Bacchanalia

So I've been hearing many good things about this restaurant and previously I tried to make a reservation but was told it was already full! Luckily this time I managed to score a reservation, so does the food live up to the hype & wait?

The decor of the restaurant! I would say seats are quite nicely spaced and the low-lit, red surroundings give a romantic/sexy feel. 

Their menu seen below, is based on the idea of sharing (as with all other restaurants now) and so I think one dish is good for sharing btwn 2 people cos portions aren't that big. Gauge for yourself by looking at the pics below!

This is taken off their fb page (link at the bottom of this post) and is correct as of May 28 2013

Aubergine Assam

$16

Tamarind glazed aubergine, charred aubergine puree, salted kombu crumb

Honestly, this dish was bland and not yummy for our tastes (but I have seen reviewers saying they love this dish so it really is VERY subjective so dont just take my word for it!) I felt that I couldnt tell I was eating eggplant and the assam flavour did not shine through at all. 2.4/5

HD Scallops

$36

Norwegian hand dived scallops, borlotti beans, tobiko, cocoa

This is goooood! If you can spare the $36, I suggest you spend it on this! Plump juicy scallops in a sauce that's slightly creamy but rich in taste, accompanied by the crunchy tobiko, mmmm it was bliss! The boy agreed too. The beans are a nice addition to this dish and I liked them! 4.6/5

Sorry just had to show you guys this :)

Duck Confit

$28

Spinach wrapped confit duck & cucumber

Corn cucmber dashi

Now this is a great rendition of deconstructed peking duck. That is all you'll think of when you eat this dish haha so if you're looking for some Western duck confit flavours here, I suggest you dont order this! But if you want a new way of presenting peking duck which bears about 90% semblance, I suggest you order this. 

I forgot whether you're supposed to drink the dashi first or eat the roll first but dont worry, your server will tell you that. I think eat first then cleanse the strong flavours with the soup?

So for the roll - basically its tender pieces of duck meat, with hoisin sauce (like the peking duck sauce) and some small cucumber strips wrapped in spinach. For us, the sauce was too sweet for our liking and got cloying after awhile. Would have been much nicer if it were a little less sweet!

The dashi was light and clean, tastes of cucumber mostly and did a good job of cleansing your palette! 3.9/5

How the interior looks! Sorry it looks uh kinda gross haha. 

Prawn Risotto

$28

Garlic oiled poached prawn, compressed radicchio di treviso, strawberries, burrata

This was superb!!!!! Please order this. I really love the creativity here ie the radicchio + strawberries! The tartness they add to this dish brings it to a whole new level. The boy and I loved this dish! Prawns were done nicely too. This wonderful dish we finished in no time :) 4.8/5

Steak & Eggs

$38

Brandt beef family reserve rib eye cap, pickled onions, "eggs", chips

The boy really loved their fries! It was wonderfully crisp and seasoned with kombu salt instead of the usual truffle oil nowadays. "Eggs" is actually a ring of yam puree with an egg confit in the middle! He also said that the beef was v tender and flavourful + the onions were sweet too!

Foie Gras Satay

$30

Sous vide foie gras with lemongrass with tamarind fluid gel, grated chestnuts, peanut satay

I felt that this dish didnt remind me of satay! But the foie gras was beautifully done, melts in your mouth kinda literally. Would have liked a bit more sauce to go w it. Cant really taste the chestnuts/peanut sauce so I think this dish, while creative, falls a little short on execution and taste? 3.8/5

Pre-dessert: Strawberry meringues with hazelnut & fromage frais

(credits to TanHsuehYun for the description!)

Super light and strawberry taste is q strong!

Tiramisu

$14 (should be! Not too sure)

Marsala mousse, coffee ganache, coco gel, blackcurrant ice cream

Now the servers are cheeky about this dish when they serve it to you and describe the dish, they purposely miss out a "secret" ingredient (the menu leaves it out too). So after you've tried it, they then come back and ask if you've eaten that part haha. Well its an ingredient q a few restaurants are using in their desserts now, that taste of nostalgia. 

