It's 2 o'clock in the morning and I have a serious craving for Fish and Chips.
Unfortunately, it's terribly difficult to find really good fish and chips on this tiny spot of an island. For one, almost every eating stablishment serves the thin slices of fish breaded and fried till their hard and dry. Furthermore, it doesn't help that the fish is often tasteless and the chips that come alongside the rock hard fish are often of the frozen variety.
Personally, I love my fish to be thick, fleshy, soft and juicy ; coated in smooth and flavorful crispy brown batter. At the same time, the fries are freshly and thickly sliced potato coated with a pinch of salt and pepper. Even better still, tossed in herbs and cayenne pepper powder. Mmmmmm... be still my beating tastebuds.
Nonetheless, the best fish and chips I've ever had so far was at the Pinetree Club. The batter was crispy and bursting with flavor. And the fish! Wow! Exactly how I loved. However, that was six years ago and I wonder if the standard still holds.
Still, I have to satisfy my craving. I might cook it this Friday but if anyone's got any suggestions, do leave some in the comments box. I know this is so going to ruin my plan to lose weight but I can't help it. I'm feeling very very very hungry right now.
Goodnight!
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Venue : The Coffee Lounge, Goodwood Park Hotel
Date : May 19, 2006
Walking through the doors of the Goodwood Park Hotel, I could not help but feel as if I had travelled back in time. An architecture reflecting an era of colonial splendour, the hotels holds many memories dear to me. I remember having English high tea with my Godmother and getting all excited whenever my parents said they were taking us to Shima .
In case you were wondering, Shima's yakiniku buffet is no longer at the hotel. The yakiniku is now located at the Esplanade and is now such a disgrace to Shima when it was in its prime back in the eighties and early nineties. For $28+++, there's no more garlic fried rice, no more free flow of crispy tempura, and the quality of the beef ... ewww! Don't let me got there.
But I digress. So on Friday evening, my aunt and uncle invited my parents and I to dinner at the Coffee Lounge, which is rather famous (I am bewildered as to why) for their local themed high tea buffet. I was seriously freaked out because I've tried their high tea and I was not impressed. So how was dinner?
*Drum roll please*
And the verdict is...
Not that bad actually. While the buffet had a fair share of Asian, local and Western cuisine, there still isn't much to get excited about. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed their shellfish, especially the crayfish, on ice. The crayfish was sweet, fleshy and absolutely fresh. It tasted best with lemon and tobasco sauce. Another shellfish dish I enjoyed was the cold scallops tossed in a spicy sweet and sour chilli sauce. Like the crayfish, the scallops were fresh and tasted absolutely divine. No fishy taste I swear!
However the same cannot be said for their oysters. The first one I took went powdery in my mouth and my parents had a mild case of food poisoning from eating at least more than two of the devious shellfish.
That aside, another dish I absolutely loved was the Grilled Seabass and vegetables ( sundried tomato, zuchhini and squash) served in a cream based sauce. The sundried tomatoes was slightly charred and wonderfully sweet while the fish was fresh, juicy and went very well with the nicely salted sauce. Other must tries include the Asparagus salad and the fresh and sundried tomatoes served with slices of white, creamy mozzarella.
Lastly, the desserts were simply OK for me. The Apple Crumble was not too sweet and the Vanilla sauce could use more hints of vanilla. I did love the Chocolate Truffle cake though. Although it was a tad bit too sweet, it was crazily rich and I loved how the bitter sweet mousse like cake simply melts in my mouth.
Overall the dinner was pleasant. However, what almost spoiled dinner were the rude staff ( I had waiters constantly bumping into my chair and moving off without even an excuse me or apology) and the potted plant next to our table which slowly released an odour of cat droppings. My aunt insists that the owners of the hotels allowed their pet cats to roam the hotel ( she has seen them) and when she brought it up to the restaurants manager, he denied it and simply said . "OK."
Sheesh.
Price : $29.50 nett per person
Despite the rude and nonchalent staff, I might have dinner at the Coffee Lounge again simply because I love the Grilled Seabass, Scallops and Chilled Crayfish so much. Nonetheless, the thought of visiting the establishment once again wouldn't excite me too much. I'd rather save all my excitment for lunch at One-Ninety anytime.
