. THEN i took a glance through the kitchen doors beside it.... and couldn't help but relate this to a discliplinary school.

An organized cookroom came into view, storing a group of excessively-dressed chefs: fully bundled in white plastic robes, fitted with tight shower-cap-lookalikes, and faithfully working on the food with complete attention. You would nearly mistake them as surgeons!

food & ingredients= the patients' organs

cooking process= operations

It all shows how much patience and skills are put into play to produce those stylish plates of artworks. They ensure the patients emerge alive.

Wow.

And that one stunning moment spurred me into getting my first TCC Loyalty Card, which entitles cardholders to 15% discount off total bills (with minimum spending of $20) and accumulative tcc dollars for food redemptions. whoo~

Of course i had to put it to good use.

Back to the point: the Central Mall outlet is a decorous location to dine at when crowd-avoiding is in mind (I reckon most central mall goers would probably be joining the long queues outside the notorious japanese joints). For at least, the cafe was rather quiet during my lunch visit.

Modish Avocado ($12)

Alive and kicking, i enjoyed my Modish Avocado Salad in smiles. Fresh avocado slices and tofu cubes lightly scented with a mustardy sesame dressing, then sprinkled with sakura prawn crisps for added crunch. Freshness is the keyword to be highlighted here.

extra order of Cajun Chicken ($3)

Prawn Cheese-a-Toast ($10)

Mum would raise both her hands up high if i'd asked who wanted another piece of Prawn Cheese-a-Toast. An assemble of prawns and cheddar cheese atop baguette bread tinies, baked till golden and crunchy. She gobbled them all within minutes.

Seafood Aglio Olio ($18.80)

Listed as a HPB-proclaimed healthier choice, this Seafood Aglio Olio pasta is sure to appeal to my health-conscious Dad. While the spaghetti is aptly flavoured, it could do with more than those bite-sized scallops and prawns.

Cocoa Mosaic ($9.90)

The Chocoholic's choice. Cocoa Mosaic triples the chocolate buildup with white, milk and dark chocolate mousse layers on a chocolate sponge base; all adhered to different sugar-intensities and textures. I found the white layer too sweet and cloying...thank goodness for its petite size.

I really look up to the consistency of chefs at TCC. Just imagine how precisely they have to follow the menu, like some operational instruction manual... any error and the food would be pronnounced dead.

And no hospitals would ever allow unexplained operational failures.

TCC (Central)

6 Eu Tong Sen Street

#02-84/85/86 The Central

http://www.thecoffeeconnoisseur.com

Island Creamery

Pictures can speak a thousand words.

Very Berry. chunky indeed.

Yogurt. tart & refreshing.

Nutella. chips of delight.

Burnt Caramel. bold yet reserved.

When i am simply lost for words... i'll let the photos do the talking.

This is icecream to love!
Double scoop cups are priced at $4.50 each.
The sole drawback: the significant distance

You don't have to tell a big story.

Post your photos, hear them speak (:

Island Creamery
10 Jalan Serene
#01-03 Serene Centre

Hog's Breath Cafe

I dig big portions of food.
I adore set lunch prices.

But somehow, many set lunches lately have either downsized to ungratifying sizes or downgraded to substandard qualities. (blame inflation!)

.

Note: This does not apply to Hog's Breath.

As big as the menu stands, the portions surface. I have always left HBC with a fully-filled tummy (even when plates are unfinished), and i'm glad to realize that even after the rising costs/inflation/recession upsurge, servings are not compromised on.

.

Just remember...

Mondays-Fridays

11.30am-2.30pm

Hog's Breath's Set Lunch Time!

Cost incurrences depend on the individual, whether you choose to go light with a $12 Chicken & Ranch Salad or splurge on the $19 18-hour Slow Cooked Prime Rib. Everything else on the 9-selection-long list lies inbetween- there's bound to be something for everyone!

Pumpkin Soup

There must have been some festive relation to the soup-of-the-day. Their Pumpkin Soup is a tad dilute, where the cream is just sufficient to create the milky consistency and not delivering into richness. Won't fill you yet.

Crispy Chicken & Ranch Salad ($12)

For dieters, the Crispy Chicken & Ranch Salad would keep the guilt-level slightly lower. Crumbed chicken breast strips with bacon pieces, shredded cheese, tiny potato chunks and mixed salad greens, gently topped with Ranch dressing... my friend did feel encouraged. hah.

Fish & Chips ($14)

For alcoholics, the beer-battered Fish & Chips would seem tremendously enticing. A pity it turned out more like a delusion for the two highly-hoping ladies, they claimed it was nothing to rave about. But choosing to remain optimisstic...at least the fish came in two large chunks.

Pan Fried Dory Fish Fillets ($14)

And for seafood-lovers like me (who's non-dieting and non-alcoholic LOL), the Pan Fried Dory Fish Fillets can get you credulously convinced. Thick fish fillets and shell-on prawns are served with salad, fries, and a delectable honey mustard to lick off~

Now, if only what came was the authentic Hog's Tail Fries as listed, we would have felt more cajoled. Those soggy straight-cuts were truly disappointing.