Okay so this does not remind you of tiramisu at all in summary BUT it is a good dessert so dont order if you're looking for classic tiramisu cos the only thing reminiscent of it is the marsala mousse (ie the white parts at the side). In the middle, well it says coffee ganache but it tastes more like chocolate to me but the different textures in this case - mousse, ganache, crunchy bits + secret ingredient below, makes this a rather good dessert. The blackcurrant ice cream was sour and went rather well with the cake though I'm not sure why its there w a supposed tiramisu. 4/5

Avocado & Lime

$15

Black hokkaido sugar, goat cheese cream, lime sorbet

The goat cheese cream is stuffed into the avocado which is coated w black sugar. Now the avocado taste IS strong even w the goat cheese so if you do not like avocado, please dont order this dish! It is a savory dessert so bear that in mind if you wanna order this. I'd say that the pairing of goat cheese w avocado doesnt really resonate with me. The lime sorbet was really refreshing and I like the soil beneath it! I've read many reviews online abt how this dessert's really good, so I guess its really up to you! Do give it a try if your curiosity demands so. 3.6/5

Service was very good there, prompt, friendly, helpful. Ambience is good for a romantic meal! They also have bigger tables to accommodate large groups. They hold themed brunches which includes lotsa alcohol! Do check their fb page if you wanna know more. I think this is a good place to splurge on with creative dishes! Also the menu I showed above is a new version with 5 added dishes since April 21! I liked that there are new dishes to try which'll entice customers to go back. I'd definitely be back for more prawn risotto though! 

Bacchanalia

23A Coleman Street (once you pass MICA, the building w colourful windows, look out for the turn into this historic building! Dont miss it!)

65091453 (please make reservations in advance!)

Tues-Sat 6pm-1am

Sun 11am-3pm

Facebook

Burlamacco Restaurant

Hello everyone!

Today I'm gonna talk about this understated restaurant. My friends and I chose this restaurant to celebrate a birthday and my friend told them beforehand that we're celebrating a birthday (more about this later). So upon arriving, I was kinda shocked to see that we were the only other table! Maybe cos its in the CBD and it was a weekday. I certainly hope it has more people during other times!

We placed our orders with very friendly and helpful wait staff and were presented with mini baguettes as seen below. 

Given olive oil & balsamic vinegar as a dip. Didnt try the bread though but my 2 friends finished it! So I assume it should be quite good :)

The decor! Quite homely this part. There's a comfy sofa to the left when you enter as well

Brodo d'aragosta e granchio

Lobster bisque with crab meat

$18

This one was not a bad rendition, it was kinda sweet for me but very rich in terms of flavours. 3.6/5

Battuta di tonno e avocado

Chopped red tuna & ripe avocado

$22

This was highly recommended by the waiter and my friend J really loved it. I dont usually order this because I find that the avocado and tuna flavours kinda cross each other out so you cant really tell what you're eating. So I'm sorry but no comments on this one as I will give a biased opinion cos I already do not like the dish, nothing to do with the restaurant and the chef! 

Fegato d' anatra arrosto

Duck foie gras, caramelized onion & aged balsamic

$28

This foie was not bad, but I would have liked a bit more seasoning? The piece is actually bigger than it seems here haha. 3.5/5

Risotto al nero di seppia

Traditional florentine black squid ink risotto

$26

I have tried many many squid ink risottos in Singapore and I have to say this comes out as tops! Even though there's only squid in this risotto, you WILL NOT get sick of it cos the sauce is just SO DAMN GOOD. Its of the right consistency and has the right amount of squid ink taste in it so you know you're eating squid ink but its not overly salty! Wonderful stuff. I let my friends try it and they loved it too! I totally didnt mind that I only had squid as accompaniment. Loved this! Would surely go back for this. Must try if you're squid ink lover! 4.9/5

Merluzzo con patate e olive verdi 

Roasted cod fish with potato & green olives

$36

J had this and I thought the portion was kinda small for the price but then again cod is always expensive. It was done nicely and she liked it! 4.2/5

Linguine all'aragosta

Linguine with lobster in spicy "arrabbiata" sauce

$28

V had this and we all tried it. It was served piping hot with lots of smoke haha so it was certainly a signal for us to dig in!! I thought the sauce was a little watery, so didnt really coat the linguine well. Its spicy level is mild (I dont take spicy stuff) and well this was recommended to us but I dont think its that special! The sauce is flavourful though. 4/5

Crostata di cioccolato con gelato alla vaniglia

Chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream

$14

This was what came out for us! Okay so in the end the restaurant didnt manage to get a bday cake for us even though they said they would and then they told us to order something from the menu and they'll put a happy bday thing on it for us which was what they did as seen above. We thought it would be with compliments, but no, they charged us for it. 

Anyhow, the choc tart was super good! We loved the thick yummy rich sinful ganache with the tart shell that was a little, just a little thin for me but I loved it nonetheless cos it was buttery crisp and good. All of us wanted to order somemore (okay 2 more) but we finished this and were too stuffed! The ice cream goes well with the tart, well it has been a timeless pair. Good to end off the meal if you dont mind something chocolatey! 4.5/5

Service: everyone was really friendly and funny, even the chef! 

