Salt Grill & Sky Bar by Luke Mangan

When I was still living in Australian I have heard of Luke Mangan and have seen his face on TV numerous times. But Salt Grill in Singapore was the first of his restaurants which I visited. 

Getting to the restaurant itself was quite an experience. We were greeted by the receptionist on 4th floor of ION Orchard, from where a lift exclusively reserved for the restaurant guests took us all the way to 56th floor in less than a minute. After arriving the attentive waiting staff showed us to a table by the window with an unobstructed view of the city.

To start off the dinner, we were offered some complementary bread served with olive oil and some Dukkah, both produced by Luke Mangan and available for purchase. Being the first thing that you taste a restaurant's bread is an indicator of the standard of their food and I was not disappointed. It had a crispy crust and aroma of wheat. Adding both texture and flavour, the coarsely crushed Dukkah spice was a perfect dipping.

Our starter, pan seared scallops, cauliflower purée with dried Serrano ham was delicately presented. The scallops were sweet and succulent and the ham was crispy and salty. This was my favourite dish of the night!

A small cup of cold tomato soup was served as the next course. The vegetable-based soup was a bit thick, sour and bitter. It certainly was not delicious but worked to cleanse the palate. 
My main dish was barramuni with capers, tomato and green beans. The skin of the fish was nicely crisped up and the buttery sauce gave the dish some much-needed acidity. The fish was nice but did not impress me as much as the appetiser. 

At first glance, the ribeye with truffled butter and green beans might not seem much. But the steak was cooked perfectly to medium rare and cameralised on both sides. It was juicy, tender and flavourful even without the butter. It was possibly the best steak I have tried in Singapore. 

The name of our dessert was almost poetic: crème brûlée, a taste of apple. The crème brûlée, filled with vanilla seeds, was surrounded by tiny jewels of green apples and topped with apple sorbet and a thin slice of dried apple. The crème brûlée was soft and creamy and the sorbet was contrastingly sour and icy. It was a refreshing and delicious combination. 

Salt Grill & Sky Bar definitely scores full mark in terms on ambience and service. For me, modern Australian cuisine is all about fresh, good quality (Austrlalian) produce. Here at Salt the traditional cooking technique and simple seasoning have allowed the fresh ingredients to speak for themselves. It is a perfect place for a special occasion or a romantic dinner. 

Salt Grill & Sky Bar
#55-01 & #56-01, ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn

Chezcake Bistro

I cannot decide whether I like or hate night shifts. I like them for the days off in between shifts which feel like mini breaks but the long and unnatural working hours can really drain you out. Since they come with the job I try to make the most of it.
In a post-night shift afternoon I was at Chezcake Bistro with a friend. The place was minimally decorated and had seating for no more than 20. We were the only dine-in patrons and the two waiting staff were very attentive.

There were about 10 different flavours of cheesecakes on display at the counter but a much wide variety can be pre-ordered in advance as whole cakes. They are all baked, as supposed to the ones set with gelatin, according to the waiter.

I ordered the green tea cheesecake with red bean. This Japanese-inspired cake was unbelievably smooth and the green tea flavour really stood out. Red bean is, of course, always a perfect match for green tea. The base was, however, too soft and quite tasteless and would have benefited from more butter.

This is chocolate cheesecake with bailey, one of their alcoholic variety. After a tongue-numbing experience with the alcoholic ice-creams at Udders, I usually steer away from desserts with alcohol (I'd much prefer them on their own!). But the bailey in this cake was not too overwhelming and left a subtle warm after taste in my mouth. I would have liked it more if it was richer with chocolate flavour. 

I got a mango tango for take-away. Same with the other cakes, the texture was incredibly smooth and tangy mango sauce on the top was quite refreshing. 

I was in the mood for tea and pomegranate and raspberry seemed like a good choice for a hot summer afternoon. With a hint of sweetness it was soothing and fruity. The waiter needed no prompt to refill the pot, which was commendable customer service. 

The strawberry milkshake was very much enjoyed by my friend. It was a bit thinner and less creamy than the usual shakes, which meant they probably did not mix in much ice-cream. Depending on whether you are on a diet, it might be a good or a bad thing.  

It took them a while to prepare appetiser, which was served only after we have finished half of our cakes. The Chezcake Special stuffed yam ball with shredded roast duck was deep fried to a golden crust and steaming hot. It was filled with yam purée, finely diced carrot, mushroom and shredded roast duck and topped with mayonnaise and parsley. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the texture was really nice but I failed to taste even the slightest hint of duck.

