VENUE By Sebastian

Eating at VENUE By Sebastian is like an ideal relationship- to keep falling in love with the same person over and over again. I last came here around 3 months ago in a professional setting and was a little reserved with taking too much food because well, it was a professional setting. Yesterday, I came with a good friend and it was just no holds barred. Both times, the food was well executed and memorable.

The restaurant is often full for weekday lunches. However, when we came on a Saturday for lunch, there were only a few souls around, which was great because that meant that we didn't have to battle with noise when speaking. The restaurant was bright and inviting, decked out in comfortable neutral colours.

When you get seated, the waiter will ask whether you know how their menu works. Essentially, their dishes are served according to a "sharing concept", where the intention is for guests to order a selection of dishes to be shared.

First up was the Iberico Pork Jowl, Gremolata, Lemon ($18). The thinly sliced pieces of pork jowl was nicely seasoned and had a nice chewy texture. It seemed like a simple dish without fancy embellishment, but it worked well this way.

My friend raved about this Cold pasta, konbu, truffle oil ($23), and there was no way we were going to get through the meal without ordering this. Again, another dish which looks simple but it was very flavourful, say what you may about truffle oil being artificial, but still simply loving that taste which coats every strand of the pasta. The pasta was also cooked al dente.

The Chilean Seabass, mushroom-bacon ragout, truffle yuzu butter sauce ($32) was hands down, my favourite. I liked it so much that I shamelessly told the waitress not to clear the plate as I had not scrapped the remaining mushroom, bacon and sauce from the plate. The fresh seabass was slightly crispy on the outside, and soft and juicy in the inside. Oh, but that sauce. The creamy sauce together with the mushrooms and bacon were a perfect accompaniment to the light-flavoured fish. Just the thought of the dish makes me salivate.

To end off our meal, we ordered the Pear tart, crumble, baileys ice cream ($14), which the waitress told us will take around 30 minutes to be ready. After all the impressive food we have had, the dessert didn't seem to be as outstanding. Despite that, the dessert of sliced pears laid on a flaky and buttery crust was enjoyable- so buttery, we smelt it even before it was served.

There is no way that I am going to deny that we had a enjoyable meal here. While I would pay $32 for the seabass, I am not sure whether I would pay so much for the pasta or the pear tart.

VENUE By Sebastian 
Downtown Gallery
6A Shenton Way
#01-02
Singapore 068815
Tel No: 6904 9688 

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The Coconut Club

If our Prime Minister deems this a worthy place to bring the Philippines President for a meal, it must be really good right? So we headed down to The Coconut Club, some 10 months after their meal- patience is a virtue as we immediately had a seat on a weekend afternoon instead of having to deal with snaking lines. 

The interior was modern, with seating spaces both inside and outside of the shop.

The menu is not extensive but it didn't bother us because we were really only here for the Nasi Lemak ($12.80). If you compare this to the hawker centre nasi lemak, this may seem way too expensive. But these are the reasons why I think their price tag is justified:

1) The rental here is probably a lot higher.

2) The Ayam Goreng Berempah is not your usual deep fried chicken- the big piece of chicken leg was very tender, and marinated with ginger, turmeric, galangal and lemongrass, giving a new interpretation to the usual nasi lemak deep fried chicken. The crispy bits of marinade were addictive.

3) Everything was XL-portion (whether the chicken, the sambal, the nuts or the ikan bilis)- I felt so full after having the Nasi Lemak that I fell into a food coma for the rest of the afternoon.

4) They use premium ingredients, such as young kampong chicken, mawa coconuts from Perak to extract the coconut milk and old jasmine rice from Thailand. Even the ikan billis is sourced from Pangkor, with the insides gutted for a cleaner and lighter taste. 

The rice was fragrant, but didn't have an edge over the good nasi lemak stalls.

We also ordered the Otak-Otak ($10.50) to share. Again, is the price tag justified? I guess I would have been more willing to fork out $12.80 for the plate of nasi lemak than to pay $10.50 for the otak otak, simply because there are more "sides" in the nasi lemak. The otak otak which is made fresh daily and cooked over a charcoal grill came in a large and thick slab with visible fish meat (mackerel) in it (not your usual blended-until-cannot-see-any-fish kind of otak).

For those with small appetites, you may wish to consider ordering one plate of nasi lemak for both to share, so that you save enough stomach space for their famous chendol.

The Coconut Club 
No. 6 Ann Siang Hill
Tel No: 6635 2999 

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Mad About Sucre

I have not read a single bad review on Mad About Sucre and decided to head down to check what the hype was about. 

