Showing posts with label Grandstand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grandstand. Show all posts
Chow Fun Restaurant and Bar: Modern Noodle bar in the Grandstand
Labels:
bukit timah,
downtown line,
family friendly,
fusion,
Grandstand,
hidden finds,
modern,
noodle,
sixth avenue,
southeast asian,
tapas
·
Nestled in the heart of The Grandstand, everything about the newly opened Chow Fun Bar and Restaurant is fresh and fun! Stepping in, one is almost instantaneously transported to an underground American Chinatown eatery. The intimate space sports quirky decor, everything from vintage 1930 postcards to a feature wall of fortune cat figurines to a hand-painted dragon mural. The space practically thrums with energy and character, something also reflected by the concept and menu.
Having spent 20 years in the US, Singaporean chef and owner Alicia Lin serves up an unconventional menu of 18 different Asian and Western inspired noodle dishes, many with innovative interpretations. To bump up the unique factor, all noodle dishes are served in $2.90 tasting portions, inviting guests on a gastronomic adventure where one can try a myriad of noodle types and tastes. As someone with eclectic inclinations and who is admittedly insatiable when it comes to food flavors, this concept is absolutely perfect.
Tempted yet? Get ready to be spoilt completely rotten for choice!
Scrumptious at the Turf: as cold as your ex's heart
Labels:
affordable,
brunch,
bukit timah,
eggs benedict,
Grandstand,
hidden finds,
turf city,
will not return
·
"Cold and flat, you deserve more than that"
Pardon my brutal honesty, but facing harsh reality, a cafe that serves you hot food on cold plates and passes the excuse that the kitchen is cold upon starting operations is just plain lazy.
My meal at Scrumptious at the Turf can be describe in one very abruptly short word.
Blah.
Anjali Chocolat: Where Passion translates into bon bons.
Labels:
bukit timah,
chocolate,
desserts,
Gourmet Chocolate,
Grandstand,
pasar bella,
pralines,
turf city
·
Hidden away in the corner of the tangle of interweaving shop spaces of the Pasar Bella market is the new shop offering a neat selection of chocolates, pralines and bonbons. Behind Anjali Chocolat, is lady boss Anjali and her supportive husband who together have decided to open up a Chocolatier to fuel her passion and love for this luxury good.
Made from Belgian couverture, consumers are guaranteed a spike in quality, further enhanced by the creative juices of Anjali as she injects bits and pieces of herself and her vivid travel and living experiences from around the world into the flavors of the chocolate. Her exposure to a large hotpot of cultures clearly evident in her inspired use of a wide variety of spices and fruits in her pralines.
After a good amount of sacrilegious feasting on chocolates and a glass of sparkling white to top off the experience; I had gathered a list of chocolates that had caught my fancy. The Lemon White Chocolate Pistachio with it's pristine slick sides and marbled green top managed to balance out the slightly medicinal pistachio with a subtle tang from the lemon, the sweetness of the white chocolate carrying it home. The exotic Fig and Ginger Truffle resulting in an explosion in the mouth with the crunch of the fig seeds combined with the sugary hit of warmth from the candied ginger. A match made in heaven and delivered with strong persuasive powers. Worth lusting for is the Coffee Star Anise Bonbon; if you enjoy your liquorice (or Sambuca in my case), this chocolate delivers on every front, the star anise not as pungent as most would anticipate, but more subtle and almost mysterious. That aside, the fruit flavored bonbons failed to meet the mark, the strawberry and raspberry pate de fruit in both instances, represented by clumsy layers within the pralines. More attention to detail needed in this case.
In line with Diwali, Anjali Chocolatier has launched a list of attractive seasonal flavors which is not available for ordering. On hindsight, who doesn't like receiving chocolate? Whatever the occasion may be, chocolates will always win you some favors. So what are you waiting for?
Anjali Chocolat
200 Turf Club Road
t: 9853 9663
{The Entertainer App}: Roundhouse Pizza, Bar & Grill
Labels:
all-day-breakfast,
brunch,
bukit timah,
european,
family,
family friendly,
Grandstand,
hidden finds,
lunch,
must go,
pizza,
restaurants,
the entertainer app,
turf city,
will return
·
Roundhouse marks the next step in local celebrity Vernetta Lopez's (best known for starring as the amicable Denise in local sitcom 'Under One Roof') relentless pursuit of being an all rounder. With accolades of radio DJ, actress and wedding planner under her belt, she now seeks to delve into the cut-throat food and beverage business with her life partner Wayne Gladwin. The result, Roundhouse, a sprawling 250 seater eatery in the laid back location of the former turf club stables. At this homey establishment, lots of warm wood furnishings and plenty of natural lighting makes this space immediately inviting (avoid sitting indoors as it gets a bit dodgy with the lighting circumstance); kids run around the concrete enclaves, spilling giggles and bits of their uninhibited happiness in their path.