Personally I prefer rich, dense and flavourful cheesecakes and the ones at Chezcake Bistro were not quite up to the mark for me. The texture was perfectly smooth but they needed more flavour. Some of their savoury dishes are a fushion of western and southeast Asian, such as laksa or tom yam pasta. They also offer an extensive list of hot and cold drinks, tea and wine. Although the cakes were not the best, it was a nice quiet café to spend a relaxing afternoon.

Chezcake Bistro
328 Joo Chiat Road

Pasar Bella

Pasar Bella was recently opened only a few months ago in Bukit Timah and is meant to be the first farmers' market in Singapore. With its distinctive red brick walls and prominent logo, it was very easy to find once we reached the Grandstand shopping mall.

We made our first stop at Huber's Deli for a currey wurst sausage. Wilson said it was different from what he had in Germany, which came without a bun but more sauce. The sausage was flavourful and not too spicy and the bun was warm and crispy. A bit more curry sauce would have made it less dry but it was still very satisfying.

The Cheese Ark was a deli specialising in rare cheese. Giant wheels of cheese were stored in a temperature-controlled cupboard and small cubes of cheese were cut up on the sturdy wooden bench for sampling. Not being an expert in gourmet cheese I felt a bit lost in the shop. There was no descriptions on the variety available and we were rushed to make our selection after a quick tasting without any advise from the shop owner.
Regardless of the poor customer service, our mini cheese platter was delicious. The Après-Soleil cheese was creamy and sweet with a hint of acidity. The Emmental swiss cheese was more savoury, nutty and harder in texture. Wine, nuts, dried fruits and crackings could be added to the cheese platter too. 

Oceans of Seafood had a huge display of lobsters, mussels and oysters which were prepared and served on the spot. Sashima and sushi were also on the menu. We were not in the mood to splurge on seafood so we ordered half a kilo of clams to try. The buttery sauce was nice and fragrant but the clams were nothing out of ordinary. 

French crêpe with lemon, butter and sugar was from Le Patio got us reminiscing about our time in Paris. I liked the pancake, which was tender and soft but it needed more filling. One bite would be too sour and the next would be too bland. More butter, more lemon juice and more sugar would have made it perfect. 

To end our gourmet trail we got a slice of Russian Napoleon from a lady selling home-made cakes and Baklava. Icing sugar and crispy toppings were sprinkled over layers of creamy pastry, topped with a juicy strawberry. Yum!

There were plenty of other food choices including a few café, deli, a salad bar and a few speciality stores selling beer, wine, tea and organic groceries. Plenty of seats were available and we were entertained by a singer performing live with his guitar. 
Although a bit crowded on a Sunday, it was quite comfortable walking around the air-conditioned indoor market space. I would not consider it as a farmers' market since most of the produce were imported from as far as Europe but it was enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Pasar Bella

#02/06 The Grandstand

200 Turf Club Road

Yayoiken

The few times that I dined at Liang Court, aka the little Japan in Singapore, I was never disappointed by the food. Yayoiken was no different. 

Their menu had both set meals and a la carte items including rice, noodles, steak, appetizers and desserts. We might have been a bit greedy that day and ordered a bit too much :P

Prawn tempura was a really nice starter. The prawn was sweet and juicy and the batter was crispy without being too greasy. The portion was also quite generous. 

The tekka don, sushi rice topped with tuna sashimi, came with a bowl of miso soup, for which complimentary refill was available. The tuna was fresh and thick. It was a simple but tasty dish.

Pork katsu don with cold udon. 

The Special steak mix was probably what we liked the least out of dinner, although the picture did look appetizing on the menu. The beef steak was a bit tough and the few streaks of bacon had soaked up all the grease at the bottom of the hot plate. The chicken chop and the hamburger steak were too salty for my taste. 

Overall the food at Yayoiken was delicious and affordable. We even saw a few groups of Japanese customers there, which was always a good sign. It is a restaurant that I would definitely return (but would stick to the rice dishes next time!)

Yayoiken
Meidi-ya Supermarket, 177 River Valley Road
#B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre

Tiong Bahru Bakery

After a dissatisfying dinner at NamNam Noodle Bar, I was in need of some nice and fulfilling desserts. Walking past Tiong Bahru Bakery at the corner of the basement of the Raffles Shopping Centre, I had my attention captured by their wonderful display of sandwiches, bread and pastries. Unable to resist the temptation, we sat down for some desserts.

Lemon Calamansi Tart was recommended by their staff as a best seller. The buttery pasty was filled with lemon custard, topped with a piece of white chocolate and some meringue sticks. The tangy lemon curd was smooth and gooey and had the right balance between sweet and sour. The tart, however, did not have enough crunch and could have done with a bit more time in the oven.

