Skai, Swissotel

Celebrated our one year anniversary at Skai! We wanted a place with great views and a nice quiet ambience so we narrowed our search to a few places in the Marina Bay area and CBD. Eventually decided on Skai because he hasn't been back since Equinox was no longer around and I have never been to Equinox. So it felt like a good time to explore a new place together!

Oysters topped with caviar and dashi foam. To be honest, I can't really appreciate that dashi foam, just tastes like... foam. But I love how fresh the oysters were when I bit into them.

I had the uni saffron risotto. Love the uni, and the saffron risotto was less heavy than I expected it to be. He ordered some steak but I forgot to take a picture and forgot the type of steak he ordered oops.

Tuna Tartare and chips! Mostly because I was still feeling peckish and really wanted to have more stuff.



Night view.

When I made my reservation, I left a note that it was our anniversary so they gave us this really cute chocolate. What a nice touch.

The view at Skai was perfect. I've been running around the bay for years so I am very familiar with how it looked from the ground but woah, it was so different to see it from above. Watching the buildings light up as night fell was also really magical. Am truly glad to be able to spend that night with Zg. 

Would I be back? Nah I think once is good enough. The meal was more expensive than I would like it to be and I would only come here if I intended to splurge on a good meal. But I was very happy to be able to have our paper anniversary celebration with Zg here!

Level 70 Swissotel Stamford Road

68373322

Monday to Sunday 12 to 230 pm, 6 to 10 pm

D.O.C at Tanjong Pagar

So I am honestly kind of afraid that this shop will not last that long considering how empty it is everytime we walk by during lunchtime so we decided to drop by for lunch one day.

Ordered the grilled salmon ($18). Woah the slab of salmon fillet was huge and very nicely grilled. I love that crispy salmon skin. 

Returned a few days later to try their risotto with prawns and asparagus ($16) and it was good! Unlike the usual thick and cream-based risotto, this risotto was cooked in prawn stock and tasted so light!

Service was attentive and the staff was helpful. It is a very nice place for a quiet meal with some friends, and I highly recommend it in the bustle of Tanjong Pagar.

Am definitely returning soon to support d.o.c more often and hope that business picks up soon!

21 Tanjong Pagar Road #01-01

Singapore 088444

11 am to 1030 pm on Monday to Thursday

11 am to 10 pm on Sunday

11 am to 1 am on Friday and Saturday

62261631

FOC Sentosa

For AA's farewell, we decided on brunch at FOC Sentosa. I was feeling a little under the weather, having just caught a flu bug and still struggling with a bad throat and cough. But I was reluctant to reschedule because it was always tough to find a date when all of us can make it and I did not want to be a wet blanket. So we went on with our brunch date at Sentosa.

Hitched a ride from AA and drove into Sentosa. It was a cool and cloudy Saturday so there were not many people out on the beach. Ahhh I miss the beach. I miss the wind, the sand between my toes, the warmth as I sit under an umbrella with a book, and the crashing of the waves against the shore. I sincerely think retiring on an island in Thailand would be such a bliss.

We were rather late for our reservation but, thankfully, they kept our table for us. Helped that the place was not crowded yet. Guess nobody wanted to head to Sentosa on a cloudy day with the grey clouds threatening to release their fury anytime. 

No sangria for me since I was still sick so I took coffee instead.

Patatas Bravas. Crispy potato strips with delicious sauce.

Scrambled eggs with Iberico Ham. More potato strips, this time with eggs and ham.

Squid Ink Paella with scallops and prawns. Love the paella! Thick delicious squid ink and chewy grains of rice. 

Turns out the waitress was AA's friend and she kindly arranged a dessert for us! This came like a giant Ferrero Roche and tasted just like one. What a special dessert!

You could choose to sit outside on the veranda near the pool and the sand but we chose to sit inside because it looked like it could rain any minute. If the weather was slightly better, I would definitely like to try the outdoor seats!

110 Tanjong Beach Walk, 

098943 Sentosa Singapore

Phone: +65 6100 1102

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Friday 11.30am to 11.00pm

(last kitchen order: 9.30pm, Fridays: 10.00pm)

Saturday & Sunday 11.30am to 11.00pm

(last kitchen order: 10.00pm, Sundays: 9.30pm)

PH Eve: 11.30am to 11.00pm

(last kitchen order: 10.00pm)

PH: 11.30am to 11.00pm

(last kitchen order: 9.30pm)

Tolido's Espresso Nook

With the Entertainer App, I love heading to Tolido's Espresso Nook after our weekly gym sessions because it is near my hood, super convenient, and not that crowded on Sundays. So after being a hamster on the treadmill for a bit, pumping some iron, rolling around on the mat, we shower and make our way to Tolido's rather often. We also found out that they have wifi for those who need to catch up on work! 

The menu. This is an outdated version and I haven't been earnest enough to take pics of the newer menu. But the gist is there. I think?

Here are some of the dishes we tried. We are creatures of habit so we tend to gravitate back to the same items over and over again.