The menu at the Roundhouse runs on a slightly boring tangent, offering up safe options spanning from pizzas to pasta and then larger mains such as whole sea bass and lamb shank. With a lack of identity, it's hard to place a finger on a certain item to order; clue, look out for their specials for a helping hand. Take for example the Sunday Roast that sees their premium Angus Roast Ribeye with sides and a free flow of salad bar ($49++ for free flow of soft drinks and juices/ $99++ with free flow sparkling wine, draught beer, bloody mary). Talk about good deals...
Our party of 8 settled for a good mix of starters, brunch items as well as pizzas to share. We started off with the Spicy Grilled Beef Salad ($17) and the Grilled Portobello Mushroom ($18) with silken tofu, tomato concasse and salad. The interesting sounding grilled beef salad produced a large shallow spread of tender, chargrilled beef slices slathered with a marinade capturing the essence of good ole' days in the sun in Thailand, lying seductively on a bed of mixed greens. The latter is another recommended dish for the ladies who want something a little healthier but still with a substantial body of flavor. What ultimately differentiate the Roundhouse from the competition is the smokiness and perfect execution of its grilled items, turn to this category of dishes for the win.
The Angus Beef Bolognese Spaghetti ($17) is a hearty bowl of pasta with a whopping lathering of bolognese sauce, the juicy and flavorful beef pleasing the picky taste buds around the table.
Another bang for buck item on the brunch menu is the Roundhouse Breakfast ($18) featuring 2 sunny side up eggs, back bacon, cumberland sausage, roast potatoes, tomato confit, sauteed mushrooms, baked beans and toast. Definitely a one-plate filler for the ravenous.
I recommend the Wild Mushroom Soup ($12) scented with herb oil, this dish does not skimp on ingredients, delivering largely on flavor and texture with the kitchen's generous use of wild mushrooms, enriched only by the slightest touch of cream. No truffle oil here... thank goodness.
Then, there were pizzas.
You do not want to miss these.
From a tight menu of 12 pizzas, we chose the Loco Lopez ($24) and the Carnivore ($24), both which hit the pizza 'G-spot' with such force that I was bewildered and very much left a Roundhouse ambassador afterwards. The feisty Loco Lopez was all crisp edged, studded with melted cheddar, capers, beef salami,jalapeno and smoking hot chilli padi, addictive and so worth stabbing your cousins for over the last piece. The Carnivore consisting of bacon, salami, honey baked ham and pepperoni would be your classic meatlovers except that the Roundhouse went the extra mile and did something novel and delicious with it.
Some of the best pizzas I've had in Singapore thus far. And what's better than being able to use the Entertainer 1-for-1 main here? We ended up being able to pocket $60 from the savings. Hurray.
--------------------------------
Well, if you haven't heard, I've got a special promotion for my readers where you can now purchase the Entertainer 1 month app for just $15 (U.P. $19) if you simply use my promo code 'fundamentallyflawed' with your purchase through the app store or at http://www.theentertainerme.com/trysgfor19/ . Read more details over here!
What are you waiting for?
RoundHouse - Pizza, Bar & Grill
100 Turf Club Road
Singapore 287992
Tel: 6466 0966
Website: http://www.roundhouse.com.sg/
The Ascot: Breaking in the new dishes
Labels:
Bread and Butter Pudding,
british,
bukit timah,
desserts,
Grandstand,
hidden finds,
pubfood,
restaurants
·
Never have I wrote so many repeated reviews for the same establishment in such a short span of time; however with such a friendly pending invitation from owner, Sylvester of The Ascot, I couldn't resist the urge of returning once more to the grounds where I would be tasting some of the new offerings on the menu. Reinvention never sounded sweeter.
In the unadorned, almost austere interiors of The Ascot, the diner's attention is wholly focused on his company (Thank goodness for the mine) and the salubrious combination of addictive liquid diet and culinary subsistence.
