La Petite

Date: 15 August 2012

Address: 10 Jalan Serene, Serene Centre #01-05 

Opening hours: Tue - Sun 11:30-2:30 5:30-9:50, Closed on Mondays 

Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens 

La Petite is a hidden gem in the corner of Serene Centre, next to Island Creamery. 

A very friendly bearded french chef greeted us with a warm "Hello!" 

He looked oddly out of place, as if he stepped out from a cafe on a street in Paris and into this cafeteria looking restaurant in Singapore. 

But his warm smile and grandfather looks welcomed us nicely and started our splendid time spent there.

Everyone gets a free piece of bread which was warm, perfectly baked and fragrant. I actually regret not having asked if they sold bread. 

This is meant to be an appetizer but who says you can't have appetizers for lunch? 

I'm not a big eater so I decided this was enough to fill my stomach and boy did it taste AWESOME. 

The Ravioli with prawns and foie gras (S$15) WAS AMAZING. 

The creamy sauce was not exactly like carbonara, it was sweet and not too salty. The prawns were fresh and there was just a pinch of foie gras to complement everything. 

Ahhhhhhhh, so good. 

My companion ordered the dory fish in basquais sauce and rice S$13 

The fish was as it should be, fresh and tasty. The sauce was slightly sour and lemoney, went perfect with the sweetness of the fish. The rice was meh, okay. Nothing much about it, i've heard they serve good butter rice. I shall have a go at it next time. 

I didn't take a picture of the interior but this is how the exterior looks like and as you can see, it's just a nice unpretentious, fuss-free place to go to for good food at reasonable prices. The staff are great and helpful too. 

If you like duck confit, do go ahead and try it because it's ACTUALLY better than Saveur's. I can't believe I just said that either, cos I hadn't tasted better duck confit than theirs before trying Petite's. I would however prefer Saveur's mashed potatoes to Petite's diced ones. 

I wish i had (have) a bigger appetite so I could do a review of it for you guys but trust me when I say i'll be back soon for more! 

The Plain

Date: 12 June 2012

Address: 50 Craig Road

Opening Hours: 7:30am - 7:30pm

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

Website: The Plain

I'm trying to visit as many places as I can in the tanjong pagar/duxton/ann siang area and I know "The Plain" is one not to be missed. 

After a short 7 minutes walk from the train station, my friend and I arrive at the cafe, sweaty and hungry. 

The rectangular sized space boasts of high ceilings and a cosy setting. 

The moment we stepped in, welcome greetings met us and a nice friendly waitress sat us down. 

I've heard this was a melbourne-based establishment so I wasn't surprised to see vegemite toast on the menu.  I can't stand vegemite so i limited myself to the items I could try. 

Salami Ciabatta - S$8.90 

This surprised me because there was sweet chilli in it. I'm not sure if i'm all for it, but it didn't taste too bad so i'm not complaining. 

The roma tomatoes were AMAZING. I think the roma tomatoes made what could have been an average ciabatta into a mouth watering one. I would have liked more rocket though. 

Having said that, the beef pastrami ciabatta ( also $8.90 ) paled in comparison.

For some reason, the bread wasn't as crispy and well toasted as the salami one. This one was too hard and almost impossible to bite through. The sundried tomatoes failed to impress after being outshined by the roma tomatoes. Netiher of us finished our half.

 Once again, the roma tomatoes made the Darling's eggs ( S$6.50 ) a tantalizing rendition of poached eggs on sourdough toast. 

Instead of using hollandaise, they use melted cheese. Instead of salmon like the one in Group therapy's poached eggs, they use ham. 

If given a choice, I would combine both cafes' poached eggs to create my idea of perfect poached eggs - a thick slice of sourdough toast with roma tomatoes, a small portion of hollandaise sauce with poached eggs on top, garnished with black pepper.

Our waitress recommended we try the Summer blue iced tea - S$5.50 so we did.

The recipe included Gryphon english breakfast tea with lychees and mint leaves. 

It was refreshing and something new, mixing fruits with tea. 

I've read about how messy the billing system is but we had no problem when we asked for the bill. 

The waitress who attended to us simply told the cashier what we ordered and we were politely told to pay at the counter. I do understand how it can get disorganized if it were a busy day and the waitresses aren't free to cater to each specific order. 