Prawn Laksa Pasta ($16.90). I love laksa pasta! I always say this but I really do love laksa pasta. The thick laksa sauce just goes so well with pasta and fresh crunchy prawns. It can get quite heavy and creamy after a while, so the best thing to do is to share this!

The boyfriend's favourite: Spaghetti Vongole ($16.90). Very fresh clams, al dente pasta, and a very light white wine base.

Flat white because I need my coffee.

Mushroom Aglio Olio with Seafood ($16.90). The seafood was very fresh in this one and the pasta was al dente. But the Aglio Olio style of pasta at Tolido's was a little bland for me and could probably do with more condiments. Good for those with a light palate.

I enjoy being in Tolido's because it feels like part of a neighborhood that I grew up in and am familiar with. I studied in the primary school adjacent to the block where Tolido's is before the school moved to Bendemeer. This hood will always have a fond place in my heart. That said, do come for a laid-back comfortable brunch or lunch over the weekend. This is one of the few cafes where I really feel very comfortable in and can just lounge around for a long while.

463 Crawford Lane
#01-63
9 am to 6:30 pm (closed on Mondays)
66480178

Meatsmith, Telok Ayer

The first post on Meatsmith is so long overdue that I actually managed to return for a second time.

FIRST TRIP

After a run from the office to Marina Bay and a slow jog/walk back, I replenished my body with all the calories burnt during the run at Meatsmith. Meatsmith was on the Entertainer App so we had 1 for 1 on the mains which was perfect! We ordered some sides and dessert which was honestly way too much for both of us but well, we were greedy. 

Crispy pork rinds. Omg this was so sinful but SO GOOD. Crispy, delicious, not oily, not greasy and so fragrant!

Pulled Pork Sandwich ($17). This was recommended by a friend and I found it good, but not incredible. 

I can't remember what this was called anymore, but I vaguely remember that it tasted pretty much like sausages with salsa on a bed of mash. Good but not fantastic either. 

The Garlic Bread ($6) was very yums! Thick, fragrant and very savoury.

Had the apple crumble for dessert. The apple crumble was very unique because it came like a pastry in a bowl with a thick crust on top and chunks of sweet apple soaked in sweet syrup below. I prefer my apple crumble with crunchier apple bits but Meatsmith's apple crumble came with soft mushy apple slices (which is probably how everybody likes it). It was served very very hot though which meant my ice cream melted extremely quickly. 

SECOND TRIP

I could be dreaming but the menu looks a little different.

Went for the pork rinds again!

1/2 Smoked Chicken ($22). Pretty decent, but still a weak competitor to the ribs.

1/2 Pork Spare Ribs ($25) were absolutely awesome. They were totally fall-off-the-bone tender! Also ordered Cauliflower ($11) which was a delightful mix of grilled cauliflower and Bacon Mac & Cheese ($10). 

A Brownie with Coconut Ice Cream ($8) to end off the meal!

167/168 Telok Ayer Street
+65 6221 2262
Monday to Saturdays: 830 am till late
Closed on Sundays

Pasarbella, Suntec City

I have been a fan of Pasarbella at Grandstand for a while. When I was strolling through Suntec City with the boyfriend a while back and saw Pasarbella tucked in a quiet area, I was so excited to try it! So the boyfriend and I came by after work to explore the new Pasarbella.

The concept is somewhat similar to the one in Grandstand, i.e. many little stores lining the walls with tables and chairs randomly arranged in the centre. There is more variety in the Pasarbella Grandstand though with shops selling stuff like beer, aromatherapy oils and party items, while the Pasarbella Suntec City operated mostly like a high-end food court.

We tried the Wolf Burger and I had the Pork Gochujang Burger ($9.90) which came with a pork patty siting in the bun with kimchi, cucumber, and gochujang (a bean paste sauce). The burger was very interesting and it was the first time I had korean sauce in my burger! The pork patty was a little on the thin side though which was kind of disappointing since I was totally expecting a thick juicy patty with that price. 

We also ordered the Kimchi Cheese Fries ($8). Cheese, sour cream and kimchi sauce went pretty well with the fries. This was very addictive though and I kept returning for more fries and soon found  out that I finished most of it (oops). 

On another day, before the boyfriend flew off for his work trip, he picked me up from work and we drove to Suntec City for a quick lunch. We had Cajun on Wheels this time and picked the Mixed Seafood Box. You could choose either 1 or 2 sides, and pick your sauce. I went with truffle fries as my side and cajun sauce. There were prawns, mussels, fish, baked potatoes and sweet corn in the Mixed Seafood Box and the seafood was very fresh. Sadly, the cajun sauce lacked a punch which meant that the seafood was not as tasty as it could be. I would much prefer the Louisiana styled seafood in Boiler. 

Pasarbella Suntec is undoubtedly more accessible as compared to Pasarbella Grandstand but it lacked all the points which made the latter attractive. It was not laid back (I sensed many hurried souls around this place thanks to the largely office crowd on the weekdays that I visited), felt like an upmarket food court with nothing exceptionally interesting, and was really pretty boring. Give me Pasarbella Grandstand anytime, please!

