Sharing our dining experiences: August 2012

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Cherry Garden

Cherry Garden was once my fave for Dim Sum restaurant but later felt Shang Palace at Shangri-La was more to my liking.

One thing I kinda don't like the cluster here was the closed proximity of Marina Mandarin and Mandarin Oriental hotel, if you fail to remember which hotel this restaurant is, just remembering the Mandarin word, then you will be in trouble. As so, it happened to me.

Stepping into Cherry Garden, the one thing impressed you the most is their interior decor, their imitating of how the tea pavilion looks like in China, complete with few bamboo branches on the terrace, but this being recreated indoor.

Staff also dressed in elegant silk uniform with courteous and friendly smiles beaming at you from start of service until end.

Cherry Garden certainly is more on exquisite and elegant representation of cantonese dim sum; its different from the regular dim sum items you've seen.

I found a bit let down not in its dishes but on the menu, it's too elaborate in explanation and totally different from normal interpretation of ordering your normal dim sum. Yes, you could inform the waiting staff of what you want to order, e.g.: siew mai, har gauw, char siew pau and she would picked it up. But I wish, they tone down their menu, but it certainly put a distance from normal dim sum menu.

Ambience would be ideal for your long lunch with group of family members or friends. With its prompt service and good quality cantonese dishes, it's a good lunch destination.

But for me, I felt my Shang Palace's Har Gauw calling is too strong for me to resist.

View from our table

Seats along the window...such a nice daylight

It just remind you of tea pavilion in China

Our table arrangement, luv the orange hues flower against this cherry wood table

The elegant silk covered menu

Hmmm, definitely a different appetiser from other chinese restaurant; its egg coated peanut with hints of spiciness

Our Still Water

The honey-glazed kurobuta char siew, its thicker and grilled to perfection, a must-try for char siew lovers

The kurobuta char siew, so fluffly and tasty

The siew mai, again, another different style and its in bigger size too. it may look very firm but it was soft when you took a bite

I was so surprised seeing the Har Gauw; with its golden streaks, it looks like an artsy version of Har Gauw for display and not for eating...The skin definitely a firmer version that my usual one with big prawn

A truffle scallop and prawn dumpling; look how pretty it was and have no doubt how it tasted once you had it in your mouth

Wanted to order the crispy egg noodle but it was finished so we got this wonderful fried ee-fu noodle, cooked with sliced of veggie...it's just a good simple combo to compliment the other dishes

For veggie lovers, you would luv this asparagus cooked with spicy xo sauce. To me, Asparagus is one of the difficult veggie to cook and I must applaud the Chef in Cherry Garden to come out with this dish. It certainly the tastiest asparagus I've ever had

The fried tofu topped with seaweed and spinach, again, an exquisite take on tofu. Great tofu indeed!

Cherry Garden, Mandarin Oriental Hotel

5 Raffles Avenue

Marina Square

S 039797

Tel: +65 63380066

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/singapore/dining/cherry_garden/
Opens daily for:
Lunch from 12 pm to 2.30 pm
Dinner from 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm
Weekend Champagne Dim Sum Bruch from 11 am to 1 pm (1st seating) and 1.30 pm to 3 pm (2nd seating)

Monday, August 13, 2012

Canele Pâtisserie @ Raffles City

Ah, Canele Patisserie, it was one of my comfort food restaurant at Orchard Road, used to go to their Shaw outlet. I like how Le Amis group made this Frenchie small restaurant very appealing to patrons.

It has been a while and at first look on their menu, I again forgot that they had revamped their menu, I would be surprised if they didn't have their Crab Spaghetti. It was the one dish that attracted me to return to Canele, either its cooked in tomato sauce or aglio olio, which my fave.

This time we went to Raffles City outlet, located in the basement area, in midst of all the foodie cluster. It was spacious and at lunch time, it only occupied half area instead of whole floor.

Canele has outstanding decor here, its distinctive fuschia pink adorns the ceiling, wall and sofa complete with its baroque style chairs. We were seated next to the big flower bouquet with small boxes of gifts tied on its branches.

This time, I ventured out of my crab aglio olio spaghetti, tried the classic Bolognese, it was good but I promised myself to order the crab spaghetti if I return for next visit, as it is Canele speciality.

Canele emphasizes on its cakes and macaroons (being French, da!) and I would said it is one of the best restaurants to have your cakes.