My love affairs with crumble started when I was in boarding school and it is definitely one of my favourite sweet treats. They had both apple and berry crumble and I chose the latter. To make it possible for takeaway, they had put the berry mixture on a layer of pastry, which was so buttery that it had overpowered the rest of the dessert. There was not enough fruits in the berry sauce and the crumble on the top was not crunchy enough. Overall the pastry tasted too heavy and needed more freshness from the berries. It would probably have tasted better if served warm rather than room temperature.

With a menu including coffee, sandwiches and soups, Tiong Bahru Bakery is more of a café than a bakery. Seating is very comfortably spaced with very cute pencil-legged tables that you can see in the picture above. Even though their desserts were not the best I'd still like to return to try the coffee and danishes.

Tiong Bahru Bakery
#B1-11/12, 252 North Bridge Road
Raffles City Shopping Centre

NamNam Noodle Bar

NamNam Noodle Bar is a casual Vietnamese eatery that has recently gained some good reviews. The long queue that can be seen at their outlets all the time seems to be a prove of their growing popularity. I decided to give it a try while I was at the Raffles Shopping Centre one night for dinner.

Their simple menu focuses on baguettes and some soup and dry noodles. Pho is available with different type of beef of choice, including steak slices, Wagyu beef slices and beef balls. Other noodles bowls are served with chicken, pork or seafood such as prawn and fish cake. They obviously try to cater for the health-conscious and the baguette, noodle bowl and salad are all available as vegetarian. 

The seating was a bit cramped and we only managed to get the bar seats. The design of the restaurant was quite quirky with walls covered by old newspaper in Vietnamese. On each table was an assortment of sauces, including the Vietnamese staple fish sauce and chilli.

The signature Pho with beef steak slices was rather disappointing. The broth lacked the rich flavour and aroma from the various spices and herbs and there were not enough bean sprouts and Thai basil. The beef slices were too thick and tough to bite. 

Banh Mi with caramalised 5-spice pork belly and pork pate were served warm and the bread was lightly toasted for a crispy crust. The pork belly was attached with quite a bit of fat but the chopped carrots and cucumber and the tangy mayo dressing took the greasiness away. It was far from the authentic baguette which I had in Ho Chi Minh City, which had way more pickles, chilli and vegetables, but was still enjoyable. 

For a restaurant that claims itself a noodle bar, NamNam did not live up to my expectations with its Pho. There are other restaurants in Singapore offering much more authentic and tastier Vietnamese cuisine (such as Long Phung on Joo Chiat Road) with a more extensive menu. Their Banh Mi is worth a try for a quick lunch but I would not count on it for an authentic Vietnamese treat.

NamNam Noodle Bar
#B1-46/47, 252 North Bridge Road
Raffles City Shopping Centre

Yonehachi

The basement of Takashimaya is good for quick bites. There are stalls selling Japanese donuts, Korean pancakes, salads, smoothies, pastries and sandwiches on-the-go. And there are Indian, Thai and Vietnamese food in the food court, apart from the usual (and quite boring) fairs.
The other side of the basement has a few casual Japanese dining options, Yonehachi being one of them. Setting itself apart from the other stalls selling ramen and udons, Yonehachi specialises in the traditional Okowa rice. The steamed short-grained glutinous rice is available with different mix-ins of your choice, including red bean, chestnut, scallop or salmon.

My red bean Okowa with deep-fried prawn. The side dishes, including a miso soup, a salad with Japanese mayonnaise, steamed vegetables, green beans and seaweed, gave a great variety of different flavours and texture. The steamed slices of daikon, mushroom, pumpkin and lotus root were not overcooked and lightly seasoned with soy sauce. The sweet glutinous rice was slightly chewy and extremely filling. The crunchy red bean and the roasted black sesame had a nice contrasting texture. The prawns were, however, too dry and covered by too much batter. It was the least impressive component in the set.

Scallop and seaweed Okowa with deep-fried chicken and hot soba. This Okowa was more salty but equally tasty. My companion was not a fan of hot soba and would have preferred the cold version. Again the chicken was over-fried and a bit dry for me.

Despite being in a food court, seating was still arranged by staff who would also bring the meals to the tables. Although the service was a bit slow, the food was overall quite nice. Given their affordable price range, I would be interested in coming back to try their other sets.

Yonehachi
#B2-04-1/2, 391 Orchard Road
Takashimaya Food Hall
Ngee Ann City