Ci Eng Vegetarian Cuisine

On my mother's 48th birthday, we brought her to her favorite vegetarian restaurant for a meal since she was vegetarian (that has changed though), and has been a pure vegan for 3 years. I do not claim to be well versed in this particular type of cuisine but i'll be doing my best to throw my prejudices away and give a relatively fair review.

Location: Blk 152 Serangoon North Ave 1, #01-336, Singapore 550152

Contact: 98639602 (Mdm Tan)

Price Range: $10-15 per head

As the location is somewhat of a humble coffeeshop in the vicinity of everyday housing blocks, i figured a snap shot of the location was unnecessary. However, being in such a location meant everyday low prices which does motivate somewhat. My mother does recommend the place and i have tried their spinach fried rice as well, which was really good.

Vegetarian Seafood Pot ($6-8)

This dish was an enigma of sorts because i couldn't quite understand what kind of seafood pot it was imitating. It contained assortments of bean curd ( the normal variety), button mushrooms, black fungi, snow peas and mini corns. The stock was quite salty and the bean curd which made up much of the dish really wasn't anything special. Serviceable but not something i'll order again.

Broccoli and Vegetarian Scallops and Fish Maw ($4-8)

Another lackluster dish, the broccoli was served in huge stalks and were difficult to chew on. The 'fish maw' was interesting because i couldn't make out what it was made of while the 'scallops' were made of 'dao gua' or 'dou gan' which did not taste the least bit the way it was supposed to. As a dish on its own, its rather bland and the broccoli could have been steamed longer before serving.

Sweet and Sour 'Pork' ($4-8)

The first item which actually tasted good. The sweet and sour 'pork' actually tasted authentic which is decidedly easy since the sauce is mostly vegetarian based in the first place. Being made of green peppers, tomatoes, pineapples, onions and tomato ketchup in general. The difference is the 'pork' which was deep fried as normal but is made of 'dou gan' instead. And even more surprising is that it actually works. This was quite easily enjoyable.

Vegetarian Shark's Fin Soup ($8-10)

It is a widely known fact that shark's fin itself has no taste, the real providers of taste in that department happens to be the stock or broth that houses it. So in this case, this doesn't taste much different from the actual thing. However, the broth used isn't up to par, probably due to the lack of chicken or seafood used in its stock. This resulted in a somewhat mild and bland tasting stew that has a long way to go before being a good sell.

Peking Duck ($8-10)

We called this out of curiosity and when it was served, it only resulted in even more questions as we struggle to understand why it was given its namesake in the first place. It tastes and looks nothing like Peking duck but that isn't to say it didn't taste good though. Similar to the sweet and sour 'pork' before it, this is made of beans and flour as usual and its seasoned with something akin to char siew sauce which makes it kind of sweet. The outer layer was thin and crispy with the inner layer actually having a texture very similar to chicken. Pretty nicely done.

Hot Plate Bean Curd ($4-8)

More bean curd again! This time, its done hot pate style with loads of spices and chilli thrown into the mix. The results are fiery hot and a little sweet at the same time in terms of the sauce used but the bean curd is sadly the same generic ones they used for almost every other dish. Average but could have been better.

Stir Fried Sweet Potato Leaf ($4-6)

This is interesting. How did they get the item to have the taste of dried shrimp when its a vegetarian restaurant? I guess i probably won't get to know. Either way, the dish tasted authentic yet again rivaling similar offerings fried with dried shrimp made outside but of course, thats about all that is good about it. So if you didn't like it when its made of shrimp, you wouldn't like it when its made here.

Fish Head Pot ($5-10)

This is also pretty nicely done, making it actually feel like i'm having fish soup with all the assorted sweet taste and even a fishy smell to go with it. Intriguing but apart from the vegetable, which turn out to be sweet potato leaf and cabbage again, the other ingredients and the fake fish failed to stir my taste buds.

"Shrimp" fritters ($4-6)

Yet another item that actually tasted pretty good. (I believe deep fried stuff tastes good easily because its not good for you.) The 'shrimp', which should be a mixture of radish and flour, was crunchy and appetising when paired with the salad cream and oddly enough, there's minimal oil to be found.

The bill was actually around $40 for this meal for 6 people. (I lost the bill, sorry) There's a multitude of items to try and many things you never thought could taste as alike as it does here. And if my mother's happy, thats fine with me.

