Fine Palate At 51 Waterloo Street

Located at 51 Waterloo Street, Fine Palate is about 5 - 7 minutes walking distance away from Bras Basah MRT Station (CC2). The restaurant is opened by Heather Barrie who is an Australian-born chef staying in Singapore and she has more than 20 years experience in food catering services.

I love the modern contemporary Australian cafe set up of the restaurant which is so cozy and homely for friends and family to get together and enjoy hearty weekend brunch. Although their indoor siting capacity is around 30 pax but they do have outdoor al-fresco sitting on both side of the restaurant too.

BEVERAGES

While waiting for the dishes to be served, I have a glass of freshly squeezed juices - Beetroot And Apple Juice (S$6.00). You could customized your own juice by mixing your desire fruits shown on their juice menu. 

According to Melissa who ordered this Chocolate Brownie (S$10.00) she really loves the taste and texture where bits of brownie could be found in the milkshake too.

Lemon Meringue (S$10.00) which combined or both sweet and sour taste in a glass.This is a special beverage which is well-received by most of the customers so I guess I would try it on my next visit.

APPETIZERS

I love fried calamari especially the one served at the Thai restaurant near my area. However with a twist, FINE palate served Crispy Calamari (S$14.00) with some cucumber curls and tartar sauce which is a refreshing pick to accompany some cold beer for hot afternoon treat.

Their Quiche Of The Day (S$12.00) was rather good which served with some garden salad as side. I love the pastry crust as well as the savory custard which is soft and milky.

{Must Try} Out of the 3 Appetizers served, Crispy Kurobuta Pork Belly (S$16.00) with jalapeno salsa and mirin sauce definitely won a vote from me. Personally I love pork belly especially those which are roasted till crispy outer layer but tender and juice meat when bite. So from the photo above, I am sure you would want to try a bite too.

BITES

For "bites" we start with some crispy golden Fries (S$6.00) that is served with homemade wasabi mayo and ketchup at the side. Their wasabi mayo is quiet mild in taste so you don't have to worry as you won't get "choke" bur rather addict to the wasabi dip. 

{Must Try} All of us love this Crispy Chicken Triangles (S$8.00) with is "Lemon grass" infused chicken that are wrapped in crispy pastry and served together with the sweet chilli sauce. Very refreshing snacks while enjoy it with some girls talk.

When compared with the Crispy Chicken Triangle above, this Mini Chicken Quesadillas (S$8.00) that served with homemade tomato salsa was rather a bit on the lose side. The tortilla skin was rather chewy and the chicken filling is not as flavorsome as the lemongrass chicken.

For those who love burgers, these Trio of Fine Palate burgers (S$15.00) might be something that you would prefer for brunch or even afternoon tea on a sharing basis with friends. You could pick your choice from: Wagyu beef burger that severed with  melted smoked cheddar, crispy bacon, lettuce and gherkin aioli or Teriyaki chicken burger that comes with lettuce and cucumber pickle.

The 3 of us have different opinion on these burgers; for me I love the texture of the bread which was slightly chewy as compared to those soft burger bread. But the wagyu beef patty was slightly a bit tough on that day perhaps due to over cooked or some other reason.  

MAINS

Tuna And Capellini (cold) (S$20.00) serve with seared yellow fin tuna capellini tossed in a sesame shoyu dressing on a bed of angel hair pasta. We all love this light and refreshing dish and the wasabi mayonnaise also added a kick to enhance the taste of this cold dish.

Usually their Catch Of The Day (S$20.00) depends on what fish is fresh and available in the market on that particular day. On that day, we have snapper which is cook in Asian Style and the 3 of us love this dish. The fish is very fresh and the combination sauce blends well with the sides as well.

Duck Leg Confit (S$26.00) with braised red cabbage, roast potatoes and fresh asparagus (additional $6.00 if part of a set) is something that we look forward to. Although the outer skin is crispy as it looks but I find some part of the meat is rather a bit tough and dry.

Salmon Benedict (S$18.00) serve with salmon gravlax, baby spinach, hollandaise sauce and rocket salad on English muffins. This is sure a great choice for brunch menu and those who love poached eggs. But for me, since I don't really like smoke or gravlax salmon I would prefer to go for just their Eggs Benedict without salmon.

DESSERTS

When comes to dessert I am sure no one could resists a slice of freshly Baked Oreo cheesecake (S$10.00) which served with some summer berries. Although the price for their desserts might be slightly pricy for a small piece of cake but I am sure if it is nice, you won't mind paying slightly more for quality.