Pasarbella Suntec City

$01-455 

Artichoke

This one is a major throwback to last year's Christmas oops!

Our usual Christmas gathering was at Artichoke this year. It is heartening to meet these folks every now and then amidst our busy schedules. It is not easy setting aside a date where all (or most) of us are free and it is always fun to meet up, have a good laugh, and spend the evening with friends I had known for more than a decade. 

Spent the day walking around Bugis with the boyfriend and reached Artichoke early before the restaurant opened so I sat outside and snapped some pictures of the nice outdoor area. We sat indoors though, because we were not too fond of the warm humid weather outdoors. 

We started the meal with hummus ($8), babaganoush ($8) which was smoked egg plant, yoghurt and pomegranate, and ebiko ($8) which was fish roe dip with cherry tomatoes and shrimp. The dips went well with the pita bread.

Housemade Feta Burrata ($24) - creamy salty cheese, bread, dirty tomato salad. This was not bad but not really my kind of thing, I guess.

Kuku Sabzi ($20) - persian egg fritata with cheese, spinach, coriander and pomegranate. Another interesting dish!

Char-grilled Pork belly ($28). This was the bomb for me! Well-marinated, juicy chunks of tender pork belly.

Smoked chicken maryland ($30). This was not bad but definitely not as good as the pork belly!

Washing everything down with a bottle of Little Creatures, lots of laughter and catching up about life was a great way to spend Saturday night. Till the next time!

161 Middle Road Singapore 188978

63366949

Tanjong Beach Club

Another very overdue post oops. So I spent my birthday along the beach where I have always felt most alive. There was no better way to spend my birthday than with sun in my face, sand between my toes and wind in my hair. So when Zg asked me where I would like to go for my birthday celebration, I chose Tanjong Beach Club because I missed Potato Head Beach Club too damn much and Tanjong Beach Club was the closest substitute in Singapore. It was also a tiring week for me and I wanted nothing more than to get away from it all to a place as far away as possible and escape from reality for a bit. Also my birthday was a splendid reason to start drinking at 11 am in the morning and down a Corona with my brunch. Bye to flat whites! Thank you for taking me to Tanjong Beach bright and early on a Saturday morning, for joining me in the unhealthy habit of drinking early in the morning, for hanging out with me on this warm breezy morning. It was a blast. 

Food was all right. Usual hearty brunch fare. Not the best but certainly good enough when you add the wonderful vibe of the place into the equation. We had a Yoghurt Parfait to share and I took the Weekender Fry Up ($29) while he chose the Chorizo Quesadilla ($27). I had my eggs poached which were not the best poached eggs I have tried before but it was not bad. The mushrooms, bacon and baked beans were good. I also loved the slab of avocado! 

I had a mouth of the Chorizo Quesadilla and it was not bad too!

It is not a beach club in Bali and it still feels distinctly Singaporean. But I felt like I was away from everything for that few short hours. It was like I could take the time to slow down, breathe in the salty air, drink a few sips of beer and enjoy the moment. I was not rushing to somewhere else to do something else and there was nowhere I had to be. I was just there on Tanjong Beach doing nothing but enjoying myself. I love such moments.

120 Tanjong Beach Walk, Sentosa Island, Singapore 098942
62701355

The Royal Mail and Mad about Sucre

So I turned 27 not so recently and had a delicious birthday dinner with Stef at The Royal Mail followed by desserts at Mad about Sucre. It was a fantastic night with loads of delicious food and desserts, and fantastic company. Thanks for the treat and for all the laughs! I will always remember how you told me about breathing at the meeting hahaha.

UPDATE: Omg, I just found out that the Royal Mail is closed?! Sigh but still, am going to post this to keep this night as part of my memories.

The menu at the Royal Mail below.

Fresh raw oysters as amuse bouche. So juicy and yums.

The Roasted Whole Chicken was a little small (for some reason we were expecting a bigger chicken?) but good. It was a little dry at parts but overall still a nice roasted chicken.

The Miso Black Cod was SO GOOD. Smooth fatty cod with bonito flakes and a light creamy sauce. The Miso Black Cod is a must order! We also had a side of straight cut chips with truffle mayonnaise which was pretty good. 

Took a train to Outram and walked to Keong Saik for Mad about Sucre. This place was so very pretty! Cute little golden trays dangled from the ceiling with colourful cake boxes stacked up high. The display counter was a bright glass case illuminated with white light and dainty little cakes sat in the counter waiting to be picked. The service at Mad about Sucre was flawless. The staff introduced each cake patiently and told us the highlights of each cake. They also had tea pairing so we could have a tea blend for each cake we chose.

We had the Luna de Miel (blood orange, french spring blossom honey and sponge) and the San Domingue (chocolate, rum and biscuit). Luna de Miel was light and sweet with a delicious blood orange layer in the middle. San Dom was heavier and more robust with the thick flavour of chocolate and rum. The tea blend went perfectly well with the cakes!

I truly had a great night :)

The Royal Mail
Ascott Raffles Place Singapore, 2 Finlayson Green
+65 6509 3589 

Mad about Sucre
27 Teo Hong Road
6221 3969