Overall Score: 6.5/10

Last Word:
I was quite surprised that quite a few items there were actually quite easy to stomach. This is because i largely assume vegetarian food to be the haven of artificial flavors and colors which does next to no good for my health. Still, i cannot deny that the food there wasn't too bad but i maintain my stand that as much as possible. Novelty aside, i would still prefer the natural stuff to something fabricated by man. If you are a vegan, you can give it a try because it does have some authentic stuff but if you are like me, a carnivore, stay away.

Sage's The Restuarant

Monthly dinner was decided to be Sage's this time around and the group has swelled considerably since its inception. This time standing at 10 strong with bloggers and yebbers making the majority of the audience, we braved the horrible Friday night traffic to the second level of Double O for (hopefully) a good meal.

Location: #02-12 Robertson Walk

Contact: 6333 8726

Website: http://www.sagerestaurants.com.sg

This tells you that you are no longer in the Heartlands

Sage's

Pseudo Artistic Shot

Our proposed Menu

Sage is run by a husband and wife team who also helped prepare the menu you see here. As this menu was custom made for our group of 10, there are a few items you will not find in the ala carte menu at all times. So do be informed of this little detail.

Cozy Interiors

The transparent kitchen

Soft and elegant lighting

Despite how bright some of these shots look, we struggled really hard to find a good light source for our photos. Its was very very dim inside and photo taking became a nightmare but we all managed to pull it off after many failed shots and lots of trial and error.

Complimentary Bread

The complimentary bread was served warm and soft but cooled quickly in the rather strong air con which rendered it pretty tasteless and simply bad. Servings were generous though and refills were readily given.

Amuse Bouche

Another complimentary item courtesy of the restaurants loving couple. This was basically minced pork with something akin to tomato puree atop which tasted pretty good but i dislike the taste it leaves in your mouth which is actually quite raw.

Our Drink for the day

Huia Pinot Noir 2005 ($69)

Another Look

Clarity check

Pinot noir belongs to a family of grapes which are generally of less body and contains more character. Huia from New Zealand was introduced by the serving staff for our meal which is strangely inadequate. Though i liked the bite the drink provided and the aftertaste which was sharp and slightly sourish, it did not fit the mood of the evening as the majority of our dishes were white meat or seafood. Even then, as a drink alone, this could be enjoyed easily and demands little appreciation for entry.

Seared King Scallops on a Salad of Homemade Squid Ink Capellini, Marinated Ocean Trout and Avruga Caviar, Braised Scallop Lips and Leek & Potato Vichyssoise

Another look

Heavenly. That about summarizes this dish. The scallops were pan seared to perfection with a slightly crisp exterior while retaining its fresh soft sweetness inside. The leek & potato Vichyssoise (the bed of sauce below) deserves specific mention since many of us soaked it up with the leftover complimentary bread just to get more of it. It was that good. A definite must try but its not available on normal menus though.

Pan Seared Duck Foie Gras with Pistachio Crust and Fig Compote, Granny Smith Apple Puree

Another look

Without a doubt, the best Foie Gras i have ever had. The pistachio nuts were included in the batter that pan seared the foie gras, resulting in a crispy crust with an aroma of ground nuts and a soft, melt-in-your-mouth layer inside. The sweet and sour apple puree only served to enhance the already wonderful taste it provides.

Effeuille of Cod and Grey Prawns in a Seafood Bouillabaisse with Ratte Potatoes and Garden Vegetables accompanied with Rouille on Toast

A Closer Look

The star of the evening in an evening filled with stars. The prawns were fresh and totally sweet and crunchy with the additional basil adding dimension to the already splendid concoction. The cod was fine and so soft it literally melts away in your mouth. The seafood bouillabaisse tasted sharp amidst the fine ingredients and this added to an already perfect combination. An interesting item was the rouille on toast which was extremely hard and crispy but as with all items it already encompasses, only served to increase the amount of pleasure the dish generated.

Lavender Crème Brûlée with Blood Orange Sorbet on Redcurrant Jelly

I felt the only disappointment was its dessert. Thats not to say it was bad though. The creme brulee was fragrant, light and sweet enough to recommend but the coagulated sugar layer turned out thicker then it should. The white stick you see is meringue, which is a combination of sugar and egg white, which was great the first few bites and slowly degenerated to a fight for toothpicks as it began to stick to the teeth. The sorbet was nothing special as was the redcurrant jelly but they got the job done either way.

Bill

The bill for 10 people came up to a whooping $1022.80 dollars which shocked my teeth out the moment i saw it but i can't deny the wonderful experience their food and service managed to provide.