Ambience: you've seen the pics! Tables arent that close either so its good

Overall: rather good food with good service, what more do you want!

Burlamacco Restaurant

77A Amoy Street

6220 1763

info@burlamacco.com.sg

Mon-Fri 11.30-2.30pm, 6.30-10.30pm

Sat 6.30-10.30pm

Closed Sunday

New Restaurant: Morsels

This new restaurant has been on my radar and I've just been waiting for the chance to visit them! I was actually deciding between a few new restaurants to eat but I chose Morsels in the end and I was extremely happy about my choice! :) 

This restaurant is situated opposite a mosque in an old shophouse at Mayo Street taking over The Black Sheep Cafe. I really really really love the interior of this restaurant and the vibe it exudes! Hands down one of the best ambience I've experienced in a while. Why? Its great for a nice date (ok not so sure abt weekends cos I havent been on weekends yet, but weekday nights certainly! UPDATE: not sure if it'll be as quiet on weekdays since ST featured them!) or for a group gathering!

Here's the menu! On the first "page" is an introduction to the concept behind their restaurant! Everything, everything is homemade! Really applaud this concept of theirs and their creativity. Their dishes are well, I wouldnt call fusion per se, but more of "classic" dishes with a slight spin-off that works. Now that's hard to achieve and the very reason why many scorn fusion food. But the boy and I both feel that theirs is executed nicely :)

I really love the decor

Hokkaido scallop ceviche, plums, tobiko, cilantro, red onion, homemade tortilla chips

$17

This dish was a great great 1st dish! Totally whets your appetite with the sour twang, slight sweetness from the scallops, and well, cos its cold! I adore the tobiko toppings which brought it up a notch further imo. The tortilla chips tastes like the curry puff skin haha. I felt that the ceviche was nicer on its own w/o the chips as you can taste more flavours. 4.5/5

Steamed clams, fig broth, homemade kimchi, pickled wakame, spring onions

$22

WE LOVED THE BROTH. Period.

Okay no kidding, will talk abt this dish. The boy and I both mopped up every last drop of this flavourful, umami packed, delightful broth! I've never tasted something like this before. Ok honestly I cant tell there's fig in the broth. Okay the broth is kinda hard to describe, its like sour (attribute this a little to kimchi) but sweet but not overly so in both departments. The kimchi is not spicy so dont worry, its flavour is very watered down in fact. Clams were sweet tasting! Please use the shell to scoop up some broth and have it tgt w the clams! Just use your hands!! 

The bread given was so damn crispy! It goes beautifully with the broth! Soak it for a tad longer, let it soak up the broth, I promise you (if you like the broth) it'll be great :) 4.8/5

firecracker pork pasta, habanero pesto, sour cream, spring onion

$12

The pork is cooked pulled pork style, comes in shreds and is really soft + flavourful. I would say it pairs well with the pasta, spicy pesto and sour cream! The pesto packs a punch, so those who cant take spicy, you might wanna stay away from this! 4.4/5

Pan-seared snapper, buttermilk miso broth, pickled honshimeiji mushrooms, ikura, radish sprouts

$22

In terms of flavour, this was the "cleanest" out of the lot but nevertheless, simplicity has its merits (not so if you like strong flavours). I like this cos of its clean flavours. The buttermilk miso isnt too strong to overpower the fish's natural taste. Its pan-seared nicely, skin's still crispy. Ikura didnt do much for the dish as a whole but well who doesnt like ikura? 4.3/5

Grilled octopus, squid ink risotto, salted egg sauce, tobiko, wasabi sprouts

$25

I really really loved how they did the octopus here!!!! Totally not like what I've eaten at other restaurants! Its only a tiny bit chewy, with charred crispy sides, the texture's really good! I felt that the squid ink taste isnt the star of this dish cos frankly, cant really taste it, so dont expect much if you're a squid ink lover!! I tried the risotto w/o the salted egg sauce too but no difference! The salted egg yolk sauce steals the show away. The salted egg yolk taste isnt very strong, unlike in custard buns but its definitely there and comes "fleetingly" haha. Its an interesting twist to the usual squid ink dishes. And once again, tobiko does its magic w texture. This is the must-try according to the waiter! 4.4/5

I loved the service here as well. V casual, friendly, prompt! All in all, this is definitely keeper :) The boy loved it as well!!

Morsels

35 Mayo Street

63966302

Tues-Sat 6-10pm

Spruce

Spruce is really a pace for people who drive!!! Its so secluded but then again, this gives it the tranquil, laidback atmosphere that people are looking for nowadays. An escape from the concrete jungle in Singapore. They have outdoor seating and indoor, the outdoor's actually quite breezy and cooling!