Lemon tart (S$10.00) with coconut anglaise and raspberry compote is one dessert in their menu too. To me the taste of lemon tart is quiet bland as compared to what I have tired before which is more infused with lemon fragrant as well as taste. But overall this might be a good choice for ladies or someone who prefer a light and refreshing dessert.

Didn't get to try this but Melissa mentioned their Tiramisu (S$10.00) is a "must try" too!

{Must Try} Dessert Of The Day was Mango Penna Cotta (S$10.00) during our visited and since I love mango, automatically that was my pick. Their Mango Penna Cotta was slightly different from the usual one as it taste more mousse like with a light mango fragrant which makes you go for more. But just don't expect the texture to be similar with the usual penna cotta which is smooth and custard like.

During our two hours dining session a couple of weeks back, I notice there are quiet a flow of crowds and most the customers look satisfy with their food and services. So for my personal opinion, I think the dishes and desserts at Fine Palate are pretty decent for the price and after all it still depend on individual's preference and taste buds.

My recommended dishes are Crispy Kurobuta Pork Belly, Crispy Chicken Triangles, Tuna And Capellini, Catch of The Day and Mango Penna Cotta / Tiramisu. Lastly I would like to thank Ananya from Chrysler Communications and Fine Palate for hosting this invite tasting.

Fine Palate
51 Waterloo Street
#01-­‐04/05
Singapore 187969
Reservation: +65 6336 5120
Website: www.finepalate.com.sg

Opening Hours:
Tuesday – Friday: 11am – 4pm (Lunch)
Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 4pm (Lunch/Brunch)
Closed on Monday

Nyonya Food Affair At Buffet Town

For the month of September till 31st October 2012, Buffet Town is having "A Nyonya Food Affair" theme to provide diners with a different dining experience. So about two weeks go I have visited their outlet on a weekday dinner together with Celes and Shitting.

Although the Nyonya section is not very big but it does consists most of the Peranakan signature dishes such as Babi Pongteh, Itek Tim, Kueh Pie Tee, Chap Chye and etc.

Part of the Nyonya Food Section which is visible from the entrance and beside the pizza station.

For something refreshing, start off with these Nyonya Appetizers such as:- Sambal, Achar, Papaya Pickle, Chin Chalok and etc. Personally I love the Papaya Pickle and Achar.

After the appetizer, you could move on to their delicious home-cooked main dishes such as:- Otak Otak Pangang, Nyonya Fried Mee Siam, Babi Pongteh (braised pork) and Nyonya Chap Chye.

Most of us love the Fried Mee Siam which is fragrant with spices used and filled with old-school flavour.  The texture of the Babi Pongteh is soft and flavorsome which goes well with steamed rice together with the Chap Chye.

Other than dishes above, they also have others such as:- Shrimp Fritters, Ngoh Hiang, Kueh Pie Tee, Itek Tim (Salted Mustard Duck Soup) and Nyonya Curry Chicken.

Out of the above-mentioned, Curry Chicken is our less favourite because we find it a bit too saltish to our liking and it is not fragrant enough as compared to the usual local curry chicken that we had. But other than that, Kueh Pie Tee and Itek Tim are both "must try" which you don't want to miss out. Love the Itek Tim soup which reminds me of my grandma cooking.

Kueh Lapis is one of my favourite kueh especially during Chinese New Year and at the Nyonya Buffet  you could also find assorted nyonya kueh such as Kueh Salat,  Pulut Inti, Steamed Lapis and even Chendol as after meal dessert.

Apart from the Nyonya Food Affair, Buffet Town also has  20 over other categories of food which definitely would satisfy the taste bubs of the 450 seating capacity. No wonder it is always "super long" queue outside the restaurant during lunch or dinner.

So if you love seafood on ice, I would suggested you to go for their fresh sashimi and oyster which we all find it fresh and worth trying.

Above are some of the food from other various stations such as:- Rojak, Assorted Satay, Chilli And Black Pepper Crabs, Assorted Tempura, Roasted Beef and not forgetting their crispy and delicious assorted Pizza which is something not to be missed.

After a hearty meal, you could grab a cup of coffee/tea to pair with some miniature assorted mousse cups, cakes, self made Ice Kechang, ice cream, soy beancurd and etc. Their mango mousse cups are something that I love and it always run out pretty fast too.

Lastly, you won't want to miss out the best dessert at Buffet Town which is their freshly made Waffle. It is crispy on the outer layer and yet light and fluffy with each bites. I love to pair it with my favourite Green Tea Gelato (example from Kiseki post here) plus drizzle of chocolate sauce but too bad that night they have run out of green tea gelato.