Overall Score: 8/10

Last Word:
Despite my disdain for high priced and small servings, this restaurant proved my previous judgments unfounded and showed me a side of fine dining i have never experienced thus far into my little hobby. The food was packed with taste and didn't feel cheap or badly done in the least. Even the small servings did not manage to whip me out of my drunken stupor of praises for their food. This is one place to take note and come to if you have the dough to support your stomach. And with food this good, everybody should make an effort to be able to afford it.

Manhatten Fish Market Part 2

Judging from my previous visit and the fact that my gf really likes this place, we revisited it again on her birthday to make sure that it was indeed as good as we thought it to be. You can refer here for my previous review.

Address: 68 Orchard Road, Plaza Singapura 6th floor

Contact: 68359300

Price Range: $35 per head (inclusive of 1 soup, 1 starter and a seafood platter)

Interior

The cosy corner

Counter staff

Perfect Catch! Soup ($4.90 for soup and lemon tea)

Lobster Bisque ($4.90 for soup and lemon tea)

The 2 soups look totally alike apart from the fact that one had some bread sprinkled into it and the other didn't. I had a hard time discerning which is which as well, since they both contained pretty much the same ingredients. Sourish and appetizing sums up the taste.

Fried Country Mushrooms ($9.90)

A Dissected Look

With sauce!!

This is legendary. Something i can come for almost anytime, if only they could lower down the price. $9.90 for wonderfully battered and deep fried mushrooms are not too expensive considering the size of each one, but for 6 mushrooms, it starts feeling a bit uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the mushrooms still taste perfectly divine regardless of the time or day.

Mussells in cream sauce

Breaded Shrimp

Premium Sea Catch Whole Fish Platter ($39.90)

Having tried the platter for 2 before (which tastes wonderful and has some stunts thrown in by the way), we opted for something different today. The premium catch platter comes with a whole sea bass deep fried in orange flavored batter, french fries, calamari, mussels and breaded shrimps atop a bed of garlic rice. The mussels were pretty sweet and fresh which contrasted with its sourish sauce which strangely made it more pleasant. The calamari and fries were nothing to shout about and sadly, so is the fish. Despite being a whole fish, it somehow felt that there was less meat to go about. That said, the meat it did have was soft and sweet but strangely lacking other forms of taste. The breaded shrimp was good with its pepperish bread. The garlic rice this time lacked the burnt mayonnaise taste that enhanced its taste considerably during the previous visit. This is quickly rectified by us dumping loads of mayonnaise into the rice so it wasn't a problem. Overall, i felt the previous platter was better value and had better taste.

Bill

The bill came to a higher level of $71.30 this time. I would have preferred the previous combination in all regards but i guess, nothing ventured nothing gained. And i gained knowledge this time.

Overall Score: 7.25/10

Last Word:
Despite the small disappointment, this is still a place i would gladly return to. The service was great. They opened another section specifically for us when we requested for it and introduced items they thought would suit our tastes. The food is still of a certain standard though it would be better if they had the burnt mayonnaise on all their double platters. Nevertheless, there'll definitely be a third visit. (And probably one to their main competitor.)

Ice Cream Chef's

Ice cream. A necessary sin, especially in Singapore where it is perpetually warm. And a wonderful indulgence after a good meal. That said, Ice Cream Chefs is an oasis in the desert, with a twist and i urge you to read on to see what this place offers.

Address: 520 East Coast Road #01-06 (Ocean Park)

Contact: 64466355

Website: http://icecreamchefs.blogspot.com/

Look out for this sign

Keep your eyes peeled as you drive to catch this purple signboard. Its easy to miss and the location is totally ulu and unexpected. There is free parking but you gotta press the bell to get in.

That's the entire store right here.

Selection of Ice Cream

Menu

Additional Toppings!!

Notice any familiar faces?

The maestro at work

The location is difficult to find but price wise, 1 scoop goes for $3, 2 scoops for $4+ and 3 scoops for $5++. I can't remember the exact prices but thats about a general price guide you can follow. Very competitive pricing i might say, and the idea is still novel enough to warrant some attention.

Completed products 1

Completed products 2

Completed products 3

The ice cream used is of a pretty good quality. It is extremely easy to separate each taste from the next and durian taste is very very strong if you add it. It is also nicely smooth and taste as good as those served at other establishments like Anderson's or New Zealand ice cream. In other words, do try it!! Add in the fact that you can choose a large variety of toppings (oreos, fudge, marshmallows, M & Ms etc) and this is just a winner.

Overall score: 7.5/10

Last Word:

Good ice cream at a reasonable price with wonderful toppings and the option to try the entire process first hand. Apart from the secluded location, there is alot going for this place. Its definitely worth a visit just to mix the ice cream for yourself. Bring a date or friend along for added ambience *winks*.