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Following Lorraine's post on bad service at Goodwood Park, I thought that I'd provide a list of places with the bad, and the wonderful experiences...So here goes.
The Bad
In order of de-merit...
1st Position : Moonfish Pasta & Seafood Restaurant, Millenia Walk
This place bags the top spot! When I informed the staff (who later informed the chef) that their penne was too salty, we overheard the chef telling the staff to tell us that we don't know what we ordered and we should change our orders. Outrageous! I don't see Valentino or Zambuca screwing up their Carbonara like you did. And the name of the chef: Federick Lee. Moonfish, you grab the top spot for a rude and irresponsible chef, leaving your staff to clean up your dirty work.
2nd Position: Bakerzin's Millenia Walk
What's up with the "I dont' serve water policy?" Oh well. Bakerzin almost tied with Menotti Raffles City [which is not in this list] except for one thing. Inflexibility. After a lunch with 4 others at Bakerzin, I ordered desserts for everyone and one of my guests requested a cup of warm water to take with medicine. Guess what the response was? "We ONLY serve Evian. Do YOU want a glass of WARM Evian?" (emphasis denoted). Well, for Bakerzin, they lost business of 5 desserts (approx $25) and 5 potential long-term customers over a glass of warm water. Poor business sense.
3rd Position: Pasta Fresca Salvatore, Siglap
I didn't exactly encounter bad service here at Pasta Fresca, but I saw the receipe for disaster - unhappy service staff. For those in the service line, it doesn't help to call your staff stupid over any matters. When my order was taken, I informed the staff to tell the kitchen to go easy on the garlic. However, the staff mistakenly told the chef, "no garlic" and got a tongue-lashing - the word stupid cropping up. When a staff scooped an extra half ladle of soup into a bowl for another customer, the manager of the restaurant scolded the staff stupid. How wrong! The Number One Principle of good service delivery: Happy staff.
I did call the manager to my table and said that that was one thing that must not be done and I even submitted a comments form. I never received a reply.
4th Position: Crystal Jade Suntec City
Oh yes. The all-time "favourite". Notice that the staff never smiles when taking orders? They are always looking around, distracted. And never never tell your customer "No More" without even looking at them. You could even take the initiative to recommend something else. Oh, I remembered, the time Lorraine requested for red cut chilli. The manager brought both red and green chilli, and when we kindly told them that we didn't need the green, she grabbed the saucer, and threw (YES! Literally threw!) it into the container that I was seated beside. How very rude.
5th Position:Ritz-Carlton Singapore, Chihuly Lounge (High Tea)
Yes yes, I see many people gasping already. Yes, nothing wrong with your screen, the RITZ-CARLTON. Oh well, I arrived early for high-tea and the staff was reluctant to seat us. We were told "Oh, we don't start yet." When we insisted on sitting to wait, the least you could do was offer water. You are after all, Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen. Oh, and good service delivery means that your cucumber sandwiches are not soggy and stuck to the dishes, and that your scones are properly baked thank you. I must admit, the service recovery of the Ritz Carlton was excellent and I still visit Summer Pavillion (Chinese restaurant). But yes. Even the Ritz Carlton can end up in such a spot if it isn't careful.
And The Service Winners...
I found significant difficulties in ranking them in order of merit. Good service is all about the staff and some can be friendly and warm, while others professional and unobstrusive. Both makes dining a pleasure. To ease into this, I shall opt for the alphabetical order.
Conrad Hotel Lobby Lounge (High Tea)
Tea at the Conrad is really a time to relax and enjoy a little personal time on your own. Yes, although I don't really like the fact that their teapots take up too much space on the table...hehe... I like the fact that the staff are always professional and unobstrusive. They glide around making you feel as though you are in your own little lounge at home, enjoying a cup of brew with your friends and your memories.
Imperial Treasure Ngee Ann City, Takashimaya
Imperial Treasure doesn't deliver over-the-top service but it sure understands that their core business is to deliver good food. Once, when we told a staff that our oyster porridge was way too salty, they immediately brought a brand new bowl for us. This despite that they needed to clear the room that we were seated in by 2.30pm for the second seating. By the way, it was nearly 2pm when that happened.