We started off with the Cold Cut Platter ($20.50), featuring 3 types of cold cuts served with silver onions, gherkins, scotch egg & homemade ciabatta bread. A staple on the menu at The Ascot, this star quality dish proves that some of the finest things in life don't have to be complicated. The highlight of the dish being the scotch eggs, these crumbed balls of sausage meat hide a delicately "poached" egg in the center that sees a crisp on its exterior, while the creamy yolk ties in the entire mouthful like a blissful sigh.
While you're at it, try the Strawberry spinach salad with crumbled blue cheese, pistachios, bacon & avocado ($19). Before you decide that such a combination is way too weird for you, hear me out; this works. At the end of the day, you have a surprisingly delightful bowl of rainbow colours that is sweet, acidic, savoury and nutty all at once. The sweet slices of strawberry, natural bitterness of the spinach leaves, sour raspberry vinaigrette, creamy, ever so pungent blue cheese all comes together to render an eclectic mix of tastes and textures that I promise will have you rethinking you skepticism at the start.
Wash down the meal with a Pint of Dead Pony Club's Pale Ale($16); yet another brilliant offering of BrewDog Brewery.
Comfort foods such as the Fisherman's Pie keeps things snugly familiar here at the Ascot, break through the warm crust of mash to uncover a heartwarming mix of poached salmon, smoked haddock and hake all enrobed in a delicious white sauce. Despite it's unassuming facade, this dish would certainly have you breaking out the diet.
Another new dish on the menu is the Lamb rack served with asparagus and potato lyonnaise with mint sauce ($32.50); not your typical British fare, this did not tie in so well with the whole British soiree theme. However, that being said, any desperate carnivore would be satisfied with this meaty course. The rack, neatly trimmed, were cooked to perfection, it's pink flesh humming with the romance of that rendered down mint infused pan juices.
For some sweet endings to the night, order the Classic Bread & Butter Pudding ($10.50). I adored the crumbly cubes of brioche, sticking out from the saccharine rubble; that had browned so beautifully in the oven. Warm and comforting, every spoonful draped with the richness of cream, milk and butter.
The Deep-fried Mars Bars in batter($10.50) not so good for your waistline was heaven on the lips for a brief moment. The melted innards of the mars bars creating an amalgam of emotions when combined with the fried batter.
Last but not least, the Eton Mess ($8.50), macerated strawberries, fresh cream and crisp meringue create a riot of colors. It's general make-up giving off a balanced tone of sweetness and muted acidity. To be honest, I much preferred the Bread and Butter pudding; but then again, any women would be drawn to this sunny homemade dessert that flaunts the humble fresh cream.
Read my other reviews on The Ascot here and here.
A major thanks once again to Sylvester for hosting the dinner!
The Grandstand
200 Turf Club Road
#01-16
Singapore 287994
Tel: +65 64620881
The Ascot Revisited
Labels:
beer,
british,
bukit timah,
burgers,
fish&chips,
Grandstand,
pubfood,
restaurants
·
The seed had been planted. The shameless facebook burger porn activity luring me into its webs. It was not long after my previous visit that I found myself once again threading light-footedly into it's comfy realms.
This time round, accompanied by my family, we savoured a whole round of new dishes. The BLT Sandwich ($14.00) with additional chicken ($4.00) was honest and simple comfort food. With sizable portions, generous portions of succulent grilled chicken, silvers of beautifully fried bacon together with crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes; this was a joy to eat.
Despite the major lovin' that I was showing for The Ascot, cracks did appear, to my dismay. The Fish and Chips ($20) was disappointing, slightly fishy in flavor, the beautifully battered sticks had too uniform a shape that made the whole affair seem a little to.. structured. Perhaps a different choice of fish would have fared better, something with a slightly flakier texture like skate. Despite it's momentary failure to please the hungry diners, the accompaniments of mushy peas and double fried fries were sure winners. The former, well seasoned and thank goodness mint was left out of the equation; the double fried thick cut steak fries combined the best of both worlds, a crispy exterior with fluffy starchy goodness encapsulated within.
But one would have to agree that the showstopper of the night had to be the Ascot Burger with fries ($18.00/ $25 with a pint of Stella Artois). The soft buns a perfect platform for the alchemy of bacon grease, creamy guacamole and sweet mayonnaise. The patty itself, a 160g carnivorous treat that could have used a little more help in the seasoning department, also, the mince could have been grounded down a little finer to aid the texture of the patty. Aside from that, I was a happy camper enjoying riotous mouthful after mouthful of salty, sweet, creamy and soft goodness, all at once.