The moment you step in, you feel the passion and pride that the owners have in their cakes. Eric will take the time to explain to you the characteristics of each cake and how you are supposed to eat them to enjoy them. 

There was a corner displaying the owner's creations. Intricate, classy and elegant - the unifying theme behind the crafting of these cakes. No premixes used, only organic flour and unprocessed raw sugar.

We started off with the Coco Citron ($10.80). Before sinking our forks into the Coco Citron, Eric told us that this was not meant to be the overly sour kind of lemon tart. For those who like your lemon tart sour, this isn't for you. There was a seamless blend between the coconut mousse and the smooth and light lemon curd. What was really interesting and brought this dessert to one level up was the use of the crystal drops (sugar)- not only were these visually appealing, they provided a nice crunch to the otherwise smooth dessert.

As a fan of dark chocolate, there was no way I was going to give the San Domingue ($12.80) a miss. The presentation of this dessert was an art on its own. A chocolate jewel box with rum in it, coupled with a chocolate ball consisting of 70% dark chocolate mousse and plantain, sitting on a brittany base. This was simply rich and decadent.

The desserts here are not something that I will splurge on on a regular basis. Yet, if you want to splurge on art camouflaged as desserts, this is a good choice.

Mad About Sucre 
27 Teo Hong Road
Singapore 088334
Tel No: 6221 3969

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Herbal Oasis

We wanted to go to 49 Hands, only to realise that it was closed for lunch on a Saturday. We then decided to go to Herbal Oasis nearby. 

Herbal Oasis is situated above Renhai Clinic and the food served here is developed by TCM practitioners together with the chefs. There is a zen feel to this place, where soothing classical music plays softly in the background. Human traffic was low on weekend and you can take a break from the noisy world out there.

We got an Economy Express Meal ($9.90) which consists of a rice and soup. We got the yam rice and Qi Tonic Chicken Soup. The Qi Tonic Chicken Soup is supposed to be beneficial for the digestive system and suitable for growing youth. The yam rice was flavourful with chunks of yam in it. The herbal flavour in the soup was present but not overpowering and was light on the palette.

We also ordered a Walnut Brown Rice ($4) and Poached Spinach with Braised Mushrooms ($7). This is my first time trying Walnut Brown Rice- slightly sweet tinge to the rice with little chunks of walnuts and raisins added to the rice. After eating the rice, I felt so healthy- all the beneficial ingredients in this small little bowl! The bright coloured greens were also crunchy and they definitely didn't stinge on the mushrooms!

The meals here are simple and healthy, a break from the usual unhealthy food that we consume a lot nowadays.

Herbal Oasis 
27A Neil Road
Singapore 088817
Tel No: 6221 8798 

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Tong Ah Eating House

The first time we went to Tong Ah, we tried their dinner, zichar style.

This time, we went for breakfast and it is a distinctly different feel. The hot morning air set the background for the eating experience while the server deftly carries plates of eggs, bread and coffee/tea freshly made to the tables where customers wait in anticipation for the first meal of the day.

I don't really drink coffee, so I ordered milo. I don't eat butter, so I asked for the bread without butter. In essence, I would make a person who loves the egg+bread+coffee combination shake his head wondering how much joy I would be missing out.

In any case, the bread was crispy yet fluffy in the inside. With a layer of kaya thinly spread over it, it felt just like a quintessential Singapore breakfast. Apparently they have this kaya toast known as the Grade A Kaya Toast where the bread has been toasted and re-toasted many times so that the bread is super crispy. If not, you can also ask for the steamed kaya bread.

Away from the crowded chains of air-conditioned Ya Kun, this is where you may want to find yourself on a weekend morning to enjoy a good and simple breakfast. Service might be a little slipshod when things start to get busy though.

Tong Ah Eating House 
35 Keong Saik Road
Tel No: 6 567 4000

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Department of Caffeine

I'm not a caffeine person but ended up at Department of Caffeine anyway. 

On weekends, reservations are an absolutely must. Otherwise, be prepared to wait. 

I ordered a Fish Finger Sandwich ($14). This reminded me of the Fish Burger at Grub. Incredibly fluffy sandwich with a piece of deep fried (but not oily) fish in between. The texture of the fish was smooth and moist. To sum it up, this is a glam version of Fillet-O-Fish (costing several times the price of eating at Mcdonalds), but more moist, more satisfying and infinitely tastier.