Not only spaghetti, they do serve pizza, sandwich and crepes, which all looked very appetising indeed.

Waiting staff were okay but I'd say a bit aloof. A big minus point for me was when they put down the Ice Mocha drink on top of the paper coaster too hard making some spill, they even didn't bother to clean it up or replaced the coaster...And I didn't bother to voice out either..thinking of not coming back to this outlet.

Next time, if you are feeling of having western/spaghetti dish in Orchard Road vicinity, Canele is one of the best options, and having your pretty delicious cakes, doesn't hurt either. I still prefer my Shaw outlet, with more professional waiting staff instead of this outlet.

The pretty pink box

Luv the fuschia pink ceiling

Pretty black and white box on display

View from main entrance

Simple classy menu

I do like their menu separators

My Apple Surprise, the fresh juice of red and green apple, refreshing take of apple juice

The famous crab meat spaghetti with tomato sauce, it has generous bits of crab meats

The classic Bolognese, its creamy spaghetti with poached egg cooked to perfection

The Classic Au Fromage, the cheese vanilla cake, simple and tasty

But you saw the streaks on the table/coaster...what a disappointment

Array of cookies with its pretty boxes near the entrance

Was this representation of Marie Antoinette dress cake?

Next to black purple table chandelier, how befitting

Canele also offers its moon cakes version

Canele Patisserie
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-46/47
Raffles City Shopping Centre
S1791103
Tel: +65-63347377

http://www.canele.com.sg/index.php

Opens daily from 11 am to 10 pm

Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Real Food @ Central

Who would've guessed there is such a chic scandinavian inspired cafe on the basement area of Central Mall (along Clarke Quay), not me for sure!

And not only that, what made me fell in luv more with this cafe is the motto behind it, they only serve Organic Vegetarian Food!!! I just wanted to say, OMG!!!

Not only as restaurant, they also sell some Organic produce, tea, juice, grains, etc, etc...Again, double OMG!!! Luv it!!!

A bit confusing if you were a first timer to this cafe; let me tell ya'. Just sit anywhere you like if you are dining in, grab the menu from the counter next to drinking counter area, browse thru the menu and then went to the cashier counter. No payment required, just make payment after you finish your meals. Such a relax atmosphere, for sure!

Grab some of the magazine on the magazine shelf while waiting for your meals, it seems you could also purchase these magazine but again, it tries to impose self discipline and consideration for others, they have a basket for returned mags or books. The books mostly around healthy living and in English and Mandarin.

Don't underestimate this Organic Veggie Cafe Menu, it's so extensive and so complete, either you wanna pasta, soup, rice, noodles, pizza, pancakes, sandwiches, etc and the drinks also commendable, combination of juices with add-on of Chai Seeds or Flaxseed Oil...amazing!

However, they were short-handed of staff and the service standard was a bit hit and miss. I noticed, they were supposed to give you a pretty basket with polka-dots linen on your table filled with your cutleries, but for ours, it just served on plates. Then, you can't call them for assistance from your table, it's more to you have to approach the counter for simple thing.

But, I am willing to overlook this since this cafe is really a worth a visit; the foods were superb, never thot it would be this delicious for vegetarian dishes, and not only its organic, it also sustainable.

And not too mention, the cool vibe of Scandinavian design and those organic products you could purchase.

If you wish to try Vegetarian Food or thinking restaurant for treating your Vegetarian Friend/Family, I'd highly recommend visiting Real Food, either at Central or at their newer outlet, at Killiney Road with bigger space.

This blue sofa with timber legs and that grey blue cross cushion, immediately gave you Scandinavian feel

I thot this was a cute and good idea to make use of this corner space

The creative 'paper chandelier', it was decorated with handwritten paper forming this cluster of shades, and a handful of hanging bulbs near the entrance

Cashier counter

A long table in front of the cashier counter

This definitely your Scandinavian design lamp

The end corner, full of books with freezer to store some of the produce, it such a cool space for your small group gathering, as if you got a private space

The Organic Veggie, Free Range Eggs, etc

A rack full of organic products

The cushion next to my seat

I do like how they played with spotlights on this area

Facing the counter

The Menu, The Fresh Juices selection and

About Real Food

The Green Chips, so curious when seeing this on the menu. It was fried veggie/leaves sprinkled with sesame...Hhhmmm, if you don't like your veggie, am sure you would luv this