My second visit to The Ascot gets the thumbs up again. Slowly but surely, I've set my mind on eating my way thru this menu, so feel free to join me!
The Grandstand
200 Turf Club Road
#01-16
Singapore 287994
Tel: +65 64620881
The Ascot: Cures for a hangover
Labels:
beer,
british,
bukit timah,
Grandstand,
pubfood,
restaurants,
sausages
·
It's the long weekend, parties and copious amounts of drinking seems inevitable to most.
Suffering from a hangover? Hydrate first and then follow a couple of recommended moves from the honeycombers blog. As for me, here's what I suggest... drink some more, and you'll actually trick your body into thinking it's narrowly escaped a hangover despite the stellar action the night before. Over at The Ascot @ The Grandstand, that's exactly what I did over the past weekend. Here's a toast to deluded quick exits from the realm of bad hangovers.
The Ascot is the newest kid on the block over at the Grandstand, opening its doors to the public mid way through February this year. Decked out in clean swept varnished floors and rustic furnishings, things have been kept simple and almost barren to mimic the unique English pub experience. I reckon that bit more empty standing space should serve its purpose with rowdy and extremely drunk English gentlemen to stagger around without breaking anything valuable in close vicinity. Owner, Sylvester, touted to always be decked out in his fedora hat stands behind the bar counter, looking extremely at ease amidst the slowly growing volume of customers packing the dining room, all in time for weekend lunch. After a quick chat, he steered me towards Badger's England's Own beer, perhaps it was the peculiar head-spinning motion, but I was easily sold on the notion that MORE beer would do me better after a hard nights' worth of drinking. One sip and the sentiment was set in stone, floral, with nuances of elderflower and white grape, this went down smoothly, easing me furthermore into the sinful weekend. With an enthusiastic reaffirmation of his choice, Sylvester turned to me with somewhat of a triumphant smirk and chugged the remaining golden elixir in his chilled pint. Boy was I not surprised.
the view from the bar-counters where we plonked ourselves quietly in anticipation for our meal. Apparently, not too many people settle on the high stools but I do think the communal settings encourage a bit more interaction, something quintessential to an English pub. This was clearly evident given our mini-conversations with the father and daughter team at the end of the bar and the two blokes who marveled at the sight of the Yorkshire pudding when it got served
Back to the food, we had the Sunday Roast ($28.00) and A Bunch of Bangers ($20.00). The former was sure a sight for sore eyes and my stomach growled in envious contention. The immaculately glazed ribs were the star of the dish, fall of the bone and extremely rich in flavor, this went down perfectly well with the Yorkshire pudding. The latter dish, my dish, or Bangers and mash was a considerably above average version, comprising of 3 different sausages, namely veal, pork and Garlic and thyme, these were salty, yes, but oh-so-good for that indulging in hand with a cold pint of beer. The pool of onion gravy that had gathered beneath, melded perfectly with the perfumed mash (perfect texture in my opinion) and the glorious bubble and squeak served on the side. I'm not too ashamed to say that I lapped up all that brown goodness with the help of a hefty knife and a healthy appetite.
Perhaps it was just me and my spot-on cravings for pub grub that very day but in all honesty, I'm sold. The Ascot stealing my heart and unearthing some very raw genuine affection. Scoring highly on my cards for it's traditional British cuisine served in a unpretentious and warm environment, I would certainly be back for more.
The Grandstand
200 Turf Club Road
#01-16
Singapore 287994
Tel: +65 64620881
Omakase Burgers: it's about the price tags
Labels:
bukit timah,
burgers,
Grandstand,
overrated,
restaurants
·
― Margaret Mitchell
Perhaps I've been too preoccupied with expectations. Being touted as having one of the best burgers in Singapore, I marched down to Omakase Burger at the Grandstand hoping to be floored. Little did I know that the experience would leave me a little jaded.
A little background information regarding Omakase Burger, it was set up by banker turned restaurateur Cheng Hsin Yao who decided on sharing his perfect burger with the world after a year and a half of experimenting. This came in the form of a patty made with blends of USDA choice grade beef with no fillers, a soft (and extremely yellow) bun created by a Japanese artisanal baker, specially imported American Cheese and a signature Omakase sauce comprising of 13 secret ingredients.
Sounds like a recipe for success doesn't it? Well here's the low down.
Destination wise, the interior design of the place gave off a very casual vibe, befitting of it's self-service nature similar to a fast food joint. My one gripe is that tissues (which you would come to see the need for after the juicy burgers start spitting juices out at you) are in short supply around the shop. Please be a little more generous with these!