I ordered a Latte ($5). Over the past few months, I have ordered coffee several times voluntarily, even though I still can't appreciate it. I have considered signing up for coffee-appreciation classes but decided that I wasn't going to allow myself to get potentially addicted to the caffeine. The smell of coffee lurking at every corner of CBD is honestly rather intoxicating. Friends tell me that sugar ruin the taste of coffee and I know lots of them who drink black coffee.

Million dollar question- what's the best way to really appreciate coffee?

Department of Caffeine
15 Duxton Road
Tel No. 6 223 3426 

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Flor Patisserie (Duxton Hill)

One thing that stuck in my mind after reading Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything was how he made it his personal mission to try everything even if he didn't like it. 

I try very hard to appreciate Japanese pastries but beyond the aesthetic beauty of these desserts, I just can't find a reason for me to say "Wow, this blew my mind". Nobody goes to Le Tao in Hokkaido without being impressed by the cheesecakes- well, except me. 

So, take this review with a pinch of salt if you are into Japanese desserts. 

Located on Duxton Hill, Flor Pastesserie occupies a very small shop space.  

A whole row of cakes beckons- Earl Grey, Napoleon etc.

I tried the Chocolate Noir ($7.85) because it was a safe choice. The Chocolate Millefeuille was topped with the beautifully piped 70% Dark Chocolate. The cake was light and fluffy.

However, perhaps it was the difficulty of trying to eat all the layers at the same time or maybe I just ain't a fan of cream- whatever the case, it just didn't felt like I would come back here for a second serving of this at this price.

Flor Pastisserie (Duxton Hill)
2 Duxton Hill
#01-01
Tel No: 6 223 8626 

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Tong Ah Eating House

I think it's always interesting to know the history of streets- I'm thinking of getting this book titled Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics. Anyway Keong Saik Street used to be a red-light district which is now transformed into a hip area crowded with eateries. 

Tong Ah used to be located in an iconic triangular-shaped building down the road but has since shifted here. Being the lazy people we were, we decided to order whatever was recommended and featured in a Channel 8 variety programme.

We ordered the 奇香豆腐 ($8) which had minced pork and chai por laid on the silky tofu. The simplest of ingredients came together to form a very comforting dish.

The 甘香鸡煲 ($10) was something that we have never tried before. Deep fried, the chicken was coated with a rather heavy coating of a slightly spicy sauce. Two or three pieces might be good, but it starts to get a bit gelat after a while.

Another of their famous dish is the 奶皮带子卷 ($15). This dish was an attempt at putting many things together at the same time- lots of mayonnaise, pork floss and scallop. The result is that the mayonnaise and pork floss masked the taste and texture of the scallop. 

The vegetables were a little hard.

The Coffee Pork Ribs were fragrant and the meat was easily separated from the bone.

An inexpensive eatery. Despite ordering the above and an assam fish, the bill came up to less than $20 per person.

Tong Ah Eating House 
35 Keong Saik Road
Tel No: 6 567 4000 

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Hakata Ikkousha (Tanjong Pagar Plaza)

Having secured the title of Ultimate Ramen Champion for 2 years, Hakata Ikkousha now has a shop at Tanjong Pagar Plaza. While the shop space might be relatively small, we didn't wait for long on a Friday night to enter the shop. Check out this video which explains their mission and how every detail in the ramen is taken care of.  

I decided to get the safe choice of Tonkotsu Ramen ($12). The noodles are thinner than the usual ramen noodles but unsurprisingly, are springy. You get to choose the amount of oil and the amount of saltiness- one thing I've learnt is that I should go for either the normal version or the most unhealthy version. Some of the flavour of the broth had been lost presumably through my opting of a healthier version. The char siew was also leaner than the usual char siew in ramen. 

I attribute the lack of kick of eating the ramen to my choice of making a healthier option- so they can't be faulted. Despite that, the ramen was of course still decent (the runny Flavoured Boiled Eggs ($2) added much needed flavour). Service was friendly. 

Hakata Ikkousha

Tanjong Pagar Plaza
#01-104B
Tel No: 6 538 1880 

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I Wan Noodles

On a Friday night, this eatery was still pretty crowded although this part of Tanjong Pagar isn't where young people would be seen on a Friday night- think Duxton Hill, Ann Siang Hill etc.

I tried the Signature Chilli Crab Wanton Noodles ($8.80). This consisted of a very huge piece of deep fried soft shell crab and many shredded deep fried pieces of beancurd skin. While they are pretty generous with their ingredients, the crab sauce fails to impress- it was pretty dilute and was a little too salty.

While the food is innovative and affordable, the crab sauce was disappointing. Servers were friendly though. 