A Nyonya Food Affair will be available from 10th September 2012 till 31st October 2012 at Buffet Town, Raffles City. So if you love Nyonya food, do call early to make reservation in order to avoid disappointment.


BUFFET TOWN
Raffles City
#B1-44E
252 North Bridge Road
Reservation: +65 6837 3793
Website: www.buffettown.com.sg

Opening Hours:
11.30am - 3.00pm daily (Last order at 2.30pm)
6.00pm - 10.30pm daily (Last order at 9.30pm)

Buffet Town Pricing:
Monday - Friday Lunch: S$24.80++ (adult); S$17.80++ (child)
Sat, Sun, Eve of and PH Lunch: S$29.80++ (adult); S$17.80++ (child)

Monday - Thursday Dinner: S$34.80++ (adult); S$20.80++ (child)
Friday - Sunday, Eve of and PH Dinner: S$39.80++ (adult); S$20.80++ (child)

* Child(6 - 12 years old)


Thank you Chantel and Buffet Town for the tasting invite. You could also read more HERE from my old post regarding my 1st visit to Buffet Town for their lunch buffet.

Food Republic at Causeway Point

With a total of 17 stalls and 3 mini restaurants among its tenant mix, Food Republic at Causeway Point serves up a variety of local food delights as well as restraint style Korean food at affordable prices. In August 2012, Food Republic has opened it 9th outlet at level 4 of the newly revamp  Causeway Point Shopping Mall which brings in new dining concept as compared to the previous food mall.

Below are some of the stalls that we have tired during the media tasting which is organised by Food Republic, Causeway Point.

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I LOVE YOO!

"I love Yoo!" has an very unique Chinese name call 老油鬼鬼 which translate as "Lao You Gui Gui". Although causeway point outlet is their first branch in Singapore, but I love Yoo! has been serving well-loved traditional Malaysian dishes and snacks in Malaysia since 2007.

Above are some of their signature items such as You Tiao - 油条 (S$0.90 each) and Mix Bun - 夹粽 (S$1.00 each). This is my first time trying mix bun and I love the combination of the fragrant bun skin that surrounds the chewy mochi like dough in the center of the bun.

On the other hand, they also have freshly made Sesame Balls with assorted fillings such as:- red bean, lotus and peanuts at S$1.10 each.. To enhance the taste of these traditional snacks, I would recommend you to order a cup of their fresh soya bean milk which freshly made daily. For a more filling breakfast or brunch, grab a bowl of their Dried Oyster Peanuts or Dried Scallop porridge together with their freshly made You Tiao would definitely satisfy your craving too .

FUNAN WENG IPOH HO FUN

When this dark sauce hor fun arrived at our table, the first thought that comes to my mind is the Crayfish Hor Fun from Hong Lim Food Complex which I love when I used to work around that area. Above is the Signature Prawn and Chicken Ipoh Ho Fun (S$$4.80) from Funan Weng that served with their specially brewed herbal dark soy sauce, ultra-smooth ho fun and fresh tiger prawns as well as tender chicken meat.

If you love prawn dumplings, remember to order a bowl of their Gourmet Dumpling Soup (S$5.50) where the dumplings are made with fresh pork and shrimps to retain it's freshness and taste.

LI XIN TEOCHEW FISHBALL NOODLE

For a non fish ball fan, I always avoid ordering fish balls noodle whenever I could but after trying Li Xin's Fish Balls Noodle (S$4.00), it actually changed my mind set on this. I love the springy noodles which coated evenly with their special homemade chili sauce as well as the crispy lard that perfect the taste of this simple dried noodles.


According to the Li Xin's boss, their fish balls are made twice daily using superior yellowtail fish and kept chilled in cold water rather in the freezer. Most of us loves their Fish Ball Soup (S$4.00) which comes in a bowl of 8 bouncy fish balls that soak in tasty soup broth.

MIAN MIAN JU DAO

I have tried this Dao Xiao Mian (Knife Shaved Noodles) once at Food Republic (VivoCity) and it does not taste as good as the one over at Causeway Point outlet as the noodle were rather overcooked.

Just to share for those who had not tried Dao Xiao Mian (Knife Shaved Noodles) before, the one shown above is their Stewed Beef With Noodle Soup (S$6.00). If you like herbal broth base with handmade noodles and beef, perhaps you would like to give this a go.