Food wise, I had the Bacon Cheeseburger ($15.90) which was the original cheeseburger finished with a couple slices of high quality American bacon smoked in natural hardwood whereas my accomplice had the Deluxe Cheeseburger ($15.90) topped with a generous helping of grilled onions and mushrooms. Truth be told, portions were minuscule and the whole affair had a very commercialised feel to it. Performing a side by side comparison, I find the deluxe a much better choice given the lavish grilled onions and mushrooms added some smokey flavors to it's composition and allowed the "oh-too" yellow buns to become vehicles for the lovely drippings that held the mingled flavors of earthy goodness with charred meats. That being said, I've had better and at a better value for money too. Pay a little extra for the fries ($3.90) and you get bodum cup full of skinny fries. Nothing fancy there, a little too much salt on there perhaps.
In all, I must have spent 20 minutes in there. leaving promptly with a half filled stomach and a void so big that disappointment poured in.
200 Turf Club Rd 287994
Tel: 6763 2698
Website: http://www.omakaseburger.com/
Macarons, no.. not Laduree's
Labels:
bukit timah,
cafe,
cakes,
Cheesecake,
cookies,
desserts,
East Coast/ Joo Chiat,
Grandstand,
macarons,
Siglap
·
With the renowned French brand, Laduree recently stealing the limelight and bringing macarons back into fashionable conversation material; I took the liberty to suss out a few other Patisseries at work with their versions of the sweet sandwich.
First stop, De La Creme where the Gulu Melaka Macaron ($2.40 per piece) offered a fusion of Asian flavors into this usually dowdy French pastry. I adored the coconut infused buttercream filling and squealed in delight with the flowy gulu melaka (palm sugar) surprise center; unfortunately, the macaron shells themselves weren't a thing of beauty, pasty white and severely unbaked in the centers with a clear show of squishy uncooked meringue. It led me to wonder how these macaron shells were unmoulded in the first place...
While we were at it, the Genevive ($6.90) became our next victim. Employing the magic of Valrhona chocolates in this dessert, white chocolate ganache is layered over 70% Guanaja chocolate mousse and then cast over a crispy praline feuilletine base. Composition wise, this was very similar to the Douceur we had at Patisserie G sans the dacquoise layer at the bottom. Having the crispy layer stationed at the bottom made for cleaner cuts and swipes at the rich confectionary.
Our next port of call is ET Artisan Sweets at the Grandstand along Bukit Timah Road. Decked our in pretty pastels, the shop front was a sight for sore eyes. The display case itself was quite a stretch with items ranging from macarons to cheesecakes and even freshly baked tarts.
Spoilt for choice, I did my ordering on a whim. A hunch and a slight glimmer of hope that my choices would speak volumes on behalf of the kitchen's standards. The Blueberry Macaron ($2.50 each) was a lovely shade of lilac. Despite it's less than smooth surface and lack of shine, the macaron shells were near perfect. Reminiscent of a strong flavor of almond, these delicate beauties gave way to a fruity buttercream within. The Yuzu Macaron did not disappoint as well, the complexity of it's citrus nature standing out in the curd fillings. I was beginning to understand why some have told me ET Artisan Sweets had some of the best macarons in Singapore.
The Black Sesame Cheesecake however failed to translate the seedy flavors of the black sesame. I should have been a better judge, it's faint grey color tint, a tell tale warning sign. Thank goodness for the Lemon Tart that wowed us with it's ingenuity. A thin layer of sponge lay buried between the crisp tart shell and the puckery sour lemon cream. A dam to prevent soggy tart bases, now that is surely the work of a genius since the sponge offered a twist with textural contrast as well. Definitely highly recommended!
Aside from it's range of confectioneries, ET Artisan Sweets prides themselves on their customised cakes. Splotches of evidence blotting the shop, these elaborate works of arts placed around the shop allowing customers to fully admire the prospects of having literally any cake they want. Service staff adding fuel to the flames with their beckoning that ,"yes, we can even cover the whole cake with macarons if you wish!" when I gushed about the macarons after my meal.
On a separate note, Mothers' Day is around the corner, what are your plans to surprise the most important woman in your lives?
42 Siglap Drive
Singapore 456167
Website: http://www.delacreme.com.sg/
ET Artisan Sweets
200 Turf Club Road
The Grandstand #01-35A
Singapore 287994
Website: http://www.etasweets.com/
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