You should be at least 70% full by now.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Apple Crumble

Then desserts bang right in. The pair of chocoholics got their obvious choice, Mississippi Mud Cake that tasted as black as it looked. I took a mere nibble and found it too dry. There's always the second selection for the non-chocoholics (like me) or any chocoholics-but-wishes-to-take-a-temporary-break-for-the-day...the Apple Crumble served with caramel crème. Messy, unfascinating, but still a chocolate-free alternative hah. Both are icecream-substantiated.

I presume we were all full by billtime.

No drinks are included except water, you could add $2.00 for a glass of Coke, Sprite, Iced Lemon Tea, coffee or tea. Which may come in useful while you have the desserts.

We may not be completely impressed by the food, but neither have we been badly disappointed. The main draw is, PORTIONS ARE SATISFYING. If you're not too fussy, this is the place to go when you're hungry.

Mr. Moses Lim says it all.

Hog's Breath Cafe

1 HarbourFront Walk

#03-07A VivoCity

6376 8378

Festive Creations

Christmas Eve.

I took the chance to surprise my sister's friends with a mini dessert tasting session during their party at our place. Felt it was high time i announced the opening of my 3-tier stand, which have been neglected in the storecupboard for months.

This was definitely a proud purchase. For a long time i've been eyeing on a particular 3-tier stand from Zone, really elegant-looking, yet tagged with a price too hefty to consider. Not until a trip to IKEA one day, this one appeared as an absolute steal! Resistance would have been an infelicity.

Mini Fruit Tartlets dominated the upper tier. An assortment of glazed berries and fruits adorned the petite tart shells, filled with thick vanilla custard.

Taking the centre stage was a duo of black & white. I frosted the Chocolate Walnut Brownie Bites with a glossy dark chocolate fudge to enrich the cocoa rush. And then paired a milder Raspberry Crumble Cake, buttery and tangy, to neutralize the cocoa richness.

Down at the bottom, glasses of Vanilla Panna Cotta Cups took shelter. The cream custard's extremely soft and fragile, topped with homemade raspberry coulis and berry garnishes.I would be improvising and improving on this one, as this is my first attempt.

Individual slices of Bailey's Tiramisu come sponge-spiked with my favourite liqeour. An eggless version, very much lighter than the commercial ones, made to my preference. Slovenly garnished with an untidy gooseberry, hah.

I stood around to introduce the petites and gather feedback from the all-girl group. Fortunately, comments were on the positive side, and i'm so relieved that they enjoyed the desserts.

Christmas Day.

My 3-tier stand made its second appearance.

Apart from the familiar repeats (Raspberry Cumble Cake and Fruit Tartlets), i baked Disney Butter Cookies upon Mum's request. I am suprised by how a hit they were, as three rounds of refills were all cleared up. Disney faces can sure do wonders! lol.

regular fruit tartlets

I haven't been into logcakes research yet but I decided to give Chocolate Logcakes a try this year. Nothing elaborate here.. simply sandwiched chocolate buttercream in a chocolate swiss roll, and then unsystematically coated it with a milk chocolate frosting to make it resemble a log. Definitely chocolately and oops, frosting's too sweet.

My first official business deal! Mum placed an order of about 200+ disney cookies as christmas gifts for her colleagues, complete with packaging and labels. Good thing they have a longer shelf-life, so i was able to rush them out earlier in the week. Was a hectic bake-day for me.

cousins enjoying the bakes

Super super thankful for all their support! (:

I had a MERRY bake-ful CHRISTMAS!

Happy Poppy(seed) 2009!

... and a poppy icecream to begin the new year.

My eyes lit up the moment i read Vanilla with POPPY SEED Gelato at Great World's City Gastronomia da paolo. Whoa, POPPY SEED! I ain't overreacting because poppy seeds are rare here or that they sounded like alien food to me... but it was all because dad once told me they were banned goods (in Singapore)!

You see, poppy seeds are the roots to opium, and opium is in turn the root to human's evil addiction... hence, no citizen should possess such an evil source on our strictly-lawed island right? Plus i've honestly never came across or consumed any poppyseed-containing food in my entire 18 years of living in Singapore.

Everything seemed so logical, and now its totally confusing me! LOL.

Nevertheless, whatever the uncertified PS contradiction, my curiousity was rewarded... Da Paolo is rather amazing. I licked off every bit of that smooth, light yet milky-rich creation, enjoying the release of poppy(seed) sensations with every mouthful. Clearing it up was absolutely easy, except for a slight sugar-overwhelm to tackle near the end.

Sinful, perhaps illegal (haha)... but nothing stops me.

I am hoping for another eye-litting moment the next time i visit GWC.

Da Paolo Gastronomia

1 Kim Seng Promenade

#B1-03/04 Great World City