There were drinks. Plenty of drinks. And for an instant, I was convinced that Quandoo was the best restaurant reservation platform there was. Not to sound cheap or anything, but let's do a recap of the food trail arranged by Quandoo and PR Bespoke; the fabulous foodie adventure unravelling in such halcyon fashion with a clear reflection of the various establishment's concept that you'll come to admire the curation of brands in Quandoo's care.
Quandoo, launched in Singapore in late 2014; now has a network of over 720 bookable restaurants and seated over 1.5 million diners over that course. Clearly remarkable for a business that has only been around the block for a while.
We started our quest with appetisers and cocktails at New Kid on the block: Kite - located along Craig Road. Kicking the balmy evening off with a quirky cocktail concoctions from the jovial bar team - the 'Who Moved my Kueh' reinvents the humble kueh, doing something novel and delicious with the beverage. Perfumed with pandan stemming from the infused vodka, the shaken egg whites creates the false impression of coconut whilst passionfruit and fresh lime cut through the impending richness; preventing from certain pina-colada fate. A signature drink and a definite must-have when nursing the bar stools.
Light bites such as "Chicken Rice" Crackers($6) and Camembert with walnuts, spiced crackers and truffles ($12) help to fill in the pauses between the conversation free flowing at the table. Having had the privilege of dining with some dynamic company from all walks of life that evening, there was never a dull moment. Furthermore, innovative grub such as the expertly assembled Fregola Salad ($16) made for excellent bonding opportunities. The gasps of excitement as one trails their spoon through the delightful combination of melty burrata cheese, pressed watermelon, pistachios, sugar snap peas and crispy millet uniting strangers over the table.
Definitely a space for the adventurous eaters. Visit before 8pm daily to enjoy Happy hour deals such as 20% off regular cocktail prices.
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Our next stop was a short walk over the hill ( a moment which we happily embraced in a bid to aid digestion) - at L'Entrecote Wine Bar where we got to sample some of the rather unusual offerings put out by the restaurant. Sure, the steak house is known for their steak frites, but did you know that they have Raclette ($29 for classic, $37 for deluxe) on the menu? Purposed for relaxed and sociable eating and drinking; the style is quite similar to our local steamboat; albeit a lot more sinful as cheese is melted in coupelles mounted underneath a hot griddle and then poured over potatoes, gherkins and other charcuterie.
The Tartiflette ($39) is a dish made for rainy weather; a French bacon, potato and reblochon casserole; the French Reblochon cheese adds a luxurious creaminess and delicious pungency to the simple bacon and potato gratin. Last but not least, we were also treated to a red wine fondue - Fondue Vigneronne ($59.90); a seductively red and delicious cauldron of red wine sauce; perfect for sticking skewers of beef stripling into. Accompanied with french fries and salad, this is a reinvention of the run-of-the-mill steak frites you're intending to have normally visiting the joint.
Go crazy
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Best part of the trail had the be the mode of transport in between our destinations. A dream ride awaits us at the foot of Duxton Hill. The cutest two Kombi vans sponsored by Kombi Rocks taking us across the island in a chitty chitty bang bang fashion; complete with zenged horns to garner more attention as we hit the roads. In my knowledge, Kombi Rocks owns an entourage of retro vehicles that are available for hire; so do keep them in mind for special occasions such as photoshoots or weddings!
Our third stop was non-descript neighborhood Mee Pok store.. neh.. who am I kidding? Hawker by day, swanky izakaya by night - Bincho steals hearts with its imperceptibly flamboyant decor or lack thereof. The stripped down industrial look complete with low lighting and steel outfitting lining the long corridor making it a perfect fit for an intimate dinner. The Mentai Wings ($15 for 2) causes a clamour; deboned and stuffed silly with creamy mentaiko; the caramelisation on the hide of the puffed up wings are too gorgeous to resist. And a trip back to the joint is warranted solely based on their success, and perhaps a taste of the forbidden Nikka Japanese whisky worked cleverly into a smouldering cocktail.
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The journey reaches a woozy finale at Sum Yi Tai - a three storey dining club evoking a 1980s type Hong Kong glamor. Settling ourselves at the cosy, picturesque rooftop bar area; we were treated to a spectacle of Chinese-influenced cocktails. To be honest, I've never been a fan of fusion cocktails, often innovative restaurants coughing up half-formed and unconvincing renditions of the classics. Unfortunately, Sum Yi Tai further proved my belief; the 1980s Nostalgia ($21) sided with a kitsch gem cookie was undesirably sweet with a offensive concoction of cheap whisky and frangelico. Save for the Midnight Snack ($25) which melds whisky and grand marnier together, the rest of the cocktails that we sampled were unmemorable and quite repugnant at some point. My advice would be to stick the classic spirits (but be prepared to pay a price) and order a few Chinese tapas to share.
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[GIVEAWAY] In collaboration with Quandoo, one of your guys will stand a chance to win a $100 dining voucher. Click on the customized links in the blog post to reserve a table at any of the 4 restaurants/bars to qualify for the draw. You get until 30th June 2016 to do it; so act on it fast!
KITE
53 Craig Road
#01-01
S(089691)
L'entrecote Restaurant and Bar
36 Duxton Hill
Bincho
78 Moh Guan Terrace
#01-19
S(162078)
Sum Yi Tai
25 Boon Tat Street
t: 62213665
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