PADANG RAYA

Padang food is well known for its robust flavours that come from the use of rich coconut milk, chilli and aromatic spices. The folks at Padang Raya are committed to using only natural ingredients to retain it's original taste and health benefits. Ikan Asam Pedas Set (S$5.00) serve with Rice, Ikan Asam Pedas (sour spicy fish) and Cabbage.

Curry Ayam Set (S$5.00) on the other hand is serve with Rice, Ayam Curry Drumstick and Long Bean Balacan. Their Ayam Curry is fragrant and not too over-power with the spices and coconut milk taste. And the Long Bean Balacan is just nice with at crunchy texture which I love.

SHAMI BANANA LEAF DELIGHTS

Shami Banana Leaf Delights is one of the popular food stall in Northpoint Shopping Centre since 1993. I still remember during my secondary school days, a group of us would always order their Chicken Briyani which was only S$5.00 pet set.

Now with another two additional outlets at Sembawang Road and Food Republic Causeway Point, patrons can easily enjoy their favourite briyani at more convenient locations without joining the crazy queue over at Northpoint. For us, my all time favourite is their Chicken Briyani Set (S$7.00) which I would always ask for more gravy to go with the rice.

If you don't fancy chicken you could also choose from other optional such as Boneless Mutton Briyani Set (S$8.00), Mutton Briyani, Tandoori Chicken Set or Sambal Fish Set.

GORYEO KOREAN RESTAURANT

A few months ago I was catch with Korea fever that watching a few Korean drama which inspired me to cook a few of their local dishes such as Bibimbap, Ginseng Chicken (samgyetang), Korean Rice Cake (Tteokbokki) and etc.

Kimchi Soup (S$7.50) served with steamed rice is perfect for raining day or when you crave for something spicy and yet light from the usual meaty soup.

Bibimhap (S$7.50) which is also known as Hot Stone Pot Rice comes in either  chicken / pork / beef  that you could choose from. The bibimhap sauce is served separately with kimichi as banchan (side dishes) so that you could add the amount of sauce into your rice according to your preference.

Andong Jjimdak Set (S$11.90) also known as Andong Steamed Chicken is serve together with steamed rice. This Korean style steamed chicken consists of spinach, carrot, potato, chicken and glass noodle which is a prefer one dish meal with meat and vegetable all in one.

Bulgogi Salad (S$8.50) is something light for weigh watcher who still want to have some bits on meat other than rice or noodles. I love the refreshing dressing and the bulgogi indeed added some bite and taste to the salad.

CAFFE REPUBLIC

Most of my friends told me that when ordering dessert at Food Republic, Chendol (S$2.80) is a "must try" on the list as they have quiet a good reputation on serving decent Chendol that you would fall in love with. Overall the coconut base is just smoothing without overpowering the taste of the red beans and gula melaka and indeed it's something nice to have after a hearty meal.

We are surprised and delighted to find an ice cream counter over at Caffe Republic where they offer warm Belgium waffles with a choice of 18 different flavour of Gelato Ice Cream such as chocolate, cookie and cream, strawberry, green tea and etc.

Personally I love their Chocolate and Green Tea Gelato which is taste quiet decent as compared to those branded Gelato stalls.

Another key point of Caffe Republic is their style mod cafe showcasing popular Western coffees such as Cafe Latte, Cappuccino, Espresso and etc which you could get a cup to perk up your day with some snacks or after meal drinks.

Below are another 2 stalls that my family and I tried on during another visit to Food Republic, Causeway Point.

SERGEANT HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

My boy loves the Chicken Rice from Sergeant Hainanese Chicken Rice. Their rice is infused with lemongrass fragrant and it's not greasy as compared to some other stalls. They have quiet a range of items to choose from such as Steamed Chicken, Roasted Chicken, Chicken Cutlets, Curry Noodle, Thai Sauce Tofu and etc.

GRANNY FINE SOUP

As a herbal soup lover, my attention was draw to this Granny Fine Soups during our tasting at Food Republic. Although the price might be slightly higher as compared to other herbal soup stalls but I still decide to try this Double-boiled Black Chicken With Cordyceps Flower which is around S$8.00 per serving. The soup taste quiet decent, but for personal preference I would prefer more herbal taste which would be better.

A3 Signature Combo Set Meal @ Promotion Price S$6.80 (Usual Price S$7.60)

Apart from the chicken rice and herbal soup we also tried the combo set from Funan Weng Ipoh Hor Fun Express mentioned above and overall it still taste great as compared to what we had during media tasting.

Lastly I would like to thank Food Republic and Touch Communications for the invite media tasting.