But if they say this is the way the people in Melbourne roll, who are we to criticize? 

All I need is reasonably priced good food, smiles from friendly staff and aircon (Singapore is too humid for me to enjoy my food in alfresco dining areas). 

Dessert Bowl

Date: 7 June 2012
Address: 80A Serangoon Garden Way
Opening Hours: Tue–Thu: 12pm – 10.30pm , Fri–Sun: 12pm – 12am, closed on Mondays 
Nearest MRT: Serangoon

A number of my friends have been gushing over this place and its highlight - the durian mousse. 

I'm a huge durian fan, i come from 3 generations of durian lovers so how could I not have a go at a bowl? 

The setting makes you feel comfortable, simple with bold colours and soft light. The place is decorated with these boxes of displays which are just so exquisitely filled with the minute details. There are quite a number of seats around the house as well so no need to worry about having to wait. 

Mango Pomelo dessert - S$4.20

A friend of mine who doesn't like durians ordered her usual mango pomelo dessert. It tasted ordinary, in fact i think i prefer Ah Chew's mango pomelo. 

Durian Mousse - S$5 

THIS was amazing. Forget about the large chunk of durian, the mousse itself was creamy and the taste of durian was strong. It was basically just durian in a creamier form. This chilled bowl of heaven is perfect for any night! It was a bit too much for me to finish so it might be nice to share it with someone. All things taste better when shared (at least to me) 

I hope they make more money so they can open island wide outlets. Its a hassle going to serangoon gardens but i would gladly go again for the durian mousse is WORTHHHHHHHHHH IT.

Saveur

Date: 1st May 2012
Address: 5 Purvis street
Opening hours: Daily 12-230pm , 6-9.30pm
Nearest MRT: Bugis/City Hall

I finally got to try this new gem in the city and I am so glad i did! The food is different from anything i've tried and it came at such a reasonable cost. Furthermore, it doesn't charge GST and service charge and it's situated in a centralized location, somewhere in between Bugis and City hall. Seating area is not big but  it could probably fit a big group if you come during non-peak hours. 

I especially like the decor on this wall. It looks like they chose not to plaster bits of the wall and it has turned out to be a unique design. Gives the whole place a different texture. 

Before we stepped in, we read a sign that warned us about having to wait for quite a bit because they were short handed or something like that so, we expected to wait. 

Fortunately, our food came almost immediately (maybe 5-10 mins later) so our stomachs didn't need to wait at all. 

Angel Hair pasta with Tiger prawn and lumpfish caviar. - S$6.9

This was THE dish i had to try, after reading countless of food reviews on Saveur. It did not disappoint AT ALL, in fact it left me wanting more after the first bite. The pasta itself was extremely fragrant, olive oil perhaps (?), i honestly don't know, it was some kind of a wonderful, light but flavorful burst of emotions in my mouth. 

The portion isn't big but for me, it's filling enough. If not, you can always just order 2 dishes because this pasta is freaking 6.90. It tastes SO MUCH MORE than 6.90. Even if this were 16.90, I'd still order it. 

We ordered a starter - the Confit of Salmon with apple and fennel salad - S$8.90

I only have 2 thumbs but i wish i had more to put them up because this was amazing. 

Salmon is already nice on its own, whether raw or cooked, but the black thingy on top gave it a zesty oomph. The whole thing blended smoothly together and made a splendid starter. 

The waitress taking our order told me this was their specialty - Confit of duck with orange segments and saute shittake (mushrooms) - S$8.90. If you're wondering what 'confit' means, it refers to a technique for preserving meats such as goose, duck or pork that involves cooking the meat in its own fat, and then storing the meat in a covered container.

The duck was adequately crispy, almost a little hard but I think its because i took so long to eat (while taking photos) that it turned cold and slightly hard. It still tasted incredibly good though, with the buttered mashed potatoes that came in a generous portion. The mushrooms were too oily for me and the orange segments are a little redundant but not much harm was done. This dish didn't disappoint me at all, it probably exceeded what I had expected anyone can do with duck. 