One-Ninety, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
If you've read our previous entry on One Ninety, you'd have thought that there was nothing much to service for a buffet. Not true. How about the manager explaining to you about the special dishes? Or the fact that everytime you left the table, your plates would be cleared, your napkin placed on the handles of the chairs AND your water topped up? How about observent staff who notice that you're ready to move on to your main dish and your desserts, providing the necessary cutlery to do so? That's the Four Seasons for you.
The Regent Hotel Tea Lounge
High-tea at the Regent is truly a test of mettle. There is nothing on display but instead, service staff walk around with huge silver trays of culinary delights of Smoked salmon, cold cucumber and tomato sandwiches, piping hot scones with luciously whipped fresh cream. And yes, I digress. Throughout tea, the staff will offer you the delightful morsels for their huge polished trays, and never once do they flinch or give you a dirty look for eating too much. That's not only all. In fact, the staff even noticed what each of us enjoyed, and offered to get us more from the kitchen whenever it came out fresh! How nice of them.
Valentino
Being in Valentino's is like being in the kitchen of an Italian family. Friendly and warm. Like I always say, food and company.
Zambuca, Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore
A friendly restaurant manager, a magnificent cellar and the most welcoming sommelier. You know the tension that rises when you want to order wine but you don't know which one to order. Plus, you do have a budget don't you? It doesn't help that the staff usually recommends the most expensive.
Well,at Zambuca, it was just the opposite. Wonderful wine with our food without having to rob a bank. $100 just for wine for 6 to 7 people. Recommended by the sommelier who shared with us the entire process of how he choose the wine. Not too bad don't you think?
And there. I hope to be able to update this post from time to time, so that those faring not so well, do get a chance you move out of the list. Have you encountered good or bad service?
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Date: 28 Apr 2006
Venue: Bi Feng Tang, Century Square, Tampines, Singapore
The Menu: Bi Feng Tang Crispy Chicken ($12.8), Roast Duck & Char Siew Noodles ($7.5), Roast Duck & Roast Pork Noodles ($7.5), Chrysanthamum Tean ($0.8)
The Experience:
Lorraine and I visited Bi Feng Tang after our visit to Very Special Arts in the morning for a meeting. www.vsa.org.sg VSA is an organisation that helps the less fortunate by providing them opportunities to create arts and crafts for sale, in order to sustain their livelihood.
Bi Feng Tang is a small eatery at the basement of Century Square that serves up good quality roasts. Both our noodles were of reasonably large portions and the roast meats that accompanied it was fragrant.
The chicken was a deep fried crispy skin chicken topped with a mixture of fried garlic and probably oats as we suspect.
Total bill for 2: $32.55
A decent place for casual dining. The quiet ambience makes it wonderful for catching up over lunch.
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Date: 14 Apr 2006
Venue: Wahiro Japanese Restaurant, East Coast Road, Katong Mall
Menu: Yakitori Set - Kushiyaki ($20), Mixed Oden - Oden Mori ($15), Tempura Mori ($12), Kakiage ($12), California Maki ($9.8), Morisoba ($9.8), Salmon Shio ($9.8), Teapot Soup - Dobin Mushi ($8.8), Hot Sake ($7.8), Rice Set - Gohan Set ($5), Rice Ball - Onigiri ($3.8)
The Experience:
We decided to step into Wahiro after eyeing the place for quite sometime during our frequent visits to Cold Storage at Katong Mall. Wahiro apparently serves haute cuisine with a seasonal kaiseki meal at $100 per person. We opted for the ala-carte that day.
Seating
The ambience of Wahiro was typically Japanese. It was like entering a yakitori restaurant along a cobble-lined street of old Nippon. The restaurant was dim and quiet, and smell of yakitori wafting through.
Kushiyaki Set
The food at Wahiro is worth a mention. Despite being a yakitori restaurant, we did find the yakitori in the Kushiyaki set a bit dry for our liking. The minced chicken and the gingko nut yakitori though, was quite pleasant. The Oden and Tempura were probably the highlight of the night. The former was simmered in a fragrant dashi broth and was very much, comfort food. The latter was crisp and light as the ingredients bursts with natural flavours.
While it is easy to serve a Salmon Shio, its difficult to get it right. The salt is intended to protect the fish but too much would render it far too salty and unpalatable. Wahiro does an excellent job, while maintaining the moisture of the fish. Delicious with rice.