Spruce Dips

Guacamoles, hummus, tuna conserva & tomato salsa served with our bread

$16

This was quite a huge portion!!! Enough for about 4-6 people to share? There were 2 kinds of bread, a thin crispy bread and a thick fluffy bread to go with the dips.

Guacamole - mainly avocado based, most of us liked this the most. Slightly creamy and tangy

Tuna conserva - tastes like tuna mayo haha

Tomato salsa - sweet and spicy kick! Tomato chunks

Hummus - think it was chickpea based! Not bad

4/5

Whole Roasted Snapper

Crusted with cumin and fennel seeds served with herb salad

$27

This was a HUGE piece of snapper!!! Haha think 2 people can share? The fish was super fresh, pristine white flesh (a way to tell the fish is fresh!) and nicely roasted. The seeds gave the skin a nice crunch. The herb salad was a little too oily for me though. Good fresh light fish. 4.2/5

Orecchiette served with chopped Sea Prawn

 In zucchini and garlic cream

$22

Didnt try this but the friends who ate this commented that this was really nice!! And its a kind of pasta you dont see often in Singapore, so why not give it a go? (: 4.5/5

Carnaroli Risotto 

Served with our Porcini Mushroom and truffled hen egg

$22

The truffle smell hits you once this dish is served. It is SO strong!!! Risotto was of good consistency, truffle aroma was the bomb and each spoonful was just a heavenly earthy mixture of mushrooms and truffle. However my friend found that it got a bit jia lat (too much) after awhile so she didnt really finish it! I suggest sharing with someone because the creamy taste can get a bit too much for some! But this was a good mushroom risotto. 4/5

Carrot Cake

$12

Now this is the MOST EXPENSIVE carrot cake I've ever eaten in Singapore so is it worth it? This carrot cake is not crumbly, quite dense and packed with many ingredients like raisins, walnuts, pineapple bits etc. The frosting was good, thin layers and slightly sour to offset the sweetness. Doesnt really taste like carrot cake to me, maybe because the cinnamon taste wasnt v strong? Definitely not the best carrot cake I've tried but passable. 3.7/5

Bomb Alaska

$10 (I think!)

There was only 1 ice cream flavour within, vanilla. The bomb alaska consists of a torched meringue outer covering, with a thin layer of sponge cake wrapped around ice cream. This dessert was light and refreshing, a great way the end to the meal. The friends really liked this!! 4.4/5

Service: Certain lapses in service, can be quite slow though they weren't full at all, at most 1/4 full only? Makes me wonder how they cope when its full house. Some things were forgotten - topping up water and dessert menu even though we asked for it. They were v happy to take pics for us though! Oh there was one guy who kept showing an unhappy/attitude face that I was q unhappy about.

Overall: Spruce and PS Cafe both give the same feel to me, but I very much prefer Spruce. Firstly cos I feel that the dishes are more value for money, PS Cafe is just so expensive and not really that good. However, desserts at both places are vvvv expensive so idk if it warrants such a high price tag! Like at Spruce, a rather small sized choc tart (1 layer of the carrot cake above) costs the SAME PRICE ie $12 and that is BEFORE GST + service charge! So yea, expensive~~

Spruce is well-liked by expats and even on a weekday lunch, it was 1/4 full despite its secluded location so I reckon reservations are a must for weekends!

Spruce

Phoenix Park

Pasta Brava

Bread

Would have liked it if their breads were heated up more, nonethless they were crusty and crispy still!

Chalks provided for kids/young at heart to doodle on the table!

Rustic grand interiors

Cassuela Al Frutti Di Mare $28

Spiced tomato based stew with prawns, clams, squid and crayfish

Look at the amount of seafood given! Everything was fresh no doubt and the soup went super super well with bread!!! The garlic bread given was v crispy and yummy! Mopped up all the soup hehe. Tomato based broth infused with the richness of the seafood and spices, yum! 4.6/5

Risotto Nero Alla Sinfonia Dei Nostri Mari $23

Arborio rice cooked with seafood and squid ink, flavoured with white wine

As with a few other reviews, the boy and I both found that the sauce was a little too salty for our liking? But we soon got used to the saltiness and this dish was actually quite well done! Compared to my current fav at Covelli, I would say it kind of matches up except that I like the sauce at Covelli better! 4.4/5

We didnt stay to try their dessert because we were headed for All Good Things! We'd come back to try out their other pasta dishes. Service was really good, something that the restaurant can definitely take pride about! Friendly, smiley, knowledgable, helpful and polite! Good dining experience (:

Pasta Brava

11 Craig Road

(there's a multi-storey carpark nearby!)

Closed Sun and PH