Barramundi with Crab potato and french beans - S$12.90. The potatoes had a familiar taste to them, my friend said it was something like the "wok's smell." I felt it reminded me of the hashbrown nuggets. The waitress said it contained bits of crab but I couldn't tell. Well anyway, the potatoes tasted unique and good so just go try it! Fish was alright, soft and tasty enough. I didn't like the skin though, it had a very fishy taste. Might have been better if it was fried or just not there at all. 

Pistachio nuts are one of the few nuts i'm okay with and boy i'm glad we tried this!!!! The Pistachio Panna Cotta was a breath of fresh air that warmly rounded up our lunch. The smooth and dense composition of the panna cotta was nicely accompanied by the sweet tasting nuts that had a salty after taste. For ONLY S$6.9 , this is a must try when you visit Saveur. 

Saveur has only been at Purvis street for about a month and it has already won the hearts of many with its good food at extremely affordable prices. They started out like how Astons did, at a humble stall in a coffee shop and have now blossomed into a nice quaint gem located near the CBD. I wish them all the best and hope they'll grow to become more successful. The fact that the owners are only 25 and 28 is impressive and inspiring to all budding entrepreneurs.

Everyone should go to Saveur to have a piece of this treasure! 

Heart of House (CLOSED)

Date : 6th February 2012
Address : 4 Kim Tian Road 169245
Opening hours: Daily 11am -12am
Nearest MRT station : Tiong Bahru
Phone Number : 62747448

This is a place I would highly recommend. I myself will probably be a regular customer. 

Just before you scroll down, i should point out that they don't have Gst & Service charges, which makes the food even more reasonably priced.

The place has a warm setting with rather high ceilings and simple wooden furniture. I assume the boss left the old flooring as it is and i give him credit because it gives people a nostalgic 60's feeling. There aren't many seats, it's a small place but it's suitable for nice get together with old school mates or family.
I would recommend always giving them a call to make reservations, even if it's a weekday night.  

What's also special about them is they have unique beers on tap, I haven't tried them but I will in time to come.  

I had a taste of these 2 ciders, one from UK (Thatcher's) and the other from Sweden (Kopparberg) I really liked the latter cos the pear flavor made it sweet, different from thatcher's cos it's slightly bitter. 

The highlight of HOH will probably be the fact that they import a wide range of beers/ciders, 40-50 of brands from different countries. Ranging from: 

Belgium 

Sweden

Taiwan

UK 

The boss was very nice to let me take photographs even thought it was full house on a weekday night. 

THE FOOD 

Vegetarian Pasta : 

Cooked in Aglio Olio style, I was thinking it'd be bland by the looks of it but it was pleasantly tasteful and very refreshing. S$16 

Calamari was so-so but cheap! S$5.00

Nachos was good! But as usual, you'll have to eat it quickly cos when the chips turn soggy they lose their flavor. Reasonable portion for S$12 

Chimichanga!!!! I love chimichanga, and thought this was a good version of it. I asked to have no rice in it though because I don't fancy mexican rice. I had it with minced beef, along with bell peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes and mixed cheese. This was served with salsa, sour cream and corn chips. S$16 

Fajitas with Beef : Portion was big and very delicious. Served with bell peppers, the beef was cooked with mexican herbs & spices, accompanied with a generous portion of flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, re-fried beans, salsa, sour cream, corn chips and home-made guacamole.  

S$20

Heart of House Special Pasta S$16 

It looks plain but it surprised me with a strong flavor of bacon in the noodles (which were just right, not too dry and not too oily). In the dish were sauteed onions, garlic, bacon, mushroom topped with chilli flakes, black pepper and finished off with an egg.  I usually avoid having Aglio Olio pasta cos im afraid it'll turn out too oily, but this was balanced well. This pasta is one of those dishes when you can't stop eating it, bite after bite. It wasn't mine so i had to consciously refrain from stealing my friend's dinner haha. 

I definitely wanna try their breakfast one day!!! Let's see if they are "all-rounded" 

  

Plus Rogue Chocolate Stout sounds interesting, shall try that the next time. 

I like this place, it's one of those comfort restaurants where you can sit with a few friends and just try everything on the menu because not having gst and svc charge makes it feel so reasonable. Plus it's near central city area, so it's a convenient place to set.