If there was any fault with Wahiro, it had to be the Dobin Mushi. Firstly, it was served with lemon and secondly, the stock was far too delicate to handle the ingredients.
Total bill for 4: $131.45
Wahiro was a cool experience and I'll probably be back. It definitely brought back memories of Japanese dining, sans the commercialism.
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Date: 5 Apr 2006
Venue: Menotti, 252 North Bridge Road, #01-17 Raffles City Shopping Centre
Menu: Fritto Misto, Seafood Platter ($26), Lobster Pasta ($23.80), Grilled Salsiccia, Grilled Scallop Pasta ($18), Tagliatelle with Seafood ($16), Lagsane ($15), Roma Chocolate Gelare ($9.5), Profiterol ($7), Pannacotta ($6.5), Limoncino Lemon Tart ($6.5), Italian Still Water 75cl ($5.30)
The Experience:
In all honesty, I didn't like Menotti's ambience at all. The structure made it very noisy and it was difficult to hold a proper conversation. It didn't help that the small lounge-type round tables didn't facilitate sharing nor conversation and the staff wasn't exactly "friendly". Coupled with the fact that we had to pay for water, which didn't taste different from our tap water, Menotti scored an all-time low. I somehow prefer its more casual and friendly counterpart, Riciotti over at The Riverside despite its smaller menu.
The food didn't redemm Menotti at all. To be fair, the food was consistent. The pastas were al denta, it wasn't too salty, sweet or sour and it was fresh. But it didn't wow. Lorraine and I were suspicious of the lobster pasta. The texture tasted more like crayfish to us.
The desserts were only ok. The gelare and lemon tart was good, rich and creamy. The profiterols were fluffy although I preferred Valentino's. However, the panna cotta tasted as though the pastry chef forgot the sugar. It was bland.
Total Bill for 5: $152
Overall, Menotti disappointed and considerably expensive. In our usual practice, we would order one of each dish to taste and well, the bill still came up to >$30 per person. Thankfully, it was the company that made all the difference.
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Xiao Long Bao @ Qun ZhongDate: 2 Apr 2006
Venue: Qun Zhong Eating House, 21 Neil Road, Singapore 088814
Menu: Dumplings ($7), Stuffed Meat Pancake ($9), Xiao Long Bao ($7), Zha Jiang Mian ($4), Sweet & Sour Soup ($2.50), Red Bean Pancake ($9), Sweet Glutinous Rice Ball in Rose or Osmanthus syrup ($3)
The Experience:
Qun Zhong Eating House is a small cash-only eatery with an eccentric culture. Here is the top 10 listing of abnomalies:
1. It is perpetually crowded.
2. It is crowded even before its open for business.
3. Parking is a nightmare.
4. You wait outside the eatery when its full and they don't even provide you chairs to sit on while waiting. You get exposed to the elements.
5. Enter the place and the smell of the eatery lingers on your clothes for the next 24 hours. I don't understand how the place is filled with office workers.
6. It is always at least 40% filled with Japanese or Koreans.
7. Don't expect to be seated unless all your guests are present; the boss will never let you in.
8. You order everything including your desserts at the onset. If you decide to do so later, you'll be faced with very grumpy responses.
9. Don't even try to change your order once you've made it.
10. Enter the washroom at your own risk.
Despite all that, there's a reason for number one - the food is tasty. In fact, I find their Xiao Long Bao much better than the rest of the competition: Crystal Jade, Ding Tai Fung (which I absolutely boycott) etc.
While the menu is pretty small and practically all the dishes are made with the same filling, the flavours are intense and the filling is always juicy. Bit into any of the steamed items and you're greeted with a burst of warm soup. Absolutely messy and delicious.
The desserts are simple too. Panfried red bean pancake that is crispy and yet, chewy. We suspect that the outer coating involves an element of glutinous rice flour. The redbean paste isn't too sweet at all. The osmanthus and rose glutinous rice balls are well done too. Chewy morsels of rice balls filled with a combination of peanut and white sesame or black sesame paste are perfectly foiled by the floral fragrance of the perfumed syrups. Not too sweet but a perfect way to end the meal.
Total bill for 5: $68
Considering that we shared a lot of stuff, the meal was still gut busting. If only they could look into improving their service experience. But oh well, as they say, quality comes at a price.
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