I Wan Noodles

Maxwell Chambers

32 Maxwell Road

#01-07

Tel No: 6 222 8968 

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Cumi Bali Indonesian Restaurant

Cumi Bali has been operating for more than 2 decades and is supposedly one of the best Indonesian restaurants in Singapore. The first thing that hits us when we enter the restaurant is a very strong smell which might be a little overwhelming. Ironically, we didn't order Cumi Bali, which is grilled squid.

Simple furnishing. Initially, we thought these were christmas lights but realised that it was a mish mash of random decor.

This belecan was mild but added a subtle punch to the dishes. 

The Ikan Bakar ($28) was fish slathered with otah. This was something new and while delicious, it probably could be cooked slightly more. Maybe I'm just too use to the smoky flavours of the barbequed otahs.

The Sate Ayam Madura ($7 per stick) is a must order. Big, chunky and tender- each stick is good for two to share. The sweetness of the marinate and the slightly charred taste came together perfectly.

The curry vegetables were pretty ordinary. 

It would be better to come in a larger group and share the food. Otherwise, it might be a tad expensive. Other than that, the food here is pretty good! 

Cumi Bali Indonesian Restaurant

66 Tanjong Pagar Road

Tel No: 6 220 6619 

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The Lawn

Food unites people in pretty miraculous ways. Because of this food tasting session at The Lawn, I bumped into a secondary school senior whom I haven't seen in a really long time. 

This place just feels so comfortable- green space, clean and neat touches and colourful cuddly cushions! Honestly, any place that quotes Andy Warhol makes me instantly like the place.

We tried the different salad dressings which consisted of the classics and Asian-fusion. You won't get to see many of these dressings in other salad shops. My favourite was the Me So Spicy, which was spicy, sour and appetising. Other dressings included Honeyball, Wafu, Maple Peanut, Citrus, Manly Mango etc.

Have a look at the menu here. For $9.90, you get 5 toppings. While it may seem expensive at first glance, consider the fact that this is the CBD area and also that the servings are huge.

Normally, these grilled items would be served on top of the salad. For the purposes of the food tasting, these grilled items were served separately. Inclusion of grilled chicken/vegetables would cost an additional $3, for fish/duck/prawns it would be $4 and for beef it's $5.

These mixed mushrooms were juicy and seasoned nicely with garlic. I didn't really like the eggplant because I felt that the sour taste of balsamic vinegar overpowered the natural flavours of the eggplant.

These Prawns with Garlic were my favourite grilled item- Bouncy and fresh.

I would also choose the Butter-Seared Pacific Dory with Parsley Rub for a much needed brain boost in the midst of a working day. It was a pity that it was a tad too dry. 

We also tried a selection of grilled meat, including Grilled Black Pepper Duck Breast, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, Char-Grilled Cajun Chicken etc. My favourite of the lot was the duck meat. For those concerned about their waistlines, you will be happy to note that although breast meat is used so that it's less fattening.

You also have the option of choosing Olive Rice + Side Salad ($8.90). A recipe from the owner's grandmother, you could catch a whiff of the rice's fragrance almost immediately when it's served. A very simple but homely rendition of the olive rice.

What's a meal without dessert? The desserts are not made in the premises but brought in from Gobi and Tiramisu Hero, both very well-known dessert places. While some may find the tiramisu overrated, I actually love this, not only is it served in a cute jar (that's what you're paying for anyway), the mascarpone to finger ratio is appropriate, the kahlua's taste is distinct yet not overpowering and it's not too sweet. Only thing that was not so satisfactory was that the coffee flavour could have been more accentuated. Otherwise, I think it's a wonderful alternative for a slice of birthday cake! 

We also tried some cakes from Gobi- Chocolate Therapy, Matcha, Oreo Cheesecake and Carrot Cake. They were all above average but my favourite was the Chocolate Therapy. 

For those who work in CBD area, this is a good place for salad if you had just eaten a whole packet of nasi lemak for breakfast. For those who don't get to see sunlight by the time they leave office, this place is good because it's open for dinner. There is an option for delivery as well but I recommend you get up from your chair and get the blood flowing! I will definitely be back to The Lawn to try the mushroom soup as well.

While salad may seem to be a boring option, as Andy Warhol says, "I like boring things." What's more this place is far from boring- selection of delicious grill, cosy ambience and good desserts to make a meal complete.

Many thanks to Jonathan for the invite!

The Lawn
AXA Tower
8 Shenton Way
#B1-11
Tel No: 6534 8749 

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